As I think back over the last few days, there seems to be two main themes that God has been bringing to my attention. They are topics that I need to hear about because this is where I am at right now. Both of these two themes are important ones that I have written about before but are definitely worth taking a look at again.

Personal Revival
Ever feel like you spiritual life is just there? It is not moving forward and growing, but you really want it to be. What’s holding you back? What is keeping you from being all that God wants you to be?

Sin? None of us are perfect and we are all sinners. Could it be that God wants to use us to do mighty things for his kingdom, but we are not willing to humble ourselves and repent of the sin that is holding us down.

Revival can be defined as the “restoration of something to its original created state.” God did not originally design us with sin in mind. Every time we do anything that is counter to the will of God, we sin. In other words, we stray from the original design of what it means to be a human being as God intended.

We need to recognize that we have to realign ourselves with that original design. The first step in doing this is humility. “Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:8b-10)”

The author of Hebrews puts it this way, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.(Hebrews 12:1)” Let’s not just wipe it off. No! He says “let us throw off.” When I hear that , I think of the baseball player who is deep in left field chasing down a ball. As he picks it up and turns to throw, he needs to use all the energy and force he has in him to get that ball to the second baseman as fast as possible.

We need to confess to God the sin that entangles us. It is at that point that we can experience the forgiveness of God. Micah 7:18-19 puts it this way “You [God] will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!”

It is at this point, when we are humbled and forgiven of all our confessed sin, that we are properly prepared for the filling of the Holy Spirit.

The Filling Of The Holy Spirit: Our Power Source
The Holy Spirit is our source of power. Just like a toy needs a battery to run or a car needs gas to make the engine run, to live our lives according to God’s will and to be on track with His plan we need to be daily filled with the Holy Spirit.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians about this saying, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Being filled with the Holy Spirit is giving God control of your life and direction. It is allowing the one who designed and created you for a purpose to lead you in the direction of that purposeful life He has for you.

Pastor James MacDonald recently defined begin filled with the Spirit this way:

1. It’s a command
- be filled

2. It’s Passive
- God is the source of the filling and He fills when we ask

3. It is Plural
- It is for everyone, it is for all God’s Children

4. It is Present Tense
- Literal Translation “Be being filled” We see an example in the Apostles who were filled with the Spirit in Act 2:4, the again in Acts 4:2

One very important point that Pastor James makes here that can not be overlooked is point number 2. God fills us with the Spirit when we ask to be filled. The Holy Spirit can be a daily source of strength for the Jesus follower but he/she needs to ask for that filling, it does not just happen.

There are three things that need to happen for this filling to take place.

1. Confess all known sin
2. Ask to filled

Finally, after asking to be filled we need to believe that God is willing to do it.

“[Jesus Speaking] Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” – Mark 11:24

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. – James 1:6

Do What You Need To Do
Now it is up to you. No one can make you be humble and confess your sins. No one can make you desire to be filled with the Spirit. It is up to you. Is this “God Thing” something you truly believe with all your heart and mind and strength?

If it is then give it your whole heart. Chase after it with all that you have and all that you are. Tap into the power source that God provides and allow Him to effectively use you to reach a world that needs to hear His message.