... you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house , a holy priesthood - II Peter 2:5a
But When the Helper Comes... John 15:26
If you consider yourself a backslidden Christian, or if you are otherwise overwhelmed by your own life and/or the many challenges that surround you in the world today, I would really encourage you to reacquaint yourself with the Person of the Holy Spirit who is alive in you. He awaits that opportunity. Simply begin to read about His availability to help us as He finds us, and of God's grace and goodness toward us through Him. He will encourage you and show you His enabling power to make you become strong again. The Bible makes clear that if we do not make ourselves a hospitable place for the Spirit to dwell, we will grieve Him, and we can even quench (extinguish) Him! Let us be careful to be a dwelling place that He can live in. He wants to do so much more in and through us than we could ever ask or think! | The Holy Spirit Is the Person of God in the Earth TodayIn the same way that Jesus Christ was such a controversial figure during His time on earth, so the Holy Spirit is controversial. He is the most misunderstood, misrepresented, and thus the most maligned Person in the world today. Yes, He is a Person - the third Person of the Godhead; and He is God's agent at work in the world right now. There are many factors that contribute to His being the controversial figure that He is, but the primary one is the fact that He is simply God with us; and Satan, the archenemy of God, does all that he possibly can to malign Him. Notwithstanding, God's Spirit shall succeed perfectly just as God's Son succeeded perfectly.
At the end of Jesus' ministry on earth when He was ready to go back to be with His Father in heaven, He gave some important insight into the One who should come after Him - the Holy Spirit of Truth. John recorded Jesus' most complete and specific teachings about the Spirit in his gospel record, chapters 14-16. Among other things, Jesus said that the Spirit would "convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of the judgment to come." He also confirmed that He would do even as Jesus did - glorifying His Father in Heaven. Notice this one reference where Jesus sums up how the Holy Spirit would continue in that: "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father." John 16:12-16 NKJV There are many other scriptures that tell us of the Person and Work of the Spirit. We will point these out as we continue in our study. For now, please consider this critically important responsibility that the Spirit has been given for us. It is recorded in I Corinthians 2:9-10 NKJV: "But as it is written: 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.' But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God." Oh! What riches we gain as we develop a real relationship with the Spirit of God who lives and abides in us! With these two scriptures alone we learn that He guides us into ALL truth, and that He reveals those things that God has prepared for those who love Him! WOW! If you haven't allowed the Spirit of the Lord to be freed to work in and through your life, please begin to free Him up today! He is faithful to perform all that God has given Him to do! The apostle Paul certainly encouraged this time and time again. To the churches of Galatia he wrote, "Having begun in the Spirit, are you made perfect in the flesh?" He was asking how they expected to be made complete by going back to written laws and commandments for life, rather than by walking in the Spirit, which IS to fulfill ALL the laws and commandments and so much more besides! The Spirit of God is Christ IN us, the hope of God's glory revealed! Well, it was obvious that they could not do it without Him; and neither can we! Let us recognize the completing work of the Spirit of God in us! For this brief introduction from me about the Holy Spirit, I will leave you with these thoughts that I wrote some years ago. "It is through Jesus Christ and by His Spirit that we have been delivered from an unprotected habitation and brought inside His safe habitation – a shelter especially designed for those born of His Spirit; it was by His Spirit and His spiritually anointed Word that we were born again and made new spiritual creatures; it is by His Spirit that we live in Him and give His life; it is by His Spirit that we are instructed to pray, to act, and even to walk; it is by His Spirit that we have the law of God and are enabled to obey it; it is by the obedience of faith and by His Spirit's revelation to the first apostles and prophets that we know the way and have taken our place on the foundation of Jesus Christ, who is also the Chief Cornerstone; it was by God's Spirit that this perfect Cornerstone was perfectly cut from His mountain and laid; it is through this spiritual Cornerstone that the whole spiritual structure is built up and is being held together; it is by His Spirit that we are made living stones as He is; it is by His Spirit that we are presently growing into a Holy temple that is becoming a perfect dwelling place for the Father in the Spirit; it is by His Spirit that we discern all things that He would have us to know that come from the Father and His Son Jesus Christ; it is by His Spirit that we are equipped and built up in Him unto the complete measure of the stature of Jesus Christ... and the list goes on. We have begun by His Spirit, and if we shall be finished it shall be by His Spirit. It is by His Spirit that we have been called from the open plains, steep cliffs, and deep valleys of darkness into the sacred place where only the family of God is allowed to go. Not only have we been called by Him, but we have actually been acquired by Him, and that by nothing of our own doing; we have simply surrendered to the terms of His acquisition. We have been corralled – corralled and sealed (branded) by His Spirit through His steadfast determination to do so and His unfailing love for us. Not only did He call us into His sheepfold, but He used countless things around us to guide and to gather us to the place of our calling. Through this initial work of gathering we have been separated unto Him so that He might continually lavish His love upon us apart from the masses. He desires to pour upon us every spiritual blessing that is found in heavenly places. And through this gathering process He has transferred us to His own place so that we might have the right to become recipients of the outpouring of His Spirit. A specific objective in the outpouring of His Spirit upon us is that we are changed into His perfect likeness, thereby making a perfect dwelling place for His Father in the Spirit. This is why the Church must be a spiritual Church. It is all a continuing, unhindered work of His Spirit for Him." Read more on this site about the Person and Work of the Spirit here. You may also want to check out a few audio and/or video teachings on the Holy Spirit as He relates to the believer by clicking here. |
Absolute Necessity of the Spirit's Anointing in Order to Do God's Work
The Holy Spirit of truth is the one who guides us and empowers us to go where He guides - whether in the activity of the gifts at work among the members in an assembly, or whether going about our daily routine. He is both the One who inspires and the One who anoints. To be inspired to do a thing is to be spurred on to begin; and to be anointed to do a thing is to be enabled by HIS power to carry out what we are inspired to do. When we have permitted Him to both inspire and anoint us, we will not fail in being fruitful and fruit-filled for His glory!
We should seek to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, and then filled with the Spirit daily. Even our Lord was "anointed" with the Holy Spirit. How much more should we be anointed. For this reason, after the disciples had walked with Jesus for more than three years and received the Spirit when He breathed upon them the evening of His resurrection, He still commanded them to wait on the Spirit's anointing BEFORE they went to preach and teach in His name (Luke 24:46-49).
Waiting on the anointing of the Spirit is something we should do always, even after we have been born of Him. We should learn to wait on Him for His inspired instructions and His anointing for enabling. Otherwise, we attempt to do the Heavenly Father's work without His aid - the Person of the Spirit. I tried this for many years and failed. It was not until I sought God and waited on Him patiently that He anointed me with His power to do His will. Since then He has continued to fill me over and over again as I permit Him to. Oh, dear saints, please do not allow traditional, religious teachers to guide you away from the fullness of His Spirit! You will struggle and struggle, and your fruit will be very little. He wants you to begin asking Him to fill you even now. Let Him have His way! You will not be sorry; and you will become fruitful for His glory as never before!
Several years ago, when I was one of two keynote speakers at the National Pentecostal Pastors' Convention in Bolivia, I was asked whether doctrine was important or not. Well, of course doctrine is important, and everyone has some form of doctrine whether he calls it that or not. But I knew what they were getting at with this question. As Pentecostals, they felt like too much study of theology stilled and stifled the Spirit's ability to move us and to do with us as He would. They felt that having too much knowledge could threaten the Spirit's free-flowing abilities. I agree wholeheartedly. Sound biblical doctrine is very important and essential to a firm and sure walk in the Spirit; but one cannot do the Father's will by leaning on doctrine. Sound doctrine simply spells out the truth. It is by permitting the Spirit within us to flow freely that we are inspired and anointed to do the Father's will. Having sound doctrine will include the necessity of doing the Father's will by the Spirit's full empowerment! It is the anointing that breaks yokes! Let us seek that anointing and let God have His way; and also, let us do so with sound doctrine concerning the will of the Father - even in this.
Here are a few scriptures for you to review; really permit the Spirit of the Lord to get them into your head and heart. He will do it!
Even Jesus was anointed with the Spirit to do the Father's will:
"BEHOLD! MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN, MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL IS WELL PLEASED! I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE WILL DECLARE JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES." -Matthew 12:18 NKJV
"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED; TO PROCLAIM THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." -Luke 4:18-19 NKJV
How much more do we need to be anointed of the Spirit to do the Father's will?
"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." -Acts 1:8 NKJV
"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you." -John 16:12-15 NKJV
"Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 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.'" -Acts 2:38-39 NKJV
"And he said to them, 'Into what then were you baptized?' So they said, 'Into John's baptism.' Then Paul said, 'John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.' When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all." -Acts 19:3-7 NKJV
A brief quote from Kingdom People, by Drs. James and Molly Scott:
"The presence of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for us to grow in our formation of who we want to be and in our sanctification of how we want to live. In biblical theology it is the Holy Spirit who gives us the power to be transformed, to be fully Christian, to be fully alive. This power is hidden to many Christians today."
NOTE:
There are other articles in this site that will help you in realizing the great benefit of the inspiration and anointing of the Spirit. There is also an article about my receiving the Spirit's baptism - even when I was not sure that it was sound doctrine. There are also video/audio studies on the Holy Spirit here. I encourage you to follow up by reviewing some of them. Also, I will be including more in-depth studies on the Spirit's work in and through us as believers. We will add these progressively. STAY TUNED, and BE BLESSED!
We should seek to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, and then filled with the Spirit daily. Even our Lord was "anointed" with the Holy Spirit. How much more should we be anointed. For this reason, after the disciples had walked with Jesus for more than three years and received the Spirit when He breathed upon them the evening of His resurrection, He still commanded them to wait on the Spirit's anointing BEFORE they went to preach and teach in His name (Luke 24:46-49).
Waiting on the anointing of the Spirit is something we should do always, even after we have been born of Him. We should learn to wait on Him for His inspired instructions and His anointing for enabling. Otherwise, we attempt to do the Heavenly Father's work without His aid - the Person of the Spirit. I tried this for many years and failed. It was not until I sought God and waited on Him patiently that He anointed me with His power to do His will. Since then He has continued to fill me over and over again as I permit Him to. Oh, dear saints, please do not allow traditional, religious teachers to guide you away from the fullness of His Spirit! You will struggle and struggle, and your fruit will be very little. He wants you to begin asking Him to fill you even now. Let Him have His way! You will not be sorry; and you will become fruitful for His glory as never before!
Several years ago, when I was one of two keynote speakers at the National Pentecostal Pastors' Convention in Bolivia, I was asked whether doctrine was important or not. Well, of course doctrine is important, and everyone has some form of doctrine whether he calls it that or not. But I knew what they were getting at with this question. As Pentecostals, they felt like too much study of theology stilled and stifled the Spirit's ability to move us and to do with us as He would. They felt that having too much knowledge could threaten the Spirit's free-flowing abilities. I agree wholeheartedly. Sound biblical doctrine is very important and essential to a firm and sure walk in the Spirit; but one cannot do the Father's will by leaning on doctrine. Sound doctrine simply spells out the truth. It is by permitting the Spirit within us to flow freely that we are inspired and anointed to do the Father's will. Having sound doctrine will include the necessity of doing the Father's will by the Spirit's full empowerment! It is the anointing that breaks yokes! Let us seek that anointing and let God have His way; and also, let us do so with sound doctrine concerning the will of the Father - even in this.
Here are a few scriptures for you to review; really permit the Spirit of the Lord to get them into your head and heart. He will do it!
Even Jesus was anointed with the Spirit to do the Father's will:
"BEHOLD! MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN, MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL IS WELL PLEASED! I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE WILL DECLARE JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES." -Matthew 12:18 NKJV
"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED; TO PROCLAIM THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." -Luke 4:18-19 NKJV
How much more do we need to be anointed of the Spirit to do the Father's will?
"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." -Acts 1:8 NKJV
"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you." -John 16:12-15 NKJV
"Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 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.'" -Acts 2:38-39 NKJV
"And he said to them, 'Into what then were you baptized?' So they said, 'Into John's baptism.' Then Paul said, 'John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.' When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all." -Acts 19:3-7 NKJV
A brief quote from Kingdom People, by Drs. James and Molly Scott:
"The presence of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for us to grow in our formation of who we want to be and in our sanctification of how we want to live. In biblical theology it is the Holy Spirit who gives us the power to be transformed, to be fully Christian, to be fully alive. This power is hidden to many Christians today."
NOTE:
There are other articles in this site that will help you in realizing the great benefit of the inspiration and anointing of the Spirit. There is also an article about my receiving the Spirit's baptism - even when I was not sure that it was sound doctrine. There are also video/audio studies on the Holy Spirit here. I encourage you to follow up by reviewing some of them. Also, I will be including more in-depth studies on the Spirit's work in and through us as believers. We will add these progressively. STAY TUNED, and BE BLESSED!
