The HALF GOSPEL and the FULL GOSPELThere is a difference between receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit and the power gifts of the Holy Spirit. God's Word teaches us that if we repent and are baptized, we shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was water baptized the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove. When we truly repent of our sins and put our faith in Christ and his atonement upon the cross, we are saved by Grace. It is also essential that we are baptized in water. Water baptism is an act of obedience, it proclaims to the world that you have been born again. You are marked by God, and you identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ through water baptism.
When you are saved by Grace and are water baptized you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is only half of the Gospel. Most Christians are content to remain babes on milk and not grow spiritually. Some believers have never been taught that there is more to their spiritual walk. In order to live an overcoming Christian life in these dark times, it is essential that we be filled with God’s Holy Spirit (baptism in the Holy Spirt).
Acts 2:38 Then 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 receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a second act of Grace, and it is a release of the Holy Spirit, as well as an immersion in power that is accompanied by spiritual gifts according to God's will and must be sought after by faith. The Holy Spirit is God, he is the third person of the Holy Trinity, and he indwells us, as well as ministers to us. It is God’s will that we all experience the fullness of God and that is only possible by receiving the baptism in the Spirit. The infilling of the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the hands of the Apostles within Scripture. It was first given on the Day of Pentecost to those seeking God in the upper room. You may receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit by earnestly seeking God in prayer, or through the laying on of hands.
Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
There are nine gifts and nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is God's will that we seek him for the fullness of his Spirit. The strivings of the flesh are worthless. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we may become a new creation (set apart people).
Dream of the four Harlots and the Holy Spirit
I recently had a dream of the four harlots and the Holy Spirit. Babylon is a biblical term that means wickedness. We read of Mystery Babylon in Rev 17 and 18. This is a reference to an adulterous or harlot church. Many people within modern day Christianity have not been taught to be filled with the Holy Spirit, or to crucify their old carnal nature.
I dreamed that there were four young adult girls wearing ankle length night gowns. They were running around in many directions and then each one stood still next to a gas pump. Four gas pumps with four girls. I woke from the dream as the Lord spoke the word Babylon to me four times. The interpretation is that the young girls were playing the harlot. They were running around in many directions, being tossed to and fro by many false doctrines of men. They were wearing night gowns meaning they were asleep to spiritual issues like holiness.
The church is the bride of Christ; however, many are not faithful to Christ. They have not allowed God's Holy Spirit to teach them to walk and bear good fruit. Mystery Babylon is the end time apostasy (Great Falling Away). When the church is indistinguishable from the sinful world they are not set apart. The gas pumps within the dream were symbolic of the need for Christians to be filled with the Holy Spirit which empowers them to live an overcoming life. The young harlot brides stopped running around playing the harlot, and stood Still, next to the gas pumps in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is essential for all believers. There are believers saved by Grace, who are Not filled with the Holy Spirit; however, it is God's will that they experience the fullness of his Spirit.
Come as you are to Christ, but don't stay that way. It is true that we are justified, saved, and sanctified by faith alone. Christ's finished work upon the cross paid our debts in full and his shed blood sanctified us and removed our shame and guilt! However, faith must be accompanied with repentance to be sincere. You must be born again to inherit eternal life with Christ.
Repentance means that you are not only sorry for your sins, but you are turning from your old sinful ways and pursuing God's ways (righteousness)! Without holiness no man shall see the Father. A dead, or lukewarm, church will be vomited out of God's mouth according to His Word. You cannot overcome your old nature, or bear good fruit, apart from God's Spirit. It is only possible to live an overcoming, or holy life, by surrendering your will to God and allowing the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out. God gives us Grace to grow in Him. We come to Him as babes on milk and learn to walk by his Spirit.
You must abide in the vine (Jesus Christ). Scripture teaches us that to abide in Christ is to continue in the faith and allow His Spirit to pour love into our hearts for others. To truly know Christ is to love one another and forgive others their trespasses, as Christ has forgiven us. We must give others grace to live in His grace. To walk in the Spirit is to live in God's freedom and no longer to be a slave to sin. Are you a new creation in Christ? Are you born again?
Hebrews 12:12-16 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Hebrews 13:20-21Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Galatians 5:15-26 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
