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The Holy Spirit goes Letterman.

Top 10 boxes we try to fit the Holy Spirit in. 

1. He's just a charismatic.

Not always. Sometimes he's reserved. Sometimes he's loud but other times he's quiet. He doesn't just look like 'this' or 'that' or prefer this 'style' more than ‘that’ style. Not white. Or black. He's diverse. 

2. He's always random.

If we have a similar background, you probably think the Holy Spirit only moves with spontaneity but that's not true. In fact He actually loves systems and structures and order and uses both all the time. Sure He's incredibly spontaneous but He can also be incredibly structured. 

[P:S- Pastors, most of the time, I didn't prepare anything does not equal the Holy Spirit wants to move and I'm trusting him. It just equals I didn't prepare anything. On the flip side, preparation is one of the best ways TO trust the Holy Spirit. Just saying] 

3. His middle name is weird.

There's no question He does some weird stuff sometimes. Really weird. But that's not his identity or all time calling card. We can't automatically assume He is at work just because it's weird just like we can't assume He's not at work just because it's normal. 

Always, feeling the urge to make something weirder (talking weird, singing weird e.t.c) so it's seems more spiritual is not the Holy Spirit. It's just us being weird. 

4. He's not into art. 

We all (mostly) know the Holy Spirit loves to heal and ‘prophecy’ through people. You know what else He loves though? Drawing. Yes. He also likes to draw through people. And do great films. Mix great sounds and also make awesome meals. And... think of creative ideas to communicate the gospel. Just as much as he likes to teach.

I'm all for celebrating the power gifts but can we also celebrate the more artsy non 'power' gifts? Because it’s still all Him.

5. He loves to trump the bible. 

No. The Holy Spirit actually LOVES the bible and wants us to read it. Technically speaking (literally actually), he wrote the whole bible. Yes he loves impressing things on you now but I'm pretty sure he also desires to speak to you also (and more so) through the bible.  

I know that because he said that in the bible. To trump the bible would be to contradict himself. To ignore the bible would be to ignore what He has already said. 

If we are chasing after a 'word' without embracing 'the word' (bible), we are doing just that. Chasing after a word. 

6. He loves to steal the show. 

Funny thing about the Holy Spirit: He loves Jesus and points to him always. He loves to champion him and make much of him. Whenever he showed up in the New Testament, Jesus and the gospel always showed up from and center. 

7. He's Mr rule breaker.

No. He's all Jesus. In other words, if Jesus wouldn't do it, He wouldn't do it. If you have a hard time pinning an action to something Jesus would have done while on earth (keeping cultural implications into play), chances are, it’s not the Holy Spirit. 

8. He cares more about the work/show/display/power than people.

This is big. Please don't miss it. The Holy Spirit loves people. Period. He loves people. Not in a weird mystic “the force is with you” love. No.  He loves people the way Jesus loved people.

So friends, if you have a hard picturing Jesus (from what we know in the bible) treating someone the way the Holy Spirit is prompting you to treat them, chances are, it's probably not him. 

9. He's opposed to being relevant.

Can the Holy Spirit do what he wants to do regardless of medium? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean he doesn't like to reveal God through culturally relevant mediums. 

The Holy Spirit doesn't ultimately need sweet videos and creative elements to move hearts any more than Jesus ultimately needed parables and story telling to reach his audience and yet Jesus told stories and used illustrations to get his point across. The Holy Spirit does the same today. 

10. He is coming.

If you love Jesus, guess what? He's already here. He’s already in you. We don't ask for the Holy Spirit like we're asking God for something we hope he gives us. We ask because he's already promised us the Spirit. 

Be honest, one to ten, which one(s) did you need to hear? 

Also, what would you like to emphasize or add to the list?

P:S:- This is Part 3 (of 5) of a blog series on The Holy Spirit. Don't miss the next good stuff that's coming. Subscribe for email updates to the blog here . It takes less than 5 seconds, you won't get spamed and all the cool kids (over 600 700 800 of them) are doing it. 
*(Part 1: The Holy Spirit is better for us than Jesus). *(Part 2:The Holy Spirit will never call you by your full name).