CLEAN FILLING WANTED

When I saw the notice ‘Clean filling wanted’ beside a new garden, I remembered how I once longed for clean filling of mind, heart, and life.

Many years I coasted along in my christian life before I recognised a void. As Major Ian Thomas said, ‘ I was saved and stuck.’ By God’s grace, and the faithful ministry of men and women, I began to understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit. I recall the moment, even the place where I sat, when I understood, that it was ’Not I that liveth, but Christ who liveth in me.’ Gone was that frantic effort to please God.

The same Holy Spirit who changed me at conversion, was now filling me to please God, and to flow out to others. I recall the relief from the strain of feeling I had to work hard, as I acknowledged the presence of God’s Holy Spirit.

One of Dr A W Tozer’s oft-quoted and well-loved verses became my favourite, ’Christ in you the hope of glory.’ ( Col 1;27) The person of the Holy Spirit, Who guides every detail of my life as I allow Him control, is the clean filling.

I look back on an unusual, but very meaningful experience.

We attended a baptismal service in a little Asian village. The lady was to be baptized in the former village fishpond. The previous day she had her hair set, which was quite unusual for a village lady. As the Pastor baptized her she tensed, and kept her head above the water so as not to spoil her hair-do. As she rose from the water that wise, old national Pastor placed his hand on her head. Gently, but firmly he guided her under the water again, immersing her completely, despite the hairdo,

As she emerged he insisted, ‘Sama sekali’, which means ‘all, and every part of you.’ It impressed me as a picture of the Holy Spirit, Who longs to fill every part of my life- every cornner, nook and cranny. He is the clean filling, and when He fills, there is no room for an unholy spirit.

To some, possibly through lack of teaching at conversion, a true understanding of the Holy Spirit may come later in life. To others, He comes in a crisis experience. God is not limited in His light, just as no two sunsets are alike.

John’s gospel tells of the Holy Spirit’s ministry so simply that a child may understand. He is the spiritual midwife who delivers us in new life. (John 3;5) , and then as spiritual babies he teaches us God’s ways and principles. (14:26 a ) He germinated the seed of the Scriptures we read or hear.

God’s Spirit is the Comforter, Counsellor, Advocate, One of the same character as God, the Father, Himself. (14:16,18 )

After the Sunday morning service, one of the sweet young mums came to speak to me. She gently cried, but calmed as she asked me, ’Did you know our little Hannah died?’ I was shocked to hear the sad news of the beloved ,little, five month-old child.

‘It was a cot death,’ she told me, and I expressed my love and sympathy to her, knowing from personal experience the loss of a baby. She told me how the Lord comforted her after unsuccessful artificial respiration. Later the Holy Spirit was this dear girl’s Friend, helping her to answer friends she met when shopping.

Not knowing of the bereavement, one lady asked, ‘Where is your baby?’ for Carla was not pushing the pram.

Carla answered, ‘Hannah is in Heaven.’

The sad experience turned to blessing as Carla, knowing the comfort of the Holy Spirit, understood in a more personal way the reality of heaven. ‘Heaven is so real to me now,’ she told me. (14;27 )

That morning my husband’s message explained pictures of Christ in Zechariah. As I turned the pages to follow him, it was no coincidence that I noticed the underlined verse. I remember a dear friend explaining this verse at a convention. ‘The city streets ( heaven ) will be filled with boys and girls playing there. ( Zechariah 8:5) As I shared this with Carla, she was comforted by God’s Holy Spirit making clear the promise.

The Spirit guarantees the trustworthiness of Scripture, ( 16:13 ), teaches us all things, and continually challenges us with our christian responsibilities. When we share our faith, teach or encourage, this same Holy Spirit inspires us to speak for our Lord Jesus Christ, and reminds us of the verses and principles stored in our memories. (14;26)

We know He comes from God because He will make the world feel guilty as He convinces of sin, righteousness and judgment. ( 16:8-11) Only then will they understand about the Lord Jesus who died on the cross to reconcile to God and save us by His resurrection life.

Do not be afraid if you have doubts. God copes with honest doubters, because His Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. (15;26) He does not brag about Himself (16:13), but always points to Christ. (16:13)

He is God’s other self, His loving Spirit, Who was sent because Jesus returned to His Father’s Presence. (16:16) The Holy Spirit brought us to Christ for salvation, and for the world to hear and respond to God’s love in Christ. The Holy Spirit inspires and enables holy living.

If you long for clean filling, accept God’s promise that ’those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled.’ ( Matthew 5:6) God has given the Holy Spirit to those who believe. God has also promised the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.

As by faith we allow the Spirit to fire our hearts, and work in us and through us, holy living flows from the clean filling of the Holy Spirit.

Read Romans 8:11, ’ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through the Spirit who dwells in you.’ Now praise God for this amazing promise.