Asking For the Holy Spirit
“How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” - Luke 11:13
One of the more controversial topics for a Christian discussion is experiencing the Holy Spirit. There's a wide range of opinions here and often the discussion can be energetic.
We read in Luke 11:13 of Jesus saying the Father loves to give good gifts to those who ask, and in this verse Jesus specifically mentions the Holy Spirit.
Now to be sure, the Apostle Paul makes it very clear that all who have been born again have the Holy Spirit (Cor 12:13; Rom 8:9; Eph 1:13-14). In fact, he goes so far as to say if you don't have the Spirit of Christ, you don't belong to him.
So the Holy Spirit comes at the point of conversion, which makes sense since it's the Spirit that opens one's eyes to the beauty of the gospel, what is this about? What are you asking for when as a believer you ask to be given more of the Holy Spirit?
Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit comes to testify about him (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit empowers believers to spread the message of Jesus (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit is in believers to show a dying world their current path will end in death (John 16:7-11).
Or we might ask another question. How are we to live in the Spirit?
The Bible tells us that by the Spirit we should put away sin (Rom 8:13). By the Spirit we should confess Jesus as Lord (1 Cor 12:3).By the Spirit we should give thanks to God (1 Cor 14:16). By the Spirit we should restore someone who has gone astray (Gal 6:1). And by the Spirit we should worship (Phil 3:3).
So when we pray for more of the Spirit we should be longing to more clearly see Jesus for who he is and what he has done. We should be longing to testify of Jesus to a needy world. We should desire to live lives that show a freedom from sin. And we should long to really help struggling saints.
Remember, the primary ministry of the Holy Spirit is to bring Jesus and all that he is for us into our lives and the lives of others.
So when you ask for more of the Spirit, you are actually asking that the Spirit would come and work in your life so that you can glorify Jesus.
Holy Spirit, you are the one who opens the soul to Jesus. I am sorry for being caught up in self when Jesus is the point of everything. Thank you for coming as the one who guides and comforts and equips and empowers us. Please come and cause me to live and move for the Savior.
Song: I Am Not My Own