A Spirit-Filled Heart (Updated) Series

They said, “How is it that each of us hears them in our native language…we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:8, 11 NKJV)

Here’s a bunch of people who were afraid for their lives, hiding out from the authorities when all of a sudden, the fire of God, the Holy Spirit came down and filled them to overflowing; empowering them to fulfill the Great Commission.

The Holy Spirit empowers us to share our faith, boldly proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ to this lost and dying world. This is witnessed throughout the book of Acts especially in the formation of the church, and in the life of revivals throughout the world since then.

Conclusion

As we look at these various qualities in this series on a Christian heart, qualities that should be a part of our lives, this one quality of having a heart that is Spirit filled is probably the most important of them all, and that’s because a Spirit-filled heart allows us to be forgiving, courageous, obedient, and faithful, filled with integrity, grace, hope, and praise. A Spirit-filled heart also allows us to be those servants and wounded healers to everyone we encounter.

And so today, let’s be a church with Spirit-filled hearts; hearts that are filled to overflowing, set on fire, and empowered to be exactly what God calls us to be and the type of hearts that that are going to make a difference in our community and in this world.

I’d like to end looking again at what Jesus commanded the disciples to do prior to His accession.

“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’” (Acts 1:4-5 NKJV)

Jesus’s disciples saw Him betrayed, crucified, and raised from the dead. They were with Him forty days after His resurrection, touching His scars, sharing meals with Him, and listening once again to His teachings. They definitely had an incredible story to share with the world, and a message that the world desperately needed and still needs to hear.

However, they lacked one crucial ingredient to begin their mission; they did not have the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And so Jesus told them to wait in spite of the message’s urgency. Everything was now on hold until Jesus poured out upon them the promised baptism of the Holy Spirit where they would then be endued with heavenly power, the power of the Holy Spirit.

No matter how well we think we may be ready to do great things for God and fulfill the ministry God has given to us, these words by Jesus is a reminder that we’re not ready to fulfill God’s commission until we are likewise endued and baptized with the Holy Spirit.

And as I have said on many occasions and believe fully in my heart what the Bible declares, that we are just one ask away from such a filling and promise. Look now at what Jesus said.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!.” (Luke 11:13 NKJV)