Surrendering to the Holy Spirit

We are reading an amazing book with pastor Rudy Alvir for our weekly prayer time together – “Absolute Surrender” by Andrew Murray. This week I was moved to write my short blog on what should be THE DESIRE of every Christian – to be filled and taken over by the Holy Spirit.

It is a very challenging read as we try to understand the ultimate difference between “humility” & “humiliation.” It seems that English word to be humble, to have humility is chosen as a politically correct rendering of the Hebrew and Greek concepts on which Christianity is based. One can talk about “attaining humility” or about “humbling self.” Yet, none are comfortable with humiliation, being humiliated, allowing to be humiliated. The Biblical paradigm is unapologetically humiliating. Christ’s death on the cross was not “humble” but humiliating. Apostle Paul’s experiences were not “humble” but humiliating. Yet we have a hard time permitting anything that may hint humiliation.

Even though disciples of Christ gave up much to follow him, they did not give up all – they carried around their “self.” Their self-interest, selfishness, pride, self-egotism continued. It was not until Jesus death on the cross, and their ultimate humiliation – losing even their teacher! – that they were readied to receive the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit will not compete for a place in one’s heart until there is nothing left, until self is completely surrendered.

How much do you desire to be taken, filled and possessed by the Holy Spirit? Yeah! I used the dangerous word “possessed.” It is interesting how people are comfortable talking about evil possession, where little messed up spirits possess person’s will, yet in our selfish pride we cannot even think about permitting the Great God, Holy Spirit have, seize, possess us. You often hear people say “Do you have the Holy Spirit?” as if we can have Him, and not the other way around.

Is it your desire to be filled with the Spirit of God? God wants permanently to have you, to have a constant relationships with you, to give you abundant continuous joy. What hindrances are there that you may be holding on to?

Our Church talks about Revival and Reformation. Reformation makes sense only when revival is in place. And Revival is personal before it is corporate. Revival of individuals, or people surrendering their self to God is what needed for our church. Such revival happens in Prayer. Teens are reading Steps to Christ as a portion of their Sabbath School Curriculum. In chapter 11 there is this statement: “Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.”

Pray in surrender as you must, pray that you may surrender, pray with desire that you would give things up, and believe in the promise that you shall be filled with the Spirit!

Growing Church

This week everybody’s talking about the new iPhone application “Confession,” how convenient it would be to have your sins forgiven on your phone! BUT! The Vatican has issued a clarification: No. "One may not speak in any sense of confessing via iPhone," the Rev. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, said in a statement this Wednesday (Feb. 9). The clarification was also issued by the designers – it is only to prepare a person for the real confessional!

Some find this funny, how people want to find shortcuts for everything, even Salvation! Some are looking for shortcuts in relationships. Others for shortcuts in Church Growth, by just using the right model, or strategy.

As I opened the Adventist Review (latest issue) there was an short article by Stephen Chavez on a similar topic. How people want to believe that we can grow the church by mass-distributed, media enhanced, on-line messages – witnessing by proxy. BUT! It does not work.

Just think of this illustration – if you want to fill 100 bottles with water, do you just put them on the floor and throw water on them? Or do you “grab one by the neck,” fill it, and then grab the next one? Now, we are not grabbing people by the neck to fill them with truth, but nothing can replace the –one-on-one witnessing method.

Last Sunday Pathfinders learned how to give personal testimony. It’s simple, three steps: Before, How & Since, under 2 minutes. They will practice on February 26 before their peers. Have you prepared your personal testimony? Have you given one? Ever?

Revelation 12:11 encourages believers how to overcome “by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of Personal testimony!” You have accepted Jesus’ death for you, now it’s time to testify how He is working in your life.

One of our pioneers, Ellen White wrote in a little book “Ministry of healing” (p.470) “The strongest argument in favour of the gospel is a loving and loveable Christian.” You cannot do it over the Internet! The only way we make Jesus known is by getting personal with people, by one-on-one, by sharing personal witness.

This weekend everyone around is expecting more love, more affection, more warmth. Use the opportunity! Show more love! In person, not “on-line,” not virtually.