When you convert to Christ, you also invite the Holy Spirit into your life. We need to open ourselves up a little more, and not only invite the Holy Spirit to work in us, but also to fully indwell us, to baptize us in the fire of the Holy Ghost. Some people interpret being “filled” with the Holy Spirit as joy. That is a major component, and it is accurate that those who are filled with the Holy Spirit obtain an indescribable joy that the world cannot offer. However, there is a joy much deeper, and it is accompanied by the very same events that occurred the day of Pentecost when God poured His Holy Fire upon the people and they began not only to speak in other languages but to have a miracle of ears, to be able to hear and understand those other languages.
In order to be informed Christians, and educated Pentecostals, (no, that is not an oxymoron) we need to know what other people are saying (to know – but not necessarily to agree). At Raveh, we believe in Pentecostal doctrine, so we do not agree with a lot of the famous “theologians” who claim to know God but in reality only talk about Him. We know that there is an experience that must accompany education, and that experience can only be found when we know and worship Jesus Christ and desire to receive the baptism by fire that He promised us in His Word. John Piper, a guy who means well and is probably saved but who doesn’t understand Pentecost, wrote something titled “Be Filled with the Spirit.” He writes:“The apostle Paul commands in Ephesians 5:18 that we be filled with the Spirit . . . . I think being filled with the Spirit means, basically, having great joy in God. And since the Bible teaches that “the joy of the Lord is our strength” (Nehemiah 8:10), it also means there will be power in this joy for overcoming besetting sins and for boldness in witness. But, basically, it means radiant joy, because the Spirit who fills us is the Spirit of joy that flows between God the Father and God the Son because of the delight they have in each other . . . . With the spread of Pentecostalism in this country and in the third world, there has been a lot of discussion about the New Testament phrases “filled with the Spirit” and “baptized with the Spirit.” I feel some obligation, therefore, today not merely to interpret Ephesians 5:18 in its immediate context, but also to orient what I say in the wider New Testament teaching….
(To see article in original context, click here)
To be oriented in the wider New Testament teaching is to recognize that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not merely what Piper goes on to attribute to John the Baptist. Jesus Himself promised that the disciples would receive power from on high. What is refreshing about Piper’s viewpoint is that while we disagree, he is moderate enough to say that the gift of tongues is for today and did not pass away in the 1st century as some fundamentalists mistakingly suggest. Piper is right that there is a special joy that comes with the Holy Spirit, but when one receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, the joy cannot even be contained. The joy bursts forth in the form of a heavenly language and we are able to speak intimately with our Father in heaven. It is a radiant joy.
Whether you agree with tongues doctrine or not (you should, but no one will force you!) we can agree that everyone needs to find that unspeakable uncontainable joy that is in Jesus the Messiah.
And to have joy, you need to be filled.
Filled with love.
Filled with mercy.
Filled with hope.
Filled with the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. It is something beautiful, but you must ask the Lord for it. The Word of God says when we ask we receive and when we humble ourselves God hears from heaven and answers us. Pursue the Lord. Pursue His love. And pursue the promise that He has for you.
Be filled today! If you have questions, feel free to contact us. We are located in Cary, North Carolina, and we would love to meet you, or you can just leave us a message here…
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[...] ema wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptFilled with love. Filled with mercy. Filled with hope. Filled with the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. It is something beautiful, but you must ask the Lord for it. The Word of God says when we ask we receive and when we humble … [...]
You can allways tell by their comment that they do not have a clue to what the “baptism” of the Holy Ghost really is. When they say “I believe that …” Then you know that they have never tasted of the full infilling of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said that the “Truth Shall Be In You” and that you will “Know The Truth” notice the word “Know”? There is a difference between knowing and believing. You start by believing and then are rewarded with the “Know”!
Consider this. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God Almighty. Now when something that pure enters your wretched, filthy, and sinful body, You will “Know” that it has happened. There is no denying it at all.