Some believers have been seeking for the baptism in the Holy Spirit since they have believed in Jesus Christ. Some have been seeking for it for a long time but they have not received it and they become despondent. They wonder why they do not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus promised the gift to all those who believe in Him and who obey the gospel, who repent and who are baptized in water. Some of those believers that seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit have not obeyed Jesus by being baptized in water. Some others have been baptized in water and they’ve been earnestly seeking and praying they have gone to other people who have the gift, to pray for them and they did not receive it, and they want to know why they’re not receiving the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus.
There are many reasons why we do not receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Many believers think that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a guarantee of salvation, because others who have received the baptism and who speak in tongues have told them that they have a guarantee of salvation, they are sealed and saved by the Spirit, but the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not a guarantee of salvation. It is the indwelling Spirit of Christ in us. We have to seek Jesus Christ Himself to come and dwell in us, to be with us, to teach us, and to guide us.
We must not just look for the ability to pray in tongues. Many pray in tongues but they do not follow Jesus. They do not obey Him. They think they are saved and they think they have security of salvation. They are wrong. We need to seek Jesus Himself. We need to seek to do His will, to be led by His Spirit, to be taught by Him, to be fruitful in His kingdom. We need to seek the Lord and Master Himself, and then He will fill us with His Spirit.
Others are seeking for the gifts of the Spirit, for various reasons. They are preachers who seek the gift of healing because they believe it will be an attraction so that they can build the church, they see it as a measure of their own spirituality if they have spiritual gifts, but that’s not what it is about. It is about the kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit was given to give us power to do the will of God. Jesus said to His disciples that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon them, and they will be His witnesses.
Without Jesus we can do nothing. We can speak in tongues but if we do not follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then we are not doing the will of God. The kingdom of God is about doing the will of God. The Holy Spirit in us was given to guide us into fruitful service in the kingdom of God. It is not about what we can do for the kingdom of God if we have the gifts, it is about us obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Jesus requires obedience. It is not all our effort and everything that we try and do for the kingdom of God that is important to Him. What is important is that we obey Him, because remember, without Jesus we can do nothing.
The indwelling Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit, the manifestation of those gifts, that is not a proof of the measure of how spiritual we are, or how pleasing we are to God. What matters is our relationship with Jesus Christ. He gives His spirit to those who seek Him, to those who hunger and thirst for Him and the purpose is to serve His kingdom, but we have to keep on serving His kingdom. The gifts are without discrimination. It is not about how spiritual you are, whether you are a man or a woman, male or female, it is for us to serve the kingdom of God and to keep on serving the kingdom of God.
Many have received gifts of the Holy Spirit but they are not using it. Others are using it wrongly, they are using it for their own gain, and they will be judged by God. Jesus gives His spirit without measure to those who constantly seek to serve Him. He equips them for work of service in His kingdom. He empowers them. He guides them and He gives them everything that they need, to be able to do what He requires of them to do. He gives them everything that they need, to bear fruit, because without Jesus we can do nothing, we cannot bear fruit. If we do not remain in Christ then we cannot bear fruit and we cannot bring glory to God. It is our duty to live for Jesus and to bear fruit for the kingdom of God. It is not about how many gifts we have, or how many gifts operate through us, it is all about whether we are doing the will of God. Are we pleasing to Jesus? Do we walk with Him every day? Do we seek His guidance, wait on Him and do what He requires of us. It is not a talent competition or a spirituality competition. It is about obedience to Jesus and doing that for which He has
called us, for His purpose. He makes His Spirit to dwell in those who seek Him diligently. He makes His spirit to dwell in and work through those who diligently seek Him, who seek Him all the time, and who seek to do His will and who obey Him, go and do His will, because He enables them to bear fruit for His kingdom. The Spirit of God works in them and through them without measure, He has His way in and through them.
Does Jesus Christ have His way in and through us, because we are willing and eager to serve Him? May Jesus bless you.
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