Fill Me, Lord!

One of the most refreshing things to the spirit of man is the description the Apostle Paul makes concerning the Holy Spirit actually living in us.  As I have studied this over the years, I have been reluctant at times to enter into discussions on this topic.  Yes, I believed what the Bible said and I even accepted the truth of the Spirit living in me.  However, this was something difficult for me to discuss.  Maybe it was Paul's encouragement for me to be "filled with the Spirit" that caused me to shy away, but further study and prayer has taught me being filled with the Spirit doesn't mean I can get a small version of the Holy Spirit to begin with, then at some later time I could get the larger version, and maybe some day, the ultimate version.  Being filled with the Spirit, as Paul was teaching. didn't mean I had more of the Spirit as I matured in the faith, it meant and still means the Spirit has ALL of me!

I invite you to look at a couple of scriptures with me as we dig a little deeper into this important relationship for our spiritual lives.

1 Corinthians 1:21-22
 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,  set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Notice where you fit in these two verses.  It's God who makes us stand firm in Christ.  We are anointed. He puts a seal of ownership on us.  He puts his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, which guarantees what is to come.

Those who try to be a Christian in today's world, without the truth of these verses from Paul, should not be surprised when frustration and failure set in.  We really are his, and some of us have a difficult time accepting that. God puts his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, a down payment of all that is to come.

Ephesians 1:13-14

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Oh, I like this!  Believers are marked in him with a seal.  That seal is the Spirit himself, guaranteeing our spiritual inheritance.  It's time we learned in the here and now, God's Holy Spirit is alive and living in us, to nudge us, guide us, help us, comfort us, and more.  His presence inside us is the best thing we have going for us. 

All this leads me to encourage you, "Be filled with the Spirit!"  That can only happen when we lead the life of total surrender. He longs to fill you today.

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