0:00:05.245,0:00:10.707 The subject is "Doubt about Holy Spirit," 0:00:10.707,0:00:16.864 from Midhun P. Matthew. 0:00:16.864,0:00:18.604 And he writes this, "Hi, brother. 0:00:18.604,0:00:22.107 Greetings in the name of our [br]Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 0:00:22.107,0:00:25.690 This is the second time [br]I write a letter to you. 0:00:25.690,0:00:27.334 When I wrote the first time, 0:00:27.334,0:00:30.431 I was in a desperate situation 0:00:30.431,0:00:31.915 on my spiritual life. 0:00:31.915,0:00:33.433 God heard my prayer. 0:00:33.433,0:00:35.724 Now I am a happy man. 0:00:35.724,0:00:37.299 Thanks for your support." 0:00:37.299,0:00:39.273 Probably James, you dealt with him, 0:00:39.273,0:00:40.985 because I don't remember that name. 0:00:40.985,0:00:42.100 James: Who was that? 0:00:42.100,0:00:45.848 Tim: Midhun. 0:00:45.848,0:00:49.426 (unintelligible) 0:00:49.426,0:00:52.512 "Now I am eagerly studying the Word of God 0:00:52.512,0:00:54.240 in a daily manner. 0:00:54.240,0:00:55.956 I am very curious about it 0:00:55.956,0:00:59.207 and I try to share the [br]Gospel with others also. 0:00:59.221,0:01:01.781 When I started to share [br]the Gospel with others, 0:01:01.781,0:01:03.633 I had to face many, many questions, 0:01:03.633,0:01:07.964 mostly from my Catholic [br]and Jacobite believers. 0:01:07.964,0:01:12.535 All of them are my friends." 0:01:12.535,0:01:14.027 Let me ask, anybody familiar 0:01:14.027,0:01:19.229 with what the Jacobites are? 0:01:19.229,0:01:22.283 Ever heard that name before? 0:01:22.283,0:01:25.096 Okay. They're basically Orthodox. 0:01:25.096,0:01:31.312 They would be an [br]Eastern Orthodox offshoot. 0:01:31.312,0:01:34.938 Probably mainly in India. 0:01:34.938,0:01:39.658 "Someone asked me about the Holy Spirit 0:01:39.658,0:01:42.648 and I gave my belief as follows: 0:01:42.648,0:01:45.485 We receive the Holy Spirit 0:01:45.485,0:01:49.969 at the same moment we believe Christ. 0:01:49.969,0:01:51.683 And the Holy Spirit becomes 0:01:51.683,0:01:53.484 our permanent possession 0:01:53.484,0:01:55.850 the moment we believe. 0:01:55.850,0:01:58.032 I came to this conclusion 0:01:58.032,0:02:01.154 mainly by these two verses." 0:02:01.154,0:02:04.414 So, let's look at the two [br]verses that he references. 0:02:04.414,0:02:09.431 The first verse is 1 Corinthians 12:3. 0:02:09.431,0:02:11.246 So let's look at that. 0:02:11.246,0:02:18.238 So, 1 Corinthians 12:3 0:02:18.238,0:02:23.504 is one of the verses that he was using 0:02:23.504,0:02:29.334 to tell his Catholic and Jacobite friends 0:02:29.334,0:02:33.140 that we get the Spirit of God [br]the moment we believe. 0:02:33.140,0:02:36.024 So, I'm not sure exactly what translation 0:02:36.024,0:02:37.953 he's reading from, but he has the verse 0:02:37.953,0:02:39.854 printed out here so I'll just read it 0:02:39.854,0:02:41.285 the way he has it. 0:02:41.285,0:02:43.411 "Therefore, I want you to understand 0:02:43.411,0:02:46.177 that no one speaking in the Spirit of God 0:02:46.177,0:02:48.859 ever says, 'Jesus is accursed,' 0:02:48.859,0:02:52.991 and no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' 0:02:52.991,0:02:58.320 except in the Holy Spirit." 0:02:58.320,0:03:02.856 So he sees this as a verse that means 0:03:02.856,0:03:06.581 if you're saved, you've [br]got the Holy Spirit. 0:03:06.581,0:03:18.143 Can anybody see why he would think that? 0:03:18.143,0:03:24.800 This is actually an interesting text. 0:03:24.800,0:03:26.818 What do you make of it? 0:03:26.818,0:03:30.411 Can a lost person say, "Jesus is Lord"? 0:03:30.411,0:03:32.804 And in fact, let me ask this question, 0:03:32.804,0:03:35.070 is there not even a verse in our Bible 0:03:35.070,0:03:36.544 that says that there are people 0:03:36.544,0:03:37.904 that say "Jesus is Lord," 0:03:37.904,0:03:40.403 but on the last day, 0:03:40.403,0:03:44.427 Jesus is going to say, "I never knew you." 0:03:44.427,0:03:47.646 What's Paul saying here? 0:03:47.646,0:03:48.771 I mean, we all know it. 0:03:48.771,0:03:51.467 Can lost people say, "Jesus is Lord"? 0:03:51.467,0:03:54.773 Certainly they can. Certainly [br]they can mouth those words. 0:03:54.773,0:03:56.610 So, what do you think Paul's saying 0:03:56.610,0:03:58.712 when he says, "I want you to understand, 0:03:58.712,0:04:02.475 no one speaking in the Spirit of God 0:04:02.475,0:04:05.092 ever says, 'Jesus is accursed,' 0:04:05.092,0:04:07.465 and no one can say 'Jesus is Lord,' 0:04:07.465,0:04:09.508 except in the Holy Spirit"? 0:04:09.508,0:04:12.530 What is he saying? 0:04:12.530,0:04:16.330 Anybody ever thought [br]about that verse before? 0:04:16.330,0:04:21.166 James: You did an APT on it a year ago. 0:04:21.166,0:04:22.793 Tim: Anybody remember? 0:04:22.793,0:04:23.845 (from the room) 0:04:23.845,0:04:25.948 I have a reference to 1 John 4:3. 0:04:25.948,0:04:27.288 Tim: Which says? 0:04:27.288,0:04:29.626 "And every spirit that [br]does not confess Jesus 0:04:29.626,0:04:34.331 is not from God." 0:04:34.331,0:04:36.209 Tim: Okay. 0:04:36.209,0:04:38.056 What do you think Paul's saying? 0:04:38.056,0:04:41.945 We could say yes, maybe [br]there's some connection, 0:04:41.945,0:04:44.901 but I don't know that [br]that text from 1 John 0:04:44.901,0:04:48.033 really helps us decipher. 0:04:48.033,0:04:51.199 What does Paul mean? 0:04:51.199,0:04:54.073 Is it safe to say, 0:04:54.073,0:04:56.467 Paul would be the first one to recognize 0:04:56.467,0:04:59.697 that an unbeliever can lip those words? 0:04:59.697,0:05:01.701 Of course, he recognizes that. 0:05:01.701,0:05:04.140 He's not saying that there's 0:05:04.140,0:05:06.819 a linguistic impossibility for somebody 0:05:06.819,0:05:08.885 to vocalize those three words 0:05:08.885,0:05:11.622 if they're lost and have [br]not the Spirit of God. 0:05:11.622,0:05:13.382 So what's he saying? 0:05:13.382,0:05:16.674 It seems like if you [br]just start reading here, 0:05:16.674,0:05:18.264 1 Corinthians 12:1, 0:05:18.264,0:05:22.146 "Now concerning [br]spiritual gifts, brothers..." 0:05:22.146,0:05:24.013 Well, that right there - 0:05:24.013,0:05:26.645 obviously they were asking [br]him about spiritual gifts. 0:05:26.645,0:05:29.385 And probably what they were saying 0:05:29.385,0:05:33.791 is there were questions coming. 0:05:33.791,0:05:34.819 They had questions. 0:05:34.819,0:05:36.334 There were people prophesying. 0:05:36.334,0:05:38.513 There were people speaking in tongues. 0:05:38.513,0:05:39.875 There were things happening. 0:05:39.875,0:05:44.721 There were expressions of [br]these gifts coming forth. 0:05:44.721,0:05:53.340 And people perhaps appearing to be 0:05:53.340,0:05:57.509 manifesting a gift of the Spirit, 0:05:57.509,0:06:04.193 and as that gift is being supposedly 0:06:04.193,0:06:08.013 manifested in their meetings, 0:06:08.013,0:06:10.124 something is happening 0:06:10.124,0:06:13.061 where Christ is not being exalted. 0:06:13.061,0:06:17.105 I heard John MacArthur say 0:06:17.105,0:06:21.876 that there were meetings taking place 0:06:21.876,0:06:25.208 where somebody was speaking in tongues. 0:06:25.208,0:06:29.449 And there was - I forget if it was 0:06:29.449,0:06:32.577 a Greek or a Hebrew scholar, 0:06:32.577,0:06:36.960 who was attending the meeting. 0:06:36.960,0:06:39.949 And they were speaking in tongues, 0:06:39.949,0:06:43.102 and they actually were [br]speaking in a tongue. 0:06:43.102,0:06:46.036 And if there was any [br]interpretation happening, 0:06:46.036,0:06:47.963 I don't remember, 0:06:47.963,0:06:50.665 but it was being lauded 0:06:50.665,0:06:55.203 as this was some great manifestation 0:06:55.203,0:06:58.339 of the gifts of the Spirit, 0:06:58.339,0:07:02.220 and this man sitting there 0:07:02.220,0:07:04.794 understood exactly what was being said, 0:07:04.794,0:07:07.442 and Christ was being cursed. 0:07:07.442,0:07:12.058 Now, I think what you want [br]to tie together here is this: 0:07:12.058,0:07:15.676 Spiritual gifts is what's on the table. 0:07:15.676,0:07:19.087 And so, the idea here is 0:07:19.087,0:07:23.313 that if somebody is prophesying 0:07:23.313,0:07:25.234 or if somebody is speaking in tongues 0:07:25.234,0:07:26.690 or if somebody's interpreting, 0:07:26.690,0:07:31.157 if a genuine manifestation [br]of a spiritual gift 0:07:31.157,0:07:32.364 is taking place, 0:07:32.364,0:07:36.439 obviously, Jesus said Himself, 0:07:36.439,0:07:38.676 the Spirit is coming to glorify Him. 0:07:38.676,0:07:40.345 And if you've got things happening 0:07:40.345,0:07:43.956 that are not glorifying to Him... 0:07:43.956,0:07:47.828 We could take this in [br]many different offshoots. 0:07:47.828,0:07:50.604 Peden - do you have any memory 0:07:50.604,0:07:58.617 of the Peden guy who was a Covenanter? 0:07:58.617,0:08:06.322 Anyway, I remember Don Currin telling me 0:08:06.322,0:08:07.679 an incident there, 0:08:07.679,0:08:10.517 and I've voiced it before to you guys 0:08:10.517,0:08:15.556 that there was a revival taking place. 0:08:15.556,0:08:17.592 And there was a man in the meetings. 0:08:17.592,0:08:19.840 And he was calling out people's sins. 0:08:19.840,0:08:21.697 And he was right on. 0:08:21.697,0:08:23.737 And this would be kind of unsettling 0:08:23.737,0:08:25.904 if you were in a meeting and it's like: 0:08:25.904,0:08:31.726 Ryan, you've been A, B, and C. 0:08:31.726,0:08:33.947 And you, X, Y, Z. 0:08:33.947,0:08:35.281 And it's right. 0:08:35.281,0:08:39.898 And it's like I was there [br]when you were alone. 0:08:39.898,0:08:43.152 That was the kind of thing [br]happening in this meeting. 0:08:43.152,0:08:44.631 But there was one man 0:08:44.631,0:08:46.844 and he was especially discerning. 0:08:46.844,0:08:50.661 Everybody thought this is [br]really a work of God. 0:08:50.661,0:08:52.622 This is incredible. 0:08:52.622,0:08:54.262 We've got a prophet in our midst. 0:08:54.262,0:08:55.681 He knows our sins. 0:08:55.681,0:08:57.298 But there was a man in the meeting 0:08:57.298,0:08:59.001 that was really troubled. 0:08:59.001,0:09:00.267 And he recognized, 0:09:00.267,0:09:04.857 Jesus Christ is not being glorified. 0:09:04.857,0:09:09.465 The sinners are having [br]their sin called out, 0:09:09.465,0:09:11.930 but they're not being shown Christ 0:09:11.930,0:09:13.295 as a great Savior. 0:09:13.295,0:09:15.886 The people are going out beat up 0:09:15.886,0:09:19.372 and trampled on and left hopeless. 0:09:19.372,0:09:22.515 And they had meetings night after night. 0:09:22.515,0:09:28.262 And he finally, in the [br]middle of the meeting, 0:09:28.262,0:09:30.775 he stood up and he called the man out, 0:09:30.775,0:09:33.946 and he said, "I command you [br]in the name of Jesus Christ 0:09:33.946,0:09:36.856 to tell us by what spirit you speak." 0:09:36.856,0:09:39.689 And suddenly demonic voices [br]came out of the guy 0:09:39.689,0:09:43.049 and they said, "oh, [br]we've been discovered!" 0:09:43.049,0:09:45.059 (incomplete thought) 0:09:45.059,0:09:46.946 Paul is not just dealing with whether 0:09:46.946,0:09:49.015 a person has the capacity, 0:09:49.015,0:09:51.693 but what's happening in [br]the midst of these folks 0:09:51.693,0:09:55.997 is all manner of spiritual [br]gifts being manifested, 0:09:55.997,0:09:59.549 and I think, obviously, [br]the Corinthian letters - 0:09:59.549,0:10:02.038 the first Corinthian letter especially - 0:10:02.038,0:10:05.663 it's numerous responses to the things 0:10:05.663,0:10:07.696 that they had written to him about. 0:10:07.696,0:10:10.917 And I think this again, he's responding. 0:10:10.917,0:10:13.376 They had something happen undoubtedly. 0:10:13.376,0:10:14.879 They had many things happen. 0:10:14.879,0:10:17.472 They were having many [br]supernatural things happening. 0:10:17.472,0:10:21.330 And I think what you really [br]want to nail down here is this: 0:10:21.330,0:10:23.177 Just because something is supernatural 0:10:23.177,0:10:25.545 doesn't mean that it's [br]a work of the Spirit. 0:10:25.545,0:10:27.793 That's really what he's [br]hitting on right here. 0:10:27.793,0:10:31.065 And that if you have anything [br]happening supernaturally 0:10:31.065,0:10:33.509 that is not bringing attention 0:10:33.509,0:10:35.874 and glory to Jesus Christ, 0:10:35.874,0:10:37.816 you can identify that. 0:10:37.816,0:10:39.947 It may be supernatural, 0:10:39.947,0:10:42.983 but it's very likely demonic. 0:10:42.983,0:10:44.142 Well, it is demonic. 0:10:44.142,0:10:46.839 That's the test. 0:10:46.839,0:10:49.597 You go to the text in 1 John. 0:10:49.597,0:10:54.426 1 John 4:1 - we are to test the spirits. 0:10:54.426,0:10:56.127 How do you test? 0:10:56.127,0:10:58.034 Well, you test it whether it's biblical. 0:10:58.034,0:11:07.466 You test it if it glorifies [br]the Lord Jesus Christ. 0:11:07.466,0:11:11.458 I don't think it's probably [br]difficult to figure out 0:11:11.458,0:11:15.212 if somebody said, [br]"Jesus Christ is accursed," 0:11:15.212,0:11:18.353 to simply figure out 0:11:18.353,0:11:21.183 that, wow, that's of the devil. 0:11:21.183,0:11:24.858 But I think what happens is 0:11:24.858,0:11:27.909 things do happen that indirectly 0:11:27.909,0:11:30.243 send that message; 0:11:30.243,0:11:34.242 indirectly tear Christ down. 0:11:34.242,0:11:36.525 You know, you get Jehovah's Witnesses 0:11:36.525,0:11:37.831 show up at your door, 0:11:37.831,0:11:39.286 can you kind of figure out 0:11:39.286,0:11:42.101 that the Spirit of God is not there? 0:11:42.101,0:11:43.681 See, they won't come out and say, 0:11:43.681,0:11:45.157 "Jesus Christ is accursed," 0:11:45.157,0:11:46.531 but what they're going to do 0:11:46.531,0:11:48.188 is they're going to belittle Him. 0:11:48.188,0:11:49.712 They're going to tear Him down. 0:11:49.712,0:11:51.757 They're going to make Him out 0:11:51.757,0:11:55.803 to be much smaller than He is. 0:11:55.803,0:11:59.599 But anyway, 0:11:59.599,0:12:05.112 I didn't even prepare [br]anything for that text. 0:12:05.112,0:12:07.558 I wasn't thinking that [br]we would even go there, 0:12:07.558,0:12:09.738 but because we read it 0:12:09.738,0:12:12.392 and it is a verse that [br]brings up questions, 0:12:12.392,0:12:14.383 I'm not exactly certain 0:12:14.383,0:12:21.305 how this brother is [br]interpreting this text. 0:12:21.305,0:12:23.574 I'm not sure exactly [br]what he's doing with it, 0:12:23.574,0:12:28.161 but the next one is clear. 0:12:28.161,0:12:31.694 The next one he goes [br]to is 2 Corinthians 1:22 0:12:31.694,0:12:33.402 which I think is a very good text, 0:12:33.402,0:12:36.523 and of course, there's [br]a parallel statement 0:12:36.523,0:12:38.107 in Ephesians 1. 0:12:38.107,0:12:40.504 We dealt with that if you've [br]been coming to Grace 0:12:40.504,0:12:44.225 about the sealing of the Spirit. 0:12:44.225,0:12:47.055 Probably the most emphatic verse 0:12:47.055,0:12:48.911 I would say is found in Romans 8, 0:12:48.911,0:12:50.709 and we'll look at that in a second. 0:12:50.709,0:12:52.668 But these are the two he mentions: 0:12:52.668,0:12:55.186 2 Corinthians 1:22, 0:12:55.186,0:12:58.665 "...Who has also put His seal on us 0:12:58.665,0:13:03.499 and given us His Spirit in our hearts 0:13:03.499,0:13:06.559 as a guarantee." 0:13:06.559,0:13:16.643 Now, I'm aware of [br]different interpretations 0:13:16.643,0:13:19.709 about even what the [br]sealing of the Spirit is. 0:13:19.709,0:13:21.625 And there are good men, 0:13:21.625,0:13:24.109 some who say it happens [br]right when we're converted 0:13:24.109,0:13:27.643 and some who believe it's experiential 0:13:27.643,0:13:30.307 and happens later. 0:13:30.307,0:13:32.164 So, maybe these two verses 0:13:32.164,0:13:36.925 wouldn't even necessarily be the best ones 0:13:36.925,0:13:38.791 to even try to prove 0:13:38.791,0:13:41.469 what he felt convicted about. 0:13:41.469,0:13:43.207 I think his conviction is right. 0:13:43.207,0:13:45.626 What he's saying is, 0:13:45.626,0:13:47.563 "I thought we received the Holy Spirit 0:13:47.563,0:13:50.308 the same moment we believe in Christ." 0:13:50.308,0:13:53.274 Well, can anybody think of verses 0:13:53.274,0:14:00.822 that seem to really [br]establish that reality? 0:14:00.822,0:14:01.924 Ezekiel. 0:14:01.924,0:14:04.458 Yeah, the promises of the New Covenant. 0:14:04.458,0:14:05.709 Somebody read that. 0:14:05.709,0:14:07.759 Brother, you can look that up if you want. 0:14:07.759,0:14:14.795 Ezekiel 36. 0:14:14.795,0:14:17.058 What is it we find there? 0:14:17.058,0:14:19.531 He says, "I will sprinkle [br]clean water on you 0:14:19.531,0:14:21.989 and you shall be clean[br]from all your uncleanliness, 0:14:21.989,0:14:24.272 and from all your [br]idols I will cleanse you. 0:14:24.272,0:14:26.486 I will give you a new heart 0:14:26.486,0:14:28.175 (and then simultaneously it seems) 0:14:28.175,0:14:30.906 and a new spirit I will put within you, 0:14:30.906,0:14:33.390 and I will remove the heart [br]of stone from your flesh 0:14:33.390,0:14:35.220 and give you a heart of flesh, 0:14:35.220,0:14:37.040 and I will put my Spirit in you." 0:14:37.040,0:14:39.050 Tim: It's a whole package there. 0:14:39.050,0:14:40.078 And it's happening. 0:14:40.078,0:14:42.408 When do you get a new heart?[br]When are you born again? 0:14:42.408,0:14:43.771 When are you regenerated? 0:14:43.771,0:14:45.921 At the time you receive this new Spirit? 0:14:45.921,0:14:47.165 You're given a new spirit 0:14:47.165,0:14:49.532 and He puts His Spirit within you. 0:14:49.532,0:14:51.435 That all happens. Ezekiel. 0:14:51.435,0:14:52.809 You can find those promises 0:14:52.809,0:14:54.165 concerning the New Covenant 0:14:54.165,0:14:56.969 in other parts of Ezekiel as well. 0:14:56.969,0:14:58.798 Ezekiel 12. 0:14:58.798,0:15:04.628 But let's look at one [br]of the clearest passages. 0:15:04.628,0:15:07.022 Romans 8:9. 0:15:07.022,0:15:09.544 Whoever gets there first, 0:15:09.544,0:15:12.304 why don't you read that? 0:15:12.304,0:15:13.760 There's no mistaking it. 0:15:13.760,0:15:15.382 Somebody could come along and say, 0:15:15.382,0:15:17.653 well, I think sealing of [br]the Spirit is something 0:15:17.653,0:15:19.454 that happens later after you believe. 0:15:19.454,0:15:21.189 Somebody could say, 0:15:21.189,0:15:24.532 well, I don't think the [br]thing about "Jesus is Lord" 0:15:24.532,0:15:27.028 and "Jesus is accursed" - [br]I'm not even sure 0:15:27.028,0:15:29.712 that that has to do [br]with receiving the Spirit 0:15:29.712,0:15:30.881 when we get saved. 0:15:30.881,0:15:32.381 Maybe somebody would even say 0:15:32.381,0:15:36.188 Ezekiel 36 - it sounds like [br]it's all a package there, 0:15:36.188,0:15:39.843 but maybe it doesn't necessarily [br]all happen simultaneously. 0:15:39.843,0:15:41.534 Somebody could perhaps argue that. 0:15:41.534,0:15:46.499 But you can't argue this. 0:15:46.499,0:15:47.609 Romans 8:9. 0:15:47.609,0:15:54.373 Somebody have it there [br]and want to read it? 0:15:54.373,0:15:56.423 "You, however, are not in the flesh, 0:15:56.423,0:15:57.896 but in the Spirit, 0:15:57.896,0:16:01.320 if in fact the Spirit of [br]God dwells in you. 0:16:01.320,0:16:03.566 Anyone who does not [br]have the Spirit of Christ 0:16:03.566,0:16:05.103 does not belong to Him." 0:16:05.103,0:16:06.340 Tim: There it is. 0:16:06.340,0:16:09.456 If you don't have the Spirit of Christ, 0:16:09.456,0:16:11.416 you don't belong to Christ. 0:16:11.416,0:16:13.559 Period. 0:16:13.559,0:16:15.430 It couldn't be clearer. 0:16:15.430,0:16:20.732 True Christians possess the Spirit of God. 0:16:20.732,0:16:26.312 Now, if you don't possess the Spirit, 0:16:26.312,0:16:28.122 you don't belong to Him. 0:16:28.122,0:16:30.333 That is clear. 0:16:30.333,0:16:33.356 Paul is making it undeniably clear. 0:16:33.356,0:16:37.619 Okay, so our brother here says, 0:16:37.619,0:16:39.687 "...That we can believe in Christ 0:16:39.687,0:16:41.331 only by the Holy Spirit, 0:16:41.331,0:16:42.910 and God gives the Holy Spirit 0:16:42.910,0:16:44.971 as a seal, a guarantee..." 0:16:44.971,0:16:47.966 But we looked at the text that he quoted 0:16:47.966,0:16:49.867 in 2 Corinthians 1:22. 0:16:49.867,0:16:53.349 I would just say this. 0:16:53.349,0:16:56.975 You can look at this kind of indirectly. 0:16:56.975,0:16:59.386 For one, I would say, 0:16:59.386,0:17:03.628 Ezekiel 36 is indeed a package. 0:17:03.628,0:17:09.575 I think that does [br]affirm this truth as well. 0:17:09.575,0:17:12.831 But let's think about John 3 - 0:17:12.831,0:17:15.522 very well known. 0:17:15.522,0:17:17.652 Most of us are familiar with it. 0:17:17.652,0:17:20.977 What is said about being born again 0:17:20.977,0:17:24.075 that would lead us to believe 0:17:24.075,0:17:27.123 that to even be born again, 0:17:27.123,0:17:29.761 you would need to have the Spirit? 0:17:29.761,0:17:34.337 Or the Spirit's influences at least? 0:17:34.337,0:17:35.282 (from the room) 0:17:35.282,0:17:37.197 "No one can see the Kingdom of God 0:17:37.197,0:17:39.436 unless he's born of the [br]spirit and the water?" 0:17:39.436,0:17:42.104 Tim: Well, right, you've got [br]to be born of the Spirit. 0:17:42.104,0:17:43.791 You're not going to see the Kingdom 0:17:43.791,0:17:45.427 unless you're born of the Spirit. 0:17:45.427,0:17:47.130 Now does that necessarily say 0:17:47.130,0:17:49.269 specifically that we have the Spirit? 0:17:49.269,0:17:51.666 Well, obviously it means that the Spirit 0:17:51.666,0:17:55.220 is actively working upon you 0:17:55.220,0:17:58.506 in your life changing you, 0:17:58.506,0:18:06.265 being born again. 0:18:06.265,0:18:09.608 It's the same idea of being born of God. 0:18:09.608,0:18:11.678 Those who are born of God 0:18:11.678,0:18:13.094 are bringing forth - 0:18:13.094,0:18:14.361 what does 1 John say? 0:18:14.361,0:18:16.336 Can anybody think what 1 John says 0:18:16.336,0:18:20.761 is true of everybody who's born of God? 0:18:20.761,0:18:23.551 (unintelligible) 0:18:23.551,0:18:25.913 They love. 0:18:25.913,0:18:29.156 Where does love come from? 0:18:29.156,0:18:31.307 It's the fruit of what? 0:18:31.307,0:18:35.274 The fruit of the Spirit. 0:18:35.274,0:18:37.210 Jesus also said, 0:18:37.210,0:18:42.975 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; 0:18:42.975,0:18:47.707 that which is born [br]of the Spirit is spirit." 0:18:47.707,0:18:51.448 You see, the reality is this, 0:18:51.448,0:18:53.793 we go from being dead [br]in our trespasses and sins 0:18:53.793,0:18:56.317 to being alive in Christ. 0:18:56.317,0:19:00.102 That Spirit gives us the life. 0:19:00.102,0:19:01.038 (from the room) 0:19:01.038,0:19:04.047 Titus 3. 0:19:04.047,0:19:06.011 "But He saved us..." 0:19:06.011,0:19:07.432 and then it goes on to say, 0:19:07.432,0:19:08.962 "by the washing of regeneration 0:19:08.962,0:19:10.704 and renewal of the Holy Spirit 0:19:10.704,0:19:13.353 whom He poured out on us richly 0:19:13.353,0:19:15.373 through Jesus Christ our Savior 0:19:15.373,0:19:18.231 in order that we might [br]be justified by His grace." 0:19:18.231,0:19:22.028 (unintelligible) 0:19:22.028,0:19:25.511 Tim: So, it's clear. 0:19:25.511,0:19:28.615 You're not born again, unless [br]you're born of the Spirit. 0:19:28.615,0:19:31.356 "That which is born [br]of the Spirit is spirit." 0:19:31.356,0:19:32.982 If you belong to Christ, 0:19:32.982,0:19:34.915 you possess the Spirit of Christ. 0:19:34.915,0:19:36.873 If you don't have the Spirit of Christ, 0:19:36.873,0:19:38.570 you don't belong to Christ. 0:19:38.570,0:19:41.427 We have the text that James read 0:19:41.427,0:19:43.266 out of Ezekiel 36 0:19:43.266,0:19:46.773 that He is going to [br]put His Spirit within us. 0:19:46.773,0:19:49.769 A new heart - He takes the old heart out. 0:19:49.769,0:19:52.575 The Spirit - it's a package deal. 0:19:52.575,0:19:54.403 We hear the text in Titus. 0:19:54.403,0:19:56.817 We see this - the [br]renewal of the Holy Spirit. 0:19:56.817,0:20:00.489 It's definitely put in a package 0:20:00.489,0:20:03.923 with justification - pretty amazing. 0:20:03.923,0:20:07.306 We're justified by faith. 0:20:07.306,0:20:11.388 But we know that those who are dead, 0:20:11.388,0:20:13.389 those who are dead can't respond to God. 0:20:13.389,0:20:14.842 You've got to be made alive. 0:20:14.842,0:20:17.591 "He made us alive together with Christ." 0:20:17.591,0:20:20.979 And the very power comes to us 0:20:20.979,0:20:24.572 by way of His Spirit - [br]His life-giving Spirit. 0:20:24.572,0:20:27.186 We're born of the Spirit. 0:20:27.186,0:20:33.518 Okay, this is what this - 0:20:33.518,0:20:35.477 I'm not sure if he's a young man, 0:20:35.477,0:20:37.972 I'll just call him this brother, 0:20:37.972,0:20:42.194 Midhun P. Matthew. 0:20:42.194,0:20:43.962 This is what he believes. 0:20:43.962,0:20:46.888 This is what he was telling his friends. 0:20:46.888,0:20:51.147 "But then," he says, "one [br]day, I came to this verse." 0:20:51.147,0:20:52.493 Now let's all turn to it. 0:20:52.493,0:21:00.328 Acts 8:14. 0:21:00.328,0:21:01.752 And before we even read it, 0:21:01.752,0:21:03.769 I'm going to tell you what he says. 0:21:03.769,0:21:07.585 He says, "this verse entirely contradicts 0:21:07.585,0:21:09.886 my belief of the Holy Spirit. 0:21:09.886,0:21:11.081 I want to know the truth. 0:21:11.081,0:21:13.690 I don't want to spread the [br]wrong thing about our Lord. 0:21:13.690,0:21:18.927 So could you please help me to [br]understand about these things?" 0:21:18.927,0:21:20.824 I'm wanting to deal with this 0:21:20.824,0:21:24.082 because I think it's a fantastic question. 0:21:24.082,0:21:28.099 And listen, any of you that [br]take your Bible seriously 0:21:28.099,0:21:30.540 and read Scripture and have read 0:21:30.540,0:21:33.652 all the way through your [br]Bible maybe several times, 0:21:33.652,0:21:37.531 if you haven't had questions [br]about the Spirit of God 0:21:37.531,0:21:39.480 and His operations, then I'm thinking, 0:21:39.480,0:21:41.807 you're not reading your Bible 0:21:41.807,0:21:45.539 because you're going to come across 0:21:45.539,0:21:46.996 the same kind of things 0:21:46.996,0:21:50.555 that this brother has come across. 0:21:50.555,0:21:58.864 And what he feels is that [br]Acts 8 entirely contradicts 0:21:58.864,0:22:01.726 the truth that we just set forth. 0:22:01.726,0:22:09.297 So Acts 8. Anybody have it there? 0:22:09.297,0:22:10.259 Verse 14. 0:22:10.259,0:22:12.479 "Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard 0:22:12.479,0:22:14.892 that Samaria had received the Word of God, 0:22:14.892,0:22:18.236 they sent to them Peter and John." 0:22:18.236,0:22:19.300 Tim: Keep going. 0:22:19.300,0:22:21.343 "...who came down and prayed for them 0:22:21.343,0:22:23.347 that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 0:22:23.347,0:22:26.116 for He had not yet fallen on any of them, 0:22:26.116,0:22:28.381 but they had only been baptized 0:22:28.381,0:22:30.408 in the name of the Lord Jesus. 0:22:30.408,0:22:32.172 Then they laid their hands on them 0:22:32.172,0:22:33.989 and they received the Holy Spirit." 0:22:33.989,0:22:39.371 Tim: Okay, so you come [br]over to the book of Acts, 0:22:39.371,0:22:42.015 and here's what you really need to see. 0:22:42.015,0:22:47.888 This is obviously what [br]this brother is seeing. 0:22:47.888,0:22:51.262 These folks if you go back before this - 0:22:51.262,0:22:52.955 I don't have my Bible open there, 0:22:52.955,0:22:54.934 but if you've got your Bible open there, 0:22:54.934,0:22:56.707 you see - what happened? 0:22:56.707,0:22:58.146 Phillip came. 0:22:58.146,0:23:00.342 Phillip preached the Gospel. 0:23:00.342,0:23:03.578 And what happened? 0:23:03.578,0:23:05.799 They believed. 0:23:05.799,0:23:08.739 They believed and then what happened? 0:23:08.739,0:23:10.999 Peter and John are [br]dispatched and they go down, 0:23:10.999,0:23:12.517 and of course, that whole thing 0:23:12.517,0:23:14.392 with Simon the magician happens, 0:23:14.392,0:23:17.993 but what else happens? 0:23:17.993,0:23:20.710 This happens: 0:23:20.710,0:23:24.277 "They heard that Samaria had [br]received the Word of God." 0:23:24.277,0:23:25.610 So here's the thing, 0:23:25.610,0:23:26.916 they believed, 0:23:26.916,0:23:30.152 they received the Word of God, 0:23:30.152,0:23:34.336 "they had been baptized." 0:23:34.336,0:23:35.941 So Phillip came. 0:23:35.941,0:23:37.669 Phillip is doing his ministry. 0:23:37.669,0:23:40.055 They hear the Gospel. 0:23:40.055,0:23:42.396 They see the miracles that he was doing. 0:23:42.396,0:23:45.427 They believe on him and are baptized. 0:23:45.427,0:23:48.120 But now what happens? 0:23:48.120,0:23:52.257 Then, Peter and John come down, 0:23:52.257,0:23:55.057 and "the Holy Spirit had not [br]yet fallen on any of them. 0:23:55.057,0:23:57.905 They'd only been baptized in [br]the name of the Lord Jesus. 0:23:57.905,0:23:59.627 Then they laid their hands on them 0:23:59.627,0:24:02.151 and they received the Holy Spirit." 0:24:02.151,0:24:05.661 So, basically, what this [br]brother is feeling 0:24:05.661,0:24:07.880 is wow, this totally contradicts. 0:24:07.880,0:24:09.137 How can this be? 0:24:09.137,0:24:10.998 How can you have true believers - 0:24:10.998,0:24:12.731 maybe what? 0:24:12.731,0:24:15.672 Maybe they weren't true believers? 0:24:15.672,0:24:17.909 Or, they are true believers 0:24:17.909,0:24:19.967 and this is really contradictory? 0:24:19.967,0:24:22.243 I mean, doesn't Paul say in Romans 8:9, 0:24:22.243,0:24:23.385 didn't we see it? 0:24:23.385,0:24:26.437 If you don't have the Spirit, [br]you don't belong to Christ. 0:24:26.437,0:24:29.070 So did these people not belong to Christ 0:24:29.070,0:24:31.789 until the Spirit fell on them? 0:24:31.789,0:24:35.084 Because see, this is where he's wrestling. 0:24:35.084,0:24:36.934 In fact, if you read the book of Acts, 0:24:36.934,0:24:38.672 there's various things that happen. 0:24:38.672,0:24:41.552 We might just go over to Acts 19. 0:24:41.552,0:24:43.698 Something very interesting happens there. 0:24:43.698,0:24:46.979 You've got these - probably men 0:24:46.979,0:24:51.542 who were affected by Apollos. 0:24:51.542,0:24:54.755 See, Apollos had been at Ephesus 0:24:54.755,0:24:57.663 and he only knew the baptism of John. 0:24:57.663,0:24:59.470 And what happens is 0:24:59.470,0:25:02.632 once he's set right by [br]Priscilla and Aquila, 0:25:02.632,0:25:04.739 then you have Paul go over to Ephesus, 0:25:04.739,0:25:06.724 and I think what he finds 0:25:06.724,0:25:09.588 are probably some disciples of Apollos, 0:25:09.588,0:25:13.049 who all they knew was the baptism of John. 0:25:13.049,0:25:28.082 And when you get these guys - Acts 19:1, 0:25:28.082,0:25:30.242 "It happened while Apollos was at Corinth. 0:25:30.242,0:25:32.272 Paul passed through the inland country 0:25:32.272,0:25:33.407 and came to Ephesus. 0:25:33.407,0:25:36.723 There he found some disciples." 0:25:36.723,0:25:39.935 Maybe we back up to the previous chapter, 0:25:39.935,0:25:43.068 verse 24, "a Jew named Apollos, 0:25:43.068,0:25:45.400 a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus." 0:25:45.400,0:25:48.011 So, you see, Apollos was at Ephesus. 0:25:48.011,0:25:50.706 Eloquent man. Competent in the Scriptures. 0:25:50.706,0:25:52.429 He's a mighty preacher. 0:25:52.429,0:25:54.882 "He'd been instructed in [br]the way of the Lord, 0:25:54.882,0:25:57.863 and being fervent in spirit, [br]he spoke and taught accurately 0:25:57.863,0:25:59.301 the things concerning Jesus, 0:25:59.301,0:26:04.092 though he knew only the baptism of John." 0:26:04.092,0:26:05.956 So you've got this man who knows only 0:26:05.956,0:26:07.268 the baptism of John. 0:26:07.268,0:26:10.808 Why the folks at Ephesus [br]didn't set him right, 0:26:10.808,0:26:12.571 I don't know. 0:26:12.571,0:26:14.507 Maybe he was such a powerful preacher, 0:26:14.507,0:26:17.016 they thought he must [br]know what he's talking about. 0:26:17.016,0:26:19.140 Who knows why they wouldn't have? 0:26:19.140,0:26:21.316 "He began to speak [br]boldly in the synagogue, 0:26:21.316,0:26:23.261 but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, 0:26:23.261,0:26:25.112 they took him and explained to him 0:26:25.112,0:26:28.973 the way of God more accurately. 0:26:28.973,0:26:30.947 When he wished to cross to Achaia, 0:26:30.947,0:26:32.339 the brothers encouraged him 0:26:32.339,0:26:34.452 and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. 0:26:34.452,0:26:36.363 When he arrived, he greatly helped 0:26:36.363,0:26:38.881 those who through grace had believed, 0:26:38.881,0:26:41.395 for he powerfully [br]refuted the Jews in public 0:26:41.395,0:26:42.741 showing by the Scriptures 0:26:42.741,0:26:45.978 that the Christ was Jesus." 0:26:45.978,0:26:49.626 So what happens is he's at Ephesus. 0:26:49.626,0:26:52.363 He knows just the baptism of John. 0:26:52.363,0:26:54.670 He's set right by Priscilla and Aquila. 0:26:54.670,0:26:56.580 Then he goes over to Achaia. 0:26:56.580,0:26:58.618 He leaves Ephesus. 0:26:58.618,0:27:01.303 Paul in turn comes to Ephesus 0:27:01.303,0:27:03.218 and here's what Paul finds. 0:27:03.218,0:27:05.689 "It happened that while [br]Apollos was at Corinth..." 0:27:05.689,0:27:07.084 So, he goes over to Achaia. 0:27:07.084,0:27:09.026 Paul passed through the inland country. 0:27:09.026,0:27:10.685 He comes to Ephesus. 0:27:10.685,0:27:12.459 And there he finds some disciples. 0:27:12.459,0:27:14.210 "He said to them, 0:27:14.210,0:27:17.315 'did you receive the Holy [br]Spirit when you believed?'" 0:27:17.315,0:27:19.748 Now, what's he assuming? 0:27:19.748,0:27:24.023 They are believers. 0:27:24.023,0:27:26.125 He's asking them. 0:27:26.125,0:27:29.328 See, he's not questioning [br]whether they're believers. 0:27:29.328,0:27:31.683 He's not saying, well, [br]I'm calling into question 0:27:31.683,0:27:33.594 whether you're truly Christians or not. 0:27:33.594,0:27:35.040 He just simply asks them this: 0:27:35.040,0:27:36.548 Since you became Christians - 0:27:36.548,0:27:40.450 since you've become believers - 0:27:40.450,0:27:43.836 did you receive the Holy Spirit? 0:27:43.836,0:27:47.477 And they said no. 0:27:47.477,0:27:50.310 Okay, if you don't have the Spirit, 0:27:50.310,0:27:52.597 you what? 0:27:52.597,0:27:54.472 You don't belong to Christ. 0:27:54.472,0:27:59.770 So do we have a contradiction here? 0:27:59.770,0:28:01.267 "They said, 'No. 0:28:01.267,0:28:04.072 We have not even heard [br]that there is a Holy Spirit.'" 0:28:04.072,0:28:07.909 Now, I think what happened [br]in Paul's mind is this: 0:28:07.909,0:28:10.720 Jesus told His disciples to baptize 0:28:10.720,0:28:12.628 in the name of the Father, 0:28:12.628,0:28:18.843 and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 0:28:18.843,0:28:22.417 And I think he was wondering 0:28:22.417,0:28:25.477 how could they not know [br]that there's a Spirit 0:28:25.477,0:28:29.572 if they're being baptized? 0:28:29.572,0:28:31.175 I'm just conjecturing. 0:28:31.175,0:28:34.253 But he asks then, 0:28:34.253,0:28:38.653 "Into what then were you baptized?" 0:28:38.653,0:28:40.464 They said into John's baptism. 0:28:40.464,0:28:44.583 What's interesting - this [br]is the only time in Scripture 0:28:44.583,0:28:47.442 you find somebody re-baptized. 0:28:47.442,0:28:49.516 Or, where it seems like 0:28:49.516,0:28:53.441 their initial baptism is not regarded 0:28:53.441,0:28:57.784 and they need to be baptized for real. 0:28:57.784,0:29:03.361 And that's what happens here. 0:29:03.361,0:29:06.336 Paul said, "'John baptized with [br]the baptism of repentance 0:29:06.336,0:29:08.331 telling the people to believe in the One 0:29:08.331,0:29:10.951 who was to come [br]after him - that is Jesus.' 0:29:10.951,0:29:12.697 On hearing this, they were baptized 0:29:12.697,0:29:14.243 in the name of the Lord Jesus, 0:29:14.243,0:29:17.369 and when Paul had laid his hands on them, 0:29:17.369,0:29:19.038 the Holy Spirit came on them 0:29:19.038,0:29:21.623 and they began speaking in tongues 0:29:21.623,0:29:24.310 and prophesying." 0:29:24.310,0:29:25.779 So what do we do? 0:29:25.779,0:29:28.204 What do we do with this?[br]What do we say to this? 0:29:28.204,0:29:29.694 How do we interpret this? 0:29:29.694,0:29:31.039 Is this brother right? 0:29:31.039,0:29:38.918 Is he saying, wait, [br]Scripture is contradictory? 0:29:38.918,0:29:50.796 Well, here's the way we [br]want to think about this. 0:29:50.796,0:29:53.174 (incomplete thought) 0:29:53.174,0:29:54.882 We have clear truth. 0:29:54.882,0:29:57.923 Some of these accounts are not clear. 0:29:57.923,0:30:00.019 We don't exactly know what's happening. 0:30:00.019,0:30:01.841 Some are extremely clear. 0:30:01.841,0:30:04.035 Let me ask you this, 0:30:04.035,0:30:07.924 can you be a Christian [br]without the Holy Spirit? 0:30:07.924,0:30:10.234 Whatever happens here, 0:30:10.234,0:30:14.126 Romans 8:9 is crystal clear. 0:30:14.126,0:30:16.224 If you don't have the Spirit, 0:30:16.224,0:30:20.947 you don't belong to Christ. 0:30:20.947,0:30:23.185 John 3 - crystal clear. 0:30:23.185,0:30:26.060 If you have not been born of the Spirit, 0:30:26.060,0:30:28.338 you will not see the Kingdom. 0:30:28.338,0:30:33.136 That means you are [br]not a genuine Christian. 0:30:33.136,0:30:35.180 Crystal clear. 0:30:35.180,0:30:39.426 So, you either have to say 0:30:39.426,0:30:42.089 the people who believed - 0:30:42.089,0:30:46.381 it wasn't saving faith yet. 0:30:46.381,0:30:50.653 But, when the Spirit came, it became real. 0:30:50.653,0:30:52.174 You either have to say that, 0:30:52.174,0:30:56.933 or you have to say this: 0:30:56.933,0:31:01.281 They actually had the Spirit 0:31:01.281,0:31:04.828 when they first believed. 0:31:04.828,0:31:08.111 But what happens when [br]the Spirit falls upon them 0:31:08.111,0:31:11.847 is something different. 0:31:11.847,0:31:14.207 And I would say 0:31:14.207,0:31:16.794 that when we look at the biblical evidence 0:31:16.794,0:31:19.076 it's the latter. 0:31:19.076,0:31:20.956 That what we have here 0:31:20.956,0:31:24.454 is Scripture is talking about 0:31:24.454,0:31:29.045 different manifestations of the Spirit. 0:31:29.045,0:31:30.726 You say what do you mean? 0:31:30.726,0:31:41.160 Well, for instance, look at Acts 10. 0:31:41.160,0:31:46.525 This is Cornelius in Caesarea. 0:31:46.525,0:31:47.612 This is the Gospel - 0:31:47.612,0:31:50.299 it's moving outward from Jerusalem. 0:31:50.299,0:31:55.680 You have Gentiles being converted. 0:31:55.680,0:31:59.750 And here we see. 0:31:59.750,0:32:06.680 Look at about verse 47. 0:32:06.680,0:32:08.390 Maybe 44. 0:32:08.390,0:32:10.918 "While Peter was still [br]saying these things..." 0:32:10.918,0:32:12.247 he's preaching. 0:32:12.247,0:32:16.188 "...The Holy Spirit fell on all [br]who heard the Word. 0:32:16.188,0:32:19.958 And the believers from [br]among the circumcised 0:32:19.958,0:32:24.090 (believing Jews) who had [br]come with Peter were amazed 0:32:24.090,0:32:26.550 because the gift of the Holy Spirit 0:32:26.550,0:32:29.301 was poured out even on the Gentiles, 0:32:29.301,0:32:31.838 for they were hearing [br]them speaking in tongues 0:32:31.838,0:32:33.183 and extolling God..." 0:32:33.183,0:32:37.619 Now listen very carefully [br]to what Peter says. 0:32:37.619,0:32:39.277 "Can anyone withhold water 0:32:39.277,0:32:40.908 for baptizing these people 0:32:40.908,0:32:44.411 who have received the Holy Spirit 0:32:44.411,0:32:50.136 just as we have?" 0:32:50.136,0:32:52.291 What's he talking about? 0:32:52.291,0:32:55.894 What event is he speaking [br]about right there? 0:32:55.894,0:32:58.528 When did he receive the Spirit 0:32:58.528,0:33:01.709 in this same fashion? 0:33:01.709,0:33:03.871 The day of Pentecost. 0:33:03.871,0:33:09.366 That's what he's talking about. 0:33:09.366,0:33:13.765 He says - listen - verse 46. 0:33:13.765,0:33:16.179 "They were hearing them [br]speaking in tongues 0:33:16.179,0:33:18.561 and extolling God." 0:33:18.561,0:33:25.421 When did Peter speak in tongues 0:33:25.421,0:33:28.422 so that people heard [br]the mighty works of God 0:33:28.422,0:33:32.260 in their own language? 0:33:32.260,0:33:34.607 Where? 0:33:34.607,0:33:39.132 Acts chapter 2. 0:33:39.132,0:33:41.976 The day of Pentecost.[br]That's where that happened. 0:33:41.976,0:33:47.263 Now let me ask you this, 0:33:47.263,0:33:49.911 he's saying that on the day of Pentecost 0:33:49.911,0:33:51.690 he received the Spirit 0:33:51.690,0:33:55.313 just as those people there in Acts 10 0:33:55.313,0:33:56.790 were receiving the Spirit. 0:33:56.790,0:33:58.659 But let me ask you this: 0:33:58.659,0:34:03.836 Were they already believers in Acts 2? 0:34:03.836,0:34:06.609 And had they already received the Spirit? 0:34:06.609,0:34:09.550 And had they already been baptized? 0:34:09.550,0:34:11.704 Long before that day of Pentecost 0:34:11.704,0:34:13.193 which he's referring to here? 0:34:13.193,0:34:14.735 You see the point I'm making? 0:34:14.735,0:34:17.403 He's saying, 0:34:17.403,0:34:21.702 why should we not baptize these people? 0:34:21.702,0:34:23.590 But you see the point he's making - 0:34:23.590,0:34:25.630 they have just received the Spirit 0:34:25.630,0:34:28.764 the way we received the Spirit, 0:34:28.764,0:34:30.934 but he's not talking about 0:34:30.934,0:34:33.479 receiving the Spirit 0:34:33.479,0:34:35.961 the way that is necessary 0:34:35.961,0:34:37.947 simply to become a Christian. 0:34:37.947,0:34:39.409 Because if you go back to what 0:34:39.409,0:34:42.282 he's talking about [br]happened in his own life, 0:34:42.282,0:34:44.491 they had been baptized and saved 0:34:44.491,0:34:45.852 way before that event. 0:34:45.852,0:34:47.185 What had happened? 0:34:47.185,0:34:51.443 Listen, Jesus says in John 14, 15, 16 - 0:34:51.443,0:34:53.383 He's telling them about the Helper, 0:34:53.383,0:34:55.460 about the Comforter who was to come. 0:34:55.460,0:34:57.723 And He said then to them, 0:34:57.723,0:35:02.435 "He is in you..." already, 0:35:02.435,0:35:04.100 and then He said this, 0:35:04.100,0:35:07.939 "and He will be with you." 0:35:07.939,0:35:10.396 Now I think that's important to catch 0:35:10.396,0:35:14.493 because I think what He's saying there 0:35:14.493,0:35:18.135 is much according to this truth. 0:35:18.135,0:35:21.315 In Luke 11, we are specifically told 0:35:21.315,0:35:22.527 that if we're Christians, 0:35:22.527,0:35:25.393 we should be praying to our Father 0:35:25.393,0:35:27.978 that He give us the Holy Spirit. 0:35:27.978,0:35:30.354 "How much more will our heavenly Father 0:35:30.354,0:35:34.157 give the Holy Spirit to them that ask." 0:35:34.157,0:35:36.956 He's not speaking to the lost masses. 0:35:36.956,0:35:38.695 He's speaking to His disciples 0:35:38.695,0:35:40.444 who specifically asked Him, 0:35:40.444,0:35:42.795 "Lord, teach us to pray." 0:35:42.795,0:35:45.495 And He said I'll teach you to pray. 0:35:45.495,0:35:46.936 And He said one of the things 0:35:46.936,0:35:49.104 you need to ask your [br]Father for all the time 0:35:49.104,0:35:50.818 is that He give you the Holy Spirit. 0:35:50.818,0:35:53.769 Now see, you could stop [br]right there and say, 0:35:53.769,0:35:57.061 why should a Christian [br]pray for the Spirit? 0:35:57.061,0:35:58.417 And I'll tell you this, 0:35:58.417,0:36:01.642 it's because we receive the [br]Spirit in more than one way. 0:36:01.642,0:36:06.293 The Spirit's operations are not simply: 0:36:06.293,0:36:09.534 you receive Him the moment you're saved 0:36:09.534,0:36:11.605 and He breathes life into you - 0:36:11.605,0:36:13.121 there's much more. 0:36:13.121,0:36:15.133 You see, when the Spirit of God fell 0:36:15.133,0:36:17.893 on all those 120 in the upper room 0:36:17.893,0:36:19.926 on the day of Pentecost, 0:36:19.926,0:36:22.027 what happened? 0:36:22.027,0:36:24.003 I'll tell you what happened. 0:36:24.003,0:36:27.725 "You will be My witnesses." 0:36:27.725,0:36:31.333 Jerusalem and just moving outward. 0:36:31.333,0:36:33.088 Judea, Samaria, 0:36:33.088,0:36:34.891 the uttermost parts of the world. 0:36:34.891,0:36:36.913 And He told them you go to Jerusalem 0:36:36.913,0:36:40.925 and you sit there until what happens? 0:36:40.925,0:36:44.857 Clothed with power. 0:36:44.857,0:36:47.079 You see, what this Spirit is - 0:36:47.079,0:36:49.389 this Spirit is the missionary Spirit. 0:36:49.389,0:36:51.391 When Jesus said, "Lo, I will be with you 0:36:51.391,0:36:52.743 until the end of the world. 0:36:52.743,0:36:54.294 You go to all the nations;" 0:36:54.294,0:36:56.701 what happened was, what you find 0:36:56.701,0:36:59.431 in the book of Acts repeatedly 0:36:59.431,0:37:01.338 is the Spirit falls 0:37:01.338,0:37:04.856 and people speak with power, 0:37:04.856,0:37:06.036 with boldness, 0:37:06.036,0:37:08.642 and with supernatural manifestation. 0:37:08.642,0:37:11.937 Every single time. 0:37:11.937,0:37:13.127 Look at it. 0:37:13.127,0:37:15.097 You study carefully in the book of Acts 0:37:15.097,0:37:18.485 where the Spirit is being [br]unleashed on the church 0:37:18.485,0:37:20.384 and they are being clothed with power. 0:37:20.384,0:37:23.487 Every single time - speaking gifts 0:37:23.487,0:37:26.712 and boldness in speaking [br]are given to the people 0:37:26.712,0:37:28.338 every single time. 0:37:28.338,0:37:33.780 This is different than [br]simply having the Spirit - 0:37:33.780,0:37:34.953 not that it's so simple, 0:37:34.953,0:37:40.353 but than that initial Spirit of God 0:37:40.353,0:37:43.681 causing you to be born again. 0:37:43.681,0:37:46.683 What you want to realize - 0:37:46.683,0:37:54.038 brethren, look at it. Look at Luke 11. 0:37:54.038,0:37:56.952 Because this doesn't only 0:37:56.952,0:37:58.829 help our brother explain 0:37:58.829,0:38:02.726 how these things can be; 0:38:02.726,0:38:06.438 how these Scriptures [br]actually work together. 0:38:06.438,0:38:10.056 But what it does is it opens to us 0:38:10.056,0:38:16.012 a glorious reality of ongoing 0:38:16.012,0:38:18.084 manifestations of the Spirit, 0:38:18.084,0:38:20.097 empowerings of the Spirit, 0:38:20.097,0:38:21.955 help of the Spirit, 0:38:21.955,0:38:25.917 ongoing prayers asking [br]for more of the Spirit. 0:38:25.917,0:38:29.186 If you look at Luke 11, 0:38:29.186,0:38:33.615 and Luke especially, 0:38:33.615,0:38:36.409 he among the Gospel writers - 0:38:36.409,0:38:40.134 and by the way, he's the one that [br]wrote the book of Acts too, 0:38:40.134,0:38:43.320 but he loves to speak [br]about the Holy Spirit 0:38:43.320,0:38:48.021 in a way that the other [br]Gospel writers don't do. 0:38:48.021,0:38:54.684 But in Luke 11, prayer. 0:38:54.684,0:38:57.120 Verse 1, "As Jesus was [br]praying in a certain place, 0:38:57.120,0:38:59.772 when He finished, one of [br]His disciples said to Him, 0:38:59.772,0:39:01.865 'Lord, teach us to pray.'" 0:39:01.865,0:39:03.727 Of course, we have Luke's version 0:39:03.727,0:39:05.928 of the Lord's prayer. 0:39:05.928,0:39:07.508 Verse 5, "And He said to them, 0:39:07.508,0:39:09.001 'which of you who has a friend 0:39:09.001,0:39:11.074 will go to him at midnight and say to him, 0:39:11.074,0:39:12.554 "Friend, lend me three loaves, 0:39:12.554,0:39:14.854 for a friend of mine [br]has arrived on a journey 0:39:14.854,0:39:17.371 and I have nothing to set before him." 0:39:17.371,0:39:19.188 He will answer from within, 0:39:19.188,0:39:21.164 "Do not bother me. The door is now shut. 0:39:21.164,0:39:22.646 My children are with me in bed. 0:39:22.646,0:39:24.582 I cannot get up and give you anything." 0:39:24.582,0:39:26.342 I tell you, though he will not get up 0:39:26.342,0:39:28.635 and give him anything [br]because he is his friend, 0:39:28.635,0:39:30.754 yet because of his [br]impudence (or persistence 0:39:30.754,0:39:33.303 or importunity, the KJV says) 0:39:33.303,0:39:36.443 he will rise and give [br]him whatever he needs.'" 0:39:36.443,0:39:40.162 This doesn't mean that [br]our Father is reluctant. 0:39:40.162,0:39:42.712 But this does mean that [br]our Father loves importunity 0:39:42.712,0:39:45.832 and persistence. 0:39:45.832,0:39:48.665 There is a vain repetition, brethren, 0:39:48.665,0:39:51.549 but there is a repetition [br]that is not vain. 0:39:51.549,0:39:53.526 There's a repetition that is importunity 0:39:53.526,0:39:55.849 that says, "Lord, I'm [br]not letting go of you..." 0:39:55.849,0:39:56.796 It's like Jacob. 0:39:56.796,0:39:59.126 "I'm going to keep asking [br]You for the same thing 0:39:59.126,0:40:01.913 and I'm going to hold on to You[br]and You know what I want. 0:40:01.913,0:40:08.065 I'm not going to get go of You[br]until I get what I've come for, Lord." 0:40:08.065,0:40:11.402 "I tell you, ask and it [br]will be given to you; 0:40:11.402,0:40:12.668 seek and you will find, 0:40:12.668,0:40:15.535 knock and it will be opened to you. 0:40:15.535,0:40:17.033 For everyone who asks receives, 0:40:17.033,0:40:18.556 the one who seeks finds, 0:40:18.556,0:40:20.812 and to the one who knocks,[br]it will be opened." 0:40:20.812,0:40:22.863 Now you remember, 0:40:22.863,0:40:26.838 they specifically asked the Lord, 0:40:26.838,0:40:30.325 "teach us to pray." 0:40:30.325,0:40:37.010 These things where I [br]started reading till now, 0:40:37.010,0:40:39.774 they give us principles regarding prayer. 0:40:39.774,0:40:44.061 They give us generalities. 0:40:44.061,0:40:45.844 He focuses in on some certain things 0:40:45.844,0:40:48.502 in v. 2, 3, and 4. 0:40:48.502,0:40:51.870 But He focuses in right here. 0:40:51.870,0:40:54.285 "What father among you, 0:40:54.285,0:40:57.150 if his son asks for a fish 0:40:57.150,0:40:59.508 will instead of a fish give him a serpent? 0:40:59.508,0:41:03.343 Or if he asks for an egg, [br]will give him a scorpion? 0:41:03.343,0:41:05.380 Or if you then who are evil 0:41:05.380,0:41:07.597 know how to give [br]good gifts to your children, 0:41:07.597,0:41:09.549 how much more will the Heavenly Father 0:41:09.549,0:41:10.998 give the Holy Spirit?" 0:41:10.998,0:41:13.011 Now, notice that - the Holy Spirit 0:41:13.011,0:41:15.422 to those who ask Him. 0:41:15.422,0:41:17.641 What I want you to recognize is this, 0:41:17.641,0:41:18.981 when you go back to verse 1, 0:41:18.981,0:41:21.103 this is not the lost masses saying, 0:41:21.103,0:41:22.636 "Lord, we're lost. We don't know 0:41:22.636,0:41:24.031 how to interact with God. 0:41:24.031,0:41:25.717 We don't know anything about Him. 0:41:25.717,0:41:27.372 Teach us what we should pray." 0:41:27.372,0:41:29.445 And He's saying, "Pray for the Holy Spirit 0:41:29.445,0:41:30.917 because you don't have Him 0:41:30.917,0:41:32.477 and you need Him to be saved." 0:41:32.477,0:41:34.493 That's not what's happening here. 0:41:34.493,0:41:36.460 What's happening here is the disciples 0:41:36.460,0:41:38.304 who are already saved 0:41:38.304,0:41:40.262 (incomplete thought) 0:41:40.262,0:41:42.634 Notice verse 2. 0:41:42.634,0:41:44.317 "Father..." 0:41:44.317,0:41:48.652 These are people who [br]know God as their Father. 0:41:48.652,0:41:50.821 These are the disciples. 0:41:50.821,0:41:53.325 They're saying, "Lord, teach us to pray." 0:41:53.325,0:41:56.885 And He says this to people [br]who are already saved. 0:41:56.885,0:41:58.857 "Let Me teach you how to pray." 0:41:58.857,0:42:05.894 "Ask your Father for the Spirit." 0:42:05.894,0:42:09.503 Somebody might say why? 0:42:09.503,0:42:13.595 If I belong to Christ, I have the Spirit. 0:42:13.595,0:42:15.953 Why would I pray for the Spirit? 0:42:15.953,0:42:19.989 Because this is the very truth 0:42:19.989,0:42:23.213 that I've been driving at. 0:42:23.213,0:42:25.671 There's more. 0:42:25.671,0:42:28.332 Just receiving the Spirit - 0:42:28.332,0:42:30.459 I say it like that - 0:42:30.459,0:42:32.858 that's not a small thing. 0:42:32.858,0:42:36.274 To receive the Spirit - to be born again, 0:42:36.274,0:42:39.997 listen, this is one of the Persons 0:42:39.997,0:42:44.136 of the Holy Trinity. 0:42:44.136,0:42:49.983 When the Holy Spirit indwells you - 0:42:49.983,0:42:54.507 what is it, 1 Corinthians 6? 0:42:54.507,0:42:57.949 What's said there about the Spirit? 0:42:57.949,0:43:00.783 That's another text. 0:43:00.783,0:43:04.178 Can you quote it, Kevin? 0:43:04.178,0:43:14.856 (unintelligible) 0:43:14.856,0:43:22.161 3:16 - it's in 3 and 6. 0:43:22.161,0:43:26.427 But 1 Corinthians 3:16. What does it say? 0:43:26.427,0:43:29.273 "Do you not know that [br]you are God's temple? 0:43:29.273,0:43:31.369 And God's Spirit dwells in you?" 0:43:31.369,0:43:33.990 Tim: Yeah, God's Spirit dwells in you. 0:43:33.990,0:43:37.522 If you are His temple, [br]God's Spirit dwells in you. 0:43:37.522,0:43:38.900 I mean, that's a given. 0:43:38.900,0:43:41.788 But the thing is, 0:43:41.788,0:43:43.995 what are we going to say to Jesus? 0:43:43.995,0:43:48.638 Are we going to say,[br]"Jesus, I'm God's temple. 0:43:48.638,0:43:53.154 Don't You know...?" [br]That's what Paul's saying. 0:43:53.154,0:43:58.238 Jesus, don't You know that [br]if I'm the temple of God, 0:43:58.238,0:44:00.113 the Holy Spirit dwells in me? 0:44:00.113,0:44:01.612 Don't You know that? 0:44:01.612,0:44:05.552 Why would You say ask for the Spirit? 0:44:05.552,0:44:08.194 Because there's so much - 0:44:08.194,0:44:11.215 there's more to be had. 0:44:11.215,0:44:14.018 It's like one of the things that Jesus 0:44:14.018,0:44:16.682 is teaching us 0:44:16.682,0:44:19.446 is if you want to be specifically asking 0:44:19.446,0:44:21.738 for something that I know 0:44:21.738,0:44:25.132 is really important in your life - 0:44:25.132,0:44:27.499 something as you ask 0:44:27.499,0:44:28.842 and you keep going back - 0:44:28.842,0:44:30.224 this importunity; 0:44:30.224,0:44:32.212 I feel like He's teaching on importunity, 0:44:32.212,0:44:34.288 and He says you want [br]to go back to the Father 0:44:34.288,0:44:36.174 again and again and again and again 0:44:36.174,0:44:37.312 for something? 0:44:37.312,0:44:39.048 I'll tell you what to go to Him for. 0:44:39.048,0:44:40.677 Go to Him for the Spirit. 0:44:40.677,0:44:43.315 But why? I already have Him. 0:44:43.315,0:44:45.699 For this reason: don't you realize? 0:44:45.699,0:44:49.770 You can do nothing apart [br]from the Spirit of Christ. 0:44:49.770,0:44:50.735 We read that. 0:44:50.735,0:44:54.446 "You can do nothing [br]apart from Me," Jesus said. 0:44:54.446,0:44:56.835 But it's through and by His Spirit 0:44:56.835,0:44:58.921 that we are empowered to do 0:44:58.921,0:45:00.663 anything that we do. 0:45:00.663,0:45:05.000 Listen, the Spirit was [br]given to Jesus Himself 0:45:05.000,0:45:06.563 without measure. 0:45:06.563,0:45:08.607 And Jesus did what He did 0:45:08.607,0:45:10.181 through the power of the Spirit. 0:45:10.181,0:45:13.176 And the more of the Spirit that we have, 0:45:13.176,0:45:15.832 the more manifestations [br]of the Spirit we have, 0:45:15.832,0:45:17.247 that's what happened. 0:45:17.247,0:45:19.540 That's what happened in the book of Acts. 0:45:19.540,0:45:23.013 People had the Spirit [br]of God fall upon them 0:45:23.013,0:45:25.888 and supernatural things happened. 0:45:25.888,0:45:27.860 That's what we need to have happen. 0:45:27.860,0:45:29.909 We need to be praying for the Spirit. 0:45:29.909,0:45:32.051 Why? Even if you're already saved, 0:45:32.051,0:45:33.888 you need to be praying for the Spirit. 0:45:33.888,0:45:37.012 Why? There are more [br]manifestations to be had. 0:45:37.012,0:45:39.097 The Spirit of God falls on people 0:45:39.097,0:45:41.553 who are already saved. 0:45:41.553,0:45:42.738 You say why? 0:45:42.738,0:45:43.599 Power. 0:45:43.599,0:45:45.341 That's what He told the disciples. 0:45:45.341,0:45:47.662 You wait for power. 0:45:47.662,0:45:49.928 That's what the coming [br]of the Spirit brought. 0:45:49.928,0:45:52.390 The Spirit empowers the church, 0:45:52.390,0:45:56.220 especially in evangelistic cause. 0:45:56.220,0:45:58.803 To take the Gospel forth to the nations; 0:45:58.803,0:46:00.467 to be witness; 0:46:00.467,0:46:03.502 to have the Gospel truly be 0:46:03.502,0:46:05.210 something more than a dead letter. 0:46:05.210,0:46:07.281 What do you think makes the difference 0:46:07.281,0:46:08.805 when somebody speaks the Gospel 0:46:08.805,0:46:10.450 and the place is shaken? 0:46:10.450,0:46:12.897 What were we hearing about just recently? 0:46:12.897,0:46:14.644 I was just hearing recently about 0:46:14.644,0:46:16.283 somebody was preaching the Gospel, 0:46:16.283,0:46:19.012 just a very simple preacher, 0:46:19.012,0:46:21.316 and he was just saying the simplest truths 0:46:21.316,0:46:23.751 and God just broke loose. 0:46:23.751,0:46:27.884 (unintelligible) 0:46:27.884,0:46:29.286 That's what it was. 0:46:29.286,0:46:32.157 Yeah, it was Mack, I think, at Pearl 0:46:32.157,0:46:35.702 talking about the simplicity [br]of Keith McCloud, 0:46:35.702,0:46:37.880 how he was just the simplest man. 0:46:37.880,0:46:40.156 His messages were very simple. 0:46:40.156,0:46:42.168 He was just so plain, 0:46:42.168,0:46:46.447 but when he spoke, power came. 0:46:46.447,0:46:47.891 How do you explain that? 0:46:47.891,0:46:49.992 No great gift. 0:46:49.992,0:46:53.932 It's just when he spoke, heaven let loose. 0:46:53.932,0:46:55.720 How do you explain it? Right here. 0:46:55.720,0:46:58.674 That's how you explain it. 0:46:58.674,0:47:00.541 You can have people with the greatest 0:47:00.541,0:47:01.864 oratorical gifts. 0:47:01.864,0:47:08.027 You can have the most gifted individuals 0:47:08.027,0:47:10.103 and nothing will happen 0:47:10.103,0:47:12.394 because raw talent isn't what makes 0:47:12.394,0:47:14.701 the Kingdom of Christ move. 0:47:14.701,0:47:18.038 The Spirit makes it move. 0:47:18.038,0:47:20.924 And what you actually find 0:47:20.924,0:47:22.163 in the book of Acts 0:47:22.163,0:47:25.072 are repeated outpourings 0:47:25.072,0:47:26.762 of the Spirit of God. 0:47:26.762,0:47:28.272 That's just a reality. 0:47:28.272,0:47:30.673 And that Spirit is being [br]poured out on people - 0:47:30.673,0:47:33.151 sometimes people who [br]had already had the Spirit 0:47:33.151,0:47:36.247 poured out on them [br]in an earlier chapter. 0:47:36.247,0:47:38.459 You say what's that all about? 0:47:38.459,0:47:40.100 Well, what does it mean to pray 0:47:40.100,0:47:42.264 for the Holy Spirit if [br]you already have Him? 0:47:42.264,0:47:44.527 Obviously it means you're praying 0:47:44.527,0:47:46.568 for greater manifestations, 0:47:46.568,0:47:51.622 re-visitations, greater demonstrations, 0:47:51.622,0:47:54.302 greater power. 0:47:54.302,0:47:58.308 Being clothed - don't you [br]love that? Clothed. 0:47:58.308,0:47:59.985 It's like putting a jacket on. 0:47:59.985,0:48:04.175 Can you imagine some [br]glowing jacket of light 0:48:04.175,0:48:06.221 that you wrap yourself with? 0:48:06.221,0:48:07.823 This is the idea. 0:48:07.823,0:48:11.707 Being clothed, being covered with power. 0:48:11.707,0:48:13.307 That's what the church needs. 0:48:13.307,0:48:14.989 We're dead in the water without it. 0:48:14.989,0:48:16.447 (From the room) Hey brother, 0:48:16.447,0:48:18.620 I was remembering in Acts 4 0:48:18.620,0:48:20.948 when Peter's before the Council 0:48:20.948,0:48:22.388 and it's interesting how Luke 0:48:22.388,0:48:24.479 uses "power" and "filled" 0:48:24.479,0:48:26.282 in kind of the same verses, 0:48:26.282,0:48:29.074 but says, "And when they had set them 0:48:29.074,0:48:33.307 in the midst they enquired by what power 0:48:33.307,0:48:35.512 or by what name did you do this? 0:48:35.512,0:48:37.762 Then Peter, filled [br]with the Holy Spirit..." 0:48:37.762,0:48:39.891 and he goes on. 0:48:39.891,0:48:41.951 Tim: Filled. He was filled there. 0:48:41.951,0:48:44.190 But he had alreadly been filled in Acts 2. 0:48:44.190,0:48:45.623 He had already been saved. 0:48:45.623,0:48:48.332 I mean if you go back to John 17, 0:48:48.332,0:48:50.441 Jesus is saying, 0:48:50.441,0:48:53.085 "they have kept Your Word." 0:48:53.085,0:48:56.449 Well, nobody but true [br]Christians keep His Word. 0:48:56.449,0:48:58.103 He had already said to them 0:48:58.103,0:48:59.829 in the chapters before that 0:48:59.829,0:49:06.242 that the Spirit is in you. 0:49:06.242,0:49:08.192 He breathes on them. 0:49:08.192,0:49:09.970 "Receive the Holy Spirit." 0:49:09.970,0:49:13.878 You have all sorts of things that happen. 0:49:13.878,0:49:16.379 I don't have them all [br]figured out, but I know this: 0:49:16.379,0:49:18.212 There's more to be had of the Spirit. 0:49:18.212,0:49:20.575 We should be asking for [br]the Spirit all the time. 0:49:20.575,0:49:25.587 And when the Spirit comes, things happen. 0:49:25.587,0:49:26.480 I know this, 0:49:26.480,0:49:29.942 you can't be a Christian [br]without the Spirit of God. 0:49:29.942,0:49:31.953 But even if you're a Christian, 0:49:31.953,0:49:34.356 you should be asking [br]for the Spirit all the time 0:49:34.356,0:49:36.397 because what the Spirit brings - 0:49:36.397,0:49:38.985 power to proclaim the Gospel, 0:49:38.985,0:49:42.148 transformation in your [br]life - Christlikeness, 0:49:42.148,0:49:43.381 the fruit of the Spirit, 0:49:43.381,0:49:45.139 the gifts of the Spirit. 0:49:45.139,0:49:47.101 We need these things. 0:49:47.101,0:49:49.383 We need them desperately.