I say "invitations" in the plural, because there have been so many disclosures of the Character, Blessings, Favor, Commandments, and Manifestations of the Father that it is difficult to wrap my head around them all and compress them into one finite impression. And I think that is the point ... it is impossible to limit Him based on His immeasurable Nature. The only limits that can be put on God are those that we create ourselves, through our free will and unbelief.
I can't quite explain how I have been blessed to be open to these revelations, while others have not. All I know is that I hunger for more. I want the fullness of all that God purposes for my life, and all that He is willing to reveal of Himself. And I know that my desire these last couple of years to engage the Holy Spirit in a deepening relationship has resulted in more spiritual growth than the preceding 20-odd years combined. All this has led to an increased consciousness of the Holy Spirit in my life, and more manifestations of His Presence. That being said, I am fully aware that I have a long way to go to receive all that Jesus and the Father offer through the Holy Spirit. And what exactly does that "fullness" look like, and is it possible for Believers to have it all?
As I've often said, and utterly believe, Jesus Christ is our model. He lived His life as a man, not God. He came to show us what is possible in this life; what to ask for and how to walk it out. Ultimately, He walked with the fullness of God's Spirit upon Him, and I believe we can, too. And that is my desire for myself and all Believers. But how do we get there? First, we have to look at where it all started ... Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." But then, in Genesis 1:2, something changed: "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." What happened between verse 1 and verse 2 is a blog post for another day (hint: perhaps it was the rebellion by Satan and his angels which resulted in God's judgment upon the earth causing it to become a place of darkness). But verse 2 makes it clear that the Spirit of God was "hovering" or "moving" over the earth -- it did not settle upon the earth.
But it is not until verse 26 that God says, "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us." From that statement alone, we know that mankind was created perfectly, beautifully, and without blemish, just like God, the Father; Jesus; and the Holy Spirit. We were created as a three-part being -- body, soul (mind, will and emotions), and spirit; with the spirit being the deepest part of man, where he could commune with God. But, as we all know, man's beautiful state did not last. He fell prey to Satan's temptation, and his spirit became dark. Man, who had been created by God and made alive by the very "breath of God" (Spirit of God) was incapable of hosting the Holy Spirit of God because of his sin. So the Spirit of God continued to move over the earth, unable to rest -- until God sent His Son to redeem us.
Isaiah 11:1-2 tells us when the Spirit of God would finally be able to rest upon the earth ... Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot -- yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him -- the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. Here, we see the fullness of all that the Spirit of God is. It is His Holiness, His wisdom, His understanding, His counsel, His might (strength; power); His knowledge, and His fear (awesome reverence) of the Lord. SIDE NOTE: I'm not quite sure how to refer to these seven designations of the Spirit that came to rest upon Jesus, the man. They are more than characteristics or descriptions; they are more like the many different ways He operated in Jesus ... and therefore, how He is able to operate in us, too. How was that to come about?
After disclosing that the Spirit of God would come to rest upon the descendant of David, Isaiah 11 goes on to allude to the future: "In that day, the heir to David's throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world". From the Old Testament prophecy to the New Testament, we read in Revelation 5 that John saw "the heir to David's throne", the Lamb who "had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven-fold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth".
So, the Book of Matthew tells us that the Spirit of God hovered over the earth, unable to rest upon it until Jesus is baptized in the River Jordan: And as Jesus rose up out of the water, the heavenly realm opened up over Him and he saw the Holy Spirit descend out of the heavens and rest upon Him in the form of a dove. From Isaiah, we see that the Spirit of God is seven-fold, including all the ways He operates, and that He will be sent out to all the earth. How do we connect the dots to us, and why can we believe that the fullness of the Holy Spirit is available to us, just as it was to Jesus? Remember what Jesus said to the Disciples before His ascension into Heaven? "You will receive power [and ability] when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [messengers], both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth." And then on the day of Pentecost, we read in Acts 2 that the Holy Spirit came in tongues of fire to "rest upon them".
The Apostles were the first of a long line of Believers (down to us) who become filled with the Holy Spirit -- who are the depository of the seven-fold operation of the Holy Spirit -- who carry His Presence everywhere we go! Just as Jesus stated that the Disciples would be sent out to the ends of the earth to declare His Name, we are to do the same. And my desire is to carry and demonstrate that fullness of the Spirit, just as Jesus and the Apostles did! But how many of us Christians think we just house the Holiness of the Spirit -- that the holiness and righteousness of Christ, as realized in the Holy Spirit, is all we have at our disposal to reach the world? I want all of Him! In addition to the Holy Spirit, I want the Spirit of Wisdom to make the right choices at the right time, as endorsed by my Father. I want the Spirit of Understanding; to be able to discern and perceive from the Father's perspective. I desire to accommodate the Spirit of Counsel; to seek and receive the advice of God's heavenly guidance. I want to join my spirit with the Spirit of Might, as God's strength, power, and mighty acts are displayed through me to bring victory to the souls of men. I need the Spirit of Knowledge that comes from a personal and intimate relationship with God that results in divine revelation. And lastly, my spirit cries out for the Spirit of the fear of the Lord; a reverence so awe-inspiring that my spirit trembles in the midst of its longing.
My descriptions of the operations of the Holy Spirit in all His fullness are by no means comprehensive. In truth, they are inadequate to explain the depth and breadth of how the Spirit of God can operate in us. Because God is so big as to be incomprehensible in His fullness, so is the Spirit of God. But it is enough for me to know that the Spirit wants to operate in me and rest upon me. It is only through Him that I am able to receive my marching orders from God and carry them out. So, Father, it is my prayer and request that the fullness of the Holy Spirit be activated in my life, and in the lives of all Believers. May we find increase in the Power and Presence of Your Spirit in all our endeavors for the Kingdom. As for me, I welcome all seven of the Spirits of God as I sanctify myself for the work set before me. And I pray that each of you will receive higher levels of God's Spirit as He rests upon your lives, making you effective ambassadors of the Kingdom of God on earth.
John 16:14 "He will glorify and honor Me, because He (the Holy Spirit) will take from what is Mine and will disclose it to you."
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