In this chapter we will cover the preparation of God's people to enter their inheritance, both in the New Testament and the Old Testament. The word "Inheritance" is used in the Old Testament at first to the inheritance promised by God to Abraham and his descendants - the land of Canaan, "the land you gave your people for an inheritance" (II Kings 8:36; Num. 34:2; Deut. 4:21, 38; 12:9 - 10; 15:4; Psa. 47:4 105:9-11). The conquest of the land under the leadership of Joshua was by God's help, not by Israel's military powers (Josh. 21:43-45). God directed the partitioning of the land among the tribes (Num. 26:52-56; Josh. 14:1-5; 18:4-9). Israel could continue to possess the land only on condition of faithfulness to God (Deut. 4:26; 11:8-9). Disobedience to God would result in the loss of the land, which could be recovered only by repentance and a new wholehearted submission to God (Isa. 57:13; 58:13-14). In order to understand God's plan for His people and their inheritance we must first look into the Old Testament and walk from there.
Jushua 1:10-18
The Children of Israel had been in slavery for 420 years and now Moses steps out to free them from their bondage, and after many plagues they are finally freed to set out for their inheritance which God had promised them, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Israel had a long period of wondering in the wilderness: they were forty years, making their way to the land of Canaan and yet it could have been made in eleven days, but God led them by way of the wilderness so they wouldn't become discouraged if they immediately came in contact with their enemies.
They journeyed during the first two years from Egypt to kadesh-Barnea, which was on the southwestern edge of the land and from it they might have gone right up into their inheritance and taken possession of it, but you remember that at the request of the people the Lord permitted Moses to send out spies in order to find out whether God was as good as His word.
Now lets notice that Moses here as with the Holy Ghost today had to prepare the children of Israel before they could enter their inheritance, but they continued to complain, murmur, and sin, and so what should have been an eleven day journey turned into a forty year journey, today people are still complaining, murmuring, and sinning, and the Holy Ghost can't offer up a church without spot or wrinkle until the murmuring, and complaining, and sinning has stopped, therefore the Holy Ghost is to prepare a people of faith, learning to step totally on the word of God and trusting Him to do just what He has promised.
When the children of Israel left Egypt, God told them exactly what kind of land it was - "a land flowing with milk and honey:" But the people requested Moses to send spies to see what it was actually like, and he selected twelve men who went throughout all Palestine investigating, Remember Jesus did the same thing, He selected twelve men to go out throughout the land and to share with people what they had saw, but not all of them went at first, Thomas, Peter, and Judas who killed himself for betraying Jesus.
And of the twelve which Moses sent out only ten of them reported back that the land was everything God had said it was. "BUT" they added "We never will be able to overcome the nations that dwell there, they are stronger than we: their cities are walled up to heaven and there we saw the giants: and we were in their sight as grasshoppers."
I bet you have felt this way sometimes; the Holy Ghost has led you to do a thing, and the first thing you do is notice that the people are giants in your sight, and you feel really small next to them, and they have made it seem as if there was no way you could overcome them because they seem stronger then you, but we forget that the Holy Ghost came to empower us to do the work we are called to do.
The people said, "We never will be able to overcome the nations that dwell there, they are stronger than we: their cities are walled up to heaven and there we saw the giants: and we were in their sight as grasshoppers and so we were in our sight, we are not able to go against them."
One would suppose that maybe Peter felt this way the night Jesus was arrested and he denied knowing Jesus three times, once the Holy Ghost came and Peter was filled he stood his ground and preached a sermon that added to the church 3000 souls to the 120 that were already there, well we see this happening with two men that were among the spies back in the wilderness, Joshua and Caleb stood and encouraged the people by saying, "let us go at once and possess the land: for we are well able to overcome the foes:" The Holy Ghost came to help us believe, only as we stand in faith can we get to a place to be ready to receive our inheritance, the children of Israel had to look forward to the cross and have the faith that God would deliver them from their bondage through the promised Messiah which was to come, today we must look backward to the cross and have faith in the return of the Messiah to bring His people out of bondage.
In this story we must remember that the preparation for inheritance is more then just preparing to receive something of the Lord without doing anything. Paul said that "Faith without works is dead" although salvation is a free gift of God, one must have faith to accept the things which God has said, therefore, one must first have faith, "He that cometh to God must first believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." This only means that God has already given the gift of salvation on the cross, through His Son Jesus Christ, and now we have salvation, but we must now act, (If someone gives you a gift and tell you it is a free gift, but you must come to their home to get it, although the gift is now yours, you still don't process it until you go to the home of the person who gave it and pick it up), this means you need to do something, as with salvation God has given it but you must come to God to receive it and as Paul said, "He that cometh to God must first believe that He is...." So faith is seen in one's actions, without the action there is no faith.
Now to better understand this inheritance lets look at the rest of this chapter on the Holy Ghost and understand His work with the church, as He prepares the church to receive it's inheritance, as the children of Israel prepared to enter the promised land which is flowing with milk and honey, we to have been promised a land flowing with milk and honey, a place I call the land of the "No Mores" -
Revelation 21
No more temple, No more sun, No more moon, No more closed gates, No more night, No more defile, No more abomination. No more lies, No more sickness, No more curses, No more candle, No more sorcerers, No more whoremongers, No more murderers, No more idolaters, No more tears, No more death, No more sorrow, No more crying, and No more pain. As you can see this is going to be a wonderful place, where joy is the only thing that will not be done away with, praising God all day with the Holy Angels and living with the glory of God to sustain everyone that is within the Holy City.
IX.) THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST: (John 16:7-14)
(V. 7) Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go not away: The Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.
(V. 8) And when He is come: He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
(V. 9) Of sin, because they believed not on Me:
(V. 10) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more,
(V. 11) Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
(V. 12) I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
(V. 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 He4 shall hear that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come.
(V. 14) He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall show you things to come.
Instruction - His disciples, regarding the coming of the Holy Ghost, Jesus said, "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:
(1) Convict men of the sin of unbelief (V. 9)
(2) Convict men that Jesus is the righteousness of God (V. 10) also (Rom. 10:3, 4)
(3) Regenerate the believer (John 3:5) also (Titus 3:5)
(4) Indwell the believer (Eph. 1:13-14)
(5) Seal the believer (I Cor. 6:19-20)
(6) Convict men that the power of Satan has been broken (V. 11)
(7) Baptize the believer (Acts 1:5) also (I Cor. 12:13)
(8) Infill the believer (Eph. 5:18)
(9) Empower the believer (Acts 1:8)
(10) Lead the believer (Gal. 5:16-18)
(11) Administer spiritual gifts to the believer (I Cor. 12:1-11)
The Holy Ghost came on the day of Pentecost, to remain with the church until it is complete and present to the Lord Jesus Christ at his second coming, just as Jesus Christ finished the work He came to do in the flesh, so the Holy Ghost will finish the work He came to do in the church.
X.) CONVICT MEN OF THE SIN OF UNBELIEF: (V. 9)
(A) Because of the fact that what man can not see, he also can not believe. Many times in the Bible man was dealt with because of unbelief.
There is Abraham, when promised a child in old age, he fell upon his face and laughed, (Gen. 17:17); Moses, when told the Host of Israel should be fed, (Nu. 11:21); The Disciples, in failing to heal a demoniac, (Matt. 17:19, 20); Zacharias, when promised that he would have a great Son, (Lu. 1:20); the Disciples, when told of the resurrection of Jesus, (Lu. 24:11).
(B) So by this God stepped down and man still would not believe unto the saving of his own soul.
Christ came into the world that the sin of unbelief could be done away with, he came that we might know God, and even then we find the scriptures revealing that even then man's unbelief was still toward God and his word, John said, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." (John 1:11).
This brings about the very reason Christ went to the cross, as Jesus said to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus - "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: OUGHT NOT CHRIST TO HAVE SUFFERED THESE THINGS, and enter into His glory?" (Luke 24:25-26).
(C) So Jesus came to be crucified so that all men would have to do is believe on Him (Acts 2:23) also (Acts 2:36).
Peter made this known in Acts 2 when he stood up and preached a sermon that brought 3000 souls into the early church to be added to the already 120 souls, Peter said to the people, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36). Now the same people who crucified him must now believe on Him, if they want to be saved, salvation comes from the finished work of Christ on the cross and therefore the unbelief of people becomes a sin making the cross of no effect.
(D) Therefore we have the Holy Ghost to help us believe and make us know the will of God (Rom. 1:19).
MEDIATOR:
Paul writing to Timothy said that the will of God was that all men be saved, and that he had appointed to that end a "MEDIATOR" between God and man, the MAN CHRIST JESUS (I Tim. 2:3-6). He is a "Mediator" for both believers and unbelievers, but He had to become a MAN to "Mediate" between God and man. A man can mediate between two men, but he cannot mediate between a man and a horse, because he has not the nature of both a man and a horse. So the Son of God could not mediate between God and man until He became the "Divine MAN," that is, had the nature of both God and man. It was necessary then for the Son of God to become a MAN that He might mediate between God and man, and when He ascended, He took up His MANHOOD with Him, and He is now in heaven, the MAN CHRIST JESUS. (I Tim. 2:5).
(E) Because man can't believe and served the creature more than the creator (Rom. 1:25) and because of this man refuses to acknowledge God, so God will give them over to a "reprobate" (Deviating from what is considered moral or right or proper or good.) mind (Rom. 1:28).
The word "Reprobate" comes from the Greek word (adokimos). The basic idea in reprobation is that of failing "to stand the test." "Adokimos," the negative of dokimos ("to approve") connotes disapproval or rejection. When applied to humanity's relation to God, it suggests moral corruption, unfitness, disqualification - all arising out of a lack of positive holiness. The KJV uses it of a reprobate [disapproved] mind (Rom. 1:28) and of a sinful nature (II Cor. 13:5, 6, 7). In other New Testament uses (II Tim. 3:8; Titus 1:16) bear the same disapproval quality. Human beings in sin are reprobate, disqualified, disapproved, and rejected because they cannot "stand the test" of holiness. Approval comes only in Jesus' righteousness.
XI.) CONVICT MEN THAT JESUS IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD: (John 16:10) also (Rom. 10:3-4)
(A) This step is to get man to believe that what Jesus said was truth, and that He is the Son of God.
(B) That God fills his promises.
(C) That once a person is filled they can believe that God is (Heb. 11:6).
(D) That God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:33-34).
XII.) REGENERATE THE BELIEVER: (John 3:5) also (Titus 3:5).
(A) There is a need for regeneration of the believer because of man's disbelief by looking to the fleshly mind to understand things that are spiritual.
(B) To generate something is not to take a thing and remake it all over again but to change it from its first state.
(C) John 3:5 tells us that this is just what the Holy Ghost is here to do with the believers, to make them a new person in the Lord.
(D) Jesus said that if He tell you, who are earthly, of earthly things and you don't believe, how then can you believe Him if He tell you of heavenly things (John 3:12).
The Greek word; (palingenesia), has as its basic idea "to be born again" or "to be restored." Though the word is actually used only twice in the New Testament (Matt. 19:28; Titus 3:5), many synonymous passages suggest its basic meaning. Related terms are "born again" (John 3:3, 5, 7), "Born of God" (John 1:13; I John 3:9), "quickened" (Eph. 2:1, 5), and "renewed" (Rom. 12:2; Titus 3:5).
XIII.) INDWELL THE BELIEVER: (Eph. 1:13-14)
(A) The Holy Spirit has come now to indwell the believer so that He (The Holy Ghost) can work on the mind, soul and personality of the believers.
The Spirit is known in the Old Testament as a personal endowment. He "indwells" the people of God as a whole (Hag. 2:5), just as he was among them at the Exodus (Isa. 63:11). He endowed Bezalel for mighty deeds (Judg. 3:10 and 6:34, literally "clothed himself with Gideon"; Judges 11:29; 13:25; I Sam. 11:6). These references correspond to what the New Testament speaks of as the "infilling" of the Spirit.
(B) That our hearts will be changed from the need to sin to the need to be righteous.
The Biblical writers portray sin in such a variety of terms because they have such a powerful sense of the living Lord, who is utterly pure and holy. For sin is that condition and activity of human beings that is offensive to God, their Creator. However, it is only as they are conscious of his holiness that they are truly aware of their sin (I Kings 17:18; Ps. 51:4-6; Isa. 6).
(C) To remove things like debating, envying, wraths, strife, backbiting, whispering, swellings, tumults, fornication, and lasciviousness (II Cor. 12:20-21).
Debating over the word of God is a good starting place for what a lot of Christians today do, causing confusion and upset between themselves and others about the word of God. Envying, having hatred or ill will toward others comes from self-denial and looking down on ones self is never good, when God made man He looked down on him and said "It is good," we are made in the image of God and that makes us just as good as the next person. To covet is against the law of God so being happy with what we have is the first step in having the faith that God will "supply all our needs according to his riches in glory." Wrath is a very strong word in our English language today, it creates so many other evil things to form in our hearts, vengeance is never good and when we have such anger we never think clearly. Strife, when this word is used the comparative words that come to mind are fighting, quarreling, struggle, and conflict, these are not the character of the Holy Spirit, how can we say then we are children of God (I John). Backbiting, the same with this word, speaking maliciously about someone when they aren't there to defend themselves is just as evil as the others mentioned, without listing them all understand they are closely related words which all bring about destruction on one level or another in our spiritual walk with the Lord, we are to remove these things from our life.
(D) Also to help us against the devises of Satan that we mite know them (II Cor. 2:11) and that we will be able to be strong in the Lord and put on the whole armor of God because our war is not with flesh and blood.
(E) But against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:10-12).
XIV.) SEAL THE BELIEVER: (I Cor. 6:19-20)
(A) The Holy Ghost is come to make ready a church without spot and wrinkle and blameless therefore we are sealed until Christ returns for his church (BRIDE), (Eph. 4:30).
(B) by this we are to know that we have a seat at the Judgment seat of Christ and when Christ comes for his church you can be sure to go, for we are sealed until the day of redemption.
When Christ has finished His High Priestly work He will leave His Father's Throne and descend into the atmosphere of this earth to meet His espoused Bride - The CHURCH. I Thess. 4:15-18. He will then accompany His Bride back to Heaven, and taking His place upon the "Judgment Seat of Christ" (Rom. 14:10) will judge the saints and reward them according to their works;
There is a vast difference in the doctrine of salvation for the lost and the doctrine of rewards for the saved, salvation is "The Gift of God" not of works (Eph. 2:8-9) salvation is received by faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:36). Rewards are according to the works of the believer (Matt. 16:27).
A most revealing scripture on rewards is found in (I Corinthians 3:8-15) first, every believer will be rewarded according to his/her own labor (V. 8) we do not labor for salvation, second, we are laboures together with God (V. 9) not for salvation but for rewards. Third, the believer is to build on the Lord Jesus Christ. The only foundation (V. 11). Fourth, the believer has a choice of two kinds of building materials: "gold, silver, precious stone."
This is building with eternal materials: or "Wood, Hay, Stubble" this is building with temporal materials (V. 12) (II Corinthians 4:18) the believer who builds on Christ with eternal materials gold, silver, precious stone shall receive a reward. Those who build on Christ with temporal materials wood, hay, stubble, works will be destroyed at the "Judgment Seat of Christ" and the believer will suffer loss, not loss of salvation, but the loss of eternal reward.
Some believers will be ashamed at the "Judgment Seat of Christ" (I John 2:20) ashamed of their works of wood, hay, and stubble.
XV.) THE CROWN OF LIFE: (James 1:12)
The crown of Life, is found in (James 1:12) "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of Life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him."
(A) This reward could be called the "Lover's Crown" after the examination of (V. 12) I discovered that the believer finds strength to overcome temptation and endure trials, through the Love of God, Paul said, "We glory in tribulation also," the question is do we today glory in tribulation? We can only if the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost (Rom. 5:3-5) without the love of God in the heart of the believers they cannot have eternal life according to (John 3:15-16) but not all believers will be rewarded with the "Crown of Life." This crown will be given to those who are faithful unto death.
(Rev. 2:10) to receive the crown of life the believer must love the Lord more than his own life. "Whatsoever shall save his life (LIVE FOR SELF) shall lose it, but whosoever lose his life for my sake and the gospel's (LIVE FOR CHRIST) at all cost the same shall save it (Mark 8:35)" this reward will be given to those who live for Christ, and endure temptation in the power of the love of God (I Cor. 10:13).
XVI.) THE CROWN INCORRUPTIBLE: (I Cor. 9:24-27)
This crown can be called the "selfless crown." Paul makes use of the Greek games to illustrate the spiritual race of the believer they ran to win a "corruptible crown": But we an "Incorruptible crown," no young man could contend in the game unless he was a Greek citizen, born of Greek parents, no unsaved person can participate in the service of the Lord for rewards: only the born of God are eligible (John 3:3). Just as the athlete must deny himself many gratifications of the body, so the believer must to keep under his body and bring it unto subjection or he will lose the "incorruptible crown."
The Greek games had hard and fast rules for all participants, the New Testament contains the rules for believers who would enter the spiritual race to win the;
( "INCORRUPTIBLE CROWN")
(1) The Believer must deny self of anything that would weigh him down and hold him back (Heb. 12:1)
(2) The Believer must keep his eyes fixed on Christ, and not look to the right or the left (Heb. 12:2).
(3) The Believer must find his strength in the Lord (Eph. 6:10-18)
(4) The Believer must place his all upon the altar of the Lord (Rom. 12:1-2).
(5) The Believer must by faith refuse anything that would impede spiritual progress (Heb. 11:24-29).
Don't be a spiritual spectator, enter the race to win the;
(INCORRUPTIBLE CROWN)
XVII.) THE CROWN OF REJOICING: (II Thess. 2:19-20).
The crown of rejoicing is the "Soul Winner's Crown," the greatest work you are privileged to do for the Lord is to bring others to a knowledge of Christ as personal saviour, the degree of your joy in heaven will be determined by the souls you have had part in bringing to Christ. Paul tells the Thessalonian believers that they are his hope or joy, or crown of rejoicing now and when Jesus comes.
(1) It is wise to win souls to Christ.........(Prov. 11:30)
(2) It is a work against sin to win souls to Christ..........(James 5:20)
(3) It is a cause for joy in heaven to win souls to Christ..........(Luke 15:10)
(4) Every soul winner will shine as the stars (Angels) forever..........(Dan. 12:3)
HOW CAN YOU WIN SOULS TO CHRIST:
Witness with your life; live that others may see Christ in you. (II Cor. 3:2) read like this (Ye are our epistle written in our hearts of commendation from you.) also (Gal. 2:20), "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Witness with your mouth, trusting the Holy Ghost to give power to the spoken word (Acts 1:8) Witness by tithes and offering that others may preach Christ and you will have fruit (REWARD) that may abound to your account )Phil. 4:15-17) also God has promised that your labor will not be in vain in the Lord (I Cor. 15:58).
The soul winner will not rejoice alone - all of heaven will rejoice with him when he receive the crown of rejoicing (John 4:36).
XVIII.) THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: (II Tim. 4:5-8)
(V. 5) "But watch thou in all things, endure affliction, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry."
The "crown of righteousness" can be called the "Martyr's crown." The crown of righteousness is a reward, and it is not to be confused with the righteousness of God, which the believer receives when he becomes a Christian: for at that time, the believer is made the righteousness of God in him (II Cor. 5:21) reads like this (For he hath made him to be sin for us who knows no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.) This saying righteousness is a gift to be accepted by the lost, the "crown of righteousness" is a reward to be earned by the saved. If the believer looks for and loves the doctrine of the second coming of Christ. It will affect his whole life, look at the dynamic impact this truth had on the life of the Apostle Paul he could say;
(1) I have fought a good fight (verse 7 of II Timothy 4:7) also (I Corinthians 15:32) He fought a spiritual battle throughout his Christian life, and won, he never surrendered to the enemies of righteousness (Eph. 6:12).
(2) I have finished my course, he had a course to travel and he did not detour the hard places: neither did he look back (Luke 9:61-62). he finished his course with his eyes fixed on Christ (Phil. 1:6).
(3) I have kept the faith, he preached all the counsel of God, never betraying any of the great doctrines, (Acts 20:24-31) the Apostle looked ahead to judgment seat of Christ, where the crown of righteousness will be given to those who love his appearing. How important it is for the believer to look with a heart of love for the second coming of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ that he may receive the crown of righteousness (V.8).
XIX.) THE CROWN OF GLORY: (I Peter 5:2-5)
The crown of glory is a special reward for the faithful, obedient God-called pastors, he will receive this reward when the chief Shepard shall appear. It is eternal, it fadeth not away, every believer may share in the "Pastor's Crown of Glory." He that receiveth a prophets' reward (Matt. 10:41) support your faithful, God-called pastors, by praying for his ministry and encouraging him in the work of the Lord, undergrid him in his ministry with God's tithes and your offerings (Mal. 3:10) giving freely of your time to the service of the Lord. And God will reward you for your time and for your supporting his chosen servants by allowing you to share in your pastor's reward, the pastor will earn this crown of glory by:
(1) Feeding the church, he is to proclaim the word of God without fear or favor, and when necessary, he will rebuke, reprove, and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine (II Tim. 4:2-5).
(2) Taking the spiritual oversight of the church, the pastor is responsible to God for the message preached to his people, no pastor should preach to please the people, he is to please his Lord (Gal. 1:10).
(3) Being an example to the church, he is not to serve for the reward of money, yet, the church is responsible to care for his every material need (I Tim. 5:18) he is to be a spiritual leader, and not a dictator, he is to walk with God by faith and when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
After this he will present the church to Himself, "a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." Eph. 5: 27. Then follows the Marriage of the Lamb. Rev. 19:5-9. Then having received the kingdom from the Father, Christ, accompanied by the armies of heaven, will descend to earth, and the Battle of Armageddon will be fought (Rev. 19:11-21), following which He will sit upon the "Throne of His Glory" and judge the nations (Matt. 25:31-46), after the Millennial Kingdom will be sat up. At its close Satan will be loosed from the bottomless Pit, there will be a great Apostasy, and fire will descend from heaven and destroy the wicked. The heaven and the earth will then be renovated by fire, and the New Heaven and New Earth will appear, upon which shall be placed righteous nations taken from the old earth, over which Christ shall reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, until such time as he shall see fit to surrender the Kingdom to the Father, that GOD MAY BE ALL AND IN ALL. I Cor. 15:28. This is what the day of redemption is all about and we are assured that we who are filled with the Holy Ghost are filled and sealed until the "DAY OF REDEMPTION."
XX.) CONVICT MEN THAT THE POWER OF SATAN HAS BEEN BROKEN: (John 16:11)
(A) Holy Ghost teaches, now that Satan has been cast down there is nothing that can hurt you (Luke 10:18-19).
(B) So now you can put your whole mind to seeking the Kingdom of God and God will take care of these things for you (Luke 12:31).
XXI.) BAPTIZE THE BELIEVERS: (Acts 1:5) also (I Cor. 12:13).
(A) Jesus tells us that, "when the Holy Ghost is come we shall be witnesses that -
(1) GOD IS,
(2) JESUS LIVES,
(3) JESUS IS LORD,
(4) WE ARE HIS. . .(Acts 1:8), (Joel 2:4-11) also (Joel 2:28).
(B) The baptism of the Holy Ghost is to bring the believer and Christ together in one body (I Cor. 12:1-31).
XXII.) INFILL THE BELIEVER: (Eph. 5:18)
(A) We are to know that when we sin we become dead in sins and the infilling of the Holy Ghost makes us alive in Christ (Eph. 2:1-6).
(B) Infilling to teach and help the believer to know and understand what the will of God is (Eph. 1:8-10; Eph. 2, 5:17).
XXIII.) EMPOWER THE BELIEVER: (Acts 1:8)
(A) Holy Ghost came to give power to the believer, to do whatever it takes to do the will of God, to the saving of souls and the perfecting of the church (I Cor. 1:5-8, 9:17-19).
XXIV.) LEAD THE BELIEVER: (Gal. 5:16-18)
(A) We are told from the time of our birth what is right and what is wrong in this world, and now as becoming spiritfilled believers the Spirit tells us what is right and what is wrong in the spiritual world as well (I Cor. 13:1-14) and (Phil. 4:7-9).
(B) The Holy Ghost came on the day of Pentecost, to remain with the church until it is compplete and present to the Lord Jesus at His coming, just as Jesus finished the work He came to do in the flesh, so the Holy Ghost will finish the work He came to do in the church.
(C) This work is not finished until the "Day of Redemption" (Eph. 4:30), and the last which is the 144,000 saints in Revelation who must be sealed also because the Holy Ghost came to seal the believers, this workk will continue until that is done.
The Holy Ghost came on the day of pentecost, to remain with the church until it is complete and presented to the Lord Jesus at His second coming, just as Jesus Christ finished the work He came to do in the flesh, so the Holy Ghost will finish the work He came to do in the Church.
(D) The work of the Holy Ghost will be to bring Christ a bride that is without spot, or wrinkle. The Holy Ghost, omnipresent, will be here with us until that can be done, although He will not be active with the church after the rapture, but be here only to deal with sinners; (144,000) saints which will come out of the great tribulation period to seal them for protection from the plagues which God will pass upon the earth. (Rev. 7:3-17).
The word "OMNIPRESENT" means: PRESENT EVERYWHERE AT ONCE.
MEMORY TEXT:
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come He will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13).
