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The Cosmic Catalyst
By Scott T. Kelso

There exist many metaphors and analogies when describing the work of the Holy Spirit from a New Testament perspective. The many "hats" that the Holy Spirit wears in bringing the church into conformity to the purpose of God is truly amazing. A While back, I began to see the Holy Spirit as a kind of catalyst in his work among the Church.

The word "catalysis" refers to "the causing or speeding up of a chemical reaction by the addition of some substance which itself undergoes no permanent chemical change thereby." The Holy Spirit undergoes no change, yet itself effects change when intermingled with our faith walk.

With the Holy Spirit resident in our lives, we do not need special circumstances or conditions to fulfill the will of God. The only thing we really need is obedience. Samuel said, "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord?" (1 Samuel 15:22). If we will hear, and then obey, we will truly see God move in our churches. Since one cannot see the Holy Spirit, we must observe his effects as we track him through history. Note these brief examples:

. Genesis 1:2-"Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." In the beginning, earth was void and the Holy Spirit began to move across that void and bring definition to this creation called earth. The Hebrew word here for Spirit is Ruach, which means wind. Similarly, when the Holy Spirit comes into the void of our lives, he brings purpose and definition. There is a significant amount of void in modern day society, and only the Spirit of God can bridge the gap.

. Exodus 31-Bezalel and Oholiab were craftsmen filled with the Holy Spirit to render beautiful furnishings for the Tabernacle of God in Moses' day. These were gold, silver, bronze, stone cutting, woodworking, etc. They did not only do quality work, they did unbelievable work.

. Numbers 11:16-17-God took the Spirit that he put on Moses and put it on the 70 Elders. As a result, they began to prophesy and minister in a similar anointing-a kind of pre-Pentecost, if you will. Suddenly, Moses was multiplied seventy times! In the upper room, the Holy Spirit fell and multiplied himself 120 times! The Holy Spirit always increases everything he touches.

. Ezekiel 37:9-10-The Wind of the Spirit blew into an army of dry bones and they became animated. "Then he said to me, 'Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, This is what the sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet-a vast army."

. Luke 4-It was the Holy Spirit that anointed Jesus to step into the prophetic declaration of ministry known as Messiah. When he came out of the Jordan River after being baptized by John the Baptist, Jesus began functioning immediately as the Messiah of Israel.

. John 14:12-Jesus declared to his disciples that they would do greater things than he had done, because he was going to the Father. Additionally, he was going to send the "Spirit of Truth"-the catalyst-into their midst. This would amount to a worldwide witness to his truth all at the same time. How could it be?

All these and many more are examples of points in time mingling with the Cosmic Catalyst. The next example is perhaps the greatest display of the coming of the Holy Spirit to date. The implications of this encounter have carried the church for 2000 years. It is called Pentecost.


Pentecost: Partnering with God
Pentecost was an Old Testament high feast celebration (Exodus 23:16,
Leviticus 23:15-22, Numbers 28:26-31). It took place 50 days after the Passover. It was fixed on the calendar like our Christmas or Easter.

It was a time of harvest, in gathering the first fruits from the fields. It was called the "Feast of Weeks" or the "Feast of Harvests." It was when Jews assembled in Jerusalem to present their first fruits to God. In it they blessed and thanked God for a new time of bounty.

Isn't it interesting that Pentecost blew in a new season of "spiritual harvest" with the birth of the Church? Three thousand were added to the Church in the first day. Hear again the record from the book of Acts:

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them" (Acts 2:1-4).

What I want us to see is this: Prior to Jesus' birth, we had a prophetic understanding of the ministry of Messiah, but there were still many gaps. All the words in the world were not like the actual Person standing there in front of the believers. When he was born, and later when he grew up and assumed his ministry, the people could actually see what Messiah was like. He did heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. He displayed his miracle-working power, his wisdom in teaching, and his tender compassion for the downtrodden.

Here we have a similar scenario with the Holy Spirit-prophetic revelation prior to his coming; expectancy, yet some ambiguity. However, when the Holy Spirit actually fell, he was on display for all to see, in and through the church. The work of Jesus was accelerated 120 times. The whole Church began to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons, and from that moment mushroomed into the most significant force for change in the ancient world.


A big event
The coming of the Holy Spirit is as big of an event as the coming of Jesus. We don't really think of it that way. The whole culture shuts down for Christmas and Easter, but Pentecost.huh.what is that? Most of us have to check the calendar each year just to confirm the date. But I ask you: What would we do without the Holy Spirit? Where in the world would we be? What if Jesus would have said prior to his ascension, "Okay, I have done my part. Now you figure it out from here"? Instead, he said:

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:18).

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever" (John 14:16).

"I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe" (John 14:29).

Jesus really wanted us to have the Holy Spirit. He wanted us to understand the significance of the third Person of the Godhead. It was the Holy Spirit that would navigate the church through the murky waters of history until he comes again. I heard Billy Graham say that the leaders of the world's other religions and philosophies were unable to promise that they would never leave their followers. Ours did!

It was the Holy Spirit who would fill his followers with power from on high. They would receive him in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and walk in his anointing. Before Pentecost the emphasis was on the word "ask" (Luke 11:1). After Pentecost the emphasis was on the word "receive" (Acts 2:38). We are no longer waiting on the Holy Spirit; he is waiting on us.

One of the great church historians of our day seems to confirm these observations. Dr. C. Peter Wagner, who has been studying growing churches for the better part of forty years, has made this observation: "I noticed that the churches worldwide that seemed to grow the most rapidly were, for the most part, those that outwardly featured the immediate present day supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit."


Waiting in anticipation
The ancient prophets held out the hope that every devout Jew longed to see. Ezekiel's words were truly prophetic. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" (36:26).

The result of such a divine transplant would be the birth of a new people who would go to the ends of the earth to establish his kingdom. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

We are talking about a very versatile person here. You have heard the phrase "that person wears many hats." Well, so does the Holy Spirit. Here are some characteristics of the Holy Spirit:

He speaks-Revelation 2:7, Acts 13:2

He can be grieved-Ephesians 4:30

He intercedes-Romans 8:26

He is eternal-Hebrews 9:14

He testifies-John 15:26

He is all powerful-Luke 1:35

He leads-Acts 8:29, Romans 8:14

He is everywhere present-Psalms 139:7ff

He commands-Acts 16:6-7

He is all knowing-1 Corinthians 2:10-11

He guides-John 16:13

He is called God-Acts 5:3-4

He appoints-Acts 20:28

He can be lied to-Acts 5:3-4

He is the Creator- Genesis 1:2, Col. 1:l6ff

Not to mention he is the comforter, counselor, guide, teacher, and friend. This third Person of the Trinity can flat get the job done. When we become the yielded vessel, God can distribute the gifts as he wills, and the work of the church will prevail in history.

Keeping this in mind, the principal way to think about the Holy Spirit is not that he is our resource to help us get done what we want done. Rather, we are his resource to help him get done what he wants done. If we can keep that thought straight, we will have a wonderful journey in the Holy Spirit.

Scott Kelso has pastored Trinity United Methodist Church in Pickerington, Ohio for over 30 years. He is a past president and currently is on the Advisory Council of Aldersgate Renewal Ministries. This is an excerpt of his upcoming book, Ice on Fire: A New Day for the 21st Century Church, available later this year.



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