End Time Saints
and The Holy Spirit
By Kato Mivule
January 16 2007
We are not left as
orphans in these end times…
As we live in these last days and see all the
evil wax more evil all around us, it is easy to get our eyes
caught up with what the evil world is doing and as such we get
bombarded with evil arrows of doubt from the enemy that we are
‘all alone in it’. Yes, I know that the road in this wilderness
involves times of loneliness and rejection from the masses that
are walking along the Broadway headed to destruction.
Yes, it is a walk in the wilderness as we head
along that narrow and difficult path while carrying our cross;
following Jesus Christ and denying all the goodies that this
world has to offer, being conformed to the likeness of Jesus
Christ.
However, The Lord Jesus Christ promised us The
Holy Spirit and so we are not alone, we are not orphans though
we might seem to walk in through the wilderness in loneliness.
We have The Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ knew we would need The
Holy Spirit and as such gave us the promise of The Holy Spirit.
Ministry of The
Holy Spirit Imperative in these end times…
I know many end time teachers and preachers out
there on radio, and on the internet who teach correctly many
things concerning the second coming of The Lord and the last
days yet they hardly mention about the Ministry of The Holy
Spirit in regard to the End Times and judgment coming upon the
earth.
Many of these end time ministers tend to be
skewed towards legalism and a ‘my way or the highway’ mentality.
They are always correct and everyone else is wrong. They take on
the role of a spiritual guide and it is there ‘doctrine’ that
guides their followers.
They hate challenge and question when their
teachings or doctrines are queried. Yet many times such guys
will teach many things correctly and at the end of the day super
impose themselves or their teachings and opinions on others and
it becomes a ‘My Way or The Highway’ thing.
Obedience from
stubbornness…
These guys simply depend on “research” and letter
of the word and for sure some are simply stubborn and their hold
to the truth of God’s Word is not dependant on The Holy Spirit
but being bigheaded and obdurate.
Such attitude can only take us thus far but
cannot withstand the diabolical onslaught and deception from the
Antichrist forces in these last days. You will need to be and
must be filled with The Holy Spirit and led of The Holy Spirit.
The reason we have some end times saints locked
up in stubbornness as a source of their obedience to Christ
Jesus is that they have not known the ministry of The Holy
Spirit to the saints in regard to our walk with Jesus Christ and
these last days. I will say it again as I have always said that
without The Holy Spirit, you will be fighting a loosing battle
in these end times.
Bias and
Misrepresentation of The Holy Spirit…
On the other hand is that we have saints who have
been brought up in religious environments biased against and
misrepresentation of The Holy Spirit. Some denominations like
the Baptist denomination water down the Ministry of The Holy
Spirit simply because they are afraid of ‘tongue speaking’ and
therefore they come up with false doctrines concerning the
ministry of The Holy Spirit such as the cessation doctrine.
On the other hand we have the Charismatic and
Pentecostal movement like the Vineyard denomination that have
misrepresented the ministry of The Holy Spirit and came up with
wild and weird movements like the Toronto Airport Revival and
Pensacola ‘outpourings’. Both groups have largely created biases
against The Holy Spirit among some Christians. However, we are
accountable to God’s Word and not words and opinions of man.
Jesus Christ said we need the Holy Spirit and so we need The
Holy Spirit.
We are not to allow such backgrounds hinder us
from receiving from the ministry of The Holy Spirit. Jesus
Christ clearly told us in John chapters 14, 15, and 16 that we
would need The Holy Spirit and thus was His command in Acts
chapter 1, for the disciples to wait in the upper room for
empowerment from The Holy Spirit. The disciples could not be His
true witnesses if they had refused to obey The Lord’s command to
wait in Jerusalem to be filled with The Holy Spirit.
Behind the Antichrist and False Prophet are
diabolical Forces of evil…
Some Christians think that the end time onslaught
of the Antichrist and False Prophet force against the saints is
simply physical and mere blood and flesh. This concept is
totally wrong and gives believers a wrong view and perspective
when it comes to issues of the end times.
Our battle against evil is not blood and flesh
but spiritual and against spiritual forces of evil. I know many
Christian remnant groups that go to the extremes of advocating
for fighting against what they call dictatorship with guns. They
call for Christians to own guns and fight for their so-called
rights. This is a lie and deceit from Satan himself in hell.
Many believers are not aware that the behind the
Antichrist and False Prophet beast system is Satan himself and
all his demons… Fighting against devils and demons with guns is
totally useless, laughable, futile, self defeating, and suicidal
in the end…
If our battle is not against flesh and blood but
against spiritual forces, then the end time implications of
Ephesians 6:12 are to be serious taken into account by all
serious Christians who truly love Jesus Christ in these last
days.
You certainly will need to be filled with The
Holy Spirit. You will need to be led of The Holy Spirit. You
will need to be comforted by The Holy Spirit. You will
certainly need to be filled with The Holy Spirit to be a True
Witness of our Lord Jesus Christ in these last days.
Revelation 13:1-4
13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and
saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten
horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the
name of blasphemy.
13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a
leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth
as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and
his seat, and great authority.
13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were
wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the
world wondered after the beast.
13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave
power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who
is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Revelation 13:7
13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with
the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over
all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Revelation 13:12-15
13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the
first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which
dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was
healed.
13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he
maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of
men,
13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth
by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the
sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that
they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a
sword, and did live.
13:15 And he had power to give life unto the
image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both
speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of
the beast should be killed.
Ephesians 6:11-13
6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may
be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in
high places.
6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of
God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and
having done all, to stand.
The Holy Spirit leads us into All Truth and
Obedience to that Truth…
Many speak about The Holy Spirit “leading” them
but when you analyze what such folks say, you find that they are
not obedient to Truth in God’s Word. However, the Holy Spirit
does lead us to all truth as regards God’s Holy Word.
John 16.13
16:13 Howbeit when
he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all
truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to
come.
End Time Saints and Holy Spirit –The Two
Witnesses…
When one does a critical end time study on the
Book of Revelation, the saints of God are present here during
the tribulation time and The Holy Spirit is present empowering
God’s ‘Two Witnesses’.
It should be clear to everyone that The Two
Witnesses are not just two prophets standing in Jerusalem, as
many would like us to believe from the Pre-tribulation camp. The
Two Witnesses are very well described in the book of Revelation
as being the Two Lampstands (or candlesticks in KJV) and Two
Olive Trees standing before God.
So, one has again to read the Bible to get the
interpretation of the Lampstand and Olive Tree. For we know that
no scripture should be subjected to private interpretation but
scripture interprets scripture and not man’s opinions.
2 Peter 2: 19-21
1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy;
whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that
shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star
arise in your hearts:
1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the
scripture is of any private interpretation.
1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the
will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost.
The Church – The
Lampstands…
Revelation 11:3-5
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses,
and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore
days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two
candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth
out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man
will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Revelation 1:20
1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou
sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The
seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven
candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Revelations 2:5
2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art
fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come
unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his
place, except thou repent.
Israel - The Olive
Tree…
Romans 11:17-24
(17)
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a
wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them
partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
(18)
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest
not the root, but the root thee.
(19)
Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might
be graffed in.
(20)
Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou
standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
(21)
For if God spared not the natural branches,
take heed
lest he also spare not thee.
(22)
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which
fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in
his
goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
(23)
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be
graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
(24)
For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by
nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive
tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural
branches,
be graffed into their own olive tree?
End Time Revival prophesied long before by Old
Testament Prophets...
Looking at the prophesies in the Old Testament
speaking about the last days and The Day of The Lord, one
clearly sees what a prophesied undeniable end times outpouring
of The Holy Spirit in these last days.
The Apostle Peter speaks clearly in the book of
Acts 2 about the prophesy in the book of Joel concerning the
outpouring of The Holy Spirit in these last days…
Acts 2:15-17
2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose,
seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the
prophet Joel;
2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days,
saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall
see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Prophetic Scriptures concerning the Holy Spirit…
Promise to of the
outpouring of The Holy Spirit on the descendants of
Israel...these promises are now only fulfilled in Christ Jesus
to both the Jews and Gentiles… There is no doubt that the saints
are thirsty to day for The Holy Spirit in these last days…
Isaiah 44:3
(3)
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon
the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my
blessing upon thine offspring:
The Holy Spirit brings
sanctification to the saints…
The Lord promises
to pour His Spirit that will bring about sanctification and lead
us to obey Truth… The Holy Spirit leads us into all Truth and
obedience to God’s Truth… We need the strength from The Holy
Spirit to help us obey Christ Jesus… Obedience to the commands
of The Lord cannot be achieved though legalism but by grace that
comes from the Holy Spirit…
Ezekiel 36:25-28 NKJV
"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be
clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all
your idols. {26} "I will give you a new heart and put a new
spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your
flesh and give you a heart of flesh. {27} "I will put My Spirit
within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will
keep My judgments and do them. {28} "Then you shall dwell in the
land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I
will be your God.
Holy Spirit outpouring promised
in Book of Joel…
This is one of the
most quoted verses concerning the outpouring of The Holy Spirit
in the last days. It is the very verse that the Apostle Peter
quoted in Acts Chapter 2. The Apostle Peter clearly stated that
this promise was also for generations to come – those who would
believe on The Name of Jesus Christ.
It is notable that
during this same period of the outpouring of The Holy Spirit, is
judgment unleashed – the great day of The Lord. Prophetically
speaking as we await the end time revival or outpouring on the
remnant saints, so will judgment be unleashed upon the nations.
We are to be
witnesses of The Lord among the nations during this time. This
prophetically coincides with Revelation 11 on the two
witnesses…the two olive trees and two lampstands before The
Lord, certainly speaking about the remnant from the Church and
remnant from Israel…the one true Israel of God.
Joel 2:28-32 NKJV
"And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out
My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall
see visions. {29} And also on My menservants and on My
maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. {30} "And
I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and
fire and pillars of smoke. {31} The sun shall be turned into
darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the
great and awesome day of the LORD. {32} And it shall come to
pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the LORD has said, Among the remnant whom the LORD calls.
The Former and latter Rains in
these last days…
A prophetic
scripture speaking about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
always allegorized, as a thousand years is a day before The Lord
and a day is one thousand years. There have been 2000 years
since the Lord walked on earth and we have come to the third
millennium since then.
So, on the third
day we await the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit, a revival among
The Lord’s remnant – those awaiting Him. The rain symbolic the
outpouring of The Holy Spirit…so, our prayer being that The Lord
send both the former rains and latter rain…for The Lord shall
come to us as the former and latter rain.
Prophetically or
symbolically speaking, we had the Outpouring in the Book of Acts
2 at the commencement of the church and so at the end times with
the True church of the Last days we look forward for the latter
rains and former rains too. So, the outpouring of The Holy
Spirit will be greater before Jesus Christ returns at the
closing of this age.
Hosea 6:1-3
(1)
Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he
will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
(2)
After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise
us up, and we shall live in his sight.
(3)
Then shall we know,
if
we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as
the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the
latter
and
former rain unto the earth.
Christ baptizing the saints
with The Holy Spirit…
John the Baptist
prophetically speaks about the Jesus Christ baptizing his saints
with The Holy Spirit. However, one notices in this scripture
that The Holy Spirit baptism comes with fire; and fire in this
case for purification, sanctification, and separation.
The Lord’s people
must separate from all that which is evil. Many Christians speak
about The Holy Spirit but don’t want to speak about
purification, sanctification, and separation.
When we are filled
with The Holy Spirit there will certainly be a purification,
sanctification, and separation process from all that which is
sin, false, and evil before God. In this process we are
conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Matthew 3:11-12 NKJV
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He
who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am
not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit
and fire. {12} "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will
thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat
into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable
fire."
Mark 1:6-8 NKJV
Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt
around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. {7} And he
preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than
I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.
{8} "I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit."
Signs that follow believers by
Holy Spirit…
The promised
signs, healings, and miracles that must follow those who believe
in Jesus Christ come about by The Holy Spirit and not human
wisdom, strength, and the flesh…
Mark 16:15-19 NKJV
And He said to them,
"Go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature.
{16} "He who believes and is
baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be
condemned. {17}
"And these signs will follow those
who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will
speak with new tongues; {18}
"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."
{19} So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received
up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
Holy Spirit Baptism and
Separation…
Because of the
baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire from Jesus Christ, this will
bring about a separation of the true saints of God from those
who are not…this will certainly happen in these end times and
has already begun happening…
Luke 3:16-17 NKJV
John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with
water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I
am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit
and fire. {17} "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will
thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat
into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable
fire."
It is Biblical to pray and ask
The Heavenly Father for The Holy Spirit…
The Lord promises
that if we ask Him of The Holy Spirit, He would answer our
prayers. Yes, we have access to the Father’s throne through
Christ Jesus and we can ask of The Holy Spirit. Certainly there
is no doubt that we need The Holy Spirit in these last days…
Yes, and it is scriptural to ask of The Father for The Holy
Spirit outpouring in these last days…
The Land is
thirsty, dry, and, a wilderness; we certainly need the former
and later rains… Certainly when we ask of The Holy Spirit, The
Lord will not give us something else…He will give us The Holy
Spirit… The Holy Spirit brings about a holy life in Christ
Jesus…
Some say they have
the Holy Spirit but the fruit out of their lives is worldliness,
materialism and pleasures of this world…that is not The Holy
Spirit that these folks claim to have…what they have is stones
and snakes – hardness of heart – stony hearts and snakes –
deception and lies…be careful about those prosperity purpose
driven preachers…
Luke 11:9-13 NKJV
"So I say to you, ask, and it will
be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you. {10}
"For everyone who asks receives,
and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
{11} "If a son asks for
bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if
he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a
fish? {12}
"Or if he asks for an egg, will he
offer him a scorpion? {13}
"If you then, being evil, know how
to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
To be True Witnesses of Jesus
Christ, we need The Holy Spirit…
The disciples were
to tarry in Jerusalem until they received the promise of The
Holy Spirit. Prophetically speaking, there is emptiness in the
land; a drought and the remnant are in a wilderness.
For the elect of
The Lord to be True witnesses, there has to be a waiting and
longing for an outpouring of The Holy Spirit. Yes, Revelation
11:3…”and I will give power unto my two witnesses…” The Lord
will empower His remnant on the earth to be His True Witnesses
on the earth in the last days…
Revelation 11:3-4
(3)
And I will give
power
unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two
hundred
and
threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
(4)
These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing
before the God of the earth.
The disciples were
to WAIT until they received power from on high…
Jesus Christ
speaks about the ‘Power from on High’ and the disciples were to
wait in Jerusalem until they received of this power. They could
not go to be witnesses of Jesus Christ without the Holy Spirit.
Those who think that they will some how be witnesses of Jesus
Christ in these last days void of The Holy Spirit are mistaken…
Prophetically
speaking we are to ask The Father of The Holy Spirit so we can
be true witnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ in these last days…
Much of the Church
today is void of the power of The Holy Spirit, many are simply
preaching empty sermons and dry words of men not accompanied by
The Power of The Holy Spirit…such empty dry gospel void of God’s
Power will not endure during the tribulation…You Need The Holy
Spirit.
Luke 24:46-49 NKJV
Then He said to them, "Thus
it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to
suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
{47} "and that repentance
and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
{48} "And you are witnesses
of these things. {49}
"Behold, I send the Promise of My
Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you
are endued with power from on high."
The Holy Spirit and Fire
Baptism…
John The Baptist
spoke of the Lord Jesus Christ as one who would baptize us with
The Holy Spirit and fire. So, how do we deny the Baptism of The
Holy Spirit from The Lord Jesus Christ?
John 1:31-34 NKJV
"I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to
Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water." {32} And John
bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven
like a dove, and He remained upon Him. {33} "I did not know Him,
but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom
you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He
who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' {34} "And I have seen and
testified that this is the Son of God."
We need the Helper – The Holy
Spirit…
Jesus spoke about
our need for ‘The Helper’…The Holy Spirit. We would not be left
orphans but The Lord promised to send The Helper…The Holy
Spirit. Jesus referred to Him as…
-
The Helper…
-
The Spirit of Truth…
-
Of whom the world
cannot receive…
-
The world neither
sees Him nor knows Him…
-
He will abide with
you forever…
-
He will teach you
all things….
-
He will bring to
remembrance all things I said to you…
-
The Spirit of Truth
who proceeds from The Father…
-
He will testify of
me (Jesus Christ)…
-
He will convict the
world of sin, righteousness and of judgment…
-
He will glorify me
(Jesus Christ)…
-
He will take of what
is mine (Jesus Christ) and declare it to you…
The Holy Spirit – The Spirit of
Truth glorifies Jesus Christ not Man...
Sad to say is
the fact that many folks who call themselves church leaders are
busy promoting themselves, their ministries, churches,
“callings”, and glorifying themselves while stating that it is
The Holy Spirit who told them so.
You hear
statements like “The Lord told me that my ministry would be
magnified globally and taken to the next level”, “The Lord told
me that he would lift me over all my enemies and make my
ministry bigger and to greater heights than before”...
Such talk when
considered in light of scriptures about The Holy Spirit clearly
shows folks who are getting to show their flesh while claiming
it is The Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit is The Spirit of
Truth...
Remarkable is the
statement that The Holy Spirit is The Spirit of Truth…this is
very important as we read in John 17:17 that God’s Word is
Truth…The Holy Spirit testifies to God’s Wholesome Truth – The
Whole Counsel of God’s Word… He is the Spirit of Truth and not
falsehood and false teachings and false doctrines… He is The
Spirit of Truth… He leads us to obey Truth in God’s Word not
some fables or man made stories and traditions…
Holy Spirit convicts world of
sin, righteousness, and judgment...
He also will
convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment… Where are
these three things in sermons, churches, ministries, and
Christian lives today? Today many churches, sermons, ministries
are filled with human philosophy and void of any conviction of
sin, righteousness, and judgment. This shows that either
“Christians” have not received The Holy Spirit or they are in
perfect rebellion against God…
John 14:12-27 NKJV
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he
who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and
greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
{13} "And whatever you ask
in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in
the Son. {14}
"If you ask anything in My name, I
will do it. {15}
"If you love Me, keep My
commandments. {16}
"And I will pray the Father, and He
will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you
forever; {17}
"the Spirit of truth, whom the
world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him;
but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
{18} "I will not leave you
orphans; I will come to you. {19}
"A little while longer and
the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I
live, you will live also. {20}
"At that day you will know
that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
{21} "He who has My
commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who
loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and
manifest Myself to him." {22} Judas
(not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will
manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?" {23} Jesus
answered and said to him,
"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will
love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
{24} "He who does not love
Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not
Mine but the Father's who sent Me.
{25} "These things I have
spoken to you while being present with you.
{26} "But the Helper, the
Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach
you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I
said to you. {27}
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I
give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not
your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 15:26 NKJV
"But when the Helper comes, whom I
shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who
proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
John 16:7-15 NKJV
"Nevertheless I tell you the truth.
It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away,
the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send
Him to you. {8}
"And when He has come, He will
convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
{9} "of sin, because they do
not believe in Me; {10}
"of righteousness, because I go to
My Father and you see Me no more;
{11} "of judgment, because
the ruler of this world is judged.
{12} "I still have many
things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
{13} "However, when He, the
Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for
He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He
will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
{14} "He will glorify Me,
for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
{15} "All things that the
Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine
and declare it to you.
Wait on the
Promise of The Father...
Jesus Christ
before His departure stresses the fact that the disciples wait
on in Jerusalem for The Holy Spirit – The Promise of The
Father…they had to wait until they received this promise so as
to be True Witnesses of Jesus Christ… You cannot be a True
Witness of The Lord Jesus Christ unless you are baptized
by The Holy Spirit…
Many claim that they have been baptized with
The Holy Spirit but when their witness is checked it is not that
of Jesus Christ but that of the world and man. Such folks always
testify of their ministries, callings, and men placed on peddle
stools… it is clear from their fruits that they are not the
fruits of The Holy spirit but of the world, worldliness, and
sinful man.
Acts 1:4-5 NKJV
And being assembled
together with them, He commanded them not to depart from
Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which,"
He said, "you have heard
from Me; {5}
"for John truly baptized with
water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many
days from now."
They were filled with The Holy
Spirit, spoke in Tongues...
It was when the
disciples obeyed The Lord Jesus Christ and waited in the upper
room in Jerusalem for the promise of The Father that they indeed
received the promise of The Father. They were all filled with
The Holy Spirit and spoke with tongues as the Holy Spirit gave
utterance… It is important to take note of what happened as some
Christians have troubles with these verses when it comes with
the issue of speaking in tongues…
-
Then appeared on
them tongues, as of fire…
-
They were all filled
with The Holy Spirit…
-
And begun to speak
with other tongues…
-
As The Spirit gave
them utterance…
Greek word for
Baptism
G907
βαπτίζω
baptizō
bap-tid'-zo
From a derivative of G911; to make whelmed (that is, fully wet);
used only (in the New Testament) of ceremonial ablution,
especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism:
- baptist, baptize, wash.
Greek word for
Tongues
G1100
γλῶσσα
glōssa
gloce'-sah
Of uncertain affinity; the tongue; by implication a language
(specifically one naturally unacquired): - tongue.
>>From the definition above, one
comes to note that the term tongue according to the Greek
meaning here had to do with a language that was naturally
unacquired…
Greek word for
Filled
G4130
πλήθω
plēthō
play'-tho,
pleh'-o,
A prolonged form of a primary
word
πλέω
pleō (which appears only as an alternate in certain tenses and
in the reduplicated form of
πίμπλημι
pimplēmi to “fill” (literally or figuratively [imbue,
influence, supply]); specifically to fulfil (time): -
accomplish, full (. . . come), furnish.
They spoke in
tongues as The Holy Spirit gave utterance…
One must note
that they spoke in tongues as The Holy Spirit gave them
utterance…some have quoted this verse out of context in support
of their doctrines that the tongues the disciples spoke are
those learnt in school like French, Swahili, English, etc…
If this is the
case, then one must ask how the disciples learned many tongues
in such a short time. The truth of the matter is that it was
The Holy Spirit who gave them utterance as He willed and so
ministered to those who heard them in the audience as many folks
were in Jerusalem at that time from different regions heard in
their own languages what the disciples were saying, praising
God.
Yes, tongues a
sign that one is filled with The Holy Spirit…
The question of
if all who are filled with The Holy Spirit must speak in tongues
demands it is dealt with in its own separate article…. However,
when one looks at scripture in the Book of Acts, tongues is a
sign that the believers were filled with The Holy Spirit. Should
this be always the case?
I will go with
what I see in the New Testament as ‘How the disciples were
baptized with The Holy Spirit’… If speaking in tongues, was a
sign that the disciples were filled with or baptized with The
Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts, then that is what I go for
regardless of what some religious Christian theologians say or
put a spin on.
Acts 2:1-4 NKJV
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one
accord in one place. {2} And suddenly there came a sound from
heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole
house where they were sitting. {3} Then there appeared to them
divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. {4}
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak
with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
End time Outpouring of The Holy
Spirit and Judgment…
The Apostle Paul
quotes the Prophesy in the Book of Joel about the last days
outpouring of The Holy Spirit. It is interesting that in verse
19 to 20 Peter speaks about a judgment after this outpouring of
The Holy Spirit. In verse 21 it speak about how all those who
call upon The Name of The Lord will be saved…
-
Outpouring of the
Holy Spirit…
-
Judgment ensues…
-
Those who call on
The Name of The Lord are saved…
The order of
events is not the issue but that these three things occur
concurrently…The Holy Spirit outpouring, Judgment, and the
message of salvation. Remember The Holy Spirit as spoken about
by Jesus Christ in John 16…He (The Holy Spirit) will convict the
world of sin righteousness, and judgment…
Interesting to
note that there was judgment on Jerusalem in 70 AD according to
Historian Josephus… Could it be that during these last days
there will be an outpouring of The Holy Spirit and followed by
Judgment and a great harvest of those who call on The Name of
The Lord, being saved?
Yes, I believe
so, that time will come when The Lord will give power to His two
witnesses and they will proclaim the end time everlasting gospel
in the midst of God’s Judgments coming down on the earth as
stated in Revelation 11.
Most people
think that those two witnesses are just two men roaming the
streets of Jerusalem with long beards spitting fire and
brimstone as all their detractors as Tim LaHaye’s ‘Left Behind’
Movie an book series falsely portray…that is the interpretation
of religious Christian Pharisees…
Revelation 11
gives a clear ‘revelation’ as to the end time ‘revival’ or
outpouring of The Holy Spirit… The two witnesses being the Two
Olive Trees, and Two Lampstands before God – Israel and The
Church – remnant from Israel and remnant from the church – the
one true Israel of God… Anyone with doubts can look for what the
bible refers to as the Olive Tree and the Lampstand…
Acts 2:15-21
NKJV
"For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only
the third hour of the day. {16} "But this is what was spoken by
the prophet Joel: {17} '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. {18} And on
My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit
in those days; And they shall prophesy. {19} I will show wonders
in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire
and vapor of smoke. {20} The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and
awesome day of the LORD. {21} And it shall come to pass That
whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.'
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
is for us today…
The gift of The
Holy Spirit is for those who have repented, baptized in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin…for our current
generation, our children, and children’s children…
Acts 2:38-39
NKJV
Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you
be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. {39}
"For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who
are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
Yes, there was Water and the
Holy Spirit Baptism in the early church…
Peter and all the
other Apostles in the early church did not stop at preaching the
gospel of Jesus Christ but also water baptized converts and
prayed for those who believed to be filled with The Holy Spirit…
Many of those who
preach the gospel today don’t even pray for folks they win to
The Lord to be filled with The Holy Spirit. Part of this is
because of the false doctrine of the ceasasionists who believe
that the ministry of The Holy Spirit ceased with the death of
the apostles… No wonder we have very many immature Christians…
Acts 8:9-17
NKJV
But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously
practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of
Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, {10} to whom they
all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man
is the great power of God." {11} And they heeded him because he
had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. {12} But
when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning
the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and
women were baptized. {13} Then Simon himself also believed; and
when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed,
seeing the miracles and signs which were done. {14} Now when the
apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received
the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, {15} who,
when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive
the Holy Spirit. {16} For as yet He had fallen upon none of
them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
{17} Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy
Spirit.
Again, tongues a sign that one
is filled with the Holy Spirit…
As Peter the
apostle preached the gospel, The Holy Spirit fell upon all those
gentiles who heard the word…the team that went with Peter on
this gospel mission noticed that the people were filled with The
Holy Spirit because they heard them speak in tongues and magnify
God… So, tongues come up again, and yes, tongues, was and is a
sign that one is filled with The Holy Spirit…
Acts 10:36-48
NKJV
"The word which God sent to the children of Israel,
preaching peace through Jesus Christ; He is Lord of all; {37}
"that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea,
and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:
{38} "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit
and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who
were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. {39} "And we
are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the
Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.
{40} "Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly,
{41} "not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by
God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from
the dead. {42} "And He commanded us to preach to the people, and
to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of
the living and the dead. {43} "To Him all the prophets witness
that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive
remission of sins." {44} While Peter was still speaking these
words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
{45} And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished,
as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit
had been poured out on the Gentiles also. {46} For they heard
them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
{47} "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized
who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" {48} And he
commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they
asked him to stay a few days.
The Holy Spirit fall upon us as
that the beginning…
Peter the apostle
narrates how The Holy Spirit fell upon the meeting he went as at
the beginning…he was referring to the first experience when The
Holy Spirit fell upon them in the upper room. How we long for
the same today… How many preachers can speak as Peter spoke that
‘The Holy Spirit fell upon us as that the beginning’?
Acts 11:15-17
NKJV
"And as I began to
speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the
beginning. {16} "Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He
said, 'John indeed baptized
with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
{17} "If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us
when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I
could withstand God?"
Yes, new believers must be
baptized with The Holy Spirit…
Paul the apostle
asked the believers if they had received the Holy Spirit when
they believed…they answered by stating that they had been
baptized into John’s Baptism. However, Paul taught these folks
about being baptized in The Name of Jesus Christ and then laid
hands on them to be baptized with The Holy Spirit and they spoke
with tongues and prophesied… Tongues come up again
brethren…tongues was and is a sign that the believers were
filled with The Holy Spirit…
Acts 19:1-6 NKJV
And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having
passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding
some disciples {2} he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy
Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so
much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." {3} And he said
to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into
John's baptism." {4} Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with
a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should
believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ
Jesus." {5} When they heard this, they were baptized in the name
of the Lord Jesus. {6} And when Paul had laid hands on them, the
Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and
prophesied.
The Holy Spirit Baptism, a
prerequisite for end time saints…
There are no doubt brethren that
we need the outpouring of The Holy Spirit if we are to go
through all what we have to endure in these end times… Those who
think that they need not The Holy Spirit in these last days are
in for total failure…
It is our prayer that The Lord
will once again baptize His true saints with The Holy Spirit, so
we are conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and be His True
Witnesses in these end times.
It is scriptural to ask for this
end time outpouring of The Holy Spirit and it is my prayer that
all true saints of God will do so. Yes, pray that The Lord will
empower us by The Holy Spirit in these last days to be His True
Witness to the nations amidst judgments in this end times when
The Lord arises to judge nations.
The Lord promised us The Spirit
of Truth – The Holy Spirit…
When we ask for the Holy Spirit,
The Lord will not give us a snake or a stone. Symbolically or
prophetically, when we ask for The Holy Spirit, The Lord will
give us The Holy Spirit, The Spirit of Truth and not a snake
representing deception or a stone representing hardness of
heart.
Luke 11:9-13
(9)
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
(10)
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh
findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
(11)
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he
give him a stone? or if
he ask
a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
(12)
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
(13)
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your
children: how much more shall
your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
The Latter and Former Rains are
symbolic of The Holy Spirit…
For The Lord will come to us like
the latter rain and former rain…on the third day He will revive
us…prophetically or symbolically speaking, The former rain
representing the outpouring the first church experienced on the
day of Pentecost and up to now…
The latter rain representing the
end time outpouring of The Holy Spirit as we go through the
tribulation until the coming of Jesus Christ when He appears in
the sky and every eye behold him weeping and wailing…amen
The end time outpouring or
revival as some call it will be both the latter rains and former
rains to the true saints of God in Christ Jesus…it will NOT
happen to the apostate church…
Hosea 6:1-3
(1)
Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he
will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
(2)
After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise
us up, and we shall live in his sight.
(3)
Then shall we know,
if
we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as
the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the
latter
and
former rain unto the earth.
Yes, we are to await the end time
latter and former rains…
Yes, we are to await this
outpouring of The Holy Spirit… We are to wait for The Lord with
patience even as a farmer waits for precious fruit with patience
until he receives the former and latter rains…
This is no coincidence in
scripture but yes, before The Lord returns there will be a
release of a former and latter rain upon the true saints of God
in Christ Jesus… The Two Witnesses will have to be empowered by
The Holy Spirit for the final witness of Jesus Christ on the
earth before Jesus Christ returns…what an exciting time to live…
I always wonder why many
Christians don’t want to speak about the tribulation…well, it is
because they think they are to be orphans left alone during that
time but The Lord Jesus Christ said He would NOT leave us
orphans but send The Holy Spirit to us… There is nothing to fear
during the tribulation, The Holy Spirit will give us grace and
strength…amen
James 5:7-8
(7)
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.
Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the
earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early
and latter rain.
(8)
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the
Lord draweth nigh.
Image Source:
www.Endtimepilgrim.org
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule
Uganda, Africa
www.yesumulungi.com
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