Why Every Christian Should Receive the Holy Ghost #5

The Lord said to me,.."I will test my people with a plumbline. Amos 7:8 (TLB)

The Plumbline is a blog to encourage the Body of Christ.

Why Every Christian Should Receive the Holy Ghost #5 

NINTH: ONE SHOULD HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO EXERCISE THE GIFTS FULLY:

The Divine Source

It appears that in some cases God bestows a gift upon a person, even before birth Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV) "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." Even so, it is necessary that the Spirit of God anoints the person at least in a measure, before the gift can properly operate. Certain of the gifts were manifested in a ministry of the apostles, even before they received the full Baptism of the Spirit. Jesus commanded them to heal the sick and cast out devils. (Matt. 10:8).

Since it is clear that the disciples did not have the baptism at that time, we see that the gift did operate in a measure with a partial anointing of the Spirit.They are manifested in far greater power in those who have received the full baptism. The manifestation of certain gifts in the ministry of Peter because evident only after he received the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

For example, neither Peter nor any of the other disciples knew that Judas was intending to betray the Lord, see Mark 14:17-21; John 13:21-30. And even when Jesus practically told them they still did get the significance of His words. Yet, after Peter received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, he instantly discerned the hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphires. Check out Acts 5:1-11. As far as speaking in other tongues, none of the disciples manifested the gift until after the Day of Pentecost.

On the Sea of Galilee when the storm arose, the disciples showed only a human faith, Matt. 8:23-26. But you’ll note after thy received the Holy Spirit , they had faith for great miracles, even the raising of the dead. Look up Acts 5:12; 9:36-42.

TENTH: TO PRODUCE THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT:

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

 We have mentioned that the Holy Spirit give power to live a holy life. But holiness set apart by itself is negative. The Holy Spirit does more than this. He bears the fruits of the Spirit-resulting in a positive change of nature, and even of personality. Here is a vast field for consideration of which we can merely take the briefest notice.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT LOVE: Love is the greatest thing in the world. Jesus showed what the real proof was that a man was a true follower of His, when He said,34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another;...35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."John 13:34-35 (NKJV) Love works no ill or evil to one’s brother. Love is the fulfillment of the whole law.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS JOY:  Psalms 28:7 (NLT)  The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. The Puritanical religion held the view that a Christian should always wear a long face. But Jesus strikes at that concept by declaring that even when men are fasting and denying the flesh, they are not to be “as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance” Matt. 6:16. Many think of Christ, when he walked the earth, as a sad, melancholy man. This picture is quite misleading. Although Christ was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, this refers to the to the sorrow He bore for the world, not to His own. Sad people are usually that way be cause of their own troubles. Yet even as Christ went to Calvary, He could say in, John 15:11 (NLT) I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS PEACE: The true evidence of conversion is the peace of God that comes within the heart. The world is restless, frustrated, and disillusioned. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. See Ecc. 1:1. One of the greatest purposes of the indwelling Spirit is to produce peace in the heart of the believer - the peace that passes all understanding.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - LONGSUFFERING: Who but the Holy Spirit can give us understanding and patience in our relation with the less spiritual saints.A person who claims to have great spiritual gifts and loses his temper when things don’t go his way, only betrays his own carnality and inconsistency.

To Be Continued