GOD’S PROMISE OF POWER TO BE HIS WITNESSES

THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

GOD’S PROMISE OF POWER TO BE HIS WITNESSES

 If you prefer, the 30 minute audio file of this message is:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AorNyYbt-j75aQwfPJ_gLw9Nbhs

Try to imagine what life would be like if we had something we really wanted—and even needed—yet could not possibly obtain on our own. Do you ever ask yourself questions like:

·         “If only there were a way...”

·        “I’m such a shy person; if only I could witness better”

·        “I sure wish I could help that coworker who is struggling at home, but I just don’t know what to say”

·        “Sometimes I struggle in myself, not living up to what I know God wants me to do.”

 Almighty God wants everyone to know Him as more than some vague concept, more than God way up there in heaven, more than some spooky mystical bunch of garbage that people fall into and end up worshiping some fancy piece of wood or stone. 

 Well, how do people find this out?

It’s usually by someone telling them. Just spouting out a bunch of nice sounding words you learned from a book or someone told you is pretty ineffective in bringing about the change of heart that has to happen for someone to come to Christ. Coming to Christ transcends the intellect; it is not a mind game. We are saved by grace through faith and faith is not an intellectual decision. Remember how we get that faith? Rom 10:17 says that it is the result of personally hearing from God.

The capability to communicate with God, and for Him to inspire you to speak in such a way as to build up someone, exhort or comfort anyone, in a way that goes beyond the intellect, starts with receiving His gift of the Holy Spirit. This goes beyond the indwelling of the Spirit that happens at salvation, it is an immersion, a saturation of your now alive spirit man in the power of God. 

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The Baptism in the Holy Ghost is a promise from God to every believer. It should be emphasized that this supernatural power is a promised gift for every believer. Because it is a gift, it is received, never earned. 

Some verses about the promise:

Indwelling

John 14: 15   “If you love me, obey my commandments.

16   And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.

 17   He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you.

Baptized into

Luke 24: 46   He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

47   and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48   You are witnesses of these things.

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.”

Acts 1: 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.”

Acts 1:8   But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Does Acts 1:8 sound like a wishy washy, maybe kind of thing? Of course not, it is as definitive statement as we saw in Gen.1 when God said, “And let there be…” and there was

The Promise is for all believers:

29   Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

Peter was speaking to a group of people, not long after he received this gift, and take note of their reaction and what he says to them. It shows how God moved through the spoken word of a believer who was baptized in the Holy Ghost:

Acts 2:36   “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

37   When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38   Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

What Happens when you receive this gift?

The pattern for what happens when experiencing this gift is spelled out through the book of Acts. In chapter 2 we see the very dramatic event on the day of Pentecost, from which we get our label as Pentecostals. There are several additional examples of believers receiving this gift. These include:

Acts 2:1   When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

2   Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3   They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 

4   All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

The Baptism in the HG provides people with the supernatural capability to do things you could not ordinarily do, starting with speaking in tongues.

Acts 8:14   When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.

15   When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,

16   because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Here we see another way the Lord gives this gift.

Acts 8:18   When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money

19   and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20   Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!

What was it that Simon the sorcerer saw that provoked him to act with such ignorance (or was it stupid selfishness trying to maintain his control over the people?).It is a safe assumption to say that they spoke in tongues, especially in the light of these other verses.

Acts 10:44   While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

45   And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

46   For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.  

Acts 19:1   And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples

2  he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

3   And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

4   Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

5   When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6   And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. (NKJV)

Results in the believers lives of receiving this gift

The gift is not just for you to have fun with it, or just to build yourself up in faith (1 Cor. 14:4). Remember we talked about Acts 1:8. Being filled with the spirit is God’s gift of power to be a witness of Jesus. This requires power over temptation so that your life is the evidence of God changing lives.

 Most importantly we are given this power to be witnesses of Jesus. Our lives change as we are empowered by the Spirit of God. We should be intensely motivated to share the Gospel and praying for every opportunity to do so with more than words.

Remember, all you have to do is ask in faith, understanding in your heart that the Father wants you to experience Him in a supernatural way that will change your life for good and forever.

Luke 11:11   If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?

FREEDOM IS GOD’S OBJECTIVE FOR YOU.

Picture yourself at a 5 Star restaurant, all dressed up and at a very formal affair. Before getting eating the good meal, you will be served enjoy an appetizer that will take the edge off your hunger, allowing you to slow down and really enjoy the main course. This main course will get deep into your inner man and will take some chewing to get there. Start out with this sweet buttery appetizer of eternal value. If you take your time with this meal the Holy Spirit will change your life and equip you for many things in life.

Sit down and pick up the fork furthest to your left and the knife furthers to the right.

God’s intent for man, ever since the fall in the Garden, has been FREEDOM. No I am not referring to political or socio-economic freedom, but the freedom that is unaffected by circumstance, freedom that one can enjoy anywhere, anytime, under any circumstance. It is the freedom from sin and the eternal adverse effects of it. The following terms can take on incredible meaning in the light of the acceptance of who Jesus is and what He has done for you personally.

•          Forgiven
•          Salvation,
•          Redemption,
•          God’s infinite love,
•          The joy of the Lord,
•          A clean conscience,
•          Not holding any grudges
•          Able to love and stay patient
•          No more skeletons in your closet
•          Being comfortable in your own skin
•          The peace that passes all understanding,

Now take a little water, a deep breath and pick the next fork and knife.

As Christians grow in the graces of this list they can become increasingly able to deal with confrontation in a way that Jesus would. OH, did I use a bad word?... Confrontation is an important part of life and we need to be able to deal with it correctly. If you live in a world with other people, imperfect people such as yourself, then conflicts will arise, differences of opinions, hurt feelings, offences, intense disagreements and perhaps horrific acts of violence. Imperfect people may, intentionally or not, hurt you or those you love. From the smallest incident, to the most horrendous, the list of attributes above is available to the Christian. It all boils down to two words that have immense implications, REPENTANCE and FORGIVENESS.

There are Biblical concepts that deal with repentance, strong words that our flesh may cringe to hear. The message of repentance has been preached since the beginning of time but still needs to resonate in the hearts of people. If you recognize that this message is spoken to mankind, through God’s servants, motivated by the love demonstrated at Calvary’s Cross, then it will do you good. I share the following in the hope that you will be provoked to ask the Lord to search your heart and show you where to apply it to yourself today.

Sarah was angry and said to Abraham, “… Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the

son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac” (Gen 21:10). You see, this amazing couple knew the promise the Lord made to Abraham of being the father of many nations. Now Sarah is past the age of getting pregnant and in desperation she gives her husband her servant girl to go make the baby with. This was not something the Lord indicated they should do, no, it was a futile attempt to accomplish God’s plan using the finite strength of the flesh. Some years later Sarah saw the fruit of this in Hagar’s bad attitude toward her miracle baby Isaac, and got really ticked off. Perhaps she was angry with herself for coming up with this bone headed course of action, and she was jealous of Hagar who bore Ishmael, her husband’s 1st baby.

The story has dramatic implications to humanity today. Abraham’s adulterous relationship with Hagar was a work of the flesh, something that could never accomplish God’s intent. The descendants of Isaac (the Jews) are still the enemies of the descendants of Ishmael, Hagar’s baby. Sarah’s dumb idea opened the door for Abraham and Hagar to give place to their physical attraction and lust for each other.

Gal. 5:19   When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,

20   idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,

21   envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

As Sarah told her husband to “cast out the bondwoman and her son,” the Lord is telling His church to cast out the works of the flesh listed in the verses above. Tap into His grace to get the junk out of your life. Never again try to accomplish God’s intent in your own way either. The ramifications of yielding to those things may have very severe ramifications and stretch for generations. You can avoid a lot of junk by using God’s checklists in Gal. 5. The bad stuff in listed above, the good stuff follows:

Philippians 4:8   Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Thankfully the Bible makes it simpler still. When John the Baptist, and later Jesus, frequently used the phrase, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand,” they didn’t follow it with a long list of what not to do. In John 16:7 and 8 we see that the Holy Spirit’s job is to bring the conviction of sin to an individual’s life. This Holy Spirit inspired conviction stirs a heart to Godly sorrow which brings repentance. The consequence of such real repentance is forgiveness. True FREEDOM comes to the believer in this process. It is all due to the work of forgiveness that Jesus did by allowing Himself to suffer the consequences of our sins. John 3:16 becomes a personal reality. On the other hand; the consequences of not casting the bondwoman and her son out of our lives is that the door opens to the enemy of your soul. The devil then demonstrates his evil intent in the destroyed lives we see in people around us, in the families so dysfunctional that friction between spouses ruins the lives of the children, in every other horrible manifestation of man’s inhumanity to man.

Digging a little deeper, the Word says,

1 John 2:15   Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16   For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

17   And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

The three things listed in verse 16 are a great guide to learning right from wrong. Every bit of bad stuff in all the realms of human behavior all falls into one of these three categories:

·         the lust of the flesh,

·         the lust of the eyes, and

·         the pride of life

How do we avoid those three broad categories of attitude and behavior?

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

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

If your enjoying this part of life, there’s less and less room in your heart for the two lusts in the list.

1 Pet.5:6   So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.

2 Pet 3:   The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

When walking in these promises there’s no need for self exaltation, just trust God to get you where you need to be. This not only applies to career but any other thing selfish pride can mess up. Humility is your weapon against pride. We can be FREE from worrying and striving in our own futile, limited humanness to get there.

These two passages also bring us back to what I wrote earlier about confrontation. These are invaluable tools to dealing with the adversity caused by people, no matter what their intentions are. Before initiating or participating in the inevitable confrontation, “cast out the bondwoman and her son” from your life, let God root out the vestiges of the fleshly things in your life that distract you from walking in the Spirit. Only God can fulfill His promises to you personally so stop trying to make them happen. We can deal with the issues of life graciously because we can tap into the grace of God to do so. With the junk out of your way you are FREE TO LOVE and those on the other side of the table.

OK, it’s time for desert. You may use any silverware left at your place setting:

Think about the following verses in the context of repentance, forgiveness and seeing God accomplish His objectives in your life by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Psalm 24:3   Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?

4   Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies.

5   They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior.

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

9   Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Gal. 5:1   Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.