Holy Spirit is Here

Acts 10:44 ⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. (NIV)

Many Christians falsely believe that receiving the Holy Spirit is a separate event sometime after conversion.  They falsely believe that miraculous signs should accompany the receiving of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit enters the believer the moment the believer opens their heart to Jesus as Lord and Savior.  The Holy Spirit came to this earth on the day of Pentecost in the upper room to those waiting for the promise of His coming to be filled.  When we lead someone to Christ, when they open their heart to Him, we must tell them about the Holy Spirit Who now indwells in them.  Our problem is not in the receiving of the Holy Spirit but in the recognizing of His dwelling within us and our opening up to learn to listen to Him and allow Him to flow through us.  If you’ve opened your heart to Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the door to the Father’s presence you have the Holy Spirit within you.  Learn to listen as you read the written word and as you converse with the Father.  It is a matter of opening our mind and our ears.

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Lesser or Greater

Acts 1:8 ⁸ 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.” (NIV)

There is one reason and only one reason we have the Holy Spirit within us.  This is to enable us to be witness of Jesus to the ends of the earth.  It is not to show how spiritual we are by laying hands on someone for healing and seeing them healed.  He is not residing in us for us to look spiritual.  He is not in us to do our bidding.  The Holy Spirit is in us so that we can do His bidding.  When someone tells us to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to “come upon us” so we can see miracles, they are off base.  The Holy Spirit wants us to look to, praise and worship God the Father.  Yes, He will do miracles through us but not for show or for us to look good.  All things the Holy Spirit does are for the purpose of bringing glory to God.  John the Baptist had the right idea.  He said he was to become lesser that Jesus becomes greater.  All things we say and do should point to God.

Free Reign

Acts 19:4-6 ⁴ Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” ⁵ On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied (NIV)

John was baptizing (the correct translation is immersing) before the ministry of Jesus.  His immersing was an outward sign of repentance from a life of sin.  After Jesus’ ministry the immersing was and is done in the name of Jesus.  It is more than a public sign of repenting from a sinful life.  It is, in the name  of Jesus, a public sign of following Jesus, believing and trusting Him.  At the time of immersion, we are now filled with His Holy Spirit.  This couldn’t happen until Jesus returned to the Father and He sent the Holy Spirit to the believers.  It is only with the Holy Spirit that we are able to fight the natural tendency to sin and walk our own way without God.  Our problem lies in recognizing the Holy Spirit’s presence in us and allowing Him to work in and through us.  All followers are filled with the Holy Spirit but not all give reign to the Holy spirit within our lives.  Let us learn to give free reign to the Holy spirit within us, to teach us, lead us and speak to us that we can be pleasing to God and glorify Him.