Receiving The The Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Part 2

The Holy Spirit is not a denomination, a movement or a church. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a life-transforming experience meant to be received by every individual who has turned his life over the Lord and accepted Jesus' sacrifice for his or her sins. Salvation gets one ready for heaven, the Baptism in the Holy Ghost gives one power and anointing for service in their Christian walk with God. This great experience is not an optional experience for a select few or just those who belong to a "Pentecostal" denomination but is intended for EVERY CHRISTIAN who will but ask and believe the Lord Jesus.

By Chris McDonald

TEXT: Acts 1:4-5
And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. [5] For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

As we continue our sermon series on the baptism in the Holy Ghost we want to take a look at how one actually receives the baptism in the Holy Ghost.  This writer wants to make it clear that there are no "formulas" for one to receive other than one being born again, having simple child like faith,  and ASKING the Lord Jesus to baptize one in the Holy Ghost.  Let the sincere seeker know that it is the Lord's will that ALL believers be filled with the Holy Ghost after salvation. This writer don't want to start out on a mean spirited note but STOP LISTENING to the unbelief and stupidity of men who claim to know the Word of God and yet preach against everything IN the Word of God. They call themselves "fundamentalists," yet deny miracles are for today, deny divine healing is for today, deny the gifts of the Spirit are for today, deny the Lord still baptizes folks in the Holy Ghost with the evidence in speaking in other tongues, deny tongues are for today,  deny tongues are a benefit to the believer, deny that tongues have any merit or validity in the life of the church - that's not fundamentalism - that's rank UNBELIEF!. Furthermore, as I heard one evangelist put it recently, these men are not fundamentalists - they're "mentalists!"

 I humbly ask those with this type theology "JUST WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE????" I can hear them say "we believe the Bible cover to cover and the Bible alone." My question becomes then, "If you believe the Bible cover to cover then how can you not believe in the supernatural ministry of the Holy Ghost which is on every page of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation?" The Holy Spirit is mentioned in the SECOND verse of Genesis and is also seen at the last verses of Revelation "crying" for the soon return of the Lord Jesus, "and the SPIRIT and the Bride say 'Come."

Genesis 1:2
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.

Rev. 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
 

Statements made at times among various denominational camps, especially the Independent and Southern Baptists,  come dangerously close to blaspheming the HOLY GHOST and are no different than those made by the Pharisees and Sadducees in Jesus day. There is no greater danger facing any New Testament church or movement than a church steeped in self-righteousness, trying to establish righteousness outside the Cross of Christ through New Age humanism wrapped up in religious wrappers. Any righteousness established outside the confines of the Cross of Christ is SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS which is what most churches preach and proclaim. If the Holy Ghost is not producing the righteousness - it's SELF righteousness!!!

Romans 10:1-3
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. [2] For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. [3] For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Romans 3:21-24
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; [22] Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: [23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

ANY DOCTRINE OR MOVEMENT THAT DENIES THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST IS IN EFFECT DENYING THE POWER OF THE CROSS! You can't have  true faith in the Cross without believing in the power through which the Finished Work of Christ becomes a reality and work in our lives- the power of the Holy Ghost! The Holy Ghost in turn only works within the parameters of the Cross of Christ. One of my favorite sayings is from a ministry that feeds this writer often  - and I can't say there are many out there who do - "Jesus is the Source, the Cross is the means," and because of Jesus and what He did for us at the Cross, the Holy Ghost then becomes the POWER, the FIRE, the UNCTION, the SEAL, the LEADING, the LIGHT, the DYNAMITE, the DUNAMIS, the POWER, THE POWER, the POWER, the POWER, the POWER, the POWER of the Cross in our hearts and lives!

Man's ONLY hope for righteousness is by placing his faith in what Christ did at the Cross through faith and repentance. Man does not have righteousness with God because man has the right "purpose" or the right "destiny" or the right anything else. Man does not have righteousness with God because he has the right education, the right financial standing, the right church membership, the right amount of self-esteem or the right psychological profile. Man can "find the champion inside" and be lost and on his way to hell a "champion." Man is righteous because of CHRIST and CHRIST ALONE. It's the Cross, it's the Cross, it's the Cross, it's the Cross, it's the Cross, it's the Cross.   And the HOLY SPIRIT's work in our lives MAKES us righteous as Christ is righteous. True salvation is not a sinning salvation - it is a change from darkness to light, from sin to salvation, from unholiness to holiness, from bondage to freedom, from sickness to health.

As stated in part one of this journal, it is impossible for the child of God, no exceptions,  to receive anything from God unless the Holy Spirit be a co-participant in that which is received. While one receives the Holy Spirit at conversion (that is theologically and scripturally correct for those who argue that point) there is a very real and definite difference in being BORN of the Spirit and being baptized in the Spirit. A person is NOT baptized in the Holy Spirit at the moment he is saved. The believing sinner is baptized into the Body of Christ when he is saved by the Holy Spirit but there is a huge difference between that experience and the experience of Jesus BAPTIZING the believer IN the Holy Spirit, literally immersing us FULLY in the power of the Third Person of the Godhead. So when people we receive the Holy Spirit at salvation they are actually right and they are in part wrong.

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience completely separate from salvation; it can only come AFTER salvation; it must be consciously sought by the thirsty and hungry believer for more of God.

Luke 11:13
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

1. It Is Our Belief That The Word of God Teaches that EVERY Recipient of The Holy Ghost Speaks In Other Tongues At The Time Of Receiving The Holy Spirit; There are No Exceptions

Acts 2:4 says, "and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them the utterance." Acts 10 says that Cornelius and his household "spoke with tongues" and prophesied. In Acts 19 it says that the Apostles of John (when the Apostle Paul prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit), "spoke with tongues" and prophesied as they were filled. We, therefore, teach that every single recipient of the Holy Ghost speaks in other tongues (as the Spirit gives the utterance), when they are filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul spoke with tongues, John spoke with tongues, Timothy spoke with tongues,  Matthew spoke with tongues, Mark spoke with tongues, Luke spoke with tongues, Peter spoke with tongues, MARY THE MOTHER of Jesus spoke with tongues, Andrew spoke with tongues,  and all who were there on the Day of Pentecost spoke with tongues.

We'll deal with tongues in extensive detail in the next sermon in this series but there is NOTHING to be scared of when it comes to speaking in tongues. The only people scared of speaking in tongues are scared because off false teaching or outright lies concerning this grand experience. Tongues are for today, for the believer, and extremely relevant to the victorious life of the Christian. Tongues are available for ALL believers who will be believe and ask.

2. There is ONE, and ONLY ONE, Prerequisite To Receiving The Baptism or Infilling of the Holy Spirit and That Is Salvation

Many individuals and many denominations have conjured up and formalized any number of requirements which must be met before the saved person can aspire to the baptism. In all honesty, there is only one and one requirement ONLY within God's set of rules according to Scripture and that is the individual must be saved. The sinner cannot receive the things of God - only the believer. The sinner can only aspire to salvation through the conviction and drawing of the Holy Spirit while one is lost and without God.

1 Cor. 2:14
But the natural man (THE LOST MAN WHO HAS NOT BEEN BORN AGAIN) receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The incidents of Acts 19:2 and Acts 8:14-17 describe the condition of BELIEVERS who had not yet received the baptism in the Holy Ghost.

Acts 19:2
He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

Acts 8:14-17
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.

These who received the infilling or baptism in the Holy Ghost were saved believers. They had not gone through any rituals or met any list or "pre" conditions. They were born again. Knowing this, the apostles prayed for them for the reception of the Holy Ghost and they received just that! These passages are confirmation in God's Word that salvation is the only prior condition which MUST be met before the individual can become a candidate for the baptism in the Holy Ghost.

One may ask then and rightly so, "where then do all the lists of prerequisites come from?"  Sadly, all too often they come, directly or indirectly via the intervention of Satan. Satan, more than any Christian, is well aware that the Holy Ghost is the SOURCE of ALL Godly Christian living and victory. Of all the things in this world that Satan doesn't want more of, Spirit-filled Christians would lead his list. Satan is not happy when Christians become Spirit filled. We as believes in our own natural flesh and abilities are no match for the powers of darkness - no matter how religious we think we are. Ask the seven sons of Sceva!

Acts 19:14 - And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. [15] And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? [16] And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. [17] And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. [18] And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. [19] Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. [20] So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

When religious men tried to come against the enemy in their own strength the demonic powers leaped on them, overcame and prevailed against them. That is the state of the modern church world in most cases.  We try and come against the powers of the devil with our programs, softball teams and other such foolishness and we find out real quick just how powerful the enemy is. For those who even believe in doing such, we think that somehow we can just rebuke the powers of darkness and those powers will leave. Our educational degrees and the such cannot set one captive free. Rick Warren's "40 Days of Purpose" purports that those who participate in it will find their "purpose" on Earth and all your church problems will be solved. Guess what - they won't. Finding one's purpose does not mean one is walking in Christian victory! The powers of darkness could care less how much purpose you have neighbor - they want you bound, strung out on drugs, alcohol, lust, false doctrine and darkness.

Satan will put any stumbling block in the path of the Christian, and do anything in his power - including inspiring preachers and teachers to speak against it seeking to get people to reject the doctrine of the baptism in the Holy Ghost. Satan's other weapon is telling those who are seeking with sincerity that they are "unworthy," or one has to work out their own solutions in the areas in which they are not yet victorious. Satan is a master deceiver pointing out our remaining faults claiming that the Lord Jesus won't baptize us in the Spirit if we still have a "temper,"  or "lust," or whatever bondage we have. I can almost hear the enemy now: "What about your temper; what about your envy; what about your battle to overcome cigarettes (or alcohol) or whatever;? Problem after problem will be brought to mind as failing after failing becomes grist for his mill.

But the TRUTH of the matter is that nowhere in God's Word are we cautioned to "do" certain things BEFORE we go before God and ask Him for the infilling with His mighty Holy Ghost. All these false pretenses are manufactured by Satan, not God. Let the reader hear this writer - if you are struggling with a weakness in your Christian life - you are the greatest candidate for the Spirit's power and help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You need Him to help you overcome those weaknesses and He is more than willing and ABLE to do so!

Romans 8:26-28
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. [27] And he that searches the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. [28] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Many who have been baptized in the Spirit were STILL smoking cigarettes, still battling bad tempers, still battling lust, etc. WHEN they were baptized in the Holy Ghost but AFTER they were baptized in the Spirit they were able to OVERCOME these wayward impulses through the help of the HOLY SPIRIT. How like God it is, recognizing our earthly weakness, to send us the COMFORTER and the STRENGTHENER while we are still imperfect, rather than demanding that we clean up our abode all by ourselves.

John 14:16
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Satan on the other hand does everything at his command to prevent us from seeking and receiving God's help. I am sure Satan knows Greek and he surely  knows that the name of the Holy Spirit in the original Greek is "Paraclete,"  which is translated as "one called along side to help." What a beautiful way of expressing the role of the Holy Ghost. NONE of us is capable of completely cleaning us our life on own. THE FACT IS THAT NONE OF US CAN COMPLETELY CLEAN US OUR LIVES EVEN WITH THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT; the struggles of the Christian faith are nothing to laugh at; this is not "play  church," of  "let's come and have a picnic for Jesus," friend. This is eternity.

Scores of well meaning Christians have fallen by the wayside and are littered on the shores of eternal time because they just "gave up" in this struggle saying "I can't live this Christian life so I'd rather quit than be a hypocrite." This writer went through that very same experience about 10 years ago and it liked to have to have cost him his life. These same struggling Christians come to the church  and seek help with their struggle and are given NOTHING to help them because of the church's UNBELIEF in the HOLY GHOST. The these same church establishments stand in self-righteous Phariseeism when Christians reach a point where some start committing suicide and say "that's so terrible." God help us.

I feel in my heart as I write this I may be writing to a struggling Christian right now. You know EXACTLY what I am talking about and the thought of giving up has crept in many times recently and the enemy has done nothing to help stop that voice from screaming at you "give up." "This struggle is too great, you can't live this Christian life," "turn your back on God," and a myriad of other lies the enemy spreads. Listen neighbor and listen good. YOU  can't live this Christian life; NONE of us can live this Christian life in the confines and resources of our own flesh and strength.  Our only hope is the HELP of our Heavenly Father through what Christ accomplished for us at the Cross through the ministry of God's power source - the HOLY GHOST.

This is why the father of lies sets up every obstacle to PREVENT one from seeking GOD'S help and I emphasize GOD'S help in our lives. Satan don't set up obstacles when we're seeking man's help i.e. rehab centers, AA meetings, 12-step programs and all the other stupid things the church holds up to those bound by sin as ways to get free. It is shameful that we have "celebrate recovery," in our churches which is nothing more than a wrapped up 12-step program that has no life in it, no power in it, no way for men to be free, no HELP in time of need - NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING. It don't take Jesus 12 steps to set you free- HE THAT THE SON HAS SET FREE IS FREE INDEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jesus has a ONE STEP program and that one step is the power of the HOLY GHOST.

It is shameful when the Assemblies of God publication tells its pastors that the best thing to do for those in their congregations bound by pornography is to suggest finding such a human based program. It's even more shameful this thinking from one of the largest "PENTECOSTAL" and I put the term Pentecostal in BIG parenthesis, denomination that is supposed to know the power of God and the baptism in the Holy Ghost. As I stated in part one of this journal that less than 30% of those who belong to the Assemblies of God say they speak in tongues or even believe in tongues. If we go by a standard that for a denomination to considered Pentecostal they would need 51% to believe in tongues - the Assemblies (and the Church of God is not far behind right now) falls WAY short!

When a denomination or a church or an individual believer rejects the working of the Holy Ghost they are then open game for every scheme of Satan no matter how religious it may look and how popular it may be. This is the bane of the modern church. We will get angry and offended when someone speaks the truth in love and touches   our golden calf of humanism and tells the believer their answer is the CROSS OF CHRIST and the power of the HOLY GHOST! At the same time we won't get angry when demonic forces come in seeking to control our church and promote everything ungodly and wicked under the sun. Let me make that point a little clearer. Someone gets up and suggests their people read the Purpose Driven Life book you can't get enough books in the hands of the people. Get up and say "let's do a Bible study and let the Bible be our text book and text book alone," you can't get enough hands to take the Book! Hire ungodly entertainers to come in and "thrill" our young people with their wicked, worldly-based music and the lines will reach ten blocks; call a prayer meeting for people to come together and seek God's face you can't fill a front row. The new golden calves of the church are "SELF" and "Entertainment," and we do all we can today in the modern church world to protect those idols!

As a result however of our worship of these idols, men remain bound by sin, bound by the powers of darkness and hearts seeking for God remain thirsty and parched in a dry dessert wasteland we call "church." If you're in that dry place today listen up to this writer. I have good news for you. 2,000 years ago Jesus Christ came and died on the cross not only for our sins but that we might be filled with the Holy Spirit and that same Spirit, called "living waters," by Jesus Himself, can quench any thirst, fill any hungry heart, and wash away all the sin, guilt and doubt the enemy can bring. It's not about "doing" neighbor it's about "BELIEVING."

The more things we have to do "before" we seek God's help, the more time Satan has to work his devilment in our lives and in the lives of those we might have influenced. Isn't it logical to realize that ANY prerequisites work to the benefit of Satan and NOT for the good of the besieged Christian? Any Christian, no matter how well motivated and no matter the degree of commitment, is NOT helping his Christian brother when he complies or condones a LIST OF MUSTS which have to be met before the assailed member can hope to receive the help of the Comforter!

The Baptism in the Holy Ghost is truly a "come as you are" invitation. Recognize the methods of the enemy and refuse to accept his lies. It is God's Word, NOT Satan's WORD, that we should trust. The Lord will baptize you in the Holy Spirit even though you have weaknesses and flaws within your character and life. If you are sincere before the Lord and you recognize and reject these shortcomings. He will account to you YOUR recognition of them, and baptize you in the HOLY GHOST!

Once you have God's Spirit working within your life - once you are plugged into God's great power source - not man's - how much more favorable the prognosis for overcoming these faults! On your own you will NEVER overcome sin and live victoriously in your Christian walk.  WITH God's Comforter, it might still be a battle, but how much better the chances of victory and how much easier the contest. Satan knows this and this is why he promotes all the false requirements and false doctrines that hinder MILLIONS from aspiring to God's next great step for the believer AFTER salvation! when he (or a fellow Christian) tells you that you must do this or you must do that or this is not for you or this is not for today or I hear that this is evil and I hear that those who do such are of Satan or I hear you need an interpreter before you supposed to speak in tongues - IGNORE THE VOICE OF SATAN! REJECT THE WORDS OF MEN AND EMBRACE THE WORD OF ALMIGHTY GOD AND BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST. The ONLY one prerequisite is that you are saved.

3. The Question of Instant Baptism

Another myth connected with the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is that we must "tarry" before God for some indeterminate period before we can expect to actually be filled. This is not true. No doubt, the basis for this is that the disciples were commanded to WAIT in Jerusalem before departing to spread the gospel. The point missed here is that they were told to wait for the Promise of the Father BEFORE departing. This was to be the beginning of a completely new phase of God's relationship to man. Tremendously important accomplishments were to be required of the disciples. Unimaginable persecutions awaited them and there was a whole world of unsaved waiting to hear the Word of God which only they could deliver.

Jesus knew, human nature being what it is, that it would be only natural for the disciples to strike out immediately on their missions. Instead He cautioned them that they were NOT to attempt their ministries before they had received the irreplaceable help of the Comforter. Unfortunately this has been twisted to mean that a "waiting" period is part and parcel of the Holy Spirit baptism. This simply is NOT true. Although Acts 1:4 and Luke 24:49 recount this admonition from the Lord to the disciples, other Scriptures clearly indicate there is NO tarrying period involved.

In the eighth chapter of Acts the incident is recounted where Peter and John came from Jerusalem and prayed for the believers in Samaria. These were saved Christians who had NOT as yet received the Baptism in the Holy Ghost. And what happened? They were IMMEDIATELY filled when John and Peter prayed for them and laid on hands.

Again in Acts 9 when Ananias came to Paul and laid on hands and prayed for him, Paul was FILLED ON THE SPOT with the HOLY GHOST. Later, in Acts 10, while Peter was preaching a great salvation message to the kinsman and friends of Cornelius, "while Peter YET SPAKE THESE WORDS, the Holy Ghost fell on them all which heard the word." (Acts 10:44)

Acts 10:44
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

In Acts 19:1-6, an incident is recounted where Paul came across a group of Christians who were baptized believers (by John) but had not heard of the baptism in the Holy Ghost. Paul explained the Spirit baptism to them, and immediately they were filled with the Holy Ghost. Each of these incidents involves INSTANT baptism with absolutely no suggestion of tarrying.

There is nothing "wrong" with tarrying in the sense of seeking the Lord for direction or spiritual strength, don't get this writer wrong. The fact remains however that tarrying is NOT a precondition to receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit! All of the above mentioned scriptures show those who received the Holy Ghost received the Holy Ghost immediately.

Let the reader be clear. God does not run a "redemption" center where we come to pick up trinkets once we have saved enough 'brownie' points. Acts 2:38 clearly describes an occasion when Peter points out that the assembled would receive the GIFT of the Holy Ghost. A gift is something entirely different from wages. We earn wages but we RECEIVE gifts without expanding labor for them. Every Christian understands that salvation is a gift, unmerited and freely given to the undeserving through the generosity of God. Yet knowing this, some try to make the Baptism in the Holy Ghost (also defined scripturally as a gift) something to be earned. The only major difference between the gift of salvation and the gift of the Holy Ghost is that salvation is God's gift to the world, while the Holy Spirit is God's gift to His children.

The sinner may receive God's gift of salvation no matter the depth of his sins. This great salvation is received freely and without prerequisites for all who will but BELIEVE.

Hebrews 2:1-3
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. [2] For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; [3] How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

God's gift of the Holy Spirit is reserved for His own children, those who have COME OUT of this world through accepting salvation. ONLY THEN does one become eligible to receive the Holy Ghost. Beyond this however there are NO prior conditions, which must be met before we can aspire to receiving the Holy Ghost. As Paul said in Ephesians 2:9, "Not of works, lest any man should boast." The conclusions are the same when it pertains to the baptism in the Holy Ghost! We are saved by faith not of works and we receive the baptism in the Holy Ghost by faith not of works and as such it may be received instantly for those who seek this glorious experience.

We will take a look in our next journal in this series on some of the hindrances that will cause one not to receive.

As we close let the writer make a few very important points. When we speak of "tongues," are are not pointing the believer to an "experience," or glorifying tongues in themselves. Some well meaning Pentecostals have made tongues an idol of worship as well which does them or anyone else any good. What we AREA saying is this.   We are pointing the believer to the POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST, which works because of the Finished Work of Christ.

Tongues are but the INITIAL physical evidence the believer has received in infilling or baptism in the Holy Ghost. Not to be redundant, but redundant I feel i must be, many Pentecostals get caught up in the "phenomena" of tongues and miss out on the more important ministry of the Holy Spirit in our Christian walk and lives.  The Holy Ghost is given for us to become WITNESSES of the power of the Cross to a lost and dying world without Christ!

Having said that, let me state this: Reader, you need the baptism in the Holy Ghost! You need the power of God in your life to walk victoriously in this earthly sojourn. Since the fall of 2006 this writer has felt constrained to make the theme of most of the journals we write in 2007 to be on the subject of the Holy Spirit. The past two years we have written a great deal laying the foundation of the Cross of Christ as the source of man's salvation which we will not abandon but only augment this coming year. The believer, once they have come to Christ, needs to know in detail the MINISTRY of the Holy Spirit in one's life. If we will remember this simple fact - that the Holy Spirit works in our lives because of the Cross and the Cross means nothing without the power of the Holy Spirit we will be very wise in our Christian walk and if we will not faint and grow weary in faith - we will see victory through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD! Your battle neighbor is not against sin, your battle is your faith! Place your faith in Christ and Him alone today; Place it in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus where the blood flowed down 2,000 years ago for man's deliverance and salvation. The blood flowed so we could be filled with the Holy Ghost and neighbor He wants to fill you today if you will but BELIEVE. Praise God.

Heavenly Father, we thank You today for those who visit Spirit Journals. We ask You to fill those who are hungry and thirsty for more of You in these coming days. Thank you for the anointing of the Spirit that rests on the words of these messages. It is the anointing Heavenly Father, not the words, that touches the hearts of men who so desperately need a touch from heaven.

Hindrances To One Receiving The Baptism In The Holy Ghost

Receiving The Baptism In the Holy Ghost - Part One

Receiving The Baptism in The Holy Ghost - Part Two

We Have Received the Spirit of God (Pt. 5)

He That Speaks In An Unknown Tongue - (Pt. 4)

The Evidence Of The Baptism in The Holy Ghost (Part 3)

He Shall Baptize You With The Holy Ghost And With Fire Pt. 2

He Shall Baptize You With The Holy Ghost And With Fire - Pt. 1

Whithersoever The River Shall Come, Miracle River Part 3 - 8/14/06

The Man With The Line In His Hand-Miracle River Part Two - 8/7/06

The Miracle River, Part One - 7/31/06

The Camels Are Coming - 6/9/06

When I See Him, I Will Live- Camels Part Two - 6/15/06

The Power and the Promise - 6/7/06