It is easy to seek the gifts of the Spirit and at the same time feel that it is unlikely that God will really bless us and equip us. We tend to feel that we have to be more spiritual than we are or sometimes we say that we just do not have the faith to believe that God would use me. The problem with much of our seeking the Spirit and his gifts is that we center on who we are and not who God is, when we do this we tend to see every reason why God would not use me,unbelief is a real hindrance.
We also resist the work of the Holy Spirit because of fear, what will he do to me? Will I become weird? do I want to loose control of my life? When we ask these type of questions we show that we don’t realise how good God is.
We need to step back and realise that what our God has given us in saving us from sin is good. I want to look briefly at an important passage that brings this out,Titus chapter 3

3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

Here we see the amazing gift of salvation, we were guilty sinners deserving the wrath of God but god comes in his mercy and saves us through the work of Jesus Christ. Notice how Paul stresses the love and kindness of God, he saves us because of his mercy he then goes onto to speak of the importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives. There is no salvation if we have not been born again by the Spirit of God. Jesus has saved us through the washing and rebirth of the Holy Spirit, if we are in Christ then we have already tasted that God is good because we know from our new life in Christ that is good to know his love. Now notice that when the Holy Spirit is given, he is given generously. The word for generous here has also been translated, by these words, richly,abundantly,in full measure. all of these description show how much our Lord is willing to give the Holy Spirit to us.


We need to come with expectant hearts, knowing that our God will give us generously of His Holy Spirit. Jesus has told us that we need the Holy Spirit o live out the life he wants for us. Look carefully at John 14-16 and also his departing words to his disciples in Acts 1. When the Holy spirit came on the day of Pentecost he came with power to glorify Jesus. The Holy Spirit has not changed, he is still powerful, he still sheds the love of god into the hearts of believers. The Holy Spirit has come to enable us to pray and to live a life to the glory of God. Everything the Bible says about the Holy Spirit should make us desire to be full of the Spirit.
I am not saying that the Spirit filled life is an easy one, it is not but it is a fruitful one. We will be tempted and we will be involved in spiritual warfare but through the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit we will be equipped for the battle.
We want to see revival and there is only way to see revival come,that is through the work of the Holy Spirit, read the book of Acts and you will see what a Spirit filled church can do. Look at the fruit of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost 3000 people became believers and,

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

This is fruit indeed, lives utterly transformed by the grace of God, the disciples proclaim the mighty works of God in the power of the Spirit and this is the result. The Church needs reviving in our day,we can’t manipulate it or manufacture it but we can be open to the Holy Spirit and all that he has for us.
Father through Jesus fill us anew with the Holy Spirit. Amen