Overwhelming Power

It is not every day that the earth is overwhelmed with the water.  All day the rain has fallen from the skies.  Even on the top of hills, water is standing in small ponds.  The runoff branch which is dry so much of the year is backed up and gives every appearance of being a swift flowing mountain stream.  Even water repellent jackets have proven to be useless on this gray day heavy with overflowing clouds.  Every part of the earth and everyone who walks on it seems overwhelmed with this baptism of water.    

When the  Word of God speaks of a baptism of the Holy Spirit, it carries with it this image of being overwhelmed.  In the gospel of Matthew the man from the Jordan named John spoke of Jesus by saying, "...He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire..."  (Mathew 3:11)  Much later before His ascension Jesus told His disciples, "...you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."  (Acts 1:5)  And when we look at what happened in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, the Words says, "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit"  (Acts 2:4) which is certainly another way to speak of the fact that the Holy Spirit was poured out upon those gathered in an overwhelming manner.   

How we need this overwhelming, soul drenching, baptizing Holy Spirit in our lives in these days!  Too much of our time is spent trying to stay dry, to stay like we are, and to keep from being swept away by something or Someone who is uncontrollable.  When those disciples were overwhelmed by that great overflowing of the Spirit that day, they went forward refusing to look back, but always ahead at what God was about to do.  We could all stand becoming wet from the top of our head to the soles of our feet by this Spirit who comes with a desire to leave no part of us untouched.