Praying for the Holy Spirit
Scripture Reading — Luke 11:9-13
"How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:13
A leading evangelist once referred to my denomination, the Christian Reformed Church, as "a sleeping giant." He saw the church as having failed to reach its full potential. But to realize potential, the promise of Jesus in Acts 1:8 needs to be taken seriously: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." What happened to the early church, which turned the Roman Empire upside down? The church received power!
To have that kind of power, we need to tap into the source of power, the Holy Spirit. If you and I want to experience the resurrection power Paul talks about in Philippians 3:10--"to know Christ and the power of his resurrection"--we need to ask God for the Holy Spirit. If we want to see what God can and will do through his church, we need to plead with God to fill us with the power of his Holy Spirit. If we want to make a difference for God to reach a dying world, we need to ask for the power of the Holy Spirit. This is one prayer that God is sure to answer.
Many of our prayers are not answered the way we want them to be. But according to Luke 11:13, God always wants to give his Holy Spirit to those who ask him. Ask God today and every day to fill you with all his fullness so that you can make a difference wherever God has placed you.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. Melt us, mold us, fill us, use us. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. Grant us your wisdom, grace, and power for Jesus' sake.
About the author — Arthur J. Schoonveld
Rev. Art Schoonveld is a retired minister in the Christian Reformed Church. Before retiring in 2001, he served churches in California, Illinois, and Michigan. Since his retirement he has worked part-time for the denomination and has served as an interim pastor. Art and his wife, Anita, have four children and nine grandchildren.
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