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Pastor Chris White says to all of you: HELLO MY FRIENDS. May the Lord bless you today.
HOLA MIS AMIGOS. Que el Señor los bendiga.
An important verse in understanding the
filling of the Holy Spirit is John 14:16, where Jesus promised the Spirit
would indwell believers and that the indwelling would be permanent. It is
important to distinguish the indwelling from the filling of the Spirit. The
permanent indwelling of the Spirit is not for a select few believers, but for
all believers. There are a number of references in Scripture that support this
conclusion. First, the Holy Spirit is a gift given to all believers in Jesus
without exception, and no conditions are placed upon this gift except faith in
Christ (John 7:37-39). Second, the Holy Spirit is
given at the moment of salvation (Ephesians 1:13). Galatians 3:2 emphasizes this same truth,
saying that the sealing and indwelling of the Spirit took place at the time of
believing. Third, the Holy Spirit indwells believers permanently. The Holy
Spirit is given to believers as a down payment, or verification of their future
glorification in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 4:30).
This is in contrast to the filling of the Spirit referred to in Ephesians 5:18. We should be so completely
yielded to the Holy Spirit that He can possess us fully and, in that sense,
fill us. Romans 8:9 and Ephesians 1:13-14 states that He dwells
within every believer, but He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), and His activity within us
can be quenched (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
When we allow this to happen, we do not experience the fullness of the Spirit’s
working and His power in and through us. To be filled with the Spirit implies
freedom for Him to occupy every part of our lives, guiding and controlling us.
Then His power can be exerted through us so that what we do is fruitful to God.
The filling of the Spirit does not apply to outward acts alone; it also applies
to the innermost thoughts and motives of our actions. Psalm 19:14 says, “May the words of
my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my
Rock and my Redeemer.”
Sin is what hinders the filling of the Holy Spirit, and obedience to God is how
the filling of the Spirit is maintained. Ephesians 5:18 commands that we be filled
with the Spirit; however, it is not praying for the filling of the Holy Spirit
that accomplishes the filling. Only our obedience to God’s commands allows the
Spirit freedom to work within us. Because we are still infected with sin, it is
impossible to be filled with the Spirit all of the time. When we sin, we should
immediately confess it to God and renew our commitment to being Spirit-filled
and Spirit-led.
Thank you to Got Questions Ministries
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