Things that hinder or release

There are three initial and primary things that either hinder or release the power of the Holy Spirit in an individual’s or church’s life:

The thoughts and attitudes of the heart. When our knee-jerk thoughts and attitudes are judgmental, selfish, pious, condemning, bitter or anger we quench the work of the Spirit in us and through us. However, when our thoughts and attitudes are surrendered, consecrated and from the Spirit then the Lord is able to flow into us and through us.

Admitting our needs, sins, and imperfections. If we aren’t willing to admit our struggles, this is evidence of pride. Either we are trying to show that we really can do it by ourselves (which is idolatry) or we are trying to hide our struggles from people (which is wanting the approval of men) or we are living in complete darkness (because people of the light are willing to bring things into the light). If we admit and confess, God can work. If we don’t/won’t we quench and hinder His Spirit. We must freely admit the things that God points out in our lives that are not of Him and yet we have embraced them in our lives. Without this ready repentance and confession we will never do the third thing: let go of the temporal things. It is not shameful to admit our weakness, rather it is shameful to pretend that we don’t need salvation or all that God provides. It is pride and even warfare against God to claim we don’t need what He provides. Defensiveness and being easily offended is another sign of not admitting our struggles or allow God to humble us.

Letting go of temporal things. So long as we hold tightly to the things of this world we will never be able to hold tightly to eternal things. We think we are holding the temporal things but reality is that they have a stranglehold on us if we don’t hold tightly to the Lord and His kingdom and His ways.

Please let these three things bring the release of the Holy Spirit into your life today!