God’s spirit, it’s in You

I have been giving this subject a lot of thought and consideration.  In all I feel so many believers are missing out on the glorious benefits of being filled with holy spirit.  Many except the ideal we have been given this gift from God, but often deny many of the aspects of what that means.

Before I get into much of the New Testament writers on this subject let me summarize what Jesus was letting us know about this gift.  We can learn about the power and effects of having holy spirit from what Jesus taught.  I feel that Jesus was letting us know, that the spirit is the life force of the believer.  Without holy spirit one could not truly be a believer.  That is maybe why he said that a person could be forgiven of any sin, but a sin against the spirit. ( Matt 12.31)

Jesus said that our human flesh is weak, but the spirit can help us against temptation ( Matt 26.41).  We also find in Matthew and Luke that it was the spirit that led Jesus. In return Jesus says in John that the spirit would lead us.  Jesus quoting from Isaiah 61 in (Luke 4:18-21 NKJV  "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; {19} To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." {20} Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. {21} And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." ) was letting us know that it was the spirit that was giving him the ability to proclaim the gospel message. This is what he was telling his followers in John, that the spirit would help them proclaim the gospel message.

Then we can look at the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus in John 3.  The question was asked how a man can be born again.  Jesus made it very clear that it was a work of the spirit that made it possible.  Let’s look at the word spirit used in John 3.

  (John 3:3-8 NKJV)  Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." {4} Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" {5} Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. {6} "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. {7} "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' {8} "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

4151. pneuma, pnyoo'-mah; from G4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by anal. or fig. a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by impl.) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, daemon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:--ghost, life, spirit (-ual, -ually), mind. Comp. G5590.

(John 6:63 NIV)  The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

Let me express some thought here and share some things I feel I see in this.  As we see the word spirit basically means breath or wind.  Breath and wind is expelled and inhaled on a regular basis, and this is how we are living beings.  You take the breath away and we are dead and there is no more life.  We are not eternal breathes, we are living souls.  Take away the breath and we die, end of story.  There is no scripture that refers to man to be eternal spirits, but there is for man being living souls. 

It is also breath that goes into and out of God.  In Genesis God breathed into Adam and he became a living soul.  God’s breath carried with it the power and essence of God himself into man to make him a living soul and then man breathed spirit.  To be reborn is to breathe a new breath of God’s spirit that will give you life and hope for a resurrection into a new life eternal.   

Looking at a message from Jesus in Matthew 13, telling us the kingdom of God is like one sowing seed.  I learned early in life lessons on seeds, many of you may have too.  In grade school we took seeds and put then in a bag with a damp towel and after a few days the seeds began to sprout.  Now, there was no telling how long the seed had remained in the packet or on a shelf.  They could have been there for many years never sprouting. 

All seed, plant or human have life and promise of future life in them, but in themselves they do not have the power to produce.  It takes an outside element to cause growth and life. Like in my childhood class it took moisture to cause the seed to come to life, still for it to produce it needed good ground.  Even in humans a male child has seed in him, but not the power to produce a living person by himself.  Even if that seed is deposited into a fertile womb that life can only exist connected to the womb.  It is only when it takes its first breath (takes in spirit) that it can grow and produce life in itself. 

Born again is being transformed by the gospel message, believing as John 17.3 tells us, then filled with God’s spirit.  God deposits His word into us and then breathes His spirit into us and makes us a living force of God’s spirit, able to live a holy life growing into maturity and truth.  Without the spirit, you are just like a baby in the womb; living but not alive, always taking in but never giving or growing into maturity and truth, knowing nothing but the womb.   

The true message of the Gospel suffers and religion takes over.  Theses people call themselves believers, but yet they have no life in them.  I often have said “Something is wrong when a person who says they are born again, attends church for years and never grows or changes from where they were before.”  We all should be concerned about our spiritual growth if we are not becoming more like Jesus and finding deeper truth.

It is the spirit that gives life and power to the true message of God.  Isaiah 61 should be our own words as well as Jesus’.  The message of the coming kingdom and hope of all mankind has been given to the church of God.  We have been given the spirit to produce life and power, showing each generation in demonstration, that one can live a holy life and power before God.  We have been given the deposit or taste of what is yet to come in the future.  If the Kingdom and resurrection has not yet come then we should conclude that the demonstration and power of holy spirit has not been done away with.

  (Luke 3:16 NIV)  John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Jesus came to baptize all believers with holy spirit and to help them be connected to the Father.  Without holy spirit how can we know the father, or his son like we should?  How can we truly know all truth.  It was a command to believers to be filled.  It is how you are born into God’s family.  Everywhere in Acts and other places you read of outpouring, it is on all those that believed not just a select few.  If the works of the spirit is finished then the work of water is finished as well.

  Going back to John what can one conclude about this gift that is in us and what should it be doing for us? (I will start dealing with demonstrations and gifts later)

(John 4:23-24 NIV)  Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. {24} God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

We can only be true worshipers when filled with God’s spirit.  This gift that is called holy spirit, comforter, helper, is given to help us to live a life of worship and obedience to the Father.  I believe without it is imposable to please the Father and obey Him.  Our flesh will always win out and lead us down a path of sin and destruction.  

The gift of holy spirit will do the following in our lives if we will let it.

1. Reveal the Father
2. Lead us into truth
3. Bring us peace
4. Give us joy
5. Make us one
6. Show us true love
7. Empower our message
8. Give us the word to say
9. Give us a taste of what is yet to come
10. Produce unity in the body
11. Power to do mighty works
12. Help us obey God
13. Makes us sons of God
14. Help us remember God’s words
15. Produce Fruit in our lives
16. Helps us abide faithfully in Jesus
17. Helps us endure struggles and persecutions
18. Helps us in prayer
19. Makes us over comers
20. Prepare us for the coming Kingdom

I know there is much more many of you may come up with, but this is a good list to start.  In closing this week I want to leave with the following scripture. When Jesus was about to leave this world with the promise of return, he gave a command to everyone that was there that day, not just the twelve.  Telling them that what John the Baptist had said was about to be fulfilled.  Is it fulfilled in you?

(Acts 1:4-5 NIV)  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."

The Gift

As I sit here and type this week I can’t help but wonder what happened to the church.  As I read in the context of Jesus’ words to his followers, I see no promise of glorious acceptance in a fallen world.  I feel the church over the centuries have made many compromises with the gospel message and the gift of holy spirit to be more palatable to the world.  Today, we seem to have almost a complete rejection of the teachings of Jesus and what this precious gift can bring to the believer.

In our modern society the truth is so far gone that one can hardly recognize it.  Religion did a dumb down the gospel message so far, no wonder a so called Christian would not know who God is or even how He works.  Today, when the fastest growing religion is not Christianity, we as believers should recognize we have a problem.    

Yes, we have great big churches and ministries, but if we take a close look at what is going on we should all be concerned.  The numbers that are being given as converts are mostly recycled church goers. They have quit the church and came back or they switched their doctrines.  Yet, the truth is being hidden in small groups of whom many have separated themselves completely from the main stream.  Because of all this we are not seeing a true growth of new believers in or modern world.  So, false religions, preachers, movements are having their way among those who are looking for answers to life’s problems.  They prey on the unlearned and spiritually weak.  Those who have been conditioned by religion to look to men for answers and spiritual leadership fall victim to the devices of men who do not have the truth.

One should read John chapters 14-17 carefully and see what Jesus had to say to his followers and for those who would came after.  Jesus lays out for us what to expect from the gift of holy spirit and why.

In John 14:26 ( NIV  But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.) Jesus is telling us that the spirit would teach us and remind us of his teachings.  I may have not been there when Jesus was giving all his teachings about the kingdom and living a life of obedience to God, but I do have the scriptures and holy spirit to help me find truth.

Notice right away he is associating this with peace.  (John 14:27 NIV)  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. There is no comfort or peace in this fallen world.  Even religion has tried to find peace by the way of the world and history proves that has not worked.  The vast majority of our wars in history have been religious of some sort. Peace is given by the spirit which is a gift from the Father, which transcends the way of man and our understanding. (Phil 4:7 NIV)  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

If we remove the chapter markers this conversation continues. That Jesus is telling us one condition of Christianity is abiding.  One may ask how that is possible.  Through the spirit and where we let our minds dwell. Like a branch of a vine there has to be a complete attachment to the trunk.  The words here for fruit is completion or maturity.  One does not go to a fruit tree desiring fruit that is immature or not ripe to eat.  You should notice two other stories in Mark 11.13 and Luke 13.6, about seeking for fruit and not finding any.  In each of the stories we find that the trees did not have fruit because they were not capable, but there were issues in each story.  The point is, God is looking for maturity and that comes from obeying and living connected to Jesus through holy spirit. 

You should also notice Jesus is making it very clear that love is an attribute of God’s spirit in us and the ability to fully obey.  How can one say they have the gift and not be able to show love, or obey the teachings of Jesus? Are these people really abiding in Jesus or are they connected to another religious vine? 

Then there is that part that seems to baffle me, that is how the church is trying to be accepted in this world. Jesus makes it very clear that the world will reject us and persecute us as much as it did him.  It was even more so by the religious system of His time.  It was when the church in the fourth century was given a status of freedom and prominent position that compromises were made to hold on to that position and power.  The work of the holy spirit and the true message of the gospel was almost completely lost.  Teachings of men now take the place of the teaching of Jesus given to us through holy spirit.

  (John 15:26 NIV)  "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.

Jesus, then makes a promise that as sure as he was to go to the Father, he was going to return. Until then we would have his gift of the spirit given to us, to be a testimony for him in this world.  Every believer is to be living examples of him, as he was of his Father.  We are to be the bright shinning lights in a darkened world.  Do others know you are from God, or are you just another religious person to them?

(John 16:7-15 NIV)  But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. {8} When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: {9} in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; {10} in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; {11} and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. {12} "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. {13} But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. {14} He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. {15} All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

Jesus is laying out the work of the spirit for us and telling us that this is given until he returns.  He is not talking about his return back to life, but the return when he comes as a conquering king. Paul referred to this as the deposit laid down for something that is greater to come.

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

(2 Cor 5:5 NIV)  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.

(Eph 1:13-14 NIV)  And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, {14} who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.

A couple of things I want to point out here is; one, we should see that the work of the spirit is to bring power to our message.  When we share the message of Jesus, the gift of spirit is there to convict, reveal righteousness, and make judgment on the works of Satan.  How was this done in Jesus?  If you would read the gospels with an open heart and mind you would see it was not only with words, but demonstration of God’s power.  Devils trembled, sinners sought him out, and many miracles were done by him. Why, one should ask. Because he obeyed his Father completely and stayed true to the message of the kingdom.  This may be a good reason why we don’t see many demonstrations of God’s power today; we are not truly obeying the Father, and staying true to the message. (Just saying)

I know there will be those who will try to point out; it was for just the Apostles.  You should ask yourself a couple of questions.  One, has Jesus already come back to rule?  Has the truth been fully preached? Then there are those who always point out scriptures or times where somebody did not get healed.  Didn’t Jesus have such times too?  Then I have those who say they can see it coming to a close in the scriptures, yet they hold onto many regulations and rules that scriptures clearly say they are not needed. 

This brings me to my second point, that there were many things Jesus could not tell them yet and it would be the spirit that would teach them.  This is how we have received what we call the New Testament.  Notice Jesus said “Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.”  The spirit is given to us to guide us to truth.  The truth of what, you may ask.  I feel the truth of who God is and his son Jesus.  The spirit would reveal the truth of the gospel message of God’s kingdom and his intentions for redeemed man. Jesus said in John 8.32 that the truth would set us free.  Another part of the truth I believe would be about the working of the spirit in the believer and the church. 

Jesus then prayed for his followers, not just those there with him, but those who would later come to believe. (John 17:17-21 NIV)  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.

This gift of holy spirit is for every believer, so we may know truth and truly demonstrate to the world that Jesus is the Christ, from God.  Now, as Jesus said, the message of those Apostles would have a great role in this, and we have much we can learn about the gift from them.  There are many more attributes of this gift and much more we can learn about what God has given.

In my own journey, it has been a willingness to stop checking my brain at the door of the church.  I had to stop depending on man to provide truth, stop reading the Bible with religious glasses, and dare to ask questions of what was held sacred.  If we are all truly lead by the spirit, and truly allowing the attributes of His spirit work in us, should we not be coming to the same conclusions or at lest willing to talk about them?  I will not say I know it all yet, but I do have the spirit of the one who does.  Everyone does not have to express the spirit, or worship just like me, but we need to get the gospel message right and learn to love each other.  Otherwise the true message of Jesus will be forever lost and the question in Luke 18.8 may become reality “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Power Through Christ

As we talk a about the gift of holy spirit, the greatest authority on this subject would be Jesus himself.  We should not cast aside what he spoke as just for the twelve follower he had.  I think Jesus has mad it very clear that the provision of holy spirit is given to all who believe.  Yes, there is conditions that apply and should not be ignored.  Even today churches have no problem telling us that everyone receives the gift of holy spirit at salvation, but then they turn around and deny many of the attributes of holy spirit.  That is like saying it is good to have a car to get around but deny the need for an engine.  The car is no good without the engine, just like a believer can not fully do what God has expected of him without full demonstration and work of holy spirit. The holy spirit is the engine that gives power to an overcoming believer.

We will look at the very words of Jesus himself and see what we should expect from such a gift and the conditions needed for that to work. 

Let me say this before we go much further.  I do understand that today we have many fakes, who have labeled themselves with titles.  They do seem to have a demonstration of power, but use it for their own gain.  I will try to address this more later. So human nature once it has been burned by  a miss use will often turn away from the whole thing just based on the actions of a few.  Pragmatism has taken over reason and there are those that will tell us that what they have going on in their groups is the work of holy spirit solely based on a few results.  Like I said last week I grew up in Pentecost and have seen a lot.  There has always been a lingering thought in my mind when I have seen something many would call a move of the holy spirit.  That is why is there no real change in the individual who was impacted, or why didn’t real truth come forward in t event?

When I see what Jesus tells the believer should happen when one is filled with holy spirit, I do have to wonder how so many could label much of the modern churches activities as from the holy spirit.  Jesus begins to give his followers an insight of what they should expect in the age called the church, although Jesus never gave a complete picture of the coming birth of the church.  He did however give a great insight into being filled with holy spirit and what that should look like.  It is after the gift of holy spirit was given we find examples and teachings on it’s deeper impact on a person and the church.   

^{Jn 14:10-14 NIV} Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.  I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Notice what Jesus is telling Philip who asked Jesus to show them the Father.  Jesus also spent his life on this earth revealing to the world the true nature of God, his Father.  The point I want you to see here is Jesus claim to have the father in him.  No, this does not make Jesus God, but by nature of God’s spirit and Jesus’ own birth he was a perfect representative of his Father.  How, one may ask, by two ways, both in which we today can partake in through faith.  First, Jesus was the begotten son of God.  In scientific terms he had God’s DNA.  God himself by miracle created a seed in Mary that impacted her human egg which caused a conception. Mary then gave birth to a son who was a perfect genetic representative of his father.

Second, Jesus was also given the gift of holy spirit at his baptism, (Matt.3.16, Acts 10.38).  Through out the gospels we can see it was that gift of holy spirit that gave Jesus the power to be his father’s representative.  Jesus is telling us in the book of John that it was his fathers spirit that was in him an every believer could have it as well.  The proof Jesus pointed to was the signs and wonders that followed Jesus’ ministry and life. 

Both of the above we can be a part of. By faith and belief in God and His son Jesus, we can experience being born again and being filled with the gift of holy spirit.

Jesus then tells us that everyone who has faith in him, or one could say complete trust in Jesus and what he was saying.  They, too, could have these same signs and wonders following their life.  Now we will see there are conditions to this, but none the same, this is for anyone who put their faith in the teachings of Jesus.  I am not talking about our modern thinking about faith, but a simple, complete trust in Jesus and His commands. Jesus even took it a step further and said that those after him who believed would do even greater than He did, I am not sure what we see today is a fulfilling of that.  I have heard in my lifetime that the modern church through media and many movements are doing greater works than Jesus.  I do not agree, it is still only by a select group and limited, when Jesus said that everyone who had their faith in Jesus would have it working in their life.  Then there are many false claims of signs and wonders that we should be careful of.

^{Jn 14:15-26 NIV} “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, an he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever­­--  the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.  Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.  Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.  “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

One of the main conditions to this power with signs and wonders is obedience to the teachings of Jesus.  If we are to be true representatives of God and Jesus we have to completely follow their ways.  One can not be a true representative doing and living their own way.  Through all the years of pragmatic leadership and worldly influence the church has lost its way.  Forever damaged by false teachings and systems almost all churches no longer truly follow the teachings of Jesus.  No wonder we don’t see the power of God in true demonstration.  

I hear today many say there are leaders who now have a deeper revelation than the very ones who heard it directly from Jesus and where given what to write for us to read.  The other thing I hear is a dismissal of what Jesus said, by saying God does not do those kinds of things anymore, or we live in another time and God’s thinking has changed.  I just have one question for these people where can you prove that in scripture?

Let’s get back to what Jesus was telling his followers.  If they truly loved him they would obey him.  Then this counselor, spirit of truth would not only be with them but in them as a part of their very lives. 

Right here before a go any further, I feel I need to make clear something that is not obvious to everyone.  Jesus was not speaking of another person, but of God’s very presence reveled.  He personified this gift, much like Solomon did in his writings in Proverbs concerning wisdom.  Wisdom is not a person no more than the gift of God’s power in a person is a spiritual person.  (I know I may get a lot of feed back on this one, but before you get upset do your homework and compare Proverbs and read how the writers of the rest of the New Testament spoke of the gift of holy spirit, then Read Revelations and ask where is this person.)  If you do not understand that Jesus was speaking of a gift and power not a person, you will miss the heart of what he was saying. 

Jesus was making it very clear that as one believes and truly obeys, God’s own presence would dwell in us, just like it was in Jesus. This gift would reveal truth and make Jesus plain to those who were willing to completely follow him.  I believe Jesus was talking here of his death and resurrection.  That only those who truly loved him and obeyed would see him and know him after his resurrection.  When one reads the accounts following his resurrection this is exactly what happened.  Jesus revealed himself only to those select few, teaching them further about the future kingdom.  He did not have mass crowds gathering around him, the people were completely unaware that Jesus was risen from the dead.

Jesus was letting them know, it would be the spirit that would help them know it was Jesus that was raised from the dead.  There would be no other way they would be able to believe and recognize Jesus after his resurrection.  Jesus was telling them that the spirit was with them, but would soon be in them.  This spirit would be the presence of God living in the believer as did in Jesus.  Jesus said they both would dwell in us, was he telling us there would be two spirits in us or a single gift that represented them both?   

Another thing Jesus seems to be saying is that without the gift of spirit one could not fully know or understand God and Jesus.  My question is how can so many people who claim they have the holy spirit misunderstand God?  How can there be so much confusion in today’s church if everyone is being obedient to Jesus, and lead by God’s spirit?  Either much of today’s church has it wrong or God’s confused.  I would lean towards the ideal the church may have many of their teachings and ideals of the holy spirit wrong, and the teachings of Jesus are ignored.  Maybe what many people are claiming to be holy spirit is just their own ideals and feelings being manifested.  If all believers are truly being lead by the holy spirit, why is there so much confusion and splits in doctrines.  In the beginning of the church they all believed the same thing. (^{Ac 4:32A NIV} All the believers were one in heart and mind.) It was hundreds of years later after many councils and debates that the church became divided and the truth was lost. A true understanding of holy spirit was forever lost and believers no longer lived a power filled life. 

Power from God

(Acts 1:8 NIV)  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

These are the words of Jesus himself just before he departed this earth with the promise that he would return.  Taken alone, I feel many have misunderstood these very words.  They have to be taken in context with all Jesus said on that mount just before he departed.

(Acts 1:4-7 NIV)  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." {6} So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" {7} He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

Notice there are two separate times here. First, while dinning he commanded them to stay in Jerusalem to wait for the gift.  This was to be a spiritual baptism of holy spirit, or the manifest presence of God through Jesus in a believer.  This is also what John was talking about in (Mat 3:11 NKJV)  "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

This is what I want to talk about for the next several weeks if I may.  I know this is a touchy subject, for many reasons today. I grew up in Pentecost and seen so much abuse in this area, no wonder so many run from the ideal of gifted power with God.  Yet, that does not make the Word of God null and void.

The next event is just before Jesus is taken up, his followers were asking about the kingdom that Jesus was to fulfill. Notice Jesus’ reply. He did not rebuke them but simply told them that it was yet to come and only the Father knows when.  Then He followed up with what he had commanded them to do and that was to wait for the gift. Except this time he told them it was a power to bear witness to the coming kingdom of God.  It was not the entrance of the kingdom but a power to live and testify for and of its coming.  A power to live in faith like Jesus because is was the same power that was in him.

(Acts 10:38 NIV)  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

The context of which Jesus was talking about in Acts 1.8 is the kingdom of God. I will attempt to go through the scriptures with you and show you that every true believer does have the gift and should be allowing this power to guide them in this world.  That we do, even in this day and age if not more so need to see a demonstrated manifest presence of God’s spirit and power to present a truthful message of God’s coming kingdom.

Today’s churches have wondered so far from the true message Jesus gave the church, that it is hardly recognizable.  When one misunderstands who God is and His son Jesus, they will most likely misunderstand the rest.  Today, so many believers run from the power God has given the church.  They deny that it is for today’s church.  They have seen it misused for men’s gain, and then reject it in any form entirely.  Manifestations of God’s spirit and gift are shifted to the past and to only a select group.  Churches are filled with people who are misinformed, spiritually defeated, with the true message of faith, hope, and the coming kingdom is lost.  They have replaced the good news message with a feel good positive thinking. They say kingdom has already come in spirit and preach a type of grace and everlasting life in heaven that cannot be found in scripture without twisting the passages.

I do not want you to feel like I am here to tear down everybody, but try to present scripture and some thought on what I see them say.  Jesus did promise that we would be guided by this gift called holy spirit.  We should not run from it but embrace it for all its worth.  I feel it is the very force that gives us the strength to endure and keep our faith in God’s promises.  Jesus himself could not have done what he did without it, and did not start his ministry until he had it. Read again Acts 10.38 and see it was the gift of holy spirit that Jesus had that empowered him to an obedient life and victory.

So with that said lets start with Jesus and what He did and his commands.  Jesus came on the scene after his childhood to be baptized by John. (Mat 3:16-17 NIV)  As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. {17} And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."(Mat 4:1 NIV)  Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.  We see here what is confirmed by Peter in Acts 10.38, Jesus is not only baptized in water but also the spirit.  It is this same gift that drove him into the wilderness to face life’s temptations that we all face. 

Notice, for Jesus it was manifested like a dove, it did not say it was a dove.  Look at Acts 2.3 and you will see that the writer never said it was tongues of fire it just seemed like it, so it was the way the writer described what everyone who witnessed the event saw it as, so this is the same case with Jesus.  It was not a dove but it was a way of describing what they saw.  For Jesus this was a spiritual baptism, so he could be a witness for God’s message of the coming kingdom, and to fulfill his given purpose on this earth, with power.

Jesus, right away after he came out of the desert began preaching the kingdom message with signs following.  It was some time later and only to his disciples that he began to reveal his death and resurrection. Was Jesus the only one who was given this power?  No. He passed it on to his disciples even before there was the out pouring in Acts 2.  I do not feel they were baptized in spirit yet, but enjoyed the overflow from Jesus, just like many in the Old Testament who got around the manifest presence of God. (Num 11.25, I Sam 10.10, I Sam 19.20)  

(Mat 10:1 NIV)  He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

(Luke 10:19 NIV)  I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

Was this just for those at that time as so many teach today?  Is the day of such manifestations no longer necessary?  Just because we have the Bible do we no longer need signs, as some well known teachers teach today?  Was Jesus’ promise of power and spiritual guidance just to the twelve?  Should we throw out certain parts because we have a higher level of knowledge?  Why do we run from tongues?  Why do we run from signs and wonders? Just because we have false teachers and misuses do we give up on it entirely?  By what I see in this day and age, I feel we need the demonstration of the real more than ever.  This is not a time to clam up and be silent, but to step up and be counted, filled with holy spirit with demonstrations of a spirit filled life.

Let’s look and some more of Jesus’ own words to the believer. (Mark 16:15-18 NIV)  He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. {16} Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. {17} And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; {18} they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

Jesus is not making this an exclusive event to a certain small group or a certain time.  The signs were to accompany the believer as they share the good news message.  Notice tongues are a part of this and we will talk more on this later. Now just because the snakes and poison is mentioned here does not give us permission to tempt God in such ways. It is just telling us in times when we need it, God will protect us.  If I am ever in a place where somebody starts getting snakes out I will be the first to leave, even if I have to make a door where there is none.  I am not going to tempt God.

The point here is that this is given to all believers.  It has been over time and religious teachings that this scripture has been reduced to have no meaning in today’s churches.  We have reduced salvation to a simple repeating of a prayer; dip them in water, now they are bound for heaven.  Then we make the maintaining of that salvation tied to their attendance to a church and faithfulness to the churches teachings.  The person in the pew has no power, the person in the pulpit denies the power, and affirms everyone is OK because they are saved.  Saved from what is my question? They are still struggling, have no true joy, no true hope, and no understanding of God.  (Oops, need to get off my soap box and back to teaching)  We need to get back to simply following Jesus and what he said and obey him.

With my background in Pentecost I have seen a lot of misuse. It has been the years of study and transition in my life, with a love for God and the truth that I will attempt to hopefully share some insight on this subject.  I will not tell anyone that they have to act a certain way to prove they are full of God’s spirit.  I have come to believe what many Pentecostal and Charismatic groups call spiritual manifestations is not truly what Jesus or his disciples taught.  This is what we will look at and see what they did say about being filled with spirit and power.

God does want His children to live a life of victory, being able ministers of the gospel in power and demonstration.  That we all be filled with the hope that His gospel gives.  That hope is in the coming kingdom at the resurrection of the believer. Until then we are to be ministers of His truth and goodness with power and signs following, living an overcoming life no matter what circumstances life finds us in.

 (Rom 15:13 NIV)  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I will share more in the coming weeks, please fill free to give me some feed back.