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Jesus said out of the believer's heart "will
flow rivers of living water." The Holy Spirit is a life-giving
spring. The Spirit flows through any true Christian watering the
deserts of hearts and churches. Beauty springs up everywhere. The
fruits of such a garden are the incredible characteristics - love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness
and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). How wonderful it is to be
around someone so Christlike.
The fire of the candlesticks blazed light in the sanctuary.
"Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit!" declared
the Lord (Zechariah 4:6). The same fire lit on the disciples heads
and three thousand were converted in a day! The five wise virgins
had an extra measure of the Spirit and shone the way for the bridegroom's
return. Fire is the light of God's truth, the warmth of His love,
and the blazing power of His mighty finger (Luke 11:20; Matthew
12:28). It's the only way the Gospel is going to sweep the world.
Wind is life. Jesus breathed on His disciples, then
said, "Receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22). Without
the air of the Spirit our joy, our witness, our Christianity is
dead. A mighty rushing wind came on Pentecost and blew the disciples
and the good news all over the world. God wants to do the same today.
But Jesus also said, the wind blows where it wishes, and you hear
the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it
goes" (John 3:8). Are you ready and willing for that? Are your
sails abandoned to this mighty wind and this adventuresome Captain?
The Holy Spirit is everything we need for witnessing.
Conviction and conversion. The fruits of the Spirit and the gifts
of the Spirit. Change for us and change for the world. More than
any method or program, we need water, wind and fire! So what do
we do?
When you get a midnight snack attack and there's nothing
in the house, you can always call Pizza Hut. In Bible days you had
to rely on your neighbor. Jesus told a parable about a man who had
nothing to feed his guest who showed up at midnight. Middle East
hospitality couldn't go to bed without sharing some bread, so he
banged on the neighbor's door. The neighbor pulled his pillow over
his head, but the banging was too loud and long. Bread was given
and the visitor fed.
So what's the point? We're the man without bread.
The world is the hungry guest. And God is way better than the sleepy
friend. "How much MORE will your heavenly Father give the Holy
Spirit to those who ask Him" (Luke 11:13)!
Jesus is trying to help us see that the Holy Spirit is ours for
the asking. God is eager to pour the Spirit into you and me, into
His church and throughout the world.
So what are we waiting for? Let's ask - eagerly,
persistently and with solid faith that water, wind and fire are
on the way!
Click here for
great quotes on how to prepare to receive the Holy Spirit.
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