Part 3


I Jn. 5:6-8, “This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood.  And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth.  For there are three that bear witness, the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.” 


While scholarly men still attempt to teach that Pentecost was a one-time historical experience, even to the peril of their hearers, the Lord still baptizes His servants with fire. Without the Lord's work of fire baptism the work of restoring mankind back to pre-sin utopia would not happen.  


Dear friends, we need a fresh outpouring of Pentecost today in our dead American church.  Without a real fire baptism we will not do anything of value to Our Lord. This is why we are so divided today in the American church and so dead his Voice. The fact we argue over this issue points to the fact Satan must want this issue to be misunderstood.  


After my personal encounter with God the Holy Spirit, I have a good sense if a man or woman is filled with the Holy Spirit. I believe that God’s Spirit radiates from the heart of those who have been baptized by the Holy Spirit.  The body of Christ will only come together corporately in our time by the outpouring of this fire, as a spirit of absolute desperation overtakes us. Why?  So we too might cry out for what God wants us to ask for -- a full manifestation of God’s powerful Holy Spirit's presence. 


What happens to the soul of a man or woman that prepares for the fire baptism of Jesus?  Firstly, a true convert in Christ will experience a through work of repentance to prepare their heart for reception of the holy fire of His righteousness into their once sin-laden heart. 


Rom. 3:10, 11, 18-20, 29-31 


“as it is written, “there is none righteous, not even one, there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God… (v18-20) Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and that all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law, no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law come the knowledge of sin… (v29-31) Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also?, since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.  Do we nullify the Law through faith?  May it never be!  On the contrary, we establish the Law.” 


If you are called to preach I would strongly suggest that you read the sermons of the apostles in the books of Acts.  Every creature needs to know that our God has established a Law that all men have broken and transgressed.  


One of the problems with the message I hear preached today in he modern church is that we are afraid to tell sinners that they are sinners. If we don't tell them are sinners we violate the pattern set forth by our apostolic forefathers.


Most people, even believers, are not able recite the 10 commandments let alone all the other commandments associated with the law of God, how all of us by acts of ommission and commission break God's holy law... the laws written in the Torah. 


Because we live in a pluralistic society that has been ravaged by religion and secular humanism we think we have to slightly alter the message. Friends, this society was no different then the one Paul lived in. These things should not change our requirement to preach a clear message that all men stand condemned under God's holy law. Read Acts 26.


If we do preach this message as we have been commanded in the pattern of the apostles of the 1st century, we can fully expect a full measure of the Spirit of Christ to attend our preaching and the amazing results of seeing people set free from the works of the law. Free from the sins they hate to do.


As an example, the sixth commandment which warns us that we are “not” to do any murder.  What does the commandment mean when it says to us, “to do no murder”?  


What does it mean to a man or woman who tells us they have never murdered another person?  Just ask them, have we been jealous or envious of another man’s stuff?  Of course we have.


Did you want their blessings so much that you resorted to slander to get it?  


All of us have passed on rumors or half truths just because it makes us look better. 


Yes, we all have broken the 6th commandment, so we are all murderers!


By declaring ourselves condemned and guilty we actually gain power to overcome our sins, we actually beat this powerful sin by confession of this sin and then receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit into our hearts so we can keep the law.


In James 2:10, 11 says,”But whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at one point, he has become a transgressor of the law. For He who said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.”  In the context of these verses, James is speaking about showing preference to the rich when they gathered in Jesus Name to worship and give alms in His Name.


Why would James speak of the law, or the 10 commandments, to these Jewish and nonJewish believers in Yeshua if they had already been covered in His grace and forgiven all their sins?  


In the next verses James finishes his exhortation by saying, “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.  For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment”.  


In other words, mercy exceeds judgment.  If these believers had understood the law they would not given preference to the rich over the poor folks who attended their gatherings.


Showing mercy is part of our responsibility in keeping the law of God, not as a slave, but out of love to Jesus Christ and in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, we seek to keep His law of liberty.


You see, without the Holy Spirit you and I can not keep the law of God!  


Gal 5:16 says, “Walk by the spirit, and you will not carry out the work of the flesh.”


Lately I have come to see this kind of walk as walking on air, yes, Our God, through the power of His Spirit desires for all of His true sheep to walk on air.


You and I can be a complete man of God furnished to do His Work, Christ’s work of grace, but we must be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit.  But first things first, we have to know that we are literal law breakers before the entire law of Christ, take a bath in the cleansing work of repentance, receive the washing of His Word to purify our hearts to prepare us for the reception of the Holy Spirit. This is key to our rebuilding of the ancient landmarks of the once for all message we have received from heaven to preach.


Are you a professing Christian today living in sin?  If so, you are not filled with the Holy Spirit!  


If you have already experienced a fire baptism from Christ’s throne, then repent right now and ask again for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit!  You must not linger in sin or you to will be lost. 


The call of Christ is “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” I Pet.1:16


What is the law of Christ?  Jesus Christ came to fulfill the entire Law of Moses because it was good because it was from the Father – Our Heavenly Father who is exquisitely good.  


The civil law, ceremonial law, and the Decalogue were completely fulfilled in the Person and Work of Jesus of Nazareth. When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, He taught the spiritual implications of the law.  


The Pharisees made new and additional laws that pertained to the doctrines of man which promoted their desire to establish political control of the Jewish religion in Israel. Is this not what we are doing today with religion. The Catholic church uses the works of the law to keep people in bondage, which all of God's people who have believed on His Son are released from by virtue of the confession of their real sins and the infilling of His Holy Spirit.


Jesus declared these human laws of the Sadducees and Pharisees as burdensome.  His commandments are not grievous, nor unlawful.  The Lord told us through Paul that where the Spirit of God is there is liberty!  His Spirit enables us to keep the entire law of God!


Gal 5:18-24, “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, witchcraft, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissentions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of with I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control; against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.


Jesus came to meet all the REAL requirements of the law for the Jew and the Greek.  We all are under the law of God, not just the Jews.  We are all lawbreakers.  We all fall short of the glory of God!  


In order to crucify the flesh we need the Holy Spirit to activate His work in our hearts with power.  


Rom. 8:13-14 says to all those who profess Christ these very convicting words, “if you are living according to the flesh you must die, but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  For all who are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” 


The Holy Spirit enables us to keep the law of God and to crucify the flesh!  


Can you follow Christ without the fullest measure of the Holy Spirit?  


Christ came to fulfill the Word spoken by prophets.  Jesus came to be King of our hearts.  Jesus came to destroy the Canaanite sins that natively live inside of our natural man – our carnal nature. 


For those of us who are Gentiles, we are called as believers in Jesus to spread His Fame throughout the earth.  To obey Christ’s commandment to preach His Word, we too are keeping His Law.  


How?  By truly loving our neighbors enough to tell them of His forgiveness and to reveal to them the power of His Kingdom by walking in His Steps and in Unity with His Bride.  This heavenly mandate trumps all other words in the current hour. These words are for every believer in His Name, not just leaders in a church.  


Instead of being afraid of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, embrace it!  


You should not leave home without it! 


If the Holy Spirit has been poured out on you to preach the Gospel, then you must preach with His Power resting on you.  If you have received His “Fire” baptism, then you will feel His pleasure wrapped around you as you proclaim His Truth to sinners.  


If you are in need of patience to wait on His guidance today, the Holy Spirit will lavish His Grace on you to give you the patience you need.  


Do you need more boldness to be what you want to be in Him?  


Just ask, and you shall receive from Him a full measure of boldness!  Our God loves to pour this blessing on true and humble hearts.


Mt.7:7 says, “Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find:  knock and it shall be opened to you.”  


God the Holy Spirit will not jam His Power down your throat and seek to infiltrate your body by force.  The Lord waits for us to know enough about Him and His call on our lives. He waits for us to bring all the issues to the table of decision. 


Then we finally submit and ask the Father to send us His Spirit.  


I can tell you that when I cried out in a time of great confusion and desperation, the Lord poured Himself into me, I was ready. 


It felt like fire coming into my literal body, this fire drove me to my face and I saw the Lord high and lifted up riding on a white horse over top the circle of the earth. At that point nothing could compare to Him, not frowning faces, sick bodies, demons demonstrating their dark powers, no nothing is a great as seeing Jesus high and lifted up!


Think about the excitement in heaven when one of us wakes up and finally asks the right question?  


We need to know what it means to be baptized in the Holy Spirit in order to live a life pleasing to the Lord!  


How then are people claiming to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and still living like the devil?  


I have seen much of this false manifestation throughout my adult life, it turned me off to anything Holy Spirit that was fantastic. This reality does not mean that we should just forget about this teaching and move on. 


No, how are you really going to build the church of Christ without the Holy Spirit?  Satan doesn’t want the Bride of Christ to embrace this power and the spirit of truth because he knows from church history that people who are baptized in the Holy Spirit bring his kingdom down... Satan wants you and he wants me confused about this real source of power.


Paul told the Ephesian church these words, in chapter 1:13-14, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation ---- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of Promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His Glory.” 


Later on in chapter 4 and verse 30, Paul again reminds this church to know this truth about the Holy Spirit, Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”   


Quite simply the baptism of the Holy Spirit insures that we are His forever!  This deposit of heaven in our hearts is ours forever!


Also in this same letter Paul states in chapter 2 verses 16-20, “and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.  And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer stranger and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.”


The one gift the Lord will give you without any hesitation is the gift of the Holy Spirit, if you sincerely desire to be filled with all of God.   


You must first humble yourself. Seek His Truth and Holiness, if you submit you will have the river of His love flow into your heart, I guarantee it!  


The Father loves to supply His Holy Spirit to those who abase themselves before His Son and His Cross. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.  The Holy Spirit comes to you and me through the cross of Jesus.  Without His death and His powerful Holy Spirit-wrought resurrection, no person could ever receive the Holy Spirit.  


If there is no resurrection of the dead then there is no Holy Spirit!  We believe by faith that the Spirit of Holiness raised Jesus from the dead so we too can receive this same Spirit if we just cry out in faith for God the Father to send His Spirit into our hearts.


Christ’s resurrection assures us that we can receive the same power as that which raised Jesus Christ from the grave.   


Rom. 1:4 says, “Who was declared to be Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord.”  


At the end of the feast of Pentecost, Christ disciples received the Promise of the Holy Spirit. Just as the Torah typlified in the book of Leviticus. 


The apostles told all those who were in the sound of their message that day was the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit. This promise was for the Jews who crucified Jesus of Nazareth and their children and all those who are a far off.  


You and I are the ones that are afar off.  


We are promised the same deposit of the Holy Spirit that Peter, James, and John received on the day of Pentecost.  The same Holy Spirit that later on was applied to Saul of Tarsus by the hands of Ananias.  We all have access to the same Holy Spirit by faith as our church fathers, claim it today!   


John 16:23, 24 says, “And in that day you will ask Me no question, Truly, Truly, I say to you, if you shall ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My Name.  Until now you have asked for nothing in My Name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”   


This joy the disciples received came to them in fullness on that day of Pentecost.  This same supernatural joy can come to any of us who believe on the Jesus as He is presented to us in His Word.  Do you want this kind of joy?  You’re so happy and full of God that people think you are drunk?  If not, why not?  Ask the Lord to pour out His Spirit into your needy heart today!  To make your heart His holy dwelling place.  Ask Him to dwell inside of you with His holy power!  


Do not delay; the days are coming when we will not be able to make it through our hour of trial without the illumination of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit of truth is ours to lead us into all truth.  His Spirit is in our life to guide us to those who are to be saved.  His Spirit is our teacher and our comforter in times of trouble and affliction.


If you are not ready to receive the fire baptism of Jesus, then read His Word and study this truth.  We will not enter into the Oneness of the Godhead without a complete infilling of the Holy Spirit!  


Col. 3:3 says, “your life is hide in Christ in God.”  


We must not argue over this teaching, it will not go away, without a true understanding from Him, we will be divided.  God wants us to ONE in Him!  Doctrines of men divide us, but the doctrine of the Holy Spirit will unite us!


May the precious promise of the Holy Spirit rest upon you,


 

In His Matchless Name,



 

Jonathan