Hammer on Anvil '

We have all probably, at some time in our lives, had to live with an untidy roommate. You know the kind. You come home from working a long shift, hoping for some sweet relaxation, only to find that your roommate is not at home and has left a mountain of dirty dishes in the sink. Before you can get yourself anything to eat, you have to start cleaning up a mess you didn't even make.

You go to do your laundry, and find wet clothing in the washing machine. Your roomie has done her laundry but neglected to put it in the dryer. If you want to wash your clothes, you need to first put hers in the dryer. Though you have verbally discussed dividing up chores, she repeatedly neglects to do hers. You don't want to enable her by cleaning up the mess, but you also don't want to live in a pig sty.

I was praying recently and asking the Holy Spirit to consume me, and it occurred to me that sometimes He feels like the clean roomie and I am the slob. Why? Because I ask Him to fill me and inhabit my body which is His temple, but I expect Him to move in with some rather unsavory roommates. Rather than cleaning house before He comes, I leave things as is and expect Him to live in the pig sty that is my life. "Here, Holy Spirit. Let me introduce you to my roomies: Anger, Bitterness, Ugly Speech, and Irritability." And then I wonder why He doesn't stick around.

See, my friends, the Holy Spirit is not given so that we can keep living the way we're living. God purchased us with the precious blood of His Son, and is the rightful owner of everything we are and everything we have. First Corinthians 6:20 tells us, "You were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body." Before we ask the Holy Spirit to come and take control of our lives, we must be willing for forsake our own wills. It's a fair exchange: my life for the life of Christ in me, empowered by His Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is given to empower us to live like Jesus, but sometimes we desire His power or His gifts to enhance our own egos. For example, some people who speak in tongues think they are somehow more holy than Christians who don't. A gifted teacher may lack humility because he is constantly complimented about his gift. A woman with the gift of hospitality may become judgmental of others who don't share her love of having her home filled with people.

In all of these scenarios, it's obvious that the gifted people have lost sight of where their gift came from, and the reason it was imparted to them. Gifts and talents are never given so that we can lord it over those we don't think are as gifted as we are. They're not given so people can ooh and aah about what wonderful Christians we are. God pours things into us so that we can pour them right back out again, investing them in other people for the sake of His kingdom.

If you are feeling rather defeated today and wonder why your Christian life seems blah or powerless, examine your habits. Do you watch or read things that have little redeeming value? Do you play video games that glorify violence and gore? How is your thought life? These are all things that need to be cleaned up if we expect the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives.

If you feel like you need a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit today, God is more than willing to honor that request. But first be sure the body you're asking Him to inhabit is a suitable home.