The Spirit of Love!

Based on the teachings of David Brandt Berg

He knew the joys of Earth
Would pass away & soon depart,
For he'd tasted Heaven's Love,
The Saviour dwelt within his heart! Yet he stumbled down life's road
And seemed to wander aimlessly,
Torn between the World & Christ,
Who had beckoned, "Follow Me!" He wanted to obey,
To heed the Shepherd's call,
But he didn't have the strength,
When e're he'd try, he'd fall! Till late one night he found Her,
And like a Goddess from above,
She took his hand & sweetly whispered,
"I am the Spirit of God's Love! "Through the Son, you know the Father,
But you need to receive Me.
For I am the loving Mother
Of the Holy Trinity! "Let Me thrill you, let Me fill you
With My power in your soul!"
"I am Yours!" the pilgrim answered,
"Take my life, take full control!" Empowered by Her kisses,
Transformed by Her loving hands,
Renewed by Her caresses,
He became another man! He cared less about himself,
And more for others, & was bold
To tell them of his Saviour
And lead scores into His Fold!

SO MANY PEOPLE TODAY ARE LIKE THE YOUNG MAN IN THIS PICTURE!--Even though they have come to know Jesus, "the Way, the Truth & the Life" (John 14:6), they have received Him & His wonderful Love into their hearts, their relationship with Him is somehow incomplete, something is missing, they are somehow lacking the life & love & joy that He has promised to all who love & follow Him!

SUCH CHRISTIANS OFTEN BECOME SO WEAK, SO UNMOTIVATED, SO POWERLESS, that they settle for a cold, lifeless, tradi tional Christianity which has very little or nothing to do with the thrill ing & challenging kind of life that Jesus offered to His disciples, as we read about in the Gospels of the New Testament! This dry, almost lifeless counterfeit Christianity has so little to do with Christ & His teachings that it would more aptly be called Churchianity, as the foundation & basis for much of such religion today is church buildings & the church services & churchy rules & taboos which have "made the commandment of God of none effect by their traditions!" (Mark 7:6-13)

IT IS SO SAD, SO PITIFUL, THAT SO MANY CHRISTIANS ARE IGNORANT OF THE FACT THAT GOD COULD FILL THEIR LIVES WITH HIS LOVE & JOY & POWER in such a way that would thrill & fulfil & satisfy them beyond their wildest dreams! Jesus promised this power to His disciples when He told them that after His resurrection they would "be endued with power from on High", that He would send a special Comforter to comfort, lead & give them the power & strength to "Go into all the World & preach the Gospel to every creature!" (Luke 24:49; John 14:26; Mark 16:15)

THIS WONDERFUL POWER THAT GOD HAS PROVIDED FOR HIS CHILDREN IS THE HOLY SPIRIT, Who, to many people's surprise, is pictured in the Bible as a beautiful woman, like the young pilgrim in this picture is meeting!--She is the Comforter, the Spirit of Love, the Mother figure of the Trinity! In the beginning when God created man, the Bible tells us that He said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness--male & female created He them!" (Gen.1:26,27)--So God's Trinity is male & female!

IN THE BIBLE'S BOOK OF PROVERBS, KING SOLOMON DESCRIBES GOD'S SPIRIT OF LOVE & WISDOM AS A "SHE" that was with God "from the beginning when He had not yet made the Earth & when He prepared the heavens." (Pro.8:1-35) God's precious Holy Spirit is His Own Heavenly Mate, the spiritual Mother of His Son, Jesus, & the Mother of us all in spirit!

OF COURSE, EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER RECEIVED JESUS INTO THEIR HEART HAS RECEIVED A MEASURE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, "being born again of the Spirit". (John 3:8) But to receive the full anointing or infilling, or what the Bible calls "baptism" of the Holy Spirit, is usually a separate experience that happens after you have received Jesus.

A GLASS OF WATER MAKES A GOOD ILLUSTRATION. A glass may not be a full glass of water but if it has some water in it at least it's not completely empty, it is a glass of water. Well, that's how a lot of Christians are. They have just a little bit of water, a little bit of God's Spirit, just enough to save them.

BUT BEING BAPTISED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS AS IF THE WATER WAS POURED IN TILL THE GLASS WAS FILLED UP & RUNNING OVER! It is such an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that you fill up & run over! Jesus said, "He that believes on Me, out of his innermost parts shall flow rivers of living water!"--This spake He of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive! (John 7:38,39)

THIS BAPTISM OR INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A BAPTISM OF LOVE!--Love for God & love for others!--Love enough to reach them with the Gospel, to win them to the Lord, such a Love that you just love everybody! In fact, the Holy Spirit of God is Love because "God is Love"! (1John 4:8)

SO TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS TO BE FILLED WITH THE LOVE OF GOD! Of course, at the same time it is also a baptism of the power of God, the power that enables you to tell other people about Jesus, to share His Love with others.

JUST BEFORE LEAVING THIS WORLD & ASCENDING TO BE WITH HIS FATHER, Jesus told His disciples, "You shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you, & you shall be witnesses unto Me in all the World!" (Acts 1:8) Receiving the power of His Holy Spirit will make you want to be a witness & obey His command & tell others about Jesus, & show them that He loves them!

RECEIVING GOD'S WONDERFUL SPIRIT OF LOVE NOT ONLY FILLS US WITH HIS LOVE & POWER, BUT ALSO GIVES US WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS "GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT"! (1Cor.12) These gifts include supernatural wisdom & knowledge, gifts of healing, working of miracles, the ability to prophesy, & speak in new tongues & languages, etc! (1Cor.12:4-10) These marvellous gifts of which we read so much about in the New Testament are still as real & available today as they were in the days of the Apostles, for "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today & forever!" (Heb.13:8)

SO IF YOU WANT TO BE A LIVELY, ACTIVE CHRISTIAN WHO OBEYS THE LORD, preaches the Gospel & wins others into His Kingdom, thereby laying up for yourself an eternal crown & reward because of your faithfulness to Him, you certainly need to be filled with His precious Holy Spirit!--You cannot do the Master's Work without the Master's Power!

"HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST SINCE YOU BELIEVED?" (Acts 19:2) Have you received this overflowing power of God's Love in your own life since you received Jesus? Do you have any of the beautiful "gifts of the Spirit", God the Father's wonderful gifts for His children to enjoy, & tools for your work for Him? You can have them right now! All you have to do is ask!

JESUS PROMISED, "ASK & IT SHALL BE GIVEN YOU, SEEK & YE SHALL FIND, KNOCK & IT SHALL BE OPENED UNTO YOU!" (Mat:7:7) When you ask God for the Holy Spirit, you'll know that you've received Her because He's promised Her!--Just like when you received Jesus into your heart, you knew He came in because the Bible said He would! (Rev.3:20)

JUST AS SHE'S CALLING THE YOUNG MAN IN THIS PICTURE, She's calling you, to come & follow & serve Jesus, to live for Eternity, to know such joy & thrills & fulfilment beyond anything you've ever imagined! Heed Her loving call & ask God to fill you with His precious Holy Spirit right now! Why wait? He is more willing to give than you are to receive!

RECEIVE GOD'S SPIRIT OF LOVE & POWER NOW BY SIMPLY PRAYING THIS LITTLE PRAYER: "Dear Jesus, I love You, & know that I need more of Your Love & Power in my life. So I ask You to please fill me with Your Holy Spirit right now, to give me the strength to truly follow You & tell others about You & Your Love! In Jesus' name I pray, amen!"