Focus on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Current mood: Expectant!
Category: Life

Focus on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

It's just like the Enemy to take something God has given as a wonderful gift and pervert and confuse it to the point that some people and even whole denominations run from it like the plague. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is one of those wonderful gifts that has been twisted and distorted beyond recognition.

Acts 1:5 ...but you shall be baptized with (in/by) the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

Jesus was clear. There was a "baptism" with the Holy Spirit coming and it was the awaited Promise of the Father. The word Baptism means to overwhelm, immerse, submerge, and dip repeatedly until a change takes effect. It's what you do to a cucumber to transform it into a pickle! We need to be "pickled" in the Holy Spirit until a change takes effect.

Here's the Phrase that Pays:

The Holy Spirit is "Resident" in every believer, but He wants to be the "President" of every believer.

So the question you must answer is this: Do you know the Holy Spirit as "Resident" or "President?"

The word Preside as defined means to exercise authoritative control or power over i.e. president of a corporation or nation. A resident resides, but a president presides.

Understanding the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

1. The What and Why - The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for the empowerment of the believer externally in order to be living representatives of Jesus in the earth.

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon (epi - over on/towards) you and you shall be witnesses to Me...

2. The How - This is where people seem to get confused. There has been a fair amount of "weirdness" attached to receiving the Baptism (that's probably a gross understatement!).

There are many external signs that people and religious groups have attached to the baptism. This unfortunate trend has caused many poeple who could benefit from this wonderful gift from God to run in the opposite direction.

The Enemy often uses Extremism to condition believers to react to and repel legitimate gifts and blessings.

How do we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

a. ASK by faith (just like you were born again by grace through faith).
b. RECEIVE by faith (acknowledge it's yours when you ask).
c. GIVE THANKS for it... again by faith.

Luke 11:13 ...how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!

It's so simple we miss it. Again, it goes back to the Enemy's strategy to condition us not to receive God's best for our lives.

3. The Result - We literally become Ambassadors/Representatives of Jesus Christ with his full authority to demonstrate and do what He did while on the earth!

2 Cor 5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us...

1 John 4:17 Because as He is, so are we in this world.

In our assignment to represent the King of Kings and the Most High God, we need the utmost immersion into His Spirit so that we might accurately and powerfully represent Him in this world!

What an honor! What a priviledge to represent the King! Blessings to you as you seek to go deeper and further in your walk with Jesus. My prayer for you is that you will not just have more "Information", but that you will have greater "revelation" of His Truth...for you shall know the Truth and the Truth will make you free.

Expectant,
Pastor J

Focus on the Spirit-filled Life!

Current mood: Expectant!
Category: Life

It's easy to be scattered and unfocused in our daily life. I mean between work obligations, family responsibilities and church activities most of us need a personal assistant just to keep us moving to the next appointment!

I want to encourage you to make a commitment: This summer I am going to focus on a few things! I'm going to eliminate the non-essentials and concentrate on a few things that really matter.

That's what I mean by "Focus." Today I want to Focus on the Spirit-filled Life.

Here are Five Keys to the Spirit-filled Life

1. Recognize your need to be filled with the Holy Spirit - If Jesus needed to be filled with the Spirit to fulfill his assignment, then how much more do we need to be filled! See Acts 10:38.
2. Be filled with the Holy Spirit continually - The truth is, we tend to leak! We need to "continually" be filled with the Spirit. The Greek language in Eph 5:18 literally say, "ever be filled with the Spirit." Yesterday's filling is not enough for me today.
3. Ask to be filled - This is so simple we tend to miss it! See Luke 11:13. God "wants" to give us more of his Spirit, we just forget or neglect to ask.
4. Look for opportunities to demonstrate the power of the Spirit - Why be filled if you're not going to walk in and demonstrate it? See 1 Cor 2:3-5. Paul saw problems as opportunities to demonstrate God's power!
5. There is a result of your choice between the flesh and the Spirit - There is a war between the flesh and the Spirit. Question: Which one will win today? Answer: The one you feed the most today! See Romans 8:5-6.

I hope this helps. We will continue this journey in the next blog entry!

Blessings,
Pastor J

Just for Today!

Current mood: Expectant!
Category: Life

Just for Today!

I don't know about you, but it's easy to get overwhelmed in life. Between overloaded schedules, workloads, family responsibilities, church life, friendships and not to mention the unplanned crises of life... whew, I can get overwhelmed very quickly!

So how do we deal with these attacks on our peace of mind? How do we live life on purpose and find meaning in our overcrowded lives? John Maxwell has a great take on this topic in his book, "Today Matters." He has developed what he calls "The Daily Dozen." It's a creed for living... it's living intentionally... because if you don't choose to "Do Life" then life will "Do You!"

Here are the first of 6 of the Daily Dozen!

How to Maximize the Moment: Just for Today...

1. ...I will choose and display the right attitudes - Today's ATTITUDE give me possibilities. See Mark 9:23.
2. ...I will determine and act on right priorities - Today's PRIORITIES give me focus. See Joshua 1:7.
3. ...I will know and follow healthy guidelines - Today's HEALTH gives me strength. See 1 Cor 6:19-20.
4. ...I will communicate with and care for my family - Today's FAMILY give me stability. See 1 Tim 5:8.
5. ...I will practice and develop good thinking - Today's THINKING gives me an advantage. See Joshua 1:8.
6. ...I will make and keep proper commitments - Today's COMMITMENT gives me tenacity. See Matt 6:33.

The great coach John Wooden often said, "Make each day your masterpiece." You see, what you do with the details of today will make the biggest difference tomorrow. You are sowing seeds today for a great harvest tomorrow.

Next week we will pick up and examine the rest of the "Daily Dozen" maxims for living. I have been reading, meditating and praying over these every day and they are having a tremendous impact on my attitude throughout each day. I hope you are blessed, encouraged and inspired by these as well.

Expecting God's Best for You!
Pastor J