Now for the life-changing question. Do you want to flourish like the tree in Psalm 1? If your answer is yes, you need the Holy Spirit or rather, you need Jesus living inside you, for He is the living water. When I was growing up, we used to sing this chorus, “Jesus on the inside working on the outside, oh what a change in my life.”

You can experience this change if you are thirsty for what Jesus offers and if you believe in Him. John writes, “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:37-29, NKJV).

Notwithstanding, the day came when the Holy Spirit was finally given. Luke records this glorious and momentous day. “On the day of Pentecost, all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, [other tongues] as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability” (Acts 2:1-4, NLT).

Since the day of Pentecost, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit has not ceased; therefore, you can have your own Pentecost experience, and it requires less effort than you think.

Let me explain. Some years ago, I went on a mission trip and during the nightly altar call, the preacher asked people who wanted the Holy Spirit to come to the front or simply stay in their seats and raise their hands. One night, I was sitting close to the back of the church, and when the preacher made the altar call, I noticed this woman sitting in the row across from me. She raised her hand along with those that had gone to the front. After the preacher had confirmed that all who wanted the Holy Spirit were accounted for, he asked them if they believed in Jesus and if they wanted the Holy Spirit. Everyone said yes. Next, he led them into a prayer of repentance. Afterward, the preacher told them to lift their hands, open their mouths, and begin to praise God. People started saying, “Thank you Jesus”, “I love you Jesus” and so forth, and I kid you not when the people lifted their hands, opened their mouths, and began to praise God, within a matter of seconds or it could have been minutes their language changed from English to one that I could not recognize.

To say I was amazed is an understatement. I could not believe what I had just witnessed, and I thought it cannot be this easy to receive the Holy Spirit. Well, whether I wanted to believe it or not, I had just witnessed something incredible. These people had not worked themselves into a frenzy, spent hours on their knees calling on Jesus, or had anyone working with them one-on-one at the altar, yet they received the Holy Spirit within a matter of seconds or minutes. It was simply amazing, and to this day, the image of that woman receiving the Holy Spirit comes to mind, and even now, I can see it clearly like it was yesterday.