The Spirit-Filled Life

“Let’s remember that once the day of Pentecost had come, and a person has been baptized with the Spirit, he must not continue praying for the baptism, for that cannot be repeated, whereas he may ask and obtain a fresh filling, a refilling with the Holy Spirit every day of his life.””

— John MacNeil

“Fruit grows, and the fruit will grow if only we make sure the conditions are present that are favorable to growth. That man who expects full growth without attending to the conditions of growth does not manifest much wisdom.””

— John MacNeil

“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed””

— John MacNeil

“We are more than conquerors, for when Jesus cleanses the heart, he cleanses the springs of our action and our being, so that our very desires are purified; the desire to sin, the “want to,” is taken clean away.””

— John MacNeil

“So my thoughts are never more gloomy, My faith is no longer dim, But my heart is strong and restful, And mine eyes are unto Him.””

— John MacNeil

“If self is at the root of our motives at all, God will most surely block our way to fullness of blessing. If we think that it would be a good thing for us to get this blessing for our own happiness or satisfaction, or even that we might be more useful, or that in any way we might have the preeminence, we are not sincere.””

— John MacNeil

“This is how it is with so many children of God. The water is within them – the well is there – but it is choked; the water is not springing up, and so they are reduced to dependence on a bottle! Oh, to have anointed eyes in our heads to see the rubbish, and for grace in our hearts to deal with it, to judge it, and to cast it out. Then we would soon have eyes to see the well of water. May he break every bottle and open every eye to see the well.””

— John MacNeil

“In the same way, it is through the Christian’s overflow that the Gospel is shared with the lost, and in order to overflow there must first be the filling.””

— John MacNeil

“From these four cases – the apostles, the Samaritans, Saul, and the Ephesians – we conclude that in New Testament times people actually lived as Christians, were saved, converted people, and yet knew nothing of the filling with the Spirit. This knowledge, this blessing, came to them some time after they were born again. Yet this is the very thing some people deny today!””

— John MacNeil