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What Do You Have in Your Hand?  
Worship and Service Part 1  
Worship and Service Part 2 

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Who are you and what is your purpose?
Walking in love under adversity
Battle between two kingdoms
At the crossroads – salvation
At the crossroads – salvation – part 2
The Word
Tactics of the devil
The Word
What Time is it?

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The Cup

What is so much fun about our Bible studies is that Pastor Don also is willing to teach were there is need. Sometimes we start off on one topic and a question diverts our study from the topic at hand to teaching where a person needs clarity. I really want to have that kind of knowledge of the Bible that Pastor Don has, that I can also teach were a person needs, knowing the Bible well enough to know where to go to illustrate the answer.

Guess what, we are still in Hebrews 6:1-3. We use the New King James Version, but I thought it would be fun to see the Amplified of this passage.

Hebrews 6:1-3 THEREFORE LET us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith [by which you turned] to God, With teachings about purifying, the laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment and punishment. [These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long, long ago.] If indeed God permits, we will [now] proceed [to advanced teaching].

The NKJ Version Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,  of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.

Pastor Don had given us an assignment, to look up in our concordances every time the laying on of hands occurred. We were to see who laid their hands, the recipient of the hand laying, and the result. We brought this research to Bible study and have been systematically going over the verses we found. I missed one week of Bible study due to a snow storm, so I am going to share the verses covered and then bring you to 12/20′s Bible study. As you can see, I am almost caught up!

Friday Bible studies are usually not recorded, so I am sad that I missed one – But at least we have the verses.

Scapegoat:

Leviticus 16:21-22 Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.

Witnesses lay hands on blasphemer

Leviticus 24:14 Take outside the camp him who has cursed; then let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him.

Council of people to bless the Levites

Numbers 8:10 So you shall bring the Levites before the LORD, and the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites;

To transfer sins or of peace for an offering – there are peace offerings and sin offerings.

Numbers 8:12 Then the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls, and you shall offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites.

Ordination or appointing to position of authority.

Numbers 27:18-20  And the LORD said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;  set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight.  And you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

Healing

Matthew 9:18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.”

Matthew 9:29 (Blind Men) Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.”

Matthew 20:34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

Oh I sure wish I had been there to hear the teaching on the above verses, because the teachings on the following ones are so spectacular. I always get upset when I miss Bible study for I know that there are nuggets of gold to glean every week.

Mark 1:40-41 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”

Pastor Don said that Jesus did not have to lay his hand on the leper, he could have spoken the healing, but Jesus was moved by compassion and reached out to touch one who needed His touch. It is compassion that led the healing – not a methodology.

The method of healing that Jesus used was determined by the Holy Spirit and was based on the need of the receiver and the faith of the receiver. The Holy Spirit knows what will assist the cause to release faith and get a person into agreement with God. Sometimes Jesus blew on the person, anointed the person, laid hands on the person or spoke to the person.

Pastor Don told us that the leper came up to Jesus and asked him, “If you are willing….” This was not a criterion for Jesus healing the person - it was not questioning Jesus’ willingness to heal. Some read this passage and decide that God will decide if He is willing to heal in one situation and not willing to heal in another, even though He could heal both situations. This is not the nature of God. God is always willing to heal.

The problem is not the willingness of God, but what is in our minds – do we think we are unworthy to become clean or healed? What the man was wondering was if Jesus would reach out and touch him, violating the Mosaic law which would make a person ceremonially unclean to touch a leper. (Heather’s note, the instant Jesus touched him the man was completely healed and would not make Jesus ceremonially unclean.)

Mark 1:32-35 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him. Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

The man knew that Jesus was able to heal and healed ALL, so he knew that Jesus would have been willing to heal him – it was if Jesus would be willing to touch him when he was ceremonially unclean that bothered the leper. For the leper he believed that healing was going to come from touch, and if Jesus was not going to be willing to touch the leper, the leper would not be able to agree with Jesus in faith for his healing. Jesus was going to a solitary place to pray, but he stopped to help this man.

Mark 1:38-39 But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.

Jesus was preaching in the synagogues, so he needed to be ceremonially clean. He cast out demons and taught. What is God’s will for sickness? It is ALWAYS God’s will to destroy the work of the devil. God is never into keeping people sick or poor, you don’t have to earn your healing. Jesus was willing to heal the leper, and the question that the leper wanted to know was if Jesus was willing to touch him.

The man believed that healing was transferred through the hands or through garments, so Jesus met the man where his need was.

Jesus is always willing to do something about our situation. When the Messiah comes there is healing in His wings, for He is the Son of Righteousness.

The Number one way the Israelites believed that healing would come was through touch.

The centurion astounded Jesus by his faith, for he did not demand that Jesus come and touch his servant, he believed that all Jesus had to do was say the Word and his servant would be healed. There was a law that stated that if you are righteous and holy you are not permitted to have unclean people touch you or for you to touch anything unclean. Jesus did not break that law for the man was made clean the instant Jesus touched him.

The belief system of the day is that if you have leprosy there is a reason for it, if you are sick lets look at your sin. To worry is a sin. The only time there is not a sin is if there is an accident.

The question for Jesus is, would he deal with the healing if there was sin?

We need to find where our faith is. What do we have the faith to believe? Jesus knew that that leper’s faith needed a physical touch, so when Jesus touched him the man released his faith and was healed.

We determine the methodology of how we receive the healing, often going to physical things before going to the Lord. If we have a headache we take two aspirin to be healed.

We can get a Word of Knowledge that tells us what is blocking our healing and what will open the doors of Heaven. Did you ask for forgiveness? Did you stop the sinful behavior? Etc. Often we don’t want to confess why we are missing our healing.

Mark 1:41  Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”

That is Jesus’ answer to us yesterday, today and forever, I AM WILLING – BE CLEANSED.

Mark 1:44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Jesus wanted the man to say nothing, and just do the Levitical cleansing to show he was healed, but we will see that the man sinned and disobeyed Jesus.

Mark 1:45 However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

We might think that, after such suffering, how could this man keep his healing secret? In a way we can see that, but what the man’s talking did was to prevent Jesus from doing what he wanted to do, which was to teach in the synagogues and minister to the Jews. He was cast into the light of a lawbreaker for touching the leper, even though we know that the man was healed instantly and Jesus did not become ceremonially unclean.

The priests of that day, and many of the traditional church people of today, have small minds and would have been more concerned with the seeming break of the law – the touching of something unclean, than they would be praising God for the healing of the leper. Not realizing that the leper was clean before Jesus touched him. The Healing virtue from Jesus entered the man before Jesus touched him.

The leaders of that day started asking how can Jesus be a prophet and go around touching unclean people? And not go to the temple and offer sacrifice.

The man was excited and disobedient – Jesus told the leper clearly to not say anything. By this man’s fleshly act of disobedience, the ministry of Jesus was interfered with. The people would begin to see Jesus as not doing the righteous thing regarding the leper. Pastor Don told us that timing is everything when we are dealing with people. Had Jesus been able to continue the teachings the way He planned, people would have seen the sinlessness of Jesus before the Cross.

Pastor Don told us that the optimum situation is to be used by the Lord in any capacity – ushering, cleaning toilets, etc, and many in those situations do not realize that they can stand up for Christ in any ordinary situation, but if they do not reflect the glory of God, instead of their service being used by the Lord, it contributes to the evil one. To do one’s job with a wrong attitude, to be surly or resentful only adds to the evil one. To be disobedient to God adds to the evil one.

Someone asked about pastors who are living in sin. If we do not uphold and live our lives according to Christ you will be attacked. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. If we fall, satan will accuse us of hypocrisy. God was using you to bring good for another person, to do an act of love in righteousness. Sometimes, to accomplish something on this earth, God will use an unclean vessel, a tarnished person. But sometimes God will withhold a blessing from a person if he knows that the one God has to use would end up taking credit for the blessing and mislead the sheep. God will not show up for a vessel who is more concerned about money or sexual sin. God will withhold the blessing so that the Gospel is not tarnished. Judgment is in the house of God. Sexual predators will be exposed. God will withhold anointing and at other times do tremendous miracles through tarnished vessel. For example some pastors who sinned and repented, God will still use, even though their ministry will not have the same power as before.

Pastor Don was then asked how does a person know whom they are listening to in the Heavenlies, cannot a person be tricked into believing the wrong thing. He told us that there is a difference between the Word of Knowledge and the Word of Wisdom. The Word of Knowledge tells something about a situation or person. The Word of Wisdom tells the person what to do with the knowledge.

There is an angel of light and an angel of darkness present. Satan is still in the church. He is not invited, not wanted. But a pastor can receive a Word of Knowledge from either the angel of light or from the angel of darkness. We asked more about this. Pastor Don said that if he were a pastor who was a prophet and going to a meeting where people were expecting him to prophesy, what would happen if, when he got to a meeting where people were coming expressly to hear him prophesy, God was silent. What if God did not have anything to say to that particular assemblage of people? What if God told Pastor Don to not prophesy. What if the people came expecting prohesies and Pastor Don had $3,000 worth of bills to pay, and knew that the collection from the meeting depended on his prophesying , what would he do? He would obey God, but there are pastors out there who would bow under the pressure to perform.

If they bowed to that pressure to perform, the only prophetic voice speaking would be the angel of darkness. Pastor Don told us that often the angel of darkness will be 100% right, and both the angel of darkness and the angel of light know the people. Both can tell the truth and give correct information, but the angel of darkness will not always tell the truth. He may tell the truth to most people but if there is one person that satan wants to mislead, the angel of darkness will take advantage of the person and destroy them. Because all the previous prophesies of the angel of darkness were accurate, the person who was to be deceived might think that the prophesy for him was also true. The pastor who bowed to the pressure to perform would be being influenced by a familiar spirit, and giving the false prophesies. Will most people be blessed by the prophesies of the angel of darkness – yes – for satan is no fool, and will not tell bold faced lies. But people can be brought down or their ministries hampered by false prophesies.

The key is, does the Word agree with what the prophesy says? What’s in your Spirit? Don’t move unless your prophesy identifies with what the Word of God says, and also with God’s timing. On the surface the prophesy may look good, may seem to be the good thing for God, but it may not be God’s best for you. Ask the Holy Spirit – is that of the Lord?

When asked about what about those words from the angel of darkness. Is it wrong to accept them if they are true, and how can we tell if it is an angel of darkness or an angel of light? Pastor Don said that you take the good seed and spit out the stubble. Pray about it and seek anointed counsel to help you sort out a prophesy.

Pastor Don pointed out that sometimes the pressure to perform can cause a person to not question where the information is coming from. Someone commented that that may be the case for some of the TBN prophets who have to weekly perform.

Often, when you hear from the Spirit it is nothing new and it sounds like your own thoughts. But you need to discern if you are hearing form the angel of light or the angel of darkness. We need to be very discerning.

If we misspeak in error, God will tell us and we can go back to God and ask forgiveness. We don’t want to cross the line and have the ends justify the means. We need to ask the Holy Spirit if we received a word from the angel of light or the angel of darkness.

Sometimes a word is not meant to be shared at a particular time. You may want to minister to a person, but the Holy Spirit tells you to wait – He knows that the person’ s heart is not in the right place to receive their healing, and if you act out of order, you could interfere with the work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life.

But people bend to the pressure and change what the Spirit has told us the Holy Spirit wants to minister a certain way, but the people expect different things.

1 Corinthians 13:8  Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

Not all prophesies have failed. There are pastors today who use this verse to try and justify that there are no more prophesies and that tongues have ceased.  But knowledge is increasing. Why would one part of a passage be true and the other part not be true.

1 Corinthians 13:10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

We are not perfect yet, we are still seing in part. How come, if we are not perfect, do we think we have perfect understanding of scripture? We do have questions and the Holy Spirit shows us answers.

1 Corinthians 13:11  When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things

Many of us are still children in our faith,

1 Corinthians 13:12  For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

I shall know as I am known. Right now we know something about things, but we do not have the whole picture.

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

This has not changed. When Jesus is here in His fullness, we will not need faith and our hope will be realized in the presence of the Lord. We only hope now because the present is imperfect, and the only real love is through having the Mind of Christ.

We ran out of time, and Pastor Don said that we will continue our studies on the laying on of hands next week.

I count myself so blessed to be able to sit under these teachings. I learn so much, and sharing them with you causes me to review what I have learned. I pray that you also are blessed.

Heather

We are still working on our proof text of basic tenants of faith.

Hebrews 6:1-3  Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.

Acts 19:1-7 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”  (3)And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” (4) Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” (5) When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (6) And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.  (7)Now the men were about twelve in all.

These disciples were saved, were born again and following in the way of Christ, they had received the baptism of repentance which was John’s Baptism, but had never heard of the Holy Spirit.

This passage shows that there has to be something more than the Baptism of repentance. The Church is in error if they teach that one baptism is both for repentance and the Holy Spirit. When Paul came, if this teaching of the Church was true, why did he have to ask about if they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Why would he have separated out that baptism from the other?

When people come to our church, Pastor Don prays that the Holy Spirit helps him to locate where people are. Do they know the Holy Spirit, do they not have the power of the Holy Spirit, don’t they know the Holy Spirit, do they have a heart for the Holy Spirit?

We need to know the reason we have for believing, or the reason we have for rejecting.

To not accept the Holy Spirit grieves those who are true disciples of THE WAY. The early believers called themselves “the Way”, not Christians. The label of “Christian” has done a lot to separate the Jews and Christians – for both Jewish believers and Christ believers walk the WAY, to label Christians as “Christians” only separated, it did not help to pull people into one Body in Christ.

The Jewish believers in verse 2 did not receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit although they did believe and receive the Baptism of repentance.

Verse 3 shows us that they were baptized into John’s baptism, which was the baptism of repentance.. In Verse 4 we see they believed and received. In Verse 5 they were baptized IN THE NAME OF JESUS, being immersed in Christ. When we ask for something in the name of Jesus, when we ask for the Holy Spirit in the Name of Jesus, we step into the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 11:9-13 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

In Acts 11 these people in saw signs and wonders but did not have the Holy Spirit. Peter and John showed them the Word of God, and they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

To help people receive the Holy Spirit you have to show them the verses that we have been studying over the past few weeks so that they see the truth in the Word of God, and when they see it in the Word, they can choose to believe, or sadly not to believe. We receive the Holy Spirit by faith. If you can’t prove the Holy Spirit Baptism in the Word they will not be able to have faith for it, for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

In Luke 11:9-13, Jesus is speaking a spiritual law.

You can be born again and believe in faith in some situations, but not in others.

Pastor Don uses as an illustration asking a group of people if they have at least one dollar in their possession. The presumption might be that we have a dollar, or that we know what we don’t have. Pastor Don made it more specific, and asked if we had $37.50 exactly. Some may have $40, some may have $20.10, others may have the exact amount required. In order to know if they have the exact amount they have to examine what they have in their wallet, pockets and purses.

Pastor Don said that with the Holy Spirit, we have to examine exactly what we have. Do we have the dunamis power of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues? Do we have the presence of the Holy Spirit? Do we have the power of the Holy Spirit?

Pastor Don was brought up as a Baptist, and has taught in many denominations He said that we need to examine the gifts we operate in, do we lay hands on the sick and they recover, do we see signs and wonders, cast out demons. Do we speak in tongues or not? We need to examine what we do have. Do we only have repentance for dead works and sins, and salvation – but we are not operating under all that the Bible says we can do, which includes the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of tongues?

Pastor Don then went back to the request of the $37.50 – he told us that if we discovered that we did not have this, we might ask to receive the $37.50. But we won’t ask for something that we think we already have. 

How many of the gifts, signs and wonders that God has promised us do we manifest? Have we asked to have the others manifested through us? 

Pastor Don told us that the third world countries have more evidence of signs and wonders and healing than we have. We have it easy and can go to a doctor for medicine – those who have little have to rely on God. We need to get to the point where we rely on God. 

Acts 10:44-48  While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

Peter went to meet the Gentile, Cornelius, who was not instructed in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, but he believed on Christ, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit followed. Notice that the baptism in the name of the Lord occurred after the Holy Spirit fell.

In the United States, we have to give instruction, for there are many false teachings in the Church regarding the Holy Spirit. We have to get the Word across and show detailed instructions.

Notice that Peter knew that they had received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit because in verse 46 he HEARD them speak with TONGUES and magnify God. The tongues spoken with the mouth confirmed what happened on the inside.

There are those who are filled, but not yielded. Sometimes it is a case of a person won’t rather than a person can’t yield to the Holy Spirit.

Luke 11:9-10  “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

It is a process of asking

Luke 11:11-13 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Trust God and do not rely on your own understanding. Ask the Father to give you the Holy Spirit. Yield yourself to God, and you will receive it. You don’t have to be afraid.

You need to:

1. Seek after the Holy Spirit – and ask.
2. Be yielded to receive
3. Be willing to trust God. If God tells us He has something good for us, then accept that good gift. It is pride that keeps us not trusting. Some of us have father issues that keep us from trusting, so it may take awhile for us to trust God. Some of us are fearful. Some of us are afraid that if we yield to God we may be asked to do some of the hard things that Elijah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel had to do, or that we may have to go against the priests of baal.

We can be fearful of the unknown. And yet, if we trust God we know that Jesus promised us a comforter, healer, and helper.

When we face the demonic and the evil of this world we need the help of the Holy Spirit and we can only gain victory when we cooperate with the Holy Spirit. He is a gift to us, and He brings us the gift of God.

Verse 12 tells us that the Holy Spirit provides sustenance, and He will give us provision. He will not give us poison, but the bread of faith, that will help us to think like God thinks.

The Judeo Christian God gives us things to strengthen us. God does not want to destroy his believers. That is far different from allah who you cannot trust, who will trick a good man and destroy him. allah is not knowable. But God is open to us knowing Him.

Pastor Don talked about how he was brought up to believe that tongues were not of God and that it was wrong to speak in tongues. One day he was preaching in a church, and after praise and worship the Holy Spirit fell on him and he started speaking in tongues. He actually covered his mouth with his hands and left the pulpit, seeking a private room to pray. He prayed that God would teach him if tongues was evil or not. That God would show him the truth in the Word of God about tongues, and if it was evil that God would remove tongues from him. If it was good he wanted to do God’s will in this. If it is from God, Pastor Don told God that he wanted it.

Verse 13 tells us that God gives good gifts, and the Holy Spirit is a good gift. God will not give us anything that will bring us destruction. Every good gift and every perfect gift comes from God. When we give gifts to those we love we try to give them good gifts that they want to receive, not garbage gifts. God too wants to give us good gifts, and we have to have the faith that God will bless us with His gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:5-6  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

Here they were baptized in the Holy Spirit, not in the Father, not in the Son, but in the Holy Spirit. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, then hands were laid on them and then they received the Holy Spirit.

Jesus declared the doctrine, that in HIS NAME, in the Name (authority) of Christ that the anointing comes. What the person’s heart is believing is important. Are they repenting of their sins? Only God can know the hearts. The Father is not jealous of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is not jealous of the Holy Spirit – God is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is a heart issue that matters. Pastor Don can be Pastor, Father, Husband, and in each role there are different activities that are done, but Pastor Don is one person in many roles.

John baptized with water, Paul laid hands on them and they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. John 1:26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.

John baptized with water, for repentance. But John 1:32-34  And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.  I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

When John baptized Jesus, John saw the Holy Spirit descending, and knew that Jesus was the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. Even John knew that there was another baptism besides the one for repentance.

Acts 10:44-48 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. nd those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

Notice that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit came first, and then in verse 47 the people received water baptism. If the two baptisms were the same, why would Peter want to do the other?

Jesus told us that He and the Father are one. He is the Lord, God who is God, the I AM, baptized with the Holy Spirt. Where did the church today get the doctrine that one baptism suffices? What is the doctrine based on? It isn’t in the Bible.

Acts 11:16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

What is the difference? Water in the Name of the Lord. We are to be baptized in the name of the Father, the son AND the Holy Spirit. We cannot take these three separate and make them one. The Church today wants to cull out the Holy Spirit, and keep the doctrines that they are comfortable with.

Believe it or not the “Sinner’s prayer” while a nice way to publicly confirm salvation is not in the Bible. There is no sinner’s prayer doctrine in the Bible, we have made Gospel what isn’t Gospel. What is the Biblical doctrine of salvation? Romans 10:8-10  But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”(that is, the word of faith which we preach):  that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

It does not say go forward in church and say the sinner;s prayer. People can say the words of the sinner’s prayer and go out and be unsaved, for salvation also involves believing in your heart.

If a person has said the sinner’s prayer with their mouth and is baptized, and if that water baptism includes the baptism of the Holy Spirit as some in the church believe, if the person’s heart is not right, the wrong spirit could come in and a demonic spirit could enter a person. There was a real reason for the order of baptisms that was given in the Bible. A new believer still needs to learn about Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit. They have repented their sins, but they need to grow in faith.

Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied

The Holy Spirit was not given by water baptism, but by the laying on of hands. But it does not have to be given by the laying on of hands, anointing, sprinkling, tarrying. The Holy Spirit can come on a person when He wants to come. He can come by prayer, worship and calling on the name of the Lord.

Acts 19:7  Now the men were about twelve in all. Notice that Cornelius’ household was saved, but here they only count the men, not the women and children.

In the Upper Room men and women received. Paul knew about the Upper Room, having heard from the disciples, so he would have known that the Holy Spirit could fall on men and women. When Paul received the Holy Spirit, he knew that something was different and probably asked Ananias what happened to him. Ananias would have told him that the Holy Spirit fell on men and women in the Upper Room.

The people in Cornelius’ household were unsaved when the Holy Spirit fell on them, and then they got saved.

We are told to stir up the gifts within us.  We went back to Hebrews 6:1-3 (see top of this blog entry). What happens when we fully believe that these things can happen?

Hebrews 6:2  of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

The laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead? What will happen when we really believe that these things are possible?

The Acts of the Apostles convinced the Jew and the Apostles that God was in it. They received the power of the Holy Spirit and were able to do great things.

Peter received a vision before he went to Cornelius’ house, that confirmed that Peter was to also go to the Gentiles. But Peter was an Orthodox Jew and for him to go to the Gentiles would have meant that he would be ceremonially unclean. So God told him that what God called clean, Peter was not to call unclean.

People gave testimony of what they HEARD and SAW. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Holy Spirit are determined by the faith of the individual, and that will determine how much of the power and manifestation of the Holy Spirit that a person can operate in.

The Gifts of the Spirit are there to be used, but many believers (Pastor Don talked about this in depth on 1/4/08 – I will share this in another post). fail to use them. The fault is not with the gifts, but with the believers who fail to believe the gifts are there to be used and apply the gifts.

What are we going to do with them? We received the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus, what are we going to do with it? Are we going to use what God has given us? Are we going to tell ourselves that the Word is not for me and I don’t receive it? Are we going to believe the false doctrine that it is no longer operating in this time, in this season? Will we reject what God has given us? The choice is ours.

Praying your Sunday is blessed.

Heather

I have been attending a women’s luncheon at a different church for fun and because right now I want to be sitting under the Word as much as possible. A friend of mine introduced me to this monthly meeting a few months ago. When I can, I attend. The church is called Glory Oasis Fellowship, located at 1903 Route 44, Pleasant Valley, New York 12569. I just love Bible studies. It is interesting to hear another person teaching, for sometimes the Word, when presented from a different point of view penetrates deeper. The group begins with a luncheon, then there is a significant period of praise and worship, the reading of the Word and prayers, and then a guest speaker. The speaker in December was Desiree Rooks.

Before the meeting the leader of the luncheon asked if anyone had heard from God during the praise and worship. I had seen in my minds’ eye a field of land mines and I was picking my way through the land mines. God told me to look up to Jesus and not down at the land mines and He would help me through them. That my job was to hold onto Him and He won’t let me go.

Then Desiree spoke, and her talk confirmed a lot of what God showed me. The group usually asks the speaker to share a bit of her testimony.

Desiree said that His eye is always on us, there is nothing hidden from God. God is sovereign, and He is always in control. It doesn’t matter what our circumstances look like, God is in control.

What we are going through is a process that we have to go through and He will show us how to survive in the wilderness. God has one plan, the enemy has another. God is in control but the enemy is desiring to take us out, to rob, kill, and steal us away from God’s plan.

She mentioned that seven years ago when she looked at people who called themselves Christians, she did not see people living what came out of their mouths. She saw a lot of hypocrisy and that turned her off. She thought, if that’s what Christians are all about she didn’t want anything to do with them.

But she was still aware of God. God still did not change His mind about Desiree. A friend of hers gave her life to God, and Desiree witnessed the changes in her friend’s life when a life is totally submitted to God. Her father’s death brought to her mind the reality of tomorrow, the fact that tomorrow is not promised to us.

She realized that she needed to know God for herself. To have a personal relationship with God. To see God in His sovereignty revealed to herself. She came to the realization that you can’t receive what someone else doesn’t have. So she began to spend some serious time before God.

She began to say, “God, no matter what…” She was ready to tell God that she will obey, no matter what. She said to God, “I would love to be able to say to You, ‘yes,’ BUT…I can think of a million things I don’t want to experience.” At the end she submitted and realized, GOD, YOU ARE IN CONTROL AND I TRUST YOU.

Then she started experiencing a period of testing, and as the tests come she thought that God might have been saying like in the book of Job,  “Have you considered Desiree?”

She told us that when tests come, go through the time of testing, the fire, the tribulation. You can’t dismiss it. Willingly put yourself to the stake. God will have His way one way or another. If you escape one trial, He will give you a similar one until you pass the trial.

There are many examples of people in the Bible who were used by God who faced serious trials.

For example, Esther who was in position “for such a time as this” to save her people, submitted to God realizing that if she perished, she perished, but she had to do God’s will.

When Jesus took the walk to the cross there had to have been fear, anguish, questioning God, and praying that the cup would pass, but in the end Jesus submitted to God and was obedient.

We need to yield to God.

Everything we experience in life is part of our destiny and will be used to serve God.

When we go through the trials we sometimes feel isolated, we feel that no one is there to communicate with us, we feel there are no exits, and that people we used to call friends are not there to support us. God wants us to know that the only voice we can count on is His. We do not look to the left or to the right. We need to be yielded and surrendered to Him, clearly hearing His voice.

We can hear all kinds of voices when we are struggling in our trials, and if we focus on others’ voices rather than God’s our trials can be a time of great confusion. We have to walk through the painful trial with our focus on God.

The greatest pain comes when there is betrayal and hurt coming from the hand of someone extremely close to You. For example, Jesus and Judas. Desiree had been betrayed by someone close to her and she realized that Jesus understood what she went through, because He too had been betrayed at the hands of a friend.

2005-2006 God permitted tons of trials in her life for those two years. She told God that He was still in control. She was hurt and beat up by life, but she did not take her eyes off of God.

Esther also submitted to the sovereignty of God. She was an orphan, raised by Mordecai, and becomes the queen of the land. Vashti, the king’s former wife told the king , “No.”  But God had a plan and used this situation to put Esther in position to save the Jews. His plan would occur no matter what. God’s plan is for our good, no matter what circumstances appear to be.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

When the Bible says that ALL things work together for good… it does not mean just a few good things that happen to us, or some things – but all things, those that we perceive as good and those that we perceive as bad ALL of them work together for good.

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.

We have to hold onto the truth that God is sovereign, no matter what is going on in our lives. Even when the enemy throws his darts at us.

How did Esther get to the Palace to become the new queen? All the girls were brought to the palace and prepared for their meeting with the King. Esther found great favor.

Even in the wilderness experiences God will show us great favor. It is kind of like living a double life. On the one hand we are facing the darts of satan, and on the other hand great favor appears in unexpected places.

In the wilderness you HEAR with a heightened awareness. In times prior to the wilderness you may have seen the face of God, but sometimes in the wilderness you can’t pray, or you don’t know how to pray. You can feel distant from God. You feel overwhelmed and almost despair, but know that God will not let you go. God knows our hearts. We may not know what to do, but if we sit still long enough He will send someone to you. The answer may not come the way you expect. It  may come through a person, through your dreams, through a solution that you did not think about. Write down what you experience and learn in the wilderness, because you need to encourage yourself.

Then there is the factor of TIMING. God’s timing is always perfect, no matter what the circumstances look like. A crisis can be the exact moment when we meet our destiny. All the preparation in the past helps us to meet our destiny.

Mordecai was also in the wilderness. The enemy is always working. Esther was being prepared by God for such a time as this.

Wherever we are in our walk it is for such a time as this. The enemy’s goal is to take us off God’s timing, to cause us to take crooked paths and to waste our strength.

For example, we can see this in the life of King David. Desiree told us that if she were God David would never have become king for some of the stuff that he did. Yet God saw David as a man after His own heart. How can God say that, when David did such sinful things? David was a true worshipper, he loved God with all His might, his heart never changed, and he was quick to repent. God has every situation in control, and knows what the consequences are for our actions and His plans.

Esther was also noted for her OBEDIENCE, even to the point of death. She was willing to shed her life for the Jewish people. If you have to go through these painful things and it helps even one person it is worth it.

YOUR TRIAL ISN’T ABOUT YOU! In fact it NEVER is all about you. When a person comes to you in a difficult trial and situation, filled with emotions and hurt and pain, you can identify with them and let them know that you understand, and help them to see that God is who He says He is. That God is sovereign, and that God will never leave or forsake them.

Jeremiah 29:11-14  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.

The enemy can’t do anything unless God allows him to do it. God has a purpose and a plan – and even though circumstances do not always show it, the plan and purpose is for our good. Don’t lose sight of the sovereignty of God, God is always for us.

He has the answer – HOLD ON!

Desiree and Pastor Angela Michels spent time prophesying over the women at the luncheon. And their prophesies mirrored the prophesies I received later from Pastor Leon Forte’. God does have a plan for my life, and He had already shown me what these people prophesied prior to what they said. So I pray to be obedient, in God’s perfect timing.

I hope this teaching blesses you. I know that for me, in the past I never saw the hand of God in my life when I was facing the abuse I received, but God was there even though I did not see Him. It is recently that He has been sharing what He was doing and why. The pain is there and the pain is real, but I can say that God has restored what the locusts have eaten, and God is using what satan meant for harm for the good of others. I would not trade my past and my experiences for anything.

I am praying for you tonight and plan to come and visit your sites over the next few days. I am now almost caught up with my notes. It is funny how there is so much to share and I don’t want you to miss one nugget of God’s truth.

Heather

Pastor Don is working through the basic tenants of faith mentioned in:

Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.

Pastor Don very quickly reviewed what we have been studying on previous Fridays because we had newcomers to our study, asking us questions which prompted us to have to remember previous studies.

There are many things that the church understands and has been prepared for, but in order to implement these things, we need to have a strong foundation in the basics. When we operate in the basics, we will be doing work that draws others to God. The Work God wants us to do is to Believe on Him whom He sent, we saw that in John 6. Faith is an action word. And many believe that we are pleasing God when we do good works. Good works will not gain us salvation, nor will they always please God unless they are the good works God wants us to be doing – all other good works are like stubble that will burn away in the fire of truth. God wants us to Believe, to get to know Him, to know Jesus, to be led by the Holy Spirit and to obey God. When we do this, our works will reflect what He wants us to do.

So we then talked about the five baptism, the first four we had covered in detail before so we just touched on them. 1. Water baptism for repentance – it is being washed in the Water of the Word and being born again. The water baptism that many have after they receive salvation is not necessary for salvation, but it is an outward sign of what has happened inwardly. It is obedience to God and His Word that we have a water baptism, but not all receive that. For example, the thief on the cross was saved, but did not get off the cross to be baptized. Often, God uses simple, stupid seeming things to help pull us into obedience to Him. Pastor Don said that it seems stupid to get into clean clothes, step into a pool of water and get all wet. That in itself is a meaningless act, unless it alters something within us. It seems stupid in the natural, but it is a symbol of what God has done on our inside.

There are many things that God tells us to do that seem stupid in the natural yet, God wants us to obey. He uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise.

What is most important is to LAY THE FOUNDATION OF REPENTANCE. There is no sacramental action that you involve yourself in that has permanent spiritual value (communion, sign of the cross, lighting candles, etc) unless we have faith in Him. Without faith it is impossible to please God. God is a rewarder of those who believe. Working hard for God will not produce reward, only believing will. Seeking after God and God’s will involves faith, and faith is what pleases Him.

God will tutor His disciples, and we can learn from God, obeying Him. The Apostle Paul (before he got saved) was murdering Christians thinking that he was doing God’s work. God told Paul that he lacked knowledge, and God educated Paul about the truth. Paul got born again and changed what he was doing to line up with God’s Will.

2. Baptism into Christ. To know Christ as friend, to know Christ as savior. Jesus shows us who He is. He teaches us through the Logos, His Word, the Word of God, through the gospels. And Jesus, in Revelation, told the Church that they had to get back to their first Love. To get to know Him.

3. Baptism into the Father. Jesus shows us the Father. For Jesus and the Father are one. When we know Jesus, we know the Father. The Holy Spirit and Christ reveal the Father to us.  The Holy Spirit brings us into conviction of sin so that we realize we need Christ. Christ becomes the Lord of our Lives and the devils tremble when they know He is the Lord of our Life. Jesus then takes us and tells us, “Let me introduce you to Abba (Father God).”

It is easier to trust the Holy Spirit and Christ when our earthly fathers do a good job, but when they do a lousy job it is hard to trust God. We are wounded and have to learn, through Christ, that our Heavenly Father is not like our earthly Father. Even good earthly fathers fall short of God’s best.

4. Baptism into the Family, into the Church. We are His kids, and as His kids we are part of the family of God. Everybody in the family of God isn’t loveable – many are like the black sheep of the family. We need to realize that the Church is a place where we can grow in Christ, but we do not come into the church perfect.

In all things we have to consider each member of he Church more important than our selves.

1 Corinthians 12:21-27  The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Everybody is important. The Church is where we begin to exercise our spiritual muscles and to grow in Christ. We learn, in the Church, to subject ourselves under the will of others in the Body. The greatest has to be the servant of all. If we cannot subject ourselves to any part of the Body, we will have a problem submitting to His Will. The spirit of offense is looking to make us feel offended. We need to be nice to people we don’t like, and we are not always nice about it. Not everybody in the Body is listening to the Lord, that is why effective prayers are necessary. So, if there is something that Pastor Don needs to have the church understand and they are not seeing it, he often prays, “Lord, I am sure this is Your will, but please show them your will so that they move out of the way. Pastor Don told us that deacons can sometimes pull the pastor down if they have the spirit of Jezebel. That is why it is important to make sure God has appointed the deacons and elders.

Don’t forget that Judas Iscariot was in the church (in a manner of speaking), and he did all the things that the apostles did, he did the signs and wonders, he sat under Jesus’ teachings, but his actions pulled Jesus down when he betrayed Jesus. In the church there are people who are not there to build up the Body, but rather to tear it down. We need discernment.

Then we talked about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Don told us that the book of Acts does not have a definite conclusion, it sort of trails off in the end. That is because we are still doing Acts,

Acts 1:5: Jesus told the disciples  “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The dunamis power. The purpose and function of this power is for witnessing and spreading of the Gospel. When a miracle occurs and a sick person is healed, it is a sign and a wonder. This bring questions from people who observe, and gives us a chance to spread the Gospel.

Some claim that these powers were only active in the time of the Apostles. Why would God give us a gift and then take it back? His Word is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And right now we are in a war zone. The devil has power to seek, bully, disturb. Why would God take His power away and leave us powerless? If there is no dunamis power in evidence, the body is not in one accord.

There are two anointings of the Holy Spirit, the anointing of the individual and the corporate anointing. These come with the prayer of agreement, when two or more agree regarding anything, then Jesus is in their midst.

John 8:14-18  Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.  And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.  I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

When God and Jesus agree it is two witnesses. If there is an agreement with the Holy Spirit and Jesus there is great power realized. With the corporate anointing, Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

The rock is the foundation of Christ and the gates of hades will not prevail against the church. One can put a thousand to flight, two can put 10,000 to flight. When satan cast out legion, a legion was five to six thousand. Jesus, in agreement with the Holy Spirit could have put 10,000 to flight.

If the church is facing large groups of demonically possessed people, such as many who are on earth today who want to see God taken off the earth, we will need the help of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. To effectively change, we need to come together as a corporate body. Imagine what could be done if 250 to 300 could come into agreement, then the gates of hell would not prevail against us.

In the US there are 300 million Americans. If 85% are Christian, much could be done if the Church was operating under the anointing of the Holy Spirit and of one mind. Certain issues such as Roe vs Wade would be resolved, teen pregnancies would be down, abortions would cease. Things could turn around with the prayer of agreement.

Corporate prayer is more powerful than prayer on our own. The Holy Spirit wants us to come into agreement with all of Heaven, and to do God’s Will, to obey God, and then the power of signs and wonders will happen.

Pastor Don talked about someone who came up in the prayer line requesting a healing for cancer. He looked around the sanctuary and knew that her faith was shaky, so he waited until many had left the sanctuary and only those who he knew had a positive faith were there, then they prayed with the girl. The problem with corporate prayer is that it needs to be a prayer of agreement. If people are praying for a healing – some might say that she will be completely healed, others might think maybe she would be healed, some might think doctors are necessary. What that can do is lead to confusion. All praying needs to agree in prayer.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is mentioned in all the gospels, and Jesus said,

Luke 11:13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Matthew 7:11  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

The Church has a problem, for 100 years there has been a wrong teaching that the baptism of water also causes us to receive the Holy Spirit. No, the Holy Spirit ministers to you, but you have not received the dunamis power of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit by water baptism. You can be saved and go to Heaven, but if you reject the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you will not be operating in the full power of the Holy Spirit. Without the Baptism of the Holy Spirit , you will be buffeted on this earth for the dynamite power of the Baptism of the Holy Spirt is what evil respects and avoids. When we are saved we have the Father, Son and Holy Spirit within us, but just like with a car – you can have a car in your driveway but it won’t do you any good unless you get in the car and drive it. We need to take the seed of the Holy Spirit and let it grow, to mature in our relationship with the Holy Spirit and this begins to happen with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Today when drugs are coming against our children, the battle is not just in the physical, but also in the supernatural and we need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to combat the spiritual battle over our heads.

Acts 6:3-8 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;  but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

Notice that Stephen was not an original disciple of Christ but he received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and operated in signs and wonders. Signs and wonders were not reserved for just the apostles. Stephen is a deacon. Stephen was a layman, picked from among many to be given the office of deacon. All the church is to function in the Holy Spirit.

What ended up happening though with the Nicolatians is that they reinstituted the clergy, with the priests being the intermediaries between God and the laity. This was not supposed to happen, for we all have access to God. Pastor Don pointed out that in many churches there are three chairs on the altar, with the highest chair reserved for the Pastor and the others for high ranking subordinates. Pastor Don suggested that if we came in and tried to sit on those chairs we would be pulled off of them. The problem with this system is that it is related to what took place in the pagan temples when the priest would sit in the high seat to settle legal disputes and do his sacrificial stuff. Why does the clergy today depend on these chairs to set the clergy apart from the rest of the congregation? Why does the clergy have to wear fancy robes, be given the best seats at tables, as if they are more holy. That does not mean that the office of pastor is not respected, but the pastors are servants and worshippers too. In our church the visiting pastors sit with the congregation and worship until it is their time in the pulpit.

Acts 8:13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

Simon (a Gentile) saw the works that Philip did, and wanted to do them also. Philip was also a layman, as Pastor Don says – Just a dude, and He did signs and wonders.

Acts 8:14  Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

Peter and John came to visit the new Church in Samaria.

Acts 8:15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

The Samaritan believers did not have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Philip did not baptize them in that, but Peter and John baptized them.

Acts 8:16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

They had only been baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus,

Acts 8:17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Notice, they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. So here you see how the Holy Spirit is transferred.

Acts 8:18-19 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

Something visible had to have happened for Simon to see that the Holy Spirit was transferred by the laying on of hands. Speaking in tongues, falling in the spirit, something.

Acts Chapter 9 gives another example of the transfer of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 9:10  Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

Ananias was a believer, not one of the Apostles, as Pastor Don says, just a dude. He saw a vision from the Lord about what he is supposed to do, and Ananias will obey God.

Acts 9:11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Ananias obeyed God, even though in the natural it seemed strange that God would want him to lay hands on a chief persecutor of the Christians. He did question God to make sure he got the instructions right, then obeyed God and went and laid hands on Saul and Saul’s vision was restored.

Ananias was not an apostle, but he laid hands on Saul and Saul received his sight.

As with any gift, there are those that will abuse the gifts of God, but it is wrong to say that the gifts of the Spirit are no longer active because of bad teaching. If you have an appliance and you don’t plug it in, it won’t work. Or if you have a new car and you don’t know how to get the air conditioner in the car to work, you don’t say that air conditioners are no longer in operation. You take your car to the dealer and find out how the air conditioner works or get it fixed if it is broken.

Some have attempted to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit and when they did not manifest the way they thought the gifts should manifest, or if their unbelief interfered with the response of the Holy Spirit, they do not look to where the problem might be, they justify the failure of it to work on the mistaken teaching that the gifts passed with the apostles. They reject the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and believe the false teachings that have been taught for so many years.

What they should do is go back to the Word of God to see how it works. There is no where in the scriptures where it says that the gifts are no longer functional. God put them in His Word so that we would use them. (Heather’s comment – I think of David trying to move the ark on a wagon, and the person touched the ark and fell dead. What if David had said that God was not going to use the ark to help Israel anymore and left the ark where it was? Instead he went to the Word and saw God’s instructions and obeyed them, bringing the ark to Jerusalem the proper way. We too need to learn to use the gifts of the Spirit the way God intended them to be used and if we make a mistake we will be corrected and try again. There is a war out there in the heavenlies and we want to go into battle fully armed.)

Yes there are people who will abuse signs and wonders, there are going to be lying signs and wonders, and God will teach us discernment. The greatest sign and wonder is a changed life when someone has an experience with God, and their personalty is altered, and their character changes.

Some people have talents and gifts, but if they become elevated beyond a person’s character they are not good talents and gifts. Talents and gifts have to be used according to God’s will. We must obey God. When God manifests a sign and wonder through us, we have to make sure God gets the credit – it is not us, it is God. We can get caught up in pride, and pretty soon we are seeking the sign and wonder instead of seeking God.

We can lay hands on a person for healing and they won’t be healed unless God is in it. In our natural bodies we cannot effect a healing, only God and the Holy Spirit and Jesus can do that.

So Saul was healed, and received a miracle and he became filled with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10 covers Cornelius and his household receiving the Holy Spirit. Cornelius is a Gentile, not a Jew, and definitely not an apostle. Peter saw a vision, and God spoke to Peter and sent him to the Gentiles.

Acts 10:24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.

This would not usually have happened in Peter’s days, for an orthodox Jew would never have considered entering into the home of a Roman Gentile. He would have thought of himself unclean for the Jews considered that all Gentiles were dogs and unclean. Peter would have been considered ceremonially unclean.

Acts 10:25-28 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

God showed Peter that he was not to call ANY MAN unclean or common.

Acts 10:29-33 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?” So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”

God instructed Cornelius, a Gentile. God did not show partiality.

Acts 10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.

But what conditions were necessary for God to speak to Cornelius?

Acts 10:35-37 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:

God show up for people who fear Him and who work righteousness. Remember as in the days of Abraham (also a Gentile), we are considered righteous when we BELIEVE GOD, it isn’t what we do or don’t do, it is all about belief.

Acts 10:38  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Not some, but ALL, He (Jesus) healed all who were oppressed by the devil. Not some, not some who are righteous by works, not some who Jesus felt like healing, but all.

We need the Bible to find out where the Church missed it, to find out what is tradition that lines up with the Word and what is tradition that is not found in the Word.

Acts 10:44-45 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

The Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles, they were touched by God and had spiritual experiences. They were not Jews, and the Jews were astonished because they observed that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Gentiles. They had to have seen something occur that let them know that the gift had been given to the Gentiles. What did they see?

Acts 10:46-48 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

They heard them speak with tongues. This Baptism of the Holy Spirit came BEFORE they were water baptized into the Lord. The order was not important. What is important is that we receive all that God has for us.

Pastor Don told us that each of us has as much of God as we want. Some come to God only in emergencies like a car accident or financial problems. God will respond to us, but we may not have enough faith built up if we only come to God sporadically. A real relationship with God takes time spent with Him in times that are not emergencies. If we don’t put the time in to know God, to know His Word, to learn to hear and obey Him, we may not have enough faith to apply when we need to believe in faith.

Romans 8:25-31  For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.  Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

The Holy Spirit will help us to pray, and He will do so from wherever we are in our faith. The sovereignty of God is that God will do what He wants and will help us in the way that is best for us.

Again we ran out of time. It is funny how 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours can fly by when you are having fun in the Word.

Stay warm tonight, it is going to turn bitter cold here.

Have a blessed evening,

Heather

I love our Bible study on Friday. It is a lunchtime Bible study, attended by so many. Here is a picture taken last year, but the people in this picture are still attending. Pastor Don is the one standing up, in the blue shirt on the far right. I am  also on the far right, in the first row, between the woman in the brown sweater and the woman with the purple sweater.

We are still dealing with our basic tenants of faith as mentioned in Hebrews 6:1-3.

Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.

Pastor Don in a previous study mentioned that the reason the word “baptisms” was plural was because there were more than one. Because we had some newcomers to our group, we went over the baptisms we had already covered as a review. It made the study on baptisms so clear and concise that I am sharing it with you.

Baptism is a rite of purification. We read Hebrews 6:1-3 in the Amplified THEREFORE LET us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith [by which you turned] to God, With teachings about purifying, the laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment and punishment. [These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long, long ago.]If indeed God permits, we will [now] proceed [to advanced teaching].

(Heather’s note, I love seeing how the Word is expressed in different translations, and am beginning to like the Amplified for it’s extra wording that adds clarification.)

1. Baptism into the faith, born again The first Baptism is being born again with the water and the Word. We hear the Word of God, immerse ourselves into the Water of the Word. It does not require physical water. We are born of the Spirit and Truth, the Water of the Word. The Holy Spirit brings us to repentance and convicts us of our sins. It occurs because we heard the truth, which is why the Bible tells us that blessed are the feet of those who share the Gospel of Truth. We hear the Gospel and our conscience is seared. Before the Holy Spirit intervenes, we can try to convince ourselves that our adultery had a rational cause because our spouse drove us to it. We can convince ourselves that we are in charge of our lives, we are gods, we know what we want to believe and do what seems right to us. But then the Holy Spirit comes in and convicts us of our sins, and that brings us to repentance which is the necessary state for us to be ready to be received into the faith, to know that we need a Savior. When we repent and believe, does that make everything in our lives perfect? No. Do we know all there is to know about Christ? No. Do we believe everything yet? No. We need to grow into the faith. So the next baptism follows. (Heather’s note, the baptisms are not necessarily in this numeric order with two following one, with three following two, etc. God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus can choose to give a baptism that is right for the person. For example He may give the Baptism of the Holy Spirit before the person is Baptized into Christ, etc.)

2 Baptism into Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and we are born again, but we have to get knowledge and information about Jesus. We are given knowledge about who our Savior is. Knowledge about who redeemed us. We come to Jesus and ask Him, “Who are you?” And we begin to gain revelation of Christ. We develop a relationship with Him. The Holy Spirit introduces us and leads us to places were we can learn about Christ, opens up the Word of God so that we understand.

3. Baptism in the Father The work of Christ is to show us about the Father. Christ shows us the God/man. Christ reveals to us God as Father. He wants us to approach the Father. Sometimes this is the hardest step for some who have had bad earthly relationships with their earthly fathers. To begin to see the Heavenly Father as He really is, to know His love and mercy and grace is very difficult for some. So Jesus begins to show us the Father. We see who the Father is by what we have seen Jesus do, for He told us that He did only those things His Father (God) told Him to do, and when we see Him, we see His Father, Our Father. We need to come to the realization that our Father wants to hang out with us, to be immersed into Him so that we can know the love of the Father.

4. Baptism into the Body/Christ  This is another tough step, to begin to see ourselves as part of the Body of Christ, the Church (not denomination) but we are all the Body of Christ. Some people who are saved can’t stand the church and church people. They say they can’t do church because they had bad experiences in earlier times, they can’t stand the people, personalities get in the way of worship. Church people drive some crazy. But Pastor Don told us that most of us cannot stand the kids (believers) unless we have the heart of the Father. We need to learn to love our brothers and sisters in faith, to come together and help each other. We cannot stand alone.

There are some who refuse the doctrine of baptisms and this one is one of the hardest – to be baptized into the Body of Christ. Jesus had the hardest job, He had to love His sheep enough to die for them. That is where the rubber meets the road, at the Garden of Gethsemene when Jesus told God, “Not my will, but thine be done.” We find it easier to love Christ, a lot harder to love fellow believers, to love people. To love Christ is to love people. Pastor Don asked us, how can a pastor rob the church? How can he sin against the sheep? A pastor who can rob the church has let their greed become greater than their love for the Christians.

5. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit This baptism can come at any time that it is needed. It can come before the baptism into the faith, into the Body of Christ, into Christ, into the Father. This baptism gives us power for service. Some people never see signs, wonders, miracles in church because they have refused the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. In the Church there are wonderful people who do good works for Christ, but they have no power for they have refused the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the devil gives them a run around.

When we speak in tongues God translates from the heart what we are praying. Praying in the Holy Spirit allows the supernatural to be released. It is the dunamis, dynamite power of the Holy Spirit and God meets us at our need and brings life and power.

All the baptisms work together and it is best to gain all five. Yes, you can get by on one or two, you can be baptized into the faith and into Christ, but not know the Father. Not realize that we are joint heirs with Christ, and still approach the Father with uncertainty. The Father wants us to believe and wants to be our Lord. When we refuse to know Him, it breaks the heart of the Father. He wants us to know that Daddy (God) will be with me, even when my earthly father always failed.

Some churches teach falsely that once we receive Salvation that the Holy Spirit comes in us, and that is what the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is. It is true that the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us, but that does not mean that we have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with power.

These baptisms purify.

1. The baptism of repentance helps to free us from the ignorance of pride.
2. The baptism into Christ helps purify us from the arrogance of self for we compare ourselves to a Godly ideal.
3. The baptism of the Father helps purify us from blaspheme. The Father is bigger, and we recognize our position in His Kingdom. The Prodigal Son returned when he came to himself and realized that being in His Father’s house was preferable. He came and repented.
4. The baptism into the Body of Christ helps us to begin to put other’s needs in front of ourselves, it kills selfishness. We need to get off the altar of self and begin to minister to others. Some of us need to become mature believers, and do what is being taught to us from the Word.
5. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the purifying fire that begins to free us from our flesh, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit we begin to grow and mature in our walk. We can do, with the help of the Holy Spirit what we can’t do in our own strength. We can begin to reject the carnal mind, carnal thinking, and any fleshly behaviors and habits that are not pleasing to God. The Spirit will guide us and lead us to become new creations in Christ.

We then looked at scriptures that helped us to understand the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. We looked at a lot of scriptures quickly, with minimal commentary. Pastor Don wanted us to see the relevant scriptures, most of which speak for themselves.

Matthew 16:24-28 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

The Holy Spirit empowers us to do the Works of Christ, works that we cannot do in our own strength.

Matthew 28:18-20  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

All the Baptisms are mentioned in verse 19 – Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations (repentance) (Disciples are trained in the Body of Christ)  baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus even preached repentance – Repentance is the Gospel.

Luke 24:47-49 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

We can’t get around repentance, there is NO ultimate reconciliation without repentance. Repentance is tied to salvation. The disciples had repentance, knew Jesus, knew the father, but they were still cowardly, hiding out until the received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 1 Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will be given and it will give people power.

Acts 1:4-8 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;  for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit gives us power to do all the works that Jesus has called us to do.

Pastor Don suggested that we read all of Acts Chapter 2. But we looked at Acts 2:38-39 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

This mentions that people needed to repent, then they were to be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins AND receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. These are not one baptism, they are mentioned individually. And this passage also mentions us, for it talks about all who are AFAR OFF, as many as God will call. We are afar off, and also we are called by God.

Acts 5:15-16 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Not some were healed, but ALL were healed. This is the dunamis power of the Holy Spirit. and all tormented by unclean spirits were healed. Peter’s shadow also caused healing.

Acts 5:29-32 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

We have to get to the place where we obey God, and when we do, it will be seen for the Holy Spirit will be active in those who obey.

Acts 4:33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

Grace implies power,  it is not unmerited favor (that is Mercy) but grace stems from a root of a word that means dynamite power, dunamis.

Acts 4:8-16 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,  saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

They received great grace and it affected their Christian walk – these timid disciples had boldness, were able to speak even though they were considered uneducated.

Acts 3:1-10 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

The Holy Spirit healed this man and people saw it and were filled with wonder and amazement. It was a healing in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, but the Holy Spirit picked the right time and place. This man was a beggar who sat at that gate day in and day out, and one day the Holy Spirit caught Peter and John’s attention, at the right moment for the miracle to happen.  And immediately the healing occurred.

Acts 6:4  but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

The disciples picked deacons to do necessary jobs, so that they could spend time in prayer and ministry of the Word. Pastor Don pointed out that this is the pastor’s job, prayer and ministry of the word, but today many pastors are burnt out because they are expected to fill many roles that others could do as well.

Acts 6:3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;

The deacons and those who work in the church were filled with the Holy Spirit. God knows who is filled with the Holy Spirit, and workers in the church need the Holy Spirit.

Acts 6:5-7 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,  whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Notice that hands were laid on them, and the word of God spread and disciples multiplied for they were obedient to the faith.

Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people

The power came on Stephen through the Holy Spirit. He was not one of the original disciples, he was a deacon and he did GREAT SIGNS AND WONDERS among the people. That can only happen when you are baptized into the Holy Spirit – which comes from the laying on of hands.

Acts 7:55 (Stephen when he was being stoned to death) But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,

Stephen was given power to deal with this trying situation by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit allowed him to see the Glory of God and Jesus at the right hand of the Father.

It is worth reading all of Acts 8 for it is a Spirit filled chapter.

Acts 8:6-8 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city.

The people were saved, but they were not filled with the Holy Spirit. Yet they observed Philip doing healings and there was great joy.

Acts 8:12  But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.

The people were baptized, but they were not filled with the Holy Spirit, this was the baptism of the Word of God, for they believed Philip as he PREACHED.

Acts 8:13  Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

Simon believed, but he did not do signs and wonders. only Philip did the signs and wonders.

Acts 8:14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

The disciples saw that the people at Samaria received the Word of God, the first baptism.

Acts 8:15  who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

The disciples prayed that the people would receive the Holy Spirit. They did not receive it before, because if they had, why would the disciples have had to pray for them?

Acts 8:16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

They had only been baptized in the NAME of the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit had not fallen on them. There had to be a way that the disciples could recognize that the people did not have the Holy Spirit.

Acts 8:17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Notice that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit comes from the laying on of hands, not water baptism. And they saw something to show that the Holy Spirit baptism had taken effect. (Heather’s note, we will see later that there is evidence of tongues).

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

Simon saw that the Holy Spirit came on the people, it had to be something visibly evident that happened. Simon wanted to buy the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, this just shows us that his heart was not changed when He received Christ. Pastor Don contends that they saw that the people fell out in the spirit with evidence of tongues. Remember that in the upper room when the Spirit fell people were speaking in tongues as well.

Acts 9, Paul is anointed.

Acts 9:10-12 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”  So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

Ananias, who functioned with the Holy Spirit, had a vision of what he was to do with Paul/Saul. He was not an apostle, he was just a believer, yet God would empower him to restore Paul/Saul’s sight. All Ananias did was be obedient to God.

Acts 9:17-18 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

No water is mentioned, this was a laying on of hands. Paul/Saul was being baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10 the Italian people get the Holy Spirit. Acts 11 even more,

Acts 19 Many more receive the Holy Spirt and are baptized in the Holy Spirt.

The Holy Spirit allows us to operate in the gifts that Jesus told us we would use.

We ran out of time, and I know that Pastor Don will continue this study later on. This was presented on Nov. 28. I am catching up on some old Bible studies. I had typed more recent ones out of order for various reasons.

Praying your New Year was blessed. My son cooked dinner – homemade stromboli. It was incredibly good tasting.

Heather