Having the Holy Spirit

Asking for and imparting the gifts of the Spirit

Luke路加福音11vv10-13:

11:10 因為凡祈求的就得著. 尋找的就尋見. 叩門的就給他開門.

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

D.Lim: 不住的禱告 Keep asking.

11:11 你們中間作父親的, 誰有兒子求餅, 反給他石頭呢. 求魚, 反拿蛇當魚給他呢.

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

D.Lim: The Father desires to give us more good things than sinful/evil people may think of.

11:12 求雞蛋, 反給他蠍子呢.

Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

11:13 你們雖然不好, 尚且知道拿好東西給兒女. 何況天父, 豈不更將聖靈給求他的人麼.

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Ask and you/ye will receive. But ask with persistence.

Luke11v13 talks/tells us of quantity of the Spirit given. We must not confuse with this as the Spirit Holy indwelling(coming to repentanted sinners) at repentance and acceptance of Christ(as taught by Anti-Charismatics, Cessationists, Traditionalists, biased Evangelicals).

Here, as later in many letters, we have a comparison of quantity: Lk11v13 compares with Lk11vv10-12,5-8.

Lk11vv5-8 speaks of recurrence and quantity. A friend may come and ask for things again and again and at different times. Hardly do we have any friend who only ask for once in our life-time. This friend asked for 3 loaves(a matter of quantity). This is not a parable/story of somebody who had, or who have had. It is about having or receiving more.

He also asked with persistence: Lk11v8.

Repented sinners, new Christians need not ask for the indwelling of the Spirit Holy with persistence. A welcome and acceptance once is enough to allow and welcome the entering of the Spirit Holy. This is a very different picture to just having the Holy Spirit indwelling(as taught by Anti-Charismatics; they do not get bored repeating their teachings and statement as if they have the truth to teach).

Persistence in preaching the truth is good.

Persistence in preaching lies is not good. Deceiving and being deceived. Blind leading the blind. Both will fall into a ditch.

Also, let us look at 1Thessalonians 帖撒羅尼迦前書5v17: 不住的禱告. Pray without ceasing.

D.Lim: Getting the gifts of the Spirit is not automatic. Keep asking. Keep praying regardless of what others may say. Pray in the Spirit. Pray in tongues.

Even Jesus was accused of being evil: Luke11vv14-15.

D.Lim: There is the fellowship of sufferings. We may share some of the sufferings of Christ to have sympathy for sinners, and to pray more ernestly.