Receiving The Holy Ghost
This Is God's Step....
Receiving the Holy Ghost is "experiencing Salvation". It is the evidence that God has "recognized" your faith and confirmed it by giving you the gift of the Holy Ghost - a part of His own Eternal Life into your soul. The coming of the Holy Ghost quickens us to a New Life in Christ. Spiritually, we experience a resurrection. We were dead in sins and trespasses, cut of from God; but now, we have been 'made alive' - conscious and aware of our Heavenly Father, whereby we now cry "Abba Father."
And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins; Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 2:1,5-6
Having experienced the Resurrection of Christ in our souls it creates in us the call for the "physical Resurrection" of body (Romans 8:23). Paul, in Romans 8:11 said, "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Coming into the believers heart, the Holy Ghost quickens (germinates) the Seed-Word of God in our hearts, producing a "child" in the image of God - the Word. This new creation, by a new birth hungers and thirsts daily for more and more of the Word of God Matthew 5:6. More than a new creation, by a new spiritual birth, in receiving the Holy Ghost we become the Temple of God.
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are. 1st. Corinthians 3:16-17
Receiving the Holy Ghost is not an option in Salvation - it is a MUST! Romans 8:9 warnes us with these words: "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Going through the motions of repentance and water baptism, without receiving the Holy Ghost, produces a 'still-born' child - a spiritually dead church member. Before His ascension Jesus gave a command to His disciples.....
And, being assembled together with [them], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, [saith he], ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLT GHOST not many days hence. Acts 1:4-5
In Acts 5:32 we find these words: "And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the HOLY GHOST, whom GOD HATH GIVEN TO THEM THAT OBEY HIM." The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is given, NOT to church members, but only to those that OBEY God. NOTHING less then OBEDIENCE to ALL His Word entitles you to the Holy Ghost - the "Token" that "all is well with your soul"; It is God's seal. In Ephesians 4:30 Paul said, "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are SEALED unto the day of redemption." A certain denomination teaches that the keeping of a Saturday Sabbath is the Seal of God. That's a false prophecy. The Bible clearly teaches that the Holy Ghost is the Seal of God. Further PROOF is found in these words in Ephesians 1:13: "In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise..."
John 16:7-14 exhorts us that when the Holy Ghost comes, "He will guide us into all Truth". If you're not growing and maturing in the Word - the Truth, then there's a lack of the Holy Ghost in your life. In Acts 1:8 we find that the Holy Ghost is the POWER we NEED to be a true witness of Jesus Christ. If you have no more victory over the World, the flesh
If you have no more victory over the World, the flesh and the Devil then when you first repented - this also is an indication of a great lack of the Holy Ghost. With growth and maturity in the Word comes more strength to LIVE for God. The Bible says, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" Ephesians 5:18.
Now, having been fully persuaded of the need for genuine repentance, water baptism in the NAME of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, let's find out HOW to receive the Holy Ghost and HOW do we know when we have HIM dwelling within?
Thank God for His abundance of Grace upon each and everyone.
Next Part, How can I receive the Holy Ghost?.
To be continued....
