Holy Spirit ⟷ Spirit Of Christ ⟷ Spirit Of God ⟷ Spirit Of Truth ⟷ God

We were never intended to live our lives under our own power.   

Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Mat 26:41 They would be pulled into His judgment by association and so they needed to be praying for strength to endure the temptation that would come for them to turn away from Him.

We need the Holy Spirit!   

When we receive Jesus by faith as Lord and Saviour we are Born Again of His Word and His Holy Spirit.   

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of the Lord, which lives and abides for ever. 1Pe 1:23 The seed that births us into the Kingdom Of God is the Word of the Lord - writtern and incarnate.     Both the Incarnate Word and the Written Word abide forever.

Being Born Again is an act of faith.   

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house. Act 16:31 We connect The Measure Of Faith that the Lord gave us at birth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we are born of His Holy Spirit and so become Sons Of The Holy Spirit.      Note that this verse does not tell us to believe on the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.     It tells us to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ who is:    → the Father    → the Son    → the Holy Spirit This is what Chrisitanity is all about - recognizing God in Christ Jesus so that we no longer flounder around in speculation and confusion.         → Jesus is the Way to God.         → Jesus is the Truth about God.         → Jesus is the Life of God.         → Jesus is God.

It is the Holy Spirit who makes His abode in us.   Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father.   

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is actually a break-through where we surrender our will to the power of Holy Spirit.   

When this happens we speak with the heavenly language.   We are enraptured by His love.   We fellowship with Him in an intense, intimate way.   

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance. Act 2:4 Spirit Baptism is necessary for a powerful life in Christ.     Yes, we are Born Again and given the gift of Eternal Life by faith in Jesus Christ.     That is necessary for us to be Spirit Filled.      Some people receive the Holy Spirit baptism at the same time as they are Born Again, but most do not.      Primarily, this is a result of not being taught to expect the Holy Spirit baptism.      Secondly, there has been no demonstration of Spirit Baptism in many churches.      For those who may not understand who and what the Holy Spirit is, understand this:    → The Holy Spirit is the Spirit Of Christ Jesus.         → The Holy Spirit is not some 3rd person of some godhead.         → The Holy Spirit is the eternal, omniscient, omnipresent being who created us and redeemed us by our Lord Jesus Christ.      Receive Him and fellowship with Him who is Eternal Life and Abundant Life.

We receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us.   This power is for us to do work - to accomplish things.   

But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Act 1:8 The Holy Spirit is the Gift Of Christ Jesus Himself.      We are weak in the flesh but by the power of His Holy Spirit we can do all things.     At the top of the list of `all things` is spreading the Gospel of salvation by Grace Through Faith.      Jesus did not say you will receive tongues or gifts.     He said you will receive power to be witnesses unto Him.     Tongues and gifts are for the church which is the Body Of Christ.

We are to preach the Gospel.   We are to set at liberty the captive.   We are to heal the sick.   We are to build the Kingdom Of Heaven.   

Truly, truly, I say unto you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. Joh 14:12 This is one of the most ignored things that Jesus said.     Why?     Because we choose to be believers only.     We resist becoming disciples.      Disciples follow their master in His footsteps learning from Him and imitating Him.      Jesus is telling us that we are to spread the Gospel, heal the sick, set captives free and make disciples of all men.      We can only do this by the power of the Holy Spirit operating in a vessel with the Mind Of Christ.      What did Jesus mean by 'I go unto my Father'?     Jesus returned to the Spirit Realm (Heaven) when He ascended where the Holy Spirit Father is most readily experienced.     It is the seat from where The Majesty emanates throughout the universe.

Why don`t we see the power of the Lord manifested the way it is needed?   

We have believed the lie that Satan told Eve: "you don`t need the Lord, You will be Lord of yourself".   

For the Lord does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Gen 3:5 Our Lord is Love, goodness and Truth.      Satan undermined Eve`s thoughts about the Lord`s nature and character in this lie.

It is not in man to direct his own steps.   Jeremiah 10:23

We Need the power of the Lord to make a difference in this world.   

Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Zec 4:6 In the Creation, The Holy Spirit inspired, the Word Spoke and the Holy Spirit moved to bring what was spoken to pass.     Gen 1:2 The plans of man are vanity and his efforts futile unless they are consistent with the Word and empowered by The Holy Spirit.

Nothing eternal is accomplished without the Holy Spirit doing the work.   

If You have not been baptised in the Holy Spirit You need to for your sake and others.   

If You have been but are not flowing in the spirit, reconnect with Him.   Pray in the spirit.   Doing so builds up our faith equipping is to fight the good fight of faith.   

But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, Jud 1:20 Pray in your Prayer Language to be strengthened spiritually, physically and mentally meditating on the Word Of The Lord on which your faith rests.      Paul said that he spoke with tongues more than all the people at corinth.     He was talking about exercising his Prayer Language.

We don`t wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of the air - ideas, philosophies, deception.   

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Eph 6:12 The point of this verse is clarity.     Evil is spiritual disease.     Good is spiritual health.     Evil issues from Satan.     Good issues from the Holy Spirit.      We are to see past the physical manifestation of good and evil to the spirit that inspires it.     In so doing, we operate from a position of superiority, enabling us to deal effectively to cast out the evil and to promote the good.      Flesh and blood is needed to impact the people of earth in the Physical Realm.     That is why the Lord made Himself a body and we called Him Jesus whose purpose was to redeem us from our lost state.     Likewise, Satan uses flesh and blood people to do his work in the earth.      Spiritual Wickedness is the foundation for the attacks against our faith and our work for the Kingdom Of God.      That Spiritual Wickedness comes from Satan through His deception of mankind.     Darkness is where Satan rules, using his powers of persuasion to convince men to turn away from the Lord.      When a person rejects Christ they become a Child Of Satan and unknowlingly or willingly become his instrument to steal, kill and destroy.      Flesh and blood are inspired and motivated by the spirit and soul inside it.      The spirit of every person who has not been born again is a Sin Nature.     The soul of every person who has not been Born Again is Carnal Minded.      A Sin Nature spirit and a Carnal Minded soul make for the person a tool of Satan.      Just as our spirit and soul manifests Christ, the unregenerated have spirits and souls manifesting Satan.      We do war against people who are Children Of Satan.

Only the Holy Spirit can defeat the enemy of mankind.   He is indispensible.   He is the source of abundant life.   

It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. Joh 6:63 This is profound Truth!         → The Holy Spirit makes us alive and keeps us alive.         → The flesh does not help anything.         → It is sustained by the Spirit.         → Our life comes by the Word Of The Lord through His Holy Spirit.      But, the Holy Spirit waits for us to release His power.      We do so by faith in the authority of Christ and His Word and courage to operate as Sons Of The Holy Spirit.

Jesus breathed on His disciples and told them to receive the Holy Spirit.   We only have to receive.   The Holy Spirit is offered without measure.   

For he whom the Holy Spirit has sent speaks the words of the Holy Spirit: for the Holy Spirit gives not Himself by measure unto him. Joh 3:34 The eternal Holy Spirit (Spirit Of God) imparted the eternal Word (Soul Of God) into human flesh whom we call Jesus.      Jesus is the embodiment of the Holy Spirit, speaking the Words of the Holy Spirit and doing the works of the Holy Spirit.      Only in Jesus` finite body is His Holy Spirit limited.     Joh 14:28

For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon your seed, and my blessing upon your offspring: Isa 44:3 Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our Faith by which our thirst is quenched and we are blessed with Eternal, Abundant Life.

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: Joe 2:28 This is the prophecy of our Lord`s will for us:    → to be reconciled to Him    → to be filled with His Spirit    → to experience eternal, abundant life through His Spirit

And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. Joe 2:29

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. Zec 12:10

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire: Mat 3:11 This is John the Baptist speaking about four things    → Water Baptism    → repentance    → Jesus    → Spirit Baptism.      Water Baptism is a sign that the person being baptized is repentant.     Repentance is necessary to access the Grace of the Lord.     Jesus is the object to which we turn toward away from our old ways of thinking, believing and living.      Though John does not mention it here, turning away from the old life to Christ Jesus and confession of Him as the risen Lord confirm our redemption by Grace Rom 10:9,10.      We are redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ Jesus.     Redemption is all on His part.     We add nothing to it.      Once we are Born Again as a result of repentance and faith In Christ Jesus we are to be filled with His Holy Spirit.      We respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ    → by turning away from unbelief and wickedness    → by believing that Jesus is `God`,    → by receiving Christ Jesus by faith as our Saviour,    → by asking Him to fill us with His Holy Spirit.      Spirit Baptism is the end-game for our existence on earth.         → the Holy Spirit is the Spirit Of Christ in us    → the Holy Spirit seals us to the Lord Jesus.         → Receiving the Spirit Of Christ is intimate union with Jesus.         → the Holy Spirit is Eternal Life in us    → the Holy Spirit in us is our expectation of glory    → the Holy Spirit is power in us to do the supernatural.         → the Holy Spirit is the witness of Christ Jesus in us.

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: Mat 3:16 Jesus was called to be the Son Of The Holy Spirit but the Holy Spirit in Him is who made Him the Christ.      Jesus is the Soul and Body of the Holy Spirit.     He is Spirit Soul And Body as are we whom He created in His image.      Jesus saw a vision of His annointing by His Holy Spirit for the work of Messiah.

I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit. Mar 1:8 John knew the purpose of the Messiah - to cleanse us from sin so that we may receive the Holy Spirit.

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire: Luk 3:16 John tells us the ultimate accomplishment for Christ - to make it possible through His sacrifice for us to be baptized with His Holy Spirit.

And the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased. Luk 3:22 This is the certification of Jesus as the express image of the Father - the Son Of The Holy Spirit.      Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit.     The Holy Spirit is The Majesty.     He eminates from Heaven but fills the universe and beyond.     On this day the Holy Spirit filled Jesus and confirmed His annointing from The Majesty in Heaven.

And, behold, I send the promised Holy Spirit Father upon you: but tarry you in the city of Jerusalem, until you be endued with supernatural power. Luk 24:49 Understanding this verse:    → Jesus is giving a command (send)    → A promise is an announcement of potential.         → `my Father` may best be understood as `my generator`.         → The Holy Spirit is the one who generated Jesus.         → Jesus is ordaining His own Spirit to come to us.         → We are to wait for His Holy Spirit to come upon us and fill us before going out in Jesus` name.         → When we are baptized with His Holy Spirit we then have both the authority of Jesus and the power of His Spirit in us.

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Holy Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. Joh 1:32 The annointing was for the body of Jesus to be empowered to teach, heal and perform miracles.

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom you shall see the Holy Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Spirit. Joh 1:33 The second great statement by John.     The first is recorded in Joh 1:29 The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the main reason Jesus came.     He had to die for us to be cleansed and be born as New Spirit beings.     This was the preparation.     The infilling was the purpose.

Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. Joh 3:5 The Sin Nature must be destroyed and replaced with a New Spirit which exists in the Kingdom Of Heaven.      The Kingdom Of Heaven is the Spirit Realm, which is a dimension of existence higher than that of the space-time continuum in which all physical life exists.      It is not possible for the purely physical to exist in the Spirit Realm.     This is why we must be born of the Spirit.      Being born of water means being born into humanity.     Angels cannot experience the Kingdom Of Heaven in themselves as Born Again humans may Luk 17:21.      If there is any confusion about the birth by water being Water Baptism the next verse clears it up.     He connects the water with the flesh.

For John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence. Act 1:5 The purpose of Christ Jesus coming to earth was to make it possible for us to be filled with His Holy Spirit.      Forgiveness of sins was necessary that we escape the Lake Of Fire.      But the Lord is not just merciful in forgiving your sins, He is love.     He wants an intimate, personal relationship with you.      We hear Jesus say that He must leave so that the comforter may come.     Joh 16:7 The comforter is the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit Of Christ Jesus.     Joh 4:24 In order to experience Christ`s purpose for you, you must be filled with His Holy Spirit.     Joh 15:26 How do you receive the Holy Spirit?      You ask for Him in faith.     Luk 11:13

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Act 2:38 What do we need to do to become what our Lord designed us to be?         → Repent for the remission of sins.         → Be Baptized In The Name Of Jesus Christ for remission of sins.         → Receive the gift of His Holy Spirit.      Having the Holy Spirit Father in us and us in Him is our Lord`s purpose in creation.     Mat 28:19 Act 16:31 Rom 10:9,10 The emphasis on the word, baptized, should be on immersion into Christ Jesus - not just as an article of faith but as a lifestyle empowered by the New Spirit being we become in Him.      Everything that is spiritual is eternal.     Water Baptism is not eternal, it is a one time act.      Immersion into Christ Jesus is a state of existence that is eternal.

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit: Act 8:15

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Act 8:16 Water Baptism did not fill the person being baptized.     It was a symbolic act, a public witness of faith In Christ Jesus.

Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Act 8:17 See notes on Spirit Baptism

And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles` hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, Act 8:18

How the Lord anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for the Lord was with him. Act 10:38 The Holy Spirit annointed Jesus as He came up out of the water from John`s baptism.     The Holy Spirit was with Him and in Him speaking His Words and doing His works.

While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word. Act 10:44 Spirit Baptism is a work of faith as is the case with all blessings from the Lord.     As Peter preached the Gospel of the kingdom the Holy Spirit quickened their mortal bodies and they begin to speak in tongues under the power of the Holy Spirit.      Notice that the Holy Spirit sanctioned what Peter said about the name of Jesus.     When Jesus is lifted up the Holy Spirit lifts up the lifters and those who hear and believe.

And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. Act 10:45 `of the Circumcision` refers to those believers who were still steeped in judaism.     Such did not understand the parables of Jesus referring to new wine and new cloth.     Mat 9:16,17 Faith in Christ Jesus results in being born as a New Spirit being.     It is the creation of new cloth, new wine skin.     The new cloth should not be mingled with old cloth.     The new wine skin is for new wine.     That `new wine` is the Holy Spirit.

Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? Act 10:47 Water baptism is a symbol of the purification that has taken place by faith In Christ Jesus which appropriates His shed blood and the forgiveness and redemption that it provides.      It is important to note that Cornelius was forgiven, redeemed, and baptized with the Holy Spirit before the ritual of Water Baptism.      All spiritual gifts are received by faith and faith alone.

And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Act 11:15

Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Act 11:16

He said unto them, Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?     And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Spirit. Act 19:2 What is intensely realized in our soul (mind, emotions and will) will manifest in our body.      If the inspiration for that realization is the Spirit Of Truth and the object of that realization is the Word Of Truth then what is manifested through the believer is pure worship and ministry.      Coupled with right realization is control and order.      Just as the Lord does not make us realize, neither does He make us manifest.      So, there is subjectivity involved in how the Holy Spirit manifests in the believer or not.      If you are a cessationist you choose to be so.      If you are a continuationist you choose to be so.      `Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?` To receive something means you accept it.

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 1Co 12:13 We cannot overemphasize the oneness of the Holy Spirit with those whom He fills.     We are individuals with separate consciousnesses (soul) and bodies but we are simultaneously one in the Holy Spirit Of Christ Jesus.

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his kindness he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; Tit 3:5 Now we are washed by His blood and Born Again of His Holy Spirit.

Ministry Study: 5 - Ministry Of The Holy Spirit