Thursday: Praying for the Holy Spirit
Read Ephesians 3:16 and Acts 2:38. What do these texts tell us about receiving the Holy Spirit in our lives?
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There are many things we can pray for, but there is one great need in this time of peril in which we live: it is the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the greatest gift that Jesus could give. In giving the Holy Spirit, God could not have given His people more. To this gift nothing could be added (after all, what could be added to Divinity Himself?). Through Him and His work in our lives, all our needs are supplied. The blessing of the Holy Spirit will bring in its train all other blessings.
There is, however, one major obstacle, and that is, ourselves, because we are often unprepared to receive the Holy Spirit.
As in the days of the New Testament church, we have to realize that we first need to repent and surrender our life fully to Jesus. Yes, it is only the prompting of the Holy Spirit that even allows us to do that.
However, when we respond to His prompting, then repentance for sin is the firstfruit of the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In humility and faith, we need to confess our sins so that He can cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We need to understand just how fallen we are and how much we need God and His grace in our lives. Without Him, we are lost, dead in our sins and doomed to eternal loss.
Thus in earnest prayer, we will fulfill the conditions upon which God has promised to give us His Holy Spirit. Then all we have to do is to ask God, and He will gladly grant us His Spirit. “The heavenly Parent is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than earthly parents are to give good gifts to their children.” – Ellen G. White, Ye Shall Receive Power, p. 284.
As with other spiritual things, the gift of the Holy Spirit is never an end in itself. He is given to elevate Jesus, to reproduce Christ’s character in our lives and enable us to serve others in building up the body of Christ, the church. So, any worship practice, public or private, that elevates the Spirit above Jesus Christ is wrong. For it is through Jesus that we “have our access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:18, NASB).
| Why is the gift of the Holy Spirit the greatest gift that Jesus could give to us? What has been your experience with the reality of the Holy Spirit in your life? How different would your life be without this gift? |
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Yes, all true gifts should exalt Jesus and change our character into a christlike one.
Cherished sins prevent us from asking for the Holy Spirit, but God is more than willing to give to willing men who will empty themselves for him. If we do not seek and ask for Him earnestly it will be equally similar as rejecting his guidance, remember in Romans 1:26 ''For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:'' When the Spirit of God makes an exit there remains no means of salvation for us God will GIVE UP, If his gift we reject and undermine to ask.
Thank God for Jesus, and because of Jesus we have the H Spirit too. When we allow the love of Jesus to invate our hearts, that's when we start to really change! The receiving of the HS is one of the things that comes with this acceptance of Love! God made provision to us so by rationally will we let His Love talk to our minds! A priceless gift! No money can buy! Only self experience can feel the taste of it.
The Holy Spirit is God's greatest gift to me because through Him all things are possible. Transformation, connection with God, understanding of God's Word, strength and courage during challenges and temptations, discernment, the desire to do God's will, interpretation of prayers and so many gifts directly from God the Father and Jesus.
In my experience the Holy Spirit is a constant companion and influence. When I succeed in some spiritual challenge He leads me to glorify and praise God with my whole being knowing that the battle truly isn't mine, neither is the strength to fight it.
When I fail the Holy Spirit points me to Christ, moves me to trust His love, forgiveness and victory. He leads me to repent with sincerity and contrition trusting God's mercy, the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus and the God given power in Him (the Holy Spirit) to overcome.
My life in Christ would be nonexistent without the Spirit of God. Without Him I'd have never been attracted to Christ, may have become disillusioned after trusting frail human beings or I would've given up frustrated with my own faults and failings long ago.
Why is the Holy Spirit the greatest gift? Because he is also God. And he is just as caring for us as Jesus is. ( Last question), how different would life be without the Holy Spirit? We will soon see, for he will soon be withdrawn from here and for those who have rejected his care, They will completely loose their moral control. (The time of trouble without restraine.
The Holy Spirit comes with power. What is our purpose of wanting this power? To work the works God. Concrete works that glory of God are recognizable evidence of a Spirit filled person. Before we ask for the Holy Spirit; is our will in line with the purposes of God? We need to spend more time understanding the will of God and this promise will be fulfilled. This gift is the ultimate gift for it is the presence of God in our lives. Ephesians 5:16-18.
I thank God for the gift of His son Jesus Christ who gives us His Spirit-The HolySpirit to help us in our Christian journey. With out His help our prayers will be meaningless, we will study the scriptures with out understanding and love like the Pharisees.
I always do pray but I don't see my prayers are answered by my God, what do I lack, faith, or it is the Holy Spirit??
Take time to listen to him maybe. For He says,"My sheep know my voice ........".If we cant see his working in little things in or lives,most likely even bigger things, we wont. I am not in a position to tell what you lack or have. I guesss this os btn you and God.
I have found it productive to pray, "I believe, Dear Lord; help Thou my unbelief." I believe that is Biblical, Leonard Charles. GBY.
Esther's suggestion is a good one. How much time do you allow for the Holy Spirit to speak to you daily?
Additionally, I would like you to consider what Eli said on Wednesday:
Thus God may be answering your prayers, but you do not recognize His answers because they do not match what you expect.
When we have met the requirement and we don't see an answer, then we should pray for our sight and all the other avenues to our soul. Could it be he anwered but we were not listening?
Thank you very much for nice contributions,but when do we first filled with the Holly Spirit
We ask Christ into our hearts(Into my heart, into my heart, come into my into my heart Lord Jesus). Now since once we ask Him in, He does not just light the one of chamber of our heart, He fills the entire heart, leaving no dark chamber. Then He gifts use the Holy Spirit who also lights all chambers of our heart, last time I counted there were four.