There are some things that we know, but I have found in my studies there are certain things in scripture that I knew but I was limited in what I knew. We do know that to know Jesus is to know God, and to see Jesus is to see God. Are you aware that only the Father can testify of Jesus? And, get this: Only the Son can testify of Himself (John 8:18). On the same token, only the Spirit can testify of the Son. The reason that you can testify of Jesus is because the Spirit of God lives in you.
Some of the earliest teachings in my life that took hold of me were the teachings about the Holy Spirit. I can remember the teachers whom God used to make the Spirit of God real to me as a person, and I am eternally grateful to them.
Over the years, I have met people who were wonderful church members, and they believed in Christ; but the teachings of the church prevented them from understanding the work of the Holy Spirit. It only stands to reason that when we know the Holy Spirit better, we can serve God better.
Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? That is as important a question today as it was in the Book of Acts. Matthew 12:31-32, “Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven me, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men...either in this age or the age to come.” When you stop to think about it as you read this verse, any thinking person would understand the need to know more about the possibility of a sin so costly.
What I hope to do in this Sunday series is to help remind you of truth you already know in regard to the Holy Spirit. I will simply start with what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit. I think the most glaring problem of the people whom Jesus spoke to was that they did not take His words seriously. Why, you may ask, didn’t they take Jesus’s words seriously? Because they thought Jesus was just a man. The Virgin Mary took the word that was spoken to her seriously. She said, “Be it unto me according to your Word,” and the Holy Spirit came upon her.
I would hate to think that when I got to heaven I would have the testimony of a person who said in regard to the words concerning the Holy Spirit, “Well, I analyzed it.” Analysis and obedience are two different things, as Acts 5:32 teaches us. He gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him.
I believe in you, and I believe in the Word in you!
Your loving pastors,
Cleddie and GayNell