Over the past 17 years, I have worked with many a church, mission team, prayer group, ministry, denomination, school, church plant... you get the point. I can say, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the most important need of the majority of said entities is the Holy Spirit. I have seen people and places fretting over programs and procedures time and time again. We always seem to be looking for the "next big thing" to reach people for Christ, while completely neglecting the fact that He reaches us by the Holy Spirit. In fact, a look into the Scriptures clearly reveals that although propitiation for our sins is the #1 gift God gives us through Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit has to be considered gift #1a.
The ultimate goal of the Holy Spirit on earth is to bear fruit for Jesus Christ through believers. Simply put if we are not bearing fruit for Jesus Christ, then the Holy Spirit is not working through us because we are not filled by the Holy Spirit.
Why Christians are not filled? They do not desire to be filled... they wallow in mediocrity... inoculated with a mild form of Christianity, they are immune to the real thing... they have quenched the Spirit... they do not yield to the Holy Spirit... they throw a "wet blanket" over God's blessings... they have grieved the Holy Spirit... the Holy Spirit is grieved by sin and He will not fill an unclean vessel; God doesn't require perfect vessels but He does require clean ones.
Because you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit dwells within you. If you ask God to give you a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit and you yield to the Holy Spirit, you will be filled. When you are filled by the Holy Spirit you will bear fruits for Jesus Christ. When our churches are made up of people filled by the Holy Spirit, they will operate by the very power of God Almighty and we will turn this world upside down!
