People of God, the point of this message is that we need to take responsibility for getting ourselves in that place with God where we are filled with the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and the Gifts of the Spirit are activated in each one of us. There are too many important, valuable things depending upon us being Spirit-filled and Gift-activated.
Now, consider this question: What kind of church will the church we attend be in the future?
As you hold that question in your mind, let’s dig in…
Part 1 — We need the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and active Gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives!
John 4:23-24 — But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
There are those who worship in truth…and praise God for that…but truth alone is NOT enough…with the coming of Jesus Christ, God NOW demands that we worship Him in spirit…that is, with the Holy Ghost…AND in truth.
We know that Jesus wants to seek and to save that which is lost…we know that He wants to reconcile lost souls to the Father.
But, what does the Father want? He wants TRUE worshipers.
God wants our spirit knit with His…and that can only happen through the Holy Ghost.
In the Old Testament, it was enough to just keep the 10 Commandments and to follow the ceremonial laws.
But for those of us under the New Testament dispensation, God is telling us that He wants a closer, deeper, more real relationship…the kind that can ONLY be had when we are FULL of the Holy Ghost.
Now, a church or denomination can be strong on truth…but have little to no spirit. Likewise, a church or denomination can be big on spirit…but not live much truth.
But the TRUE worshipers…God’s TRUE church…Christ’s TRUE bride…are those who are both FILLED with the Holy Ghost and who live in truth and righteousness.
Now, what is most important to us spiritually?
What do we want in the church we attend?
Will we CHOOSE to just sit in our space and do whatever it is that we do in our space?
Or, will we each CHOOSE to be a TRUE worshiper who worships in spirit and in truth?
Part 2 — We need the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and active Gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives!
We now come to the part where we need to BE honest with our self and with God…
2 Timothy 1:13-14 — “Hold fast the form of sound words…in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee…keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.”
Is the Holy Ghost REALLY dwelling in us?
Is the Holy Ghost presently, actively DWELLING in us?
Are we “holding fast”…and seeing to it that we “keep” the Holy Ghost real, alive, and active in our lives?
There are people who testify of having the Holy Ghost…but nobody has heard the Holy Ghost speak through them for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 years…
…nobody has ever seen one of the gifts of the Spirit active in them…
…and when the Holy Ghost is moving in a service, they mostly just watch as others enter in.
Part 3 — We need the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and active Gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives!
That brings us to this…there is a distinction we must understand that Jesus phrased this way…
John 14:17 — Even the Spirit of truth…ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
At the time Jesus said these words to the disciples, the Holy Ghost was WITH them…because they were with Jesus. But, they had NOT yet been filled with the Holy Ghost…that would not happen until after Jesus returned to the Father…and they had obediently tarried until they were filled with the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost.
In a similar vein…Jesus told us in Mark 12:36, “For David himself said by the Holy Ghost…”
Well, David did not have the Baptism of the Holy Ghost…he was just moved ON by the Holy Ghost. There are many instances we can read about in the Old Testament where the Holy Ghost moved ON men and women…but they were NOT filled with the Holy Ghost.
So, we must recognize that there is a difference between the Holy Ghost being WITH us…or ON us…and being IN us.
Part 4 — We need the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and active Gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives!
Now, let’s consider these three sets of scriptures…
(1) Acts 2:4 — And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
(2) John 15:26 — But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.
(3) 1 Corinthians 12:6-7 — And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation {evidence} of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
So, according to the Bible, there are 3 items that are EVIDENCED in a person who is PRESENTLY filled with the Holy Ghost:
- Their natural ability to speak their native language is at times suspended…and the Holy Ghost takes over and speaks through them in an actual, real language.
- They demonstrate themselves to be a bold, powerful witness for Jesus Christ.
- One or more of the gifts of the Spirit is active and manifested in their life.
In a nutshell, the Bible plainly tells us that WHEN the Holy Ghost is INSIDE of someone, He manifests Himself in a three-fold manner:
- An unknown tongue
- The power to witness
- A gift of the Spirit
Moreover, these three things are seen in every case where the Bible described someone who was filled with the Holy Ghost.
So, if all of these things have not happened in a person’s life…
- If they have not spoken in another language / tongue under the power of the Holy Ghost…
- If they have not received witnessing power…
- And, if one or more of the gifts of the spirit has not been activated in their life…
Then they have not yet RECEIVED the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. Instead, they have just been TOUCHED by the Holy Ghost.
There have been too many cases where a person has gotten stammering lips…as the Holy Ghost began to move ON them…and people watching…who lacked understanding of God’s Word and Spirit…told that person that they had received the Holy Ghost…and the person gets up…refreshed by the TOUCH of God’s Spirit…but puzzled about why they are not any more powerful in the Lord than they were before.
Well, the reason they don’t feel more powerful is because they didn’t get the FULL Baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Because when a person truly gets the FULL Baptism of the Holy Ghost, it WILL transform their life…it WILL empower them…it WILL change who and what they are!
Part 5 — We need the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and active Gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives!
Next, mark this…
ONCE FILLED does not mean we are ALWAYS FILLED
We know “once saved always saved” is a false doctrine because scriptures prove that. And, scriptures also prove that “once filled with the Holy Ghost always filled” is also false.
From verses like Titus 3:5…where the Bible talks about the “renewing of the Holy Ghost“…we know that the gift of the Holy Ghost is something that MUST be renewed. It is NOT a gift that is given just once and we forevermore have it. It is a gift that is received again and again…WHEN WE CARE ENOUGH ABOUT IT TO RENEW IT!
Jude 20-21 — But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God.
Have we kept ourselves built up such that we regularly pray in the Holy Ghost?
If we haven’t prayed RECENTLY in the Holy Ghost, then it IS time for a renewing. No if’s, and’s, or but’s. If we do not have a RECENT experience of praying in the Holy Ghost, then we do not currently HAVE the Holy Ghost because the Holy Ghost is a power-house that ALWAYS evidences His presence.
But really, we don’t need scripture for proof because we know within our own selves that “once filled always filled” is NOT true. The proof is in our own experience. If we have ever been truly filled with the Holy Ghost, then we KNOW what it FEELS like when a Higher Power takes over us and speaks, moves, or works through us.
If we have ever been under the true power of the Holy Ghost, then we know there is a very real, tangible, distinct difference between our power and Holy Ghost power. We KNOW the difference if we have ever experienced the true Holy Ghost.
And so, the question is: Have we been under the Holy Ghost power lately? Has that Higher Power of the third person in the God-Head taken over us within the last week? The last month? The last year? The last decade?
Well, for those of us who will be honest, there is not enough of the Higher Power of the Holy Ghost truly taking over us.
For those of us who will be honest, we too often fall short of being presently filled with the Holy Ghost.
For those of us who will be honest, we too often do not care enough to bother ourselves with stirring up and renewing the gift of the Holy Ghost in ourselves.
There are plenty of us who may have been filled with the Holy Ghost in the past…but that does NOT mean we are presently filled…and God’s message to us right now is that it is time for us to get busy FIXING that!
John 7:38-39 — He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
When we are full of the Holy Ghost, “living water” WILL flow out of us…”living water” that cannot be hid…that cannot be missed…that is apparent, obvious, and genuine.
So, IF “living water” is not flowing out of us in an undeniable way…then that means we need to receive a NEW dispensation of the Holy Ghost.
Part 6 — We need the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and active Gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives!
The Holy Ghost is an activator who creates movement and results.
Genesis 1:1-2 — In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
When the spirit of the Lord starts moving, we can KNOW that something is about to happen.
Luke 4:1 — And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
The Holy Ghost does not manifest Himself in a “sit-down and do nothing” manner.
He does not manifest himself as idleness, dryness, or boredom.
If we have a dry, boring testimony…or no testimony…that is evidence that the Holy Ghost is missing and absent from our life.
If we can barely get a, “Praise the Lord” out…and can barely lift our hands up…in response to someone singing or testifying about the Lord…then that is evidence that the Holy Ghost is missing and absent from our life.
When we truly have the Holy Ghost, we are going to be alive, high-energy, excited, and responsive to anything that pertains to God…because that is how the Holy Ghost IS.
When we are truly filled with the Holy Ghost, we ARE going to be MOVED by the Holy Ghost.
And this is how it is for ALL of us: when we get truly filled with the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost, our preaching will be anointed…our teaching will be anointed…our testifying will be anointed…our singing will be anointed…our witnessing will be anointed…and the Holy Ghost will infallibly accomplish meaningful things in our church and in our ministry.
Ephesians 3 — 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Are we strengthened with might by the Holy Ghost?
Are we mighty by the Holy Ghost?
If we are honest, the answer is mostly, “No.”
Can we truly say that we are filled with the fullness of God?
If we are honest, the answer is mostly, “No.”
Acts 9:31 — Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
There was a time when old-time, Holy-Ghost filled saints had such an anointing that it brought rest, comfort, and church growth.
But, that PAST anointing is long gone…and God is telling us that it is time for US…for me and you…to get a fresh new anointing.
This brings us to the crux of the matter…
Part 7 — We need the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and active Gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives!
THERE IS A SPECIFIC ANOINTING THAT WE ARE NEEDING NOW!
What we need…and what we must have…is the true Baptism of the Holy Ghost that transforms the entire rest of our lives. We must get FILLED with the “transformational” power and anointing of the Holy Ghost.
When Peter got his transformational dispensation of the Holy Ghost, he was transformed…from an ignorant, rough-speaking fisherman who couldn’t even stay saved when things got tough…who most likely couldn’t have preached a lick if his life depended upon it…into a super-evangelist whose preaching won THOUSANDS of souls to the Lord.
Acts 2:41, “and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
Acts 2:47 — And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Acts 4:4 — Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. [Note: We don’t know how many women and young people were also saved.]
Acts 5:14 — And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.
How was it that these kinds of amazing results happened over and over?
Well, It was the result of the Apostles keeping the Holy Ghost ALIVE and ACTIVE within themselves.
Acts 6:2,4 — It is not reason that we should leave the word of God … but we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
In other words, the Apostles were determined to keep the Holy Ghost renewed in themselves…so that the power of God could work through them…and they were determined to not let anything distract them from that.
Notice also that it wasn’t what Peter said in his message that brought in 3,000 souls to the church…because if you look at his message, while it was plain and direct, it did not have anything fancy in it. It wasn’t any different from what we hear preached in our churches on a regular basis. What brought 3,000 souls in was the fact that the Holy Ghost anointing was flowing and speaking through Peter.
Part 8 – We need the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and active Gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives!
Folks, the well-being of our church’s future DEPENDS upon US…me and you…being FILLED with the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost…and us KEEPING that Holy Ghost power and anointing ALIVE and ACTIVE in ourselves.
Thank God for the dose of the sealing, carrying Holy Ghost He gave us 10, 20, or 30 years ago…
Thank God for the dose of the comforting Holy Ghost He gave us during our darkest, hardest trial…
But what we need NOW is a fresh, current dose of the Holy Ghost that transforms who we are, what we do, and how we do it…
What we need NOW is an infilling of the Holy Ghost that so great that the power of the Holy Ghost flows and works through us.
Now, someone might ask, “Hey, I’m just a lay-member of this church…why do I need to be filled with the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost? Sure, it makes sense that the senior pastor needs to be filled with the power and anointing of the Holy Ghost so he can preach anointed messages. Sure, it makes sense that the deacons and trustees of the church need to be filled with the power and anointing of the Holy Ghost because they are church leaders and the Bible says they are supposed to be men who are full of the Holy Ghost. Sure, it makes sense that the teachers in this church need to be filled with the Holy Ghost…because they are teaching a class and they need to be anointed so they can teach the truth with clarity. But me…well, I’m just a lay person.”
Well, here is a counter-question…
Why didn’t the 3,000…and the 5,000…and the multitudes of men and women…get saved back when Jesus was preaching?
Or, why didn’t they get saved right after Jesus ascended?
It was because the church was not ready! It is still the same today!
God is rarely going to bring souls to Salvation in a church where people are not CURRENTLY filled with the transformative power and anointing of the Holy Ghost…and ready to incubate, nurture, help, engage, and carry those souls forward in instruction, growth, and development.
God is not so foolish that He is going to send valuable souls to a church if the members of that church are not ready to be spiritual leaders to those souls.
Now, how do we know if we are ready as a church?
The answer is this: Are souls coming…and praying…and sticking?
If they are not, then we are not ready. If they are not, then we do not PRESENTLY have the transformative anointing and power of the Holy Ghost.
Right NOW, there ARE souls that are wanting Salvation…but it makes little sense for God to bring them to us if we aren’t ready for them…if we are not filled with the transformative power and anointing of the Holy Ghost.
But, when we get ready…when we get filled with the transformative power and anointing of the Holy Ghost…THEN God IS WELL ABLE to send souls wanting truth and Salvation to our church…or to connect us with souls that are wanting Salvation that we can invite or bring to church.
Acts 8 — 26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
[Summary: So, a Holy Ghost filled man named Philip is in one place…and an Ethiopian wanting to know God is in another place…and God ARRANGES THE CONNECTION between Philip and this Ethiopian.]
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
[Summary: In other words, Philip opened his mouth, and the Holy Ghost began to witness through him about Jesus to this Ethiopian.]
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
The point is, when WE get filled with the Holy Ghost, God is well able to connect us with lost souls.
Part 9 — We need the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and active Gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives!
Now, WHAT DOES THE TRANSFORMATIONAL ANOINTING AND POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST LOOK LIKE?
Hebrews 2:4 — God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.
Acts 10:38 –How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Acts 1:8 — But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.
When we get filled with the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost, what is going on in our churches will sound EXACTLY LIKE these verses I just read!
FOLKS, THE LORD WANTS US TO GET FILLED WITH THE TRANSFORMATIONAL ANOINTING AND POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST…
John 20:21-22 — Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
In these verses, Jesus is telling us that He wants us to HAVE the Holy Ghost…that we need to GET the Holy Ghost.
Also, the Bible is plain that the Holy Ghost IS for us…NOW…in 2016.
Acts 2:17, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh”
Question: Is it the last days?
Of course it is…and that means God IS going to be pouring out the Holy Ghost upon somebody…and it just as well be us, right?
Isaiah 44:3-4 — For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
This was God prophesying in the Old Testament that He was going to give His Spirit…the Holy Ghost…to those who lived under the New Testament dispensation.
So, here is the long and short of it: if we are not showing evidence of Holy Ghost power, then we do not presently have the Holy Ghost.
We may have had it…but if there is no current evidence, then we no longer have the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost is not something that goes dormant…the Holy Ghost is not something that goes into hibernation…the Holy Ghost is NOT something that goes into stasis (a state of passive inactivity).
When we are FILLED with the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost, there WILL be a WITNESS of it…there WILL be a MANIFESTATION of it…there will be a CONFIRMATION of it.
That means we have to stop SAYING we have something that there is no EVIDENCE of us having…and we need to get serious about SEEKING the in-filling of the Holy Ghost…until we reach the point where it would be SILLY to say anything about having the Holy Ghost because it is so OPENLY MANIFESTED in each one of our lives!
WHEN the Holy Ghost is manifesting in each of our lives, THEN our churches will grow…THEN we will be ready to handle God sending hungry souls to us.
That brings us to this: there are only two ways that a church can grow:
- It can start hosting programs, activities, events, and shows that are entertaining enough to draw people into attendance…which is the path that churches that have LOST the Holy Ghost are choosing.
- We can sincerely seek to get ourselves so filled with the Holy Ghost that it creates a tumult in the community…that it becomes “noised abroad”…just like it was in Acts 2.
Those are our only two options…and the people in our church will either select one of those options…or it will DEFAULT into nothing more than a dry little old church with 10-20 senior citizens…JUST LIKE HAS HAPPENED IN TOO MANY OTHER CHURCHES.
So, IF we do not want to get ourselves truly FILLED with the Holy Ghost…to the point that the gifts of the Spirit are active and regularly manifested here in ALL of us…from top to bottom…from front to back…from left to right…then the church better start figuring out what programs it wants to produce…either that, or it can just accept being an old church with a tiny congregation that shrinks with each passing year as it goes extinct.
Part 10 — We need the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and active Gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives!
TO NAIL THE POINT HOME, I WANT TO GO THROUGH SOME VERSES THAT DESCRIBE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN OUR CHURCHES WHEN WE GET FILLED WITH THE TRANSFORMATIONAL POWER AND ANOINTING OF THE HOLY GHOST…
John 15:26 — But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.
When we truly have the power of the Holy Ghost, He will give forth a living, active witness and testimony of Jesus Christ through us.
Acts 2 — 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled…
[Peter sums up what is going on with this]
33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
The point is, WHEN we are filled with the Holy Ghost, it WILL be both seen and heard in the community around us! The corollary here is that IF the community around us is not paying any attention to us, then we are not truly filled with the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:43 — And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Where the Holy Ghost is, that is where people will feel a fear and a reverence for God and the judgment of God…when the Holy Ghost is in our midst, sinners will NOT sit comfortably through our service.
Acts 4 — 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
This is what we MUST get to…each and every one of us…we must get filled with the Holy Ghost to the point that great power is upon us…and great grace is upon us…and we are great witnesses of the Salvation and power of God.
Acts 5:11-16 — And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
Where the Holy Ghost is, people are saved…people are delivered…people are healed…miracles are going to happen…and the community around us will know that THIS is the place where people come to encounter God.
Acts 6 — 7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. 8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
The corollary here is that without the Holy Ghost, we are easily refuted and resisted.
Acts 7:55-56 — But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
When we get full of the Holy Ghost, we will start looking towards Heaven more…we will start seeing more of the glory of God…we will start seeing more of Jesus.
Acts 8 — 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city. 14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: 15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
The point is, without the Holy Ghost, people won’t pay much attention to us. But, when they see and hear the Holy Ghost working through us, THEN they will be drawn to God through us.
1 Corinthians 12 — 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts:
These are the gifts of the Spirit…and these must be active in us…so much so that they are manifested and exhibited regularly in our midst.
But, to get them, we must EARNESTLY covet them…we must REALLY want them.
Part 11 — We need the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and active Gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives!
So again, God is asking us to be honest with ourselves and with Him…
There are things we say about ourselves to others…because we want to be acceptable…because we want to measure up…because we want to be qualified…or because we want to be seen as special.
One of those things we say is that we are filled with the Holy Ghost…when really we are not.
If we are honest…more often than not…the Holy Ghost moved upon us at some point in the past…but we are not PRESENTLY filled with the Holy Ghost…and God’s message to us here is that we must fix that now.
Our precious young people go off to youth camps during the summer…and it is a very good thing that parents and churches support our young people in going to these camps.
It is a wonderful thing that our young people can go to youth camps and get a fresh experience in the Holy Ghost while they are there…
…but is that pretty much all of the Holy Ghost they are going to see until youth camp rolls around next year?
It should be the case that they can get a fresh experience in the Holy Ghost HERE at OUR church…on a regular basis…because we adults have seen to it that WE have a fresh, alive, powerful experience in the Holy Ghost.
God didn’t call our young people to be the spiritual leaders in this church. He EXPECTS US ADULTS to be the spiritual leaders.
Do we adults show and demonstrate to our young people a life that is filled with the REAL power of the Holy Ghost and the gifts of the Spirit?
We know from reading the Bible that we adults are supposed to be leading and modeling the truth and the anointing to the young people.
But who is really leading who?
Who is really being the example and model?
Are our young people showing more signs of the Holy Ghost than we are?
Again, God is asking us to be honest with ourselves and with Him.
And, God is asking us to seek the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost…because that is the ONLY way that our churches can thrive going forward.
Zechariah 4:6 — Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Holding a position of authority will NOT bring revival or accomplish church goals…
Having the power to sign a church check won’t bring revival or accomplish church goals…
The ONLY thing that will bless and prosper our churches is for all of us to seek the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost…until it pours out from us…until the signs and wonders are following us…and THAT is when we will see revival and church goals being accomplished.
Now, it is EASY to say we want revival…it is even relatively easy to go through a few feel-good services…and then go right back to sleep as individuals and as a church.
But, it is much harder…and a LOT more is required of us…to get into the place where we are committed and determined to have a revival of the Holy Ghost power and anointing in our lives…it takes a LOT more effort and energy to seek the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost that changes the entire rest of our life…that changes the future of our church…that changes the community around this church.
And this is the EXACT revival that God is calling each of us to…not a series of services…but rather a revival of the Holy Ghost power and anointing in our individual lives and collectively as a church!
So, the deal on the table before each of us right now is this:
- Being filled with the Holy Ghost requires seeking, repenting, preparation, time, commitment, dedication, perseverance, and desire.
- But, IF we will commit to being actively filled with the transformational power and anointing of Holy Ghost, the pay-off and the rewards are HUGE!
Using a method called hydroponics, a person can grow a tomato amazingly fast inside of a hot-house with nothing more than water, gravel, and chemicals…but it will be watery and bland-tasting. If a good-tasting tomato is wanted, then one must take the slower route of cultivating and growing it outside in the right kind of soil.
In the spiritual sense, seeking a hot-house version of the Holy Ghost won’t get us anywhere…that was the short-cut Simon was seeking when he tried to buy the Holy Ghost from Peter (Acts 8).
The Holy Ghost only comes from doing the same thing they did in the upper room in Acts 1. The Holy Ghost comes from extensive prayer and a process of becoming increasingly right before God.
The point is, we all know that we cannot fix our spiritual shortcomings in one service. But, we CAN get earnest before the Lord…starting right now…and continuing day after day…earnestly seeking the transformational infilling and anointing of the Holy Ghost in our individual lives.
So…what do we want?
What do we value?
We can come to church only because nothing better is going on anywhere else…and it’s boring at the house…we can come to church for the social benefits and interactions…for a social outing…and not value being truly Baptized in the Holy Ghost.
We can attend church because we feel like it is our duty and obligation…but never feel obligated to actually enter in and worship the Lord…or to be filled with the Holy Ghost and fire.
Church can be nothing more than a habit and ritual for us…go to work Monday through Friday..shop for groceries on Saturday…go to church on Sunday…and our church outing on Sunday is no more spiritual than our Wal-Mart outing on Saturday because it is nothing more than a habit.
We can come church because it is a relaxing place to take a break…or an opportunity to get away from certain family members for a little peace and quiet.
For those who love to play instruments…if we aren’t careful, church can become nothing more than a time when we get the chance to play our instrument in public…and we end up never seriously entering in to worship the Lord…or seriously seeking the moving and out-pouring of the Holy Ghost.
The point is: WHAT WE DO when we get to church IS AN EXPRESSION of what we value and want.
And the message to us here right now is this: what we SHOULD be valuing and wanting ABOVE ALL ELSE…what SHOULD be more important to us than anything else…is exalting God, worshiping Christ, and seeking the moving and outpouring of the Holy Ghost in our midst.
Old-Timers tell us about wonderful and amazing testimonies that happened years ago.
But what about us?
What testimonies will OUR children tell about US?
Will there even be any testimonies that they can tell about us?
Will our children be able to say anything about us besides, “He or she was a good person who went to church?”
The kind of testimonies that we all want to pass on to the generations that follow us CANNOT HAPPEN UNLESS we get ourselves filled with the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost.
Part 12 — We need the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost and active Gifts of the Spirit in each of our lives!
Imagine being filled with the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost…
Imagine the amazing things that would mean in the life of each of us.
Imagine the Holy Ghost flowing through us and making us a powerful witness for Jesus Christ.
Imagine the Holy Ghost in us so strongly that multiple gifts of the Spirit are active in each one of us and manifesting through us regularly.
Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
Do we want the Holy Ghost?
The Holy Ghost is ours for the having IF we care enough about Him to really want Him in our lives.
The Holy Ghost is ours for the having IF we are willing to return to our first love…if we are willing to repent…if we are willing to seek Him.
People of God, we NEED the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost…we NEED the Gifts of the Spirit active in our lives.
For one, our own soul depends upon it more than we realize.
For two, the future of our churches depend upon it.
For three, continuing the legacy of Holiness and Pentecost through our children and grand-children depends upon it.
And four, all who are lost and/or oppressed by the devil are dependent upon it.
But let’s be forewarned, if we fail to take responsibility for getting ourselves in that place with God where we are filled with the transformational power and anointing of the Holy Ghost…and the Gifts of the Spirit are activated in each one of us…then we can’t be surprised when:
- Our soul dries out.
- Our churches die out.
- Our children leave out.
- Our world corrupts out.
— SLF
