Và ai nấy đều được tràn đầy Thánh Thần, và bắt đầu nói các thứ tiếng khác, tuỳ theo Thánh Thần ban cho họ nói. Công vụ 2:4.
Hôm nay CHÚA của bạn (יהוה) Đức Chúa Trời (אלוהים) phán:
I tell you that various times that certain people were filled with the Holy Spirit. What does that tell you? That not everyone is but all can be. I am no respecter of persons. You can receive as much of the Holy Spirit as you will open your heart to, I give the Spirit without measure. John 3:34.
When a dispute broke out in the early community of the believers over the daily serving of food, the disciples, in order to spend more time in their calling to study, pray, and preach the good news looked to appoint seven men from among them to oversee to the serving of the food. But the disciples specified they should be seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom. And among the seven, they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Acts 6:1-6.
Do you remember that Jesus looked for faith in people to see if they could receive miracles of healing or other benefits? And He would comment on their faith. He noticed some had little faith, some had no faith, some lost faith, or a few had great faith. But every believer has received the same measure of faith, but the development of it is up to each person. You can grow in faith. And how do you grow in faith? The same way you do for faith in anything, by what you hear and take into your heart. Faith in Me and who I AM comes from hearing and hearing My Word. And the releasing of that faith so it works for you is to say it and to do it.
The same is true with the Holy Spirit. All born again believers have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. You are a temple of My Spirit who dwells in you, that is in your born-again spirit. But to be filled with the Holy Spirit is another level. It is the Holy Spirit in you and on you until you are swimming in the Holy Spirit, so to speak. It is like the vision of Ezekiel of the living water flowing from the temple that at first was a trickle, then ankle deep, then knee deep, then waist deep and then a torrent you could not cross except by swimming. Ezekiel 47:1-5.
The Israelites I redeemed out of slavery in Egypt limited Me in what I could do for them. They did not open their minds and hearts to My Words to them and consequently they did declare My Words. My Words were not in their mouths, instead of the success I promised them, they complained and spoke of the dreaded results, and they had faith for what they said and that is what they did and that was the result they had.
“I, the LORD, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide and I will fill it. “But My people did not listen to My voice, and Israel did not obey Me. So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, to walk in their own devices. Oh that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!” Psalm 81:10-12.
What do I fill your mouth with? My Words. I have put My Words in your mouth and My Spirit upon you. Isaiah 59:21. This is Covenant. It raises you up to My level of thoughts and words.
Like Stephen, you can all be filled with faith and the Holy Spirit. Why then are so many not that way? You have to stir it up into flame. Too many quench the Holy Spirit in them and grieve Him so He remains quiet.
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; 1in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 16-22.
Let no evil, unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Ephesians 4:29-31.
Grumbling, complaining, malicious speech give no joy or pleasure to anyone and such conversation or thoughts quench and grieve the Holy Spirit. True joy comes from My Word, for My Word is what created you and what you are made from in your innermost being and it is only My Words that will feed your spirit and make you strong.
Many people feel spiritual hunger but they mistakenly try to satisfy that emptiness with overeating physical food or drinking alcohol or taking drugs, but these will destroy you and leave you even emptier than you started and in much worse condition physically and mentally. Instead, realize you need to be filled with My Spirit. The disciples after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit found the answer to emptiness, they could not help but be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
I would like to take you back to the book of the prophet Haggai. My people had miraculously been released from Babylon and sent back to Jerusalem to rebuild the destroyed and fallen temple. And they were given the funds to do so. But the work looked overwhelming when they saw the ruins of the once magnificent temple that Solomon had built and instead of working on My house, they built themselves fine homes while My house lay in ruins. But they found that their joy and enthusiasm was gone and the money was gone too. And it then I gave My Words to Haggai to rouse them. I speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.
The word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet saying, “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying, ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison? But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the LORD of hosts. ‘As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’ For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the LORD of hosts. ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the LORD of hosts.” Haggai 2:1-9.
I gave them the Word that stirred them up to work, and they did. What was that Word? That the latter glory of My house would be greater than the former, that I would bring them great riches filling My house with glory, and I would give them peace. And they went to work with joy. The Spirit in their midst could work with them at that point. Their hearts had been fanned into flame by My Word of vision and encouragement.
It is hearing My Word of promise that will fan your spirit into flame. Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah got a Word from Me that I would fight the battle for them and that Word took them from fear to great faith the minute it was prophesied. My Word will change what seemed hopeless to assured victory. The Word for you at that moment will light up your spirit and fill with joy surpassing understanding.
When David and his men returned home after they had gone to join the Philistines in battle against Saul and been rejected as possible traitors by the Philistines, they found their town looted, their women and children taken as booty, and the city they had been living in as home burnt to the ground. They moaned, cried, lay in the dirt, and finally turned on David, blaming him for the loss because he left none of them guarding the city. But David did not run away or question Me on what had taken place. He instead encouraged himself in My by remembering all the times I had delivered him and given him success over his enemies in the past. And then with an open joyful heart he asked Me what he should do to get back his family and his goods, and that for everyone with him as well. And I gave him the Word to pursue the enemy and recover all.
And that direction in the midst of what looked like a hopeless loss, fanned David into flame. He and his men, without even knowing where they were going, took off to recover all! And by a series of miraculous events I led them right to the hideout of the invaders and David and his men recovered all they had taken. Families reunited amid great joy and much provision and prosperity from the booty.
Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the LORD; they are sought for by all who delight in them. Splendid and majestic is His work, and His righteousness endures forever. He has made His wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate. He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever. Psalm 111:1-5.
Remember the wonders I have done and then see them as coming now to bless you and raise you up, to deliver you and prosper you. Know that the latter glory is going to be greater than the former. You need the Word for the moment that will take you on to a great future.
For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh (fan into flame) the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:6-7.
So how do you get filled with faith and the Holy Spirit so you can qualify, as Stephen did, for positions of great responsibility to bring My Kingdom to earth? By paying attention to My Word, filling your heart and you mouth with My Words, encouraging yourself in what I have done for you and the mighty wonders I have performed in the earth, rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks, and singing and speaking to yourself and one another in hymns, psalms, and Spirit-sent songs from Heaven, and, above all, looking ahead for the greater glory with which I am going to fill My house with great joy and anticipation. Do not forget all your benefits that I have freely lavished upon you in Christ Jesus.
I love you. Expect a Word whenever you need One. I send My Word to heal you and deliver you from all destruction.
Đức Giê-hô-va đã ban cho Ta miệng lưỡi của các môn đồ, để Ta biết dùng lời nói mà nâng đỡ kẻ mệt nhọc. Ngài đánh thức Ta mỗi sáng, Ngài đánh thức tai Ta để lắng nghe như một môn đệ. Ê-sai 50:4.