The Holy Spirit: Fire Within

The Holy Spirit: Fire Within

“That I may know Him…”
Philippians 3:10

This is the language of a soul on fire. The singularity of purpose may be the most intrinsic principle of peace. Temptation then becomes anything that disrupts a God-fueled resolve. Where two or more desires occupy one’s heart, anxiety and conflict arise.

Lust is simply defined as our desire for
anything outside of the Will of God.

The Holy Spirit

It is to this end that the Holy Spirit, The Spirit of Truth, has been sent into the redeemed hearts of men and women. If having our sins forgiven were the chief aim of God, the impartation of this purifying Spirit of grace and fire would not be required.

“But I tell you the truth, it is advantageous for you that I should go; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. And having come, that One will convict the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment.”
John 16:7-8

The ministration of the Holy Spirit is to bring conviction by revealing the purity and righteousness of God, and the consequential judgment of all that is unrighteous. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth, there is such a dearth of our comprehension of all this implies. May God grant us mercy to grasp the significance of the Holy Spirit’s ministration.

Is the Holy Spirit WITH us or IN us?

“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth WITH you, and shall be IN you”
John 14:17

For the sake of brevity which we will cover in another writing the weight of these two tenses used here, (WITH you and shall be IN you) determined the dynamic of their/our walk. The Holy Spirit being WITH them produced disciples, the Holy Spirit being IN them produced Apostles. Oh, may we see the necessity of a new outpouring and a new immersion (baptism) into Him in this late hour!

Have we received the Holy Spirit and allowed Him to unveil to our own selves the desperate need of our hearts to “abide” in Him and Him in us?

Are we content with a forgiveness that covers our condition while denying the essential work of the Holy Spirit to make us holy and pleasing to Him? It is to our advantage that the person of the Holy Spirit has been sent, and more importantly received, as those who have been washed by the Blood of the Lamb. It is because of the Gift of the Holy Spirit that our hope is secured and that hope is secured because His Love is being poured forth in our hearts.

“and the hope does not make ashamed, because the love of God has been poured forth in our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us”
Romans 5:5 (LSV)

Love, the love of God, can only be manifested through those in whom His Spirit is abiding. Love is the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s abiding. Love is the motivation, the press of God within us, to involve ourselves (as He does) in the building up of HIS BODY in the earth. This great mystery eclipses the sects, denominations, and carnal attempts of men to secularize (divide) the One Body of Christ for their own gain.

Those who live in Him are active in the manifestation of the gifts and the ministration of Christ to His Body (1 Corinthians 12:7). The focus of our great Shepherd is to see this Body rise into the unity that He prayed for in John 17; as His servants, we pour out ourselves to that end. It is not in ignoring Truth but by our submission to the truth that we will see and know this holy union with Him and with one another.

Many are called unto this unity but because of unforgiveness, obstinacy, unbelief, and selfishness, few taste of this growing life of union in Him. The evidence that we know Him is revealed in the purity of the fire of His love radiating from our lives.

“And I made known to them Your name, and will make it known, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them”
John 17:26

Those who are actively receiving the revelation of His Name (His nature, His intent, and His person) will reveal Him BY “the love” that flows from them. We reveal our true relationship with Him by the pressing of His love for others, in our endeavors to see each member participate in the Body of Christ.

“My little children, let us not love in word,
neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth”
1 John 3:18

John follows this with the next verse. (The implication ought to pierce our hearts and bring clarity and purpose to our walk.)

“And hereby we know that we are of the truth,
and shall assure our hearts before Him.”
1 John 3:19

How are we to know that we are of the truth? By the evidence of His love working and moving us unto the “deeds” born of His love in us.

To deny the Holy Spirit’s infusion into our lives is to deny Him who has sent Him. It is by the Holy Spirit that this divine Love (Agape) is “poured” into our hearts. The depth of the love that flows from us will ever be proportional to the love received into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

“He that loveth not, knoweth not God…”
1 John 4:8

Related Post: Pressing Towards the Mark – Part Two

 

The Holy Spirit: The Fire Within

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“You cannot preach conviction of sin unless you have suffered it. You cannot preach repentance unless you have practiced it. You cannot preach faith unless you have exercised it. True preaching is artesian; it wells up from the great depths of the soul. If Christ has not made a well within us, there will be no outflow from us.”
– Charles Spurgeon

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The Gift and the Power of the Holy Spirit
(According to the Scriptures)

“And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.”
Acts 19:1-6

SEND THE FIRE!

“Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Thy blood-bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost;
We want another Pentecost,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!”
– William Booth

Brian Troxel