Posted August 4th, 2025

Yesterday, Terry's talk at Fellowship of the Seas was a profound exploration of three cornerstones of the Christian faith: the Holy Spirit, love, and faith. His message resonated deeply with each listener, providing clarity on how these concepts intertwine to shape the lives of believers. Terry laid out a compelling narrative about how the Holy Spirit leads us to live as Christ did, teaching us to love and guiding us to align our hopes with God's eternal purposes. Using Scripture as his anchor, he brought to light how receiving the Holy Spirit is not just an event but a transformative experience that shapes our spiritual journey.

The Holy Spirit: The Source of Empowerment and Transformation

The journey begins with the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who is often misunderstood or overlooked. Terry began by reminding us that receiving the Holy Spirit is essential for every believer. Jesus Himself promised that the Holy Spirit would come to empower His followers, saying, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:8). Terry emphasized that the Holy Spirit is not only a comforter but a guide, one who leads us into all truth and reminds us of Jesus’ teachings (John 14:26). But how does one receive the Holy Spirit? According to the Scriptures, it’s through faith in Jesus Christ. As Paul writes in Romans 8:9, “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ.” The Holy Spirit comes to dwell within those who confess Christ as Lord, marking the beginning of a new life in Him. This infilling of the Spirit is not a one-time event but an ongoing relationship that equips believers to live victoriously in the world.

Love: The Hallmark of the Christian Life

With the Holy Spirit comes the ability to love as Christ loves. Terry’s second point focused on the transformative power of love. He reminded us that the love we are called to demonstrate is not a mere emotion but an action, one that flows from the very heart of God. Jesus, in John 13:34-35, commanded His followers to love one another as He has loved us, saying, “By this, all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” The Holy Spirit, as Terry explained, teaches us to love sacrificially, just as Jesus did. This kind of love isn’t confined to those who are easy to love—it extends to everyone, including our enemies. It’s the kind of love that led Jesus to the cross, giving His life for sinners, and it is only through the Holy Spirit that we can begin to love in this way. As Paul writes in Romans 5:5, “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Without the Holy Spirit, we are incapable of loving as Christ does, but with Him, our hearts are transformed to reflect His love.

Faith: The Substance of Hope in the Unseen

Next, Terry turned to the subject of faith, which he defined as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Faith, according to Terry, is not just believing in the invisible, but actively trusting in God’s promises even when they have not yet come to fruition. It is through faith that we align our hearts with God's eternal purposes. Terry encouraged us to consider what we are hoping for. Are our hopes aligned with the hopes of Jesus? In John 17, Jesus prays for the unity of believers, saying, “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, may be with Me where I am, to see My glory that You have given Me…” (John 17:24). Our faith should be rooted in the hope of eternal life with Christ, a life that transcends our present circumstances and reflects the ultimate victory over sin and death. This kind of faith allows us to endure hardship with joy, knowing that our present struggles are nothing compared to the glory that awaits us (Romans 8:18).

Aligning Our Hopes with Jesus’ Hopes

So, what is it that we should be hoping for? Terry concluded his message with a powerful challenge: we must align our hopes with the hopes of Jesus, which are not merely personal or temporal, but eternal. As Jesus prayed in John 17:21, “That they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us…” The hope that Jesus has for His people is a unified church, one that reflects His love to the world. Our faith, fueled by the Holy Spirit, allows us to press forward in that hope, confident that God is at work even in the unseen. Terry reminded us that our hope is not just for personal blessing, but for the fulfillment of God's Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. In a world marked by division and despair, our hope should be rooted in the coming of Christ and the restoration of all things.

Conclusion: A New Way of Living through the Holy Spirit

In closing, Terry’s message was a powerful reminder that the Christian life is not one we live on our own but is instead empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love like Jesus, to have faith in the promises of God, and to hope for the things that align with God's eternal purposes. As believers, we are called not just to live for ourselves, but to be part of a larger story—one that is unfolding according to God's perfect will. It is through the Holy Spirit that we are equipped to live out this story, transforming our hearts and minds, and impacting the world around us. As we walk in the Spirit, may we continually be reminded of Jesus' prayer in John 17 and seek to align our hopes, our faith, and our love with His.