FULL WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT?
26th Nov 2014
During the 80’s and 90’s it was unusual to preach and not see souls saved and others filled with the Holy Spirit. We expected this and knew that everyone needed to know that they were ‘born again’ and therefore in the family of God and ‘filled with the power’ that Jesus promised to give all His children.
Jesus had commanded, “Stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” and “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8).
We have ministered a lot in former communist countries - often the only cars available were ‘Trabant’s’ described as sewing machines on wheels! On everyone’s wish list was was a western car; you’d be a fool to keep the Trabant if a Mercedes was on offer. Equally, if you were the new owner of such a car, you wouldn’t cut a hole in the floor and use foot power to get along, you would fill the tank with fuel and use all the power that was available. The offer of a brand new life, forgiven and empowered by the Holy Spirit was too attractive to miss.
Recently, we have found ourselves returning to this old theme - meeting many believers living with no power, and ‘nominal believers’ who are not certain of having received the gift of salvation, namely Jesus. Over the last few months we have prayed for many in various churches to be born again and to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and lives have been changed.
William Booth of the Salvation Army prophesied, “The chief danger of the 20th century will be, religion without the Holy Spirit, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God and heaven without hell.”
When Paul visited Ephesus he was amazed and asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God into your mind only, or did you embrace him with your heart? Did he get inside you?” (Acts 19:2)
Start with yourself - Ask God to fill you today and everyday so that you live with fuel in your tank and start adventuring, living a new life.
by Joyce Sibthorpe
