I’m totally in love with this song by Elevation Worship called, Fullness. The reasons are plentiful: it’s packed with Scripture, it speaks to the day of Pentecost (when the church was born) in Acts 2, it references all of the prophetic foreshadowing to the move of God coming through the Holy Spirit, it’s full of modern significance as it’s chorus and bridge consistently cry out “Spirit come!” as if inviting God’s power and presence into our lives and communities in the same way today, and it speaks of longing for our King’s return.
My favorite version of this song is their acoustic set which, though I can’t find it on iTunes, is available via youtube (linked below).
If you’re interested in doing a devotion over this passage, here’s my thoughts below on the song – and more importantly, the Scripture it references…
The Bible tells us in Acts 1 & 2 that after Jesus had risen from the dead and spent 40 days with His followers that He told them, “you will receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Acts 2 tells us the story of the disciples after they received the Holy Spirit, and the revival it brought of people turning to faith in Jesus that resulted…
Fullness of eternal promise / stirring in Your sons and daughters / earth revealing Heavens wonders / Spirit, come! Spirit come!
“‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy… ‘And I will grant wonders in the sky, and signs on the earth below.'” Acts 2:17, 19
As the Day of Pentecost began, and the church was born, Peter addresses the busy city of Jerusalem quoting from the promise of the Holy Spirit coming in the book of Joel in the Old Testament.
What You spoke is now unfolding / all Your children shall behold it / dreams awaken in this moment / Spirit, come! Spirit, come!
“And your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams…” Acts 2:17
This line was in the song was another reference to the prophecy in Joel of the coming of the Spirit.
Pour it out, let Your love run over / Here and now, let Your glory fill this house / Pour it out, let Your love run over / Here and now, let Your glory fill this house
Referencing the Scriptures above of God’s Spirit being “poured forth on all mankind”. I like the present tense of this – the song is being sung as if we are crying out for God to pour His Spirit on us anew today. A prayer I consistently pray over my life and church.
Now the world awaits Your presence / And this power is within us / We will rise to be Your witness / Spirit, come! Spirit, come!
This third verse directly takes from the words of Jesus in Acts 1:8, where Christ Himself tells us, “You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you shall be My witnesses…”
The song then crescendos at the bridge which repeats:
Tongues of fire – testifying of the Son / One desire – Spirit, come! Spirit, come! / Speak revival – prophesy like it is done / One desire – Spirit, come! Spirit, come!
The tongues of fire is perhaps the only confusing part to some in the song. Its referencing what took place at the moment that the Spirit came upon the first disciples. In Acts 2:1-4, “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…”
The tongues of fire, were the writer’s best description of what he was seeing as the Holy Spirit visibly manifested His power on the first followers of Christ. The point was, they had received the Spirit, had His anointed power poured on them, and were now ready to face the world with the message of the resurrected Christ.
In regard to the “Speak revival – prophesy like it is done” What we see in the Scriptures is that when God forecasts the future through one of His prophets, He often speaks of the future in the past tense – to God, the future is just as complete and definitive as the past. So God can speak of the future as if it’s already happened. Along those lines, this song is literally asking God to, “speak revival – prophesy like it is done.”
It’s like asking God to bring that same Holy Spirit – Day of Pentecost – kind of revival to our lives, cities, and nation… and to speak that revival over us as if it were a matter of fact – like it’s already done, This might be my favorite, most well-thought-out line in this song. And it’s the perfect high point to a song that speaks of the coming of the Spirit, and longing for that fresh wind and fire in our churches today.
A few concluding, personal questions for you:
- Are you seeking the Holy Spirit’s anointing on you as a follower of Jesus?
- Do you pray for God to “speak revival” over your life/family/community?
- How can you be a witness of what God is doing in your life?
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you to show the world the hope that Christ alone can bring.
Blessings,
Pastor John
PS…
Let our hearts continue burning / For our King is soon returning…
Edit:
Since posting this, the song can now be found on the iTunes album, There is a Cloud. Enjoy!
Awesome! I needed to understand because God wants us to sing with understanding and offer up praises worthy of our Father God, reading this article Pastor John has helped me to understand the song and allign the song with scripture. I can now sing it in church with understanding. God bless you Pastor John for taking time out, for God’s glorious Kingdom and will to explain the song. :0) amen!