The Spirit Uses Past Words To Speak
The Spirit Uses Past Words To Speak
As we continue to consider the role of the Spirit in our preaching and teaching, let’s remember what we’ve covered. We considered that the Holy Spirit anoints us for preaching in our ministry, illuminates our preaching to make it practical, He inspires the Word, and works in us preachers too enlarge our hearts. In this post we will see that he also uses past words to speak to a person.
A Strange Conversion Story
The strangest conversion story that I’ve ever heard was given by a man who was a district supervisor for a denomination in California. He shared that he was, as far as he knew, the only person ever converted by going to the movie, The Exorcist. You may remember this chilling horror movie that came out back in 1973. It’s the story of a young girl who is possessed by a demon, and it’s the story of the priest who tries to exorcise the demon.
The Movie
The unbelieving young man went to see this movie at the encouragement of his friends. “You’ve got to see this movie,” they said. “A chick’s head spins!” Such were the special effects back then. 
But that wasn’t what caught his attention. Rather, he said that as the movie progressed, he grew afraid. Why? He said it was because he became aware for the first time that there are at least two realities in the world. There is what you observe with your senses. But there might be more, an evil presence.
The Conversion
He made his way back to his dorm at Fresno State University with a sense of terror, examining the shadows along the way. But, and this is the point of this post, he also heard a voice in his head. Though he had grown up as an unbeliever, a friend once invited him to an activity at his church. Now the words of a youth pastor came back to him, explaining how to receive Jesus Christ into your life.
A young latin man kneeling down and praying with hands together in a vertical full length shot with white background.
When he got into his dorm room, he fell on his knees and prayed, “Jesus, I don’t even know if you’re real, but if you are, I need you to come into my life right now. And Jesus answered that prayer. You see, the Spirit uses past words to speak to us.
The Past Words The Spirit Uses
Have you ever had that happen? Have you ever been in a crisis situation, and suddenly you remember what someone said to you? I’ve heard this story from others more than experienced it myself, but I’ve heard enough to know that the Spirit uses past words to speak to us. I think of one person who was feeling like a failure. He had fallen off the wagon again. Even as he came out of the fog of alcohol, feeling like a wretched failure, he heard the words of forgiveness and encouragement that an accountability partner had shared with him before. A person dying and fearful of death heard the words of grace she so badly needed, preached by a pastor years before.
Conclusion
Be encouraged! The words you speak this week in your church may be used by the Spirit in the future to change someone, to help someone, to encourage someone.
