REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, written by Pastor Sam Lee who leads Catalyst Agape Church in Northern New Jersey, was first posted on December 6, 2013. He is a graduate of University of Wisconsin (BA) and Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.).
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“Seeking a Spirit-Filled Life”
Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus modeled for us what would a Spirit filled life look like. Jesus is eternally God but Jesus chose to do ministry out of His incarnated Human nature “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equity with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness (Phil. 2:6-7).
Therefore, Jesus waited and did the ministry until He was baptized by the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:14, Acts 10:38). The disciples also waited for the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5) and when the power of the Holy Spirit came upon them, the NT church began. The disciples of Jesus before the Pentecost were unreliable and even deserted Jesus at death row. After the Pentecost, they never denied Jesus again.
As believers we all have the Holy Spirit in us, but I want to challenge you to be hungry for the filling of the Holy Spirit. This is the promise of Jesus “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive (John 7:38-39).
Holy Spirit is like a river. Many times in the OT when Israel was in trouble, there would be prophesy of water (A pool in the desert, flowing stream, rain, etc). I believe the water represent the prophetic word of Holy Spirit coming in great power.
We need to believe and be convinced that no matter what we are going through, that His manifested presence changes everything. If we are convinced of this truth, we won’t spend so much time leaning on our own understanding. We won’t spend so much time being frustrated and stressed. Instead, we will spend more time hungering the manifested presence of God.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I desire to be filled by Your Spirt. Lord, empty out the things of the flesh in my life in order that the Holy Spirit can fill me to the brim. Fill me, Lord. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 35