THE HOLY SPIRIT YEARNS FOR YOU
by Pastor Lem Niere
“Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
James 4:5
Has there ever been anything you wanted so badly that you just couldn’t get it off your mind? Every time you tried to think about something else, your mind just kept drifting back over and over again to that thing you desired. Finally, your urge to possess it became so intense that every fiber of your being wanted to reach out and capture it before anyone else had a chance to snatch it first!
If a drug addict or an alcoholic abruptly decides to stop doing drugs or drinking after many years of chemical abuse, what happens? It probably won’t be long before his body begins to crave those chemicals. This is called the withdrawal syndrome that addicts experience.
What is James 4:5 saying to us? What does the Holy Spirit yearn for so sincerely that the Bible would picture Him in the same way an addict experiences? This passage of Scripture reveals the intense yearning the Holy Spirit possesses to have us entirely for Himself. The Holy Spirit is so in love with us that He wants more, more, more and more of us. Every day He wants our time, or attention, our devotion, and our fellowship.
Should that surprise us? He is our Indweller, our Sealer, our Sanctifier, and our Source of power. His attention, His gifts, His power and His Word are all directed toward us. He is in love with us! IF we deny the Holy Spirit of what He wants from us, He cries out, “I need you! I must have you! I want to fill you, empower you, and flood you with My divine life!”
James 4:5 conveys this compelling idea: The Spirit has an all-consuming and passionate desire to have more and more of us. In fact, this desire to possess us is so strong that He literally yearns, craves, and pines after us.”
Never forget that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Lover who lives on the inside of us. He passionately yearns to fulfill His responsibility to the Father to help, teach, guide and empower us. Should this not be an assurance and comfort for you to know that the Holy Spirit desires to possess—all of you?
Let’s learn how to yield to the Holy Spirit. Allow Him to have more and more of you each day. Satisfy the yearning of this Divine Lover. Let the Holy Spirit love you! Let Him control you! Let Him exercise authority in your life and flood you with His divine desire!
“Lord, help me to be mindful that the Holy Spirit lives inside me and wants to possess more and more of me every day.
Please help me to learn how to surrender and make room for His sanctifying Presence. I know that as I yield to Him,
He will fill me full of ever good thing I need to live a joyful and faithful life in this world
I want to begin today by opening myself to the Holy Spirit completely.
Holy Spirit, I ask You to fill me anew right now. Amen.”
