Receiving the Spirit

On the first occasion that I was asked to contribute to the magazine, it was suggested that I write on the theme of the Holy Spirit. Now, given a further opportunity, I would like to follow up on that theme. The Holy Spirit is promised. Jesus died to make this precious gift available, so .... how do I receive the Gift?

First, we need to be clear that our reception of this Gift is God's will for us: He desires that this should be ours. Secondly, we want to receive the Holy Spirit to please our Lord. Thirdly, we have become aware of our need. Experience has taught us that trying to live the Christian life without Him is an impossibility, for it is He who brings us into living union with the risen Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12.13). So we need to receive Him - not just once, but daily - 'Go on being filled ...' is St. Paul's instruction to us.

At this point, a deliberate, conscious decision involving heart, mind and will is required, and  we humbly ask the Giver for the Gift. But what then? We ask, and nothing  seems to be any different. Are we doing something wrong? No, but at this point we need to be clear about God's integrity. He doesn't 'play games' with us. It was that great missionary to Africa, Dr. David Livingstone, who said that Jesus is a gentleman, and he keeps his promises. So believing this, and having asked for the gift of the Holy Spirit, what then?

I was struck some years ago by the number of references to 'thanksgiving' in the writings of St. Paul, particularly clear in his letter to the Colossians as well as in the Ephesian letter. In Colossians, there seems to be a fairly clear link between receiving from God on the one hand and giving thanks on the other. I invite you to check this out. If one of the main fruits of the death of Jesus is that his risen life should be implanted in us by our receiving the Holy Spirit, then having asked, we give thanks. And we keep on giving thanks (note the word 'abounding' in Col 2.7!) until God gives us the assurance that we do, in fact, possess the Gift or - rather - that the Gift possesses us!

This is an exercise in faith, in which we keep our eyes firmly fixed on the goodness, faithfulness and integrity of the Giver. He bids us ask (see Luke 11. 19f) so that we might receive. We take Him at his word, and thank and praise Him even if these acts of thanksgiving (note the plural!) are as unfeeling as rehearsing our mathematical tables. We keep our eyes on His goodness and love in Christ, on His desire to see His purposes made effective in our lives, and on his commitment to us. We keep on giving thanks, ( after all, it isn't just the prerogative of Eastern religions to use 'mantras' - the repetition of prayer with a focussed mind,) and the assurance comes. When it does so, we shall know, and nothing and no one can take that knowing from us, even though it will be challenged.

'Christ in you, the hope of glory'; 'As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, live your lives in him'; 'Christ is our life' - verses taken from Colossians in the New Testament. '... that we may evermore dwell in Him and He in us ...' How? Through the gift of the Holy Spirit. So .. RECEIVE.

Julian Cliff

August 2006