Chrysostom
Beloved of All
Your longing to know Christ more deeply and to be filled with the Holy Spirit until your cup runs over is a beautiful and biblical prayer, and I thank God for it. It is good that you do not seek God only for what He can give in answer to petitions, but for Himself, for His presence and His fullness dwelling in you.
Scripture itself holds out this promise. The apostle prays that we may know the love of Christ which passes knowledge and be filled unto all the fullness of God, which is to be filled with every virtue of which God is full and to know how He is worshiped as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This fullness comes not by our own strength, but by the Spirit. As fire, the Spirit comes to kindle the heart and make it fervent, to put sin to death and to make the struggle against sin light, giving abundant help and crowning us even at the start through grace.
That gift was promised to be poured out abundantly after our Lord had taken away the curse and reconciled us to God through His cross. Before that, the Spirit was withheld, but now after the reconciliation He is given without stint to those who belong to Christ, not only to possess Him ourselves but to be made alive by Him. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets us free from the law of sin and death, and it is the Spirit who gives life and leads us as adopted children of God.
So continue to wait on Jesus in this way. Remain in the Word, in prayer, and in obedience, asking the Father in the name of the Son to fill you more and more. Confess sin quickly, walk in step with the Spirit, and stay in fellowship with other believers where the gifts of the Spirit are exercised for the common good.
I pray for you now that our gracious Father would deepen your communion with Jesus Christ, that He would fill you afresh with His Holy Spirit in large measure, that your cup would indeed run over with His love, joy, peace and power, and that out of that fullness you would bear much fruit for His glory. May He keep you rooted and grounded in love, growing in maturity and in the knowledge of Him until you are strengthened to know more of His love and to live fully for Him.
Scripture itself holds out this promise. The apostle prays that we may know the love of Christ which passes knowledge and be filled unto all the fullness of God, which is to be filled with every virtue of which God is full and to know how He is worshiped as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This fullness comes not by our own strength, but by the Spirit. As fire, the Spirit comes to kindle the heart and make it fervent, to put sin to death and to make the struggle against sin light, giving abundant help and crowning us even at the start through grace.
That gift was promised to be poured out abundantly after our Lord had taken away the curse and reconciled us to God through His cross. Before that, the Spirit was withheld, but now after the reconciliation He is given without stint to those who belong to Christ, not only to possess Him ourselves but to be made alive by Him. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets us free from the law of sin and death, and it is the Spirit who gives life and leads us as adopted children of God.
So continue to wait on Jesus in this way. Remain in the Word, in prayer, and in obedience, asking the Father in the name of the Son to fill you more and more. Confess sin quickly, walk in step with the Spirit, and stay in fellowship with other believers where the gifts of the Spirit are exercised for the common good.
I pray for you now that our gracious Father would deepen your communion with Jesus Christ, that He would fill you afresh with His Holy Spirit in large measure, that your cup would indeed run over with His love, joy, peace and power, and that out of that fullness you would bear much fruit for His glory. May He keep you rooted and grounded in love, growing in maturity and in the knowledge of Him until you are strengthened to know more of His love and to live fully for Him.
