Holy Spirit?
If you use email, probably you
received an email from me this past week with this question:
“What is the best word you can use
to describe the Holy Spirit? i.e. Who is the Holy Spirit to you?”
· Breath of life, invigorator
· God’s agent for unity, Action in life
· Counselor
· Empowerer, guide
· I would have difficulty choosing. They all are important to me.
While Jesus was having the last supper with his disciples, he promised the Holy Spirit, saying,
“I will ask the Father, and he will
give you another Advocate
[παράκλητος, romanized: Paráklētos], to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot
receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he
abides with you, and he will be in you” (John 14:16-17)
Literally, the Greek word paraklētos means “someone who is called to come alongside.” In Greek culture, a paraclete was like a family attorney. So, a paraclete was someone who came alongside people and defended them, who gave them strength and courage in times of trouble.[1] It is very hard to translate this Greek word paraklētos into one word. For instance, paraklētos is translated into 보혜사 (保惠師) in Korean, which literally means “the one who protects, who helps, who teaches.” So that is the Paraclete. The One who is alongside us always, defending us, helping us, comforting us, encouraging us, guiding us.
The Baptism of the Holy
Spirit
So how can we
receive the Holy Spirit? D. L. Moody and R. A. Torrey were very close friends
and ministry partners. They led many Christian conventions and revival meetings
together. D. L. Moody always asked R. A. Torrey to preach the same sermon, “The
Baptism of the Holy Spirit.” In his sermon R. A. Torrey tells us seven steps to
receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or to be filled and empowered with the
Holy Spirit. But this is not a formula, but rather a guidance to cultivate our
relationship with the person Holy Spirit. About 16 years ago I read this sermon
in my seminar dormitory room and followed each step by faith. Since then, my
relationship with the Spirit became much more real and personal.
1.
The first step is to repent. What does "repent" mean? Change your mind; change
your mind about what? About Christ.
Change your mind about Christ. Change from a Christ-hating and
Christ-crucifying attitude of mind to a Christ-accepting and Christ-exalting attitude
of mind. Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
2.
The second step is also to repent. But
this time change your mind about sin.
A change of mind from a sin-loving or sin-indulging attitude of mind to a
sin-hating and sin-renouncing attitude of mind. It is to renounce sin, all sin, every sin.
3.
The third step is to openly confess that you are a sinner and that you accepted Jesus. That
is what is baptism about.
4.
The fourth step is obedience.
What does obedience mean? It does not mean merely doing some of the things,
or many of the things, or most of the things, that God bids us do. It means total surrender to the will of God.
5.
The fifth step is intense desire for the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. When our
children are thirsty, they cry: “Water! Water! Water!” In the same way, we need
intense desire and thirst, crying out, “The Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit! The
Holy Spirit!”
6. The sixth step is to ask. When Christ has been accepted as Savior and Master, when sin has been put away, when there has been the total surrender of the will, when there is real and holy desire, then we need to specifically ask God for the Holy Spirit. It is given in answer to earnest, definite, specific, believing prayer.
7. The seventh and last step is to pray by faith. In Mark 11:24 Jesus says, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” The simple step of faith. Pray by faith, receive the Holy Spirit by faith, and keep in step with the Spirit by faith.
Experiencing the Holy Spirit
Did you receive the Holy Spirit
when you believed? How do you experience the Holy Spirit today?
For me personally, I experienced the Holy Spirit as the Comforter yesterday. I had to make difficult visits – Reita Briggs and Don Woods. They both are currently admitted in the hospital. They both are longtime church members and pillars of the church. I prayed God for his presence, his Holy Spirit. When I entered the room, Reita was smiling. I felt the Holy Spirit was already in the room. As a pastor, as a last responder, I often ask, “Are you at peace with God?” So I asked Reita. She replied, “Yes, I am. I am ready to die. I wanted to make it to 90 like my sisters. And I made it. God gave me one more year. My boys are doing pretty well. I am ready to go.” She shared a reflection of her life with me. We exchanged some comforting words to each other. Sad but comforting. Sorry but accepting. Grieving but hopeful.
Then, I entered Don’s room in the same floor. He has not been able to swallow for a week. He is now in comfort care. He was resting in bed, pretty much sleeping most of the time. Don’s son and his two grandchildren were all there. As I entered the room, again I asked God for his Holy Spirit to be with me. At first, Don was sleeping. I asked the son, “How are you holding up?” He said, “It has been a hard week. Dad was confused, scared, agitated. But much less now. He seems more comfortable and peaceful.” After a while, Don was awake and recognized us. He said to me, “Keep smiling! Keep it up!” Then he was able to sip water and eat a spoonful of ice cream. Then he went back to sleep. It was hard, but the family and I were processing it together. We laughed together, we cried together, we prayed together. The Holy Spirit was with us.
The Holy Spirit is our Comforter when we mourn. He is our Encourager when we are down. He is our Guide when we are lost. He is our Counselor when we are confused. He is our Friend when we are all alone. Did you receive the Holy Spirit? Do you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit? As Jesus promised, ask, keep asking in his name, and you will receive, and your joy will be complete (cf. John 16:24). Amen.
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