There Is One Spirit

By Brian Mitchell
    The story is told about a Christian who arrived in Heaven and was excited to meet many people from Old Testament times and he had lots of questions for them. To Noah, he asked what it was like to be in the ark with all those animals. To Joseph, he asked what it was like to understand dreams and be second in command of all of Egypt. To Moses, he asked what it was like when the Red Sea parted. To David, he asked what it was like to take down Goliath.    To Solomon, he asked what it was like to have such great wisdom. To Daniel, he asked what it was like to be protected in the lion’s den. Each of the great people of the Old Testament answered the Christian’s question. Then each of them asked the Christian a question and it was the same question: What was it like to have the Spirit of God living in you? As great as all the displays of God’s power in their time, none of them had the promised Holy Spirit living in them.    The promised Holy Spirit living in us is a new covenant promise for Christians. I hope we can appreciate how unique and wonderful the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is. As you know, we are in a new sermon series called “7 Ones Equal Unity” based on Eph. 4:4-6. The seven ones that lead to unity are: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father.    In the first sermon in the series, we looked at the context of these verses in the book of Ephesians, in general, and in chapter 4 of Ephesians. We found that it is God’s desire that we live a life that represents the worthiness of our calling. Last week, in the second sermon of the series, we talked about the fact that there is only one body. There is only one body, meaning there is only one kingdom of God, one family of God, one church of God, one church of Christ, and one temple of God. When we obey the Gospel then God adds us to the body, the church.    Now let’s turn our attention to the second “one” that leads to unity and it is that there is one Spirit. Let’s begin by asking: What is that one Spirit? Or better yet, who is that one Spirit?     Praise God for the one Spirit who brings us into God’s family and makes us one body. Praise God that the Spirit lives in us, brings us life, and transforms us into the likeness of God. Praise God for the way the Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit and gives us spiritual victory. I pray that all of us will be filled with the Spirit, walk in the Spirit and not grieve the Holy Spirit.    I pray that we will prepare ourselves for the spiritual battle by taking up the sword of the Spirit and by praying in the Spirit, so that the Spirit will enable us to win the battle. But it all starts by being born again of the water and the Spirit – when we are baptized into Christ, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And it all continues by walking in step with the Spirit and being filled with the Spirit and not grieving the Spirit.

- Brian Mitchell served as a minister with the Jackson Church of Christ in Jackson, MO. Visit the congregation's website at https://www.jacksonchurchofchrist.net