An Appeal to Receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

SPEAKER B Welcome to. You shall receive power. I'm Ettienne McClintock, and with me in the studio is my co host Colin Hone. He's the international director and speaker for Holy spirit Ministries. And also to add to his titles is North New South Wales Conference Prayer Director. Our current series of programs features the book 50 Days Prayers and Devotionals to prepare for the latter reign and Christ return. Written by Pastor Dennis Smith. As we start our program today, please join us as we pray. Our Father in Heaven, we thank you for loving and drawing us by circumstances. By Your word, by Your Spirit, we pray that you would baptize anew this day with power from on high. Refresh us with your grace and please draw us, O God, and we ask this humbly in Jesus name. Amen. You are listening to yourself. Receive power. And we are reminded of the promise of Jesus in Acts, chapter one, verse eight, where Jesus says and we believe this applies to us as well as the disciples in that time. 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 ends of the earth. Colin, looking forward to today's study? What are we looking at? SPEAKER C Where we're in week eight? It's an appeal to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is in me, he accomplishes in me what Christ achieved. The Book of Romans, chapter eight, verse two, says that for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ, jesus has made me free from the law of sin and the law of death. Yes, we can explain the law of the Spirit as the manner in which the Holy Ghost works in the heart, completely surrendered to God. And only the Holy Spirit can bring to life in me what Christ achieved. I love what Ellen White said in the Spirit of prophecies. He said the Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without this, the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. Remember, the whole plan of the Gospel is restoration to restore us back into the image of, you know, the cross is first, we need the penalty to be paid for. SPEAKER D We do. Amen. SPEAKER C And that is just wonderful good news. And then the Spirit that is given as a regenerating agent to transform us back into the image of God, that is the whole purpose of the Gospel. And it's the Holy Spirit that God has sent us, the Father has sent us, and Jesus has asked the Father to send us that. Does that work in our hearts? SPEAKER B I love that idea that you're sharing there, Colin. I see it very consistent with the Gospel as I understand it out of the Scriptures. And if we look at all of Scripture, there's many places where Jesus is presented not only as a Savior from the penalty of sin, but also from the power of sin. And I believe that's part of the Gospel and part of the plan of salvation. Christ's works accomplished a redemption that includes redeeming us from our present evil condition. And what I mean by that condition is by the works of the flesh. So obviously the nature doesn't change, but that's what we got to lay aside. That's what death to self means. And it reminds me of that text in Titus chapter two, where it talks about Jesus as our Savior. It says who gave himself for us. Titus, chapter two and verse 14, who gave Himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless deed. So the redemption is more than just paying the price for sin. It's also about cleansing us from those lawless deeds. And then it goes on to say and purify for Himself his own special people zealous of good works. SPEAKER C It's two P's. I call it pardon and power and again for restoration of mankind into the image of God. Or some people might use the terms, theological terms of justification and sanctification. They both play a role and they're both received by faith. Justification is through faith. Sanctification is through faith. Or other people can use his imputed righteousness and his imparted righteousness. Yes, both are given and they're both Christ's righteousness. SPEAKER B So imputed righteousness, that's like an imputation. That means somebody's credited something to your account. So it's put it in a positive. If it's in the red, it's put it in the black. And that's what Jesus has done with his justification. It's imputed to us, so he gives it to us. And we can stand before God if we accept this by faith as if we have never sinned, that's powerful. And within that, if God has released us from a history of sin in that is power as well. Now, to live a new life through Christ, which is the sanctification part, but justifies sanctification are very closely connected. I can't really see a distinguishing mark between the two because one leads to the other and one includes the other. Because Christ could not have sanctified us or justified us. SPEAKER D Sorry. SPEAKER B Should I say? Unless he was also obedient to all the commandments of God before he went to the cross, because if he had fallen in one particular where he had sinned in one area of his life, then his sacrifice would have been incomplete as well. SPEAKER C I love what one writer once said. It's like two tracks. You got the track on the railway. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C The train has to be on both of them. SPEAKER B It's got to be on both. Amen. SPEAKER C If you go on just one of the tracks, you're going to fall over, okay? And you're discounting the other one. If you go to the other side, you're going to fall on the other side and discount the other one. So they're both important and I love this too. It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world's redeemer. He makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world's redeemer. And it's by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit, the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. See, it's that restoration back into divine nature and the power of God awaits their demand and reception. I just love that. SPEAKER B That is beautiful. That's all scriptural. I mean, that's really quoting from two Peter, chapter one, verse four, which says that we might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. SPEAKER C There it is. There it is. SPEAKER D Beautiful. SPEAKER C And we know the times we're living in, Eddie, and we're living in the last days. We can see movements happening around on this Earth that tell us we're living in the last days. The increase in just cyclones, hurricanes, storms, the wickedness of man, the political unrest, the world religions wanting to unite together. We have all these signs telling us that's right, earthquakes increasing in intensity and more frequent. We can see all these signs that we're approaching a conflict. We can see the economic problems. We can see the population curve just getting out of control. We can see the debt problems getting out of control. There seems to be us, we're heading towards this great crisis that the Bible speaks about. And I just love this is the call for those listening, is that just before Jesus comes and during this crisis or just before this crisis, is the latter reign of the Holy Spirit's going to be poured out? And before we receive the latter reign, we need to grow in the early reign, daily baptism, Holy Spirit, which is what we've been talking about, and that's our appeal today is to seek in the morning in prayer repent. And ask Jesus, ask the Father in heaven for a daily or a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is the early rain which is going to prepare us for that latter reign. SPEAKER B That's what we want. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And I love this quote. By the spirit of prophecy, Ellen White. She says this about being ready for the fast approaching conflict. She says that nothing, just note that word, nothing. But the baptism of the Holy Spirit can bring up the church to its right position and prepare the people of God for the fast approaching conflict. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C It's just amazing. And she uses it like over 120 times. She uses the term, what we need as a church is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. So her statements indicate that the Christian does not automatically receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit at conversion or water baptism. Well, why would you say we need the baptism of the Holy Spirit to people who are already in the church if they've already been converted? SPEAKER B That's correct. And we've hopefully unpacked that well enough for people who've listened to the previous programs to understand that conversion, the work. SPEAKER D That the Holy Spirit does. SPEAKER B There is the first part, and the second part is baptism. But you don't necessarily automatically receive the baptism at conversion. SPEAKER C That's right. So I believe that God sought to bring out the seven day Venice denomination to this important thing back in 1928. SPEAKER B Okay? SPEAKER C He bought to be out through Elder Leroy Froom. He was doing some presentations to ministers and he wrote a beautiful book as the result of these presentations called The Coming of the Comforter. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER C And this is 1928, a wonderful book. And I love this statement he makes referring to our neglect as Seven Day Adventists in understanding receiving the baptism, the Holy Spirit. He stated, I am persuaded that this is our colossal blunder. SPEAKER B Well, that's a big word, isn't it? Colossal blunder. He's not mincing words. SPEAKER C He is, I confess, has been mine. We are not to go and remember our mission. Remember, he said to the early disciples, go therefore to the world. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Preach the gospel. Starting where? In Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to all the world. But then he says wait. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C So he says, we're not to go. And so we get back to the statement by Leroy Froom. We are not to go with our message to take the everlasting Gospel to the world, the three angels message to the world until we are endured or endured, all true service begins at our own personal pentecost. That's from the book The Coming of the Comfort of page 94. SPEAKER B Well, our own personal pentecost. I like how he personalizes that. That is a wonderful statement, a powerful statement. SPEAKER C We need our own personal pentecost. And he continues and says, for there's an experience beyond and above the initial step by which the Holy Spirit first reveals sin. So remember in John, chapter 16, the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And leads us to Jesus for the forgiveness of sin and pardon. And he goes and begets a new life in the soul. And that is to be filled with the Spirit. For the lack of this one's testimony is feeble and spiritual life, but partial. SPEAKER B Isn't that true? SPEAKER C Alas, many today have gone as far as the baptism of repentance, but no further. And so this study, Froom's study, led him to believe that the baptism of repentance, which refers to water baptisms, was not enough. He concluded that the Spirit's infilling is also necessary in order for the believer to be victorious through the time of trouble to Christ's second coming. SPEAKER D Right? Yes. SPEAKER B So that's a mouthful and it's a bit to absorb, but I actually agree with absolutely everything he stated there. The baptism of the Holy Spirit, that connection with God, where they will come and make their home, their abode with you, that we can have that intimate connection with God is the most essential thing and the greatest joy and blessing that anyone can ever experience. And I hunger and thirst for more of God and less of self, dying to self and let Christ live within our hope of glory, because our hope is fully rooted and grounded in that Christ, within our hope of glory. And Jesus words there on the Mount of Blessing, when he started shifting the minds of the people from legalism to understanding the spiritual application of the law and their need for God, first pointing out the sin so they can see the need of a Savior. That text there in, I think it's in Matthew five, verse five. That's quite easy to remember. Matthew five, verse five, was it? Verse six. It says, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. So if you have a desire, dear listener, if you desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit, the promise of Jesus on the Mount of Blessing when he presented that beautiful sermon is that he will fill you. I hope it's your desire. It's my desire, and I know it's. Same for Colin to have more of his Holy Spirit indwelling within us, filling us, and therefore having Christ radiating and shining through us his love. As he loved the Father, so we will love God and we will also love our fellow man. SPEAKER C And the problem has always been, like you said, this has been our colossal blunder. You see, sometimes as Christians, and as Christians, our focus has been on God's Word. And it should be to teach the truth of God's Word. But Jesus said the Father is looking for true worship from the word and the Spirit, truth and the Spirit. SPEAKER B He said God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. So the spirit of truth, the word of truth, all work together. So we can't worship God in the flesh. That's right, because those who are in the flesh can't please God. It's impossible. The Bible says. SPEAKER C But as people have read God's word and they've also read the spirit of prophecy as well, what they've seen is there's going to be a counterfeit. The Bible talks about a counterfeit baptism of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Or infilling the Holy Spirit. And so what happens is God's people and have been afraid of the true baptism of the Holy Spirit, because you know that Satan counterfeits everything that God does. SPEAKER B He does, he counterfeits, no question about it. SPEAKER C And you can tell the difference. You see, Satan can counterfeit the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It says he'll be doing miracles in the last days. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER B And that's how he deceives the nations. SPEAKER C So a miracle is one of the fruit of the Spirit. It's the gifts of the Holy Spirit. So all the gifts of those spirit is like miracles teaching tongues. He can counterfeit all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And so we've been afraid of even asking or getting involved or wanting to the true baptism of the Holy Spirit, because we're concerned about the counterfeit baptism of the Holy Spirit. But remember, Satan can counterfeit the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but he can't counterfeit the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, long suffering, goodness and righteousness. He can't counterfeit those. So the true baptism of the Holy Spirit is Christ in you, the hope of glory. When we have Jesus living in us, we have his fruits, we have the Spirit's fruits. So that's the true experience. And that was what Leroy Froome was stating here. He was saying, hey listen, this has been our colossal blunder. We've been so worried about the counterfeit that we haven't received the true and we need the true baptism, the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B Yeah, it's quite interesting know, if you look through church history is that quite often true revivals and reformations that have taken place through the centuries in churches and that quite often some fanatical people have attached themselves to it and they've been a reproach to the cause, confuse people. Therefore it becomes so vitally important to know the word of God to be filled with the Holy Spirit that we have that discernment to tell between the false and the true, especially if they are in the same, you know, the wheat and the tears grow together until the know they're not to be rooted up. Now so that can be very confusing. So we can't just go by what other people say. And there's a couple of texts that I'm just thinking of here. The first one is in regards to the Holy Spirit. One first John. So the first epistle of John, chapter four, says that we are to test the spirits and not to believe every spirit. So we are never to test the word by the Spirit. We are to test the Spirit by the word, because the Holy Spirit who inspired the writings obviously will be in full agreement with the writings. And then the beautiful text in Isaiah. Isaiah is known as the Gospel of the Old Testament. Isaiah, chapter eight and verse 20, it says to the law and to the testimony, if they do not speak according to this word, there is no light in them. Doesn't matter how great the words are that they use and how much they say they love Jesus. This text there in Isaiah, it says that they draw with me with their hearts and their minds, and they profess much love, but their hearts are far removed from me. And then in Colossians, chapter two, and we read in verse eight, the apostle Paul says, beware lest anyone cheat you. Okay, say what's he going to cheat you and how is he going to 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. For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and you are complete that's that perfection, that justification and sanctification. Again, you are complete in Him, or perfect in Him, as I think the King James says, who is the head of all principalities and power, and then it goes on to say in Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of sins. So this is dying to self or denying self a body of sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with Him in baptism. So we believe by faith. And when Christ died, we died with Him. Paul says, I'm crucified with Christ, in which you also were raised with Him. So now we're raised to newness of life through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead. And you being dead in your trespasses and uncircumcision of your flesh, he has made alive together with Him. So when Christ was raised and made alive, we were made alive together with Him. And Ephesians chapter two says we sit in Christ Jesus in heavenly places after we were made alive together with Him, having forgiven all you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us, which is our promises to God, our record of sin. And he nailed it to the cross, having taken it away. So here we see that God is warning us not to be deceived by philosophy, by vain and empty words and words that are contrary to the Law and to the Testament. Very important that we spend time in the Word and have the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to give us the right interpretation, because the flesh will interpret in very different ways. SPEAKER C That's right. And that's so, you know, when you really think about it. So we're at war. Okay? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So there's a war, there's a battle going there's. The great controversy is happening on this earth and this is the battleground between Christ and Satan, this great controversy. And so don't let Satan mislead us, mislead you. There's been much miscellaneous and confusion about what happens when a person receives the baptism Holy Spirit. And Satan fears the experience in the believer more than anything else. He knows that the baptism of the Holy Spirit will break his power in the believer's life. And the resulting powerful witness for Jesus Christ will bring Satan's work to an end on this planet. I think of about it, I was in the Navy. And when you go to war. SPEAKER B You'Ve. SPEAKER C Got to know what the enemy's doing. Yes, you want to know what the enemy's doing. And so you ever think about it? Look, when the latter rain is poured out on this earth, that's it for Satan and his evil angels, it's over for them. Yes, you think about it, because the early reign is how we grow into the likeness of Jesus. The latter rain seals the deal, prepares us for what's called the close of probation when it's all finished and then the seven plagues are poured out, the time of trouble. And so he knows that if God's people receive the latter reign of the Holy Spirit, it's over for Him and his evil angels. So what would be your strategy if you were Him? All right? You would say, okay, well, you can imagine Him having a board meeting and he's sitting here with all these evil angels and they're saying, okay, make sure that God's people don't receive the latter reign. And they're all saying, well, how do we do that? He says, oh, that's easy. Don't let them receive and grow in the early reign of the Holy Spirit. And let's have a counterfeit baptism of the Holy Spirit where the manifestations are focused on the gifts of the Spirit, which we can counterfeit, so that God's people will be afraid of the true baptism of the Holy Spirit and grow in the early reign to receive the latter reign. So that's been his strategy and it's worked very well. You mentioned that every time there's been a revival, there's always been a counterfeit of extremism come in there, even in Martin Luther's days, there was extremists that came in and they just put aside God's word and it was all about the Spirit. It was all about the Spirit, and it's craziness. And so this always happens. And it's happened in the 18 hundreds, 19 hundreds, and it's happening also in the last days as well, where there is a focus on extreme manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It's evidence of someone receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit where the true evidence is the fruit of the Spirit in your life. SPEAKER D Amen. I agree with that. SPEAKER B Colin. It's interesting that the times in which we live, unless we are grounded in the word of God, unless we have the you know, if possible, the very elect will be deceived. Jesus'sermon, when his disciples ask him about the end of the world and end of Jerusalem, he sort of blends the answer for both. But in there he says, do not be deceived. He actually says that four times, many will be deceived. And then we read in Revelation 13 under that power, which is a religious power, a Christian power, it's a Lamb like power, they deceive the whole world. Satan works through them because they look like a lamb, but speak like the dragon. Satan works through them. And one of the ways he deceives them is by this miracle working power. Now we know even in the Old Testament, when Moses, when God worked through Moses to get the children of Israel out of Egypt, to take them to the Promised Land, the first three miracles, first three miracles they were able to counterfeit. So Satan was able to work back then to counterfeit miracles. It's very clear that he can perform miracles and so those miraculous powers, the gifts of the Spirit, can be counterfeited, but we can discern them through the word of God. SPEAKER C That's right. And I love this quote. The Review in Herald. March 22, 1887. Ellen White says, in the spirit of prophecy, there is nothing that Satan fears so much as that the people of God shall clear the way by removing every hindrance so that Lord can pour out his spirit on a languishing church and an impenetrant congregation. When the way is prepared for the Spirit of God, the blessing will come. And so receiving the baptism, the Holy Spirit does not necessarily involve a highly emotional experience. 1 may or may not feel anything at the time of seeking the infilling the Spirit. When you start praying for the baptism, you may not feel anything. It's not about feelings. However, the Spirit will make himself known to the one he indwells. His presence will begin changing the believer's life from within. A new power for victory over sin and service will be manifest. You'll have a greater desire to read God's word, a greater desire to pray, a greater desire to witness and victory over sin in your life as well. And I believe that God desires his children to have this wonderful experience of Spirit baptism. However, in order to receive it, we must ask in faith, believing he will bestow it. Everything is by asking in faith. Secondly, we must be willing to give ourselves completely to God complete surrender. And I love this quote. In testimonies to ministers, page 507. Testimonies ministers, page 507. Ellen White tells us that the heart must be emptied of every defilement and cleanse for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It was by confession, forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. And we too must prepare by confession forsaking of sin, earnest prayer, and consecrating ourselves to God in preparation for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yeah, beautiful. SPEAKER B Look, ephesians have a bit to say about receiving the Holy Spirit and baptism and what the fruit of the Spirit are. And I think you've quoted that once or twice. A beautiful text there. I said verse nine of Ephesians, chapter five. SPEAKER C Ephesians five nine. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth. And then the verse ten says, find out what is acceptable to God so we can go and search and find out what is acceptable to God and find out what God's will is. And there's a few texts there that I just want to add in relation to the will of God. The first one comes from first, thessalonians first, thessalonians chapter four, from verse three to verse eight. I'll just unpack that. But I want to connect it also to another text. In Ephesians chapter five, it's verse 17. It says, therefore do not be unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is. So we're going to spend a little bit of time in Ephesians here and just connect us to some other text so that text do not be unwise but understand. So God wants to make us wise understand what the will of the Lord is. So first thessalonians chapter four from verse three. It starts, it says, for this is the will of God. So what is the will of God? It says your sanctification. Now, we've mentioned justification and sanctification. There's no question that God wants to justify us through Christ, but sanctify us through Christ as well. Your sanctification, that you should abstain from sexual immorality. Then verse four, that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel. So it's a religion of understanding and knowledge. God actually gives us a knowledge and understanding of how we are to possess our own vessel in cooperation with the Holy Spirit through surrender and having God guide and lead us. It says that we will know how to possess our own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust. So it's the contrasting the good and the bad here, like the Gentiles who do not know God. So if we know God, we need to know how to possess our vessel. That comes with growth and experience as we spend time in the word of God and we are influenced and led by the Holy Spirit, that's a growth period. SPEAKER C Sanctification is the work of a lifetime. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C You see that in two Corinthians, chapter three, verse 18, where Paul says we are transformed into the image of God, into the image of Jesus from glory to glory, which is and God's glory is his character. We're transformed from character to character as a process. As long as we're on that process, on that trajectory, then we're in God's will. SPEAKER B Sure. The best way I've seen as far as you look in nature to help understand and explain that is if you look at a little plant, a little seed that goes on the ground, is covered up in the soil and then it germinates and starts growing. At each stage that little plant is perfect, but it doesn't have the maturity of a plant that's been growing for six months or six years or the maturity of a tree. That's right. There's no fruit, but at every stage it's perfect. So we know that Christ's righteousness covers us, his blood covers us all the way through. Yet we grow in grace. And based on what we know, we can surrender all our sins to the Lord and he's faithful and just to forgive, but also to cleanse. The Gospel includes the forgiving and the cleansing, the release from the penalty of sin and the power of sin. SPEAKER C I mean, what happens if a little kid came along who was just dirty and filthy and naked and cold? The first thing you're. Going to do is cover him. SPEAKER D That's right, amen. SPEAKER C You're going to cover him. And then if you have the resources, you're then going to give the person a bath and cleanse them, aren't you? SPEAKER B Yes, that's right. SPEAKER C You're not just going to cover them and leave them dirty, you're going to cover them first and then you're going to cleanse them. And I think that's what God is doing with us. Jesus covers us. It says our righteousness is like filthy rags and he covers us and then he gives us a bath or cleanses us. This is the only analogy I can think of. He cleanses us. SPEAKER B That is the good news of the Gospel. I believe that the whole world is actually covered in the grace of God. The reason why we have an existence now, even in our physical nature, is simply because Jesus stepped in when the penalty was to fall on Adam and Eve and their descendants. They wouldn't have been any descendants if it wasn't for Christ. So we are held under the grace of God, each one of us, even those who don't believe. It says there that God sends a reign on the just and on the unjust. Now just finish off that text there first, thessalonians chapter four. We may as well go to verse seven now. It says, for God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. And then if it says in verse eight, therefore he who rejects this does not reject man. So this is not our opinion or our words. We simply want to know what God's opinion is and what God word says and then accept it by faith, believe it, and then also preach it once we receive power to be a witness, says but God. So it's not the rejection of man, but they reject God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. Then there's just another text, there another chapter down. First thessalonians chapter five, verse 16 to 18. Beautiful text that says, rejoice always pray without ceasing. Now we know that prayer is really important to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we had to ask, seek and to knock. And it says then so pray without ceasing and everything. Give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. And then just hebrews 13, verse 20 and 21. Now may the God of peace who brought us up, who brought up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete. Now that word complete there, if you look at the King James, it actually says perfect and that's what it means. And the word there is carterizo and it actually means to repair, it actually means to perfect, to prepare or to restore. But it means to make complete or to make perfect, to make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you what is well pleasing. So it's God working in us what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER B So we have that text there which talks about the will of God. So there were three we shared there. I think that's probably enough for today. But then going back to Ephesians chapter five and verse 18, Colin, we've used that text before. It says, do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit. And I think last time we looked at this text you said that that word filled there means to be filled continually. It's not just a once or filling. And then it tells us to speak in psalms to one another and so on and give thanks always in verse 20 and submit to one another. Then there's an interesting analogy there regarding Christ and the church. And it likens the church to a wife. Yes, and Christ to a husband. And it says, Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. So the church is to submit to Christ and then it says, for the husband is head of the wife as Christ also is the head of the church and is the savior of the body. So Jesus saves the church and says, therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, let their own wives be subject to their husbands and everything. Then Husband, love your wives as Christ loves the church and gave himself for her, so Christ gave himself for the church. And then listen to this word here in verse 26 that he might sanctify. Here we have the word sanctification again and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. Now that word cleanser is an interesting word because it's used in Greek quite often in the New Testament, and it's a word that the Septuagint uses. Now, the Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Old Testament. So the Old Testament is predominantly written in Hebrew except for a small part which was written in Aramaic in the Book of Daniel, but it's a translation into Greek. And in Daniel chapter eight and verse 14, there's an interesting text there that says, and he said to me for 2300 days, then the sanctuary shall be cleansed. Now, the word cleanse there is to set in order or to justify, but it uses the word cartha Ritzo. Now that word cartha Ritzo is also used a number of times and it's used here in Ephesians chapter five and verse 26. And I just want to read it now in English. And then I'll tell you where it used. The Cartha riczo, which is the sanctuary shall be cleansed. It says that he might sanctify. So this is verse 26 of Ephesians five, that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word sanctify. We already read that's sanctification. The word cleanse there again is cartha Riczo. So as Christ cleanses the sanctuary, he also cleanses his church here on earth. Same word. And then what's the purpose of that? That he might present it to Himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing that should be holy and without blemish. So who's the one that does the sanctifying and the cleansing? It is Jesus. So he can purify his church and how does he do it? It says by the washing. How does he wash us? Says, by the word of God, by the washing of the word. Now, we also have that same word, cleanse, which is unto 2300 days in the sanctuary shall be cleansed. That same word, cleanse, used in two Corinthians, chapter seven, verse one. Again. It uses cartha riczo. It says, therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves. So Cartharitzo again cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. And I'll probably just use one more text, I think that will be enough. Titus, chapter two is one of my favorite portions of scripture from verse eleven to 14. It says, for the grace of God that brings salvation. And we just thank God for his amazing grace that could save a wretch like me. And for you, if you listening there, dear listener, the grace of God is for you as well. It says, for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. God's grace applies to all men. Now, the grace of God teaches something there, verse twelve, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should do the opposite, which is live soberly, righteously and Godly. Now, when are we to do that? Well, through surrender to God, we can do that in the present age. It says we are to live soberly, righteously and Godly in the present age, and then looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. So all these the cleansing part, there is always an expectation of this hope that we have of Christ's soon return. And then it gives us an explanation regarding the redemption that we have in Christ Jesus, which is both from the penalty and the power of sin, where it says that Jesus gave Himself in verse 14, gave Himself for us, that he might redeem us. Now, what is he redeeming us from? From the penalty of sin? Or is it more than that at the moment? Says from every lawless, deed and purify for himself. Now here again, it's Jesus doing the purification. We are cooperating with him. It's not by our works purify for Himself, his own special people zealous for good works. So good works are the result of that surrender to God and the work that Jesus Christ does in and through us. And there's one more just there. I think I've probably shared enough there, but these are beautiful texts. And I do want to quote something from a book called Maranatha. It's a daily devotional book. It's a beautiful book. Alan White wrote this book, and it says there, from the holy of holies, there goes on a grand work of instruction. So even now, as we're spending time in the word through the Holy Spirit, jesus, through His Holy Spirit, is instructing us from the holy of holies. The angels of God are communicating to men Christ officiates in the sanctuary. We do not follow Him into the sanctuary as we should. So here is an encouragement that we need to follow me in the sanctuary by faith. There's more to it. Christ and angels work in the hearts of the children of men. The church above united with the church below. Isn't that a beautiful statement? The church above united with the church below is warring the good warfare upon the earth. There must be a purifying of the soul here upon the earth in harmony with Christ's cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven. Now, haven't we just read all of that in those texts we just went through in the Bible in regards to God cleansing and purifying his church? When it says, unto 2300 days, a sanctuary shall be cleansed, the same cleansing is going to happen in his church. So God can have a purified church without spot or wrinkle to present them faultless. And that's really the preparation for the bride. Christ wants to get married to his church. The marriage takes place and then he comes. And that marriage can't take place until he's prepared the bride. But the bride has to make herself ready as well. As we read in Revelation chapter 19, it says, the bride has made herself ready. SPEAKER C She's a fine linen. SPEAKER B Yes, it says she is clothed in fine linen, which is what, according to Revelation chapter 19, the righteousness of Christ. The righteous of Christ. But it actually says, the righteous acts of the saints. So the righteousness of Christ is revealed in his people. Now, there's a text there, and I believe this is in the near future, this will be the truth. Isaiah, that beautiful book in the Old Testament, isaiah, chapter 60, it says, Arise, shine, for the light has come. And what is this light? And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. God's glory is his character, and that glory will be seen on his people. SPEAKER C That's right, Eddie. And so the whole cleansing of the sanctuary is linked back. And if you don't understand that, go and read Leviticus, chapter 16. It's a beautiful explanation of what happened and the cleansing of the sanctuary, because we know where's the sanctuary today. SPEAKER B Etienne yeah, it's not on earth anymore. SPEAKER C It's not on the earth. It was destroyed. And if you look in Hebrews, it says, we have a high priest in heavenly sanctuary. And Jesus is now a high priest. He was also the lamb, the sacrificial lamb, and then he moved into an ad. When he rose to heaven, he was inaugurated as the high priest in heavenly sanctuary. And so the whole point of the cleansing of the sanctuary is cleansing of what, what was cleansed. Well, we know that when you came to the sanctuary, you would come out to the outer court, you would bring a lamb, they would bring a lamb and you would lay hands on the lamb and transfer your sins to the lamb. And then you would cut the lamb's throat and they would take the blood of the lamb. So a transformation from your sins to the lamb to the blood, and the blood was then taken to the altar, was taken into the sanctuary. So Christ, as our Lamb, has taken his blood into the sanctuary. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And our sins have been put upon him. And so he's making a work of atonement in the sanctuary, but also not only and so was the removal once a year on the day of atonement, it was the removal of all the sins that have been piling up every day through the transformation to the lamb and to the blood and to the sanctuary. It was a removal of those sins. Well, in heaven, it's obviously the removal of the record of our sins from heaven. And he's cleansing that in preparation for his bride. So I love that. And we're going to unpack that a lot more in the future lessons. SPEAKER B We're going to go looking forward to that. SPEAKER C Scholar what Christ is doing. But what we want to do is we really want to encourage people out there today, is to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit every day. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C And that was what Paul was talking about when he said in one Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 31, when he says, Paul says, I die daily. You see, we die daily to ourself, we confess our sins daily. And so we need a daily fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. And also, as you read before in Ephesians, chapter five, verse 18, paul's command in Ephesians 518, do not be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit. It's a command to be filled with the Spirit. And it's a continuous action. Verb, which in the Greek means that we are to keep on being filled with the Spirit daily. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And so with the infilling of the Spirit, the believer is led by the Spirit. And Paul writes to the importance of being a daily experience when he read. And he writes this in Romans, chapter eight, verse four, romans eight four. He says, for as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Again, the verb form in the Greek is a continuous action. Paul is saying, as many are continuing to be led by the Spirit of God, we must receive the Spirit every day to be led by him every day. So we need to claim the promise of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is one of the first things we should do when we wake up in the morning is we claim the promise repent of sins and ask God for the daily fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C And I love it. Ellen White says even about Jesus in his own life. She talks about it in Christ object lessons, page 139. She speaks about Jesus and she says daily he received a fresh baptism with the Holy Spirit in the early hours of the new day, the Lord awakened him from his slumbers, and his soul and his lips were anointed with grace that he might impart to others. So daily, I encourage you, pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And the Lord will probably wake up early in the morning, eddie does, before everything gets busy in the world. And it says, his soul and his lips were anointed with grace. So the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to be anointed with Christ's grace that he might impart to others. So we receive and we impart. We receive and we impart this grace that's given to us. And it also the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit gives us power to witness, and it brings forth Christ's fruits or Christ's character in our life, the fruit of Christ's character in our life. And so that's what we're wanting to ask every day. And I encourage you to ask every day, lord, give me a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. Believe by faith that he will ask him for power to witness for him. Remember, the fruit of the Spirit is love. And the Bible says that love casts out fear. SPEAKER D That's right. Agape casts out fear. Yeah. SPEAKER C So we need to pray daily for this baptism of the Holy Spirit so that we can be transformed daily into the likeness of Jesus. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER B That's beautiful, Colin. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B The agape love is so important to us and so precious to us because with the receiving of the Holy Spirit, we receive the agape of God as well. And agape is the only principle that can actually answer the requirements of the law. In Romans chapter 13 and verse ten, the apostle Paul says that love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore, love, agape love, is the fulfilling of the law. Now, just in case people have sort of been listening and say, listen, you guys are setting a very high standard here under the power of the Holy Spirit, and that it sounds like it might be that we've got to just grit our teeth and try harder. That is not what we're saying, and that's not what the Bible teaches. The Bible talks about surrender. It's about dying to self daily, taking up our cross and following Jesus. And I just want to bring out a text you mentioned Romans, chapter eight. There Romans, chapter eight and verse three, and I just want to have you pay particular attention to the language here. It says, for what the law could not do. So there's something that the law of God could not do for us in that it was weak through the flesh. So our flesh was too weak to keep the commandments of God. It says God did. So something that we were incapable of doing, God did. Now how did he do it? By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. So what God did is when Christ was incarnated and he stepped into his own creation and he took on the humanity that needed redemption. Our sins have separated us from God, and in Christ, both heaven and earth are reconciled. And that's a text out of Ephesians, chapter one and verse ten. Christ took our nature in its fallen condition. And it says they took it in the likeness of sinful flesh, not unlikeness, but likeness. And it says, on account of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh. Now the flesh that needed sin condemning, and it was not prelapsarian sin. The prelapsarian just means before the fall. It was actually the flesh that had gone down that path and committed the sin. He condemned sin in our flesh. And what was the purpose of that condemnation? Because this is a good condemnation for us, we couldn't do it, but God did us in sending His Son. Verse four answers the question, that the righteous requirements of the Law. So the law's requirements are righteous. And we couldn't answer those righteous requirements because of our flesh, that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. So if we walk according to the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. And then it says there verse five, for those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh. Now the flesh simply is another word for our appetites, our passions, our senses. So what happens is, when Adam and Eve sinned, before they sinned, just stepping back now before they sinned, all their appetites and a hunger and everything else was under the control of the mind. The higher power was controlling the lower powers of the mind. When they sinned, that flipped. When they surrendered to their appetites, using their senses, they saw the fruit was good to make one wise, desirous and so forth. That flipped. And what happens is now the mind was weakened and it became a slave to the appetites of the flesh, the passions. So those who walk according to the flesh, so those whose minds still serve the flesh, these people say, set their minds on the things of the flesh. In other words, it's sensual, it gratifies the senses. But those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the spirit. So we are to put our mind on spiritual things, the Holy Spirit, what the holy Spirit convicts us and also the word that the Holy Spirit inspired, then it says for to be carnally minded. Now, the word carnally is the same word as flesh. The word in the Greek there, sarks, it just means fallen flesh. To be carnally minded, to be fleshly minded, so sensually minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. And then it tells us this beautiful truth, which sounds like bad news, but we know in Jesus, he turns it around and what God has done in him, it becomes good news for us. It says, because the carnal mind is enmity against God. So the fleshly mind, the word carnal, there is flesh against sarks. It's at war, is at war, is at enmity against God. So it's against God and is contrary to God. And it says, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be. It is impossible for us to keep the commandments of God. But if you take self out of the way, self is crucified with Christ. The power of God can then work in and through us. Then it says so then those who are in the flesh cannot please God. And we do want to please God, but you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin. So there we go, death to self. But the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, so the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead as well as the Father, and we know that Jesus took up his life as well. That same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, that same power, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Holy Spirit, who dwells in you. So that is a beautiful reading there. And there's so much more in the book of Romans so we could share. SPEAKER C Romans eight is a beautiful romans seven is an incredible chapter where Paul talks about the things I want to do, I don't do, and the things I don't want to do, I do. And we've all experienced that daily. The things I want to do, I don't do. But then he gives the answer in Romans chapter eight is the answer of how of Christ in you the hope of glory. And you might ask yourself the following questions am I filled with the Holy Spirit? Because it says there now if man and have not the Spirit of Christ hears none of this in verse nine of Romans, chapter eight. And so you might ask some of the questions. Are there any noticeable effects of the Holy Ghost in your life? For example, has he made Jesus real and great to you? Are you starting to hear and understand the inner voice of the Holy Spirit? Can he lead me in a big and little decisions in my life in Romans 814, and it has a new kind of love for my fellow man arisen in me? Does the Holy Spirit give me tender compassion and profound concern for people who I wouldn't normally choose as my friends? Loving people who you normally wouldn't choose or you probably don't like? SPEAKER B There's some people that are easier to love than others. There are ones that are harder to love. Those are the ones that really test our resolve and whether we actually have the Spirit of God. SPEAKER C And he's saying, do you have a ten of compassion for those people around you who you normally don't like? Do you experience again, again how the Holy Spirit helps you to deal with your fellow man? Does he give you the right words to reach a person's heart who has worry and cares? Does the Holy Spirit give you strength to share about Jesus and lead others to Him? Do you experience how he helps you in your prayer life and helps you to express the deeper feelings of the heart to know? When we think about these questions, Eddie, and we see that what a great need we have to grow in the Holy Ghost, as I read those questions, I thought there's growth. And that's the beauty of this is as you grow in the Spirit daily, in the daily fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit, as you grow in the likeness of Jesus, as you grow as a plant and get to know him better and better, you will love him more and you'll love others more will be the ultimate result. And that is the purpose, is that we can see through the eyes of know. Naturally. When I look at others, Eddie, and I react to their faults, I see faults, and we all have faults, and you react to people's faults. But Jesus, he sees through our faults and sees our need. And when we have Jesus living in us, we will see past each other's faults and see their need through the compassionate eyes of Jesus. And this is the way God looks at us. And that's the way that when Jesus lives in us, that we'll look at others as well. These are the results of being filled with the Spirit. But just remember, friends, this is a growth. We're to grow in the likeness of Jesus. And it takes time for a plant to grow. So if you're not there where you want to be, I don't think any of us are there where we want to be. SPEAKER B Well, that's the truth. SPEAKER C But just go on the journey daily. Spend time with God in prayer and in time in his word, and ask Him to fill with the Holy Spirit. To be more like Jesus, not to be more like Jesus, to have Jesus living in you so that you will be like Jesus and to have power to witness and to grow in his likeness. And he will take you on that journey step by step. SPEAKER B Look, when we realize our need of Christ, when we realize it's impossible for us to keep the commandments of God, those who get most desperate, they've got a few options, aren't they? They can either say this is rubbish, it doesn't work, or they can actually come to the Lord and say, lord, I need you, I need a Savior. And I've just realized that more than ever. Please help me. I can't help myself and none of us can. I mean, the Bible is very clear. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. SPEAKER C The good news though Eddie and is we can keep the commandments of God, because God promises in Hebrews eight and Hebrews ten that he will write his laws within our hearts, on our mind and hearts and give us a desire to obey. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C In other words, we can't keep the law through our own efforts. The only way the law can be kept if Christ is living in us, and if he lives in us, he will seek to keep the Law, because he's written on our hearts, he's changed our hearts, he's put it on our hearts to obey God. So we can in the Spirit keep the law of God through Christ living. SPEAKER B In us by continuously walking in the Spirit. That's really continuous. Know, I sometimes wonder now what would Jesus say if he was here right now regarding sin and forgiveness? Because he's our great and merciful high Priest. And in the book of John, the epistle of John, first John, chapter one, we read from verse five where the beloved disciple John says this this is the message which we have heard from him and him being Jesus, and declared to you that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. So we know that God is light and righteousness. Verse six if we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. So just acknowledging your sins and God said he is faithful and just, he will give us our sins and he will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and his word is not in us. So hopefully that gives a balanced perspective regarding the high calling we have in. Jesus, but also regarding the mercy and love of God for sinners. SPEAKER C He who has called you will also do it. SPEAKER D Amen. Amen. SPEAKER B Well, dear listener, we hope that you were blessed by this study, but most importantly that you will actually go and do your own Bible study and pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit and also pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Colin and myself are doing that daily and quite often just during the day, I'll pray as well, and when Daniel prayed at least three times a day. So I try and do that and quite often I feel I need it a little bit more. Look, if you would like to receive the book 50 Days, the one that we're studying at the moment in this program, they are available at the ABCs Adventist Book centers and they are in the main centers and you can even order them online at the ABCs or you can bring here at Three AB in Australia. You can bring us on the number two, this is in Australia 2497-3456 or you can email us at [email protected]. Also, if you would like the book Steps to Personal Revival being filled with the Holy Spirit by Helmut Haubeil, we can make that available for a special price of $1 plus postage, and you can contact us through the same way. Thank you for joining us today. On You Shall Receive Power. It is Colin and my prayer that you will be filled with the Holy Spirit and receive the power of God to be an effective witness for Him. Today and until the day of Jesus Christ is our prayer. Until next time heaven shall declare. SPEAKER C You'Ve been. Listening to a production of Three ABN Australia Radio.