I think that sometimes Christians get scared when we talk about the Holy Spirit and being spirit filled. We may not have been told much about the Holy Spirit so we are uneducated, or maybe its because being Spirit Filled means we will now be convicted for our sins, therefore moving us to stop doing what it is we love to do. What do you think? Do you know if you are spirit filled or just self-empowered on your journey with the Lord?
In Acts 1:8 Jesus says to the apostles "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth".
Notice Jesus said we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes. How do we know we are filled with the Holy Spirit? When we try to follow Jesus without being filled daily with the Spirit we find ourselves frustrated by our failures and exhausted by our efforts. We think it would be better to have God WITH us as the disciples did, than God IN us, as we do.
John 16:7 I tell you the truth; it is for your own good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
Sometimes we will say "when I get to heaven, I'm going to ask Moses what it was like to follow a cloud by day and a fire by night? What was it like to meet God on that mountain? You know what I think. I think Moses will say "What was it like having God IN you?"..."What was it like not having to climb a mountain to meet with him since he was in you and beside you the whole time?" We have power at our disposal and we ignore it. We dismiss it as the 3rd part of God's trinity because we don't really know who the Holy Spirit is. We have untold power and victory at our fingertips and its unused and under-utilized. The Holy spirit was given to us to aid us in having power over the sin in our life. He gives us joy when depressed, he gives us direction when we are lost. That voice you hear in your head when you sin or are about to sin, that's the Holy Spirit prompting you. Listen to that voice and know that its God giving you direction when you need it most.
The apostles were untrained men. They weren't schooled like the religious leaders of the time. Yet they affected change in the Christian church. They were ordinary men doing extraordinary things. The spiritual leaders of the time were scratching their heads trying to figure it out. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this? Acts 4:7 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit said to them... These unschooled FOLLOWERS of Jesus changed the world.
We can't live the christian life on our power. Its impossible. Why would you even try? When you have the power of the Holy Spirit at your fingertips? Yet so many try. They do good works, they serve (sometimes with a grumble), they give their money and they show up. Everything they do is on human effort alone...and then they get worn out from doing so much. They cover up their weaknesses so no one sees them. Many of us go to great lengths to cover up our weaknesses. Yet in 2 Cor.12:9-10 Paul speaks about how acknowledging our weaknesses makes room for Christ's power:
"I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses...for when I am weak, then I am strong".
We must shine a light on our weaknesses in order for the Holy Spirit to work through us. The only way to be filled with the Holy Spirit is to empty myself of ME. When you are aware of a sin in your life, EXHALE and repent. Exhaling empties yourself of you and allows the Holy Spirit to come in and fill that space in your heart. So the moment Pride, jealousy, lust, impatience, harshness, selfishness fill your heart, EXHALE and repent of your sin. Then INHALE the grace and power of the Holy Spirit and let it fill your heart and take the place of that sin. Inhale and pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit and surrender your control over to Him. Eventually that sin will become less and less in your life as the Holy Spirit takes over and fills you up.
Fans foolishly think that with enough hard work they can follow Jesus. They get burned out trying to live the Christian life on their own efforts. FOLLOWERS of Jesus understand that it's a journey they were never to make on their own. Instead, we keep in step with the Holy Spirit and he supernaturally gives us the strength and the power we need.
Living the Christian life is hard. If you dont' think so, then you are walking the walk Jesus set before us. Abstaining from sexual sin in a culture that glorifies sex, living a life of purity, doing good to those who hate you, loving your neighbor as yourself, giving up everything to follow Jesus, getting freedom from addictions, marriages healed, children coming home...the list goes on and on of the things we try to fix and handle on our own. That's hard stuff! We can't do it alone, on our own power. If we even try we will fail miserably. Its the Holy Spirit that gives us power to overcome the struggles and temptations of this world.
Are you spirit filled? Do you try to do this Christian walk on your own or are you empowered by the Holy Spirit? Its a question that I challenge you to think about and answer honestly. Empty yourself of you....and allow God to work through you. It will change your life! I promise.
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