Soaked in the Spirit

The rain has poured down this spring and summer. I mean it has really come down in sheets. There is usually a river going by my office at home when it rains hard. The cats and dogs have long ago gone inside. If I went outside during these rain storms I would get soaking wet in no time. It would be like diving into the ocean or a pool, I would be soaked from head to toe in an instant.

Oh, if the Holy Spirit would pour out on us like this? Oh, wait, that is how the Holy Spirit comes; Acts 2:1-4 – 1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. So you ask, why aren’t we soaked in the Spirit? Mainly because we treat the soaking power of the Holy Spirit like some do the ocean or the pool. They don’t go to get soaked, they go for the atmosphere, the sun, the crowd, and maybe they go over to the edge of the pool or down by the ocean and stick their foot in but only a little.

Too many come to church for the same reasons. They don’t want to be soaked in the Spirit and be really Christian, they want to be an acceptable Christians and enjoy the crowd. Folks, you know what God will do with those who are lukewarm don’t you? Revelation 3:15-16 – 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Oh, what God could do with a soaked church. Oh, wait, we have seen what God can do with a soaked church. It was called the first century church and they added thousands to the church daily. In the United Methodist Church as with many churches and denominations, we are losing members and worship attendees right and left. Could it be that we are not soaked in the Spirit, but merely coming for the atmosphere? Think about your level and your church’s level of commitment to being soaked in the Holy Spirit. It may just reflect greatly on your walk with Jesus. What do you think?