Built by Christ, Led by the Spirit | May 2025

“I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” This statement by Jesus has long brought encouragement to his followers. Christians also take great comfort from Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit.

From that eventful day of the first Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and gathered people responding to the gospel proclamation, creating a community that we have come to call the Church. Just as the physical creation came into existence when the Spirit hovered over the deep dark waters, a new spiritual creation is taking shape through the breathing of the Spirit over all of humanity.

As the gospel is being proclaimed, the Holy Spirit continues to bring people into a relationship with Jesus Christ and with each other. As the good news of the kingdom finds its way into the nooks and corners of this world, the Holy Spirit is bringing truth and convicting hearts, captives are finding freedom, those oppressed are finding redemption. A new hope is dawning in many, despite difficult or even hopeless circumstances.

A unique, ongoing work of the Holy Spirit is to bring the Church into communion with God by the grace of Jesus Christ and into the love of the Father. This communion with Father, Son, and Spirit then flows out into the spiritual community of the saints, bringing growth, unity, and maturity in the Body of Christ. Paul, in his epistle to the Ephesians, reminds us:

… speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Ephesians 4:15-16

For over two millennia, the Church has faced many challenges to grow and remain relevant. But the Holy Spirit has remained faithful to continue to lead the Church into all truth and transformation. In GCI, we have witnessed the faithfulness of the Holy Spirit first hand. The reformation in our own denomination is nothing short of a miracle of the Holy Spirit.

However, today, many devout followers of Jesus Christ feel a sense of crisis —disunity, confusion, or even discouragement within the broader Body of Christ. Perhaps some of us may be sensing the same. Is this bringing a sense of discouragement to us? If so, let us be reminded of the promise of Jesus. Realizing our struggles with confusion and despair, Jesus says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

Jesus then declares: “… I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth…you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

Through the Holy Spirit, we experience the ongoing presence of our triune God. And the Spirit remains with us forever! This assurance should be a source of unshakable hope to fulfil the promise of Jesus: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

Let us respond to this truth with renewed faith and participation in the Spirit’s work.

1. Recommit to the Mission of the Church: The Spirit empowers us to share the gospel and serve others. How is God inviting you to participate more fully in his mission?
2. Lean into the Presence of the triune God: Spend intentional time in prayer and solitude, allowing the Holy Spirit to refresh and guide you. In what areas of your life do you need to rely on the Spirit’s strength and wisdom?
3. Encourage Others in the Body of Christ: As the Spirit builds up the church, consider how you can encourage, support, and strengthen those around you. Who needs to experience the love and unity that the Spirit brings?
4. Embrace the Spirit’s Work in Transformation: Ask yourself, “What is the Holy Spirit calling me to let go of? How am I being formed reflect Christ more fully?”

The church of Jesus Christ is destined to succeed, not because of our efforts, but because of the Spirit’s ongoing work of gathering, uniting, and sanctifying us.

May we rest in this assurance and remain encouraged by the promise of Jesus Christ and the ever faithful ministry of the Holy Spirit. Let us participate eagerly and joyfully, knowing that we are part of the eternal communion of the love of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the fellowship of the Spirit.