HOW DO WE GET THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within His followers.  He did this after His life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension.  Jesus told His Apostles to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Holy
Spirit, Power from on high.  The Holy Spirit came to them to enable them to teach/preach God’s divine message of salvation.  This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.   Acts 1:4-5  The demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and giving them the message from God is seen in the 2nd chapter of Acts climaxing with 3000 people believing and being baptized.  At the conclusion of the first gospel sermon Peter told the convicted Jews, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission (forgiveness) of sins and to receive the GIFT of the Holy Spirit.”  Acts 2:38

Now this is different than receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  In only two instances is the work of the Holy Spirit called a baptism.  On the day of Pentecost as described in the 2nd chapter of Acts and the outpouring of the spirit on Cornelius, a Gentile, in the 10th chapter of Acts.  I conclude that the Holy Spirit given to the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost was so they could deliver God’s message and the
Spirit given to Cornelius and the Gentiles was so they knew that the message was from God.  All of this proved the authenticity of the message  through the Apostles and that the Gentiles had the right to this God-saving message.

We must acknowledge that God wants His children to have His Spirit.  Listen, “If by the spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Romans 8:13-14  The Spirit is absolutely necessary.  “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”  Romans 8:16  In fact, Romans 8:9 states, “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”

God’s Spirit, Spirit of Jesus and the Holy Spirit all work together to bring salvation to every human being who will believe the message. Faith comes by hearing God’s message from His book, the Bible.  We are save by grace through faith.

THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We need a greater understanding of the Spirit that is holy,  Holy Spirit.  What does He do?

In the 16th chapter  of John’s gospel, verses 8 through 11, we are told that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of SIN, RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND JUDGMENT.
What sin?  The sin of unbelief in Jesus being God’s unique Son, Messiah, God in flesh.
Whose righteousness?  The rightness of Jesus, His perfect life, His sinlessness.
The judgment is against sin and death which was accomplished in the life and death of Jesus.  The cross defeated Satan, sin is doomed, God and God’s people are victorious.

The chief work of the Holy Spirit is God’s agent to bring about belief in Jesus as the Christ (Messiah), Lord (Master), and Savior (Save His people from their sins).
The means by which this is accomplished is by the Spirit in the minds and hearts of people through the Word of God, the Bible.  “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”

The task of the Holy Spirit is to EXALT JESUS.  The Holy Spirit’s testimony regarding Jesus is found in the Bible.  It is from this testimony that we believe.   The Holy Spirit has NO NEW TRUTH.
The Spirit has guided the Apostles into all spiritual truth. We have that truth in the pages of the Bible.

We do NOT  need the Holy Spirit to receive knowledge.  We have God’s truth in Scripture.  We need the Holy Spirit to empower (enable) us to live lives of holiness.  The Holy Spirit was sent to be the Christian’s helper. The word, “HELPER” means “one called alongside us.”  He stands beside us to help us, that we fight no battles alone.  Someone has said, “If you have the Holy Spirit on the inside, you can stand any battle on the outside.”

This story may help illustrate this point: Jackie Robinson was the first black to play major league baseball.  Breaking the baseball color barrier was difficult as he faced jeering crowds in every situation. While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error.  The  fans began to ridicule him.  He stood on second base, humiliated while the fans jeered.  Then, shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him.  He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd.  The fans grew silent.  Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career.

The Holy Spirit is there for us when we feel alone, discouraged, a failure.  He places His arm around us to hold us up, comforting, strengthening us and through the Scriptures to guide us.  Our acceptance of Jesus brings us forgiveness of our sins and the indwelling of God’s gift, HIS SPIRIT THAT IS HOLY.

 

COMFORTER POMISED

Lightning struck the steeple of a church and the village atheist went out to watch it burn.  He was reproached by the minister with the words, “You never came to our church before.” The man replied, “Your church was never on fire before.”
If the church is to carry out its task, it must be set afire.  Now, I don’t mean that you actually torch the building because the building is not the church.  You see, it is not the structure that needs the fire but the members.  It is not the institution that needs power, but the individuals who make it up.  We need to be set on fire by the Holy Spirit of God through His Word.

The 14, 15, 16 and 17 chapters of John are the after dinner remarks of Jesus to His disciple in the upper room or on His  way to Gethsemane.  He told them that He was going to leave them. That He was going back to the Father who sent Him into the world.  The disciples thought only of themselves as to what His leaving would do to them. Jesus was very disappointed for He said, “and none of you asks me, where are you going?” Jesus told them that it was necessary that He leave them and that His leaving was best for them.  How could this be?  Jesus said, “I will not leave you comfortless” literally meaning, “I will not leave you orphaned.”  Jesus is leaving this world physically so He could send back the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said about this Spirit that is Holy: “He shall be with you,”  “He shall abide with you forever,”  “He shall glorify Me,” and  “He shall guide you into all truth.”                                                                                             Now, remember that Jesus is speaking to the Apostles.  God through the Holy Spirit would reveal  to them divine truth.  His message through them would be the keys of the Kingdom of God.

A story is told of a young boy whose mother asked him, what the preacher preached about in his sermon that morning?  His answer was, ‘that the preacher said that the Lord was going to give us a warm blanket.’      The mother said that she had never heard a sermon like that.  So, the mother telephoned a neighbor and asked,  “What did the preacher preach about in the morning service?”  The neighbor replied, “He preached about Jesus giving us ANOTHER COMFORTER.”

As Christians. we have that Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us through the Bible, God’s word.

I pray that we will be so full of the Holy Spirit that if a mosquito bites us that it will fly away singing, “There is power in the Blood.”

 

TIME WAITS FOR NO MAN

To realize the value of one year, ask a student who failed a final exam.
To realize the value of one month, ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.
To realize the value of a week, ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of one hour, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of one minute, ask a person who missed the train or bus or plane.
To realize the value of one second, ask a person who survived an accident.
To realize the value of one millisecond, ask a person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.
Time waits for no one.  Treasure every moment you have.                 Selected

Time is a gift.  We do not deserve it nor have we earned it. What an important gift. Because, time is the very stuff out of which life is formed. Too often we measure time by years, months, days or hands on a clock. But, time ought to be measured by heart beats, breaths and dreams.
Time is an opportunity.  Within time, decisions are made. And, in decisions destiny is decided. God gives each of us this precious raw material out of which choice is made.  Time is your opportunity, do with it what you will.  But, just remember this, good things are paid for in advance and bad things are paid for afterwards.  Make time do for you, don’t just do time.

Determine with the Apostle Paul, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind, and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”          Philippians 3:13-14

It is the response we make to Jesus Christ in time that determines our eternal destiny.
God has given us the Bible so that we might make our decisions in line with His will.
Make right use of time for His glory, to honor Him. With our faith in Christ, we can face time and eternity without fear, knowing that God is with us both now and forever.
                                                                                 Happy New Year