Ephesians 3: 14-19 (ESV) “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
This sure sounds like a lot more than ‘speaking in tongues’ to me. But why do we always go to the tongues place when we talk about the Holy Spirit and His fire? Frankly, we believers like to argue. We try to force each other to take a certain side and if your side does not align with mine, then I need to talk you to death until you accept my way as right. Ever been in that dilemma before?
A Spirit-filled life goes way beyond the discussion of ‘tongues’ and that’s where the disciple needs discernment of truth. First, the Spirit living in us is the ‘fullness of God’. The Spirit is the strengthening power in our inner being. He is the one that makes it so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. He is the one Who keeps us rooted and grounded in love. He is our strength to comprehend together the vastness of the love of Christ that goes a greater distance than all knowledge. That’s only what is written in these couple of verses. Search the scriptures, there is so much more!
Why did John the Baptist say, “I baptize you with water but He who comes after will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire?” Why did Jesus say, “Behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high?”
Water baptism is an immersion in water resulting in the resurrection to life. An immersion in the Holy Spirit results in a resurrection to power, strength, and spiritual understanding. It is a grave injustice that we as a collective body do not honor the Holy Spirit properly. I sense that to some He is only an afterthought. To some it is only inexperience which can be cured by seeking the scriptures. The scriptures were written by the Spirit, but He hides himself in them. He is busy expressing the Father to us and magnifying Christ among us. Still, there is plenty in there about Him.
In Galatians chapter 5 we read about the ‘fruit’ of the Spirit. These nine characteristics of the Spirit are what we need to see being developed in us. If we lack in any of these then there is a reason for it and that reason is some failure on our part. So, seek the scriptures for your cure.
Two major directives we have in the scriptures of things not to do are grieving and quenching the Holy Spirit.
Grieving is found in Ephesians 4: 29-32. Pay close attention here to what it says. “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.”
We can cause Him grief by what comes out of our mouths and by what is lodged in our hearts. We need to self-reflect on the things we say. Are our words bitter and slanderous? Or are they tenderhearted and full of grace? Are our hearts filled with anger and wrath or are they kind and forgiving? Grieving the Holy Spirit will stunt our growth in Christ and prevent further development in our walk.
Quenching the Holy Spirit is one verse found in 1 Thessalonians 5: 19. “Do not quench the Holy Spirit.” So, what does that mean? The best I can help you with is to give my own personal failures and thoughts. I can tell that I have quenched Him when I willfully sin or when I am being stubborn by wanting my own way. In other words, I’m being selfish. I can sense Him holding back because He does not approve of how I’m acting. I have thrown water on the fire! I become unable to hear His whispers anymore. The quickest way to bring the fire back is through sincere repentance and confession. Any delay on my part only prolongs the agony of His silence.
Being Spirit-filled is a continuous desire for His voice coupled with an immediate response to His words. Being Spirit-filled is one who abides in obedience to His coaxing. Being Spirit-filled is evident by the fruits of the Spirit expressing themselves outwardly to fellow believers and the lost.
There is so much to say about the Holy Spirit and His dealings with us. I most likely will come back to Him often to help with more insight. Suffice it to say our entire walk with Christ is dependent on the Holy Spirit. Search the scriptures. He is there!
Footnote: There was a time when I did not walk with Christ after I became His. I didn’t walk, I ran away as hard and fast as I could. Nearly three decades worth. I could not hear the Spirit’s voice. I did nothing to honor Christ. And I disobeyed all that the Father wanted for me to be. I was a Christian embarrassment. However, the Spirit kept me alive through all that rebellion and foolishness so that I might return to Them. I definitely was not Spirit-filled through those years. Yet, I could still speak in tongues!
Let’s never quibble over the small stuff.
Amen?
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