The Holy Spirit in the Believer's Life

In John MacArthur's recent podcast (7/31/10) sermon titled Boldness in Prayer he explained in great detail the TRUE blessing a Christian has in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I don't most of us understand the importance of that nearly enough! We flippantly say "walk in the Spirit" but do you know what that really means?

An excerpt below, because he cited SO many important passages! In italics was added by this blogger.

Do you understand that everything that has happened to you as a believer is a product of the work of the Holy Spirit? And at this point we could go into what’s called pneumatology, the study of the Spirit.

• As a sinner you were convicted by the Holy Spirit, John 16:13, that’s how you came to understand your sin
• When you confessed Jesus as Lord, you did it because of the Holy Spirit. “No man confesses Jesus as Lord but by the Holy Spirit,” 1 Corinthians 12:3
• You received the knowledge of God’s truth from the Holy Spirit because it’s only the Spirit that knows the things of God, 1 Corinthians chapter 2, “The natural man doesn’t understand them.” 
• You were given liberty from the law of sin, the law of death by the Holy Spirit. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is,” 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “there’s liberty.” 
• You were sealed to eternal life by the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13
• You walk in righteousness by the Spirit, Romans 8
• You were baptized into the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12, literally immersed into His life and power
• You are indwelt by the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:19 and 20
• You are filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:18
• You are gifted by the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12
• You’re given godly virtues by the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5
• You’re empowered by the Spirit for evangelism, Acts 1:8
• You are constantly prayed for by the Spirit, Romans 8, who makes groanings which cannot be uttered interceding for you
• You are sanctified by the Spirit, 2 Thessalonians 2
• You are made like Christ by the Spirit from one level of glory to the next, more and more like Christ, 2 Corinthians 3:18
• You have hope in the Spirit, Romans 8:23. The Spirit is the arrabon [in Greek the "downpayment", the "earnest-money"], the guarantee, the down payment, the engagement ring of your future eternal glory

In summary, when the Lord gave you the Holy Spirit, He gave you everything, absolutely everything. “By His presence, by His power, by His grace we are permanently the possessors of everything we need and so much more that He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can...what?...ask or think.” You have more resource in the Holy Spirit than you can even imagine. It’s all over the top, the whole passage. God gives you more in giving you the Holy Spirit, then you could ever possibly understand. That’s why the prayer also of Paul was that God would give us the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge that we would understand what we have. And it’s to those who ask. You ask and He doesn’t give you what is the Spirit’s, He gives you the Spirit.

John MacArthur (Grace To You Ministries)
CD
Online at Oneplace.com
Transcript at biblebb.com

Christian, Learn From Israel!

The more I study God's word, the Bible, the more I am convicted and relate to Israel! My own reading of the entire Bible, took me (reluctantly) into the Old Testament, and brought me from an initial position of criticizing the people of God for their unbelief to completely identifying with them! This completely took me by surprise.It became clear to me that it would be pure hypocrisy of me to be critical of them, when I myself did the same thing either by not being thankful for His blessings and leadings - or by a lack of faith over what He was working out in my life!

I often say I wish I had a "hot line" a red telephone straight to God so He could tell me what He wanted or expected of me. Eventually I realized I do have that, it's the Holy Spirit within me and everything He wants to say to me is in His Holy Scriptures. It was up to me to stay connected to Him!

As I read the Old Testament I felt Israel HAD that very intimate and tangible line to God. The more I read of their failures, the more I wondered at HOW a people who actually SAW and felt His presence in ways too numeous to name here are just a few:

• the pillar of fire by night and cloud by day
• the direct speaking to his chosen leaders and prophets
• the proof though fulfilled prophecy
• the battles only He could have won for Israel

These and SO many more were all signs that He alone was the one and only God and that He was protecting and blessing them. So how could Israel be so blind?!? Ignorant?!? Deceived!!!!!!!!!!! That was a constant question on my heart as I read through the Old Testament.

Yet, isn't that what we Christians do when we allow the enemy to deceive us into thinking that God isn't listening to our prayer? Do we not often believe that He doesn't care or is too busy to attend to our supplications? It's that same liw that Satan used in the garden of Eden when in his first recorded spoken words to man he planted seeds of doubt in her mind by saying "Indeed, has God said.....?" (Genesis 3:1).

In Galatians 3:6-7 we read "Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham." I love that verse. Abraham's faith saved him, in the same way our faith makes us descendants of Abraham in God's eyes. By faith Abraham was saved, by faith in Jesus Christ we are saved and grafted on to the family of Abraham. Romans 11 is rich on this subject. It speaks to my heart, I hope it will equally to yours. I wouldn't even dare try to comment on one of God's mysteries!

Romans 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
Romans 11:18  do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
Romans 11:19  You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
Romans 11:20  Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;
Romans 11:21  for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.
Romans 11:22  Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
Romans 11:23  And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Romans 11:24  For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
Romans 11:25  For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;
Romans 11:26  and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB."
Romans 11:27  "THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS."
Romans 11:28  From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies [Gk: hostile] for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;
Romans 11:29  for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Romans 11:30  For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,
Romans 11:31  so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.
Romans 11:32  For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

I once heard someone distinguish the difference between mercy and grace. He said "Grace is getting what you don't deserve, mercy is NOT getting what you DO deserve". No one ever deserved the Salvation which was freely (by grace) to anyone who will receive it, by the suffering of Jesus Christ for our sins. It is only by the grace of Yahweh, the God of Israel, that we ARE saved!

As I have shared before on this blog, it was only when I came to the realization that I was NO DIFFERENT than the people (Israel) that my own Christian walk changed! Primarily the shallow teachings of most (even so-called "evangelical") churches of today no longer satisfied me. I suppose this is when I moved from milk to meat! There is a time for milk in our Christian lives, as in a child's life........but a child quickly graduates to meat as must we..........by CHOOSING to know God through His Scripture. Only then can we be of use to the Kingdom of God.

Hebrews 5:12  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
Hebrews 5:13  For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.
Hebrews 5:14  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

Jesus Prayed For YOU!

A study in John 17, Jesus' prayer before he was arrested shows us that Jesus not only prayed for the disciples He also prayed for those who would someday be saved by the teaching of the Gospel.

In verses 20-23 of John chapter 17 Jesus prayed for YOU blessed believer! He prayed: [emphasis mine]

John 17:20 "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;
John 17:21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
John 17:22 "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;
John 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

That's pretty awesome! In our day to day living we often get bogged down with the worries, deceptions, challenges of earthly living and we forget that the one who foreknew us, who knows every hair on our head prayed for us long before we ever existed!

Acceptance is Unacceptable

Don't fall for today's mentality of acceptance. You don't have to hit everyone over the head with a Bible to be a witness, a mistake we too often make. The best witness is one which allows the Lord Jesus to shine through them and allows the Holy Spirit to guide their tongues.

However, we cannot be shy about our faith of fall into the all-accepting crowd. If Jesus is the Lord of your life, live that way...........the salvation of the person you meet today may depend on it. You are to plant the seed of God's word..........He says nothing about working the soil, that's up to the Holy Spirit. Read Matthew 13:1-52

I believe the Bible is clear on what the Lord considers an abomination and is not at all ambiguous about it. God never deals in "gray areas"! I won't get into the particular issues here, you can read the Bible and figure that out for yourself. A good start is to see who the Bible says will NOT be in heaven also see my post Whose Name Is In The Book of Life for more Scripture on this subject......

Revelation 21:8
But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

Before you go throwing stones, see how many of those sin YOU have committed. Perhaps never committed murder or adultery.........but how about lying? You'll be lying right now if you say "never" so there goes your so-called perfect record ;o). Without repentance - no matter how small your sin - you won't be in heaven after your death.

The Bible teaches us to hate the sin but love the sinner............NOT to accept or make excuses the sin. If you are a Christian you can act no other way and please God! Let HIM take care of the judging and the punishment.

The best thing you can do, that which give you the most strength, is to pray for those people to see the truth and be saved.

The point is too often we hear we should be "all encompassing" in religious beliefs. Don't let that sort of talk make you shy away from being a light to the world!

God bless you!
Lu

Whose Name Is In The Book of Life????

A question was posted to me.......what are the qualifications for one to go to heaven (to have one's name in the Book of Life?, and conversely, the qualifications for one's name to be omitted? The items in bold italics below are his questions.

My problem is I love everyone and my hope is everyone is saved; though, I know this will probably not happen, the Bible teaches us there will be those thrown into the lake of fire.

Of course everyone will not be saved - wish though we might, that they all be. I dare say more will be unsaved due to the fact that there is ONE book of life and BOOKS of the unsaved. Hope and pray as we might, it's not up to us, it's up to the individual. Hell was created for Satan and his angels (those who followed him) - NOT for man. God did not intend for man to go there, but anyone who chooses to follow Satan, will. [Mat 25:41 "Then He will also say to those on His left, `Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;] (emphases mine)

First of all, anyone who sins is going to hell UNLESS he accepts that Jesus' blood washed their sins away. Not just "major" sins like murder, even one lie will get you into hell without Jesus (Rev 21:27 [below]). It doesn't matter how earnestly you look for "god" and how many poems you write about "god"! You can be looking right at something and not accept it as truth.

The Truth is Jesus Christ. It's the act of accepting Jesus into your heart/life that gets you to heaven.

Some feel there are many paths to heaven. That God is a universal force, and all sorts of nonsense. Worshiping one god does not make you saved. The Egyptians eventually moved from a polytheistic society to a monotheistic one and worshiped only 1 god: Ra, the sun god. Is that the same as worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac & Israel? Is that being saved? NO.

The Bible says about the Book of Life:

Rev 21:27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

At the judgment throne of God this is the criteria for who will be in the book of life:
He who is righteous will be in the book of life:

Psa 69:28 May they be blotted out of the book of life And may they not be recorded with the righteous.

Those who spread the gospel - i.e. spread the good news that Jesus Christ is our Savior:

Php 4:3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

He who overcomes the world (does not succumb to its deceptions) and who therefore is not a Christian in name only - i.e. a "carnal Christian":

Rev 3:5 `He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

He who has been washed by the blood of Jesus - who has more than his "good works" with which to defend himself at the throne of Judgment. Since we, and even our BEST deeds are as filthy rags to God, it won't be enough to save us from hell:

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. Rev 20:15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

NOT in the book of life:

Those who remain after the rapture, who are deceived by and worship the beast:

Rev 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. Rev 17:8 "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.

I know some people like Judas and Pharaoh probably will not make it; they were selected for the purposes of God to be who they were. Now that we know this; did God select entire cultures to be thrown into the lake of fire and a select few not to be?

There WERE Egyptians who believed, I was just reading about the 10 plagues in Egypt. They had a choice, as humanity as always had!

Are all the Jews from the time of Jesus gonners? If they are, what does it mean to be God's chosen people? Moses pleaded with God not to destroy them for His name sake; how would it look if he delivered them just to destroy them?

&

If God can save the Jews what are his limitations and if He is going to destry them where is His mercy?

God has NO limitations, but those are questions no one can answer, since He has not yet revealed their answers to us; however, we do know that Yahweh is a just and loving God, and perhaps He leaves that question unanswered in order to test OUR faith in His loving kindness!

Equally important is the fact that HE doesn't send anyone to damnation, it's man's choice. Punishment is so often built in to the curse. The verse that comes to mind is James 4:4

You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

I saw Zola Levitt mention in his testimony (watch online free) that his parents were not believers of Jesus, and he was quite peaceful about the fact. It was just a "by the way" at the end of a sentence, but I was impressed by his faith in God's love.

Conclusion:
We all have such questions, and we all have people whose salvation we are unsure of. Frankly we cannot be sure of anyone's heart decision for Christ except our own. When such questions of life arise, remember, the answers come from God's word. We must pick up the Bible (praying first that the Holy Spirit will show us truth, or guide us to peace about what we are seeking). He won't necessarily reveal it during that study session, but He WILL grant peace and show us the truth you are searching for.

I pray that you find peace about those who you fear are lost. We ALL have them in our lives. The most effective thing we can do for the world is to pray for their salvation. It is in prayer that we have the greatest power.