Do not hold back from the Holy Spirit. God cannot work with a stiff-necked people. Recall the Israelites in the desert who had to wait for a whole new generation to carry on to the Promised Land, recall the great plagues inflicted upon Pharaoh to show his arrogance and pride that not even the death of his own son who cause him to surrender…recall these stories to reflect upon your own spirit. Do you have a spirit of surrender to the Holy Spirit? Why are you holding back? How dare you hold back from the GOD YOUR GOD? Recall the Baltimore Catechism in the 3 reasons you are here: to know, love and to serve God. You are here for His glory whether you know or not. You are already His. Why hold back? For what can you lose but to gain from the Holy Spirit’s annointing?
The whole Church, no the whole world, loses out because you hold back. Your surrender means the works of the Holy Spirit through you, it means the Kingdom of heaven here on earth through your hands, through your feet. Your surrender is the means by which the work of ministry prevails. Holding back means the loss of prophecy, the loss of healing, the loss of tongues, the loss to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, comfort the sick, comfort the dying, minister to the prisoners, the loss of evangelization, the loss of Christ’s presence here on earth among our brethren and sisters who are desperate for the Good News . How can we make the Kingdom known without our personal surrender to the Holy Spirit?
Therefore PROSTRATE YOURSELF BEFORE THE CRUCIFIX; prostrate before the tabernacle in your own church and do not be ashamed if someone sees you. Do not be ashamed to adore Jesus. Do not be ashamed of your love for Him Who made heaven and earth. Prostrate yourself before Him in total surrender. ARMS OUTSTRETCHED GIVE YOURSELF TO JESUS AND ADORE HIM WITH YOUR TOTAL SURRENDER . For the Lord loves a heart contrite and humble.
To those who are in ministry, remove your pride and let go of your hold unto power for it is asinine to exalt yourself over the movement of the Holy Spirit. Hear the words of St. Peter and imprint them upon your heart:
1 Peter 5:1-6
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.