Hello to all my readers, I hope you all are doing well.
This is the fourth and final episode of the Open up your Mouth series. Wow, can you believe it? The start of releasing these episodes from introductory devotionals to full fledge commentary has been so awakening for me and has transformed my walking with God. I believe that by investing your time to read this series, a difference will be made in yours also.
So this is where we are, we are in the final episode and I am so excited because this one is probably one that will become a little bit more polished in text on something that we all have access to by faith. As I share my own personal experience, my hope is that you can think back on when your first met Christ and if you haven’t, what you can look forward to.
From the very start, I have been eluding to something key that is important to have, and that is the Holy Spirit. I have mentioned this on several accounts since May but in this particular episode, we are going to talk more about the Holy Spirit, what it is, who it is and how it can be applied to your life.
Are you ready? Let’s move forward.
What is it?
What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirt? You may have heard this used before, even read it in the bible. You may even refer to it as the Holy Ghost. They are one in the same. These words can seem foreign if you are ignorant of God’s word.
On account of knowing that not everyone will automatically understand what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit, I first want to say that there is a difference between the Spirit of God dwelling in you and being filled with the Holy Spirit. You will truly understand this as you continue to study the extent of scripture and receive your own individual revelation as the spirit gives us all in our own way in the way we can comprehend. And with all your acquiring, get understanding, actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation. Proverbs 4:7 I can recall times of having conversation about being filled with the Holy Spirit or “the gift of tongues” and I can recall that the only people that was able to relate to my experiences were the ones that received that power as well. Notice that I said receive. Having the power of tongues is a gift. Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts…For one who speaks in a tongue, speaks not to men but to God; for no one understand him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 1-2 You can either refuse a gift or receive a gift. However, gifts are good to receive; they can sometimes even be a surprise. This gift however, isn’t a surprise, it’s knowingly available and ready for you to have to be used by believers for the benefit of the church body.
Who is it?
The difference between the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit and being Filled with the Holy Spirit (the gift of tongues) is found in John 14:16. The indwelling is where Jesus speaks to his disciples about them having another counselor to be with forever in the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive and take to its heart because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you. Here we find that this is something that Jesus gave to the believers of faith that we should not ever be alone, that we have within us, Him, (the Holy Spirit).
And this is not all. Not only do we have the Spirt of God living within us, we were also blessed with a special gift of power, that same power that we are able to use, and when they had prayed, the place where they were meeting together was shaken ( a sign of God’s presence); and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness and courage. Acts 4:31 Open up your Mouth boldly and proclaim the Spirit of Truth. Stop trying to use everything else to solve your problem and use what you already have within you.
Why use it?
The contrast of being filled with the Holy Spirit (the gift of tongues) is that this power is disseminated throughout your being, your life. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (different languages). What is so beautiful about this is that no one knows what you are praying but the Spirit of God. No one knows what you are praying for or WHO you are praying for. It can be your neighbor, it could be someone on the other side of the earth that is in need of help, it could be a co-worker, it could be a family member, it could be a complete stranger. Just because you don’t know who they are, that doesn’t make the power of your tongues any less likely to carry out what the Spirit of Truth needs to have done. It electrifies the presence of God and the Spirit of God sends an army through the power of your tongues to battle for the unknown. Use this power, your power to change life from the inside out.
How to get it?
As I mentioned it is a gift. All you simply need to do is accept it. It was already so. In Acts 2 and 38, Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the the gift of the Holy Ghost. In verse 41 it goes on to state then they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Being filled with the Spirit, speaking in tongues is a continual growth and process. Just because you are filled with it, doesn’t mean that you do nothing further. On the contrary, you have the power to do so much more. Beginning to use your gift and to be able to automatically go to war in the Spirit is done by practice and patience. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. James 1:3 And as you do it often, it will begin to utter from you without hesitation or pause when needing to interfere over your life. In my own many experiences, there was one when I was driving and I was in my own lane, minding my own business, here comes an 18-wheeler truck merging over without paying attention and was merging over into my lane. The right side of me was a cliff hanger. I had no way to escape, no where else to go outside of the utter that began to rouse from my mouth and I will never forget how that truck dashed back over into his lane and I will never forget how my life was spared through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I can recall at an early age, probably around the age of 5 or 6 how my mother would walk around the house speaking in tongues and speaking the word over her family. She did not shame or hide away from what was different or unheard of. She was set apart. I did not know what was happening but I knew it was of God. One day I grew tired of watching and I knew I wanted the very thing that she had. I wanted that same power to magnetize from my mouth, my inner being as well. I wanted to speak it, I wanted to feel it, and I wanted to become all that God would have for me. I can remember at the age of 9, I was alone in our living room at home, sitting on the floor and opened my bible on my own accord for the very first time. I was led to a certain place which is now one of my favorite books of the bible and that is the book of Ephesians. I rendered myself to God as I silently read about the adoption, acceptance, redemption, and seal of the Holy Spirit. I realized then at a young age that I could not turn away from someone so precious that loves me so greatly to give me his all, to accept me as I am, and even as I was 9 years old, the Lord Jesus Christ had already accepted me then. I trusted him. I trusted his word. I trusted in his grace over my life and every since then I have not turned back. There has always been something about the power of the Holy Spirit that will never leave you, as it was assigned to you. As you open up your mouth to declare and speak boldly the word of God, you will begin to see step-by-step how the work of God is alive and well in you through the manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
The Complete Word Study Dictionary defines this word, “to be filled, to accomplish, persons to be filled, wholly imbued, affected, and influenced.” This word implies a single event taking place and empowering believers for a work of service.
I pray that you accept the gift to become filled with the Holy Ghost and that you are saturated in your hearts and in your minds to receive this special power because it is long over due you. Use this gift to change not only your life but the lives of others, keeping the Great Commission at heart to influence lives and win souls for Christ.
Do continue to Open up your Mouth and speak God’s word.
Don’t be ashamed of the gospel or to do God’s work, for he is not ashamed of you.
Thank you for reading. I pray that you were blessed.
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