Preaching the good news and healing the sick
in New Zealand, Nepal and the world
2011 - Full of the Holy Spirit
I am not referring to the baptism in the Spirit as at Pentecost, or Paul’s command to ‘be filled with the Spirit’ as in Ephesians 5:18, so that we can live a fruitful life.
These are special occasions, when we might have already expected the people concerned to already be full of the Spirit! First of all, they are all from Luke or Acts, so was obviously a favourite expression of Luke’s. What was he trying to tell us?
I believe that on all these occasions, Luke wanted to emphasise that what we might have expected to have been either personal choice, or even the devil, was actually God! God is full of surprises, and none more so than in the book of Acts, when we see ordinary people at work, full of the Spirit! He does extraordinary things!
Preaching
for he [John the Baptist] will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Luke 1:15
This one is a little different, as it refers to a permanent condition, rather than a situation.
John the Baptist was a weirdo. Even the gospel writers commented on his leather-belted, locust-and-honey lifestyle! But for thousands to flock into the desert to hear his not-so-gentle messages means he must have been the greatest preacher to have lived, after Jesus. Preaching is a manifestation of the Spirit.
Blessing
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! Luke 1:41-42
Elizabeth could not help herself, but blessing poured from her like a river! Both women must have been blown away. How encouraged Mary must have been! We don’t do this nearly enough. Let us pray to be so filled with the Spirit that blessings pour equally from us.
Prophesying
His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: Luke 1:67
A theme of the Old Testament filters into the New. When the Spirit comes upon you, that word, impression or picture IS from God. We’d better believe it, which means sharing it! I believe there are millions of unshared prophesies given to Christians every day. God is not silent, but his messengers are often not delivering the mail.
Guidance
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, Luke 4:1
God cannot tempt anyone, but the Spirit can and does lead us to confrontations with the world, the flesh and the devil (signified by the three temptations Jesus faced). Jesus went into the desert filled with the Spirit, but returned in the power of the Spirit. The Spirit’s power was therefore released by the Lord’s overcoming temptation and the devil. So do not grumble when you face trials or temptations, but rather thank God that the Spirit has led you there precisely so that his power will be released in you.
Spiritual Gifts
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:4
Let us not be embarrassed by the gifts of the Spirit. Do not apologise for the gifts God has given you. He gave them to you for a purpose – to extend the kingdom of God. If the Lord thought they were necessary, they are! If he thought we needed them, we do!
Boldness
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! Acts 4:8 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Acts 4:31
The rulers, elders and teachers of the law saw their courage and took note that these men had been with Jesus. Courage that enables us to speak correcting wisdom to those in authority over us, is supernatural. The Spirit also releases us to speak the word of God boldly, with confidence, faith and power. What a contrast to the Peter in Acts chapter 1! Will people take note this year that you have been with Jesus?
Visions
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Acts 7:55
Again with great courage, Stephen corrects the Sanhedrin. They were so mortified they killed him. But Luke wanted us to know that he saw Jesus (who is normally sitting at the right hand of God) standing to receive him. When he shared what he saw, it cost him his life. Would we have the same courage? Showing us what is to come is the work of the Spirit.
Evangelism
He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Acts 11:24
When the Spirit is at work, people get saved. Jesus is the Saviour, and the Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus. But as Reinhard Bonnke is fond of saying, ‘An unpreached gospel is no gospel at all.’ We must preach it full of the Holy Spirit, then a great number of people will be brought to the Lord.
Cursing
Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun." Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord. Acts 13:9-12
I have puzzled over this for years, not believing that God could ever allow us to ‘harm’ anyone. Having just read a biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I have changed my theology. Actually I don’t believe Elymas was harmed, any more than a patient is by the surgeon who must cut him first. Yes, there is temporary ‘harm’, but the long-term result is intended to be good.
I used to think that Paul was merely prophesying what was going to happen. I now realise that God has given us power for those very rare situations when we are confronted with someone as evil as Elymas. For him, reasoning wouldn’t work! Direct action was needed, and Paul deliberately cursed him, to bring salvation to the proconsul and to prevent further harm to both others and Elymas himself. We meet a similar situation with Elisha in 2 Kings 6:18. The ‘for a time’ indicates the grace of God, who had a plan of salvation even for him.
This is not a licence to curse our enemies – no, no, we are commanded to bless them (Luke 6:28)! But like an appendectomy it is an emergency operation, designed to save lives.
I trust that there will be many occasions in 2011 when you will be ‘filled with the Holy Spirit,’ and bless, see visions, prophesy, and preach the gospel, with great boldness, so that many will take note that you have been with Jesus, and come to the Lord! Have a wonderful, fruitful year.
There are several occasions in the New Testament when we read that someone, ‘full (or filled) with the Holy Spirit,’ did something unusual or spectacular...