Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Jesus, Continued by J.D. Greear


Jesus promised his disciples that it was better if he returned to heaven because then the Holy Spirit could live inside them. Yet how many Christians consider their connection to the Holy Spirit so strong that they would call his presence in them better than Jesus beside them?

J. D. Greear asked that question because he knew a lot about God but was missing the vibrancy of true relationship. Only when he began to embrace the presence of the Holy Spirit in his life did he move from feeling burned out to being on fire.

In Jesus, Continued… J. D. explores questions such as, What does it mean to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit? How do the Bible and God’s Spirit work together?

Jesus, Continued shows readers that when they see their mission as something to do for God, they get overwhelmed. When they see it as something to do with God, their work becomes exhilarating. The difference is in knowing that the Holy Spirit is ready to fight their battles, use their gifts, and offer to them the peace of his presence.

Jesus, Continued by J.D. Greear is a thoughtful and very insightful book that delves into what it really means to be filled with the Holy Spirit as a believer. J.D. Greear is a pastor of Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, NC, and he has expertly woven truths from Scripture, commentary from other pastors, and his own and others' experiences to clearly demonstrate the importance of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life and walk with God. Understanding how to live joyfully, filled with the Holy Spirit, and eager to share the Gospel have been areas that I have personally struggled with recently, and I found this book to be very convicting and helpful in both understanding these concepts and applying them to my own life.

Jesus, Continued is divided into three parts: The Missing Spirit, Experiencing the Holy Spirit, Seeking the Holy Spirit. The first part details why the Spirit is important, what it means to be missing the Spirit, and why experiencing and seeking the Holy Spirit are important. One statement that I found particularly convicting from this part was, "You won't know the Spirit any more than you know the Word of God. So if you want to walk with the Spirit of God, get on your knees and open your Bible." The second part of the book discusses how we can experience the Holy Spirit, such as through the Gospel, our spiritual gifts, the church, etc. I found the idea that we can learn more about what God wants for us by getting to know our giftings better to be an interesting and applicable thought. The last part examines seeking the Holy Spirit, particularly when you have trouble sensing his guidance within you. This part also discussing the importance of asking for the power of the Spirit and what revival is and why it is important.

Overall, I found Jesus, Continued to be very powerful and an important addition to my daily devotions. I would highly recommend this book, especially if you are struggling to understand how to follow the Spirit's guidance and how to experience the Spirit more in your life.

I received this book from Booklook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.