Category Archives: Holy Spirit

Have you received the Holy Ghost?

Featured

Posted on by

He said unto them, have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.”

Acts 19:2

Have you received the Holy Spirit after you believed in Jesus Christ? I wonder how many Christians who profess that they believe in Christ have not yet received the Holy Spirit. Throughout history the subject of the Holy Spirit may be one of the most debated topics. For most church leaders it is a matter of control in the body of Christ. Are we missing something that God intended for our life as a Christian? We may sing about the Holy spirit, but not allow His movement within the congregation. The Holy Spirit is a mystery for many, yet it is the vehicle in which God moves to bless his people within the congregation. It is the Holy Spirit who brings conviction within our heart to change the way we are living. What did Jesus say about the Holy Spirit. Is the Holy Spirit our comforter? Yes, the comforter is the Spirit of truth, and who testifies of Jesus [see John 15:26]. Let us look into the gospel of John in chapter 16.

And when the Spirit [he] is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”

John 16:8

This is known as the threefold ministry of the Holy Spirit. Read on to the next three verses in John chapter 16. The Spirit convicts us of sin because there are those who do not believe in Jesus. The Spirit convicts us about righteousness, for Jesus goes to the Father and the Father see us only through his son who is our righteousness. The Spirit convicts us about judgment for the prince of this world is judged who is the devil.

If we do not have the Spirit, who will guide us into truth? Jesus said it is the Spirit who will guide us into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself, but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will show us things to come, [see John 16:13-14]. It is the Spirit that helps us to glorify Christ. Jesus said, “if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me,” John 12:32. How can we draw close to him without the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Jesus also said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;” John 14:16. We will never be alone if we have the Holy Spirit living within our heart. Will you give your heart to the Lord?

Will you give the Lord your heart?

We surrender our heart and ourselves to the Lord so He can create in us a new clean heart. We must have our stony cold heart changed.

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”

Ezekiel 36:26

Ah, yes, a new spirit will He put within you, and He will give you a heart of flesh. A heart of flesh for He has awakened you spiritually to the love of God. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God the apostle Paul said in Ephesians 4:30, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of God to which Jesus prayed that he would send to each person who believes in Him. The apostle Paul was asking those who were disciples of John the Baptist in Acts chapter 19, “to whom where you baptized.” To whom where you baptized into? Paul said that John baptized unto repentance, but it is Jesus who you should believe in who came after John the Baptist. Paul than laid his hands upon them and the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Glory to God they got the baptism in the Holy Spirit. All we have to do is ask for the Holy Spirit to come upon us. Jesus provided the way, and He gives us the comforter who is the Holy Spirit. The Jews were astonished as to the words of Jesus when he said, “how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him,” Luke 11:13.

This is that which was spoken through the prophet Joel, [see Acts:2:16]. This is that, meaning to what was spoken previously. The prophet Joel prophesied that God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. This would happen in the latter days in the church, but it also relates to when Israel will return to the Lord. Yet, the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon those who believe. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit has brought the charismatic movement through the centuries, and it is still happening around the world.

Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them.”

Numbers 11:29

This is Moses’ desire and what the prophet Joel declared. All will prophesy and have visions and dreams as the Spirit falls down upon them. Be sure that God will fulfill all what Joel prophesied. These are exciting times for those who are charismatic Christians who have placed their faith in Christ Jesus and are baptized in the Holy Spirit. How can you hear his voice if you do not have the Holy Spirit as your comforter. It is the Spirit that searched all things and the deep things of God. This is not man’s wisdom, for who can know the things of God. It is what the Holy Spirit teaches and through the Spirit we are able to compare spiritual things with spiritual as Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 2:10-13. You do not have to fear the Holy Spirit when you ask the Father for the baptism of the Spirit.

I remember a worship leader who asked me to give him the Holy Spirit. I told him I could not give him the Holy Spirit, for he must ask the Father for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit only comes from the Father and Jesus prayed to the Father that he would give the comforter to those who would ask. He got it in a parking lot. Yes, the Holy Spirit came down upon him in a parking lot as he was trying to get into his car. Amazing. We receive it through faith and God answers our prayer.

“Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”

1 Corinthians 12:3

Anyone who curses Jesus and who confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. That person is not of the Spirit of God. Those who are baptized in the Holy Ghost will point to Christ as Lord overall and believe that Jesus came in the flesh and has died for our sins. If they do not confess this, then they are of the spirit of antichrist [see 1 John 4:1]. John tells us that the antichrist is already in the world. That is why we must have the Holy Spirit as our comforter. But we must also test and try the spirit to see if it is of God. John gives us instruction to try the spirits whether they are of God. We need never fear as to what spirit we have when within our heart we confess Jesus as Lord who came in the flesh, died and arose from the grave. We can ask the spirit this question to see if it is of God. We must remember that we are the temple of God and that His Spirit dwells within us.

It is written “be ye holy for I am holy,” [1Peter 1:16]. Our hearts are purified for the service of the Lord. That is why the apostle Paul stated, “we are laborers together with God; you are God’s cultivated field, you are God’s building,” [1 Corinthians 3:9]. Our foundation is built upon Jesus Christ, and He has called us friends. His love now reigns, and He instructs us to walk in love. Receive the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus and walk in love every day.

Overcome Evil

What House will you Build

Featured

Posted on by

Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. What house will ye build me? saith the Lord.”

Acts 7:49

What house will you build for the Lord? Did not the Lord make all things with his hand? Maybe we forgot that God has laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of His hands [see Psalms 102:25]. Yet in verse 26 of Psalms 102, it states it shall perish, but thou will endure. How is it that we will endure, but the earth will perish. What is the meaning of the Lord asking what house you will build me? Here in Acts chapter seven, we have Stephen who was full of faith and power and did miracles among the people [see Acts 6:8]. Stephen is addressing the Sanhedrin on Israel’s past and what God has done. In 1st Kings chapter five we read that because of wars on all sides that the house of the Lord could not be built. There had to be a time of rest for the Lord’s house to be built. A time where peace will reign without adversary or evil occurring. Can you imagine what that would be like? Yet, God promised there will be a new heaven and earth and those who belong with Him will have peace for a 1000 years, which is known as the Millennium.

Isaiah, apostle Peter and John have all stated that a new heaven and earth will be created, and the former earth will not be remembered [see Isaiah 65:17]. Some call this a supernatural act of God, yet this is what the apostle Peter said that he was looking for. The promise of the coming new heavens and earth where righteousness dwells [see 2 Peter 3:13]. Peter said this after explaining how the Lord will come like a thief in the night and the heavens will melt with fervent heat along with the earth. Then Peter asked, “what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?” What manner indeed! Where is the house of the Lord? It is not in the many buildings we call churches. Churches are a place for Christian religious activities. Church buildings are not the house of the Lord. Churches are to be a place of worship, but they are not the house of the Lord. This may be shocking to hear, but the house of the Lord is where the Holy Spirit resides in individual hearts.

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

2 Corinthians 5:1

The earthly house is our physical body which will dissolve, and we will have a new body that is not made with physical hands but with the hand of God. Our physical body is temporal whereas our heavenly body is eternal. Remember the Spirit of the living God is to reside in the stony heart of flesh and not in stone tablets or buildings. It is the Spirit that gives us life [see 2 Corinthians 3:6]. The ministration of the Spirit is to be more glorious in those who have believe. God has given us the earnest of the Spirit which now resides in our heart. This is eternal and it is the new building of God. It is the spiritual house that is being built up in Christ. This is a holy priesthood, a birthright for those who believe in the son of God. They can now have access to God through Jesus Christ. That is why the apostle Paul implores us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. This is total surrender to the will of God and allowing His Spirit to dwell within our physical body.

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:5

A spiritual house that is acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. Every believer is born of the Spirit and indwelt by the Spirit of God to where the believers body becomes a temple of God. That is why the apostle Paul exhorted to the Corinthians, “know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” Because you were bought with a price through Christ death. Christ died for our sins and through Christ resurrection we receive eternal life. We must not defile the temple of God. We must be separate from those who are unclean. God is calling us to be separate, a people of God who through the Spirit has mortify the deeds of the flesh [see Romans 8:13]. We must not deceive ourselves, for the temple of God is holy, which you are [ 1 Corinthians 3:17-18]. We must allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and have His way within our hearts. Let us not become stiff-necked like the Israelites under Mosses. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,” [Romans 8:14].

I found it interesting to note that in 2 Chronicles chapter 6 in verse eight God told David that even though He desired to build a house for the Lord, that David did well in that it was in his heart. It was in his heart the house of the Lord. This is the key of where you will build your house for the Lord. Yes, our God knows the secrets of the heart of men.

Trust not in oppression and become not vain in robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.”

Psalms 62:10

Whatever happens in the world today, we can have the peace of God within our hearts. It is Jesus Christ who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of God and our Father [see Galatians 1:4]. Now is the time to cleanse our house from all fleshly desires and separate ourselves unto God. That we may be a building of God. We must become living stones desiring the word of God and growing by the word that we may be rooted in good solid ground. We must present our life, our bodies as a spiritual sacrifice that is acceptable unto God. Asking God to purify our minds and to guide us with His Spirit is the will of God. Allowing his Spirit to help us to hear the word of God will change us from glory to glory, this is sanctification.

But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 3:18

May we witness the ministration of the Spirit under the law of Christ which has hath made us free from the law of sin and death. Let us build our house on the foundation that is on a rock, which is Christ Jesus. May we grow into the living stones chosen of God and precious in His sight.

Godly Living

Featured

Posted on by

All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

2 Timothy 3:12

Is it possible to live a godly life? Some may question the possibility of living a godly life. I can remember people saying that it is impossible to live a godly life in the world we live in today. This was back in the 70’s when the question was raised about godly living. Yet, when the power of God moved upon people it brought change and some knew the importance of godly living and discipleship. Weekly groups were the outcome for discipleship teaching in learning to live a godly life. I remember the Navigators for Christ, which is an interdenominational Christian ministry. Navigators for Christ went into colleges across the U.S. to help young Christians in discipleship. I attended a weekly group that met at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. A godly life is pursuing a life of holiness and obedience to the Lord. Is it hard to live a godly life? Some would say yes. The truth is, it is hard if you are trying to live a godly life in the flesh instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to come and do the change within your heart. And what about suffering persecution for Christ. Have we witnessed persecution in the world we live in today? The answer is yes.

Dicipleship must allow time for meditation on the word as well as prayer time for the Holy Spirit to enlighten those who are seeking that closer walk with God. We must seek God through the Spirit since God is a Spirit [John 4:24]. Revelation is through the Spirit of God, and this is knowing and understanding what the will of God is.

God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. “

1 Corinthians 2:10

The apostle Paul goes on to explain in 1st Corinthians chapter two that we receive the Spirit of God through the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that teaches us the truth of God through spiritual revelation to where we are able to compare spiritual things with spiritual [1 Corinthians 2:13]. The more you take time to read the word and pray for wisdom in understanding it, the more you will gain knowledge and know what the will of God is. The Spirit of God will reveal where your own heart stands. Will you be ready to submit your will to God and allow His Spirit to change your heart? Godly living is surrendering your will to the will of God. Have you read Andrew Murray’s book titled “Absolute Surrender” written in 1897? I have the audio book and I listen to it often to remind me that this is a requirement to daily living in His Love. Click the link to the site to download and read. Daily surrendering is the key to living a godly life.

Click to access Absolute_Surrender_Andrew_Murray_1897.pdf

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world

Titus 2:11-12

The godly life is one who denies worldly lust and one who lives soberly in this present world. That is moderation or self-restraint living allowing the Spirit of God to light our path as we walk in the Spirit of Christ.

Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in its lusts, neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

Romans 6:12-13.

We must not yield to unrighteousness and sin. Paul tells us in Romans chapter six that we do not serve sin and that we are no longer slaves to sin. If we are dead with Christ, we are free from the power of sin. As Christ lived unto God, so do we. The Spirit delivers us from the old nature of sin. Thus, we have Paul statement in Romans, “for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death,” [Romans 8:2]. We must be grounded and rooted in the word of God in order to be free from the law of sin and death. Our life is in Christ who is the author and finisher of our faith. It is those who are led by the Spirit of God that has become heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. We are now the people of God who has obtained mercy. Our behavior should reveal Christ character in doing good works to the glory of God.

One of the signs of evil is when evil men and seducers become worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived [see 2 Timothy 3:13]. These are men who abuse their authority to gain their own reality of rulership. They take no thought about the welfare of others, and they themselves are being deceived. They are not subject to the law of God since they are carnal minded. They are offended and accurse those who do not follow their pacific will. This is the reason that those who follow Christ will have persecution from those who do not follow Christ. Persecution can also come from those who are professing Christians but are not grounded or rooted in the word of God.

And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

Mark 4:16-17

Are you grounded and rooted in the doctrine of Christ where faith is based upon Christ sacrifice for your sins? Do not allow other things to choke out the word of God. Do not become offended by the word of God which is able to perfect us into the love of God. The word of God is the incorruptible seed that bears fruit as long as we do not choke it out. Remember that Jesus said that it is Satan that comes to take the word away after it was sown in the heart [Mark 4:15]. Yet, Jesus tells us to have ears to hear and to take heed how we hear.

Take heed what ye hear; with what measure ye measure, it shall be measured to you; and unto you; and unto to you that hear shall more be given.”

Mark 4:24

Hearing the word is how you personally will measure it. It is what you will choose to believe in how it will be measured to you. How much of the light of God’s word will you allow into your life? Will you stay the course? For some it is a great sacrifice because being a follower for Christ means losing ties from their own natural families. That loss is real, and many do not understand the pain that an individual suffers from separation of family, but Christ can identify with your pain. You may be detached from your own mother, father, brother, or sister but you have been grafted into the family of God. Sometimes you may find yourself isolated from those who do not follow Christ. This is a form of persecution. Any hostile feelings, attitudes, words and actions against an individual because they believe in Christ is a form of persecution. I personally went through this myself and it was Christ love for me that won me over to becoming a Christian. I was ignorant about who Jesus was, but I found the reality of that love and made the choice to follow Jesus. I have no regrets where Christ is concerned. I pray that you too, will choose to live a godly life in Christ Jesus despite the persecution you may receive. We can say along with Paul, ” I endured: but out of all the persecutions, the Lord delivered me,” [2 Timothy 3:11]. He will deliver you too. . .so, stay the course to live a godly life.

The law of the Spirit of Life

Featured

Posted on by

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:2

The Spirit of Life is through Jesus Christ, for Jesus is the chief corner stone in which the building is structured to a holy temple in the Lord. The church is structured through the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, and it is fashioned through the character of Christ. Paul told the Ephesians that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them,” [Ephesians 2:10]. We can boast what Christ has done in our personal life, but we cannot take glory for the work of the Lord, for it was a gift of God and we were all bought with a price. There is a law put in place and that law of the Spirit of life is Christ Jesus himself. This is the everlasting life that flows through us by the Holy Spirit and builds us up into the character of Christ.

In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:21-22

We become a holy temple and a habitation of God through the Spirit. Wow! This takes some consideration in our minds to get around the full meaning of what this means. To imagine that each of us is fitly framed together to grow into a holy temple can be hard to understand. This is the body that is being built in the church. I have not even thought about this in my early walk as a Christian. I became a Christian in 1974 in Seattle Washington. Several of us from the youth group at the Presbyterian Church and some from the Catholic church went to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Seattle, Washington. We had heard about the charismatic movement and the speaking of tongues. I cannot remember how or who suggested us to go and check it out. But we went one Sunday morning to St. Luke’s in Ballard, for we wanted to learn more about the baptism in the Spirit. We went forward during the invitation to come to the alter and pray. Rev. Dennis Bennett came in back of each of us praying and laying hands on us to receive the Holy Spirit. When his hands touch my head, I felt the power of God go through me and I began to speak in tongues. We were all full of the Holy Spirit and God’s light shown upon our faces.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is the beginning of building the holy temple in the Lord. The Holy Spirit comes in clean vessels that are yielded vessels for the work of God to move in the heart towards the character of Christ. We let go the youthful lust in the flesh which was common among youth and desired to have peace, love, and faith in the Lord Jesus. Our sins were forgiven and now we wanted the fullness of the Spirit to walk in the love of Christ. The apostle Paul stated to depart from all iniquity. If a man would purge himself from all that is unclean, he would become a vessel of honor, sanctified, and fit for the master’s use and this would prepare us for every good work, [see 2 Timothy 2:21]. This is the law of the Spirit of Life through Christ Jesus. Being made free from the law of sin and death. Created in Christ Jesus to the glory of God. We were so full of the Spirit of God that we would gather at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle late at night to sing praises and dance unto the Lord. This may sound astounding, but like King David dancing before the Lord, so did we play cymbals and tambourines and danced. In those days the church door was left open for anyone to come and pray when needed. This was a house of prayer.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle

“Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.”

Psalms 149:3

I can remember this as if it was yesterday, but this was 48 years ago. So much joy was in our hearts that we had to spend time in the Spirit to exalt the name of the Lord. This was the beginning of walking in the Spirit. We did not want to be carnally minded for to be carnally minded brought death and not peace.

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Romans 8:6

The word carnally is the Hebrew word “shakab” which means copulation, seed, or sexual act. We wanted life and peace that is from being spiritually minded through Christ Jesus. The righteousness that is in Christ Jesus has the redemptive power to save and to create a new man. This is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Jesus. Romans chapter 8 mentions the Holy Spirit nineteen times. This is an important note for us to consider and chew upon. Sin and death no longer have control over us, for we belong to Christ, and we now have the righteousness of Christ who is the victor over sin and death. If we put to death the deeds of the body, we shall live [see Romans 8:13]. Our body and mind belong to the Lord, and we must worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth. It is the Spirit that works in the yielded Christian to bring the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus into effect. This is so marvelous that the power of the resurrection of Christ will give life to our mortal bodies by His Spirit [see Romans 8:11]. As the believer becomes a habitation for God, our adoption is assured as children and heirs of God.

The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”

Romans 8:16

Do you have that witness within your own spirit? Is your position in Christ a reality? The indwelling of the Spirit gives the realization of the present experience which is the earnest down payment of our inheritance that we have through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Sonship is the adoption we receive the moment we believe. Regeneration takes on the meaning of the divine life of Christ nature to flow in the believer by the Holy Spirit. This means we do not work at achieving it ourselves, but it is the work of the Holy Spirit to renew our mind and heart to that of having the mind and heart of Christ. The apostle Paul states it as the following:

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:5

The washing or bathing in the regeneration or new birth is in Christ Jesus who gives us the Spirit to help us become more Christ like in our nature and character. It is from glory to glory that He is changing us. When the Holy Spirit convicts us about something, we surrender it, and he works the change within us. We are washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God states Paul in 1st Corinthians 6:11. This is the saving grace of God the Father, and it is done through the Son who gives us the Holy Spirit as our helper. The mystery of the work of the Spirit who points to Christ who points to the Father is something many theologians have debated. The Trinity is the three in one {Father, Son, and Holy Spirit}. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to give life to our mortal bodies so that we can live in peace, love, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is something we can rejoice in and give thanks to the Lord.