More than ever we need to attend to the safety of the Body. In addition to preventing the spread of a virus, we still need to be concerned with the abuses that can occur, even in the Church, along with other types of potentially dangerous or harmful situations. This is not a time to rely on human wisdom. All the more we need the guidance and empowerment of God’s Spirit in the midst of church safety.
Why We Need the Holy Spirit in the Midst of Church Safety
The Holy Spirit’s work goes beyond the “spiritual” issues of life. The Spirit works in and through us even in physical concerns, like church safety.
1) The Spirit provides the right motivation for our church safety efforts.
The first fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23 is love. How much more relevant can the Spirit’s work get to church safety as “love always protects” (1 Cor. 13:7)?
2) The Spirit enables us to rise above with the right kind of attitudes in whatever we might face.
The Spirit develops Christ-like qualities within us (Gal. 5:22-23) that enable us to respond in ways that help the situation rather than worsen it. We must remember that it’s not just about what we do in these situations but how we react that really makes a difference.
3) The Spirit leads us to the understanding and wisdom we need.
The Spirit reminds us of the teaching of Christ (Jn. 14:26) which should help us be proactive rather than merely reactive. For example, when Jesus sent His disciples out “like sheep among wolves” (Matt. 10:16), He instructed them to be shrewd — wise, mindful — as serpents, which according to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, the ancients considered to be an emblem of cunning and wisdom. At the same time, He said they were to be as innocent, or harmless, as doves.
4) The Spirit’s work in our lives gives us the perspective we need when facing danger.
When we remember that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13; 4:30), it helps us bask in the kind of safety that really matters — our souls. People may kill the body but not the soul (Matt. 10:28).
5) The Spirit empowers us to shine God’s light as a testimony even in the darkest corners.
The Spirit empowers us to be a witness even to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) so we certainly should be able to count on Him to enable us to maintain our testimony through whatever safety problems we must navigate.
Truly, when we look to the Holy Spirit, even in the midst of church safety, we find the help we need as He is our parakletos — the One called to our side who is with us and in us.
More: God’s Power – The Holy Spirit
All Posts about Safety Issues:
- Safety Because Love Always Protects
- Safety Coordinated by a Church Security Team
- Safety Takes Everybody Doing Their Part
- Safety Because of the Great Commission
- Church Safety: WWJD?
- Integrity Breaks in Church Safety
- Church Safety Resources
- Focus of Church Safety
- Perspective in Church Safety
- Dangerous Gospel?
- Scripture Useful for Church Safety?
- Biblical Principles for Dealing with Safety Issues
- Power of Grace in Church Safety
- Power of Grace for Preventing Problems
- Power of Grace for Coping
- Power of Grace Enables Godly Responses
- Safety in the Name of the Lord?
- Don’t Underestimate the Power of Prayer in Safety
- The Spirit in the Midst of Church Safety?
- Church Safety as a Ministry Using Spiritual Gifts?
- The Real Enemy of Church Safety