God's Prophetic People - A People of Passion, Purpose And Power

God's Prophetic People

B. The RECEPTION of the Holy Spirit

The reception/influence of the Holy Spirit seems to be the most significant factor as we look at biblical characters who have really impacted their generations. In the Old Testament we often see the phrases “and the hand of the Lord came upon…” and so-and-so “was moved upon by the Lord,” or “the Spirit of God came upon…” You see one of the most significant ways the Lord places passion in us is by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. When we receive Christ, we receive His Spirit, and when we receive His spirit, significant changes take place in our lives. John the Baptist leaped inside his mother’s womb when Jesus was present. Jesus himself experienced the parting of the heavens at his baptism, where God spoke and a dove came and remained upon him. The apostles and other believers at Pentecost received the Holy Spirit, then they became witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The Holy Spirit stirred them and put a passion in them to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that tongues of fire rested upon them. This was the spark which ignited in them a Holy passion for the purposes of God. This was the force or enablement which allowed them to overcome fear and insecurities, and this was God’s abundant grace which enabled them to go beyond their own mindsets and limitations to accomplish extraordinary things for God. It was after the reception of God’s Spirit that the disciples were empowered and impassioned, which led them in turning the world right side up. Let us all continually receive this fresh filling and enablement (Ephesians 5:18). Throughout the Bible, individuals didn’t just have personal encounters with the Lord — they were often moved and empowered by the Holy Spirit in response to the needs they saw around them. As they witnessed the struggles and pain of

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A People of Passion, Purpose, and Power / © Brian Daehn