The
only way to become one with Christ is to accept the Holy Spirit, for without the
Spirit no one will ever know Jesus Christ as their Savior. We must become
spiritually alive to become spiritually one with Christ, to become a member of
His holy church. Our bodies, our hearts, must be transformed into temples of
the Spirit, so Jesus can come into our lives, live within our hearts, make us
children of our Heavenly Father. For only through the Spirit can we live in
Christ, and can Christ live in us.
The
Spirit was given to some in the Old Covenant. But our Father promised to write
the truth on the hearts and minds of His people in the New Covenant, so they
will know who their Lord is. This is done when the Spirit opens our minds and
hearts to the Lord. Pentecost began the pouring out of the Spirit on all
people, on all nations, starting at
We
were all born with original sin. This sin is in our flesh, retained from the
first sin of Adam and Eve that condemned all. While
still in the womb those known by God have a spirit mature enough to know their
Lord, know right from wrong, and react to Jesus. As babes we can praise the
Lord, trust in Him. As young children we can believe in Jesus, know Him, become one with Him, and are part of our Savior’s
Anointed – 2Co 1:21, 1Jn 2:20,27
Baptized - 1Co 12:13
Being made new – Eph 4:20-24, 2Co 5:17, Gal 6:15,
Born again,
rebirth – Jn 3:5-8,15:3, Titus 3:5, Ja
1:18, 1Pe 1:23
Renewed,
or regeneration by the Spirit
– Tit 3:5, Ro 12:2
Washed – 1Co 6:11, 12:13, Eph 5:26, Tit 3:5
After we have been
born again the Spirit continues to sanctify us, justifying us in the name of
Jesus Christ. The Spirit sanctifies us, forgives our sins immediately, by the
faith we have in our hearts. A saving
faith that creates a genuine love for Jesus, that makes our Savior number one
in our lives, that makes us strive to obey our Lord. A love that makes us sorry
for our sins, makes us want to repent of them. A love that produces fruit. Sanctification keeps all
believers holy. Holy so we may continuously be one with our Lord, and part of
His Holy Christian Church. Continuously holy so Christ can always remain in our
hearts. The Spirit also sanctifies us when we are incapacitated (death, mental
incompetence) and cannot ask to have our sins forgiven. One does not have a
saving faith if it does not produce love, if it is lukewarm, if it does not
make them sincerely repentant of all their sins. One does not have a saving
love if it produces no actions, if one still enjoys sinning.
The Spirit also
works manifestations in our hearts. Manifestations are when the Spirit reveals,
makes clear, allows us to see, or opens up truths to strengthen us. They are
also the gifts, the abilities, given by the Spirit, to do the work of the Lord.
The Spirit gives us manifestations throughout our lives to encourage us, renew
our faith, increase our knowledge, and enable us to do what our Father had planned
for us to do from the beginning. The Comforter also helps us to stay in the
Lord and protects us from succumbing to the evil around us. The Spirit can be
received in different ways, in different circumstances, in different terms. Do
not be confused by different words describing how the Spirit is given, nor
perplexed when the same exact words can refer to either being born again or
receiving a manifestation. When we are given the Spirit what is being referred
to depends upon where we are spiritually. Whether one needs the faith to be born again, the transformation of
one’s mind to accept the Spirit. Or whether we have been born again and
our faith is being strengthened or gifts are being given. It isn’t important
what we call these transformations. All that matters is that we allow the Holy
Spirit to rule over our hearts. The original gift of being born again or
manifestations of the Spirit can be called the same names including:
Baptized with
the Spirit (Not the same
as being baptized with water) – Matt 3:11, Mk 1:8, Lk
3:16, Jn 1:33, Ac 1:5,
Spirit comes On
You – Ac 1:8, 2:38, 11:15,
Jn 16:7
Filled with the
Spirit – Lk 1:15,41,67, Ac 2:4, 4:8,31,
9:17, 13:9,52
Given the
Spirit – Lk 11:13, Jn14:16, Ac 5:32, Ro 5:5, 1Co 2:12, 12:7-13, 2Co
5:5, 1Thes 4:8, Gal 3:5,14, Eph 1:13, 1Jn 4:13
Pour out the
Spirit – Isa 44:3, Ezk 39:29, Joel
2:28-29, Acts 2:16-17,33, 10:45, 1Ti 1:14, Tit 3:6
Received
the Spirit – Jn 7:39, 20:22, Ac 8:15-17, 10:47, 19:2, Gal 3:2,14, Ro 8:15, 1Co 2:12,
Send
the Spirit – Jn 14:26, 15:26
The
gift of the Spirit is given at different times in our lives. Some accept the
Holy Spirit as babes, others never accept the Holy
Spirit until they are ready to die. Many will have more time to be exposed to
the Spirit for others this could be the last opportunity to accept the Holy
Spirit before this gift is taken from them. Many are still waiting to have the
Word brought to them, others will never believe it.
The
Spirit is given in different intensities. Some are physically aroused,
including talking in tongues, talking in many languages. Others with joy accept
the Spirit into their hearts, others go on their way
rejoicing. Paul tells us the Spirit gives us different gifts as we come
together in Christ, that not all will speak in
tongues. That all tasks are important, that none are menial or unimportant,
that the Lord is working through us, that we deserve no credit for what we are
able to do. We must always remember the greatest gift that will be given to us.
For all spiritual gifts will pass away except faith, hope, and love. And the
greatest spiritual gift is love.
We can accept or
reject the Spirit in different ways. Some do not take the time to allow the
Spirit to nurture their faith through the Scriptures, prayer, and worship.
Their faith does not become entrenched in their hearts and Satan snatches it
away. Others change their life immediately, working diligently for the Lord,
only to burn out when trials and troubles confront them. Many accept the
Spirit, but their pleasures and wants, their struggles to keep ahead in their
daily lives are more important than the Lord. Their faith is ultimately choked
out by their worldly desires. And then there are those who hearts provide good
soil, who receive the love and grace of Jesus, accept it and pass this good
news on to others.
The
Spirit holds us in the body of Christ, allows Christ to live in us by:
Living in our
hearts to keep us in the faith
–
The Spirit’s
temple is our bodies. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. The Holy Spirit produces
this fruit in whose heart He lives.
Sanctifying
believers to keep them holy members of Christ’s
The Spirit talks and
intercedes with our Heavenly Father, with Jesus, to forgive our sins
immediately, before we even ask. Thereby sanctifying us, keeping us holy so we
may spiritually live within Christ’s one
Showing the truth in the
Holy Scriptures –
The
Comforter opens our minds to the truth of God’s Word, calls us through the
Gospel. The Spirit makes the Scriptures come alive, in emotions, thoughts,
ideas, ideals that cut to bone and marrow, can separate our spirit and soul,
can save us or condemn us. This can happen only when we take the time to study
the Scriptures ourselves, asking the Spirit to guide us. Never blindly
accepting what other leaders or intellectuals say but making sure the truth of
God’s Word is in our hearts.
Guiding and assuring
members of this
The
Spirit gives us courage to spread the good news of Jesus by putting words on
our lips, an attitude of love in our hearts, that
brings souls to Christ. A love for others that keeps us from placing stumbling
blocks in front of those who need to know Jesus, to new believers as they come
to the Lord. The Spirit gives us humility that keeps us from considering
ourselves more important, greater than others. Helps believers stay in the
faith as they worship together, assist each other in all of our earthly work
and cares. Gives us assurance that we are children of God,
and of eternal life in Heaven.
We
can ask the Heavenly Father to send us the Spirit, we can ask Jesus to come
into our hearts and He will send us the Spirit, or we can ask the Spirit to
open our hearts to Jesus. The words are not as important as our attitudes. We
must be humble, aware something is missing in our lives, know there is someone
greater than us ruling this world. We must accept the greatest gift we will
ever be given by allowing the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the grace of
Jesus Christ.