Pastor’s Paraklesis: The Difference in Our Homes

 

Do we want the Holy Spirit in our homes? I was listening to a message preached by an evangelist that held services at Trinity Assembly of God in Mt. Morris, Michigan. As he was preaching about our desire to have the Holy Spirit in our homes, the Holy Spirit quickened a few thoughts in my heart that I would like to share with you.

I am sure every one who receives this publication knows that that it is God who makes the difference in our home. He is the one who makes the difference in our society. Our society, being made up of our workplace, marketplace, schools, colleges, and our neighborhoods. As I think of God, the One who makes the difference in our homes, what makes our homes different? Are we really different from the world around us? What is there in our home, really our life, that would make us uncomfortable if Jesus were to visit us unannounced?

There was a woman whose husband had died and left a debt. She and her two sons were not able to pay off the debt. As was the legal custom of the day, her sons were to be made slaves and they would have to work until the debt was paid in full. The story is found in 2 Kings 4:1-7. This woman poured out her heart to Elisha. Elisha told her to borrow as many vessels as possible. She was instructed to have her sons go out and gather in as many as they could find. The word from the Lord was to shut the door.

Can you relate to the tension that this woman certainly felt? Think about this with me for a moment, not about financial poverty, but with spiritual poverty in mind. Here is one area where we who are in ministry need encouragement. I know how busy we can become doing the work of the Lord—working until we are suffering from spiritual poverty ourselves. How much of the Holy Spirit do we want in our home? I, say home because, He must be in our homes before we go out into the field of ministry. What is there that we need to shut out and close the door on? Each of us has areas of our lives that need to be consecrated more fully to the Lord. There may be attitudes, ambitions, personal agendas, even legitimate desires that get in the way of what we know is our true calling. It is quite possible that these things in our homes may be keeping us back, restricting the Holy Spirit from flowing in the depth that God desires for us. How yielded are we?

Be a vessel that the Holy Spirit can fill. Then we will have something to offer to God. Unless He fills us, we do not have anything to give away. We can enjoy the liberty of the Holy Spirit in our lives because we have given Him our all. This is where we find real satisfaction and fulfillment—giving Him everything.

 

PR

The word paraklesis has some rich meaning in the New Testament (see “parakaleo,” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Abridged in One Volume), G. Bromiley, ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1985), especially p. 781). When it relates to the proclamation of salvation, exhorting men to be saved, it implies speaking in the name of God and in the power of the Spirit. In the sense that it is used here, paraklesis is exhortation and admonition. Paraklesis is an urgent entreaty that is neither critical nor polemical, but serious and has been infused with the power of the Spirit. With this in mind, this column is intended to bring a word of encouragement to pastors, ministers and all those in Christian leadership.

 

Tags: difference, featured, homes, paraklesis, pastors

Category: Ministry, Summer 2000