How do we relate to the Holy Spirit? As Doctor Ken Berding unpacked what it means to live life in the Holy Spirit, I was able to better understand what walking with the Lord should look like. He began the session with a childhood story about a hike that he went on. This particular instance stood out to Berding because of the overwhelming thirst he experienced from the heat. He related this to how we today, have an immense thirst for the Holy Spirit in our lives likewise. Yet, we are often unsure what steps we need to take in order to quench this thirst.
Berding taught out of Romans 8 and provided seven guidelines on how we are to relate to the Holy Spirit. The first was to walk in the Spirit. As Berding explained, “The Christian life is a long walk in the same direction.” Walking is an accurate representation because it is a focused and rhythmic practice. This analogy resonated with me as I often strive to accelerate my own growth as a Christian. Yet, I need to instead, follow the Holy Spirit as he is the one who sets the pace.
Berding then shared the next steps: “Set your mind on the things of the Spirit” and “Put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit”. We as believers, are redeemed and no longer subject to gravity of the flesh. We often hear people say “Let go and let God” but Berding instead suggested that we should “Trust God and try hard in the Spirit.”
As we strive towards this goal, we allow the Holy Spirit to transform our thought, attitudes and actions. A practical application that Berding suggested was to pray simple prayers to the Lord for God-centered thoughts from the moment we wake up.
We are also to “Be lead by the Spirit”. Berding explained that this is not a mystical leading, but rather one that should become natural in our lives. As we are saturated in the word of God, our thoughts and desires should begin to align with his.
“Know the fatherhood of God by the Spirit” was Berding’s fifth step. We call God “Abba” which implies both a respect and intimacy we have with our Father. The Holy Spirit witnesses to us, a reminder that we are his children.
“Hope in the spirit” was another step. Biblical hope is different from the water-downed secular hope in that we live with an expectation. Through the Holy Spirit, we can identify the disparities between our broken world and the one that is yet to come in full fruition. The Spirit allows us to wait in anticipation for God’s ultimate plan to unfold.
The final instruction was to pray in the Spirit. In the moments where we are most broken, the Spirit will intercede on our behalf. He is present in our weaknesses to guide us in the prayers we speak.
Overall, this session provided a clearer understanding of who we should be in relationship to the Holy Spirit. Berding helped clarify how the Holy Spirit constantly resides in my our lives and how we can grow in awareness and sensitivity to him.
