Practicing the Power: Welcoming the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Your Life

by Sam Storms

But only the Spirit can make the wind blow! Whether or not the sails fill with a breeze, whether or not the boat moves an inch in the water, is dependent on the will of the sovereign Spirit who blows when and where and however much he pleases. You and I cannot force him to move. Not even our obedience guarantees that the Spirit will do what we have hoped and prayed that he will do. We cannot compel the presence of the Spirit. We cannot create the operation of a spiritual gift in accordance with biblical standards of conduct. We can obey and pray that the Spirit will be pleased to blow in and through our acts of obedience. If the Spirit chooses not to move, we cannot, indeed we must not, attempt to coerce him. And we should not give up ever trying to sail again because of a calm day when the wind wasn’t blowing. Most important of all, don’t try to blow into the sail yourself or forget the wind and use paddles instead. That’s not sailing.