HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US

joaniemarie · May 9, 2017

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[TD="class: yiv9375453970mcnTextContent, align: center"]Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Romans 8:26[/TD]
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[TD="class: yiv9375453970mcnTextContent"][h=2]- MAY 8 -
HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US[/h][HR][/HR]The Holy Spirit is not inside you to point out your faults or nag at you when you do wrong. God’s Word tells us that He is inside us to help us in our weaknesses. In areas where we are without strength, He is there to help us. When we don’t know what to pray, “the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered”.

Now, don’t read the verse and say, “Well, I don’t know what I should pray for, and since the Holy Spirit makes intercession for me, I will leave the praying to Him.”

If the Holy Spirit, without our participation, makes intercession for us, then every Christian would be living victorious lives automatically! But we know that there are many Christians who don’t seem to be walking in the fullness of God’s blessings. So obviously, Romans 8:26 is not saying that. What is it saying then?

In the first part of the verse, the word “helps” is sunantilambanomai in the original Greek text. It means “to take hold together against”. Now, “together” means that our participation is required. In other words, the Holy Spirit sunantilambanomai or takes hold together with us against the problem.

So if you just sit back and don’t take hold of the problem, the Holy Spirit has nothing to “take hold of” with you. If you don’t pray, He has nothing to pray. If you keep quiet, then even if He wants to pray through you, He can’t. But when you release your prayer in tongues, you are actually allowing Him to pray through you. And He will take hold together with you against the problem, and pray the perfect prayer through you because “He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God”. (Romans 8:27)

And you can be confident that when you ask anything according to the will of God, He hears you. And if you know that He hears you, whatever you ask, you know that you have the petitions that you have asked of Him! (1 John 5:14–15)

Destined To Reign Devotional by Pastor Joseph Prince.

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joaniemarie · May 9, 2017

I'm so thankful for the gift of tongues. For many years I wouldn't listen to or be near other Christians who said they spoke in tongues. When one of "those" people came near or to my house for a visit and later began speaking in tongues., I was very uncomfortable because we were never taught about this except that it was evil., I thought they were "normal" Christians when they first came over. I Didn't ask them back for a visit.

But many years later while reading the Bible and after having lost most of the things in life I had thought were 100% assured., I began to look again at my pre judgment of this tongues business. It's just like beginning to look at many things I'd taken for granted and previously taught in life to be true or untrue. All things were re-visited in the Bible for clarity and not just taken for religious purposes like God's love and grace. It needed to be real and active.

I found that this gift is for all believers and it is a gift we were given to use anytime we want to for our help and edification of our whole body soul and spirit and others., To use any time and anywhere we want to. That we can pray perfect prayers because it is the Holy Spirit who does the speaking through us. We just need to be willing to speak. Each time I speak in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs I'm filled and being filled. There is a peace that brings understanding and a settled heart and mind the more I use this gift.

We are not taken over and made wacky like some have been called "crazymatics" by the Holy Spirit when we speak in tongues. He is as calm and lovely as Jesus and disciplined and peaceful. He is never out of control or spasmatic and neither are we following Him.

He allows us to use this gift at will. This prayer language is different than the one spoken in church were you need an interpreter. We get to use this gift privately as often as we want and need in prayer. Those rivers of living water do flow through us by the Holy Spirit. He helps our weaknesses. Often times I don't know what to pray or how to pray.

This spiritual prayer language is not of the world. It is a heavenly language given to all believers who want it. We don't get this gift because we are super spiritual. We get it because it is a gift given freely for all who want to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Some believers in the early church never even heard of the Holy Spirit but they were saved and had Him. They were taught by other believers.

Having the willingness to begin is how to start and we participate with the Holy Spirit. As the heavenly words are said the picture of loved ones and people come to my minds eye. The issues of life and the questions I had flow into my mind and I know the answers are coming because the Holy Spirit is making intercession for me with groanings which cannot be uttered by my words but by His. He knows how to make the prayers perfect.

This is what Jesus was talking about when He said in John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, from his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.

So I encourage anyone who reads this to learn about this gift and have all that Jesus died to give you so you can pray in His will and pray for issues you didn't even know you had need of. Also for people you know and love and for those you don't even know. The Holy Spirit has an active ministry to us believers that is vital and real each day to empower and engage us. I had no idea this gift was for me until many years after being a Christian because our church never taught us.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Who is also the Spirit of God.

samuel23 · May 9, 2017

Good post, however I have know some really spiritual Christians who did not speak in tongues, and I have known some carnal Christians who did speak in tongues. So I do not see tongues as the dividing line. I say, if you want tongues, then go for it, and it you do not want tongues then that is your business.

joaniemarie · May 9, 2017

The Pastor makes an important statement here. If the Holy Spirit would pray for us without our participation., all of us would be living totally victorious lives automatically. But I know for sure that was not the case with myself for many years and it is not the case for everyone else either. I had not walked in some of the fullness of this blessing until recently. And am still learning about this gift. But I've seen a major change in how prayers are answered and how easy it is to pray now were as before I stumbled to try to figure how to pray. Having no boldness but a tentative wondering. Now I have a confidence that all my prayers are being heard and answered and each day I see the evidence of it. More so each day as the day approaches.

Another part of this is that the Holy Spirit wants us to be participating with Him working together taking hold of the challenges in life that come daily. We get to be a part of the process in this praying for our lives and the lives of those we see in need. Healing takes place., answers are given when so needed. Guidance and peace in the Holy Spirit that many of us have long been without.

joaniemarie · May 9, 2017

samuel23 said:

Yes, I agree. Many of us take the things of God freely ., and our personalities can over shadow the truth and the gifts. Some people are more outspoken and emotional. Some are more subdued (like me) And until Christians learn how to allow the Holy Spirit to work through them more each day., there will be sometimes emotional displays that are not the Holy Spirit. Like we have seen some "crazy-matics"

We all have our weaknesses in certain areas of our lives. But He helps us work them out.

So yes there are immature or stubborn believers (we have all been there) Some do and some don't speak in tongues for sure. It's not given to super spiritual people. It's to all who want it. Just like you said samual there are "spiritual" Godly believers who don't speak in tongues.

But why not take the offered gift when Jesus died to give it? That is how I look at it. We don't have to speak in tongues., we get to speak in tongues. And even though it seems to be a small gift., we should not dispise small things that God gives.

We need to look to the Holy Spirit and the Bible for the whole truth., not other people. Never other people. The Word of God is sown in the individuals heart. Everyone has to have a personal relationship with Christ. So when no one is around but Jesus , we can still stand strong because we He knows us and we know Him.

Stephen63 · May 9, 2017

Hi joaniemarie.

On May 7th & 9th's devotions, JP uses eisegesis to spin two coincedental scriptures to create a new teaching that is false.

For our readers, here's the site with these devotions: Grace Inspirations | Joseph Prince Ministries

Here's the definition for eisegesis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisegesis

Thanks for allowing me to post this on your thread, all without malice, slander, & deceit.

Hope you have a great evening!

limey410 · May 9, 2017

My experience went the exact opposite way

I used to "speak in tongues" and was often swept away by the emotional response that it invoked. I was told that if I didn't speak in tongues, that I wasn't indwelled or baptized in the Holy Spirit. That is just a misleading bold faced lie.

I have since learned that it can be used by the enemy, because we clearly do not understand what we are saying, or to whom we might be saying it.

So I studied the scriptures to gain a better understanding of it, and was quite shocked by what the Gift of Tongues actually is, and that it wasn't the babbling noises that I was making thinking that it could move the hand of God.

The modern manifestation of tongues that we often hear in some churches is really just a twisting of the scriptures and a misunderstanding of what actually happened during the Pentecost described by Luke in the Book of Acts.

My questions are as follows.

Why would God need or want us to speak in a mysterious spirit language that no-one can understand, when he can and does clearly communicate with us in our native tongue/language?

How is my salvation (the life breathed into me by the Holy Spirit) indicated or shown by my ability, or lack of ability to speak in this language?

How does speaking in tongues get me to some different level of spiritual communication, when I already have been given everything I need for life and godliness? (the Holy Spirit that dwells in me)

I believe the modern version of speaking in tongues is very close to mysticism and pagan ritualism and not the "language" of the Holy Spirit.

The gift of tongues was a miracle of God done at the Pentecost so that everyone totally understood what was being said and to clearly show what God was actually accomplishing. So that there was no misunderstanding. That was the miracle. They were all able to understand each others language as their own.

It was a gift of language or translation. The word tongues has just been used to give it some vague connotation that was not intended by the writer of Acts.

I do not doubt that if God wanted to use this miracle any time he wants, He could, but that miracle is NOT what I was doing before I was led to understand it more deeply and fully.

I know this is a hotly debated subject in the church, and I am sure this thread will get really heated and we will see lots of varying opinions, but I have my opinion on this subject. So I guess I will get some popcorn and watch for the responses

Peace!

joaniemarie · May 10, 2017

limey410 said:

Thanks for sharing your experiences limey. Your experiences and mine being so different is just another proof that we cannot measure God based on how we see other people. People do not have it all right 100% of the time and we never will. But the Holy Spirit is always right. So we are not without hope! I don't think this discussion on tongues should get worthy of a popcorn fest as we see the sparks fly upward (hahahaha)

Yes, those are good questions you ask about why God would have us speak a heavenly language. And why does He do any of the things He does? Why did He make salvation one of blood and suffering? He could have done it totally different. No blood., no suffering., no mystery. But He didn't. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts too. I have gotten comfortable with that truth over the years. It makes for a much better quality of life mentally and physically and spiritually. Fear is not the issue it used to be for me because my brain is not His brain so just because I can't understand how., He IS kinder and smarter than any way I could ever be. We are supposed to be working towards that as Jesus lives His life through us.

I will try to answer some of your post here. First let me say I'm not given to emotional highs that allow for exhibitions in front of people. GACK that is something I've learned to loath. And that loathing is something I'm learning to change with the Holy Spirit's help. Coming from a strict reverent Catholic Mass worship back round in religion., Then saved in a fundamental GARBCE Baptist church full of conservative hymn singing proper Baptists made the emotional exhibitions annoying personally to me.

Raising of arms and hands and singing out loud and praying out loud have never been easy. But over the years singing has become very easy even in front of people but not the raising of hands showing emotions to the people around. So the tongues teaching was just taught to me just as you believe now. We don't know what we are saying......... it could be the devil........... why would God do it that way?................. But one question at a time. At least I can share the conclusions I came to. You can agree or not is not a problem.

Why would God need or want us to speak in a mysterious spirit language that no-one can understand, when he can and does clearly communicate with us in our native tongue/language?

This was my question too and I saw no reason to pursue tongues. It made no sense. I made reference in the previous post about having to re learn how to see life based on the truth., without my spin on it. My truth was based on how my family was taught and how they taught us kids. As kids we were raised and around the people and religious customs we inherited as a family. We are a conglomeration of what we were taught. Even if we don't want to be. There is a bunch of sub-conscience stuff we don't even begin to see until after we are saved and the Holy Spirit begins to show us the chinks in our armor.

After we are saved and born again it takes time for the Holy Spirit to teach us how to be renewed in the spirit of our minds. Jesus worked IN us and gave us a spirit of His power and love and a sound mind. It's our daily job to work "out" what He worked in us. We do that by the Holy Spirit., by grace through faith.

So, I go back to the other question limey., why did God have to use a blood sacrifice? Why did He have to make it so Jesus had to die. He is God., He could have made it just happen without blood issues. But He didn't. So many people have trouble with that question. But once that questions is settled., I began to think on other questions like why pray? Why meditate on the Word of God? For me it came down to a dependence on the Lord Jesus for my acceptance before God and His watch care for me because of trusting in His love for me.

How much do I depend on Him? How much am I willing to believe and trust in His love for me? And not depend on myself and my own abilities or other people and their abilities? What about money and giving to others? How do I show God I am depending on Him now and not on myself and people the way I used to live my life for the first 48yrs. ?

Do I meet the challenge of trusting in the Bible when it says that the Holy Spirit will teach me all things? That we are sealed and kept by Him? How does this work out in our daily lives? Does He really do miracles? Does He really heal? Or is it just smoke and mirrors of wacky professors of religion?

Why do some get healed and some don't? Why do some speak in tongues and some don't? Why are some living powerful lives for Jesus while others are just as weak as they were before being saved like I was for all those years? What has to change? The answer is faith in the love of God for the individual Christian. His ways are better than ours. Even if they make no sense to the human way of living and thinking.

joaniemarie · May 10, 2017

That post was way to long. But I've found that learning about the Bible is just like it says., precept upon precept line upon line. The Holy Spirit teaches us precepts and principals. It's not the letter of a law but the law of the Spirit. Those things are not about memorizing Bible verses alone but the Word becomes springs that well up inside us over flowing into rivers of living water through the Holy Spirit using the written Word too.

It's not just one verse but many verses working together with the Holy Spirits lighting the way. I've noticed some people call the gifts for today heresy when something is not black and white. When what it is has to be taken precept upon precept line upon line. Building blocks rightly divided. And then even a child can have that kind of faith. There is hope for all of us.

presidente · May 10, 2017

I think it's great if people want to speak in tongues. But tongues are spoken 'as the Spirit' gives 'utterance.' The groanings of Romans 8:26 cannot be uttered.

Stephen63 · May 10, 2017

Acts 2:4

4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

1 Corinthians 12

4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

The problem begins when men think they can use these gifts at will.

joaniemarie · May 10, 2017

presidente said:

The Bible tells us to earnestly desire the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 12:31 ; 14:1 Desire spiritual gifts. Because the truth is as long as we can live without flowing in the gifts of the Holy Spirit we most certainly will. We need to seek these gifts Jer.29:13 [SUP]13 [/SUP]And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

It's important to understand that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are always flowing. God doesn't turn them on and off. We are the ones who are "on" or "off" And I can see here that some already think it's wrong to believe it is given to us to "be ye being filled" but it's true. We have to seek these things and the Lord is always ready to flow through us in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But seeking them comes first.

Stephen63 · May 10, 2017

You cannot trust a televangelist that:

uses eisegesis.
teaches tithing & giving religiously
is super rich, because like the rich young ruler, riches & materialism is his god.
teaches hypergrace, the leading doctrine of the falling away. It's a ME doctrine, all about God's taking care of me & requires me to do nothing for God.
teaches WOF, because they're focused on things, not God.
teaches prosperity doctrine.

~~This post has no malice, & has slandered nobody, because this truth is all over the internet.~~

~~This post obviously has no hatred in it. It is purely informational & exposes a known heretic.~~

~~The Op has not been mentioned in my posts, except to say hi.~~

Grace777x70 · May 10, 2017

Time to grow up in the Lord and malice and the slandering of others in the body of Christ is a sign of our age in the Lord - no matter how long one has been a Christian - whether they have pastored a church for 30 years, can read Greek and Hebrew, pray in tongues 5 hours a day, have memorized 1/2 of the NT. - their behavior towards others is the sign.

There is nothing wrong with being a baby Christian - it's just that we don't live by the behavior the babies do. It's time for all of us to grow up in Christ.

2 Peter 2:1-2

"Therefore putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and slander , like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may growin respect to salvation."

joaniemarie · May 10, 2017

I found a good article about the baptism of the Holy Spirit that I saved in my email from a web site so I will cut and paste and take out anything that is not on topic.

There are few things more controversial in the body of Christ than the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the accompanying gifts.
Much of modern-day Christianity sees the born-again experience as all there is to salvation. Many Christians oppose the belief that there is a separate experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit, and they especially oppose the validity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit for today’s believers.

That type of belief puts them in conflict with the book of Acts and the very teaching of Jesus. Those who experience the power of the Holy Spirit today are labeled as fanatics or heretics. But what does the Bible have to say? What did Jesus say about this?

On the night before Jesus’ crucifixion, He made one of the most astounding statements of His whole ministry. John 16:7 records these words:
“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.”

Grasp what Jesus is saying! Jesus said it is more beneficial for us to have the ministry of the Holy Spirit than it was to have Jesus present with us in His physical body!

Most Christians are totally shocked by this. They would give anything to have Jesus present in His physical body. How could anything be better than to physically see, hear, and touch Him?
Jesus knew His disciples would be shocked by His statement, so He prefaced it with the words, “I tell you the truth.” As hard as it may be to understand, the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is better than the earthly ministry of Jesus.

This is not to take anything away from His ministry on this earth. Without Jesus coming to the earth and accomplishing what He did, there could be no ministry of the Holy Spirit. The whole plan of God hinges on the redemptive work of Christ.

But, once His work was done, it was actually to our advantage to have Jesus return to His Father and send the Holy Spirit to take His place. Therefore, we shouldn’t lessen the preeminence of Jesus, but we should increase the importance of the Holy Spirit’s ministry.

Most Christians don’t realize how involved the Holy Spirit is in everything that the Lord does. They do not ascribe nearly enough importance to the Holy Spirit and what He is doing in the earth today. In Genesis 1:1-2, the Bible says,
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

In the beginning, God created all the elements needed for His creation. Then, everything else was formed from what had already been created. All the essential ingredients were in place. But nothing happened without the Spirit of God.
Notice specifically that the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) moved upon the face of the waters. The English word moved was translated from the Hebrew word “rachaph.” It literally means “to brood.” This is describing the manner of a hen sitting on her eggs to hatch them.

The Holy Spirit was brooding over the creation of God just waiting to bring forth whatever God the Father said. When the Lord said “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3), then the power of the Holy Spirit brought that light into being. Likewise, with everything the Lord created and made, it was the power of the Holy Spirit that brought it all into existence.

God the Father conceived it. Jesus spoke it. And the Holy Spirit was the power that performed it. Everything God did in His creation was accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit. When God the Father was ready to bring Jesus into the earth, He took the spoken Word (Jesus), the Holy Spirit brooded over Mary (a virgin), and she conceived Jesus’ physical body.

This perfectly illustrates the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are one. In fact, they are so much one that they can’t operate independent of each other. They are a team. Jesus didn’t do any miracles or start His public ministry until after He had been anointed with the Holy Spirit.

If Jesus couldn’t, or wouldn’t, operate independently of the Holy Spirit, neither should we. No one can have an effective life or ministry without the power of God’s Holy Spirit working in him or her. This fact can’t be argued by anyone who truly believes the Bible is God’s Word. The Scriptures are replete with proof that it is “not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts” (Zech. 4:6).

So, why is there so much debate over this issue? The sad truth is that denial of the ministry and power of the Holy Spirit is a convenient theology. Believing that miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit don’t operate today excuses powerless living. If it’s true that the Holy Spirit is still willing to move as in biblical times (and it is true), then there is no excuse for living lives so far removed from the victory portrayed in God’s Word.

The number one reason people resist the ministry of the Holy Spirit is because it exposes the lack of power in their lives. And once exposed, it demands a change. In an attempt to avoid responsibility for change, they change the Scriptures instead of themselves. Of course, it’s not that blatant, but there is a predisposition against the ministry of the Holy Spirit, so the Scripture is twisted to support their views.

It’s now politically correct to say that alcoholics are not responsible for their actions, depression is a chemical imbalance, and homosexuality is genetic. We’ve even had lawsuits where overweight people sue fast-food chains for their obesity. No one wants to admit that their lives are the result of their choices and actions. It’s appealing to think that someone else is at fault for their messed up lives. Sadly, the lack of personal responsibility in our society has crept into the attitudes of the church.

But, the ultimate attempt to avoid responsibility is when we place the blame on God. This goes all the way back to Adam when he said, “It’s that woman that YOU gave me” (Gen. 3). He passed the “buck” to the woman and then ultimately blamed God. But God’s judgment shows that He held Adam responsible for his own actions.

Another group of Christians willingly accept a limited ministry of the Holy Spirit as their comforter and consoler, but they still deny His miraculous power. That’s convenient, the benefits without the responsibility. These are usually the ones who also believe there isn’t a second experience with the Holy Spirit beyond being born again. They may be sincere in their beliefs, but they are sincerely wrong.

There are many clear examples in Scripture where a miraculous encounter with the Holy Spirit enabled believers to live supernatural lives. Jesus taught about two separate experiences in the believer’s life.
In John 20:28, Thomas confessed Jesus as his Lord and God. That made him “saved” according to Romans 10:9-10. Yet, the Lord told Thomas and all the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they received the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). The reason Jesus told them to wait on the baptism of the Holy Spirit was because they didn’t have it yet. Look what happened to the disciples once they received that power. They were changed men.

Jesus said it this way in Acts 1:8,“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

After the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus’ disciples, they were powerful. They faced persecution and death fearlessly. What made the difference? By Jesus’ own words, it was the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 8, Philip preached to the Samaritans, and the whole city believed on Jesus and was baptized in water. They were saved. But Acts 8:15-16 says,
“Who, when they [the apostles] were come down, prayed for them [the Samaritans], that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus)” (brackets mine).

This is a very clear example of people being born again but still needing to receive the Holy Spirit. This can also be witnessed in Acts 19. Paul found disciples who were not baptized in the Holy Spirit. He prayed for them, and they spoke with tongues.
Spirit filled, but no tongues!

There are other believers who acknowledge a second experience with the Holy Spirit which releases power, but they refuse the part of speaking in tongues, or at least say it’s not for everyone. But the baptism of the Holy Spirit is like a pair of tennis shoes: It always comes with tongues.

I guess it’s possible to have the baptism of the Holy Spirit and not speak in tongues, but why wouldn’t you want to? If you’re afraid, don’t be! There’s no reason to fear; you’re in full control. I’m not speaking in tongues as I write this, because it’s up to me to decide when I speak in tongues. It’s the same for you. You’ll control when you speak in tongues.

Maybe there’s something else that is holding you back. I know from experience that a person whose understanding of this gift isn’t right can stifle it. I did. In my case, a denomination had instilled such fear in me that I was afraid I would get something from the devil. It wasn’t until later that I learned the Lord wouldn’t let that happen (Luke 11:13).

Here is a little of my personal story; it may help you. In 1957 I was born again at the age of eight. I loved God and served Him to a degree, but was basically powerless. I prayed six months for my Dad to be healed, but he died when I was only twelve years old. As a young man, I was introverted, timid, and so shy I couldn’t look people in the face when talking to them.

There wasn’t any difference between me and an unbeliever in terms of visible results. If I would have been arrested for being a Christian, there wouldn’t have been enough evidence to convict me.

Then, on March 23, 1968, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. My life was transformed instantly. Before the baptism of the Holy Spirit, I was in fear; afterward, I was as bold as a lion (Prov. 28:1). My love for the Lord went through the roof. It wasn’t me living anymore, but Christ was living through me.

My life wasn’t perfect then and still isn’t now. But receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit opened up a whole new, dynamic relationship with the Lord. You would never have heard of me if I hadn’t received the second work of the Holy Spirit, which the Bible calls the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Andrew Wommack

Stephen63 · May 10, 2017

Grace777x70 said:

Time to grow up in the Lord and malice and the slandering of others in the body of Christ is a sign of our age in the Lord - no matter how long one has been a Christian - whether they have pastored a church for 30 years, can read Greek and Hebrew, pray in tongues 5 hours a day, have memorized 1/2 of the NT. - their behavior towards others is the sign.

There is nothing wrong with being a baby Christian - it's just that we don't live by the behavior the babies do. It's time for all of us to grow up in Christ.

2 Peter 2:1-2

"Therefore putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and slander , like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may growin respect to salvation."

Who are you talking to..... joaniemarie?

notuptome · May 10, 2017

joaniemarie said:

Experience aside what this man is professing is not biblically sound. Believers are meant to be filled with the Holy Spirit many times in their physical life there is no "second work" which is really a misleading description of the Holy Spirits ministry in the hearts of believers.

One baptism and many fillings for service is the biblical prescription. Being born again is the biblical Holy Spirit baptism. It is a washing of regeneration. It is a one time transformational event where the sinner is wholly converted from dead in sin to new life in Christ.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

slave · May 10, 2017

joaniemarie said:

The spirit doesn't nag, you're right; nor does the conscience, (when placed under the Holy Spirits reign,) nag either. But it does alert areas to move away from and overcome in our position in Christ. The conscience under God's rule is our moral compass. Now, it can only be simply a moral compass, so it is not enough to have our conscience be our guide alone. The Holy Spirit must be our number one guide equipping the conscience to work side-by-side with the Spirit of God., for it is limited to only keep us in check of the highest moral fortitude we have placed it in. God ups the ante on its guise. Going from moral, to being wise thru Christ Jesus. So, the conscience cooperates with the Holy Spirit, but is, (and must remain) the lesser partner.

There is a difference between the burden of the spirit and the weight of the spirit. The weight of the spirit is from Satan, and its purpose is to cause believers to suffer; Satan uses the weight to suppress them. The burden of the spirit, however, is from God. Its purpose is to make known His will and secure the believers' cooperation. The weight of the spirit has no other purpose except to suppress. As such, it is useless and fruitless. The burden of the spirit is a burden from God, and its goal is to cause men to work, intercede, and preach for God. Such a burden is purposeful, reasonable, and profitable. Believers must differentiate between the burden in their spirit and the weight in their spirit.

Satan does not give any burden to the believers; he only surrounds the believers' spirit and oppresses the believers with the weight. Satan's weight causes the believers' spirit to be bound and their minds to stop functioning. A person who bears a burden only has to bear the burden itself; but a person who is oppressed is bound in his whole being. Once the power of darkness comes to a believer, he loses his freedom immediately. However, a burden from God is not like this. No matter how heavy God's burden is, it will never be so heavy that a person cannot pray. The freedom of prayer will never be lost under any kind of burden. But the weight imposed by the enemy takes away the believers' freedom in prayer. In fact, except for some wrestling and withstanding prayers, this weight cannot be removed.

God's burden is removed once we pray. But this is not true with the weight from the enemy. Moreover, the weight of the spirit creeps in secretly, while the burden in the spirit is the result of the Holy Spirit's work in our spirit. The weight of the spirit is painful and suppresses the believers' life; the burden in the spirit is joyful because it cooperates with God (cf. Matt. 11:30). (Of course, the flesh does not feel joyful about the spirit's burden. Furthermore, this burden is also painful if one does not meet its demands.)

lonestar26 · May 10, 2017

samuel23 said:

You cannot be carnal and a Christian, there is no such thing.

If you have 2 natures fighting inside of you, you need to repent and get saved.

lonestar26 · May 10, 2017

The true evidence of Jesus Baptizing you in the Holy Spirit is the manifestation of the Fruit of the Spirit.

You will not and cannot be used as the Spirit wills in the best Spiritual gift needed at the time, if you do not manifest Love and the rest of the Fruit of the Spirit. Gifts of the Spirit are not a sign of spiritual maturity. Fruit of the Spirit is the sign of spiritual maturity.

HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US

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