01/02/2026
You have professed your faith in God, and accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, but now you are asking yourself... “What is the Holy Spirit, will I receive it, and how will I know when I do?” Let’s explore the breath of Jesus and the Spirit He breathes onto us. Let’s ask our Lord to give us His comforter, and teacher to be with us as we journey, and to provide us through His Holy Spirit those things we need along the way.
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,”
Ephesians 5:18 ESV
There is a great deal of talk today about the Holy Spirit. Some say it is required of all believers, some teach that it was an ancient thing. There are those who think that a Christian must speak in tongues, and yet others believe that tongues were a one-time occurrence for the Apostles. My prayer for you this morning is that God will fill you with His Holy Spirit, and that it will manifest itself in you through whatever Spiritual Gifts that God needs you to have as you follow His will in your life and walk with Him. In this way, you might sometimes appear drunk in your joy and spirituality, or you may seem otherworldly to those around you in some other manner, but regardless of the shape the Spirit takes, I know that the miracle of the gifts you are endowed with will allow you to do God’s will.
“For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.”
Acts 2:15 ESV
Be certain of one thing, and that is this... the Holy Spirit is just as alive today as he was when tongues of fire leapt onto the apostles, and they spoke in other tongues. I encourage you to open yourself up to that Spirit and allow it full reign in your life. Yield to the comfort, instruction, and gifts that it will bring to your life of faith. Take this next step of faith.
“And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."”
Acts 2:38-39 ESV
You might be asking yourself about the gifts that the Holy Spirit could bring into your life, and there might be some fear of them, but you can be certain that our God is good, and His Spirit will only manifest itself in that goodness. To understand the breadth of these gifts I encourage you to open your bible and read Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, and 1 Peter 4:11.
The gifts given to us by God through the Holy Spirit are not the same in every person and are not meant to glorify the one who receives them, but rather God, whose will they allow us to complete at His direction. One caution we should take is that we are not to judge ourselves, or one another, based on the gifts we are given. No one is greater than another, and all our accomplishments are ultimately from God, and for HIS GLORY… not of our own... nor are they by some exceptional goodness on our part; NO, they are gifts of unwarranted grace.
“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;”
Romans 12:6 ESV
Let’s be humble in the gifts we are given and know that they are not ours. If we are born with a beautiful singing voice, that is a gift of the flesh, but if we were born unable to sing a single note in tune, and yet the Spirit enables us to sing like a sparrow... then that is a gift of the Spirit. God uses the attributes which are a natural part of us too, but quite often He has a need for someone who can barely speak his own language to speak in other languages, someone who is deathly ill to heal another, or for us to exercise some outpouring of Himself that requires a very special gift of the Spirit that is beyond our abilities. Do not be afraid to accept these gifts, and to employ them to His glory... but always remember whose abilities we are exercising, and who should receive the glory. If we claim what is not ours then we risk standing before God in judgement and hearing these words spoken by Jesus...
“On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'”
Matthew 7:22-23 ESV
Remember always that our treasure; even the treasure given us as the gifts of the Spirit, is not given to increase us in this world, but rather, in heaven.
“"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:1 ESV
So, allow the Holy Spirit to inhabit the temple within you, and accept the gifts and understanding that he brings. Furthermore, feel the joy, and the great moving of the Spirit without reservation... knowing that even though some will think you drunk... its manifestation is to allow the will of God to reach fruition within you, and within the world.
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for sending your Son and Holy Spirit into the world, and I thank you for the breath of Jesus Christ which carries this Spirit within it. I praise you Holy Father for every gift you give me; not because of what it does for me, but for what it does within me towards the increase of your kingdom, and your glory. Help me Father to contain my desire to claim the fruits of your Spirit as my own, and to remain your humble servant while employing these gifts towards your will. Merciful Father, I ask that my acceptance of the Holy Spirit come in full, but with the understanding of its use, that on the day of judgement my reward will be before me in your kingdom, and not behind me... spent prematurely in the world.
Praised be your name Father, and great are you in Spirit, and gifts, as we utilize them while working towards the completion of your will for man and the world. Use me Father, and couple me with new and great abilities that you might be lifted up and praised by all the world.
Amen!
Rich Forbes