Many like the idea that they can hear from God through Holy Spirit and God can use them to give messages to others with their abilities to hear Him. When we need a teacher and a guide, Holy Spirit is also there. Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness (Rom. 8:26, NIV). I want to be transparent to help you.
I was in prayer and heard Holy Spirit speak three words to me during a time of devotion: “Honor your husband.” Then, just a few shorts days later, my sister sent me a message and said, “The Lord said, ‘Honor your husband.'”
I replied, “OK, I hear You, God.” Ephesians 5:33 (ESV): “However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
I knew God was speaking to me, as it aligned with Scripture, but I was puzzled. I questioned the Lord and asked, “How did I dishonor or disrespect him?” Our beautiful Lord empowers us with the gift of His Spirit living on the inside of us. His Spirit is our comforter who also teaches us. Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us into all truth if we allow Him to. I had begun to ask Holy Spirit for a sensitivity to hear Him on all matters.
Sometimes we think it must be a mighty message or a prayer assignment we need to hear. The challenge comes when we can allow Holy Spirit to speak to us about the little things in our lives. Our helper desires to help us in all our weaknesses and, yes, even our blind spots. So my response to the Lord was, “Yes, Lord. Will You show me where I lack honor and show me how to honor and respect as You would want me to?” I wanted to do everything as unto the Lord.
You see, humility is the key to receiving from God. He sees all and knows all. Humility is thinking of yourself less. So I had my eyes open for the Lord to respond to me and show me where I was dishonoring. My husband and I had decided to implement some changes in our home and change can be easy to say but challenging to implement, especially when getting others to move with the change. So my husband made an executive decision, and I agreed to it. A few days later, I was with my daughter at home; my husband and son were away from the house. The very thing my husband asked the family not to do was the thing my daughter and I did when he was not there.
In the moment, it did not dawn on me what I was doing, until Holy Spirit corrected me and revealed to me my dishonorable heart posture. Wow! He spoke, “What you just did was dishonorable. Your husband asked you not to do that, and you did it anyway. You are also teaching your daughter to dishonor him and her future husband.”
I know, right? I was blown away. So I asked God to forgive me for being dishonorable. I also thanked Him for showing me my weakness and ignorant error. I then said, “I will not miss this next time.”
So, a few days later, the same scenario came up and my reply to my daughter was, “We are no longer doing that because your dad asked us all not to do it, and we agreed.” After a few days, Holy Spirit had me share this experience with my husband, and I apologized to him. He was moved by my heart and humility, and my transparency brought us closer.
Holy Spirit doesn’t just want to help us with the big things; He desires to also get in the intimate details of our lives and bring us closer in intimacy with Him and others as well, even our spouses. {eoa}
Sherri Downs is a wife and mother of two. Sherri is a published author, life coach, mentor and speaker committed to her mandate to teach and instruct the body of Christ. Sherri believes in the power of God that allows every believer to walk in newness. Visit touchdownsenterprise.com to learn more. You can find her book, Don’t Be Bullied By the Devil, here, as well as her book, Keys to Unprecedented Praying Power, here, and you can pre-order Righteous Relationship Reset here. Connect with Sherri Downs on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. You can also email her at [email protected].
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