How do you know the wind exists if you cannot physically see the wind?
How do you know that air exists if you cannot physically see air?
It is a couple of thought-provoking questions because, in reality, the wind and air themselves cannot be seen with the naked eye. We can't see the air, yet we know it is a vital necessity for life as, with each breath we take, we breathe in air to fill our lungs with oxygen. The impact of the powerful invisible force of the wind on our planet is truly remarkable. The wind's effects are visible all around us. We can observe a flag swaying in the breeze or the gentle movements of leaves on trees. We can drive past a wind-blade farm and see the blades collecting energy as they rotate. On a hot and humid summer day, we can feel the coolness it brings blowing through our hair and on our faces. Conversely, on a bitterly cold winter day, we can feel its bite.
Despite being invisible, the wind's presence and the air in our lungs are both undeniable.
We can't physically see the wind, but we can see the effects of the wind. We can't physically see the air, but we breath it in with every breathe we take.
I have another thought-provoking question for you: How do you know the Holy Spirit exists if we can't physically see the Holy Spirit? It's an invisible force, and He undeniably makes His presence felt in the lives of those who Jesus Christ has redeemed. However, the Holy Spirit is not merely an element but a living being within us. Even though we can't see Him, we can see the impact He has on our lives, in our hearts, and in the lives of those around us.
Despite being invisible, the Holy Spirit's presence in our hearts and lives is undeniable.
We can't physically see the Holy Spirit, but we can see the effects of the Holy Spirit in and all around us.
Can I be sure that the Holy Spirit is with me?
YES!
How?
Because of the intense feeling of joy and gratitude that fills my heart and the tears that come to my eyes when I think of all God has done in my life in a short amount of time. Before I was truly saved (BC... Before Christ 😉), and during a time when I was playing Church, I never experienced this overwhelming sensation of the Holy Spirit within me. It wasn't until I surrendered my heart and life to Christ as my Lord and Savior that I got this amazing gift from God. I am convinced of the Holy Spirit's presence within me because of the unmistakable evidence of His transformative power in my heart and life.
He has a way of giving me exactly what I need at the moment when I need Him the most.
I have so many examples of this in my life, but the one laying heavy on my heart lately is from a music concert I was at last year. I live in a small town in Iowa, and concerts like these, don't typically happen, but I am thankful we get to attend soon for a second year in a row!
On Father's Day in June 2022, the weather was scorching hot. The temperature rose to almost 90°F, with no breeze and hardly any shade to be found. I found myself standing on the blazing asphalt, listening to Micah Tyler's new song "I See Grace" for the first time. Here are some of the lyrics:
I’ve seen shame The kind that comes from mistakes The kind that won’t go away When I turned around They were right there to remind me
I’ve seen regret The kind that messes with your head The failures and the can’t forgets But standing here now I’m thanking God it’s behind me
Cause I’ve seen nail scarred hands Reach out and wipe it all away
Now I see grace Hallelujah I stand amazed I’m staring at an empty grave And the stone that You rolled away When I was a prodigal You saw a son When I left the 99 You saw the one And just like that All my past has been erased When I look back I see grace
Check this song out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6bjAk3EGQw.
As I was listening to Micah, sing this song while its lyrics were projected on a large screen, tears were rolling down my cheeks, and despite the intense heat that day, a refreshing breeze swept in and provided me with the solace I needed at that moment. The wind I felt cooling my face was a gentle reminder that God was there and that the Holy Spirit's presence was felt. As a former member of the lost 99, the Holy Spirit touched my heart at that moment with the wind and a gentle reminder that I was one of the redeemed souls after years of being lost. Between the wind, the heat, the lyrics, and the feeling inside my heart, His presence was undeniable.
I began praying, raising my hands to express gratitude to God for being there for me when I needed Him the most in my life. I needed a moment of relief from the heat, and I got that.
It was a powerful reminder of how the Holy Spirit's presence is often unseen, but its influence can definitely be felt. The wind, air, and the Holy Spirit are all invisible, yet all profoundly felt and can be seen if we are paying close enough attention.
I had the very same feeling the day I was saved. The day I had tears of anguish streaming down my cheeks, unknowing of what the future of my marriage held. Where I would be living next week or how my kids would react to the havoc I had created. While these thoughts were flooding my mind, the Holy Spirit showed up, calmed my soul, and gave me peace that let me know with God on my side; everything was going to be ok. And it was. No divorce, no uprooting my family over the mistakes I had made. It was a grace-filled moment, and I give ALL the glory to God.
Throughout my life, I have experienced numerous instances where I couldn't physically see the Holy Spirit, but oh, how I could feel Him. The impact of His wonders is unmistakable and incomprehensible. It's hard to articulate the experience and emotions you feel when you witness and feel something firsthand, and feeling the Holy Spirit is no different.
Believing in things that are not physically visible, such as the wind, air, and the Holy Spirit, constitutes having a strong, unshakeable, and fierce faith. We believe in their existence because we can perceive and experience their effects.
"𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝒥𝑒𝓈𝓊𝓈 𝓉𝑜𝓁𝒹 𝒽𝒾𝓂, '𝐵𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓈𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝑒, 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝓁𝒾𝑒𝓋𝑒𝒹; 𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓈𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓈𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓎𝑒𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝓁𝒾𝑒𝓋𝑒𝒹.”
𝒥𝑜𝒽𝓃 𝟤𝟢:𝟤𝟫
"𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝓌𝑒 𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝓎 𝒻𝒶𝒾𝓉𝒽, 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒷𝓎 𝓈𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉." 𝟤 𝒞𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓃𝓉𝒽𝒾𝒶𝓃𝓈 𝟧:𝟩
What kind of fan would I be if I didn't tell you more about this upcoming concert?!
If you live close to Newton, IA, mark your calendars for Saturday, June 17th, 2023!
THREE concerts, and one low price of $20!! Unspoken, Building 429 and Friday Night Fire will be praising and worshiping God right in the middle of Legacy Plaza!
Check their website out here: https://fiercefaithmusic.org/
Maybe I will be blessed enough to see you there!
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