1348. Access Through the Spirit

Access Through the Spirit

"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph_2:18).

1. Access to God the Father is made possible only in Christ Jesus. "He is our peace" (Eph_2:14) and, in Christ Jesus, both Jew and Gentile are reconciled to God, "in one body, by the Cross, having slain the enmity thereby." Christ plainly taught, "No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (Joh_14:6).

2. Access to God is in the Spirit. We hold our access to God in Christ Jesus, but we make use of it in the Spirit. Who is there who knows how to pray as he ought? But, praise God, the Spirit "helpeth our infirmities," and He "maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom_8:26).

3. Thus it is we learn how to "pray in the Spirit" (see Jdg_1:20). Prayer, to the one who knows nothing of the Spirit-filled and Spirit-led life, is indeed a very unsatisfactory experience. Apart from the Spirit there is no unction; even our very words seem cold and lifeless. How foolish we are to pray in the energy of our flesh! Let us cultivate "praying in the Spirit," and our prayer life will take on a new value and possess a new joy.

4. Not only do we have our approach and access to God through the Spirit, but God has access to us in the same way. In John 14, Joh_14:16, Christ speaks of the gift of the Comforter, as One Who is to dwell with us, and to be in us. In Joh_14:26 the Comforter is proclaimed our teacher. Chapter 15, Joh_15:26 says: "But when the Comforter is come, Whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me." In chapter 16 we go a step farther. There we read that the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth will guide us into all truth, and "He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall shew it unto you" (Joh_16:14-15).

Thus it is that the Holy Spirit is the channel of access by which both the Father and the Son are manifested unto us, and have access unto us. On our part, let us keep the channel open.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR