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Sometimes it can feel that God has deserted us. As I noted in part 1, the seeming absence of God in some of life’s circumstances is so loud as to be deafening!! We couldn’t ignore it even if we tried. It’s a kind of “deafening silence”. I’d go so far as to say that there are circumstances in life in which we expected the Lord to abandon us but in which we are so aware of His presence.
Remember the call of Peter recorded in Luke 5/1-10?
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ feet and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” Once Peter saw that he was in the Presence of this remarkable God Man, he wanted ‘out’! At times we long for the Presence of God. At other times, we long for the absence of God!
Something else from part 1 needs some clarification. I made the comment that “I do not believe that it is possible, for we, who live under the New Covenant, to lose the presence of the Holy Spirit. This New Covenant says that we may grieve the Holy Spirit, we may lie to the Holy Spirit but we can’t lose the Spirit
I’ve heard preachers say that behaviour and attitudes that are offensive to the Holy Spirit will drive Him away and He will abandon us. The key verse often quoted to support this conviction is Psalm 51/11 “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Psalm 51:11 (NIV)
However, I believe that sinful actions, words and motivation, drive Him deeper into our lives where He is less likely to be seen. You see, the reference to King David (part 1) has application under the Old Covenant, not the New Covenant.
…..the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14/17). Under the Old Covenant, the Holy Spirit was with them but under the New Covenant the Holy Spirit would be in them. It’s the difference between temporary and permanent. The Holy Spirit would come upon a person to empower them to fulfill a task but then depart. Now He comes to live within us.
This is consistent with the teaching of Jesus in John’s gospel. John 4:14 we read
but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Notice where Jesus identified or located the source of the Holy Spirit. “…..in them a spring welling up…”
Thanks for visiting “Barney”. You will always be welcome.
