Why do you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
The first question you must ask is “Why?” Why would we want to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Any time we see this happen in the Scriptures, it means that people are living counter cultural, and some are thrown into jail (Acts 3). The bigger question is “Are you willing to yield to the Spirit, thereby becoming obedient?
Be careful to not jump out and say “Yes” here. Do you really believe that Jesus is the only hope? Do you live as Jesus is the only Hope? We will speak more to this in part 3, but let’s look at the first question.
We must remember that the Holy Spirit reminds us about Jesus, and he will call you to obedience in your life. One person in Scripture tried to buy the power of the Holy Spirit. They wanted the power without the full cost. He wanted to bargain, and failed to understand the Holy Spirit was a gift from God (Acts 8). If you are seeking the power for yourself, you will not get the power.
In Ephesians 5:18 Paul encourages the Church to be filled with Holy Spirit, and Jesus says we need the Holy Spirit (John 16:7).So take a moment and ask yourself “Why do you want to be anointed with the Spirit? For what purpose? Do you just want the thrill without having to pay the price? Do you want others to look at you in a certain way? Is there something you are looking to gain in status among your community?” If so, you really are not worshiping Jesus.
Why do we want the Spirit in our life? The plain answer should be, “Jesus said we need the Spirit”. As we lay our life down as a sacrifice on the altar of God, surrendering to the Spirit’s work and leading, we will bear the fruit we were created for. The Holy Spirit came to draw us to God, but the bigger role of the Holy Spirit is to make us effective witnesses, and to guide us.
Check out this post on who the Holy Spirit is.
If you still desire the power of the Holy Spirit, then spend some time reflecting on Romans 12 this week, and check out part three of the series next week.
To be filled with the Holy Spirit, we must empty our self so He can come in. Seeking the power of the Spirit is so that the name of Jesus may be known, not ours.