Dear Friends,
"Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
for it is God who works in you to will and act according to His good
purpose," (Philippians 2:12-13) These two verses explain the dual aspect
of our spiritual growth. We see a delicate balance between man's responsibility
(obedience) and God's responsibility (the filling of the Holy Spirit). When we
make right choices, (obedience), God empowers us to live out those choices in a
way that will please Him.
You may have heard it said, "We are to work out what God has
worked in." Working out is our responsibility, and the working in is God's
responsibility. It is a collaborative relationship. I like the way Rick Warren
expresses it when he says "God's Spirit works with us, not just in us.
Purpose Driven Life, p.180
One of my favorite devotionals is Streams in the Desert. If
you are not familiar with this book, I would encourage you to go to your
bookstore and pick up a copy. It is one of the great classics in devotional
literature, and I promise that you won’t be disappointed with your
investment. In the September 23 devotional, we find this same issue being
addressed. I quote, "Some of us are troubled, wondering why the Holy
Spirit doesn't fill us. The problem is that we have plenty coming in, but we
are not giving out to others. If you will give the blessing you have received,
planning your life around greater service, and being a blessing to those around
you, then you will quickly find that the Holy Spirit is with you. He will
bestow blessings to you for service, giving you all He can trust you to give
away to others." "When the apostles 'were filled with the Holy
Spirit' (Acts 2:4), they did not lease the Upper Room and stay there to hold
holiness meetings. They went everywhere preaching the Gospel."
Stored away in my preaching files is a quote by the great
Christian writer and preacher F. B. Meyer who wrote "God doesn't fill with
the Holy Spirit those who believe in the fullness of the Spirit, or those who
desire the fullness of the Spirit, but those who obey Him. Obedience to God's
will today means God assumes responsibility for each of our tomorrows." It
was D. L. Moody, who when once asked why he continued to pray for the filling
of the Spirit, simply said, "because I leak." So, do you and so do I,
so we need to continually be filled with the Spirit. Moment by moment, let us
be constantly aware of the Spirit's power that desires to work within, but let
us also be ever careful to remember, that if the power is to work within, it
also needs to work without for it is true that the Holy Spirit will not enter a
life unless He can get out again.
Having said all of this, one cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit
without having first received Jesus Christ. That is the first step to being
filled. If you have not invited Jesus Christ into your life by faith, you will
never be filled with the Spirit. Faith is simply trusting in Christ alone
for your salvation. Accept Him by simply trusting in Him alone for your
salvation. Receive Him as your Savior, and simply invite Him into your heart
today. Christ won't fill you if there is nothing within you to be filled.
Yours in faith,
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