June 17 - TRUST and BELIEVING

T O D A Y ' S   Q U E S T I O N

Do I need to keep being filled with the Spirit?

 

“There is no such thing as a once-for-all fullness. 

It is a continuous appropriation of

a continuous supply from the Lord Christ Himself. 

It is a moment-by-moment faith

in a moment-by-moment Savior,

for a moment-by-moment cleansing

and a moment-by-moment filling. 

As I trust Him, He fills me; ...

and as long as I keep believing, ... I keep receiving.” 

Charles Inwood

a 19th century Irish Methodist Minister

 

The question for today is: Do I need to keep being filled with the Holy Spirit?

 

The answer is a glorious yes! And I call this glorious because through the power of the Holy Spirit, life can keep getting better and better. If you love where you're at in life, it can get better! If you don't particularly like where you're at in life at the moment, yes, it can get better.

 

"Better" doesn't necessarily mean easier. Life can be hard. "Better" simply means that with the Spirit's power you can have a hope that keeps your spirit floating, a joy that defies circumstances, and a peace that surpasses all understanding.

 

We've talked so far this week about three ways to be freshly filled with the Holy Spirit.

1. Prayer is the first. Ask for the filling of the Spirit.
2. Praise is like a duck swallow. (Odd image, I know. But ...) When a duck swallow it lifts its eyes toward heaven and opens straight channel -- down her long neck -- and into her inner most part. Praise lifts our eyes to heaven and opens a channel straight into our inner most parts. It's a channel for the Holy Spirit straight to our heart and our soul. 
3. Confession is next critical step. Our heart is always filled with something. Confession empties the darkness and allows room for the light of the Spirit.
4. Trust, according to today's pastoral quote, is the next step. Trust says, "I can't do this on my own," and that confesses two powerful things: 1) God can do this. God is in control. And 2) I must humble myself. When we humble ourselves and trust in the Lord, we again create an open channel for the filling of the Holy Spirit.
5. Believing is next. But notice, Pastor Inwood doesn't say, "as a believer you made one confession once upon a time." He says, "keep on believing." It's a continual process. It is moment by moment by moment by moment. Our circumstances will inevitably make our feelings go up and down. Actively reaffirming our faith on a moment to moment basis is like opening the windows in a old house on a hot day. Keeping believing allows the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit to continually refresh us. This is active faith -- not satisfied with the status quo, but hungry for fresh experiences. That's why you're reading this today. (Good job. Keep on believing.)

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's opening another window

and learning to drink like a duck