We’ve all felt it. It’s that irritating, uncomfortable, zing of pain called the pinch. It may be a physical pinch because we forgot to wear green on St. Patty’s Day, but more than likely, the pinch you’ve felt more often is a pinch of a different kind. It could be that pinch we feel when we’ve been undisciplined with our finances and we find ourselves “in a pinch.” It could be that pinch we feel when we’ve been over indulgent with our eating and we feel our clothes begin to pinch us in places where they are too tight. But the pinch that I’m most concerned about is the Holy Spirit pinch.

    Let me explain. When a person becomes a Christian, Jesus pours out the Holy Spirit into our hearts (also Acts 2:38-39). The Spirit makes us holy and lives inside us (Acts 5:32; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; 2 Thess. 2:13), to lead us in the way of God and convict us when we stray from it (Gal. 5:16-26; cf. John 16:7-11). Every Christian, whether he or she realizes it, has felt the pinch of the Holy Spirit. It’s that sharp conviction we should do something to help others and minister to them in some way. It’s that rap on our heart when we hedge on truth, resort to some “minor” deception, or get ourselves involved in sin.

Let's respond and make changes in our lives.

    The problem with the Holy Spirit pinch, like most pinches, is that we can get use to them and learn to ignore them. We get used to tight fitting clothes, we make a habit of living “on the float” with our bank account, and grow so accustomed to the Holy Spirit pinch that our conscience no longer bothers us. But the Lord gave us the Spirit so the pinch would awaken us back to his way of life, not ours. The Spirit is given to convict, empower, and transform us to be more like Jesus. Let’s do more than just feel the pinch, let’s respond and make changes in our lives. To do this, I’d like to recommend several steps for us to take:

• First, let’s examine the reason we felt the pinch. What is the Spirit trying to get us to do or what is he trying to correct in our lives? Where are we not living in obedience or service to Jesus as our Lord?
• Second, we should share the issue with a Christian friend of the same gender. Have them pray for us to follow the Spirit’s leading and hold us accountable to do just that by checking back with us once a week.
• Third, we need to accept God's forgiveness for not responding to his leading or violating his character. When we sin, either through neglecting an opportunity to do good or by breaking God’s will by doing something we shouldn’t, we violate God’s character which the Holy Spirit is trying to form in us. We need to confess our sin and be forgiven so we can receive God’s forgiveness with confidence.
• Fourth, we must recommit to follow the Spirit’s leading each day by beginning the day with prayer and intentional commitment to honor the Lord in all we say and do that day.
• Fifth, let’s involve ourselves in the things that turn loose the power of the Spirit in our lives. (Here’s a short list from Ephesians 5:17-21 and 6:17-18: sing with others in worship, sing and honor God in our heart, give thanks to Jesus, submit to each other to honor Christ, open our hearts to God’s Word, and pray trusting in the Spirit’s intercession.)

    I believe if we will follow through with this game plan for our spiritual life, we’ll come to see the spiritual pinch as a tremendous blessing and we will do more than feel the pinch, we let the Spirit transform us to be more like Christ!