Recently in our biblestudy group we studied the gifts of the Spirit and how this is connected to how church should be. Also how we understand God. I think one of the issues with how we study the bible is that we tend to order things the way we see it… or (more extreme) we even put God in a box. For example: Is the baptism of the Spirit different than the promise (Acts 2:33) than the seal (2 Cor 1:22)? Or de filling (Acts 2:4)? Or is it somehow the same And when we get the Holy Spirit, is God than inside of us? Or Jesus? Both? All?
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Rom 8:9-14
We see God move in the generations in different ways. (And here I start ordering….) Before the law God connects with certain people like Henoch, Noach and for example Abraham. He is on purpose choosing them for a purpose. Still we read how God also intervenes with others but the main line is through those people and through their families. Than from Abraham growing/starting of a nation. We see that the law is given to this nation. The law brings clarity about sins and also shows Gods holiness. It was a written word. Before all this I think not many had written words, but God worked also without the written words, how did He do that?
NT= God gathering people out of the heathens.
What was God purpose for Pentecostal for what happened in the New Testament? God is gathering a nation out of the heathens, that’s the body of Christ.
Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Acts 15:14,18
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Gal 3:8,14
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and
- teach all nations,
- baptizing themin the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
- Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
- and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matt 28:18-20
The Spirit inside all followers of Christ.
The difference between what we see before Pentecostal and after Pentecostal is that the Spirit lives inside all followers of Christ. When they surrender to Christ, the surrender to the Spirit. Where the Spirit lives all bad things will be kicked out and the good things of God will come in.
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Cor 3:16
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Rom 8:3 the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, Rom 8:11
When we than look at the Old Testament what the Holy Spirit does we will surely find that back in what the Holy Spirit does in the New Testament. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever (Hebr 13:8) so is God, so is the Spirit. The testing (discernment) is this if it points to Christ, brings people into the Kingdom of Christs. When we want to enjoy the works of the Holy Spirit but we/church/people glorifie(s) our gifts, our calling, our knowing, our feelings, it is not correct.
Jesus triumphed over the darkness and their powers -supernatural.
This work of the Holy Spirit is firmly based on
Jesus victory!
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.Matt 28:18
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Col 2:9-15
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Luk 10:18-20
The Holy Spirit is first building us.
The Spirit in us is God’s law, Gods work in us. The Holy Spirit convicts us from sin (Joh 16:8-11), He points to Christ (Joh 16:14,15), He produces fruit (Gal 5:22-25), and He manifests (1Cor 12:7). (This is a perfect standard to see if the Holy Spirit is working correctly in church.)
First of all is the Spirit given to build ourselves, to grow in our relationship with God.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. Joh 16:13,14
Jesus Himself said:
The Holy Spirit of truth will guide you in truth
The Holy Spirit will speak what He hears
The Holy Spirit will show things to come
The Holy Spirit will glorify Jesus
These are
manifestations of the Spirit!
Apostle John writes to a fellowship (“
little children” 2 John 2:1) :
But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 2 John 2:20;27
The Holy Spirit building a house, body of Christ.
As the priests were made holy to work in the tabernacle by putting oil on them (Ex 40:13-15) we are (individually) made holy to work as priests for God. We are anointed (what is the baptism of the Spirit) by God to do His work. It is never our power, our knowledge our flesh but God -The Holy Spirit- whom is building His work.
Ye also, as lively stones, arebuilt up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light: 1 Pet 2:5,9
When we grow individually in Christ, in our faith, in our relationship with Him, God expects next to fruit of the Spirit also that we come and work in His fellowship (1 Cor 12) and His vineyard (Matt 20). So growing in Christ means we can feed instead of only being fed, and also discern instead of being “tossed to and fro”.
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebr 5:12-14
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 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: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Ef 4:4-6; 11-16
In this last verse we see how God gives people to build up the church (body of Christ). He gives apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers. He makes also everything work as one body through His Spirit (verse 15,16). Do we find this elsewhere in the bible? Yes. This is what is connected with God giving His Spirit as mentioned in 1 Cor 12 verse 12 and verse 28-31
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.
28-31 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 1 Cor 14:12
My conclusion would be: growing in Christ means growing in the Spirit.
The Head cannot do differently than to stir and to direct the body and He does so by the Spirit and by His word. Therefore we need to also test the spirit/Spirit to discern whom/Whom is speaking. (1 Joh 4:1) And when a church fully surrenders to Christ we will see revival in this way:
-conviction by the Spirit (John 16:8-11)
-the Spirit will guide in truth. (John 16:13)
-the Spirit will speak what He hears (John16:13)
-the Spirit will show things to come (John 16:13)
-Christ will be the center (John 16:14,15)
Is Joel fulfilled (and done)?
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: Acts 2:16-20
When we read the text in its context we see that still the signs that will appear are not fulfilled. But they will when Jesus will return ("
notable day of the Lord"). Until than this verse is still at work. We still see servants and handmaidens that are filled with the Spirit and sons and daughters telling by the Spirit things (John 16:13) and young men and old men will be shown by the Spirit things to come (John 16:13) until we see Jesus coming.
Maranatha
