A Personal Search for More of the Holy Spirit

Gift of the Holy Spirit

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:13

Have you asked God to give you the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit? Jesus instructed his disciples to pray for this gift (Luke 11:13), and we see the dramatic outcome of this prayer in Acts 2 as God poured out his Spirit on the waiting and praying believers in the upper room. Peter, who had previously denied knowing Jesus Christ on three separate occasions, boldly preached the gospel message resulting in three thousand new converts. At the end of that chapter it was recorded that the ranks of those being saved grew daily. The disciples’ level of courage and power was amazing. Is this kind of boldness happening today? If not, why not?

The Need to Ask for the Holy Spirit

Having grown up in the Wesleyan tradition of sanctification, asking for the gift of the Holy Spirit is not a new concept to me. John Wesley believed that through the promise of the Holy Spirit, “God will give His people the ability to truly love God, to keep His statutes, and to obey Him. As a result of the Spirit’s empowering, true believers (the people of God) will be ‘enabled to live in righteousness and true holiness all their lives.’”1 Although the church I attended emphasized the demonstration of the fruits of the Spirit in our lives (Gal. 5:22-23), it also includes receiving the gifts of the Spirit (mentioned in 1 Cor 12, Romans 12, Eph 4).

How often do our current churches encourage its members to seek the gift of the Holy Spirit? Although I am sure this practice is regularly occurring in some circles, it has been my experience that this isn’t happening as often as it used to. If so, why not? I don’t have any easy answers to this question, but I am thrilled my church is asking for more of the active, powerful presence of the Holy Spirit.

Seeking More of God

So, as I am on this journey of seeking more of God, and particularly of the Holy Spirit, I have a couple of prayers requests:

  • I would like God to use me as an encourager of other believers, especially around the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
  • I also want my life to be an obedient and powerful demonstration of the Holy Spirit’s ministry.
  • I don’t want to be afraid of the working of the Holy Spirit in my life, but rather want to be ready to follow the call of God, no matter what!

What’s Do You Want from God?

What is your prayer in regards to the gift of the Holy Spirit?

For more information on the Holy Spirit (this is not an exhaustive list), please see, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit by Francis Chan.

“The Gifts of the Holy Spirit” http://www.ldolphin.org/rrrgifts.html

Other Devotionals You May Enjoy

Keeping a Soft Heart for God

The Embrace of our “Abba Father”

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