RESULT OF BEING FILLED WITH HOLY SPIRIT

“I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions” Joel 2:28.

It gives me a great pleasure to greet you a God centered happy New Year 2014. May the eyes of the Lord our God be on you from the beginning of the year to its end and beyond and guide you, lead you, bless you and your family with health, happiness, prosperity and peace and make you a blessing to many.

As we step into this New Year, God assures us that the Holy Spirit will guide each and every one in the family, if we accept Him. He emphasizes the fact that the Holy Spirit will be on all the people in the family, sons and daughters, young men and women and older ones.

RESULT OF BEING FILLED WITH HOLY SPIRIT

1. In Exodus 35, we read that God chose Bezalel and Oholiab and gave them the skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary. “ He has filled them with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts – to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut the stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship”. That is, an expert designer, carpenter, goldsmith and stone cutter – all in one man! So also our children will be experts in their profession.
2. When Joshua was filled with the Spirit, he received wisdom (Deu. 34:9). Why there is so much chaos in families? Among teens and youths? Why there are so many rapes and suicides in our country? The reason is that there is no wisdom. Our children need wisdom to differentiate between rights and wrongs.
3. When David was anointed by Samuel, he received the Holy Spirit and that made him a king. Saul, a king and a warrior, through on David his spear at a close range twice, but David could escape! Elders, husbands, wives and youngsters will have to escape from the power and tricks of Satan.
4. Because Timothy received the Holy Spirit when Paul laid his hand on him, he had a strong faith on God. We too, especially parents, should have this faith.

When the Holy Spirit comes into our family, according to Joel 2:27, He lives in the midst of our family and we never will be ashamed, which means that we will prosper.

1. ELDERS IN THE FAMILY WILL DREAM

Many narratives in the Bible can be seen as a divine language to communicate the divine message. For example, from the divine message in his dreams, Abimelech not only learned the truth about the hidden relationship between Abraham and Sarah from God, but also received God’s command to return Abraham’s wife. Also dream is a mode of divine revelation. An angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph in a dream and revealed the secrets about Jesus. The three wise men that came to see the Baby Jesus were warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod. Then Joseph was asked by the angel of the Lord in a dream to flee to Egypt.

God assures that the elders when filled with Holy Spirit will dream. It is a human-divine encounter. God speaks through dreams either to make known His will or to announce future events.

2. YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS

“People perish where there is no vision” says Proverbs 11:14. Vision is a powerful guiding power. Abraham, who was worshipping other gods, when called by the Lord God, obeyed His calling and visions led him throughout his life. God appeared to him in visions and so he had faith on the LORD and his faith has become an example to be followed by all Christians in the whole world. Daniel saw visions and he could predict the history of universe. Apostle John saw visions and he revealed the secrets of second coming of Jesus Christ. A young man while leading the worship in a small prayer group revealed on the 1^st. of this month, that this year will not be “giving”, or “sending” but will be “go”. Ninety percent of the men who attended the prayer were elders. What about our children, the youth in your family?

3. YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHESY

Most of us believe that only some preachers could prophesy and so we rush after them. Most of us do not believe Bible. We believe in men. But the Word of God is very clear and it says that our teenagers will prophesy. So it is our ardent duty to nourish our children in the fear of the Lord. The Lord says in Deuteronomy 6, “Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commands I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up”.  The amplified version says, “You shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the minds and hearts of your children”. We are more worried about their future. But God has engraved them in His hand. He knows their future. Do you believe this?

But why should God give this promise? Because He says, “I will put my dwelling place among you. I will walk among you and be your God and you will be my people”. (Lev. 26:11, 12). God warns us in Deuteronomy 7:26, “Do not bring a detestable (abdominal) thing into your house” The Lord Almighty and everlasting Father promises that He will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations He has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as He promised” (Deu.26:19).

Prayer: Lord, bless our family and let this promise found in Joel 2:28 be fulfilled in us this year. Dwell and walk among our family. Let my house be filled with Thy glory. In Jesus Name Amen.