Still doing a lot of thinking about the Holy Spirit and what He brings to my life. I am becoming more and more convinced just how important it is to seek for and receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. I really believe that the same efforts we put into helping people seek salvation, we should also devote towards them seeking the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. It seems to me we try to win people to the Lord and then when they do, we leave them on their own. But God has so much more that He can offer! He offers Himself to everyone who will believe. I know that this is cliché, but I am going to say t anyway! Just as the saying, you can give a man a fish and feed him for a day, or you can teach him to fish and feed him for life. The same can be said about leading people towards the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
When someone is saved, they begin this journey towards eternal life, but there are huge obstacles in the way. (read the parable of the sower, Mark 4). However, if we will show people that there is still another ongoing experience after salvation, that will give them the ability to live the christian life successfully, we have guaranteed they will make it.
All of that to get us where I am thinking today! Sunday, I spoke about the wooing of the Holy Spirit, and how He works to draw our attention to Jesus and to convince us of our need for Him. In response to this our pneuma, that deeper component of our inner man, comes to life. This gives us a conduit that leads right to God. And our senses and awareness of the things of God become heightened. So I am determined to put a lot of effort into not only leading people to the place where they find salvation but also to the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. And here's the real kicker here, because the Spirit, Himself is wooing, (I don't know why but I am enjoying this term) how hard should it really be?
