JESUS SAYS COME

“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 show you things to come.” John 16:13 (KJV)

Lu 11:13  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Mt 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

(John 1:32 KJV)  And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33  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.

It is very significant that the description remaining is used to describe the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

(Rom 11:29 KJV)  For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

There are at least four baptisms referred to in the scripture. Each baptism seems to indicate a step of progress in appropriating God’s promises to us in our Christian experience.

These baptisms are:

1. Baptism into the Body of Christ – salvation received.
2. Baptism in Water – attitudes changed.
3. Baptism of the Holy Ghost – power for service received.
4. Baptism of Suffering – endurance of faith established and release of the spirit.

God’s desire now is that the Holy Spirit not only be “with”, but abide “within” the child of God.

Although the baptism in the Spirit can occur jointly at conversion, it usually happens at a later time. It is a result of our own personal willingness to walk fully with the Lord in obedience to His will.The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is separately both a filling of the Holy Spirit and an anointing of the Holy Spirit for a particular  service for God. To be baptized in the Spirit is to be immersed in the Spirit to the point that the you do allow the Holy Spirit takes over control of your life, activities, to empower you  — to take direct control even of your thoughts, words and actions. You see, it is one thing to have the Spirit residing in you. It is another thing to have the Spirit presiding over  you.

“Peter said] … {37} That word, [I say], ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; {38} How God ANOINTED Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost [= Spirit] and with POWER: who went about DOING GOOD, and HEALING all that were oppressed of the devil; for GOD WAS WITH HIM. –ACTS 10:37-38 (KJV)

“Indeed the fullness of God the Holy Spirit is essential to every child of God and God promised this fullness to all His children and assured us that if His children ask they shall receive (Luke 11:33). In all the accounts referred to above the gift of the Holy Spirit was reserved for those called children of God, believers, disciples of the Lord Jesus and had received God’s Word (Acts 2:14,15,17).

Jesus taught, when telling his disciples of the Holy Spirit’s coming, that the world would not be able to receive the Holy Spirit. Those who had not accepted the Lordship of Jesus in their life were not part of God’s Kingdom and were therefore considered by God to be “of the world”.

Is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit a one-time event? Is it possible to receive more of the Holy Spirit Can I be filled more than one, or anointed more than once?

The Christian life is a continual  journey. Paul says: “I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has already taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the final prize.”  This applies to all aspects of the Christian life. (Phil 3:12 KJV)  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

(Acts 13:1 KJV)  Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.2  As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them 3   And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

 Apostle Paul received a special anointing at a prayer meeting in Antioch (Acts 13:1-4), even sixteen years after his conversion on the road to Damascus.

This is the anointing I pray for every time I lead a church service, or  get up to preach, or when I began to write a devotional. It is also the same Holy Spirit anointing every person should pray for when they get ready to do any work in the Lord’s kingdom, whether it is to preach, teach, sing in a choir, or serve  the church or whatever..

We can always come closer to God and receive more of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered, and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him” (Hebrews 5:7-8).

We all are to pray that we be also filled with the Spirit continually.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever (Ephesians 3:20). 

Ephesians 5:18 tells us, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled continually with the Spirit.” The Greek tense for filled implies the idea of keeping on being filled. It has been stated that it takes just as much consecration to remain filled with the Spirit as it does to get filled with the Spirit or baptized in the Spirit in the first place. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit itself  is aalso an  introduction to the realm of the Holy Spirit. We must continue to “walk by the Spirit”, and so, “not fulfil the lusts of the flesh”. It is possible to begin in the Spirit and then later “fall from grace” by working, walking  in the flesh (Gal 3:3 KJV)  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4  Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

If we turn back to the law and ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit. Therefore we must not become proud and self-satisfied with the idea that we have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, but we must continually humble ourselves, deny the flesh and be led by the Spirit day by day (Luke 9:23 KJV)  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

The Holy Spirit wants us to (Eph 5:19 KJV)  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;21  Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

and to medidate on good things (Phil 4:8 KJV)  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Let us not grieve Him, the person of the Holy spirit . Let us be obedient to Him.  We can get anointed, filled, Baptized  of the Holy Spirit, and then through sins, neglect of our godly spiritual life, we can drift away from the Lord and begin once again to quench and grieve the Spirit. Our personal convictions  of our sins by the Holy Spirit and our personal repentance will then bring us back to the Lord and to a new release of the power of His Spirit within us. Thus, we experience again the power of the  baptism in the Spirit. The only way we can stay full of the Spirit is to stay near, to come back to the  the fountain, Jesus Christ  who is the baptizer of us with the Holy Spirit. Let us talk to Him and continue in a wonderful relationship with Him. Then the further purposes of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit will be achieved in our lives. 

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Acts 7:51  Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

 ((Heb 12:1 KJV)  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2   Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.).

 Ephesians 1:19 “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,”  Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

Praise be to God for His wonderful gifts His son and the Holy Spirit.! ” His love which is the Holy Spirit.

(John 15:9 KJV)  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

Prayer: Lord,  I humble myself before you, God. Forgive me for all my sins that I now confess, I admt I am also  the chief of sinner before you.  I now also re commit myself to you and yo your work, service. I humble myself before you, God. As I stand in prayer, descend also upon me, and equip me afresh for your work here on earth. I long to pause and drink in your love to sustain me in a world that also does needs to feel that love pass from me to them. In Jesus name I pray that you Fill me with your love, your Holy Spirit. Lord. Saturate me fully  now with your Holy Spirit..   In Jesus’ name, I pray all of this and I give you thanks that it has been done. Amen.

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:5-6 

In Acts 2:39 Peter says “For the promise is for you and your children,and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.”

“And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49).

“And it shall be in the last days, God says, that I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams (Acts 2:17).

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” (2 Cor. 11:13-15)

If we’re to be followers of the one true God, a true Christian, we must be willing to hear Him when it comes to who He chooses as leaders. We must be discerning enough to use God’s Spirit in us to rule out the pretenders. The Anointing of the Holy Spirit is the life-blood of any Minister. Without the Anointing, the Minister is incapable of ministering to the children of God. Without the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the words of the Minister are powerless against the mountains in this life. We run into problems in the Christian Church when those who have not been called and anointed and sent by God attempt to minister, and when those who were once anointed have lost the anointing. You are not anointed by association, you are anointed by proclamation. The Lord first calls you, he then anoints you, and only then does he send you. When God calls you, anoints you, then sends you, only then can you minister life to others

If you are not a Christian, and want to be delivered from the righteous judgment of God upon you due to your sin against Him, then come to the One who died for the sins of the world. Come to the One who died for sinners (Matt. 11:28). Admit, confess, Turn from all of your sins. Believe and trust in Jesus. Receive Jesus, who is God in flesh, who died and rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:1-4) as your personal Lord and Savior. Ask Jesus to forgive you now of all of your sins. Receive Christ (John 1:12). Only He can wash you clean from your sins and only Jesus can deliver you from the righteous judgment of a holy and infinite God. Pray to Jesus. Seek Him. Ask Him to save you. He will if you come to him humbly, sincerely and repentantly.

“HOW TO ASCERTAIN THE WILL OF GOD as a   true Christian:
1. I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally is just here. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the LORD’s will, whatever it may be. When one is truly in this state, it is usually but a little way to the knowledge of what His will is.

2. Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions.

3. I seek the Will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with, the Word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Ghost guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them.”
George Mueller 1805-1898 –from the classic biography of George Mueller, http://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Voice/George.Mueller.of.Bristol/George.Mueller.of.Bristol.html
http://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Voice/George.Mueller.of.Bristol/George.Mueller.Bristol.N.html#FAITH%20PRAYER%20WORD 

http://witnessed.wordpress.com/2008/11/16/are-you-a-real-christian-or-a-pretender-imposter-still/