Have You Received the Holy Spirit?

Posted by cluke1315 on Dec 25, 2011 in Inspirational, Sermonettes | 0 comments

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.

While Apostle Paul was in Corinth, he  passed through Ephesus and communicated with some disciples who hadn’t received the Holy Spirit.  They had received the teaching of the Lord,  they were baptized for the remission of sin, but they hadn’t received the filling of the Holy Spirit.  Just like those disciples, there are many Christians  today who have been baptized for the remission of sin, but have not received the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Baptism is an initiation unto the Christian community, being filled is having the Spirit of God indwelling your human spirit. Jesus was our example of what we should do as Christians. Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, after Jesus’  baptism; the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus descending upon Him in the form of a dove. The Bible does not indicate Jesus, casting out demons, healing the sick or performing miracles until He was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Every disciple or followers of Christ should be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not just about speaking in another language we can’t understand, but it’s the Holy Spirit of God indwelling our human spirit; enabling us to fight against the sins of the soul (mind, will and emotions). We cannot produce fruit unless the Holy Spirit of God is indwelling us, neither can the gifts of the Spirit be in operation effectively.

The Spirit of God wants to do more than just come upon us, but He wants to indwell our human body, enabling us to communicate with the Father and produce godly fruit. When a Christian does not have the Holy Spirit, he or she thinks and does as the secular world.  The Bible calls this carnality. A carnal Christian cannot enter into the kingdom of God, because they are still practicing what they were doing prior to receiving Jesus as their Savior. We cannot serve God and Satan, either we will serve God or we will serve Satan, we cannot serve both although some think they can (He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked -1st John 2:6).

When we have completely given ourselves to God, we will suffer in our flesh because the flesh does not care for the things of God, but the things of the world. The reason why we aren’t seeing the manifestation of God’s Spirit as they did in Bibical days is because we have not dedicated ourselves to God as they did nor do we have the faith. We can look at television for hours, but will not take twenty or thirty minutes to read our Bible. Fasting assists us to dominate our flesh, but usually, we will not fast until something is wrong and we want God to help us. Fasting is not for God, it’s for us. It helps us to submit to the things of God and not the things of our flesh. Prayer builds our faith in God, little prayer – little faith, much prayer – big faith!

When we have received the Holy Spirit, we will pray without the pastor asking us to pray. We will fast without the pastor calling a fast. We will read our Bible while we are not attending church.  We will purpose in our hearts to obey the word of God, no matter what it takes. We cannot resist the devil if the Holy Spirit isn’t indwelling us. We cannot pray for the things God desires us to pray for if the Holy Spirit is not there to give us an unction of what to pray for. It’s the Spirit of God that enables us to do the things that are pleasing to God. The gifts of the Spirit cannot operate effectively if we don’t have the Holy Spirit. Matter of fact preaching or teaching is not effective if the Holy Spirit  isn’t indwelling the preacher or teacher. When preaching and teaching is empowered by the Holy Spirit, He will convict people of sin, giving them a heart to repent.

The baptism of  the Holy Spirit is the act by which Jesus, through the Spirit at conversion, brings the believer into a relationship with  Himself and makes the believer a part of God’s people – the church. The filling of  the Holy Spirit is a continuous experience as the believer submits themselves to the Spirit. The Holy Spirit will not overpower our will, but the believer must submit themselves in order to be controlled by the Holy Spirit; therefore producing godliness, the character of God and His virtue.

The reason why so many Christians are having difficulty submitting to the word of God is because they have not received the Holy Spirit or they have not allowed the Holy Spirit to control their thoughts and actions. If the will is submitted, the actions will be submitted to the thoughts whether they are godly or ungodly. When the Holy Spirit is in control, He will guide and direct the individual in the things of  God, assisting the believer to set their affections on heavenly and godly things rather than the things of the world.

The Holy Spirit comforts the believer when they go through difficulties, trials and tribulations.  The Holy Spirit will pray through the believer when they don’t know what  to pray or how to pray for certain situations or circumstance. The Holy Spirit assist us to communicate with God through His Spirit (1st Corinthians 14:2 – For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries).

In order for us to commune, have fellowship and a relationship with God, His Spirit must be indwelling our human spirit. God does not want us to be luke-warm Christians (Revelation 3:16 – So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth). The Holy Spirit convicts of sin. If He’s not indwelling us, we will continue in our sin and think there is nothing wrong with the way we live. That is why it is so important to read the Bible, it’s God’s instructions for His people. How can we please God and we don’t know the instructions He has given us.?

When you look at the news, our communities, and the devastation happening around the world, God is trying to get our attention. It’s time we stop playing church and having church as usual and nothing is happening. It’s time we seek God like never before, praying, reading the Bible, and fasting and most of all committing ourselves to the word of God. If you don’t have the Holy Spirit, you must repent of the sins you know you have committed. Lying, faultfinding, gossiping, envy, jealousy, criticizing, fault-finding, fornicating, adultery, masturbation, fear, pride and whatever else you know you have done, if it’s contrary to the word of God then it’s sin! When you truly give yourself to God, He will fill you with His Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall you heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

 My Christian brothers and sisters, Jesus is on his way back, are we prepared for His coming?  Are we living a life that is pleasing in God’s eyes? Are we living a life that will be  an example of our Father?  Are we really loving the way God has instructed us to love? God does not want us to have fleshly love, but Agape love, that’s the love no matter what a person does, you will still love  and pray the best for them.

No matter what denomination you may be, you still need to be sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus is not returning for a denomination, but He’s returning for His church, the body of Christ (John 3:5 Jesus answered , Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God). Don’t continue to attend church and reject the word of God, God holds you responsible for what you hear, and He holds you accountable of what you don’t comply to.  Jesus loves His people, but He does not love the sin, if we continue in sin, we will be hell bound that’s including the tongue talkers, church-goers, and those professing to be Christians. God is not willing for any to perish, but if we don’t conform to His instructions , we are candiates for Hell.

The Holy Spirit will not make us do the right thing, but He will guide us into righteousness and godliness if we allow Him. It will be a sad thing to attend church and still go to Hell because we didn’t follow the instructions given to us through the man or woman of God. They speak as God’s spokesperson, He speaks through them; giving us instructions how to live according to God’s standards.

If you are a professing Christian, you should be asking your Heavenly Father to give you the Holy Spirit, it’s a gift from God that enables His people to be strong in Him and the power of His might. As Christians we need more than water baptism, we need the baptism and the filling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us to do the work of the Lord by empowering us to take our domination on the earth that was given away when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. If you have purpose in your heart, and in your mind to submit your life according to God’s word; you are a candidate for receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of  you in then name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Spirit).

It’s time we take our dominion, take authority over Satan, his imps and his followers through the power of God that lives within our being. We’re not fighting a physical war, but a spiritual war, and we can only win through fighting in the Spirit (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 [0ur home], and in all Judea [(church community, and in Samaria [our community], and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Christmas

Posted by cluke1315 on Dec 24, 2011 in Inspirational | 0 comments

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Christmas is an exciting and joyful time of the year for most, but there are some who go into depression because of  loneliness, they are either single, widower or divorce. Others have  anxiety because they don’t have the funds to buy for themselves and for others. Then it’s those who despise Christmas because it makes them think about the celebration of  Jesus’  birth. The majority have agreed to take Christmas and make it a “Holiday” rather than the celebration of  the birth of Jesus, they have taken the Christ out of Christmas.

No matter what religion a person practice; they may deny, reject, despise, and scorn the name of Jesus, but it doesn’t take away from the Savior being born and through Him and Him only shall one be saved from their sins. When God created man, He created man in the image of God, not by nationality or religion. There isn’t a god for each nationality, but there is a God who created humanity, and because He is the creator of humanity, He’s the God of heaven and earth whether people except or deny Him, He will still be God!

Strange Fire

Posted by cluke1315 on Nov 13, 2011 in Inspirational | 0 comments

Leviticus 10:1 – And Nabab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.

Strange – Not own, foreign, unknown, unfamiliar, new.

There have been various interpretations given for the strange fire. It appears following instructions is very important naturally as well as spiritually. Listed here are a few reasons why the sons of Aaron may have died at the altar.

1. Coals that were not taken from the altar as required in Leviticus 16:12 – And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: and he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony that he die not.
2. Offering it at the wrong time of day as instructed in Exodus 30:7-9 – And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning when he dresseth the lamps he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generation.
3. No one except the high priest should place incense on a censer of coals and present it to God -  Exodus 29:29-30 And the holy garments of  Aaron shall be his sons’ after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them.  And the son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place  (sanctuary).

Sin In The Pulpit

Posted by cluke1315 on Sep 10, 2011 in Inspirational | 0 comments

Jeremiah 12:10 – Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

Pastor – A shepherd, priest or minister in charge of a congregation.

It’s sad to say, when we hear about ministers today in the media, its nothing good, but a reproach against God and the disciples of Jesus Christ. Years ago, when a man or woman would say he or she was a representative of God, you could depend on them leading you to God and not away from God; or the minister leading you to them as though they were God.

Because some ministers have ordained themselves, sent themselves and were ordained by man rather than God, many of God’s people have been abused, misused and corrupted by false ministers. A man or woman ordained by God will have the people’s best interest at heart. Too many times people look at the person rather than looking into the word of  God to see if the minister’s life is lining up with the word of God.  Alot of times people don’t take the time to read or study the word of God, and because of this, they categorize all Christians as the minister(s) that has brought a reproach to Christianity.

God’s Promises

Posted by cluke1315 on Aug 21, 2011 in Inspirational | 0 comments

2nd Corinthians 1:20 – For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of  God by us.

Promise – An agreement to do or not do something.

Throughout the Bible, God has given promises to the believer as well as the unbeliever. The believers are those that have been born of God’s Spirit.  I say born-again, because in today’s society, the majority of the people you ask are they a believer or saved,  the answer would be yes. The problem with this is that their,   life-style and character is not reflecting the Bible. Whether we’re a believer or an unbeliever, God has given promises for both.

As  Christians, we have to study the word of God to understand what the promises are, and then stand on the promise no matter what it looks like. Just as God has made promises, you can count on Satan to hinder, block or keep you from receiving your promise.