Imagine Israel on the day Moses climbed Mt. Nebo and disappeared from their sight. He died there alone with the Lord and the Lord buried him in an unknown place. From the moment God had called them out of Egypt, Moses had been their leader. For forty years they had known no other “father” to whom God would speak face-to-face and direct this fledgling nation. Of course, there had been tense moments when a few others thought they might be more qualified to lead Israel than Moses, but God usually sorted that out quickly. For forty years they had wandered through dessert wastelands until every adult of the unbelieving generation that had refused to enter the promised land had died except for Joshua and Caleb who were the two spies that had believed God (see Numbers 13).

Suddenly, the familiar face, the familiar robes, and voice of Moses were taken from them. The nation still stood on the east side of the Jordan and most of them must have wondered what they would do now? In Joshua 1, we are told that God appointed Joshua, who had been an aide to Moses, to now lead this nation. Not only was he to lead the nation, but he was to lead the nation across the Jordon to take the land God had promised to Abraham and his descendants. The same fierce tribes and “giants” that inhabited the land when Israel had failed their test of faith forty years earlier were still there. How could it be different now?

The same theme that ran through Numbers 13, when God first commanded the Hebrews to take the land, rang out again with Joshua. “As I was with Moses, I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you…Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you where ever you go” (Josh. 1:9). In every circumstance of life, that is our promise and that is our confidence. The writer of Hebrews also said, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me’” (Hey. 13:5-6).

Have you ever noticed how much God wants to be with his people? In the beginning, he walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden. He delivered the Hebrews from Egypt so that he could meet them at Sinai and be their God. After Sinai, he had Moses construct the Tent of Meeting where the people of God could encounter his presence. Then his glory filled the temple in the days of Solomon. Finally, Jesus came in the flesh – Emmanuel or “God with us.” Then his Spirit began to take up residence in us and finally, Jesus will return to get us and so we will ever be with him. God has gone to great lengths to be with his people.

The truth is that the Lord loves us and is always aware of us and with us. His promise is that he will always go with us…if we want him to. Jesus said that he would be with use even to the end of the age and Paul declared, “If God is for us, who can stand against us? (Rom.8:31). Our faith to face the world, evil people, disease, war, or famine is the promise that God is with us. Sometimes we sense his presence, see his hand at work, or witness a miracle. But he is also with us and for us when we do not see him or hear him or sense him. That is the essence of faith. If he said he would never leave, then I believe he is with me. If he is with me, then I need not fear any circumstance. The Father promised it, Jesus promised it, and the Holy Spirit demonstrates it by his presence in each of us.

And yet, how quickly do we start to believe that God is not there for us, or that he has abandoned ua, or that he doesn’t care about us when trouble comes? Those are the whispers of Satan. Many believers have been taught directly or indirectly that God has promised us a trouble-free life or at least when trouble comes it will be short-lived and relatively easy. So, when we get a bad report from the doctor, when we lose the job we really needed, and then get turned down interview after interview, we may feel as if God has betrayed us. When our marriage fails or our kid gets hooked on drugs, we may feel as if God has not done his job. When our prayer that we have prayed for ten years still seems to go unanswered, we may feel as if God has broken his word. In this moments, we can feel like orphans who are totally on our own with no one else to look out for us.

But God has never promised us a trouble-free life or a disappointment-free life. What he says is that in this world, we will have trouble. But he also says he will be with us in the trouble and walk us through the trouble. He did not keep Daniel out of the lion’s den, he simply kept the mouths of the lions shut. He did not keep Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego out of the fire, but met them in the fire. Paul describes God as the God of all comfort who comforts us in all of our troubles. We meet God in the midst of trouble more often than in the midst of peace and prosperity. It is In the midst of trouble that we truly discover who God is.

The key is to look for the hand of God in the midst of our loss, our disappointment, or our discouragement, We may see the han in a big way, but more often we see it in many small ways…often through the prayers, concern, and kindness of people that God puts around us in that moment. We see it in his grace that subtly sustains us in long nights in hospital rooms, or on long nights while we wonder where a child has gone. We see it at the cemetery when a prayer for physical healing has gone unanswered but somehow we can manage a smile, despite it all.

There were times in scripture where God showed up in big ways and defeated entire armies in a supernatural moment or divided the Red Sea. But there were other times when he simply provided a little water and bread…just enough to get someone to their next appointment. Sometimes the prayer was answered as soon as it was uttered, but at other times, a promised son was not born for 25 years. In every case, God was aware and had a plan…even when some of God’s people thought he had forgotten them.

The declaration of faith is that God is with us, he will never leave us, and that God is good. And no matter the circumstance, he will always express his goodness towards us. Sometimes, when trying too find that faith, our prayer will be, “Lord I believe, but help my unbelief.” But when we are in the midst of something we don’t understand, we must stand on the things we do know, not the things we don’t know.

Decide before the trouble comes that no matter what, God is with you and will walk you through the valley, even if you can’t see the path. King David walked down many dark valleys in his life and, in reflection, he wrote, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil for you are with me…surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my like…” (Ps. 23:4,6). May we stand on that truth when there is noting else to stand on.

We get lots of warnings about our words…and rightfully so. We all know the proverb, “The tongue has the power of life and death” (Provide. 18:21) and the stern warning from Jesus that on the day of judgment, everyone will have to give account for every careless word he or she has spoken (Matt. 12:36). We tend to focus on the negative effects of the tongue, but perhaps we should focus more on the positive effects or the positive potential of our tongue.

The truth is that words carry power and authority. As followers of Jesus, we have been given authority to represent Him on the earth. As children of the King, our words carry great weight in the spiritual realm and in a sense, direct the activities of heaven. When we pray with faith, things start stirring in the heavenlies. When we declare the word of God over something, we release the powers of heaven to fulfill that word.

Although God is clearly sovereign, in his sovereignty he has decreed that much of what happens on this earth depends on our prayers, declarations, commands, and actions. The psalmist declared, “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to mankind” (Ps. 115:16). When he created man, especially Adam and Eve, he gave them dominion (authority) over the earth. They were to rule as his representatives, extending the ways of heaven over the earth. I believe Jesus demonstrated the dominion man once had before he was separated from God by sin. Of course, they sinned and, in doing so, turned that dominion over to Satan.

Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the Law and from the sovereignty of Satan. God, then, relaunched his initial intent to rule the earth through his sons and daughters, as they represent the Great King on this earth. As a result, we have authority and our words have authority. So, let’s consider how our words might bring about tremendous good in the earth.

Most of us are familiar with the Old Testament passage in which God declares, “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desired and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:11). We get some insight into how this works from the prophet Jeremiah. There, the Lord tells the prophet, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and over throw, to build and to plant” (Jer. 1:9-10).

Jeremiah never led an army or fought a battle, but accomplished those things by declaring the word of God over those nations as God decreed. When God’s word was released by Jeremiah, then the heavenlies got busy making those words a reality. When God’s word goes forth from his lips to ours, and then from our lips over situations and circumstances, that word of God will still fulfill its purpose. We simply need to be Spirit-led to know when to declare God’s will over a person or circumstance. I also believe he gives us some freedom to declare his word and exercise his authority based on our own judgment and discernment as long as our declaration or command is consistent with his word and his ways.

Now consider the power of your words for good. Healing comes when we declare healing with our tongue, just as Jesus did. Demons are driven out when we command them with our tongue in the name of Jesus. Heaven moves on behalf of a person when we verbalize prayers because we represent the Father. When we bless thoughtfully and with faith, we should expect that blessing to manifest because we have standing in heaven.

Remember we are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6). Being seated is a position of authority. We sit with Christ, therefore, we share in his authority. When we encourage, something happens beyond the emotional realm of a person and bears some kind of spiritual fruit because encouragement is one of the spiritual gifts. When we prophecy over a person, we are releasing the Word of God over them just as Jeremiah released that word over nations. It will accomplish God’s purpose. God has given us an amazing position in heaven so that we speak with authority…which is why we need to be very intentional with our words.

Most of us fail to recognize the power of our words and their authority. Our words can release angels in the heavenly realm to bless and protect or, because of our authority, can release demons to fulfill a curse if we speak carelessly. James tells us that we are not to utter curses, but are to be a source of blessing for all those we encounter (James 3:9-11). How much fun can it be to release blessings over people and know that good is coming their way because you have spoken and you have authority in heaven? That knowledge should brighten every day.

Because God has put much of this in our hands, he often wishes to do something but waits on us to declare a thing or pray a thing. He honors the authority he has given us. We have so much more power than we imagine because we forget who we are. It’s true that we need to ask with godly motives, but when we do, we should expect heaven to respond to our lead. You are a designated distributor of God’s blessings and heaven has no supply-chain issues to keep those blessings from manifesting. Know who you are. Speak blessings, healing, freedom, provision, encouragement, destiny, etc. over others and yourself. Speak with faith and purpose. See the good you can sow in the earth and enjoy the good fruit of your words. Oh by the way…be blessed today with the fulfillment of your greatest need.

There is a truth that I believe we need to heed as followers of Jesus. First of all, we are saved and our salvation is quite secure in Christ. However, there are things we can do or not do as believers that will give the enemy access to us so that he can torment us, afflict us, or oppress us. I’m not saying that we lose our salvation if we are under demonic attack, but that the enemy can make this life harder than it needs to be if we give him an opening.

I think we understand that principle when it comes to obvious sin in our lives that goes unconfessed and unrepented. If we are living a life of sexual sin, we might recognize that as an open door for the enemy. If we begin to dabble in witchcraft or new age thinking, we might agree that those pursuits would open us up to the enemy as well. A lifestyle of drunkenness, drug addiction, adultery, theft, pornography, etc. can do the same. Most of us would recognize the spiritual danger in those lifestyles.

However, there are three verses that really challenge me and I think three things we might do or fail to do as believers that often go unnoticed while giving the enemy a legal right to afflict us. Let me quote these verses and then make a few comments.

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15

Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:12-13.

All three of these scriptures apply to believers and, ultimately, reflect the condition of our hearts. When I take time to review my day, I often find that I have been guilty of these things in subtle ways. Have I really forgiven a person who I feel has wronged me or slighted me or do I maintain my distance as a subtle message of offense? Have I even tried to reconcile any issues between me and that person or do I prefer to just keep my distance? Oh, I can certainly justify my distance and my refusal to warm up to that person, but am I actually violating Christ’s commands to forgive, show mercy, and refrain from judgment? If I am failing in those areas, even though I have “my reasons,” Satan can use that in the courts of heaven to gain legal access to me.

Judging others can also be a tricky business. Is that just when I have judged someone I know (a spouse, a boss, a pastor, a neighbor) so that I put myself in a position of assumed moral or even intellectual superiority over another? Or is it at other less noticeable moments? How often do Christians sit in restaurants and even church and judge those around them whose children or unruly, who are dressing somewhat immodestly, who are too loud, etc. If we sit there and make snide or critical comments to our companions about those people we don’t even know, we have judged them to somehow be less than we are. Jesus says that our judgment against others will come back to us. To some degree, it may come back as demonic affliction because I am living out a subtle lifestyle of judgmentalism without repentance.

And then what about mercy? Mercy is an extension of grace and compassion to those who don’t have it coming. It is the story of the unmerciful steward who could not repay his master, was on the verge of being sold into slavery to pay the debt, and the master, in moment of mercy, simply forgave every cent that was owed. Do we withhold a generous tip because the waitperson didn’t refill our tea or got our order wrong? Or do we go ahead and tip well because we are going to be generous without cause because Jesus has been generous to us without cause? When someone borrows money from us and can’t repay, do we ever just forgive the debt because Jesus has forgiven our debt? That is the nature of mercy and Jesus warns that if his mercy has not touched our hearts so that we gladly extend it to others, we may face judgment without mercy.

That judgment may be in this life as a form of discipline, rather than when we stand before the Lord, but I would rather avoid the discipline of the Lord and would rather keep the enemy from gaining some legal access to harass me or my family. We live in such a culture of open criticism, pride, slander, and unrestrained verbal outbursts that we sometimes fail to recognize our own more subtle actions as sin. In comparison to the world around us, we feel pretty good about our thoughts and words, but the Word of God is our standard of comparison, not the people of the world.

I need the Holy Spirit to give me a solid nudge when I fall into a mindset that rationalizes withholding forgiveness, judging others, or withholding mercy. Those are open doors for the enemy that I can often fail to recognize. I know I am vulnerable to those things and, perhaps, you are too. I thought I would just run up the flag on this one and see if anyone else needed the reminder. I personally need to extend a great deal of mercy in this world because I have received so much from the Lord and so many others in my life. Remember, mercy triumphs over judgment.

Blessings in Him.

I ran across this article and thought it was worth sharing. God created us and he knows what benefits his creation and what wounds it. This is a good explanation of why God commands his children to be sexually pure from the Creator’s point off view. I will add a few comments of my own after the article. [The article was written by Jeremy Wiles, Soul Refiner CEO. Published Nov. 27, 2017 and modified April 25, 2022]

Have you ever wondered why sexual sin is against your own body?

1 Corinthians 6:18 warns of negative physical consequences to sexual sin – a desecration of the Holy Temple, our body, which houses the Holy Spirit. “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.”

Now science confirms exactly how sexual sin harms us. It damages your brain. Whether it be premarital sex, adultery, or viewing pornography, sexual sin alters our brain function and, when indulged in repeatedly, can lead to a seared conscience – an actual brain phenomenon that numbs us to guilt and conviction of wrong doing.

Oxytocin and Vasopressin

When porn is viewed, several. things happen in the brain involving powerful hormones – two of which are Oxytocin and Vasopressin. Often called the “love hormone,” Oxytocin is released when we hug or kiss a loved one. It regulates social interaction and sexual reproduction, playing a role in empathy, generosity, orgasm, and human bonding.

Vasopressin is a hormone found in most mammals which is also used as a medication: it numbs the pain. When we watch pornography, and “act out. ” the sexual sin releases a powerful concoction, creating a perplexing issue for the human body.

Rewiring Your Brain

Fundamentally, the bonding hormones of Oxytocin and Vasopressin form a rewiring of the brain when consuming the wrong material, that lures the individual deeper into a prison of their own making. An intoxicating combination of hormones – intended to bring loved ones closer together and promote mental healing – are instead operating out of sinful activity, completely confusing the mind.

Dr. Doug Weiss, Executive Director of Heart to Heart Counseling Center and expert contributor to the Conquer Series, a cinematic series that helps men break free from pornography, elaborates:

“When you have a sexual experience, your brain makes these opiates which [are] four times stronger than morphine. Boom! It hits your brain, your brain lights up like a Christmas tree. This is the highest chemical reward your brain gets for anything. That’s why a lot of guys get in trouble, even in ministry. They don’t know their brain is defective.”

When the brain has been changed in this way, sexual sin takes a profound toll. The individual knows that watching porn is a shameful act and one to be kept secret, yet each time they view it, they find themselves trusting it more, pairing with the porn stars or the activity with a deep mental bond, and feeling healed by sexual sin; they are trapped in a destructive cycle.

What is a seared conscience?

There is a part of your brain that is responsible for convicting you of wrongdoing. It’s a little voice inside of you we call our conscience. If you continue to participate in that wrong behavior, however, eventually you become desensitized to this convicting presence. That part of your brain simply stops responding. In effect, your conscience is seared just as the Bible says in 1 Timothy 4:2. “Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with hot iron.”

That’s not all. When this area of your brain stays active chronically, you will eventually impair your ability to feel pleasure as well. Dr. Tim Jennings, explains: “People who damage their pleasure centers in this way, will often be disinterested in healthy relationships, will often become apathetic, and they will seek more high risk behaviors or drugs or other types of things to stimulate the pleasure centers so they can feel this.”

Sexual Sin Becomes an Idol

As our brains transform, so does our behavior. The changes can be subtle or obvious, but there is a great deal of energy that needs to be invested in keeping a secret life of pornography addiction. Masks need to be worn. Pretense needs to be maintained. Byproducts of isolation, secrecy, shame, and guilt may begin to show outwardly, and a very real fear of being exposed gnaws away at you. Sexual sin becomes our god, taking place of our Lord as the thing we fear, need, and use as medication for healing our wounds.

Dr. Weiss tells us…”[Pornography and other sexual sins] can get into a man’s heart to the place where it replaces God; it becomes an idol.And how do you know it’s an idol? When you are in pain, you go to your idol. When you are in need, you go to your idol. When you are hurt, you go to your idol. When you want to celebrate, you go to your idol.”

********************************

This article has summarized, in a succinct way, what happens to us psychologically and physiologically when we are involved in prolonged sexual sin. In addition, we open ourselves up to demonic affliction and oppression. As we willingly violate God’s standards for sexual purity, we inadvertently come into agreement with Satan. That agreement, gives the enemy a legal right to assign demons to us who come to amplify and reinforce the emptiness, the shame, and the inadequacy that drives us to our addictions. Once we run to the addiction for comfort, the enemy will again amplify our shame, our fear of rejection, and our emptiness so that we are driven back to the addiction again and again. That spiritual stronghold will not come down without the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our experience is that most who have been in long-term addiction to sexual sin of all kinds will require deliverance to be fully free from their bondage. They will also need healing from the Holy Spirit for the emotional deficit that they have medicated for years with their addictions. They will also need a spiritual support group with whom they can be totally honest and covered with prayer. A renewal of the mind will also be necessary as they spend significant time in the Word of God. We have seen many set free, but the spiritual dimensions of sexual sin must be addressed.

I hope this article and my few comments were helpful in understanding the hurtful dimensions of sexual sin and how it impacts us at every level.

This is the final blog of this series and our discussion on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  This “baptism” has often been misunderstood and often maligned by those who believe that God’s miraculous interventions and the miraculous gifts of the Spirit have ceased to function. However, I believe it is still an essential part of the Christian life.  Let me bullet point what I have said so far.

• John the Baptist declared to the Jewish crowds around him that Jesus was going to baptize them (or some of them) with the Holy Spirit and fire.  That is recorded in all four gospels.
  

• Jesus stated on several occasions that it was better for him to return to the Father because only then could he send the Holy Spirit.  This obviously meant that the Spirit would come after the ascension of Jesus and manifest himself in ways he had not done before.
  

• After his resurrection, Jesus commanded his disciples not to leave Jerusalem until they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit which would impart power for effectively being his witnesses to the world.
  

• After Jesus ascended to heaven, on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was “poured out” on about 120 believers who had gathered in a room to pray and fast as they waited for direction from the Father.
  

• Suddenly, the Holy Spirit came as a mighty rushing wind and formed tongues of fire above the believers, who then began to speak in languages they had not known before and began to preach in the temple courts with a boldness they had never known before.
  

• The language used to describe this “baptism of the Spirit” was:  to receive the Spirit, be filled with the Spirit, have the Spirit come on you, have the Spirit fall on you, and for the Spirit to be poured out.  (Remember the world “baptism” means to be immersed, saturated, overwhelmed, etc.).
  

• The Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles in Acts 10 as Peter began to share the gospel with the household of Cornelius.  Peter explains that this was another moment when Gentiles were baptized in the Spirit just the disciples had been on Pentecost.  The evidence of their “baptism” was that they began to speak in tongues.  
  

• This “power” experience of the Holy Spirit sometimes came directly as the Spirit would fall on someone or as people, who were Spirit-filled, would lay hands on others who were then empowered by the Spirit. In Acts, we see evidence of the “baptism” as the gifts of tongues, prophecy, and boldness which were displayed by those who were filled with the Spirit.
  

• On several occasions, people who had already been water baptized in the name of Jesus were then baptized in the Spirit.  At other times, people were baptized in the Spirit and then water baptized.  
  

• On several occasions, those who had been baptized in the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, seemed to get a “fresh filling” of the Spirit on occasions where it was required for boldness, healing, miracles, etc.
  

All of this suggests that there are two functions of the Holy Spirit in relation to us.  First of all, when we come to faith and confess Jesus, the Spirit comes to live in us and begins to bear his fruit of love, joy, peace, etc. in us as well as giving us understanding of scripture, comfort, counsel, and so forth.  He takes up residence and then begins an interior renovation of our soul. 

The other function of the Holy Spirit is power for ministry through the gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12-14, Romans 12, and few other places.  I believe we can receive both at once, but we can also receive them as separate events based on our understanding of the Holy Spirit and God’s sovereignty.

The final question is whether that power is for the believer today, or if it was just a first century phenomenon.  You already know what I believe, but let me walk you briefly through my reasoning.

First of all, Jesus clearly stated, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (Jn. 14:14-16).  

This declaration by Jesus was in the context of miracles.  There is nothing in his statement that suggests this promise was only for a few followers or had a shelf life of only a few years.  Jesus said this capacity to do miracles was for anyone who had faith. The only limitation stated was a lack of faith.

Secondly, Jesus clearly stated to his followers that they could not fulfill the “Great Commission” in their own strength and abilities, but had to receive power via the baptism of the Holy Spirit for them to adequately witness the reality of Jesus as they evangelized the world.  Why would our need be less today as we go into a hostile world of atheists, satanists, Muslims, Hindu’s, and a vast array of other cults and religions?  

Paul declared that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but rather against the spiritual powers of darkness (Eph. 6:10).  The spiritual gifts of healing, prophecy, words of knowledge, spiritual discernment, and even miracles are often needed to free people from demonic bondage or sickness.  Those “power gifts” come only through the baptism of the Spirit.

Most conservative, Bible believing churches look for patterns in the New Testament that we are to replicate if we want to be like the church that Jesus and the apostles established.  One pattern we see over and over is the gospel being preached and then followed by supernatural signs – healings, casting our demons, and even raising the dead.  That is what Jesus did.  That is what the twelve did when he sent them out on their own as well as the seventy.  That is also what we see in the book of Acts as men like Philip, Barnabas, and Stephen went out to preach the good news.  If we are to replicate that pattern for evangelism, we must do the same and to do so requires baptism in the Holy Spirit.

We could add numerous other scriptures that teach that the followers of Jesus are to have power and authority over the enemy and that we are to preach the gospel and then demonstrate the kingdom through miracles.  There are no time limits in scripture attached to these promises and commands.  Faith or a lack of faith seem to be the only limiting features.  For me personally, being baptized in the Spirit and having spiritual gifts activated by the Spirit, has made all the difference in my ministry and in my personal life.  Being with people who believe in the power of God for healing and spiritual warfare, for speaking prophetically, and for the move of God to take on supernatural dimensions make life as a believer an adventure more than a struggle.  Multitudes of believers who do not know about the baptism of the Spirit live a life of following Jesus with the sense that “there must be more.”  There is if you know how to receive it.

In closing, I also want to mention that baptism in the Spirit does not always look like tongues of fire dancing on your head or falling and having spasms for hours.   It can look like that, but it can also look like a quiet moment of faith that the Spirit will fill you when you ask and the evidence will simply be something noticeably different in your life or ministry over the next few weeks.  Speaking in tongues is the normative evidence of “the baptism” in scripture, but not all speak in tongues, at least not right away.  Receiving power from the Spirit is like hearing the voice of God.  It can sound like thunder, but it can also sound like the still, quiet voice of Elijah’s cave.

 The important thing is that you desire everything that God has for you and that you ask for it,   seek it. And knock on every door to find it.  We will not evangelize the world without demonstrating the power and authority of our Lord.  Many have tried to do so in their own strengths and with natural talents that are often impressive.  But the natural cannot overcome the spiritual.  Power and authority to do that comes from the Holy Spirit.  I hope you will go after that power and authority and ask for fresh fillings on a regular basis  because it essential for being His witness to the world.

We are speaking about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. From the gospels and the book of Acts, it is clear that the “baptism” was a central theme of Jesus and the early church. It was a baptism of power that equipped the followers of Jesus for ministry. The church clearly experienced this promised coming of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. In my last blog, I listed several phrases that were used to describe the moment when the church was baptized with power.

There are two questions I want to address in this blog. (1) Was that experience of baptism in the Spirit for the apostles only or for every believer, and (2) Is the baptism of the Spirit a one time event in the life of a believer.

To begin with the first question, there is a pervasive belief among many denominations that only the apostles received supernatural power on Pentecost as a confirmation that they were chosen by God to lead the fledgling church and to confirm their authority and inspiration to write the New Testament. Once the apostles died, the supernatural move of the Holy Spirit ceased. Let’s examine that view briefly.

First of all, a careful reading of Acts 1:13-15 makes it clear that about 120 followers of Jesus were gathered together in Jerusalem awaiting direction from the Lord. In Acts 2:1, we are told that they were all together in one place (all the believers) when they experienced the baptism of the Spirit which appeared as tongues of fire above each of them. The text then says, “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

From this text, we can see the the baptism of the Spirit was not for the apostles alone. In addition, we are told that some non-apostles also operated in the power of the Spirit shortly after Pentecost. Speaking of Stephen, the writer says, “Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power performed great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). In Acts 8, we are told, “When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed” (Acts 8:6-7).

It’s not a stretch to believe that Stephen and Philip were part of the 120 on Pentecost, but the point is that others beside the apostles were operating in power and that power is seen to come through the baptism of the Spirit. In addition, in Acts 10, while Peter was sharing the gospel with the Gentile family of Cornelius, the texts says, “While Peter was still speaking those words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God” (Acts 10:44-46). Notice that the language is very similar to the language of Acts 2 and Peter himself identified the experience of the Gentiles as being baptized in the Holy Spirit in Acts 11:16. As a side bar, we might also notice that hearing clearly from the Spirit is a product of baptism in the Spirit. We all believe that the New Testament writers were inspired by God as they wrote. Luke wrote the gospel of Luke and the of Acts. James and Jude and perhaps the writer of Hebrews were also inspired by the Spirit and yet these were not apostles. So, the power of the Spirit imparted in Holy Spirit baptism was clearly for others than the twelve.

So, the baptism of the Spirit was an impartation of power for all the followers of Jesus – Jew and Gentile – and not just the apostles. We also discover that the Spirit can fall on, come on, or be poured out on believers directly or by the laying on of hands by those who already have been baptized in the Spirit. In Acts 8, we discover, “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the the new believers that they might receive the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:14-17).

It’s important to note here, that water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism can be two different events. We see the same in Acts 10, when the Spirit fell on the Gentiles and then Peter had them water baptized after they spoke in tongues and praised God. I don’t believe it has to be in separate events, but it certainly can be and often is.

As for the second question about whether we are “baptized in the Spirit” or “filled with the Spirit” once or whether that can happen numerous times, let me respond briefly. In Acts 2, the believers were baptized in the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. In Acts 4, the same believers were gathered together again and we are told, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:31). This sounds like a fresh filling by the Holy Spirit for a particular situation. There are numerous other texts in the book of Acts where it looks like someone who was present at Pentecost is “filled with the Holy Spirit” in a critical moment. My sense of this is that once we are initially baptized in the Spirit, we have a residing level of power for ministry manifested through spiritual gifts, boldness, etc., but on critical occasions, we may get a fresh filling or a supercharge from the Spirit for that circumstance.

I want to finish this study up in my next blog, as we discuss whether the “baptism in the Spirit” was only available in the first century or is it God’s intention for his people now. Thanks for joining me.

SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS BLOG ALREADY, BUT I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH WORDPRESS, SO I’M SENDING IT OUT AGAIN IN CASE YOU DID NOT SEE IT LAST WEEK. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.

When we speak about Holy Spirit baptism, the first question should be whether or not it is a biblical concept or just a crazy, charismatic notion held by a few extreme believers.   The answer is that it is a very biblical concept central to the New Testament. John the Baptist spoke about it in relation to the ministry of Jesus. “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:7-8;) Some of the other writers added that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (See Lk. 3:16; Matt. 5:11, Jn. 1:33). This idea of Jesus baptizing with the Holy Spirit is mentioned in all four gospels plus the book of Acts which strongly suggests it is a concept and experience central to the doctrines of the New Testament.

Jesus himself emphasized this experience when he spoke to his disciples and said, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So when they met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’” (Acts 1:4-8; Emphasis added;).

Earlier, Jesus had alluded to the moment when the Holy Spirit would come on them when he said, ““Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” (Jn. 16:5-7).   Jesus promised that when he returned to the Father, he would send the Spirit.

In summary, Jesus mentioned several times in the gospel that he would go to the Father and then send the Spirit. John the Baptist declared that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit.  Just before his ascension to heaven, Jesus told his followers to wait in Jerusalem and that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit within a few days.  He also related this baptism to power for ministry…power for being witnesses for Jesus.

It may be helpful to mention here that the word “baptize” is not a translation, but a transliteration of the Greek word “baptizo”… meaning that the translators simply created an English word from the Greek,  but did not give the meaning of the word as understood by those who spoke Greek. The word actually means to dip, drench, immerse, overwhelm, saturate, etc.  If the word had been translated, it would have pointed to a time when the followers of Jesus would be immersed, saturated, drenched, or overwhelmed by the Spirit.

After his ascension, about 120 of his followers gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem where they fasted and prayed for direction from the Lord. Luke tells us, “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:1-4).

In that setting, the Holy Spirit showed up as fire and supernaturally enabled them to proclaim the works of God in languages they had not known before.  When explaining what was happening, Peter declared, “No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:” ‘In the last days, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:17-21).  In addition to tongues, the believers received a supernatural boldness to proclaim Jesus that had certainly been absent before that day and a capacity to be directed by the Holy Spirit as they proclaimed the good news. Certainly, Peter had shown no capacity for such bold and eloquent preaching before that moment.

Let me also point out the language that was used to describe the same experience:

•          baptized by (or with) the Holy Spirit

•          the gift my Father spoke about

•          receive power

•          when the Holy Spirit comes on you

•          filled with the Holy Spirit

•          poured out 

The language above describes the experience of being baptized with, in, or by the Spirit.  All three of those prepositions are allowed by the original language. But in general, it describes Jesus returning to the Father and sending the Spirit in a measure that could be described as being poured out from heaven so that men and women would be immersed or saturated by the Spirit in a way that would give power to believers for extending the kingdom of heaven on earth. The experience would also be described, from the believer’s point of view, as receiving, being filled with, or having the Spirit come on them. 

The next question might be whether that one moment was the baptism of the Spirit on the apostles only or whether it was meant to be an experience for every believer in every age.  Secondly, we might ask whether that experience would be a one-time experience or whether it could be repeated.  I will address those questions in next week’s blog.

We are unquestionably living in the last days.  The renewal of Israel as a nation in 1948 started the countdown of the final days of the last days which actually began at the resurrection and ascension of Jesus when Joel 2 was fulfilled.  On the day or Pentecost as described in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit was put on display in Jerusalem.  The sound of a mighty wind, the appearance of tongues of fire, the gift of tongues, and the sudden boldness of those first followers of Jesus demonstrated that God had once again begun something new.  

The public display was explained by Peter in Acts 2:17 as a “last days” fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel who spoke about God’s Spirit being poured out on all people.  Notice that Peter identified that time frame as the beginning of the “last days” which could also be called the “age of the church.”  Peter preached in the beginning of the last days while we are certainly living toward the culmination of the last days.

Whether we are two years, five years, or fifty years from the return of Christ I am not certain, but I am certain that as that time draws closer, the activity of Satan is becoming more intense. Over the past five years, I have been amazed at the number of believers we have encountered  who were being afflicted by demons and who had begun to recognize demonic activity and oppression in their own lives as spiritual warfare, even though they have had no church background to prepare them to understand that experience.  Those who think Satan cannot afflict the saved or that those coming out of the world can’t bring demonic spirits with them into the church are misinformed. 

When you look through the pages of the gospels, you can see how active Satan was at the first appearance of Jesus.  He is no less active now as he senses the second appearance of Jesus drawing near.  Because of that, it is essential that every follower of Jesus be equipped to battle the forces of darkness with the divine weapons that Paul spoke about in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 and the armor of God he described in Ephesians 6:10-18.  Remember, Paul said that the real battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph.6:12).

The question for us is how do we effectively fight forces in the spiritual realm? The answer is found in scripture.  How did Jesus, the twelve, the seventy, and the early church fight against the kingdom of darkness.  There were a number of weapons they used against demons and the strongholds of Satan, but they all had one foundational experience that set them apart from those who were not equipped.  The foundational experience was an anointing of power and authority that set them above and ahead of all demonic forces in the heavenly realms.

Ever since the Pentecost experience described in Acts 2, that anointing has come through the “baptism of the Holy Spirit.”  In recent decades there has been a great deal of disagreement and misunderstanding about the nature of Holy Spirit baptism.  That disagreement has stretched from positions that deny any present-day miraculous work of the Spirit to positions that are simply unbiblical and weird.  Because this issue of power and authority is so important in the life of the believer, I have decided to do a series on Holy Spirit baptism in which I try to make it biblical, understandable, and desirable.  This serves as the introduction to that series which will begin next week with The Promise of Power.

One of the most quoted proverbs from scripture is, “The tongue has the power of life and death and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Prov. 18:21).  In general, this proverb means that our words have power and authority and that power and authority can contribute to life or death, health or sickness.  That power and authority comes from being made in the image of God and then his giving dominion over the earth to man.  In addition, if you are a believer you also walk in the authority of Christ so that your words carry even more authority.  We can speak words of life or death over others or ourselves.  Eating the fruit of our words simply means that we will reap what we sow from what we have spoken.  If we speak death over others, it will eventually return to us.  If we speak life over others, that too will eventually come back to us.

One of the ways that words impart life or death is that our words give spiritual beings, angels or demons, a legal right to affect the lives of those we speak over…especially if we have spiritual authority over someone such as parents over children, husbands over wives, ourselves over ourselves, etc.  When we speak a blessing, we give angels a legal right and even a directive to work in someone’s life to bring about positive, life-giving outcomes.  When we speak a curse, we give demons a legal right and a directive to work to bring about negative or life-stealing outcomes.

In several of his books regarding the courts of heaven, Robert Henderson points out how often a courtroom scene is depicted in scripture in which Satan is accusing the people of God and attempting to bring an accusation against them that allows him to afflict or torment those individuals.  The first chapter of Job presents such a scene. In our ministry, we call those “open doors” that give the enemy access to the lives of individuals. For believers, this is not a salvation issue but a matter of spiritual warfare, in which, the enemy can gain more access than simple temptation and can oppress or afflict believers so that they are greatly hindered in fulfilling their destiny in Christ.   

The words we speak can be the very thing that enables the enemy to bring an accusation against us.  Remember the warning of Jesus when he said, “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” (Mt. 12:36-37). Entire books can be written on this subject, but I want to point out one possible open door created by our words that many believers fail to recognize.  This may be a small thing but I sense it is more than that.

In Exodus 20:7, the Lord says, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”  The King James version says that we shall not take “the Lord’s name in vain.”  The idea of something being done in vain is that the effort was meaningless or empty.  The idea is that God’s name is holy and sacred and must always be spoken with care and reverence.  We usually think of people who use the name of God or Jesus when cussing as being guilty of this sin, but the Hebrew means more than that. It means to use God’s name in any profane, meaningless, empty, indifferent, or careless way. The Jews were so concerned about misusing the Name that many would not even dare to speak it. 

In Christian circles, it is not uncommon for people to say things like, “Oh my God!” or “Good God” or “Good Lord” or God All Mighty,”etc.  as exclamation points for whatever statement they are making.  I know they mean no disrespect, but they are using the Name in a careless, meaningless, or empty way…which is the very definition of “misusing” the name of God. I believe a habit of this can open up believers to the accusations of Satan because they are violating the Word of God.  As a result, he can gain access to oppress or afflict an individual or family.  

I know this may sound like “knit picking” or legalism, but the name of God is a very sacred thing, no matter what age or culture we live in.  If we will have to give account for every careless word, then certainly careless words involving the name of our Creator must be in that category.  

I think this may represent an open door that we rarely consider or recognize. I feel like it is something the Holy Spirit keeps highlighting to me so I wanted to highlight it for those who read this blog.   If this resonates with you at all, pray about it and ask for the Spirit’s leading on this matter.  These are phrases we use so often and automatically that we aren’t even aware we have spoken them.  Ask the Spirit to make you aware of speaking in this way and ask others to make you aware as well, so that you can close any and every door of access that the enemy may have been using against you.  I believe this will honor God and God promises to honor those who honor him (1 Sam.2:30). Be blessed this week. 

I’m reading through the book of Acts once again in my devotional reading.  I continue to be struck by the boldness of the early church in proclaiming the gospel to the world.  This is a time in history when God’s people are going to need that kind of boldness again.  We know that is true for believers in the Middle East, China, parts of Africa, and currently in the Ukraine, but it is also needed by believers in the U.S and Canada. 

We are not yet being beheaded in the streets or having our church buildings bulldozed, but just about every Christian value is being assaulted in our nation by special interest groups and even major political parties.  This is a time when the church must not compromise with culture and must speak out consistently for righteousness as defined by God rather than the state.

The Bible declares that “we have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Tim. !:7).  There is a spirit of fear operating throughout the world and that spirit has certainly been evident in the U.S. over the past two years. Cable news and other media sources have done their part in creating a sense of dread and hopelessness in our country revolving around Covid, inflation, crime, and now war.  It’s not that these aren’t real issues, but the question is whether we bunker in, isolate ourselves, and stop reclaiming the culture for Christ or face the issues with boldness and confidence.  This is a time to remember that our God is still sovereign and watches over his people while we go about the business of the kingdom.

As I read through Acts, I see three great sources of strength for those believers.  First of all, is the Word and prayer.   In Acts 1 and 2, we see about 120 disciples hiding from authorities in a locked room.  Eleven or so of those leading believers had run away into the night when Jesus was arrested only a few weeks earlier.  There was no evidence of boldness in this group, but they were doing two essential things: they were considering the word of God and praying together for answers to their future.  

Clearly, we need to be spending more time considering the Word of God and praying than watching cable news.  And, we need to be doing that together rather than isolating ourselves from the body of Christ.  There is a spirit of fear operating through the media, most of which, is owned and run by unbelievers and opponents of the cross.  We don’t need to get our “daily bread” from them. I’m not saying we should be willfully ignorant about what is going on in the world because we need to pray about much of that. But, we should limit our exposure to that spirit and our time mediating on scripture and praying should out-weigh our time of exposure to any media outlets that pander fear.

The second source of boldness for the early church was the baptism of the Spirit.  As those 120 met and prayed, the Spirit fell and rested on all those in the room. That “filling” with the Holy Spirit caused an immediate  transformation in those believers. The obvious miracle of speaking in languages unknown to these believers was not the greatest miracle that day.  The new found courage and boldness that led the church into the temple courts to proclaim Jesus was the greatest miracle. We need to pray daily to be filled with the Spirit of God and for his Spirit to impart boldness to us and his church.  That constant prayer is more critical than ever in our day.

Thirdly, the early church had an expectation that differed from most of us in the west.  They anticipated hardship as believers, so that when it came, they did not feel abandoned or betrayed by God.  Most of us in America, feel like it is God’s job to keep our lives trouble free, even though Jesus declared, “In this world, you will have trouble” (Jn.16:33). When we face opposition, criticism or even persecution, we often feel as if God has failed us.  The early church saw trouble as evidence of their faith.  

When threatened by authorities and jailed, the Jerusalem church prayed, “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly (Acts 4:29-31). 

In Acts 5, after being flogged by the Sanhedrin, the apostles left “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name (Acts 5:41).  We may need to pray that God will give us a biblical expectation for life as a believer, so that when trouble comes, we are not discouraged and afraid, but emboldened, knowing that God is with us and will give us what we need to endure and overcome.

So…as we face a time when boldness and courage is required, we should consistently meditate on the Word of God and pray with other believers while limiting our exposure to the spirit of fear attached to so many things in our culture.  We should pray fervently to be filled with the Spirit daily and to be filled with boldness.  In addition, we may need to ask the Holy Spirit to adjust our expectation about living as a believer in a fallen and hostile world…for we have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.

Lord, give us boldness and courage to face every obstacle in our lives today as children of God, rather than children of this world.