What does your church look like? Is it reaching the nations? Bringing others to salvation? Getting out of it’s four walls to touch the seeking….
With the love of God?
Looking. At Acts. The Upper Room.
People weren’t trickling. With droppings. Or subtle seasoning. Of the Holy Spirit. They had a full emerging in. Fire onset. Life altering encounter. So much so that thousands were drawn to Christ….
And the church has, can, will…..never been the same.
People…
- Filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4, Acts 9:17)
- Receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17)
- The Holy Spirit falling upon them. (Acts 10:44)
- The Holy Spirit pouring out on them. (Acts 10:45)
And we try to live out our own destiny Our days. Our lives. Our Christianity. Without the fullness of Christ? With a sliver of tasting? Slight impartation? Just enough to get by?
But, didn’t God promise….
- The church would be baptized in the Holy Spirit? (Acts 1:5)
- Through the baptism we would be empowered for ministry? (Luke 24:49)
- It is not by power, or might, that we accomplish anything….but by the power of His Spirit?
And even Jesus….Waited for the dissension of the dove upon His head. Before going out into ministry. And walking into the fullness of what God had.
Shouldn’t we wait to? Go to the waters edge? Pray for what He has?
I mean…
- Should the modern day church be any different?
Where did we start thinking….That we apart from Christ can do anything? Don’t we need the fullness of the God head too?
The Holy Spirit anointing….
- That led Jesus’ disciples to be persecuted…..Willing to die for their faith.
- That lead Jesus to the water’s edge to set an example of what full immersion in redemption can do.
- That led the gospel to be preached, people to be healed, and direction imparted by the whisper of His will.
I mean….Usually I need to seek God in the morning and ask for the Holy Spirit just to get through my day.
And from what I can tell….The baptism of the Holy Spirit wasn’t a choice.
For Jesus said of His disciples….(Acts 1:5)
For Jesus said of His disciples….(Acts 1:5)
- “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- ….Not….“If you like.”
- Or, “maybe”.…
- Or, “Just a few of you will be baptized.”
But.….All who call upon the name of Jesus Christ will be saved. And have the chance to be baptized.
And I can imagine these unassuming men and how they argued when Jesus left…about what exactly that might of meant….When they hid in the upper room.
But, why have we….modern day Christians…Felt entitled to recreate or cut away part of the Triune God?
- God, our judge.
- Jesus, Love.
- And the Holy Spirit….Something we can just live without?
Is it because we fear what we cannot see or understand?
But doesn’t the Bible tells us…
But doesn’t the Bible tells us…
- His Spirit is the essence of peace….
- His Spirit the Fullness of Joy.
- His Spirit. Our Teacher.
- His Spirit. The Truth.
- His Spirit. Our Comforter.
- His Spirit. The one that illuminates our lives.
And no wonder people are so discontent. So anxious. So, incomplete when living outside the fullness of Him who died that we might receive….
The fullness of Christ.
For, from what I have seen. A church without the Holy Spirit….is like a kite without wind. A vehicle without the motor. A mighty ship without His breath,”Ruach” to move the sails by the power. Of His Spirit. The Wind.
So I say…
- Welcome the Baptism today. The full immersion, complete conviction, power of the Holy Spirit.
- Let’s be hungry. So hungry that love covers any fear that we may have of Him.
- Let’s stop fearing. For fear. Real fear…is like a lion seeking to devour any real potential. It wants to stop us from any understanding of the power of the Lord that can much more fully equip. Stop us from ministering the love of Christ…reverting us to the weakness found in our futile minds…..
Instead of empowering us with life. The one paid for at His death, and offered to us…at His resurrection.
So, I ask….
When was the last time you were baptized? Not in water. Sprinkled in the Spirit of Life. Fully emerged? Completely receiving the freedom found in Christ?
If it’s been a long time.
Ask. Ask and you will receive power from on High. To go into the world and be a sacrifice….
To a Holy God. A living God.
Just like His disciples.
In the big black book we read about….
4 Comments
Beautiful.
Simone – Thanks!
Hey dear Jen- a loud AMEN resounding from the end of the earth!!
My answer is today!
I attended a ladies meeting today where women from many denominations worshiped God together, then we were ministered to by a beautiful lady from Montana who was at an Elijah House retreat for 3 weeks-she blessed many of us with a deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.
Mary – Thanks for sharing! Always so powerful when churches aren’t afraid to come together as one under the mighty name of Jesus! God is so good to use His perfect timing to share His heart! Bless you richly today, my dear sister in the faith! ~ Jen