The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon.

“Now which one of you fathers will his son ask for a fish, and instead of a fish, he will give him a snake? Or he will even ask for an egg, and his father will give him a scorpion? So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

—Luke 11:11–13

When I was little, I begged my mom for all kinds of things at the store—cheap toys, junk food, and useless trinkets. She almost always said no.

But the denial was because she loves me and wanted to give me good gifts instead—healthy food, lasting toys, an education, etc. I didn’t understand good gifts; I only thought about immediate pleasure.

We’re often like toddlers in our prayers. We ask for things to satisfy our pleasures, and God says no (James 4:3) because he wants to give lasting joy rather than cheap toys and healthy food that will help us grow rather than cookies for every meal. 

So when we pray for the Holy Spirit, God will never meet us with refusal or something fearful instead. He will always give us this good gift.

The Holy Spirit is the promise of our salvation (Ephesians 1:13–14), our power to resist sin (Romans 8:12–13), our teacher of all things (John 14:26), our connection to the Father (John 16:13–15), and the power ensuring our eternal life (Romans 8:11). 

The Spirit is real, powerful, and active in our lives, guiding us into truth and directing us into his good work (John 16:13; Acts 8:29; Acts 16:6–7).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download