It is a principle of God’s kingdom that we will have the fruit of whatever we seek. That which you and I sow is the same thing we will reap. Even in the realm of economics, we receive a return because of an investment we made. Consider this in your own life for a moment: Whatever you have pursued is most likely that which you have now. Whatever you have now is most likely that which you will offer to the needs of others.
For about 40 days, 120 people were shut within an upper room in Jerusalem, making an investment. They were sowing obedience, devotion, single-mindedness, unity (Acts 1:14). They were sowing committed, continual prayer, and they reaped the glorious baptism of the Holy Spirit. With high esteem, Jesus refers to Him as “the Promise of My Father” (Luke 24:49), and Peter speaks of Him as “the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Here we see that the Holy Spirit is not just one of the promises of God for us, nor is He one of the gifts the Father has to give. The Spirit is the promise and the gift! Once they had Him, they had all the resource of heaven for the true needs of people.
Have we invested in the Promise? Have we asked for the gift? Anyone who is born again is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Yet, even then, we have a need to be filled. The early church continued their investment of prayer; Peter and John were on their way to pray in the temple (Acts 3:1). It is no wonder they continued to be repeatedly filled with the Spirit as a result! If you long to know Him more, see more of His fruit in your life, and even feel Him more, perhaps you “have not” because you “ask not” (James 4:2). God still hears prayers to be filled afresh.
“Silver and gold I do not have.” In other words, “I have no return for you because I have not made my investment there.” But thank God that Peter and the disciples had made a different kind of investment! Compare much of the church today in our part of the world with this newborn Spirit-filled, otherworldly church of Pentecost. They had no money or influence or worldly power. They had no written mission statement, just the words of Jesus written on their hearts. They had no branding, no big building, no fund-raising campaign. Yet, the whole known world was staggered by what they did have! They had God. They had the kingdom of God in power. They had supernatural enablement and the miraculous touch of heaven.
We cannot afford (spiritually speaking) to throw money at the problems of human need and hope it advances God’s kingdom. Giving is good! Giving is biblical. We must honor God with our money and use it for the kingdom of God. However, money without prayer is powerless. And if the only needs we can see are the ones money can solve, then we can hardly see at all. The lame beggar’s deepest need was not money but the miraculous touch of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Our spouses, children, friends and family, and the rest of the body of Christ, have needs that can only be met when you and I are fully yielded to the Holy Spirit. We should all continue giving financially to God’s work, but are we also earnestly seeking the touch of Jesus upon our home life, our jobs, our local church life, and first of all our own souls? What a Gift and what a Promise our Father has freely given to all who ask! Let’s take time to ask Him today.
Alex Mack
Teaching Pastor
The Rock Church