My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

Every conversion is a miracle, a supernatural event. We need the power of God in our preaching, in our churches, in our service, in our personal lives. Let us not settle for anything less. We can’t manufacture anything, but let us pray fervently for “a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.”

Jim Packer, in a book entitled ‘Keep in step with the Spirit’, wrote about what he called ‘the floodlight ministry’ of the Holy Spirit. He pointed out that when floodlights are functioning properly we are not aware of them, but the building they are illuminating.

The Holy Spirit came He to glorify Jesus (John 16:14). The Spirit has been referred to as ‘the shy member of the Trinity.’ He is self-effacing. He wants to train the spotlight on Jesus. So if we covet the “demonstration” of the Spirit’s power in our preaching, let’s keep the focus on the central realities of Christ and His Cross. The Holy Spirit will inspire and help us to do this.