Holy Spirit and the obliteration of class distinctions.

     Holy Spirit, having been conferred upon his disciples in John 20:22, sovereignly poured himself out upon them is releasing the Promise of the Father; the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Acts. 1:4-5.  Acts chapter two, then becomes that historic text documenting the coming of Holy Spirit upon "all flesh" right in the middle of the Jews second required festival.  Pentecost, fifty days after the resurrection, was the time when Holy Spirit came in fulfillment of Joel's ancient prophecy.  The book of Joel in the Old Testament, written about 830 B.C. promised a time when God would "pour out His Spirit on all flesh."  The implications were staggering to that culture and in some ways mind boggling to our own.
     Prior to this event Holy Spirit was given to individuals in order to preform certain tasks.  Kings, Prophets, sometimes Priests and Judges were examples of Holy Spirit coming on people for a certain task and only for a certain time.  But now, the Father has fulfilled his ancient promise.  Jesus had been crucified for the "sin of the world."  Jesus had been raised from the dead on the third day and showed himself alive with many infallible proofs for forth days.  Acts 1:3  He had ascended back into the heavens, to the right had of the Father. Acts 1:9-11  Now the stage was set for God's greatest intervention that the world had ever seen.  He would begin a New Covenant.  He would make himself available to all people, personally.
He would pour out his presence and his power upon everyone who would receive this gracious gift.  This historic event would change forever, how God would work with his people.
   
Peter explained this peculiar event by quoting the ancient text of Joel: (Joel 3:28-29)
         
          "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of 
          My Spirit on all flesh.
          Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.  Your young men shall see visions
          and your old men shall dream dreams.
          And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit
          in those days; and they shall prophesy."

     The coming of the Holy Spirit was significant for a number of important reasons:

     1.  Holy Spirit was God and has now come to live within his people.  This was absolutely NEW.
   
     2.  Holy Spirit was given to all people.  Racial distinctions were overcome.  Jews and Gentiles were to be included.  Black and white, yellow and red.  All flesh meant that God would now come and dwell in everyone regardless of racial distinction.  All who would call upon the name of the Lord. Acts. 2:38-39

     3.  Holy Spirit would come regardless of gender.  Sons and Daughters would receive alike.  At this time during the first century, the gender distinction was sharp and clear.  God now came to live in all genders alike.

     4.  Holy Spirit would make himself available to both Young and Old.  God is no respecter of age.  The young may receive as well as the Old.  God is passionate about gathering to himself people of all ethnic origins, all genders and all ages.

     5.  Finally, Holy Spirit comes to everyone, regardless of class distinction or social standing.  Even upon slave and free.  God was passionate and committed to overcoming every class distinction made by the ideas and traditions of "men."


     He would now come and live in "all flesh;" regardless of race or ethic distinction.  He would live in all people regardless of gender or age.  Class distinctions were of no importance to the God who created the world and who how comes to live in all flesh; the "crown of His creation."

     Finally, God would come as Holy Spirit and release His presence in His People and would never leave them.  His coming was permanent.  Jesus promised, I am with you always.  I will never leave you.  You are eternally mine.

Maybe you 're exploring this wonderful gift of Holy Spirit.  By seeking Him you will surly find Him.  By opening your heart and mind to Jesus, Holy Spirit will come and live His Life in and through you.  This is the most wonderful gift that God could ever give anyone.  He Himself would come and live His Life in us and through us!  Gal. 2:20

 

2012 - The Year of The Holy Spirit

     In December of last year I began to "hear" deep in my heart/spirit that 2012 would be "the year of the Holy Spirit."  As with most of these kinds of "impressions," I usually listen, pay some attention, pray through the idea or concept and then move on.  However, this theme kept reoccurring over some period of time.  It was as if the Holy Spirit himself, was stating something that he wanted the "church" to hear.  So I boldly stated early in January of this year, that "I believed this year would be the year of Holy Spirit."  I quickly then said, in disclaimer fashion, "I am not quite sure what that means" other than this year would be different and that the Holy Spirit would begin to make himself known in unique and perhaps unusual ways."

     In keeping with what I thought I heard, I began a new preaching series on Sunday mornings called "Living Under the Influence."  We are still in the midst of that series.  It is a biblical study to understand the Person and Work of Holy Spirit and experience all that He has for us.  Additionally I began teaching Wednesday evenings in our worship and prayer time, specifically on the topic of the Holy Spirit.  What I am now noticing is that more and more people around the country are also beginning to say much the same thing.  Undoubtedly, Holy Spirit does little without first revealing it to a multitude of listeners.

     Now having said all the above, let me summarize what I believe to be true for this year, 2012:

• The Holy Spirit will continue to make himself known to his people and abide within them. Jn. 14:16
• There will be a fresh wind of the Spirit to ignite fresh fire through the "baptism of Holy Spirit."
• Holy Spirit will continue to reveal the heart of the Father to us.  Jn. 14:20
• He will reveal more and more of Jesus to his people. Jn. 14:21  
• Holy Spirit will renew an understanding that he is indwelling and inhabiting us forever. Jn. 14:17-18
• Holy Spirit will manifest his presence and release amazing signs through his people. Jn.14:12
• Holy Spirit will begin to pour out a fresh revelation of the glory of God upon the church. Jn. 16:14
• There will be a tremendous resurgence and revival of all of the "gifts of the Spirit." I Cor. 12:4-11
• Many believers will be reactivated, released and empowered to move in the gift of God. I Cor. 14:1
• Ministry will multiply as slumbering believers catch fire and flow in signs and wonders.  Heb. 2:4
• Evangelism will result as many people share the overflow of the life of Holy Spirit. Acts 2:41
• As this will be a fresh move; there will be a fresh anointing and compassion of Jesus' love. I Cor. 13

As this begins to come about in many places, the two questions that many will be asking are:

     Whatever could this mean?  Acts 2:12
     What shall we do?  Acts 2:37


For every earnest seeker and believer, God will gloriously fill and refresh and release them into a new place of effectiveness in his Army.  This then is a time of preparation.  Study to show yourself approved.
Learn and receive all that the Holy Spirit has for you in these days.
Watch as God begins to come again into His Temple (His People) with greater works than we have yet seen.

Running on Empty?

     We all occasionally reach points in our lives when we feel empty; sort of like your "running out of gas."  I have felt that way at times.  The demands of life, busyness of schedules, expectations of others and ongoing deadlines, all seem to pile up and create within me a mounting emptiness and exhaustion.  It is precisely at this point in life that I ask the question, "what is really fueling my life?"  What gives me the power to go on?  What creates the incentive, the motivation and the inner resolve to continue to move forward?  When disappointments and circumstances seem to be pressing in on me, what creates that inner fire to take heroic steps forward in doing the next thing, the right thing?
     Since the beginning of this new year, I have been doing a fairly exhaustive study of the personal empowerment available to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is often the forgotten or at least overlooked person of the Trinity.  You know, the God of scripture who has revealed himself in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
     Holy Spirit is a person.  According to Luke 3:16, John the Baptist said: "I indeed baptize you with water, but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Then at the very end of his book, Luke quotes the words of Jesus saying: "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." Lk. 24:49  Has God the Father actually given us a Promise of personal power from on high?  Is the power actually promised to us in the person of Holy Spirit?
     After Jesus was crucified for the sin of the world and raised from the dead, he showed himself to many people, giving them indisputable proof of his resurrection life.  On one of those occasions, he showed himself to his disciples and commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for this Promise of the Father. Acts 1:4  Then he turned his attention to what this promise was and what the promise would do in his disciples and followers.  "But you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."  Acts 1:8
     Having received this person and the promise of his power, I always come back to Him when I find myself "running on empty."  Baptism literally means drenching, saturating or submersion in.  The baptism in or with Holy Spirit is an outpouring into us and then out of us by which He flows, drenches and saturates our soul and body with his Person, Presence and Power.
     John 7:37-39, "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his innermost being (Heart) will flow rivers of living water."  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."


     If anyone is thirsty.  If anyone is dry.  If anyone is overwhelmed and empty.  If anyone finds themselves in great need.  When circumstances press in on you and when you wonder if you can go one - that can be the time and our finest hour:  Believe in Jesus as the scriptures presents him.  Receive him through totally yielding to him.  Ask for the Holy Spirit to come in power and be released out of your inner most being.  Allow him to overflow in gratitude, thanksgiving and rejoicing.  He gives His Presence and Power to all who ask and receive in faith.

        RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT!  DRINK OF HOLY SPIRIT!  REJOICE IN HOLY SPIRIT.

I invite your comments.  I would love to dialogue about this most amazing gift of Holy Spirit living in us and through us.