THE PROMISE of the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit of God IS also FOR YOU today even.
"Somebody
ought to tell the truth about the Bible. The preachers dare not, because
they would be driven from their pulpits. Professors in colleges dare not,
because they would lose their salaries. Politicians dare not. They would
be defeated. Editors dare not. They would lose subscribers. Merchants dare
not, because they might lose customers. Men of fashion dare not, fearing
that they would lose caste. Even clerks dare not, because they might be
discharged. And so I thought I would do it myself . . . " Robert G.
Ingersoll
Face it only one religion pays the price for
all of your sins, past, present future, by Jesus Christ, and gives
you now complete assurance of your forgiveness by faith and that is
Christianity.. only one religious leader died and resurrected again and
that was Jesus Christ.. all the others are demonic religions.. not worth
discussing.
THE PROMISE of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit of God IS also FOR
YOU today even.
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which
is born of the Spirit is spirit." John 3:5-6
In Acts 2:39 Peter
says "For the promise is for you and your children,and for all who are far
off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself."
"And
behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are
to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." (Luke
24:49).
"And it shall be in the last days, God says, that I will
pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind; and your sons and your daughters
shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men
shall dream dreams (Acts 2:17).
I will pour out My Spirit on your
offspring, And My blessing on your descendants - Isaiah 44
Mark 11:24 "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray
and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted
you."
(Acts 9:17 KJV) And Ananias went his way, and entered
into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord,
even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent
me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy
Ghost.
(Eph 5:18 KJV) And be not drunk
with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
(Eph
3:19 KJV) And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,
that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
(Col 1:9
KJV) For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease
to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge
of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
(Mark 1:8
KJV) I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you
with the Holy Ghost.
I remember asking my Baptist pastor if there
was such thing as power for Christian living, and sadly
without any hesitation he said no, it was at this point I really knew how
bad of a pastor he now was too..
(Acts 10:38 KJV) How God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing
good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with
him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things
which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they
slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised
up the third day, and showed him openly;
THIS BAPTISM, FILLING OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT IS FIRSTLY RESERVED ONLY FOR GOD'S CHILDREN, HIS BELIEVERS
WHO HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR PERSONAL SAVIOR AND ALSO THE FULL
LORD OF THEIR LIFE. JESUS SADLY IS STILL NOT ACTUALLY THE LORD
OF ALL OF THE PROFESSING CHRISTIANS TOO.THERE THUS NOW ARE BOTH
INITIAL AND CONTINUAL FILLINGS, HOLY SPIRIT ANOINTING UPON ALL BELIEVERS.
It is too often also still the
religious Proud people like to say that they have all of the Holy
ghost and they do not need anymore , but in reality by their pride they
show that they do not enough of Him.. ironically these same proud people
tend not to manifest even the charismatic spiritual gifts as well, not
surprisingly, for still they are too full if it, full of sin and
pride..
we should desire as much of Him the Holy
spirit as well.. and more everyday too..
(2 Ki 2:9 KJV) And it came to pass,
when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall
do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray
thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
Note here was a person who was not ashamed to
ask even for a double portion of the spirit..
Only Jesus Christ has the Holy spirit without
measure.. certainly not us..
(John 3:34 KJV) For he whom God hath
sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure
unto him.
John 14:12 "He that believeth on Me, the
works that I do he shall do also, and greater works than these shall he
do; because I go unto my Father".
(Mark 16:17 KJV) And these signs
shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils;
they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if
they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands
on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then after the Lord had
spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right
hand of God.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive
power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria,
and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil,
know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Matthew
3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh
after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
(John 1:32
KJV) And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from
heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not:
but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon
whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same
is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
It is very significant
that the description remaining is used to describe the baptism of the Holy
Spirit.
(Rom 11:29 KJV) For the gifts and calling of God are
without repentance.
There are at least four baptisms referred to in
the scripture. Each baptism seems to indicate a step of progress in
appropriating God's promises to us in our Christian experience.
These baptisms are:
Baptism into the Body of Christ -
salvation received.
Baptism in Water - attitudes changed.
Baptism
of the Holy Ghost - power for service received.
Baptism of Suffering -
endurance of faith established and release of the spirit.
God's desire
now is that the Holy Spirit not only be "with", but abide "within" the
child of God.
Although the baptism in the Spirit can occur jointly
at conversion, it usually happens at a later time. It is a result of our
own personal willingness to walk fully with the Lord in obedience to His
will.The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is separately both a filling of the
Holy Spirit and an anointing of the Holy Spirit for a particular
service for God. To be baptized in the Spirit is to be immersed in the
Spirit to the point that the you do allow the Holy Spirit takes over
control of your life, activities, to empower you - to take direct
control even of your thoughts, words and actions. You see, it is one thing
to have the Spirit residing in you. It is another thing to have the Spirit
presiding over you.
"Peter said] ... {37} That word, [I
say], ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from
Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; {38} How God ANOINTED
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost [= Spirit] and with POWER: who went
about DOING GOOD, and HEALING all that were oppressed of the devil; for
GOD WAS WITH HIM. --ACTS 10:37-38 (KJV)
"Indeed the fullness of
God the Holy Spirit is essential to every child of God and God promised
this fullness to all His children and assured us that if His children ask
they shall receive (Luke 11:33). In all the accounts referred to above the
gift of the Holy Spirit was reserved for those called children of God,
believers, disciples of the Lord Jesus and had received God's Word (Acts
2:14,15,17).
Jesus taught, when telling his disciples of the Holy
Spirit's coming, that the world would not be able to receive the Holy
Spirit. Those who had not accepted the Lordship of Jesus in their life
were not part of God's Kingdom and were therefore considered by God to be
"of the world".
Is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit a one-time
event? Is it possible to receive more of the Holy Spirit Can I be filled
more than one, or anointed more than once?
The Christian life is a
continual journey. Paul says: "I have not yet reached my goal, and I
am not perfect. But Christ has already taken hold of me. So I keep on
running and struggling to take hold of the final prize." This
applies to all aspects of the Christian life. (Phil 3:12 KJV) Not as
though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow
after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of
Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:
but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and
reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the
mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus.
(Acts 13:1 KJV) Now there were in the church that was
at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was
called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up
with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.2 As they ministered to the Lord,
and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the
work whereunto I have called them 3 And when they had fasted
and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them
away.
Apostle Paul received a special anointing at a prayer
meeting in Antioch (Acts 13:1-4), even sixteen years after his conversion
on the road to Damascus.
This is the anointing I pray for every
time I lead a church service, or get up to preach, or when I began
to write a devotional. It is also the same Holy Spirit anointing every
person should pray for when they get ready to do any work in the Lord's
kingdom, whether it is to preach, teach, sing in a choir, or serve
the church or whatever..
We can always come closer to God and
receive more of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
"During the days
of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud
cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard
because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned
obedience from what he suffered, and, once made perfect, he became the
source of eternal salvation for all who obey him" (Hebrews
5:7-8).
We all are to pray that we be also filled with the Spirit
continually.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever
and ever (Ephesians 3:20).
Ephesians 5:18 tells us, "And do not be
drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled continually with
the Spirit." The Greek tense for filled implies the idea of keeping on
being filled. It has been stated that it takes just as much consecration
to remain filled with the Spirit as it does to get filled with the Spirit
or baptized in the Spirit in the first place. The Baptism in the Holy
Spirit itself is also an introduction to the realm of the Holy
Spirit. We must continue to "walk by the Spirit", and so, "not fulfil the
lusts of the flesh". It is possible to begin in the Spirit and then later
"fall from grace" by working, walking in the flesh (Gal 3:3
KJV) Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made
perfect by the flesh? 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you,
whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from
grace.
If we turn back to the law and ignore the leading of the
Holy Spirit. Therefore we must not become proud and self-satisfied with
the idea that we have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, but we must
continually humble ourselves, deny the flesh and be led by the Spirit day
by day (Luke 9:23 KJV) And he said to them all, If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow
me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will
lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
The Holy Spirit
wants us to (Eph 5:19 KJV) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the
Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;21 Submitting yourselves one to
another in the fear of God.
and to mediate on good things (Phil 4:8
KJV) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things.
Let us not grieve Him, the person of the Holy spirit . Let
us be obedient to Him. We can get anointed, filled, Baptized
of the Holy Spirit, and then through sins, neglect of our godly spiritual
life, we can drift away from the Lord and begin once again to quench and
grieve the Spirit. Our personal convictions of our sins by the Holy
Spirit and our personal repentance will then bring us back to the Lord and
to a new release of the power of His Spirit within us. Thus, we experience
again the power of the baptism in the Spirit. The only way we can
stay full of the Spirit is to stay near, to come back to the
fountain, Jesus Christ who is the baptizer of us with the Holy
Spirit. Let us talk to Him and continue in a wonderful relationship with
Him. Then the further purposes of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit will be
achieved in our lives.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of
God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Acts
7:51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do
always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do
ye.
((Heb 12:1 KJV) Wherefore seeing we also are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every
weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with
patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus
the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before
him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God.).
Ephesians 1:19 "The eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his
calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the
saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who
believe, according to the working of his mighty power," Ephesians
3:20-21 "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all
that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him
be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without
end. Amen."
Praise be to God for His wonderful gifts His son and
the Holy Spirit.! " His love which is the Holy Spirit.
(John 15:9
KJV) As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye
in my love.10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even
as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his
love.
Prayer: Lord, I humble myself before you, God. Forgive
me for all my sins that I now confess, I admit I am also the chief
of sinner before you. I now also re commit myself to you and your
work, service. I humble myself before you, God. As I stand in prayer,
descend also upon me, and equip me afresh for your work here on earth. I
long to pause and drink in your love to sustain me in a world that also
does needs to feel that love pass from me to them. In Jesus name I pray
that you Fill me with your love, your Holy Spirit. Lord. Saturate me
fully now with your Holy Spirit.. In Jesus' name, I pray
all of this and I give you thanks that it has been done. Amen.
The
Bible indicates that individuals, prophets who served God had not
just multiple but even double anointing of the holy spirit.. and they were
periodically anointed with new and different gifts for different
services. (2 Kings 2:1- 15 KJV)
(2 Kings 2:1
KJV) And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into
heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2
And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath
sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as
thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to
Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy
master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your
peace. 4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee;
for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and
as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha,
and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master
from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD
hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul
liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on. 7 And fifty men
of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two
stood by Jordan. 8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it
together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither,
so that they two went over on dry ground. 9 And it came to pass,
when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall
do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray
thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. 10 And he said,
Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken
from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that,
behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted
them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of
Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold
of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. 13 He took up also
the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the
bank of Jordan; 14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from
him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and
when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and
Elisha went over. 15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to
view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on
Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground
before him.
(John 3:34 KJV) For he whom God hath sent
speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto
him.
The Holy Spirit is the inner voice that guides, leads
us, teaches us, tells us something is wrong with our life. That inner
voice of God is the blessed gift from God, who loves us enough to
show us our errors. The conviction of the Holy Spirit is the
beginning and the continuation of the new life from above with God.
(John 10:27 KJV) My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me:
"Nevertheless I tell you the truth;
It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the
Comforter (Holy Spirit) will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will
send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin,
and of righteousness, and of judgment:" John 16:7-8 (KJV)
"Howbeit
when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that
shall he speak: and he will show you things to come." John 16:13
(KJV)
(Eph 4:30 KJV) And grieve not the holy Spirit of
God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all
bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put
away from you, with all malice:32 And be ye kind one to
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you.
We see clearly here above some
of those personal sins that can grieve the Holy Spirit, cause
us not to flow effectively next in the Holy Spirit. Sins we personally do
still need to admit, confess, repent from as well.
(Rom
8:16 KJV) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we
are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and
joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be
also glorified together.
(1 Cor 6:9 KJV) Know ye not
that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not
deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,10 Nor thieves, nor
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the
kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the
Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
(Heb 9:14
KJV) How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God?
(2 Cor 3:18
KJV) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of
the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by
the Spirit of the Lord.
(1 Pet 1:22 KJV) Seeing ye have
purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned
love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart
fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but
of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for
ever.
(Rom 8:3 KJV) For what the law could not do, in
that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the
flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit
the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but
to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal
mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God,
neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot
please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so
be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit
of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body
is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell
in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore,
brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but
ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are
the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God,
and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may
be also glorified together.
Spiritual
Gifts
Are they
important, and how many of them are for today as
well?
Sadly some of the most controversial
topics of Christianity are still also very important.. and do you
personally know what the Bible actually says about them or do you mostly
rely on what your pastor, others tell you?
(1 Cor 14:39 KJV) Wherefore, brethren,
covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
You know many people do not appreciate not
only tongues, but also prophecy now as well.. they wrongfully also do
think prophecy is about mostly foretelling the future.. God wants us
to use both still today.
As a Baptist I had all the arguments about
why tongues was for someone else, not me.. till one day God personally
said he wanted me to be baptized in the holy spirit and to speak in
tongues.. and I had no more arguments.. I can remember when and where was
baptized in the holy spirit and spoke in tongues, in the back pews of a
church one Sunday night.. but even tongues have to be used as God wants
them to be used.. not just when we want to use them.. I am not surprised
that the issue of tongues cause such a false division in the Christian
camp for I know that many people do not want their tongues under God's
control..
(James 3:5KJV) 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and
boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue
among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire
the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind
of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is
tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man
tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless
we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after
the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth
blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
1 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and
bitter? 2 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either
a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. 3
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of
a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 4 But if ye
have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not
against the truth. 5 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is
earthly, sensual, devilish. 6 For where envying and strife is, there
is confusion and every evil work. 7 But the wisdom that is from
above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated,
full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
8 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make
peace.
I also do think we need to appreciate the
next few verses to understand why wrongfully so many Christian conflicts
too.. even in churches
(James 4:1 KJV) From whence come wars
and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war
in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to
have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask
not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may
consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye
not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever
therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye
think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us
lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God
resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit
yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands,
ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted,
and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy
to heaviness. 0 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he
shall lift you up. 1 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He
that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil
of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a
doer of the law, but a judge. 2 There is one lawgiver, who is able
to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
(2 Tim 2:15 KJV) Study to show thyself
approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.
(2 Tim 2:16 KJV) But shun profane
and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more
ungodliness.
Wayne A. Robinson, Vice President of the Oral Roberts
Evangelistic Association, gave up his association with Oral Roberts
because of the abuse of these Spiritual gifts. So he threw out the baby
with the dirty wash water. An abused gifts does not nullify the validity
of it's existence.
Too many people have a problem also now just with the existence
of Miracles, but with the reality that the Divinely inspired Bible was all
brought about by "the power of the Holy Spirit"?! Plenty. So it is not
surpassing man y people have problems, or a lack of faith for God to
perform miracles their behalf or on the behalf of others. It's also
amazing to me that people have a problem with that when in fact they will
believe in things more difficult to believe in than God's Word, like
......Life on mars or aliens. Just unbelievable! The only "aliens" I
know of, as recorded in God's Word, are "devil spirits."
Something really peculiar also is that so many people will
believe in "angels," but they do not believe in "the power of the God,
Jesus, the holy spirit" ...yet....... both truths, both of these
realities, still come from the same Bible. Isn't that odd that
many only believe certain realities from the same Bible! And why is that?
Further, some people actually think angels are a greater
phenomenon than even God's gift to man, named ...the gift of holy spirit,
Acts 2:38, and Ephesians 2:8. Especially, when God had recorded
within His Word, the words: holy spirit, spirit, spiritually, holy ghost,
etc. hundreds of times more (almost 800 times in God's Word) as compared
to the word ..."angels," or "messengers," etc. (used under 300 times).
It is an intriguing matter when men magnify things that God does
not magnify, and when God magnifies things that men do not magnify it. Men
are Sinful of course.
The Word of God now too often is even sensationalized in
preaching, books, tapes for the people's false and shallow belief? People
tend to like to hear only certain topics.
and there is clearly even an evilly devised, satanic-origin
to the magnification of angels over God's giving of "the gift of holy
spirit," Acts 2:38? Over the word of God too.
Remember? II Corinthians 11:14, "And no marvel; for Satan himself
is transformed into an angel of light."
God's still does sends miracles to you today, that is, when you
believe! You still do have to do something to get God to act on your
behalf OR ON THE BEHALF OF OTHERS..
Remember? "And he [Jesus Christ] did not many mighty works there
because of their unbelief," Matthew 13:58.
No matter what the Bible topic is being discussed some persons
still do have a preset personal agenda, it is not the truth they are
expounding but their own false even pet theologies still too. Their
most common approach to do this is to neglect critical related verses in
the Bible, to wrongfully totally exclude, ignore them.. most people are
too ignorant, too lazy to spot this. Supposedly normal and even
weird people often still come out with weird word definitions of even
supposedly Bible words cause firstly they really do not know God, or the
Bible still firsthand.The Bible expositor who generalizes too much
or even those who try to put their own limitations, criteria on terms and
definitions will fall now still into errors. Sad. Some people are
clearly false or too lazy to study the Bible and the truth they can never
know the truth thus too It also amazes me how some people are so ready to
claim they are right, even experts, on a subject they have never
experienced even, such as the people who do not at all claim now to be a
prophet, and/or do not claim they speak in tongues, and/or do not claim
they prophecy and yet they claim now even to write authoritatively on any
of it.. sure, sure! In reality they all rightfully mostly have
already lost my respect, and their credibility to start of with for
toomany persons they also do try to do an expository of the scriptures not
led by the Holy Spirit but based mainly on their own personal experiences,
limitations understanding and thus to me these persons they are still real
ignorant fools.
(1 Cor 14:39 KJV) Wherefore, brethren, covet
to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
(1 Cor
14:40 KJV) Let all things be done decently and in
order.
(Eph 6:18 KJV) Praying always with all prayer
and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Jude 1:20 KJV) But
ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in
the Holy Ghost,(1 Cor 13:1 KJV) Though I speak with the tongues of
men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or
a tinkling cymbal.
(1 Cor 12:28 KJV) And God hath set some in
the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after
that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of
tongues.
(2 Tim 2:24 KJV) And the servant of the Lord must not
strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
(2 Tim
2:25 KJV) In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if
God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the
truth;
(2 Tim 2:26 KJV) And that they may recover themselves
out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his
will.
"There are different types of tongues now too.. and not just
different types of languages.
There is the Evidential tongues the
evidence of somebody receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit and
this is not the same as the gift of tongues that some people
have received even today as a gift from God where they speak forth
in toungues in a church service.
In Romans 8:26 there is also the
toungues of the Holy Spirit who is making prayerful intercession for
us. (Rom 8:26 KJV) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the
Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the
will of God.
These are the times of groanings in us through the
Holy Spirit that we really cannot utter. We cannot speak of those
things because may be too involved in the groaning part, or
agonizing over an issue we may not understand or want to face as
well. Thus the Holy Spirit then is making the prayerful intercession for
us.
We are to pray still always to interpret what we pray for in
toungues, but we many not always be able to do so still. We then do can
understand them to a point if you are Spirit filled to the point that you
know for a fact that it's the Holy Spirit praying through you and
interceding through you. You know for a fact that you're praying God's
will because the Holy Spirit never prays against His own will. We know
those things for a fact. We also know according to 1 Corinthians
14:14 Paul says, "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my
understanding is unfruitful." So we here too do see that the spirit of the
man, the person, the vessel that God chooses to use, that spirit person
can cooperate and pray in other tongues. The person praying does not
always understand what he's praying for, but based on other Scripture, we
know what we're praying for, the will of God to be done. It's perfect
prayer if you will.
Another type of tongues is singing
tongues , because Paul says that he sings in the spirit and he'll sing
with the understanding. They do not need always to be interpreted. Paul
doesn't say to interpret those. And we know from you can worship God
in the spirit. When you're worshipping the Lord, and tongues come forth
those are worship tongues.
(1 Cor 14:2 KJV) For he that
speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no
man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh
mysteries.
So now we do have evidential tongues, we have
prayerful tongues, we have singing tongues, we have worshipful tongues.
Then there is the gift of tongues in 1 Corinthians 12. These are all
different, but also they are all are related.
Not all
toungues always have to be interpreted. But because God is a God of
order, therefore, if you go to a service and all they're doing is babbling
for the entire service, that is not always of of God because that doesn't
have that order of the service.
The tongue that must
be interpreted is the gift of tongues in 1 Corinthians Chapter 12.
1 Corinthians Chapter 12. Paul says, "Now concerning spiritual…"
And notice that your Bible has this next word in italics. That means it's
not there. This is a word spiritual, it's a word that is an adjective but
used as a noun. It would be more perfectly translated spiritual things not
spiritual gifts, spiritual things, but the idea that the
translators, wanted to put the word gifts in there and they felt
because the entire context was about gifts . Paul he says. "I do not want
you to be ignorant." He's talking to the church, because he called them
brethren, and he doesn't want them to be ignorant. Now look at the
principle that he lays out. Verse 2 he says, "You know that you were
Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, And Paul uses the word
dumb which has to do with the fact that they just can't speak, they're
silent, they're dead. They can't speak. Then he says, "Therefore I make
known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus
accursed." In Contrast theliving God spoeaks to us, and in doing so he
wlays uplifts Jesus. the Holy Spirit will not contradict who Jesus Christ
is and not curse him, not blaspheme him.
And yet some of people
who have spoken in tongues have done so, I have heard it myself in a
church. There are false people in all churches and false tongues as well
as genuine ones.
You also can't stand up and say I'm following
Peter or I'm following Paul or I'm following Apollos and say that you're
doing it because that's God's will. We follow Jesus, Jesus, not anybody
else! Because the Holy Spirit would never lead you to follow a man. You
can respect part of what a man teaches as long as he's teaching the Word
of God, but you're never following a man you're only following the Lord
Jesus, and still you can't do that except the Holy Spirit has already
regenerated you.
Some persons also basically say, "Hey, God
uses me in the interpretation of tongues so I'm better than you are." A
great deal of false pride came in as they were exercised in the gifts, but
here's something to understand, they may have begun in the gifts exercised
by the Holy Spirit, but when sin began to creep in like pride, they no
longer were being exercised in the gifts of the Spirit, but are beignled
by the Devil, because God doesn't lead anyome to exalt themslves. However,
in their backsliding God didn't leave them, God didn't forsake them.
That's why Paul is still calling some of them brethren. They may be in
some sin, but their sin needs to be pointed out, needs to be corrected,
needs to be repented of, but they all haven't left God , are an ungodly
group, and that they're not even Christians because they don't want to
believe still ven in the power of the Holy Spirit and in his giftsd today.
Yes too many Christian persons do ntowant to mature inthe holy Ghost,
so they don't want to hear all those spirutal things,
gifts.
Yes, the Sinful persons in any church they can still be used
by the Holy Spirit because they're the choice of the Holy Spirit as a
vessel to be used. (2 Cor 4:7 KJV) But we have this treasure
in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and
not of us.
And it has also now bugged the daylights out of me
that I knew that some persons in all churches and in all denominations
were still sinning very bad, but God still used them as a vessel!
God uses people also in the church who are available vessels, who are
vessels that are opened to be used and often those vessels are in sin. God
uses also some sinful and even unbelieving pastors cause others had prayed
for them to be used by God, their spouses included. God can also use
anybody, anything as well, a jack ass too, and the usage of
the vessel by the Holy Spirit does not sanction the sin, the persons
now still, and as a matter of fact often soon after, there's going to be a
visible judgment based on that person's still unrepentant sins and there's
even going to be a lot of bewilderment. There's going to be a lot of
local, national concerns about why how one could have be sinful and
be even spiritual as well. I have seen this as well. Always still keep
your eye on God and his word and not the vessels.
God's will
also is for all persons to know Him initially and continually
and firstly through genuine personal repentance. For
immaturity and unrepentant sins will keep any believer in the
pigpen instead.. you cannot have one foot in the world, flesh, the
devil, hell and the other one next in Heaven, with God.. it cannot be
done. That is why so many so called Christian persons are still
unspiritual and why they cannot understand the truth or know it. Why we
have so many false pastors false teachers, false apostle, false prophets,
false evangelists, the false believers .
God does not forever
overlook all of the injustice being done or all of the unrepentant
personal sins, in fact often there is a time when these persons who have
sowed them do next reap the negative things they sowed, and they are
even publicly exposed as being false.
Verse in 1 Corhinians 12: 4
says, "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." There are
different gifts but it's the same Spirit behind all those gifts. The Holy
Spirit in that gift and the Holy Spirit behind that gift is the same Godly
Spirit. "There are differences of ministries" but the Holy Spirit is
behind the ministry. Even though the ministry is different. Some people
are ministering to native Americans, some people are sent to India, some
people are sent as missionaries to South America. Yes there are different
ministries. Some people are called in the ministry to be aan Apostle,
Pastor, teacher, evangelsi as well. There are different ministries, and as
a part of the Kingdom activity so that the Kingdom of God is a wide
kingdom. Yet the Holy Spirit is behind the ministries when they are of
Him. Rightfully and I'm not saying that everybody that has a ministry is
really in there in the ministry they're supposed to be, not everyone has
been called by God, a prerequissted for beign inthe Ministry too..
"And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God
who works all in all." So the activities may be different, but the Father
is behind them. So if somebody is witnessing to the politicans now
as well as ministering in the local church God's behind both of the
activities still too. We can't demean or bring down the person that's
behind the ministry to the politicans, thos ein Jail, the sick persons,
now too or any one else. My ministry is not to God more important than
your ministry", for we are all still members of God. "Can the
hand say to the eye or the foot" that i am better than you, more important
thamn you too. God the Holy Spirit is behind it all. I t's of God
omly if the Holy Spirit's behind it it's of God.
"But the
manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of
all:" the manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the
manifestation of a specific gift gift, whether we're talking about
the word of wisdom or the gifts of healing or prophecy, any one of those
nine gifts of the Holy Spirit listed here, the manifestation of that gift
is given to each one for the profit of all.
Not everybody
has all these gifts all the time. And I want you to understand that not
everybody who is Spirit filled is exercised in most of the gifts even, but
everybody who is a Christian, who is a believer, who's been washed in the
blood can have the gift of the Holy Spirit and if you have the
gift of the Holy Spirit, then you also will be seeking the Lord and
desiring the best gifts of the Holy Spirit, for one purpose to glorify
God, and be a blessing in the church, to be a blessing in the body of
believers that we are all a part of and also involved in the great
commission . You can't just minister inside the church and forget outside
the church too. And you can't just minister at home. It has to be a
blessing to the whole body of Christ.
"But one and the same Spirit
works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He
wills." Now notice that! It is the Holy Spirit who brings forth to the
vessel that He has chosen. We cannot manifest these gifts on our own
power. That's the sinful flesh! Some persons still do try to do it. We
need to wait upon the Holy spirit byy prayer nad Bible study first. It is
the Spirit of God that manifests these gifts as He chooses. He works
through his choice of vessels. The type of a vessel can be used by the
Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will choose as He will, as He decides, as
He has already gone over the people that we are knowing what those needs
are. The Holy Spirit manifests the gift that He chooses in the vessel he
chooses based on what He believes by His own ability to recognize the
needs of the individuals. Sometimes a word of wisdom is needed; therefore
He'll manifest it, sometimes the word of knowledge, sometimes the
discerning of spirits. "
"We all must beware of men who "compare
themselves with themselves" commending themselves through the use of
worldly status symbols such as wealth, international travel,
doctorates, and titles. Scripture speaks plainly (2
Corinthians 10:12 NIV) "We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves
with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by
themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise." We
should not be unwise but wise in whom we approve as true leaders (2
Corinthians 10:18 NIV) "For it is not the one who commends himself who is
approved, but the one whom the Lord commends."
It is also the
Holy Spirit, a personal daily Bible devotional that keeps you
"refreshed" and "high" In God and it is your subsequent believing,
faith that produces God's power, miracles in evidence in your own
life too! Not just believing in Angels or in what others say.
We often say we do want God to speak to us and our people today.
We also do want spiritually alive services. But we personally even as
pastors, elders, prophets, apostles do not have yet even a continual
relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit or with the
Bible even? Also please do note this..
1 Be very wary of anyone who seeks to persuade out of the Bible
especially the church of an established or a "new" definition of
any aspect of biblical teaching, because too many people are
false.
2. Don’t be misled by any person’s academic
credentials or church position. He may be a professor at a highly esteemed
cemetery and even have the support of a numbered of deceased colleagues
and supposedly know well his Greek and Hebrew, but if what he says does
not fit all of the plain teaching of scripture, we must not be afraid to
flatly review or to reject it.
3. The knowledge of the " Greek and Hebrew", "Jewish
literature" or a knowledge of the "apocryphal books" is not part of
the proper interpretation of scripture. When a writer feels
also the full need to use them to establish or support his position
in the word, he may have already substituted the useless chaff for the
truth, the wheat.
4. Do also Realize the influence, positively and negatively, that
any of our friends and associates, others do have wrongfully on the
moulding of our own theology. It’s much more difficult to resist
false teaching if it comes to us through the lips and keyboard of one whom
we personally know and may even appreciate his or her work in other
areas. Not all of false teaching came from people who were harsh,
unloving, self-centered snobs, thus we all can still be very
vulnerable to it. And just cause it was on TV, preached in the church, on
tape, or in writing does not mean it is the truth still.
5. Consider the best practical source of determining the
personal will of God for each one of us today. Start with the pure
Word of God any day!
6. Lazy people becoming to easily unthinking slaves even to the
modern day Preachers, or prophets. Instead of taking the needed also
personal responsibility to make wise decisions based on the principles of
God’s Word, they simple wrongfully wait to be told by a "word from the
Lord" by one of God's supposed servant. God normally does not lead you
through others. He may confirm his truth to you though.
7. Modern prophecy, has it's place along with good
preaching. But much of what goes under good preaching, good Bible
exposition, and even good prophecies are false today as well.
8. "Jesus prophesied that not one stone of the temple will be
left on another (Luke 21:6). Yet anyone who has seen the wailing wall in
Jerusalem will say that some stones still remain one on another."
But yet there seems to be even historical evidence that this was not the
original temple foundations stones. So who do you believe Jesus or what
mere men now tell you?
9. Are any of us so busy with our own agendas,
our programs and our too many areas of responsibility that we have firstly
neglected "that good part", the sitting at the feet of Jesus and communing
with our Lord by His Holy Spirit? Do we even know his Holy Spirit
personally yet too?
I also do believe in the existance today of Apostles,
Prophets, Pastors, Teachers healings, miracles too but I also do have a
need for discernment and wisdom with regard to any of them as well.
3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou
mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Malachi 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of
righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and
grow up as calves of the stall
Arise, shine; for thy light is come. . . (Isaiah 60:1)
Why
do the Holy Spirit gifts endure beyond the days of the early
Apostles?
"Scripture teaches that the Holy Ghost was given for the
spreading of the Gospel through the methods and power of Jesus. (Acts 1:8)
The disciples preached while exercising the miraculous gifts of the
Spirit! Paul confirmed, "Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among
you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds." (2
Corinthians 12:12) Today, we need no less than the primitive church. The
needs of our age are equal to those of the first century. (I Cor. 10:18)
Scripture never indicated that the gifts of the Spirit would be removed
during the age of grace but rather affirmed a wonderful outpouring in
these last days. (Acts 2:17-18) Therefore, we must seek God's Pentecostal
power to enable Christ-like ministry. Like great men throughout history we
must lay hold of God's Pentecostal anointing and thereby reach our lost
generation!" "Remember that God has never changed and has always
done the miraculous. On the day of Pentecost, God's power was sent into
His eternal temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16) Satan has been trying to destroy
God's house ever since. While Jesus is unchanging, Satan continually
changes into every disguise to accomplish his deception. We can defeat him
with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Ghost.
"For the
promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:39)"
Isaiah
44:3 "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the
dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon
thine offspring:"
Isaiah 59:21 "As for me, this is my covenant
with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which
I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the
mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the
LORD, from henceforth and for ever."
Isaiah 28:11-12 "For with
stammering lips and another tongue (Acts 2:4) will he speak to this
people. 12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the
weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear."
Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour
out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see
visions:"
Acts 2:16 "But this is that which was spoken by the
prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I
will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your
old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I
will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:"
Ezekiel 37:10 "So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath
came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding
great army."
(John 15:5 KJV) I am the vine, ye are the
branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth
much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not
in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them,
and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.