So many people in our world want change. People want an end to economic injustice, better working conditions; people want an end to violence, cruelty, discrimination, inequality, war, the list goes on. This weekend over one million people in Chile took to the streets advocating for change, but this massive protest has unfortunately already resulted in civilian deaths and terrible human loss. What’s needed?

The HOLY SPIRIT!

The Holy Spirit is “God’s love poured into the hearts of His people”. Romans 5:5  The Holy Spirit that proceeds from Our Lord Jesus Christ and from God the Father is the catalyst for the type of positive global change we all long for. We need to do more than stand for change and protest for change; we must pray for God’s intervention through the power of His Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is God. God exists as ONE God in three persons, also known as the Holy Trinity: God The Father, God The Son (Jesus Christ) and God The Holy Spirit. When Jesus was on earth He told His apostles “wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:4-5

“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.” Acts 1:8

The Holy Spirit EMPOWERS us with GIFTS. These gifts are the gifts of knowledge, understanding, wisdom, right judgment, courage, reverence, wonder and awe. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can begin to see what we need to do to live in harmony with God and man.

God has a plan, a sacred design for humanity, but this plan is being thwarted by human ignorance and arrogance. As a result of ignorance God is ignored because man does not know any better. As a result of arrogance God is rejected because man thinks he does not need God. Meanwhile God waits for His people to return to Him with penitent hearts.

“No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:11

In Baptism we receive the Holy Spirit of God. In this Sacrament we become followers of Jesus, cleansed by His Holy Blood and blessed by His Holy Spirit. But the Spirit of God departs from us when we sin.

To accomplish the plans of God we need to know the thoughts of God. God’s holy will is that we, His people, draw from the fountain of His divine wisdom and eternal love. In the absence of the wisdom that comes from God we will continue to fail as inequality and injustice prevail all over the world, destroying the potential of humanity.

How do we undo a vicious downward spiral of violence and injustice?

The simple answer is:

We MUST TURN BACK TO GOD, REPENT OF OUR SINS AND PRAY FOR AN OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

God promises this:

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

God is waiting for us to return to Him with humble and contrite hearts.  He is calling us to pray and seek an intimate relationship with Him where we seek His holy will and reject sin.  And if we do these things God will hear our prayers and forgive our sins and bring the healing and new beginnings we so desire.

If we have God’s love in our hearts we will want to pray not only for ourselves but for all the people in our world.

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” Romans 8:26

Jesus came into the world so that we could be ‘reborn’ in His infinite love.

This ancient Biblical promise is fulfilled by Our Saviour Jesus Christ:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel 36:26-27

God’s sacred design is that we be HIS HOLY TEMPLE.

“Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16

Bringing the world back into a sacred communion with Our Holy Lord Jesus Christ requires that we first acknowledge our sins and come back to Him for forgiveness.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9

LET’S BE HUMBLE AND TRUST IN THE INFINITE POWER OF GOD.

Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Jesus became man by the power of the Holy Spirit and through that same Spirit, Jesus is conceived in our hearts. Our relationship grows and is strengthened through the infinite power of God’s Holy Spirit.

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.” John 15:26

The ‘Advocate’ is another name for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit allows us to understand God’s Holy Word as spoken through the Scriptures.

Jesus reminds us that it is the Holy Spirit that teaches us:

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26

We can continue as a global community to trust in ‘human power’ or we can understand that what’s needed to bring about the progress and change we desire is ‘divine power’. The divine power that I am speaking of is infinite and available to each and every one of us.

What’s needed?

FAITH, REPENTANCE, HUMILITY, TRUST IN JESUS, PRAYER AND PERSISTENCE!

If the ‘temple of God’ has been defiled by sin, then God promises to purify His temple through the power of His Sacred Blood poured out for our redemption and through the power of His Holy Spirit sent forth for our sanctification.

Jesus will make good on His promise to give us a ‘new heart’ and to put ‘His Holy Spirit’ in this new heart if we are willing to surrender our lives to Him.

This is NOT A CASUAL COMMITMENT!

What God wants is CONSECRATION – a TOTAL COMMITMENT TO HIM!

Consider the Chalice used in the Mass. This holy vessel is set apart and consecrated to God; it belongs to God. It is kept in a sacred place, dedicated to His holy purpose. It is kept empty and clean, ready to be used in the Mass. If it were to become ‘dirty’ then it would need to be emptied and purified in order to serve again in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

Similarly we God’s people must consider that by sinning we have been defiled (i.e., become dirty by sin).   Jesus is ready to purify us if we are ready to repent of our sins.  Through the infinite merits of His Sacrifice on Calvary Jesus cleanses us of our sins through His Holy Blood, restoring our relationship with God.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

One of the most significant mysteries I have uncovered is that ‘denial of self’ creates the opportunity for ‘divine indulgence’. When we begin to truly make time for Jesus in our life by denying ourselves some forms of pleasure we will begin to discover a greater source of satisfaction and a peace and joy that is almost indescribable.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22-23

During the Mass, ordinary bread and wine is consecrated and changed by the power of the Holy Spirit into the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This ‘transubstantiation’ is not possible through ‘human power’; it is only possible through ‘the infinite power of the Holy Spirit”. In the same way, we cannot become the people God’s wills us to be without the cleansing/purification and blessing/sanctification that comes from the infinite love and power of God’s Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins. The Holy Spirit of God reveals God’s holy will and removes from our eyes a veil that prevents us from seeing as God desires us to see. The moral compass of right and wrong will continue to malfunction or be nonexistent until we turn back to Our Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness and reconciliation with God.

We are the Body of Christ that must be consecrated to God for His holy purpose. We must be ready to give God everything in the same way Jesus did. We will be blessed in proportion to our commitment and obedience. We cannot expect to transform in a single day; God’s holy blessing takes time and it requires patience and persistence on our part to turn away from sin and seek and do God’s holy will.

“There can be no true worship except through the indwelling and unceasing operation of the Holy Spirit.” The Full Blessing of Pentecost, Rev. Andrew Murray

We can conquer temptation and we can silence the power of evil in our world through the infinite power of the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, Our Lord Jesus.

If we turn with confidence to Jesus for forgiveness and redemption we can be sure that we will slowly and surely receive the ‘New Heart’ God promised us. We will enter into a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus that will focus us day-by-day on serving God as we consecrate our lives exclusively for His glory and the salvation of souls. With faith and trust in Our Lord Jesus we will begin to see more and more as He sees and act more and more as He wills.

“Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Ephesians 6:17-18

Please join A Peaceful Revolution in the Name of Jesus Christ which is calling Christians all over the world to come together as ONE Body of Christ in prayer and remembrance of the Passion of Christ, every day at the Time Jesus died for us, 3pm, in our local time zones. But if 3pm locally is not possible for you, then pick a time zone that works and let that be the Time Jesus died for you.

This is a Christian community of all denominations that believes in the power of our united prayer. At the Time Jesus died for us we remember how much Jesus suffered to save us and we thank Jesus for loving us so much that He would give His life for us. We pray for Jesus to send us His Holy Spirit as He did at Pentecost to transform our world through the power of His holy love.

“But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” Jude 1:20-21