Tag

Holy Ghost

Dec 26 2017
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Eyesalve: If You Yield

By | Eyesalve

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,” Jude 1:24

 

At first glance you may not see how similar this verse in Jude is to Romans 14:17 which says, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” However, these two verses are closely connected. For the Lord “to keep you from falling” means that His righteousness is constantly constraining you. The only way “to present you faultless” is to have the peace of God, otherwise you would fear His presence. And last, you can live a life of “exceeding joy.” All of this is yours if your life is yielded to the Holy Ghost.

Dec 05 2017
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Eyesalve: God’s the Author

By | Eyesalve

“Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,  (8)  Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:” Hebrews 3:7-8

 

The writer of Hebrews is quoting Psalm 95:7-11. This is a Psalm that David wrote. However, we need to be reminded that the Holy Spirit is really the author. If we forget that God is the author of our whole Bible then we may start to consider God’s word as just the teachings or opinions of man.

Sep 01 2017
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Be Filled With the Spirit

By | Articles

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

 

So, have you been filled with the Holy Spirit yet? Do you think it may be a little abrupt to start off with such a question, especially when there are so many other important topics in the Bible? The apostle Paul didn’t think so. That was the first question he asked the disciples he found in Ephesus.

 

“He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost” (Acts 19:2).

 

Evidently, it must be of the utmost importance for a saint of God to be filled with the Spirit for Paul to immediately ask this question. So again I ask, have you received the Spirit since you believed? I know some teach that you get all the Spirit you are going to get upon salvation. If that were true, then Paul would not have asked them this question. If that were so, then the elders in Jerusalem would not have sent Peter and John to lay hands on the new believers in Samaria that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

One day I was talking with another preacher about being filled with the Spirit. He then asked me, “How can you just have some of the Spirit?” I could not give him a suitable answer that day, but I do know the Bible speaks of this second work of God referred to as the baptism of the Spirit or being filled with the Spirit. Most of us know that baptism means immersion, so the baptism of the Spirit means an immersion into or of the Holy Spirit. Who can explain it? We don’t have to be able to explain something for it to be true. Who can explain the triune God? Who can explain that God always was? It is very clear in the Bible that Jesus commanded His disciples to wait until they receive this baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit before they went to make disciples of nations. The reason is because you can’t win souls unless you have an enduement of power from on high.

John 20:22 teaches us that the disciples received at least a measure of the Spirit when Jesus breathed on them.

 

“And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22).

 

What happened to those disciples when the resurrected Jesus came into their room that day is similar to what happened in the second chapter of Genesis.

 

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7).

 

Just as God breathed into the nostrils of Adam and he became a living soul, Jesus breathed on His disciples and their spirits came alive. They were the first people to be born again. They were the first to be a brand new creature. Adam was born on earth, the disciples were born from above. Adam was earthly, the disciples were heavenly. In the garden, flesh was born, in that room with Jesus, the spirit was born. Hallelujah! Fifty days later they became filled with the Spirit. May I remind you that ALL of those 120 were filled with the Spirit that day? That tells me there was not a wolf or goat in the room. There was only wheat, no tares. Since there was both men and women in the room it teaches us that the baptism is for both men and women. Since there were more people than just the apostles, it teaches us that all believers can be filled with the Spirit, not just ministers. Acts 2:4 says, “And they were ALL filled with the Holy Ghost….” That Spirit-filled church in the upper room is our ideal pattern. Do you believe the church can be like that again?

Jesus commanded His disciples to go and wait in Jerusalem until they receive power from on high. Before Jesus ascended to heaven he told His disciples:

 

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

 

The disciples may have thought they were ready to take the gospel to the world, but Jesus knew that going forth with head knowledge, convincing arguments and eye witness reports was not enough. They needed a special power that can only come from the Spirit of God. Jesus said He needed to go so the Spirit could come. Peter could have said to those in that upper room something like this. “Now gang, you all know that Jesus told us to go and preach the good news, but now He wants us to hang around in this room. Doesn’t Jesus see that there are souls going to hell every minute? Doesn’t He see the urgency of the hour? What are we hanging around in this upper room for? We walked with the Lord, we know what to say to the lost.” We know Peter did not say such a thing. The disciples obeyed the Lord and assembled in that upper room in one accord in prayer. If there was anytime lost in the work of evangelism while they were waiting in that upper room, it was made up for in a few moments on the day of Pentecost. The Spirit came and baptized those 120. Peter preached a scorching message under the anointing of the Spirit and 3000 souls were saved.

Bible teachers have taught that the filling of the Spirit is needed for a lot of different reasons. I am not going to get in a dispute over that, but Acts 1:8 does teach us that the primary purpose of being filled with the Spirit is to have power to be a witness. Just a little side note here. Did you know that one of the meanings of the Greek word that witnesses is translated from means martyr? To be this kind of witness, you definitely need power.

I think it is pretty clear that if we are going to be effective “witness” for the kingdom of God, then we must be filled with the Spirit. Paul said don’t be drunk with wine. Don’t be under the influence of alcohol, but be filled with the Spirit and be under the influence of the Spirit. You may not think it is that important for you to be filled with the Spirit, but it is imperative for the lost. Anyone who preaches to them needs to be filled with the Spirit. When a Spirit filled believer ministers, then it is the Spirit of God bringing the conviction and the revelation. When a person preaches without being filled with the Spirit then they are just preaching a logical message to try to convince the mind of men. It takes the Spirit of God to minister to the spirit of men. It is the Spirit who gives life. If you want your message to be full of life, then you have no option, but to be filled with the Spirit. “HAVE YE RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST SINCE YE BELIEVED?

Feb 01 2017
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Eyesalve: Always Burning

By | Eyesalve

“And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.” Exodus 27:20

Aaron and his sons were ordered to use this oil to make sure the lamp burns night and day. This signifies to us that the Lord wants our fire always burning for Him. Lord, grant it to us that your Holy Ghost fire will always burn in us.

Aug 11 2016
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Eyesalve: Which Way Will Your Church Astonish?

By | Eyesalve

“And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house? 22And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.” II Chronicles 7:21-22

 

The world can be astonished by the church in two ways. When she flows with Holy Ghost power, or when she is uprooted through back sliding.

Jun 07 2016
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Eyesalve: Don’t Be A Stranger

By | Eyesalve

“But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.” Num. 3:38

 

 

I wonder how many times we have entered the sanctuary, the place where we worship the Lord with the brethren, and have been a stranger to the Lord all week. We cannot allow ourselves to be all caught up in the affairs of this world all week long and then think we can casually stroll into church Sunday morning and everything is alright. Aaron and his sons had the duty of keeping charge of the sanctuary. They were to keep the purity there. You and I have charge over our personal sanctuary, the temple of the Holy Ghost. We must not embrace anything strange to the Lord. We must not allow our temple to be defiled. If we all keep our temple pure, God will have no problem with us when we show up Sunday morning.

Apr 15 2016
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Eyesalve: Get a Reaction

By | Eyesalve

“Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you… Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!… Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” Acts 24:25, 26:24,28

 

Paul testified before two governors and one king. He got a reaction out of all three. Felix got scared, Festus told Paul he was a mad man and King Agrippa was almost persuaded to be a Christian. The scriptures do not tell us if any of these men were persuaded to the point that they become a Christian, but one thing is clear, Paul preached with authority and power. We believers don’t save souls, we preach to them. We must preach to get a reaction. Not by irritating people so they finally shout back in anger, but with genuine Holy Ghost authority. You cannot do this unless you are filled with the Spirit. We don’t need evangelism techniques and outreaches, we need believers to be filled with the Spirit.

Mar 22 2016
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Eyesalve: They Do The Work

By | Eyesalve

“And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:” Jn. 20:22

 

Just as God breathed into Adam’s nostrils and he became the first living soul, Jesus breathed on His disciples and they became the first to be born of the Spirit. That very day was the first day that men were BORN AGAIN. From that day on the Spirit of God would dwell in men. 49 days later believers were filled with the Spirit which would usher the born again man out into a dark world and give him the power and boldness to speak against that darkness. Some men want to be filled with the Spirit, but have never been born again; that won’t work. Some believers want salvation, but don’t want to be filled; they don’t work. And last, some believers are filled with the Spirit; they do the work.

Mar 01 2016
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Eyesalve: Have You?

By | Eyesalve

“And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” Jn. 1:33

 

Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Ghost. Have you ever asked Him to baptize you with the Holy Ghost?

Oct 14 2015
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Eyesalve: Joy is Strength (#2)

By | Eyesalve

“Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Neh. 8:10

Some Christians are taught that it is unholy or carnal or at least immature to express emotion in church. However, that is the ingredients to a weak church. Consider also that Romans 14:17 teaches us that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and JOY in the Holy Ghost. So I guess I can say if the Spirit of God is truly present in our meetings, then it is very normal for joy to be expressed. People that rejoice in Christ are a strong people.