Last year, my father left us for eternity. He was fighting a deadly sickness. God took him home because He loved and care for him. It was a good thing for my father, I would say.
However, his death left a huge ‘vacuum’ in our family, especially to us, his kids. Even for a very small thing we depend on his ability and word of advice. He was our last resort. We are comforted by his presence. Family businesses and administration suffered huge setback too.
Before my father had departed, we discussed so many things about life. Not everything can be accomplished in this lifetime. So many things I wanted to ask him, about certain things, which he must have known or could shed light to it. With God by our side, we’d live till we are also called to be with our Savior. We now take refuge in that being the great Helper and Comforter who had already descended on us, and dwelled in us.
Filling the Vacuum:
Victory over death proclaimed, Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven. His disciples were left behind without their teacher. They must have felt a huge vacuum in their life too. They were told to wait for the Helper, who’d descend on earth, when the time is right for them.
For it is written: “And I will pray the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:15-17)
Here we know that the Holy Spirit dwelled in us to fill the vacuum left by our Lord. The Holy Spirit guides us, comforts us, and shed light on our path. He is the Regenerator in our way of life. The Holy Spirit becomes our ‘access point’ to our God. Being with Him inside us, our Helper sufficed our thoughts and deeds.
The Indwelling Helper:
Disciples of Lord Jesus Christ waited for the promised Helper. They were in one place, with one accord, when the Holy Spirit descended. When suddenly a sound came from heaven and filled the house. They were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they speak in tongues. To those of them, who were NOT filled with the Holy Spirit, they simply looked like they are under the influence of new wine. (Acts 2)
From that day onward, the Holy Spirit ‘indwells’ in our new life. Being dwelling in us meant that we become the temple of God. The ‘vacuum’, that I am talking about, becomes ‘completely filled’. So when I can sense and feel that God know what I was undergoing – be it loneliness or adversities, it eases the pain and filled me, which renewed my strength each passing day.
When a person puts his faith in Christ for salvation, it is the Spirit who opens the heart and imparts divine life. He then indwells us, giving us the confidence that we are now children of God. This can be seen from the conversation Lord Jesus Christ had with Nicodemus. (John 3:5)
Indwelling, as used in medical term, the artificial parts indwelling in the body can cause a problem in our body metabolism, even though it is for our health benefit. Sometimes the processes are uneasy and disheartening.
Likewise, the Holy Spirit being indwelling in us can caused infighting in our heart. The fight is for good over evil. It can cause a rift in our heart but even for that problem the Holy Spirit is our helper.
Emptying Before God:
Not all person experience this indwelling, however it is open for all. As for me, my biggest problem is that there is always a huge vacuum left in my heart, which eventually leads to loneliness or the longing for something good to happen.
The more we empty our heart before God, the more we will get filled. For the Holy Spirit to occupy our heart, first, we should be empty. God filled all the empty jar of oil, which did not run dry. Elisha and the Widow: Before all the empty vessels were filled, the oil never run dry. (2 Kings 4:1-7) This is the filling of the Holy Spirit that filled open heart and never run dry. Abundant filling till we get home!
In this world, when the vacuum in our heart is filled with other than the Holy Spirit, we are doomed. This filling of the Holy Spirit is the best weapon in fighting spiritual warfare.
Be filled with the Holy Spirit today! Amen.
