Receiving the Holy Spirit

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me.” — Acts 1:8 (KJV)

Torrey tells the story from Acts 19. When Paul arrived in the city of Ephesus, he met twelve disciples. Something about them seemed to be missing. Maybe they lacked joy. Maybe Paul noticed that, after all this time, there were still only twelve of them.

Paul asked them a direct question: “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” They hadn’t even heard of the Holy Spirit. So Paul explained, and the Holy Spirit came upon them. After that, Torrey says, a great revival began, and the whole city was shaken.

Torrey says that Paul’s question should be asked of young Christians everywhere. Why? Because receiving the Holy Spirit is, he says, “the great secret of joyfulness in our own hearts, of victory over sin, of power in prayer, and of effective service.”

He is careful to say that every true Christian has the Holy Spirit living in them in some sense. But many don’t know the fullness of the Spirit’s power and joy in their lives.

Christians from different traditions describe this in different ways. Some talk about a special experience; others about being filled with the Spirit day by day. But all agree that the Christian life isn’t meant to be lived in our own strength. Jesus promised his followers power when the Holy Spirit came on them.

So how do you receive more of the Spirit? Jesus said that our heavenly Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. Torrey’s advice is simple: surrender your life to God, ask him to fill you with his Spirit, and trust him to do it.

You don’t need to fake an experience or work yourself up emotionally. Just ask, honestly and humbly, and keep asking. God loves to give good gifts to his children.

One thing to do this week: each morning this week, pray Luke 11:13 back to God: “Father, you promised to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. I’m asking. Fill me today.” Notice where you see his help.