Partnering with the Holy Spirit to Shape Our Reactions

Growing up, I realized that I was very sensitive to sound, especially when I was asleep. Any kind of noise or movement would disturb me. One night, sometime last year, I was sleeping when I suddenly heard my sister's voice. As soon as I heard it, my eyes flew open in anger, and I was about to speak. But in that moment, the Holy Spirit gently whispered to me, “Do not say anything.” I tried so hard to speak, but the prompting continued, urging me to remain silent.

So, I stayed quiet. The next morning, I woke up still feeling frustrated. I wondered, “Why was she so loud? Why didn’t she move more quietly?” But all of these thoughts remained in my heart. I went through my morning routine, took a shower, got dressed for work, and left for the office.

At the office, I kept thinking about how I would talk to her about it when I got home. But then, the Holy Spirit spoke to me again, saying, “Speak nothing about what happened.” I responded, “But Lord…” and He repeated, “Say nothing.” So, I obeyed and said nothing.

After that experience, I began to notice something important. There were times when I would hear loud noises from my neighbors, but the usual irritation and urge to complain had disappeared. I realized that since that moment with my sister, I no longer felt the same frustration or need to react to excessive noise.

The Holy Spirit is our character shaper. He works within us, guiding us to partner with Him so He can mold our character according to His will. It is the Holy Spirit who teaches us how to speak, when to sit, when to stand, and when to run. He helps us grow into the people God wants us to be.

The Holy Spirit is not confined to certain parts of our lives. He is our Helper in every area, every circle, and every situation. He is the author of our daily lives—nothing happens without His notice. So, we should never try to exclude Him from any part of our life.

As children of God, we should continually ask the Lord to work on our character. We need to bring our weaknesses before Him and allow Him to shape us into the people He wants us to be. If we are unable to deal with our weaknesses, they can become footholds for the enemy in our lives. The Holy Spirit is aware of our weaknesses, but He is also our strength in those weaknesses. Let’s seek His help daily, asking Him to sharpen our character and guide us in every moment.

Stay revived!

GOD WANTS TO BE OUR FATHER.

 

During a recent worship session, a song came into my spirit: "You are the fourth man in the fire, the one who does no wrong, the one who always comes true for His own." I sang this song, and although I only recall it during worship, its message stayed with me.

This morning, while reflecting on certain challenging events, I realized that God is our only ultimate help. Having relocated far from family and familiar surroundings, I sometimes face numerous challenges. In one of these moments, I thought of where and who would I depend on. The song's message became a reminder that "God is my security". 

 I thought about how God helped the three Hebrew men, and to me, that was a responsible Father who cared for His child caught in the world's fire.

Because they had an understanding of who God is they were able to say this From Daniel 3:16-18

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "Your threat means nothing to us.

17 If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king.

18 But even if he doesn't, it wouldn't make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn't serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up."

I often feel stuck in challenging situations, and while I know how to navigate some, I sometimes wish for a Father to guide me. As I sang, I thought about God's help and said, "Father, help me. You know best!" 

Reading the story of the Hebrews, I saw God's fatherly nature and loved it more. It felt real to me. God is concerned with our life details and will step into any challenge with us if we acknowledge Him.

Stay Revived!

HOPE IN A GOD WHO DOES NOT FAIL

Currently, I've been facing a medical issue, and I've found myself seeking God's face consistently. Despite medical advancements, I kept on having fears and doubt. However, as I prayed, God kept revealing a reality different from my current circumstances. This built hope in me and brought me to a realization: God's reality goes beyond our physical circumstances, and He wants to impart His divinity on us.

God's reality is meant to be our reality. This was the main point of redemption. Although we're currently in a physical place that differs from God's reality, we must create an atmosphere worthy of holding His reality. As God's word says, "The Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (2 Corinthians 3:17). We must worship Him in spirit and truth.

The spirit reality is God's actual plan for us. He said we existed before the world was formed, and when we come into this existence, we can become who He intended us to be. God's ultimate show of love for us can be achieved when we choose to work in His spiritual reality.

In moments when we feel abnormal or uncertain, we can search within our spirit to seek out the kind of reality we once had. We can travel to the secret place to meet with our God, armed with the sword of truth. This is the multidimensional privilege we have, and we can be assured that He rewards those who seek Him out.

Do you want to come to this place? If you can just come consistently, even when you lack the faith to hold out, He will build faith and capacity in you. Today, there is a God who has a reality for us that is far different from what we want, but it produces peace. Come today with that posture. 

You can come.

Stay Revived!

By Guest writer.

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Stay Revived: Embracing the Newness of March and Beyond

 

It feels like just yesterday we entered into the new year, filled with hope, dreams, and expectations for 2025. Though not everything may go as planned, we all desire the best from this year. And now, here we are, already in March. God's word speaks powerfully to us in this season, as He reminds us, "On the third day, I will revive you" (Hosea 6:2).

To live triumphantly in the months ahead, we need revival. God desires to revive us so we can be launched into the dimensions He has set for us. He’s calling us to a fresh season of spiritual renewal, where we can fully walk in the fullness of His plans and purposes.

Looking back to the early church, we see how they were able to live out the miraculous. What made them different? They were constantly revived, persistent in their faith, and committed to communion with God. Their encounters with Jesus were real and life changing. They didn’t just know about Jesus—they experienced Him in profound ways, and that made all the difference in how they lived and ministered.

Just as the early church sought intentional communion with the Father, we too must make time for regular, intentional encounters with God. It is in these moments of communion where peace is found, a peace not given by the world but only through the Lord. Our hearts must long for that place of peace and intimacy, just as the early believers did.

There will be times in the coming months when we must close the door, shut out the distractions, and seek God in prayer. We need to quiet the noise in our minds, silence the constant bombardment of news and social media, and bring our doubts into agreement with God. In those sacred moments, we position ourselves to receive His revival. In stillness and intentional communion with God, He renews our spirit, filling us with His peace, strength, and direction.

There is a revival coming, just like in olden times. But as we anticipate this move of God, we must remain watchful and aware of our times. Darkness is increasing in the world around us, but we can take heart—victory is assured in the name of Jesus.

As we press forward, let us stay revived, continually seeking God's presence, and walking in the victory He has already won for us.

Stay revived!