Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

How to Grow Spiritually – (6) Holy Spirit filling

Acts 4v31 “After they prayed … they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”

“I’ve started so I’ll finish” was Magnus Magnusson’s Mastermind catchphrase. There are many things which can so easily interrupt us in our spiritual journey.

Jesus says that the Christian life begins by being “born of the Spirit” (John 3v5-8). He says it is impossible to enter the kingdom of God without this rebirth of the Spirit.

The Christian way of living is based on continuing in the same basics as we began. So, the apostle Paul says, “[I am confident], that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” (Philippians 1v6). Again, in Galatians 3v3&16, Paul writes, “After beginning with the Spirit … live by the Spirit.” And finally in Ephesians 5v18, Paul writes, “Be filled with the Holy Spirit,” in which the Greek tense indicates “keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit.”

In Acts 4v31, the disciples are together after facing some difficulties, and we are told, “After they prayed … they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”  This is not the first time the apostles and believers were filled with the Holy Spirit. It was at least some months after Pentecost. For the disciples, being filled with the Holy Spirit enabled them to continue to obey God despite the difficulties. If they needed more filling with the Spirit, how much more us today!

So the question is, “Have you been filled with the Holy Spirit today?” Jesus gives us instructions for receiving the Holy Spirit when in Luke 11v9&13 he says, “Ask and it will be given to you … how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Interesting! – That is precisely the formula the disciples used in Acts 4v31.

Do you thirst for the Holy Spirit? May God fill you with his Holy Spirit today as he has promised to those who ask him.

With love and blessing,

Roland