An Observable Difference

SPEAKER B Welcome to. You shall receive power. I'm Ettienne McClintock and with me in the studio is Colin Hone. He's international director and speaker for Holy Spirit Ministries and also the distributor for the book 50 Days Prayers and Devotionals to prepare for the latter reign and Christ's Return by Pastor Dennis Smith. Our current series is based on this daily devotionals that you'll find in this book. But just before we get into our discussion, please join us as we pray. Gracious Father in Heaven, we just come before you to dedicate this time to you. We pray that you will please bless this program. Bless us with the comfort of your Holy Spirit and lead us in our understanding. Bless the person listening as well, Father. And we ask this in Jesus name, amen. The name of the program is you shall receive power. And it is based on the words that we find of Jesus recorded in Acts chapter one, verse eight, where Jesus said, 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, I'm looking forward to the journey that we have embarked on so far today. We're covering lesson two. So what is lesson two about? SPEAKER C Well, today it's great to be here again. Today we're going to talk about lesson two is an observable difference. So we're looking at what was the difference between Christians who are spirit filled and what the Bible says in the book of Bible carnal Christians. And so there is a difference and we can talk about that more. SPEAKER B Yeah, definite difference. Yeah. Looking forward to what we're going to discover as we work through this program. Yeah. SPEAKER C So as one reads the Book of Acts, one fact stands out above all others. The church grew phenomenally. And immediately after the day of Pentecost, you remember on the day of Pentecost, peter preached a sermon where he basically says that Jesus is the Christ, he's the Messiah that the Jews had been waiting for all those years and that they had crucified the Messiah. And it says that they were cut to the heart in Acts chapter two, they were cut to the heart because they realized they'd put Jesus on the cross. And we too, when we realized that Jesus went to the cross for you and me and everybody on this earth, that when we realized he went to the cross for each one of us that should cut us to the heart. And then they asked Peter said, what should we do? And Peter says, Repent, be baptized and you too shall receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B Yeah. That is so beautiful. Yeah. God is a God of justice, but he's also a God of mercy and grace. And as we look at that, if God was just going to be merciful and just say to Adam and Eve in those early stages, I forgive you. And then he ignored his justice. He would deny who he was. Now, if he was to deny his grace and his mercy and just stick to the justice part and he killed them that day, we wouldn't have a revelation of the other part of his character. So those two come together, they kiss together, and there was only one way that God could satisfy that justice and also that mercy component of his character, and that was through the cross of Christ. So when they heard that message and the Holy Spirit obviously impressed it on their hearts, it says they were cut to their hearts. And that's what we want the Holy Spirit to do. Even through these programs and even in our daily lives, we want God to impress to us the ignominy of sin, how horrendous it is and how much it costs God to save us. So you couldn't deny his character, both justice, his mercy, his grace. And we see that happening in the Day of Pentecost. SPEAKER C Absolutely. And we too, when we realize that we put Jesus on that cross, he paid the penalty for our sins. When Jesus stepped down from heaven and became one of us and went through what he went through because he loved us and want us to spend eternity with Him, he wanted to restore us back into the image, but he needed to pay the penalty for our sins. A death was required. And it was only the death of the Son of God that could pay that penalty. That should cut us to the heart too, and lead us to say, what shall I do? And Peter said, Repent is the first step, is to repent and then ask God to be filled with the Holy Spirit. So we see that after that sermon where Peter himself had just been baptized with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, that the Spirit took charge of the work of God and thousands were converted to Jesus Christ. I mean, 3000 in one day. SPEAKER B Incredible. SPEAKER C But can you imagine if your church, you preached a sermon and 3000 people joined the church in one day? SPEAKER B Most churches won't be able to cope with all the influx of people. Wouldn't that be a wonderful problem? SPEAKER C It would be a wonderful problem to have. And such tremendous growth caused some problems, didn't it? You can see that that even in Acts chapter six, informs us that some of the widows were neglected in the daily administration. So let's turn to Acts chapter six, verse three. SPEAKER B Okay, I've got it. Here. It says that they had to pick people who were qualified, who had good reputation and were full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom. So the apostles say there for them, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. So the business was neglected. They were saying it was growing so fast, there's some things we're dropping by the wayside through the Holy Spirit. They were convicted that they needed more support and help and then they had to look for people with specific qualifications. SPEAKER C That's right. And the disciples realized that what was going on and they caught a meeting and said, look, we got to do something about this. And they said, it's not good for us to leave the preaching of the word, what they were doing and preaching the gospel to do other work. So they came together and they says they took seven men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, who we may appoint over this business. So there was three qualifications there and let's unpack that. So the first thing is they had to be honest report. Well, how would they have known if they're honest report? Then there'd been a observable difference with these men that they were honest people. SPEAKER B Honest people? Yeah. That's the King James honest report. The new King James is of good reputation. SPEAKER C Yes. So they had a good reputation. It also says they were full of the Holy Ghost. Interesting. And also they had wisdom. They had the gift of wisdom. So they filled the Holy Spirit and also had the gift of wisdom, which was a spiritual gift. SPEAKER B Yeah. And I think even we are all admonished in the book of James, I think it's James chapter one, where it says that if anybody lacks wisdom, let he ask. And not to be doubting when he asks, but to ask with confidence because God will give. So God is willing and able to bless us with the gift of wisdom as well when we receive the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C That's right. So such qualifications must have been observable in order to use them as guidelines. So there must have been some observable differences between them and others. Hence the qualification of being filled with the Holy Spirit must have been observable as well. So I guess some people might argue and say, like, isn't every believer filled with the Holy Spirit at baptism? SPEAKER B Yeah, good question. SPEAKER C Apparently not. Otherwise the qualification of Holy Spirit filling for the position of deacon would have been redundant. SPEAKER B Well, there were thousands of people there that had been baptized already, but now they're seeking out for seven people who had these qualifications, baptized with the Holy Spirit, full of wisdom, people with a good reputation. So there must have been an observable difference. SPEAKER C There was, there was. Like, for example, let's say one was choosing men for a job. Say we're going to choose men for a job and all men had blue eyes. It would be redundant to tell someone to select only men with blue eyes. That's true, because everyone has blue eyes. So there was an observable difference. And so the experience of the Samaritan believers seemed to verify the fact that not all baptized believers are filled with the Holy Spirit at their water baptism. So even though 3000 people were baptized that day yes. Not all were necessarily filled with the Holy Spirit or the baptism Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit obviously convicted them of sin, led them to repentance, and they were baptized in water, which is for repentance. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C And we can see that in Acts chapter eight when we read when Philip baptized a number of men and women, the disciple in Jerusalem heard about it and sent Peter and John to Samaria. So let's look at the book of Acts chapter eight and verse 15. So what happened is the church was being persecuted and the believers in Jerusalem started spreading out to take the Gospel. So Philip has gone down to Samaria. So let's just take it from verse five. Acts, chapter five. SPEAKER B So Acts chapter eight from verse five. SPEAKER C Yeah, let's go to Acts chapter five and let's have a look what actually happened. And then we'll unpack that. SPEAKER B So it says, Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip. So there's a lot of people here, isn't there, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. So Philip obviously was filled with the Holy Spirit. There's no question about it. Yes. For unclean spirits crying with a loud voice came out of many who were possessed and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. So there's spiritual deliverance and there's physical deliverance and healing. And there was great joy in that city. Can you imagine that? But there was a certain man called Simon who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great. So this person was driven by ego, obviously, and he had some sort of powers, it says, to whom they all gave heed from the least to the greatest, saying this man is the great power of God. So they assumed that what, this guy had came from God? Yes. And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. Sorceries gives it away. It's not the powers of light, it's the powers of darkness working with them. But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed and he was baptized. He continued with Philip and was amazed seeing the miracles and signs which were done. Now, when the apostles who were in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. So in other words, they were converted, they were baptized, they had received the word of God. You can't say these weren't people of children of God, they'd received it. But there was one thing lacking because when the apostles come down it says they had not received the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C Yet for it, yet he has fallen upon none of them. They're only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. SPEAKER B Wow. SPEAKER C So what did they do? SPEAKER B So verse 17 then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C So amazingly so here are people who had accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord. SPEAKER B And Savior, preached by a person filled with the Holy Spirit, philip. SPEAKER C Philip. And Philip was interesting, was one of the seven deacons. SPEAKER B Wow. SPEAKER C Just like Stephen. And you go and see what happened to Stephen and you look at what happened to Philip. So they just weren't waiting on tables, they were preaching the Gospel. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C You look at Stephen, you look at the preaching of Stephen, one of the deacons in Acts chapter six, verse eight, and says, and Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C And then he stands up and defends Jesus as the Messiah in front of the whole Jewish council and leaders. SPEAKER B He obviously had so much power in his message there that they obviously didn't like it and it ended up costing him his life. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER B But this also goes with that text there in Revelation chapter twelve, verse eleven, where it says and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives unto death. And Stephen is a prime example of that. SPEAKER C So we see an observable difference between Philip, who was one of the deacons, and Stephen as one of the deacons. And it wasn't just to wait on tables and to look after the poor, but they also went out and preached the Gospel. I mean Philip himself went down to Samaria and was preaching the Gospel and many people were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. SPEAKER B Sounds like the whole city was in commotion there and in a good way. Yes. And praising God. And they said the whole city was filled with joy because of what had happened there under Philip's preaching and ministry. SPEAKER C And it says there in a verse, they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost. So this experience with the Samaritan believers seems to verify the fact that not all baptized believers are filled with the Holy Spirit at water baptism. And so as we read that Philip baptized a number of men and women and the disciples came down and prayed for them and they laid hands on and then it says, and then they received the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit. So when you think about this in the selection of these seven deacons, men who were not known to be filled with the Holy Spirit were not selected. SPEAKER B Yeah, that makes sense. Absolutely. SPEAKER C Hence being filled with the Holy spirit was something distinct and observable. SPEAKER B So there's something different about them versus those who weren't filled with the Spirit. And you're saying observable so that yeah, you'd be able to see it. SPEAKER C And so you saw those things, but let's unpack what were some of the fruits of the Spirit that we could see them in. Galatians 522 tells us what are some of the fruits of the Spirit? SPEAKER B Yes, I've got it here. Galatians 522 says, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Against such there is no law. SPEAKER C Now, would you say that Jesus had the fruit of the Spirit? SPEAKER B Absolutely. SPEAKER C He had all those fruit of the Spirit because Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. Even Jesus himself was baptized with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B That's right, yeah. SPEAKER C An answer to prayer. Just like back in Acts chapter eight, it says they prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. In Acts chapter eight, verse 15, it says they prayed for them. Jesus prayed for the Holy Spirit and he was filled. The Holy Spirit? Before that day. We don't hear much about the ministry of Jesus. You hear a couple of things. We went to Jerusalem as a twelve year old and he was sitting there with the Pharisees and the leaders and they were just amazed at his wisdom for a twelve year old boy. But apart from that, you don't hear much about Jesus ministry. But when he was baptized with the Holy Spirit, then his ministry began. His three and a half year ministry began in power. He even went out into the desert straight afterwards and faced temptations and fasted and prayed for 40 days and faced the temptations by the devil. So we even see it in Jesus life. Himself was baptized with Holy Spirit. And when people are baptized with the Holy Spirit, there is an observable difference, and God can use you in a mighty powerful way. SPEAKER B It's incredible. It reminds me of King Saul, the first King of Israel, where God said to him, you'll be an entirely different person when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And we know, of course, the Holy Spirit came upon Him early in his ministry as a king. Yes. And he prophesied. And then just before he died, the Holy Spirit came upon Him again and he prophesied. But in between we don't hear much because he denied the Spirit and didn't walk with God like you ought to have. SPEAKER C Well, the Bible says we can also grieve the Holy Spirit. So even after you have filled and received the baptism of the Holy Spirit or infilling the Holy Spirit, you can grieve it. That's why Paul admonishes us in Ephesians to keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit. Do not be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit. And he's using the Greek verb as a continuous action. It's not a one time. It's a continuous action. We're like leaky vessels. And so we see that in Philip's life, in Stephen's life, we see it in Jesus life. We see in the apostles life that people were filled with the Holy Spirit. Also another in Ephesians five nine, it also says, the fruit of the Spirit is let's read there, Ephesians chapter five. SPEAKER B Ephesians five, verse nine. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth. SPEAKER C So we received Jesus goodness, truth and his righteous through the Holy Spirit. He's imparted righteousness through the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit. Because the baptism, the Holy Spirit is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It's Jesus wanting to live out his life in and through us. And obviously if Jesus had the fruit of the Spirit, then if he's living in us and we're filled the Spirit, we'll also have the fruit of the Spirit to be seen more and more in our lives. SPEAKER B Yeah, well, this is quite incredible because these men are different because it was obviously observable. That's how they selected the seven, because there was something different about them. But I don't know if these men necessarily were born with those character traits. I mean, Jesus was very clear that you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. King Saul was told there'd be a totally different person. So these people were transformed by the Holy Spirit. So there might be some people out there listening today, Colin, that might be wondering, well, look, I'm not anything like any of these people. I'm not as good, I'm not as righteous. I get angry, I have road rage while I'm driving around. Perhaps even people listening now at the moment driving in their car. And I've got a text there in One Corinthians chapter six, which has been a great encouragement to me and I'm pretty sure as you hear it, it will be encouragement to you as well. One Corinthians chapter six and verse eleven is a little phrase that says, and such were some of you. In other words, people used to be something, but they are no longer something. And I just want to read what those things were that they were previously, that they are no longer. And from verse nine we have this reading where it says, do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? So it's very clear if you're unrighteous you can't inherit God's kingdom. Then it says, do not be deceived neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revelers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And then these few words, and such were some of you. In other words, they were all those things. And there's a list of bad people there, isn't it? But they're saying that God has transformed them. And then we read, and such were some of you, but you were washed but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus so that the people there in Samaria were baptized in the name of Lord Jesus. So they were washed and sanctified in the name of Lord Jesus. And then the second part of that verse, and by the Spirit of our God. So the name of the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of God have to work hand in hand and while we can be baptized in the Spirit and that can transform and change our lives, the second component, that the bigger component to receive power as Jesus has promised, is that baptism of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C Absolutely. And even Jesus said, you shall know them by their fruits. Yes, the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, temperance, long suffering, righteousness and goodness which we receive through the Holy Spirit. Now, interesting that in one Corinthians, chapter twelve, or 1112 and 13, paul had to deal with the Corinthian believers. And their focus was they were so focused on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, right, that Paul had to admonish them and bring them back and say, you need the fruit of the Spirit. SPEAKER B That's true. So he had to do a bit of writing there. SPEAKER C He had to tell him, know, though I speak with tongues and men of angels and have not charity, I'm becoming a sounding brass or a tinkling symbol. You can say, you can have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge. And though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing. And he says the most important thing to have out of everything is love. Because the Bible says that God is love and it actually says the fruit of the Spirit, not fruits of the Spirit. And it says the fruit of the Spirit is love. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C So when you have God's love in your heart, the fruit of the Spirit, you have his joy, his peace, his patience, his long suffering, his temperance, his goodness and his righteousness. SPEAKER B As Paul says there in Romans chapter 13 and verse ten, love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore, love, the gape love of God is the fulfilling of the law. SPEAKER C It also says that God's love is poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Yes, he does. SPEAKER B Yeah. Romans, chapter five and verse five. That's right. And it's poured out in the Holy Spirit, in our lives through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. So it's a gift from God. It's just an incredible gift, isn't it? SPEAKER C An amazing gift. SPEAKER B But this aspect that you brought out here about Paul having to admonish the people, the believers in Corinthians about not focusing on the work side of things but actually on the spirit side of things. The fruits of the spirit. Very important because even in Galatians he writes to the Galatians and he says that someone has delivered another gospel to you which is not the gospel. So somehow they had been distracted by an alternative gospel, which was more works based, focused. It was no longer works of faith, it was now. They were trying to make themselves right and just by the works of the law. And in Galatians, chapter three, there in verse one, paul actually speaks very directly to them. He says, oh, foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? So even today, Colin, as we're talking about this and people are listening out there, it's not trying to make yourself righteous to try and make yourself just. It is by belief and faith in God's promises that we are to receive the Holy Spirit just like the people in Galatians did. And then he says there in verse three, are you sure? No foolish having begun in the Spirit, that you are now being made perfect in the flesh? So it's clear that our flesh can't save us, our flesh can't be made perfect. We are to deny the flesh and we are to take up our cross and follow Jesus. And it is only through belief in the promises of a God, belief in the promise of receiving power through the Holy Spirit that we will receive the Holy Spirit. Not by trying to make ourselves better, not trying to maybe some of those things in the list there in one Corinthians six is something that you can relate to and say, well, I'm going to stop doing it, then I'll come to the Lord. Come to the Lord as you are. And the Lord has promised that he will transform and change you, and he will not only convert you and bring you into relationship with Him, but he'll also give you the power of the Holy Spirit when you are baptized with the power of God. SPEAKER C That's right. So as we see back in Corinthians, they had a problem where they were focusing on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They were so focused on that that they'd forgotten where the gift of the fruit of the Spirit had come by. And Paul's saying, this is more important. All these things will pass away. Gift of tongues, prophecy. Prophecy will pass away, will all pass away, and we should desire that. And he said the greatest gift of all to desire of those things was prophecy anyway. But he said, what you need is, you need love, and that can only come from God. You need righteousness that only can come from God. These are all the fruit of the Spirit that comes from God. And so it's not something you can try to attain to be righteous, to be good it is a gift from God. SPEAKER B It's a gift. SPEAKER C It's a wonderful gift from God, and it's a promise to all believers. If we ask that God will give us our part, what is our part? SPEAKER B Well, I think last lesson we looked at, Colin, it says that God is more willing to give us the Holy Spirit than parents are to give gifts to their children. Now, I know a lot of parents delight in giving things to their kids and love the delight they see in their children when they receive these gifts, and God is more eager and more willing to give it. So the thing that actually stops us from receiving it is obviously asking for it in faith and expecting that God would deliver on his promise. SPEAKER C That's right. And in John chapter seven, verse 37 to 39, john, chapter seven, verse 37 to 39, jesus says something amazing about the promise of the Holy Spirit. He says, if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this he spoke concerning the Spirit. So isn't it amazing where he says rivers of living water will flow from within the heart? So where is God's love poured out? On our heart? SPEAKER B In our heart. SPEAKER C What else does God want to write on our mind and our hearts? SPEAKER B Well, probably the law of love, I'd. SPEAKER C Say, would be that's right? Yeah. Well, in Hebrews chapter eight and ten, it says that the Holy Spirit wants to write God's law, the Ten Commandments, on our mind and in our hearts. And so he's writing which and God's law is a transcript of his character. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C And God is love, so he wants to write that on our hearts. And amazingly, I look back at the Old Testament in Ezekiel, chapter 47, there's this picture of a great temple that Ezekiel has a vision, and he says out of the east side of this temple, it says a trickle of water flows and then turns into a river. And it says it brings healing wherever it goes, and it pours out into the sea. And we know in God's word that the sea represents the multitudes of people. So Jesus equated this Holy Spirit of rivers of living water will flow from within us. And the temple in the Old Testament where this trickle of water turned into a mighty river and brought healing to the nations. So what Jesus is saying here is when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, that rivers of living water will flow from within us and will bring healing to the nations or those around us. SPEAKER B That's the Elijah message. That's the message that prepares the world for Jesus soon return, isn't it? SPEAKER C Well, he turns the Father's hearts to the Son and the Son's hearts to the Father. That's beautiful. So we see that the selection of the seven deacons. They were known to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Hence, so being filled with the Holy Spirit was something distinct and observable. And they also seemed to be honest as well. And their lives, were they're also having victorious lives under the power of the Holy Spirit? SPEAKER B Sure. SPEAKER C I can only just tell my own experience that for twelve years as a Christian, I wasn't praying for the daily baptism of Holy Spirit or Holy Spirit. I thought I automatically got it at baptism and water. But what I found is I never had really victory over sin in my life, hardly ever read the Bible, I hardly ever prayed, and I never led one person to Jesus in twelve years as a Christian. And then when I started praying for the Baptist and the Holy Spirit every day, similar things started happening to me that happened to Philip and Stephen. I started seeing victory over sin in my life. I started seeing Jesus manifesting the fruits in my life more and more. And it's a process. It's a process. We're changed into his image from glory to glory, from one stage to another. And then even God then has led me to do Bible studies with people and lead people to Jesus and do even speak and preach for Him around the world. SPEAKER B Well, the promise there in Acts chapter one, verse eight, that we will receive power is that we will be witnesses to the Lord anywhere around the world, wherever we find ourselves. I think we need to bloom where we are planted. And it's the Spirit of God that gives us the desire, once we've been saved, to look at sharing the Gospel. Let those waters flow through us. And as we've been healed, let the Spirit that healed us work and speak through us to heal others as well. SPEAKER C It reminds me of a story of this 13 year old ruffian boy in Germany. And this new student came to a school and with a few days the peace was gone in the school and there was like started fighting. SPEAKER B One kid made such a big difference. SPEAKER C In the school, this 13 year old boy, and he was the biggest of all the children and he was pretty strong. And what happens is this lady, this teacher had learned about being filled with the Holy Spirit and this great book called Steps to Personal Revival, right? And so what she did is she gave him the book and the boy read the book. And this book boy was always in fights every day. And so he read the book and then basically gradually he started stop fighting. And it completely changed as he started praying himself, praying for the influence in the Holy Spirit. And so just an incredible story of a change from just a 13 year old boy who comes to a school, is always in fights and causing trouble, and then all of a sudden, the boy starts having patience, which is one of the fruit of spirit, because he started asking for the daily baptism holy Spirit. And everything changed for that boy. SPEAKER B Look, I recently heard a story, a powerful story. There was a young man who lives in America. He'd been over to the Middle East and had got involved with some radical thoughts and ideas of Islam. He was actually a Muslim. And what happened is he'd come back to America and he was planning some aggressive action towards people there because of his dissatisfaction with the world and that he was looking for meaning and ISIS gave him meaning. So a person actually came there and shared with him the Gospel, but not from a standard perspective. He actually went to the beatitudes. The thoughts that Jesus proclaimed on the mount there in Matthew chapter five, and he brought out this point that the ones that are blessed are the peacemakers and just. That is almost like scales came off his eyes and he transformed and changed his life. Now he's an activist for peace, and the power of God's word was actually able to transform and change his life. I mean, none of us claim we know that God transforms and change our lives and he keeps us from doing the wrong things because we've surrendered to Him. And the Spirit of God is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless. But it's not our own righteousness. We're all sinners saved by grace. We don't claim any merit in anything that we can do. Even after the Holy Spirit comes into our lives and transforms and changes us, it's still the work and the power of God. And we just simply cooperate with God from beginning to end. And we do this by faith, by believing the word of God. SPEAKER C And it's also a problem as well as the world. As they're looking in at the church, they're seeing different groups of people within the church. The Bible talks about that. It says in Romans chapter eight and verse five, the Bible is, you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and you do not receive because you ask amiss according to the carnal mind. So he's talking to Christians who are asking according to the carnal mind. And in James four two, it says that you may spend it on your pleasures. And so our Lord Jesus invited us, lovingly and sistently, to ask for the Holy Ghost. In Luke chapter eleven, remember, the disciples came down and they see Jesus and they see all the incredible things that Jesus was doing and they said, Teach us to pray. They connected prayer with the power that Christ had. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C And then Christ in Luke chapter eleven, unpacks that and tells them a story. He gives us the Lord's Prayer and says, this is how you should pray. Then he has a parable about the next door neighbor going ask for bread. And we got to keep asking and if you look in Luke chapter eleven about seven or eight, nine times, ask. Keep ask. Be persistent. Yes, be persistent. And so what happens is we talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet we receive no benefit. And the reason we don't receive the benefit is because we don't surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by the divine agencies. We want to control the Holy Spirit to do what we want. SPEAKER B Right? And it should be the other way around. SPEAKER C We're to ask the Holy Spirit to do with us what he wants. Yeah, it's so true. SPEAKER B It's about surrender. And the other thing is know you're talking about the importance of prayer. I'm convinced and I've seen when I pray and spend time with the Lord that there is definitely more power in my life. There's victory over sin. Things that easily beset me in the past no longer have the power over me because God sets us free. But there's sometimes there comes times even in our prayer life because we're encouraging everybody to pray, everybody listening today. Spend time in prayer and you'll see a change in your life. But there's times when we don't exactly know what to pray. And then in Romans chapter eight and verse 26, Paul says likewise, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought to. But the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us. In other words, the Holy Spirit will actually pray for us with groans which cannot be uttered. Now says now he searches the heart. He knows the mind of the Spirit because he makes intercession for us and for the saints according to the will of God. So the Holy Spirit knows what we need. And according to the will of God, the Holy Spirit will intercede and pray for us as well. So our prayers ascend and the Holy Spirit's prayers ascends as well to transform and changes according to God's will. Very powerful. SPEAKER C So the Bible talks about three groups of people and their personal relationship to God. And so God's word differentiates between three groups of people in respect to their personal relationship with God. And with each of these groups there are many different shades depending on parental training, character training of oneself, age, culture and education, et cetera. But even with all these differences, there are only three basic attitudes towards God. The first one is called no relationship. The Bible calls this the natural man. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C Then we have what's called the full real relationship. The Bible calls this person spiritual. And then there's what's called divided or feigned relationship. The Bible describes this as a person of the flesh or carnal. SPEAKER B Okay? SPEAKER C And the term natural, spiritual and carnal in God's Word are not evaluations in this case. They merely describe a person's personal relationship to God. And so these three groups are described in one Corinthians, chapter two, verse 14 to 16. So one Corinthians, chapter two, verse 14 to 16. And also one Corinthians, chapter three, verse one to four. So I just want to touch lightly on the subject of the natural man. I just want to pack the natural carnal and the spirit filled man. SPEAKER B So you'd like me to read First Corinthians, chapter two from verse 14 through to verse 16? SPEAKER C Yeah, one Corinthians, chapter two, verse 14 to 16. SPEAKER B But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. Verse 16. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ. Wow. SPEAKER C That's right. And then let's go to First Corinthians, chapter three. So that's talking about what's called the natural man. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C He doesn't even understand or can't even contemplate yes. SPEAKER B Spiritual things. That's right. SPEAKER C Then we have another group, which is chapter three. And let's read that chapter three, verses one. And let's read down to verse four. SPEAKER B Okay. Verse one. And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. Now, the word carnal, there is the word sarks. In the Greek, the word sarks just means fleshly. So what happens is the flesh controls that the desires of the flesh coming in through all the senses is in control. SPEAKER C This is talking about Christians. SPEAKER B Wow. That is incredible. Isn't when you think that it's talking about Christians. So I couldn't talk to you as to spiritual people, but as to carnals of fleshly, as to babes in Christ. So they've only started their walk and they haven't gone any further. I fed you with milk and not with solid food, for until now you were not able to receive it. Even now you are still not able. Verse three. For you are still carnal, for there is envy, strife and divisions among you. Are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, I am of Paul and another, I am of Apollos, are you not carnal? SPEAKER C Amazing. So here we have two groups in the church carnal Christians and spiritual Christians. So we want to have a quick glance at these two groups within the church and we will help us. SPEAKER B Why? SPEAKER C There's so many problems sometimes in the church. SPEAKER B Yeah. SPEAKER C Because we have carnal and spiritual Christians living together, we want to realize that, let's do a self diagnosis. Let's be honest where we really are. SPEAKER B Let's be honest. Yeah. SPEAKER C So we obviously know the natural man doesn't receive the things of God, their foolishness to him. So the natural man has absolutely no relationship with the Holy Ghost. He lives in the world and doesn't inquire about God at all or only rarely inquires about God. So we have the natural man. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C Then we have, as I said, these two groups mainly introduced in one Corinthians, chapter two and three. And also you can read in Romans chapter eight, verse one to 17, and galatians four and Galatians six. And we note that the criteria for these two groups is their relationship to the Holy Ghost. That's what it's about. SPEAKER B Right. SPEAKER C And so you have what's first, what's called the spiritual church member. Okay? And so you read in one Corinthians, chapter two, verse 15 to 16, where we look, but he was spiritual judges all thing. And you just read that verse. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C And also it talks about we have the mind of Christ. Also in Isaiah 40, verse 13. So the person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things. But such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. So the spiritual person is the true Christian. He is called spiritual because he is filled with the Holy Ghost. SPEAKER B Yes. And he's not one that causes divisions. He doesn't say, well, I'm of Apollos and you're of Paul and so on. SPEAKER C He's not seeking to be the greatest. SPEAKER B Team working for the Lord. There's only two teams. There's not five teams on the Lord's side and then just one on the world side or on the devil's side. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER B There's just simply two teams. We're all working together or we are carnal Christians. SPEAKER C That's right. So a spiritual Christian has a relationship with the Holy Spirit. He has a good and growing relationship with the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is the center of his life. We also say sometimes that Jesus is on the heart's throne. So the spiritual person has committed himself essentially and completely to Jesus. And as a general rule, this is confirmed daily, and this is the key, confirmed daily by surrendering Himself to Jesus every morning with everything he has, is and has. Okay? So the latter CN message in Revelations three would say he is hot. SPEAKER B Right? SPEAKER C Or in the parable, the ten virgins in Matthew 25, they're called the wise virgins. So we can become spiritual Christians by surrendering daily to God and asking to be filled with the Holy Spirit. But then we look at the carnal Christian. So I believe that most Christians, carnal Christians are unknowingly in their condition. They don't even know it. It's like the lukewarm Christian in the Laodicea message. Yes, they're Lukewarm and they don't even know it. They have a desire to experience more in their faith and their ignorance is often not even their fault. I mean, for twelve years, I don't even know about the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit or being filled with the Holy Spirit, but step by step, we can be changed from carnal Christians. SPEAKER B Yeah, that's a wonderful promise. It reminds me of that text there in Timothy, where it says that they have a form of Godliness. And in the context of what we're speaking about, there's one thing that they do deny, and that is the power, the power of Godliness. And that only comes through the Holy Spirit. It connects beautifully through to what Jesus promised, that you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. So these are people who have not been filled with the Holy Spirit. They're not walking in the Spirit, they're still walking in the flesh. And you know that text there in Romans chapter eight, galatians, chapter five or 16? I'm just going off memory here. Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh, for the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish. And the things that you wish are the things of the flesh, the worldly stuff. So the spirit is to control you and you to walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh. And then of course, the lust of the flesh will cease to that's. SPEAKER C Right? Paul speaks to us in the Carnal Christians as babes in Christ. So they're still in Christ, but they're not sufficiently filled with the Holy Spirit. That is the difference that they have. They haven't made a complete dedication or surrender to God. And so many Carnal Christians feel dissatisfaction, disappointment, purposeless, are on a constant effort in their spiritual life. Other Carnal church members have gotten used to this condition. So after a while you just get used to it or are satisfied with this condition. They might say, we are just sinners, we can't do anything about it. That might be a line you hear. And again, other Carnal Christians might be enthusiastic. They're glad that they know the biblical truth. Carnal church members can be very active and even have leading positions in the local church or even the church administration. They may even do a lot of lot for God. Yes, but listen to what Matthew chapter seven, verse 22, verse 23 says. Matthew, chapter seven, verse 22 and 23. Jesus says many will say to me in that day, lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, undone many wonders in your name? And then I would declare to them, jesus says, I never knew you depart from me who have practiced lawlessness. So what was the problem there with them practicing lawlessness? And they didn't know Jesus, they didn't know Jesus. They didn't have a real relation with Jesus, but rather only a feign relationship or a 50 50. Either there hadn't been a real commitment or it hadn't been maintained. Jesus didn't live in their hearts through the Holy Ghost. Thus they had no personal relationship with Christ. So there must be an apparent connection with Christ. So how do we become from Carnal Christians to spirit filled Christians. Eddie, how do we do that? SPEAKER B Yeah, that is the question and that's a question that each one of us should be able to answer as we spend time in the Word to see what God says about that. I believe the Bible teaches and Jesus teaches very clearly. He says if you want to be my disciples and come after me you have to deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow me. And that comes out of Luke chapter nine and verse 23 from from memory. So Christ even tells us that daily we were to deny self and to take up our cross. The cross there obviously a symbol of death, of denial of self. And then we can say with Paul there out of Galatians chapter two and verse 20 that we are crucified with Christ. So when Christ died, we died and he says then nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ. And he says then the life that I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. SPEAKER C Because Paul was completely committed and surrendered to Christ, he died daily. So if he's dying daily to self so every day he died to self so that he would have surrendered himself to God in prayer every day. And then he would have been asking fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I can have the fruit of the Spirit in my life. So I can have the fruits of the Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience and that's a daily commitment and surrender to God. It's not a one time thing because the Bible says we can grieve the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B That's true. SPEAKER C You can have it and then you can lose it. So that's why we need a daily I don't know about you but I need to eat daily. SPEAKER B That's right. Oh I need to eat at least three times a day. SPEAKER C Three times a day. So if we need to eat and Jesus says he is the bread of life and he says eat this bread, we need to eat this bread and this wine. And so we need to daily surrender our lives to Jesus. And so that's the problem. We have a lot of problem in churches since the Carnal's person life is filled with religion. They're religious people but they don't realize they're missing something intimate and saving relation with God. And so we need to ask for Christ in us, the hope of glory. SPEAKER B Very good, Colin. So in regards to this lesson, so it's very clear from what we've read so far that there were two elements in regards to the work that the Holy Spirit did. Those in Samaria were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. They were converted, they received the word of God, there was great rejoicing, but they had not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There was only the baptism of water and baptism of repentance. And then we have the apostles that come there, they pray for them. So obviously prayer is an important part of it. They lay their hands on them and they receive the Holy Spirit absolutely every. SPEAKER C Instance, whether it was in Jesus himself baptized in water, he then prayed in answer to prayer, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C The disciples in the Day of Pentecost, a ten day prayer, and it says they were one accord. In other words, they repented and put their differences aside. They humbled themselves. Before, they wanted to be the who's, the greatest, and now they became servants. And Jesus taught them that example in the washing of their feet, that we are to serve one another, not to seek to be the greatest, that to be the greatest, you need to be the least. And so they also prayed on the Day of Pentecost. You look at every other instance in Acts chapter eight, peter and John came down, they prayed for the outpouring, the Holy Spirit, as they laid hands on, they prayed for it and asked. So it's praying and asking, but preceding that is repentance is full repentance and commitment and surrender to God. And you look at all the other incidents in Acts chapter ten, and in Acts chapter 19, we have difference different times where before they were filled, the Holy Spirit, they were praying. SPEAKER B Beautiful thought. Yes. Now, prayer is vital. Like you're saying, we need to eat three times a day. And spiritually, if we could see our spiritual condition, some of us would probably shudder. When we see that we spiritually emaciated, that we only eat every now and then when we feel like it, because we're not spiritually quickened to discern our need. So if we eat from the Lord three times a day, daniel prayed three times a day, I think he's a great example for us. And we need to spend that time in prayer and also time in the word of God that will be sustained spiritually. That will be spiritually fat. I don't mean fat in a negative way, but in a good way. Filled with the Spirit of God active for the Lord because he's given us that power and because we love Him, because of what he's done for us. SPEAKER C And also outstanding Christians throughout the ages have also understood this. A great speaker and preacher, Dwight L. Moody wrote yes, he wrote these words. He says, God has got a good many children who have just barely got life, but no power for service. The Holy Ghost coming upon them with power is distinct and separate from conversion. If the scripture doesn't teach this statement, I'm ready to correct it. I believe we accomplish more in one week than we should in years if we only had this fresh baptism. SPEAKER B Okay? SPEAKER C A great many think because they have been filled once, they're going to be filled for all time. Afterwards. But, oh, my friends, we are leaky vessels and have to be kept right under the fountain all the time in order to keep full. Let us keep near him. And so, just like the food, if you don't eat every day, you eventually starve. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C All right. And so we need to be filled and pray and be filled daily with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B Yeah, that is so important. I mean, we've looked at quite a few examples there, both in Corinthians and also in Galatians, where they had received the Holy Spirit, and then either through false doctrine or by focusing on themselves. And there, I say, the flashy elements that come with the Spirit, the supernatural components, focusing on the gifts rather than the fruit. They got distracted as well, and they actually lost the Holy Spirit through the process. It's a good admonition for us, and we've got to be careful that we walk with the Lord daily, by His Word daily and by faith daily. SPEAKER C I remember a story of a young girl in Papua New Guinea. This is only just recently, a nine year old girl. A nine year old girl, she was given a World Changes Bible. She was given what's called the world changes Bible. These are Bibles there. They sent around about half a million Bibles out to all the believers through Papua New Guinea and the islands and through Australia. And so it was called a World Changer Bible and had Bible studies. And a nine year old girl prayed and was filled with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B Wow. SPEAKER C She was filled with the Holy Spirit. She went to next village next to her, I believe, and she started a small group and did Bible studies and planted a church. SPEAKER B A nine year old. SPEAKER C A nine year old girl filled with the Holy Spirit, with God's Word. SPEAKER B I've looked a little bit at some of the ancient church history. Well, ancient for us, but sort of subsequent to Pentecost, when through the Dark Ages, there was times when people were banned from preaching the Word of God, even owning the Word of God. And then what happens? Because it was legal for the parents to preach in Scandinavian countries, the children, ordinary little kids, the Holy Spirit would come upon them and they would preach, and people would be converted. SPEAKER C Amazing. So anyone can be filled with the Holy Spirit. It doesn't matter about age. A young child can be filled with the Holy Spirit and with God's Word, can preach and teach. And like a little nine year old girl, she planted a church. A nine year old girl. SPEAKER B It's incredible. It reminds me of the story of Samuel and know where God spoke to Samuel. And he was only a young boy. I don't know if he was six or seven years old, but just young. And God spoke to him and he kept on thinking as Eli, calling him. Meantime is the word of God reaching out and speaking to Him and giving him a message at a young age. You're right. The age is not a limit, and anybody can be fooled. It's such a wonderful concept to think that there is no restriction that God wants to work with anybody, everybody, regardless of what your circumstances are, regardless of where you find yourself, regardless of we just kicked the cat five minutes ago. The Lord the Spirit can speak to you even now and transform and change your life and say, Listen, you are my child. I paid the price for your sins. Come and follow me. SPEAKER C Yes. Age has no barrier to being asking to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to do service for God. Even Moses himself was 80 years old when he started his ministry. I've had many people say, I'm too old. And I'd always say to them, really? How old are you? And I said, Well, Moses only started his ministry at 80 years old. That's true. And for 40 years to his 120. And so it's never too late on. SPEAKER B Both sides of the equation. Both sides of the equation, yes. Now, you read before from Dwight Moody. Now, what did Dwight Moody say about the baptism of the Holy Spirit? SPEAKER C Well, he says that God has got a good many children, like God's got lots of children who have barely just got life, but no powerful service. A lot of spectators in the church. Sitting on the bench is like going to a football match and watching the players every week. There's a lot of spectators, but they're not involved in the ministry of Gospel. And we're all called to be disciples, not members. SPEAKER B Right? SPEAKER C That's very Go therefore and make disciples. Jesus didn't say Go therefore and make members. Go therefore and make disciples. And disciples. Make disciples. SPEAKER B Beautiful. So then he also mentioned there know, so there's a distinction conversion from baptism of Holy Spirit. And then also he mentioned there, know, we need to be baptized fresh daily so that we aren't spectators. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER B We aren't just members, but we are. SPEAKER C Actually disciples, he says, because we need daily baptism, because we like leaky vessels. And like Paul says, if we need to die daily, we need to be born daily. We need the baptism of the Holy Spirit daily. I remember Ellen G. White said daily, speaking of Jesus, he received a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit in the early hours of the new day. The Lord awakened him from his slumbers, and his lips and soul was anointed with grace that he might impart to others. And I just love that. If Jesus went and prayed for a fresh baptism in the Holy Spirit, don't we need a fresh daily baptism of the Holy Spirit? SPEAKER B Well, if we look for an example, that would be the perfect example that everybody should look to and strive to be like and want to be like the lovely Jesus. Yes, thank you very. Much, Colin. Thank you for taking us through that study. We appreciate that very much. And we do have a special offer, special gift to all those listening out there. And it's a book by Helmut Haubeil, and it's called Steps to Personal Revival being Filled with the Holy Spirit. So if you're interested in getting yourself a free copy, please contact us here at Three ABN. You can either ring and if you ring us in Australia on or you can email us at [email protected]. And if you get in touch with us, we'll be delighted to send this copy of this book, this wonderful book out to you as well. Well, thank you for joining us today on You Shall Receive Power. It's been a pleasure having your company. Until next time. SPEAKER B You'Ve been listening to a production of Three ABN, Australia Radio.