As Christians we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. It’s the “Gas that makes us go”. It’s the “Fire in our furnace”. And there is an anointing of the Holy Spirit that turns us from being “Listeners” of the word to being “Doers” of the word. Being a “doer” is exciting and it’s fun. You become part of the greatest miracle that Jesus called us to…. because it lasts for ever. It’s the miracle of people being spiritually transformed….”caterpillars to butterflies” or “tadpoles to frogs”. (But wait…. nobody likes frogs……unless you’re a princess, and you want a prince!). Anyway, you get the idea.
For a lot of us the concept of the Holy Spirit is mystical and ethereal. We can’t visualize what is going on…..so we avoid the subject and we move on. (And for us older folks it was the Holy Ghost, and who in their right mind wants to deal with a ghost!). So we remain tadpoles, a “good person”, “saved”, but not really going anywhere. We have received the Holy Spirit but we have not asked the Holy Spirit to empower us.
Well, that’s where I was 35 years ago. I had given my life to Jesus, I was saved, I was secure, and I was ok with life, but I really didn’t care or know much about the Holy Spirit. (Nor was I fulfilling the Great Commission). Then my wife came home on a Friday night from a Conference on the Holy Spirit. Saturday was going to be a day of packing to get ready for a trip to Disney World on Sunday. She talked me into going to the Holy Spirit Conference on Saturday and leave the packing for late Saturday night……so I went. The first thing I walked into that next morning was a Praise and Worship service. When the music got to going… there was a lady with a spring flower dress on and a floppy hat dancing in the aisle praising Jesus. Blew me away. So I pulled out my wallet and looked for a $5 bill, ….I figured I could get out of there, catch a taxi, and go home and pack. Unfortunately, I was broke so I was stuck.
The next breakout session was a class on the Anointing (Baptism) of the Holy Spirit, and so at the encouragement of my wife I went. It was taught by a spirit filled lady, and after her testimony she asked us if we wanted to receive the Anointing (Baptism) of the Holy Spirit. I said yes, stood up, and began to pray. And with eyes closed, the tears began to fall, and I “saw” rays of light coming down from heaven. I was different, …..scripture became “alive” and was teaching me, I could sense Jesus telling me what to do….and my heart was filled with purpose, joy, and peace. It was the abundant life that Jesus talked about…..and I wanted to tell others. It was like Photini, the woman at the well, that ran home and told her family, and then told the town.
That spirit filled lady is my friend now, and I am indebted to her as my “teacher”. As for me, I am no longer that tadpole that I once was…..guess that makes me a frog now….going where Jesus sends me…. telling people about Jesus, the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and the abundant life. Someday I hope to become a prince……(I think that happens when I get to heaven)…..Wanna come along? It’s the trip of a lifetime!
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SELAH
SCRIPTURES: John 7:38
James 1:22
John 4: 10
Acts 19: 1-7
Luke 24:49
Acts 1:8
PRAYER FOCUS: Anointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Here I am Lord….Put me in your pocket and spend me anyway you want.
~ Written by Gene Bennett