Filled with the Spirit
There are many places in the Bible where we can find people who did great and mighty works by the power of the Spirit. Elijah had just defeated all the prophets of Baal and had brought honor and glory to the Lord. Yet just a short time later we find Elijah hiding in a cave, asking the Lord to kill him. Why? How could someone do such wonderful works one day and be so faithless the next. Peter was with the Lord for three and one-half years, he healed the sick, he opened the blinded eyes, unstopped deaf ears, he even raised the dead and cast out devils. Matthew 10:5,8. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, “…Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” But on the night that Jesus was arrested, Peter was defeated by a little maid who accused him of being one of Christ’s disciples, which he vehemently denied. How is it that Peter could have such power and yet fail so utterly? The reason is because they had only a measure of the Spirit operating in their lives.
But, God provided something better for us than what He had given to the Old Testament saints. Hebrews 11:40 “God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect”. Jesus while he walked on the earth went from victory to victory always conquering every power of the enemy and never failed. Up until the Day of Pentecost men had received the Spirit only by measure, but Jesus had the Spirit without measure. (John 3:34) “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.”
The Bible makes it emphatically clear that the way to stay victorious is to stay filled with the Spirit. Galatians 5:16 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
God provided for all people to be filled with the Spirit through the baptism of the Holy Ghost. When we receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost we are receiving the same Spirit that Jesus Christ had, and we receive it without measure, for we are filled with the Spirit. And with that gift of the Holy Ghost comes everything needed to live above lust and sin. It is the power in us to be victorious in all things!
For my King and His Kingdom
