"Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood." (1 Peter 2:9)

Understanding how to live a Spirit-filled life every day is of the utmost importance to all who would call themselves Christians, and yet how few seem to know even the most basic and foundational truths which can make this a reality.

Some associate being filled with the Spirit as fanaticism and want nothing to do with it, while others mistakenly believe that because they have had a powerful experience years ago, there is nothing further for them, and grow cold and stale as the years go by. Few seem to have a solid grasp upon the Scriptural promises and truths which are given for the very purpose of enabling us to obey Paul's injunction to "be filled (literally keep on being filled) with the Spirit."

The key to staying filled with the Spirit every day is learning how to get in the Spirit every morning. When we wake up in the morning we all go through certain rituals. Taking a shower, brushing our teeth, eating breakfast, and combing our hair are all ordinary activities which we have done so often that we think nothing of them. We do not consider them a terrible burden or a frivolous waste of time; we recognize their value and have adjusted our mornings in a manner which will give us the time to do these necessary things. They have, in short, become a standard part of our lives.

How sad that we are so diligent in the mundane things which affect the outer man, and yet so negligent in the things that affect the "hidden person of the heart." In this article I want to show you the keys to the filling of the Spirit on a daily basis. These keys will enable you to start your day in the power of the Spirit and can be a powerful launching pad to a Spirit-filled life.

PRIESTS OF GOD

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be equipped to minister as a priest of the Lord. The Scriptures tell us that under the old covenant only certain special individuals, descendants of Aaron, were allowed to function as priests, but under the new covenant inaugurated by Jesus Christ, every believer becomes a priest before the Lord: "To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father ..." (Revelation 1:5,6).

Just as under the old covenant priests were not allowed to minister until they had first been prepared according to very definite specifications, so under the new covenant we cannot assume that we can effectively serve the Lord without proper preparation.

It is most enlightening to consider the three basic elements which were used to prepare priests for ministry. We see these elements clearly in the eighth chapter of Leviticus where Aaron and his sons are consecrated as priests. In verse 6 we find they were washed with water, and in verse 30 they were sprinkled with blood and oil. Now that may seem rather strange to you to first wash someone and then sprinkle him with a messy mix of blood and oil, but clearly the Scriptures are saying something significant here, something that can be of tremendous value to the redeemed saints of Jesus Christ as they rightly consider the value of water, blood, and oil.

Over the years I have come to see that water, blood, and oil are keys to living the Spirit-filled life. Each one is significant and indispensable in its own right, and yet all complement and complete one another. This understanding has revolutionized my prayer life and made my morning time with the Lord incredibly rich and satisfying. For those who have a heart to receive it, I believe it will do the same for you.

WATER --- Let us first consider water. Before the priests were allowed to enter the holy place they were required to wash with water. This was not a one time thing but a regular practice which must be done every time they ministered. Is there anything in the New Testament which corresponds to washing with water? Everyone who knows the New Testament will immediately think of this verse: "... Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:25-27). The inspired Scriptures here tell us that the Word of God has a washing effect upon the church much like water is a natural washing agent for the physical body. This is in line with the word of Jesus when He said, "Now you are clean through the word I have spoken to you" (John 15:3). Just as the Old Testament priests were required to wash with water before performing their ministry, Christians today must also wash--with the water of the word of God before attempting to go out and "do the work of the Lord."

Something I once read by George Mueller has had a profound effect upon my devotional life. He told how that for years it was his custom to immediately pray upon rising from the night's sleep. Then one day he made a discovery! He found that by spending a period of time in the Word of God first, his prayer life was empowered and became more effective. He shared how that the Word of God is for our strength, and to equip us for ministry. When we spend time in the Word first, we find our spirits refreshed and strengthened, and we are able to pray more effectively. This is in line with the Old Testament pattern in which the priests washed with water BEFORE being sprinkled with blood or oil.

After reading this from one so spiritually advanced as George Mueller I began some experimenting of my own and found for myself that a healthy breakfast of the Word of God provides the necessary strength for the vigorous exercise of prayer or any other form of ministry the Lord would have us do. Your prayer life will never rise any higher than your time spent meditating upon the sacred Scriptures. This is the source of spiritual energy the Holy Spirit will ignite for effective, powerful ministry.

BLOOD --- Being a priest in the Old Testament days was a bloody business. Blood was one of the chief tools of their trade. Sacrifice after sacrifice was slain and their blood sprinkled upon the altar. After a full day's work, the priests must have looked like they had been through a horrible battle. Blood would have been spattered all over their clothes, and their hands would have been deeply stained by the crimson substance. This emphasis on blood did not stop with the conclusion of the Old Testament; it carries through right into the New Testament and is at the heart of the Christian faith! The Scriptures speak reverently and frequently about the blood of Jesus Christ. In Romans we are even told that we must exercise faith in Christ's blood: "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood ..." (Romans 3:25).

The lack of understanding of the value and purpose of Christ's shed blood has cost Christians dearly, and has resulted in untold failures and defeats before our enemy which did not have to be! We are told that we overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11), and since this is true, it would be wise for believers to give serious study to the blood of Jesus and how we can effectively employ it against the enemy of our souls. As the priests of old were prepared and consecrated for their sacred ministries by blood, the New Testament priests (us) are likewise equipped and prepared by rightly understanding and applying the blood of Jesus.

To effectively pray and serve God, the Christian must be able to come before God boldly, in faith, and without guilt. This sounds fine, but it presents a problem. Who of us can look at even the last twenty-four hours of our life and find no cause for remorse, no situation we couldn't have handled better, or no relational difficulties in which our personality flaws were not clearly demonstrated. So here we are, coming before a holy God, one who is of purer eyes than to even behold evil and who cannot look upon wickedness, and it doesn't take long for our own consciences to tell us we've got no business even pretending to get bold with such a One as God. Satan will pitch right in and let us know that it would be better to make a few quick apologies for our unworthiness, and quickly leave this place of prayer.

Such would be the case if it were not for the cleansing blood of Jesus! Just as the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies with blood, we likewise must enter the holy place of communion with our Heavenly Father by the blood of Christ. Once you have washed with the water of the word, the next step is to verbally recognize in the presence of the Father just what the blood does for you. The classic text for this is 1 John 1:7: "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." Another like passage is Revelation 1:5: "To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood."

I have found that by merely quietly acknowledging these verses in the presence of the Lord, the Holy Spirit's presence begins to come upon you, and boldness in prayer becomes possible and natural. Having appropriated the cleansing of the blood there are other promises relating to the efficacy of Christ's blood for our justification, sanctification, and redemption. Space does not permit us to go into these wonderful benefits, but a study along these lines would be a tremendous benefit to every believer.

OIL --- It should hardly be necessary to declare what oil, the third agent of priestly preparation, represents. Every student of the Bible knows that oil is a frequent symbol in the Scriptures for the Holy Spirit. Having washed in the water of the word, and been cleansed by the blood of Christ, it is now time to receive the final grace: the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Far too many Christians fail to recognize the need for daily fillings and re-fillings with the Holy Spirit. Many loudly profess, "I got it all when I got saved," while others look back to a specific experience a certain number of years ago and feel the need for nothing further. The filling of the Holy Spirit was never meant to be a one time experience. Over and over in the book of Acts we read such statements as: "Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said..." Paul's command to "Be filled with the Spirit," is more literally translated "Be being filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). Thus when we spend time with the Lord in the morning, one of our great needs is to receive a fresh filling of the Spirit for the challenges of the day that lies before us.

To receive something you need, you must first know where to get it. You do not go looking for an exhaust pipe in a flower shop or a guitar in a grocery store. Likewise to receive the filling of the Holy Spirit it is not enough merely to desire this experience; you must know where to go. The good news is that none of us need wonder; the Scriptures make this abundantly clear. Listen to the words of our Lord: "If any man thirsts, let him come unto Me and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:37,38).

Jesus is telling us that He is the Fountain of the living waters, He is the One who fills with the Holy Spirit. This is in accordance with the declaration by John the Baptist when he said, "I indeed baptize you with water, but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Luke 3:16). Can anyone doubt that the One John was referring to was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ?

Having washed in the Word and been cleansed by the blood, we come to the Lord Jesus for the oil. It is vital that we come with the promises of God which relate to the Holy Spirit. We receive the filling of the Spirit on the basis of the promises of God, not merely because we beg long enough and loud enough.

Your approach might be something like this: "Lord Jesus, You have promised that if we thirst we are to come to You. I'm coming to you this morning. You said that if we would believe on You, out of our bellies would flow living waters. Lord Jesus I do believe on You. I believe You are the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the way, the truth, and the life. AND I believe You are the Baptizer and Filler with the Holy Spirit. Fill me and refill me with Your Spirit all day long this day." As we approach Him in simple faith, basing our request upon the surety of the promises in His word, we shall not be disappointed. Having asked, we believe that we receive, and look expectantly for the manifestation of the Spirit in our lives throughout the day.

At this point we are now ready to begin our day as priests and ministers of the Lord, fully prepared for every good work which the Lord has ordained for us. By staying in close fellowship with the Lord throughout the day we can live in the victory of that blessing which we have received in that morning season where we were prepared for our priestly ministry. This is at the heart of preparation for Christian service.

To charge into ministry without proper preparation is as foolish today as it would have been for the high priest in Old Testament times to rush into the Holy of Holies without the proper steps of consecration. Our Heavenly Father has prepared for us all we need to be effective and fruitful servants in His kingdom. Let us put on the full armor of God that we may go forth in the power of the Spirit and win mighty victories in Jesus' name!