Saturday, April 24, 2010

Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful

This is what I see the Bible says about requesting, "Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful."

Who does the Baptizing?
Luke 3:16
He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

How do we receive the Baptism?
Luke 11:13
13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

What is the sign of the Baptism?
Acts 2:4
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The Holy Spirit was given to the Jews and to the Gentiles!
Acts 10:45-46
because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Is speaking in tongues for today or was it just in the beginning because there was no Bible written yet?
Acts 2:38-39
38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

Is speaking in tongues ALWAYS present at the Baptism?

Acts 9:17-18
"Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

Speaking in tongues is not mentioned in Paul's baptism, but did he eventually speak in tongues?
1 Cor 14:18
18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;

Did they all speak in tongues?

1 Cor 14:4-5
5 I wish you all spoke with tongues,
No.

Could they all speak in tongues?

1 Cor 12:4
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
Therefore, if you have the Holy Spirit, then you have all the gifts available to you.

I have the Holy Spirit, why don't I speak in tongues?

James 4:2-4
you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

What is the purpose of speaking in tongues?
1 Cor 14:4-5
4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself

I know I have to ask and I know to ask so that I may be edified and thus live unashamedly for Christ so that others will be attracted to the Christ they see in me, now what?
Matt 21:22
22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

Here is my take on how to say Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful.

When you go into prayer, sing some praise songs, or pray some praise verses. Then ask God to bring into your mind any unconfessed sin that may block your communication with Him. Be still and let things come to mind. Confess them, ask for forgiveness, place them under the Blood of Jesus Christ, and then forgive yourself.

This may take a while: possibly, more than one prayer session. If the same sin comes to your mind again, then rebuke it by saying, I already confessed you. I am already forgiven for that one. Don't come back to my mind again.

Once your mind has calmed down and no more sins are coming to mind, then ask God who He wants you to pray for. Names of people should start to come into your mind. Pray for them as they come in.

This may take a while: possibly, more than one prayer session. Once the names stop coming into your mind, say Lord now I wish to pray but nothing more is coming into my mind, so I want to pray to You from my spirit.

Then (OK, I AM GOING TO SAY IT) begin to babble (THERE I SAID IT.) Yes, begin to babble.

Now I am going to take it by faith that the Holy Spirit will take my feeble attempts to be biblical by speaking in tongues and be able to edify me and magnify God with my efforts.

Just as when I asked Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of my life, I did not feel anything spiritual happen. I just trusted that the answer is YES.

Just as when I asked Jesus Christ to baptize me in the Holy Spirit, I did not feel anything spiritual happen. I just trusted that the answer is YES.

Then when I ask the Holy Spirit to edify me and magnify God through my speaking in tongues, I am trusting that the answer is YES.

So we may all say, Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful.