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What is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead (Ephesians 1:19-20, ESV).
We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter. But whereas the resurrection is a historical event upon which our faith rests, because of the resurrection, the Spirit has been given to believers to take the gospel — in power — to all generations.
The Spirit enables spiritual gifts, fruit of the Spirit, miracles, and spiritual formation. Jesus said that He must leave so that the Spirit could come as our Companion, teach us all things, and convict us concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment.
Let’s consider Hebrews 2:1, 3-4:
We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. … How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will (ESV, emphasis added).
Our great salvation includes the Spirit.
The Apostle Peter writes that we mature through the sanctifying work of the Spirit (1 Peter 1:2); the Apostle Paul sums it up by saying that we keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25), and we should be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). How shall we escape the flesh, the entrapment of bitterness, walk in freedom, and experience healing if we neglect the Spirit?
Recently, I read a quote in an article that stopped me in my proverbial reading tracks…
For many Gen Z and millennial Christians, faith isn’t just about doctrine — it’s about experience. They aren’t looking for more theological debates; they want something real, something that impacts their daily lives. The Spirit is the conduit between what I believe and the experience of that belief. The Spirit is not about making worship gatherings more exciting. The Spirit is about making faith more real.
Youth today desire something real, not debates about whether the Spirit should be stuffed into the first century; they want more than something exciting (or frightening) that happens on Sunday morning.
We can neglect the Spirit because of unbelief or showmanship. Scripture teaches the Spirit’s availability to empower every believer, while emphasizing that the miraculous without deep discipleship produces inauthentic faith. Believers shouldn’t preach an anemic belief system or promote super-saint stardom, but rather a daily walk empowered by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-24).
How do we do this? Awareness!
God works daily. Let’s not neglect His Spirit, but pray for eyes to see and ears to hear. Sometimes it’s spectacular, but often just a gentle nudge to squash angry words to give a gentle response. From this simple plan of noticing, the Spirit will be quickened within us.
Paul prayed, “That God of our Lord Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him” (Ephesians 1:17).
Amen, resurrection power for everyone!