Jesus told His disciples before He ascended to Heaven to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, which is the outpouring of His Spirit and that they would be endued with power from on high.
Luke 24:49
"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 New Testament books of the bible are filled with testimonies of the power of God, the supernatural displays of the Holy Spirit working in and through the lives of ordinary men and women who chose to answer the call of Jesus.
Without being empowered by the Spirit of God it is impossible to overcome your flesh, this world, and the adversary of all our souls, satan. We absolutely can not live in this world as a disciple of Jesus, unless the Holy Spirit is indwelling your soul. There is just to much evil, sin, and gross darkness, to live without the Spirit's daily help, protection, and empowerment.
Jesus who understood the full scale of the spiritual battle we face everyday and He would never send His apostles into the world to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth without first being empowered by the Holy Spirit. Jesus told them that He was going away but He would not leave them as orphans, but would come to them again through the Spirit of God.
John 14:15-18
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If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—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. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."
Jesus is telling His disciples that although He was going to be crucified and His work on earth in physical form would be done, He Himself would come back to be with them through the Spirit of the Living God! The same Spirit that hovered over the face of the deep during the earth's creation, and the same Holy Spirit that overshadowed Mary the mother of Jesus, and caused her to be impregnated with a child without ever being touched by a man!
This is why it's absolutely ludicrous to think that a momentous occasion like being baptized with the Holy Spirit, by the Lord Jesus Himself wouldn't be accompanied by supernatural signs, like speaking in other tongues and prophesying.
John 14:23
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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."
How is it possible for Jesus and the Father to make their with a person? By entering into their soul through the Holy Spirit, the same way evil spirits can enter people and live IN them until they are cast out!
John 14:25
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These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 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."
Again Jesus is talking about a supernatural event that would soon take place once He left the world and entered into Heaven, which is in another dimension by the way!
Once a soul is indwelt by the Spirit of God, Jesus say's plainly that HE WILL teach you ALL things, and even remind them of everything that Jesus said to them, which is completely supernatural and beyond our human limitations. Jesus is also saying that you will not need another human being to teach you about HIM!!!!
If believers would just read the bible for themselves and truly BELIEVE and apply what it says, they too would experience the power and supernatural works of God's Spirit in their lives!
1st John 2:26-27
"These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.
But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him."
John, the apostle of Jesus say's the same thing, when the Holy Spirit of God inhabits your soul, you will not need any man to teach you anything. A truly liberating and empowering truth!
Now you have some much needed context for Acts 1:4-5,8 and Acts 2:1-4
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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; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
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When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Have you received the Spirit since you believed? Have you received power from on high?
Don't be deceived by men or women who don't want to lose their jobs as pastor's and ministry leaders, by preaching and teaching the truth of the bible!
The baptism with the Holy Spirit is truly a supernatural gift from God to those who obey Him and keep the commandments of Jesus. You too can be endued with Power from Heaven if you believe!
The Choice is Yours!
In Christ Jesus,
Tyrone
