The holidays can be challenging. If you need someone to talk to, come talk to a mentor.

One Christmas, I came across an article in a local newspaper by an articulate columnist named Bill Johnson. His column was titled, “A Lesson in Catching the Christmas Spirit.” Johnson began his search for the Christmas spirit at the Christmas tree lots, which, he believes, “by their very nature are hotbeds of the Christmas spirit. Nobody goes there if they don’t have it, so I went to one, hoping that some would rub off.” But the only people he found there were mortgage bankers looking for trees for their offices.

On the way to the local mall, Bill ran into a family dressed festively and figured they must have the Christmas spirit. Upon questioning, the mother said, “Let’s see, yesterday we put up the tree, put up the lights on the house, and played all of our Christmas CDs. I’d say we have the Christmas spirit.”

Unsatisfied, Bill headed for the mall’s Santa, reasoning, “If he can’t get you in the spirit, nobody can.” Finding the long line of children, he thought, “This is what Christmas is all about.” Still something still didn’t feel right. On a lark, he asked an employee of the mall, “Where might I find the Christmas spirit?”

“It’s in your heart,” she said, barely glancing up. “It feels warm and glowy, like a mother’s love for her child. You can’t buy it at any store here, and you can’t get it from anybody else. It’s in there,” she said pointing to Bill’s chest. “It’s in your heart.”

One strand or two

The mall worker had a popular answer the common question: “What is the Christmas Spirit?” It’s inside of us somehow, in some way, most people reason. We just have to find it. But when does the Christmas spirit hit? Is it when we unpack our decorations and start playing the music? How many decorations do you need before you officially have the Christmas spirit? Does it take a Christmas tree? One strand of lights? Two? Three? How many times do I need to watch the How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Carol, or It’s a Wonderful Life before I enter into the Christmas Spirit?

At this time of year, we seek to outshine and out-dazzle our neighbor with our Christmas spirit. More lights, more ornaments, a bigger tree, brightly colored presents, and more of them. Flashing lights and moving figurines. The more decorations, the greater our Christmas spirit. So goes the conventional wisdom.

As I thought about Bill Johnson’s question, I decided to re-read the Christmas story, the one in Luke’s Gospel. But this time I tried noticing the reactions of those who had just learned of Christ’s birth. Maybe I would stumble across the Christmas spirit in embryo.

The first we see reacting are shepherds, who, we are told, “returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:20).

Shepherds in those days weren’t the pastoral, gentle-eyed, soft-spoken fellows that our Hallmark friends have portrayed. Shepherds were crude, rude and hardy, and you wouldn’t want your sister dating one. The only way I can draw any kind of accurate picture is this way:

Imagine a room full of men drinking beer, making lots of disgusting male noises, and watching a football game. They are cheering on their favorite teams with great gusto and excitement. There’s lots of yelling and words being tossed about that aren’t used in polite society. That comes close to describing first-century shepherds.

The celebrating these shepherds were doing wasn’t exactly artistic praise spoken by highly cultured men, nor the quiet reflective praise given by articulate men in expensive clothes. There wasn’t an anchormen among them.

When the Bible says that they were glorifying and praising God, it is describing something like the last second of a playoff game, in overtime, when the home team wins and the whooping and hollering starts. That was the only kind of “glorifying” it’s likely they knew.

Further on we find Simeon, a much different character. He was a holy man who walked with God. What did he do with the Christ Child? He “took him in his arms and praised God” (v. 28). Here is a much more dignified response, but certainly one with a great depth of excitement and feeling.

But then what of Joseph and Mary, who by this time had a pretty good idea they had one special child on their hands. “The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him” (v.33).

The rough around the edges shepherds whooped and hollered in the middle of the night, the holy Simeon reverently praised God, and Jesus’ own parents were just amazed at what was happening. In retrospect, it seems that everyone’s reaction was a little different, each according to their personalities and occupations.

Drawn to celebration

“How can we ever have the Christmas spirit,” I wondered, “when it seems everyone responded differently?” The more I thought about it, the more I realized that we could never hope to recapture that first Christmas spirit anymore than we could recapture the excitement of our wedding day, or the birth of our children. They are strictly one-time events.

Some people are attracted to Christmas the same way they’re attracted to parties, laughter and large, popular events. Everyone seems to be having fun, and the excitement is contagious. It’s a welcome relief from the grind of everyday living.

People share the wholesome emotions of excitement and anticipation, and they find themselves drawn toward the celebration as they would to a Disney movie, even though they don’t really know what it’s all about.

The event that fills us with so much joy and gladness that we celebrate it each year, with more attention than for any other event, is the entrance of Jesus Christ into our world. It is the living proof that, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The real Christmas spirit

And that is what brings us back to the question that Bill Johnson and the entire world are asking: What is the real Christmas spirit anyway? I believe I finally know.

When everything is said and done, and everyone’s differences are accounted for, I believe the real Christmas spirit is a deep-seated lingering joy in knowing that the story is true!

This means that some will come very near to the celebration, and yet never have it. They’ll experience the fun and excitement, but never make the connection between their celebration and the event itself. They will be like people at a wedding who celebrate with more energy, laugh louder, and drink more than anyone else, and yet they’ve never met the bride and groom. They have no real interest in the marriage. Their real interest is in the celebration. Take away the party and you remove the celebration.

That, Mr. Johnson, is where I believe the difference lies between those who have the Christmas spirit and those who don’t. For those will real Christmas spirit, if you removed their trees, and their lights, and their poinsettias, and their decorations, and their presents and their food and their music. . .the story would still be true, and their joy would still be there!

That’s why it is possible to celebrate the Christmas spirit by re-reading and pondering the impact of the Christmas story, moving away from the hoopla long enough to remember what it is all for; or when surrounded by family and friends, with music and noise and laughter. Each to his own personality. I hope this year Mr. Johnson goes looking again and discovers “that” Christmas spirit.

Celebrating Christmas

Do you know the importance of the baby in the manger? The little child born in the town of Bethlehem was God himself, come to Earth to save the ones he loves. The baby in the manger was real and all of the things the Bible says about him are true. You can know the peace that comes from knowing that you are loved, that you are forgiven and that there is a God who not only exists, but knows that you exist too and is interested in your life.

God sent his son, Jesus to come into the world to redeem it. His sacrifice on the cross paid the price for all of the sins you or I will ever commit. He makes it possible for imperfect humans to have a living relationship with a perfect God.

You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

Is this the life for you?

If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.

This article is from In Search of the Real Christmas Spirit published by Discovery House Publishers.

Christmas is loaded with expectations, isn’t it?

Let’s look at a few of our expectations.

Picture yourself seated at a beautifully decorated Christmas dining table. Cheerful Christmas music plays softly and a twinkling Christmas tree stands in the background. This is the time of peace on earth, good will toward others. Now picture your family and relatives all sitting together around the table. Do you picture them…arguing? Sometimes, in spite of our efforts, people knock heads, even at Christmas.

Perhaps you’re hoping that this year your children will be cheerful, patient and thoughtful of others. Well, if that’s how they are from January to November, you might have a shot at it in December. Or you might find them pulling ornaments off the Christmas tree and opening presents saying, “I already have this.”

Somehow we think the perfect Christmas is happening in someone else’s house, not our own.

Christmas is packed with expectations. Life isn’t perfect and our expectations can do us in. Rather than be driven by a list of expectations, there is a better way to approach Christmas. There’s a way to find it much more personally satisfying.

First, let’s look at why we have Christmas…other than increasing the U.S. Gross National Product, of course. Christmas is celebrated because of the birth of Jesus. Now the whole world doesn’t celebrate my birthday. Why is he so special? (Read: How did Jesus change the world?)

• Jesus said he was God. If you look at Buddha or Confucius or other religious leaders, often it was their followers who declared them “God” long after they were dead. In contrast, Jesus clearly and repetitively told people he was God.

• Jesus said he could give people eternal life and forgiveness for their sins…credentials which clearly belong only to God.

• His communication was also unique. Jesus didn’t teach people ten steps to achieve holiness, or personal disciplines to reach God. If you want to know God, Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me.”

• To give credence to his claims, Jesus performed blatant, irrefutable miracles. People born blind could see. The lame who were stuck begging were now walking. The mentally ill could think soundly. We’re told, “Jesus went about all the cities and villages…healing every disease.” His miracles were known by all.

Who is this Jesus?

Jesus did more than heal people. Five thousand people were given dinner with food that Jesus instantly “produced” for them. Another time Jesus made a violent storm on the sea cease immediately. The people in the boat “were filled with awe, and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”

Jesus plainly said who he was…”I and the Father are one. If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them…know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” The Bible records, “This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him…he called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” His audience understood the message.

Jesus so thoroughly equated himself with God that he said “to know Him was to know God (John 8:19, 14:7). To see Him was to see God (12:45; 14:9). To believe in Him was to believe in God (Mark 9:37). To hate Him was to hate God (John 15:23). And to honor Him was to honor God (5:23).”

Now I should interject here, this is being written by a former die-hard atheist. I thought people believed in God simply out of need. I was stunned when someone showed me clear, scientific evidence for God’s existence, and equally impressive logical, factual evidence for Jesus being God.

Here’s a quick example of the proof which shows Jesus was correct in saying he’s God. Throughout the Old Testament there are over 300 specific predictions about God’s Savior who would one day come to earth. It would be like listing specific predictions today about who will be president of the United States 500 years from now. It’s written down what town this Savior would be born in, to what family, where he’d grow up, what miracles he’d do, how he would die, etc. Jesus’ life perfectly fulfilled all 300 predictions! The odds of any other person fulfilling even 8 of those predictions are 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.

Other proof? The Jews, knowing Jesus said He would rise from the dead three days after His death, decided to post a Roman Guard of 10-14 trained Roman soldiers in front of the tomb. Wasn’t quite enough. Three days later the tomb was found empty.

Part of enjoying all the celebration of Christmas is understanding who was born that day. The Christmas carols suddenly take on more punch…” Joy to the Word, the Lord has come.” Jesus was not another prophet, or great teacher. This was God revealing himself to us.

Why did Jesus come to earth?

Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” You know how life at times can seem “lite,” pointless, without real meaning? Even at Christmas we can go through all the motions, but life can still lack depth. Jesus wants to give us a more meaningful, abundant life.

Secondly, he came to offer us a genuine relationship with himself. “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.”

To be honest, a lot of people try to approach God the wrong way. They try to earn God’s acceptance by living a “good” life. And then they reason with him.  “God, I’ve tried to be a good person. I’ve tried to be kind and generous. I’ve gone to church. I’ve prayed. And I’ve never murdered or cheated anybody.” Sounds good.

But Jesus said we need to know what his standards are. Just how good a life would we have to live? Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Well, let’s be brave and see how perfect we are. Imagine trying for an entire day to be… patient. I’d have to skip coffee and settle into a near coma. But let’s assume you’re alert and you’re going to be patient in all circumstances for one entire day. You’ll be patient with customers, other employees, your boss, patient in traffic, patient with your family.

Let’s pretend you tried so hard, and you actually were patient all day. Wouldn’t it irritate you that the people around you were so impatient? If I were concentrating that hard on being patient, I know I’d be very self-righteous and judgmental toward all those other rude, impatient people. And my self-righteous attitude also would not line up with God’s standard of perfection. The Bible says we sin…no surprise to me.

But what did surprise me is that the Bible says my sin has separated me from God. It’s like an impenetrable wall. The Bible says, “The wages (payment) for sin is death.”

Number one on Jesus’ agenda for coming to earth was to pay for our sin. The Bible says, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us….”

It’s like the woman who was arrested on a drunk-driving charge. The judge ruled, “thirty days or $1,500 bail.” As she was agonizing over this, the judge stepped around to the front of the bench, pulled out his check book and paid the $1500 fine. Why? The judge was this woman’s father. As an honest judge he couldn’t overlook his daughter’s guilt. But as a loving father, he paid the penalty for her.

If we could have gained a relationship with God based on our living a good life, Jesus didn’t need to come to earth and he didn’t need to die on a cross for us. But out of tremendous love for us, Jesus was tortured, whipped, nailed to a cross and died of slow suffocation. Three days later he rose from the dead. Having done so, he now offers us complete forgiveness and a relationship with him.

I used to think having a relationship with God is something that just “happens” to a person or it doesn’t…like winning the lottery or being struck by lightning. But actually it’s a personal decision.

God offers us a relationship with himself, and it’s our decision whether or not to respond to his offer. Jesus put it simply, “I stand at the door (of your life) and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him….”

When we respond to his offer and ask him to come into our lives, we begin a relationship with God that lasts eternally. The Bible says, “I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Whatever is going on in your world this Christmas, there is no greater gift you could give yourself than to receive the One who came to earth for us. He offers you complete forgiveness, a relationship with Him, a more abundant life and eternal life. As long as we trust in ourselves, our own good life, God will remain distant, and we remain separated from him by our sin. He asks us to empty our hands of our efforts and receive him and his gift.

I’d like to give you the opportunity right now to ask him to come into your life. There is no greater offer, nor more important decision you could make in your life. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him….”

I’ll help you put this into words. You could say to him, “Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins. Right now I open the door and ask you to come into my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me an eternal relationship with you.”

Unlike other possible relationships, if you asked Jesus into your life right now, he promises never to leave you. Jesus said, (speaking of us as his sheep), “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.”

I found that one of the best ways to get to know him better was to read the gospel of John, which is the fourth book of the New Testament, in the Bible. You’ll be amazed. It seemed like he was speaking straight to me, answering my questions, like an intimate chat over coffee. Also, you might find it helpful to look for a church where the Bible is taught.

There is no greater joy at Christmas than coming into a relationship with Jesus. Too many times we have worn ourselves out, driven by our expectations to have the “perfect” Christmas. It’s a set-up for disappointment.  Learn what it means to know Jesus personally with our free, guided life lesson.

All of the shopping, decorating, entertaining never fully meets our deepest longings. For Christmas to be special, we simply need to receive Jesus’ gift to us…a relationship with him. Knowing him brings great meaning and enjoyment at Christmas, no matter who knocks over the Christmas tree.  If you would like to talk to someone about what it means to be a Christian or if you have any other questions, just use this form to contact a mentor.

Used with permission from EveryStudent.com

Yet I still felt empty inside. It was as if I filled myself with so much food, yet I was still hungry. I had this overwhelming sense that my life was incomplete. I just can’t explain the emptiness I felt. Sometimes I wouldn’t be aware of the feeling, because I was out having fun. But once I was alone and it was quiet, I knew there was something missing.

Something different

A friend invited me to attend church again. I used to find it boring and irrelevant so I stopped going ever since I left home. The church we went to was different

, however. It was not only the drums and guitars instead of the usual organ music that made it different; rather, it was the people that were different. They were so joyful, and they really seemed to care about me despite the fact that they hardly knew who I was.

This got me thinking about God, but I wasn’t about to go and start believing yet. I had a lot of questions I needed to be answered. How do I really know that Jesus is God? Is the Bible fact or fiction? What about other religions? I needed answers, and I set out to find them.

I started talking to people and reading several books. I found that there was an overwhelming amount of historical and scientific evidence for the Bible. I was particularly interested in the arguments that claimed that Jesus really is the Son of God. I also read about many other religions. I came to the conclusion that they were all essentially the same—they all prescribed a set of rules or behavior one must follow in order to reach heaven, enlightenment, or some other state of higher existence. They would still leave me feeling empty.

The teachings of Jesus Christ stood in stark contrast to all the other religious teachings. Jesus claimed that no one is good enough to make it to heaven, for we have all sinned and fall short of God’s standards. I knew I certainly wasn’t perfect. I wasn’t even sure if there was any hope for me. But Jesus loves me so much that he came to earth as a man to suffer and die in my place. He took my sin upon himself, not only my sins, but the sins of all humankind. I didn’t need to do anything to get to heaven, I just needed to believe in him.

I was still skeptical. I truly wanted to believe in Jesus, but there were still doubts in my head. I researched other religions and Christianity and found that Jesus was and is the truth. But this wasn’t enough for me. I was still a doubter and I needed more proof. One night I told God, “If you’re really out there, then you’re going to need to prove it to me somehow!”

Suddenly, I heard a still, small voice. It wasn’t an audible voice, but it spoke to my heard and mind: “I’m here.” God was challenging me. He was telling me, you did all this research and you started going to church, why don’t you try telling a friend about me? I was bewildered when I heard God telling me this and giving me this strong sense that I should tell someone about him. Am I going crazy? I thought. How do I know I’m not imagining things? I also heard a particular name—the name of my friend who didn’t know about God. It was as if I was supposed to talk to this friend about Jesus.

All of a sudden, somebody knocks on my door. It is my friend, the very friend whose name came to mind. This is so weird, I thought.

“So what’s up with you Jay? I hear you’ve been going to church and getting into all this religious stuff, what’s going on?” he asked.

At that moment, I felt God saying, “You wanted proof, Jay, here it is.”

I told my friend about my reasons for getting into church and Christianity. He didn’t come to believe as I did, but that’s OK because him coming in at that very moment was God’s way of revealing himself to me. The experience knocked my socks off! It was too out of the ordinary to be a coincidence. Indeed, this was God’s proof.

Fulfillment

Suffice to say, God certainly proved himself to me beyond the shadow of a doubt. I felt his presence—and it was unlike anything I have ever experienced before. He spoke to me and gave me a hope and joy that is beyond explanation.

He continues to take care of me. I was deployed to Bosnia in 1994 and Afghanistan in 2003. While I was away from home, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and protection from God, despite coming under fire and various attacks. I’m the type of guy that normally gets the typical cold or flu twice a year. If there is a flu bug going around, I will definitely get it. In Afghanistan, a lot of people would get sick from the stress and long hours, but I was never sick at all while I was there. God continued to remind me of his presence and this gave me confidence to get through each day.

I have decided to believe and follow Jesus Christ. I am no longer empty—for he is the ultimate fulfillment in life.

If you have sought and obtained many things yet still feel like something is still missing, you are not alone. Christ is the only fulfillment that lasts. You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as he is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

Empowered to Share

Being filled with the Holy Spirit enables you to tell others about Christ.

Christ said to His disciples, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” The primary purpose for which you are filled with the Holy Spirit is to make you a witness for Christ through the holy life that you live and the empowered words which you speak.

Putting the Lesson to Practice

Sometime ago I had the privilege of speaking at a seminar on evangelism in Dallas, Texas. My topic was on the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit in order to be effective and fruitful in our witness for Christ.

After I had spoken, a woman shared with me her great concern for her father-in-law. She said, “My father-in-law lives with my husband and me. I have prayed for him for many years, but he is not a Christian. He is getting along in years, and I fear that he will die without Christ. Will you help me?”

I asked her, “Are you a Spirit-filled Christian?” She said, “Yes. This morning at the conclusion of your message, I claimed by faith the fullness of God’s Spirit.”

“That is really wonderful!” I exclaimed. “Now, this is what I want you to do. Go home and prepare your father-in-law a delicious lunch. While he is eating, read to him from this little booklet…” And I showed her the Four Spiritual Laws. “This booklet contains the distilled essence of the gospel and all that one really needs to know in order to receive Christ,” I said. “After you have read it to him, ask him if he would like to receive Christ as his Savior and Lord.”

She said, “You really think he will listen?”

“Yes,” I said. “God’s Holy Spirit will lead and empower you.”

Later that afternoon, she called me. She was so excited she could hardly express herself.

She told me how she had followed my instructions. As her father-in-law ate his lunch, she read to him the Four Spiritual Laws booklet. He listened intently, and when she finished reading, she asked him if he would like to receive Christ. And he said, “Of course I would.”

So they bowed together, and he opened his heart to Christ and became a child of God.

This dear woman, who had prayed for her father-in-law and witnessed to him for years, discovered that it is God the Holy Spirit who makes the difference in witnessing.

A Final Word

Remember our Lord’s final words to His disciples, and through them to you, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The greatest spiritual awakening since Pentecost has, in my opinion, already begun. Millions of Christians are discovering this great source of power which altered the course of history and turned a wicked Roman Empire upside down. That same power, the power of the Holy Spirit, is being released through the lives of believing and obedient Christians in our generation to turn our world around and accelerate the fulfillment of the Great Commission in our generation.

According to our many surveys, you can be sure that most of your Christian friends will want to know how they too can be filled with the Holy Spirit. So I would like to suggest that, within the next twenty-four hours, you tell at least one other person about how God has filled you with His Spirit.

Telling another person will give tangible expression of your decision to claim the fullness of the Spirit by faith. And by telling someone else how you were filled with the Holy Spirit, you may help them understand how they too can enjoy the abundant life promised by our Lord through the filling of the Holy Spirit.

You can continue to “breathe spiritually” for the rest of your life. “Exhale” by confessing your sins whenever you become aware that you are grieving the Spirit, and “inhale” by appropriating the power of the Holy Spirit by faith as an act of your will. Through Spiritual Breathing, you can live an abundant, joyful, fruitful life for the glory of our great God and Savior.

Remember, How You Can Be Filled with the Holy Spirit is a transferable concept. You can master it by reading it six times; then pass it on to others as our Lord commands us in Matthew 28:20, “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.” The apostle Paul encouraged us to do the same: “The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2).

**Adapted from the Transferable Concept: How You Can Be Filled With The Holy Spirit, by Dr. Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. © Campus Crusade for Christ. All rights reserved.

The Steps to Being Filled with the Holy Spirit

By faith, you can trust God right now to fill you.

We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith. How did you become a Christian? By faith. “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.” “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him.”

You receive Christ by faith. You live by faith. Everything you receive from God, from the moment of your spiritual birth until you die, is by faith. Do you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit? You can be filled right now, by faith.

You do not have to beg God to fill you with His Holy Spirit. You do not have to barter with Him by fasting or weeping or begging or pleading. For a long period of time, I fasted and cried out to God for His fullness. Then one day I discovered from the Scriptures that the “just shall live by faith.” You do not earn God’s fullness. You receive it by faith.

An Illustration of Faith

Let me illustrate. Suppose that you want to cash a check for a hundred dollars. Would you go to the bank where you have several thousand dollars on deposit, place the check on the counter, get down on your knees, and beg, “Oh, please, Miss Teller, cash my check?” No, that is not the way you cash a check. You simply go in faith, place the check on the counter, and you wait for the money which is already yours. Then you thank the teller and go on your way.

Millions of Christians are begging God, as I once did, for something which is readily available — just waiting to be appropriated by faith. They are seeking some kind of emotional experience, not realizing that such an attitude on their part is an insult to God — a denial of faith. But faith is the only way you can please God.

Though you are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith and faith alone, it is important to recognize that several factors contribute to preparing your heart for the filling of the Spirit. First, you must desire to live a life that will please the Lord. You have the promise of our Savior, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Second, be willing to surrender your life totally and irrevocably to our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul admonishes in Romans 12:1, 2: “I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Third, confess every known sin which the Holy Spirit calls to your remembrance and experience the cleansing and forgiveness which God promises in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

I call this process “Spiritual Breathing.” Just as you exhale and inhale physically, so you also breathe spiritually. You exhale spiritually when you confess your sins.

The Command and the Promise

If you have wronged a brother or have taken that which is not rightfully yours, the Holy Spirit may lead you to make restitution to right your wrong. If so, obey Him, or you will miss His blessing. The blessings of the fullness of God’s Spirit come only to those who willingly obey Him.

Jesus promised, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

Again, you are not filled with the Holy Spirit because you desire to be filled nor because you confess your sins or present your body a living sacrifice — you are filled by faith.

There are two very important words to remember.

The first is command. In Ephesians 5:18, God commands you to be filled: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Not to be filled, controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit is disobedience.

The other word is promise — a promise that makes the command possible: “This is the assurance we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.”

Now, is it God’s will for you to be filled and controlled by Him? Of course it is — for it is His command! Then right now you can ask God to fill you — not because you deserve to be filled, but on the basis of His promise.

If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit already dwells within you. When you purchase a mechanical item that runs on battery power, frequently the notice “Batteries Not Included” is printed on the box. The Holy Spirit — your Source of power for living — is “included” when you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Therefore, you do not need to invite Him to come into your life. He did this when you became a Christian, and Jesus promised that He will never leave you.

The moment you received Christ, the Holy Spirit not only came to indwell you, but He imparted to you spiritual life, causing you to be born anew as a child of God. The Holy Spirit also baptized you into the body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12:13, Paul explains, “We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body.”

There is but one indwelling of the Holy Spirit, one rebirth of the Holy Spirit, and one baptism of the Holy Spirit — all of which occur when you receive Christ.

Being Filled Happens Over and Over

Being filled with the Holy Spirit, however, is not a once-and-for-all experience. There are many fillings, as is made clear in Ephesians 5:18. In the Greek language in which this command was originally written, the meaning is clearer than that in most English translations. This command of God means to be constantly and continually filled, controlled and empowered with the Holy Spirit as a way of life.

I cannot control myself and be controlled by the Holy Spirit at the same time. Christ cannot be in control if I am on the throne. So I must abdicate. This involves faith. As an expression of my will, in prayer, I surrender the throne of my life to Him, and by faith I draw upon His resources to live a holy and fruitful life.

The command of Ephesians 5:18 is given to all believers to be filled, directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, continually, every day of our lives. And the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15 is made to all believers that, when we pray according to God’s will, He hears and answers us. If you claim the fullness of God’s Spirit in prayer, He will hear and answer you. He will fill you. And in the process, you will “inhale” spiritually.

Do not think that you have to have an emotional experience or that something dramatic must happen to you. How did you receive Christ? Was it because of some great emotional pressure brought to bear upon you? Your emotions may have been involved. But ultimately, you became a Christian, not because of your emotional experience, but because of your faith. For the Bible says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith.”

The Holy Spirit is not given to you that you might have a great emotional experience, but that you might live a holy life and be a fruitful witness for Christ. So, whether or not you have an emotional experience is not the issue.

There is no place in Scripture where you are told to pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit. You are filled by faith. However, since the object of your faith is God and His Word, I suggest that you pray to Him claiming the fullness of His Spirit as an expression of your faith in God’s command and in His promise.

Pray to be Filled with the Holy Spirit Right Now

Have you met God’s conditions? Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? Do you sincerely desire to be controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit? If so, I invite you to bow your head and pray this prayer of faith right now. Expect God to fill you. Without begging or pleading, just say:

“Dear Father, I need You. I hunger and thirst for a more vital relationship with You. I admit that I have been in control of my life. As a result, I have sinned against You.

“Thank You for forgiving my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now confess and turn from my sins and surrender the control of my life to the Lord Jesus. By faith I invite You to fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled. You promised to fill me if I ask according to Your will. I pray this in the authority of the name of Jesus Christ.

“To demonstrate my faith, I now thank You for filling me with Your Holy Spirit and for taking control of my life. Amen.”

Now, if you sincerely prayed that prayer, you are filled with the Holy Spirit. You will begin to experience a greater love for God. You will want to spend time with Him in studying His Word and in prayer. You will want to trust and obey God and His Word. You will want to share your love for Christ with others who do not know Him.

Next:  Empowered to Share

**Adapted from the Transferable Concept: How You Can Be Filled With The Holy Spirit, by Dr. Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. © Campus Crusade for Christ. All rights reserved.

Why Not? Reason 2: Unbelief

Doubting God’s character and fearing the unknown are also obstacles.

Lack of knowledge is not the only reason that Christians are not filled with the Holy Spirit. Many of them basically do not believe in God’s trustworthiness and are afraid to relinquish the control of their lives to the Holy Spirit for fear that God will require the impossible from them — that He will change their plans, ask them to give away their wealth, take all the fun from their lives, make them endure tragedies, or something similar.

Some Fear What God Will Do

An outstanding young minister, a seminary honor graduate, once told me, “I have never surrendered my life to Christ because I have been afraid of what He will do to me.” Then he told me how, years before, he had had a premonition that, if he were to commit his life to Christ, his parents would be killed in a tragic accident. He was afraid to say “Yes” to God for fear his parents would lose their lives — God’s test for him to determine the genuineness of his commitment.

Now does that sound like a loving Father? Who do you think put that idea into his mind? Certainly not God. It was Satan saying, as he said to Adam and Eve centuries ago, “You can’t trust God.” But I say you can trust God! He loves you and is worthy of your trust.

Suppose your child were to say to you, “Daddy, Mommy, I love you and have decided that I will do anything you want me to do from now on as long I we live.” What would be your response?

If you were to respond to your child’s expression of trust in you as many believe God will respond when they surrender their lives to Him, you would grab your child by the shoulders, glare at them sternly and say, “I have just been waiting for this. I am going to make you regret this decision for as long as you live. I am going to take away everything you like and make you do what you hate. I am committed to making your life miserable.”

Of course you would not respond like that to your child’s trust in you. I expect, instead, you would put your arms around your little child and say, “I love you, too, and I deeply appreciate this expression of your love for me. It is the greatest gift which you could give me.”

God has proven over and over again that He is a loving God. He is worthy of your trust. Jesus assures you, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!”

Others are Afraid of What God Might Require of Them

Many people come to me for counsel concerning God’s will for their lives. Often they are fearful of what God will ask them to do. Usually I ask them, “Do you believe that God loves you? Do you believe that He has a wonderful plan for your life? Does He have the power to guide and bless your life if you place your trust in Him?”

As a rule, the answers are in the affirmative. I then ask them, “Are you willing to trust Him right now to direct and empower you to live a holy life and to be a fruitful witness for Christ?” By this time most of them are ready to say “Yes” to Him without reservation. They have begun to recognize that their feelings of doubt have been placed there by the enemy of their souls.

When you give your life to Christ, you need not worry about what is going to happen to you. Maybe you are afraid that He will take away your pleasures, cause you to leave your business or profession, take away your wealth, or terminate a friendship or love affair. You may fear that He will send you, as a missionary, to some remote part of the world where you will lose your life for Him.

He may indeed ask you to do one or more of these things, and again He may not. If He does, you will rejoice in the privilege, for God always blesses those who trust and obey Him. The happiest people I meet are not those who have all the best of what this world has to offer — or those who have achieved great success in their professions — or those who are in great positions of power and influence. The happiest people I meet are those who have learned to totally trust and obey God in their lives no matter their circumstances.

You can trust God. If He leads you to give up anything, He will give you more of His blessing in return than you will ever receive apart from His grace. God alone is worthy of your trust. I invite you to come freely to Christ and say, “Lord, here I am. Take my life, and use me for Your glory.”

As God reminds us in 1 John 4:18, “We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly; his perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what he might do to us. If we are afraid, it is for fear of what he might do to us, and shows that we are not fully convinced that he really loves us.” The word of God and the experiences of multitudes through the centuries give unqualified assurance that you can trust God with your life, your all.

Next: The Steps to Being Filled with the Holy Spirit

**Adapted from the Transferable Concept: How You Can Be Filled With The Holy Spirit, by Dr. Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. © Campus Crusade for Christ. All rights reserved.

Why Not? Reason 1: Lack of Knowledge

What Christians don’t know about the Holy Spirit holds them back.

The average Christian continues to live in disobedience to God and is not filled with the Spirit for 2 reasons:

1. A lack of knowledge
2. Unbelief

From the moment of your spiritual birth, you have the power to go on growing toward maturity in Christ. And yet, the average person, not understanding how to live by faith, lives on a spiritual roller coaster, rising and falling from one emotional experience to another.

The Predicament of the Worldly, Carnal Christian

In Romans 7, Paul describes the predicament of the worldly, carnal Christian, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul describes a worldly, carnal believer as one who acts like a non-Christian. Although the worldly believer has received Christ, he also has allowed his Flesh nature to reclaim the throne through sin. God still has possession of this person, and Christ is still in his life, but the individual has fallen into sin in one or more areas of his life.

Not yielded to God, the worldly believer is usually a miserable person — even more miserable than the non-Christian. He is in a period of stunted spiritual growth because he is not confessing and repenting of his sins, and Satan has succeeded in influencing and con trolling him through the Flesh.

Paul wrote to the Christians of Corinth:

Dear brothers, I have been talking to you as though you were still just babies in the Christian life, who are not following the Lord, but your own desires; I cannot talk to you as I would to healthy Christians, who are filled with the Spirit. I have had to feed you with milk and not with solid food, because you couldn’t digest anything stronger. And even now you still have to be fed on milk. For you are still only baby Christians, controlled by your own desires, not God’s …In fact, you are acting like people who don’t belong to the Lord at all.

The worldly or carnal Christian certainly experiences the conviction of the Holy Spirit and will not continue in his sins indefinitely; otherwise, he is possibly not a Christian at all. But defeated and fruitless, he depends on self effort to live the Christian life instead of drawing on the supernatural, inexhaustible resources of the Holy Spirit. Grasping self interest in one hand and groping for God’s blessing with the other, this person fails again and again to live the Christian life in the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit.

Having experienced the joy and blessing of fellowship with God, he has lost present contact and does not know how to recapture that lost fellowship. Yet, the worldly believer can never be satisfied with that old way of life again, and in search for happiness and fulfillment, this person has become self-centered instead of Christ-centered.

As a result, he has become increasingly confused and frustrated and does not know what to do about it. He does not know how to live by faith — instead he lives by feeling. The worldly Christian tries rather than trusts. He does not know how to stop being worldly nor how to become a spiritual Christian. The only one who can enable him to change is, of course, the Holy Spirit.

Not Realizing What is Already There

The Christian life is a miraculous and supernatural life. Christianity is not what you do for God, but what He does for you. Apart from faith in Christ, you cannot become a Christian, and apart from moment by moment faith or dependence on Him, you cannot live the Christian life. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, Christ lives His supernatural life in and through you.

But the average Christian does not understand how to draw upon the resurrection resources of Christ by faith. As a result, the worldly believer lives in spiritual poverty, not knowing or experiencing his great riches and resources which are his heritage in Christ.

An old Scottish woman lived in the most impoverished conditions in her hometown. Years before, her son had immigrated to America. There he had become a very successful businessman but had never found time to return home to visit his mother.

One day a friend sat talking with the old lady in her sparsely furnished cottage.

“Doesn’t your son ever send you money to help with your needs?” she inquired.

“No,” the woman shook her head sadly. “He does write me nice letters, though. And he sends me the most interesting pictures!”

The listener was annoyed, realizing that the son was quite wealthy. But instead of speaking her mind, she simply said, “May I see the pictures?”

The aged mother proudly brought them out of a drawer. To her visitor’s amazement, they were not pictures at all. They were valuable bank notes from America amounting to thousands of dollars. For decades, the Scottish mother had been needlessly living in poverty. The problem? She did not know the value of those “interesting pictures.” She owned the bank notes, but she did not possess them.

In West Texas is a famous oil field known as the Yates Pool. During the Depression, this field was a sheep ranch owned by a man named Yates. Mr. Yates was not able to make enough money on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. With little money for clothes or food, his family, like many others, had to live on government subsidy.

Day after day, as he grazed his sheep over those rolling West Texas hills, he was no doubt greatly troubled about how he would be able to pay his bills. Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told Mr. Yates that there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill a wildcat well, and he signed a lease contract.

At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. Many subsequent wells were more than twice as large. In fact, thirty years after the discovery, a government test on one of the wells showed that it still had the potential flow of 125,000 barrels of oil a day.

And Mr. Yates owned it all! The day he purchased the land he received the oil and mineral rights. Yet, he was living on relief. A multi-millionaire living in poverty! The problem? He did not know the oil was there. He owned it, but he did not possess it.

I do not know of better illustrations of the Christian life than these. The moment you become children of God through faith in Christ, you become an heir of God, and all of His resources are made available to you. Everything you need — including wisdom, love, power — to be a man or woman of God and to be fruitful witnesses for Christ is available to you.

But most Christians continue to live in self-imposed spiritual poverty because they do not know how to appropriate from God those spiritual resources which are already theirs. Like the old Scottish mother before she knew the “interesting pictures” were valuable bank notes and Mr. Yates and his vast ocean of oil, they live in ignorance of their vast riches.

Next: Why Not? Reason 2: Unbelief

**Adapted from the Transferable Concept: How You Can Be Filled With The Holy Spirit, by Dr. Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. © Campus Crusade for Christ. All rights reserved.

What Does it Mean to be Filled with the Holy Spirit?

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with Christ. The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ. Therefore, if I am filled with the Spirit, I am abiding in Christ. I am walking in the light as He is the light, and the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse and keep on cleansing me from all unrighteousness.

I am controlled by Christ because the word “filling” means to be controlled. And if I am controlled — not as a robot but as one who is led and empowered by the Spirit — the Lord Jesus will walk around in my body and live His resurrection life in and through me.

This amazing fact that Christ lives in you and expresses His love through you is one of the most important truths in the Word of God. The standards of the Christian life are so high and so impossible to achieve, according to the Word of God, that only one person has been able to succeed. That person is Jesus Christ. Now, through His indwelling presence, He wants to enable all who place their trust in Him to live this same supernatural life.

Bearing Spiritual Fruit Because of Christ Living in You

If you are willing for Jesus Christ to live His resurrection life in and through you, you will bear spiritual fruit as naturally as a healthy vine will bear an abundance of fruit.

Jesus said, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” You can be a great preacher, a Christian scholar, a deacon or elder, attend church meetings daily, live a clean, moral life, memorize hundreds of verses of Scripture, direct a church choir, and teach Sunday school, but if you are not bearing fruit in the sense that you are introducing others to Christ, you are not filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit according to the Word of God.

Some people say, “I witness for Christ by living a good life.” But it is not enough to live a good life. Many non-Christians live fine, moral, ethical lives. According to the Lord Jesus, the only way to demonstrate that you are truly following Him is to produce fruit, which includes introducing others to our Savior as well as living holy lives. And the only way you can produce fruit is through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Some time ago I asked one of the leading theologians of our time, the dean of faculty for a famous theological seminary, if he felt that one could be a Spirit-filled person without sharing Christ as a way of life. His answer was an emphatic, “No!”

On what basis could he make such a strong statement? The answer is obvious. Our Savior came to “seek and to save the lost,” and He has “chosen and ordained” you to share the good news of His love and forgiveness with everyone, everywhere. To fail to witness for Christ with your lips is to disobey this command just as much as to fail to witness for Him by living a holy life is to disobey His command. In neither case can the disobedient Christian expect God to control and empower his life, nor can he experience the reality of God’s presence and blessing.

A very discouraged student came to me for counsel after one of my messages. For several months he had spent at least three hours each day reading his Bible, praying and sharing his faith with others. Yet, he had never introduced anyone to Christ. After a time of discussion, his problem became apparent — he was not controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, although he wanted to be.

So we prayed together, and by faith he appropriated the power of the Holy Spirit on the authority of God’s Word. His life was absolutely transformed. That very day he had his first experience of introducing a person to Christ. The next day he led another to Christ and, two days later, another. He has since introduced hundreds, if not thousands, of people to our Lord.

How the Holy Spirit Changes You from the Inside Out

Not only do you receive a supernatural power for witnessing when you are filled with the Spirit, but your personality also begins to change. As you continue to walk in the control and power of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit becomes increasingly obvious in your life.

In Galatians 5:22, 23, Paul explains, “When the Holy Spirit controls our lives He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control…”

The Christian’s relationship with the Holy Spirit is both critical and progressive: critical, in that one learns that the Christian life is a life of faith rather than a life of works and has no reference to emotions (“The just shall live by faith.”); progressive, in that, as one walks consistently in the power and control of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will be produced in his life.

A word of caution is in order. Do not seek an emotional or mystical experience. Do not depend on mystical impressions. The Word of God must be the basis of your spiritual growth. There is an interesting parallel between Ephesians 5:18, which admonishes us to be constantly and continually directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, and Colossians 3:16, which admonishes us to “let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you…”

The end result of both letting the Word of Christ dwell in you and being filled with the Holy Spirit will be that you will talk much about the Lord quoting psalms and hymns and making music in your heart to the Lord.

Distinguishing Between God’s Word and God’s Spirit

It is very important to recognize the importance of the balance between the Word of God and the Spirit of God. The Word of God is closed to our understanding and has little meaning to us apart from the illumination given by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is hindered in speaking clear and life changing truth apart from the Word of God.

When the emphasis on the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God is in proper balance in your life, the result is a life of power and great fruitfulness in which our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is wonderfully honored and glorified. As you continue then to allow the Holy Spirit to control and empower you, and as you meditate upon the Word of God, hiding it in your heart, your life expresses more and more the beauty of Christ and the fruit of the Spirit which Paul lists in Galatians 5:22, 23. These attributes of our Lord Jesus Himself, plus fruitful witnessing, indicate that the Lord is actually living His life in and through you!

Being filled with the Spirit results in an abundant and overflowing life. Jesus of Nazareth once cried out to the multitude, “If a man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John adds, “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.”

Truly, this is “the abundant life,” yet most Christians are experiencing little of it.

Next: Why Not? Reason 1: Lack of Knowledge

**Adapted from the Transferable Concept: How You Can Be Filled With The Holy Spirit, by Dr. Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. © Campus Crusade for Christ. All rights reserved.

Who is the Holy Spirit, and Why Did God Send Him?

Third Person of Trinity sent with divine purpose to Christians.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is God. He is not an “it.” He is not a divine influence. He is not a fleecy white cloud. He is not a ghost or a concept. He is a person possessing a will, intellect and emotions. He is God — with all the attributes of deity. He is the third person of the Trinity — co-equal with God the Father and God the Son. There is only one God, but He manifests Himself in three persons, whom we call the Trinity.

I cannot define the Trinity. No one can. Dr. Wilbur Smith, one of my seminary professors, once shared in class, “The man who denies the Trinity will lose his soul. The man who tries to understand the Trinity will lose his mind.” We, who are finite, cannot comprehend God, who is infinite.

We try to illustrate the concept of the Trinity, but the attempt is wholly inadequate. For example, I could say that a man has a body, a mind and a spirit — which one is the man? Or I could describe H20 as a liquid, a solid or a vapor, depending on whether it was water, ice or steam. Which one is H20? Or, a man is a husband, a father, and a son — yet, he is one man. No illustration is adequate. At best, it can only suggest what God is like.

As much as you and I would like to know all about the Trinity, some of our questions must wait until we are with our Lord in eternity. Then we will understand completely. In the meantime, consider what Paul says in Romans 11:

Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his wisdom and knowledge and riches! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods! For who among us can know the mind of the Lord ? Who knows enough to be his counselor and guide?

And who could ever offer to the Lord enough to induce him to act? For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory. To him be glory evermore.

Why Did God Send The Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ and to lead believers into all truth. On the eve of His crucifixion while still in the Upper Room, the Lord Jesus said to the disciples, “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

The Holy Spirit came to enable you to know Christ through a new birth and to give you the power to live and share the abundant life which Jesus promised to all who trust and obey Him.

The Holy Spirit inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. As you read the Bible, He reveals its truth to you. I read passages of Scripture that I have read many times before, and suddenly, at the moment I need a particular truth, a certain passage comes alive to me. Why? Because the Holy Spirit makes the Word of God relevant and meaningful when I need it. It is a living Book inspired by the Spirit, and only Christians who are filled with the Spirit can understand the true meaning of God’s Word.

I pray and — except for the prayer of confession — I cannot expect God to answer my prayer unless I am walking in the Spirit. I witness, and no one responds unless I am controlled and empowered by the Spirit.

I cannot live a holy life apart from the help of the Holy Spirit for, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.”

A minister friend said to me, “I don’t like all of this talk about the Holy Spirit. I want to talk about Jesus Christ.” I reminded him that that was the reason the Holy Spirit came — to exalt and glorify Christ.”

It is impossible to even know Christ apart from the regenerating ministry of the Spirit. It was Jesus of Nazareth, Himself, who said, “Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” It is impossible for you to become a Christian, to understand the Bible and other spiritual truths, to pray, to live a holy life, to witness or do anything for the Lord Jesus apart from the person of the Holy Spirit of God.

Next: What Does it Mean to be Filled with the Holy Spirit?

**Adapted from the Transferable Concept: How You Can Be Filled With The Holy Spirit, by Dr. Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. © Campus Crusade for Christ. All rights reserved.

Why Do You Need The Filling of the Holy Spirit?

Discovering what God offers to believers is first step.

Learning how to be filled (controlled and empowered) by the Holy Spirit by faith can be the most important discovery of your Christian life.

Consider carefully the very last words which our Lord spoke as He met with His disciples on the Mount of Olives only moments before He ascended into heaven. Jesus had commissioned His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel and to make disciples of all nations.’ But He had told them not to leave Jerusalem until they were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.

“You will receive power,” He said, “when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

By these words, Jesus was suggesting, “Though you have been with Me for 3 years and more, it is not enough that you have heard Me teach the multitudes, and have seen Me heal the sick and even raise the dead. You need to be empowered with the Holy Spirit in order to be effective and fruitful as My witnesses throughout the world.”
More Respond to Gospel When Presented in Power of Holy Spirit

A very successful businessman came to Arrowhead Springs, our international head quarters, for training. He was the son of a minister, had been reared under the good influence of the church, had been a Sunday school teacher for years, a Sunday school superintendent, deacon, member of the board of trustees of one of America’s leading theological seminaries, and president of all the laymen for his denomination for an entire state; yet, he had never to his knowledge introduced anyone to Christ.

During the training he learned how to be filled with the Holy Spirit by faith and how to introduce others to Christ. Since that time, he has personally led hundreds of people to Christ and has trained thousands of laymen and pastors through our Lay Institutes for Evangelism. Thousands of others have been introduced to Christ through those whom he has trained.

The pastor of a 1,500-member church appropriated the fullness of the Holy Spirit at a Pastors’ Institute for Evangelism at Arrowhead Springs and learned how to introduce others to Christ. During one afternoon of witnessing for Christ, 14 of the 15 people whom this pastor interviewed received Christ. Never had he had such an experience. He returned to his pulpit a changed man. Soon hundreds of his church members had, like their pastor, appropriated the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. They began sharing their enthusiasm for Christ, and through their witness, many more responded to our Savior.

The Christian life is a great adventure. It is a life of purpose and power. Christ has given the almost unbelievable promise, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

Holy Spirit Offers Strength, Guidance to Believers

Obviously, you cannot, in your own energy, accomplish these great works. It is Christ Himself — living within you in all of His resurrection power, walking around in your body, thinking with your mind, loving with your heart, speaking with your lips — who will empower you with the Holy Spirit to do these great works. It is not your wisdom, your eloquence, your logic, your good personality, or your persuasiveness which brings people to our Savior. It is the Son of Man, who came to seek and to save the lost, who sent His Holy Spirit to fill and empower you.

Jesus said, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” First century Christians, controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit and filled with His love, turned the world upside down.

As the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they received a divine, supernatural power that changed them from fearful men to radiant witnesses for Christ. They were used of God to change the course of history. And this same omnipotent power, the power of the Holy Spirit, is available to you to enable you to live a holy and fruitful life for Jesus Christ.

Yet, tragically, multitudes of Christians do not even know who the Holy Spirit is. Or, if they do, they do not know how to appropriate His power. Consequently, they go through life without ever experiencing the abundant and fruitful life which Christ promised to all who trust Him.

Again and again I am reminded of the great contrast between Christ’s church today and His church in the first century. In his introduction to the Letters to the Young Churches, J.B. Phillips writes:

The great difference between present-day Christianity and that of which we read in these letters, the New Testament epistles, is that to us, it is primarily a performance; to them it was a real experience. We are apt to reduce the Christian religion to a code or, at best, a rule of heart and life. To these men it is quite plainly the invasion of their lives by a new quality of life together. They do not hesitate to describe this as Christ living in them.

This same first century power — the power of the risen, living, loving, indwelling Christ made known through the Holy Spirit — is still available to you today.

5 Questions to Learn More about Holy Spirit

Do you know this power in your life? Are you a victorious, fruitful witness for Christ? If not, you can be.

I believe the most important message that I can possibly give to Christians is this wonderful, revolutionary news of the Spirit-filled life. I have shared these truths around the world with millions of Christians, old and young. I have never shared any message that has been more used by God to transform the lives of multitudes.

If you are not already experiencing the abundant life which Jesus promised and which is your heritage as a Christian, if you are not already introducing others to Christ as a way of life and you sincerely desire to do so, I have good news for you!

The answers to the following questions can change your life and enable you to experience the abundant and fruitful life which our Lord promises to all who trust and obey Him.

First, who is the Holy Spirit?

Second, why did He come?

Third, what does it mean to be filled with the Spirit?

Fourth, why is the average Christian not filled with the Holy Spirit

Fifth, how can you be filled with the Holy Spirit?

Next: Who is the Holy Spirit, and Why Did God Send Him?

**Adapted from the Transferable Concept: How You Can Be Filled With The Holy Spirit, by Dr. Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. © Campus Crusade for Christ. All rights reserved.