For years, I marveled at how fleeting spiritual experience can be, how poorly many testimonies age. And if we're not careful, we can easily become cynical and minimize the very real actions of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
“Guard the trust entrusted to you, avoid profane chatter and the objections of pseudo-knowledge.” – 1 Timothy 6:20
Everyone has experienced this, certainly, to varying degrees. You leave a spiritual conference or a powerful prayer session with your heart on fire, transformed by God's presence. Then, a few weeks later, you wonder where that fire went. You find yourself exactly where you were before.
People do not make the effort to retain and increase what they have received. Paul wrote to Timothy: “Guard the trust entrusted to you.” He doesn't say, "Timothy, you will automatically keep what you have received." No! The verb "keep" implies a conscious action, a daily decision.
You can lose your deposit
The example of Israel is striking. Imagine the scene: they have just seen the Red Sea open before their eyes! The wonder is absolute. We can say to ourselves: “These people will never doubt God again, they will never be depressed again.”
Yet, as soon as the crossing is over and the first festivities are over, as soon as they run out of water, they begin to complain. They acted as if they had never been touched by the hand of God. All the faith, the hope, in fact everything the deposit has disappeared.
Every deposit is a springboard given to us to ascend. We are not meant to descend, but to be transformed and move on to another dimension of functioning and faith. We must allow the Holy Spirit to work within us to continue multiplying what has been deposited.
"A lot Many people operate on emotion, but we have to operate on revelation."
So, when the emotion of the moment has passed, the revelation of what has been done must remain. Otherwise, when the emotion is not at its best, we sink again. This is exactly what happens to Christians. After being powerfully blessed, the following week, they begin to complain. What happened? They did not keep the revelation; they subjected themselves to the new emotions.
Personally, I have more than 30 years of Christian life. I have more fire today than before because the Holy Spirit renews me every day.
So how do I keep the deposit?
First Key: Honor the Holy Spirit Daily
Every day, we acknowledge His presence. We don't wait to feel Him, we don't wait to feel overwhelmed by His presence or powerfully visited. No, we do what is our responsibility: communicate with Him.
Sometimes before I wake up, the Lord is already speaking to me. But other mornings, it's as if hell has come and camped in the rock. I then have the choice to say: “I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I hear the voice of God, I am not influenced by darkness. In the name of Jesus, get out!”
Note what He revealed:
If you have received specific prophetic words, write them down. Don't forget them, come back to them. Thank Him for what He told you. Thank Him for what He is going to do.
When the angel spoke to Mary, she didn't go out to party with her friends. She kept all this in her heart and pondered it.
Pray in tongues:
Spending time praying in tongues grows your spiritual sensitivity. And outside of your prayer time, remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit. He can move upon us throughout the day and inspire us to pray.
Sometimes while I'm working, I feel a movement of the Spirit. I step back from my computer and begin to pray in tongues. Sometimes for 10 minutes, sometimes for an hour, sometimes for two hours. As long as I feel that movement, He is doing something.
Honoring the Holy Spirit daily lays the foundation, but it must be translated into concrete actions. The first of these actions is obedience.
Second Key: Obey the Holy Spirit
Jesus said that His friends obey Him. To continue developing communion with the Holy Spirit, we must do what He tells us. He gives instructions, not His opinion; obedience positions you for continued encounters.
“A rebellious Christian is a lost Christian.”in other words, it is a person who will not fully experience what God has planned for him.
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you have been sealed for the day of redemption. Therefore, we avoid activities, words, discussions, all those things that can cause us to grieve the Holy Spirit. Paul exhorts Timothy to avoid profane chatter.
God allows us to grow in sensitivity through an extraordinary action of the Holy Spirit. We will develop or lose our sensitivity based on our choices and decisions, including the programs we choose not to watch. Some programs take away your desire to pray or praise the Lord. Instead, you are assailed by strange thoughts.
Each new level involves a new obedience.
Whenever God touches us powerfully, there is always a demand for holiness. God's love is not God's approval. The blessing of the Holy Spirit is not validation of our lifestyle.
Through this renewed sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, He will bring to light something that you needed to give up but don't want to. And you haven't obeyed in the past because you were still very stubborn. He's going to point it out again. Please obey. It may even be things that aren't necessarily sinful, but they are taking over us.
My personal challenge: In my case, it's an excessive focus on political issues, especially international ones. I've always loved politics—my family was involved in politics. Sometimes, during elections or crises, you can get too involved. The Holy Spirit comes and says, "Stop that."
Each of us has something that the Holy Spirit tells us about: “Stop that.” For some, it may be fashion. They watch the fashion shows morning, noon, and night. The Holy Spirit says, “Come, let’s talk.” “No, I’m watching the Saint-Laurent show. Afterward, I’ll come and pray.” And they find a way to involve the Lord: “Lord, you see this jacket I wanted to buy…”
Disobey it is to sadden the Holy Spirit; if we sadden the Holy Spirit we are losing our momentum.
Third Key: Honor the Lord by devoting yourself to the Word of God
Each new deposit increases our desire for God's Word, and we must immediately follow up by immersing ourselves in it. The Holy Spirit reveals the Word. With this new sensitivity, it will come alive like never before.
Sometimes after a powerful conference, like Pentecost Power, we put off this new dive into the Word. This is a mistake. We must act immediately. This enthusiasm is what is called a "window of opportunity." To delay is to see this new thirst disappear before the date set for beginning our study.
If the Holy Spirit inspires you with a specific reading plan, a particular Bible book, or a topical study, don't put it off. Someone will say, "I'm busy right now; I'll start in September." By September, you'll already be looking for the next conference to rediscover that fire!
My personal testimony: After the extraordinary deposit of Pentecost Power, the Holy Spirit led me into a new, intensive, and specific reading of God's Word. Everyone must listen to the Holy Spirit and know what He expects of them. Only when instruction is given for the church am I obligated to share it. Otherwise, some will imitate and feel bad if they fail to keep up.
But if we obey with this heightened sensitivity, the passages will resonate like never before, and the promises will become reality. The Holy Spirit reveals the Word, so let's return to it with this new hunger. Delving into the Word transforms our understanding and sets our hearts on fire. But this transformation must lead to action: service.
Fourth Key: Show your gratitude by serving faithfully
Imagine this. You're having a birthday party. Not all your friends are going to stay to clean up. Some friends say, "It's so great to spend time with you, you look prettier than ever." Here's a little gift. We have to go now. Goodbye. They're leaving.
Others will say: Oh dear, you'll have to put everything away. May the Lord give you courage. There are people who will help you. We have to run. It was good to spend this time with you. They're leaving.
There are others who will stay. Some will stay because, if they don't stay, people will say: "Yeah, but we thought you were his friend. And you left." So, they stay. But, there are others who stay and who will say: "Ah! We're not going to leave you alone to sort all this out. No, frankly, that's what we're here for."
In church, you determine what kind of Christian you are. Either Jesus knows that your presence serves His interests, that you will act to reach Him no matter the sacrifice, or you take your blessing and leave.
This is the thought that should dwell within us: “My intellect is of no use unless it serves the cause of Christ. My physical body is of no use unless it serves the cause of Christ. If all my energy is spent on is attending to my material needs at the expense of the divine mission, I am wasting my time.
My energy must enrich the kingdom of God... This grace that God has poured out on me, He must be able to pour out on others through my service. The Holy Spirit wants to bring us into this state of mind. And when you say to Him: Spirit of the Lord, I am here, at your disposal. Bless whomever you will through me, whatever it requires of me. We will begin to become friends with God.
Fifth key: Get involved in my local assembly
The more we desire the fellowship and gifts of the Holy Spirit, the more we must be involved in our local church. This is where we receive the help and correction we need.
You're not here to just listen – you're here to be trained. Everyone must see themselves as involved in the work and susceptible at any moment to being sent on a divine mission. The cities and villages of France (and of your country, wherever it may be) are waiting. There is no question of passively attending services.
The importance of the protective framework: In the assembly, gifts will be cultivated, prophecies discerned, and spiritual growth encouraged. Many people compromise their prophetic effectiveness by operating in isolation where they lack the necessary training and feedback.
Humility, the key to power: To be used powerfully by the Holy Spirit in the gifts, one must be willing to be corrected. This is where humility comes into play. Anyone who says, “The Spirit told me, the pastor can say what he wants, but I know,” ends up being inhabited by spirits. As soon as there is rebellion, spirits come to replace the Holy Spirit.
Let us remain within the framework that God has established. That is how we are protected.
Community times are inevitable: Then immerse yourself in all the graces God continues to pour out into the local assembly. Anyone who neglects the time of fasting and prayer, I can assure you—I don't even need to prophesy—it's obvious: you will stagnate in your growth.
Recent testimony: The Wednesday following Pentecost Power, during a simple prayer meeting, the Holy Spirit had a surprise in store for us. We had begun thanksgiving, we were supposed to continue thanksgiving, and God decided He wanted to free people. The testimonies were numerous. God is powerful.
Every week God has something in store for us.Your responsibility: What has been done before us is not our fault. But what we do now is our responsibility. Whether it's morning prayer times, fellowship meetings, or fasting times—in all these moments, God is continually pouring out. Don't miss these divine appointments.
Your Statement of Faith
Say with me: “I’m never going down again. I’m going up!”
Your voice is more powerful in your life than your pastor's. Use it to order your life. Take what God says and declare it with authority, with force.
“I show my gratitude by serving Him faithfully.”
Conclusion: A Conscious Decision
Keeping the deposit isn't automatic. It's a conscious decision you make every day. You're not just waiting for something to fall on your head.
The Holy Spirit offers everyone a different way to live—an infinitely more enjoyable way. Decide to accept it. Let Him speak to you, lead you, and transform you.
Your deposit is waiting for you. Keep it safe.
Personal question: What trust has God entrusted to you this year? How will you guard it this week?
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