Dr. Luauna Stines tells the story of her second morning in Korea:

 Second day in Korea, a young Korean woman stopped me to share Jesus, as I was walking out of my hotel. I said, “Yes, I know Jesus!”… She said, “I share everyday about Jesus, many people do not know Jesus. They go to church, but are not filled with Holy Spirit. I learned English so I can speak to Americans about Jesus.”

 Is it possible for people to go to church, to be Seventh-day Adventists in good and regular standing and yet still not be filled with the Holy Spirit?  Do you personally need to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

 When Paul went back to Ephesus, he found a group of devoted people.  They had been baptised according to the baptism of John the Baptist, but they had not had the opportunity to learn about the new spiritual birth that Jesus was offering them.  They also had not been baptised by the Holy Spirit.  As they opened up their lives to the transforming power of Jesus, they made an incredible quantum leap in their spiritual journey.

 “There are today many as ignorant of the Holy Spirit’s work upon the heart as were those believers in Ephesus; yet no truth is more clearly taught in the word of God. Prophets and apostles have dwelt upon this theme. Christ Himself calls our attention to the growth of the vegetable world as an illustration of the agency of His Spirit in sustaining spiritual life. The sap of the vine, ascending from the root, is diffused to the branches, sustaining growth and producing blossoms and fruit. So the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Saviour, pervades the soul, renews the motives and affections, and brings even the thoughts into obedience to the will of God, enabling the receiver to bear the precious fruit of holy deeds.” AA p284

 Not only were there believers in Ephesus who were not aware of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  There were others who had acquired spiritually dangerous resources in their lives.  When the evil spirits brought mockery to believers who were taking the spiritual battle between good and evil as something to play around with, the believers realised how they were actually playing with fire.  They came forward, confessing the spiritual materials and practices they had been involved with.  Instead of selling these evil books so that other people’s lives would be contaminated by the spiritual forces of evil, they decided to make a public burning of them, in spite of the fact that the books were worth thousands of dollars.

 What about you?  Is there a spiritual quantum leap that God is calling you to take?  

 Have you been baptised by the Holy Spirit, or have you just been going through the motions of being good and regular Seventh-day Adventist each Sabbath?  Do you want to experience the power and transformation of being filled with the Holy Spirit?

 What about the rest of your life?  Are there dangerous resources or practices that are just sitting there somewhere in your life, in your home or on your computer?  Are there books, music, pictures, movies or pills that you should confess and burn?  Do you want to experience the peace and freedom that comes from taking active steps to destroy these evil resources?

 Are you prepared to take the spiritual quantum leap?

 The book of Acts is drenched with the Holy Spirit.  Reading it is like taking time to play out in the tropical rain!  Read the full stories for today in:

Acts 19 NIV
Acts of the Apostles “Ephesus”
Acts of the Apostles “Days of Toil and Trial”

 Invite your friends to join this journey with you!  You can follow this journey on Facebook too.