Fullness

What are things you like to be full of?

Chocolate cake? Fajita steak? Baby-back ribs? The other day I was filled with a California Club Pizza from California Pizza Kitchen. It was great.

But now let's get spiritual. God wants us to be filled with His Spirit. God knows we need the Spirit in order to do effective ministry and live our lives the way God wants us to.

In Acts 1 Jesus told the apostles to wait until they received the power of the Holy Spirit before they started ministering to the people.

"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 1:4-5, 8

Filling preceded Ministry. Fullness precedes Fruitfulness.

Are you filled with the Spirit? If not, your fruitfulness in ministry will be mediocre at best.

If your fruitfulness is poor, check your fullness. You may be lacking in fullness of Spirit.

Jesus had told his disciples:

"No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:4-5

Do you wonder why you are not producing fruit or seeing progress in your ministry? Perhaps you are not remaining connected to Christ; perhaps you are not filled with the Spirit. In essence both of these are the same. Remain in Christ - Be filled with the Spirit.

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