“…I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike.”— Joel 2:28-29 NLT
On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. — Acts 2:1-4 NLT
The importance, work and influence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer and in the church is very deep, comprehensive and cannot be overstated. Believers are filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to help them do God’s work and serve the body of Christ. He gives us the power to live a holy life and to fulfil God’s plan for our lives. He lives within us, regenerates and makes us part of the one body of Christ – “…we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.” 1 Cor 12:13 (NLT)
At the point of salvation, when the gospel message is received, believers receive and are sealed with the Holy Spirit and He takes up residence in them. “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit …” Ephesians 1:13 (ESV); also, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you…” Romans 8:11 (NLT)
So, if we know and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we receive God’s Holy Spirit and He lives in us permanently. The believer doesn’t need to again pray or ‘work’ to receive the Holy Spirit, but we can pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit again and again.
Believers are not filled with the Holy spirit for spiritual purposes only. The manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit can occur at any time during the life of the believer. It is important to know that the filling of the Holy Spirit is not only directly related to the prophetic ministry and the revelation or explanation of the Word of God. Believers can be influenced by the filling of the Holy Spirit in their secular, academic and private lives as well.
In the early church, the believers relied so much on the power of the Holy Spirit in their ministries. Jesus had promised them that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came on them, but where is that power today?
Without the power of the Holy Spirit at work in a believer and in the Church, reliance will mainly be on self, intelligence, experience, assumptions and earthly or worldly practices.
Stay blessed,
LaraLex
Hills and Valleys 