Saturday, June 18, 2011

Full of the Holy Ghost

Luke 4:1
1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Oh, how convoluted our thinking can become when we are innundated with cultural inuendo. The term "filled with the Holy Ghost" in contemporary vernacular has come to mean things like singing praise songs with upraised hands, or having a feeling ecstasy in worship, or even speaking in an unknown language. (Insert buzzer sound here).

Mind you, Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost also. It wasn't for the purpose of uttering unintelligibly or for getting holy goosebumps. He was filled with the Spirit for effective ministry. Hint, that's the reason you and I should seek the Spirit's filling. You're welcome!

How is one filled with the Holy Ghost?
1. Confess, repent and obey the Lord. Of course, Jesus had no sin to repent of, but we need to know that the Lord will not fill a dirty vessel. Paul contrasted sin and the Spirit in Eph 5:18-20, where he said, be not drunk with wine, but be ye filled with the Sprit.
2. Desire and ask for the filling of the Spirit. Jesus told us that the heavenly Father wants to give us the filling of the Spirit when we ask Him, just as a father would want to give good gifts to his children.
3. Thank the Lord for His filling. When you get a gift, you thank and praise the giver.
4. Use the filling! Again, we are not filled to feel goose bumps, we are filled to work and worship. In Acts 1:8, Jesus tells us that after the Holy Ghost is come upon us, we would be witnesses.

As Jesus was filled for the work of ministry before Him, so we are filled with Holy Ghost power to tell others about Him. That is what the Holy Spirit does, He speaks of Jesus, brings verses to our remembrance, fills our mouth with the words to say, convicts the sinner, and draws them to the Lord.

Right now, and again tomorrow, and each day afterward, get filled with the Holy Spirit of God so you can be a powerful witness for Him.

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