For us to seek for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, there are certain
outpouring of the Holy Spirit have these two characteristics: first, their minds are clear; second, their wills are not passive. They themselves are active, not allowing outside forces to work upon them. The Holy Spirit always requests a believer to actively exercise his will to cooperate with Him. How distinctly different is His working from that of the evil spirit who requires man's will to be passive. Thus can we judge whether it is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit or the outpouring of the evil spirit.
Conditions for Seeking the Spirit's Outpouring 1. Without hidden or undealt sins. For us to seek for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, there are certain conditions we must fulfill. First of all, we must not have any hidden or undealt sin before the Lord. If a person seeking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit has hidden sin in him, he is open to be deceived by evil spirits. This is because he gives ground in his heart to the evil spirit.
2. With an active will. Secondly, for the Holy Spirit to come upon us, He requires the active desire of our will. Only then will He come. Not so with the evil spirit, who does not need our active desire but will come when the will is passive. Some people may pray, "If this is the Holy Spirit, this I claim. If it is the evil spirit, this I reject." Such prayer is still not positive enough with regard to the Holy Spirit. Our cooperation with the Spirit is like this: When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, He will probably ask you with a still, small voice within you, how much you will allow Him to come. In the measure of your allowance will be the measure of His coming. The power of decision is with you. Whatever is contrary to this is being passive, and is therefore not the work of the Holy Spirit but the work of the evil spirit. For the Holy Spirit to come upon you, you yourself must express your desire, and so He comes. It is not the Holy Spirit working independently. It is you who works actively and the Spirit comes to help. The Holy Spirit makes me laugh because I have begun to laugh. He then gives me power to laugh. This is what I mean by cooperation. As you seek the outpouring of the Spirit, you need to ask the Lord to cover you with His precious blood. You do your part, and the Spirit will most definitely do His part.
There was a brother who held himself tightly. He prayed, "Holy Spirit, if You want to come, come." After having prayed for several hours, the Spirit