Doing the Ministry of Jesus

SPEAKER B Welcome to. You shall receive power. I'm Ettienne McClintock and with me in the studio is my co host Colin Hone. He is the international director and speaker for Holy Spirit Ministries. He's also the international 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 find in this book. And as we start our program today, please join me as we pray our Father in heaven. Once again it is our privilege to come to your throne of grace, to seek your presence and to ask for the anointing of your Holy Spirit. Guide us in the study and inspire us with new life. Through your word and your Holy Spirit, we pray in Jesus name, amen. You are listening to, you shall receive power. It is based on the words of Jesus in Acts chapter one, verse eight, where Jesus says, 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, what are we looking at today? SPEAKER C Well, it's great to be here Ettienne. Today we're looking at lesson six was doing the ministry of Jesus. So doing the same ministry of Jesus, we want to look at Jesus, what he did and what the early disciples, what ministry they did and what we can learn from them today, how they went about it. SPEAKER B Excellent. I mean the word Christian actually means to be like Christ, doesn't it? So those who are like Christ will do the ministry of Christ. So that makes sense. SPEAKER C That's right. So when we go and look at Jesus'ministry, we don't see much about his life before he was baptized in water and baptized with the Holy Spirit, that's when his ministry officially started and he was anointed with the Holy Spirit. And we can read about that in the Book of Luke when Jesus went down and was baptized with the Holy Spirit. Okay, Luke, which chapter we luke chapter three, verse 21. SPEAKER B Three and verse 21. And it says now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized and praying the heaven was opened and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him. And a voice came from heaven which said, you are my beloved Son, and you I am well pleased. SPEAKER C So we see that Jesus started his ministry himself. He was baptized in water himself. And then it says, when he was praying, heaven was opened and he too was baptized with the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit came upon him and said those wonderful words, thou art my beloved Son, and thee I am well pleased. See, Jesus knew his father loved him and we too need to know that our Father loves us just as Jesus did. So that was the first step. He was baptized with water as an example, and then he was baptized with the Holy Spirit. And then he began his ministry. And what happened with his ministry next? He went out into the desert for 40 days to face the temptations of Satan in the wilderness. And you see, that every single answer. When he was tempted by Satan, he answered by the word of God. He was baptized, the Holy Spirit led into the desert, faced the temptations, and then it says he came back in the spirit and power. And so he started teaching the synagogues. SPEAKER B It's interesting there to note that Jesus went was baptized. And then the sequence of that is that after he came back from the baptism onto the shore, out of the water, that he was praying and while he was praying, the heavens was open and he received the Holy Spirit. Because there are sometimes people that think know when you baptize, you receive the Holy Spirit immediately. That is not always the case. They can sometimes be sequential. And as I guess we're going to look at some other studies, sometimes you can receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit before water. Baptism. SPEAKER C That's right. And the experience of every believer is to follow Christ's example. I mean, the Christian is first born of the Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. We're born of the spirit. And that's found in John chapter three, verse five to eight. You want to read Jesus? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus here. And Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto him, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. SPEAKER C So the first experience of a Christian is to be convicted by the Holy Spirit of sin and to be born again. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And then be baptized in water. SPEAKER B Now, it's interesting that we note here that Jesus says you need to be born again or born from above to see the kingdom of God. That's what it says in verse three. But then in verse five, it actually takes it further. It actually says to enter the kingdom, you have to be born of water and the Spirit. SPEAKER C That's right. And again we go back to Christ's. Experience is the divine model. He was begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the Holy Spirit himself. In Luke chapter one, verse 35. SPEAKER B Luke, chapter one, verse 35. And the angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Spirit shall come upon thee. And the power of the highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. SPEAKER C So straight away Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit, came upon Mary. So he was born through the Holy Spirit, well begotten of the Spirit in Luke 135. You also read in Luke chapter two, verse 52 that's Luke chapter two, verse 52. SPEAKER B And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. SPEAKER C So he was filled the Spirit, and led by even a child and an early manhood. Then we see that he received water baptism, which was followed by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And remember this in answer to prayer luke chapter three, verse 21 and 22. SPEAKER B When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized. And while he prayed, the heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon him. And a voice came from heaven which said, you are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased. SPEAKER C So straight away Jesus was baptized with the Holy Spirit, and from that point forward he was filled with the Spirit. And we can see in Luke chapter four, verse one, it says and being full of the Holy Ghost, he returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness. So the Holy Spirit led him into the wilderness where he overcame the temptations of Satan and had victory for us. Amazing. And then it says in Luke chapter four, verse 14, where it says and Jesus returned in power of the Spirit to Galilee after these 40 days and then went out fame of him through all the region around about. And he taught in these synagogues, being glorified by all. What was Jesus mission when he was baptized? The Holy Spirit. He gets up, and it's recorded here in Luke chapter four, verse 16 to. SPEAKER B 24 and he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up. And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. And there was delivered to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberally them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book and he gave it again to the minister and sat down. The eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say to them, this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears? And all bear him witness. And wondered at the precious words which proceeded out of his mouth and they said, Is this not Joseph's son? And he said to them, you will surely say to me this proverb physician, heal thyself. Whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in this country. And he said, Verily, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. SPEAKER C So there we have Jesus coming in and preaching a sermon. And really, this was his mission statement. Many companies have a mission statement. Yes, this was Jesus mission statement. The first thing he said in verse 18, chapter four was, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me. And so we too, when we become Christians, we need the Spirit of the Lord to be upon us. And when the Spirit of Lord was upon him, what was his mission? He has anointed me. Another word for anointed is baptized or filled me. Yes, to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted. You know, there's a lot of broken hearted people in the world. There's a lot of pain in the world. When you look around, the divorce rate is so high. You've got wars, you've got terrorism, you've got so many people who are broken hearted have been hurt. And Jesus says, I've come to heal the brokenhearted. And when we too are filled with the Holy Spirit, we too will preach the gospel to the poor, and we can heal the broken hearted. He says he's come to preach deliverance to captives. You know, when we think about it, we're all captives on this earth under the power of Satan, and Jesus came to deliver us from captives. He also said he came to recover the sight to the blind, not just physically, but spiritually, because we are blind to the truth. It says he also came to set liberty them that are bruised. We've all been bruised, haven't we? That's true by life's. What's thrown us in life? And again in verse 19, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. It's interesting. When he preached that sermon and gave his mission statement, the Jews wanted to take him out, and they tried to take him out and throw him over the cliff. But that was his mission statement. And so let's look again at the sequence. Jesus first was baptized in water. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C He was baptized with the Holy Spirit. He was then led out to the wilderness to face temptations, and he overcame them by the word of God. He then began his ministry. And we too, you see, when we are convicted by the power of the Holy Spirit of sin, we turn to Jesus, we repent, we have forgiveness of sins. One John, chapter one, verse nine, where it says, if we confess our sins, he's faithful to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And then from that journey, then we are baptized with the Holy Spirit. And when baptized with the Holy Spirit, when we are led to temptation we can overcome by the word of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit when we are tempted. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B And Jesus is our forerunner and example in all things. And we know that even you mentioned First John there. First John, chapter two verse says that all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of the life is not of the Father, but of the world. And we know Jesus with those three temptations in the wilderness. They're led by the Holy Spirit and overcoming by the Spirit of God he overcame. And if we look at the lust of the flesh, because those are really the three elements that have to do with all our temptations, the lust of the flesh is when he was told to turn the stones into bread under the command of the devil to prove that he was the Son of God. If you are the Son of God, command these stones to be turned into bread, then the lust of the eyes, he was shown all the kingdoms of the world and the glory if he would only bow down and worship Lucifer. He saw worship in heaven and he's still today looking for worship. And we know of course, that's going to be an end time issue as well. And then the last one, the pride of life, he was tempted to demonstrate his faith and to prove himself by throwing himself down from the temple to see if he had faith that God would bear him on angel's wings. So all three of those temptations on our behalf, Jesus met any temptation that we come across. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life, all fall into one of these three categories. And because Christ overcame, we can overcome. Because Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit, we can be filled with the Holy Spirit as well, as long as we take the necessary steps in confession, repentance, baptism and then prayer to receive the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C That's right. And so Christ experience is a divine model for every Christian. Again, Christ was born of the Holy Spirit. He was led by the Spirit and child and early manhood. He received water baptism, which followed by the baptism of the Spirit and answered to prayer. And from that point forward, he was filled with the Spirit. And after this experience of spirit baptism or feeling or anointing, he was prepared to confront Satan and gain the greatest victory over this enemy. And then he went forward to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit from that day forward, as recorded in Luke, chapter four, verse 14. And so the experience of every believer is to follow Christ's example. We must be born of the Spirit, baptized with water. And this is just, only the beginning. We need the baptism Holy Spirit to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C And you're talking about the last days then just I noticed and in the last days in Malachi chapter four it talks about Malachi chapter four, verse five god says behold, I will send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And verse six and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. And so that has two applications. Elijah as we know was in the days of King Ahab and Jezebel to turn Israel back to true worship because what happened was ABAB had married Jezebel and he was being influenced her and he started son worship. And so God sent Elijah back to turn Israel back to God in true worship and he says this is a future prophecy that happened with John the Baptist was the application of Elijah came in the spirit and what was his message? Again repentance to turn the fathers and son together and prepare the way for the first coming of Jesus. But there will be a third Elijah as well in the last days. And it's interesting when you see that there was a king and there was a woman who was influencing the king. There was a uniting of church and state. Yes of course woman representing the church and the king represent the civil governments. Again back in John Baptist day the king was being influenced by his wife and they both wanted to destroy Elijah and want to destroy John the Baptist. And so in the last days it'll be the same, what has been before will happen again in the last days. You'll see that the third Elijah, god's people who go out and preach in the spirit of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B I think that's a very important point that you're making there because obviously Elijah came at that time, during the time of King Ahab. Elijah also preceded the coming of Jesus the first time, 2000 years ago. Because in Luke there we've been reading out of Luke and in Luke, chapter one and verse 17 talking about the forerunner to Jesus which is John who came in the spirit and the power of Elijah. We read this in verse 17 and it says about John the Baptist and he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just and to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And in the same way, when the Elijah message comes again at the end, as you read there out of Malachi, chapter four, these same people have to go in the spirit and power of Elijah. So they'll have to be spirit filled people to fulfill this mission, to turn the disobedient to wisdom of the just and to make a people ready, prepared for the coming of the Lord. SPEAKER C That's right. And so again in the last days it'll be the same. You'll have a woman, a church that will influence the king or the governments of the world, okay. To turn away from God. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C And the Elijah's message will be, come back, worship God, fear God and worship God and give glory to him. And they will then blame. Do you know there was calamities back in Elijah's day? They had a drought, had natural disasters. Okay. And who did they blame? SPEAKER B Well, Elijah didn't they? He blamed the troubler of Israel. SPEAKER C But who was the fault really? Elijah says, you're the one that brought this upon Israel. Again, in the last days there's natural disasters happening. And as God's bringing a message to turn back to true worship, this woman church will encourage the kings of the earth saying, hey, we've got all these natural disasters and they'll blame it on God's people. Exactly the same thing will happen. SPEAKER D Yes, yes. SPEAKER B It's interesting how history is going to repeat itself. And it's interesting to note that Jezebel was influencing the king, but she was also a queen, so she also had stately power. It's a church state combination influencing the kings of the earth in the last days. SPEAKER C And the same thing happened in John the Baptist day. It was a woman, the queen that encouraged the king Herod to kill John the Baptist. And who did he use? She used her daughters. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C There will be a woman church that will use her daughters and they will combine and encourage the kings on the earth to destroy the last day. Elijah's with their last message to take to the world. What's happened before will happen again. So, Eddie, and when we look at Peter and the early disciples on the day of Pentecost, all the people thought they were drunk because they were filled with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C But in verse 14, Acts chapter two, peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and said unto them, you men of Judea and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known unto you. And hearken to my words. For these are not drunken, as you suppose, but is the third hour of. SPEAKER B The day to 09:00 in the morning? SPEAKER C Basically it is 09:00 in the morning. And then I want you to read from verse 16. SPEAKER D Sure. SPEAKER B Okay. SPEAKER C To 21 but this is that which. SPEAKER B Was spoken by the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass in the last day, says God, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants and on my maid servants I will pour out in those days of my spirit and they shall prophesy. And I'll show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth beneath blood and fire and vapor of smoke, and the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord is come. And it shall come to pass that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Ye men of Israel, hear these words jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourself also know him. Being delivered by the determinate, counsel and foreknowledge of God ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. SPEAKER C So there we have Peter saying this was a fulfillment of prophecy from Joel that your men and women shall prophesy. And that's actually what happened, wasn't it? Peter started preaching and speaking and the disciples started preaching in other languages. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And everybody could understand them, what they were saying in their own language, just an amazing prophecy being fulfilled. And this was what's called was the early reign of the Holy Spirit. And I love what you said in verse 23. He basically says, you have crucified and slain the Messiah. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C We all have crucified the Messiah because Jesus went to the cross for my sins and your sins and for the whole world'sins. So we all put him on that cross. And it says, when they realized that they had been put Jesus on the cross, it says in verse 37 Luke, chapter two. Now, when they heard this, they were pricked or cut in their heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and women, what shall we do? You know, when we realize that Jesus came down from heaven, became one of us and lived a life, perfect, righteous life for us, and then he was crucified for us and that we put him on the cross because of our sins that should cut us to the heart. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And when we're cut to the heart, what did they say? What shall we do? And in verse 38, Peter said unto them, repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Even the disciples. But before they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, what did they do? What did Jesus do before he was that's right. They prayed for ten days. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C They put their differences aside. They started before Pentecost, who was going to be the greatest. They were arguing who's going to be the greatest, but they said they put the differences aside, and it says they were all in one accord. SPEAKER B So the Spirit of God was working in their lives to make sure there was forgiveness and not striving for ascendancy and being better than the other. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER B Competition was taken out of the equation. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER B And it's interesting. So God wants us to do the same as well. Some people are saying, look, there's just some people I struggle to forgive. I can't forgive them. And we know that. Even the Lord's Prayer says, forgive us our debtors, we forgive our debtors. We need to forgive and have that spirit of forgiveness. But it's not natural to us, is it? We don't by nature just like to forgive people who've wronged us and done bad things to us, hurt our reputation, hurt us physically, financially, emotionally. But through the power and the spirit of Christ, we're able to be softened. We're able to make that surrender to the Lord. And the Lord will give us that ability to love other people even as he loved those who even crucified Him when he said, Father, forgive them. And under that influence and power of the Holy Spirit, that power of conversion, god prepares us to receive the power of the Holy Spirit through baptism. SPEAKER C That's right. And even forgiveness is a gift from God. You see, Jesus had the victory for us, for us being unforgiving, like you said, on the cross. I mean, let's be honest. He was spat on. He was stripped naked, crown of thorns on. He was whipped and then he's put on the cross, beaten. SPEAKER B He was mocked. SPEAKER C And he says, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they're doing. And so if you're dealing with you're struggling with forgiveness or not being able to forgive, ask Jesus for his forgiveness through use to those who have hurt you. Ask Him and he'll give it to you. I've experienced this in my own life, Eddie, and there's many times when I've been hurt by people. And we've all had things in our lives where we've been hurt. Every one of us have experienced major things, and some people have experienced some major things in their life that have experienced hurt. But we can go to Jesus and ask Him for his forgiveness through us, to those who've hurt us, then we can too say, Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B And look, and even at times we may have even been on the other side of the equation where we have been doing the hurting. And maybe it'd be inadvertently, maybe we've just been self focused and God is even able to forgive and to bring healing and reconciliation there where we have either been hurting someone or we have been the victim in that instance as well. So God's grace is sufficient for everybody, regardless of where you may find yourself at this point in time. SPEAKER C That's right. So the early disciples, they had put their differences aside. What happened? You see, Jesus showed them example of who are the greatest, how to be the greatest, when in the Last Supper, he got down there and he served them. He washed their feet and he served them. And he says, that's how you be the greatest, by serving others. That is the character of God right there, shown through Jesus, another example. So it was a big lesson for them to learn. And so they came together, one accord. They put their difference asides, they humbled themselves. And that's why they were one accord. And if you're having problems in the Church, we need to humble ourselves. And when we humble ourselves, we can be one accord because we won't be seeking to see who's the greatest. We'll be putting others above us. SPEAKER B Ego is an enemy to unity, isn't it? SPEAKER C It is. SPEAKER B And we got to put our own egos aside. SPEAKER C So Jesus promised that the Father would give the Holy Spirit to all those who ask. In Luke chapter eleven, verse 13, luke, chapter eleven, verse 13, he made incredible promise. He links if you look at the whole chapter of Luke chapter eleven, he is linking prayer with asking for bread to give it to your neighbor, and then links that with asking for the Holy Spirit to those who ask. And he says the word ask six times, the word seek two times. So he's trying to make a point that we need to continually ask for the Holy Spirit. But what was the purpose of the Holy Spirit? Was to give bread or the word of God, or the Gospel or Jesus. SPEAKER B Nourish us spiritually, feed us spiritually to. SPEAKER C Give it to our neighbors who are in need. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B So you don't eat and become fat spiritually. You eat and know. SPEAKER C Because the disciples said to Jesus, teach us to pray. Why would they ask Him to teach us to pray? They saw that Jesus was a man of prayer and that by through his prayer they saw all these miracles being done and they said, Teach us to pray. And he said, what was Jesus praying for? He teaches the prayer he gives the Our Father, and then he gives them the parable of going to the next door neighbor and asking for the bread. SPEAKER B Yeah, give us as they are, daily bread. SPEAKER C Daily bread. And then he links it. Asks for the Holy Spirit. So Jesus was asking for the Holy Spirit so he could do the things he could do and so he could give bread to his neighbor so he could serve others. SPEAKER B That's an important connection there and there. In Luke eleven, verse 13, we read, and if ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? SPEAKER C But do you notice that he says to ask how many times? Six times. Seek twice, knock on the door a couple of times. He's trying to make the point here that we need to be sincere and continually ask daily ask. Because remember, Jesus received a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit daily. He was baptized with the Holy Spirit or infilled the Holy Spirit. We need to go back to the. World daily for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. So Paul tells us, how do we actually receive this gift of the Holy Spirit? So we ask, before we ask, we go back one step to repent of our sins, because Peter said, repent and you too shall receive the Holy Spirit. So we repent of our sins and we ask, so how do we receive that gift? Let's go to Galatians, chapter three, verse 14. Galatians, chapter three, verse 14. And Paul tells us how we can receive this gift. SPEAKER B And that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through faith. SPEAKER C There it is. We receive it through faith. So this is a promise to the Gentiles that we will receive the Holy Spirit and we receive it through faith. SPEAKER B We believe God's promises. SPEAKER C He said he'll do it. Yes, if we do our part, if we confess our sins and he's faithful forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So if we repent, he has promised to give us the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B I wonder how sometimes our God must feel if we just don't simply believe him. Because really, if it's faith, we believe God, and if it's not faith, it's unbelief, which means we don't believe God and don't trust God, but simply, we are to believe God's promises, claim them by faith and receive the blessings that come from that. Because, I mean, even in the same chapter there in chapter three of Galatians and verse two, paul asked the questions of the Galatian Church. He says this only I would learn of you. Did you receive the spirit? So this is the receive the Holy Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith. It's not by the good deed you were trying to do. It was actually by believing God. Did God do the works he had promised he would do in your life? SPEAKER C That's right. He promised that he would give it to us. And that's what faith is, believing in the promises of God. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B Well, it says that Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER B So righteousness comes by faith. SPEAKER C And how did you come to Christ? Did you accept Christ's sacrifice? By faith? SPEAKER D Faith. SPEAKER C I mean, I wasn't there 2000 years ago, but I believe by faith he did that because the word of God tells us, and I accept it by faith. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Accept it by faith. So we receive the gift, the Holy Spirit, through faith. And this reception of this gift is so important that Paul commands us to be filled with the Spirit in Ephesians five, verse 18. So let's go to Ephesians five, verse 18. SPEAKER B And do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Holy Spirit. Or be filled with the Spirit. SPEAKER C Yeah. So it is not simply an option. It's a command. It's necessary if the believer is earnest about experience the full deliverance of the gospel that Jesus Christ offers. And you notice that the Greek verb form, or the Greek verb form for be filled is a continuous action, meaning keep on being filled every day. SPEAKER B Oh, wow. SPEAKER C So it's a continuous action. It's not a one time action. It's keep on being filled. Keep on being filled. For example, when you wake up in the morning, when your time of prayer, lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit. And why do you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Two reasons. One, so that I can reflect the character of Jesus. Because the only way you can reflect the character of Jesus is that if Jesus lives in you. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So we want to reflect the character of Jesus, and the only way that can happen is Jesus lives in us. And the only way Jesus can live in us is through the infilling or outpouring or daily baptism of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B That's essential, isn't it? SPEAKER C And the second work is, remember in Luke, chapter eleven, jesus said to ask for the bread to give to your neighbor. So we're to ask for the infilling or baptism of the Holy Spirit so that we can share the Gospel with others, share that bread so that daily. SPEAKER B Connection with God first thing in the morning is vital. It's very important. Now, you were mentioning Luke there luke, chapter nine of verse 23. Jesus said to them, he said, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily. SPEAKER C Daily. SPEAKER B So this has got to happen daily and follow me. So denial of self and receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit has to happen daily. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C I think Paul said also I die daily. SPEAKER B That's right. One corinthians 15. SPEAKER D That's yeah. SPEAKER C So what are we dying daily to? SPEAKER B To self denying self, taking up the cross. That's what the cross represents. Denial of self. SPEAKER C Denial of self. So if we die daily, would it make sense that we need to be fooled? Born daily. SPEAKER B Born daily. That's right. And full of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C We die daily. We're born daily. And so we need to go back to the well, everlasting well and be filled daily with the Holy Spirit. I remember as a Christian, I became a Christian in 1991. Someone gave me a book on Bondi Beach and I became a Christian. I looked at all the prophets in the Bible and I joined the church and I was baptized in water. But I never asked for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I didn't even know about the Holy Spirit. I was like the ephesians. When Paul says to the Ephesians and they said, have you heard about the Holy Spirit? They said, no, we haven't even heard about it. I was like that. And I hadn't heard about the Holy Spirit. I heard a little bit about it and quite what I'd seen of it in watching television, that it didn't make sense within the Bible. They're just seeing people falling on the floor or it just seemed really crazy from when I read God's Word, what the Holy Spirit was doing. So I didn't even ask of it. And, you know, for twelve years not asking for the Holy Spirit, I never led one person to Jesus, I never had the power. We have to ask in Luke eleven says, ask and you shall receive. So I wasn't asking, so I guess what I wasn't receiving. And so therefore you saw the effects in my life where I never led anyone to Jesus for twelve years. I never saw victory over sin in my life. But then I started asking about eight years ago. I started praying daily for the Holy Spirit repenting, remember prayer repenting and then asking for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But what reasons? One, so I could reflect the character of Jesus, and two, amen. So I could build up his kingdom. I ask you for the right reasons. SPEAKER B Well, I know that you've been very busy. I mean, you travel not only here in Australia, but also around the world and run mission programs, and many people have been baptized as a result of that. But that's a different story to what it was prior to eight years ago, isn't it? SPEAKER C Well, there was nothing. I mean, I just turned up to church, right. SPEAKER B Pew warmer, were you pew warmer? SPEAKER C You have a Sabbath school? Sometimes I'd pay tithe. Sometimes I did. Sometimes I'd read the Bible. Sometimes I wouldn't. Sometimes I pray, sometimes I wouldn't. I was Lukewarm. I was Lukewarm. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And the Bible describes us the condition in Revelations chapter three, where he says what's he going to do with Lukewarm Christians? He's going to spew them out of his mouth. He says, I don't know you. And so I had to let Jesus in daily. And I say, I started praying for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And yes, and it's like Paul, it's not I, but it's Christ in me. Because before that, even as a Christian, there was nothing happening afterwards when I started praying for Christ in me, the hope of glory for the daily baptism, Holy Spirit, christ started doing things in and through me. So it's not I ed in, it's Him that does it. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C And you know what? Jesus even said that we will do the same works as he did, and even greater works. In John chapter 14, verse twelve. That just amazes me that we're going to do greater works than Jesus. SPEAKER B Yeah, that's an incredible, profound statement there. In John 14, verse twelve, we read most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also, and greater works than these will he do because I go to my Father. SPEAKER C Wow. So here's another promise, isn't it? Yes, that's definitely another promise. And why is it? Because I go to the Father and he says it continues on in verse 13. And whatever you ask in my name, that will I do that the Father may glorified in the Son and then gives you how it happens. Number verse 14. He says, if you ask anything in my name, I will do it according to God's will. SPEAKER B Prayer again? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Yeah. Ask in prayer again. Ask. Ask twice, it says ask. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Ask. Then it says again, another condition. If you ask another condition. Verse 15. If you love me, keep my commandments, right? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C If you love me, you don't keep the commandments because you have to. You do it because you love God. And then he says, and I will pray the father. And this is how it happens. Verse 16 of John 14. And I'll pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter. Comforter. Jesus was the comforter while he was on earth. He says, I'll give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever. So how long is the Holy Spirit going to be with us, if we're asking? SPEAKER D Forever. SPEAKER C Forever? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And verse 17. Read verse 1718 for us, please. SPEAKER B Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. And that verse 18 I just read, I think the new King James says, I will not leave you orphans. Yes, I will come to you. SPEAKER C So how does Jesus come to us? Through the spirit of truth. Through the Holy Spirit, the comforter. And he says not only he's talking about the Holy Spirit was with them, but he's talking about future where the Holy Spirit and Jesus will dwell in us. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And he goes on to verse verse 21. He says, he that has my commandments and keeps them, he is it that loves me, and he that loves me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him, jesus and the Father. And you keep reading it says, not only would Jesus come, but the Father would dwell in us and Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Have you think about that, Eddie? SPEAKER B Look, it's mind blowing. It's just incredible that the God of the universe would be so intimately connected with us. I mean, when you know know, and you marry someone you side by side and you take your life journey together side by side. But now to have God through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, that's even more intimate than that. That is just an incredible privilege. People will give their left arm and their right arm to see their favorite movie star or their favorite sports star or presidents of the world, donald Trump or the preceding presidents. Perhaps here we can be with the King of the Universe, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and he wants to live in us intimately, be connected with us. That is just mind blowing. And until we experience it, we can't explain it. I don't even know if we experience it. We'll have the words human language will probably not be able to explain what that close relationship with the Lord will be like. SPEAKER C Well, just think of the condensation God. SPEAKER B Condescension? SPEAKER C Condescension, sorry. Yeah, god the creator of the universe. Let's just get that in perspective. Just our galaxy alone where we live, our little planet Earth. SPEAKER D Sure. SPEAKER C Scientists have now discovered they believe there's at least 100 to 200 billion stars or suns that is just in our galaxy, our galaxy, just our galaxy. And they believe, scientists, that there are at least 200 or 100 to 200 billion galaxies in the universe. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C And the God that created all of that wants to come and dwell in us. So that's why God had a problem, because for God to dwell in us, he has to cleanse us first from sin because light cannot be with darkness. And so that is what the whole gospel is about of the cross is Jesus paying the penalty for our sins so that we can be cleansed. What for? For the indwelling of the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit in us. And that's just an amazing thing when I think about that, when we think. SPEAKER B Of our smallness and how much God pays attention to us. You know that text there, it comes out of the Psalms, but it's quoted in Hebrews chapter two and verse six. It says that what is man? That you are mindful of him? And the hymn is us, obviously, or the Son of man that you care for him, you have made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor and set him over the works of your hands and you've put all things under subjection. And then of course it later says, but all things are no longer under subjection. But then as we look at it, we see Jesus who was also made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death and crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God might taste death for everyone. Beautiful text and a beautiful encouragement to us that God would actually become one of us on this little speck of dust here in our little galaxy, in our little solar system, to redeem us and bring us back when he is the king of a vast empire and he created all things and upholds all things by the word of his power. SPEAKER C That's amazing. And to Him to do that, for Him to even be able to do that, reconcile us back to Him, cost the death of his Son who created the universe with him. SPEAKER B We are that one lost sheep. SPEAKER C The Father created the universe through Jesus. That universe, he had to become a man. That's just mind blowing again. SPEAKER D Oh, yeah. SPEAKER C And he will be in a man's body, in our body for eternity. A glorified body. Yes. But he is in a body. And that's know Jesus says to your advantage that I go back to the Father. He said, it's your advantage. I go back to the Father so that I can come and dwell in you through the Holy Spirit. And so when Jesus lives in us through the Holy Spirit, he can be through us, he can be everywhere. It's like a franchise of Jesus's all around the world, a franchise of Jesus doing the same works as Jesus. And so that's why the works are greater, because it's the multiplication of Jesus living in millions of his disciples. SPEAKER B So Jesus still doing the work, but in cooperation with us and through us. SPEAKER C And through us, but not just through one, but through millions of people. And so that's why it's greater works, I believe, because it's Jesus doing the same works, but multiplication of those greater works, because Jesus, when he was on Earth, could only be in one place at one time. SPEAKER B Yeah, that makes sense. He could only be in a physical body. SPEAKER C Yeah, he could only one power. However, when he ascended the Father, he was able to be in many places through the earth by the indwelling his followers through the Holy Spirit. Let's go to first John, chapter three, verse 24, 1st John, chapter three, verse 24. SPEAKER B Now when he who keeps his commandments abides in him and he in him and by this we know that he abides in us by the Spirit whom he has given to us. SPEAKER C So what were the conditions of Him abiding in us? On that verse he said, keep the. SPEAKER B Commandments, we keep the commandments. SPEAKER C And what else? And abide in him. And he abide in you. SPEAKER D In us? Yes. SPEAKER C And how does he abide in us? SPEAKER B Through the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit it was given to us. SPEAKER C Yes, that's right. And again, Spirit is a gift to. SPEAKER B Us as well, just like Jesus is a gift to us. SPEAKER C Yeah, well, Jesus came from the Father. Guess where the Holy Spirit came from? SPEAKER B The father as well. SPEAKER D Yes. Yeah. SPEAKER C John chapter 16, I'll send the Holy Spirit. In John chapter 14, verse 26, it says, but the comforter which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you. And again, in John chapter 16, it tells us that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. Well, where did Jesus came from? SPEAKER B From the father. Yeah, from the bosom of the Father. SPEAKER C Where did the Holy Spirit come from? SPEAKER B From the father. SPEAKER C They both came from the Father. And so that's just an amazing promise. SPEAKER B Yes, incredible. SPEAKER C Now we know. Let's read John chapter 14, verse 16 to 18. SPEAKER B And I will pray the Father and he will give you another helper or another comforter 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. SPEAKER C And this happened at Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost, the Father accepted Jesus'sacrifice and corresponding to that he poured out his Holy Spirit and the promise that Jesus had made. And you saw what happened to disciples. Interesting, the disciples did the same work as Jesus. They went around preaching, healing and teaching, doing the same works as Jesus. As we read Jesus mission statement in Luke chapter four, verse one, where his mission statement was. And so they went around doing the same works. And today too we can do the same works as Jesus if we confess our sins. If we abide in him and he abides in us, we too can be daily baptized through the Holy Spirit. And as we are, we will do the same works as Jesus because it's not our works, it's Jesus doing the works in and through us and maybe of us. SPEAKER B It could also be said, as it was said of the disciples after the day of Pentecost when they'd been baptized with the Holy Spirit. And I think there it is in Acts chapter four and verse 13 it says and now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus. So what Jesus was, the disciples were. And they could see that these people had spent time with Jesus. Not only that Jesus now being within them, it was very clear that they were doing the works that Jesus had done when he was still on earth. SPEAKER C That's right. So hence the Holy Spirit enables the believer to do the same works as he did and even greater works because they are more widespread. And the fulfillment of Jesus promise was seen on the day of Pentecost and as you just said, isn't interesting. In John chapter 20 on the day of the resurrection it says the disciples were in the upper room huddled together for fear of the Jews. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And then we fast forward as you read in Acts chapter four, there is Peter and John in the temple preaching boldly without fear, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Well, what happened between on the day when they just all split in gethsemane to that day? SPEAKER B Well, that's an amazing transformation. Whatever happened there, and we know quite often we'll do extreme makeovers. It could be for houses or for people, the way they look. This is an internal transformation. There's a text that I sometimes think of and it talks about the first king of Israel, King Saul. And in One Samuel, chapter ten, it says to Saul there that he will be an entirely different person when the Holy Spirit comes upon him and he would prophesy. And then what it says there, I think it's in verse ten of chapter ten of First Samuel, it says that God gave him a new heart. He gave him a different heart and he became a different person. So just as we see with the disciples, they were cowering and scared. When God gave them the Holy Spirit, he gave them a new heart. They became different people as well. And from timidity and fear, they became bold and proclaimed the word of God with power. SPEAKER C That's right. Because of the day of Pentecost, they went through the process. They saw the crucifixion, they realized that they put Jesus on the cross for their sins. They humbled themselves. They came together as one accord. This is the process. They prayed together, and after that they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. Now, what is the fruit of the Spirit? Fruit of the Spirit is love. And so let's go to Galatians 522 and 23, which is in opposition opposite to the fruits of the flesh, which yes, Paul describes just previously. SPEAKER B That's right. He said, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. So even faith, there is a gift. SPEAKER C Faith is a gift. Well, what about in Revelation chapter 14, verse six to twelve? It describes God's last day people. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And what do they have? SPEAKER B They keep the commandments of God and they have the faith of Jesus. SPEAKER C Whose faith? SPEAKER B Jesus faith. SPEAKER C And so you just read that the faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit. A fruit, sorry, a fruit of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So we can ask for the faith of Jesus. Ask God, say, give me the faith of Jesus, and he'll give that as a gift. SPEAKER B So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So we've got to believe the word of God when we receive it. Believe that God is gracious and long suffering, abundant in mercy and truth. And quite often people think that it may be for the good people, but this may not be. These promises of God and salvation may not be for them because they're not quite good enough. But we know as we read the Scriptures, jesus came to seek and save the lost, not the righteous. He didn't come to call righteous people, but sinners to repentance. So if you're feeling that maybe you're not good enough, maybe you feel that you're too much of a sinner, that there may be nothing good in you, maybe the world has dealt you a bad hand, maybe people have put you down. You are exactly the person that Jesus came to seek and to save. And you are particularly the person that he wants to bring into his kingdom. And when the Spirit of God comes upon you, you also will be an entirely different person, and God will transform and change your life, and he'll give you power. That with boldness. You can also testify about how good God has been to you, and you can be an heir of the kingdom, and you can be a son and a daughter of God. SPEAKER C That's an amazing promise. And it's true. I only have to look at my own life. I'm a sinner. And Jesus came to save sinners, and we're all sinners. It says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And Jesus came to save those who are lost, and we're all sinners. And we're all in that boat, aren't we? We are now, we look at it in Romans, chapter five, verse five. Romans five, chapter five, chapter five. SPEAKER B One of my favorite epistles Romans. SPEAKER C It gives you the key of why the disciples were able to preach boldly. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Okay. They were baptized with the Holy Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit is love. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And it says in Romans five, and hope make it not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit which is given to us. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B Beautiful. SPEAKER C So the fruit of Spirit is love. And we find out in one John, chapter four, that love cast out fear. SPEAKER D Fear, yes. SPEAKER C You see? So when you're baptized with the Holy Spirit, love casts out here, and love is put in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. And that's why the disciples were able to go boldly in the synagogues without fear before the leaders. And it's the same with us. SPEAKER D Absolutely. SPEAKER C If you're struggling with fear of maybe sharing the Gospel or sharing your faith, then ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Lord, baptize in the Holy Spirit because the fruit of the Spirit is love. And love will cast out fear and give you the power to go out and preach boldly or teach or share the Gospel with others. SPEAKER B In that word love, there is the Greek word agape, which is self sacrificing love. And that's a love that God gives to us which is not natural to ourselves. I mean, Paul, in the book of Romans, chapter 13 and verse ten, says that love, not any love, but agape love, is the fulfilling of the law. But prior to that, in Romans chapter eight and verse seven, he says that the fleshly mind, the carnal mind, is enmity against God and is not subject to his law, which is the law of love, the law of agape love. Nor indeed can it be. So we can't transform and change ourselves. It's only the Holy Spirit. They can draw us, convict us of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, and then fill us with that love that actually answers the demands of the law which is self sacrificing love, that agape love. And what I love out of that text as well, Colin is that in verse five of chapter five is that the Holy Spirit's given to us is poured out in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. But it says that the Holy Ghost is given to us. It is a gift from God. With that gift comes all the other gifts we require in regards to our salvation and our relationship with the Lord. SPEAKER C So that's how the disciples were able to preach boldly. The love of God was poured out in their hearts. They were baptized with the Holy Spirit. They had the fruit of the Spirit of love and they were able to preach boldly. And you just see that when Peter preaches his sermon when Peter preaches his sermon he uplifts Jesus and he says to them you put him on the cross. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And everyone says, what should we do? And they said, Repent. Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And that promise wasn't just for them. In verse 39 of Acts, chapter two, it says for the promise is for you and for your children and for all that are far off. Even as we are sitting here in Australia. SPEAKER B Far off. 2000 years far off. And we can still claim that promise. SPEAKER C And geography a long way away as well. SPEAKER B Geographically as well. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And he said many other words. But what happened from the result of his preaching with power when he was baptized with the Holy Spirit? Let's read what happened in verse 41. What happened there in Acts chapter two. SPEAKER B Verse 41 and they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day they were added unto them about 3000 souls. SPEAKER C Wow. I mean, that's the power of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B Incredible power of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C 3000 people were baptized that day. And you only have to look at what happened to the early church. It was beautiful, this church. They did four, five, six things. When we read on in verse 42 it says and they continue steadfastly in the apostles doctrine. That means in Bible study they came together and studied God's word together. The apostles doctrine. They fellowship together. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C They communed together. They broke bread together or ate together and they prayed together. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C There's the element of the early church. They were a praying church. They studied God's word together, they fellowship together and they ate together. And then it says in verse 43 and fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. SPEAKER B Wow. SPEAKER C See, not only were they filled the Holy Spirit to have the fruit of the Spirit but they were given gifts as well. And we see what happened in the rest of. The Book of Acts and it says they went around daily praising God. They were one accord, meeting in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, praising God and having favor with all the people they found favor with the people. And because of that, the Lord added to the church daily, as should be saved. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER B Well, Colin, thank you for taking us through that study. That's been a real blessing and I've enjoyed as we've been working through the word of God. Dear listener, we also have a special offer for you. If you would like to receive a copy of the book Steps to Personal Revival by Helmut Haubeil, you can have this book and we'll make it available to you for $1 plus postage. And you're welcome to contact us here at Three AB in Australia Radio by phoning us in Australia on. You can email us at [email protected] dear Lister, thank you for joining us today. SPEAKER D On. SPEAKER B You shall receive power. Until next time. You'Ve been listening to a production of Three ABN Australia Radio.