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Thank you so much for the ping Alamo-Girl!

In this particular devotion of Chambers, I find things that I strongly agree with, and things I strongly disagree with, in the way he characterizes the person of the Holy Spirit. There are some points where he seems to be engaging in sanctified rationalization rather than accurately portraying biblical truths.

For purposes of further discussion, I will point out those things that I agree with and disagree with.

The disciples had to tarry, staying in Jerusalem until the day of Pentecost, not only for their own preparation but because they had to wait until the Lord was actually glorified. And as soon as He was glorified, what happened? "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear" (Acts 2:33). The statement in John 7:39 - "...for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified" - does not pertain to us. The Holy Spirit has been given; the Lord is glorified - our waiting is not dependent on the providence of God, but on our own spiritual fitness.

Very true--to a point. It depends on how you define "spiritual fitness." If we take that phrase to mean a hunger for the things of God, then I would agree fully with Oswald's statement.

The Holy Spirit's influence and power were at work before Pentecost, but He was not here. Once our Lord was glorified in His ascension, the Holy Spirit came into the world, and He has been here ever since. We have to receive the revealed truth that He is here.

I stongly disagree with these statements Oswald makes about the Holy Spirit. First of all, the Holy Spirit is sent to live within BELIEVERS, not "the world." That is a crucial distinction, and I think Oswald does us no favors by using the term "world." Very bad theology on his behalf.

Secondly, the Spirit was very much "here" before the Pentecost, and there's amble biblical support to prove He was, in fact "here." He was here in the person of Jesus, and was given to various patriarchs and prophets in the course of OT history. Also, there is no reason to believe that the Holy Spirit hasn't been at work in various ways throughout history, even working outside of the indwelling of believers.

The attitude of receiving and welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives is to be the continual attitude of a believer. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive reviving life from our ascended Lord.

This is the best part of the devotional. I totally agree that we must continually be a welcoming place for the Holy Spirit to reside, and that He does His best work through those who are the most open to His ministry.

It is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit that changes people, but the power of the ascended Christ coming into their lives through the Holy Spirit. We all too often separate things that the New Testament never separates. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an experience apart from Jesus Christ - it is the evidence of the ascended Christ.

Well, in fact the NT does seperate these two things: the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the ascended Christ. The only way they are connected is that Jesus had to ascend before the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers.

Secondly, the baptism of the Holy Spirit does, in fact, change people. The Holy Spirit is a person like Jesus is a person. The Holy Spirit bears witness to the life and ministry of Jesus, but is not, in any way, Jesus himself; unless you consider the fact that all three persons of the godhead are connected and work in unison.

Thirdly, it is not "the power of the ascended Christ" that comes into a person's life with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but more simply the power of God. The ascension is just one of many examples of this power. Connecting the baptism of the Holy Spirt to the ascension of Christ only makes sense in terms of a linear progression: Christ had to ascend before the Spirit was poured out. One event had to proceed the other, but they are not the same thing. However, I will allow that metaphorically speaking, one could use the ascension of Christ as a poetic description of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and perhaps this is what Oswald is getting at.

Fourth, I don't know anyone who says or teaches that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is an experience apart from that of Christ, ascended or not. Is it evidence of His ascension? Well, it wouldn't be wrong to say that, but it isn't the main reason why the Holy Spirit was given. The Holy Spirit was given to enable believers to walk in the boldness and power of Christ. Jesus went up to heaven, but through the ministry of the person of the Holy Spirit, there could now be hundreds, thousands, and even millions of little "Christs," going to places and lands that Jesus was not able to go to during his short visit here. Jesus got the ball rolling, but he fully inteneded that his ministry would continue through his disciples, and others that the initial disciples would train-up and equip.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit does not make you think of time or eternity - it is one amazing glorious now. "This is eternal life, that they may know You..." (John 17:3). Begin to know Him now, and never finish.

Well, this is a very interesting comment by Chambers. I agree that there is certainly a certain timelessness in the experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. However, I would not go so far to say that the Holy Spirit "does not make you think of time or eternity." Rather, you get a whole new appreciation for both! You begin to understand just how very short our time is here on this earth, and how we must make the most of it. Secondly, you get a much greater appreciation for eternity, and just how long it will last! You get a new appreciation for both, thanks to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

However, I do agree that you also get an appreciation for the NOW of the moment. You realize too how important the presence of God is, and how you can completely loose track of time when you are in His presence.

As for Chamber's statement: "Begin to know Him now, and never finish," I agree whole heartedly!!! It's excellent advice, and one that the church certainly could stand to hear at this time. I've been getting to know the Holy Spirit for nearly eighteen years now (and, by association, the Triune God), and I feel like I've bearly even gotten started! He's not a person you can figure out very quickly or easily. He moves in different ways and in different directions in the life of each believer. A really good leader understands this about the Spirit, and works in accordance with the movement of the Spirit, not against it.

Well, that's my humble take on this devotion! FWIW.