The Bible speaks about an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that is to come in the last days. “I will pour my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” Joel 2:28,29
Of course, we should pray as earnestly for the descent of the Holy Spirit as the disciples prayed on the day of Pentecost. If they needed it at that time, we need it more today. Yes, we need this gift more, so much more today! However, just because we know it's coming, and just because we need it doesn't mean we are going to get it! Have you ever stopped to think about this?
Inspiration tells us:
“Only those who
are living up to the light they have will receive greater light. Unless
we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues,
we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter
rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or
receive it.”[i]
So let's not delay! While we cannot ever make ourselves pure and while we cannot ever be good enough to "earn" our salvation, much less earn the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, if we continue day by day to surrender to Christ, yielding up our selfishness and our sins and asking to be covered in His robe of righteous…when that outpouring comes, we will be ready! Why, because we've been yielding and allowing Him to change our hearts day by day.
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