Blocked by the Holy Spirit

"And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia."  (Acts 16:6)

Where is the Holy Spirit blocking me? 

Jobs and finances.

"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13: 17)

Change happens not because of what you know but because of what you do daily.

O Holy Spirit, what will you have me do? 

Submit job and finances daily to the Holy Spirit.

What does a verbal act of submission do for me?  It does exactly the same as a verbal renunciation of the devil with all his works and promises does to a soul in the rite of Baptism.  

"But what does it say?

“The word is near you,

in your mouth and in your heart

(that is, the word of faith that we preach),

for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved."  (Romans 10: 8 - 10)

Knowing and Doing

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  (John 14: 6)

Jesus is the Way.  His life is the Example, the best Practice to get to the Father.  He is the truth that reveals who we are, our true purpose in life.  He is the life, the abundant life that we yearn for.  He is the top prize.

Knowing the above, what difference does it make to my daily life full of fears, worries and doubts?

"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."  (John 13: 17)
Change happens not because of what you know but because of what you do daily.

Kicking against the goad

"And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’  (Acts 26:14)

"Here are just a few examples of ox-goads God uses in the lives of His people: sermons, suffering, doctrine, difficulty, adversity, affliction, godly counsel, holy confrontation, conviction of the Holy Spirit, financial reversal, business failure and academic probation.
You might like to take some time to identify other ox-goads you have kicked against in the past. What was the result of your rebellion? Did you find that your pain actually increased as you resisted? What would you do differently today? Remember, all Scripture, rightly understood, is an oxgoad – both to the sinner and the saint."
( http://goodnewsfl.org/kicking_against_the_goadsthe_meaning_and_message/)

Prosper the work of our hands

"Blessed are all who fear the LORD,
and who walk in his ways.
What your hands provide you will enjoy;
you will be blessed and prosper:"  (Psalm 128: 1 - 2)

"God our Father, creator and ruler of the universe,
in every age you call man
to develop and use his gifts for the good of others.
With St. Joseph as our example and guide,
help us to do the work you have asked
and come to the rewards you have promised.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
one God forever and ever. Amen."
(Opening Prayer on the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, May 1st)

Divine Providence

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church :

321 Divine providence consists of the dispositions by which God guides all his creatures with wisdom and love to their ultimate end.

322 Christ invites us to filial trust in the providence of our heavenly Father (cf.Mt 6:26-34), and St. Peter the apostle repeats: "Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you" (I Pt 5:7; cf. Ps55:23).

323 Divine providence works also through the actions of creatures. To human beings God grants the ability to cooperate freely with his plans.

324 The fact that God permits physical and even moral evil is a mystery that God illuminates by his Son Jesus Christ who died and rose to vanquish evil. Faith gives us the certainty that God would not permit an evil if he did not cause a good to come from that very evil, by ways that we shall fully know only in eternal life.

Certainty of Hope

They strengthened the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
(Acts 14:22)

"Father, you restored your people to eternal life by raising Christ your Son from death.  Make our faith strong and our hope sure.  May we never doubt that you will fulfill the promises you have made.  Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen!! "
(Tuesday 5th Week of Easter)

The Certainty of Answered Prayer

"The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you."  (John 14: 26)

Thank you Jesus for this promise.  I love your Holy Spirit very much. I cannot imagine life without His presence and activities in me.  I like the fact that He is my Teacher.  I am profoundly grateful that He is inspiration and power that I need in everything.  He never fails me.  But the gift that keeps me ever joyful is His continual reminding me of the good things that God is doing for me.  This makes me a thankful person.

Lord, we are 20 days to Pentecost and the Church is praying for a new outpouring of your Holy Spirit.  I have surveyed my life up and down.   There is nothing I desire more at this moment than a big filling of your Holy Spirit and the gift to surrender ALL to Him.  Remember your great promise that prayer for the Holy Spirit is a sure prayer to be answered.  I rejoice in this certainty of answer and I wait with confident hope.  Thank you Jesus!!!!!