My Pentecostal experience has taught me there is great value in waiting in the Spirit’s presence. The Christian life is not simply intellectual, theological or mind-oriented. It reaches those deeper parts of us that relate to the mystery of the heart in adoration to God. The Spirit reaches into areas of our lives where we know what God’s will is but are not doing it.
And the Spirit forms the character of Christ in us as we allow Him to do so. The Spirit wants to reach into the complacency of our lives, where we would be satisfied to live as we are now living. He wants to come upon us and make us earnest about the work of God, make us want God’s will and purpose to be done in and through us.
God would have His Spirit call us out of a life of spiritual complacency to one of deep surrender. Through the Spirit, we can have the joy of hearing from God like we have never heard from Him before.
The Spirit is with us at the crossroads of life as we make the most critical decisions. We need the Spirit of God in an increasingly deeper measure. He wants to open up avenues of worship and of vision to us.
May each of us cry out, “Spirit of God, I need You! I can never do this on my own. I can’t live the Christian life on my own. I can’t know what Your will is on my own. I need You, Holy Spirit.”
George O. Wood is general superintendent of the Assemblies of God. This article can be found on his blog.