Did you know it is possible to be saved without living a life of power and boldness? It's the kind of life that can feel dry, mundane, and ritualistic. Even while serving the Lord you may feel that longing for more, the thought that you know there must be another level. The empowerment you need to go to that next level comes from the Holy Spirit, our Hero within.
My dad is an excellent example of life before and after the Hero moves in. He had been pastoring for years, obeying God’s Word and loving Jesus with everything in him. He worked hard and was climbing the ladder of religious accomplishments, but he was burning out. He knew something was wrong; the strength, power, and divine flow he preached about weren’t present in his everyday life. He knew there had to be more; and he had decided that he would quit pastoring if there wasn’t. I'm forever grateful that God intervened.
In 1989 the Lord spoke to my father in a hotel room in New Mexico. Dad was reading the Word when this passage jumped off the page into his heart:
“But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil.”
Psalm 92:10
The Lord revealed to him that he had not fully surrendered to the power of the Holy Spirit in his life. He thought he had. Though he had been faithfully walking with Jesus and Father God he was missing the empowerment the Holy Spirit provides.
Immediately he surrendered his heart and waves of the Father’s love washed into his soul, spirit, and body. Dad was forever changed; His emotions were healed, spirit refreshed, and there was a comfort that settled in him unlike before. He instantly received power, to sustain him, inside and out. The Holy Spirit was unleashed in his life that day, and that power still flows through him day and night.
The first time in the Bible that the Holy Spirit touched His people in this special way was at Pentecost:
“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Acts 2:1-4
You can have the same encounter!
This outpouring that occurred at Pentecost — the same type of encounter my dad experienced in 1989 — is called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The word "baptism", in the original Greek, means "to immerse, submerge." It is a dipping that results in change. If you were to dip a white cloth in a bucket of red dye it would come out red. When you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit the same happens, you are changed!
I want you to live a life of unbridled power. I want the superhero within you to be radically unleashed in your everyday life, turning routine existence into an epic adventure. I want to see Holy Spirit put His "super" on your "natural", His "extra" on your "ordinary" and unleash His superpowers inside your heart and through your actions.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit will make a huge difference in your life. You become bold and tuned into God’s heart and voice. You feel God’s presence in tangible ways. You hear Him speaking to you. You have a hunger and passion for His Word and His presence. You find a new strength and energy to seek Him with a deep authentic desire to follow His will.
Do you want to receive the Hero Within? Do you want to walk with Jesus in supernatural ways every day? Do you desire to be immersed in the Holy Spirit fire and surrender to His will? If you’re ready, then pray this aloud right where you are:
Dear Lord Jesus,
The Bible says that you baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire.
I want to receive everything You have for me.
I don’t want to go another moment without everything you desire for me to have.
Please baptize me in Your Holy Spirit and fire here and now.
Holy Spirit, I surrender completely to You.
Have Your way in my heart.
Do Your work in my life and fill me with Your gifts.
Teach me how to use them and walk in power with You.
Thank Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
I’m so grateful for your mercy and what You’re doing in my life.
In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer you may find words bubbling out of your spirit like on the day of Pentecost. Don’t be afraid! Pour out your heart to the Lord, and talk to Him, even if you don’t understand your own words or the way He is touching your heart. Let Him fill you with His love and power.
Let the Hero, Holy Spirit, move in and transform your life.
Pastor Ronnie’s new book, The Hero Within, will help you receive and activate the Hero in your life. Pre-order the book now and receive four free companion mp3 teachings through August 31.