The Holy Spirit

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

I have been communicating with a online friend about certain matters spiritual. Today my friend asked about an emphasis on the Holy Spirit in the online doctrinal statement of a certain church. Here is a slightly edited and updated version of my response:

After reading the Statement of Faith from that church, I have very little disagreement with most of what is written, notwithstanding that what they preach and teach from the pulpit and what they put into practice may vary from the written document. I did not see anything regarding the prosperity heresy. In spite of this, I do disagree with their basic end-time doctrine regarding the Millennial Reign of Christ.

As far as their points regarding "The Blessed Hope", "The Final Judgment" and "The New Heavens and the New Earth", they have left it vague enough so as to not be specific of what they believe regarding how and when those things are to occur. Even with that said, since they are specific about a Rapture and a Millennial Reign of Christ, I suspect that for the other three points, they probably would also believe some things with which I might disagree.

Part of their Statement of Faith reads, "And having been made both Lord and Christ, He sent the Holy Ghost that we, in the name of Jesus, might bow our knees and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." Similarly another part of their Statement of Faith reads, "the Holy Ghost to ascribe unto the Son all the attributes of deity, and to give Him all the honor and the glory contained in all the names and titles of the godhead". Those statements are in full agreement with what Jesus said in the Gospel of John and what Paul wrote to the Philippians.

The Holy Bible, King James Version John 14:26 "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." 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:" John 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." Philippians 2:5-11 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Also in the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks further about the Holy Spirit, that He (the Holy Spirit) will Glorify Jesus.

New American Standard Bible John 16:13-15 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you."

Notice that the Holy Spirit does not speak on His own, but what He hears, He discloses to us. "He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak". That is what the Bible calls a Word of Wisdom or a Word of Knowledge. When people are not listening, they/we do not hear Him speak, so I must also note that He discloses only to those who have an ear inclined toward Him.

As I wrote above, I have very little disagreement with the first several points, including the references to the "Baptism in the Holy Spirit", "speaking in tongues, which is the initial evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit" and "The Holy Spirit enables us to use spiritual gifts".

Now for some brief personal history: when I was about 30 years old, my mother introduced me to the "full gospel" movement. I was very skeptical, including, and especially regarding, speaking in tongues. The church in which she had raised me did not preach about the Holy Spirit and basically skipped over any references to Spiritual Gifts, but simply said in passing that those gifts were "not for today" and that speaking in tongues was "of the devil".

So with that background and deep concern that my mother was getting into error, I spoke with my youth pastor (with whom I still worked). I expected to hear more "not for today" and "of the devil", but he surprised me by saying that we should not try to limit or otherwise restrict God. He reminded me that the Bible reads, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (KJV Hebrews 13:8), and that God was sovereign and could do anything He wanted to do. So my eyes were a bit more open to learning more.

In the near term I started attending some of the services that my mother had told me about and I began to see some truth that had been disregarded in my home church.

Over a few years I learned more about the Holy Spirit and on March 20, 1976, I sought and received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. I began to speak out some syllables that seemed very foreign to me, and I was uncertain whether I was doing it or if it was from God.

Isaiah 28:10-11 - The Holy Bible, King James Version "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line;, here a little, and there a little:' For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people."

Just as people remember where we were when we heard that President John F. Kennedy had been shot on November 22, 1963 or about the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, I remember the very spot were I was when I received confirmation that this gift was from God.

I was alone in my car driving southbound on New Jersey state route 208 just before it connected with eastbound New Jersey state route 4 in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. As I was driving under the overpass, I prayed and asked God if "this was from [Him]". In my spirit I immediately heard a reply that was not audible, but was nevertheless unmistakable, so much so that I turned to look in the back seat of the car to see from where the reply was coming. The very definite response that I heard was, "I am the Lord your God." I have not questioned the authenticity of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit nor of speaking in other tongues since that day.

          (Click the image on the right for a larger view.)

I have had many times when I have not been able to pray. It happened again just a few days ago when I heard on television about the sexual abuse of some boys. In my anguish, which I felt emotionally as well as physically in my gut, I did not know what or how to pray, but I felt something welling up in my spirit, and I simply allowed the Holy Spirit to take control and I prayed in tongues. "In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words" Romans 8:26 (New American Standard Bible). I add this note: the Holy Spirit will never take you out of control, but we can yield to His control. After I finished praying I had a sense of rest and release.

Isaiah 28:11-12 - The Holy Bible, King James Version "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. " To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not [listen]."

Scriptures regarding Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Speaking in Tongues:

The Holy Bible, King James Version Mark 16:17 "these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues …" Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." New American Standard Bible Acts 2:4 "they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance." Acts 4:31 "And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness." Ephesians 5:18-19 "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 5:19-20 "Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances." Jude 1:20 "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,"

I have never given a public message in tongues, but have had times when I have had an extra sense of boldness to speak forth something with which I was impressed to say. I'm not sure that it has always been from God, or if at times it may have been just something that I thought, so I am cautious when speaking in that manner. Some may misuse (or fake) Spiritual gifts, but Spiritual gifts are real. The Bible cautions us about misuse of the gifts, and I have attended churches and seen many so-called preachers on television where I have felt that people did misuse the gifts, sometimes even seeming like "The Twilight Zone".

We must be open to allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, but we must also remember that He brings Glory to Jesus. If the Holy Spirit is being elevated above Jesus, then that is false teaching.

You may want to read in the Gospel of John chapters 14 and 15 where Jesus spoke to his disciples. There are numerous times where Jesus told that He will send the Holy Spirit, and also that God the Father will come to us and that Jesus Himself will be in us.

New American Standard Bible John 14:10-11 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves." John 14:16-17 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He (the Holy Spirit) may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you." John 14:18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I (Jesus) will come to you." John 14:20 "In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me (Jesus), and I (Jesus) in you." John 14:23 "Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.'" John 14:28 "You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I (Jesus) will come to you.'" John 15:4 "Abide in Me, and I (Jesus) in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me."

Scripture regarding Spiritual Gifts:

New American Standard Bible 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills."