The Apostle Paul warns us of being uninformed or unaware of our power and authority as disciples of Jesus Christ. “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: “1 Corinthians 12:1 (NKJV). Paul also says, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8 (NKJV). God’s ways are not man’s ways. It is a challenge to live by faith because God’s ways are often the opposite of how we have been taught to live by the world system we live in. We are told, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV) The world says, show me, and then I will believe; the Kingdom of God says, believe, and then I will show you!

Resistance to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

It is my personal belief that there are leaders who, over the past generations, “tried” the Holy Spirit expecting to have some emotional or physical experience. When they didn’t get what they expected, they wrote the Baptism of the  Holy Spirit off and decided that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was not for today. This experience became their doctrine, and then they passed it on to others.

Well, let me say that you don’t “try” the Baptism of the Holy Spirit; you are either in or you’re out. It is very clear that the Lord said that if you ask for the Holy Spirit, you will receive Him! While the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a surrendering to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, not everyone has an emotional or physical experience. Remember, we are talking about spiritual events.

Another reason for resistance to the Holy Spirit is that many leaders find it “messy” or “distracting,” especially during church services. Many would prefer to have a religion that is proper and without controversy. Well, it is a good thing that these types of leaders didn’t live during Jesus’ day. To the religious leaders of Judaism, Jesus was a “troublemaker” and a “heretic.” We know that, in fact, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NKJV) This kind of attitude drove the religious leaders to the point of plotting to kill Him. 

My point here is that the ministry of Jesus was “messy and distracting.” I know someone will quote 1 Corinthians 14:40 (NKJV), “Let all things be done decently and in order.” The question is, who defines decently and in order, the Lord or man? 

Tongues is a gift of the Spirit.

The gift of tongues is presented as one of the nine gifts of the Spirit found in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NKJV) “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:” The Apostle Paul introduces the Gifts of the Spirit, making sure we understand the following.

1. Notice the use of the words Spirit, Lord, and God (bold for emphasis) in the same statement, a reference to the Trinity.
2. The purpose of the Gifts of the Spirit is to build up the Body of Christ, the people of God. The gifts are not for personal use and not to profit one’s reputation, standing, or finances.

Then Paul continues to define each gift.“8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”

We don’t have time to review each of the gifts today, but notice the last two gifts, different kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues (bold for emphasis).

Now, let’s look at a common area of confusion about Tongues; the gift of tongues is available in two ways, publicly for the building up of the church and privately for the building up of the individual.

Public Tongues are used in the congregation. 

It is obvious from 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14 that Tongues were very common when Christians gathered to Worship the Lord. It was expected that when one spoke to the church in tongues, there would be an interpretation of that message for the church. Either the speaker of tongues would interpret or someone else. After all, tongues may sound like nonsense to the human mind when in truth, it is the language of the Spirit of God. When you have tongues with interpretation, you have prophecy. 1 Corinthians 14:5 (NKJV) “5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.”

Apparently, what happened in the early church was that many were speaking out loud in tongues at the same time, but no one was interpreting. Paul makes it clear that this is not what the Lord wants, and it was causing confusion and did not edify or enlighten anyone. If a public tongue is expressed, it must be followed by interpretation, or else it does not benefit the Body of Christ. Understand this, Tongues + Interpretation = Prophecy. 

Private Tongues, a personal prayer language.

Praying in tongues is the language of the Spirit. John 4:23 (NKJV), “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” We can worship and pray with our understanding, but a more powerful way is to learn how to pray in the Spirit. When you pray with your understanding, you are limited by the human mind or intellect. However, when you pray in the Spirit, all obstacles are removed. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 8:26 (NKJV), “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” The Apostle Paul makes it clear that when we pray in the Spirit, the prayers are always perfect because it is the Spirit of God interceding for us. 

The Lord is not interested in memorized ritualistic prayer; the Lord is interested in relational prayer, prayer from the heart, and there are times when we don’t know what to say or how to say it; that is when we should pray in the Spirit. When we pray in the Spirit, we are encouraged, built up, and strengthened.

The Lord has given us the ability to pray in the Spirit as we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our prayers and our actions. Remember, the Holy Spirit was given to us as a helper to live the Christian life and to encourage us to fulfill the call of God in our lives. It is a lonely Christian and weak Believer who denies the work of the Spirit in their lives. 

Praying in tongues is a gift of Jesus and is meant to encourage us to build up our confidence and faith in the Lord and what He can accomplish in and through us. Jude 1:20 (NKJV) tells us to “maintain our life with God by praying in the Spirit. “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.”

Tongues, a Stumbling Block?

The stumbling block for some seems to be the manifestation of tongues. It has been my experience that God works in ways that don’t make sense to the human mind. For example, I have seen the following:

1. The speaking in tongues happened spontaneously during the salvation experience.
2. The speaking in tongues happened spontaneously at water baptism.
3. The speaking of tongues happened spontaneously as the individual was prayed for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
4. The speaking of tongues happened days, weeks, and months after the person was prayed for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. 

My point is, “don’t put God in a box.” The Lord doesn’t have to prove Himself to you or anyone else; He is the Lord! If you have not experienced speaking in tongues, keep this in mind, you should earnestly seek the evidence of speaking in tongues; it is for your good. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t move in the other gifts of the Spirit. If you have learned how to hear the Spirit and follow his promptings, then exercise the other gifts of the Spirit, and the speaking in tongues will come in time. 

Conclusion

What we believe should be based upon the Word of God, the Bible, and not on the opinions of others. The Bible is our map to life and godliness; the Holy Spirit is our compass to help us find the one true way. Remember the way is narrow, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)

Peter’s sermon. Finally, let me close with a verse from Peter’s first sermon that he preached after being baptized in the Holy Spirit found in Acts 2:38 (NKJV), “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Let me repeat verse 39,” For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

We are the “afar off”; the Bible and history show countless times how important the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues was, and continues to be today. 

The Apostle Peter says in 2 Peter 1:2, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” One of those promises mentioned above is the promise of a Helper whom Jesus describes in John’s Gospel (John 14:16, 14:26, 15:26, and 16:7).

Being a Christian means that we believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and it also means that we try to live up to the teachings of Jesus Christ. In Romans 12:2, we get a glimpse of what Jesus wants His believers to experience, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God,” Romans 12:2. Being conformed means to follow or copy a pattern of behavior, whereas being transformed means that there is a change on the inside that leads to an entirely new way of seeing and living life. What happened on Pentecost in Acts 2 is the fulfillment of the promise of divine help to live the Christ-centered life in victory.

The difference between the Jewish Pentecost and Christian Pentecost.

Why did the Lord choose the Day of Pentecost to pour out His Holy Spirit? Before we can answer this question, we have to recognize that there is a difference between the Jewish Pentecost and the Christian Pentecost.

Jewish Pentecost or Shavuot

The word Pentecost is a Greek word that means fiftieth, and in Hebrew, the word is “Shavuot,” which also means fiftieth. This holiday, also called the “Festival of Weeks,” celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai as well as the grain harvest for the summer. In biblical times, Shavuot was one of three pilgrimage festivals in which all the Jewish men would go to Jerusalem and bring their first fruits as offerings to God. Shavuot comes 50 days after Passover. 

Pentecost or Shavuot explains why there were so many people in Jerusalem from all over Israel and beyond its borders. I believe that the Lord chose this time to pour out His Holy Spirit on as many who would believe and that there would be witnesses to carry the message of what they experienced, saw, and heard in Jerusalem that day.

Christian Pentecost or the Outpouring 

The first Pentecost came 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection (Easter) when as Christians, we know that Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus told His followers to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father, which we now understand as the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 

Three important things happened on this first day of our Pentecost.

1. The Church is established with a mission. The word Church in the original Greek is “Ekklesia,” which means “called out ones.” Called out of the world into the Kingdom of God. 
2. The Church is given its mission, the Great Commission, which is given by Jesus at the end of each of the four Gospels and then again in Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 
3. Jesus ascended into Heaven in Acts 1:9, “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.”
4. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to descend from Heaven, the Promise of the Father. Jesus went up, and the Holy Spirit came down to empower the Believers. Acts 1:4, “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Notice the phrase Jesus used, “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

As Believers, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us when we are Born-again. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is another experience when we surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit and, by faith, exercise the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. 

Acts Chapter 2

Now it is time to look at Acts chapter two. “1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Verse one, the 120 were in the upper room waiting, anticipating what the Lord had promised. They were not sure how the Lord would work or show up; however, they were expecting. So many think they have to understand what God will do before they believe, yet the opposite is true. True faith means that you believe even when you don’t know how God will work it out. What has helped me to understand faith is to remember that God’s ways are not the way of humankind and that His thoughts are higher than ours. Isaiah 55:8, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Verse two, “the sound of a mighty rushing wind filled the whole house.” The word wind here can also be translated as “breath,” similar to the word wind in John 3:7, “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Jesus is describing the Holy Spirit.

Verse three, “there appeared to them divided tongues of fire, and one sat upon each of them.” Recall the prophesy of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”The Holy Spirit and fire!

Verse four, “and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The word “filled” in this verse can easily be translated as “influenced by.” As they were influenced by the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in other tongues. What we discover if we read on is that there were people from all over the known world who could understand what they were saying. Those who were speaking probably did not understand, with their natural minds, what they were saying, but other listeners did. I’ve been to many countries where people speaking in their native languages did not make sense to me; it often would sound like babbling. 

Speaking in tongues is the language of the Spirit. John 4:23, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” We can worship and pray with our understanding, but a more powerful way is to learn how to pray in the spirit. When you pray with your understanding, you are limited by the human mind or intellect. However, when you pray in the spirit, all obstacles are removed. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 8: 26, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” 

The Lord has given us the ability to pray in the spirit as we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our prayers and our actions. Remember, the Holy Spirit was given to us as a helper to live the Christian life and to embolden us to fulfill the call of God on our lives. It is a lonely Christian and weak Believer who denies the work of the Spirit in their lives. 

Praying in tongues is a gift of Jesus and is meant to encourage us to build up our confidence and faith in the Lord and what He can accomplish in and through us. Jude 1:20 tells us to “maintain our life with God by praying in the Spirit. “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.”

Event or Experience?

The Baptism of the Holy is an experience that is available to every born-again Believer and is available today. “Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever,” and Jesus is the baptizer of the Holy Spirit. How can anyone deny a gift from the one who saved us and sealed us with His Spirit?

I know that there are some who say that what happened on that Pentecost day was simply an “event.” An event that happened once because the Apostles needed supernatural anointing at the start of the Christian Church. However, there were at least 120 in the upper room who received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and countless others as we continue to read the book of Acts and the Epistles or letters to the Church. 

Finally, let me close with a verse from Peter’s first sermon that he preached after being baptized in the Holy Spirit found in Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Let me repeat verse 39,” For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” We are the “afar off”; the Bible and history show countless times how important the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues was and continues to be today. 

If you have not received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit by speaking in tongues, don’t hesitate to ask the Lord Jesus to fill you with today. Your Father in Heaven knows how to give good gifts to His children. Jesus said as much in Luke 11:13, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” All you need to do is ask. 

In closing, Jesus said in John 7:38, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” Jesus has ascended on Pentecost day and has been glorified, so ask and receive!

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Even Jesus needed the Holy Spirit to fulfill the call of God upon His life. The Holy Spirit of God descended upon Jesus at His baptism by John the Baptist. Look at Luke 3:21, “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the Heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from Heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You, I am well pleased.” Only then did Jesus begin to demonstrate God’s power and authority. How much more do we need the Holy Spirit to move in God’s power and authority?

Immediately after Jesus’ baptism in water and the filling of the Holy Spirit, He is led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil in Luke 4:1-13. Jesus is victorious over the lies and trickery of the devil because of the Spirit of God working in Him. This is an important point that can’t be overlooked; we also need the working of the Holy Spirit to overcome the temptations of the devil in our everyday lives. 

After the trials in the desert, the Bible says in Luke 4:14, “Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.” In the same way, our testimony of overcoming temptation and sin should be a testimony of how the Holy Spirit helped us to have the victory. God is not glorified when you overcome sin by your efforts and mind but when the Spirit of God leads you to resist sin. 

Then in Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” Notice that Jesus was anointed to fulfill the Great Commission, the very same commission He has given each one of us. What does the word anointed mean here? According to a Bible Dictionary:

1. Consecrating Jesus to the Messianic office and furnishing him with the necessary powers for its administration. 
2. Enduing Christians with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 

I like how my good friend Pastor Frank Parrish defines the anointing. “The Anointing is none other than the Person and presence of the Holy Spirit, bringing with Him the necessary power, authority and gifts to fulfill the Father’s will in a given moment of ministry or assignment.”

The conclusion is that when we operate under the Holy Spirit, that is the anointing. The anointing is not about style, or how one presents themselves, the anointing is manifested by the Holy Spirit as that person submits to the guidance of the Spirit. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that it is not about skill or human performance in 1 Corinthians 2:1, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

The Evidence for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Let’s take some time to look at the scriptural evidence in the Old and New Testaments.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was prophesized in the Old Testament

Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant of Law and introduced the New Covenant of Grace.

The New Covenant was prophesized in Jeremiah 31:31 & 33-34, “Behold, the days are coming, the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.“

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was prophesized in Joel 2: 28 “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” This is the same scripture that Peter quotes in Acts 2 to explain the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to the onlookers on the Day of Pentecost.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was prophesized in the Gospels.

John the Baptist prophesized the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in Mark 1:7 when he spoke of the coming Messiah. “And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” The baptizer of the Holy Spirit is Jesus, Himself.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was prophesized by Jesus in the Gospels.

Jesus was illustrating the graciousness and goodness of God in giving good gifts to His children. Luke 11:9, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Notice that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.

Jesus was talking to the religious leaders who were so entrenched in what they were taught that they could not see the truth speaking to them. John 7:38, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” Jesus made it clear that the fullness of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit could not come until He ascended to the Father.

Then in Luke 24:46, Jesus confirmed the promise of the Father, “Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” That power from on high was none other than the Holy Spirit, which was needed to overcome the trickery of the devil in the lives of Believers and to fulfill the ministry call of the Great Commission.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost as the Christian Church was birthed as described in the Book of Acts.

In Jesus’ own words, He said in Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Then we witnessed the fulfillment of the promise as the Holy Spirit came to anoint the 120 who were in the upper room. Notice that it was not just the 12 Apostles, but all the disciples of Christ in the room, beginning with Acts 2:1, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Notice that they were all filled, and they all began to speak in tongues as the Holy Spirit directed them.

Closing

As I close today, I want to make an important final point. When a person receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, they have believed, and repented of not believing in Jesus in the past, a miraculous thing happens. The Holy Spirit comes to live in them! The Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation; He is our confidence that we are Born-again. However, this doesn’t mean that they have the sensitivity or awareness of the work the Holy Spirit wants to do in and through the individual. This awareness can only happen when a person acknowledges the Holy Spirit’s desire to anoint the individual with authority and power. This is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

In plain language, a person can be Born-again and not Baptized in the Holy Spirit. They are going to Heaven, but the Christ-centered life for them is a struggle and is filled with the sense of trying to be a good Christian in their own human strength. 

The person who is Born-again and filled with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, always knows that they are never alone and have the spiritual anointing to resist temptation, overcome the plans of the devil, and experience joy and peace in whatever circumstances they find themselves in.”

Let me put this another way; every Believer had a moment in time when they experienced making Jesus their Lord and Savior. They repented, believed, and the Holy Spirit came to live in them; thus, they were saved. We could put all of this in one phrase, they surrendered to Jesus and received all the benefits of becoming an adopted child of the God most high. 

To move in the fullness of the power of God, promised to us by Jesus, we must surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This particular experience of surrender to the Holy Spirit is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. 

I will talk more about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in my next post.

If you view the book of Acts as strictly a historical book chronicling the beginning of the Christian church, you would be correct, but it is more than that, and it also gives us a pattern of what the church should look like today.

Some take the view that what happened in Acts was simply an event. In other words, what was described in Acts was something that happened then, and we shouldn’t expect those kinds of things to happen today. That thinking goes against the scripture because in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” In other words, God does not change; what was true then is true today, if only we would believe!

You must see that if you believe that the book of Acts simply describes what happened 2000 years ago, then there will be no expectation that it could happen again. Expectation is the basis of faith. Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” And without faith, there is no pleasing God. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” The key to understanding the book of Acts is to see that from chapter one to chapter twenty-eight, the book of Acts is filled with the acts of the Holy Spirit!

What do we believe about God, and why do we believe it?

When it comes to the Bible and the things of God, it is so important to answer the following question: What do we believe about God, and why do we believe it? So many believe the “truths” about God because they were told by someone. They never took the time to confirm the truth by searching the scriptures for themselves. Sometimes we are taught things about God and the Bible by well-intentioned people, but what we are taught is error! Let me give you a personal example. 

My testimony regarding the Bible

When I was a new Christian, I was hungry and eager to learn about the Bible and who the Bible said God was. I was looking for a shortcut to reading the Bible, so I read books written by Christians about the Bible and God. To be truthful, my wife would tell me that the only way to learn about the Bible was to read the Bible myself. I don’t like to admit it, but she was absolutely correct. When I read books by Christian authors instead of the Bible itself, all I got were opinions, the opinions and the traditions of men and women. There is no substitute for reading the Bible or listening to the Bible because the Bible is not the opinion of men but the opinion of God! What God says is always true, even when it conflicts with what we have been taught. The apostle Paul says in Colossians 2:8. “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”

Now, I don’t want to discourage you from reading or listening to Christian teachers and authors, however, compare everything to the Word of God, the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” You can always trust God’s word.

The Apostle Paul liked to keep his faith in God simple, which is good advice for us. Paul testified to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 2:1, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

Notice in Paul’s statement that he did not depend upon his wisdom or fancy speech. He was not pretending to be a theologian, but he was a lover of God. Whatever he had to say or do was a demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power. This simplicity of faith means our faith should not be in impressive words or wisdom but in the Power of God.

Why is the church today so different from the early church found in the book of Acts?

While the focus of the book of Acts is the acts of the apostles, in particular Peter and Paul, we often pass over the fact that the Holy Spirit is central in everything the apostles said and did. In the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit is mentioned 69 times! The early church understood something critical to the church; Jesus ascended to heaven in Acts chapter one, and the Holy Spirit descended from heaven upon the Believers in Acts chapter two. 

Jesus’ ascension to heaven in Acts 1: 9, “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” When Jesus ascended into heaven the onlookers stood gawking upward, and then the two angels basically say, let’s move on there is work to do! Then the angels said that Jesus would return. This returning of Jesus can mean one of two things, the second coming of Jesus Christ at the end of the age, or Jesus will send someone just like Himself, the Holy Spirit of God.

I lean towards the latter because in the very next chapter, chapter two on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit falls on the Believers in the upper room. Acts 2:1. “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

All of this is in fulfillment of the promise found in Luke 24:46 “Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

The Need for Supernatural Power

You see, Jesus knew they would need supernatural power to accomplish two things. One, they needed the Holy Spirit to become the person whom Jesus died for, a person who would walk in righteousness. Two, they would need the Holy Spirit to accomplish the plans and purposes God established for them to do, in particular, to fulfill the Great Commission, “To win the lost, to train them up, and to send them out!”

What was true then is true today; we need the Helper, the Comforter, and the Advocate to become more like Jesus and to be able to do what Jesus did. Jesus said in John 14:12 & 16, 12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” How can we do “greater works than Jesus” without Jesus or the Spirit of God working through us? 

Now look at verses 16-17, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” What does Jesus mean when He says, “He will give you another Helper?” Who was the first Helper? Of course, it was Jesus, Himself. While Jesus walked the earth, His followers moved in the authority and power of Jesus. However, when Jesus ascended into heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to work in us. Now as Believers, we have the authority and the power of the Holy Spirit working through us. 

Solid Christian doctrine teaches that God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are co-equal, so how can we treat the Holy Spirit as a thing or a power when the Holy Spirit is God in us? The Holy Spirit is not some energy source or thing; He is the person of the Holy Spirit! As we recognize the Holy Spirit in us, as we develop that relationship with Him, we will see growth and boldness to be all we can be for our Lord Jesus Christ. 

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Every Believer had a moment in time when they experienced making Jesus their Lord and Savior. They repented, believed, and the Holy Spirit came to live in them; thus, they were saved. We could put all of this in one phrase, they surrendered to Jesus and received all the benefits of becoming an adopted child of the God most high. 

To move in the fullness of the power of God, promised to us by Jesus, we must surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This particular experience of surrender to the Holy Spirit is called the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

I will talk more about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in my next post.

God’s purpose in providing the Law through Moses for the Jewish people was to produce righteousness in the individual. The first five books of the Old Testament, the Torah (Hebrew) or the Pentateuch (English), contained 113 rules and regulations, including the Ten Commandments. 

For a Jew obeying, from the heart, the rules and regulations of the Law was the path to being in a right relationship with God or put another way to be found righteous in the Lord. Unfortunately, the only thing the Law proved was that it was impossible to keep all the Law all the time. The only thing the Law showed was the need for a Savior; in Hebrew, the savior is called Messiah, and in Greek, the savior is called Christ.

Through Jesus Christ, the Lord provided a “better Covenant based upon better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). Now, as New Covenant Believers, our righteousness does not come from what we do as the Law required, but our righteousness is because of what Jesus did for us, (Romans 4:22-24).

Jesus came to fulfill the Law in that His righteousness was now imputed or credited to the individual who would put their faith in Him. No longer did a person have to work at being righteous as in the Old Testament; now, a Christian’s righteousness is a gift of Grace wrapped up in faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The Believer’s Authority in the Old Testament

In my last post, Believer’s Authority in the Old Testament, I tried to make several points. The first point was that God doesn’t change; Hebrews 13:8 states that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever! Clearly, the miracles and wonders of the Old Testament or Covenant are still available today. 

The second point was that in the Old Testament, the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, would only fall upon Prophets, Priests, and Kings. The Holy Spirit in those days would come upon a person and sometimes be removed from a person. In a sense, it was temporary, available until the purposes of God were completed. 

The third point was to distinguish the difference between Authority and Power. In the natural, if a person has authority, it means that they have a legal right to do something, but it may not mean that they have the power or ability to do it. So, having authority alone is not enough to accomplish what you want; you also need the power to go with the authority. 

The Believer’s Authority and Power in the early Church.

Christians do not live under the Covenant of the Law found in the Old Testament Bible; Jesus fulfilled the Law and therefore made the Law of Moses obsolete.

In Jeremiah 31:31–34, a New Covenant is prophesized, and then Hebrews 8:7 & 13 state the following. 

• “7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.” In other words, the Old Covenant was not enough to produce righteousness.
• “13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” The New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant. 

I have met people trying to keep the Old and New Covenants. Here is what Jesus said in Matthew 9:16, “No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Jesus said it is impossible to maintain the works of the Law and the gift of Grace at the same time. Every person who comes to Jesus must choose to follow Him and not the Law of Moses.

The Book of Acts, the New Covenant Church

The Book of Acts in the Bible gives a very clear account of the beginning of the Church, and it is clear the early church was filled with the authority and power of the Holy Spirit. We know that miracles, signs, and wonders were common in the early church. So, why was the early church so different from the Jewish temple and synagogues? The difference was that the Holy Spirit lived in the Believer and not just on the Believer. The coming of the Holy Spirit to live in the Believer was not a temporary event, and it wasn’t just something needed at the beginning of the church. The Holy Spirit is the One who enables us to live the Christian life, and it still comes with authority and power. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus and distinguishes Christianity from all other religions then and now!

Our Authority. 

The word authority in the New Testament is defined as follows; Exousia, Gk.; delegated influence or authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength. (Used 72 times in the New Testament)

Simply put, authority means that we have the right and privilege to do something. The source of our Authority is in the fact that our citizenship is heaven, and we are ambassadors for Christ on earth.

• Philippians 3:20, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”
• 2 Corinthians 5:20, “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God?”

Can you see that our authority comes from the Lord as ambassadors and citizens of heaven? In the natural, when a head of state sends an ambassador to another country, that ambassador represents the one who sent him; that is authority. In essence, the ambassador speaks and acts for the one who sent him. We are ambassadors of Jesus Christ and represent Him on earth with authority.

Recall in Matthew 16 when Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say I am?” And Peter responded by saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Listen to what Jesus said to Peter and all who were listening in Matthew 16:17, “Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 

This statement shows that Peter had a personal revelation of who Jesus was. The Lord spoke to Peter in his heart and showed him the truth of Jesus; He was the Savior, God in the flesh! However, Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 16:18, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Some like to think that Jesus was building the church upon Peter, but if that were the case, then Jesus would have said, “you are Peter and on you I will build my church.” Instead, Jesus says, “on this rock”; the rock Jesus was speaking of was the Rock of personal revelation and faith in Jesus. It’s interesting to note that the name Peter (Petros Gk.) means “little rock,” and rock (Petra Gk.) means massive rock. Again, confirming that Peter is not the rock of the church, but Jesus is the rock! 1 Corinthians 10:4, “and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”

Keys of the Kingdom

Matthew 16:19, “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Jesus is saying as my representative I give you authority (keys) to ask for anything that is allowed (loosed) in Heaven and to resist or defeat (bind) anything not permitted in Heaven. 

Binding and loosing is not permission to do whatever you think or want but is permission to follow the pattern of the Kingdom of Heaven. Remember, Jesus came preaching the “good news of the kingdom.” Part of the good news is that we have the authority and power to resist and bind all the works of the enemy, the devil. We also have the authority and power in the Holy Spirit to loose the power found in the Gospel of salvation.

Our Promised Power. 

The word power is defined as dynamis, Gk.; force; miraculous power, ability, abundance, strength, (wonderful) work. (Used 119 times). Dynamis is the root of the word dynamite.

The source of our power as Christians is in the Holy Spirit, the Person of God living in the Believer. Jesus Himself promised the Holy Spirit in Luke 24:49, “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high. That word “endued” literally means to be “clothed” in the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we use terms like being filled or led, or guided by the Holy Spirit to describe one who is moving in the Spirit of God. 

We see the fulfillment of the promise in Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”The word “power” in this verse is the word dynamis, which is explosive or miracle-working power!

Jesus said He has all authority in heaven and on earth; He has imparted that authority through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we have spiritual authority.

Matthew 28:18, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”

That is the Great Commission, and as ambassadors of Christ, this is our responsibility. The great news is that Jesus didn’t expect us to do it all in our own strength; He gave us the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to accomplish what He called us to do.

A final thought – You have not because you ask not.

James 4:1-3 teaches us a principle: “you have not because you ask not.” As Believers, we often turn to our own strength and abilities or look to other people instead of asking the Lord to empower us with His Holy Spirit. 

Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

John 16:24, “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

When we ask the Lord with the right motives, then the Lord will move on our behalf. The key is to ask for Him instead of things. Luke 11:13, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Remember, when you came to Jesus, you surrendered your life to Him, believing that He could do a better job with your life. Moving in the authority and power of the Holy Spirit also requires surrendering. More about that in the next episode. 

Authority and Power

In the natural, if a person has authority, it means that they have a legal right to do something, but it may not mean they have the power to do it. The key to authority is that it means you have a legal right or it is allowable. However, having authority alone is not enough to accomplish what needs to be accomplished, and you also need power to go with the authority. For example, a person may have the right or authority to build a home on their own property, but if they don’t have the resources or equipment to build a house, they are powerless to build it. 

When king Saul was pursuing the future king David in  the book of 1 Samuel, Saul was using his authority as king to hunt and destroy David. However, Saul did not have the power to destroy David because the Lord was on David’s side.

Throughout the ages, God has given authority to men and women to act as His agents or ambassadors to accomplish His will. However, when God gives authority, He also provides power, which comes through the Holy Spirit of God!

Old Testament View of the Holy Spirit

In Old Testament times, the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit would fall upon a person for a time for a particular purpose; in other words, the Holy Spirit would come and go. The Spirit of God would fall upon prophets, priests, and kings. Today as believers in Jesus Christ, we must embrace the truth that the Holy Spirit lives in us and He will never leave us nor forsake us; therefore, the Holy Spirit’s authority is always available to us. Here is a key truth, spiritual authority is available to fulfill the will and purposes of God. Spiritual authority is not available to us for our own wishes to do what we want. We are the vessels, but the power and authority are the Lord’s! Before we go further, we need to visit the doctrine of the Trinity.

Triune Nature of God

As Christians, we believe that we serve one God in three separate persons. I like to think of it as God the Father who initiates all things, Jesus Christ, the Word of God in the flesh, who came to earth to die for our sins and give us eternal life, and the Holy Spirit, who is often neglected, as the agent of change. The Holy Spirit makes things happen in the supernatural realm. The Holy Spirit is the power that crosses from the spiritual to the natural realm and makes things happen.  

The Holy Spirit takes what God the father says through the son Jesus Christ and makes it happen. What is important to understand is that the Holy Spirit it’s the one who makes the supernatural available to us. He is our connection to the supernatural realm of God, but here’s the important thing He is a person! He is not simply a force or power or energy, He is a person; he is God. Just as Jesus is God, the Holy Spirit is God, three persons in one. To reject the Holy Spirit is to reject God. 

The triune nature of God is a difficult concept for us as human beings to understand. We live in a place of time and space; however, God lives outside of time and space, he is a creator of all things, and nothing that was created or will be created exists outside of his will. The Trinity is a truth that the human mind can’t understand fully, which is why the Lord has given us a measure of faith to believe. Faith or trust is not needed if we understand; faith is needed when we don’t understand and still put our faith in God. We may not fully understand the Three in One concept of God, but we believe it.

There are at least three characteristics that God has; God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. 

1. Omniscient means God knows everything. There is nothing that He does not know. He is not like us; God does not learn; he simply knows. Past, present, and future it is all the same to Him.
2. Omnipresent means that God can be everywhere at the same time, and he hears all our prayers, worship, and praise and knows the motives and intentions of our hearts.
3. Omnipotent means that He is all-powerful. Nothing or no one can stand against Him. Satan, the greatest enemy of our Lord, is but a flea to God. God does not strain or stress, and nothing is too difficult for our Lord.

As you search the scriptures, you will see that Father God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit share in all these attributes. This is why we believe in one God in three persons.

In the Beginning, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

At the very beginning of Genesis, we know that God created the heavens and earth. An important point that we must see is in verse two  “the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the deep.” It is clear that the Holy Spirit was present with God the Father, and we know God spoke the Word and created everything by His Word. Then in John chapter one, we see that the Word became flesh. John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” I say all of this to make the point that Jesus and the Holy Spirit existed with God from the beginning.

The Spirit of the Lord came upon or rested upon.

In Old Testament times, the spirit of the Lord would fall upon or rest upon specific individuals, prophets, priests, and kings. The Lord chose these individuals to work through for the sake of His people Israel. the Lord would take ordinary people and place his spirit upon them so that they became extraordinary people. We can see many wonderous works of God through the lives of many biblical characters. 

Here is a list of 14 Old Testament individuals that God used by placing His Spirit upon them:

1. Moses in Exodus 3:12, the burning bush experience where he received from the Lord the commission to be an instrument to set the people of Israel free from Egyptian bondage.
2. The 70 Elders chosen by Moses to help with the administration of God’s people.
3. The Judge Othniel in Judges 3:20
4. The Judge Gideon in Judges 6:34
5. The Judge Jephthah in Judges 11:29
6. The Judge Samson in Judges 13:25
7. King Saul in 1 Samuel 10:6 
8. King David in 1 Samuel 16:13
9. Joshua in Numbers 27:18 and Deuteronomy 34:9
10. The prophet Elijah in 2 Chronicles 20:14
11. The prophet Elisha in 2 Kings 2:15
12. The priest Jahaziel in Chronicles 20:14
13. The prophet Zechariah in Zechariah 24:20
14. The prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 11:5

The examples I have chosen show the Spirit of God falling upon individuals. However, there is a particular case of the Spirit of God being removed from an individual because of disobedience. We see this when the “Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul” in Samuel 16:14. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. 

Faith

All these Biblical characters who were filled with the Spirit of God, or we could say were anointed by God, had to act by faith. Faith that the Lord would do what He promised and work through them to do the mighty works of God. They may have experienced fear and doubt at times, but when they had to act, they did not waver in unbelief. David, who was anointed to become king, was filled with the Spirit, yet the Psalms clearly show that David experienced times of despair and hopelessness; however, David never quit or gave up. Listen to Daniel 11:32, “… but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” The lesson here is that when we become discouraged or defeated, we turn to our God and draw strength from our relationship with Him and hold on tightly to the promises of God. God never, never fails!

When we read about the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11, we see the names of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, and Joseph. Then we see the faith of Moses, Joshua, and Rahab; some of the names of the Judges of Israel are also included, and then, of course, David. However, Hebrews 11 doesn’t stop with the well-known names found in the Bible. Hebrews 11 states that there were countless numbers of people who suffered persecution and even death because they believed that the Lord had anointed them to be used to fulfill His purpose. Again, I want to remind you that the Lord uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

All those whom the Lord fills with the Spirit and follow through by faith receive the crown. Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

As new covenant Believers, Jesus has granted us authority and power to represent Him. Because of the New Covenant or Testament, we have better promises made to us than all of the Old Covenant or Testament characters in the Bible. Jesus promised us a helper, which is the Holy Spirit who comes in power. As New Covenant Believers, we have authority as a result of the new birth or being born-again. As born-again Believers, we have spiritual authority, but have we learned to release the Holy Spirit’s power resident in us? That is the subject of my next episode: The Believer’s Spiritual Authority and Power.

A Better Covenant, based upon better promises. 

Let me close with a couple of scriptures from the book of Hebrews that reinforce the truth that we have a better covenant than the Old Testament believers.

• Hebrews 7:22, “by so much more Jesus has become a guarantee of a better covenant.”
• Hebrews 8:6, “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, since He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.so much more Jesus has become a guarantee of a better covenant.”

The Book of Hebrews was written based on the superiority of Christ over the Law of Moses. Christ is better than the angels, for they worship Him. He is better than Moses, for He created him. He is better than the Hebrew priesthood, for Jesus’ sacrifice was once for all time. Jesus is better than the law, for He mediates a better covenant. In short, there is more to be gained in Christ than to be lost in Judaism. Pressing on in Christ and His Holy Spirit produces tested faith, self-discipline, and a visible love seen in good works. We can’t do any of this without the power of the Holy Spirit leading us.