“As you know,” Stan began, “we’ve been having an unusual amount of rain.”
“By the bucket,” I replied. “Never seen so much rain. Maybe it’s time to build the ark!”
“Could be,” Stan said. “Yesterday I drove over to Johnsonville to talk with the pastor of the community church. On the way over the mountain, I went by the dam on Johnson Creek. It’s filled to the brim and water is overflowing down the spillway.”
Continuing, he added, “When I went by the dam, there were several people who had stopped and were looking at all of the water pouring out. They had probably never seen anything like that.”
“Must have been quite a sight,” I replied.
“It was,” Stan said. “And it made me think about how my life is to be just like that.”
“How so?” I asked.
“I am to be so filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit,” Stan replied, “that He overflows and people stop and look.”
“Stop and look?” I said. “In what way?”
“Not only am I to be filled with the Holy Spirit by receiving Him as fully as possible,” Stan responded, “His fruit is to be manifested in and through me into the lives of others so they may see something they might never has seen.”
“So,” I said, “if the Holly Spirit is to flow out of you so others can see Him and His fruit, won’t you be emptied?”
“Nope,” Stan replied, “it’s the overflow. And for there to be overflow, it means that there is a constant stream of flow coming in.”
Continuing, he added, “With the dam on Johnson Creek, the overflow will eventually end when the rain stops and the overflow is no longer overflowing, but with me I am to be continually filled with the “rain” of the Holy Spirit so the overflow just keeps overflowing!”
“To make a difference,” I replied, “with those people who stop to take a look.”
“That’s it,” Stan said. “Because they can see the overflowing of the Holy Spirit, they may want to know why, which may lead them to ask, ‘What’s that all about?’. And that may lead them to salvation and to a different life because of that salvation.”
“All because of the overflow!”
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And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be with you. John 14:16, 17.
Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:22.
Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18.
And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts of the Apostles 13:52.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:22, 23.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your gift of the Holy Spirit to live within me to guard, guide, and help me in the way you have for me to live while I wait for the train. Thank you that there is an unlimited supply of His presence in me so He can overflow out of my life. I confess that too often I do not allow myself to be filled to overflowing so that there is no overflow that others may see. Please help me in following your lead so there is, indeed, an overflow of the Holy Spirit and His fruit so that others may see Him and be drawn to you for your provision for both sides of eternity. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Unless believers are filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirt, there will be no overflow. Do you agree with that? Why or why not? If there is to be an overflow of the presence of the Holy Spirit, what is the reason for or the purpose of that overflow? Are there people in your life who need to see such an overflow? If so, how is that going to happen and keep on happening?
Waiting for the Train 
The word this morn that I slowly read to myself & meditated on rather than pass over and say, “I’ve heard this a thousand times.” It spoke to me once again…
“Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things. And what you learned and received and heard and saw in me, do these things. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:6-9 NET
Overflow happens as I think on the things above rather than getting bogged down with the issues of life. That attitude then attracts others to inquire. As I share Jesus with others, I’m re-filled and overflow occurs. The enemy, the god of this world, can’t stand when that happens and pulls out all stops to try to prevent that from happening. I’d like to say that he is never successful in stopping that, but I can’t. But once again, I have a choice to follow Jesus and the examples He demonstrated while walking with humanity on this earth. I’m reminded them that He gave the Holy Spirit to live in me and the choice to abide in Him and be empowered by Him.
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