If you have ever experienced the feeling of drowning, you may be able to relate better with what I am trying to say. I would not consider myself an expert swimmer, but did learn how to swim and swimming in pools have never been a problem. But this was not the case in a lake, not too long ago, where I had the unfortunate experience of drowning, and if it had not been for my two close friends (dear as brothers), I might have drowned that day. Till today, I am ever so grateful to them for having saved my life, who refused to let go of me, until they got me to safety.
Memories of that experience are still etched vividly in my mind. As I was sinking in the lake that was not too deep, but deep enough for the water to completely submerge me, I kicked hard against the force that was pulling me down, I struggled and gasped for air and I fought hard to live.
Jack Hammans, the pastor at New Hope Community Church in Round Rock, Texas said in one of his sermons that Baptism with the Holy Spirit is being immersed, submerged in, inundated and overwhelmed. This got me thinking.
When I was drowning, I was completely immersed, definitely submerged, absolutely inundated and undoubtedly overwhelmed by water, and I did everything I possibly could to try to live. Now if the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a similar experience, wherein we are are immersed, submerged in, inundated and overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit, is our lives reflective of us
- kicking hard against the force (any weight or sin) that besets us?
- struggling and gasping for air (the living breath of Life)? Are we panting like a deer that pants for water? (Psalm 42)
- fighting hard to live (for God in the Spirit)? Are we dead in the Spirit, alive in our flesh or is it the other way round?
Remember, if we have the Holy Spirit living in us, is His overwhelming presence being reflected in the lives we live? Let us drown in the Holy Spirit so that we will fight to Live for God!
Hebrews 12:1 (KJV)
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us
Psalm 42:1 (KJV)
1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
Galatians 5:16-25 (KJV)
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 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.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
