by: Dr. Allen Domelle
Luke 1:15
“For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.”
There is a key ingredient in every recipe that sets the taste in a prepared food. For instance, I love chocolate chip cookies. The key ingredient in the chocolate chip cookies is of course chocolate chips. You could make a perfect cookie, but without the chocolate chips, it would not be a chocolate chip cookie. Nobody would want a chocolate chip cookie if it didn’t have the key ingredient.
Likewise, there is a key ingredient in the Christian life that enables the Christian to be “great in the sight of the Lord.” Of course, there are many ingredients to the Christian life, and every ingredient is important, but there is one ingredient that enables the Christian to do things they could not do on their own. The key ingredient is the filling of the Holy Ghost. The verse above talks about John the Baptist, and it shows that he would be “great in the sight of the Lord,” but that greatness would only happen because he was “filled with the Holy Ghost.” The filling of the Holy Ghost enables four things in the Christian’s life.
First, the Holy Ghost empowers the Christian to do the impossible. John the Baptist was “great” because he was filled with the Holy Ghost. The only reason great works are not seen in a ministry or life is because they are not filled with the Holy Ghost. When someone is filled with the Holy Ghost, they will be able to do things that the average person cannot do. You will never see God do great works through your life until you are filled with the Holy Ghost.
Second, the Holy Ghost empowers conversion in the disobedient. In verses 16-17, John was going to “turn” many back to the LORD because he was filled with the Holy Ghost. The secret to seeing people get right is being filled with the Holy Ghost. The secret to seeing the hardest heart softened and turned to Christ is to be filled with the Holy Ghost. Stop looking for methods to woo people to Christ and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Great conversions will become a part of your ministry if you are filled with the Holy Ghost.
Third, the Holy Ghost empowers growth. In verse 17, John was able to “make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” A key evidence of a person filled with the Holy Ghost is continued growth in one’s life, and the ability to help others to continue growing. The filling of the Holy Ghost is what keeps the Christian life from becoming stale. The filling of the Holy Ghost will keep you and those to whom you minister growing in the LORD.
Fourth, the Holy Ghost empowers your spirit. Verse 80 says about John that he “waxed strong in spirit.” When you are filled with the Holy Ghost, you will find the fortitude needed to stand for truth. This is why John was able to expose the sins of Herod without trepidation because he was filled with the Holy Ghost. The only way you will successfully take a stand for the LORD in this present evil world is to be filled with the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost will strengthen your spirit which will give you the boldness to stand for that which is right.
Christian, are you filled with the Holy Ghost? The only thing that will make your Christianity great in the LORD’s eyes is the filling of the Holy Ghost. I urge you to yield daily to the Holy Ghost so that He can empower great works through your life.