Christian Writers Circle

Holy Spirit
by Judy Hitson

Acts 1:8 NIV But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

Until I was 36 yrs old, I practiced Christianity as I was taught, going to church each Sunday and holy days on the church calendar. I went to Catholic school twelve years from elementary through high school indoctrinated with a belief in God as the Blessed Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit and the communion of saints through church history who were deceased. There were many rules and regulations to follow with a teaching of works rather than a simple faith in Jesus Christ. My experience was a teaching of faith in Jesus Christ, plus, plus, plus.

When our family relocated to Tennessee in 1976, I learned it was in the Bible belt. I started listening to Christian Radio and was captivated by the lyrics. On October 25,  1979 listening to Contemporary Christian music on the radio, I was driving to work. The radio host said, “That’s all you need to do! Pray and invite Jesus into your heart.” I said, “Jesus, I have asked you into my heart over and over and over again. Please come into my heart. I surrender to You.” Suddenly, I knew something was different. I was overwhelmed with a sense of God’s presence and began to feel like one feels when drunk. I had no alcohol! I was simply high on Jesus Christ. Soon I discovered I received the Holy Spirit that day. It was my second birth and filling of His Spirit giving me life, instead of operating in dead works of religion.   

Within the following year I joined a women’s weekly prayer group, enrolled in a small group Bible study and attended a Christian Women’s weekend Bible Conference.  I had an insatiable appetite for the word of God. I couldn’t get enough of it.

Taking a shower one day, the Holy Spirit impressed me to call the woman who hosted the Bible Study I joined and ask if I could visit her church with her. It was different than my former church, strong in Bible teaching and fellowship. After visiting a few weeks, my husband met with the pastor and prayed to receive Christ. We were baptized by immersion with our two oldest children, who both previously prayed to receive Christ. We began to attend church services Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night as well as Sunday School classes before Sunday morning Service.

While discovering the Bible as the Word of God, the Lord brought to mind Bible verses that were life giving. My life was changed!

As I continued studying the Bible, the following two verses on the Holy Spirit revolutionized my Christian journey:

John 6:63 NKJV It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

2 Cor. 3:6 NKJV who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

The Lord would bring these verses to mind, for example, when I would attempt to beat my family over the head with the Bible. It was a conviction of sin, trying to be their Holy Spirit but reacting in the flesh, profit nothing or acting by the letter of the Law instead of waiting on Holy Spirit to give me life giving words to share.

Praise God for life in the Spirit.

Prayer: Lord fill, anoint and empower me with Your Holy Spirit to minister life by the power of Your Spirit and be the witness You call me to be wherever I go. In Your name Jesus. Amen.