Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’ s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV)
Our family has a Thanksgiving tradition where we go around the table and share what we are thankful for as we remember how God had blessed us that year.
It starts out with simple things: marriage, a new baby in the family or a promotion at work. And then there’s that one teenage cousin who always says something about pizza.
Just as the comments quiet down, a family member — never the same person from year to year — turns the entire room to silence with a story of God’s faithfulness to them through heartache. The Kleenex box is retrieved from the hall bathroom, and it’s passed down the line to soak up all the tear-drenched faces.
The Jewish High Priest went into the Holy of Holies once each year to make atonement for his sins and the sins of the people. On that day the blood was sprinkled seven times on the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. Then, going back outside the veil, he sprinkled the blood on the horns of the altar seven times [Leviticus 16:11-19]. This foreshadowed Jesus shedding His blood for us. The number 7 represents completion or perfection. Jesus’ blood was shed seven times, and in shedding His blood He made a full, perfect, and complete sacrifice for sin on the cross! Let’s take a look at the ways that the blood of Christ was shed.
Firstly, His blood was shed in the Garden of Gethsemane. “And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood…
All to often we pray, solicit prayer experience God’s blessings but never share our testimonies and victories.
~ Lisa Blair
All to often we pray, solicit prayer experience God’s blessings but never share our testimonies and victories. Sharing God’s grace, healing and strength is just as important as the prayer seeking God’s help. So, today I share this and encourage you to share His blessings as well.
TESTIMONY
Praise the almighty power of God. I have submitted multiple prayer requests over the past two years regarding a friends who was being attacked by a form of fibromyalgia in Europe. Eventually, she was bedridden and unable to do anything for herself.
She texted me the other day to thank everyone that prayed for her. Deliverance has arrived, with the help of everyone who prayed for her complete recovery. She did not give up, or give in, but kept her eyes on the strength of the Lord. Result, she received new medications and the illness reversed itself. She walked her dog for the first time in two years, two days ago.
She is in physical therapy, strengthening muscles etc., but functional again. She was always a God fearing woman and did not let Satan strip her faith.
I love our victory stories, our God is our strength. When we walk by faith and not sight all things are possible. 1 Chronicles 16:12 tells us – “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”
Thank you prayer warriors from the bottom of our hearts.
I love waking up to the new day ready to experience our Father’s plan for my day. Each day is new, no boredom if you are His child and live by faith and not sight.
~ Lisa Blair
Life unfolds with new wonders, gifts, and challenges every single day. Some large and extravagant, others small and barely noticeable. Some things are joyful and others laborious. Our God does not believe in boredom. He created seasonal change. He chose you and planned your life experiences accordingly. We are all part of His master plan. His children are well cared for, and want for nothing when we live in faith.
The Holy Spirit lives in us and will not leave us or forsake us. His job is to fill us daily, direct our paths, guide us, and tell us what to say when sharing the Good News.
~ Lisa Blair
FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO LIVES IN BELIEVER’S
In Acts 2:7 Jesus told his disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. “
Jesus also instructed his disciples to wait, not to begin witnessing until they received the Holy Spirit, why? Because we cannot interpret the Word without the Holy Spirit, only the Holy Spirit can provide the Words that will reach the hearts of the people, only the Holy Spirit knows the heart of man. Only the Holy Spirit has the authority and power to interpret God’s Word. We cannot become witnesses independent of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers believers to speak the truth. He commands and guides our thinking.
Paul wrote, in Romans, that we are given life through His Spirit, God’s Spirit, who dwells in us. He takes controls when He takes residence in us. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit at the moment of our conversion, until the day of Redemption, Ephesians 4:30 NKJV:
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
The seal equips us to live a Godly life. We become convicted after we repent and receive the Spirit. We are convicted to live a holy, Godly life. He ushers in our desire to live a Christ-like life, to share the Word with others, and to demonstrate our faith through our actions and deeds. Our priorities change and are no longer focused exclusively on ourselves, we are transformed and renewed. We become dependent upon the Lord to lead us and direct us. We yield to His promptings. We want to live moment-by-moment in the will of God. We are willing to give up our liberty in exchange for dependence upon our Father, our Lord. We learn to become sensitive to His initial prompting as He guides, leads us, empowers us as we walk in victory spreading His Word.
BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE TIME EVENT
We are baptized once with the Holy Spirit, who will never leave us or forsake us. When we repent of our sins and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit dwells in us. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit.
If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from death, you are saved. For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved. (Romans 10:9-10)
Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Since you have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, live in union with him. Keep your roots deep in him, build your lives on him, and become stronger in your faith, as you were taught. And be filled with thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6-7) [unitedbiblesocieties.org. 10 Bible verses about accepting Christ. Oct 9, 2017]
ONE BAPTISM, MANY FILLINGS—TIME TO GO TO WORK
When we are baptized, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Our human fears are replaced by to the power of the Lord. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we relinquish control of our thoughts and emotions. We don’t lose control, we surrender all to God. We relinquish our independence and become dependent upon the Him; we go where the spirit leads. Our mind is set on the things of God, no longer consumed with doubt or fear, but rather a spirit of power and a controlled mind.
The scripture says, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, but we are being filled by the Holy Spirit daily. Christ resides in us through the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit directs our daily living. We are being continually being filled, we are saturated, and under His influence, much like wine.
Ephesians 5:18 NLT instructs us, not to be drunk with wine, because that will ruin our lives. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.
After we receive the Holy Spirit, it is time to go to work, the waiting is over. The baptism of the Holy Spirit empowers us to do God’s work. God does the filling when we ask Him. Yes, we must ask to be filled. It is an action. “He is in us, and we are completely permeated with the Spirit, we are inviting something to happen to us” (James McDonald).
WHAT HINDERS US FROM BEING FILLED?
Acts 7:51 NLT, explains that resisting the Holy Spirit is the most obvious way of hindering being filled. In this chapter, Stephen addressed the high priests and recognized they we not receptive and he was speaking to deaf ears.and told them,
“You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth.”
The sad truth is that not all believers are responsive to God’s commands. We (Christians) often openly resist obeying what God instructs us to do. Our flesh is rebellious and disobedient. Being filled is ascribing to God’s way and not our own. It is acquiring and taking on the characteristics of Christ identified in the Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5. We hinder/forfeit being filled when we place ourselves first, focusing on our carnal needs and not on our spiritual relationship with our Lord. We hinder being filled when we do not listen to the Holy Spirit or do as we are commanded. How often do we hear his quiet voice instruct us to do one thing and we do another; far to often. Being filled requires action on our part, the Word is acted out through us. We are His ambassadors spreading the Good News through our actions and deeds.
WE ARE SAVED ONCE. WE ARE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT ONCE. BUT, WE ARE BEING FILLED UNTIL REDEMPTION.
Resources
How to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Pastor James McDonald. Https://youtu.be/xllbEPKHV1o
Walking with the Holy Spirit. Dr. Charles Stanley. In Touch Ministries, Life Principle 2.
How can I be Filled with the Holy Spirit? GotQuestions.org
We have always been told the youth are our future. This blog is proof in the pudding. Please make this go viral. Both young and old need to read and ruminate on this scripture and how it applies to our lives.
Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD. – Psalm 134:1
When I read this verse one morning, I wondered what the last phrase meant in context. Those the speaker was addressing are thought to have been priests and Levites who watched the temple through the night. One commentator referred to this verse:
And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day and night. – 1 Chronicles 9:33
That got me thinking. The priests and Levites may have felt alone at times. They worked very hard for God all the time, but I wonder if they ever wished they had been born into a different tribe. You may know something is a privilege in your head, but you…
Lisa’s Daily Inspirations 