MANY CHRISTIANS UPON REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM, RIGHTLY KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN A PART OF GOD'S VERY NATURE VIA THE HOLY SPIRIT.
BUT MANY DO NOT REALIZE WE NEED TO ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT AS OUR LIFE MOVES ALONG.
JESUS GAVE EMPHASIS TO THIS IN A PARABLE FOUND IN LUKE 11.
IF A FRIEND KEEP AT YOU FOR SOMETHING, AND YOU TURN HIM DOWN; IF HE STILL KEEPS ASKING YOU EVENTUALLY WILL GIVE HIM WHAT HE DESIRES FROM YOU.
AND HE WENT ON TO SAY, "ASK, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN YOU, SEEK AND YOU WILL FIND, KNOCK AND IT SHALL BE OPENED UNTO YOU. FOR HE THAT ASKS WILL RECEIVE, AND HE WHO SEEKS WILL FIND, AND HE THAT KNOCKS IT SHALL BE OPENED. IF A SON ASKS BREAD OF ANY OF YOU THAT IS A FATHER, WILL HE GIVE HIM A STONE? OR IF, HE ASKS FOR A FISH, WILL HE BE GIVEN A SERPENT? OR IF HE ASKS FOR AN EGG, WILL HE BE GIVEN A SCORPION?
IF YOU THEM, BEING EVIL [COMPARED TO GOD] KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD THINGS TO YOUR CHILDREN, HOW MUCH MORE SHALL YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THEM THAT ASK HIM!" (Luke 11:5-13).
WE ARE TO ASK, AND KEEP ASKING FOR OUR HEAVENLY FATHER TO GIVE US HIS HOLY SPIRIT, TO GIVE US MORE OF IT. WE ARE NOT TO STOP ASKING ON THE DAY OF OUR BAPTISM. ASKING OFTEN TO BE GUIDED BY, TAUGHT BY, LEAD BY, INFUSED BY, THE HOLY SPIRIT, IS A FOREVER REQUEST TO THE FATHER, ESPECIALLY SO IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, AND IN MAKING LARGE DECISIONS IN OUR LIFE.
THE APOSTLE PAUL ONCE SAID, "LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU THAT WAS IN CHRIST JESUS."
YOU GET THE MIND OF CHRIST BY READING HIS WORDS, BY READING THE BIBLE, BY OBEYING THE WILL AND COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, AND BY HAVING THE HOLY SPIRIT.
JESUS, IT IS WRITTEN, HAD THE SPIRIT NOT BY MEASURE......BUT FULLY FROM CONCEPTION AND GOWING INTO A CHILD AND MAN.
JESUS NEEDED IT FULLY TO SIN NOT EVEN ONCE, SO TO BE OUR SAVIOR.
WE ARE NOT GIVEN IT FULLY, LIKE JESUS HAD IT, THAT IS WHY JESUS SAID WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR IT...... IT IS THE ATTITUDE OF DESIRING TO WANT MORE AND MORE OF GOD'S SPIRIT. AS WE RECEIVE MORE OF IT WE BECOME MORE AND MORE LIKE CHRIST AND THE FATHER.
SO YOU NEED TO MAKE ASKING FOR GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT A PART OF CHRISTIAN LIVING.