An Earnest Desire
To receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit, one must have an earnest desire and be a definite seeker, specific about their needs and seeking God with a clear intention.
David Shelby Corlett emphasizes the importance of earnest desire and wholehearted seeking in receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit. He highlights how many fall short in their pursuit due to a lack of genuine heart desire and specificity in their seeking. Corlett stresses the need for desperation and perseverance in asking for the fullness of the Holy Spirit, pointing out that half-hearted seeking will not lead to this divine experience. He underscores that only those who are definite and earnest in their seeking will receive the fullness of the Spirit.
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If one is to know what it means to be baptized with the Holy Spirit there must be an earnest desire within the heart for this baptism. It is feared that too often the seeking for God either at a public altar or in the secret chamber is not much more than a blind impulse that is not inspired by a real heart desire. How often have we seen people, brought to a realization of their need of this baptism with the Holy Spirit, come forward to a public altar to seek this experience. They have gone from the altar without finding real satisfaction. But their seeking ended with that public altar experience. No such seeking will bring the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Many people have testified that they became so desperate in seeking this fullness that they refused to eat or sleep until they were satisfied. "He will come to those who so earnestly desire His fullness as definitely to ask, and to persevere in asking, till they consciously receive the fullness of this divine person" (Steele). It might appear to limit God if we were to state that He cannot give this baptism to the half-hearted seeker. But it certainly states the truth when we say that it is impossible for the half-hearted seeker to have faith for the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Such earnestness as is necessary to the obtaining of this fullness will make one definite in his seeking. Too often seekers are indefinite with God. Here is an example. A Sunday school superintendent came to the altar on the call for Christians to seek to be filled with the Spirit. He was questioned concerning his need.
"Brother, what do you want the Lord to do for you?"
He replied, "I want Him to bless me."
"But is there any particular need that you have, which in His blessing He may supply?"
"Oh, just in any way that He wants to bless me," was his reply.
"But do you not have a definite need, and will you not ask God for that blessing you need?"
"Well, I'm a candidate for anything He has for me," he said.
No mere candidate will receive this wonderful baptism. Only those who definitely and earnestly seek God will be filled with the Spirit.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Earnest Desire
- The Characteristics of a Definite Seeker
- The Results of Earnest Seeking
- Conscious reception of the Holy Spirit's fullness
- Faith for the baptism with the Holy Spirit
Key Quotes
“He will come to those who so earnestly desire His fullness as definitely to ask, and to persevere in asking, till they consciously receive the fullness of this divine person” — David Shelby Corlett
“No mere candidate will receive this wonderful baptism. Only those who definitely and earnestly seek God will be filled with the Spirit.” — David Shelby Corlett
Application Points
- To receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit, I must have a real heart desire and be specific about my needs.
- I must persevere in prayer and seek God with a clear intention to receive the fullness of His presence and power.
- I must not be a mere candidate, but a definite seeker, if I want to experience the baptism with the Holy Spirit.