SF 08 - Holy Spirit

This Sunday we talked about the connecting piece to all of our grace paths, (spiritual disciplines) 'The Holy Spirit.'

Everywhere I go I find that God’s people lack something. They hunger for something. Their Christian experience is not all that they expected and they often have recurring defeat in their lives. Christians today are hungry for Spiritual fulfilment. The most desperate need of the nation today is that men and women who profess Jesus be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Billy Graham

The crazy thing is that while I was preparing my talk during the week it felt like I was dealing with a controveral subject, then I woke up to the fact that you cannot encounter God on earth without the Holy Spirit. He is not a controversy He is God the Holy Spirit. He is the experienced reality of God - Gordon Fee.

Maybe the word experience dosen't sit comfortably with you but if we cannot experience God then all you have is a religion that fails to deal with the totallity of our being. Realtionship with God evokes emotion and experience; One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' Matt 22: 35 - 37

Now, there is a lot of debate, regarding the timing of this experience what we call the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Some parts of the church say that it happens at conversion. Other parts say that it happens after conversion. Hers's the deal every follower of Jesus regardless of your demonination or doctrine, would agree that we need more power in our lives. All of us need more power, whatever you’ve experienced in the past, however little or much.

Let me leave you with four practical steps that you can verbilize as you meet with God this week. These are suggested steps given by a minister and missionary called Andrew Murray on being filled by the Holy Spirit:

1. Say 'I must be filled' - knowing that God commands it and you need it

2. Say ' I may be filled' - beleiving that it is God's promise to beleivers.

3. Say 'I should be filled' - willing to surrender all for that pearl of great price.

4. Say 'I shall be filled' - claiming the promised gift of God, purchased by Christ.

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"