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3 June 2012
You asked, ‘There are many people in the world, how do we identify those who are led by the Holy Spirit?’
Here’s the Answer:
If Jesus told us, ‘… I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.’ (John 10:10, Encouragements-97), don’t you think it is obvious that those who are led by the Holy Spirit are life-giving people?
Have you encountered some people- when you are around them, you will find peace? When you are discouraged or sad, you will find him / her a friend to encourage so that life seems more bearable and he / she could also be that God’s instrument to encourage you to become that person that God wants you to be, despite possible obstacles ahead ...
Someone told us that they knew of some spirit-filled people seemed to emit light, you could even identify them in the crowd. We believe so. How is it possible not to identify light in the midst of everything? Jesus himself told us that we Christians are supposed to be the “light of the world” (See Matthew, Chapter 5: 13-16, Encouragements-105), obviously; He referred to the “Spirit-filled Christians”, as only “those who are led by the Spirit of God are Children of God” (Romans 8:14, Encouragements-1).
Let’s recall what happened when Moses came down from Mount Sinai after he received the tablets of the Law?
Extracted from the Book of Exodus, Chapter 34: 1-2, 6-8, 27-30:
Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Cut 2 tablets of stone like the first ones and come up to me on the mountain, and I will inscribe on them the words that were on the tablets (the 10 Commandments), which you broke…’
(After Moses reached Mount Sinai)
Moses called on the name of Yahweh. Yahweh passed before him and proclaimed, ‘Yahweh, Yahweh, a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in kindness and faithfulness; for thousands (1000s) he maintains his kindness, forgives faults, transgression, sin; yet he lets nothing go unchecked, punishing the father’s fault in the sons and in the grandsons to the 3rd and 4th generation’.
(Yahweh then gave Moses the 10 Commandments.)
Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Put these words in writing, for they are the terms of the covenant I am making with you and with Israel’.
Moses stayed there with Yahweh for 40 days and 40 nights, eating and drinking nothing. Moses inscribed on the tablets the words of the Covenant – the Ten (10) Words.
When Moses came down from the mountain of Sinai – as He came down from the mountain, Moses had the 2 tablets of the Testimony in his hands – he did not know that the skin on his face was radiant after speaking to Yahweh. ——————————————————————————————————————————- If Moses’ face could be radiant because he was with Yahweh 40 days and 40 nights, it would not be surprising that we Christians who receive the Body of Christ regularly in Holy Mass would also have the same effect. When He enters into us and lives in us, healing us physically and spiritually, shouldn’t we also give out that radiance of the “Children of God”? 8-)
Saint Paul told us in his letter to the Galatians, Chapter 5: 16-17, 22-26 (Encouragements-15) that:
16 Instead, I tell you, be guided by the Spirit, and you will no longer yield to self-indulgence.
17 The desires of self-indulgence are always in opposition to the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are in opposition to self-indulgence: they are opposites, one against the other; that is how you are prevented from doing the things that you want to.
22 On the other hand the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control; no law can touch such things as these.
24 All who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified self with all its passions and its desires.
25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let our behaviour be guided by the Spirit
26 and let us not be conceited or provocative and envious of one another.
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Those who are led by the Spirit would exhibit more or less the characteristics that mentioned in Galatians 5: 22-23 above. As many of us are still imperfect human beings, but as time goes by, when we actively cooperate with Grace, He would transformed us eventually into His image, as “the lover and the beloved will always look alike”, don’t you agree? 8-) |
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In the book of Wisdom, Chapter 7:22-8:1 (Encouragements-52), it was said that
“In each generation, Wisdom passes into holy souls, she makes them friends of God and prophets; for God loves only the man who lives with Wisdom.”
Well, don’t you agree that they referred to Spirit-filled Christians?
Then what is the characteristic of this Wisdom?
It was written that “Within Wisdom is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, active, incisive, unsullied, lucid, invulnerable, benevolent, sharp, irresistible, beneficent, loving to man, steadfast, dependable, unperturbed, almighty, all surveying, penetrating all intelligent, pure and most subtle spirits; for Wisdom is quicker to move than any motion; she is so pure, she pervades and penetrates all things.
She is a breath of the power of God, pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; hence nothing impure can find a way into her. ________________________________________________
Since “God loves only the man who lives with Wisdom.” Don’t you think it is obvious that the “Spirit-filled” person also lives with Wisdom? 8-)
You asked, ‘Then how to live with Wisdom?’
We found the answer in the Book of Ecclesiasticus / Sirach, Chapter 1, extracted in Encouragements-69: The fullness of wisdom is to fear the Lord … If you desire wisdom, keep the commandments, and the Lord will bestow it on you.
Saint Josemaria Escriva taught us how to be wise & spirit-filled workmen / professionals:
Professional Work- and the work of a housewife is one of the greatest of professions – is a witness to the worth of the human creature. It provides a chance to develop one’s own personality, it creates a bond of union with others; it constitutes a fund of resources; it is a way of helping in the improvement of the society we live in, and of promoting the progress of the whole human race …
For a Christian, these grand views become deeper and wider. For work, which Christ took up something both redeemed and redeeming, becomes a means, a way of holiness, a specific task which sanctifies and can be sanctified.
And
You must be careful: don’t let your professional success or failure – which will certainly come – make you forget, even for a moment, what the true aim of your work is: the glory of God!
And
Christian responsibility in work cannot be limited to just putting in the hours. It means carrying out the task with technical and professional competence … and, above all, with love of God.
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Finally,
The 1st letter of John, Chapter 3:10 (Encouragements-66) stated that: …no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother.
Don’t you agree that the aforesaid statement made by Saint John the Evangelist gave a conclusive answer on who the Children of God are? Well, the choice is ours; to decide who we want to belong to.
Please note that the aforesaid is by no means an exhaustive answer to your question on the identification of “Spirit-filled” persons. We advise that you proceed to read the Bible / Bible Commentary and research further, and probably consult a Bible Scholar or a wise Priest. We hope that you could later share with us further, as this is also a topic which is of great interest to us. 8-)
We trust that the Holy Spirit who loves us would guide you in this search! 8-)
3 June 2012
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