HOW THE FULLNESS OF THE SPIRIT.

HOW THE FULLNESS OF THE SPIRIT.

When I encourage children of God to strive for the baptism of the Spirit, I am sometimes asked: "Is this gift really for me? Can anyone who wants, receive it?" People often think that the baptism of the Spirit is only available for special favourites of the divine grace. This wrong notion is based on the fact that one seldom meets spirit-filled believers, who walk with God, among the great mass of nominal Christians. Although the number of these few is larger as one might think, it is often like in the time of Elijah, who thought, he was alone left, when God was telling Him, that He reserved for Himself 7000 worshippers. There is also the fact, that even though many believers pray for the fullness of the Spirit, their prayers find only little answers, because they don' t really believe in their heart, that they are heard. Such prayers are insincere and hypocritical. They assume to be ready to bring God the sacrifice of themselves, but do not have an inkling that they themselves hinder the answer of their prayer. They don't trust the Word of God, because it corresponds so little with their experience. God is true, however, and has attached the answer to prayer to certain conditions, and who does not comply with them, can't expect to be heard. But it is a fact that the Church often overlooks these conditions and asks for the fullness of the Spirit with selfish motives. One might want the Spirit for their own pleasure or comfort for the soul, while another might seek to be honoured among His circle, or they might like to see their name in print and be admired as a miracle of grace or a highly respected personality. Oh, how much selfishness is often hidden in our prayers. No-one should delude himself that he prays from pure motives, when in reality he "asks wrongly, that he may spend what he gets on his pleasure". (James 4.3) If our prayer are to be heard, we must meet the from God prescribed conditions. They are not burdensome or hard to understand, but they have the only objective to free us in our heart from selfishness and bring us into harmony with the Spirit of true love. Many people quench and supress the Holy Spirit, even while they pray for Him. They pray, without paying any heed to the still, small voice in their heart. They pray as a substitute for their disobedience, after the Spirit has urged them in vain to do a self-denying duty. This often happens, and it is no surprise that these people find it hard to receive the Holy Spirit. Many Christians resist the Spirit, when He wants to guide them, and when He demands obedience, they want Him, to suit them, for their convenience. They want blessings for their own ways, while He in His wisdom only gives blessings His way or not at all. One might pray for the Spirit and at the same time try to dictate to Him under what circumstances He should come. Such people must be aware that the Holy Spirit can not be ordered around. It is His part to lead and rule and our part to obey and follow. It often happens that believers drag the Spirit to them with one hand and with the other, they push Him away. He draws them in a gently way and they start giving Him instructions, refusing to be led. And if they really begin to understand the consequences of the fullness of the Spirit, many pull back, because it is not as they imagined