DO YOU WANT TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT? (Part 10)

Do you really want to be filled with the Holy Spirit and receive all that He gives? We said in earlier studies that 
1.  WE MUST BE THIRSTY, 
2.  WE MUST BELIEVE THE PROMISES OF GOD, 
3.  WE MUST BE SURE OF OUR SALVATION.
4.  We need to answer the question "WHO IS GOING TO BE EXALTED"?

We need to remember that the Person of the Holy Spirit is not a toy that we can play with. He is God. We cannot play spiritual and emotional games with the Person of Holy Spirit so that we get liver-shivers and goose bumps lest we find ourselves falling away from the faith. A walk with God and a walk in the Spirit is a serious thing. You can't fall away from something you never had.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 ESV Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, (2) through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,

I cover the five evidences or proofs of genuine salvation, which all true believers must manifest, in my book "THE FIVE WITNESSES OF SALVATION." This is a great read for those interested in witnessing to the lost properly and witnessing to suspected lost church members.
 
It is a normal part of New Testament life for a believer to examine himself and test himself to ensure that he is still in the faith. I have shook all over under the power of the Spirit. I have fallen to the ground like a dead man under the power of the Holy Spirit because I was unable to stand. I have cried and laughed under the power of the Holy Spirit.

However, a consistent daily walk in the Holy Spirit does not consist of these things alone. The reason I say this is because I have seen Christians run from one Holy Spirit service to another getting their emotional, mental, and physical "Holy Ghost" fix.  

We need to always remember that the number one work of the Person of the Holy Spirit is to lead us consistently to the Lord Jesus Christ and to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. If we get any glory or seem to have a "more holy" attitude, then we need to examine ourselves and examine what spirit we are operating in.

John 15:26 ESV "But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

John 16:13-14 ESV When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (14) He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

1 John 4:2 ESV By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

We need to be careful when we are around signs, wonders, miracles and healings that we remember it is not about us and it is not about the signs and wonders. We need to know and understand the work of God among us. We can be close to the things of God and the presence of God yet our heart can become hardened from God Himself. The object of our worship and praise is also the subject of who our god is. If we worship experiences then that becomes our god. To be a true Spirit-filled believer, we must at all times focus on our relationship and fellowship with the Father, made possible by the work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Even those who walked with Jesus daily battled with having a hardened heart towards the things of God.

Mark 6:51-52 ESV And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, (52) for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.