Religion: The Rev. Carey Ingram writes about a spirit filled life.

In the Christian faith, we know there is one God with three personalities: God the father, God the son and God the holy spirit. As Jesus was about to return to his father, he promised not to leave his disciples comfortless and that his spirit would return and dwell within them.

This was one of the most important times in the New Testament period. The gospel had been preached. Now it was time for the disciples to act on it as to enhance and grow the early Christian Church. Theophilos, the name meaning “friend of God”, was the writer who informed the disciples of the words of Jesus that they would receive power after the holy ghost had come upon them. This power would allow them to be witnesses from their homeland to the utmost part of the world. This was a time of dividing the work of Christ into two great branches: the one embracing his work on earth; the other, his subsequent work from heaven; the one in his own person and the other by his spirit.

It is not an option. We must be in an intimate relationship with God. We can come to know God as the holy spirit that dwells within us. Being filled with the holy spirit is for everyone who professes Christ. God gave Jesus to the world.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Now, Jesus gives the holy ghost only to the church, his bride. We must be filled with his spirit because we have an enemy who is continually seeking to destroy us. Give no place for the devil. Give him a foot hold and he will take over. If we become proud, selfish, slothful, or lazy in your relationship with God, we are opening a door for the enemy to come into our spirit. And this battle begins in the mind.

“This I say then, walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:16-17).

However, when the holy spirit dwells within us, it changes us. The power of God in us is like a vine that produces spiritual fruit. And what is so precious about that is that the fruit within us produces fruit in others. Look at the character of a man filled with God’s Spirit. “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22).

How awesome, what an honor, and how humbling that we have the love of God dwelling within us and from that, all the other virtues which can impact the lives of others. That is our Christian calling: to be a witness for Christ. Let us each one reach one. There is nothing wrong in this our home, community, state, or country that the power of the holy spirit cannot change. Embrace the holy spirit; Satan may rule, but God super rules. His love conquers all things.