THE HOLY SPIRIT AND YOU
1). WE MOST OFTEN SEE AND EXPERIENCE THE PRESENCE OFGOD THROUGH HIS HOLY SPIRIT THAT INDWELLS US.
2). IMAGINE WHAT LIFE AND THE CHRISTIAN WALK WOULD BE WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THIS TIME?
a). EXAMPLE:
And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias ; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
b. VOID OF ANY OF THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WITH NO DISCERNMENT OR ANYTHING ELSE, THEY PRAYED AND THEN SIMPLY DREW LOTS….PICKED STRAWS…AND WHOEVER HAD THE LONGEST OR SHORTEST STRAW “WAS IT”. COULD YOU IMAGINE THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH FUNDTIONING LIKE THAT TODAY? HAD THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLED THE BELIEVERS AT THAT TIME, MOST LIKELY THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PRAY AND GOD WOULD HAVE GIVEN THEM WITNES AS TO WHO THEY SHOULD CHOOSE TO REPLACE JUDAS AS APOSTLE.
3). YET, THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS PROMISED TO US BY JESUS CHRIST FOR MANY REASONS AND SO IT WAS IN GOD’S PLAN THAT FOR THE CHURCH TO BE EFFECTIVE…AND WE ARE THAT CHURCH…THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELL US AND BE PRESENT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IN THIS END TIME TOO.
a). Read Acts 1:4-5; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:17-21
3). ACTS 1:4-5
a). HERE WE SEE THAT WHAT PREMPTED THE FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT….HIS VERY PRESENCE IN THE LIVES OF THE DISCIPLES WAS THAT IN VERSE 4 …THEY “WAITED” UPON THE LORD. IN THE SAME WAY, WE MUST LEARN TO WAIT UPON GOD.
b). IN A CHRISTIAN WORLD WHERE TODAY TO NAME AND CLAIM, DECLAIR, ETC., SEEMS TO BE THE WORD OF THE DAY, WE CANNOT HAVE SOME FORM OF “INSTANT CHRISTIANITY”. WE MUST STILL LEARN HOW TO SEEK GOD….HOW TO PRAY...HOW TO ACT IN FAITH UPON THE WORD OF THE LORD TO RECEIVE OUR ANSWERS.
4) ACTS 1:8
a). WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIVES OF THE CHURCH, WE WOULD BE “POWERLESS”. OUR LIVES AND TESTIMONIES WOULD BE VOID OF THE POWER OF GOD. THIS IS WHY JESUS SAID TO THE DISCIPLES THAT WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME UPON THEM THEY WOULD “RECEIVE POWER”.
b). WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THIS POWER? WAS IT SO WE COULD DRAW PEOPLE TO THE CHURCH SIMPLY? WAS IT SO WE COULD BUILD THE NAME OF OUR MINISTRIES AND ESTABLISH MEGA CHURCHES? NO! THE VERSE GOES ON TO TELL US THAT THE PURPOSE IN RECIVING THIS POWER WAS SO WE COULD BE CHRIST’S WITNESSES THROUGHOUT THE EARTH!
c). WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH TODAY WE CAN DO VIRTUALLY NOTHING AND EVERY EFFORT MADE WOULD BE MAN’S OWN EFFORT. THINK ABOUT IT? PERHAPS THIS IS ONE REASON WHY SO MANY CHURCHES ARE INEFFECTIVE. THEY HAVE THROWN ASIDE THE WORD OF GOD AND SUBSTITUTED THE TRUE GOSPEL MESSAGE AND THE NEED OR DEPENDENCY ON THE HOLY SPIRIT TO OTHER MESSAGES AND DOCTRINES AND A DEPENDENCY ON SELF.
d). THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT TO SHOW US HOW TO GAIN WEALTH IN 21 DAYS, HOW YOU CAN BE A BETTER YOU, HOW ALL WHO HAVE AILMENTS CAN BE HEALED, ETC. IT IS SO WE CAN REACH OUT AND EVANGELIZE THE WORLD…..BRING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO CHRIST….MINISTER RECONCILIATION IN CHRIST BETWEEN GOD AND MANKIND. WE ARE CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS CREATED TO DO JUST THAT.
2 Cor. 5: 20 -Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
e). BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THE ABOVE SCRIPTURE IS REALLY WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT; WHAT YOUR MISSION ON THIS EARTH IS. IT IS THE ULTIMATE BOTTOMLINE PURPOSE FOR THE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN TODAY.
5) JOHN 16: 5
a). THIS SCRIPTURE SPECIFICALLY DEALS WITH JESUS’S PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. WHAT DOES HE SAY?
- If HE did not leave the Holy Spirit would not come.
- The Holy Spirit is defined by Jesus as ‘THE’ HELPER….not simply “a” helper.
- The Holy Spirit was and still is SENT by Jesus Himself to us.
- The primary purpose of the Holy Spirit is to CONVICT THE WORLD CONCERNING SIN, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUDGMENT. Also guides and brings prophecy.
- Jesus emphasizes that issues of sin should be brought up stating about the HOLY SPIRIT that He will be sent to convict the world (specifically) concerning sin BECAUSE PEOPLE IN SIN DO NOT BELIEVE IN HIM….their hearts have become hardened. This is why sin should be addressed from the pulpit and other places. Yet today ministers are more concerned about being politically correct and do not want to offend anyone.
6. A WORD OF WARNING FROM SAMSON
a). LIVING IN SIN QUENCHES YOUR ACCESS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. IT GRIEVES THE HOLY SPIRIT AND IF PRACTICED WITHOUT REPENTANCE, WILL DRIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AWAY FROM YOUR LIFE. I SAY THIS TO ALL…BUT TO MINISTERS ESPECUALLY BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONES ENTRUSTED WITH THE MESSAGE OF GOD’S WORD.
b). IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME UPON PEOPLE IN MEASURE BUT DID NOT ACTUALLY DWELL INSIDE OF MAN AS WHAT OCCURRED IN THE BOK OF ACTS AND WHAT OCCURS TODAY. HOWEVER, THE MESSAGE IN THE STORY OF SAMSON IS CLEAR. THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN BE GRIVED AND THIS IS THE POINT.
C). JUDGES 16:20 - And she said , The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said , I will go out as at other times before, andshake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
C1 – Samson’s continuation in sin….in making bad choices…involvement with the wrong woman…got him into deep trouble and in the process he was entrapped and the Spirit of the Lord departed Him when He needed God the most.
By Evangelist Mischa Safdie’
Mischa Safdie’ Ministries
136 N. Grand Ave., Ste. 278
W. Covina, CA 91791
(951) 796-3936
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