Q&A: What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="129a11c3.png"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to the Heart4God Website!"><U><B><IMG SRC="4b55a500.png" border=0 width="90" height="80" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Writings of Joseph Herrin"><U><B>Writings by Date</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id212.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Writings of Joseph Herrin Organized "><U><B>Writings by Topic</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm"><U><B>Audio Files</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id690.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Videos"><U><B>Videos</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id323.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Writings of Others"><U><B>Other Authors</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id324.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id339.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Questions and Answers"><U><B>Q&A</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id328.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Heart4God Email List"><U><B>Heart4God E-mail List</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com"><U><B>Parables Blog</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id306.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="File Downloads"><U><B><IMG SRC="2b264140.png" border=0 width="100" height="20" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <div> <B>Q&A: What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="c2827160.png" border=0 width="807" height="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> A brother in Christ has written the following questions which excellently sum up those things that many desire to know concerning the matter of Spirit baptism.</div> <bR> <div> <I>What do you say to the idea that if you are not baptized by the Holy Spirit, you have never been born again? Baptism in the Spirit meaning, with the evidence of speaking in tongues?... Or can a person have the Holy Spirit within, yet they do not have the baptism of the Spirit? Are conversion and Holy Ghost baptism two separate experiences?... I feel like there is something lacking in my life, and I do believe that it is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Yet, I have been led by the Spirit for a long time, though many times it has been hard to recognize and/or follow His leading. Give me some of your insights on this subject.</I></div> <bR> <div> Let me begin with the first question. Is it true that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is necessary to be born again, and are they the same thing? The Scriptures show clearly that they are not the same thing, neither do they necessarily occur at the same time. Why many are confused about this matter is that both being born again, and being baptized in the Spirit, are works of the Holy Spirit of Yahweh. Yet they are not the same work. God has given us many examples in the natural realm to reveal the distinctiveness of these two events.</div> <bR> <div> The natural realm provides types and symbols of the spiritual realm, and in looking at this issue we are much helped by observing things in the natural realm. Yahshua spoke to Nicodemus and told him that he, along with all mankind, needed to be born again of the Spirit (John 3). He told Nicodemus that even as he had experienced a natural birth, being born of water, so too must he experience a spiritual birth. Yahshua declared, "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." It is the spirit of man that is produced by this action of the Holy Spirit. Before being born of the Spirit, man is a bi-part being having only body and soul. After being born of the Spirit, man is a tri-part being having body, soul and spirit. In a recent addition to the Q&A page I described these truths in this way:</div> <bR> <div> The Spirit:</div> <bR> <div> John 3:3-6, 8</div> <div> Yahshua answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" Yahshua answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (pneuma). The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."</div> <bR> <div> John 1:12-13</div> <div> But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.</div> <bR> <div> Man is never recorded as being a tri-part being until Christ comes into the world. Adam, and all those born of the flesh, were merely bi-part beings. They were body and soul, but they had not yet experienced a spiritual birth. We see this further in the following passage.</div> <bR> <div> I Corinthians 15:45-48</div> <div> So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul (psuche)." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit (pneuma). However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly.</div> <bR> <div> This is why Yahshua told Nicodemus that which the Jews did not understand. The Jews, and even their teachers, thought that man could be like God apart from a new birth. They did not discern that man had to become a spiritual being, for up until that time man was earthy. Nicodemus, and all those before him, had become "living souls", that is to say, they were body and soul. Yahshua told him, however, that if he would enter the kingdom of God, or even be able to see the kingdom of God (v. 3), he must experience a further birth, a spiritual birth.</div> <bR> <div> Yahshua did not explain how this spiritual birth took place. He described its mystery by speaking of the similarity of the wind blowing wherever it wills. No one can see the wind, though we can hear the effect it has on those things upon which it blows. As we understand that there was no tri-part men before Yahshua, we can then understand Yahshua's following words to His disciples:</div> <bR> <div> Matthew 11:11</div> <div> "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."</div> <bR> <div> Let us examine Christ's words here. He states that "among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist." Those born of women are those who are body and soul. Eve was the mother of all living, but until Yahshua, all the living were merely "living souls" and not "life giving spirits". They were all those whom Christ described as being "born of water", "born of the flesh", and "born of woman." John the Baptist preceded Christ, and John never experienced being born again of the seed of Christ. John the Baptist was never born again of the Spirit. He may have been the greatest of all prophets who were born of woman, but the least in the kingdom of God would be greater than he, for all who enter the kingdom of God must be born of the Spirit.</div> <bR> <div> Some have failed to discern this critical distinction between those born of the first Adam, and those born of the second, or last Adam, who is Christ. Part of the difficulty has come in because there are numerous Scriptures that speak of men prior to Christ who have had the Spirit abiding with them, and some Scriptures even say "in them". Thus we read of John the Baptist:</div> <bR> <div> Luke 1:15</div> <div> "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb."</div> <bR> <div> Yet the manner in which the Spirit abided with men before Christ was altogether different than His dwelling with those after Christ who have been born again of the Spirit. Yahshua spoke of this to His disciples.</div> <bR> <div> John 14:16-17</div> <div> And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that He may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: ye know Him; <I><B>for He abideth with you, and shall be in you.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Up until this time the disciples knew the abiding of the Spirit "with" them, and by the Spirit they had been able to heal the sick and cast out demons and prophesy. Yet the Spirit was to be "in" them in an even greater way. In an analogy to natural birth and growth, those who belonged to Christ were to receive the seed of Christ and this seed was to grow up and take shape until mature sons should come forth who have attained to the fulness of the stature of Christ (Ephesians 4).</div> <div> (end quote)</div> <bR> <div> In distinguishing being born of the Spirit and being baptized in the Spirit we would be helped to understand that being born again is an internal event that occurs within man, while being baptized in the Spirit is an external act that is often attended with signs and wonders. Of being born again we read:</div> <bR> <div> Luke 17:20-21</div> <div> Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, "Look, here it is!' or, "There it is!' For behold, the kingdom of God is within you."</div> <bR> <div> We just read Christ’s words to Nicodemus where He declared that man must be born again to see and enter into the kingdom of God. Now Yahshua declares that the coming of the kingdom of God (being born again) will not be marked by signs and wonders to be observed, for this is an internal work hidden from the eyes of men. This is a wonderful parallel to His previous words to Nicodemus:</div> <bR> <div> John 3:8</div> <div> "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."</div> <bR> <div> Even as a baby is formed in the womb, and its development is hidden from the sight of man, so too is this work of the Spirit a hidden thing. Being born again of the Spirit does not come with signs to be observed. However, the baptism of the Spirit is quite different. It is an external event and it is attended with signs and wonders. The Scriptures describe this further work of the Spirit of Yahweh in this way:</div> <bR> <div> Luke 24:49</div> <div> "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father <I><B>upon you</B></I>; but you are to stay in the city until you are <I><B>clothed with power from on high</B></I>."</div> <bR> <div> Clothing is worn on the outside of the body, and the baptism of the Spirit is described as being "clothed with power from on high." The baptism of the Spirit is not something hidden. It does indeed come with signs to be observed, for the baptism of the Spirit is given for the purpose of service. Christ said:</div> <bR> <div> Acts 1:8</div> <div> "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."</div> <bR> <div> Note again the language which denotes that this is an external act. Yahshua said the Holy Spirit would come "upon" them at Pentecost. Notice also that He does NOT say that this receiving of power by the Holy Spirit coming upon them is for salvation. It has nothing to do with salvation. It is for service, to be witnesses throughout the earth. Many have erred in teaching that the baptism of the Spirit is necessary for salvation, and the faith of many has been upset do to such false declarations.</div> <bR> <div> The first work of the Holy Spirit brings forth a birth and provides entrance into the kingdom of God. The second work of the Spirit gives an endowment of power for service. The first work is internal and does not come with signs to be observed. The second work is an external "clothing upon" and it is attended with signs and wonders. Of this second work we read:</div> <bR> <div> Acts 2:1-4</div> <div> And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.</div> <bR> <div> Look at all the signs that attended this external work of the Spirit. A sound was heard, like that of a violent, rushing wind. Tongues of fire rested upon each one gathered. They then began to speak with other tongues. This is not the hidden work of being born again of the Spirit, but it is the visible work of receiving power for service.</div> <bR> <div> Let me comment on something in this verse that might cause some to be confused concerning this being an external work, as opposed to the internal work of being born again. In this passage of the book of Acts we read "and they were all FILLED with the Holy Ghost." Some would naturally reason that being filled is an internal event, like filling a glass with water. In a sense this is true, for Christ also stated that "out of your innermost parts shall flow rivers of living water". However, the word "filled" here is derived from the Greek word "pletho" which Strong’s concordance says carries not only the meaning of to fill, but also to "imbue, influence and supply". We find this same word being used in the following verses:</div> <bR> <div> Matthew 22:10</div> <div> So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was FURNISHED with guests.</div> <div> KJV</div> <bR> <div> Luke 1:57</div> <div> Now Elisabeth's FULL time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.</div> <div> KJV</div> <bR> <div> We can see by these verses that this word is used in a wide sense to denote something arriving at a FULNESS. This word can be equally employed to describe a wedding receiving its full complement of guests, a woman coming to full term during a pregnancy, or the saints receiving a full measure of the power of God to prepare them for service. So do not be put off if the baptism of the Spirit is spoken of as a filling. Although it does touch the innermost parts of the one receiving a fulness of power for service, what is being described is markedly different from receiving a spiritual birth.</div> <bR> <div> Again, we can look to the natural realms to understand this more clearly. Of all those who were born of woman, from Cain to John the Baptist, all experienced a physical birth, but not all received an anointing for service. Being born, and being anointed are two separate and distinct acts. All men experience a natural birth, but not all men are anointed with power for service. In the same way, all Christians experience a spiritual birth, but not all receive the fulness of power for service.</div> <bR> <div> David had seven brothers who had all experienced a physical birth. All had the same father. All were partakers of the same covenant established by Yahweh. Yet only David received the anointing. As Samuel stood before each one he heard the Father say, "I have rejected this one." So too has the Father rejected many of His children today because in examining their hearts He has found them lacking.</div> <bR> <div> Again we see the external nature of this anointing for service as we observe the manner in which it was signified. Samuel poured the anointing oil over David’s head and it ran down over his body. In a manner of speaking, David was clothed upon with oil. It was not the custom of anointing a person to have them drink something, for anointing was an external act, not an internal one. In the article "Black Oil Anointing" I have related some things concerning anointing, and I will share them here, for being baptized in the Holy Spirit is synonymous with receiving a spiritual anointing.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The anointing is power!</B></div> <bR> <div> It is evident that a person can have a dream, or a vision of some great work, they can have lofty goals and aspirations, but all of these things will come to nought unless one also has an anointing to accomplish that which they feel called unto. Consider the role of anointing in Scripture. Whenever Yahweh chose to set someone aside to accomplish a specific task, He anointed that person. Oil was the symbolic substance that represented this endowment of power. Oil symbolizes power as it is used to provide light and create heat. Oil was a key source of power for the ancient world, even as it is today.</div> <bR> <div> When Yahweh chose to enable a man to be able to stand in a specific calling and to fulfill that calling, He placed His anointing upon that man, and this empowerment by God was visibly declared to those around by pouring forth oil upon the head of the man. In this way we see Aaron having the anointing oil poured over his head as he is set aside to fulfill the office of the High Priest. We see the anointing oil being poured over Saul as he is set apart to be the first king of Israel. We see David being anointed on three separate occasions, which symbolize his calling as prophet, priest and king.</div> <bR> <div> The following Scripture is included here because it speaks of this anointing oil being used to symbolize Yahweh’s empowerment of man to perform a specific task, and this particular Scripture is chosen for it reveals a number and variety of anointings.</div> <bR> <div> I Kings 19:15-17</div> <div> Yahweh said to [Elijah], "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death."</div> <bR> <div> Here we see that God had chosen three men to accomplish very specific tasks that He desired to accomplish through them. Yahweh sought to purge Israel of its idolatry and to remove the wickedness of the house of Ahab and Jezebel from before Him. At this time, none of these men had come into their calling. They may have had aspirations, they may have had a knowledge of their calling, but they had no power to accomplish their desire. Only by receiving the empowerment of God, the anointing to fulfill their calling, could they go forth in power and succeed. After Elijah anointed Hazael, he became king of Aram. After Elijah anointed Jehu, he became king of Israel. After Elijah anointed Elisha, he became prophet in his place.</div> <bR> <div> The anointing represents the power to accomplish a particular work. As saints we relate anointing to the Holy Spirit, for the Spirit of God is seen throughout Scripture coming upon a person and changing them into another person where they do great exploits. John the Baptist came preaching in the power of the Spirit, and Christ began the most remarkable ministry the world has ever seen after the Holy Spirit came upon Him.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" >The Spirit, and the anointing of the Spirit, are represented by oil throughout Scripture. The Middle Court of the Temple represents the church age that began at Pentecost when the Spirit came upon the 120 gathered awaiting the promise of the Spirit. Notice Christ’s words, for they are important, </FONT>"but you will receive <I><B>power</B></I> when the <I><B>Holy Spirit has come upon you</B></I>...<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" >" (Acts 1:8). A connection is clearly seen between the anointing of the Spirit and power. I will include some other Scriptures to reinforce this correlation, so you can see this matter clearly.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Micah 3:8</div> <div> On the other hand I am filled with <I><B>power</B></I> -- with the <I><B>Spirit of Yahweh...</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Luke 1:17</div> <div> "It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the <I><B>spirit</B></I> and <I><B>power</B></I> of Elijah..."</div> <bR> <div> Luke 1:35</div> <div> The angel answered and said to [Mary], "<I><B>The Holy Spirit will come upon you</B></I>, and <I><B>the power of the Most High will overshadow you...</B></I>"</div> <bR> <div> Luke 4:14</div> <div> And Yahshua returned to Galilee in the <I><B>power</B></I> of the <I><B>Spirit</B></I>...</div> <bR> <div> Romans 15:13</div> <div> Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the <I><B>power</B></I> of the <I><B>Holy Spirit</B></I>.</div> <bR> <div> I Corinthians 2:4</div> <div> And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the <I><B>Spirit </B></I>and of <I><B>power</B></I>...</div> <bR> <div> This is just a sampling of the Scriptures that relate the Spirit and power together. I could likewise cite many verses that relate the Spirit and anointing and oil together.</div> <bR> <div> Acts 10:38</div> <div> "You know of Yahshua of Nazareth, how God <I><B>anointed</B></I> Him with the <I><B>Holy Spirit </B></I>and with <I><B>power</B></I>..."</div> <bR> <div> I John 2:20</div> <div> But you have an <I><B>anointing</B></I> from the <I><B>Holy One</B></I>, and you all know.</div> <bR> <div> I John 2:27</div> <div> As for you, the <I><B>anointing</B></I> which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as <I><B>His anointing teaches you about all things</B></I>, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.</div> <bR> <div> To confirm that it is the Spirit that is being spoken of as the "anointing" that "teaches you about all things", I will include the following verse:</div> <bR> <div> John 14:26</div> <div> "But the Helper, the <I><B>Holy Spirit</B></I>, whom the Father will send in My name, He will <I><B>teach you all things</B></I>, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."</div> <bR> <div> I will give one final verse that conclusively relates the Spirit and anointing together.</div> <bR> <div> Luke 4:18</div> <div> "The <I><B>Spirit</B></I> of the Lord is upon Me, because He <I><B>anointed</B></I> Me to preach the gospel to the poor..."</div> <bR> <div> We see in these verses that an anointing is given by Yahweh to accomplish a specific task, and though the anointing is outwardly symbolized by oil being poured over the person, it is the Spirit of Yahweh that is the true anointing. As Yahshua was anointed "with the Holy Spirit and with power", so are men and women today anointed to accomplish the will of the Father.</div> <div> (End quote)</div> <bR> <div> It is necessary to understand the following point to really grasp the separateness of being born again of the Spirit and being baptized in the Spirit to receive an anointing of power for service. All saints have an anointing from God, but not all can be described as being "full of the Holy Spirit." In John’s first epistle he addresses all saints, for he writes to "little children", "young men", and "fathers." In his letter to the church he declares:</div> <bR> <div> I John 2:20-21</div> <div> And ye have an anointing from the Holy One, and have known all things; I did not write to you because ye have not known the truth, but because ye have known it, and because no lie is of the truth.</div> <div> (Young’s Literal Translation)</div> <bR> <div> John declares that all of the saints have an anointing. It is evident, however, that not all experience the same level of anointing. In the book of Acts we read:</div> <bR> <div> Acts 6:3</div> <div> Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation,<I><B> full of the Spirit </B></I>and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.</div> <bR> <div> How could the saints know which men were "full of the Spirit", and which ones were not? Such things are evidenced by the power manifested in a person’s life. Stephen was among the seven men chosen, and we read of him the following:</div> <bR> <div> Acts 6:8-10</div> <div> And Stephen, <I><B>full of grace and power</B></I>, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen. But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.</div> <bR> <div> Notice that the apostles instructed the church to choose men "full of the Spirit". The next verses then declare that Stephen was "full of... power." These phrases are used synonymously in many places. To be full of the Spirit is to be full of power. Paul writes to the saints in Corinth:</div> <bR> <div> I Corinthians 4:19-20</div> <div> But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.</div> <bR> <div> Spiritual power was considered a very necessary thing in the early church. Those who had power were observed to be filled with the Spirit, and the power of the Spirit was given for the express purpose of attesting to the people who were the true messengers of God, and who were not. In the writing "The Power of God to Accomplish His Will" I have written about this truth.</div> <bR> <div> Many in the church, perhaps most, have come to the conclusion that the power of God is not really necessary. They are content to preach their messages and conduct their programs and make some mediocre impact upon the world around them. Yahweh, however, has much more planned in soon coming days, and nothing short of the manifested power of God will suffice. He is seeking to raise up a people who will be to the praise of His glory, a people strong and mighty who will do exploits in the earth. He is seeking to have a people who will be renowned for their faith and love and holiness. Such a people will not be raised up by the effort of man, not even sincere men who love the Lord.</div> <bR> <div> The vast majority of the church are blinded to their impotence today. They have not observed the lack of power present in the lives of the saints and in the ministries in which they are engaged. Satan is rampaging freely through the church, leaving death and destruction in his wake, having conquered the saints with false doctrines, deceptions, moral failure and a growing conformity to a darkened world. The tide of these things will not be reversed without power, and right now power is absent from the body of Christ.</div> <bR> <div> Are you crying out for the Spirit to endue you with power? Do you even know that asking that your life and ministry might be attended with signs and wonders is both Biblical and necessary and the reason that it is so lacking is that the saints have become content to not have it? "You have not, because you ask not." When was the last time you asked for power when you prayed to God, or when have you heard others asking for it? Yet it is absolutely necessary if a body of overcomers is to accomplish those things the Father wills to be done in this hour.</div> <bR> <div> I want to show that the manifested power of God has always been necessary to accomplish His purposes. I think that some have developed a mindset where they have come to despise such power, thinking that true faith does not require signs and wonders. Such a mindset was foreign to Christ and the early church. The manifested power of God was given to bear witness to the truth and to testify to the people that the messenger and the message had their origin in Yahweh.</div> <bR> <div> The early church was marked by a profusion of power, and they depended upon this power to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ, Yahshua the Messiah. The early church expanded greatly and made an impact largely due to the power in which she walked. Consider the following descriptions of Christ.</div> <bR> <div> Luke 4:14</div> <div> And Yahshua returned to Galilee <I><B>in the power of the Spirit</B></I>, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.</div> <bR> <div> Luke 4:36</div> <div> And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, "What is this message? <I><B>For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out</B></I>."</div> <bR> <div> Luke 5:17</div> <div> One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; <I><B>and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Luke 6:19</div> <div> And all the people were trying to touch Him, <I><B>for power was coming from Him and healing them all.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Yahshua understood that this power was necessary to accomplish the task assigned to Him. He walked in great power, and He gave this same power to His disciples, for they too needed it to advance the Kingdom of God.</div> <bR> <div> Luke 9:1-2</div> <div> And He called the twelve together, <I><B>and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. </B></I>And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.</div> <bR> <div> This power continued after Pentecost as the Spirit rested in power upon the apostles and other saints. Yahshua commanded the church to not try to do the works of the Father apart from this power. He instructed them with great earnestness to wait for the endowment of power to come upon them. They were not to attempt to do the works of God in the strength of the flesh. They were to receive heavenly power.</div> <bR> <div> Luke 24:49</div> <div> "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but <I><B>you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Acts 1:7-8</div> <div> He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but <I><B>you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you</B></I>; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."</div> <bR> <div> Only AFTER the power of the Holy Spirit had come upon them would the disciples of Christ be able to go forth as His witnesses to the world. What a tragedy has occurred that the church in these last days has become content with a powerless existence! The early church knew great growth and advancement because she had great power, and this is seen throughout the New Testament. The book of Acts is a book of power.</div> <bR> <div> We would be wrong to think that because the Spirit is present among the saints today that the power of the Spirit is therefore present. The power is rarely seen today, and the apostle Paul declared that in the last days men would have a form of godliness while denying the power thereof. The saints of Laodicea may have truly been born of the Spirit, but they did not know the power of God in their midst. They falsely assumed that material possessions and great blessing and ease were a sign of their godliness, and they did not consider how poor and blind and naked they truly were. They were overcome by the world, rather than overcoming it. They were overcome by immorality and a pursuit of mammon, and truly the church of this hour bears the same marks.</div> <bR> <div> Even as a church can deny that the gift of tongues is for the saints today, or the gift of prophecy, or the word of knowledge, they can also deny the power that is available from the Spirit. In their denial they will not see manifested that which they have despised. The early church relied upon expressions of God’s power to see the gospel spread and the Kingdom of God increased.</div> <bR> <div> Acts 3:1-8</div> <div> Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. And a man who had been lame from his mother's womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, "Look at us!" And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, "<I><B>I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you</B></I>: In the name of Yahshua Messiah the Nazarene -- walk!" And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.</div> <bR> <div> Peter said that he did not have silver nor gold, but he was willing to give from what he did possess. What was it that he and John had that this lame man needed? They had received POWER from the Holy Ghost. The Jewish leaders recognized that Peter and John had power, and they questioned them about it.</div> <bR> <div> Acts 4:1-7</div> <div> As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Yahshua the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. <I><B>But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand</B></I>. On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent. When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, "<I><B>By what power, or in what name, have you done this</B></I>?"</div> <bR> <div> By this one demonstration of power five thousand men were added to the church. The Jewish leaders wanted to know where this power had come from. The Jewish leaders were not winning five thousand converts a day. They were jealous of these men who were seeing such great effect to their ministry. They coveted such power, but it was not for sale.</div> <bR> <div> The Jewish leaders threatened Peter and John to no longer preach in the name of Yahshua the Messiah, and, in response to the threats of these men, the saints prayed that God would give them even more power and even greater boldness to walk as witnesses of Christ.</div> <bR> <div> Acts 4:29-31</div> <div> "And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, <I><B>while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Yahshua</B></I>." 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.</div> <bR> <div> Notice that the saints did not merely ask God to give them boldness to preach the gospel. They asked that Yahweh would extend His hand to heal and to grant signs and wonders to take place. Why do we not ask for the same today. Do we need such attesting signs any less than these early saints? Some might argue that we have the complete Bible today, which the early church did not have. Yet there are many religions and cults today that have their own religious writings that they claim are divinely inspired. Do we have any less of a need for Yahweh to attest by signs and wonders that His book is the authentic book today, even as the saints of old needed God to attest to the fact that they were God’s messengers bearing His message?</div> <bR> <div> How badly we need to begin praying that God would grant that power would be given to heal and that signs and wonders might take place at the hands of His servants today. We need to have spoken of us what was spoken of the early church:</div> <bR> <div> Acts 4:33</div> <div> And <I><B>with great power </B></I>the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Yahshua, and abundant grace was upon them all.</div> <bR> <div> We live in an age of hardened people and the church itself has become hardened against the will and mind of Christ. How futile it is for ministers today to speak truth to such a skeptical and wayward body of believers. True ministers everywhere need to cry out for a return of power to their ministries.</div> <bR> <div> How unusual would today’s ministries appear to the apostles of old as they observed the lack of power. The apostles of old would surely get down on their knees and pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be granted to today’s ministers before they would encourage them to lift a finger to perform the will of God. Paul spoke of this power that was present in his own ministry.</div> <bR> <div> I Corinthians 2:4-5</div> <div> And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of <I><B>power</B></I>, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the <I><B>power of God</B></I>.</div> <bR> <div> Ministers today have a need for people to witness the power of God that their faith should also rest upon a firm foundation. Paul also relied upon this witness of power to silence those who were detractors of his calling and ministry. He used it to prove who were true and false ministers.</div> <div> (End quote)</div> <bR> <div> Saints, because a Christian does not manifest the power of the Spirit in his or her life we cannot conclude that they have not been born again, or that they are not a child of God. Many have been born again of the Spirit who have not attained to a fulness of the Spirit. We live in that day when men have a form of godliness, while denying the power of God. Some say they have power when they have only a small anointing that falls far short of the "greater things" that Christ said His disciples would do.</div> <bR> <div> There are reasons for the lack of anointing today among the saints. The primary reason is that there is a lack of purity of devotion to Christ. God cannot entrust His power to those who would use it for selfish purposes. We can witness today men who have just a little power using their anointing for carnal purposes, to increase themselves in wealth and reputation. Such men are bringing great judgment upon themselves.</div> <bR> <div> In this late hour God is preparing a people in wilderness places to walk in humility and purity of devotion to Christ. He is raising up a remnant of overcomers who seek to see the name of Yahweh and Yahshua magnified in the earth. These ones are dying to their own reputations as they endure rejection and reproach from their brothers and sisters in Christ. They are learning the folly of seeking the applause of men, and they are learning to live for the will and pleasure of God.</div> <bR> <div> Soon a second Pentecost experience will be experienced by many of these prepared ones, and they will begin to walk in great power and authority. This power will not be given to be used selfishly for their own personal increase, nor for their own agendas. Rather, it will be used to turn the hearts and minds of men and women back to God.</div> <bR> <div> I think it is significant that there are an increasing number of saints writing to me in this hour who are telling me that they feel they are lacking power in their lives. A growing number are contacting me to tell me that they are being led to study this matter of the baptism of the Spirit and to know what it truly is. The saints need an anointing of power for service, for great callings are about to be entered into by many, and these callings can only be fulfilled by those who have received the power of God to accomplish His will.</div> <bR> <div> Now is the time to be pressing into God to ask that you might receive power. Pray for an anointing to be granted to you. Pray also that you might be prepared to walk in an anointing of power without being corrupted, or by abusing the gift God would entrust to you. The humbler you are, the greater the anointing God can entrust to you. Moses was the humblest man on the face of the earth in his day, and God chose him to manifest His power in ways that shook the nations. God will humble all whom He will entrust with His power. He humbled Joseph as a slave and a prisoner, letting him bear the reproach of being labeled a sexual transgressor for many years. When Yahweh had formed humility in Joseph He was then able to promote him to a place of ruling over Egypt and the world.</div> <bR> <div> Seek the power of God in your life, and with it seek humility. Awesome days are just ahead and God is searching diligently to find those whom He can entrust with the power of the ages to come.</div> <bR> <div> May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days,</div> <bR> <div> Joseph Herrin</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>