Our basic Prayer always should be for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Of
course, this is a tremendous request in itself; and it will cost us pains
to put into a few words all that this petition signifies. As a very
minimum, I would say, there lies in this prayer a desire to stand inwardly
right before God and to come into true community with him. This is
something which is mediated and accomplished by God through the Spirit...
Further, our basic prayer must be that we learn to understand what is
revealed to us. No one can even call Jesus Lord except through the Holy
Spirit; so, to a certain extent, this idea also is expressed in our basic
prayer, that God might give us an understanding of spiritual things, might
let us understand his ways, his ideas about us, his plans for us...
All we have said thus far represents only the preliminary stages of our
prayer, for in the phrase, "Pray for the Holy Spirit," much more is being
asked. At the time Jesus commanded this prayer, the disciples had not yet
had the experience of Pentecost; and in that coming of the Spirit lay the
salvation of all.
The one thing with which the disciples were to concern themselves was
prayer for the coming of that Spirit-for themselves, for the world, for
all
flesh. After the Lord departed from them, that was to be their one task.
We
know that they did pray. Daily they were united together, praying for the
promised Spirit. Together with their praying, they worked until the time
was fulfilled. And on the feast of Pentecost the glorious gift and grace
and power came; and they were all wonderfully filled. From that moment
they
truly became new men. The heavens opened, and the Lord brought the
disciples into a unity with the things of heaven. Powers from above
descended and covered everything upon earth. And through these powers,
everything shall henceforth be overcome, and the powers of darkness shall
be trampled underfoot.
- Johann Christoph Blumhardt
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