March 23

Read: Acts 8:14-17

Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:17).

Our Need Is Now

In New Testament times Christians who were prepared in heart received the Holy Spirit in a moment of time. It happens that way today.

We need not go far in examining the spiritual life to be fully convinced of the utter fitness of God’s provision for our entire sanctification in a moment of time. Our need is now. The experience of heart holiness is preeminently the enabling grace by which we are to live the Christian life. This experience enables us to love God with all the heart because it eradicates from the soul that carnal spirit, which is not subject to the law of God. Sanctification enables us to love our neighbors because it is the perfection of love within us. The baptism with the Holy Spirit fits us for effective witnessing to the unsaved and thus prepares us to be of greatest service in God’s kingdom.

All of these consequences are needed in our lives now-the sooner, the better. If they could come only gradually or not until the close of life, they would be of little help to us in building Christian character and in advancing Christ’s kingdom.

God’s plan is to sanctify wholly every one of His children who sincerely yearns for this blessing — to sanctify us at the earliest possible moment, so that full fellowship and service may continue for maximum years. Provision has therefore been made for this blessing to be given in a moment. God’s desire is that our sanctification shall be now.

Thou canst fill me, gracious Spirit, Tho” I cannot tell Thee how. But I need Thee, greatly need Thee; Come, oh, come and fill me now.

— E. H. Stokes