Summary:
Let’s not just pray for the Holy Spirit so that we can ‘tick a checkbox’. Receiving the Holy Spirit means we can get to heaven. But wait, there’s more! The Holy Spirit also sanctifies us and helps us to transform to become more and more like Christ; to become better and better Christians.

In the Thursday Evening Prayer for the Holy Spirit, what a preacher in Malaysia said was shared. “I am here. Pray.”

One of the reasons for the Spiritual Meeting’s theme ‘Transforming from Glory to Glory’ is: We are the true church, but we may not necessarily conduct ourselves like Christians.

The True Jesus Church is the true church because we have the truth and because He is here - we have the Holy Spirit.

But are we true Christians?

We have learned the word of God. We may have studied the word of God and have a good grasp of it. Even if we can expound it with the understanding of the original language, we may sometimes miss the point. The word of God isn’t just for us to expound as a theological exposition. More importantly, it brings us salvation. And not just salvation, but a transformation in our lives. We can truly be born again.

We say born again is being born of the water and the spirit. We should be a new person, in our status as children of God, in our conduct like Christ. In the power of the word of God and the Holy Spirit, we can truly be transformed. If there’s anyone who can be transformed, it should be us. If it’s any place to be transformed, it should be here.

Praying for the Holy Spirit is a culture in the True Jesus Church. But why do we pray for the Holy Spirit? Because it’s necessary for salvation. This is biblical truth. This is why we are compelled to pray for the Holy Spirit and this is why members are encouraged to pray for the Holy Spirit. But even as we seek the Holy Spirit because it’s necessary for salvation, is this the only reason? If this is the only reason: that’s when some people pray very hard and then deteriorate in their prayer life after that. Because we think it’s like a checkbox. After receiving, we can tick it and then can relax. Just like when we work, we save so we can retire and relax. But this isn’t how we should conduct our faith.

Receiving the Holy Spirit is definitely important. It’s receiving the guarantee of our importance. This is true. But we miss the bigger point. The Holy Spirit is also given to us so that we can continue to be renewed. To be transformed. To be sanctified. Is this one of the things going through our head when praying for the Holy Spirit?

For those who have already received, do we pray in this manner?

2 Thess 2:13
God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth

This is the unique feature of the True Jesus Church. We have both the Holy Spirit and the truth. Our salvation comes through the sanctification by the spirit and belief in the truth.

While we receive the guarantee of our inheritance, we continue to live on in this world. We have seen people who received the Holy Spirit and fall away. Even full time workers of God. Even those who preached mightily and performed miracles. At that point in time they did have the Holy Spirit, but if we don’t continue to rely on the Holy Spirit to continue to lead a life of sanctification and transform ourselves, there may come a day where we might not believe in the truth and stand firm in our faith.

If we have the Holy Spirit throughout our lives and don’t fall in our faith, holding on right to the end, victorious in our faith, we will be saved.

But we continue to live on in this world. It’s hence important to pray for the Holy Spirit and continue to let the Holy Spirit sanctify us to be transformed.

1 Thess 5:19
Do not quench the Spirit.

We just first want to seek and understand the will of God. We must want to do the right thing, and the Holy Spirit will prompt us. Like a counsellor. The Holy Spirit can strengthen us. The Holy Spirit won’t force us. But the Holy Spirit CAN strengthen us. The Holy Spirit can poke us. But we must not quench the spirit. Continue to let the Holy Spirit transform us. Is this one of the reasons we want the Holy Spirit? Or is receiving the Holy Spirit just ticking the box? If it is, maybe God will say, “Wait.” “Don’t worry I’m faithful. Before you leave I’ll give the Holy Spirit to you.” But that’s very sad. God gives us the Holy Spirit so we can be sanctified. Let’s not quench the Holy Spirit. Let it be a motivating factor to seek the Holy Spirit.

Eph 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

If we continue to quench the Holy Spirit and don’t allow Him to sanctify us, we will grieve the Holy Spirit. We must have a correct understanding over the matter of praying for the Holy Spirit.

He saved us by the sanctification of the spirit. We live in this world.

“I believe. Help my unbelief!”

We need the Holy Spirit to continue to help us. We need to understand this when praying for the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit is not just a checkbox. We want to rely on the Holy Spirit to be a better and better Christian.

The verse before and after v30 are what we have been reading in the Spiritual Meeting.

As Christians, when we look at our conduct, is that what Christ taught us? When we look at our lives, do we reflect Christ?

Speaker’s army experience:
We had to go for a ‘living off the land (in forest)’ training. They were taught how to catch chicken, snake, etc. To kill them, eat and survive. They managed to catch a snake and the officer in charge told them that the blood was very good to drink. He made all of them line up with their mouths open. The officer took the snake like a water hose to pour it in the mouths of all the men. When it came to the speaker’s turn, he said he couldn’t drink blood. The officer asked, “You chicken ah?” “No I’m not chicken. My faith does not permit me to take blood.” They were quite reasonable and excused him. Down the line, there was another guy who also asked to be excused as he was a Presbyterian and couldn’t drink blood too. But because he was very foul mouthed, the officer couldn’t believe he was a Christian! The speaker spoke up for him, “Ah yes sir Presbyterians also cannot drink blood.” Actually, the foul mouthed guy was quite a nice and funny guy.

Do we let the spirit change our lives? Do we have the 9 aspects of the fruit of the spirit?

When the Holy Spirit lives in us and sanctifies us, there are many aspects of Christian nature/virtues that we can learn and nurture and manifest. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control. There are many aspects of what Christians can and should be. Our humility. Our ability to forgive. So many aspects. Are we matured in these areas?

As we pray for the Holy Spirit, let it not just be a checkbox. Let it be a desire to be transformed. From glory to glory. It will be a checkbox to go into heaven, but it is much much more than a checkbox. It’s wanting to truly be like Christ. That’s why we must pray for the Holy Spirit.

Let us reconsider if our concepts were not so complete. Let not the name of God be blasphemed amongst the Gentiles because of us.

As we pray for the Holy Spirit, let’s consider the focus we ought to have, if we really deem this as so important.

Luke 9:57-62
Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Under what circumstances will we follow Him? All the way?

These people do want to follow Jesus. But even though they did, there was always something else on their minds first. “Wait wait wait. I need to __ first.”

At the end of the day none of these are unreasonable. But it goes to show the attitude. Not that they didn’t want to follow Jesus, but other things were on their minds. Sometimes when praying for the Holy Spirit, we may not realise what else is in our minds.

No doubt we want to receive the Holy Spirit. But there are still other things clouding our minds.

v62 “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Matt 19:16-22
Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ Honor your father and your mother,’ and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

He took his faith seriously. He was a practitioner. He practised his faith. When Jesus said to keep the commands, he asked further.

But when Jesus told him to sell all he had, he went away sorrowfully for he had many possessions.

He was an achiever. Both in the world and in his faith. He ticked every box. But there was something missing in him he didn’t realise. There was something in him he couldn’t let go. When praying for the Holy Spirit, this is an important focus. What else is filling/clouding our hearts and minds? Are we able to empty our hearts and minds of these things so we are singularly focused on wanting to receive the Holy Spirit? On wanting to transform our lives from glory to glory?