Day 9: Fill Us With Your Spirit

Day 9: Fill us with Your Spirit
Kristen Fulcher, City Church OTR

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 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 11:11-13


I get really excited about giving someone a good gift. It brings so much joy seeing that person you love receive something you put thought into, and maybe even went to great lengths to get or make yourself. It’s a way to show that person that they are seen, known and loved by you.

While I like to go above and beyond for any gift, no one appreciates it more than my niece and nephew. My 5-year-old niece loves the store Claire’s, and just got her ears pierced. So when I saw a Claire’s store while traveling abroad, I sent a photo thinking she would like to see it in another country. Her response to her mom showing her the picture was “Ask Aunt Kristen to buy me some earrings.” So what did I do? I went all over Paris to get the perfect little girl earrings for her birthday. I was giddy through the whole experience— from finding the store, picking out the ones I thought she’d love, and making sure she got them for her birthday a week later.

In this scripture, Luke is saying that God wants to give us the Holy Spirit even more than we want to give good gifts to those we love. Just like my niece asking me for earrings, all we have to do is ask for them. It’s so simple it almost sounds too good to be true. But why is that? Why would we not continuously go to our loving Father asking for more of the gift we’re guaranteed to receive? Maybe we’re afraid we won’t actually get anything, or won’t know how to “use” it. Maybe we don’t feel worthy for God to give it to us when He seems to give so much to everyone else, or it doesn’t show up in the way we wanted it to. Or maybe we’re disappointed because we stepped out in faith before and nothing happened.

I remember the first time I saw someone healed through my hands and prayers after many, many prayers that didn’t seem to get answered—my own healing included. I told a mentor at the time about my experience, amazed that God would use me in such a way. Her response changed my perspective completely: “Expect more of it.” I realized that if I kept asking, kept expecting by faith, and kept taking steps, God would meet me, even if He didn’t show up in the way I was hoping He would. I learned that this is a battle of faith and possible disappointment, but one that ultimately increases my faith and trains my eyes to stay on “things above.”

God’s desire is to give us His best. He already did that with Jesus. And yet, we still get to experience more depths of his goodness, grace, and power every day. As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we increase our intimacy with God, fully encountering how we are seen, known and loved by Him. All we have to do is ask Him.

Pray with me: “Father, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is a gift that makes our faith tangible in so many ways. Increase our desire to be filled with the Spirit more and more. Give us fresh encounters, new gifts, more of your power through your Spirit and opportunities to increase our faith as we step out to see you move. May we come boldly and ask you for more of the Spirit just as a kid would ask their father, trusting that you are faithful to give it. Amen.”


Today's Prayer Guide Focus: Pray that God will fill us with His Holy Spirit. Allow us to hear His voice and follow His call. (Luke 11:11-13)