Yesterday, I couldn't get the Blogger Dashboard to come up on my computer for some reason, but these two lessons go hand-in-hand, so I decided to comment on them together.
Actually, I'm not going to comment directly on Chamber's words, because they are so powerful that there is no need. What I want to stress is the connection between the Holy Spirit and the "
rivers of living water."
Being "filled with the Holy Ghost" or "baptized in the Holy Spirit" is scriptural fact. Unfortunately, among different denominations, it is one of the most widely argued facts in the Bible. Yet one aspect is common to almost all interpretations -
"You will RECEIVE POWER when the Holy Spirit comes on you." Acts 1:8. The important thing to keep in mind is that it is the Holy Spirit living within you that sends out that "
river of living water." All Christians have their hearts opened to the Spirit when they ask Jesus to forgive them of their sins and become their Lord. Yet it is clear from scripture that we must take responsibility to become "filled with" or "baptized in" the Holy Spirit. Of course, the question is...How do we do that?
Because of the multiple controversies on this subject, I have learned that the wisest course of action is to let the Holy Spirit Himself do the teaching. Sometime when you want to dig a little deeper into ways of the Lord, settle in with your Bible, and meditate on the following scriptures. You may do this with confidence because of I Corinthians 2:16,
" 'For who has known the mind of the Lord that He may instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ."John 14:16-17; Acts 2:38-39; Acts 2:4; Acts 5:32; Acts 10:44-46; Acts 11:17; Acts 15:8; Acts 19:6; John 7:38-39; I Peter 4:14; John 16:13-14; Luke 11:11-13; II Corinthians 1:22, 5:5; Ephesians 1:14; Galatians 3:14; I John 3:24, 4:13.
Why is it important to be filled with the Spirit?
1. Gives us power and boldness to witness (Acts 1:8)
2. Enables us to pray for God's will (Romans 8:26-27, I Corinthians 14:2)
3. Builds up our faith (Jude: 20; I Corinthians 14:4; Ephesians 6:18)
4. Is a sign to the unbelievers (I Corinthians 14:22; Mark 16:17-18)
Dear Jesus, please give us the supernatural wisdom to understand the Holy Spirit in the correct way. Teach us about Him and how He, as one member of the Trinity, works in our lives. Help us to hear His voice at all times, and then help us have the strength to do whatever He asks.