Page 12 - Grace Connections August Edition
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considering that is how He the Holy Spirit was given to us on
communicates the subject to us. the basis of the works of Christ
Consider the example in 2 Kings and not because of any human
2:9, “And it came to pass, when efforts or works. This is further
they were gone over, that Elijah stated in Acts 2:33, “Therefore
said unto Elisha, ask what I shall being by the right hand of God
do for thee, before I be taken away exalted and having received of
from thee. And Elisha said, I pray the Father the promise of the Holy
thee, let a double portion of thy Ghost, he hath shed forth this,
spirit be upon me.” In other words, which ye now see and hear.” Take
he was requesting twice the note the Holy Spirit was poured
measure of the Holy Spirit out because Jesus was on the right
anointing he had witnessed on hand of the Father!
Elijah’s life. Another scripture to
take into consideration is John The important application of
3:34, “… for God giveth not the this truth is the realization that
Spirit by measure unto him,” does fullness of the Holy Spirit is
this not imply that God does give available to us every moment of
the Spirit by measure to others? everyday, without variation,
since it is based upon the works of
An important question for us to Christ, rather than our human
examine at this point is, what is efforts.
the basis of us receiving the
glorious privilege of living a spirit The book of Acts reveals to us a
filled life? Is it because we have pattern of fresh and numerous
done a multitude of good deeds? Is infillings of the Holy Spirit.
it because we have performed a Consider the following example in
long list of religious disciplines? Acts 4:29-31. The early church was
Absolutely not, we must commanded by the religious
understand that the blessing of a leaders of the time not to preach
Spirit filled life is granted to us on or teach in the name of Jesus. The
the basis of the works of Jesus disciples responded by calling
Christ. Notice that John 7:39 very upon the Lord to move His mighty
plainly states that the Holy Spirit hand and the received a fresh
had not been poured out yet, “… infilling of the Holy Spirit,
because that Jesus was not yet empowering them to proclaim the
glorified.” So we can conclude that Word with boldness. Another
