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 The Ministry of the Holy Spirit by Zac Poonen

Luke speaks much about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the two books that he wrote. In fact, this is one of his major emphasis. Look at these examples in this gospel: John the Baptist would be filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb (Luke 1:15). Mary would have the Holy Spirit come upon her (Luke 1:35). Elizabeth and Zachariah were filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41, 67). Simeon had the Holy Spirit upon him, he got revelation from the Holy Spirit and was led by the Spirit to the temple (Luke 2:25–27). Jesus baptises in the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16). Jesus was praying when He was baptised (obviously for the anointing of the Holy Spirit) and the Spirit came upon Him immediately (Luke 3:21, 22). Jesus was full of the Spirit and led by the Spirit into the wilderness and returned in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:1, 14). Jesus proclaims that the Holy Spirit was upon Him (Luke 4:18). The Holy Spirit is given to those who ask for Him (Luke 11:13). Jesus commands His disciples to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49).

In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke mentions the Holy Spirit more than 50 times. Luke was undoubtedly a Spirit-filled man and was excited about this new-covenant life that was made possible through the gift of the Holy Spirit. I wonder how many Christians are as excited as he was. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is mentioned at the beginning of each of the first five books of the New Testament. This teaches us the tremendous importance of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in this new covenant age. So, if there is one thing that the devil will seek to counterfeit, it will be the baptism in the Holy Spirit; and we see plenty of those counterfeits today.

How does the devil ensure that believers will never get baptised in the Holy Spirit?
First of all, by giving some of them a physical or emotional experience. They lack the power to overcome sin and to serve the Lord. But Satan assures them that they have been baptised in the Holy Spirit. Such believers will never again seek for the baptism in the Holy Spirit, because they are convinced that they have already received it. There are millions of Christians like this everywhere. They are defeated by sin, they love money and they live for the world. But they speak some gibberish which they call “tongues” and claim to be getting unusual physical and visual experiences.

Secondly, Satan gets some other believers (who are at the opposite pole doctrinally on the baptism of the Spirit) to react against these obvious counterfeits and to stay away from the baptism of the Spirit altogether. Thus he succeeds in ensuring that both groups of believers (and that constitutes the vast majority of believers) never receive the genuine power of God and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Be careful and avoid both these groups.
How was John filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb? Did he tarry for the Spirit in his mother’s womb as a foetus? Did somebody exhort him inside the womb to pray? No. God filled him. It is God’s work to fill you with the Holy Spirit. If we submit to Him, He will fill us. Here is something that will stimulate your faith: If God can fill a helpless foetus in a mother’s womb with the Holy Spirit, why can’t He fill you?

Don’t be satisfied with any cheap counterfeit. I told the Lord when I was a young man that I would never be satisfied with a counterfeit and would be willing to wait ten years if necessary to get the genuine experience. It was worth waiting. When you are genuinely baptised in the Spirit, it will change your whole way of life.

When John was filled with the Holy Spirit, he became great in the sight of the Lord (Luke 1:15). This is what the Spirit wants to make us too – great in God’s sight, not man’s.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2016/7/1 13:09Profile









 Re: The Ministry of the Holy Spirit by Zac Poonen

When was I baptized with the Holy Spirit?

That night in church when I became a Christian 25 years ago and received clarity and understanding of the scriptures?

When 3 month later I received tongues, and started to be more faithful to the church than to God, and tried to participate every new move of god and watched Benny Hinn daily?

When 5 years ago I received a revelation that God is not my servant but I am his?

When 3 years ago I stopped speaking in tongues, and received a sudden clarity regarding previous deception and received boldness about my faith?

I don't know. Is there a way to know? I think I probably received the baptism in the Holy Spirit at the very first time at that service where I gave my life to Him, because I asked for it, but I thought I did not receive it because I did not speak in tongues.
I think I never had the real gift of tongues.....
WHAT EXACTLY IS THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?

 2016/7/2 3:02









 Re:

Excellent article from Poonan Greg.

Tozsu

We can expect to be transformed like the disciples at Pentecost, to victory over sin and to be crucified with Christ. It is about sin. If we sin Satan wins and we have put Christ back in the cross. Just think, what armed forces sergeant would allow disobedience amongst his men? With Christ, He gives the ability to obey so there is no excuse.

We walk in the Spirit or the flesh. The difference is Spirit baptism and we are not ready for it when we first receive Christ.

 2016/7/2 3:34









 Re:

Brenda,
Thanks for answering. What do you mean by being ready? How about Cornelius in Acts 10? Was he ready?
lmmediately after I became a Christian many sins disappeared from my life. Was it because of the baptism or something else? I was on the road of renewing my mind and sanctification. Can the HS sanctify us before we are baptized?

 2016/7/2 4:06









 Re:

Tozsu sister

It seems that the maturing purpose is speeded up during revival and at the beginning. Outside of those times, it apparently takes longer for men to come to the end of themselves and cry out for God to enable them to live the Christian life according to the scriptural standard. They reach a time of utter failure first.lt took me 17 years.

According to my walk and that of others who believe in holiness doctrine, there is a partial sanctification until the Holy Spirit cones to fully possess the vessel or baptism of the Spirit.

 2016/7/2 10:40









 Re:

Romans 8:9King James Version (KJV)

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Does Paul speak here about the baptism or something else?
Further question:
When did Luther, Bunyan, Spurgeon etc. receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

 2016/7/2 11:04









 Re:

I believe that Paul spoke about the baptised state which would
be applicable to them if indeed the Spirit if God was dwelling in them, indicating that He was not necessarily in them. We are of His if He is dwelling fully in us and flesh is crucified not just as a notion. If that has occurred we have victory over sin.

I believe that Bunyon believed in a second grace but not the other two so as far as l know they had not received it and were only partially sanctified.

It surprises me somewhat though that JPL also believed in it, otherwise known as Keswick doctrine but you don't accept that?

 2016/7/2 11:13









 Re:

I don't know anything, my first church taught that you have the baptism when you speak in tongues, but I am not sure if it's true.
I believe that the HS sanctifies us. I do not believe that there are different "classes" of christians, we are all being sanctified as long as we are in this life. I know that the HS leads me and explains the scriptures to me.
Is that baptism?

 2016/7/2 11:29









 Re:

Hello Tozsu

I agree with what Zac Poonan has written.

The Holy Spirit is working in us after we first come to Christ, and the sanctification process has started and if we do not quench the Spirit He will show us more and more how far we are from the Biblical standard and no matter how much we try, we cannot gain victory over certain sins.

Thus is to show us that our flesh is surely corrupt and we are helpless without Him. Usually men will come to a crisis when they say they cannot go on in that state. Especially preachers who get there. Many do not however because they have quenched the Spirit.

Then when the Spirit comes upon them, it is about pureness of heart, which is what they longed for. As bro Poonan says, there is a false baptism of the Spirit which does not bring his pureness of heart and holiness and in fact, those baptised in this unholy spirit display even more wanton sins and bring the church to shame which happened recently after the so called Welsh revival if 2012.

It is the baptism of holiness which does not include babbling that brings true revival and which JPL was involved in and why she was involved in Keswick. It is seen rarely today but often during the time of the holiness movement in America and Wesley's time.

JPL was a big proponent of holiness doctrine.

 2016/7/2 12:15









 Re:

I don't know what "holiness doctrine" is but I'm all for holiness. It is the purpose of christian life that we become more and more like Jesus.
I agree that from time to time we come to the end of ourselves, and that's when the HS can step in with great power. I also believe that this surrender becomes easier as the person matures and could take place during prayer (perhaps each day). The work of the Holy Spirit is to sanctify us. It seems to me that when we say baptism in the Holy Spirit everyone thinks of a different thing. I do not necessarily want to be theologically absoute perfect, and I don't think it's necessary for our salvation to know, but do we have a cosensus on what the baptism in the Holy Spirit is?

 2016/7/2 13:37





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