The Ministry of the Holy Spirit, Written by my Husband

 

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit, Written by my Husband, Mel

It is truly miraculous, how God used a handful of people, to turn the world upside down. The Book of the Acts of the Apostles, is a record of the many journeys of the apostles, as they took the gospel of Jesus Christ to many lands. Luke gives us a record of the birth of the early church, starting with the ascension of Christ, and continuing with the ministry of Christ’s twelve apostles, as well as, other apostles, like Paul, and James the Lord’s brother. God used ordinary men to accomplish his work. Peter, James, and John were uneducated fishermen, but God who looks upon the heart, chose them to establish his new church.

God is not impressed with theological degrees, or the popularity, or outward appearance of a person, God looks for humble vessels in which he may work through. The apostles worked many miracles by God’s Spirit, in order to give validation to the message in which they were entrusted. The sick were healed, demons were cast out, and the dead were raised, by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which they preached. God’s Word states, that these signs will follow them that believe.

Mark 16:17-18 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.

I am a non-denominational Christian with Pentecostal, as well as holiness beliefs. I am not affiliated with the Charismatic movement or the Pentecostal denominations. I do not approve of television evangelists, prosperity gospel teachers, or the many counterfeit revivals that produce demonic manifestations.

I'm an old school Christian that is not into Christian entertainment, but into God's Word. I believe that we are saved by God's Grace alone and Not by our works. However, many churches are Not teaching their people about sincere repentance and getting the sinful bondages out of their lives. After we are truly saved through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross we need to learn to Walk in the Spirit and bear good fruit and not the sins of the flesh that will send you to Hell (Galatians 5). You cannot walk in the Spirit by your own merit. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that you are able to live an overcoming life and bear good fruit. You must turn the reins of your will and life over to God and let him refine you and make you into a reflection of him. If the Holy Spirit dwells within you then you must allow him to manifest the attributes of God. You can only put down sin in your life by surrendering to God's Spirit.

The true gifts of the Spirit, should be common place within the church today. A healthy church that teaches sound doctrine, will not quench God’s Spirit, but will allow God entrance to their services. God should not be put into a box, he should be allowed to speak, teach, as well as lead the service.

Many Spirit filled churches of 40 or 50 years ago, understood that they needed to let the Lord lead the service. They would earnestly pray and fast for God’s direction. I am 56 years old, and I remember the days when the majority of the Pentecostal churches still preached holiness, but today, many of them, have been snared by the lie of Calvinism. When the churches began to drift away from sound doctrine, the gifts of the Spirit ceased, or in some cases, were replaced by the demonic counterfeit experiences. God dwells in those, who are set apart from the world, God dwells in holy vessels. The Pentecostal movement, was birthed from the holiness churches of the turn of the twentieth century.

The Lord has spoken to me countless times, that many churches are either sick, or dead, and that is the reason why His glory (Spirit) is departing from them. A lukewarm church will be vomited out of God's mouth (Revelation 3).

 The churches need to teach people the necessity of having both the fruit of the Spirit, as well as the gifts of the Spirit, in their lives. You cannot trust most pastors to teach you the truth of God’s Word, you must study the Bible for yourself. When you are taught God’s Word by the Holy Spirit, you will know the truth.

In order to live an overcoming Christian life in these dark times, it is essential that we be filled with God’s Holy Spirit. 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 his Spirit. The free gift of the Holy Spirit is given when you are truly saved. However, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a second act of Grace, and is an immersion in power that is accompanied by spiritual gifts according to God's will and must be sought after by faith.

Acts 8:14-17 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

There are examples within Scripture where the Spirit is given through the laying on of hands, but this is not the only way. One cannot put God in a box, this means that God does things his way and not according to man’s doctrines. Although there are many examples of the Spirit being given through the laying on of hands, the Apostles were filled with the Spirit in the house where they were seeking God.

My parents, both received the baptism in the Spirit while praying on their knees in their bedroom. At that time they had never heard of tongues, or Pentecostals. However they both felt a wind enter the bedroom and my Dad spoke in unknown tongues and my Mom interpreted. They were whole-heartedly seeking God and asking him for all that he had for them. My parents were later in the prophetic ministry for over thirty years and they witnessed many miracles done by God’s Spirit. The old time Pentecostals understood that you must seek after, as well as tarry for the Holy Spirit. This means that you don’t give up if you don’t immediately receive the baptism. A person must seek after the baptism earnestly with faith. You must surrender all to Christ and allow him to guide you and mold you into a vessel of honor.

If you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you will most certainly know it, for you will either feel God’s Spirit upon you, or you will experience one of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit. Most people speak in unknown tongues when they are filled with the Spirit, but not always. The evidence of the baptism in the Spirit is one or more of the gifts of the Spirit at work in your life. 1 Cor chapter twelve lists the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit.

1 Cor 12: 4-11 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

The gift of speaking in unknown tongues comes in two forms. There is a prayer language that benefits the believer only, and there is the giving of a message in tongues to an assembly that must be interpreted. Here are scriptures concerning the prayer language.

1 Cor 14:2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.

1 Cor 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

The apostle Paul teaches that the gifts of the Spirit must be done in an orderly manner. 

1 Cor 14: 26-33 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

Here are some more scriptures on the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:1-4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:14-20 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.