Reasons to Speak in Tongues Part II.

We have been looking at the practical benefits of speaking in tongues.

5. Tongues keep us aware of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling Presence.
When we pray in tongues we are aware of the Spirit’s indwelling presence which motivates us or gives us utterance. The more conscious you are of God, that is bound to affect the way you live.

If you will just pray and worship God every day in tongues, it will help you become conscious of the indwelling peace of the Holy Spirit.

It is so easy when you are not conscious of God to become aggravated and easily exasperated and allow yourself to lose patience.

There are times when I am tempted to become impatient when looking for a parking space or sitting in traffic. It is there that the Lord is teaching me to pray in tongues. As I do, I am conscious of the Spirit’s presence and that He is in control. It is very difficult to be praying in tongues and be ingnorant of the Spirit's presence. The more aware of God you are, the more confident you are being reassured that God is inside you. You are more than a conqueror!


6. Tongues helps you trust the Lord more.

How ? Because it takes faith to pray in tongues. We have to believe that the Spirit is praying through us when we pray in tongues. God is changing things through our prayers. We have to trust that God is leading us and using us. Faith is like a muscle. When you step out in faith to pray in tongues, that faith is built up to step out in other areas of your life.

We know that faith is key to healing and to triumphing over circumstances in our lives. Because it takes faith to pray in tongues, it builds our faith to trust him in every area.

7. Tongues can keep help keep you clear of profane talk and sounds.
If you are in a crowded bus, or subway sometimes people are just cursing up a storm. I have quietly prayed in tongues and kept from focusing on peoples profane speech. Tongues sometimes can be almost like a shield from bad influences.


8. Tongues keeps your tongue occupied in a positive way
James 3:8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

James says the tongue is restless and easily employed in complaining, gossip, cursing and malice. But when we are praying in tongues, we are preoccupying our tongue with good, so we don’t have time for evil speech.

9. Tongues are a gateway into the supernatural.
Sometimes as we pray and praise through tongues our spirits are more in tune to minister through the other gifts of the spirit. Like prophecy, healing, miracles, etc.

For example if you come into a small group meeting. You all may have carnal thoughts or you all may be distracted. As you all begin to pray in teh spirit, you all become more in tune with the mnid of the spirit, and therefore can hear more clearly what God wants to do in the meeting. People can then more easily function in gifts of prophecy etc.

10. Tongues are a gift, so we should use them.
2 Tim 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

What gift Paul was referring to here, we can’t be sure. Yet in any case, the principle is this . God didn’t give us gifts for them to lie dormant but to put them to use in building up ourselves and the church. We would be bad stewards of his gifts were we to neglect putting them to good use.

Tongues are a gift to believers that enables them to do incredible things. It helps us to give God the highest praise, It helps us pray supernaturally. It helps us build ourselves up in our spirits. Will you learn to practice this kind of praying more, that we might see more of God in our lives?

Reasons To Speak In Tongues

We have been looking at the controversial subject of tongues. Controversies tend to evaporate as we get into the scripture. We saw that God desires that we all speak with tongues. We all don’t have the gift of speaking a public message and gifts of interpretation, but we can all pray in the spirit through tongues. Today I want to look at a few reasons why we should desire to speak in tongues.

First of all let’s say that tongues is supremely communication with God.

1 Cor 14:1-3 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.

But what are the good reasons that we should speak in tongues?

1. Tongues is the evidence of the Baptism in the Spirit.
Acts 10:44-46 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Tongues was the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Tongues gave confirmation to Peter that Cornelius and his friends had received, and it should be the evidence for us as well. It gives us confidence.

2. Tongues is the expression of highest Praise and Thanksgiving to the Lord.
Acts 2:11-12 We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

From the very day of Pentecost, tongues had a role in glorifying God and expressing his greatness. Tongues were not for the purpose of preaching the gospel, because obviously Peter preached and many were saved. But prior to this they were all praising God in tongues.

1 Cor 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
1 Cor 14:15-17; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16 If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.


Praying in a tongue can be a good way for you to personally give thanks to God.

This verse also talks about singing with your spirit. What is that? From the context, it is clearly singing in tongues. It is a powerful means of praise and thanksgiving. Paul wrote:

Eph 5:18-20 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The reference to spiritual songs here is singing in the spirit which is singing in tongues as we see in 1 Cor 14. Tongues can be used in transcendent praise since no human language is sufficient to give God the glory he deserves. When you praise in tongues, it is the highest praise becasue the Holy Spirit through yoour spirit magnifies the Lord way beyond what your natural language can do.

3. Tongues is a means of building yourself up spiritually

1 Cor 14:3-4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

Jude 20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

When you pray in tongues, your spirit is in direct contact with God, who is a spirit. Therefore your spirit is edified . Your spirit is built up in God. It is almost like recharging the battery. To pray in the spirit is to be built up in our most holy faith. As we pray and praise God through tongues, our own spirits are receiving the overflow of strength and blessing.

4. Tongues Is A Means of Supernatural Praying.

1 Cor 14:2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.

Here Paul emphasizes the fact that when people speak in tongues, it is not just always praise and thanksgiving, it is also speaking mysteries to God. There is a type of supernatural praying that can occur as we speak in tongues.

1 Cor 14:14-15 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind;

Paul says that there are two types of praying. Praying with the mind, and praying in the spirit with tongues. Praying with the mind is praying with understanding, but there is another kind of praying, praying in the spirit. This type of praying leaves the mind unfruitful. Why is it unfruitful? Because you are praying mysteries with your spirit. Paul says he will do both. Why? He is recognizing that there is a lot more to pray for than he can understand, so he will pray in the spirit as a direct communication with God. Paul describes this process in Romans 8.


Rom 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

We don’t always know how to pray. But when we pray in the spirit we can know that the Holy Spirit is praying through us. The Holy Spirit doesn’t groan apart from you. The tongues come through you . It comes through your lips. The Spirit is not going to do your praying for you. He is sent to help us to pray-- not to pray in our place. So praying in tongues eliminates praying outside of the will of God.

Asking with wrong motives
James 4:2-3 You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.


When we pray with our understanding , it is possible that we can pray with the wrong motives and therefore not see the fruit. But when we pray in the spirit, we don’t have that problem. The Holy Spirit is praying through us and bypassing our understanding altogether. We are speaking mysteries. Prayer like this is bound to be powerful.

1 Cor 2:10 The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

A missionary to Africa was speaking at a conference in England. A woman asked him if he kept a diary. He said that he did and she relayed the story that 2 years prior she had been awakened in the night with a burden to pray. She prayed in tongues for an hour. When she finished praying she had a vision in which she saw the missionary in a little grass hut. He was extremely sick and then he died. The natives pulled a sheet up over his head. Suddenly she saw him come out of the hut and they all rejoiced. Did something like this ever happen, she asked?

When they compared diaries, it turned out that it was precisely at the time this woman was praying that this exact scene had unfolded.

This Should be a regular practice.
Eph 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

We saw that Paul defined praying in the spirit as praying in tongues in 1 cor 14. Here he says they should do it on all occasions. It is powerful. It is by the Spirit. There is no richer praying than this.

All Christians have the responsibility to pray but no matter how long and exhaustive our prayers may be with our understanding, we may ask, have I really prayed as I should? This is exactly where praying in the spirit comes in, because the Holy Spirit knows exactly what to pray for.

Blessings!

God Wants All To Speak In Tongues

We are continuing our time looking at the doctrine of speaking in tongues. Last time we saw that there was a difference between the gift of "divers tongues" meant for the public assembly and tongues meant for private edification.

How do we know that?

Well in the 1 Cor 12 passage it says that all the ministry gifts are .....

1 Cor 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

And then one of the gifts he list is the gift of "kinds of tongues." But later in ....

1 Cor 14:2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.


Now Paul is talking about something that is not for men or meant for the public, but for your own personal relationship with God.

1 Cor 14:4-5 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

Paul specifically states that the normal gift of tongues that comes with the Baptism in the Spirit, is not for the church but for self edification. It is about your personal relationship with God. He contrasts that with prophecy which is for the church.

A. It is a practice that is meant to continue
Acts 2:3-4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Pentecost was just the beginning of a lifestyle of self edification through the spirit.

B. Paul encourages the practice of tongues.
1 Cor 14:5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.

God's desire is for all of us to speak in tongues, yet Paul says that he would rather have them prophesy, because prophesy is a gift that is for the whole congregation not just for self edification. But that doesn’t take away his desire to see all speak in tongues.

C. Praying with tongues is praying with your spirit.
1 Cor 14:14-16 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

Paul contrasts the practice of praying with his spirit and praying with his mind. He says that he does both. Paul is also careful in Chapter 14 to give proper instructions for the public use of tongues in 1 cor 14:

Tongues are great, but don’t interrupt the meeting with them or draw attention to yourself with them unless there is an interpretation. This is the gift of divers tongues and interpretation to edify the hearers.

Praying in tongues builds you up spiritually. We saw that it says in 1 Cor. 14 that when we pray in tongues, we pray in the spirit. A minister once was away from home and he sensed a need to pray. He began to pray in the spirit, in tongues. The Holy Spirit revealed that there was a situation with his mother. Her life was in danger. As he prayed, he got the sense that she would be alright. Suddenly the phone rang and his wife told him that his mother had had a heart attack and was on the way to the hospital. But he encouraged his wife that she would be alright because the Lord had shown him. And she was.

D. Rules in the church regarding tongues usage.
1 Cor 14:27-28 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two-or at the most three-should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.

Paul is clear that if there is no interpretation, the person speaking in tongues should keep his voice down and speak to himself and to God. This was not a prohibition on tongues, just that they would keep their voices down and not take attention from the proceedings.

RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Remember it is not about receiving tongues, but about receiving the Baptism In the Holy Spirit.
A. It’s a gift that is received by faith. So ask.

B. Laying on of hands
Many times the Baptism in the Spirit comes through the laying on of hands. Make sure you have someone that you trust to pray for you to receive. We will cover this topic later in this series as laying on of hands is considered to be a core doctrine according to the book of Hebrews 6.

C. Partner with the Spirit
Many times people misunderstand and believe that the Holy Spirit is going to control them like a robot. No, you must do the speaking in tongues. The Holy Spirit will just give you the inspiration to speak. So when you pray and you sense the presence of the spirit, just open your mouth and partner with the Spirit pray in tongues. Give expression to it. Don’t think about what you are saying. Don’t pray in English. Begin speaking in tongues by faith. The Spirit won't pray for you, you must do it.

The Tongues that come From the Baptism in the Holy Sprit are for all believers. God wants us to have a spiritual empowerment and a prayer language as evidence of having received. Will you believe and receive ?

Objections and Questions Regarding Tongues

We have been looking at this controversial topic of tongues. Let's proceed through some of the typical questions that come up.

A. What about Paul and the Samaritans?
There are two biblical accounts that do not say specifically that the believers spoke with tongues when they received the Baptism In the Holy Spirit. Some people point to the filling of Paul and the filling of the Samaritan believers in Acts 8 and say, “Hey it isn’t written that they spoke in tongues there”. Maybe, but it doesn’t say that they didn’t speak in tongues , let look at those….

The Samaritan believers
Acts 8:18-19 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money 19 and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying of hands of the apostles. How could he have known this if there had not been a manifestation? We have every right to assume that the manifestation in this case was the same as we have seen, in Acts 2, 10, and 19. That is how Simon saw that the Spirit was given.

Paul
Paul said, 1 Cor 14:18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Not only do we know Paul spoke in tongues. It doesn’t make much sense if Paul lays his hands on others to receive the Baptism In the Spirit with speaking in tongues without him having received it.

B. Haven’t Tongues Ceased?
Some people say that the gifts of the spirit including tongues have ceased. They use scriptures like the following:

1 Cor 13:8-10 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

Opponents of spiritual gifts point to this verse and say that the Bible is the perfection that is referred to. They say that now that we have the complete Bible, we no longer need spiritual gifts. But this scripture says nothing of the kind. It is clear from the context, that this perfection refers to the return of Jesus Christ and life in heaven. Imperfect knowledge will be complete when we are face to face with Jesus. We will no longer have mysteries of revelation, when we are face to face with the Revelation himself.

C. Is it possible to receive the Holy Spirit without speaking in tongues?
This kind of like a trick question. I hate to say it's impossible, yet the evidence of tongues is for you as well. You can't have confidence in experience or lack of experiences, feelings or no feelings. We can only go by the Word. The way to have confidence that you have received the baptism in the Spirit is to have the evidence of tongues.

Wouldn’t you want to know that you have received the Holy Spirit?

The Point Is Not That You HAVE To Speak In Tongues. The Point Is That You GET To!

I do have a friend who says that he received the Holy Spirit but did not speak in tongues because he was waiting to be acted upon, instead of acting with the Holy Spirit. He thought he had to be forced to speak. When he realized his error, he began to speak freely. Speaking in tongues is a matter of cooperating in faith.


D. Isn’t "fruit" the proof the Baptism in the Holy Spirit?
No, because fruit is a result of a process of growing in Christ. A gift is received instantaneously. A gift may indirectly lead to fruit, and fruit is important, but the Baptism in the Spirit with speaking in tongues is a gift not a fruit. That is why Cornelius and his household were able to receive completely as one day old believers!


E. Is this an Involuntary Emotional or physical Reaction?
No , nowhere in any of instances we have reviewed do we see emotional playing a big role. Of course, man is an emotional creature, yet emotion has nothing to do with the reception of the Holy Spirit or speaking in tongues. Both are done by faith.

It is the same thing with Physical reactions. Sometimes we see that people reacted physically to the presence of God, by falling on their faces or being weakened in awe. But the only physical evidence that a person has received the baptism in the Spirit is speaking with other tongues.

A man received the Baptism In The Spirit but later came to the altar saying he wanted to receive. Finally, it turned out that he didn’t believe he had received although he had the evidence, because his wife told him that it was a greater expereince than being born again. Since he couldn’t imagine anything better than his intial expereince of being born again, he couldn’t believe he really had received the Baptism. You see the Devil , the flesh and the world will sometimes try to talk you out of this experience. You have to base things not on feelings or other’s experience or opinions but on the Word.

F. Isn’t tongues just for some but not for all?

Some have argued that tongues is not for the whole church. They have used this verse.

1 Cor 12:28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts.

Now some have used this scripture to say that all people obviously don’t have to speak in tongues. But we need to understand this verse a little better. Here, Paul is talking about those that have ministry gifts that are for the building up of the church. That is what he means by the greater gifts. The greater gifts are the ones that build up the most people.
The specific gift he refers to in this list is "kinds of tongues", or "divers tongues." This is not the same as the tongues that we are given at the Baptism in the Holy Spirit for personal edification. This is a spiritual gift which not all have, and are meant to be used publicly, for public edification.

The question Paul really is asking here is not, "Have all at one time, spoken in tongues?" But rather. “Do all believers who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit regularly exercise the public ministry gift of “kinds of tongues"?

Understand that Speaking in tongues is a privilege for the New Testament believer and a sign of the initial Baptism in the Holy spirit. The ministry gift of “kinds of tongues “ is for some but speaking in tongues is a gift for all.

Tongues Are The Evidence

Tongues is probably one of the most divisive doctrines in the church today. But it really needn’t be. We just have to look carefully at the scriptures to see that as a result of the receiving the Baptism In the Holy Spirit as we discussed recently, you get to pray in tongues. I say “you get to” rather than "you have to” because it is a privilege to pray in tongues as we will see. I am a Pentecostal believer and give the classical pentecostal interpretation.


I. TONGUES IS THE EVIDENCE OF THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT.
Jesus likened the movement of the Holy Spirit to the wind.

John 3:8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

Though the wind is invisible, yet it has visible effects. The anointing has visible and audible manifestations. We will see that this is the church knew that they received the Holy Spirit. there was a manifestation. Nowadays we want to make the baptism in the Spirit a quiet and private thing. But it was anything but that in the New Testament.

Acts 2:32-33 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was something that was seen and heard by the people. We see this over and over again in the book of Acts. There was a manifestation of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. What was that manifestation?

A. The Church at Pentecost

Acts 2:2-4
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

The people saw and heard the people speaking in tongues at Pentecost. Tongues were a sign to all of them that they had received the Baptism in the Spirit. If that was not enough, we see other examples.

B. Cornelius and His Household
Acts 10:44-46 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Peter was preaching the gospel to Cornelius, when suddenly they are filled with the Holy Spirit with a capital "F". Here we see that the way they knew that Cornelius and his household had received the Holy Spirit was through what was heard. They heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. It seems that the tongues was the distinguishing factor once again.

Later Peter testifies that they received in……

Acts 11:15-17
15 "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?"

Tongues was the only way he could tell.
Peter never asked for any more evidence of their receiving the Sprit but this manifestation of the speaking in tongues.

C. The Ephesian Disciples
Acts 19:6-7 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

Here again we see the example of the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit with the initial manifestation of speaking in tongues. That is the only one which is common to all these instances.

From all these examples, we are forced to admit that speaking tongues is the evidence that we have received the Holy Spirit.

From all the above evidence we conclude that:
1. This was the evidence that the apostles received in their experience
2. This was the evidence accepted by the apostles for others
3. They never asked for any other evidence
4. No other alternative evidence is offered in the New Testament.

To be continued.

Victory Over Temptation

We have been lookng at the subject of temptation. We have seen that God is not the author of it, yet he brings good out of our overcoming. How do we overcome?

James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.

Let's break this scripture down into three parts.

A. SUBMIT TO THE LORD
Walk in His ways!

Gal 5:16-17 (Jer)
Let me put it like this: if you are guided by the Spirit you will be in no danger of yielding to self-indulgence, since self-indulgence is the opposite of the Spirit, the Spirit is totally against such a thing...

Walking with God and being led by the Spirit is the key to overcoming temptation. If you are so busy serving God, you don't have time for nonsense. How do we walk with God?

1. Prayer (With Fasting)
Prayer is the key to strength.

Luke 22:40
And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

....Lead us not into temptation

Prayer is a key means to avoid temptation. First of all we should ask that we may avoid it altogether. Secondly, prayer makes for a strong spirit which can overcome if it has to.

2. Being On Guard
Gal 6:1 (Phi)
Even if a man is detected in some sin, my brothers, the spiritual ones among you should quietly set him back on the right path, not with any feeling of superiority but being yourselves on guard against temptation.

Prov 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Don't get cocky. If we think we are beyond temptation, we are self deceived. We need to walk carefully.

3. Reckon Yourselves As Dead To Sin And United With Christ

Rom 6:11-13
You must regard yourselves as dead in relation to sin, but as alive in relation to God, because you are in Christ Jesus.

Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

2 Cor 4:10
We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

Rom 8:13
... If by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, then you will live.

We need to consider ourselves alive to the new life and dead to the old life.

4. Don't Place Yourselves In Dangerous Territory !
Avoid any situation that can lead to sin. For example, to avoid sexual sins, we may have to avoid situations that can cause us to sin like watching certain movies and reading certain books.

1 Cor 7:5 (Phi)
[To married] Do not cheat each other of normal sexual intercourse... or you will expose yourselves to the obvious temptation of Satan.

Eph 4:26b-27
Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

1 Tim 6:9
People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.

By not submitting to God in every area, we can set the stage for our fall. But if we submit to God we can then effectively.......

B. RESIST THE DEVIL
After we submit to the Lord, it's time to resist the devil's temptations. How do we resist?

1. Fight
Heb 12:4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

... In fact, most of us have not even made an honest attempt at resisting temptation. We cave in immediately without much of a fight. "Well, I'll quit doing that next week." "Why struggle now when I know I am going to do it again anyway?" "It is just a matter of time, and now is as good a time as any." But temptation feeds on weakness and bent desires.

2. The Word
Fight with the sword of the Spirit

Matt4:3-4
The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons;

God has given us authority over evil spirits, yet we must exercise it. We must use the Word and the authority of The Name over the enemy.

3. Do Not Be Deceived
Satan attacks with temptation, accusation but also deception. Deception is the deadliest because we don’t see it coming. Know the Word!

2 Cor 11:3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

2 Cor 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ

We have to take every thought captive and bring it to obedience of the Word. Finally we

C. DRAW NEAR TO GOD
Eph 6:10-14
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.


We overcome the enemy by first submitting to God in repentance and then by authoritative prayer and drawing near to God.

Why Does God Allow Temptation?

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW TEMPTATION?

This is not really the best way of putting it, since sin is never God's desire.
Remember that temptation does not come from God as we saw last time (James1). Yet he permits us to be tempted by others. Why?

First we have to realize that man by his very nature is temptable. In other words, because God gave man understanding and a free will, he is able to be persuaded to do wrong.

Secondly, the curse on creation has led to a further depravity of man's sensibilities which makes him even more temptable to sin.

In light of these facts, Jesus has us pray to be kept from temptation. Yet we are exposed to the world and so are tempted. God uses the temptations to refine and strengthen us as we trust Him to overcome.

1 John 2:14 I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God lives in you and you have overcome the evil one.

Job 23:10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold

THE ONE WHO BEAT TEMPTATION

Heb 2:18 By virtue of his own suffering under temptation he is able to help those who are exposed to temptation.

Heb 4:15 For ours is no High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses he himself has shared fully in all our experience of temptation, except that he never sinned. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with fullest confidence, that we may receive mercy for our failures and grace to help in the hour of need.

Jesus was tempted in every way, yet he overcame and shows us that we can overcome.

TEMPTATION IS LIMITED

One of the things that makes us cave in to temptation so early is that we often have the sense that we are going to fail anyway, so why even put up a struggle? But are we so sure of this? Didn't the problem of last year or last month strike us with the same despair? And yet with God it was possible. Spiritual growth seems so impossible in the moment, and so easy in retrospect. We need to remember how unlikely it seemed we would ever: profess Christ, pray in public, witness, and all of the other steps along the way, as we face the temptation to give up now. After all, this too will pass. We can, and will make it by the grace of God. And God has given us His word...

1 Cor 10:13 (TEB)
Every temptation that has come your way is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to resist; at the time you are tempted he will give you the strength to endure it
and so provide you with a way out.

Job 1:12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."


KEY FACT: TEMPTATION IS NOT A SIN IN ITSELF!

Some people have overactive consciences. These people are attacked by Satan to believe that they are guilty becasue they were tempted. Temptation and sinning are two different things. Jesus was tempted in all things yet never sinned. Temptation is not sin!

Blessings

Overcoming Temptation

1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

What is temptation? The efforts of someone/thing to try and get someone to sin.

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF TEMPTATION?

A. God Does Not Tempt Man
James 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.

B. Satan Is Called The Tempter
Gen 3:13-14 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Matthew 4:1,3
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

Rev 12:9
The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray...

1 Pet 5:8-10 Be self-controlled and vigilant always, for your enemy the devil is always about, prowling like a lion roaring for its prey. Resist him, standing firm in your faith, remembering that the strain is the same for all your fellow-Christians in other parts of the world. And after you have born these sufferings a very little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to share his eternal splendor through Christ, will himself make you whole and secure and strong.

WE ARE VULNERABLE
Jesus told us to pray to be kept clear of the evil one.

Mat 6:13
"Keep us clear of temptation, and save us from evil."

Mat 26:41
"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

Temptation is effective because of our own lusts and desires.

James 1:13-14 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desires, he is dragged away and enticed.

1 Thes 3:5 For this reason... I [Paul] sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.

2 Cor 2:11
...in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

We are all still vulnerable to the temptations, accusations, and deception of Satan. He has schemes or plans that God wants us to be aware of, so that we are not outwitted.

In light of the above scriptures, he who says that he gives no consideration to the enemy, or is invulnerable to him because of Christ is really gambling with his life! People that say that Satan is a toothless old lion are fooling themselves. A toothless lion could not devour anybody, yet that is what Peter warns against.

Those that blame God for temptation are also on the wrong track. Yes, God may permit you to be tempted, but God's will is for his children to overcome! And he tempts no one!

Law and Grace Coexist!

We continue our study on law and grace. People may ask why I focus on this subject. The reason is that the misunderstanding of this topic leads to a host of other errors that have been exploited by cults, and quite frankly, has led to the spiritual ruin of many. Remember, law is reference to the things commanded of the church, not suggested, and grace refers to the empowering and forgiveness that comes through the cross. The fact is that both have always existed, contrary to the common view that the Old Testament was a dispensation of law only, and the current dispensation one of grace only. Let's see how they work together.

LAW AND GRACE HAVE ALWAYS COEXISTED
No one has ever been justified by law, but by faith.

Gal 3:10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."

Those that depend on the law for making them right with God are under a curse. No one was ever justified before God by the law! Paul proves this by his reference to Abraham in the preceding verses.

Gal 3:6-9 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Abraham was justified by faith, so were all the Old Testament saints. You can read about their faith in Hebrews 11, known as the hall of faith. Their faith justifed them. Their following the law of that time proved their faith, but did not justify them. So there was grace through faith in the Old Testament.



GRACE IS NOT ONLY WHAT SAVES, US IS IT IS HOW WE LIVE.
So the Old Testament had grace and faith as well. Unfortunately many of us limit grace to the day of salvation. But the grace of God is available to us every day as we meditate upon the truths of our forgiveness, our role as sons, our state of being new Creations, filled with the Holy Spirit, etc. We need the gospel of grace every day!! 1 John 1: 9 shows us that the cross continues to be our touchstone fo grace when we fall, when we confess and repent before Him.

A) The Danger Of Living Under The Law Without Grace
Focusing on our external behavior leads to pride and self righteousness. We think God owes us. Our failure to keep the external commands leads to guilt. We struggle with a sense of failure. We believe God is angry with us and don’t expect his blessing.

But God said that we are not justified by law but by faith.

B) The Danger Of Living Under Grace But No Law.
The law are all the directives of God to us. If we only focus upon our motivation to serve Christ and not on our duty, we get very vague and directionless about our faith. But Paul said. “I don’t beat the air but I beat my body to make it my slave.”

SOLUTION:
Just like the OT saints we need to recognize that we Need Both Grace And Law(in our case, Christ’s Law)

If we focus only on external behavior we can forget God’s Grace: God’s unmerited favor to those who only deserve God’s wrath.

If we focus only on Christ and not on obedience to his law and commands, we have an undisciplined, passive faith.

GRACE RECEPTION IS THE MOTIVATION FOR COMMAND KEEPING
Rom 4:4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."

The joy of knowing our sins have been forgiven sparks in our hearts the desire to lead a disciplined godly life.

God wants to deal with our motivation as well as our obedience.
The gospel deals with our motivation and ability, the "how" of faith. The Law deals with obedience, the "what" of faith. They work together.

Those who focus on Obedience to the exclusion of motivation, tend to be legalistic, self righteous or guilty.

Those who focus on Motivation only to the exclusion of obedience tend to be passive, lackadaisical, sloppy, or law-less.

But through the Cross, God wants us to be transformed in motivation and obedience. He wants us to be 100 percent motivated by his love, 100 percent empowered by His Spirit and therefore 100 percent obedient to Jesus commands.

a) Be motivated by Grace: To trust in Him to save and to trust in Him for life. If you don’t do this you will never rest. If you do, you will have rest and you will have the new life Jesus promised of the Holy Spirit. If you really receive the cross, your motivation for life will change and your gratitude will become evident in your deeds. If you do this you will also have the ability to serve God. Prayer is the greatest demonstration of trust and reliance for we acknowledge our need for forgiveness and ability to obey.

b) Be obedient to his Commands: God holds all believers responsible to obey Him in all things and grow in grace. For they have the ability if they are born again. So God gives the command and the ability to keep it. The life of the child of God is not lawless instead we live to the Law of Christ. He is governed by the law of the Spirit which actually goes beyond Mosaic Law to heart motivations and ability

God wants us to Trust and Obey!!!

Grace and the Law of Christ

We have been looking at the subject of law and grace. The misunderstanding of which has been a boon to the cults, the devil and the flesh. Let's continue.

FOLLOWING THE LAW OF CHRIST.
Now, Christians are under Christ’s law

1 Cor 9:20-22
To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law.

Gal 6:2
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Christians are not lawless. Those who have received Christ are no longer under the law of Moses, but under the law of Christ! But how do we keep it? Thank God we can because of grace!

THE GOSPEL OF GRACE
Grace is receiving something good which we did not deserve. The good news is that our sins against the commands of God have been dealt with by Jesus. Our failure to keep to perfect obedience to law made us transgressors. Grace provides for man’s guilt in sin. Grace takes the law seriously. If there were no law, grace would be pointless.

A) Jesus Fulfilled The Law By Living The Perfect Life That We Could Never Live And Fulfilling All The OT Prophecies

B) Jesus Took Away The Penalty Of The Law By Dying A Death For Our Sins.

Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.


C) Grace Gives Us The Right Motivation.
Jesus always went beyond the mere letter of the law and went to the true motivations. He said that our righteousness would have to surpass that of the legalistic Pharisees who kept the outward letter but neglected the heart and spirit. Serving God should spring from a grateful heart, and being forgiven should prompt grateful service.


D) The Gospel of Grace Provides Us With The Ability : The Precious Holy Spirit.

Jesus said it would be better when he returned to the Father. (John 16)so we can live according to the Spirit.

Rom 8:1-2
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.


E) The Gospel of Grace Shows Our Union With Christ
Rom 6:6
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

We died to sin how can we live in it any longer? Obedience is an evidence of saving faith.

How awesome is Jesus who fulfilled the Mosaic law and ushered us into the age of the New Covenant. This is the age of being cleansed and forgiven, being united with Christ, being filled with the Holy Spirit, being made a new creation with new motivations. All by simple faith in Him! Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!

Law And Grace

Law has to do with following commands, but whose law are we under as Christians? Are we under the law of Moses or under the law of Christ? What role does law play in our Christian life?

We need to understand the purpose of the law and the purpose of grace, otherwise we will have poor motivation as well as poor obedience in the Christian life.

Law is a collection of commands for the proper conduct of a specific people. The Mosaic law was the code of law for the people of Israel. The law of Christ is the code of law for the Church.


I. THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW
First of all, no one was ever saved by obeying commands, but through faith!

Rom 4:3
What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

This is a picture of salvation apart from law. A picture of salvation apart from law is also found in Exodus. The Israelites were saved or delivered from Egypt before the giving of the Mosaic law. The laws were presented to a believing nation. Obedience to the commandments will bring blessing. But...faith is the only way there ever was to be saved!

A) Law Is A Revelation Of The Will Of God. The Commands Of God To Restrain Sin And Promote Righteousness.

Law is a call to obedience to a standard. Paul did not neglect preaching obedience.
Acts 20:21
I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus
“Turning to God in repentance” is an obligation to law. Though not Mosaic law but the law of Christ.

B) A Guide For Right Conduct The law is a rule of life for believers, reminding them of their duties and leading them in the way of life and salvation. The Mosaic law had provisions for worship, sacrifice, and theocratic government. Christian law has its own provisions of baptism, fellowship and the Lord’s supper.

C) Conviction Of Sin.
Rom 3:20
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather through the law we become conscious of sin.

Paul sums up this chapter by proving that the Mosaic law cannot save but we need righteousness from God. Law always revealed the sin of the people. In Mosaic times as well as now, the law could not save but was a revealer of how sinful we really are.

Rom 7:7
What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.


Law demonstrates the sinfulness of sin. The law forced Paul to come to grips with the ugliness and pervasiveness of sin.

Gal 3:21
Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Everyone is a prisoner of the law’s penalty. Paul also here pictures the temporary nature of the Mosaic Law. It was needed to guide the believing Jew in all manner of conduct but was temporary in order to lead us to faith in Christ. Now we operate primarily by faith in Christ, not by adherence to Mosaic law.

What about Matt 5:17-19?
Matt 5:17
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

This is a much disputed passage. But this scripture is speaking about fulfillment in the sense of fulfilling the Messianic prophecies, fulfilling the role of mediator, and ushering in the New Covenant. Remember, here Jesus is speaking to Jews before his crucifixion and ascension. Jesus is saying that he is the fulfillment of OT prophecy, and that nothing will be abolished before it is fulfilled.

And in fact Jesus did fulfill the OT prophecies, especially in his death and resurrection. The OT law still has validity in revealing sin, but we are not under Mosaic law as Christians.

Who Receives The Baptism In The Spirit?

We have been looking at the ministry of the Holy Spirit, especially at the empowering known as the baptism in the Spirit. The main qualification for witnesssing for Jesus is this experience of the Baptism In The Spirit. Some people have been taught that they have to go through all kinds of things to receive the Filling of the Holy Spirit. But the scriptures only present one real qualification. It is ....

a) For the believer!

Acts 2:39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call."

The promise is for all who believe. Really the only qualification is that you are a believer in Christ. That is not to say that some things might not actually hinder your receiving. Sin may hinder you.

You know sometimes it helps if you don’t know too much. Some times you can get confused with what people tell you and it can keep you from receiving for a long time.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and all I can say is don’t listen to man. Just meditate on the scriptures and do what the scriptures tell you to do and you will receive.

You don’t have to tarry!
In acts 1 they were told to wait or to "tarry" for the Holy Spirit , but let’s look at the example of Cornelius.

Acts 10:44-46 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Notice that Cornelius and his pals were not even instructed in the reception of the Spirit. They didn't tarry or clean up their act. No, they just received by faith. Why? Because the Holy Spirit has already been poured out. The day of Pentecost has fully come! Now is the present dispensation of the Holy Spirit. We don’t have to beg. It is the gift of God and the promise of God for those who would believe. So many times when people don’t receive something, they think the problem is on God’s side of things when it is really on our end. they think God is holding out on them.

If I have a radio and I suddenly can’t get the signal from the station, I don’t call the station and say, "Hey your transmitter is broken!" No, I extend my antenna or change positions so as to get better reception. Many times we need to attend to ourselves so we can get better reception from God.

Now a lot of people get upset about this: "Oh you are blaming us if we don’t receive." If God wants me to have, he’ll give it to me. But that is what I am trying to tell you: God has already given it, He is just waiting for us to receive.

Remember when we looked at the Ephesian disciples, Paul did not ask, "Did God give you the Holy Spirit." He asked if they received the Holy Spirit.

We wouldn’t say, "let me pray that God gives you salvation." So we don’t say "let me pray that God gives you the Spirit." As if he needed to be convince. No, we just need to ask and receive from God.

Also this is repeatable. There is an initial immersion, but that doesn't mean you can't receive subsequent fillings as the Apostles did in Acts 4.

As we understand the operation of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit, not only will we flow with God 's power, but we will see much accomplished.

Will you believe and receive the Holy Spirit in order to be and to do what God has called you for in this generation?

I'm Saved! Don't I Have All The Spirit I Need?

We have been looking at the minstry of the Holy Spirit. We saw that God promised the Holy Spirit for power to be his witnesses. Many people teach that when we are saved that that is all the Holy Spirit we will ever need. Let’s examine this in light of the scriptures.

The Holy Spirit in the New birth
When you accept Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit immediately comes to take up residence in you. He is with you constantly. He cares for you and watches for you. He speaks to you and works in your life. You cannot be a Christian without having the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. We become Christians by the Holy Spirit.

John 3:5 “Except a man be born of water and spirit he cannot enter not the kingdom.”

Every believer has the Holy Spirit in a measure because of the new birth, but that is not the same as what is called the Baptism In the Holy Spirit. Even with the Indwelling Holy Spirit, there is more of the Holy Spirit available to you in the Baptism In the Holy Spirit.

The Baptism in the Holy spirit
The Promise:
Acts 1:5 For John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

Now this was spoken by Christ to the believers just before his ascension. Obviously the disciples were already born again, yet they needed something else. They needed a baptism in the Spirit, an immersion in the Spirit.

We see in Acts 2, that the disciples received this empowering Baptism inthe Spirit. I want to give three other examples, that show that believers still need the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

1. Samaritan believers still needed the Baptism n the Spirit after Believing

In Acts, Chapter 8, Philip preached in Samaria and many believed in Christ and were water baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Acts 8:12
“...when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and in the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”

However, Acts 8:14 tells us that having been water baptized in Christ, the Samaritans still hadn’t received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. They had to have a measure of the Holy Spirit becaue it says that they believed, but they needed more.

Acts 8:14-16
“Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.”

They believed and had been water baptized, but they were still lacking something. The Holy Spirit had not come upon any of them. See, this anointing is something that comes upon you.

2. Saul (Paul) - Baptized in the Holy Spirit after believing

Acts 9:11 reports that Saul encountered the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. He became a believer. He asks Jesus what he should do. that is the mark of a beleiver. Following his conversion, the Lord sent Ananias to him to heal him, and to pray for him so that he would be baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Acts 9:17
“...Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here-- has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Notice, Ananias does not instruct Saul on the way of salvation. He was already saved! He came to pray for Saul’s eye-sight to be restored and see Him filled with the Holy Spirit. Filled with the Holy Spirit is another way that this baptism is described. Paul had already believed and was following Jesus! He was already regenerate! But he did not have the baptism of the Spirit.

Acts 9:18
“he received his sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.”


3. The Ephesian Disciples - Still Needed to Receive the Holy Spirit after Believing

In Acts 19 Paul finds certain disciples in Ephesus. The Biblical term “Disciples” always refers to Jesus’ followers in the New Testament. He asks them:

Acts 19:2
“Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?”

This verse implies that you can believe and not receive the Holy Spirit in the way Paul was speaking of. If the baptism in the Holy Spirit was automatic with believing faith, Paul would not have to ask the question. Remember, no one believes in Christ without the influence of the Holy Spirit. Paul obviously saw that there was something lacking with these people. They had not been baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:5, 6“On hearing this they were baptized into the name of Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.”

Paul water baptizes them in the name of Jesus, but he is not yet satisfied, for he then lays hands on them to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Smith Wigglesworth, the famous Pentecostal evangelist relates his struggle with this. He was convinced that he had all the Holy Spirit that he would ever need. Yet he heard some speaking in tongues and wanted this gift. He went to a minister's house who had been known to pray for others to receive. The minister was absent, yet his wife offered to pray for Wigglesworth. She told him abot this baptism. Wigglesworth insisted , "Listen I have the baptism, I have all the spirit I need, I just want this tongues thing." She said, " You musn't focus on the tongues. That is just a part of the deal . It is the Holy Spirit you need" Being momentarily called away, she left him praying in the parlor. As he prayed alone, he had a vision of an empty cross. He began to cry out "Clean, Clean" as he appreciated the forgiving power of the cross. Suddenly a new language began to come from him as he continued to cry "Clean". He knew that something had come upon him that he didn't have before.

Do you understand that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a secondary step in the Christian life for power for service that is really necessary for spiritual work?

What Does The Holy Spirit Do?

Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

When Jesus first began his ministry, the scriptures show him going to a synagogue and reading this prophesy of Isaiah. He told them that this scripture was fulfilled at that moment, meaning that Jesus claimed to be anointed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, unfortunately, seems to be the neglected member of the Trinity, but we need to understand the power, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in order to flow in the anointing that God wants us to flow in.

God wants us to have the power of the Holy Spirit

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

The anointing of the Holy Spirit is the Manifest Presence of the Holy Spirit coming upon a person.

The anointing is tangible, it brings results in the natural. Unfortunately, we have become so good in our own skills, so trusting of our money and our intellect to get things done, that we can leave out the Holy Spirit of God. But notice what Jesus did not tell his disciples to do in Acts 1:8 He did not tell them to go on a fund raising campaign. He did not tell them to have a specific form of church government. He didn’t tell them to start a school or a seminary. He told them to receive the Holy Spirit. Why? Because it was the one thing that was essential. It was the equipment necessary to do the job. Let’s keep the main thing the main thing.

We know that electricity has been around since the beginning of time. Yet it wasn’t till Benjamin Franklin and the last couple of hundred years where scientists have been able to harness it and to reap the power of it. It is the same with the Holy Spirit. The Sprit of God is all around us, yet we must learn biblically who He is and how He wants to flow in our lives, so that we can have the power that God wants us to have.

God is a good God. He gives his people things. He gives them salvation and He gives freely the Holy Spirit so that we can have power for this life.

The whole book of Acts is an unfolding of what Jesus promised in the 8th verse of the first chapter.

John 14:10“He that believes in me, will do the works that I do and even greater works that this because I go to the Father.”

What are the works that Jesus did? He healed. He cast out devils. He performed miracles.
What is it that God expects of us?

Mark 16:17 “These signs shall accompany them that believe In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues. They shall lay hands on the sick and see them recover.”

Jesus has an expectation that signs shall follow, not the pastors, but the rank and file believers.

Notice that the main result of receiving the Holy Spirit was going to be the power to witness. Again, we have evangelism classes that teach all kinds of techniques. Those are good to a certain degree, but the main qualification that Jesus gives, the main thing needed to be an effective witness for Jesus is this anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The anointing of the Spirit also manifests in various gifts to the body of Christ.

1 Cor12 4-11There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

The Holy Spirit empowers all kinds of gifts that go to the people of God.

1 Tim 4:14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

1 Cor 14:1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

Remember before Pentecost, Peter denied Christ three times. After Pentecost, Peter stood up and accused the crowds to their face and three thousand were saved in that day. What was the difference? It was this mighty outpouring of the Holy spirit. It was the anointing that made the difference between denial and boldness. How desperately do we need in our age to receive the power of the Holy Spirit that we would have an impact in our world!

Have you neglected the role of the Holy Spirit in your life? Will you acknowledge your need of him for power for service to the body and to the world?

The Jesus Shopping Spree

Jesus counsels the Laodicean Church to go on a shopping spree

Rev 3: 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Jesus gives the church at Laodicea some counsel. We should heed this counsel as well. He tells them they need to go shopping for some stuff. First of all….

Gold tried in the fire. – Gold represents true wealth. The true wealth of a heart that is rich towards God. IT REPRESENTS THE RICHES OF TRUE SALVATION: forgiveness, sonship, the Holy spirit, eternal life. etc. Tried in the fire implies that the gold had gone through testing and had come out the other side the better for it, the purer for it. This would take care of the poverty of spirit which they truly had.


White Raiment- White raiment represents justification. It represents purity. The raiment represents a covering for sin, a covering of their nakedness. This would cover their shame.

Eye Salve- This represents a healing for their blindness. That they could really have the right perspective on things.

The Laodiceans thought they were rich, thought they were covered, thought they could see, they thought they could buy anything. Jesus says they what they really need, they can only get from Him. But Jesus uses the term "buy", not because he wanted their money, but because these items have a price......

The Way of Repentance
Rev 3:19-22 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

The price is repentance. Yes you can repent, stop using your theology to justify your unwillingness. We think that Jesus rebuke means he doesn’t love us. ON the contrary, his rebuke proves that he loves us. Jesus' love leads to his rebuke, because only good fathers discipline their children.

"Be earnest and repent"
Jesus says to be earnest. The word there is zelloo, which means zeal. It in the continuous tense, so it really means, "Become and stay zealously focused on me" . Earnestness implies a sense of urgency, a sense of priority to clear yourself and to get your house in order.

The word repent there is in the aorist tense which means a once and for all decision. It implies a 180 degree turn from the ways you have been going to follow God’s ways.


Jesus’ Promises.
For those that zealously repent Jesus makes some promises:

Rev 3: 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
NIV

Dining with Jesus
Here, Jesus make a beautiful promise. He compares himself to someone knocking on the door, but then its up to us to hear and open the door to Him. this verse is often used in sharing with unbelievers but in fact it was written to the church. It would be very easy to ignore the knocking and refuse to open, but if we listen to Jesus and open the door, Jesus promises to sup with us. This is a promise of the restoration of sweet fellowship. How many times when we have gotten off track with Jesus, or have grown lukewarm, have we lost that sense of sweet fellowship with Christ? When we open the door, we can receive that sweet fellowship once again. That sweet fellowship also leads to keeping us from the complacency and blindness that we had fallen into.

Overcomers sit on His throne.
Now Jesus says that those that overcome will sit on the throne. But what do we have to overcome? The hardest thing to overcome is our own complacency, our own flesh. But Jesus promises that if we would repent, that we would be able to sit with him on his throne.

"He who has an ear let him hear." Jesus used this phrase a lot in his ministry. Here he means to give weight to what he has spoken as something of the highest importance. Will we give weight to his words?

Will we heed the words of Jesus, repent of our lukewarmness and commit to being white hot for Jesus? Will we seek the true riches of Christ, true spiritual discernment, and true salvation?

Who Makes Jesus Sick?

Rev 3:17-18 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

You say, "I am rich."
The Laodician church was saying that they were rich materially and spiritually. They were very complacent in their faith. Unfortunately one of the dangers of material prosperity is that it leads you to complacency. The Church was measuring riches with the wrong scale. They were measuring financially. Maybe they were mentioning numerically, but that is not how Jesus measures riches. He judges based on the zeal for serving Him. But they were so sure they had the blessings of God. This led to two serious conditions:

1. Complacency- They were saying they did not need a thing.
2. Deception. – Jesus says “you do not realize” in other words, their complacency led to a blinding. Their deception led to the fact that they could not really see, understand or appreciate their spiritual condition.

Jesus saw five things about them that they didn’t see.

1.Wretched--Talaipooros- the word means weight – burden. It has the implication of the being worked to exhaustion

2. Pitiful- They should be pitied rather than praised. You know this is what has been said by foreign churches regarding American churches. So much money, yet so little anointing.

3. Poor- They might have had money but Jesus looks at them as beggars. As spiritual paupers.

4. Blind- We said before they were blinded to what to their real condition. They had no discernment.

5. Naked- of course, spiritually. Salvation is often seen as a spiritual garment. A covering. They had nothing to cover the nakedness of the soul

We might take a look at what the church is supposed to be doing and apply these criteria . For instance let’s look at the works of our churches and ask , are our works hot or lukewarm?


Worship
Excuses. Excuses. People make all kinds of excuses why they are late for worship, half hearted in their praise, lackluster in their worship. Yet in other places, people walk miles to get to the fellowship, and come early to get a seat! We say God inhabits the praise of his people, so if we are not praising whole heartedly, where is the presence of God?

The Word
We say we love the Word but do we read it or are you just too busy? You know that men were burnt at the stake so we could read the word, and we just don’t make the time for it. What about obeying it? Don't go there!

Witnessing
“Well you know brother I can’t be bothered with that. You know I don’t have the time. And I don’t have the evangelistic gifting.”
Oh really? How come when it says that the whole church preached the gospel wherever they went in Acts 8:4 , it doesn’t mention anything about whether they were gifted or not?

Acts 8:4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

Prayer Life
I’m not talking about saying grace. I am talking about really spending time praying for souls to the point that you weep for them. How goes it?

Now we just covered a few sins of omission, we didn’t even get into any serious list of sins. But my point is that the lukewarm are in danger of being spit out. The lukewarm get spit out of Jesus mouth. But there is a way back into the heart of Jesus.

Are you complacent about your relationship to Christ? Are your works half hearted? Are you half hearted in prayer, in worship, in the word, in your witness? Are you complacently thinking you’re rich in spite of evidence of lukewarmness?

Making Jesus Sick

Rev 3:14-16 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Jesus has a message for his churches. We don’t often think about the fact that Jesus was the author of seven letters to the New Testament church. The apostle John was merely the scribe, but the words are Jesus' words--straight from his lips if. So, it would behoove us to take these words very seriously. This is the Resurrected Christ writing to the New Testament church. This was the age of the new covenant, the age of grace. He was writing to believers, not unbelievers.

To these believers, the first thing he says is that He knows their works.

Jesus knows your works.
Here is an interesting point. He says to the church of Laodicea that he knows their works. That means Jesus is interested in your works.
Many times, the present day church is so afraid of mixing works with grace that we give the impression that works are not important. But Jesus says “I know your works”

But many people have been told

“But your works don’t matter, you just need to rest in the finished work of Christ.” “All Jesus sees is the blood.”

Oh really, well here, Jesus gets right to the crux of the matter. He says, "I know your deeds that you are nether cold nor hot."

Their deeds were speaking for themselves. Your deeds reveal your heart.

The deeds of the Laodiceans proved that they were lukewarm. Jesus wishes that they were one or the other, either cold or hot. Why?

Cold means you could be saved! When you are physically cold, abnd you walk into a nice warm room, you surely appreciate the difference in temperature. In the same sense, if you are cold you can be convicted of sin and feel it. You feel your need for a savior.

On the other hand, being hot means you could be used!
If you are hot for God then you are usable in his hands.

Unfortunately the Laodiceans were lukewarm. Lukewarm water is not good for much. We like to drink either iced drinks or hot drinks. Bbout the only thing lukewarm water is good for is inducing vomiting. That’s what the Laodicean church was doing to Jesus. It was making Him gag.

Your lukewarmness in works can make Jesus sick to his stomach.

"You mean my works can cause Jesus to regurgitate me?"
Sorry but that is what it says.

“But I thought my works didn’t matter. I thought it was all about the finished work of Christ.”
Think again. Jesus is interested in your hot works, not lukewarm.

Do you realize that Jesus knows your works as well as he knows what you believe, and that they are just as important to Him, because they are a reflection of your heart?