There’s More Waiting
Following Jesus is more than agreeing with a set of beliefs. It means a growing, living relationship marked by intimacy with Jesus through Holy Spirit.
Who Is Holy Spirit?
Holy Spirit is God. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus promised His disciples, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16–17). In that one promise we meet the Father, the Son and the Spirit: one God eternally existing as three persons, communing and collaborating in perfect union. The word translated “advocate” (Greek, paraklētos) appears only five times in the New Testament, all in John’s writings. Four times it describes the Spirit (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7), and once it describes Jesus Himself (1 John 2:1). Holy Spirit is “another” advocate, like Jesus in every way, yet His own person. He comes alongside us, stands in our corner, and fights for us. What Jesus did for His first disciples, Holy Spirit continues to do for us: Jesus said the Spirit “will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26) and “will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13).
Holy Spirit is a person to know, not a power to hold. He is not an impersonal force; He loves, He has hopes for us and for His church, and Scripture tells us He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). Jesus told His disciples, “You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans” (John 14:17–18). When we put our faith in Jesus, Holy Spirit makes His home in us (Ephesians 1:13), uniting us with the Father and the Son.
How to Receive the Spirit
If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you already have the Spirit. Paul writes, “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:13–14). The seal assures you that you truly belong to Him; the deposit promises that more is to come. As a disciple of Jesus, you have the Spirit within you, yet there is more of the Spirit to embrace and experience. That is why Paul tells people who already have the Spirit to “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), a command that carries the sense of keep on being filled.
We see this truth lived out in the lives of Jesus’ first disciples. They received the Spirit when the risen Jesus breathed on them (John 20:22), they were filled at Pentecost (Acts 2:4), and they were filled again as they prayed together and “spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:31). There is always more of Holy Spirit to receive and experience. You don’t have to run on empty.
How do you receive more? Start by asking for the Spirit. Jesus said, “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13). In the New Testament, we often see Holy Spirit come when a community or group gathers to pray. As you seek the Spirit’s filling in your life, involve others in your pursuit. Here is a prayer you can pray together:
Holy Spirit, fill me today. Just as I cannot live without breath, I cannot live without Your presence. Remove anything in my heart that creates a barrier with You and help me fully surrender. Lead me into the fullness of Your will, and let my life overflow with Your Spirit to impact others.
Holy Spirit, take over my thoughts, my words, and my actions. Saturate me with Your presence and let Your power overflow in my life. Let my life radiate Your glory everywhere I go. As I wait upon You in prayer, let Your Spirit come upon me mightily, and may I never remain the same. Transform me completely by Your presence. Lead me in all things so that I may always walk in alignment with Your will.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
God is willing to give you as much of the Spirit as you are willing to ask for and receive. Holy Spirit is not reluctant. Jesus promised Him as a gift (John 14:16), and you can ask for Him today without hesitation.
An Inner Filling Always Leads Us Outward
Receiving the Spirit—being filled with the Spirit—was never meant just for us. The more we are filled with the Spirit, the closer we grow to God’s heart and the more we share His love for people who don’t yet know Him. Being filled with the Spirit should always lead to greater engagement in God’s mission. Jesus promised His followers power through Holy Spirit to be His witnesses, from their own neighbourhoods to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). That’s why our mission is to help everyone encounter Jesus, live authentically by the Spirit and share the Father’s love everywhere.
Take a Next Step
At Trailview, we call the ongoing pursuit of the Spirit’s presence and power the deeper life. The deeper life isn’t just for a few. It’s God’s invitation to everyone who follows Jesus. It starts small, like a seed, and grows as we make room for Holy Spirit in our soul. Engaging with the Spirit and letting His presence fill you is central to experiencing the deeper life. Wherever you are with God, there is always more of Him to know. Through our Deeper Life Ministries, Trailview offers a few ways to experience the deeper life:
Annual conference (Fall)
Holy Spirit Summits
Recurring Course (Spring)
Tuning In: Learning to Hear God’s Voice
Annual conference (Spring)
Soul Summits
Recurring Course (Fall)
The Soul Course
Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.