In Partnership with the Holy Spirit

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The Holy Spirit is always looking for men, women and children who will co-operate with Him in order to bring His will to pass - wherever they go! God has called us to be partners with Him. We can no longer be servants when we know the Master’s business. “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).

When the Holy Spirit was going to be sent, Jesus said, “... He will only speak what He hears.” “... He will tell you what is yet to come.” “... He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you” (John 16:13-15). Jesus has entrusted us with the Holy Spirit. He wants us to be in partnership with God’s Spirit. But why? So that the Spirit can deliver all that belongs to the Father (and Jesus) to us. Notice, Jesus trusts us! He believes in us! He knows that a partnership between the Holy Spirit and us will bring His will to pass - in this day, in this town, in this nation, in this earth, in this age, and in every situation you are facing.

We have been entrusted with the keys of the Kingdom, and are being constantly reminded that we are partakers in a divine partnership. When we’re in collaboration with the Holy Spirit, Jesus considers us to be the “dream team.” This is the best combination to bring about His will on earth. What’s more, such a powerful partnership brings glory to the Father and to the Son.

The possibilities are endless! Your cooperation with the Holy Spirit means there is no where you cannot go, nothing you cannot do, and not a thing is challenging enough! Maybe you must start re-educating yourself to adopt the attitude of “Amaze me, Lord!” In other words, not to be limited in your thinking as to the possibilities for your life in God, but rather, to “enlarge the place of your tent, to stretch your tent curtains wide, to not hold back, to lengthen your cords, and to strengthen your stakes” (Isaiah 54:2).

However, do you see yourself as a valued partner of the Holy Spirit? Are you ready and willing to tap into the gifts and potential within you - in order to see His will being bought to pass where ever you go? What awesome possibilities! Your responsibility is to live by, and to keep in step with, the Spirit of God. Romans 8 states quite clearly that we live one of two ways – either by the Spirit, or by the sinful nature. The truth is, when we desire to live Gods way, then “Living in the Spirit” is the only option. To live in accordance with the Spirit, “our minds must be set on what the Spirit desires” (verse 5) and we obtain “life and peace” when “our minds are controlled by the Spirit” (verse 6). So then, you “have an obligation - but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (verse 12-14). In this glorious partnership your obligation is to live by, and keep in step with, the Spirit! (Galatians 5:25).

Our Biblical mandate for a strong partnership with the Holy Spirit is confirmed time and again:

We are sons (Romans 8): “Not being slaves to fear we have received the “Spirit of sonship.” God is also our Father (verse15). “We are God's children” (verse 16).
We are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. “We share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory” (Romans 8:17). In sharing with Him we are partners, partners in the Kingdom - co-heirs.
We have been chosen (Ephesians 1) For “we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will” (verse 11). “Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory” (verse 13).
We have been empowered: “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power … which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way” (Ephesians 1:18-21).

This Holy Partnership is God’s master stroke to bring His Church into the fullness of Christ’s authority (to establish His throne here on earth).

Why does the Holy Spirit want to partner with us?

The Lord is more interested in you “living life to its full” and “attaining to the complete measure of the fullness of Christ” than you yourself are (John 10:10 and Ephesians 4:13). It is the will of God that you reach and attain the fullness of all that is in Christ. There can be no doubt! “For if God is for you, who can be against you?” (Romans 8:31), and “in Him you were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him Who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will” (Ephesians 1:11).

So remember, God (more than anyone) wants you to:

Be where He wants you to be!
Go where He wants you to go!
Say what He wants you to say!
Do what He wants you to do!
Minister to the needs of others!
Live in complete victory!

He (more than anyone) wants to make known His will and purpose for you. Jesus came to give you abundant life, and that is a life that’s lived to its “fullness”. “For it is God Who works in you (by the Holy Spirit) to will, to do, and to act according to His good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).

What qualifications are we required bring to this partnership?

God has given men and women a free will to choose how they will live their lives. He gave it to Adam and Eve, and He has given it to us. We choose how much of God to allow into our lives. The Holy Spirit is gentle and it’s by our own will that we choose to bring the Kingdom of God, firstly into our lives, and then, into the lives of others. If this were not so, Jesus would today rule in this earth unopposed (1 John 5:19-20). “We are children of God … and we know that the whole earth is under the control of the evil one … and He (God) has given us understanding so that we may know Him Who is true … even His Son Jesus Christ.” God is looking to those who will say “YES” to Him. God has not made us to be robots. He has given us a free will. He desires that we respond to His call, bringing ourselves into agreement / into partnership with Him, in order to bring His will to pass wherever we go.

We are His chosen ears – to listen and hear!
We are His chosen eyes – to watch and see!
We are His chosen feet – to go and deliver!
We are His chosen hands – to exercise compassion!
We are His chosen mouth – to speak the truth in love!
We are the testimony of Jesus Christ in today’s society!

He has chosen us and we bring glory to Him - by partnering with the Holy Spirit. The only qualification we need to have in our partnership with the Holy Spirit is to: “Listen and hear the voice of God, and to do what He asks.” And this is totally reliant on our own free will.

What prevents us from partnering with the Holy Spirit?

Partners or “Do it yourselfers”? The world will tell us that self-determination and self-motivation are the hallmarks of any success. As a result we become “do-it-yourselfers”! As “do-it-yourselfers” we tend to approach spiritual things from a selfish mindset, or a habit or tradition, rather than from “the Spirit of God.” We find ourselves having a form of spirituality and understanding that’s mostly carnal - with very little “spirit.” DIY is not the formula for success in the Kingdom of God. So, the first thing that hinders us is self-reliance, which is pride. The Bible says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up” (James 4:10).

What opportunities are we missing by not doing things His way and partnering with the Holy Spirit? Think about it? What areas of your life are you self-reliant - factoring God out or ignoring Him, or brushing aside His promptings? Are you are a willing partner, or a “do-it-yourselfer”? Are you a true partner of a part-timer? Why not slow down and catch “the Spirit” – your brain is “cooking,” working overtime with programs and activities that consume your days (as you race from A to B and back again). No wonder time flies. There is often little time left in the day for the Holy Spirit. Partnership with the Holy Spirit requires you to move your attitude away from merely finding some time for the Holy Spirit, to making your Partner Meeting the number one priority of the day. Partnership with the Holy Spirit is not being part-time with the Holy Spirit - it is a divine appointment that must be kept every day.

Can we really partner with the Holy Spirit and also know His voice?

According to 1 Corinthians 2:9-16, God is able to reveal His plans and purposes to us by the Holy Spirit. He has set up a communication channel available 24 hours a day exclusively for you to “tune in” and hear what the Spirit is saying. He has set up a direct line and provided the Holy Spirit as the channel through Whom you can communicate directly with Him, and get the message first hand. As it is written, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him; but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit” (verse 9) We have received the Spirit Who is from God … “that we may understand what God has freely given us” (verse 12) … and “this is what we speak” (verse 13) … and “we have the mind of Christ” (verse 16). Yes, we can all get to know, perceive and understand the will of God, and in so doing, partner in the delivery of His will into any situation to which we are sent or find ourselves.

What are our chances of success in this partnership?

Paul says, “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:4-6). Also, “Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we may ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20-21 Partnership is for now – so why wait? And Partnership has its privileges! You have your mandate now, you do not need to wait for a sovereign move of God. The sovereign move of God is within you! You need only “fan into flame,” “stir up” the good deposit (2 Timothy 1:6). Full partnership rights and privileges have been given to you to bring glory to the Father, and to Jesus. You have the opportunity today to re-affirm your place as a valued partner in a Holy Partnership – ready to live and experience life with the Holy Spirit, in a way that nothing else in this world can even get close too.

Don’t procrastinate, commit right now to a long and successful partnership. God has given you His Spirit in order to bring about His will where every you go. Think about that! This cooperation is God’s Dream Team for today, for tomorrow and for any time that you want His will to be done. For the things that I do you will do also, and even greater things than these you will do, because I go to be with My Father (John 14:12).

Chris Demetriou, 28/03/2010