“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you…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 11:9,13
I must admit that whenever I’ve reflected on this passage of Scripture, I’ve taken it as an assurance that when we seek our Heavenly Father in prayer and align ourselves with his will, he will give us what we ask for. Of course, I’ve always understood that this didn’t mean God was some sort of heavenly vending machine but that this was based on us seeking his will not our own worldly agenda. And I do believe that is true. After all the Bible also tells us that if we delight ourselves in the Lord, he will give us the desires of our heart. (Psalm 37:4)
But when I read these verses today, I realized that the “good gifts” Jesus is talking about here are the gifts of the Holy Spirit. When we surrender our lives to Jesus, we are sealed for eternity by the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit we receive gifts that enable us to serve God (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) and fruit (Galatians 5:22) that helps us stay the course no matter what this world may be throwing at us!
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. – 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. – Galatians 5:22
What gifts has God given you that you could boldly be using to help others? What fruit is growing in your life that will enable you to face the challenges in your way? We have been given a power that cannot be overcome! The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us! (Romans 8:11) What a difference it would make if we lived each and every day in that truth!