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The Holy Spirit
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Part Two: by turtle
Some may be wondering why I started the first lesson the way I did. It is a very good question. First it was for introduction and Second to bring a small ever so slight
point out that is often confused. Your emotions can be like a yoyo. One day we are up and focused and the next we are not. This does not mean we are not walking
with God or God is not a part of our life. Does not mean we do not have the promise of the Holy Spirit. Our emotions often demonstrate how we feel, but does not
mean we lack God in our life. Nor does it mean that if we did not go to the altar on Sunday morning God Spirit did not bless us. Understanding who the Holy Spirit
is will help us understand not only who He is but what His operation in our life is.
The Holy Spirit is known as the Third Person of the Trinity and by no means last. He is God and has been since the beginning. He is one with Father and our Lord
Jesus. We must recognize the Holy Spirit in person form to give him personality, as well as importance. For the Holy Spirit is not just a force of power but more.
The power of the Holy Spirit is not on command by us. In other words we have no control over Him. Instead He has control over us as we yield to Him. Our pray
should be Heavenly Father use me and not how can I use you today. Will you indwell my heart so that I can serve you in every capacity of my life.
The Holy Spirit as I said in the first lesson was a gift to us. Was a gift of promise to all believers., but if the Holy Spirit is a gift and always was did he exist in the Old
Testament and is it the same Spirit? Let's first look at what Christ said about the Holy Spirit starting in John 14.
John 14:26 KJV
(26) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever
I have said unto you.
John 15:26-27 KJV
(26) But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
(27) And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
John 16:7-8 KJV
(7) Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto
you.
(8) And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
John 16:13-14 KJV
(13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he
will shew you things to come.
(14) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
One of the first things to take note of in these verse beside that the Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of Truth is who He talks about and is operation that he does
in a believers life. He teaches truth about who God is and who Christ is. He tells about things to come as well as things from the passed. He speaks of God. So did
the Holy Spirit speak of God in the Old testament.
Numbers 11:24-27 KJV
(24) And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
(25) And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when
the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
(26) But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of
them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
(27) And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
In Numbers the Holy Spirit caused the seventy men to prophesy. Prophesy is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It is one of the gifts listed among the gifts of the Holy Spirit but
we will get to that later.
The Holy Spirit was to come to judge. Did the Holy Spirit of the Old Testament judge.
Judges 3:9-10 KJV
(9) And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's
younger brother.
(10) And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand;
and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.
Not only did he give a man the ability to judge but to wage war against His enemies. Christian whether they realize it or not are in s spiritual battle against Satan. So
war today is still being waged though it is not always physical. We often got to remember times are different now and the battle we fight in the USA is spiritual. We
are to witness and compel people to come to God not by force but by choice. The battles in the old testament were waged against those who had no fear of God and
desired to destroy God's people. They were known as enemies of God. The Holy Spirit enables us to compel people to God and helps us to witness and share the
love of God with others. So this might be considered one difference in the occupation of the Holy Spirit has far has the type of war that is waged about those who are
at odds against God.
Ephesians 6:11-12 KJV
(11) Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
(12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places.
In foreign countries around the world it is a physical fight literally to carry the gospel in some places. If you are a Christian and are caught you could be persecuted in
some of these countries and even killed. Which if I wanted to I could continue about the freedoms being denied us by our own government by having prayer in school
as well as having God's law the ten commandments being removed from public places and so on. But this will take us a little off base of where this discussion needs
to go. So back on track.
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. Empowered men of God to be able to serve God as leaders. Just like he does men and women in the church today.
1 Samuel 10:6-11 KJV
(6) And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
(7) And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.
(8) And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days
shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.
(9) And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
(10) And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
(11) And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is
come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
1 Samuel 16:13 KJV
(13) Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up,
and went to Ramah.
What about in the New Testament what about the Holy Spirit did He move among the people before Christ was born and after.
Luke 2:25-26 KJV
(25) And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost
was upon him.
(26) And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Yes God revealed to Simeon that he would not see death until he seen the promised Messiah.
So okay you proved that the Holy Spirit was in the Old Testament as well as in the beginning of the New Testament, But did the Holy Spirit really come as Christ
declared in John? Did He speak truth on the day of Pentecost, did He bring judgment to the hearts of man that day. I often think this is where some church fail to
look past the doctrine of tongues and see a little more truth to the subject. Lets take a look at Acts 2.
Acts 2:1-4 KJV
(1) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
(2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
(3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
(4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Okay they began to speak in tongues was it just gibberish that day or some language no one understood. Lets take a look
Acts 2:5-6 KJV
(5) And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
(6) Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
The language which was spoken was in the language of those that crowded together to hear all that was going on. Will what was spoken that day in tongues. Was it
hi how are you? Not hardly there was a purpose of tongues that day. Lets look a little more at scripture.
Acts 2:8-11 KJV
(8) And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
(9) Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
(10) Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
(11) Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
What was spoken in all those different languages were the wonderful works of God. The Holy Spirit spoke truth of who God was that day in many different
languages. He got the attention of the crowd in away that they would understand. It took me years to discover this little phrase of the wonderful works of God. What
about when the Holy Spirit came to the House of Cornelius did the Holy Spirit speak of God.
Acts 10:44-46 KJV
(44) While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
(45) And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(46) For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
They magnified God when they spoke in tongues no doubt. And no doubt their were others their too that understood what was said in tongues.
The Holy Spirit convicted the hearts in both stories that lead men and women to believe in Christ and to receive the baptism or indwelling of the Holy Spirit. So the
Spirit of Truth(Holy Spirit) spoke of who God is and the men and women spoke the wonderful works of God as will has magnified God by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
Next week we will continue the discussion of purpose of tongues as well as the gift of tongues. What many church believers believe across the board concerning
tongues. And what the Bible says about it. But this should get you thinking no matter what you believe on this subject and feel free to write me.
turtle30cshell@turtle30cshell.com and put in the subject line Holy Spirit.
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