Did Jesus not say that He had to leave before the Advocate could come?

The fruit of the Spirit is a gift of God, and only He can produce it. They who bear it know as little about it as the tree knows of its fruit. They know only the power of Him on whom their life depends”  - Dietrich Bonhoeffer


(Scripture text: Acts 19:1-8 )

While Apollos was in Corinth,
Paul traveled through the interior of the country
and down to Ephesus where he found some disciples. 
He said to them,
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”
They answered him,
“We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
He said, “How were you baptized?”
They replied, “With the baptism of John.”
Paul then said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance,
telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,
that is, in Jesus.”
When they heard this,
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came upon them,
and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Altogether there were about twelve men.

He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly
with persuasive arguments about the Kingdom of God.

Imagine you are at a wedding banquet. Several guests are milling around an elegantly decorated room, eating delicious and beautifully prepared appetizers. They are talking happily and enjoying the good food and good company. However, they are unaware that a door at the end of the room leads to a larger hall with music and a huge banquet. Satisfied though they are, they don’t realize what they are missing!

How about you?

Take a moment to recall the most powerful, grace-filled experience of God you’ve ever had. Now multiply that by tenfold. That’s what God wants to do for you!

Always remember that the Holy Spirit—the third Person of the Blessed Trinity—lives in you. Remember that he delights in doing “far more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). Think too about all the grace and power he offers you every single time you take Holy Communion.

So go ahead and ask him for more of his life in you. Ask him to give you a new insight into the Scriptures. Ask him to help you not only overcome sin but become a saint. Ask him to make you extra confident in your position as a child of God. Ask him to give you a joy that overflows and touches everyone you meet. Ask, and ask, and ask. He loves you. He has good gifts waiting for you.

If you think the “appetizers” you’ve tasted so far are good, just wait for the main course.