June 9, 2005

• First pictures.

  
  

  Here is a picture of Pastor Danquah  on the left, a friend of his who is a pastor in Saratoga, New York, and Pastor Don Moore on the right.

  
  

  

  
  

   

  
  

  Jim took a picture of me and Pastor Danquah

  
  

  

  
  

   

  
  

  The text of last night’s study was Acts 2: 1-4, 13 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. (3) Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. ..(13)Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

  
  

  When Pentecost came the disciples were drunk with spiritual drunkenness. This was something done by God, and as always, what God does, the devil has a counterfeit for.

  
  

  Ephesians 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit…

  
  

  When you are drunk with the Holy Spirit, you are controlled by the Holy Spirit. If you are drunk with alcohol, you are controlled by the power of alcohol. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and these steps are controlled by the Holy Spirit.

  
  

  At this day of Pentecost, they were all together in one place, in one accord. They heard a sound like the rushing wind.

  
  

  God would want us as Christians to always be drunk in the Holy Spirit.

  
  

  Proverbs 23: 29-30 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine.

  
  

  With physical drunkenness you sit long at the wine.  To get drunk in the Holy Spirit you must tarry long to get drunk. It is not instant. We want instant results, but it is a process. The disciples tarried 10 days, and spent the time before the Lord. To let the Holy Spirit work on you, you have to tarry long. Spend time in prayer and in the Word. You cannot just pray a few minutes and expect to have that relationship with the Holy Spirit, you need to consistently pray and meditate on God and the Word.

  
  

  Boozers seek mixed wine (mixed drinks) for they want to get a very powerful high from the alcohol. If one bar is closed they SEEK for a place to fill their physical need for alcohol.

  
  

  With the Holy Spirit you must SEEK the Holy Ghost, keep on seeking. As Paul says, press on toward the prize. If you seek, Jesus says, you shall find.

  
  

  Proverbs 23:31-33 Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things.

  
  

  When the Holy Spirit stirs itself, get there. When God moves, move along with Him. Get yourself where the Spirit is moving.

  
  

  Benefits.

  
  

  1. V. 32 Physical alcohol bites like a serpent. If we get drunk in the Holy Spirit (filled with the Holy Spirit) demons, serpents, powers of the enemy will fear you. You become a danger zone for the enemy. If you fill yourself with the Spirit, there is no room for satan to get a toe hold. Become a devil chaser.

  
  

  Remember the sons of Sceva, who tried to counterfeit the works of Paul in casting out demons. The demons said, Jesus and Paul we know, but who are you, and they were possessed by the demons. We can’t imitate our relationship with Christ. And we must be fully drunk in the Spirit (filled with the Holy Spirit) before we begin a spiritual battle. We do not do works on our own power but through Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is important to know where we stand, to know Jesus, and to stay filled with the Spirit. To start your day filled with the Spirit, and continue filling as the day progresses, and go to bed filled with the Spirit.

  
  

  Demons are not comfortable with light, and darkness flees from the light of the Spirit. Health and sickness cannot reside together, sickness will flee from the Health given by the Spirit.

  
  

  The accuser that eats at us, satan, confusion, depression, despair will flee from the light of the Spirit.

  
  

  2. Strange words, and perverse thoughts follow alcohol consumption. When you are physically drunk, even a woman who looks awful will seem beautiful to you because your mind is clouded by alcohol.

  
  

  In the Spirit, you have a sort of sixth sense, and can see the supernatural. You see more than the ordinary person sees. God opens our eyes, and we have discernment. Jesus did not commit to men, for he knew what we were and our limitations. He discerned us and our ways. We have to make a choice, to be in the spirit of the devil, or the Spirit of God.

  
  

  Pastor Danquah said that in Africa the shamans can put substances in food or chant over the food to bring the anointing to a halt. That is why it is so important to say grace over our food. To give thanks to God, for nothing of evil can stay where God is present and invited.

  
  

  A believer must see what an unbeliever can’t see, and that discernment will help both. We can see ahead of time because we have the Word of God to show us what will be.

  
  

  It is sad to say that many Christians do not operate with the discernment that God has made available to us. It is said in the Bible that in the last days men will dream dreams, and women will prophesy. But we do not listen to our dreams and visions. If we have them, we need to pray about them to make sure they are from God. The gifts of the Spirit operate in our lives today.

  
  

  3. 33b in alcohol, people are led to utter perverse things. They say things that are not beneficial to themselves or to others. Often they regret what they say later on.

  
  

  The Holy Spirit declares by inspiration the mind of the Almighty God, it declares – Thus says the Lord. Prophesy in the Holy Spirit, declare God’s words and the angels of God will get busy for you.

  
  

  In Jude it says to build yourself up in the most holy faith, pray in the Holy Ghost,.

  
  

  It will, if you pray consistently, get so filling in you that your body cannot contain the power of the Spirit and it will pour forth.

  
  

  Often people want to feel that emotions are not part of the spiritual walk, but emotions are good, as long as they are grounded by the Spirit and you are lead to display them maturely.

  
  

  A pastor cannot just lose himself in the Spirit. He functions in the Spirit, the Spirit controls him, but in the midst of people He must still be in control and acting maturely. It must be ordered, and appropriate.

  
  

  If you drink physical alcohol, you often end up throwing up. In the Holy Spirit you throw up demons, sickness, things that are not of God. (Pastor Don yelled out, not on my carpet as a joke. It is not a physical throwing up, but a spiritual removal of what bars you from growing in God).

  
  

  Keep getting drunk in the Spirit, don’t get dry. Pray in the Spirit, pray in tongues all the time. Often Christians put a printed prayer on the wall, or say five minutes of prayer a day at most. You cannot keep your self anointed with the Spirit with just five minutes of prayer a day. You need to soak yourself in the spirit.

  
  

  There are times when you might not have the faith you need, or you might get physically sick, but we don’t have to entertain the sickness. The Holy Spirit can help you drive out the sickness.

  
  

  Pastor Don, at another Bible study once told us that we should be praying in the Spirit as often as possible. To begin our day by rolling out of the bed onto our knees, praying during the day, when you do dishes, drive your car, every second you can (you can pray quietly so it is not noticed by people around you), and you should pray before going to sleep at night. Keep ourselves covered in prayer.

  
  

  Hope you enjoyed this study. As soon as my resident CD minister and husband (Jim) makes the second day available to me, I will share that as well. I missed the talk due to an academic awards ceremony where my kids were being honored.

  
  

  Hope you have a great day.

  
  

  Heather

  • 1:22 pm
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