Be baptised in the Holy Spirit and have a heart on fire! 4

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For the past three weeks we have been talking about being baptised in the Holy Spirit. We have seen that it has been promised by Jesus himself, that only the Holy Spirit that makes us grow in holiness, and last but not least, we have looked at the implications in our lives after receiving the Holy Spirit. The question now is if yes or no this baptism is meant for each and every one of us? Do we have to be at a certain stage in our spiritual life to receive it?

 

Meditation

 You don’t have to be a excellent apostle to be baptised in the Holy Spirit. There aren’t any prerequisites to receive his Spirit. Jesus wants to give us his Spirit at any time in our life. It could be during a moment of joy or suffering, or even when we are in the lime- light or back stage. Jesus has never been choosy about when is the best time to receive the Spirit. He has it all planed.

 

The Gospel tells us that Jesus sent his Spirit three times at strategic moments during the lives of His disciples.  The first was at the Cross with His side open where He “gave up His Spirit”. The second was during the Resurrection when the disciples locked themselves inside of the Cenacle because they were afraid of the Jews. Jesus blew upon them and said, “Peace be with you…… receive the Holy Spirit”. The last time was at Pentecost when the disciples received “a force from above” that gave them the strength to evangelize the world. Everything that happens to us in our daily life as Christians can be placed within these circumstances. Jesus chose these situations for a specific reason; it wasn’t an accident! Baptism is for everyone at anytime. However, each baptism has a special grace that helps us grow in a particular way and move forward in our spiritual life. The Spirit always pushes us forward, opening us up to learn more and more. For example, if you experience the Cross, the Spirit is giving you the gift of healing and mercy. He baptises you in the love of Christ who in becoming one with you, heals you and gives you new life. In fact He is preparing you to receive the Resurrection. If you have already received healing, the Spirit of Resurrection, will give you your identity as Son or Daughter of God so that you can have an intimate relationship with the Father. The Spirit of Resurrection is above all a Spirit of prayer that brings you closer to God “you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba, Father!” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:15-16). Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. "For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Romans 8:26-27). This life of prayer is the source of true peace as it gives you your identity as a child of God: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”(Romans 31).  At the time of the Resurrection, the disciples were afraid of their identity as disciples of Christ and so they barricaded their doors because they were so afraid of the Jews. Jesus breathed upon them, giving them Peace, opening them up to experience Pentecost and giving them the strength to testify about the Resurrection! However, if you already have an intimate relationship with the Lord, the Pentecostal Spirit will open up your heart to the world, strengthening you and equipping you for your mission. Being baptised in the Holy Spirit opens us up to these three experiences of life within the Spirit. These three effusions and actions of the Spirit in your soul hold all the elements of your personal salvation, and can be seen in all the testimonies of conversion. They can be condensed into just one baptism or in several baptisms. However, each baptism gives a little of all three elements and helps you to learn and understand the Spirit as “consoler” (John 14:26), as a filial Spirit (Romans 8:15-16) and “as a power from above” (Acts 1:8).

 

Rise to the challenge!

 

This coming week, be truly honest with yourself when you ask yourself what type of baptism you need to receive. It is important have a priority in your spiritual life. The Holy Spirit enjoys when someone decides to examine their life as it gives Him the opportunity to work on you and enlighten you. What type of spiritual experience is vital for you now? Are you suffering so much that you have lost all inner Peace? If so, ask for the effusion of the healing of the Cross. Would you like to have a more intimate relationship with your Father in heaven? Ask for the Spirit of resurrection to make you a son or daughter in the light of the Risen One Jesus Christ. If you already have a very rich prayer life, ask yourself if you are open to evangelization. Listen to the call of the Risen One who is telling you like He did with Mary Magdalene: “Go find my brothers”. Ask the Spirit of Pentecost to fill you with His strength and power. Examine your conscience, knowing that in this life you will always need to be healed and have an intimate relationship with God. However, you need to be able to understand how the Holy Spirit is guiding you and telling you what you need at different times in your life. 

  

Let us pray

 

Based on what the Holy Spirit has placed in your heart, pray one of the following prayers fervently.  Keep saying the prayer until it becomes intimately part of you. Then remain silent and in recollection until the Holy Spirit speaks to you.

 

1. Holy Spirit I was entrusted to You at the Cross. Take my entire soul today and immerse me in the blood and water that flowed from Jesus’s heart when He gave up His Spirit. Baptise me in the love of a crucified Jesus; console me in all my sufferings (name them); heal all my hurt and injuries (name them); free me from all oppression (name them); and fill my soul again with streams of life that console and heal. Amen.

 

2. Holy Spirit, the spirit of Resurrection, I receive You now as a breath of life that Jesus, the Resurrected One, is filling me with. I believe in the power of Jesus’s prayers and that through His prayers You are visiting my soul and teaching me how to pray. May I become a docile instrument in Your hands, completely powerless. You are the source of prayer and peace. Show me the heart that my Father has for me His child. 

 

3. Holy Spirit, You have been promised to me by the Father and the Son so that I can be a witness in this world of His resurrection and His love of the Cross. Fill me with the overwhelming love that You have for this world. Envelop my heart with   a fervent envy and passion for You. Baptise me with the fire of your Presence. Fill me with Your charismas.  Enlighten all of my words and actions and be the flame that protects me when I give testimony. Give me a renewed zeal to help me be audacious and believe in the miracles that You want to perform through me for each brother and sister that I meet today. Holy Spirit, do with me as You wish as I want to submit to Your love. I love You.


A little extra! 

 https://youtu.be/76RHwZ9anX0

Community prayer

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And let us not enter into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen

Thank you! 16 people prayed

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. Col 4:6

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Come Holy Spirit!

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