The Holy Spirit (Part 6)

My post today is probably one of the more controversial parts on the teaching of the Holy Spirit.  I realize that many will agree with me and many will disagree with me on this issue.  I just ask that you look at the scripture with an open heart and spirit.  In dealing with the power of the Holy Spirit I am going to be looking at what the Bible teaches concerning the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.  I want to answer the question "has speaking in tongues been done away with and no longer needed" or "was this experience needed only for the early church in the book of Acts to initially get the church started?"  I want to begin by looking first of all at the promise of the Holy Spirit as given in scripture.

1.  The Promise Of The Baptism In The Holy Spirit

When we look into scripture to see the promise of the baptism of the Holy Spirit there are primarily three sections we want to examine.

• Luke 3:16 -- "John answered, saying unto [them] all, I indeed baptize you with water; but
  
  one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."  John was convinced that when Jesus came He would baptize the believers with the Holy Ghost and that this would be subsequent to salvation.
• John 14:16-17 -- "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." Jesus knew after He left, that His followers would need another to guide them, comfort them, and lead them.  That Comforter and Guide would be the Holy Spirit.  The distinction Jesus made to the disciples was that "he (the Holy Spirit) dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."  After the Day of Pentecost when the believers were baptized in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit didn't just dwell with them but He now lived in them.
• Acts 1:5, 8 -- "For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. ... 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."  Just before Jesus final ascension to the Father, He left them with these words indicating that they would be baptized with the Holy Ghost and would receive power.

2.  The Fulfillment Of The Holy Spirit's Coming

The initial coming of the Holy Spirit is recorded in Acts 2:1-4 and His coming was two-fold.

• He baptized us into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13)
• That we be baptized in Him (the Holy Spirit)

3.  The Baptism In The Holy Spirit Is For Believers Only

The uniqueness of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is that it is for believers only, the world cannot receive this experience (John 14:17).  Until a person is "born again" as Jesus explained to Nicodemus, they can't receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

4.  The Evidence Of Being Baptized In The Holy Spirit

The evidence of being baptized in the Holy Spirit is denoted in Acts 2:4 where the scriptures tell that "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance."  Another occasion while Peter was speaking to a group of Gentiles the Holy Ghost fell on them and they began to speak with other tongues (Acts 10:44-46).

God desires for us to draw closer to Him and be endued with all the power He has.  Even though you receive the Holy Spirit at salvation, never stop praying for God to endue you with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and for the gifts of the Spirit to work and be manifest in your life.

-- Pastor Temple

What The Resurrection Guarantees

Without the resurrection of Jesus, we would be of all men, most miserable!  Those were the words of Paul as he emphasized the importance of the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ.   The resurrection is the foundational principle of the New Birth.  As crucial as Jesus' death was to the plan of salvation, the cross of Calvary didn't signal the beginning of new life for you and me as believers.  Our new life in Christ began with the resurrection.  I want to share with you five truths that the resurrection guarantees.

1. That the devil is defeated.  When Jesus was resurrected, He in affect, destroyed the only
   
   power the devil had which is death. Hebrews 2:14-15 says "Since the children have flesh and blood, he (Jesus) too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death -- that is the devil-- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."  Praise God, the devil is defeated by Jesus' resurrection!
2. Given us spiritual life.  Prior to Jesus' resurrection humanity was spiritually dead but because of His resurrection we are now spiritually alive.  1 Peter 1:3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."
3. Given us a place and position of authority.  Because Jesus was resurrected and given a place at the right hand of God in the heavenly realms, he is also above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.  And because God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, then we too have a place and position of authority. (Ephesians 1:20-23).
4. Life after death. Because Jesus lives, we live.  Jesus himself said "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." (John 5:24).
5. Hope of a resurrection.  Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed -- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.  When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 'Where , O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?'  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."  Praise God there is the hope of a resurrection for us!

The resurrection of Jesus guarantees us so much.  Let's make use of everything God has provided.

-- Pastor Temple

The Holy Spirit (Part 5)

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead and it ought to be our earnest desire to know the Holy Spirit and to have an intimate relationship with Him.  This is possible because He lives in us because our bodies are the temple of God.  Having the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer, there are many things that He does for us.  In this post I want to mention just six of the most important works of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.

1.  He Reveals Things To Us.  Paul told the Corinthians: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."  (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).  It is through the Holy Spirit that the believer understands many of the mysteries of God.  That is part of His work in our life.

2.  He Quickens Us.  To be quickened means to "make alive."  To many people are influenced by emotion or hype and not the quickening of the Holy Spirit.  Emotion is soul and flesh, not spirit.

3.  He Leads Us And Guides Us.  "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Romans 8:14).  Don't allow emotions, hearsay, or what you feel to lead you.  Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to lead and guide you.

4.  He Bears Witness With Us.  "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." (Romans 8:16).  How do we know we are saved?  God's Spirit (the Holy Spirit) will agree with our spirit that we belong to Him.

5.  He Teaches Us And Brings Things To Our Remembrance.  Jesus told the disciples that "...the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."  (John 14:26).  Don't forget the anointing abides in you.  It is there to direct you and it is ever present.

6.  He Gives Us Victory Over Sin.  You have to make the decision which way to walk.  The Holy Spirit's job is to keep you "enlightened" as to what is right and wrong, but the decision to follow the right path is yours.  Once you make that decision, the Spirit's job is to then give you the power and victory over sin. (Romans 8:1-5).

There are many many other works that the Holy Spirit will do in your life and these are a few of the important ones.  Take advantage of what God does for you in the power of the Holy Spirit. Don't flounder around wondering how you are going to make it.  God has already provided the victory and the Holy Spirit is your power!

-- Pastor Temple

The Holy Spirit (Part 4)

In this post I want to cover three questions about the Holy Spirit, but before I address those, I want to make clear the main purpose of the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit's power in our life isn't just something to make us feel good or to "speak in tongues," but it is to empower us for service.  It is this empowerment for service from the Holy Spirit that will give you the confidence you need to serve God.  And now for the three questions.

1.  What Is The Anointing Of The Holy Spirit?

The anointing of the Holy Spirit represents the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus told the disciples in 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."  It is when the Holy Spirit comes upon us that we receive power and anointing.  This power begins at the "new birth" and grows in empowerment when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit.

2.  Do You Have To Have The Anointing To Have The Power?

When Jesus took upon Himself humanity He had to have the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish what He accomplished. It is important to note that Jesus did no miracles until after His Holy Spirit anointing (Luke 3:22; 4:1, 18).  What Jesus did was done under the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  If Jesus needed the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit then it only stands to reason that His disciples need it too.  So the answer to the question "Do you have to have the anointing to have the power?" is yes.

3.  How Does The Power Of The Holy Spirit Manifest Itself?

He begins to manifest Himself at the new birth first by being that inner Witness, Comforter, Teacher, Counselor, Leader, and Guide in the life of the believer.  He also manifests Himself through the anointing.  The anointing is for every believer, because the Holy Spirit is for every believer.  The power of the Holy Spirit should be demonstrated in the believer's life.

-- Pastor Temple

The Holy Spirit (Part 3)

As I have approached this series on the Holy Spirit, there have been some questions submitted that I would like to answer here:

• Does a person have to be baptized in the Holy Spirit to enter heaven?  The answer is no. The only requirement for a person to be saved and have eternal life is to be born again (John 3:7). When one accepts Jesus as their Savior they receive the Spirit of Christ (Holy Spirit) and have eternal life.  "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 (Romans 8:9).
• Do I have to be baptized in the Holy Spirit to be used of God.  Again the answer is no. It is important however, to know that when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit there is a greater anointing, and a greater power to do the work of ministry.

In this dispensation the Holy Spirit has made our body His temple and He dwells in us through His omnipresence (1 Corinthians 3:16).  The Bible tells us that the "Greater One" live in us (1 John 4:4).  I want share with you how important the Holy Spirit is in our lives.

1.  God Established The Church On The Power Of The Holy Spirit

In the Book of Acts, we see the importance of the Holy Spirit's work in the establishment of the early church.  Jesus told His disciples that they would receive power after the Holy Ghost came upon them (Acts 1:8) and in Acts 2 we see the lives of the apostles were changed dramatically by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Peter, who had denied Christ at his trial, preached with boldness and thousands were saved (Acts 4:13).  This was the beginning of the empowerment of the church and of the people of God.

2.  What The Power Of The Holy Spirit Will Do For You

When the Holy Spirit fills the believer He begins to move and change many aspects of the believers spiritual life.  Here are a few:

• It will change your life and empower you.  Just as the lives of the disciples were changed, so is your life when the Holy Spirit comes in.  The Holy Spirit wants to revolutionize your life and when He does, you will never be the same.
• It will give you a new perspective for life and ministry.  When the Holy Spirit gets a hold on your life and revival begins to burn in you, your perspective for ministry will change and you will begin to look for ways to minister.
• It will give you a heart and desire for ministry.  If you have no interest for ministry, check and see if the Holy Spirit is active in your life.  When the Holy Spirit is directing your life there will always be a heart and desire for ministry.
• It will give you the confidence you need for ministry.  One of the biggest deficiencies in the believer is a lack of confidence.  The power of the Holy Spirit in your life will give you that confidence.

God desires for you to have all He offers!  It is His Spirit working in us that gives us the power and boldness to pray for the sick and witness of Christ.  Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to fully use you?

-- Pastor Temple

The Holy Spirit (Part 2)

Many Christians really don't fully understand the kind of relationship they should have with the Holy Spirit. They may know something about the Holy Spirit, but do they really know the person, the Holy Spirit?  There is only one way to get to know the Holy Spirit; and that is through the Word and through constant fellowship with Him. As Christians we should not only know the mechanics of the Holy Spirit, but the dynamics as well.  In this post I will share the different types of "baptisms" a Christian has and why there is so much controversy surrounding the Holy Spirit, as well as the importance of having a relationship with Him and the power the Holy Spirit brings to the life of the Believer.

1.  Three Baptisms

The believer experiences three different baptisms:

• Baptism into Christ -- The Holy Spirit is the agent that baptizes the believer "into Christ" and "into His body," the church. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
• Baptism into water -- The minister or some other person then baptizes the believer in water. (Matthew 28:19)
• Baptism into the Holy Spirit -- Then Christ baptizes the same believer in the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 3:11)

Baptism "into Christ" is essential to salvation.  Baptism into water is essential to obedience and to a "good conscience" after a person is saved and in Christ.  And baptism into the Holy Spirit is essential to receiving power for service (Acts 1:8).

2.  The Holy Spirit's Relationship With The Believer

The Holy Spirit dwells in the believer.  We are the "temple" of God and He is in us through His

omnipresence. (1 Corinthians 3:16).  In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit would come upon, rest upon, move upon, inspire, enable or give men power to do certain things but He dwelt in temples make with hands not in the lives of the people. Now, the Holy Spirit has made our body His temple and He dwells in us.  When you get saved, your body becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit and you have a union with Him. That's why when a Christian sins they feel conviction as a reminder to repent.

3. Why Such Controversy About The Holy Spirit And His Power

Satan desires to keep the church ignorant of the power of the Holy Ghost because he knows how much it would threaten his schemes and plans.  As a result, the church has allowed confusion about the Holy Spirit to thwart its potential power.  There are four reasons why the working of the Holy Spirit's power is not evident in the church today.

• A lack of correct teaching about the Holy Spirit's work.  There has been a lot of inaccurate teaching about how the Holy Spirit is to operate and what His function is.  As a result we don't see His power demonstrated in the lives of the believers or the church.
• Believing that the Holy Ghost power is not needed and has passed away.  Many believe that the Holy Spirit's power was limited to 1st century Christians and therefore believe there is no need for that power to be manifested today.
• Many believers aren't sure if miracles still happen today.
• People are afraid of any kind of demonstration.  They think any display of the Holy Spirit's power would get out of hand.

4.  Why You Need The Power Of The Holy Spirit

There are three reasons why it is necessary for the power of the Holy Spirit to be evident in the believer's life.

• So the church can experience God's power.  God works through us.  We are the channel and vessels through which He moves.
• So God can manifest to us who He is.  Many people don't believe in God, because they see no demonstration of who He is in our life.  Each believer needs a personal experience with Him and a demonstration in their life of who God really is.
• So the Body of Christ can be edified, comforted and exhorted.  It's not just enough to have a church service.  We need the power and the anointing of the Holy Spirit to be so magnified in our lives that every time we come together souls are being saved, bodies healed, and needs met.  God wants to demonstrate His anointing.

The power of the Holy Spirit is essential for the life of the Believer.  God desires you to have a close relationship with Him and His Spirit.  It is my desire that you know who the Holy Spirit is and what His relationship is to be to you.

-- Pastor Temple

Who Are You Listening Too? (Part 2)

God has made every provision possible to communicate with us.  It is His greatest desire that we live in relationship with Him and communicate with Him.   Remember, it's not a matter as to whether or not God still speaks, it is a matter of, are we listening?  In this post I want to share with you how we can identify God's voice, and what some of the consequences are for failing to listen to God.

How Can We Identify God's Voice?

• His voice will be consistent with His Word.  Whatever He speaks in our hearts must match what He has spoken on the printed page.  If what you "think" God is telling you isn't consistent with what His Word says then it's unlikely God's voice.  You can be sure that God would not contradict His Word.
• His message will often conflict with human thinking.  Sometimes the Lord may require of
  
  us to do something that seems beyond our abilities.  But, He is faithful to enable us to do what He calls us to do.  Although His message won't conflict with His Word it very well could conflict with human reasoning.
• His voice will always challenge our faith. Because He wants us to grow in faith, God sometimes calls us to face our fears and trust Him more.  Allow God's voice to take you deeper in your faith.
• His voice is often quiet.  Instead of answering our prayers in dramatic ways, the Lord often speaks to our hearts quietly and unexpectedly in the normal course of the day.  It won't necessarily be in a loud and magnificent manner.  Be sure to listen to His still small voice. This takes a sensitive spirit that can hear God's Spirit.
• He always speaks specifically.  God wants you to know exactly what He is saying.  He never wants to leave you in the dark, but rather always bring you to the light.  When we listen carefully, we can expect God to speak in specific ways.

Consequences For Failing To Listen To God

I see six significant consequences for us when we don't listen to God.

• The world will draw us away from Him if we continually ignore His voice.
• We'll be easily deceived by all the other voices.
• We will make costly decisions based on human reasoning rather than divine guidance.
• We'll make choices that appeal to the flesh and give us what we want.
• Our decisions could cause us to forfeit God's best.
• We could suffer consequences that could affect us for years to come. 

Are you listening to the Lord and walking obediently before Him every day?  That is the only way to reap the greatest harvest in life now and receive eternal rewards in heaven.

-- Pastor Temple