What happens when your shepherd is silent?

Weekly Bread From Heaven

By Junius Batten Pressey Jr.

Today’s Seed:

“Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In ALL ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.”— Proverbs 3:5-6 (AMP)

Concerning the Holy Spirit’s vital position in the life of the church, Charles Ryrie wrote the following paragraph, which is as applicable to the call that I received as it was 44 years ago:

“The solution to the problems of the church today is to solve the individual Christian’s problems, and the solution to those problems is a Person—the HOLY SPIRIT. He is the antidote for every error, the power for every weakness, the victory for every defeat, and the answer for every need. And He is available to every believer, for He lives in his heart and life. The Answer and the Power have already been given us in the INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT.”—The Holy Spirit [Chicago: Moody, 1965, 9]

Unfortunately, such realties have not been fully taken to heart by this present-day body of believers. While many think of Christ as the Good Shepherd (John 10), they rarely see the Holy Spirit as fulfilling a shepherding roles. But, 1 John 3:24 says, “The one who keeps His commandments abides “In Him,” He “In Him.” And, we know by this that He abides “In us,” by the Spirit “which He has given us.” The apostle is speaking of Christ’s indwelling, which is made known to us by the Holy Spirit (CF. John 14:17-20). Therefore, when your shepherd or man of God in the nature is silent, or missing in action, see the Spirit working with Chist in shepherding you—ever present to encourage us, guide us, enlighten us in all spiritual truth, and empower us for every good work (cf John 14:16, 26-27; 16:13). Hence, the real Shepherd of the church is not the pastors, teachers, and or other ministry gifts, but the “silent Shepherd,” which implies the quiet behind- the-scenes, but nevertheless present ministry of the Holy Spirit.

The Christian life begins and continues by the power of the Holy Spirit, whom God has graciously sent first to awaken us to our need for salvation, then to give us a new birth, and finally to dwell within us to eventually present us flawless when Christ return.

“‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of Hosts”—Zech. 4:6

Renew your mind:

“For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”—1 Corinthians 2:11 (ESV)

“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”— Job 33:4 (ESV)

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”— John 16:13-15 (ESV)

The Holy Spirit determines to whom you are assigned, for a moment, or your lifetime. (See Acts 8:29)

This is part of the December 2, 2009 online edition of Frost Illustrated.

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