This Sunday I had the pleasure and privilege of praying for some brothers to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. I love this! Nothing make me feel more alive than when God uses me as a channel for his blessing. It's always fantastic to see people powerfully touched by God and filled with his holy presence, but there is something extra special when it is the first time. It's like what it says in the scriptures; even though God loves everyone the same, and shows no favouritism, there is still more rejoicing over one sinner who repents, than over 99 righteous men who do not need to repent.
It also made me think of the image of the river again. I think sometimes Christians miss out on staying full of the Spirit, because they try to be cisterns rather than rivers. The blessing of the Spirit is never meant to be contained by us, for a personal blessing, but to overflow out to be a source of life to many. Ironically, the more we "give out" in the Spirit, the more full we get. The more we try to receive and contain, the drier we become.
It's the same principle that's at work in other forms of blessing: sowing and reaping. The amount we reap is determined by the amount we sow. If we sow sparingly we reap sparingly. If we sow generously, we reap generously. It also follows, in the same vein, that if we are faithful with little, God will entrust us with much. As Keri Jones says "God gives seed to sowers."
It's just the same in the spiritual as in the natural. The more we give out, the more we receive, and God increases the gifting of those who are faithful in using what they already have. If you want to stay full of the Holy Spirit, don't just wait for opportunities to receive, look for opportunities to give!
Be blessed.
2 comments:
Chris, thank you for this further insight I particularly like your comparison with the cistern, and I agree that the more we try to hold on to what God has freely given us the less it seems to become, it either stagnates or evaporates. Far better that we share generously the wonderful things He has blessed us with and live in the expectation that He will replenish us. I believe this applies equally over all that God provides, from the Holy Spirit through to the financial provision He makes for us and I can testify to His faithfulness in all these respects. Praise God!
Amen! tht is so true. i have experienced God's provision more as i have given more esp. since coming here. its amazing and so exciting to be a river rather than a cistern. that was really encouraging!
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