Holy Spirit Part 2 Dr. Mike Fogerson June 10, 2012
A A fall of God’s power over a church/believer is a game changer (encouragement)
1 Acts 3.19, describes these times as “times of refreshing.”
a It is the outpouring of His Spirit that makes us keep going when the well gets dry, waters have grown stagnant, burned out & ready to quit.
b For those who are spiritually thirsty, the rain does come (or you’ll where it is raining) and experience “times of refreshing.”
c God promises His babies an outpouring, Isa. 44.3.
2 When God’s power falls, there will also be endowment. (Gift, pension, legacy)
a He endows/equips the church/Christians to minister & serve.
b Often times revival brings forth these “times of refreshing.”
aa The water level rises and sweeps away all the jams, dry spots, and the river runs once again.
bb The dry places of your life become re-hydrated, saturated with living water once again.
cc Church/individual both can experience revival.
3 Revival is a showcase of what man can do as God breaks through in His power.
B When God shows up, there is not only an endowing but there is also an enduing (Luke 24.49; KJV, NASB, ).
1 Endue actually means “to clothe.”
a “Endue” has to do with the visible work of the Holy Spirit.
b You see people’s clothes & you notice when someone doesn’t have any clothes on.
c This enduing is the tangible evidence that God has come upon a person’s spirit.
2 What does the Holy Spirit look like when He clothes someone?
a We’ve talked about gifts (like prayer language as well as other phenomena), but this is not the only gift/manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
b I want you to know what the clothes of the Holy Spirit like, what kind of fashion He brings.
I Physical Manifestations of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
A Trembling or shaking under God’s power.
1 Jeremiah 5.22, we find trembling was a result of fear of simply being in His presence.
a Daniel 10.11-12
b Habakkuk 3.16
2 Trembling also occurred when someone was delivered or healed (Mark 5.33.)
a The woman with the issue of blood trembled under the reality that she had been delivered from her illness.
b She was weak in the knees, blown her over with a feather kind of trembling.
3 Trembling also happened when they fell under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.
a Acts 24.25 KJV,
b Acts 9.6 KJV, Paul at his conversion asked God for new direction.
c Not every instance of the Spirit’s filling is accompanied by trembling/shaking, but it is possible! (Acts 4.31)
4 Trembling was common during the Great Awakening (conviction fell on Northhampton, MA) 1740's.
a This trembling/quaking gave the “quakers” their name.
b In the 1840's, Reverend Barton Stone, leader of the Cane Ridge Revival, told about trembling at that revival (and other revivals on the frontier) and how common this manifestation was.
aa “Sometimes the subject of the jerks would be affected in some one one member of the body, and sometimes in the whole system. When the head alone was affected, it would be jerked backward and forward, or from side to side, so quickly that the features of the face could not be distinguished. When the whole system was affected, I have seen the person stand in one place, and jerk backward and forward in quick succession, their head nearly touching the floor behind and before.” -Stone.
bb The trembling/shaking can be in one limb or the whole body and it is possible, Scriptural evidence, historical evidence.
B Joy and singing
1 From time to time, the movement of the Holy Spirit may result in an outbreak of joy.
a Ps. 126.2 KJV; Ecc. 3.4
b These verses don’t instruct us specifically in the use of laughter by the Holy Spirit, but you can’t get away from the fact that freedom from the bondage of the enemy produces real joy.
aa We have been rescued! Salvation is a rescue.
bb What happened to the Children of Israel (release from Egypt/bondage/slavery) in the natural often is applicable to us in the spiritual realm.
cc 1 Cor. 10.11, tells us that the Hebrews are to be our example.
2 IL. Everest
a For those who have been truly set free, released, delivered, the result will often times lead to a desire to sing & praise Jesus.
b Simon Peter recognized this when he wrote 1 Peter 1.6-8.
3 Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections, told of instances in his meetings when people would burst out in laughter and moments later melted into tears when the Spirit fell.
4 George Whitefield & Reverend Stone both wrote of the joy that would often be expressed as singing at their meetings.
a Soon after this I found and felt in myself that I was delivered from the burden that had so heavily oppressed me; the spirit of mourning was taken from me and I knew what it was truly to rejoice in God my Savior, and for some time could not avoid singing psalms wherever I was. But my joy gradually become more settled and, blessed be God, has abode and increased in my soul, saving a few causal intermissions, ever since. Thus were the days of my mourning ended. (GW)
b This singing exercise is more unaccountable than anything else I ever saw. The subject in a very happy state of mind would sing most melodiously, not from the mouth or nose, but entirely the breast, the sounds issuing thence. Such music silenced everything, and attracted the attention of all. It was most heavenly. None could ever be tired of hearing it.
C Drunkenness or Euphoria
1 At Pentecost, the accusation of being drunk was leveled on the Apostles (Acts 2.13-15)
a Notice the words of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 23.9).
b Eph. 5.18-21, Paul taught that it was possible to be drunk on the Holy Spirit.
c Some fill their bellies with wine (influenced by its power), so believers can come under the the influence by the fullness of the Spirit.
2 These verses are not contrasting but a comparison.
a Being filled iwht the Spirit may cause you to do some things you may not usually do!
b Some people have experienced a sense of dizziness or euphoria when they get filled with the Spirit.
3 These manifestations may occur (if you are open to them/want them), but more importantly, the Holy Spirit will create in you a fresh hunger for Scripture, a new love for the Savior, and a new display of the Spirit in your life.
a It doesn’t matter how high you jump in church, what matters is how straight you walk when you come down.
b
D Crying and weeping
1 As weary as some are of the last three manifestations (trembling/shaking, laughter/joy/singing, drunkenness), hardly anyone would question the validity of tears as physical manifestation of the presence of God.
a God cherishes your tears by recording them (Ps. 56.8)
b You can seek the Lord with tears (Ps. 42.3)
c Repentance/concern bring tears. (Neh.8.9)
2 God responds to our weeping (2 Chron. 34.27)
3 Jesus wept publicly (and never apologized/unashamedly)
a A women with a broken reputation, broken life, broken heart found completion/healing/deliverance in Jesus and her response was to weep (Luke 7.38).
b Paul wept with the Ephesian elders as he left their city, reminded them of his ministry of tears among them (Acts 20.31).
4 Luke 18 (perhaps the most telling of examples in Scripture), gives us a man saying a sinners prayer.
a Remember, the synagogue was the forerunner of the early church, and it was place of expression.
aa A Pharisee and a tax collector went to the synagogue to pray.
bb The Pharisee spoke a glittering prayer filled with pride, tax collector cried/beat on his chest and cried, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” (Luke 18.13).
cc Jesus said the tax collector was justified because of his humility.
b Churches, Believers could use more of the humility of the tax collector.
E Dancing & Bodily Movements
1 The word “praise” is closely related to the Hebrew word for “dance”, which means to “twirl around.”
a King David was known for dancing before the Lord with all his might (2 Sam. 6.14).
b When this manifestation is displayed people may jump, run, and move under the power of the Holy Spirit.
2 The New Testament doesn’t specify that this is an activity that often happened in early church.
a Acts 3.8-9
b God had touched a man with disabled legs, a beggar at the temple, and Peter pulled the man to his feet.
3 We should be very careful not just dismiss bodily (or any) manifestations because we can’t always know what circumstances surround the leaping & jumping, weeping, laughter.
F Falling Out in the Spirit (Old Testament)
1 Very common manifestation when the Spirit of God falls in a church/on a believer and it does not have to be feared.
2 In Gen. 2.21, God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and removed a rib from his side to create Adam a mate.
a In this deep sleep God performed surgery on Adam, when he awoke he had this beautiful gift, Eve, from God.
b Perhaps, during a “falling out” time God is performing surgery and healing people in a spiritual, emotional, mental, or physical way.
3 Genesis 15.12, God puts Abram into a deep sleep and prophesied/spoke into his future as Abram lay resting.
a While Abram was resting in the Spirit, God told him. . .
aa His descendants would be held in slavery in Egypt for 400 years.
bb After that, deliverance & great wealth.
b Also promised him he would live to be an old man and be buried with his fathers.
4 In Numbers 24, God used a mercenary false prophet, magician, sorcerer, to speak the word of God.
a Balaam had made a deal with Balak, king of Moab, to publically curse the children of Israel for big money.
b Num. 24.4,16, tells us that Balaam “fell down.”
aa Each time Balaam tried to curse Israel, God knocked him out, gave him a vision and would then bless Israel. (Happened three times!)
bb King Balak was furious (not paying you a penny!)
c Fourth time, God opened Balaam’s mouth w/ a prophecy about the Messiah (v.17).
5 Ezekiel had several occurances where God came to him while he was in a trance.
a Ezek. 1.28, describes the first of these and his response.
aa Ezek. 2.2, God gave Ezekiel a new ministry, fresh calling to a wayward people, and God told him not to be afraid.
bb Ezek. 3.23
b Daniel was another that had these trance experiences (Dan. 8.27) & when it was over, Daniel fainted and was sick for several days.
G Falling out in the New Testament (BTW, it’s heavy on this phenomena)
1 Matt. 17.1-6, Mt. of Transfiguration (Moses/Law & Elijah/Prophets)
a The sermon in this event was that Jesus is greater & the fulfillment of the Law & the Prophets.
b Peter, James, and John fall out, overwhelmed by the message and the delivery of the message. Floored!
2 Matt. 28.4, the soldiers outside Jesus’ tomb were stuck as deadmen at the presence of the power of God. (Believers & unbelievers alike seem to be unable to stand in His presence)
3 John 18.1-6, Judas betrays our Savior with a kiss.
a Roman soldiers ask Jesus who He was and Jesus replies, “I am He” or “I AM.”
b The crowd falls flat at the mention of His name.
4 The Apostle Paul experienced two unique visitations from God in the book of Acts.
a The first was on the road to Damascus (persecuting Christians/early church)
aa Acts 9.3, a blinding light appeared and seized Saul.
bb He heard a voice and fell to the ground blinded (His companions heard the voice but saw no light), did see Paul’s response/blindness.
cc Acts 9.4-5, Falling was a natural response to a divine revelation.
dd He arose & was blind for three days: Physically blind but the eyes of his spirit man were wide open.
ee In a trance, Saul had received confrontation and correction from Jesus.
ff Saul would recount this experience to the Jews in Jerusalem (Acts 22) and before King Agrippa (Acts 26).
b The second experience Paul had is recorded in Acts 22.17-18.
aa We don’t know if he fell to the ground but we do know he was in a trance/out of consciousness, engaged in communion with Christ.
bb The purpose of this encounter was to deliver Paul from his enemies.
cc He was in the Temple (church), God needed to give Paul specific instructions, 40 Jewish leaders swore an oath to kill Paul
5 Peter had his own experience in the Spirit (Acts 10.10-17).
a He is on a rooftop, praying while the hosts are preparing supper when God puts him in a trance.
aa Sheet w/ unclean animals (not able to eat), but God tells him too.
bb Three times this happens!
b God used this vision as a way to release Peter to minister to a gentile by the name of Cornelius (Ceasera)
c Peter followed God’s call into a new ministry.
6 Revelation was vision given to John while he was in a trance.
a Rev. 1.1, 10,17
b John in his vision saw many things, heard the voice of Jesus.
c He responded positively to what he saw, heard, and obeyed the heavenly vision.
II Notes from History concerning those resting in the Lord.
A Jonathan Edwards, the main instrument/theologian for the Great Awakening in America (1725-1760), said in his Account of the Revival of Religion in North Hampton in 1740-1742:
1 . . . many in their religious affections being raised far beyond what they had ever had before: and there were some instances of persons lying in a sort of trance, remaining perhaps for a whole twenty-four hours motionless, and with their senses locked up; but in the meantime under strong imaginations, as though they went to heaven, and had there a visionof glorious and delightful objects.
2 Charles Finney (1792-1875) was the most powerful revivalist since the Reformation.
a He was preaching in New York state, country town called Sodem, Finney gave one address in which he described the condition of Sodom before God destroyed it.
b I had not spoken to them in this strain of direct application, I should think, more than a quarter of an hour, when all at once an awful solemnity seemed to settle down upon them; the congregation began to fall from their seats in every direction, and cried for mercy. If I had had a sword in each hand, I could not have cut them off their seats as fast as they fell. Indeed nearly the whole congregation were either on their knees or prostrate, I should think, in less than two minutes from this firs shock the fell upon them. Every one prayed for himself, who was able to speak at all.
B What does God do when you fall into a trance? (What ever He wants to!)
1 His ways are not our ways, but we know that He does all things well!
a In every case Jesus is doing a deeper work, surgery, healing a body, prophecy, give a promise, speak a strange word out of your mouth, correction, dilverance, or call you to a new ministry.
b Whatever He does He speaks from the Spirit of God into the spirit of man . . . spirit to spirit contact.
c This speaking bypasses our mind, will, emotions, thoughts, carnal desires, limitations, and demonic strongholds.
2 I like to think as falling out as a time-out with the Lord.
a This term is familiar to parents/care givers: a little one is seperated from the group/family to reflect on what he/she had done or failed to do.
b Sometimes we may need a time-out for God to get us from our busyness.
aa Sometimes a coach will take a player out of the game to give him/her a word of affirmation/praise, instruction, correction, or rest.
bb I believe our heavenly coach may pull us out for a moment “Come away and rest awhile!”
cc He may give us a new play or assignment, or change the game plan altogether.
c He may see we’re hurt & need some healing.
d Whatever the reason we must listen to Him/trust Him, for it will always be for our good.
III Purposes for Manifestations.
A God doesn’t ever have to explain to us why He does what He does, does He?
1 Sometimes God will offend the flesh to expose a prideful heart. (He can make us bow)
a He’ll humble us.
b Sometimes God will use the unusual happenings to expose religious traditionalism and its bondage.
2 Sometimes God’s plan may be to declare the sovereignty of His Holy Spirit through supernatural manifestations.
a Jesus warned nicodemus that the Holy Spirit cannot be contained or controlled by the flesh.
b It is this Spirit that we are told to be continuously drunk with.
B I believe God is pleased to bring upon us fresh anointing/revelation of His presence.
IV How Can We Be Sure These Things Are Real?
A These manifestations must come from somewhere (sometimes from emotional response, imitating, demonic).
1 Always consider what you are seeing to be a genuine work of the Holy Spirit.
a You can’t always know.
b We don’t know each others hearts, true spiritual condition of another.
c Through the ages, waves of revival there have been some manifestations that were strictly emotional acts & demonic imitations.
2 Why would the devil counterfeit these experiences?
a Consider this: Counterfeiters always make copies of something valuable!
b Satan loves to counterfeit true biblical experiences in order to discredit the work of God.
c Warning of 2 Cor. 11.14.
B IL. $20 counterfeit. Are you going to stop using $20 because some of them are counterfeit?
V We can test the manifestation in the following ways:
A The Word Test
1 Ask, “Does what I see have biblical precedent?”
a Acts 17.11
b Does the Bible support these actions?
2 Often times the Bible supports the manifestation but our tradition has prevented us embracing it.
B The warfare test
1 The church should test the Spirit in a person:
a 1 John 4.1-3
b Leaders are the ones who are responsible to keep things in order.
2 If there is a tongue, manifestations, sign in a person, leaders should ask the person to confess by the Spirit controlling them that Jesus is Lord.
a If they can’t then they are probably trafficking with a demon.
b Pastors/leaders must exercise discernment/rebuke those who are not of the Spirit.
C The Works Test
1 The sign/manifestation is not an end to itself.
a Some people are guilty of seeking just the manifestation, make the sign the goal of the persuit.
b The signs are never the destination!
2 The real test is when the Spirit’s work is clearly displayed in a deeper love for Jesus, hunger for Scripture, passion for lost souls, a thirst for righteousness, and a new love for others!
VI What is Divine Order (1 Cor. 14.40)
A God’s order may not be our order but God is always in order & not always comfortable.
1 We’re not always in order!
2 Our ideas of order may be nothing less than weak attempts to control our own spiritual lives, unconsciously leaving God out of the loop.
B 1 Chron. 13, when David was attempting to bring the Ark up to Jerusalem, failed to do it according to God’s instructions. (Man died)
1 1 Chron. 15.13, David carefully observed the correct order!
a When David practiced obedience, the outcome was drastically different.
b God’s order didn’t stop David from worship, dancing, leaping, twirling, mass choir, sacrifices, shouting . . . but God did have an order/instruction.
2 God expects us to obey & heed His order.
a Acts 5, tells a tragic story of Ananias & Sapphira.
aa They lied to the Holy Spirit, not fulfilling their responsibility in giving to God.
bb They acted like they were on the right track; they did bring an offering/portion of the tithe to the church!
b They did lie to the HG, they were out of order, and death was the result.
3 We shouldn’t be ignorant of the instructions of God, prompting of His Holy Spirit as we seek to exercise His gifts and function in the church . . . it’s all about obedience.
VII Proper Responses to Manifestations
A Is God leading your pastor/leaders? (If so, trust them and open your heart to God.)
B Are you afraid of what you don’t understand? (Just because you don’t understand something it does not mean it’s not of God.)
C Are you causing problems by your own stand on these issues?
1 Manifestations can become divisive among believers in the church.
a Be sure that you are not causing trouble or being divisive.
b Don’t expect everyone to accept your experience (or repeat it.)
2 If you have not personally experienced a certain manifestations, don’t judge others who have!
3 Let God be God!
D What we receive from God will always be good for you and the church.
1 Luke 11.9-13
2 God is looking to give you good gifts to bless and the His kingdom.
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Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
