Not Alone

Most everyone remembers the story: a Texas lawman who is the sole survivor of an ambush, fights crime with the aid of the Native American who has nursed him back to health. Donning a mask, this lawman chases down the gang who murdered the members of his division. In some early versions of the story, someone would usually ask as he rode away with Tonto, his Native American companion, “Who was that masked man?”

He was then identified as The Lone Ranger.

Through the decades since The Lone Ranger first appeared on radio, then on television, and most recently a movie version, he has come to symbolize American justice and the making right of wrongs.

Though this idea seems commonplace to Americans, The Lone Ranger is not the image for how we live the Christian life. In fact God has promised His very presence to ensure that we will not be alone. His Holy Spirit indwells each and every believer. We are never alone.

It has often been said the Holy Spirit is the present given to us on our spiritual birthday. From the moment of conversion, the third person of the Trinity comes to live inside every follower of Jesus. There is no delay, nothing to earn, and no paperwork. The process of sanctification (being made like Christ) begins when we are saved and continues until we either die or the Lord returns.

The Bible teaches us, “Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8:10, 11, HCSB). This tells us two important things: the Spirit lives in us, and brings life to us. Consider this example:

“Do you remember buying school supplies as a child? The purchase of fresh folders, paper, and colored pencils was exhilarating. As soon as you arrived home, your mother likely said: ‘Sit down and write your name on everything. You don’t want to lose your stuff!’ In similar fashion, God immediately places His personal mark on a new believer, and His mark is far superior to a Sharpie signature.

God has planted His Spirit in your heart, and the Spirit makes you alive (Rom. 8:10-11).”¹

Not only does the Spirit live in us, He makes us alive!

When we feel alone, we are not. When we feel abandoned, we are not. When we feel as if God has abandoned us, He has not. When we feel like all of our spiritual growth is up to us, God reminds us it is not. His Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God (Romans 8:16).

Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we experience the community of the Trinity. The community we experience with other believers is fueled by the Spirit of God as well. Though we may at times feel alone, we are not alone. Though Satan may lie and say, “You are all alone,” we are not alone. Though others, like Job’s wife, bid us, “Curse God and die,” He has not left us alone.

As in Matt’s Redman’s song, Never Once, the lyrics state:

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God You are faithful

The moment the Holy Spirit came to live within you, you never walk alone through life again. God is faithful. The presence of God bridges any distance, fills any gap, calms any storm, soothes any hurt and heals any wound. Believe it, believer: you are never alone.

Yours for the Great Commission,

Ronnie W. Floyd

Senior Pastor, Cross Church

General Editor, Bible Studies for Life

¹– Bible Studies for Life, Winter 2013, page 62.