Weekend Message/Devotion
July 14, 2019
Back to Basics
(fifth in a series)
Sermon Prayer: “Heavenly Father, I stand before Your people, to deliver Your message. Though the words are mine and I prepared this message, I pray that this message is Your message in its entirety. I pray your blessing and anointing on the message, its delivery, its reception - and most of all, its application in our lives.” Amen
Today, we are continuing a series of messages entitled “Back to Basics”. The series will be to review basic biblical doctrines. In other words, reviewing what our beliefs and practices are based upon. We are utilizing Bible Doctrines (A Pentecostal Perspective) authored by William Menzies, Logion Press 2001; The Great Doctrines of the Bible by William Evans, Moody Press 1974; and of course, God’s Holy Word.
The Doctrine of The Holy Spirit
In my youth, The Holy Spirit was always referred to as The Holy Ghost. I find myself using “Holy Ghost” almost as much as ”Holy Spirit”.
With recent Scripture translations, "Spirit" has replaced "Ghost" in most instances. Some of this came about because words don't always hold their meanings. In the days of Shakespeare or King James, ghost meant the living essence of a person. Looking back, we see that "breath" or "soul" were often used as synonyms of "ghost." During these times, spirit normally meant the essence of a departed person or a demonic or paranormal apparition. As language evolved, people started saying "ghost" when speaking of the vision of a dead person while "spirit" became the standard term for life or living essence, often also for "soul." With slight exceptions, "ghost" and "spirit" changed places over some 300 years.
Strong’s # H1478 - gava` - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (KJV) - Blue Letter Bible
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=h1478
H1478 - ?????? gâva?, gaw-vah'; a primitive root; to breathe out, i.e. (by implication) expire:—die, be dead, give up the ghost, perish.
Strongs's #4151: pneuma - Greek/Hebrew Definitions - Bible Tools
https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Lexicon.show/ID/.../pneuma.htm
the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father ... 2 Thessalonians 2:2: "be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor"
I’m not trying to be technical here, but rather make it clear that Old Testament Hebrew and New Testament Greek each use words that mean Spirit or Ghost in reference to The Holy Spirit. My understanding is that over a period of time, as more and more translations and versions of the bible were being published, that there was a shift from Ghost to Spirit - equal in meaning. I was once taught that the change was due to making the wording less threatening to younger persons who were frightened by the word “ghost”. I find nothing to support that theory.
Be it Spirit or be it Ghost, the reference to the Holy Spirit is that of breath or soul but specifically as the Third Person of the Trinity. Make no mistake about it, we are talking about GOD – God the Spirit. God the Holy Spirit!
The Holy Spirit is most frequently associated with the Pentecost. But let’s turn to Psalms 33:6.
“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” Psalm 33:6
WOW! It was the Holy Spirit Who made the heavens!
“The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” Job 33:4
Job attributes his very existence, his life to the “Breath” of the Almighty.
“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.” Isaiah 40:7
As God the Spirit, we find Him creating life (Job 33:4) and we find Him casting death (Isaiah 40:7)
As we grow in our knowledge and relationship with God the Spirit, we find that He isn’t to be confined or boxed in, as it were with “speaking in tongues”,
with “Gifts of the Spirit”, etc., but rather with every aspect of life from creation to death.
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: John 16:7-8
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” John 15:26
The Holy Spirit has played and continues with a very important role in creation, in life, in death, in admonishing the world with reference to sin and judgment and testifying to the gospel of Our Lord, Jesus the Christ. The Holy Spirit is not simply a Historical Character in the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is in existence without limitations today and shall be tomorrow. Though Jesus, came to this world in flesh and blood, He departed in Spirit. As He did depart, Jesus sent HIS HOLY SPIRIT to minister to us in every aspect that Jesus Himself did while here in the flesh.
Jesus tells us in John 3, that unless we are born of water AND the Spirit, we shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. We understand that to mean being baptized in water in the manner of John the Baptist and being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Does that mean that baptism is the requirement for getting into heaven? This becomes a stumbling block to many Christians, lacking a full understanding. You see, it isn’t the physical aspect of water baptism it is the spiritual aspect. It isn’t the physical aspect of baptism in the Holy Spirit; it is the spiritual aspect. Pastor, “whatever do you mean?”
Let’s refresh ourselves with verse 16 chapter3 of the Book of John: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Now that is just as plain as day. Baptism is a physical act by which we affirm our belief in Jesus and our life everlasting. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is likewise an act of faith affirming our belief in the gospel of Jesus.
Take a couple of notes here, if you will. Romans 8:6-9; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Corinthians 12:3 are excellent references to help ground us as to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
“Every believer, no matter how weak and imperfect he may be, or how immature his Christian experience, still has the indwelling of the Spirit. Acts 19:2 does not contradict this statement. Evidently some miraculous outpouring of the Spirit is intended there. Which followed the prayer and laying on of the hands of the apostles.” Pg. 116 The Great Doctrines of the Bible.
For me, it becomes quite clear that it is never the physical act, ceremony nor rite that seals our relationship with God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit and our salvation. It is the spiritual act. It is our acceptance in FAITH. It is not what we portray outwardly, it is what we believe within ourselves. The Spirit in the heart is the secret of victory over sin.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
It may sound trite and simple, but it remains a truth: If you want your fruit tree to produce fruit, you must nurture it. Fertilizer, water, weeding, and pruning.
If we nurture our relationship with God the Spirit, His fruits will be evidenced in our lives. Daily devotions, reading, praying, praising, confessing and patiently listening are of fertilizing and watering. As for weeding, we are constantly on guard to the negative thoughts and temptations that attempt to creep into our lives and divest them before they can take root and multiply. As for pruning, we certainly must identify the counterproductive aspects in our daily lives and divest them prune them away, daily confession is vital to pruning.
Next week, we will continue this overview of Biblical Doctrines.
Let us pray.
I humbly and sincerely ask for your prayers!
https://churchleaders.com/outreach-missions/outreach-missions-articles/311609-how-to-pray-for-your-pastor-ronnie-floyd.html?utm_source=outreach-cl-daily-nl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=read-more&utm_campaign=cl-daily-nl&maropost_id=&mpweb=256-7370272[HG1]
Note: It is the practice of this church to preach straight from the bible. We follow the lectionary assigned readings from which the sermon/messages are derived.
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