“But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or
what you should speak. For it will be given to you in
that hour what you should speak; for it is not
you who speak, but the Spirit of your
Father who speaks in you.”
(Matthew 10:19-20)
Thoughts… The Gospels speak often of the Holy Spirit. Jesus directly spoke a great deal about the Holy Spirit as well. For New Testament believers, a relationship with the Holy Spirit was normative.
It is unfortunate that what was fully embraced in the first century has become so controversial in our day: The infilling of the Holy Spirit. We now quibble over if one is Spirit-filled at salvation or if the infilling comes when one is baptized in the Spirit as a separate and distinct event. We argue over whether speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence of being Spirit-baptized or if the Spiritual language is even valid in the 21st century.
Theological lines have been drawn, denominations have been formed, preachers take their stand on one side of the issue or the other, position papers have been issued, and all the while God longingly waits to give the Holy Spirit to all who ask (Luke 11:13).
Jesus spoke passionately of the “promise of the Father,” which was—and still is—to send the Holy Spirit to be with us, in us, and to work through us in ways that are beyond human replication. It doesn’t take too long reading in the New Testament to understand that God’s deep desire for his children is that they would live as Spirit-filled people.
For the believer, the Spirit-filled life is not an option, but a divine expectation. It is an act of faith and obedience that will enable the believer to experience dimensions of the blessedness that the Acts 2 believers experienced. Nothing but the Spirit-filled life will empower the believer for mission in the world. Nothing but the Spirit-filled life will enable the believer to live the kind of holy and honoring life God calls for—and deserves.
The Father is still waiting to deliver His gift to those who ask. “Ask and keep on asking…for how much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask!”
We may quibble over the mechanism of Spirit infilling, but the bottom line is, by whatever means, be filled and keep on being filled with God the Holy Spirit.
The Father promised it. Jesus declared it. The Holy Spirit is ready for it. Are you?
Prayer… Lord Jesus, just as you breathed on your disciples and invited them to receive the Holy Spirit, I ask you to breathe on me and baptize me in the Spirit afresh today.
One More Thing… “How little chance the Holy Ghost has nowadays. The churches and missionary societies have so bound Him in red tape that they practically ask Him to sit in a corner while they do the work themselves.” — C.T. Studd
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.