Last Sunday night, we had several teenagers and adults, "baptized in the Holy Spirit." How do you know this? They begin to speak in another language that was given to them by God. It's the first, initial, physical sign.
The bible talks about a second experience that we can have with God, after we start a relationship with him.
It's an experience of God's power, but it is also an experience of God's presence, where we are touched by God.
When I start my relationship with God - His spirit comes into my life. Let's use a metaphor - he comes into my living room. To think that God's spirit lives in me us just awesome and incredible!
When I am filled with the Spirit (which is a synonym of being baptized in the Holy Spirit) the Holy Spirit not only is in my living room, but goes into my bedroom, my bathroom, the basement, every area of my house.
I do not need this experience to start a relationship with God.
I do not need this experience to arrive in heaven and have eternal life.
I do need this experience to live the Christian life to it's fullest.
Being filled with the spirit helps me fight my tendency to sin in my life.
It's like being at the fair, and playing the game where there are several popping objects in front of you and your challenge it to see how many of them you can bop down in the time allowed. Things just keep popping up.
We fight the "flesh" on a daily basis. Somedays are more difficult than others, but each day we need to walk in the spirit.
What a wonderful tool God has given us to live for him!
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That game at the fair has many names depending on the critter that keeps popping up...usually it's a mole so the name of the game is "Whack-A-Mole."
Temptation will always be with us until we are with Christ in heaven...or here on earth, if He should return before we pass away...and how we deal with it is very important. We cannot resist temptation without help...and that is one of the many reasons why the Holy Spirit is here IN us. He serves as counselor, guide, supporter, reminder, conscience, etc. Remember that James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Not to just resist the devil but we have an action to take before that...that of submission to God, so that He can give us what we need to resist the devil.
Sunday night was fantastic! The Spirit moved verbally in so many people, some for the very first time, and it was a very touching experience. The excitement that everyone had, the joy reflected on the faces, was worth every minute spent there. I think of all the folks who didn't come and the awesome experience that they missed and my heart aches. I know that small groups meet on Sunday night and other events happen as well but that was an experience that I wish no one had missed!
God is so good to His children and He loves everyone so much. That's the message that we need to get to everyone...that God loves them and wants them to come home! There are times when I cannot find words to express to people how much, how deeply, God loves them and wants me to share that love with them. Sometimes, I don't think that words exist to adequately show the depth of His love for us. At those times, I have to submit to my spirit language, or even just groanings of the spirit, to get my emotions out. If people can just feel that love coming from us, if they can just touch a little bit of what God wants us to share, His Word will not come back void.
Reach out today and love someone!
Jon
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