Renewal with the Holy Spirit

Renewal with the Holy Spirit

Renewal with the Holy Spirit

# Pastor's Schreibtisch

Renewal with the Holy Spirit
Renewal is not only an outward, but above all an inward process that is brought about by God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit.

A key verse on this topic is found in 2 Corinthians 5:17: ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, new things have come into being.’ This verse speaks of the fundamental renewal that every person experiences through faith in Jesus Christ. It is the renewal of our heartour thoughts and our entire being.

This renewal is not a one-off event, but an ongoing process. In Romans 12:2, Paul encourages us: ‘And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.’ Here we see that renewal also means a change in our way of thinking. We are not to allow ourselves to be moulded by the patterns of this world, but to allow God's truth to guide our thoughts and actions again and again.

How does this renewal happen? Through the word of God and fellowship with him. Psalm 51:12 is a prayer of David, who asked for renewal after his fall: ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God, and give me a new and steadfast spirit.’ Here we recognise that renewal does not happen by our own power, but is a work of God within us.

The Holy Spirit is not just a power or an influence, God himself, who lives and works in the believer.

Jesus promises us the Holy Spirit as a constant presence in believers. The Holy Spirit guides, comforts, admonishes and reveals the truth of God. Through him we experience a deep fellowship with God.

This fellowship manifests itself in various ways:

Fulfilment and guidance: when we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit, he fills us with his presence and guides us in all areas of life. Galatians 5:16 says: ‘Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfil the desires of the flesh.’ Being filled with the Holy Spirit enables us to live a life that honours God and conforms to his will.

Prayer and worship: The Holy Spirit plays a key role in our prayer life. Romans 8:26-27 says: ‘In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.’ The Holy Spirit prays in us and for us, even if we cannot find the right words.

Fruit of the Spirit: In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul describes the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These qualities are the result of a life in communion with God through the Holy Spirit. They are signs of his presence in us and have an effect on our daily behaviour.

The need to be constantly renewed in the Holy Spirit is crucial for our Christian life. Paul emphasises this in his letters, especially when he says: ‘I die daily’ (1 Corinthians 15:31). By this he means that he daily puts off his own ego, his carnal desires and his old, sinful nature in order to live anew in the Spirit.

This daily renewal in the Holy Spirit is important because our human nature constantly tries to lead us astray from the way of God. Without continual renewal, we would quickly fall back into old patterns of behaviour and move away from God's plan.

I would like to cordially invite you to a special ‘Focus Week of Spiritual Renewal’ from 18 to 20 September. During these three days, we want to focus on God together and be renewed through fasting, prayer and communal Bible study.

Fasting is a powerful spiritual exercise that helps us to recognise our dependence on God anew and to open our hearts to his work. During these three days, I would like to encourage us to consciously renounce earthly things in order to immerse ourselves more deeply in God's presence and seek his guidance and strength for our lives.

We will celebrate the highlight of this time of renewal on 20 September with a communal communion. Communion is a special sign of communion with Christ and with one another. It reminds us of his great sacrifice and the forgiveness we have received through him. In this act of communion, we want to renew our devotion to God and return strengthened to our everyday lives.

Come and pray with me - let us enter into the presence of God together and experience his renewal. In this special time of prayer, we want to encourage each other, open our hearts and receive God's strength and peace. It is a wonderful opportunity to grow in faith together and draw new hope.

I look forward to praying with you and experiencing God's blessing.

Pastor Krauss

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