- Aug 14, 2019
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There is a great deal of misunderstanding about the role of the Holy Spirit. So as you know my background, I was saved and born again 50 years ago. I was baptised in water about a year later and with the Holy Spirit Christmas Eve, 1974. I have no doubt that all the gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit are for today. I have some of the gifts of the Spirit which are expressed from time to time, as God deems necessary.
My concern is that the Holy Spirit is either ignored, as in cessationists, or overly emphasised, as happens in some Pentecostal circles. Cessation theology means loss to the church while a wrong emphasis leads to deception.
John 14:16 & 26. The Holy Spirit is the Teacher and Advocate. The English word advocate has been translated from the Greek word parakleton, which means “helper, adviser, or counselor.
John 14:17. The world cannot receive the Holy Spirit. We need to know this fact. Some people claim to have received the Holy Spirit even though they were not saved.
John 15:26. The Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus! If what you are seeing and hearing is not testifying about Jesus, then it is the wrong spirit.
John 16:8-15 The Holy Spirit:
Convicts the world of sin. God only saves sinners. Those who have never been convicted of sin are not saved. The "invite Jesus into your heart" business is a false gospel.
Convicts the world of righteousness. When the world sees God's righteousness, conviction of sin follows instantly.
Convicts the world that indeed judgement is to come.
On the day of Pentecost, the listeners were "cut to the heart" (acts 2:37). They asked the question, "What must we do?" Too often, unbelievers come to a meeting and never hear any convicting truth. They leave in the same state that they arrived, even if they have "made a decision".
John 16:13-15 Berean study Bible:
"However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you. Everything that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you."
Above all, the Holy Spirit is Truth. Jesus is the Truth. God's word is Truth. Jesus is the Word. Satan is the Liar and Deceiver. There is order, even in the Godhead. God gives all that He has and is to Jesus. Jesus gives all that to the Holy Spirit. And The Holy Spirit gives it to us.
What the Holy Spirit is not is a circus act. He does not crow like a rooster or roll around on the floor. Spiritual meetings are orderly for God is not the God of confusion.
Christians who keep asking for "fire" need to be careful what they ask for. God may just answer one day. He will turn much of what we thought was spiritual to ashes. He does this anyway; there is no need to ask. However, God is not to be trifled with and we should show respect. The Lord taught us to pray "do not lead us into hard testing" for a reason.
Most of what I've heard about revival focuses almost entirely on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit focuses entirely on Jesus. So should we.
My concern is that the Holy Spirit is either ignored, as in cessationists, or overly emphasised, as happens in some Pentecostal circles. Cessation theology means loss to the church while a wrong emphasis leads to deception.
John 14:16 & 26. The Holy Spirit is the Teacher and Advocate. The English word advocate has been translated from the Greek word parakleton, which means “helper, adviser, or counselor.
John 14:17. The world cannot receive the Holy Spirit. We need to know this fact. Some people claim to have received the Holy Spirit even though they were not saved.
John 15:26. The Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus! If what you are seeing and hearing is not testifying about Jesus, then it is the wrong spirit.
John 16:8-15 The Holy Spirit:
Convicts the world of sin. God only saves sinners. Those who have never been convicted of sin are not saved. The "invite Jesus into your heart" business is a false gospel.
Convicts the world of righteousness. When the world sees God's righteousness, conviction of sin follows instantly.
Convicts the world that indeed judgement is to come.
On the day of Pentecost, the listeners were "cut to the heart" (acts 2:37). They asked the question, "What must we do?" Too often, unbelievers come to a meeting and never hear any convicting truth. They leave in the same state that they arrived, even if they have "made a decision".
John 16:13-15 Berean study Bible:
"However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you. Everything that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you."
Above all, the Holy Spirit is Truth. Jesus is the Truth. God's word is Truth. Jesus is the Word. Satan is the Liar and Deceiver. There is order, even in the Godhead. God gives all that He has and is to Jesus. Jesus gives all that to the Holy Spirit. And The Holy Spirit gives it to us.
What the Holy Spirit is not is a circus act. He does not crow like a rooster or roll around on the floor. Spiritual meetings are orderly for God is not the God of confusion.
Christians who keep asking for "fire" need to be careful what they ask for. God may just answer one day. He will turn much of what we thought was spiritual to ashes. He does this anyway; there is no need to ask. However, God is not to be trifled with and we should show respect. The Lord taught us to pray "do not lead us into hard testing" for a reason.
Most of what I've heard about revival focuses almost entirely on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit focuses entirely on Jesus. So should we.