Spirit;
The term, under the influence” is one very familiar to individuals of western culture, and one very traumatic to many. For many this term has been connected with painful, tragic events that caused the premature death of a loved one, and for others gripped by its dominance, life altering circumstances, jail time, etc.
Simply put, the term, “under the influence” breeds a connotation of the most unpleasant, dangerous, unhappy, lonely, and most regrettable circumstances one can be connected with.
But today we see a different life altering and entirely different set of circumstances of being under a different type of influence that causes the world to take notice. It’s an influence that will make itself heard, and it cannot be stopped if we choose to remain, “under the influence” of the Holy Spirit.
What empowering of what was once depraved in all of us. That the Holy Spirit can so consume the life of a sold out Believer in Christ Jesus as to create life where once death had been. Victory being snatched from the jaws of defeat.
What hope and newfound joy was lavished upon the 120 that were in the upper room that day. How they had sought the Lord waiting upon the precious Holy Spirit. Truly God is the rewarder of those who seek him(Hebrews11:6) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The people gathered that day from various regions of the world now heard the glorious works of God in their own languages.
How different this glorious occasion in Acts 2 compared to what we find in Genesis 11:4-9… And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
In Genesis 11 we see though they initially spoke the same language, they were under and different influence, they were “under the influence” of the drunkenness of pride, arrogance, self reliant, defiance against God. In so that God had to separate them, but in Acts 2 we see God seeking to restore the communications of the whole earth once again by being “under the influence” of the Holy Spirit.
To be “under the influence” of God the Father, The Son, The Holy Ghost, the beloved Trinity, a vibrant life giving influence that has no sorrow attached to it. No need for guilt or despair. No loss of life, but being given eternal life.
Oh my friends, it is time we fully surrender to God, to wait upon the Holy Spirit, and ultimately to be fully be living in the Spirit…”Under The Influence!”
