1 00:00:05,245 --> 00:00:10,707 The subject is "Doubt about Holy Spirit," 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:16,864 from Midhun P. Matthew. 3 00:00:16,864 --> 00:00:18,604 And he writes this, "Hi, brother. 4 00:00:18,604 --> 00:00:22,107 Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 5 00:00:22,107 --> 00:00:25,690 This is the second time I write a letter to you. 6 00:00:25,690 --> 00:00:27,334 When I wrote the first time, 7 00:00:27,334 --> 00:00:30,431 I was in a desperate situation 8 00:00:30,431 --> 00:00:31,915 on my spiritual life. 9 00:00:31,915 --> 00:00:33,433 God heard my prayer. 10 00:00:33,433 --> 00:00:35,724 Now I am a happy man. 11 00:00:35,724 --> 00:00:37,299 Thanks for your support." 12 00:00:37,299 --> 00:00:39,273 Probably James, you dealt with him, 13 00:00:39,273 --> 00:00:40,985 because I don't remember that name. 14 00:00:40,985 --> 00:00:42,100 James: Who was that? 15 00:00:42,100 --> 00:00:45,848 Tim: Midhun. 16 00:00:45,848 --> 00:00:49,426 (unintelligible) 17 00:00:49,426 --> 00:00:52,512 "Now I am eagerly studying the Word of God 18 00:00:52,512 --> 00:00:54,240 in a daily manner. 19 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:55,956 I am very curious about it 20 00:00:55,956 --> 00:00:59,207 and I try to share the Gospel with others also. 21 00:00:59,221 --> 00:01:01,781 When I started to share the Gospel with others, 22 00:01:01,781 --> 00:01:03,633 I had to face many, many questions, 23 00:01:03,633 --> 00:01:07,964 mostly from my Catholic and Jacobite believers. 24 00:01:07,964 --> 00:01:12,535 All of them are my friends." 25 00:01:12,535 --> 00:01:14,027 Let me ask, anybody familiar 26 00:01:14,027 --> 00:01:19,229 with what the Jacobites are? 27 00:01:19,229 --> 00:01:22,283 Ever heard that name before? 28 00:01:22,283 --> 00:01:25,096 Okay. They're basically Orthodox. 29 00:01:25,096 --> 00:01:31,312 They would be an Eastern Orthodox offshoot. 30 00:01:31,312 --> 00:01:34,938 Probably mainly in India. 31 00:01:34,938 --> 00:01:39,658 "Someone asked me about the Holy Spirit 32 00:01:39,658 --> 00:01:42,648 and I gave my belief as follows: 33 00:01:42,648 --> 00:01:45,485 We receive the Holy Spirit 34 00:01:45,485 --> 00:01:49,969 at the same moment we believe Christ. 35 00:01:49,969 --> 00:01:51,683 And the Holy Spirit becomes 36 00:01:51,683 --> 00:01:53,484 our permanent possession 37 00:01:53,484 --> 00:01:55,850 the moment we believe. 38 00:01:55,850 --> 00:01:58,032 I came to this conclusion 39 00:01:58,032 --> 00:02:01,154 mainly by these two verses." 40 00:02:01,154 --> 00:02:04,414 So, let's look at the two verses that he references. 41 00:02:04,414 --> 00:02:09,431 The first verse is 1 Corinthians 12:3. 42 00:02:09,431 --> 00:02:11,246 So let's look at that. 43 00:02:11,246 --> 00:02:18,238 So, 1 Corinthians 12:3 44 00:02:18,238 --> 00:02:23,504 is one of the verses that he was using 45 00:02:23,504 --> 00:02:29,334 to tell his Catholic and Jacobite friends 46 00:02:29,334 --> 00:02:33,140 that we get the Spirit of God the moment we believe. 47 00:02:33,140 --> 00:02:36,024 So, I'm not sure exactly what translation 48 00:02:36,024 --> 00:02:37,953 he's reading from, but he has the verse 49 00:02:37,953 --> 00:02:39,854 printed out here so I'll just read it 50 00:02:39,854 --> 00:02:41,285 the way he has it. 51 00:02:41,285 --> 00:02:43,411 "Therefore, I want you to understand 52 00:02:43,411 --> 00:02:46,177 that no one speaking in the Spirit of God 53 00:02:46,177 --> 00:02:48,859 ever says, 'Jesus is accursed,' 54 00:02:48,859 --> 00:02:52,991 and no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' 55 00:02:52,991 --> 00:02:58,320 except in the Holy Spirit." 56 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:02,856 So he sees this as a verse that means 57 00:03:02,856 --> 00:03:06,581 if you're saved, you've got the Holy Spirit. 58 00:03:06,581 --> 00:03:18,143 Can anybody see why he would think that? 59 00:03:18,143 --> 00:03:24,800 This is actually an interesting text. 60 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,818 What do you make of it? 61 00:03:26,818 --> 00:03:30,411 Can a lost person say, "Jesus is Lord"? 62 00:03:30,411 --> 00:03:32,804 And in fact, let me ask this question, 63 00:03:32,804 --> 00:03:35,070 is there not even a verse in our Bible 64 00:03:35,070 --> 00:03:36,544 that says that there are people 65 00:03:36,544 --> 00:03:37,904 that say "Jesus is Lord," 66 00:03:37,904 --> 00:03:40,403 but on the last day, 67 00:03:40,403 --> 00:03:44,427 Jesus is going to say, "I never knew you." 68 00:03:44,427 --> 00:03:47,646 What's Paul saying here? 69 00:03:47,646 --> 00:03:48,771 I mean, we all know it. 70 00:03:48,771 --> 00:03:51,467 Can lost people say, "Jesus is Lord"? 71 00:03:51,467 --> 00:03:54,773 Certainly they can. Certainly they can mouth those words. 72 00:03:54,773 --> 00:03:56,610 So, what do you think Paul's saying 73 00:03:56,610 --> 00:03:58,712 when he says, "I want you to understand, 74 00:03:58,712 --> 00:04:02,475 no one speaking in the Spirit of God 75 00:04:02,475 --> 00:04:05,092 ever says, 'Jesus is accursed,' 76 00:04:05,092 --> 00:04:07,465 and no one can say 'Jesus is Lord,' 77 00:04:07,465 --> 00:04:09,508 except in the Holy Spirit"? 78 00:04:09,508 --> 00:04:12,530 What is he saying? 79 00:04:12,530 --> 00:04:16,330 Anybody ever thought about that verse before? 80 00:04:16,330 --> 00:04:21,166 James: You did an APT on it a year ago. 81 00:04:21,166 --> 00:04:22,793 Tim: Anybody remember? 82 00:04:22,793 --> 00:04:23,845 (from the room) 83 00:04:23,845 --> 00:04:25,948 I have a reference to 1 John 4:3. 84 00:04:25,948 --> 00:04:27,288 Tim: Which says? 85 00:04:27,288 --> 00:04:29,626 "And every spirit that does not confess Jesus 86 00:04:29,626 --> 00:04:34,331 is not from God." 87 00:04:34,331 --> 00:04:36,209 Tim: Okay. 88 00:04:36,209 --> 00:04:38,056 What do you think Paul's saying? 89 00:04:38,056 --> 00:04:41,945 We could say yes, maybe there's some connection, 90 00:04:41,945 --> 00:04:44,901 but I don't know that that text from 1 John 91 00:04:44,901 --> 00:04:48,033 really helps us decipher. 92 00:04:48,033 --> 00:04:51,199 What does Paul mean? 93 00:04:51,199 --> 00:04:54,073 Is it safe to say, 94 00:04:54,073 --> 00:04:56,467 Paul would be the first one to recognize 95 00:04:56,467 --> 00:04:59,697 that an unbeliever can lip those words? 96 00:04:59,697 --> 00:05:01,701 Of course, he recognizes that. 97 00:05:01,701 --> 00:05:04,140 He's not saying that there's 98 00:05:04,140 --> 00:05:06,819 a linguistic impossibility for somebody 99 00:05:06,819 --> 00:05:08,885 to vocalize those three words 100 00:05:08,885 --> 00:05:11,622 if they're lost and have not the Spirit of God. 101 00:05:11,622 --> 00:05:13,382 So what's he saying? 102 00:05:13,382 --> 00:05:16,674 It seems like if you just start reading here, 103 00:05:16,674 --> 00:05:18,264 1 Corinthians 12:1, 104 00:05:18,264 --> 00:05:22,146 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers..." 105 00:05:22,146 --> 00:05:24,013 Well, that right there - 106 00:05:24,013 --> 00:05:26,645 obviously they were asking him about spiritual gifts. 107 00:05:26,645 --> 00:05:29,385 And probably what they were saying 108 00:05:29,385 --> 00:05:33,791 is there were questions coming. 109 00:05:33,791 --> 00:05:34,819 They had questions. 110 00:05:34,819 --> 00:05:36,334 There were people prophesying. 111 00:05:36,334 --> 00:05:38,513 There were people speaking in tongues. 112 00:05:38,513 --> 00:05:39,875 There were things happening. 113 00:05:39,875 --> 00:05:44,721 There were expressions of these gifts coming forth. 114 00:05:44,721 --> 00:05:53,340 And people perhaps appearing to be 115 00:05:53,340 --> 00:05:57,509 manifesting a gift of the Spirit, 116 00:05:57,509 --> 00:06:04,193 and as that gift is being supposedly 117 00:06:04,193 --> 00:06:08,013 manifested in their meetings, 118 00:06:08,013 --> 00:06:10,124 something is happening 119 00:06:10,124 --> 00:06:13,061 where Christ is not being exalted. 120 00:06:13,061 --> 00:06:17,105 I heard John MacArthur say 121 00:06:17,105 --> 00:06:21,876 that there were meetings taking place 122 00:06:21,876 --> 00:06:25,208 where somebody was speaking in tongues. 123 00:06:25,208 --> 00:06:29,449 And there was - I forget if it was 124 00:06:29,449 --> 00:06:32,577 a Greek or a Hebrew scholar, 125 00:06:32,577 --> 00:06:36,960 who was attending the meeting. 126 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:39,949 And they were speaking in tongues, 127 00:06:39,949 --> 00:06:43,102 and they actually were speaking in a tongue. 128 00:06:43,102 --> 00:06:46,036 And if there was any interpretation happening, 129 00:06:46,036 --> 00:06:47,963 I don't remember, 130 00:06:47,963 --> 00:06:50,665 but it was being lauded 131 00:06:50,665 --> 00:06:55,203 as this was some great manifestation 132 00:06:55,203 --> 00:06:58,339 of the gifts of the Spirit, 133 00:06:58,339 --> 00:07:02,220 and this man sitting there 134 00:07:02,220 --> 00:07:04,794 understood exactly what was being said, 135 00:07:04,794 --> 00:07:07,442 and Christ was being cursed. 136 00:07:07,442 --> 00:07:12,058 Now, I think what you want to tie together here is this: 137 00:07:12,058 --> 00:07:15,676 Spiritual gifts is what's on the table. 138 00:07:15,676 --> 00:07:19,087 And so, the idea here is 139 00:07:19,087 --> 00:07:23,313 that if somebody is prophesying 140 00:07:23,313 --> 00:07:25,234 or if somebody is speaking in tongues 141 00:07:25,234 --> 00:07:26,690 or if somebody's interpreting, 142 00:07:26,690 --> 00:07:31,157 if a genuine manifestation of a spiritual gift 143 00:07:31,157 --> 00:07:32,364 is taking place, 144 00:07:32,364 --> 00:07:36,439 obviously, Jesus said Himself, 145 00:07:36,439 --> 00:07:38,676 the Spirit is coming to glorify Him. 146 00:07:38,676 --> 00:07:40,345 And if you've got things happening 147 00:07:40,345 --> 00:07:43,956 that are not glorifying to Him... 148 00:07:43,956 --> 00:07:47,828 We could take this in many different offshoots. 149 00:07:47,828 --> 00:07:50,604 Peden - do you have any memory 150 00:07:50,604 --> 00:07:58,617 of the Peden guy who was a Covenanter? 151 00:07:58,617 --> 00:08:06,322 Anyway, I remember Don Currin telling me 152 00:08:06,322 --> 00:08:07,679 an incident there, 153 00:08:07,679 --> 00:08:10,517 and I've voiced it before to you guys 154 00:08:10,517 --> 00:08:15,556 that there was a revival taking place. 155 00:08:15,556 --> 00:08:17,592 And there was a man in the meetings. 156 00:08:17,592 --> 00:08:19,840 And he was calling out people's sins. 157 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:21,697 And he was right on. 158 00:08:21,697 --> 00:08:23,737 And this would be kind of unsettling 159 00:08:23,737 --> 00:08:25,904 if you were in a meeting and it's like: 160 00:08:25,904 --> 00:08:31,726 Ryan, you've been A, B, and C. 161 00:08:31,726 --> 00:08:33,947 And you, X, Y, Z. 162 00:08:33,947 --> 00:08:35,281 And it's right. 163 00:08:35,281 --> 00:08:39,898 And it's like I was there when you were alone. 164 00:08:39,898 --> 00:08:43,152 That was the kind of thing happening in this meeting. 165 00:08:43,152 --> 00:08:44,631 But there was one man 166 00:08:44,631 --> 00:08:46,844 and he was especially discerning. 167 00:08:46,844 --> 00:08:50,661 Everybody thought this is really a work of God. 168 00:08:50,661 --> 00:08:52,622 This is incredible. 169 00:08:52,622 --> 00:08:54,262 We've got a prophet in our midst. 170 00:08:54,262 --> 00:08:55,681 He knows our sins. 171 00:08:55,681 --> 00:08:57,298 But there was a man in the meeting 172 00:08:57,298 --> 00:08:59,001 that was really troubled. 173 00:08:59,001 --> 00:09:00,267 And he recognized, 174 00:09:00,267 --> 00:09:04,857 Jesus Christ is not being glorified. 175 00:09:04,857 --> 00:09:09,465 The sinners are having their sin called out, 176 00:09:09,465 --> 00:09:11,930 but they're not being shown Christ 177 00:09:11,930 --> 00:09:13,295 as a great Savior. 178 00:09:13,295 --> 00:09:15,886 The people are going out beat up 179 00:09:15,886 --> 00:09:19,372 and trampled on and left hopeless. 180 00:09:19,372 --> 00:09:22,515 And they had meetings night after night. 181 00:09:22,515 --> 00:09:28,262 And he finally, in the middle of the meeting, 182 00:09:28,262 --> 00:09:30,775 he stood up and he called the man out, 183 00:09:30,775 --> 00:09:33,946 and he said, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ 184 00:09:33,946 --> 00:09:36,856 to tell us by what spirit you speak." 185 00:09:36,856 --> 00:09:39,689 And suddenly demonic voices came out of the guy 186 00:09:39,689 --> 00:09:43,049 and they said, "oh, we've been discovered!" 187 00:09:43,049 --> 00:09:45,059 (incomplete thought) 188 00:09:45,059 --> 00:09:46,946 Paul is not just dealing with whether 189 00:09:46,946 --> 00:09:49,015 a person has the capacity, 190 00:09:49,015 --> 00:09:51,693 but what's happening in the midst of these folks 191 00:09:51,693 --> 00:09:55,997 is all manner of spiritual gifts being manifested, 192 00:09:55,997 --> 00:09:59,549 and I think, obviously, the Corinthian letters - 193 00:09:59,549 --> 00:10:02,038 the first Corinthian letter especially - 194 00:10:02,038 --> 00:10:05,663 it's numerous responses to the things 195 00:10:05,663 --> 00:10:07,696 that they had written to him about. 196 00:10:07,696 --> 00:10:10,917 And I think this again, he's responding. 197 00:10:10,917 --> 00:10:13,376 They had something happen undoubtedly. 198 00:10:13,376 --> 00:10:14,879 They had many things happen. 199 00:10:14,879 --> 00:10:17,472 They were having many supernatural things happening. 200 00:10:17,472 --> 00:10:21,330 And I think what you really want to nail down here is this: 201 00:10:21,330 --> 00:10:23,177 Just because something is supernatural 202 00:10:23,177 --> 00:10:25,545 doesn't mean that it's a work of the Spirit. 203 00:10:25,545 --> 00:10:27,793 That's really what he's hitting on right here. 204 00:10:27,793 --> 00:10:31,065 And that if you have anything happening supernaturally 205 00:10:31,065 --> 00:10:33,509 that is not bringing attention 206 00:10:33,509 --> 00:10:35,874 and glory to Jesus Christ, 207 00:10:35,874 --> 00:10:37,816 you can identify that. 208 00:10:37,816 --> 00:10:39,947 It may be supernatural, 209 00:10:39,947 --> 00:10:42,983 but it's very likely demonic. 210 00:10:42,983 --> 00:10:44,142 Well, it is demonic. 211 00:10:44,142 --> 00:10:46,839 That's the test. 212 00:10:46,839 --> 00:10:49,597 You go to the text in 1 John. 213 00:10:49,597 --> 00:10:54,426 1 John 4:1 - we are to test the spirits. 214 00:10:54,426 --> 00:10:56,127 How do you test? 215 00:10:56,127 --> 00:10:58,034 Well, you test it whether it's biblical. 216 00:10:58,034 --> 00:11:07,466 You test it if it glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. 217 00:11:07,466 --> 00:11:11,458 I don't think it's probably difficult to figure out 218 00:11:11,458 --> 00:11:15,212 if somebody said, "Jesus Christ is accursed," 219 00:11:15,212 --> 00:11:18,353 to simply figure out 220 00:11:18,353 --> 00:11:21,183 that, wow, that's of the devil. 221 00:11:21,183 --> 00:11:24,858 But I think what happens is 222 00:11:24,858 --> 00:11:27,909 things do happen that indirectly 223 00:11:27,909 --> 00:11:30,243 send that message; 224 00:11:30,243 --> 00:11:34,242 indirectly tear Christ down. 225 00:11:34,242 --> 00:11:36,525 You know, you get Jehovah's Witnesses 226 00:11:36,525 --> 00:11:37,831 show up at your door, 227 00:11:37,831 --> 00:11:39,286 can you kind of figure out 228 00:11:39,286 --> 00:11:42,101 that the Spirit of God is not there? 229 00:11:42,101 --> 00:11:43,681 See, they won't come out and say, 230 00:11:43,681 --> 00:11:45,157 "Jesus Christ is accursed," 231 00:11:45,157 --> 00:11:46,531 but what they're going to do 232 00:11:46,531 --> 00:11:48,188 is they're going to belittle Him. 233 00:11:48,188 --> 00:11:49,712 They're going to tear Him down. 234 00:11:49,712 --> 00:11:51,757 They're going to make Him out 235 00:11:51,757 --> 00:11:55,803 to be much smaller than He is. 236 00:11:55,803 --> 00:11:59,599 But anyway, 237 00:11:59,599 --> 00:12:05,112 I didn't even prepare anything for that text. 238 00:12:05,112 --> 00:12:07,558 I wasn't thinking that we would even go there, 239 00:12:07,558 --> 00:12:09,738 but because we read it 240 00:12:09,738 --> 00:12:12,392 and it is a verse that brings up questions, 241 00:12:12,392 --> 00:12:14,383 I'm not exactly certain 242 00:12:14,383 --> 00:12:21,305 how this brother is interpreting this text. 243 00:12:21,305 --> 00:12:23,574 I'm not sure exactly what he's doing with it, 244 00:12:23,574 --> 00:12:28,161 but the next one is clear. 245 00:12:28,161 --> 00:12:31,694 The next one he goes to is 2 Corinthians 1:22 246 00:12:31,694 --> 00:12:33,402 which I think is a very good text, 247 00:12:33,402 --> 00:12:36,523 and of course, there's a parallel statement 248 00:12:36,523 --> 00:12:38,107 in Ephesians 1. 249 00:12:38,107 --> 00:12:40,504 We dealt with that if you've been coming to Grace 250 00:12:40,504 --> 00:12:44,225 about the sealing of the Spirit. 251 00:12:44,225 --> 00:12:47,055 Probably the most emphatic verse 252 00:12:47,055 --> 00:12:48,911 I would say is found in Romans 8, 253 00:12:48,911 --> 00:12:50,709 and we'll look at that in a second. 254 00:12:50,709 --> 00:12:52,668 But these are the two he mentions: 255 00:12:52,668 --> 00:12:55,186 2 Corinthians 1:22, 256 00:12:55,186 --> 00:12:58,665 "...Who has also put His seal on us 257 00:12:58,665 --> 00:13:03,499 and given us His Spirit in our hearts 258 00:13:03,499 --> 00:13:06,559 as a guarantee." 259 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:16,643 Now, I'm aware of different interpretations 260 00:13:16,643 --> 00:13:19,709 about even what the sealing of the Spirit is. 261 00:13:19,709 --> 00:13:21,625 And there are good men, 262 00:13:21,625 --> 00:13:24,109 some who say it happens right when we're converted 263 00:13:24,109 --> 00:13:27,643 and some who believe it's experiential 264 00:13:27,643 --> 00:13:30,307 and happens later. 265 00:13:30,307 --> 00:13:32,164 So, maybe these two verses 266 00:13:32,164 --> 00:13:36,925 wouldn't even necessarily be the best ones 267 00:13:36,925 --> 00:13:38,791 to even try to prove 268 00:13:38,791 --> 00:13:41,469 what he felt convicted about. 269 00:13:41,469 --> 00:13:43,207 I think his conviction is right. 270 00:13:43,207 --> 00:13:45,626 What he's saying is, 271 00:13:45,626 --> 00:13:47,563 "I thought we received the Holy Spirit 272 00:13:47,563 --> 00:13:50,308 the same moment we believe in Christ." 273 00:13:50,308 --> 00:13:53,274 Well, can anybody think of verses 274 00:13:53,274 --> 00:14:00,822 that seem to really establish that reality? 275 00:14:00,822 --> 00:14:01,924 Ezekiel. 276 00:14:01,924 --> 00:14:04,458 Yeah, the promises of the New Covenant. 277 00:14:04,458 --> 00:14:05,709 Somebody read that. 278 00:14:05,709 --> 00:14:07,759 Brother, you can look that up if you want. 279 00:14:07,759 --> 00:14:14,795 Ezekiel 36. 280 00:14:14,795 --> 00:14:17,058 What is it we find there? 281 00:14:17,058 --> 00:14:19,531 He says, "I will sprinkle clean water on you 282 00:14:19,531 --> 00:14:21,989 and you shall be clean from all your uncleanliness, 283 00:14:21,989 --> 00:14:24,272 and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 284 00:14:24,272 --> 00:14:26,486 I will give you a new heart 285 00:14:26,486 --> 00:14:28,175 (and then simultaneously it seems) 286 00:14:28,175 --> 00:14:30,906 and a new spirit I will put within you, 287 00:14:30,906 --> 00:14:33,390 and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh 288 00:14:33,390 --> 00:14:35,220 and give you a heart of flesh, 289 00:14:35,220 --> 00:14:37,040 and I will put my Spirit in you." 290 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,050 Tim: It's a whole package there. 291 00:14:39,050 --> 00:14:40,078 And it's happening. 292 00:14:40,078 --> 00:14:42,408 When do you get a new heart? When are you born again? 293 00:14:42,408 --> 00:14:43,771 When are you regenerated? 294 00:14:43,771 --> 00:14:45,921 At the time you receive this new Spirit? 295 00:14:45,921 --> 00:14:47,165 You're given a new spirit 296 00:14:47,165 --> 00:14:49,532 and He puts His Spirit within you. 297 00:14:49,532 --> 00:14:51,435 That all happens. Ezekiel. 298 00:14:51,435 --> 00:14:52,809 You can find those promises 299 00:14:52,809 --> 00:14:54,165 concerning the New Covenant 300 00:14:54,165 --> 00:14:56,969 in other parts of Ezekiel as well. 301 00:14:56,969 --> 00:14:58,798 Ezekiel 12. 302 00:14:58,798 --> 00:15:04,628 But let's look at one of the clearest passages. 303 00:15:04,628 --> 00:15:07,022 Romans 8:9. 304 00:15:07,022 --> 00:15:09,544 Whoever gets there first, 305 00:15:09,544 --> 00:15:12,304 why don't you read that? 306 00:15:12,304 --> 00:15:13,760 There's no mistaking it. 307 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:15,382 Somebody could come along and say, 308 00:15:15,382 --> 00:15:17,653 well, I think sealing of the Spirit is something 309 00:15:17,653 --> 00:15:19,454 that happens later after you believe. 310 00:15:19,454 --> 00:15:21,189 Somebody could say, 311 00:15:21,189 --> 00:15:24,532 well, I don't think the thing about "Jesus is Lord" 312 00:15:24,532 --> 00:15:27,028 and "Jesus is accursed" - I'm not even sure 313 00:15:27,028 --> 00:15:29,712 that that has to do with receiving the Spirit 314 00:15:29,712 --> 00:15:30,881 when we get saved. 315 00:15:30,881 --> 00:15:32,381 Maybe somebody would even say 316 00:15:32,381 --> 00:15:36,188 Ezekiel 36 - it sounds like it's all a package there, 317 00:15:36,188 --> 00:15:39,843 but maybe it doesn't necessarily all happen simultaneously. 318 00:15:39,843 --> 00:15:41,534 Somebody could perhaps argue that. 319 00:15:41,534 --> 00:15:46,499 But you can't argue this. 320 00:15:46,499 --> 00:15:47,609 Romans 8:9. 321 00:15:47,609 --> 00:15:54,373 Somebody have it there and want to read it? 322 00:15:54,373 --> 00:15:56,423 "You, however, are not in the flesh, 323 00:15:56,423 --> 00:15:57,896 but in the Spirit, 324 00:15:57,896 --> 00:16:01,320 if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. 325 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:03,566 Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ 326 00:16:03,566 --> 00:16:05,103 does not belong to Him." 327 00:16:05,103 --> 00:16:06,340 Tim: There it is. 328 00:16:06,340 --> 00:16:09,456 If you don't have the Spirit of Christ, 329 00:16:09,456 --> 00:16:11,416 you don't belong to Christ. 330 00:16:11,416 --> 00:16:13,559 Period. 331 00:16:13,559 --> 00:16:15,430 It couldn't be clearer. 332 00:16:15,430 --> 00:16:20,732 True Christians possess the Spirit of God. 333 00:16:20,732 --> 00:16:26,312 Now, if you don't possess the Spirit, 334 00:16:26,312 --> 00:16:28,122 you don't belong to Him. 335 00:16:28,122 --> 00:16:30,333 That is clear. 336 00:16:30,333 --> 00:16:33,356 Paul is making it undeniably clear. 337 00:16:33,356 --> 00:16:37,619 Okay, so our brother here says, 338 00:16:37,619 --> 00:16:39,687 "...That we can believe in Christ 339 00:16:39,687 --> 00:16:41,331 only by the Holy Spirit, 340 00:16:41,331 --> 00:16:42,910 and God gives the Holy Spirit 341 00:16:42,910 --> 00:16:44,971 as a seal, a guarantee..." 342 00:16:44,971 --> 00:16:47,966 But we looked at the text that he quoted 343 00:16:47,966 --> 00:16:49,867 in 2 Corinthians 1:22. 344 00:16:49,867 --> 00:16:53,349 I would just say this. 345 00:16:53,349 --> 00:16:56,975 You can look at this kind of indirectly. 346 00:16:56,975 --> 00:16:59,386 For one, I would say, 347 00:16:59,386 --> 00:17:03,628 Ezekiel 36 is indeed a package. 348 00:17:03,628 --> 00:17:09,575 I think that does affirm this truth as well. 349 00:17:09,575 --> 00:17:12,831 But let's think about John 3 - 350 00:17:12,831 --> 00:17:15,522 very well known. 351 00:17:15,522 --> 00:17:17,652 Most of us are familiar with it. 352 00:17:17,652 --> 00:17:20,977 What is said about being born again 353 00:17:20,977 --> 00:17:24,075 that would lead us to believe 354 00:17:24,075 --> 00:17:27,123 that to even be born again, 355 00:17:27,123 --> 00:17:29,761 you would need to have the Spirit? 356 00:17:29,761 --> 00:17:34,337 Or the Spirit's influences at least? 357 00:17:34,337 --> 00:17:35,282 (from the room) 358 00:17:35,282 --> 00:17:37,197 "No one can see the Kingdom of God 359 00:17:37,197 --> 00:17:39,436 unless he's born of the spirit and the water?" 360 00:17:39,436 --> 00:17:42,104 Tim: Well, right, you've got to be born of the Spirit. 361 00:17:42,104 --> 00:17:43,791 You're not going to see the Kingdom 362 00:17:43,791 --> 00:17:45,427 unless you're born of the Spirit. 363 00:17:45,427 --> 00:17:47,130 Now does that necessarily say 364 00:17:47,130 --> 00:17:49,269 specifically that we have the Spirit? 365 00:17:49,269 --> 00:17:51,666 Well, obviously it means that the Spirit 366 00:17:51,666 --> 00:17:55,220 is actively working upon you 367 00:17:55,220 --> 00:17:58,506 in your life changing you, 368 00:17:58,506 --> 00:18:06,265 being born again. 369 00:18:06,265 --> 00:18:09,608 It's the same idea of being born of God. 370 00:18:09,608 --> 00:18:11,678 Those who are born of God 371 00:18:11,678 --> 00:18:13,094 are bringing forth - 372 00:18:13,094 --> 00:18:14,361 what does 1 John say? 373 00:18:14,361 --> 00:18:16,336 Can anybody think what 1 John says 374 00:18:16,336 --> 00:18:20,761 is true of everybody who's born of God? 375 00:18:20,761 --> 00:18:23,551 (unintelligible) 376 00:18:23,551 --> 00:18:25,913 They love. 377 00:18:25,913 --> 00:18:29,156 Where does love come from? 378 00:18:29,156 --> 00:18:31,307 It's the fruit of what? 379 00:18:31,307 --> 00:18:35,274 The fruit of the Spirit. 380 00:18:35,274 --> 00:18:37,210 Jesus also said, 381 00:18:37,210 --> 00:18:42,975 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; 382 00:18:42,975 --> 00:18:47,707 that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." 383 00:18:47,707 --> 00:18:51,448 You see, the reality is this, 384 00:18:51,448 --> 00:18:53,793 we go from being dead in our trespasses and sins 385 00:18:53,793 --> 00:18:56,317 to being alive in Christ. 386 00:18:56,317 --> 00:19:00,102 That Spirit gives us the life. 387 00:19:00,102 --> 00:19:01,038 (from the room) 388 00:19:01,038 --> 00:19:04,047 Titus 3. 389 00:19:04,047 --> 00:19:06,011 "But He saved us..." 390 00:19:06,011 --> 00:19:07,432 and then it goes on to say, 391 00:19:07,432 --> 00:19:08,962 "by the washing of regeneration 392 00:19:08,962 --> 00:19:10,704 and renewal of the Holy Spirit 393 00:19:10,704 --> 00:19:13,353 whom He poured out on us richly 394 00:19:13,353 --> 00:19:15,373 through Jesus Christ our Savior 395 00:19:15,373 --> 00:19:18,231 in order that we might be justified by His grace." 396 00:19:18,231 --> 00:19:22,028 (unintelligible) 397 00:19:22,028 --> 00:19:25,511 Tim: So, it's clear. 398 00:19:25,511 --> 00:19:28,615 You're not born again, unless you're born of the Spirit. 399 00:19:28,615 --> 00:19:31,356 "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit." 400 00:19:31,356 --> 00:19:32,982 If you belong to Christ, 401 00:19:32,982 --> 00:19:34,915 you possess the Spirit of Christ. 402 00:19:34,915 --> 00:19:36,873 If you don't have the Spirit of Christ, 403 00:19:36,873 --> 00:19:38,570 you don't belong to Christ. 404 00:19:38,570 --> 00:19:41,427 We have the text that James read 405 00:19:41,427 --> 00:19:43,266 out of Ezekiel 36 406 00:19:43,266 --> 00:19:46,773 that He is going to put His Spirit within us. 407 00:19:46,773 --> 00:19:49,769 A new heart - He takes the old heart out. 408 00:19:49,769 --> 00:19:52,575 The Spirit - it's a package deal. 409 00:19:52,575 --> 00:19:54,403 We hear the text in Titus. 410 00:19:54,403 --> 00:19:56,817 We see this - the renewal of the Holy Spirit. 411 00:19:56,817 --> 00:20:00,489 It's definitely put in a package 412 00:20:00,489 --> 00:20:03,923 with justification - pretty amazing. 413 00:20:03,923 --> 00:20:07,306 We're justified by faith. 414 00:20:07,306 --> 00:20:11,388 But we know that those who are dead, 415 00:20:11,388 --> 00:20:13,389 those who are dead can't respond to God. 416 00:20:13,389 --> 00:20:14,842 You've got to be made alive. 417 00:20:14,842 --> 00:20:17,591 "He made us alive together with Christ." 418 00:20:17,591 --> 00:20:20,979 And the very power comes to us 419 00:20:20,979 --> 00:20:24,572 by way of His Spirit - His life-giving Spirit. 420 00:20:24,572 --> 00:20:27,186 We're born of the Spirit. 421 00:20:27,186 --> 00:20:33,518 Okay, this is what this - 422 00:20:33,518 --> 00:20:35,477 I'm not sure if he's a young man, 423 00:20:35,477 --> 00:20:37,972 I'll just call him this brother, 424 00:20:37,972 --> 00:20:42,194 Midhun P. Matthew. 425 00:20:42,194 --> 00:20:43,962 This is what he believes. 426 00:20:43,962 --> 00:20:46,888 This is what he was telling his friends. 427 00:20:46,888 --> 00:20:51,147 "But then," he says, "one day, I came to this verse." 428 00:20:51,147 --> 00:20:52,493 Now let's all turn to it. 429 00:20:52,493 --> 00:21:00,328 Acts 8:14. 430 00:21:00,328 --> 00:21:01,752 And before we even read it, 431 00:21:01,752 --> 00:21:03,769 I'm going to tell you what he says. 432 00:21:03,769 --> 00:21:07,585 He says, "this verse entirely contradicts 433 00:21:07,585 --> 00:21:09,886 my belief of the Holy Spirit. 434 00:21:09,886 --> 00:21:11,081 I want to know the truth. 435 00:21:11,081 --> 00:21:13,690 I don't want to spread the wrong thing about our Lord. 436 00:21:13,690 --> 00:21:18,927 So could you please help me to understand about these things?" 437 00:21:18,927 --> 00:21:20,824 I'm wanting to deal with this 438 00:21:20,824 --> 00:21:24,082 because I think it's a fantastic question. 439 00:21:24,082 --> 00:21:28,099 And listen, any of you that take your Bible seriously 440 00:21:28,099 --> 00:21:30,540 and read Scripture and have read 441 00:21:30,540 --> 00:21:33,652 all the way through your Bible maybe several times, 442 00:21:33,652 --> 00:21:37,531 if you haven't had questions about the Spirit of God 443 00:21:37,531 --> 00:21:39,480 and His operations, then I'm thinking, 444 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:41,807 you're not reading your Bible 445 00:21:41,807 --> 00:21:45,539 because you're going to come across 446 00:21:45,539 --> 00:21:46,996 the same kind of things 447 00:21:46,996 --> 00:21:50,555 that this brother has come across. 448 00:21:50,555 --> 00:21:58,864 And what he feels is that Acts 8 entirely contradicts 449 00:21:58,864 --> 00:22:01,726 the truth that we just set forth. 450 00:22:01,726 --> 00:22:09,297 So Acts 8. Anybody have it there? 451 00:22:09,297 --> 00:22:10,259 Verse 14. 452 00:22:10,259 --> 00:22:12,479 "Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard 453 00:22:12,479 --> 00:22:14,892 that Samaria had received the Word of God, 454 00:22:14,892 --> 00:22:18,236 they sent to them Peter and John." 455 00:22:18,236 --> 00:22:19,300 Tim: Keep going. 456 00:22:19,300 --> 00:22:21,343 "...who came down and prayed for them 457 00:22:21,343 --> 00:22:23,347 that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 458 00:22:23,347 --> 00:22:26,116 for He had not yet fallen on any of them, 459 00:22:26,116 --> 00:22:28,381 but they had only been baptized 460 00:22:28,381 --> 00:22:30,408 in the name of the Lord Jesus. 461 00:22:30,408 --> 00:22:32,172 Then they laid their hands on them 462 00:22:32,172 --> 00:22:33,989 and they received the Holy Spirit." 463 00:22:33,989 --> 00:22:39,371 Tim: Okay, so you come over to the book of Acts, 464 00:22:39,371 --> 00:22:42,015 and here's what you really need to see. 465 00:22:42,015 --> 00:22:47,888 This is obviously what this brother is seeing. 466 00:22:47,888 --> 00:22:51,262 These folks if you go back before this - 467 00:22:51,262 --> 00:22:52,955 I don't have my Bible open there, 468 00:22:52,955 --> 00:22:54,934 but if you've got your Bible open there, 469 00:22:54,934 --> 00:22:56,707 you see - what happened? 470 00:22:56,707 --> 00:22:58,146 Phillip came. 471 00:22:58,146 --> 00:23:00,342 Phillip preached the Gospel. 472 00:23:00,342 --> 00:23:03,578 And what happened? 473 00:23:03,578 --> 00:23:05,799 They believed. 474 00:23:05,799 --> 00:23:08,739 They believed and then what happened? 475 00:23:08,739 --> 00:23:10,999 Peter and John are dispatched and they go down, 476 00:23:10,999 --> 00:23:12,517 and of course, that whole thing 477 00:23:12,517 --> 00:23:14,392 with Simon the magician happens, 478 00:23:14,392 --> 00:23:17,993 but what else happens? 479 00:23:17,993 --> 00:23:20,710 This happens: 480 00:23:20,710 --> 00:23:24,277 "They heard that Samaria had received the Word of God." 481 00:23:24,277 --> 00:23:25,610 So here's the thing, 482 00:23:25,610 --> 00:23:26,916 they believed, 483 00:23:26,916 --> 00:23:30,152 they received the Word of God, 484 00:23:30,152 --> 00:23:34,336 "they had been baptized." 485 00:23:34,336 --> 00:23:35,941 So Phillip came. 486 00:23:35,941 --> 00:23:37,669 Phillip is doing his ministry. 487 00:23:37,669 --> 00:23:40,055 They hear the Gospel. 488 00:23:40,055 --> 00:23:42,396 They see the miracles that he was doing. 489 00:23:42,396 --> 00:23:45,427 They believe on him and are baptized. 490 00:23:45,427 --> 00:23:48,120 But now what happens? 491 00:23:48,120 --> 00:23:52,257 Then, Peter and John come down, 492 00:23:52,257 --> 00:23:55,057 and "the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on any of them. 493 00:23:55,057 --> 00:23:57,905 They'd only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 494 00:23:57,905 --> 00:23:59,627 Then they laid their hands on them 495 00:23:59,627 --> 00:24:02,151 and they received the Holy Spirit." 496 00:24:02,151 --> 00:24:05,661 So, basically, what this brother is feeling 497 00:24:05,661 --> 00:24:07,880 is wow, this totally contradicts. 498 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:09,137 How can this be? 499 00:24:09,137 --> 00:24:10,998 How can you have true believers - 500 00:24:10,998 --> 00:24:12,731 maybe what? 501 00:24:12,731 --> 00:24:15,672 Maybe they weren't true believers? 502 00:24:15,672 --> 00:24:17,909 Or, they are true believers 503 00:24:17,909 --> 00:24:19,967 and this is really contradictory? 504 00:24:19,967 --> 00:24:22,243 I mean, doesn't Paul say in Romans 8:9, 505 00:24:22,243 --> 00:24:23,385 didn't we see it? 506 00:24:23,385 --> 00:24:26,437 If you don't have the Spirit, you don't belong to Christ. 507 00:24:26,437 --> 00:24:29,070 So did these people not belong to Christ 508 00:24:29,070 --> 00:24:31,789 until the Spirit fell on them? 509 00:24:31,789 --> 00:24:35,084 Because see, this is where he's wrestling. 510 00:24:35,084 --> 00:24:36,934 In fact, if you read the book of Acts, 511 00:24:36,934 --> 00:24:38,672 there's various things that happen. 512 00:24:38,672 --> 00:24:41,552 We might just go over to Acts 19. 513 00:24:41,552 --> 00:24:43,698 Something very interesting happens there. 514 00:24:43,698 --> 00:24:46,979 You've got these - probably men 515 00:24:46,979 --> 00:24:51,542 who were affected by Apollos. 516 00:24:51,542 --> 00:24:54,755 See, Apollos had been at Ephesus 517 00:24:54,755 --> 00:24:57,663 and he only knew the baptism of John. 518 00:24:57,663 --> 00:24:59,470 And what happens is 519 00:24:59,470 --> 00:25:02,632 once he's set right by Priscilla and Aquila, 520 00:25:02,632 --> 00:25:04,739 then you have Paul go over to Ephesus, 521 00:25:04,739 --> 00:25:06,724 and I think what he finds 522 00:25:06,724 --> 00:25:09,588 are probably some disciples of Apollos, 523 00:25:09,588 --> 00:25:13,049 who all they knew was the baptism of John. 524 00:25:13,049 --> 00:25:28,082 And when you get these guys - Acts 19:1, 525 00:25:28,082 --> 00:25:30,242 "It happened while Apollos was at Corinth. 526 00:25:30,242 --> 00:25:32,272 Paul passed through the inland country 527 00:25:32,272 --> 00:25:33,407 and came to Ephesus. 528 00:25:33,407 --> 00:25:36,723 There he found some disciples." 529 00:25:36,723 --> 00:25:39,935 Maybe we back up to the previous chapter, 530 00:25:39,935 --> 00:25:43,068 verse 24, "a Jew named Apollos, 531 00:25:43,068 --> 00:25:45,400 a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus." 532 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,011 So, you see, Apollos was at Ephesus. 533 00:25:48,011 --> 00:25:50,706 Eloquent man. Competent in the Scriptures. 534 00:25:50,706 --> 00:25:52,429 He's a mighty preacher. 535 00:25:52,429 --> 00:25:54,882 "He'd been instructed in the way of the Lord, 536 00:25:54,882 --> 00:25:57,863 and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately 537 00:25:57,863 --> 00:25:59,301 the things concerning Jesus, 538 00:25:59,301 --> 00:26:04,092 though he knew only the baptism of John." 539 00:26:04,092 --> 00:26:05,956 So you've got this man who knows only 540 00:26:05,956 --> 00:26:07,268 the baptism of John. 541 00:26:07,268 --> 00:26:10,808 Why the folks at Ephesus didn't set him right, 542 00:26:10,808 --> 00:26:12,571 I don't know. 543 00:26:12,571 --> 00:26:14,507 Maybe he was such a powerful preacher, 544 00:26:14,507 --> 00:26:17,016 they thought he must know what he's talking about. 545 00:26:17,016 --> 00:26:19,140 Who knows why they wouldn't have? 546 00:26:19,140 --> 00:26:21,316 "He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, 547 00:26:21,316 --> 00:26:23,261 but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, 548 00:26:23,261 --> 00:26:25,112 they took him and explained to him 549 00:26:25,112 --> 00:26:28,973 the way of God more accurately. 550 00:26:28,973 --> 00:26:30,947 When he wished to cross to Achaia, 551 00:26:30,947 --> 00:26:32,339 the brothers encouraged him 552 00:26:32,339 --> 00:26:34,452 and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. 553 00:26:34,452 --> 00:26:36,363 When he arrived, he greatly helped 554 00:26:36,363 --> 00:26:38,881 those who through grace had believed, 555 00:26:38,881 --> 00:26:41,395 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public 556 00:26:41,395 --> 00:26:42,741 showing by the Scriptures 557 00:26:42,741 --> 00:26:45,978 that the Christ was Jesus." 558 00:26:45,978 --> 00:26:49,626 So what happens is he's at Ephesus. 559 00:26:49,626 --> 00:26:52,363 He knows just the baptism of John. 560 00:26:52,363 --> 00:26:54,670 He's set right by Priscilla and Aquila. 561 00:26:54,670 --> 00:26:56,580 Then he goes over to Achaia. 562 00:26:56,580 --> 00:26:58,618 He leaves Ephesus. 563 00:26:58,618 --> 00:27:01,303 Paul in turn comes to Ephesus 564 00:27:01,303 --> 00:27:03,218 and here's what Paul finds. 565 00:27:03,218 --> 00:27:05,689 "It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth..." 566 00:27:05,689 --> 00:27:07,084 So, he goes over to Achaia. 567 00:27:07,084 --> 00:27:09,026 Paul passed through the inland country. 568 00:27:09,026 --> 00:27:10,685 He comes to Ephesus. 569 00:27:10,685 --> 00:27:12,459 And there he finds some disciples. 570 00:27:12,459 --> 00:27:14,210 "He said to them, 571 00:27:14,210 --> 00:27:17,315 'did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?'" 572 00:27:17,315 --> 00:27:19,748 Now, what's he assuming? 573 00:27:19,748 --> 00:27:24,023 They are believers. 574 00:27:24,023 --> 00:27:26,125 He's asking them. 575 00:27:26,125 --> 00:27:29,328 See, he's not questioning whether they're believers. 576 00:27:29,328 --> 00:27:31,683 He's not saying, well, I'm calling into question 577 00:27:31,683 --> 00:27:33,594 whether you're truly Christians or not. 578 00:27:33,594 --> 00:27:35,040 He just simply asks them this: 579 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:36,548 Since you became Christians - 580 00:27:36,548 --> 00:27:40,450 since you've become believers - 581 00:27:40,450 --> 00:27:43,836 did you receive the Holy Spirit? 582 00:27:43,836 --> 00:27:47,477 And they said no. 583 00:27:47,477 --> 00:27:50,310 Okay, if you don't have the Spirit, 584 00:27:50,310 --> 00:27:52,597 you what? 585 00:27:52,597 --> 00:27:54,472 You don't belong to Christ. 586 00:27:54,472 --> 00:27:59,770 So do we have a contradiction here? 587 00:27:59,770 --> 00:28:01,267 "They said, 'No. 588 00:28:01,267 --> 00:28:04,072 We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.'" 589 00:28:04,072 --> 00:28:07,909 Now, I think what happened in Paul's mind is this: 590 00:28:07,909 --> 00:28:10,720 Jesus told His disciples to baptize 591 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:12,628 in the name of the Father, 592 00:28:12,628 --> 00:28:18,843 and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 593 00:28:18,843 --> 00:28:22,417 And I think he was wondering 594 00:28:22,417 --> 00:28:25,477 how could they not know that there's a Spirit 595 00:28:25,477 --> 00:28:29,572 if they're being baptized? 596 00:28:29,572 --> 00:28:31,175 I'm just conjecturing. 597 00:28:31,175 --> 00:28:34,253 But he asks then, 598 00:28:34,253 --> 00:28:38,653 "Into what then were you baptized?" 599 00:28:38,653 --> 00:28:40,464 They said into John's baptism. 600 00:28:40,464 --> 00:28:44,583 What's interesting - this is the only time in Scripture 601 00:28:44,583 --> 00:28:47,442 you find somebody re-baptized. 602 00:28:47,442 --> 00:28:49,516 Or, where it seems like 603 00:28:49,516 --> 00:28:53,441 their initial baptism is not regarded 604 00:28:53,441 --> 00:28:57,784 and they need to be baptized for real. 605 00:28:57,784 --> 00:29:03,361 And that's what happens here. 606 00:29:03,361 --> 00:29:06,336 Paul said, "'John baptized with the baptism of repentance 607 00:29:06,336 --> 00:29:08,331 telling the people to believe in the One 608 00:29:08,331 --> 00:29:10,951 who was to come after him - that is Jesus.' 609 00:29:10,951 --> 00:29:12,697 On hearing this, they were baptized 610 00:29:12,697 --> 00:29:14,243 in the name of the Lord Jesus, 611 00:29:14,243 --> 00:29:17,369 and when Paul had laid his hands on them, 612 00:29:17,369 --> 00:29:19,038 the Holy Spirit came on them 613 00:29:19,038 --> 00:29:21,623 and they began speaking in tongues 614 00:29:21,623 --> 00:29:24,310 and prophesying." 615 00:29:24,310 --> 00:29:25,779 So what do we do? 616 00:29:25,779 --> 00:29:28,204 What do we do with this? What do we say to this? 617 00:29:28,204 --> 00:29:29,694 How do we interpret this? 618 00:29:29,694 --> 00:29:31,039 Is this brother right? 619 00:29:31,039 --> 00:29:38,918 Is he saying, wait, Scripture is contradictory? 620 00:29:38,918 --> 00:29:50,796 Well, here's the way we want to think about this. 621 00:29:50,796 --> 00:29:53,174 (incomplete thought) 622 00:29:53,174 --> 00:29:54,882 We have clear truth. 623 00:29:54,882 --> 00:29:57,923 Some of these accounts are not clear. 624 00:29:57,923 --> 00:30:00,019 We don't exactly know what's happening. 625 00:30:00,019 --> 00:30:01,841 Some are extremely clear. 626 00:30:01,841 --> 00:30:04,035 Let me ask you this, 627 00:30:04,035 --> 00:30:07,924 can you be a Christian without the Holy Spirit? 628 00:30:07,924 --> 00:30:10,234 Whatever happens here, 629 00:30:10,234 --> 00:30:14,126 Romans 8:9 is crystal clear. 630 00:30:14,126 --> 00:30:16,224 If you don't have the Spirit, 631 00:30:16,224 --> 00:30:20,947 you don't belong to Christ. 632 00:30:20,947 --> 00:30:23,185 John 3 - crystal clear. 633 00:30:23,185 --> 00:30:26,060 If you have not been born of the Spirit, 634 00:30:26,060 --> 00:30:28,338 you will not see the Kingdom. 635 00:30:28,338 --> 00:30:33,136 That means you are not a genuine Christian. 636 00:30:33,136 --> 00:30:35,180 Crystal clear. 637 00:30:35,180 --> 00:30:39,426 So, you either have to say 638 00:30:39,426 --> 00:30:42,089 the people who believed - 639 00:30:42,089 --> 00:30:46,381 it wasn't saving faith yet. 640 00:30:46,381 --> 00:30:50,653 But, when the Spirit came, it became real. 641 00:30:50,653 --> 00:30:52,174 You either have to say that, 642 00:30:52,174 --> 00:30:56,933 or you have to say this: 643 00:30:56,933 --> 00:31:01,281 They actually had the Spirit 644 00:31:01,281 --> 00:31:04,828 when they first believed. 645 00:31:04,828 --> 00:31:08,111 But what happens when the Spirit falls upon them 646 00:31:08,111 --> 00:31:11,847 is something different. 647 00:31:11,847 --> 00:31:14,207 And I would say 648 00:31:14,207 --> 00:31:16,794 that when we look at the biblical evidence 649 00:31:16,794 --> 00:31:19,076 it's the latter. 650 00:31:19,076 --> 00:31:20,956 That what we have here 651 00:31:20,956 --> 00:31:24,454 is Scripture is talking about 652 00:31:24,454 --> 00:31:29,045 different manifestations of the Spirit. 653 00:31:29,045 --> 00:31:30,726 You say what do you mean? 654 00:31:30,726 --> 00:31:41,160 Well, for instance, look at Acts 10. 655 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:46,525 This is Cornelius in Caesarea. 656 00:31:46,525 --> 00:31:47,612 This is the Gospel - 657 00:31:47,612 --> 00:31:50,299 it's moving outward from Jerusalem. 658 00:31:50,299 --> 00:31:55,680 You have Gentiles being converted. 659 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:59,750 And here we see. 660 00:31:59,750 --> 00:32:06,680 Look at about verse 47. 661 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:08,390 Maybe 44. 662 00:32:08,390 --> 00:32:10,918 "While Peter was still saying these things..." 663 00:32:10,918 --> 00:32:12,247 he's preaching. 664 00:32:12,247 --> 00:32:16,188 "...The Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the Word. 665 00:32:16,188 --> 00:32:19,958 And the believers from among the circumcised 666 00:32:19,958 --> 00:32:24,090 (believing Jews) who had come with Peter were amazed 667 00:32:24,090 --> 00:32:26,550 because the gift of the Holy Spirit 668 00:32:26,550 --> 00:32:29,301 was poured out even on the Gentiles, 669 00:32:29,301 --> 00:32:31,838 for they were hearing them speaking in tongues 670 00:32:31,838 --> 00:32:33,183 and extolling God..." 671 00:32:33,183 --> 00:32:37,619 Now listen very carefully to what Peter says. 672 00:32:37,619 --> 00:32:39,277 "Can anyone withhold water 673 00:32:39,277 --> 00:32:40,908 for baptizing these people 674 00:32:40,908 --> 00:32:44,411 who have received the Holy Spirit 675 00:32:44,411 --> 00:32:50,136 just as we have?" 676 00:32:50,136 --> 00:32:52,291 What's he talking about? 677 00:32:52,291 --> 00:32:55,894 What event is he speaking about right there? 678 00:32:55,894 --> 00:32:58,528 When did he receive the Spirit 679 00:32:58,528 --> 00:33:01,709 in this same fashion? 680 00:33:01,709 --> 00:33:03,871 The day of Pentecost. 681 00:33:03,871 --> 00:33:09,366 That's what he's talking about. 682 00:33:09,366 --> 00:33:13,765 He says - listen - verse 46. 683 00:33:13,765 --> 00:33:16,179 "They were hearing them speaking in tongues 684 00:33:16,179 --> 00:33:18,561 and extolling God." 685 00:33:18,561 --> 00:33:25,421 When did Peter speak in tongues 686 00:33:25,421 --> 00:33:28,422 so that people heard the mighty works of God 687 00:33:28,422 --> 00:33:32,260 in their own language? 688 00:33:32,260 --> 00:33:34,607 Where? 689 00:33:34,607 --> 00:33:39,132 Acts chapter 2. 690 00:33:39,132 --> 00:33:41,976 The day of Pentecost. That's where that happened. 691 00:33:41,976 --> 00:33:47,263 Now let me ask you this, 692 00:33:47,263 --> 00:33:49,911 he's saying that on the day of Pentecost 693 00:33:49,911 --> 00:33:51,690 he received the Spirit 694 00:33:51,690 --> 00:33:55,313 just as those people there in Acts 10 695 00:33:55,313 --> 00:33:56,790 were receiving the Spirit. 696 00:33:56,790 --> 00:33:58,659 But let me ask you this: 697 00:33:58,659 --> 00:34:03,836 Were they already believers in Acts 2? 698 00:34:03,836 --> 00:34:06,609 And had they already received the Spirit? 699 00:34:06,609 --> 00:34:09,550 And had they already been baptized? 700 00:34:09,550 --> 00:34:11,704 Long before that day of Pentecost 701 00:34:11,704 --> 00:34:13,193 which he's referring to here? 702 00:34:13,193 --> 00:34:14,735 You see the point I'm making? 703 00:34:14,735 --> 00:34:17,403 He's saying, 704 00:34:17,403 --> 00:34:21,702 why should we not baptize these people? 705 00:34:21,702 --> 00:34:23,590 But you see the point he's making - 706 00:34:23,590 --> 00:34:25,630 they have just received the Spirit 707 00:34:25,630 --> 00:34:28,764 the way we received the Spirit, 708 00:34:28,764 --> 00:34:30,934 but he's not talking about 709 00:34:30,934 --> 00:34:33,479 receiving the Spirit 710 00:34:33,479 --> 00:34:35,961 the way that is necessary 711 00:34:35,961 --> 00:34:37,947 simply to become a Christian. 712 00:34:37,947 --> 00:34:39,409 Because if you go back to what 713 00:34:39,409 --> 00:34:42,282 he's talking about happened in his own life, 714 00:34:42,282 --> 00:34:44,491 they had been baptized and saved 715 00:34:44,491 --> 00:34:45,852 way before that event. 716 00:34:45,852 --> 00:34:47,185 What had happened? 717 00:34:47,185 --> 00:34:51,443 Listen, Jesus says in John 14, 15, 16 - 718 00:34:51,443 --> 00:34:53,383 He's telling them about the Helper, 719 00:34:53,383 --> 00:34:55,460 about the Comforter who was to come. 720 00:34:55,460 --> 00:34:57,723 And He said then to them, 721 00:34:57,723 --> 00:35:02,435 "He is in you..." already, 722 00:35:02,435 --> 00:35:04,100 and then He said this, 723 00:35:04,100 --> 00:35:07,939 "and He will be with you." 724 00:35:07,939 --> 00:35:10,396 Now I think that's important to catch 725 00:35:10,396 --> 00:35:14,493 because I think what He's saying there 726 00:35:14,493 --> 00:35:18,135 is much according to this truth. 727 00:35:18,135 --> 00:35:21,315 In Luke 11, we are specifically told 728 00:35:21,315 --> 00:35:22,527 that if we're Christians, 729 00:35:22,527 --> 00:35:25,393 we should be praying to our Father 730 00:35:25,393 --> 00:35:27,978 that He give us the Holy Spirit. 731 00:35:27,978 --> 00:35:30,354 "How much more will our heavenly Father 732 00:35:30,354 --> 00:35:34,157 give the Holy Spirit to them that ask." 733 00:35:34,157 --> 00:35:36,956 He's not speaking to the lost masses. 734 00:35:36,956 --> 00:35:38,695 He's speaking to His disciples 735 00:35:38,695 --> 00:35:40,444 who specifically asked Him, 736 00:35:40,444 --> 00:35:42,795 "Lord, teach us to pray." 737 00:35:42,795 --> 00:35:45,495 And He said I'll teach you to pray. 738 00:35:45,495 --> 00:35:46,936 And He said one of the things 739 00:35:46,936 --> 00:35:49,104 you need to ask your Father for all the time 740 00:35:49,104 --> 00:35:50,818 is that He give you the Holy Spirit. 741 00:35:50,818 --> 00:35:53,769 Now see, you could stop right there and say, 742 00:35:53,769 --> 00:35:57,061 why should a Christian pray for the Spirit? 743 00:35:57,061 --> 00:35:58,417 And I'll tell you this, 744 00:35:58,417 --> 00:36:01,642 it's because we receive the Spirit in more than one way. 745 00:36:01,642 --> 00:36:06,293 The Spirit's operations are not simply: 746 00:36:06,293 --> 00:36:09,534 you receive Him the moment you're saved 747 00:36:09,534 --> 00:36:11,605 and He breathes life into you - 748 00:36:11,605 --> 00:36:13,121 there's much more. 749 00:36:13,121 --> 00:36:15,133 You see, when the Spirit of God fell 750 00:36:15,133 --> 00:36:17,893 on all those 120 in the upper room 751 00:36:17,893 --> 00:36:19,926 on the day of Pentecost, 752 00:36:19,926 --> 00:36:22,027 what happened? 753 00:36:22,027 --> 00:36:24,003 I'll tell you what happened. 754 00:36:24,003 --> 00:36:27,725 "You will be My witnesses." 755 00:36:27,725 --> 00:36:31,333 Jerusalem and just moving outward. 756 00:36:31,333 --> 00:36:33,088 Judea, Samaria, 757 00:36:33,088 --> 00:36:34,891 the uttermost parts of the world. 758 00:36:34,891 --> 00:36:36,913 And He told them you go to Jerusalem 759 00:36:36,913 --> 00:36:40,925 and you sit there until what happens? 760 00:36:40,925 --> 00:36:44,857 Clothed with power. 761 00:36:44,857 --> 00:36:47,079 You see, what this Spirit is - 762 00:36:47,079 --> 00:36:49,389 this Spirit is the missionary Spirit. 763 00:36:49,389 --> 00:36:51,391 When Jesus said, "Lo, I will be with you 764 00:36:51,391 --> 00:36:52,743 until the end of the world. 765 00:36:52,743 --> 00:36:54,294 You go to all the nations;" 766 00:36:54,294 --> 00:36:56,701 what happened was, what you find 767 00:36:56,701 --> 00:36:59,431 in the book of Acts repeatedly 768 00:36:59,431 --> 00:37:01,338 is the Spirit falls 769 00:37:01,338 --> 00:37:04,856 and people speak with power, 770 00:37:04,856 --> 00:37:06,036 with boldness, 771 00:37:06,036 --> 00:37:08,642 and with supernatural manifestation. 772 00:37:08,642 --> 00:37:11,937 Every single time. 773 00:37:11,937 --> 00:37:13,127 Look at it. 774 00:37:13,127 --> 00:37:15,097 You study carefully in the book of Acts 775 00:37:15,097 --> 00:37:18,485 where the Spirit is being unleashed on the church 776 00:37:18,485 --> 00:37:20,384 and they are being clothed with power. 777 00:37:20,384 --> 00:37:23,487 Every single time - speaking gifts 778 00:37:23,487 --> 00:37:26,712 and boldness in speaking are given to the people 779 00:37:26,712 --> 00:37:28,338 every single time. 780 00:37:28,338 --> 00:37:33,780 This is different than simply having the Spirit - 781 00:37:33,780 --> 00:37:34,953 not that it's so simple, 782 00:37:34,953 --> 00:37:40,353 but than that initial Spirit of God 783 00:37:40,353 --> 00:37:43,681 causing you to be born again. 784 00:37:43,681 --> 00:37:46,683 What you want to realize - 785 00:37:46,683 --> 00:37:54,038 brethren, look at it. Look at Luke 11. 786 00:37:54,038 --> 00:37:56,952 Because this doesn't only 787 00:37:56,952 --> 00:37:58,829 help our brother explain 788 00:37:58,829 --> 00:38:02,726 how these things can be; 789 00:38:02,726 --> 00:38:06,438 how these Scriptures actually work together. 790 00:38:06,438 --> 00:38:10,056 But what it does is it opens to us 791 00:38:10,056 --> 00:38:16,012 a glorious reality of ongoing 792 00:38:16,012 --> 00:38:18,084 manifestations of the Spirit, 793 00:38:18,084 --> 00:38:20,097 empowerings of the Spirit, 794 00:38:20,097 --> 00:38:21,955 help of the Spirit, 795 00:38:21,955 --> 00:38:25,917 ongoing prayers asking for more of the Spirit. 796 00:38:25,917 --> 00:38:29,186 If you look at Luke 11, 797 00:38:29,186 --> 00:38:33,615 and Luke especially, 798 00:38:33,615 --> 00:38:36,409 he among the Gospel writers - 799 00:38:36,409 --> 00:38:40,134 and by the way, he's the one that wrote the book of Acts too, 800 00:38:40,134 --> 00:38:43,320 but he loves to speak about the Holy Spirit 801 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:48,021 in a way that the other Gospel writers don't do. 802 00:38:48,021 --> 00:38:54,684 But in Luke 11, prayer. 803 00:38:54,684 --> 00:38:57,120 Verse 1, "As Jesus was praying in a certain place, 804 00:38:57,120 --> 00:38:59,772 when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, 805 00:38:59,772 --> 00:39:01,865 'Lord, teach us to pray.'" 806 00:39:01,865 --> 00:39:03,727 Of course, we have Luke's version 807 00:39:03,727 --> 00:39:05,928 of the Lord's prayer. 808 00:39:05,928 --> 00:39:07,508 Verse 5, "And He said to them, 809 00:39:07,508 --> 00:39:09,001 'which of you who has a friend 810 00:39:09,001 --> 00:39:11,074 will go to him at midnight and say to him, 811 00:39:11,074 --> 00:39:12,554 "Friend, lend me three loaves, 812 00:39:12,554 --> 00:39:14,854 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey 813 00:39:14,854 --> 00:39:17,371 and I have nothing to set before him." 814 00:39:17,371 --> 00:39:19,188 He will answer from within, 815 00:39:19,188 --> 00:39:21,164 "Do not bother me. The door is now shut. 816 00:39:21,164 --> 00:39:22,646 My children are with me in bed. 817 00:39:22,646 --> 00:39:24,582 I cannot get up and give you anything." 818 00:39:24,582 --> 00:39:26,342 I tell you, though he will not get up 819 00:39:26,342 --> 00:39:28,635 and give him anything because he is his friend, 820 00:39:28,635 --> 00:39:30,754 yet because of his impudence (or persistence 821 00:39:30,754 --> 00:39:33,303 or importunity, the KJV says) 822 00:39:33,303 --> 00:39:36,443 he will rise and give him whatever he needs.'" 823 00:39:36,443 --> 00:39:40,162 This doesn't mean that our Father is reluctant. 824 00:39:40,162 --> 00:39:42,712 But this does mean that our Father loves importunity 825 00:39:42,712 --> 00:39:45,832 and persistence. 826 00:39:45,832 --> 00:39:48,665 There is a vain repetition, brethren, 827 00:39:48,665 --> 00:39:51,549 but there is a repetition that is not vain. 828 00:39:51,549 --> 00:39:53,526 There's a repetition that is importunity 829 00:39:53,526 --> 00:39:55,849 that says, "Lord, I'm not letting go of you..." 830 00:39:55,849 --> 00:39:56,796 It's like Jacob. 831 00:39:56,796 --> 00:39:59,126 "I'm going to keep asking You for the same thing 832 00:39:59,126 --> 00:40:01,913 and I'm going to hold on to You and You know what I want. 833 00:40:01,913 --> 00:40:08,065 I'm not going to get go of You until I get what I've come for, Lord." 834 00:40:08,065 --> 00:40:11,402 "I tell you, ask and it will be given to you; 835 00:40:11,402 --> 00:40:12,668 seek and you will find, 836 00:40:12,668 --> 00:40:15,535 knock and it will be opened to you. 837 00:40:15,535 --> 00:40:17,033 For everyone who asks receives, 838 00:40:17,033 --> 00:40:18,556 the one who seeks finds, 839 00:40:18,556 --> 00:40:20,812 and to the one who knocks, it will be opened." 840 00:40:20,812 --> 00:40:22,863 Now you remember, 841 00:40:22,863 --> 00:40:26,838 they specifically asked the Lord, 842 00:40:26,838 --> 00:40:30,325 "teach us to pray." 843 00:40:30,325 --> 00:40:37,010 These things where I started reading till now, 844 00:40:37,010 --> 00:40:39,774 they give us principles regarding prayer. 845 00:40:39,774 --> 00:40:44,061 They give us generalities. 846 00:40:44,061 --> 00:40:45,844 He focuses in on some certain things 847 00:40:45,844 --> 00:40:48,502 in v. 2, 3, and 4. 848 00:40:48,502 --> 00:40:51,870 But He focuses in right here. 849 00:40:51,870 --> 00:40:54,285 "What father among you, 850 00:40:54,285 --> 00:40:57,150 if his son asks for a fish 851 00:40:57,150 --> 00:40:59,508 will instead of a fish give him a serpent? 852 00:40:59,508 --> 00:41:03,343 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 853 00:41:03,343 --> 00:41:05,380 Or if you then who are evil 854 00:41:05,380 --> 00:41:07,597 know how to give good gifts to your children, 855 00:41:07,597 --> 00:41:09,549 how much more will the Heavenly Father 856 00:41:09,549 --> 00:41:10,998 give the Holy Spirit?" 857 00:41:10,998 --> 00:41:13,011 Now, notice that - the Holy Spirit 858 00:41:13,011 --> 00:41:15,422 to those who ask Him. 859 00:41:15,422 --> 00:41:17,641 What I want you to recognize is this, 860 00:41:17,641 --> 00:41:18,981 when you go back to verse 1, 861 00:41:18,981 --> 00:41:21,103 this is not the lost masses saying, 862 00:41:21,103 --> 00:41:22,636 "Lord, we're lost. We don't know 863 00:41:22,636 --> 00:41:24,031 how to interact with God. 864 00:41:24,031 --> 00:41:25,717 We don't know anything about Him. 865 00:41:25,717 --> 00:41:27,372 Teach us what we should pray." 866 00:41:27,372 --> 00:41:29,445 And He's saying, "Pray for the Holy Spirit 867 00:41:29,445 --> 00:41:30,917 because you don't have Him 868 00:41:30,917 --> 00:41:32,477 and you need Him to be saved." 869 00:41:32,477 --> 00:41:34,493 That's not what's happening here. 870 00:41:34,493 --> 00:41:36,460 What's happening here is the disciples 871 00:41:36,460 --> 00:41:38,304 who are already saved 872 00:41:38,304 --> 00:41:40,262 (incomplete thought) 873 00:41:40,262 --> 00:41:42,634 Notice verse 2. 874 00:41:42,634 --> 00:41:44,317 "Father..." 875 00:41:44,317 --> 00:41:48,652 These are people who know God as their Father. 876 00:41:48,652 --> 00:41:50,821 These are the disciples. 877 00:41:50,821 --> 00:41:53,325 They're saying, "Lord, teach us to pray." 878 00:41:53,325 --> 00:41:56,885 And He says this to people who are already saved. 879 00:41:56,885 --> 00:41:58,857 "Let Me teach you how to pray." 880 00:41:58,857 --> 00:42:05,894 "Ask your Father for the Spirit." 881 00:42:05,894 --> 00:42:09,503 Somebody might say why? 882 00:42:09,503 --> 00:42:13,595 If I belong to Christ, I have the Spirit. 883 00:42:13,595 --> 00:42:15,953 Why would I pray for the Spirit? 884 00:42:15,953 --> 00:42:19,989 Because this is the very truth 885 00:42:19,989 --> 00:42:23,213 that I've been driving at. 886 00:42:23,213 --> 00:42:25,671 There's more. 887 00:42:25,671 --> 00:42:28,332 Just receiving the Spirit - 888 00:42:28,332 --> 00:42:30,459 I say it like that - 889 00:42:30,459 --> 00:42:32,858 that's not a small thing. 890 00:42:32,858 --> 00:42:36,274 To receive the Spirit - to be born again, 891 00:42:36,274 --> 00:42:39,997 listen, this is one of the Persons 892 00:42:39,997 --> 00:42:44,136 of the Holy Trinity. 893 00:42:44,136 --> 00:42:49,983 When the Holy Spirit indwells you - 894 00:42:49,983 --> 00:42:54,507 what is it, 1 Corinthians 6? 895 00:42:54,507 --> 00:42:57,949 What's said there about the Spirit? 896 00:42:57,949 --> 00:43:00,783 That's another text. 897 00:43:00,783 --> 00:43:04,178 Can you quote it, Kevin? 898 00:43:04,178 --> 00:43:14,856 (unintelligible) 899 00:43:14,856 --> 00:43:22,161 3:16 - it's in 3 and 6. 900 00:43:22,161 --> 00:43:26,427 But 1 Corinthians 3:16. What does it say? 901 00:43:26,427 --> 00:43:29,273 "Do you not know that you are God's temple? 902 00:43:29,273 --> 00:43:31,369 And God's Spirit dwells in you?" 903 00:43:31,369 --> 00:43:33,990 Tim: Yeah, God's Spirit dwells in you. 904 00:43:33,990 --> 00:43:37,522 If you are His temple, God's Spirit dwells in you. 905 00:43:37,522 --> 00:43:38,900 I mean, that's a given. 906 00:43:38,900 --> 00:43:41,788 But the thing is, 907 00:43:41,788 --> 00:43:43,995 what are we going to say to Jesus? 908 00:43:43,995 --> 00:43:48,638 Are we going to say, "Jesus, I'm God's temple. 909 00:43:48,638 --> 00:43:53,154 Don't You know...?" That's what Paul's saying. 910 00:43:53,154 --> 00:43:58,238 Jesus, don't You know that if I'm the temple of God, 911 00:43:58,238 --> 00:44:00,113 the Holy Spirit dwells in me? 912 00:44:00,113 --> 00:44:01,612 Don't You know that? 913 00:44:01,612 --> 00:44:05,552 Why would You say ask for the Spirit? 914 00:44:05,552 --> 00:44:08,194 Because there's so much - 915 00:44:08,194 --> 00:44:11,215 there's more to be had. 916 00:44:11,215 --> 00:44:14,018 It's like one of the things that Jesus 917 00:44:14,018 --> 00:44:16,682 is teaching us 918 00:44:16,682 --> 00:44:19,446 is if you want to be specifically asking 919 00:44:19,446 --> 00:44:21,738 for something that I know 920 00:44:21,738 --> 00:44:25,132 is really important in your life - 921 00:44:25,132 --> 00:44:27,499 something as you ask 922 00:44:27,499 --> 00:44:28,842 and you keep going back - 923 00:44:28,842 --> 00:44:30,224 this importunity; 924 00:44:30,224 --> 00:44:32,212 I feel like He's teaching on importunity, 925 00:44:32,212 --> 00:44:34,288 and He says you want to go back to the Father 926 00:44:34,288 --> 00:44:36,174 again and again and again and again 927 00:44:36,174 --> 00:44:37,312 for something? 928 00:44:37,312 --> 00:44:39,048 I'll tell you what to go to Him for. 929 00:44:39,048 --> 00:44:40,677 Go to Him for the Spirit. 930 00:44:40,677 --> 00:44:43,315 But why? I already have Him. 931 00:44:43,315 --> 00:44:45,699 For this reason: don't you realize? 932 00:44:45,699 --> 00:44:49,770 You can do nothing apart from the Spirit of Christ. 933 00:44:49,770 --> 00:44:50,735 We read that. 934 00:44:50,735 --> 00:44:54,446 "You can do nothing apart from Me," Jesus said. 935 00:44:54,446 --> 00:44:56,835 But it's through and by His Spirit 936 00:44:56,835 --> 00:44:58,921 that we are empowered to do 937 00:44:58,921 --> 00:45:00,663 anything that we do. 938 00:45:00,663 --> 00:45:05,000 Listen, the Spirit was given to Jesus Himself 939 00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:06,563 without measure. 940 00:45:06,563 --> 00:45:08,607 And Jesus did what He did 941 00:45:08,607 --> 00:45:10,181 through the power of the Spirit. 942 00:45:10,181 --> 00:45:13,176 And the more of the Spirit that we have, 943 00:45:13,176 --> 00:45:15,832 the more manifestations of the Spirit we have, 944 00:45:15,832 --> 00:45:17,247 that's what happened. 945 00:45:17,247 --> 00:45:19,540 That's what happened in the book of Acts. 946 00:45:19,540 --> 00:45:23,013 People had the Spirit of God fall upon them 947 00:45:23,013 --> 00:45:25,888 and supernatural things happened. 948 00:45:25,888 --> 00:45:27,860 That's what we need to have happen. 949 00:45:27,860 --> 00:45:29,909 We need to be praying for the Spirit. 950 00:45:29,909 --> 00:45:32,051 Why? Even if you're already saved, 951 00:45:32,051 --> 00:45:33,888 you need to be praying for the Spirit. 952 00:45:33,888 --> 00:45:37,012 Why? There are more manifestations to be had. 953 00:45:37,012 --> 00:45:39,097 The Spirit of God falls on people 954 00:45:39,097 --> 00:45:41,553 who are already saved. 955 00:45:41,553 --> 00:45:42,738 You say why? 956 00:45:42,738 --> 00:45:43,599 Power. 957 00:45:43,599 --> 00:45:45,341 That's what He told the disciples. 958 00:45:45,341 --> 00:45:47,662 You wait for power. 959 00:45:47,662 --> 00:45:49,928 That's what the coming of the Spirit brought. 960 00:45:49,928 --> 00:45:52,390 The Spirit empowers the church, 961 00:45:52,390 --> 00:45:56,220 especially in evangelistic cause. 962 00:45:56,220 --> 00:45:58,803 To take the Gospel forth to the nations; 963 00:45:58,803 --> 00:46:00,467 to be witness; 964 00:46:00,467 --> 00:46:03,502 to have the Gospel truly be 965 00:46:03,502 --> 00:46:05,210 something more than a dead letter. 966 00:46:05,210 --> 00:46:07,281 What do you think makes the difference 967 00:46:07,281 --> 00:46:08,805 when somebody speaks the Gospel 968 00:46:08,805 --> 00:46:10,450 and the place is shaken? 969 00:46:10,450 --> 00:46:12,897 What were we hearing about just recently? 970 00:46:12,897 --> 00:46:14,644 I was just hearing recently about 971 00:46:14,644 --> 00:46:16,283 somebody was preaching the Gospel, 972 00:46:16,283 --> 00:46:19,012 just a very simple preacher, 973 00:46:19,012 --> 00:46:21,316 and he was just saying the simplest truths 974 00:46:21,316 --> 00:46:23,751 and God just broke loose. 975 00:46:23,751 --> 00:46:27,884 (unintelligible) 976 00:46:27,884 --> 00:46:29,286 That's what it was. 977 00:46:29,286 --> 00:46:32,157 Yeah, it was Mack, I think, at Pearl 978 00:46:32,157 --> 00:46:35,702 talking about the simplicity of Keith McCloud, 979 00:46:35,702 --> 00:46:37,880 how he was just the simplest man. 980 00:46:37,880 --> 00:46:40,156 His messages were very simple. 981 00:46:40,156 --> 00:46:42,168 He was just so plain, 982 00:46:42,168 --> 00:46:46,447 but when he spoke, power came. 983 00:46:46,447 --> 00:46:47,891 How do you explain that? 984 00:46:47,891 --> 00:46:49,992 No great gift. 985 00:46:49,992 --> 00:46:53,932 It's just when he spoke, heaven let loose. 986 00:46:53,932 --> 00:46:55,720 How do you explain it? Right here. 987 00:46:55,720 --> 00:46:58,674 That's how you explain it. 988 00:46:58,674 --> 00:47:00,541 You can have people with the greatest 989 00:47:00,541 --> 00:47:01,864 oratorical gifts. 990 00:47:01,864 --> 00:47:08,027 You can have the most gifted individuals 991 00:47:08,027 --> 00:47:10,103 and nothing will happen 992 00:47:10,103 --> 00:47:12,394 because raw talent isn't what makes 993 00:47:12,394 --> 00:47:14,701 the Kingdom of Christ move. 994 00:47:14,701 --> 00:47:18,038 The Spirit makes it move. 995 00:47:18,038 --> 00:47:20,924 And what you actually find 996 00:47:20,924 --> 00:47:22,163 in the book of Acts 997 00:47:22,163 --> 00:47:25,072 are repeated outpourings 998 00:47:25,072 --> 00:47:26,762 of the Spirit of God. 999 00:47:26,762 --> 00:47:28,272 That's just a reality. 1000 00:47:28,272 --> 00:47:30,673 And that Spirit is being poured out on people - 1001 00:47:30,673 --> 00:47:33,151 sometimes people who had already had the Spirit 1002 00:47:33,151 --> 00:47:36,247 poured out on them in an earlier chapter. 1003 00:47:36,247 --> 00:47:38,459 You say what's that all about? 1004 00:47:38,459 --> 00:47:40,100 Well, what does it mean to pray 1005 00:47:40,100 --> 00:47:42,264 for the Holy Spirit if you already have Him? 1006 00:47:42,264 --> 00:47:44,527 Obviously it means you're praying 1007 00:47:44,527 --> 00:47:46,568 for greater manifestations, 1008 00:47:46,568 --> 00:47:51,622 re-visitations, greater demonstrations, 1009 00:47:51,622 --> 00:47:54,302 greater power. 1010 00:47:54,302 --> 00:47:58,308 Being clothed - don't you love that? Clothed. 1011 00:47:58,308 --> 00:47:59,985 It's like putting a jacket on. 1012 00:47:59,985 --> 00:48:04,175 Can you imagine some glowing jacket of light 1013 00:48:04,175 --> 00:48:06,221 that you wrap yourself with? 1014 00:48:06,221 --> 00:48:07,823 This is the idea. 1015 00:48:07,823 --> 00:48:11,707 Being clothed, being covered with power. 1016 00:48:11,707 --> 00:48:13,307 That's what the church needs. 1017 00:48:13,307 --> 00:48:14,989 We're dead in the water without it. 1018 00:48:14,989 --> 00:48:16,447 (From the room) Hey brother, 1019 00:48:16,447 --> 00:48:18,620 I was remembering in Acts 4 1020 00:48:18,620 --> 00:48:20,948 when Peter's before the Council 1021 00:48:20,948 --> 00:48:22,388 and it's interesting how Luke 1022 00:48:22,388 --> 00:48:24,479 uses "power" and "filled" 1023 00:48:24,479 --> 00:48:26,282 in kind of the same verses, 1024 00:48:26,282 --> 00:48:29,074 but says, "And when they had set them 1025 00:48:29,074 --> 00:48:33,307 in the midst they enquired by what power 1026 00:48:33,307 --> 00:48:35,512 or by what name did you do this? 1027 00:48:35,512 --> 00:48:37,762 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit..." 1028 00:48:37,762 --> 00:48:39,891 and he goes on. 1029 00:48:39,891 --> 00:48:41,951 Tim: Filled. He was filled there. 1030 00:48:41,951 --> 00:48:44,190 But he had alreadly been filled in Acts 2. 1031 00:48:44,190 --> 00:48:45,623 He had already been saved. 1032 00:48:45,623 --> 00:48:48,332 I mean if you go back to John 17, 1033 00:48:48,332 --> 00:48:50,441 Jesus is saying, 1034 00:48:50,441 --> 00:48:53,085 "they have kept Your Word." 1035 00:48:53,085 --> 00:48:56,449 Well, nobody but true Christians keep His Word. 1036 00:48:56,449 --> 00:48:58,103 He had already said to them 1037 00:48:58,103 --> 00:48:59,829 in the chapters before that 1038 00:48:59,829 --> 00:49:06,242 that the Spirit is in you. 1039 00:49:06,242 --> 00:49:08,192 He breathes on them. 1040 00:49:08,192 --> 00:49:09,970 "Receive the Holy Spirit." 1041 00:49:09,970 --> 00:49:13,878 You have all sorts of things that happen. 1042 00:49:13,878 --> 00:49:16,379 I don't have them all figured out, but I know this: 1043 00:49:16,379 --> 00:49:18,212 There's more to be had of the Spirit. 1044 00:49:18,212 --> 00:49:20,575 We should be asking for the Spirit all the time. 1045 00:49:20,575 --> 00:49:25,587 And when the Spirit comes, things happen. 1046 00:49:25,587 --> 00:49:26,480 I know this, 1047 00:49:26,480 --> 00:49:29,942 you can't be a Christian without the Spirit of God. 1048 00:49:29,942 --> 00:49:31,953 But even if you're a Christian, 1049 00:49:31,953 --> 00:49:34,356 you should be asking for the Spirit all the time 1050 00:49:34,356 --> 00:49:36,397 because what the Spirit brings - 1051 00:49:36,397 --> 00:49:38,985 power to proclaim the Gospel, 1052 00:49:38,985 --> 00:49:42,148 transformation in your life - Christlikeness, 1053 00:49:42,148 --> 00:49:43,381 the fruit of the Spirit, 1054 00:49:43,381 --> 00:49:45,139 the gifts of the Spirit. 1055 00:49:45,139 --> 00:49:47,101 We need these things. 1056 00:49:47,101 --> 00:49:49,383 We need them desperately.