RECEIVING THE FULLNESS OF THE SPIRIT

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” – John 7:38

Scriptures are explicit on how to RECEIVE THE FULLNESS of GOD’S SPIRIT – like “rivers of living water (Jh.7:38). These clear requirements apply to whoever would receive either the IN-FILLING of RE-FILLING of the Holy Spirit. We are thus exhorted: “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph.5:18). Here are Five Keys to the Fullness:

REPENT: “Then Peter said to them, “REPENT, and let every one of you be BAPTISED in the name of Jesus Chris” (Acts 2:38-39). Repentance is essential to becoming a Christian, but is also an ongoing necessity in daily life. It means to have a change of mind and direction. Realising that you need more of the fullness of the Holy Spirit is an act of repentance in itself. Endeavour by God’s Grace to not grieve or quench the Holy Spirit (Eph.4:30; 1The.5:19). Repentance is like the emptying of your vessel in preparation for God’s fullness. Water baptism follows repentance. If we are to be obedient to what our Lord Jesus commands, then baptism should be a believer’s top priority as much as practicable. Baptism symbolises that we were buried with Christ into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life (Rom.6:4; Gal.2:20; Col.2:12).

ASK and PRAY: “… Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened…. 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” (Lk.11:9-13). Jesus asked the Father to give us the Holy Spirit. It makes sense that we too should ask to receive the precious gift of the Spirit (Jh.14:16).

THIRST: “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive…” (Jh.7:37-39a). Are you thirsty for the fullness of the Holy Spirit? To avoid ‘dry patches’ in your Christian walk, you do well to drink daily from the well and be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit.

COME and DRINK: this is the Master’s open invitation! COME to Him who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and be filled (Mt.3:11; Jh.7:37). To thirst for the Holy Spirit by coming to Jesus, is to come and drink (Jh.7:37). Just as in the natural, there are different ways to drink, so it is in the spiritual. For example, when coming to a brook to drink, some people might choose to scoop water up and drink with their hands; some might just lick the water up directly from the brook (Jgs.7:5). How are you drinking in the Spirit? With a teaspoon or with a jug?

PRESENT YOUR VESSEL: Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, and must be used to honour God (1Cor.6:19-20). We are to present our bodies “as instruments of righteousness to God” (Rom.6:13; 12:1-2). We must treat our bodies as His temple – vessels to hold the presence of the Holy Spirit. The most difficult part of the body to put under subjection is the tongue: “But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (Jam.3:8). Little wonder that the most visible evidence of someone being filled with the Holy Spirit is through a person’s tongue: speech, prophecy, singing or speaking in other tongues.

The Fullness of the Holy Spirit guarantees victory over besetting sins and grace to minister effectively. You are meant to be, not like an isolated lake, but like running rivers using the overflow to be a blessing to others!