Finally Together!

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(Romans 8:16) The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

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His witness, how do we recognize it? In the previous verse, He reveals that. From deep within us, He excites us to exclaim to God: "Father!" He knows and is always reminding us in ways that excite the hope, the insight, the dream, the desire that God is good: He is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and (by no means) clearing the guilty (Exodus 34:6-7). When our spirits respond to acknowledge that, we--according to these verses--are speaking in perfect harmony with the Holy Spirit (Galatians 4:16).

A (Psychological)

Consider the possibility of God's Holy Spirit dwelling in people. This is not schizophrenia--delusions, hallucinations (visual or auditory), disorganized speech and behavior, paranoia, and the absence of good behaviors, specifically the absence of appropriate emotions (affective flattening), poverty of speech (alogia), and decisiveness ability to have or to achieve basic goals (avolition). No, the presence and freedom of the Holy Spirit--the witness of His presence--is quite the opposite. It correlates with mental health and is evidenced by logical thinking, healthy emotions, and positive relationships (Romans 8:14-17; James 1:2-8; 2 Timothy 1:6-7; 1 Peter 3:8-16).

Consider, also, how different history (and our lives) would have been if Mary had abused or neglected Jesus. Yet that abuse of the Holy Spirit (based on the revelation of God's trinitarian relationship) is exactly what we are advised to not do: Don't quench--suffocate--Him (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Do strengthen and equip Him (1 Peter 1:13, 10-25). Don't neglect Him (1 Peter 4:7-11). As much as counselors and therapists have learned to strictly value confidentiality, we're also mandated to speak out, to voice our private concerns when we believe vulnerable people (minors, elderly, or handicapped people) have been abused, and recognizing signs of abuse is part of our training. The answer to our spiritual abuse of the Holy Spirit is to speak up, to voice with Him the things that need to be corrected in us as well as the eternal truths of God's goodness.

A (Personal)

This revelation of God as my Father--no, more than the revelation, it's in my responsive and intentional cry to Him--that I find the evidence that I'm His child. Unfortunately, many supposedly spiritual advisers advocate the reverse order: discover first that you're "god's child" (however god is defined), then you'll find your spiritual family. That's an endless, fruitless, uncertain pursuit. Once my eyes were opened, I saw that I fit perfectly into the "continuum of sonship" that He described in Luke 10. In my unrepentant, undiscerning, unredeemed state, I fluctuated between being the the wayward, independent prodigal son on some days and the foolishly self-reliant, slavishly distant elder son on other days. Even now, my constancy and hope isn't found in the fickleness of my character, but in the steadfastness of His goodness. I see my identity accurately to the extent that I correct my perception of God, my heavenly Father.

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Heavenly Father--Dad--thank You for first loving me and revealing Your goodness to me. My search for identity was endlessly confused, uncertain, and fruitless until I abandoned my fight against You. I'm so glad You proved Your long-suffering patience and mercy towards You. I'm so glad Your Holy Spirit awakened my emotions, convictions, desires, and testimony ... enough to cry out to You and discover whom You see me as being. What hope! What a relief! What encouragement! Thanks, Dad.