Spirit Filled

Acts 1:8 -- "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses."

In the distance across a wild field on a hot day, A.J. Gordon could see a man put some muscle behind every heave he gave an iron handle on a water pump. After several minutes passed, Reverend Gordon noticed that the man showed no signs of letting up. Fatigue seemed beyond the man and the pump handle kept moving up and down, up and down - in a rhythm that appeared to defy human strength. Curious, the Reverend closed the space between himself and this "super man", walking at a steady clip in order to discover what motivation lay behind the never-ending motion.

As Reverend Gordon approached the pump in motion, he noticed - somewhat to his surprise - that the pump master was not a man at all, but a life-size representation made of wood, paint, and jointed arms. And in fact, the pump was not being moved by the wooden man but was instead attached to an energetic and effervescent spring bubbling up into an artesian well. The water was moving the man, the man was not moving the water. This discovery brought a smile to the Reverend Gordon's lips - and he mentioned this little adventure in one of his sermons.

In Acts chapter 1 verse 8 we are clearly told that we receive power from the Holy Spirit. We don't start out with the power and it doesn't come from anything we accomplish. We are given this gift from the Holy Spirit ...but, like the wooden man in motion at the water pump, we can't keep moving unless we keep our hands on the handle.

We have all the power and direction we need - we have but to keep our hearts clinging tightly to God's Word.