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The Holy
Spirit Isn’t “Optional”
4
And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from
Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He
said, "you have heard from Me; 5
for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy
Spirit not many days from now." 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying,
"Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7
And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the
Father has put in His own authority. 8 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 1:4-8
If
the Word of God says something just once – it is enough. Heaven and
earth may pass away but the Word of God is eternal. Where eternal truths are
revealed it becomes a non-negotiable declaration.
To
mention a “few” of the non-negotiable of scripture would be:
- The virgin birth and Deity of Jesus.
- His death, burial, resurrection and ascension.
- His vicarious substitution for our sins.
- The blood of Jesus alone remits those same sins.
- Jesus being the ONLY way of salvation – period!
- His coming again to receive His church unto Himself.
These being just a
“few” of many we could mention. However, when it comes to the Holy Spirit
many born again believers feel He is “optional”. As though He isn’t quite
as necessary for the completion of my salvation as the others. Traditional, or
mainline denominations, often never “offer” the option of the baptism
in the Holy Spirit. Remaining secure in the fact – “We got all we
need.”
Frequently, the
argument being, we have the “bible” now, it isn’t necessary to have
another “Pentecost.” However, if we believe the bible really says
what it means, and means what it says, even if it says it only once – how much
more emphasis is God trying to get across to us when He says it multiple times?
We then must build a
confusing system of interpretation that regulates when the bible IS speaking to
us, and when it no longer is a viable truth. Can you imagine the audacity and
arrogance of anyone to refute Almighty God that His word really doesn’t mean
what it says?
Nevertheless, the bible
refers to the baptism in the Holy Spirit, as well as, those who received Him
numerous times.
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Matthew 3:11
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Mark 1:8
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Luke 3:16
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Luke 24:49
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John 1”33
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Acts 1:4-5, 8
·
Acts 2:4, 38
·
Acts 8:14-17
·
Acts 9:17
·
Acts 10:44-48
·
Acts 11:15-16
·
Acts 19:2-6
These passages are not
ambiguous; they are crystal clear in the “cause and effect.” Without the
fullness of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of WALKING IN POWER, we are not
complete in God’s design for our life. Romans 8:29 tells us we are
“predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” That includes being
empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is absolutely
essential to our walk in Christ. He is the anointing. He is the Way-maker. He is
the Truth. He is the Power of God unto salvation. He is the demonstration of the
power of God. He is our victory. He is the miracle worker. He is the Deliverer
of the oppressed and possessed. He is the “possessor of the ‘gifts of the
Spirit’.” He manifests the “fruit of the Spirit.”
Without Him we will miss the
Bridegroom when He comes! (Matthew 25:1-13) He is the “wedding garment” the
King has issued to make us ready to attend the wedding feast! (Matthew 22:1-14)
We must honor Him, love
Him, acknowledge Him, depend upon Him, and recognize Him when He comes into our
meetings. Then get out of His way and let Him do what we are unable to do –
and that is everything!!
Jesus said those who blaspheme
Him, (or mock Him) would not be forgiven in this life, nor in the life to come.
That is the “unpardonable sin” – the ignorantly informed saying what the
mighty Holy Spirit is doing, is of the devil. Paul details in 1 Corinthians
chapter 2 the “natural” or, non-Spirit-filled-man, doesn’t even have the
capacity to understand the things of the Spirit.
31
"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but
the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven
him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him,
either in this age or in the age to come. Matt 12:31-32
We live in a world where there
are many “options” to choose from. The Holy Spirit isn’t One of them. He
is essential to the coming of the Kingdom. We either live in a spiritual world
dominated by the Power of the Holy Spirit, or, live blindly under spiritual
darkness have been deceived and robbed of the greatest relationship available on
planet earth. Don’t leave home without Him.
Come, Holy Spirit.
“I have been anointed with fresh
oil” – Ps 92:10
Eddie
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