This same Spirit

This passage, of course, is talking about Jesus.  How when he came to this earth, the Holy Spirit would rest on him, with all wisdom and understanding, knowledge and power.

It then talks about the kingdom that is to come, where the wolf will live with the lamb and the child can play with the cobra, and how Jesus will restore Israel one day and will reign on this earth in righteousness.

But as I look at this passage, it occurs to me that this same Spirit that rested on Jesus has been given to us.

This same Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord: he’s now ours.

Jesus promised that when he left, that he would impart his Spirit to us, and that because of it, we would do even greater things than he did, because his Spirit would be with us.  (John 14:12-17).

He promised that this same Spirit would teach us all things (John 14:26) and grant us the wisdom that we need to make a difference in this world.  (John 16:13-15)

I never noticed this until today, but this passage in Isaiah may have been in Paul’s mind as he wrote these words in Ephesians 1.

It’s almost a thought-for-thought paraphrase of what Isaiah wrote.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead. (Ephesians 1:17-20)

The Spirit of wisdom and revelation that we may know him better.  Hearts that are enlightened to the hope that we have in him.  His Spirit of power working within us, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.

Sometimes we wonder why God isn’t doing more in this world.

I think one reason may be that we have too few Spirit-filled Christians.  Too few Christians that are filled with his wisdom and understanding, and too many who are lacking in the power and fear of the Lord.

Instead, we’re too busy trying to fill ourselves with the things of this world.

We’re too distracted with work, or with hobbies, or with other things.  And so instead of living a life powered by the Spirit of God, we are running on empty.

This world is dying as a result.

The same Spirit that was upon Jesus is available to us.

The question is, do we thirst after Him?  Do we pursue Him?  Do we long to be filled with Him every day?

Only when we do, will we see change not only in our lives, but in the world around us.

How about you?  Are you running on empty?  Are you hungering for the Spirit in your life?  All we have to do is ask.

Jesus said,

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!  (Luke 11:13).