No two tier Christians, the Spirit indwells us

[Irene]

We have a full deposit of the Holy Spirit within us when we are saved.

2Co 1:22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

2Co 5:5 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

We see here that we are given a full deposit of the Holy Spirit at salvation. However when the Holy Spirit comes upon us as in the baptism of the Holy Spirit we are empowered for service.

We are not automatically filled with all the fulness of the Holy Spirit.Paul in his letter to the Ephesian believers instructed them to be filled with the Holy Spirit

Eph 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

The verse below gives some insight of what happens when one is baptized in the Spirit and becomes fully surrendered to Christ.

Eph 3:19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! AMP

At the risk of upsetting some people I am going to say here that being baptized inthe Spirit is only the beginning we need to keep drinking from living waters to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. Every day we need to come before the Lord in fresh surrender, seeking only Him, and to do His bidding.

I have been baptized with the Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues but if I now was to seek to live for myself and do my own thing and be disobedient to the Holy Spirit I would not be living a Spirit filled life.

So it's not a case of 2 tier Christians, those baptized in the Spirit against those who are not, but rather all of us as Christians need to surrender to the Holy Spirit and be obedient to His voice.

Baptism in the Spirit should be a natural part of being a believer but fear has gripped so many believers or teachings which have misconstrued what it's all about, for let's face it the enemy wants us crippled. He does not want us moving in the might and power of the Holy Spirit.

God is a good Fatherand He will withold nothing from those who are genuinely open to allowing Him more access in their lives.

Luk 11:9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Luk 11:10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Luk 11:11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?
Luk 11:12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
Luk 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Seek the Lord, seek to know Him more.Worship Him with your whole heart, be open to the Holy Spirit, He will rid you of fear and you will find that you have a new awareness of God's presence, that the Lord baptizes you with the Spirit, that you have a wonderful new tongue language, an improved prayer life, more boldness and a wonderful awareness of His Presence.

BAPTIZE MY HEART WITH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT FIRE

My Lord and my God, I find it so hard for me to comprehend,
How the Lord of heaven and earth could love me like you do?
Yet you love me without measure, a love that will never end,
The desire of your heart is to have me really love you too.

You long for me to know real intimacy with you
And deep down in my heart I just long for that too,
Keep my eyes focused on you Lord and teach me your wisdom,
That I in turn might play my part in heralding in your Kingdom.

For yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
Who is like you my dear Lord and Saviour, Creator of all?
Holy Spirit come and fill me up afresh, don’t let me fall.
For I need your help to boldly proclaim the gospel story.

So Lord I give you permission to do a work in me deep within,
Rid me of all that is of the flesh, come and free me from sin,
For it can never be me at the centre, help me from self to die,
For it is you Lord Jesus who sets people free, for this cause you died.

Yet praise be to God the story didn’t end there, I serve a risen Saviour,
You are the risen glorified one,the beginning and the end,
You are my redeemer, my beloved, my King and my friend,
And I with the angels will cry Holy, Holy, Holy to my Saviour.

Baptize my heart with your Holy Spirit fire once again,
Help me to be a witness for you in this world of men,
I want to drink deep from the wells of living water,
That out of my belly may flow rivers of living water.


Irene McGough ©2007

[Javanut]

Living water has both an ingress and egress - it must come in and go out. As we drink from the water He pours out - we give out in service and ministry thus becoming a channel.

[WhiteCoat]

There has been a discussion on another forum about this very topic. Irene your post was so good that I borrowed it and posted it here. Thank you.
http://deceptionbytes.com/dbforum/index ... pic=265.60