THE CODE 20 january 2026 www.goodnewsfl.org Good news • South Florida Edition My father's family moved to Texas from Tennessee back in the 1800s. When I was a boy, we would make our annual summer road trip back to the Volunteer State to visit, among others, my great-aunt Ann. I loved those long car trips in the days before interstate highways. I can still remember the excitement I felt when we passed a barn that had "Visit Rock City" painted on its roof or the fun of reading the old Burma Shave signs along the way. We'd stay in her house, and I slept on an iron bed with a feather mattress. I once heard an old preacher say life was like those old feather mattresses. I can relate to that - anyone who has ever slept on one of those supersoft beds has awakened in a ball in the middle of the mattress The bed was firm on both iron ends but, oh, that sagging middle. Some Christians live their entire lives like that. They are firm on both ends. On the front end, they can point to a specific moment in time when they placed their trust in Christ, and they live with the assurance that they are born again. They are also firm on the other end: they know they are going to heaven when they die. But between those two events, they live their lives like a feather mattress, often sagging and without strength and Joy in their Christian walk. Acts of the Holy Spirit Luke opened the book of Acts with these words: "The former account I made ...of all that Jesus began both to do and teach" (Acts 1:1) Wait. Did you catch that? The Gospels are only the account of what Jesus began to do. He is not finished. He was just getting started. He is still active. He may not physically be here today, but He continues to use the Holy Spirit — and you — to accomplish his work. We often call the book of Acts the "Acts of the Apostles " But that's not really what it is. It is about the acts of the Holy Spirit, which are still being accomplished today in and through you and me. Luke's gospel tells us what Jesus did and taught in His physical body. The book of Acts tells us what the Holy Spirit continues to do in and through His spiritual body, the church. What an encouragement to know that Jesus is still at work and using the partnership between you and the Holy Spirit to present to the world a picture of Himself today. Acts is the story of what the Lord Jesus continues to do through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. You will notice, however, that the book of Acts ends rather abruptly It just stops. That is because the story goes on and on, all the way to today. An impossible task Anyone who has sought to live the Christian life has come to the discovery that it is not difficult — no, it is, in fact, impossible! Impossible, that is, if we seek to live it in our own strength. God is not interested in us doing something for Him. The secret to victorious Christian living is allowing the Holy Spirit to live and do something through us. It is no wonder Paul exclaimed, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). When you awaken to the Holy Spirit's power in you. a new dimension of Christian living will greet you. This is what Jesus was getting at when He said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father" (John 14:12). This is an amazing statement. Jesus is saying we will not Just equal what He did while on earth, but we will exceed His works. Some people see this verse, roll up their sleeves, and go out seeking to work harder and harder in their attempt to do something for God. And they meet with failure every time. Awaiting help The key to understanding Jesus' meaning here is found in His statement that He was returning to the Father. We find the answer four verses later. "I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever" (John 14 16). In that upper room conversation, Jesus went on to promise, "I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you" (John 14 18). And come back He did, in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit who accomplishes greater works in us, never leaves us, and empowers us to live the Christian life. After Jesus left the disciples bodily, they gathered in the upper room and waited "for the Promise of the Father" (Acts 1·4) - the coming of the Holy Spirit. They didn't gather there until they were worthy to receive Him. Who of us is worthy in our own power? They waited for the Helper that Jesus had promised, "the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you" (John 14:26). True to His word, the Holy Spirit fell upon all of them on the day of Pentecost and they and we have never been the same since. The power of Jesus does not end with the gospel records. He had just begun The Holy Spirit continues His work today on this earth in you, through you, for you, and upon you. Victorious life is about the Holy Spirit and you. Now it is time to turn the page and discover all that having the Holy Spirit in you means. Taken from The Spirit Code by O.S. Hawkins. Copyright © 2024 by Dr. O.S. Hawkins. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. O. S. Hawkins is the Legacy Pastor of First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale, chancellor of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and President Emeritus of GuideStone. He has served pastorates, including the First Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, for more than 25 years. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, he has a BBA from Texas Christian University and his MDiv and Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. For almost a quarter of a century, he served as president of GuideStone Financial Resources, with assets under management of $20 billion, serving 250,000 pastors, church staff members, missionaries, doctors, university professors, and other workers in various Christian organizations with their investment, retirement and benefit service needs. He is the author of more than 40 books and regularly speaks to business groups and churches nationwide. All of the author’s royalties and proceeds from the Code series support Mission:Dignity. You can learn more about Mission:Dignity by visiting MissionDignity.org. - Dr. O.S. Hawkins - Chancellor, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary A New Beginning
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