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