Nothing but the Spirit-filled life will equip the believer with words—and courage—to stand before hostile people to fearlessly declare what the world does not want but so desperately needs to hear: “God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
The Journey: Matthew 10:18-20
You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
The New Testament writers spoke often of the Holy Spirit. Jesus directly spoke a great deal about the Spirit as well. For the first century Christians, a relationship with the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, was just as normal and expected a part of their faith experience as was their relationship with Jesus.
It is unfortunate that what was fully embraced in the first century has become so controversial in our day: The infilling of the Holy Spirit. We now quibble over if one is Spirit-filled at salvation or if the infilling comes when one is baptized in the Spirit as a separate and distinct event. We argue over whether speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence of being Spirit-baptized or if the Spiritual language is even valid in the 21st century.
Theological lines have been drawn, denominations have been formed, preachers take their stand on one side of the issue or the other, position papers have been issued, and all the while God longingly waits to give the Holy Spirit to all who ask (Luke 11:13).
Jesus often referred to the “promise of the Father,” which was—and still is—to send the Holy Spirit to be with us, in us, and to work through us in ways that are beyond human replication. It doesn’t take too long reading in the New Testament to understand that God’s deep desire for his children is that they would live as Spirit-filled people.
For the believer, the Spirit-filled life is not an option, but a divine expectation. It is an act of faith and obedience that will enable the believer to experience dimensions of the blessedness that the Acts 2 believers experienced. Nothing but the Spirit-filled life will empower the believer for mission in the world. Nothing but the Spirit-filled life will enable the believer to live the kind of holy and honoring life God calls for—and deserves. Nothing but the Spirit-filled life will equip the believer with words—and courage—to stand before hostile people to fearlessly declare what the world does not want but so desperately needs to hear:
God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The Father is still waiting to deliver His gift to those who ask. “Ask and keep on asking…for how much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask!” (Luke 11:9-13)
We may quibble over the mechanism of Spirit infilling, but the bottom line is, by whatever means, be filled and keep on being filled with God the Holy Spirit. You and I need his empowering presence now more than ever!
The Father promised it. Jesus declared it. The Holy Spirit is ready for it. Are you?
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