How The Holy Spirit Helps Us Put A Positive Spin On Every Problem

1. The Holy Spirit increasingly sanctifies those who are a part of His family. The Spirit frees us from the problems, restrictions and penalties of sin as He sanctifies us. 2 Cor. 3:18, Paul writes,

"But we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are changed from one degree of glory just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

Quote; The Spirit helps us get better rather than bitter in all situations, problems and circumstances.

Application: The Spirit of God has a way of creating greater holiness in our lives through every problem as we submit ourselves to God’s will. Our sanctification begins when we become Christians. It is continued by the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Paul prays, "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."(I Thes. 5:23)

Application: Ask the Lord to give you a more submissive heart to allow the Spirit to sanctify you completely in all areas of your personal life, relationships and ministries.

2. The Holy Spirit knows that Spirit filled believers enjoy the capacity to give thanks in everything. Paul wrote, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (I Thes. 5:16-18)

Application: The Lord would never give us a command unless He knew that we possessed the capacity to carry it out. Ask the Lord to help you thank God for how He will use every problem for our betterment.

3. The Holy Spirit helps us view problems with the mind of Christ. When you are tempted to say, "All these problems make me think that my efforts are not worth it, remember Romans 8:28. Paul wrote, "God causes all things to work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to His plans." (Romans 8:28)

Application: Ask the Lord to help you broaden and deepen your understanding of how the Spirit is able to use the worst of problems for your good.

4. The Holy Spirit uses problems to teach us more about the importance of fearing God and keeping His commandments. David wrote, "Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies." (Psalm 34:11,12) Fortunately, the Spirit can help us learn that many problems are caused by our own sinful tendencies to speak ill of others.

Application: Ask the Lord to help you grow in your fear of the Lord and your willingness to obey His commandments in all situations. Be willing to learn from every problem so that you do not have to experience the pain of repeating mistakes.

5. The Holy Spirit has a way of helping us find a way when there seems to be no way out of our problems. Jesus said, "Ask and it will be give to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7) The Spirit uses prayer, persistence and patience to help us find a positive way out of any problem.

Application: Ask the Lord to help you appropriate all of the promises of God when you are facing seemingly impossible problems.

6. The Holy Spirit uses negative examples to teach us how to avoid errors in the future. One day Peter discovered that Ananias and Sapphira, who sold a piece of property, kept back part of the money for themselves, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. "Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?... You have not lied to men but to God." (Acts 5:3,4)

Application: Ask the Lord to help you to learn from negative examples so that you do not fall into the same traps of foolish people who are disciplined by the Spirit.

7. The Holy Spirit has a way of using problems to bring greater conviction to the hearts of wrong doers. Jesus said, "When the Holy Spirit comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment." (John 16:8)

Application: Ask the Lord to allow you to be more responsive to the way the Spirit convicts you of all types of sins: sins of commission, sins of omission, sins of wrong dispositions, sins of wrong predispositions (assumptions about people, perspectives and processes).

8. The Holy Spirit has a way of coming alongside of hurting people to give them greater grace. Paul wrote, "The Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." (Romans 8:26)