1 Thessalonians 1:5-6
"For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of the lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit."
Twice, Paul mentions the "word" in these verses, each time referring to the Spirit's touch as the catalyst which makes the word come alive. Without the Spirit, even the gospel message of Jesus Christ is powerless, for our salvation is not in mere words, but in the work the Lord does through the Spirit within the heart of the hearer.
While we often encourage people to come to faith in Jesus Christ, and rightly so, it is the Spirit who makes this faith possible, for the Spirit takes the word and makes it alive within the soul of the hearer. No pastor has ever convinced another to become a true follower of Christ, no evangelist wins one to Christ through a passionate appeal, no mother leads a child to faith in Christ, unless the Spirit enlivens the word.
Salvation begins with the Spirit and salvation is given by the Spirit. Christ, the living word, carried out the requirements of salvation, and prayed for the Father to send the Spirit. The Father sacrificed the Son and answered his prayer for the Spirit to dwell among us. Salvation is of God, belongs to God, and is God's to give, and he does so only through the Spirit.
People sometimes wonder if they have the faith they need for salvation. I'm convinced that if the Spirit is at work in them to enliven the word to convict of sin, the Spirit is also present for salvation.
LORD JESUS
Lord, I thank you for the Spirit of salvation which dwells within me and is still at work in the world today, enlivening the word to draw people from darkness unto light. May your church be surrendered to being used as an instrument of this salvation in any way you see fit. Amen.
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