GOD always intended for us not only to be filled with the Holy Spirit, but for man to Stay Filled with the Holy Spirit. This is why Scriptures speak of “ABIDE”; The will of GOD for man is that we Must Stay Filled, and not just be filled with HIM. Another important reason to the season of revival is for us to learn How To Stay Filled and indeed ensure that we maintain the infilling with the Holy Spirit that was waning from us to begin with. To this end our two go-to Scriptures for this topic are Romans 8:5 and John 3:8. “For those who identify with their old nature set their minds on the things of the old nature, but those who identify with the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” — Romans 8:5 CJB “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” — Romans 8:5 KJV.
For us to maintain, remain, abide and continue being in that state we were in when we received the baptism and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, we must be mindful of the things of the Spirit. Being mindful of the things of the Spirit means that we must set our minds on the things of the Holy Spirit and on the things that the Holy Spirit wants. And note that what I want, may not necessarily be (and will most likely not be) what Holy Spirit wants. So to remain in Him, we ought to agree with Him and obey Him — ‘Can two walk together, except they be agreed?’ [Amos 3:3 KJV]. Being mindful of the things of the Spirit means that we live a life of obedience, where we are completely led by and in agreement with the Holy Spirit in all respects. It may still not be easy to obey and live as GOD wants, but when the baptism of the Holy Spirit comes over us, we receive the power to live as GOD wants, we receive the power that enables obedience in us.
Holy Spirit takes up residence within us when we get born-again, He lives in us, and we are filled with the Holy Spirit. This is what is referred to as the indwelling, an infilling and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This ‘baptism’ is symbolic, it is an allegory (a parable if you may); And it means to be spiritually immersed into the Holy Spirit in the literal sense, having the fullness and the overflow of the Holy Spirit in you. The moment you are baptised, you are completely submerged under the influence of Holy Spirit and your life is no longer your own. There is a power and an influence that takes over your life, you are at the mercy of the Holy Spirit; And this is why the self dies and the flesh dies. It is at this point where struggling to do what the Word of GOD says ends, where struggling to do what GOD wants of you ends, where struggling with the desires of the flesh ends. And like Philip in Acts 8:30, you will have a prompt willingness and ready obedience to GOD’s instructions because of the fervent zeal and the fire that is in you from the indwelling through the baptism. Now GOD wants us to receive this baptism infilling and Stay Filled.
The most apt example of the outpouring and overflow of the Holy Spirit is seen in Acts 2:1-4 and 41, at the birth of the New Testament Church (New Covenant Church), when the Holy Spirit came upon all believers in a powerful way that was visible to everyone. They were so full of the Holy Spirit that Holy Spirit began to overflow through their mouths by speaking in other tongues. On that day, Holy Spirit also came upon those who accepted the message about their salvation in Christ Jesus, many were filled and baptised with the Holy Spirit, and they added to the numbers of the New Covenant Church. In other areas where people were filled with the Holy Spirit, baptised with the Holy Spirit, they began to prophesy. Understand that prophecy is GOD speaking through a person right there and then; It is a real-time message from GOD Himself. Prophecy is the mind, the will and the Word of GOD being vocalised and verbalised in the utterances of a particular person—as the person speaks, it is not them speaking but it is GOD (Holy Spirit) Himself using the person’s voice as an instrument.
In John 3:8 Jesus Christ is speaking to Nicodemus and explains to him that Holy Spirit goes where He wishes and does what He chooses, and that this is the same way that anyone who has come under the Holy Spirit will go where the Spirit wishes and do whatever the Spirit chooses. When you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and are full of the Holy Spirit, from that day onwards— (i) You will not understand yourself and no one will understand you from that day; You will be completely led and controlled by Holy Spirit where no rationality comes to play and no one will be able to predict your next move; And you will be completely at the mercy of the Holy Spirit. (ii) Forgiveness and love become part of your first nature; You will not be able to keep or harbour a grudge, bitterness or any negativity in you. The deliverances, prophecies and spiritual gifts that so many believers chase after are inside (locked within) the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Everything that we have been searching for is in GOD. We truly ought to chase after the baptism with the Holy Spirit and get acquainted with the Spirit for GOD to move for us and in us.
The secret of power and victory for all of us is in submission to the Holy Spirit, obedience to the Holy Spirit, and being led by the Holy Spirit. Dear people of GOD and believers in Christ, this power and victory in life is achievable to all of us when we Stay Filled with the Holy Spirit. And we remain filled with the Holy Spirit by — (i) paying attention to what HE wants, (ii) going where HE wants us to go, (iii) doing what HE wants us to do, (iv) with whom HE wants us to do it with, (v) with whom HE wants us to go with, and (vi) how HE wants us to do it. This is the same tried and tested pattern followed by Barnabas and Saul in Acts 13:1-4, by Peter in Acts 10:19-20, by Philip in Acts 9:29-30, and by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in Luke 4:1 and 14, to mention but a few. West must submit our lives and ourselves to the Holy Spirit for Him to fill us to overflow with power and lead us to victory. Submit your marriage, relationship, children, business, studies and career to GOD; He will make them very successful but only if we must submit it all and leave it all to Him as we Stay Filled.
Another important reason to the season of revival is for us to learn How To Stay Filled and indeed ensure that we maintain the infilling with the Holy Spirit that was waning from us to begin with.
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