Seek and Keep on Seeking

By Al Fry

September 1, 2022

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

During every sermon, we hear the words, “I wish upon all of you the grace of God, the rich, pure love of Jesus Christ, and the accompanying power of the Holy Spirit.” Do we understand and acknowledge how deep and how important this blessing really is? We often hear explanations and parables about the grace of God and the love of Jesus Christ, but seldom is the power of the Holy Spirit expounded upon.

I will try, with the help of God, to clarify and explain the way to receive and be filled with the Holy Spirit and to live out our life in that way. I will be the first to say, with humbleness, I do not have all of the answers.

This is how my journey worked out. I became convicted that the power of the Holy Spirit is just as important as the grace of God and the rich, pure love of Jesus Christ. I began asking God, “How do I receive this awesome gift?” The answers did not come overnight. I prayed and read the Bible and a number of books. One day, the answer jumped out at me from the Bible!

I have a Bible translated directly from Greek. Greek is the language that the disciples and apostles knew and used. The New Testament was originally written in Greek as well. In the footnote it explains the verse,

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7).

The footnote says that the force of the Greek language means this:

Ask and keep on asking.

Seek and keep on seeking.

Knock and keep on knocking.

I thanked the Lord for this answer and decided then and there to not give up until I KNEW that the Holy Spirit was leading me and that I was filled with this awesome power.

 I wish that I could say exactly when, where, and how this was fulfilled, but it did not work out that way for me. I fully believe and trust that some people receive the Holy Spirit instantly and miraculously, but it was not that way for me. However, the important thing is  to ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking. I would like to add to this ‘trust and keep on trusting.’ When God gives you this, and He will if you truly seek and are not afraid of what this may bring, you will know without a doubt!

 I still make sinful mistakes and think sinful thoughts, but now I know that God forgives and loves me and helps me to do those things less and less. I also find myself thinking and praying for people in my life in this manner: “Does he/she have the Holy Spirit? If not, give them the desire and hunger to seek it.”

 This has changed my life. I still have moments and times when I doubt, but then I have many more times and days when I feel the Spirit bubbling out and overflowing.

“...for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45b).

“...because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:5b).

Please do not ever think that you will just so happen to receive this gift, as that is just as impossible as thinking that you will just so happen to spend eternity in heaven. As in all aspects of our Christian walk, it takes dedication, perseverance, and an unbelievable amount of trust and prayer!

Is it worth it? The only way that it would not be worth it would be if a person is still living in fear of man and will not act upon the Spirit’s promptings. This letter is proof of the Holy Spirit’s prompts, as I hesitated to write it. It is always easy to think and say that there are others more qualified (and there are), but if God wants us to do something, we MUST humbly and obediently do it.

May God bless you and use you to show others true brotherly love and servant leadership. In the name of Jesus Christ, let us pray, “Lord Jesus, help me to live the way that You would. Help me to have the same attitude that You do. Help me live for You so much that those around me will be compelled to know You as I do. Amen.”

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