DISCIPLES OF JESUS MINISTRY

Acts 8:14-17
14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,
15 who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of Jesus.
17 Then they began laying hands on them and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.
(NAS)




Acts 9:17-18
17 And Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he arose and was baptized;
(NAS)


Acts 19:1-6

1 And it came about that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found some disciples,
2 and he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said to him, "No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."
3 And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" And they said, "Into John's baptism."
4 And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus."
5 And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.
(NAS)


Acts 10:42-48
42 "And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.
43 "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.
45 And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also.
46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered,
47 "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?"
48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
(NAS)


John 7:38-39
38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'"
39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
(NAS)


Ezek 47:9
9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.
(NIV)


Ps 42:1-4
1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
(NIV)

The cross is the doorway to the Kingdom of God. Vaughan Roberts says "In Christ we have everything, but manifestly we aren't living in light of all we have received in Christ." Amen. God is inviting us to realize what has been already achieved through Christ our Lord and Saviour on the cross.


John 17:1-26

1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
6 "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.
7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.
8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.
9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.
10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.
11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name-- the name you gave me-- so that they may be one as we are one.
12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.
17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24 "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
25 "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.
26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."
(NIV)

We are to be in Him, as Christ lives in us.


Rom 8:15-17
15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.
(NAS)


2 Cor 3:1-18

CHAPTER 3

1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?
2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.
3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God.
5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant-- not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was,
8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!
10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.
11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2 Cor 3:12-17
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away.
14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.
15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
(NIV)

2 Cor 4:3-7
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us.
(NIV)


1 Pet 1:7-9
7 These have come so that your faith-- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your
(NIV)


Rom 5:5
5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
(NIV)


1 Cor 13:1-13

CHAPTER 13

1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
12 For now we ee in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known.
13 But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
(NAS)


2 Tim 1:12-14 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.
(NAS)


Rom 5:5
5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
(NIV)

Love Jesus, think Jesus, desire Jesus, breathe and experience Him.


Eph 3:14-20
14 For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man;
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.
(NAS)


Ps 46:4-5
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
(NIV)


Ephesians. 1:15-23
15. For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which ye show toward all the saints,
16. cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;
18. having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19. and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
20. which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
21. farall rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22. and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church,
23. which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Ephesians 3:16.f. that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;
17. that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18. may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19. and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.

Colossians 1: 9. For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

The more is centred on Jesus, the whole prayer for more is centred on Him. Christ wants the whole church to be anointed.

Rom 1:4
4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
(NIV)


1 Cor 12:1-3
1
Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.
3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
(NIV)

Paul introduces three guiding principles that distinguish the ways of the Holy Spirit: adapted fron Simon Ponsonsby's (More)
1) The principle of conscious control. Unlike paganism, the power of the Holy Spirit does not drive people into wild compulsive acts. His gentle dovelike ministry strengthens human personality. He empowers; He does not overpower.
2) The principle that Christ is glorified. All manifestations of the Spirit will harmonize with the truth about Jesus.
3) The principle of creedal faith . The main work of the Holy Spirit is to bring people under the lordship of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit at work

1) The Bible may say that Jesus is Lord, but the Spirit makes that real to me.

2) The Bible may state that God is Father,but the Spirit makes that real to me.

Rom 8:15-16
15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
(NIV)

3) The Bible may state that God is glorious, but the Spirit makes it real to me.


2 Cor 3:15-18
15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

(NIV)

4) The Bible may say that God is love, but the Spirit makes it real to me.


Eph 3:16-21
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
(NIV)

There are too many spectators in the Christian Church today, we need to go futher up and further in. God wants us to be participators..Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is worth losing everything for, nothing can compare to knowing Jesus.


Matt 11:12
12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.
(NIV)

If the devil can't hinder us coming to Christ for salvation, he is sure going to try to hinder our sanctification.


Luke 24:49
49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
(NIV)


Acts 1:4-5
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
(NIV)


Gal 3:14
14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
(NIV)


1 Cor 12:1
1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
(NIV)


1 Cor 12:4-6
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
(NIV)



1 Cor 12:31
31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
(NIV)


We are to desire the gifts to equip us for service, it’s all about Jesus. The Holy Spirit brings us closer to Him. The gifts are not just to give us a Spiritual uplift, they are empowerment for service, that we might go forth in power, that the name of Jesus might be glorified, that people might be won for the Kingdom of God. The Lord has given us a great commission which we have to obey, which I have to obey, I can’t even try to run away from it any longer, I look at people round about me in this world who are hurting, who are heading for a lost eternity and my heart cries out to them, but how will they know if people like me are too frightened to be bold and speak out about Jesus? That’s just it they won’t, and I pray the Lord will loose my tongue much more than it has already been loosed.

Mar 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Mar 16:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Mar 16:19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
Mar 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.


There is no such thing as having arrived Spiritually, we are all a work in progress, but we should desire the gifts and be sure to use them for the glory of God’s kingdom. Our minds and hearts should be focussed on Jesus, He is the author and finisher of our faith , but it is the Holy Spirit who helps us do so.

Isa 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
Isa 43:20 The beast of the field will honor Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because I give waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My people, My chosen.
Isa 43:21 This people I have formed for Myself;
They shall declare My praise.


Let’s declare the praises of our Lord and Saviour, allowing the Holy Spirit full sway in our lives, let the rivers flow. We should be a people of power, as Christians we all have the Holy Spirit within us. We need to die to self and let the Lord take the driving seat. There is always a deeper place, a deeper anointing, we are to keep on being filled with the Spirit. This is something we all have to learn but the Holy Spirit is there to empower us.

 

A Quick Look At The Holy Spirit

Joh 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

The Holy Spirit is our helper

Joh 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

The Holy Spirit leads us into understanding more of the things of God.

Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Spirit helps us to pray and indeed He intercedes for us.

Joh 1:33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, "Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'

Jesus is the baptizer with the Holy Spirit.

Act 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

We can be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Act 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

The Holy Spirit is our empowerer

Act 8:17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Someone can lay hands on you for you to receive the power of the Spirit

Act 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Jesus Himself laid aside the full power of His deity when He became the God Man and was anointed by the Holy Spirit prior to His Earthly Ministry

Act 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.

The Holy Spirit can fall upon men

Act 19:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

When the Spirit came upon men and women in the book of Acts in most cases we are told they spoke with tongues and prophesied.


Rom 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Rom 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.


We as believers are part of the Kingdom of God, this world is not our home. The Holy Spirit helps us to live righteous lives. He gives us hope, peace and joy.

1Co 2:13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

The Holy Spirit gives us Godly Wisdom, He teaches us as we read the Word.

1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

All who have the Holy Spirit indwelling them (all Christians) are no longer their own person, to do what they will but they are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

1Co 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

No- one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

Eph 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of promise. He has sealed believers.

Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

We as believers are not to grieve the Holy Spirit.

2Ti 1:14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

The Holy Spirit keeps us.

Tit 3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

The Holy Spirit regenerates and renews us, He sanctifies us.

Heb 2:4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?


The Holy Spirit gives gifts, signs wonders and miracles follow.

1Jo 5:7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Godhead.

Jud 1:20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

We are to pray in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit builds us up as we do so.

 

          Act 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me  in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

 

Jesus is talking here was talking about the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  Acts 1:8 says that the anointing of the Holy Spirit gives divine power to the believers. The anointing of the Holy Spirit and walking in the power of that anointing is for all of us.

.

 

Joh 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said,out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

 

 

 

Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

 

Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit before beginning His ministry on the occasion of His baptism. We see here that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him. You may ask why was this necessary with Jesus being the Son of God?  Remember though, He chose to lay aside His Majesty, His glory and come as a man. The Holy Spirit came upon Him for the purpose of preaching the Gospel, bringing salvation to those in slavery to sin, perform miracles, and share the love of God. The Son of God came to destroy the devil's work.

The anointing of the Holy Spirit is from God, received through prayer, and for the purpose of ministry as it is the vehicle through which God is able to show His power.

God's purpose is for leaders and those who go into ministry, and in fact for all of us as believers to walk in the anointing. Jesus was perfect in every way, yet His perfect life did not change any lives as far as we know until after His anointing.

 

Isa 10:27  And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

 

 The scriptures say that the anointing breaks the yoke, it tears away those burdens, and sets the captives free. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.

 

Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Rom 8:10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

 

  All  born again believers have the Holy Spirit within them , scripture is clear on that.  The anointing of the Holy Spirit is not "receiving the Holy Spirit" as some people call it.  The "Messiah" or Christ literally means "The Anointed One." The Spirit of God was upon Him. Can you see that a Holy Spirit anointing comes upon us?.

 

Num 11:16 So the LORD said to Moses: "Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you.

Num 11:17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.

 

Do you see that The Spirit was upon Moses, he was anointed by God and the Spirit came upon the seventy elders?

 

Deu 34:9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.

 

 Moses laid hands on Joshua and he received the Spirit of Wisdom. An anointing even today can be imparted by laying on of hands.

 

Another example is Saul, the first king of Israel, who was anointed by Samuel to be king. After Samuel anointed Saul, Saul met up with a procession of prophets and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul and he began to prophesy. (1 Sam. 10:1-10)  Saul though later walked away from his anointing.

 

1Sa 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

 

Samuel anointed David with oil. David was anointed by the Spirit, the Spirit came upon Him.

 

.On the day of Pentecost, when a sound like a great wind filled the room where the believers were and tongues of fire rested on the heads of each of the believers. Do you see that the tongues of fire came upon them? (Acts 2:1-4) Wind is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew word for spirit (ruach) can also mean wind, breath, or life force. Peter explains to the crowd that God has poured out His Spirit on them.    Act 2:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,

        That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;

        Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

        Your young men shall see visions,

        Your old men shall dream dreams.

 

    When people in the Old Testament were anointed, special anointing oil would be poured out on top of their head so that there would be oil dripping off their beard (if they had a beard). Read Acts 2 the imagery is similar. We can receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit when someone with the anointing lays their hands on them. This is probably the most common way that someone receives an anointing of the Holy Spirit today. However, it can come from prayer and praise and surrendering ourselves over to the Lord, submitting to the Holy Spirit for the Spirit within us can rise up and fill us to overflowing.. What did the Psalmist David say?  “You  anoint  my head with oil; My cup runs over.”( Psa 23: 5b )

 

 A New Testament example of the anointing through the laying on of hands and a distinction between salvation and the anointing is also given in Acts 8.

 

Act 8:14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

Act 8:15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

Act 8:16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Act 8:17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

:
Saul was converted on the Damascus road but he received an anointing of the Holy Spirit when Ananias laid hands on him. He was filled with the Spirit and the scales fell from his eyes and Saul was baptized.  When the Holy Spirit anoints an individual, the scales fall from their eyes , and they get a clearer picture of Jesus. They are given a new boldness.

 

 

         Act 9:17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Act 9:18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

 

   Compare if you will how Simon Peter denied the Lord three times prior to the crucifixion , then within a few short weeks after the Holy spirit coming upon him and anointing him at Pentecost he boldly spoke before hundreds of people proclaiming the truth of the Gospel. When the Holy Spirit anoints a person they are given a new and greater boldness.

 

     In Acts 10: 33-46 and Acts 19:1-7  we see further evidence of people being anointed with the Spirit. Throughout, the Bible we see that when the Spirit of God comes upon somebody, God moves in power. I believe God wants us to minister in the power available to us through His Spirit. Some of these acts of power come through tongues, prophecy, healing, miraculous signs and wonders, great strength, and acts of great faith and boldness in proclaiming the Gospel.

 

1Co 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

1Co 12:2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.

1Co 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

1Co 12:4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

1Co 12:5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.

1Co 12:6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

1Co 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

1Co 12:8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

1Co 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

1Co 12:10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

1Co 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

 

 

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Paul commands us to desire spiritual gifts, especially the greater gifts. (1 Cor. 14:1) One thing for us to take note of is that several of the above gifts may be manifested in an anointed believer.

 

Satan has an objective and that is to keep the Kingdom of God from spreading. He has fed a subtle lie to get her to believe that the great power available to us through the Spirit was confined to Biblical times. It’s the self same Spirit folks. For the Kingdom of God to progress properly, for us to realize the full power of the Kingdom we need that anointing, and to walk in that anointing, being continually filled with God’s precious Holy Spirit.

 

    Let me make it clear also that all believers have some gifts but don’t we desire to be a people of power.

 

 Joh 14:12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

 

     Ask yourselves is the Church really walking in power? Are signs and wonders happening within your church? If not, why not? Should we not be a people of power?

 

 . Today all born again believers need the anointing of the Holy Spirit to equip them for ministry and to produce more fruit. It is the anointing that enables or empowers us to do greater exploits than would normally be possible.

 

Isa 60:1 Arise, shine;

        For your light has come!

        And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.

Isa 60:2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,

        And deep darkness the people;

        But the LORD will arise over you,

        And His glory will be seen upon you.

 

Folks we have the Holy Spirit. So we should seek the fullness of a Holy Spirit anointing being manifest in power in our lives. The anointing is to empower us for service, not just for us to experience. It’s time for us to walk in maturity, to put away childish things and be a people of power serving our Lord and Savior.

 

Joh 7:37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.

Joh 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

Joh 7:39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

 

 

  Joh 1:32 And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.

     Joh 1:33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, "Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'

     Joh 1:34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."

 

The baptizer is Jesus Himself. Men  and women may lay hands on another to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit but Jesus is the baptizer. Who is man except for God working through Him or Her

 

ANOINTING

 

Act 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Jesus is talking here was talking about the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 says that the anointing of the Holy Spirit gives divine power to the believers. The anointing of the Holy Spirit and walking in the power of that anointing is for all of us.
.

Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.



Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit before beginning His ministry on the occasion of His baptism. We see here that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him. You may ask why was this necessary with Jesus being the Son of God? Remember though, He chose to lay aside His Majesty, His glory and come as a man. The Holy Spirit came upon Him for the purpose of preaching the Gospel, bringing salvation to those in slavery to sin, perform miracles, and share the love of God. The Son of God came to destroy the devil's work.
The anointing of the Holy Spirit is from God, received through prayer, and for the purpose of ministry as it is the vehicle through which God is able to show His power.
God's purpose is for leaders and those who go into ministry, and in fact for all of us as believers to walk in the anointing. Jesus was perfect in every way, yet His perfect life did not change any lives as far as we know until after His anointing.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Isa 10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

The scriptures say that the anointing breaks the yoke, it tears away those burdens, and sets the captives free. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.

Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

All born again believers have the Holy Spirit within them , scripture is clear on that. The anointing  or baptism of the Holy Spirit is not "receiving the Holy Spirit" as some people call it. The "Messiah" or Christ literally means "The Anointed One." The Spirit of God was upon Him. Can you see that a Holy Spirit anointing comes upon us?.

Num 11:16 So the LORD said to Moses: "Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you.
Num 11:17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.

Do you see that The Spirit was upon Moses, he was anointed by God and the Spirit came upon the seventy elders?

Deu 34:9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.

 

Moses laid hands on Joshua and he received the Spirit of Wisdom. An anointing even today can be imparted by laying on of hands.

Another example is Saul, the first king of Israel, who was anointed by Samuel to be king. After Samuel anointed Saul, Saul met up with a procession of prophets and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul and he began to prophesy. (1 Sam. 10:1-10) Saul though later walked away from his anointing.

1Sa 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah. Samuel anointed David with oil. David was anointed by the Spirit, the Spirit came upon Him.

.On the day of Pentecost, when a sound like a great wind filled the room where the believers were and tongues of fire rested on the heads of each of the believers. Do you see that the tongues of fire came upon them? (Acts 2:1-4) Wind is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew word for spirit (ruach) can also mean wind, breath, or life force. Peter explains to the crowd that God has poured out His Spirit on them. Act 2:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.

When people in the Old Testament were anointed, special anointing oil would be poured out on top of their head so that there would be oil dripping off their beard (if they had a beard). Read Acts 2 the imagery is similar. We can receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit when someone with the anointing lays their hands on them. This is probably the most common way that someone receives an anointing of the Holy Spirit today. However, it can come from prayer and praise and surrendering ourselves over to the Lord, submitting to the Holy Spirit for the Spirit within us can rise up and fill us to overflowing.. What did the Psalmist David say? “You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.”( Psa 23: 5b )
A New Testament example of the anointing through the laying on of hands and a distinction between salvation and the anointing is also given in Acts 8.

Act 8:14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
Act 8:15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
Act 8:16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 8:17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
:
Saul was converted on the Damascus road but he received an anointing of the Holy Spirit when Ananias laid hands on him. He was filled with the Spirit and the scales fell from his eyes and Saul was baptized. When the Holy Spirit anoints an individual, the scales fall from their eyes, and they get a clearer picture of Jesus. They are given a new boldness.

Act 9:17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Act 9:18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

Compare if you will how Simon Peter denied the Lord three times prior to the crucifixion, then within a few short weeks after the Holy spirit coming upon him and anointing him at Pentecost he boldly spoke before hundreds of people proclaiming the truth of the Gospel. When the Holy Spirit anoints a person they are given a new and greater boldness.

In Acts 10: 33-46 and Acts 19:1-7 we see further evidence of people being anointed with the Spirit. Throughout, the Bible we see that when the Spirit of God comes upon somebody, God moves in power. I believe God wants us to minister in the power available to us through His Spirit. Some of these acts of power come through tongues, prophecy, healing, miraculous signs and wonders, great strength, and acts of great faith and boldness in proclaiming the Gospel.

1Co 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:
1Co 12:2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.
1Co 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
1Co 12:4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1Co 12:5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
1Co 12:6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
1Co 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
1Co 12:8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
1Co 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
1Co 12:10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
1Co 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Paul commands us to desire spiritual gifts, especially the greater gifts. (1 Cor. 14:1) One thing for us to take note of is that several of the above gifts may be manifested in an anointed believer.

Satan has an objective and that is to keep the Kingdom of God from spreading. He has fed a subtle lie to get her to believe that the great power available to us through the Spirit was confined to Biblical times. It’s the self same Spirit folks. For the Kingdom of God to progress properly, for us to realize the full power of the Kingdom we need that anointing, and to walk in that anointing, being continually filled with God’s precious Holy Spirit.

Let me make it clear also that all believers have some gifts but don’t we desire to be a people of power.

Joh 14:12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Ask yourselves is the Church really walking in power? Are signs and wonders happening within your church? If not, why not? Should we not be a people of power?

 Today all born again believers need the anointing of the Holy Spirit to equip them for ministry and to produce more fruit. It is the anointing that enables or empowers us to do greater exploits than would normally be possible.

Isa 60:1 Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
Isa 60:2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the LORD will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.

 

  All who know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour have the Holy Spirit. So we should seek the fullness of a Holy Spirit anointing being manifest in power in our lives. The anointing is to empower us for service, not just for us to experience. It’s time for us to walk in maturity, to put away childish things and be a people of power serving our Lord and Saviour.

 
Joh 7:37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
Joh 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
Joh 7:39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

 

 

 

Filled with the Spirit

2Ki 4:1 A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves."
2Ki 4:2 So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil."
2Ki 4:3 Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels; do not gather just a few.
2Ki 4:4 And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones."
2Ki 4:5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out.
2Ki 4:6 Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel."
And he said to her, "There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased.
2Ki 4:7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.

Olive oil was a valuable commodity in ancient Israel. It had a number of practical uses, from the holy to the mundane. It was used for various anointings, for certain offerings to The Lord, for medicative purposes, for cooking, and of course to fuel lamps for light. One of the wives of the prophets became a widow, and she found herself in severe financial difficulty. The story here shows how Elisha assisted her, by means of a miracle from The Lord - a supernatural production of oil.
There was nothing in her house but a little oil. One small jar of oil and Elisha told her to borrow lots of vessels from neighbours and fill them from this small jar of oil and the woman kept filling those vessels up and there was still more oil and Elisha told her to bring yet another vessel and she filled this also. It makes you wonder what would have happened if she had only borrowed a few jars, or if she had not somehow organized those boys for the task of filling them. Wouldn‘t her lack of vision have limited God's blessing on her. The gift was apportioned to the vessels appropriated to hold it. This is a lesson for us. If we believe God will bless us, we will take action to be ready to receive it, and allowing room for God to work and receive all the praise and glory.
There were many ways that she could have been helped, but oil was chosen, not only because it was a readily-marketable commodity, but also because oil was symbolic of the power of the Holy Spirit, a Light in a dark world. In this same way God wants to pour out His Spirit abundantly.

COME DRINK FROM THE RIVERS OF LIVING WATER, THE LORD WANTS TO FILL US UP TO OVERFLOWING.

Rev 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

TONGUES ARE FOR EDIFICATION

1. Praying in other tongues will edify you.

 

1Co 14:4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

 

To edify means to build up, strengthen, recharge.


2. Praying in other tongues is evidence that the Holy Spirit resides in you.

 

Act 10:45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

Act 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Then Peter answered,

3.Praying in tongues builds up your faith, and helps you trust God more fully.

 

Jud 1:20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

4.Praying in tongues is a great way to give thanks to God.

 

1Co 14:15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

1Co 14:16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?

1Co 14:17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

5.Praying in tongues helps us to yield our tongues, as well as the rest of our bodies, to the control of the Holy Spirit.

 

Jas 3:8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison

6.Praying in tongues helps us to pray God's perfect will, even when we don't know what or how to pray.

 

Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

 

 

 
7. Praying in tongues brings us into God's rest and refreshing.

 

Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue

        He will speak to this people,

Isa 28:12 To whom He said, "This is the rest with which

        You may cause the weary to rest,"

        And, "This is the refreshing";

        Yet they would not hear.

 

1Co 14:21 In the law it is written:

        "With men of other tongues and other lips

        I will speak to this people;

        And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,"

        says the Lord.

 

We have a full deposit of the Holy Spirit within us when we are saved.

2Co 1:22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

2Co 5:5 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

We see here that we are given a full deposit of the Holy Spirit at salvation. However when the Holy Spirit comes upon us as in the baptism of the Holy Spirit we are empowered for service.

We are not automatically filled with all the fulness of the Holy Spirit.Paul in his letter to the Ephesian believers instructed them to be filled with the Holy Spirit

Eph 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

The verse below gives some insight of what happens when one is baptized in the Spirit and becomes fully surrendered to Christ.

Eph 3:19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! AMP

At the risk of upsetting some people I am going to say here that being baptized inthe Spirit is only the beginning we need to keep drinking from living waters to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. Every day we need to come before the Lord in fresh surrender, seeking only Him, and to do His bidding.

I have been baptized with the Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues but if I now was to seek to live for myself and do my own thing and be disobedient to the Holy Spirit I would not be living a Spirit filled life.

So it's not a case of 2 tier Christians, those baptized in the Spirit against those who are not, but rather all of us as Christians need to surrender to the Holy Spirit and be obedient to His voice.

Baptism in the Spirit should be a natural part of being a believer but fear has gripped so many believers or teachings which have misconstrued what it's all about, for let's face it the enemy wants us crippled. He does not want us moving in the might and power of the Holy Spirit.

God is a good Fatherand He will withold nothing from those who are genuinely open to allowing Him more access in their lives.

Luk 11:9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Luk 11:10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Luk 11:11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?
Luk 11:12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
Luk 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Seek the Lord, seek to know Him more.Worship Him with your whole heart, be open to the Holy Spirit, He will rid you of fear and you will find that you have a new awareness of God's presence, that the Lord baptizes you with the Spirit, that you have a wonderful new tongue language, an improved prayer life, more boldness and a wonderful awareness of His Presence.

BAPTIZE MY HEART WITH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT FIRE

My Lord and my God, I find it so hard for me to comprehend,
How the Lord of heaven and earth could love me like you do?
Yet you love me without measure, a love that will never end,
The desire of your heart is to have me really love you too.

You long for me to know real intimacy with you
And deep down in my heart I just long for that too,
Keep my eyes focused on you Lord and teach me your wisdom,
That I in turn might play my part in heralding in your Kingdom.

For yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
Who is like you my dear Lord and Saviour, Creator of all?
Holy Spirit come and fill me up afresh, don’t let me fall.
For I need your help to boldly proclaim the gospel story.

So Lord I give you permission to do a work in me deep within,
Rid me of all that is of the flesh, come and free me from sin,
For it can never be me at the centre, help me from self to die,
For it is you Lord Jesus who sets people free, for this cause you died.

Yet praise be to God the story didn’t end there, I serve a risen Saviour,
You are the risen glorified one,the beginning and the end,
You are my redeemer, my beloved, my King and my friend,
And I with the angels will cry Holy, Holy, Holy to my Saviour.

Baptize my heart with your Holy Spirit fire once again,
Help me to be a witness for you in this world of men,
I want to drink deep from the wells of living water,
That out of my belly may flow rivers of living water.


Irene McGough ©2007

 

                             The anointed calling of God

                             For every Believer in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

 

When I became a Christian it was because God chose me I did not choose Him. An occurrence that took place after I had heard the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God being preached not only me but millions of others who had been lost who are now my brothers and sisters who are in Christ Jesus. Praise be to the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

 

                                         What is the gospel?

 

It is the good news of God the Father which can only be found in His Son Jesus Christ. I am concentrating on the word or phrase the gospel. The is a definite article. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Meaning only one of a kind. Affirming there is only one gospel. There may very well be many gospels but there is only one gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. My Lord and God.

    Turn to the gospel of Mark and at the very first chapter at verse one you will find the opening or the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. This is exactly what his narrative is about the whole subject matter and object of his work. The whole volume narrowed down to its title. The title of the whole book it is not about the author it is about Jesus Christ our Lord from beginning to end.

    I note the author of Mark who is John Mark speaks of the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. My own thinking on this is not the fact that Christ had already come into the world.He was already there but the first preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Good News of God our Father as seen in Jesus Himself the very Son of God. Jesus Christ is the Good News. He brings it from God His Father to the world.I was part of that world

    After Jesus came into the world He had no power of His own. He had left that in heaven with God His Father to demonstrate that you could please God with the help of God the Holy Spirit who fell upon my Lord after being baptized in the river Jordan by John the Baptist

                                              God the Holy Spirit

 

This reinforces the point that without God the Holy Spirit being allowed to take charge of our lives we cannot please God. How many times does God say not to lean on our own understanding because it is faulty at best but to lean on His. The early chapters of the book of Proverbs give proof and evidence of this fact.

 Therefore; when the Holy Spirit falls upon Jesus it is for my benefit and all His disciples throughout the ages, that is why He left His power behind to demonstrate to those whom He chooses that the same Holy Spirit would indeed fall upon them, and enable God’s people to live their lives in a manner that pleases Him. The whole point of the Son of God coming to earth was to please God His Father. We have to do likewise.

 

                             

 

 

 

                         The importance of reliable witness and testimony

 

 In his narrative of the gospel of Jesus Christ the author Luke records what he himself has heard from reliable witnesses; who had seen and heard what Jesus had said and done; just like the news correspondents we see on television, from different parts of the world reporting from first hand experience what they see and hear. Sometimes, well almost every time when there is breaking news the cameras take you right to the scene of the news that is breaking before us and the reporters concerned.

     However; this is not the case with Luke because my Lord has already ascended into heaven but Luke corroborates this fact by reliable testimony of those who had seen Jesus ascend into heaven.

 After his meeting with the risen Christ on the Damascus road the apostle Paul would be the main source of the author’s contribution to the New Testament.

    To get back to what I was speaking of only God the Holy Spirit can and will enable me to please God( cf Lk.3:22)

 

                     Source of strength the Holy Spirit

 

“ You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.” This was said for the benefit of the disciples, the crowd ,and us. Because Jesus after the Holy Spirit had come upon Him knew this but more than likely knew before but now in a deeper way and said for my benefit. My life is to please God. Quite a bald statement but nevertheless very true.

 

                The root of where the word gospel comes from.

 

    The expression good news comes from the New Testament Greek not to be confused with classical Greek spoken in the time of Jesus’ earthly life time.

     In ancient Greece it meant a reward for those who brought good news. Now it means in the New Testament era the good news itself is to be found in my risen Lord. Those who have responded to the anointed calling upon their lives whose lives belong to Christ like me carry the Lord Jesus Christ within their physical bodies in their spirit and are responsible of sharing the good news with others regardless of who they are, and can only be done so by relying on God the Holy Spirit who enables and equips them to vocally testify to the good news of Jesus Christ our Lord.

     Matthew. Mark. Luke, and John who wrote the gospels of the New Testament have one common thread they are evangelists they write of the good news of Jesus Christ and verbally speak to others in the market place in other words evangelizing but I must reemphasize with the help of God the Holy Spirit it cannot be done without Him. He is the One who anoints Christ’s people with His power and authority.

    The gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God is exactly that it is about Him. He is the good news of God our Father in heaven. Jesus Christ is the full embodiment of the content of the gospel of good news. The promise of salvation that comes from my risen Lord and the fulfillment of that in his earthly life and public ministry, his crucifixion, death, and resurrection, and ascension that in reality is the Good News the gospel of Jesus Christ towards the whole of mankind includes you and me and the lost.

                                                            

CONTINUALLY FILLED, Ephesians 5

 

Eph 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.


Eph 5:14 Therefore He says:
"Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light."

Anyone sleeping here, come on Church of Jesus Christ its time for us to waken up. Arise out of our slumber and let the light of the glorious gospel shine through us.

Eph 5:15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
Eph 5:16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Eph 5:17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Eph 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
Eph 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
Eph 5:20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Eph 5:21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.


We as believers are to be imitators of God, especially in the matter of forgiveness. We are to love like Jesus loves, show agape love, love that can only come from the Holy Spirit at work in us. The aroma is to reflect the sweet aroma of the substitutionary, vicarious death of our Lord upon the cross ,the believer is to attain to such an exalted plane of love. Love the unlovely, love those that hurt us. The believer can’t walk with a grieved Holy Spirit, for only the Spirit can bring forth this fruit in our lives. Remember that love is first on the list of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22.

We are to walk wisely Our walk should reveal the urgency of the hour and the importance of living for God. Our entire objective in our walk is to stay in the will of God. We should walk in God’s will and let Him direct our paths, our walk in this world should demonstrate to those around us that we belong to Christ.
When you walk into a car saleroom or electrical store, you will find the salesman in there on his toes: he is dynamic, otherwise he wouldn’t be successful if he could not show enthusiasm about what he is selling. Are we on our toes, are we dynamic? Are we living for God in such a way that folks see that we have something really exciting happening in our lives. A Christian ought to walk in such a way that you know he is a child of God without asking him. We all need to look carefully how we walk.

BEph 5:18 Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. (Message) Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. Overflow with a continual song of praise and thanksgiving to maintain a Spirit-filled flow in your life.
The verb is a command and it really does not leave us as disciples an option in the matter, it is also clear that being filled with the Spirit is not something the Christian achieves through his or her own efforts, but is something that is done for us as and when we submit The state is to be constant , we are to live Spirit-filled lives. The tense used in the Greek for be filled makes clear that such a Spirit-filled condition does not stop with a single experience, but is maintained by “continually being filled,” as commanded here.

We see that one of the evidences of being filled with the Holy Spirit is “speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” We can speak this way to one another, encourage one another. If He had said singing, it would have left me out, although I do sing in my own fashion. I think “psalms” refers to the Book of Psalms, as probably all of them had been set to music. “Hymns” were composed by men to glorify God. They were on a very high plane. The “spiritual songs” were less formal than either psalms or hymns. Probably some of them were composed as the person was singing. This is the manifestation of the infilling of the Spirit because He brings joy into the life of the believer.
We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we might radiate the joy of the Lord. The apostle John says that one of the reasons he wrote his epistle was so that “your joy may be full”

Joh 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This fullness of joy is to be through our fellowship with the Father and with Jesus Christ .

1Jo 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
1Jo 1:4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

Another evidence of being filled with the Spirit is an attitude of thankfulness. We note in the Book of Psalms a great amount of thanksgiving and praise to God. And it is on a high level. We don’t have enough of that among believers today. We should all say, “Praise the Lord, and thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.” Can you say that from the heart? It is no good unless it comes from the heart. The Spirit infilling produces a life of thankfulness so that we can honestly thank God for all things.
When it says here that you and I are to submit ourselves “one to another in the fear of God.” It doesn’t mean we are to salute and fall down before some human being who outranks us. It does mean that in the fear of Christ we are to walk with one another in lowliness of mind, to humble ourselves , to count ourselves as no greater than our brothers and sisters, to be united in being submitted to the captain at the helm of our lives the Lord Jesus Christ, by submitting ourselves to the Spirit’s control. .
Pastors, and elders, members of the church, all of us are to submit ourselves one to another in the fear of the living God. It cannot be a “my way” or “our way” proposition it has to be God’s way. No one can say, “I want you to know that I’ll do as I please. If I want to do it this way, I will do it this way.” That is NOT the attitude of a Spirit-filled believer. Submitting ourselves one to another in the fear of God is another mark of being Spirit-filled.

So who is at the helm of our lives, our churches? Christ has to be at the helm, it’s not a case of we will do things our way, it has to be God’s way.

Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me

JESUS IS THE WAY, LET THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH BE OUR HELPER AND OUR GUIDE, HOW ELSE CAN WE LEAD SPIRIT-FILLED LIVES.

                                                                           

(Gen 1:2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

 

(Gen 1:3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

 

(Gen 1:4) And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

 

(Gen 1:5) And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

 

(Gen 1:6) And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

 

(Gen 1:7) And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

 

(Gen 1:8) And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

 

(Gen 1:9) And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

 

(Gen 1:10) And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

 

(Gen 1:11) And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

 

(Gen 1:12) And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

 

(Gen 1:13) And the evening and the morning were the third day.

 

(Gen 1:14) And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

 

(Gen 1:15) And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

 

(Gen 1:16) And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

 

(Gen 1:17) And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

 

(Gen 1:18) And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

 

(Gen 1:19) And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

 

(Gen 1:20) And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

 

(Gen 1:21) And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

 

(Gen 1:22) And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

 

(Gen 1:23) And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

 

(Gen 1:24) And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

 

(Gen 1:25) And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

 

(Gen 1:26) And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

 

You see that the Word and the Spirit were present with the Father in Creation.

 

(Psa 33:6) By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

Notice the connection here between the Word and the breath (Spirit). They made the heavens.

 

(Eze 37:1) The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

 

(Eze 37:2) And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

 

(Eze 37:3) And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

 

(Eze 37:4) Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

 

(Eze 37:5) Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

 

(Eze 37:6) And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

 

(Eze 37:7) So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

 

(Eze 37:8) And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

 

(Eze 37:9) Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

 

(Eze 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.

 

(Eze 37:11) Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

 

(Eze 37:12) Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

 

(Eze 37:13) And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

 

(Eze 37:14) And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

Note how in this prophecy in Ezekiel the Word and the Spirit give life to the dry bones.

 

(Num 23:19) God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

 

(Num 23:20) Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

 

(Num 24:2) And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

 

(Num 24:3) And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

 

(Num 24:4) He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

Words spoken in the power of the Spirit are powerful and effective.

 

(Joh 6:63) It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

 

The Spirit brings life giving quality to the Lord’s Words.

 

(Mar 16:15) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

 

Jesus saw the proclamation of His Word as important.

 

(Act 2:41) Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Do you see the effects of Peter’s words spoken in the power of the Spirit as he proclaimed the good news convincing the of who Jesus is, that Jesus Christ was the Messiah come in the flesh? The Spirit worked through the spoken word convicting men of sin.

 

(Rom 10:17) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God proclaimed.

 

(1Co 2:4) And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

 

(1Co 2:5) That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

 

The Spirit uses the proclaimed word to create faith.

 

(1Th 1:4) Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

 

(1Th 1:5) For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

 

(1Th 1:6) And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

 

 

 

(2Th 2:13) But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

 

(2Th 2:14) Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

The Spirit and the Word are united in bringing about saving faith. Words brought in the power of the Spirit are powerful.

 

(Rom 15:16) That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

 

(Rom 15:17) I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

 

(Rom 15:18) For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,

 

(Rom 15:19) Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

 

It is the Spirit working through Paul’s ministry that has won the Gentiles obedience by, word and deed, signs and wonders performed in the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

(1Co 2:13) Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

 

The Spirit Himself inspires the message.

 

(Eph 3:5) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

(Eph 2:8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

All this is the Spirits work, men on hearing the message respond by faith unto salvation.

 

(Heb 9:26) For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

 

 

(2Co 5:14) For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

 

(2Co 5:15) And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

 

The Spirit uses the Word to apply Christ’s redemptive work to individuals.

 

 

(Act 2:36) Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

 

Jesus is both Lord and Christ.

 

(1Co 12:3) 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.

 

 

No-one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

 

(Rom 1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

 

(Rom 1:17) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is

 

(1Co 1:17) For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

 

(1Co 1:18) For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

 

 

The Word proclaimed in the power of the Spirit reveals God’s purpose in Christ.

 

(Eph 1:17) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

(Eph 1:18) 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,

 

(Eph 1:19) And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

 

The Spirit enlightens our understanding.

 

(Col 1:9) 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;

 

The Spirit gives us Spiritual understanding, leading us into greater knowledge of the things of God as we read the Word.

 

(Joh 16:13) 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.

 

(Joh 16:14) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.

 

The Spirit inspires prophecy. His revelatory functions include witnessing, teaching and prophecy.

 

(Act 28:3) And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

 

(Act 28:4) And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

 

(Act 28:5) And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

 

(Act 28:6) Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

When Paul was in Malta we see a demonstration of the power of the Spirit prior to him preaching the gospel.

 

(Joh 3:8) The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

The Spirit is Sovereign He moves when and if He pleases.

 

When the Word is neglected the work of the Spirit is limited. The Spirit and the Word are supposed to work together. On the other hand where an understanding of the Spirit’s activity is limited then the work of the Holy Spirit is curbed. What we need is a coming together of the Word and the Spirit, believers  being strong in THE SPIRIT AND THE WORD

(Gen 1:2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

 

(Gen 1:3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

 

(Gen 1:4) And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

 

(Gen 1:5) And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

 

(Gen 1:6) And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

 

(Gen 1:7) And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

 

(Gen 1:8) And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

 

(Gen 1:9) And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

 

(Gen 1:10) And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

 

(Gen 1:11) And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

 

(Gen 1:12) And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

 

(Gen 1:13) And the evening and the morning were the third day.

 

(Gen 1:14) And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

 

(Gen 1:15) And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

 

(Gen 1:16) And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

 

(Gen 1:17) And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

 

(Gen 1:18) And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

 

(Gen 1:19) And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

 

(Gen 1:20) And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

 

(Gen 1:21) And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

 

(Gen 1:22) And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

 

(Gen 1:23) And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

 

(Gen 1:24) And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

 

(Gen 1:25) And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

 

(Gen 1:26) And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

 

You see that the Word and the Spirit were present with the Father in Creation.

 

(Psa 33:6) By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

Notice the connection here between the Word and the breath (Spirit). They made the heavens.

 

(Eze 37:1) The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

 

(Eze 37:2) And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

 

(Eze 37:3) And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

 

(Eze 37:4) Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

 

(Eze 37:5) Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

 

(Eze 37:6) And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

 

(Eze 37:7) So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

 

(Eze 37:8) And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

 

(Eze 37:9) Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

 

(Eze 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.

 

(Eze 37:11) Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

 

(Eze 37:12) Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

 

(Eze 37:13) And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

 

(Eze 37:14) And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

Note how in this prophecy in Ezekiel the Word and the Spirit give life to the dry bones.

 

(Num 23:19) God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

 

(Num 23:20) Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

 

(Num 24:2) And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

 

(Num 24:3) And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

 

(Num 24:4) He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

Words spoken in the power of the Spirit are powerful and effective.

 

(Joh 6:63) It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

 

The Spirit brings life giving quality to the Lord’s Words.

 

(Mar 16:15) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

 

Jesus saw the proclamation of His Word as important.

 

(Act 2:41) Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Do you see the effects of Peter’s words spoken in the power of the Spirit as he proclaimed the good news convincing the of who Jesus is, that Jesus Christ was the Messiah come in the flesh? The Spirit worked through the spoken word convicting men of sin.

 

(Rom 10:17) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God proclaimed.

 

(1Co 2:4) And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

 

(1Co 2:5) That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

 

The Spirit uses the proclaimed word to create faith.

 

(1Th 1:4) Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

 

(1Th 1:5) For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

 

(1Th 1:6) And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

 

 

 

(2Th 2:13) But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

 

(2Th 2:14) Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

The Spirit and the Word are united in bringing about saving faith. Words brought in the power of the Spirit are powerful.

 

(Rom 15:16) That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

 

(Rom 15:17) I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

 

(Rom 15:18) For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,

 

(Rom 15:19) Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

 

It is the Spirit working through Paul’s ministry that has won the Gentiles obedience by, word and deed, signs and wonders performed in the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

(1Co 2:13) Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

 

The Spirit Himself inspires the message.

 

(Eph 3:5) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

(Eph 2:8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

All this is the Spirits work, men on hearing the message respond by faith unto salvation.

 

(Heb 9:26) For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

 

 

(2Co 5:14) For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

 

(2Co 5:15) And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

 

The Spirit uses the Word to apply Christ’s redemptive work to individuals.

 

 

(Act 2:36) Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

 

Jesus is both Lord and Christ.

 

(1Co 12:3) 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.

 

 

No-one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

 

(Rom 1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

 

(Rom 1:17) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is

 

(1Co 1:17) For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

 

(1Co 1:18) For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

 

 

The Word proclaimed in the power of the Spirit reveals God’s purpose in Christ.

 

(Eph 1:17) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

(Eph 1:18) 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,

 

(Eph 1:19) And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

 

The Spirit enlightens our understanding.

 

(Col 1:9) 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;

 

The Spirit gives us Spiritual understanding, leading us into greater knowledge of the things of God as we read the Word.

 

(Joh 16:13) 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.

 

(Joh 16:14) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.

 

The Spirit inspires prophecy. His revelatory functions include witnessing, teaching and prophecy.

 

(Act 28:3) And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

 

(Act 28:4) And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

 

(Act 28:5) And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

 

(Act 28:6) Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

When Paul was in Malta we see a demonstration of the power of the Spirit prior to him preaching the gospel.

 

(Joh 3:8) The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

The Spirit is Sovereign He moves when and if He pleases.

 

When the Word is neglected the work of the Spirit is limited. The Spirit and the Word are supposed to work together. On the other hand where an understanding of the Spirit’s activity is limited then the work of the Holy Spirit is curbed. What we need is a coming together of the Word and the Spirit, believers being strong in the Word and the Spirit then we might see revival fire at work in our nations

A Quick Look at the Holy Spirit

The Normal Christian Life.pptxHolySpirit