Get filled up.

By now, cases of jars are filled with fish, berries, and produce. Many freezers are filled with fish and game. Schedules are full of school and activities.

Those of us who are penny pinchers know the game. In the spring, the challenge is to fill up your gas tank often so as to get the lower gas price before the prices climb higher. In the fall, the opposite is true. We try to get the most out of a tank because the next fill up might be at a lower price per gallon, thus saving a few cents.

The Bible has many stories of things becoming or being full by God’s provisions.

One example is the story of Gideon and the victory won for Israel. Gideon was given encouragement that the Lord was with him and that he would be the means of deliverance for his people. Gideon requested and saw many signs that this would happen. One of them is the fleece being wet from dew and the ground dry; then the opposite with the fleece dry and the ground wet. What is amazing is that the fleece was not only wet and damp, but when it was wrung out there was “a bowl full of water.” Why full? Wouldn’t half be enough? It seems that the Lord was assuring Gideon of full victory with that amount of water as evidence. He heard and answered Gideon’s request to the fullest extent.

The Tabernacle as a traveling tent and then the stationary Temple were built so that God could be with his people. “That I may dwell among them,” was God’s purpose. To show his favor upon their efforts in gathering materials and building the Tabernacle “according to the pattern,” God gave a significant sign. “The glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” This happened with the Temple dedication too, once in response to worship and then to Solomon’s prayer. Ezekiel saw it happen in a vision inspired by the spirit, “the glory of the LORD filled the house.” Each event was a supernatural display of God’s presence.

The beginning of God’s plan of the believers becoming the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19) was fulfilled in Acts 2. Here again, God wanted to fill the “temple” with his glory. A sound of symbolic wind filled the house where they were gathered. “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” This caused amazement and marvel among those who witnessed that event. Peter’s preaching made it clear that everyone can receive this experience (Acts 2:38). Example after example fills the narrative of the Book of Acts as many are filled with God’s Spirit.

What an incredible experience to know the love of God. The Bible says, “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God,” (Ephesians 3:19). To know what is considered to be beyond knowing and to be filled with the fullness of God is amazing. God offers everyone a wonderful opportunity to be “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). Let’s get filled up.

Mitch Glover is pastor of the Sterling Pentecostal Church located on Swanson River Road and Entrada. Services on Sunday include Bible classes for all ages at 10:00 a.m. and worship at 11:00 a.m. Thursday Bible study is at 7:00 p.m. (sterlingpentecostalchurch.com)