Christian - The Infilling of the Holy Spirit - part 1

The Holy Spirit is to be our Master Teacher. One of His jobs is to convict the world of sin. But, after the believer is born again, the Holy Spirit keeps on working. His job is to assist us in our personal transformation into the LIKENESS (holy) of God.

Think about it! Getting born again is not the end of the road, but rather, it is the beginning. The Holy Spirit comes, not just for us to have a one-time experience a long time ago, but also to LIVE in us and consecrate us NOW.

The Holy Spirit of God comes INTO us and fills us, like filling a glass to the brim with wather. This continuing work of the Holy Spirit is to escort us into the LIKENESS and nature of God. After all, we were made in HIS LIKENESS at the beginning of Creation! So, this is God's initial intention for humanity.

The Holy Spirit LEADS believers in change to get where He wants us to be. Theologians call this process Progressive Sanctification (the working to the outside, that which Jesus already put on the inside). Progressive Sanctification (which can also be called transition or transformation) is the act of passing from one condition, or from one place to another.

The Spirit of Truth accompanies and leads us into all truth.[i] He points to Jesus and reminds us of His words. He comes "To our aid and bears us up in our weakness."[ii] He helps develop the giftings within us for every aspect of life. The Holy Spirit, intends to literally immerse us in the nature of God."[iii]

But... we have to agree to this change. He won't work against our will. This transformation is granted only to those who choose to continue their approach toward the Holy God. Great frustration comes into the lives of those who refuse to deal with this transition.

I've watched and wondered why the Holy Spirit seem to only REST on a few people. On most Christians, it seems He comes and goes. Literally thousands of Christians live their lives without the OVERFLOW of the Holy Spirit. They would rather reject this uncomfortable place of transformation. They look for doctrines to justify their unwillingness to be immersed and totally hidden in the deep things of God.[iv]

But, becoming hidden IN Him remains the only answer. 1 John 3:2 says that when Jesus returns again you'll see Him because you shall be like Him. How can we BE LIKE HIM? It is this precise job -- the Holy Ghost is here to conform you and me into a new and Holy Kingdom of His likeness.

Without being impassioned with the solitary goal to know the Lord, you'll miss seeing Him as/when He returns - because you won't be like Him.

Know this for sure, you can't accomplish holiness on your own. Sanctification isn't completed by you, but rather worked in you, as you yield to the work of the Spirit. It's your choice:[1]

1. You can be accurately led by the Holy Spirit only in proportion to your understanding and knowledge of the Word (Is. 11:2).

• 2. It's not enough to hear the Word, it must be understood, and acted upon (Jn. 15:26).
• 3. Wisdom and knowledge will be the strength of your salvation (Is. 33:6).
• 4. Once revelation comes, you must then become the doer that reproduces it.
• 5. The doing brings stability.[vi]

So you see, God's interest isn't just taking you to heaven, nor necessarily changing your situation. No, His intention was and is to change your temperament and your mindsets. This goal remains unattainable without your cooperation and free choice.

While Jesus sat on the side of the well, Jesus offerered the Samaritian woman rivers of living water. Can you imagine her comprehension of this offer? From her view, can you see that this concept expands from a well to rivers?

While the cross puts Christ in me (picture a glass full of water).

The Holy Spirit puts me in Christ. That deluge only comes when you're submerged IN CHRIST. (Picture my filled glass now immersed and unseen in rivers of water.)

That river approaches our desert place where life's hazards have laid us bare, deadened in feeling, lifeless in plans, yearning for an oasis of answers. Yes, the river of the Holy Ghost comes to unearth our dry-bones - once alone and disconnected - long exposed to the wild and parching heat. There in that waterless place where not even a tear remained, the Spirit of the Holy God hovers to spring forth with that hidden rushing current that submerges us into His nearness.[vii]

Isaiah foretold these rivers, "Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."[viii]

As Jesus reigns on the throne of my heart: The river under God's throne runs through me.

The Holy Spirit lives in us, comes upon us, and flows out of us - maintaining purity. Moving and deliberately going somewhere... Out of that once dry and thirsty land (my wilderness), my little stream mingles with yours -- until our separate images can no longer be found in that great River. Our lives rise and flood unhindered through uncharted seasons of grace that echo in their own time, converging in uncharted cycles that reverberate over and over again with endless possibilities.

The current of this raging river effortlessly draws us into the inner-complexity of ebb and flow, moving too swiftly for our scarlet pasts strewn with impurities to remain. It powerfully and forcefully breaks through all those long-standing logjams, rushing to irrigate the parched fields of our famished minds. Without deviation from the pre-set course, giftedness flows -- out of me, over to you, and then back again - making its way through the forgotten wastelands, hastening to touch humanity with an overflowing acceptance of love that evokes new life.

• Reading about Christ being "in us," and our being "in Christ" are concepts that most of us still probably don't completely comprehend. In modern speech, the preposition in usually designates a place, for example, "I'm in the yard, or he's in the car." But, in this instance, "IN" primarily indicates a partnership. But even a deeper significance exists. In the original language this phrase means, "one with Christ." Not just being in the same place with Jesus -- but where there were two of us, now there's just one. Just as the separate elements of hydrogen and oxygen when combined properly becomes water, now you become one "in Christ," united to Him in an indissoluble union. Just like copper and zinc combine to make the new alloy of brass, you fuse inseparably with Jesus.

iLike Elijah, it's time to move from the dried brook of Cherith on to the roaring torrent of the river Kishon (1 Kings 18:40, Ps. 83:9). Jump in! Stay until your vision bursts from drought to rivers. Ezekiel 47 tells that the steadily deepening river sustains life. My friend, let the waters flow. If you don't have living rivers -- then GET IN HIM. Then, seek God until that gushing river turns into the ocean.

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[i] Eph. 3:19 AMP, Jn. 14:6, 16A:13.

[ii] Romans 8:26

[iii] 1 John 3:3 explains that it is our hope in the return of Jesus that causes us to desire to purify ourselves.

[iv] You can grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30-32) with attitudes of rage, slander, and anger, etc. You can resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51 when you refuse to listen to Him. You can quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19) by putting out His fire. You should be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18).

[vi] John 7:37-39

[vii] Isaiah 43:18

If you are interested in learning more about the Holy Spirit, there are lots of books and free articles on my website at kluane.org. We have an eBook on Speaking in Tongues, if you want to learn about that -- and, there's lots more, just click on this RSS feed to your right!

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Let's learn together and build the Third Day Church! Thanx.

Your online pastor, Dr. Kluane Spake