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164 The Holy Spirit in Transformation.
In the last post, 163, the focus was on “Why we need the Holy Spirit.” We need the Holy Spirit to walk in righteousness, overcoming sin and defeating the enemy, the Devil. We can sum this up as the process of Sanctification. When we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, we are declared sanctified or holy; this is our new “position” in the Lord. At the same time, we enter a process of becoming more like Jesus in our thoughts, words, and deeds. This is what a faithful Christian is: a work in progress; becoming more like Jesus is our life’s work. Sanctification has two parts: our position in Christ, which Jesus purchased for us, and the work we must do, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to become more like Jesus in our character.
Understanding the principle of Sanctification is to understand why Jesus sent us a “Helper,” the Holy Spirit, to lead us, teach us, guide us, and most importantly, empower us to live the life He has called us to. While our position of being sanctified never changes, our personal lives continually change. This process of change is called “transformation.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV), “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” So, the transformation process is that we become more and more like Jesus in character. Show More
Transformation
As I just said, the goal of transformation is to become more like Jesus in thoughts, words, and actions. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV), “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
The term “reasonable service” in verse one is usually translated as “spiritual worship.” Therefore, our transformation process is seen as worship by the Lord! Too often, we think of worship as going to church or singing worship songs while, in fact, those are important but not as important as a transformed life. Jesus wants to change you from the inside out.
The phrase “renewing of your mind” in verse 2 means that we must examine what we believe and why we believe it, and if it does not line up with God’s view, presented in the Bible, we must reject it and replace it with the biblical view.
Most of us have been brainwashed by a secular worldview (non-church or humanistic view of life), and now the Lord wants to wash our thinking with the pure Word of God.
What is a Worldview?
In general, a worldview answers five basic questions.
- Origin – where did I come from?
- Destiny – where am I going?
- Purpose – why am I here?
- Values – how should I live?
- Truth – what is the truth?
For a Christian with a biblical worldview, these five questions should be answered in the following way:
- Origin – where did I come from? I was created by the One True God in His image, and all humankind is created equal.
- Destiny – where am I going? I am called to believe and serve the Savior Jesus Christ; therefore, my destiny is to become like Him; and to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.
- Purpose – why am I here? I am called to represent the grace and mercy of Jesus to a lost and dying world, to evangelize, disciple, and build up the body of Christ, the church.
- Values – how should I live? I should live in peace as much as it is possible and demonstrate the values of love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, patience, gentleness, and self-control (the fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22).
- Truth – what is the truth? The truth is found in the Bible because the Bible is “inspired by God, (2 Timothy 3:16).
- Psalms 119:160 (NKJV), “The entirety of Your word is truth.”
- John 17:17 (NKJV), “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”
A secular worldview has very different answers to the five foundational questions mentioned, and to be honest, we are all influenced by secular thinking. Therefore, the mind, what one believes, must be changed or transformed, and it can only be done by faith. What I mean is that we must accept the Bible as the source of truth; the Holy Spirit reveals the truth, and then by faith, we must walk in that truth, regardless of what the world teaches. It requires a mind change directed by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth.
We know that Satan or the Devil wants us to believe the lie, that a Biblical worldview is not based on truth, and to do that, he makes the secular worldview so natural and attractive. However, if we believe that the Bible is the source of all truth, you can see where the battle comes in. It is a battle for what will you believe! The Lord appeals to the Spirit, whereas the Devil appeals to the flesh. The Apostle Paul recognized this dilemma too.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (NKJV) “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”
Notice the word strongholds in verse 4; strongholds are those beliefs that we hold strongly to, even when they are wrong. Then in verse 5, casting down those ways of thinking that are contrary to our knowledge of God and choosing to line up with the truth of God. This is accomplished by learning how to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
Renewing of the mind.
I’m sure you have heard it said that our spiritual battle is on the “battlefield of the mind.” We are victorious in our battle as we let go of wrong thinking and embrace the Lord’s view on the five issues of life. The psalmist David of who the Lord said, “he is a man after my own heart” wrote:
- Psalms 25:4-5 (NKJV), “Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.”
- Psalms 86:11 (NKJV), “Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.”
Practical advantages of transformation
Transformation is the victorious renewing of the mind which is necessary to do the following:
- To walk in righteousness.
- To walk in love.
- To overcome temptation and sin.
- To defeat the enemy of our soul, the Devil.
- To fulfill the great commission to win the lost (evangelism), train them up (discipleship), and send them out (to evangelize and disciple others).
- For boldness as a Christian to live our faith.
- For the right words to speak in a situation.
Communication with the Lord through the Holy Spirit.
The key to transformation is communication with the Lord through the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV), “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? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your Spirit, which are God’s.”
Because the Spirit of God lives in us, the channels of communication are open. Prayer is when we speak to God, and the Lord can speak to us in a number of ways. Here are some ways:
- Bible (Logos). First and foremost is the Bible. It is the foundation of all communication with our Lord. We use the word Logos to describe the literal words of the Bible. When we read or listen to the Bible, it is the Logos word. The Bible is the foundation of everything that we believe as Christians. While the entire Bible is true, it is the New Testament or New Covenant that shows us how to live. The life and teachings of Jesus are the models of how we are expected to live.
- Recalling scripture (Rhema). When we are familiar with the Bible and meditate on the truths of the Bible, the truth becomes embedded in our hearts. The Holy Spirit now has the opportunity to recall to our memory the Logos word when we are facing temptation or decisions. This is what the Rhema word is; it is the Word that becomes alive in our everyday lives.
- Conviction. This is the work of the Holy Spirit to persuade us to avoid the wrong decisions and do the right things. Some like to use the word conscience or the ability to discern right from wrong, and this is true if biblical truth is the judge of our thoughts and actions.
- Circumstances. The Lord is able to arrange circumstances. We sometimes use the terms that the Lord opens or closes doors. There are many biblical examples where the Lord orders the steps of His righteous ones. Again, we must ask the question, is what I believe the Lord is doing lining up with His Word?
- Messengers. Throughout the Bible, the Lord used messengers. They might be Angels, which by the way, is translated as messengers, prophets, or even ordinary people. They might be through dreams and visions; however, in all cases, what we believe or understand must line up with the Word of God.
- Peace. As a Christian in the midst of a difficult decision, it is important to trust the Peace of God in a situation. When what you are doing is in line with God’s character, you will sense peace if you experience conviction… don’t do it! Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV), “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
How can you be sure it is the Lord? That is a good question because we know that there are many spirits in the spirit realm. Ephesians 6:10-20 (NKJV), “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” As this section of scripture shows us, our spiritual battle is not with people but against the spiritual darkness of wickedness. There are many spirits trying to speak into our minds; therefore, we must learn to recognize the One voice of the Holy Spirit of God. One thing that we can be sure of is that any voice that speaks contrary to the Word of God and the character of Jesus must be a lie! However, the voice or leading of the Spirit that confirms the Word of God is a personal revelation that we must obey.
Personal Revelation
The only way to receive personal revelation from the Lord is to be in the Word of God. It is difficult to recognize the Holy Spirit without the Bible. After all, the Spirit of God is the author of the Word and knows the heart of God. That is why He is called the Spirit of Truth. Too many Christians rely on emotions, but emotions can be very deceiving. As a pastor friend of mine used to say, “Feelings come and feelings go, and feelings can be deceiving, but the Word of God is always true no matter what you’re feeling.”
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163 Why We Need the Holy Spirit!
Review
As I said in my last post, what we believe should be based upon the Word of God, the Bible, and not on the opinions of others. The Bible is our map to life and godliness; the Holy Spirit is our compass to help us find the one true way. Remember the way is narrow, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)
I also said that it is important that we not lose sight of the fact that the most important aspect of Christianity is the salvation provided by the crucifixion, death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Nothing is more important than what Jesus accomplished on the Cross of Calvary. However, we shouldn’t be ignorant of what was provided by Jesus to help us live in spiritual victory. The Helper has been the focus of the last several posts and episodes. We worship Jesus and only Jesus because He was the One who died for us. However, let us not forget that in Jesus’ own words, He promised us a “Helper,” the Holy Spirit.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an option. Jesus commands His followers to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV) “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” The “Promise of the Father” was the promise of the Holy Spirit! Show More
Why did the Lord provide the Holy Spirit to us?
The Covenant of the Law in the Old Testament was given to Israel to show all of mankind that it was impossible to keep the Law in one’s own strength or ability. Without the sacrificial system that the Lord provided through the Levite priesthood, there was no way to be forgiven of sin. Sin led to guilt and shame, sacrifice led to forgiveness and righteousness. The problem was that it was a never-ending cycle of sin, sacrifice, sin, sacrifice, and so on. It was as if sin had power over the individual.
In the New Covenant, Jesus became the perfect sacrifice, Hebrews 10:10-14 (NKJV) “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest [Levite] stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man (Jesus), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”
Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice, once and for all, did away with the sin that separated man from God. Now, as a Believer in Jesus and what He did on the Cross, we are redeemed and have been justified, regenerated, and sanctified. All of these terms are theological terms that are found in the Bible; they may sound intimidating, but, they simply mean that we are saved because we are forgiven, declared not guilty, born-again, and made holy. Let’s take a closer look at these spiritual operations that take place in every genuine Christian.
Redemption
In our redemption (salvation or being saved) is God’s act of grace. Jesus paid the ransom to restore us to Himself, Matthew 20:28 (NKJV), “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” A ransom is what you pay in order to get something in return. Jesus was the ransom that was paid so that mankind, who were separated from God, could be restored into the family of God. This work was totally done by God; we contributed nothing to this plan of God; Salvation is a gift of God. We could not save ourselves; therefore, we needed a savior, Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV), “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
The entire Bible is a book of redemption. A scarlet thread of blood is woven into the pages from Genesis to Revelation. From the blood of animals in the Old Testament to the blood of Jesus in the New Testament. The term Atonement also is used to describe “the reconciliation of God and humankind through Jesus Christ.” A play on the word Atonement is “at-one-ment”; we are made one with Jesus Christ.
Theologians have described this redemptive act in three parts; justification, regeneration, and Sanctification. These terms may seem deep and complicated, but in fact, they simply mean we are forgiven, born-again, and declared holy in God’s eyes. All because of what Jesus did for us.
Justification
Our justification (forgiveness of all sin) is also an act of grace; we have been declared innocent by the Lord. Romans 5:18-19 (NKJV), “Therefore, as through one man’s offense (Adam) judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act (Jesus) the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” Again, this is an act of the Lord, and we have nothing to do with it. God’s justification is a free gift of grace. It is impossible for us to justify ourselves. It is Jesus who is our justifier, and as a result, the Lord has declared us innocent! Some try to be “good” and earn God’s salvation, but as the Apostle Paul taught, no one can be good enough.
Regeneration
In our regeneration (we have been Born-again), which is an act of grace, our spirit has been made alive and connected to the Holy Spirit of God. Titus 3:4-7 (NKJV), “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration (born-again) and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
The work of regeneration is another work that is wholly God’s. As human beings, we can rehabilitate, but only God can regenerate! Rehabilitation has to do with the mind and outside of a person, and regeneration has to do with the heart and spirit of a person. Only those who are born-again can see and enter the Kingdom of God; this was what Jesus said to Nicodemus in the gospel of John 3.
Sanctification
In our Sanctification (we are holy and set apart for God). Sanctification is an act of grace and work that we are called and equipped with the Holy Spirit to accomplish. The testimony of the Apostle Paul is instructive in Acts 26:18 (NKJV) “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” Faith in Jesus’ ability to sanctify the Believer is both His work and our work. In an instant our position has changed, we are seen as “sons and daughters” in the Lord’s eyes.
The Lord sees us as Holy because of our position in Christ, but as everyone knows, all of us still deal with sin in this life. We may have victory over sin for a time, but we still deal with unrighteous thoughts, words, and actions that we must learn how to overcome. This process of having our lives line up with our position of Sanctification with Christ is called Transformation. Hebrews 2:11 (NKJV), “For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,” notice the words “He who sanctifies” and “being sanctified.” We are, in a legal sense, sanctified; however, we must learn to fulfill our new role as born-again Christians, a follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ, and this is done by walking in faith to what Jesus taught. Romans 12:2 (NKJV), “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Sanctification requires a change in our view of the world to a Biblical view.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines Sanctification in the following way.
“Sanctification involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, Sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man [spirit, soul, and body].
- Colossians 3:10 (NKJV) “and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,”
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV) “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? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
It is the special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to carry on this work of Sanctification.
- 1 Corinthians 6:11 (NKJV) “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
Faith is instrumental in securing Sanctification because it secures union with Christ.
- Galatians 2:20 (NKJV), “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.“
All of this about Sanctification is clear when we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives; we are declared sanctified or Holy; this is our new position in the Lord. At the same time, we enter into a process of becoming more like Jesus in our thoughts, words, and deeds. This becomes our life’s work.
Understanding the principle of Sanctification is to understand why Jesus sent us a “Helper,” the Holy Spirit, to lead us, teach us, guide us, and most importantly, empower us to live the life He has called us to.
Conclusion
In the next post, I will be talking about Transformation, which is another term used to describe Sanctification. It is the renewing of the mind which is necessary to do the following:
- To walk in righteousness
- To walk in love
- To overcome sin
- To defeat the enemy, the devil.
- To fulfill the great commission to win the lost, train them up, and send them out.
- For boldness as a Christian to live our faith.
- For the right words to speak in a situation.
To become more like Jesus in character is our goal. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV), “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
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162 The Baptism of the Holy Spirit – Tongues!
Jesus is the Reason we Live.
As we continue to focus on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, let us not lose sight of the fact that the most important aspect of Christianity is the salvation provided by the crucifixion, death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Nothing is more important than what Jesus accomplished on the Cross of Calvary. However, we shouldn’t be ignorant of what was provided by Jesus to help us live in spiritual victory. The Helper has been the focus of the last several posts and episodes. We worship Jesus and only Jesus because He was the One who died for us. However, let us not forget that in Jesus’ own words, He promised us a “Helper,” the Holy Spirit. You might ask, why did Jesus provide us with a Helper, and what does the Helper do? Jesus provided the Helper because Jesus didn’t want to leave us alone in our own strength to live the Christian life, a life of righteousness. Show More
The Apostle Paul warns us of being uninformed or unaware of our power and authority as disciples of Jesus Christ. “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: “1 Corinthians 12:1 (NKJV). Paul also says, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8 (NKJV). God’s ways are not man’s ways. It is a challenge to live by faith because God’s ways are often the opposite of how we have been taught to live by the world system we live in. We are told, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV) The world says, show me, and then I will believe; the Kingdom of God says, believe, and then I will show you!
Resistance to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
It is my personal belief that there are leaders who, over the past generations, “tried” the Holy Spirit expecting to have some emotional or physical experience. When they didn’t get what they expected, they wrote the Baptism of the Holy Spirit off and decided that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was not for today. This experience became their doctrine, and then they passed it on to others.
Well, let me say that you don’t “try” the Baptism of the Holy Spirit; you are either in or you’re out. It is very clear that the Lord said that if you ask for the Holy Spirit, you will receive Him! While the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a surrendering to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, not everyone has an emotional or physical experience. Remember, we are talking about spiritual events.
Another reason for resistance to the Holy Spirit is that many leaders find it “messy” or “distracting,” especially during church services. Many would prefer to have a religion that is proper and without controversy. Well, it is a good thing that these types of leaders didn’t live during Jesus’ day. To the religious leaders of Judaism, Jesus was a “troublemaker” and a “heretic.” We know that, in fact, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NKJV) This kind of attitude drove the religious leaders to the point of plotting to kill Him.
My point here is that the ministry of Jesus was “messy and distracting.” I know someone will quote 1 Corinthians 14:40 (NKJV), “Let all things be done decently and in order.” The question is, who defines decently and in order, the Lord or man?
Tongues is a gift of the Spirit.
The gift of tongues is presented as one of the nine gifts of the Spirit found in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NKJV) “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:” The Apostle Paul introduces the Gifts of the Spirit, making sure we understand the following.
- Notice the use of the words Spirit, Lord, and God (bold for emphasis) in the same statement, a reference to the Trinity.
- The purpose of the Gifts of the Spirit is to build up the Body of Christ, the people of God. The gifts are not for personal use and not to profit one’s reputation, standing, or finances.
Then Paul continues to define each gift.“8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 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. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”
We don’t have time to review each of the gifts today, but notice the last two gifts, different kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues (bold for emphasis).
Now, let’s look at a common area of confusion about Tongues; the gift of tongues is available in two ways, publicly for the building up of the church and privately for the building up of the individual.
Public Tongues are used in the congregation.
It is obvious from 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14 that Tongues were very common when Christians gathered to Worship the Lord. It was expected that when one spoke to the church in tongues, there would be an interpretation of that message for the church. Either the speaker of tongues would interpret or someone else. After all, tongues may sound like nonsense to the human mind when in truth, it is the language of the Spirit of God. When you have tongues with interpretation, you have prophecy. 1 Corinthians 14:5 (NKJV) “5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.”
Apparently, what happened in the early church was that many were speaking out loud in tongues at the same time, but no one was interpreting. Paul makes it clear that this is not what the Lord wants, and it was causing confusion and did not edify or enlighten anyone. If a public tongue is expressed, it must be followed by interpretation, or else it does not benefit the Body of Christ. Understand this, Tongues + Interpretation = Prophecy.
Private Tongues, a personal prayer language.
Praying in tongues is the language of the Spirit. John 4:23 (NKJV), “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” We can worship and pray with our understanding, but a more powerful way is to learn how to pray in the Spirit. When you pray with your understanding, you are limited by the human mind or intellect. However, when you pray in the Spirit, all obstacles are removed. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 8:26 (NKJV), “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. 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 Apostle Paul makes it clear that when we pray in the Spirit, the prayers are always perfect because it is the Spirit of God interceding for us.
The Lord is not interested in memorized ritualistic prayer; the Lord is interested in relational prayer, prayer from the heart, and there are times when we don’t know what to say or how to say it; that is when we should pray in the Spirit. When we pray in the Spirit, we are encouraged, built up, and strengthened.
The Lord has given us the ability to pray in the Spirit as we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our prayers and our actions. Remember, the Holy Spirit was given to us as a helper to live the Christian life and to encourage us to fulfill the call of God in our lives. It is a lonely Christian and weak Believer who denies the work of the Spirit in their lives.
Praying in tongues is a gift of Jesus and is meant to encourage us to build up our confidence and faith in the Lord and what He can accomplish in and through us. Jude 1:20 (NKJV) tells us to “maintain our life with God by praying in the Spirit. “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.”
Tongues, a Stumbling Block?
The stumbling block for some seems to be the manifestation of tongues. It has been my experience that God works in ways that don’t make sense to the human mind. For example, I have seen the following:
- The speaking in tongues happened spontaneously during the salvation experience.
- The speaking in tongues happened spontaneously at water baptism.
- The speaking of tongues happened spontaneously as the individual was prayed for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
- The speaking of tongues happened days, weeks, and months after the person was prayed for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
My point is, “don’t put God in a box.” The Lord doesn’t have to prove Himself to you or anyone else; He is the Lord! If you have not experienced speaking in tongues, keep this in mind, you should earnestly seek the evidence of speaking in tongues; it is for your good. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t move in the other gifts of the Spirit. If you have learned how to hear the Spirit and follow his promptings, then exercise the other gifts of the Spirit, and the speaking in tongues will come in time.
Conclusion
What we believe should be based upon the Word of God, the Bible, and not on the opinions of others. The Bible is our map to life and godliness; the Holy Spirit is our compass to help us find the one true way. Remember the way is narrow, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)
Peter’s sermon. Finally, let me close with a verse from Peter’s first sermon that he preached after being baptized in the Holy Spirit found in Acts 2:38 (NKJV), “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Let me repeat verse 39,” For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
We are the “afar off”; the Bible and history show countless times how important the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues was, and continues to be today.
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161 Pentecost and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
As a Christian, it is so important to understand what happened in Acts chapter 2; this chapter holds the key to living in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit, which was made available to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Savior Jesus is alive; He lives to actively give us everything we need to live an abundant life. Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Trusting in Jesus is not some empty ritual or religious superstition; trusting in Jesus is a genuine response based on the relationship between God and man. Show More
The Apostle Peter says in 2 Peter 1:2, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” One of those promises mentioned above is the promise of a Helper whom Jesus describes in John’s Gospel (John 14:16, 14:26, 15:26, and 16:7).
Being a Christian means that we believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and it also means that we try to live up to the teachings of Jesus Christ. In Romans 12:2, we get a glimpse of what Jesus wants His believers to experience, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God,” Romans 12:2. Being conformed means to follow or copy a pattern of behavior, whereas being transformed means that there is a change on the inside that leads to an entirely new way of seeing and living life. What happened on Pentecost in Acts 2 is the fulfillment of the promise of divine help to live the Christ-centered life in victory.
The difference between the Jewish Pentecost and Christian Pentecost.
Why did the Lord choose the Day of Pentecost to pour out His Holy Spirit? Before we can answer this question, we have to recognize that there is a difference between the Jewish Pentecost and the Christian Pentecost.
Jewish Pentecost or Shavuot
The word Pentecost is a Greek word that means fiftieth, and in Hebrew, the word is “Shavuot,” which also means fiftieth. This holiday, also called the “Festival of Weeks,” celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai as well as the grain harvest for the summer. In biblical times, Shavuot was one of three pilgrimage festivals in which all the Jewish men would go to Jerusalem and bring their first fruits as offerings to God. Shavuot comes 50 days after Passover.
Pentecost or Shavuot explains why there were so many people in Jerusalem from all over Israel and beyond its borders. I believe that the Lord chose this time to pour out His Holy Spirit on as many who would believe and that there would be witnesses to carry the message of what they experienced, saw and heard in Jerusalem that day.
Christian Pentecost or the Outpouring
The first Pentecost came 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection (Easter) when as Christians, we know that Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus told His followers to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father, which we now understand as the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Three important things happened on this first day of our Pentecost.
- The Church is established with a mission. The word Church in the original Greek is “Ekklesia,” which means “called out ones.” Called out of the world into the Kingdom of God.
- The Church is given its mission, the Great Commission, which is given by Jesus at the end of each of the four Gospels and then again in Acts 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 ascended into Heaven in Acts 1:9, “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.”
- When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to descend from Heaven, the Promise of the Father. Jesus went up, and the Holy Spirit came down to empower the Believers. Acts 1:4, “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Notice the phrase Jesus used, “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
As Believers, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us when we are Born-again. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is another experience when we surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit and, by faith, exercise the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Acts Chapter 2
Now it is time to look at Acts chapter two. “1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Verse one, the 120 were in the upper room waiting, anticipating what the Lord had promised. They were not sure how the Lord would work or show up; however, they were expecting. So many think they have to understand what God will do before they believe, yet the opposite is true. True faith means that you believe even when you don’t know how God will work it out. What has helped me to understand faith is to remember that God’s ways are not the way of humankind and that His thoughts are higher than ours. Isaiah 55:8, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Verse two, “the sound of a mighty rushing wind filled the whole house.” The word wind here can also be translated as “breath,” similar to the word wind in John 3:7, “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.” Jesus is describing the Holy Spirit.
Verse three, “there appeared to them divided tongues of fire, and one sat upon each of them.” Recall the prophesy of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:11, “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.”The Holy Spirit and fire!
Verse four, “and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The word “filled” in this verse can easily be translated as “influenced by.” As they were influenced by the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in other tongues. What we discover if we read on is that there were people from all over the known world who could understand what they were saying. Those who were speaking probably did not understand, with their natural minds, what they were saying, but other listeners did. I’ve been to many countries where people speaking in their native languages did not make sense to me; it often would sound like babbling.
Speaking in tongues is the language of the Spirit. John 4:23, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” We can worship and pray with our understanding, but a more powerful way is to learn how to pray in the spirit. When you pray with your understanding, you are limited by the human mind or intellect. However, when you pray in the spirit, all obstacles are removed. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 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. 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 Lord has given us the ability to pray in the spirit as we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our prayers and our actions. Remember, the Holy Spirit was given to us as a helper to live the Christian life and to embolden us to fulfill the call of God on our lives. It is a lonely Christian and weak Believer who denies the work of the Spirit in their lives.
Praying in tongues is a gift of Jesus and is meant to encourage us to build up our confidence and faith in the Lord and what He can accomplish in and through us. Jude 1:20 tells us to “maintain our life with God by praying in the Spirit. “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.”
Event or Experience?
The Baptism of the Holy is an experience that is available to every born-again Believer and is available today. “Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever,” and Jesus is the baptizer of the Holy Spirit. How can anyone deny a gift from the one who saved us and sealed us with His Spirit?
I know that there are some who say that what happened on that Pentecost day was simply an “event.” An event that happened once because the Apostles needed supernatural anointing at the start of the Christian Church. However, there were at least 120 in the upper room who received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and countless others as we continue to read the book of Acts and the Epistles or letters to the Church.
Finally, let me close with a verse from Peter’s first sermon that he preached after being baptized in the Holy Spirit found in Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Let me repeat verse 39,” For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” We are the “afar off”; the Bible and history show countless times how important the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues was and continues to be today.
If you have not received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit by speaking in tongues, don’t hesitate to ask the Lord Jesus to fill you with today. Your Father in Heaven knows how to give good gifts to His children. Jesus said as much in Luke 11:13, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” All you need to do is ask.
In closing, Jesus said in John 7:38, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 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.” Jesus has ascended on Pentecost day and has been glorified, so ask and receive!
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160 – Evidence for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit!
I find it interesting that when we read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we don’t look at them as historical books giving an account of what happened in the past. When we look at the Gospels, we recognize that they represent something new that started with the coming of Jesus Christ in power and authority to save and heal; here is the important part: that power and authority continue to this day. Why, then, do we look at the Book of Acts as a historical account of the early Church instead of looking at Acts as the start of the Church coming into power and the authority of the Holy Spirit continuing to this day? If I have learned anything as a Christian, it is that I can’t pick and choose what I want to believe in the Bible! All of the Bible was relevant then and is relevant today. Show More
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Even Jesus needed the Holy Spirit to fulfill the call of God upon His life. The Holy Spirit of God descended upon Jesus at His baptism by John the Baptist. Look at Luke 3:21, “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the Heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from Heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You, I am well pleased.” Only then did Jesus begin to demonstrate God’s power and authority. How much more do we need the Holy Spirit to move in God’s power and authority?
Immediately after Jesus’ baptism in water and the filling of the Holy Spirit, He is led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil in Luke 4:1-13. Jesus is victorious over the lies and trickery of the devil because of the Spirit of God working in Him. This is an important point that can’t be overlooked; we also need the working of the Holy Spirit to overcome the temptations of the devil in our everyday lives.
After the trials in the desert, the Bible says in Luke 4:14, “Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.” In the same way, our testimony of overcoming temptation and sin should be a testimony of how the Holy Spirit helped us to have the victory. God is not glorified when you overcome sin by your efforts and mind but when the Spirit of God leads you to resist sin.
Then in Luke 4:18, “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.” Notice that Jesus was anointed to fulfill the Great Commission, the very same commission He has given each one of us. What does the word anointed mean here? According to a Bible Dictionary:
- Consecrating Jesus to the Messianic office and furnishing him with the necessary powers for its administration.
- Enduing Christians with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
I like how my good friend Pastor Frank Parrish defines the anointing. “The Anointing is none other than the Person and presence of the Holy Spirit, bringing with Him the necessary power, authority and gifts to fulfill the Father’s will in a given moment of ministry or assignment.”
The conclusion is that when we operate under the Holy Spirit, that is the anointing. The anointing is not about style, or how one presents themselves, the anointing is manifested by the Holy Spirit as that person submits to the guidance of the Spirit. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that it is not about skill or human performance in 1 Corinthians 2:1, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
The Evidence for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s take some time to look at the scriptural evidence in the Old and New Testaments.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was prophesized in the Old Testament
Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant of Law and introduced the New Covenant of Grace.
The New Covenant was prophesized in Jeremiah 31:31 & 33-34, “Behold, the days are coming, the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.“
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was prophesized in Joel 2: 28 “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” This is the same scripture that Peter quotes in Acts 2 to explain the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to the onlookers on the Day of Pentecost.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was prophesized in the Gospels.
John the Baptist prophesized the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in Mark 1:7 when he spoke of the coming Messiah. “And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” The baptizer of the Holy Spirit is Jesus, Himself.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was prophesized by Jesus in the Gospels.
Jesus was illustrating the graciousness and goodness of God in giving good gifts to His children. Luke 11:9, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 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? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Notice that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.
Jesus was talking to the religious leaders who were so entrenched in what they were taught that they could not see the truth speaking to them. John 7:38, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 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.” Jesus made it clear that the fullness of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit could not come until He ascended to the Father.
Then in Luke 24:46, Jesus confirmed the promise of the Father, “Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” That power from on high was none other than the Holy Spirit, which was needed to overcome the trickery of the devil in the lives of Believers and to fulfill the ministry call of the Great Commission.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost as the Christian Church was birthed as described in the Book of Acts.
In Jesus’ own words, He said in Acts 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.”
Then we witnessed the fulfillment of the promise as the Holy Spirit came to anoint the 120 who were in the upper room. Notice that it was not just the 12 Apostles, but all the disciples of Christ in the room, beginning with Acts 2:1, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Notice that they were all filled, and they all began to speak in tongues as the Holy Spirit directed them.
Closing
As I close today, I want to make an important final point. When a person receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, they have believed, and repented of not believing in Jesus in the past, a miraculous thing happens. The Holy Spirit comes to live in them! The Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation; He is our confidence that we are Born-again. However, this doesn’t mean that they have the sensitivity or awareness of the work the Holy Spirit wants to do in and through the individual. This awareness can only happen when a person acknowledges the Holy Spirit’s desire to anoint the individual with authority and power. This is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
In plain language, a person can be Born-again and not Baptized in the Holy Spirit. They are going to Heaven, but the Christ-centered life for them is a struggle and is filled with the sense of trying to be a good Christian in their own human strength.
The person who is Born-again and filled with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, always knows that they are never alone and have the spiritual anointing to resist temptation, overcome the plans of the devil, and experience joy and peace in whatever circumstances they find themselves in.”
Let me put this another way; every Believer had a moment in time when they experienced making Jesus their Lord and Savior. They repented, believed, and the Holy Spirit came to live in them; thus, they were saved. We could put all of this in one phrase, they surrendered to Jesus and received all the benefits of becoming an adopted child of the God most high.
To move in the fullness of the power of God, promised to us by Jesus, we must surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This particular experience of surrender to the Holy Spirit is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
I will talk more about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in my next post.
