Holy Ghost Power

 

Jesus said we would receive power when we are filled with His Spirit, the Holy Ghost. (Luke 24:49).

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me…" - Acts 1:8 KJV

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4 KJV 

This power we receive gives us power over sin so that we can be witnesses of a changed life. It is also power to be bold to testify of the gospel. (Acts 4:31, Ephesians 6:18-19). And, the Holy Ghost gives us power to withstand spiritual attacks and trials in our life. 

"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the [power of the] Holy Ghost," - Jude 1:20 KJV

Jesus gives us power through His Spirit to deal with what comes against us.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." - Ephesians 6:10-13 KJV

We build up our faith praying in the Holy Ghost.

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." - Ephesians 6:16 KJV

And again, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit [Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion], and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" - Ephesians 6:18 KJV

What can come our way that we need to pray in the Holy Ghost to shield us? Doubt, fear, discouragement, depression, oppression. Praying in the Holy Ghost will displace doubt and fear with faith. Praying in the Holy Ghost will displace discouragement, depression, and oppression with the joy of the Lord, peace, and victory in Jesus.

The Holy Ghost

 

Show us the Father

 

When Jesus was speaking to His disciples, He was speaking to men that believe in God. They knew God is a Spirit. They knew God as their Heavenly Father. They knew there is only one God. (John 4:24, Isaiah 64:8, Malachi 2:10, Deuteronomy 6:4).

Jesus had been with these men for quite some time. They had seen His miracles. They had seen Him raise the dead, open blind eyes, heal the sick, cleanse the leper, multiply fish and loaves, command the wind and seas and they obeyed Him. They even saw Him walk on water.

Yet, they were still having trouble grasping that this man Jesus, that grew tired, hungry, and thirsty, was their Heavenly Father in a human body. (John 1:1, 14).

It appears that in His attempt to bridge the span of their understanding, Jesus used language to transition His disciples thinking to understand He is the Almighty God operating within a human body. The invisible God was now revealed. (John 1:18).

"Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me." - John 12:44-45 KJV

"For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." - John 12:49-50 KJV

Jesus communicated that He is a man, but at the same time the Spirit of God is within Him. He was letting His disciples know, His body/flesh is the image of their Heavenly Father. (Colossians 1:15, 2Corinthians 4:4-6).

Jesus said to Thomas

"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." - John 14:7 KJV

"Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

“Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?" - John 14:8-9 KJV

Jesus let them know that the words He spoke was God speaking to them, for God is in Him. (2Corinthians 5:19).

He reminded them of all the works that He had done that only God can do.

"Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." - John 14:10-11 KJV

Then later Jesus told His disciples,

"He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father." - John 15:23-24 KJV

Jesus let them know,

"I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. ... They understood not that he spake to them of the Father." - John 8:24, 27 KJV (Exodus 3:14).

Walking in the Spirit - Part 2

 

Walking in the Spirit - Part 2

Now that we have repented of our sins, have been water baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, we need to stay full of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus said we must be born again. We can compare our spiritual birth with our natural birth. 

When a baby is born, there is first water. When the baby emerges from the womb, the baby takes a breath and lets out a cry. 

We can see this being like our spiritual birth – water baptism and Spirit baptism. When we are filled with the Spirit there is a sound – speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance.

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4 KJV

Jesus told Nicodemus,

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

While a baby breathes his first breath when he is born, it is necessary that the baby keeps breathing to live.

When we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, it is not a one-time experience. We need to stay full of the Holy Ghost.

When Peter and John taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead, the rulers of the people and elders of Israel threw them in jail. 

The next day, they brought them out. When questioned, Peter, “filled with the Holy Ghost,” preached the gospel to them. (See Acts 4). The council then conferred among themselves.

"And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus." - Acts 4:18 KJV

"And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them." - Acts 4:23 KJV

"And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord…" - Acts 4:24 KJV

"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." - Acts 4:31 KJV

Church!

 Church!

Be a part of the growing body of Christ -

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:"  - Ephesians 4:11-12

The Lord promised He would be back for His church. He has delayed because it is not His will that any be lost, but that all repent. We can see the signs of the times. We need to be ready to meet Him.

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

“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation…" - 2 Peter 3:9, 14-15 

When we repent, and we are immersed in the water of baptism in the name of Jesus, our sins are forgiven. We are like a brand new baby with a clean slate. When Jesus fills us with His Spirit, we are ready to start a new life in Jesus!

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

“For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 

“And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward [crooked] generation. 

“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 

“... And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." - Acts 2:38-42, 47

Pentecost

 On the very first Pentecost (Shavuot/Festival of Weeks), God made a covenant with the Jewish people. This covenant was the Covenant of the Law. (The Law of Moses). It is 613 commandments, summarized by the 10 Commandments.

This Covenant was a marriage covenant. God became husband to the Jewish people. (Exodus 19:5-8)  As a wife says "I do" when uniting in marriage with her husband, so the Jewish people said, "We will do" in Exodus 19:8 when they united in marriage with God by their promise to obey God's Law. (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Jeremiah 3:14, Isaiah 54:5).

The Apostle Paul explained how God made a way of escape for His people the Jews out of their binding covenant of the Law, for the Law brought death. (Romans 8:2). "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband." - Romans 7:1-2 KJV 

The way that God would release His people from their marriage to Him and the binding covenant of the Law was for Him to die. But how could God die??  While the Spirit of God cannot die, the flesh that God manifested Himself in could die. This flesh and blood body of God is called the Son of God. Thus, to release His people from their marriage covenant of the Law,  God manifested Himself in flesh, born of a woman, and died on the cross. God released His people from their marriage covenant with Him by the death, burial, and resurrection of the flesh He manifested Himself in.

Paul continues his explanation:

“So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man." - Romans 7:3 KJV

Christ, God manifest in flesh, was born to die for His wife. (Acts 20:28, Ephesians 5:25-27, 31-32).

The Jewish people become God’s wife once again through His new covenant, which also began on the Day of Pentecost. (Shavuot). God released the Jewish people from their covenant of the Law so they could enter into His new covenant of grace by repentance, baptism in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38-39, John 3:29-30, 2Corinthians 11:2).

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit [new converts] unto God." - Romans 7:4 KJV

The Jewish people became free so they could enter the New Covenant of grace by marriage to their very own husband that now brought them grace, Jesus Christ - God manifest in the flesh - that rose from the dead. (John 1:17)

One God - His Name is Jesus

 

Founded Upon a Rock

 Our life is like a house. How we live our life is how we build our house. If we want our house to stand and not fall, we must lay a foundation for our house on a rock.

Our Rock is Jesus. He is the Eternal and Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe. He is our Savior, Friend, Deliverer, and Healer. He is our Refuge and Strength, an ever-present help in time of trouble.

The foundation for our house is repentance – turning our life from sinful living to holy living; baptism in the name of Jesus – making a covenant to live our life for God; and receiving the Holy Ghost – the Spirit of Jesus to lead, teach, comfort, love, and strengthen us.

When our life is built on Jesus, the storms of life cannot shake us. Jesus is with us and will see us through whatever life may bring.

"Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 

“But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great." - Luke 6:47-49 KJV

{Acts 2:38, 1Co 3:9-17, 2Tim.2:19-22}

The Truth Shall Make You Free

 

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32

Jesus is the truth.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." - John 14:6 

Jesus made us free from sin and death. He made a way for us to return to Him by the body of His flesh through His death, burial, and resurrection. (Jesus is our heavenly Father that came in the form of man to die for our sins). 

We come to Him when we become dead to sin by repentance, buried with Him by water baptism by immersion in His name Jesus for the remission [forgiveness] of sins, and risen with Him when we are filled with His Spirit.

"And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." - Jeremiah 31:34 

We know Him when we are filled with His Spirit. Our iniquity is forgiven and our sin remembered no more when we repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

"For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39

Preach the Word (the Gospel)! Acts 2:38

 

The First Sin

 With the first sin came death.

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" - Romans 5:12

With the first sin came the first shedding of blood.

God shed the blood of an innocent animal to cover Adam and Eve’s sin.

"Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." - Genesis 3:21

By God’s mercy their physical lives were saved, and by God’s mercy He then gave man the promise of redemption that would one day save men’s souls. 

God told the serpent (also known as the devil),

"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." - Genesis 3:15

God put on flesh and blood to fulfill this promise.

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." - Hebrews 2:14-15

"For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." - Matthew 26:28

By the blood of Jesus, sins can now be remitted and removed when we are water baptized in the name of Jesus. By the Spirit of Jesus, we can be restored to eternal life when we are filled with His Spirit, the Holy Ghost.

"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." - 1 Corinthians 15:21-22

When we obey the gospel that was preached by Peter on the Day of Pentecost,

we can have eternal life.

Our sins are remitted by our obedience to the gospel, with the promise of life through God’s Spirit.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

“For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39

Jesus!

JESUS!

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 KJV

Happy Mothers Day!

 

Mothers of Faith

Mothers of Faith

 

The Bible instructs,

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

Timothy is an example of a child that was trained up the way he should go, and he did not depart from it.

Timothy was an apostolic preacher that assisted Apostle Paul in establishing many churches in the faith. He had been taught from a child the Word of God.

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." - 2 Timothy 3:15

Apostle Paul recalled the genuine faith in Timothy, for he shared the faith that filled his grandmother and mother. This strong faith impacted Timothy’s life and ministry.

"When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also." - 2 Timothy 1:5

These mothers of faith impacted the life of not only Timothy, but also the lives of many, as Timothy went forth to minister with Paul the Apostle.

"And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily." - Acts 16:5

Baptized Into Christ

 Baptized into Christ

How are we baptized into Christ? 

We are sorrowful for our past sins, and turn our back on sinful living. 

"But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof [to indulge in evil desires]." - Romans 13:14 KJV (Romans 8:1-14).

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." - Galatians 3:27

We are baptized into Christ when we are baptized in water and in the Spirit. (John 3:5, Acts 2:38, Romans 13:14). We are baptized in water in the name of “JESUS,” and in the Spirit when we receive the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives us the utterance.  (Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:4-60). 

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (Also: Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10).

We are baptized in the Spirit so that we may have the power of Jesus in us to overcome sin. (Acts 1:8).

"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." - Galatians 5:24-25 KJV

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." - Galatians 5:16 KJV

Putting Off the Old Man

Our “old man” is our old sinful nature that we have “crucified” by our repenting of our sins. We then buried our old sinful nature when we were baptized in the name of Jesus. 

We put on the “new man” when we came up out of the water in the name of Jesus, and when we were filled with the Spirit of Jesus, which is the Holy Ghost. (Romans 6:4, Acts 2:38).

From this point on, we no longer serve sin. We are no longer slaves to sin.

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." - Romans 6:6 

"But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath [rage], malice [malicious behavior], blasphemy [slander], filthy communication out of your mouth [dirty language]. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him [as you learn to know your Creator and become like him]:" - Colossians 3:8-10 

"That ye put off concerning the former conversation [conduct] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful [deceiving] lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind [instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes]; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." - Ephesians 4:22-24

He Careth for You

 

God, the Creator of the Universe, neither slumbers nor sleeps. Heaven is His throne, and the earth is His footstool. He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground, He knows the number of hairs on our head, and He knows our thoughts. (Psalm 121:4, Act 7:49, Matthew 10:29, Luke 12:7, Matthew 9:4).

There is nothing too hard for the Lord. He doesn’t want us to be worried or have anxiety about anything. He wants us to not only take the big things to Him in prayer, but every little thing as well. Through His Spirit, Jesus gives our hearts and minds peace that is beyond comprehension. He wants us to give all our worries and cares to Him, for He cares about us. (Jeremiah 32:17, Act 7:49, Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7).

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." - Philippians 4:6 KJV [Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. NLT]

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7 KJV [Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. NLT]

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;" - Acts 3:19 KJV

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 KJV

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." - 1 Peter 5:7 KJV [Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. NLT)

Jesus Baptized

On the day of Pentecost, Peter, standing up with the other eleven apostles, preached to the Jews that had gathered,

“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

When did Peter and the eleven apostles get baptized in Jesus name, and who baptized them?

Jesus baptized. A few verses after John 3:16, and after John 3:5 where Jesus also told Nicodemus “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,” the Bible tells us that Jesus baptized.

John 3:22 “After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.”

Some of John the Baptist’s disciples came to John, questioning him. John’s disciples apparently were concerned because after John the Baptist baptized Jesus, Jesus’ ministry began growing faster than John’s. Jesus was baptizing.

John 3:26 “And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.”

Jesus’ disciples also baptized, most likely taking over baptizing after Jesus baptized them.

John 4:1-3 “When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) he left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.”

Thus, on the day of Pentecost, all the disciples of Jesus gathered in the upper room waiting for the promise of the Holy Ghost were already baptized in Jesus name. There were probably about a hundred and twenty disciples all together (Acts 1:15).

After Peter preached the gospel message, the Bible says about three thousand were baptized and ADDED to the disciples.

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

Acts 2:47 “… And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”