An Experience Necessary to be Ready for Christ's Return

SPEAKER B Welcome to you shall receive power. I'm Ettienne McClintock and with me in this studio is my co host Colin Hone. He's the international director and speaker for Holy Spirit Ministries and also the 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's Return by Pastor Dennis Smith. As we start our program today, please join us as we pray. Heavenly Father, we bow before you as the Maker of heaven and earth, the God who is all knowing and all powerful and present everywhere, the God who is eternal. And we thank you for loving us, for demonstrating your love to the world, for giving us Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and also as our example in love and in action. We thank you also for giving us the Holy Spirit as representative of Jesus. And we Father, now pray that you would give us a fresh baptism for Colin and myself as we present these programs and also Father to the one listening today. And we ask this in Jesus name, amen. You are listening to you shall receive power. Jesus promised his disciples and also you and us, that he will give us power from on high. And we read this in Acts chapter one and verse eight where it says, 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, I'm looking forward to today's study, what do we have in store? SPEAKER C It's great to be here. Ettienne. Today we're looking at lesson nine, taking from Dennis Smith's devotional, 50 Days Devotional to prepare for the latter reign and Christ's return. And so today's lesson is on an experience necessary to be ready for Christ's return. So we want to know what do we need to be ready for Jesus soon return? As we look around the world, we can see there's a lot of evidence that tells us that Jesus is coming soon. Absolutely, and we want to be ready and we want people to ready. And God's word gives us much counsel on how we can be ready. SPEAKER D Excellent. SPEAKER C And so we want to talk about what's called the early and the latter reign of the Holy Spirit today. That's going to be our topic and it's time for the latter rain to fall. The latter rain is going to fall before Jesus returns. But however, we won't receive the latter reign of the Holy Spirit unless we experience the infilling of the early reign of the Holy Spirit that's been available to us since Pentecost. SPEAKER B So if we just wait for the latter rain to do the work, we may be sorely mistaken. SPEAKER C We will be, we will be. Yeah, there's many people, we'll just wait around for the latter rain and that'll take care of everything, but it's like agriculture. And we're going to unpack a little bit about how the early rain and the latter rain was used in eastern countries in like, Israel. And Jesus used agriculture as a way of explaining spiritual truths, and he used the early rain and the latter rain. And so we'll unpack a little bit about that why you need the early rain first, and then you had the latter rain just before the harvest. SPEAKER B Makes sense. SPEAKER C We'll unpack that a little bit as well. The Holy Spirit's been around since creation, Eddie, and God has been working through the Holy Spirit ever since creation, even before the seven day creation week. The Bible says in Genesis, chapter one, verse one to two, in the beginning, God created the heaven and earth, and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. So right from the very beginning, the Holy Spirit has been an active agent in this world in the affairs of mankind. The Holy Spirit's been right from the start. And so we want to look at is first the early and latter reign of the Holy Spirit. So just so the viewers can have an understanding of how it works. Okay, in ancient Israel, you would plant a crop. Okay. Before you planted a crop, what would you do? What's the first thing you would do? SPEAKER B Break up the soil. So you plow it. SPEAKER C You would break up the soil, and you would need good soil, wouldn't you? SPEAKER D Absolutely. SPEAKER C You want to get all the rocks and all the rubbish around. So you want good soil. All right, and so what does the good soil represent in Bible spiritually, it's. SPEAKER B Being open and receptive. It's about the heart of man. SPEAKER C Yeah. SPEAKER B Being willing to receive. SPEAKER C So the good soil is our heart. All right? And so you would then plant the seed in the good soil. Okay. The farmer would come and plant the seed. The seed represents what? The word of of God? God or the gospel. And so God wants to plant the word of God, the Gospel, in good soil in our hearts. Okay, so what would happen? And you would plant your seeds in your good soil, and then you would just wait. The early rains would come. Right, and so the early rains would cause the seed to germinate or to be born again, to be germinate. And then does it take time for a plant to grow? SPEAKER B Yeah, of course it does. SPEAKER C Before it bears fruit. So the plant would grow under the early rain and the sunshine, the early rain. Now, just before the harvest, there would what's be called the latter rain would come, and the latter rain would prepare the crop for harvest. And we know in the Book of Matthew, the great harvest is the harvest is a second coming of Jesus. Okay? So just before Jesus comes, the latter rain will be poured to prepare the harvest, which is the crop, which is God's people. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C For the second coming. So it gives you a bit of background of what the early latter rain is. SPEAKER D Okay? Yeah. SPEAKER C Okay. So we're going to look at Joel, chapter two, verse 23. Joel, before we go there. The very first work in the lives of men and women is the Holy Spirit to guide into truth of God's Word. Okay. And it's the Holy Spirit who brings about this born again experience. You know, we talked about the seed germinating, and we can read that in John, chapter three. That's John, chapter three, verse five. John, chapter three, verse five. And here's the story of Nicodemus, I believe, coming to see Jesus. SPEAKER B Jesus answered most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. SPEAKER C So we need to be born of what? Water. SPEAKER B Water, yes. SPEAKER C And the spirit. SPEAKER B And the spirit. SPEAKER C And the water represents what? Our cleansing or dying to self in water baptism. And we all know to be born again, we need to be born of the Holy Spirit as well. Jesus says you need to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C So representing those two things now, like Nicodemus struggled with that. He took it literally. He did take it literally, thinking, how can I be born again from my mother's womb? So the first work of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of sin and to lead us to Jesus as our Lord and Savior. This has always been the first work of the Holy Spirit. It's convicting us of sin and leading us to Jesus as our remedy for sin. Then we talk about what's called the second work, which was deeper experience in the Spirit, which is called the baptism infilling or anointing of the Holy Spirit. Yes, this is the second work of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament. This experience of the Holy Spirit was not available to every believer, was it? In the Old Testament, people like individuals like Moses and Elijah Elisha, the prophets were uniquely called to fulfill a specific purpose for God experience, a special anointing of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came upon them. SPEAKER D That's right. Yeah. SPEAKER C And so at a specific time, in a specific place. The incredible thing is that the prophet Joel prophesied that one day there would become anointing of this Spirit, be available to all believers. All believers. And he prophesied about two outpourings of the Holy Spirit in Joel, chapter 20. Joel, chapter two, verse 22 to 32, about the early reign and the latter rain. So let's go and read this amazing prophecy of Joel in chapter two, verse 22 to 32. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER B And it says, do not be afraid, you beast of the field, for the open pastures are springing up, and the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yields their strength. Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the former rain faithfully, and he will cause the rain to come down for you, the former rain and the latter rain. In the first month the freshing frauds shall be full of wheat, and the VAT shall overflow with new wine and oil. So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, the chewing locust. My army which I sent among you, you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and I am the Lord your God, and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame. And it shall come to pass afterwards that I will pour out My spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. And also My men servants and My maid servants. I will pour out My spirit in those days, and I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. And in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls. SPEAKER C So we see this amazing prophecy, etienne incredible prophecy, where basically it says this early and latter reign. But in these verses, Joel also prophesies that the former reign of the Holy Spirit would take place following the time when the I Am appeared. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C In verse 23, which refers to israel's. Messiah. Jesus Christ. Remember, Jesus referred to himself as the I am the God of Israel. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C In John chapter eight, verse 58. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B And it says there in verse 58, jesus said to them, most assuredly, I say to you before Abram was I Am. SPEAKER C So who is the? I am. SPEAKER B Jesus is the I am. SPEAKER C And you remember when Moses in the burning bush, when he says, who are you, Lord? And he says, what's your name? What did he say? SPEAKER B I am, that I am. SPEAKER C That's I am. That was Jesus in the burning bush. SPEAKER B You should tell me that the I Am sent. SPEAKER C And so hence, in the New Testament times, following the appearance of the I Am or Jesus Christ in Israel, this spirit in feeling became available to more widely experienced. So every believer in Jesus Christ can now receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and jesus indicated this great outpouring of the Holy Spirit would take place soon after he ascended to the Father, when he would intercede for this to take place. So Jesus said it's better that I go yes, to go. So in John chapter 14, verse 16 to 18, that's where he makes this promise to his disciples. John, chapter 14, verse 1618, that he will come to them. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another helper, that he may abide with you forever the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. SPEAKER C So here we see this promise by Jesus that he's going to pray to the Father and send us another comforter, that he might abide with you forever the Spirit of Truth. And it says the world cannot receive it. See, the first work of the Holy Spirit is for everybody, isn't it? The Holy Spirit wants to convict everybody of sin, righteous, and the judgment to come. And the Bible says we're all sinners. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C And the penalty for sin is death. Death. So we're all sinners, and the penalty is eternal death or separation from Jesus. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin so we can go to Jesus to have forgiveness and pardon from sin. He convicts us sin so we can have pardon sin. But he talks about sending the Holy Spirit. He says the world cannot receive. So this work of the Holy Spirit is only for the believer. The world cannot receive it. It's only when you've accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and repented of your sins. SPEAKER B So what you're saying, Colin, is the first work of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit lights every man that comes into the world. And if they receive it, they can go to the next stage, and they can be converted by the Holy Spirit. And if they do that, then they can go to the next stage. But you can't jump any of those stages. You can't go to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If you have not been converted by the Holy Spirit and repented, and you can't be converted by the Holy Spirit, you have not actually allowed the Holy Spirit to work in you as he lit you up, if I can use that word, the first time you entered the yeah, yeah. SPEAKER C So Jesus said, if I be lifted up, I'll draw all men to me. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So the cross is what draws us to Jesus, the love of God through His Son on the cross, dying for our sins and paying the penalty for our sins. And the work of the Holy Spirit is to convict all people of this. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C But the second work, it says that Jesus says the world cannot receive because it neither sees him, neither knows him, but you know him, for he dwell with you. So the Holy Spirit was with them. SPEAKER B Already, and they knew him already. SPEAKER C But he says, and shall be in you. Shall means future tense. SPEAKER D Absolutely. SPEAKER C So he's talking about future tense. He says, shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. So Jesus comes to us to be with us and in us through the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B Look, that's an important point, because there may be many people who think once they know the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is with them, that that is as good as it gets. But Jesus is actually promering something more. He said, and shall be in you. So it's not that they were ignorant of the Holy Spirit. He said the world doesn't know the Holy Spirit. You know him because he's with you. So just as people have become converted and they're walking with the Lord, they will know the Holy Spirit as well. But Jesus wants to do more than that. The baptism of the Holy Spirit has been promised to us, and we can receive that even now. SPEAKER C Yeah, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Glory, because Jesus said, I'll come to you. It's Christ coming to us and living in us and through us, through the Holy Spirit. And then you have that wonderful promise where Jesus then gives the disciples just before the day of Pentecost. He says, Wait till you receive the promise from God. In Acts, chapter one, verse four to eight. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B And it says, Being assembled together with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, you have heard from me, for John, truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, saying, lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel? And he said to them it is not for you to know the times or the season which the Father has put in his own authority but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. SPEAKER C So this promise of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was talking about in John, chapter 14, he now repeats it just before he's about to go back to heaven in Acts, chapter one, verse four to eight, yes, you shall receive power. And what was the power for was to witness, to be a witness, to be a witness of the life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And so this outpouring or baptism of the Holy Spirit took place on the day of Pentecost. And the great news, it's been available to every believer in Jesus Christ since that time. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C So when the former rain and this is called the former rain, early rain baptism of the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, those who saw this event, right. What this was, Peter told them, was the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, because in Acts chapter two, verse 1418, peter stands up. And let's read that. Peter stands up because they all thought that they were drunk. It was 09:00 in the morning, and they're all just like, praying to God, and they're starting to speak in other languages, and people could understand them from all over, different countries from the world could understand in their own language the Gospel. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So all these disciples were speaking and they couldn't speak any other language. All right. They were simple men, fishermen from Galilee, and so they were speaking, and other people from all different languages could understand what they were saying, the Gospel in their own language, but people thought they were drunk. SPEAKER B Incredible. So is it possible, Colin, for people to not really be familiar with the work of the holy spirit? Not really know the Holy Spirit. And when they see the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, to think that it might be fanaticism or people are drunk or something to that effect and be totally confused by this, when this is actually a manifestation of the Spirit of God and they writing it off as something else, yes. SPEAKER C Well, it can go either way. Idiot. You remember that everything that God does, Satan will counterfeit. He has a counterfeit for every truth. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And so, obviously, does Satan want us to receive the early and latter reign of the Holy Spirit? SPEAKER B No, not at all. SPEAKER C Well, because when God's people receive the latter reign of the Holy Spirit, that's the end. Jesus returns. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Okay, what would be your strategy? Your strategy would say, hey, listen, don't let the God's people receive the latter reign of the Holy Spirit because it's all over for us. Jesus comes and that's it. SPEAKER B And if you can stop the former reign, then the latter rain won't happen for them. And of course, if you can stop conversion, then all the rest of it is taboo as well. It's not going to happen. SPEAKER C So what you do is you bring in counterfeit baptisms of the Holy Spirit that focus more on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER C The manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Now, it's true the Holy Spirit gives gifts. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C But in Corinthians one, Corinthians chapter 1112 and 13, it's the Holy Spirit that determines what gifts we get. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Not us. The Holy Spirit determines what gifts we up. And the gifts are for edifying the church, to build up the church. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C But counterfeit, satan can counterfeit the gifts of the Holy Spirit because it says that he can counterfeit miracles. Can he counterfeit miracles? Yeah. He can counterfeit false prophecy, the false teachings of God's Word, false tongues. He can counterfeit all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but he can't counterfeit the fruit of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C Love, joy and peace, because that's God's character. Love, joy, peace, patience, long suffering, temperance. He can't counterfeit that. So when we seek the true baptism, the Holy Spirit, it says here it's Christ in you. SPEAKER B So we're really talking about life and death here, because if you are drawn in by Satan's delusions and you receive what you think is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you think you've arrived, you think, well, God has approved. But that may not be the genuine article. So we have to test everything by the word of God. And that's why the Bible clearly says there in one John, chapter four, that we are to test the Spirit, because not every spirit that comes is one of God, especially the ones who don't say that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. SPEAKER C Exactly. And Jesus also that the Father is looking for. This type of worship is worship in what spirit? And truth. SPEAKER B And truth. SPEAKER C And he says, Thy word is thy truth. Jesus is the so he's looking for both, but they won't contradict each other. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C If the Holy Spirit is telling you to do something that's contrary to God's Word, that's not the Holy Spirit, that's not the Holy Spirit, they will not contradict each other. God's, Holy Spirit and God's word will work together. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Okay, so Peter gets up and he starts preaching. SPEAKER B Okay, so from verse 14 and Acts, chapter two. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words, for these are not drunk as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on My men's servants and on my maid servants, I will pour out My spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy. SPEAKER C So here is that prophecy being fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. And this was the widespread experience of the Holy Spirit for the Christian, and the Church grew to be fully under his direction and under his control. And the Spirit baptized experience is available to all Christians today. So the book of Joel and Revelation indicate there'll be a third powerful experience in the Spirit just before Jesus returns. This great outpouring of the Holy Spirit is called the Latter Rain. Remember we talked about the early rain? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C It's the start. It off. The Latter Rain is poured out just before Jesus returns, just before the harvest. The harvest is spoken of in Matthew when Jesus sends the angels just before he comes to separate the wheat from the tears, or the sheep from the goats, or the foolish virgins and the wise virgins. So there's a separation that happens before the great harvest, and the harvest is just before the harvest of the rain. So we have the first experience. Let's just recap. The first experience in the Spirit is the born again experience of accepting Christ as one Savior. Okay? The second experience in the Spirit is called the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or the early reign of the Holy Spirit, which has been available for all Christians since Pentecost. And the third experience in the Holy Spirit is called the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Now, the early reign baptism of the Holy Spirit and the latter reign of the Holy Spirit are similar in many, many ways. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C You remember how did the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred? In an answer to what? A ten day prayer meeting that's right. Of believers fully committed to Jesus, who united in prayer for fulfillment of Jesus promise. So they came together, won a cohort and prayed for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. So I believe the third experience of the Spirit, the latter outpouring of the Holy Spirit, will also begin when God answers the prayers of fully committed last day believers who are claiming the promise of God for the latter reign, right? Yes, they prayed and asked for it, and the same. And we see in the Book of Acts too, we see the Holy Spirit was in full control of God's church under this early reign baptism of the Holy Spirit. Again, the same thing will happen at the end. During the latter reign, the church will once again be fully controlled and directed by the Holy Spirit, but with even greater, later ramp power of the Spirit manifest. SPEAKER B Incredible, such a beautiful sequence of events being explained there to us. And just coming back to that point about the harvest, in the Book of Matthew, Jesus says that as soon as the harvest is ready, the sickle is put in for the harvest. So what happens is when the outpouring of the lateral rain takes place and it matures the harvest and the fruit is ready, immediately the sickle will be put in. So we know from the outpouring of the lateral rain to the coming of Jesus, it's not a long period of. SPEAKER C Time, not at all. However, though, if we don't grow in that early rain, Holy Spirit, we won't be ready for the latter. You know, my appeal to people listening is to seek the early reign. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Daily baptism, the Holy Spirit of Christ sending you the hope of glory. Pray for it, ask for it and it's know. Peter preached his first sermon and it says that they were cut to the heart. They were cut to the heart and they said, what shall we do first? He said, Repent, then be baptized, and you too shall receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. And so the term being baptized in the Greek means to be immersed, the word so, the ceremonial water immersion. Jesus commanded all believers to participate in the evidence of their bornagain experience in baptism by water in Matthew 20 819. And that's what the word means. Immersed means to be baptism. So we're to be baptized or immersed in water? Yes, it's the Holy Spirit that brings about the born again experience, which leads to water immersion or baptism and baptized experience for individuals. When the individual accepts Christ under the Holy Spirit's convicting power, they become part or a member of the body of Christ. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER C Paul describes that in One Corinthians, chapter twelve, we become one body, but we have many members. Yes, many members, but we're one body baptized into Christ, and the church is part of the body. Christ is the head and the church is the body. You can't separate them. That's why if you're baptized in the church, you're baptizing the Christ, you cut the head off the body from the head, then you separate it. SPEAKER B We separate the head and go, well, I'll join some other body. SPEAKER C That's right. So the word baptize is used because the new believer is placed to or immersed into the body of Christ by the Spirit. You can read about that in One Corinthians, chapter twelve, verse twelve and 14. Therefore, an individual becomes part of the body of Christ or church is called a baptism. And this baptism, of course, is different from water baptism. The baptism of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C John the Baptist referred to Jesus, baptizing us with the Holy Spirit. With what? With fire. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C So you got water and fire because he said, didn't he? In Matthew, chapter three, verse eleven. In Matthew, chapter three, verse eleven, what did John say? SPEAKER B Did indeed I baptize you with water unto repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. But he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. SPEAKER C So there you go. So John's saying, talking about water baptism for repentance, you repent and you're baptized. It's like dying to self, being born again as a new person. You're dying to self, okay, yes. But then he's talking about that someone who's going to come after is going to baptize you with the Holy Spirit. And that's what happened on the day of Pentecost, and that's what's been available. So again, we have these three Holy Spirit experiences and spoken in the Bible, and each experience is more powerful than the previous because each one adds more Holy Spirit power to the believer's life and work. The first is conversion, holy Spirit conversion by the power of Holy Spirit. The second power of the Spirit is the. Early reign or baptism of the Holy Spirit. And that baptism of the Holy Spirit is so we can have power to witness, but also to transform us into the image of God back in the image of Christ. SPEAKER B Well, the whole analogy, that analogy of plants being planted and the former rain having it grow in, that that's all talking about maturity and growth as a Christian. So as we receive Christ Jesus, the Lord, we have to walk in Him. We have to grow up and become a mature plant. There are some who may feel that once you've received Jesus, once saved, always saved. But this is not what the Bible's teaching. What we see here is a growth and maturity and then finally under the former reign and growing up and then the lateral reign maturing the harvest that is representing the growth of the revelation of Christ more and more in his people until they more fully reflect his love, his grace, his power and his goodness that we can love. As Jesus loved not only God, but also our fellow man, so the glory of God will be manifest in his people. And that's what the Holy Spirit does. SPEAKER C Yeah, and it takes time. I mean, it takes time for a plant to grow. SPEAKER D Sure. SPEAKER C It's going to take time for us to grow into the likeness of Jesus. It's going to take time. That early rain is what caused the growth. Yes, the transforming power of the Holy Spirit that transforms us into the image of God, into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Because remember first John three two said, those who ready to meet Jesus will be just like Jesus. SPEAKER B Yeah, that's right. SPEAKER C They've grown under the early reign, received the latter reign, and now they reflect the character of God. So then we have now what's called the third Holy Spirit experience will be the latter reign of the Holy Spirit, which will add even more Holy Spirit power to the born again early reign spirit baptized believers'life. Also, from our discussion, we've been talking about the concept of baptism. We see that the third experience in the Spirit is called the latter reign of the you know, you could also call that the baptism of the Holy Spirit as well. However, to avoid confusion in the Bible and Christian general, use the expression baptism, Holy Spirit to refer to the early reign. Yes, okay. SPEAKER B Yeah, that makes sense. SPEAKER C So what will it be like when the third Holy Spirit experience called the latter reign outpouring the Holy Spirit takes place? Well, what we're going to do is we're going to have a look at what happened in the early reign of the Day of Pentecost. So when we closely examine what happened following the Day of Pentecost, we learned that the latter reign will be very similar, except it will be manifest more of the Holy Spirit's power in this earth than the previous outpouring. So let's look at what happened following the Pentecost as described in the biblical book The Acts of Apostles. Let's have a look and see what happened following the early reign. Experience. The Holy Spirit. Well, again, Jesus had promised the Holy Spirit in Acts chapter one, verse five to eight. We've talked about that before. When you shall wait and you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And this outpouring. The early reign began as a result of a ten day prayer meeting. Yes, ten day prayer meeting where all who participated were in one place. And there's a secret word that says and they were of one accord. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER C United in their prayerful, claiming of Jesus promise, they came together in one accord. And we can read that in Acts chapter one, verse 14. SPEAKER B These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the woman and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. SPEAKER C So it was men and women all together, one accord. What were they doing? Praying and supplication. They were asking. Yes, because Jesus said Ask and you shall receive. In Luke chapter eleven, he says Ask six times. SPEAKER B But you can also see that growth of grace in them as they praying. Because to be in one accord obviously means that the Holy Spirit is working and writing the laws of God on their hearts and in their minds. So their love for one another became more intense and more beautiful. And the expression of it actually then ended up them being all in one accord. Because how often can you get 120 people together? You put them together for ten days and someone doesn't rub the other one the wrong way. SPEAKER C Well, that's right. SPEAKER B But it doesn't happen here at Pentecost or leading up to Pentecost because they are spending time in prayer and they are actually growing in grace as God is preparing them to receive the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C That's true. That's true. So we see that they are one accord. And they were praying. All were praying. And then we look in Acts chapter two, verse two to four. As they were praying, it says they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B It also actually says there in verse one that when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And you want me to read from verse two? SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER B And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to preach with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. SPEAKER C So what happened when the early reign of the Holy Spirit was poured out in the early church? We see that the Holy Spirit accompanying the preaching of the apostles. So they started preaching and thousands of Hearers were converted and accepted Christ as their savior. I mean, on that day let's read that. Acts, chapter two, verse 37 to 38 to 41. SPEAKER B Now, when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said to them, repent. And let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. And with many other words, he testified and exhorted them, saying, be saved from this perverse generation. Then those who gladly received his word were baptized that day. About 3000 souls were added to them. SPEAKER C So, what was the first thing that Peter told him to do? SPEAKER D Repent. Yes. SPEAKER C Sometimes we go down the list and try and do all the other things. But step one is repent. Repentance? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C I mean, you can't have remission of sins unless you repent of the sins. And the great thing is, God will even give you a repentant heart. SPEAKER D Amen. It's a gift. SPEAKER C Yes, it's a gift. He'll give you a repentant heart. SPEAKER B But repentance means to renounce. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C To confess and renounce sin. And the great news is, Jesus says if we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So there we have, he's faithful to forgive, justify us and cleanse us, sanctify us of all our sins. And again we look. Now we go to Acts, chapter four, verse four. Again we hear the preaching of the Gospel. Acts, chapter four, verse four. SPEAKER B However, many of those who heard the word believed and the number of men came to be about 5000. SPEAKER C So here again, Peter and John, that the apostles, they're given the power of the Holy Spirit to do what? To witness. SPEAKER D Witness? SPEAKER C Yes, to preach and witness. And again, let's go to Acts, chapter eleven, verse 21. Acts, chapter eleven, verse 21. And we see again this powerful preaching. SPEAKER B And the hand of the Lord was with them. And a great number believed and turned to the Lord. SPEAKER C Yeah. So again, you look through the book of Acts, there is sharing, preaching and witnessing. And because of that, people were converted. And Jesus promised that, didn't he? In Acts chapter one, verse eight, he says Jesus foretold to come with the Holy Spirit power for witnessing. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C So what else do we see happen in the early church? So we see preaching and conversion and repenting. All right. But we also see the believers coming together. In Acts chapter two, verse 42, they came together and what did they do? SPEAKER B And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers. SPEAKER C So there were four elements there, wasn't there? They were studying God's Word doctrine means teachings. Teachings. So they're studying the teachings of God's Word. They were fellowshipping. That means they were together in groups. Right. They broke bread together, ate together and they prayed together. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So there is four elements for the perfect small group. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B A holy convocation. That is such a beautiful picture. SPEAKER C So you want to experience that, get your group together, repent, ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and spend time in God's Word fellowship, food and prayer. And so that's where they held to the truth and teachings of God's Word, the Bible. They already started, the whole church started from a sweet fellowship that began with a ten day prayer meeting. That's how the church began, from a ten day prayer meeting. SPEAKER D Incredible. SPEAKER C And they continued daily, united in prayerful fellowship. We also see in Acts, chapter two, verse 44 and 45, that there was a spirit of generosity in the church from the day of Pentecost. SPEAKER B Let's read that now. All who believed were together and had all things in common and sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all as anyone had need. SPEAKER C Wow. So these early Christians had no selfish ambition, did they? No greed or stinginess. The early Christians were anxious to help their fellow believers who were in need. You know why they were doing that? They were reflecting the character of Christ in every aspect of their life. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B Well, he'd given freely, hasn't he? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B The only ambition freely receive, freely give. SPEAKER C Their only ambition was to reflect the character of Christ and to build up his kingdom. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B Love to God, love to the fellow man. And that's going to include sharing the gospel so all could be saved. SPEAKER C Yeah. And they also continued daily in fellowship and prayer meetings. There's a lot of prayer meeting happening back then, it says. And they met in their temple and their homes. So they met in their homes. And today we would translate the temple in the churches. So they came together in their homes and churches. SPEAKER B Now, the love to God and love to your fellow man obviously has to have communication as the key aspect of that relationship. No communication, no relationship. So it makes sense to me that they'll spend a lot of time together in fellowship, which is one on one, and with their fellow believers. But the fact that they're praying that communication with God obviously is just as vital for that relationship and connection with the Father as well. SPEAKER C That's right. Through Jesus, they came together in their homes in the church. And that see, God created us not to be alone. He created us to be in a community, social we're social beings. Exactly. So these early believers had signaless of heart, united with one burden to know and serve Christ as well, to win others to Him. And so God brought them into favor. And then, because of this, god then brought them into favor with all the people. So read Acts chapter two, verse 46 to 47. Acts chapter two, verse 46 to 47, where God brings them all together, and they found favor with the people so. SPEAKER B Continually, daily, with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. SPEAKER C So here they were. People were being souls being won every day. God brought them into bringing favor with all the people. Also, we see that the gospel of deliverance was preached and experienced by the early believers. Acts chapter five, verse twelve to 16. We see that the sick were healed, devils were cast out, the dead were raised, and many individuals were run to one to Christ. SPEAKER B And through the hands of the apostles, many signs and wonders were done among the people, and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord and multitudes, both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also, a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed. SPEAKER C Wow. That was like that early church had the what would you say? It the health message. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B Amen. SPEAKER C They had the health message. The early church people were healed. And so here we have another church that was a gospel of deliverance was preached and experienced, and many individuals were one to Christ because of know. One of the most striking phenomena following the day of Pentecost to me is I think the book should be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER C Because the church was clearly directed by the Holy Spirit in dramatic ways. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C Let's look at a few examples. One in Acts chapter five, verse one to three. Acts, chapter five, verse one to three. He says, the Holy Spirit revealed important information to Peter about deception in the church by two individuals. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER C That's coming to God unholy. You know what I mean? People say, Come, come with reverence. Those two people didn't come with reverence. SPEAKER B No. They thought they could lie to God and get away with it, but God knows everything. SPEAKER C That's right. You come to God with a repentant heart. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C Okay. So he revealed important information to Peter about the deception of the Church. In Acts chapter five, verse 17 and 20, you see an angel intervene for the progress of the church when Peter was delivered from prison. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C What's amazing to me is, before Pentecost, Peter was like, fearful, and he split. He said, yeah, I'll be there for you, Jesus. But he split and denied him three times. It was very self assured. SPEAKER B He was. SPEAKER C And it says in Acts, sorry, John, chapter 20, that disciples were huddled with fear of the Jews. But here we see Peter. When you read the story of Peter in Acts chapter five, verse seven and 20, peter was sleeping calmly before the night before he was going to be executed. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C Slept like a baby. SPEAKER B Incredible. SPEAKER C There's the change when he was baptized with the Holy Spirit. We also see in Acts chapter eight that the angel Lord and the Holy Spirit spoke directions to Philip concerning an Ethiopian to whom God wanted the Gospel he taught. He said, go there, unpack the gospel. And then next minute he's opened up the Gospel and then he was baptized. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So he directed Philip to the Ethiopian. We see in Acts chapter eleven, verse twelve, that the Holy Spirit related specific directions to Peter concerning God's acceptance of gentle believers. Remember, he gave him a dream. That's right, a dream. Because the Jews wouldn't associate with the Gentiles in anything. They just were separate. And so God gives him a dream about this sheet of animals and goes, Peter, eat. And Peter had never eaten any unclean animals in his life, but God was showing them because the Jews looked at the Gentiles as being unclean. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C And God was showing a picture of food. Some people think, oh, that means we can eat anything has nothing to do with it. The whole dream that he gave him was a vision about the Gentiles. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C Not being unclean anymore, they were accepted as into part of spiritual Israel. So you have Peter concerning the acceptment of Gentile believers. In Acts chapter eleven, verse twelve, also, we see the gift of prophecy was in operation in the early church. The early church had the gift of prophecy. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C In Acts chapter eleven, verse 27 to 28 and 21 and nine, we see the gift of the holy. The gift of prophecy was in the early church. And I believe the gift of prophecy will be in God's last day church as well. SPEAKER B Okay. SPEAKER C Because you can read it around it in Revelations. It says that yeah. SPEAKER B Chapter 1217. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C It says that they'll keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of. SPEAKER B Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy in Revelation, 1910. SPEAKER C That's right. Is the gift of prophecy in the last day church. We also see that in Acts chapter 13, verse two. Acts 13, verse two, that the Holy Spirit told the church to set aside Barnabas and Saul for the work he had called them to do. So the Holy Spirit separated people for specific special work. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And so in the last days, God will set aside men and women for specific work in the church. That might be different lines of work it won't be all the same. Everyone will be specific, different lines of work that God will call men in to do in the last days. We also see that a very important council that convened in Jerusalem to determine what was to be required of the new gentle believers was directed by the Holy Spirit. In Acts chapter 15, the early church had disputes. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C They were run by men and women, you know what I mean, by men. And they had a lot of baggage from Israel, all the rules and regulations and that that they wanted to bring along. Okay. And so there were some disputes about circumcision. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Should the gentiles be circumcised? And so they had a council, and the Holy Spirit directed them to speak, and they made a decision, and everybody abided by that decision. Now, I'm sure there were some people in that who didn't agree with that, but they abided by the decision led by the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yeah, that's right. SPEAKER C Yeah. So we also have the Holy Spirit. In Acts chapter 16, verses six to ten, the Holy Spirit intervened to stop a planned missionary journey and gave a vision to direct where to go to Paul. He says, don't go there. Yes, go here instead. So the Holy Spirit directed where they were even to go. Sometimes the Bible talks about opening doors and closing doors, that's the Holy Spirit closes doors. I don't want you to go there. And he opens other doors and says, this is where I want you to go, and it might be necessary where you want to go. SPEAKER D Sure. SPEAKER C But usually he closes doors and then opens doors for who he wants you to go. SPEAKER B What a great concept that God leads in that way. If we just pray, Lord, open and close doors according to Your will in my life, then we realize that God will deliver on that promise and he will lead us where he wants us to be. And the funny thing is, if we enjoy our close connection with the Lord through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, wherever God wants us to be is going to be the happiest place on the earth for us. SPEAKER C That's right. God's got worked for us and planned for us to go there. There's reasons, and I'm sure every Christian today I know long, you know, we've read the Book of Acts. We long for the manifestation of the Holy Spirit to be in our life, in our church, like it was in the early church. SPEAKER B We do. SPEAKER C And the good news is that the Holy Spirit wants to manifest his early reign power in our churches today. And secondly, the Holy Spirit wants to manifest even more powerful ways when the latter rain, the Holy Spirit is poured out in God's church. So what's going to happen when the latter rain experience of the Holy Spirit takes place? What's going to happen in these last days? Well, let's go to the Bible and see what the Bible says in Revelations, chapter 18, verse one. It describes this event, all right, of the latter reign of the Holy Spirit being poured out just before Jesus returns. Let's read that. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER B Verse one of Revelation, chapter 18. After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of a luxury. And I heard another voice from heaven saying, come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins and lest you receive of her plagues. SPEAKER C So here is this picture of another angel coming down from heaven, all right, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. SPEAKER A Now. SPEAKER C What is God's glory? SPEAKER B It's his character. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER B His goodness. SPEAKER C And an angel is a messenger. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So this message that goes out to the world. Right. And it's through people that God works through. SPEAKER B Absolutely. SPEAKER C And it says he calls people Babylon has fallen. Here is a repeat of what's called the three angels messages in Revelations 14, verse six to twelve. The third angel's message yes. Is repeated with mighty power of the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. And it's a call to come out of Babylon. And it says here in verse four, come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins unless you receive her plagues. And so here's a call for the people who are preaching the thrones message in power to call people out of Babylon, which is confusion about the character of God. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And so most of God's people are in Babylon according to this verse. And so here's a call to come out of Babylon and describes being lighted with God's glory, which is his character being seen 100% in his people. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So this prophecy foretells a time when a great revival and reformation will take place amongst God's people. What will happen, Eddie, and is Christ's character will be fully reflected in their lives. But how will this happen? It will happen as a result of God's people being filled with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C In two Corinthians, chapter three, verse 18, talks about us being transformed into the image of God, into his character, from glory to glory. Glory. Two corinthians 318. You want to read that? It's a beautiful verse. SPEAKER B I can. And just as we go to that, I was just looking at that first verse there in Revelation 18, which talks about this incredible angel having great authority and that the whole earth is illuminated with his glory. Now, that ties in beauty with the first angel's message where it says, fear God and give glory to Him for the hour of his judgment has come, and worship Him who made heavens and earth, the sea and the springs of waters. SPEAKER C You're talking about the three angels message that it goes to the whole world before the harvest. SPEAKER D That's right. Yeah. SPEAKER C This lasts message, and it says that judgment figure because his hour of his judgment has come, has come. And we will unpack that a minute. When did that start, that judgment start? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Because there's a time prophecy in the Bible called the 2300 year time prophecy that tells us when the hour of his judgment, god's judgment, begins, because it has to begin before the Second Coming, because when he comes, he's rewarding everyone. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C His rewards are given. So the judgment has to happen before Jesus comes. All right. SPEAKER B It is during this judgment hour that we are to give glory to God. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER B But then it says there in Revelation 18, under the latter rain being poured out, that the whole earth is illuminated with that glory. SPEAKER C Amen. So let's look at two Corinthians 318. SPEAKER B But we all with unveiled face, behold, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image. So it's talking about the glory of the Lord being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. Just as by the Spirit of the Lord. SPEAKER C So the Holy Spirit there is transforming us into glory to glory or character to character. There's that process. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Remember the early rain yes. Causes the plant to grow as a process, and we grow into the image of God. So what happens is there will be three ingredients that brought the early rain experience to fruition. The church were one, what were the three ingredients? We need a people who are 100% committed to Christ. Two, they were a praying church, and three, they were a church that were baptized with the Holy Spirit. And again, I believe the three ingredients that will enable the latter rain experience to take place in the church during God's end time work. These three ingredients are identical to those of the early run. One, a people 100% committed to Jesus Christ, a praying church praying people, and a people who have received the infilling of the early reign and are prepared and grown in ready Forness for the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Because the latter reign of the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary for God's people to experience. And it's this latter reign, spiritual reign, that will bring them to the spiritual condition to be able to stand in the presence of Christ in all his glory. Remember, when Jesus comes, he's coming with all his glory. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And all his angels with him. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Hundreds of millions of them. And you remember when one angel appeared to the Roman soldiers. They felt like dead men. Remember hundreds of millions of angels and Christ coming with all his glory. It says the wicked in Revelation six will be destroyed by the brightness of his coming, of his glory. And so God's people, to be able to stand the presence of Christ in all his glory and not be consumed, need to experience both the early reign and the latter reign, holy Spirit to reach this level of personal growth in Christ where Christ has seen 100% in their life. And so I'm looking forward to that day and I just pray and I hope everyone who's listening out there that you begin to prepare for the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. It comes with conversion, repentance, being baptized with the Holy Spirit daily with the early reign. And if you do this, you'll be transformed into the image of God and you'll prepare for the latter reign and Christ's second coming. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER B Look, I personally believe that we have been living in the time of the former rain for a long time, and also believe that currently we're living in the time of the latter rain. However, God cannot pour it out on us until we receive the baptism of the former rain, and that matures the plant so that ladder rain can come. In Zechariah, chapter ten and verse one, we have this beautiful statement that tells us to pray and to ask for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and says, ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds. He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone. So, dear listener, as you've been listening to this program today, we pray that you have been blessed by it. That is your desire, just like it is Collins and mine. To be filled with the fullness of the former rain, to prepare our hearts and to be open and receptive that when God does pour out the latter rain just before the harvest, that we will be those who have our hearts ready and prepared to receive it. Now, if you would like more information on this, there are a couple of books that are available to you and you can contact us here at Three ABN, Australia. Or you can go to your nearest Adventist Book Center to find those books. The first one is steps to personal revival being filled with the Holy Spirit by Helmut. Haubeil. That is a great book. And then of course, the book that we're using here for our programs. It's called 50 days prayers and devotionals to prepare for the latter reign and Christ return. Now, for more information, please contact us here at Three ABN, Australia radio by phoning us on. You can email us at [email protected] you're welcome to contact us on our website, or you can even go to our Facebook page, like our Facebook page. And you can even send us a message there if you like. So thank you for joining us today, and 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, both the former reign to prepare for the time of the latter reign. And then we will be effective witnesses, just like the disciples of old were in that day when all fear was gone and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, with power. And the love of God was the unction and the motivating force that drove them. So we look forward to catching up with you next time. SPEAKER C You'Ve been listening to a production of three ABN Australia radio.