The Promise And The Power

The baptism in the Holy Ghost is the greatest thing that can happen to the believer, just as salvation is the greatest event that takes place in the life of the sinner without God. This experience known as the Baptism in the Holy Ghost is available to all believers who sincerely desire to have more of Christ. We don't seek an "experience," but we seek MORE OF HIM. While there are no experiences that guarantee us an "easy" Christian experience, the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary to ensure victorious Christian living. Jesus told His disciples not to preach, not to teach, not to start evangelizing UNTIL they went to Jerusalem, "wait for the promise of the Father," and be endued with "power from on High." We must also today, "wait," for this same promise if we are to accomplish anything for God. All of this was made possible because of the Finished Work of Christ to Which the Holy Spirit always points the believer for our only source of victory, joy, peace and contentment.

By Chris McDonald

TEXT: Acts 1:4-5 - And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. [5] For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Luke 24:49 - And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is one of the most attacked Biblical doctrines in the Body of Christ today. Yet, the baptism in the Holy Ghost is the greatest thing that takes place in the life of the believer, just as salvation is the greatest event that takes place in the life of the sinner without God. Let the reader be clear, the Holy Spirit is available to all who sincerely desire to have more of Christ. We don't seek an "experience," but we seek MORE OF HIM. Yes, one receives the Holy Spirit at salvation. When the Spirit comes in YES, He abides with the believer and begins a life-long work of sanctification. Some of my dear Baptist brothers who argue against this experience go to task with me because of this very question. Many teach one receives the Holy Spirit at salvation and that is all that takes place with a Christian, arguing there is no such thing as a "second" work of Grace. Again, let the reader be clear that when one is "born again," they are born of the Spirit of God. We cannot call Jesus Lord EXCEPT by the Spirit of God! When we're adopted into the Kingdom, the SPIRIT OF GOD comes in and INDWELLS THE BELIEVER!

John 3:8 - The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

1 Cor. 12:1-31 - Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. [2] Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. [3] Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

1 Cor. 2:13 - [13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. [14] For the body is not one member, but many.

Romans 8:9-12
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. [10] And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [11] But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

However, there is a huge difference in being "born of the Spirit," and being baptized IN the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is to empower the believer as he/she WORKS for the Kingdom of God. We are about to embark on a series of sermons this summer regarding the topic of the Baptism in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. I do this at the prompting of the Lord over the past several months to provide the reader with an extensive look what the Bible clearly teaches on this all important subject of the Holy Spirit and His Work in the life of the believer! While there are no experiences that guarantee us an "easy" Christian experience, the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary to ensure victorious Christian living. Jesus told His disciples not to preach, not to teach, not to start evangelizing or even build churches UNTIL they went to Jerusalem and, "wait for the promise of the Father," and be endued with "power from on High."

We must today also, "wait," for this same promise if we are to accomplish anything for God. The term 'waiting' is not spoken in the connotation that the Holy Spirit wishes to delay in giving us this power; it's spoken in the context that if we seek to move in the power of our own flesh instead of "WAITING" on the Holy Ghost, we are going to be have nothing more than what Paul described in 1 Corinthians 12 as "dumb idols!"

1 Cor. 12:1-3 - Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. [2] Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. [3] Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

People and ministries not led by the Holy Ghost will always be carried away to DUMB IDOLS. Psychology is a DUMB IDOL the church world has embraced because it has by and large rejected the moving and operation of the Holy Ghost! The Purpose Drive Life and it's "40 Days of Purpose," is a DUMB IDOL the church world has substituted in lieu of Holy Ghost purpose and power. ANYTHING NOT BIRTHED BY THE HOLY GHOST will cause men to stray and be controlled by other spirits! Do I get my point across here? Nothing we have as Christians comes any other way except through the Holy Ghost who works within the parameters of our placing faith in the FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST to which the Holy Spirit always leads the believer! The Cross is the source of ALL joy, peace, contentment, eternal life and salvation.

The Baptism in the Holy Ghost is NOT just an experience for those belonging to a movement or denomination. He is the "PROMISE OF THE FATHER" that Jesus said would be available to all those willing to believe. Jesus was NOT addressing sinners when He spoke these words for the natural carnal man CANNOT receive the HOLY GHOST! At salvation, the sinner receives Christ who indwells the believing sinner through the work of the Spirit yes, but the PROMISE OF POWER is given to those who are already saved and know the Lord.

John 3:8 - The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

In this sense the Promise of the Father and the Baptism in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues are the same thing. Don't get the writer wrong; you don't have to speak in tongues to be saved. However, we believe and teach according to the Word of God that speaking in tongues is the initial (NOT EVERY) evidence that one has been gloriously filled with the Holy Spirit. The term "initial," is the key to understanding this. Once one is filled it's not the "end" of a search, it's just the beginning of a glorious walk with Jesus through the intimacy of His Spirit.

The church world at large disagrees with the fact one has to speak in tongues to be filled with the Spirit. To be frank this division has placed two main camps within the Body of Christ right now warring with each other over this precious issue that is more than a theological argument!

The mainline camps, or non-Charismatic group which includes Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Lutherans, preach a form of a message that mentions the Cross but basically DENY MOST of the work of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is mentioned and is on faith statements but He is not given room to operate in most of these churches. There are exceptions of course and to be frank I must say that most Methodist church leaders I have talked with do not openly oppose tongues as do Baptists, Presbyterians and others. I'm not sure what causes mainline Baptist churches to state things openly about the Holy Spirit such as "this is of the devil," and/or "we believe the Bible from cover to cover, we just don't believe the things in Acts are pertinent to today." How stupid can one get spiritually? How can men of God mock things they don't know anything about. How can seminary-trained preachers be so WILLFULLY ignorant of the Word of God?

1 Cor. 14:37-40 - If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. [38] But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. [39] Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. [40] Let all things be done decently and in order.

That is rank unbelief and in some cases blasphemy in their mocking and preaching these type things and NOT the Spirit of God. Baptist pastor I love you but if you wish to be ignorant of the Holy Ghost - BE IGNORANT. But you had better watch your mouth and heart when you say that tongues are of Satan. You're bordering on saying those things out of a hardened heart and are coming dangerously close to blaspheming the Holy Ghost. This is not a mocking matter. Don't believe in this if you like; God will allow your willful rejection of the truth as long as you wish to not believe. However, when you spew your unbelief on God's flock He put under your care - THEN you are headed for a confrontation with a Holy God you don't want to have!

While these non-Charismatic and Pentecostal camps deny the Holy Spirit's work for the most part, we have the mainline Pentecostal and Charismatic camps such as Assemblies of God, Church of God, Foursquare, Pentecostal Holiness and the like, who boast they know in depth and believe in the gifts of the Spirit including speaking in tongues, yet preach and teach doctrines that deny the message of the cross, which is the only arena of power the Holy Ghost ever works. In South Georgia English, if what is being preached is not the preaching of the Cross, the Holy Ghost is not going to honor it. You say "well my preacher don't preach the Cross and we see all sorts of things go on at our church." Well friend, those "things" are not happening because of the HOLY SPIRIT but because of "another spirit."

2 Cor. 11:1-4
Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. [2] For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. [3] But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. [4] For if he that cometh preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Then there are many who sit in Pentecostal churches (at least that is what the name is on the outside) who have received this precious gift yet have abandoned their dependence on the Holy Spirit for psychology, education and materialism. These churches may call themselves "Pentecostal," but don't even believe in the power of God. There are even some in Pentecostal churches who like the disciples in Ephesians, "have not even heard" there is a Holy Spirit. That should tell the reader that this experience has NOTHING to do with what denomination one belongs to. Millions of Catholics, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Assembly of God, Baptists, Methodists and the like have received this glorious experience known as the Baptism in the Holy Ghost, the PROMISE OF THE FATHER, with the evidence of speaking with other tongues.

Acts 19:1-3
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, [2] He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. [3] And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

I know that sounds strange in these times with so much knowledge and light the church has received on the subject over the years but it is true. The CHURCH SO desperately needs this power we speak of today for it is the ONLY power that can save souls, heal sick bodies, deliver men's lives from destruction, heal broken hearts, mend broken marriages, set captives free, cause the believer to walk in victory and point the CHURCH TO THE CROSS! Paul said "QUENCH NOT" the Holy Ghost! The Holy Spirit is the third-person of the Godhead on earth today doing the work of the Kingdom. He is not a "thing" or an "it," HE IS GOD. And He, the Holy Spirit, is the PROMISE OF THE FATHER!

Acts 1:4-5 - And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. [5] For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Luke 24:49 - And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

February 2007 will mark 20 years since my own personal experience with the Holy Ghost. In February 1987 I had journeyed to Atlanta, Georgia to find answers to an ever-growing conflict inside my heart and soul that there was something more to Christianity than going to church on Sunday and hearing 3 songs and a sermon. I grew up Southern Baptist which kept us as children exposed to very little of speaking in tongues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Most of what I heard about tongues and the gifts in the Spirit was taught in a negative manner to shun tongues at all costs! I remember sitting in Baptist youth groups and hearing others mock and make fun of those who spoke in tongues. That has not changed today; but it's not just youth who mock and make fun of the Holy Spirit, it's so-called preachers and pastors.

I remember the first time I ever heard anyone speak in tongues was through my late Aunt Florence, my mom's sister, both of whom are with Jesus now. I remember my brother and I half asleep upstairs during our afternoon naps hearing Aunt Florence praying downstairs as she prayed in a normal language at first, many times calling each of our names to the Lord; That in itself was powerful enough but then all of a sudden we would hear something that was not of this world as she began to speak in languages we didn't understand. Paul said in 1 Corinthians there are "tongues of angels," and I firmly believe that at times my Aunt Florence prayed in those languages. Tears fill my eyes as I write these words right now. This generation knows so very little of that type of power and intercession. Our young people so desperately need parents full of the Holy Ghost calling their names to God today praying in the HOLY GHOST with the evidence of speaking with other tongues! Our young people need spirit filled parents laying hands on them praying over them and teaching them about the power of God instead of majoring on who is winning American Idol or what's happening in Hollywood, Nashville or on MTV. God help us.

I tell you this. I'm 41 years old now and that took place over 35 years ago, but I still remember those occasions just like it was yesterday. My Aunt Florence was not ashamed of the Holy Spirit. She was not ashamed to speak in tongues while we listened. She was not ashamed to lay hands on us when we were young and pray over us in the Holy Ghost. I know now that those years with her were seed-planting years in my heart for what the Lord would do for me in February 1987. In the fall of 1986 the Lord touched my heart and started a hunger within me to find out more about Him. I was 21 at the time and had been through several changes in my life. I was like most American church kids. We grew up in church thinking we were saved and being a preacher's kid made it that much worse. There is such a danger in being around something without ever partaking of it and that summed up my relationship with Jesus before then. I had heard about Him, read about Him, talked about Him - but I NEVER KNEW HIM. In the summer of 1986, I had reached a point that I wanted to make things right with God and leave no question in my heart that I was ready for heaven.

I remember writing my Aunt a letter asking her for information on the Holy Spirit. At that time in my life I had moved back in with my dad for a while. I remember getting up early on Sunday mornings and tuning in to a well-known evangelist who taught on the baptism of the Holy Spirit quite often. I would remember hearing what he had to say and think, "wow, I want that; I want more of God." Again, you must realize that the only exposure to the Holy Spirit I had had up to that point was during my early childhood when I visited mom's side of the family (Aunt Florence was her sister). Other than that I had been convinced that speaking in tongues was of the devil, it was not for today and it was not a necessity in your Christian walk. I was not just getting that from home any more, but from the Baptist church I attended too. I remember a Bible study group one Sunday afternoon when several other younger people got together to discuss this and other issues relating to the Holy Spirit. Believe me - there was enough unbelief in that room to choke a mule - and I was the ringleader!

Early in 1987 I started attending a full-gospel church and I was nervous as a cat! I remember every time they talked about tongues my old feelings of fear, unbelief and anxiety would rise quickly within me. A few times the pastor would call people to the front who wanted to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit that just made me more nervous. I was hungry, but I was not ready! I actually went up a couple of times to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit and nothing happened. Then I got desperate. I had gotten the courage to seek more of God and now I was not going to be denied.

I went to my Aunts house the first week of February and spent all day Saturday talking with her about this. I was open and honest with her and laid out to her my fears about what I had heard. I told her that there was something that was churning inside me though at the same time that made me KNOW that I needed this experience. This discussion went on all day long. I had started studying the Bible and seeing for myself that what the Bible said about this experience was not lining up with what I was hearing behind pulpits I had listened to for most of my life - both adulthood and teen. This experience has hit home within our own family as well. Both my younger brothers - Todd and John were baptized in the Holy Ghost in 1988 and 1989 respectively. Our dad has not received this gift but the Lord has opened his heart to this experience more in the last 5 years than in the past 35 since I was born in 1965. He has shared with me several times over the past few years that he has seen the validity of speaking in tongues and that it is for today. That is at least a step and I know the Lord will do the rest in His own timing one day in the future.

Getting back to February, 1987, I had spent all day long talking with Aunt Florence while at the same time fighting inwardly through nearly 30 years of traditional teaching, most of which was negative in nature concerning the Holy Spirit. About 11:00 PM my Aunt said "Chris, we can talk about this all day and all night, let's just pray and ask the Lord to do the rest." She got behind me and laid hands on my head. I remember hearing her pray in English and then she began to pray in tongues. I can't explain much more of this because the rest is almost a blur. I do remember finding myself on the floor in her house, crying, weeping deeply from within, and feeling the Lord's hand literally crush my heart and spirit. I heard myself moaning words and praying in English asking the Lord Jesus to forgive me of my sins. A prophetic word came forth from my aunt concerning unforgiveness that was rooted in my heart and the Lord wanted to cleanse me of that first before filling me with the Spirit. That's the beauty of the Lord. He wants to do more than give us a thrill or quick fix sensation. He wants to change our hearts. The last words I heard myself say in English were, "Lord, forgive me for harboring unforgiveness in my heart, cleanse it and take it from me." The next thing I heard coming from my mouth was literally like a "river" of words that were NOT in English. After such a long search for the truth concerning tongues had ended in their reality, I just let the Holy Spirit flow and flow and flow and flow through me in tongues all night long.

John 7:37-38
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. [38] He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

I laid on the floor praying and crying in tongues till nearly 3 in the morning before going into my mother's room, waking her up, telling what had happened, and asking her to forgive me for harboring unforgiveness in my heart towards her. At that moment I wanted to find everyone that I felt I harbored something against and get it straight. That's what the Holy Ghost does to our hearts! He changes us and convicts us of sin. He sets us free from the powers of darkness and leads us into ALL TRUTH.

John 16:7-11
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. [8] And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: [9] Of sin, because they believe not on me; [10] Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; [11] Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

I just fell off to sleep after speaking to my mom, then woke back up about 8 the next morning speaking in tongues again. I remember feeling a sensation in my spirit man of a "river" that was flowing, just like Jesus spoke of in John 7. I could literally "hear" this river! It was a powerful experience I had ever felt. As I came home that afternoon two things have never happened again since that day. I have never again told ANYONE that speaking is tongues is of the devil AND I have never told anyone that the baptism in the Holy Ghost is NOT REAL.

I wished I could tell you my life after that went peachy clean. It did not. Like many others I didn't allow this experience to draw me closer to a more intimate walk with Jesus but instead caused pride and arrogance to creep into my heart. This arrogance opened the door for Satan to attack through the years and blind me to obeying God's will for my own life and seeking to do things in my own time and my way. This led to disaster after disaster personally over the next 15 years. It's been nothing short of the mercy and grace of God I write to you today period. I'm fortunate I'm even alive to be frank.

But in spite of it all I know our better days in CHRIST are ahead of us not behind us. The blood of Jesus Christ has covered our past and I pray that in time all things that need to be reconciled will be before He comes. I know today as I write this that we are as clean as the blood of Jesus Christ can make us because we have placed ALL our failure under His care and grace today. It was not the Holy Ghost's fault for the failure we experienced in ministry and our personal life after we received the baptism in the Holy Ghost in 1987. All the fault for any failure always rests with us as individuals. We cannot blame God or anyone else for our own choices. But man's failure, be it mine, or any other believer who has received this same glorious experience, does not cancel the validity of this wonderful, glorious experience in Christ where He literally "baptizes" you and immerses you in His Spirit!

Matthew 3:11-12
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: [12] Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

And friend that is the bottom line. Many of you reading this may not believe in this experience because of what you've been taught but to those of us who have experienced this glorious infilling - there is NOTHING any of your doctrinal statements or denominational theology could state to make us believe this experience isn't real. It's the same thing as someone not believing in hell. Five seconds in the PIT will cure your theology friend! Five seconds in the PIT will cause all those who don't believe in hell to believe!!!!!!!!!!! That may be a crude comparison to the Baptism in the Holy Ghost but it's very similar in many ways. Once you experience the mighty baptism in the Holy Ghost you will never be the same again.

To be frank, life will not get any easier and your Christian walk with Jesus will be just as needed as before. The devil will actually begin fighting you harder and attacking more than before you ever believed the Lord for this glorious experience. I can attest to that first hand. The attacks are worse in many ways and tend to be more targeted at your specific weaknesses to cause one to fail and doubt the validity of the power of God. The problem is not with the power, it's the fact that this power is STILL in earthen vessels and these vessels are still flawed. HOWEVER, the SPIRIT of GOD IS NOT THROUGH WITH CHRIS MCDONALD YET and HE IS NOT THROUGH WITH YOU YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hear what I say to you reader. Hear what I say to you who are discouraged and downtrodden and defeated. Greater is HE that is in YOU than HE that is in the WORLD!

I Jn 4:4- Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

As stated, I learned some hard lessons in the months that followed this night in February 1987.

Receiving the Baptism in the Holy Ghost will only help you in your Christian walk if you're willing to be LED by the same Spirit! One's integrity and character are far more important to God and only the HOLY SPIRIT can develop those areas of our lives in the image of Jesus as we yield our hearts to Him. Sadly, instead of most who receive this experience walking in greater humility, they succumb to greater pride and arrogance and that opens the door to tremendous onslaughts of darkness that most never withstand. I can tell you that from experience. It happened to this writer and I pray better things accompany your salvation and walk with Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit!.

My Nine-Year Old Son Brandon Received The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit

A few years back in 2002, I was driving my family to dinner and talking to my nine-year old son Brandon. I told him that weekend about my deep desire for him to be filled with the Spirit. I told him I was praying for him daily that the Lord would anoint him for service with the baptism in the Holy Ghost. As I spoke these things to him he just smiled and said "Dad, I have something to tell you." He told me that about a week or so before I had mentioned this to him, that he was in a local church in North Georgia and went down front to be prayed for to receive this endowment of power from on high. He just lifted his little hands "and something felt like it was touching my hands when I did," he said. He said he began to praise God in English and all of a sudden his little voice started speaking in another language. It was just a few words but he said, "It sounded like Spanish dad." I just wept in my front seat as he told me this. I reached over and laid my hands on his little leg and just asked God to increase that power in his life. I talked with him to make sure what he had received was real and was touched by my sons' excitement over what had happened.

As I listened to his child-like interpretation of what happened it hit me that if us old crusty adults would embrace the HOLY GHOST as my nine-year old did - we'd turn AMERICA UPSIDE down just like the early church turned their WORLD upside down in the first church!

Acts 17:6 - And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

The baptism in the Holy Ghost is real and it is for TODAY! It is more than just an experience; it's an encounter with a HOLY God that wants to endue us with power. Does this encounter make you perfect? No. I have had tremendous difficulty in my life over the years. I realize now that my problems were a direct result of me putting my faith in this "experience," without giving my life totally to the Lord and being controlled by the Holy Ghost more than I allowed Him to do so. I learned the hard way that this experience is not and was not a cure-all for godly Christian living This experience WILL help you however, if you will allow the Holy Ghost latitude to do the work inside your heart He wants to do. He wants to take you to the CROSS and bring DEATH to the flesh so that Christ can live! I didn't understand that in 1987. I, like many others, thought this experience was some type of mystical magic wand that would make all my flesh problems go away.

Jesus didn't say you shall "speak in tongues," and that will set you free. He said you will KNOW THE TRUTH and the TRUTH will set you free! The Holy Spirit's job is to LEAD us INTO ALL TRUTH, which is the message of the Cross! If the Holy Spirit is given the latitude he seeks in our hearts, He will make us more like Jesus and birth a nature of righteousness in us that we've never known before!

John 8:32 - And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

I can't make you hungry for God. I can't make you believe this is real. I can't make you believe that this experience is for YOU. Only the power of the Holy Spirit can do all of that. But I pray if nothing else those of you who have not received the baptism in the Holy Ghost will be motivated to learn more about the Holy Ghost and desire the FULLNESS of God in your life. We as the church need ALL OF THE HOLY GHOST WE CAN GET!!! The church needs the HOLY GHOST to empower it. The church needs the power of the HOLY GHOST to set captives free. The church needs the HOLY GHOST to deliver it from its own darkness. Hear what I am saying to you.

I'm not glorifying an experience or am I even glorifying the Holy Ghost - He wouldn't take the glory even if I did - because when HE CAME He didn't come to glorify HIMSELF -but He came to GLORIFY CHRIST and what Christ did at the Cross! The Promise Of The Father and the baptism in the Holy Spirit are one and the same.

John 14:16, 26 - - And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. [18] I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 26] But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 15:26 - But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: [27] And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

John 16:13-22 - 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 show you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. [15] All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you. [16] A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.

Jesus said the Holy Ghost would:

• Teach us all things
• Bring all things to remembrance
• He will testify of me (Jesus)
• He will not speak of himself
• He will GLORIFY me (JESUS)

He came to point us to the source of our salvation - the Lord Jesus. He DID not come to give us goose bumps or to put on a show - He came to make the death, burial and resurrection power of Jesus REAL to us in these latter days! So come with us now and take a journey to learn more of the PROMISE of the FATHER! HE wants to fill you to overflowing in these last days!

Jesus' command to the apostles in Acts 1:4 to "wait" for the Promise of the Father is a command to all believers of THIS age as well. The PROMISE OF THE FATHER or the promised Holy Spirit and the baptism IN the Holy Ghost are the same. Jesus reminded the apostles that He had spoken of this Spirit baptism on several occasions: (John 7:37-39; John 14:12-17,26; John 15:26; John 16:7-15).

Luke 24:49 - And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Jesus said I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power on high. This was the 54th and last New Testament prophecy in Luke (Luke 24:49, fulfilled, Acts 2) so it bears noting that Jesus must have been talking about something BIG. I mean the very LAST thing Jesus told the disciples to do before they preached, before they started ministry, before they started Bible schools was to go to Jerusalem and tarry to be ENDUED with power from on HIGH. He called this the "PROMISE OF THE FATHER." This was the Spirit baptism that was promised to all believers and something Jesus spoke of OFTEN during His earthly ministry:

Matthew 3:11 - I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

John 1:31-33 - And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. [32] And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. [33] And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost.

John 7:37-39 - In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. [38] He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. [39] (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

John 14:12-17 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. [13] And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. [15] If ye love me, keep my commandments. [16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

John 14:26 - But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 15:26 - But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13-15 - 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 show you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. [15] All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.

Jesus told them to tarry, or wait for the endowment of power. In South Georgia English - "DON'T GO ANYWHERE BEFORE YOU RECEIVE THIS IMPORTANT ENDUEMENT OF POWER!" This is what early disciples were told to do to get the Spirit baptism or the full endowment of power from on high to do the works of Christ. The word "endued with" comes from the Greek: enduo (GSN17460), which means to "put on" (Matthew 27:31; Mark 15:20; Luke 15:22); be clothed with (Mark 15:17; Rev. 1:13); be clothed in (Rev. 15:6; Rev. 19:14); and arrayed in (Acts 12:21).

Anyone clothed with this power will be able to confirm what he preaches, and this is the only normal New Testament program (John 14:12; Mark 16:16-20).

The POWER Jesus spoke of the apostles would receive comes from the Greek: (GSN-1411), inherent power; the power of reproducing itself—from which we get the English dynamo. This endowment of power is the same as receiving the promise of the Father or the promised Holy Spirit in baptismal measure. Jesus was telling them they would be able to do HIS WORKS once they received this power. Without it - they would NOT be able to! (John 14:12; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 1:4-8).

The Promise Of The Father Was Sent By Jesus Himself, NOT Man

Acts 2:33 - Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

Peter's message on Pentecost makes it clear that the source of the Holy Spirit is the Lord Jesus Himself. That is why it is so ludicrous for the church to fight against the Holy Spirit - HE COMES FROM Christ, He is PART OF CHRIST and as CHRIST, He is God!!!!! When Jesus went back to glory He went to the Father having been exalted as our PRIEST and KING. His blood purchased us the Holy Spirit so that men could not just be born again but be FILLED with the HOLY GHOST. Some teach that the Holy Spirit's work at conversion is His only work - that is not true. The Holy Spirit's work is JUST BEGINNING at conversion, not stopping, just as much as the Holy Spirit's work during the INFILLING is not an "end" of our walk with God - but also a beginning. Peter said "HE HAS SHED FORTH THIS." Glory to God. "THIS" is the PROMISE He gave the apostles prior to His ascension. He told them to tarry in Jerusalem until they be "ENDUED" with power on HIGH.

Friend, the power of the HOLY GHOST is being shed forth even as I write these words today. HE has not stopped shedding forth His power on earth. Jesus has NOT ceased to pour out the gifts of the Spirit on the church. He has NOT selected just a few to receive these gifts but He as given us ALL the opportunity to RECEIVE the fullness of the HOLY GHOST! My Lord I am getting excited as I write this. Jesus did not go to Calvary and shed His blood so we as His Church would be divided over the HOLY GHOST. And He didn't go to the cross and shed blood so that men could stand behind pulpits and demean and degrade the very POWER OF HIS GLORY - THE HOLY GHOST. Hear me preacher, when you spew your unbelief concerning the Holy Spirit to others you are standing up against something bigger than you'd ever dare to consider. You may "think" you know it all about Jesus and what the word says about it - but read the words above - "HE SHED FORTH THIS!" And when you stand in opposition to the moving of the Holy Spirit you are opposing GOD! You may find people who agree with your point of view - that's where we get denominations. But in the end we had better not worry about whether MAN agrees with us - it will matter what GOD thinks of us. Peter said you NOW see and HEAR. What do you HEAR?

Well the day the Holy Ghost fell on those gathered on the temple square that morning there was something that was being HEARD! They SPOKE WITH OTHER TONGUES as the SPIRIT OF GOD gave them the utterance. The PROMISE of the Father is a promise you can HEAR and SEE! You can see the results in people being set free, souls saved, bodies healed and captives delivered. The Promise of the Father can set you free lady from your depression. The Promise of the Father can set you free sir from your lying. The Promise of the Father sir will set you free from your dirty jokes and pornography addiction. The Promise of the Father can set you free ma'am from that gossiping tongue and backbiting spirit. The Promise of the Father preacher can change your church from a funeral home on Sunday morning and Sunday night to a place where people are actually ALIVE with something in their hearts more than Saturday night's baseball scores! Dear God help this generation of churchgoers.

The powers of darkness parade their power on television each day to our children and youth while the church fights with everything in it to keep the Holy Spirit from moving in His fullness. We will get what we want if we don't cease from this! God will give us exactly what we are seeking - a LIFELESS CHURCH. But if we have a lifeless church then we can be sure of this - our children will be destroyed by the powers of darkness!

Jesus received from the Father the promise He had given the apostles. And that Promise is available for all those who will RECEIVE it today. It's not about "getting" the Holy Spirit - HE'S ALREADY BEEN GIVEN! It's about RECEIVING! And we will deal with that a little later.

The Promise Of The Father Is Available To ALL Who Will Believe

Acts 2:38-41 - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Peter said the promise is to YOU, YOUR CHILDREN, and to all who are afar off. Three classes of people that represent three groups of history - the past, the present and the future. The "you" Peter referred to were those in his day - the past. YOUR CHILDREN - those in the future generations who would follow the ones listening to his sermon. And those who are afar off - THE PRESENT - that's US!

Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield, a Princeton Seminary professor, popularized the argument that miraculous gifts of the Spirit, including the baptism in the Holy Spirit, went away with the apostles. He taught that these gifts were given only to a few, namely the apostles, and Stephen and Philip. The purpose of these gifts, according to Warfield, was to authenticate the apostles as trustworthy teachers of doctrine. When the apostles died, therefore, the gifts necessarily passed away with them. Warfield wrote in 1918:

It is very clear from the record of the New Testament that the extraordinary charismata were not (after the very first days of the church) the possession of all Christians, but supernatural gifts to a few. These gifts were not the possession of the primitive Christian as such; nor for that matter of the Apostolic Church or the apostolic age for himself or herself; they were distinctly for the authentication of the Apostles as the authoritative agents of God in founding the Church. Their function thus confined them to distinctively the Apostolic Church, and they necessarily passed away with it.

Even today Warfield's modern theological descendants are still arguing the same way. A well-known theologian who teaches in a well-known Texas seminary says this:

"Every example of healing (by the instrumentality of a person) in the book of Acts is performed by an apostle, or an apostle's deputy, and if we go STRICTLY by the Biblical record, the only three deputies who had any involvement in healing were Stephen, Philip and possibly Barnabas if Acts 14:3 includes him. Outside these groups there are no "gifted" healing activities actually recorded in Acts or the epistles. In these days of charismatic confusion we need constantly to draw attention to the texts which prove that signs and wonders were peculiar to the apostolic band, and were not bestowed generously."

That is what is being taught to our young men and women at most Bible colleges in America. Granted, not all Bible colleges are this way but even the ones who teach the fact the gifts are real today seek to control the atmosphere and the way people operate in the gifts. Paul must turn over in his grave to hear the words "in decency and in order,” quoted so many times in churches to quench the moving of the Holy Ghost today. Friend, when the Holy Ghost starts moving in our services we had better get out of the way and let Him do His work.

I have news for Mr. Warfield and this other so-called theologian. My nine-year old son has more sense of God than they do because if what he received last week isn't real then I don't know what is. I don't know how these men could look my son in the face and say, "what you have received isn't real." You may laugh at that statement but that's exactly what is happening today in most churches. We are convincing people that what they have received isn't real or we are trying to make sure we put a lid on it so it won't offend our rich Protestant friends who don't believe in the power of God.

I can tell you this. My son is not ashamed of what he received. He raised his little hands in service recently while we were together and I heard his precious prayer language for the first time. His dad wept thanking God for baptizing my son in the Holy Ghost. This promise is to YOU and TO YOUR CHILDREN! Parents, God help us. We tear up everything that is Godly and vital to our children's well being while we applaud and uplift things before our children that will destroy them and send them to hell! We have no problem degrading those we know who speak in tongues but then we'll take our children to the local video store and fill them with violence, hate, rape, murder, sex, lying, corruption and greed - and will spend tons of money doing it. The power we are fighting is the power that will set our children free.

I will warn you. The Holy Ghost doesn't act on QUE. He doesn't come to our beckon call. He doesn't do things the way we want Him to do them all the time. He doesn't keep things "neat" and "nice" and "proper" all the time. Look at the gospels. Jesus went around healing the sick, casting out devils and making the religious around Him so made they couldn't see straight. I heard a friend of mine recently say that some people who have this experience are "over the top," sometimes. Jesus was more than "over the top," JESUS was THE TOP!!! Most mainline churches today to say the least would not accept his methods!

What do you think most churches would do if someone bound by demons came into our fellowship foaming at the mouth, naked, cutting themselves with needles???? Uh, let's be frank - he wouldn't make it in the front door. But if someone who believes in the power of God lays hand on that person and Jesus delivers Him, we want to start questioning by what power that person was using to heal and deliver. The reason we don't see the supernatural today is not because the PROMISE OF THE FATHER isn't for today - it's our own STINKING UNBELIEF!

A Word To My Charismatic Brethren

I'm writing quite a bit about the denominations that don't believe but I want to say a few things to those of us who DO. We can boast of the fact we believe but if we seek to quench the moving of the Holy Spirit - IN LIGHT OF KNOWING HE IS REAL - our judgment will be greater! How many Assembly of God churches, Foursquare Churches, Word of Faith, etc. have degenerated into sanctuaries that are so void of the power of God you wouldn't know whether you are in a Baptist church or Methodist church unless the sign said something different on the outside. Friend these things ought not to be. Granted some Charismatic people go to extremes in their freedom that is not good but I have found that freedom is better than bondage. Freedom usually gives place to greater abuse but I'll ask you a simple question - would you rather be FREE or in BONDAGE? Paul said for us to not let our freedom be used as a cloak for the flesh but to use that freedom to LOVE one another. But what greater love can we show others than to allow the Holy Spirit to move through our lives and allow His power to touch those who are oppressed and bound by the enemy?

We're so afraid God is going to take over something that we have control over it kills us. We're so afraid our people are going to be motivated to seek so much more of God that they will not be satisfied with our stale sermons on Sunday any more. We're so afraid our people are going to get a taste of something REAL that they won't want to come back to a dead, lifeless church but will want to find a place where the gifts of the Holy Spirit are practiced and allowed to operate. THE LETTER KILLS but the SPIRIT GIVES LIFE. The promise of the Father is for US today and it has never NOT been for us today.

The Promise Of The Father Is Received Through Faith

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

You cannot receive the Holy Spirit any other way except through simple child-like faith. To repeat something my son said to me, "Daddy, I just lifted my hands to heaven; I felt something touch my hands and then I just started speaking in another language, it sounded like Spanish." To a nine-year old - that was what it felt and sounded like. I thought to myself "My Lord, my nine-year-old rebukes me without knowing it." How many times has God wanted to "TOUCH US ON OUR HANDS" but He can't because of our unbelief?

Mark 6:1-6 - And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. [2] And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? [3] Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. [4] But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. [5] And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. [6] And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

Unbelief in the church will cut off the flow of God more than we may care to admit. People die and go to hell because they don't believe in Jesus as their Savior. But the church DIES too when it ceases to believe in Jesus as their source of POWER and the GIVER of the HOLY GHOST and HIS GIFTS. Those around Jesus at his hometown were "offended" at Him. How many of us are OFFENDED at Him as well? We may say "I'd never be offended" at him but when we stand against what HE DOES - HEAL, DELIVER, EMPOWER and ANOINT - THEN WE ARE OFFENDED AT HIM!

The promise of the Father was given to the church for this hour to be a source of deliverance to a hurting and dying world. AND ALL THE WARFIELD'S AND HEATHEN SEMINARY TEACHERS IN THE WORLD WILL NEVER STOP THAT. As my good friend Neal Baggett from Cairo, Ga. told me many years ago, "We as individuals can believe and receive or we can doubt and do without!" He was MARVELED at their unbelief - and I am sure the unbelief of the modern church hurts Him today. Signs are to follow "them that believe," not them that doubt, disbelieve, constantly deny such possibility and use every excuse of unbelief to evade doing these things.

This means literally what it says—"even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20). This does not mean that one cannot be saved or get other benefits from God if he cannot do these things, nor does it mean that one is an unbeliever in salvation if he cannot do them. It simply means that he has not attained to faith sufficient to appropriate the benefits promised. The Bible gives us five signs that will follow believers: They will:

1. Cast out devils (Mark 16:17; Luke 10:19; Matthew 10:7-8; Matthew 17:20-21; John 14:12)
2. Speak with new tongues (Mark 16:17; Acts 2:4; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 19:1-7; 1 Cor. 12-14; Isaiah 28:11)
3. Take up serpents (Mark 16:18; Luke 10:19; Psalm 91; Acts 28:1-5
4. Be Immune From Poisons (Mark 16:18; Psalm 91; Luke 10:18; 2 Kings 4:41)
5. Heal the Sick (Mark 16:18; Matthew 10:1-8; Luke 24:49; John 14:12; Acts 1:8)

These are not "side shows" of the Spirit of God; these are the signs that follower the believer in the Cross of Christ who has been baptized in the HOLY GHOST with the evidence of speaking with other tongues! This is not a call to handling snakes and drinking poison (That's how deluded some get when they don't guard their heart). This speaks of having POWER OVER THE DEVIL, THE FLESH AND THE WORLD!

Ephes. 6:10-11 - Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. [11] Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

The Promise Of The Father Is Called The Holy Spirit Of Promise

Eph 1:13-14 - In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Paul said that AFTER we had heard the word of truth that we were SEALED with the Holy Spirit of PROMISE. In other words the work of the Holy Spirit just began in our hearts and lives. The Spirit of God has many offices and many works in the life of the believer. To state it again, we are not in any way insinuating that a person has to speak in tongues or prophesy to be saved. The Holy Spirit is the EARNEST of our Inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the PRAISE of His glory. In common language- He's going to PERFECT us!! He's going to do a work in us so great that when we are presented to the Father we are going to be presented FAULTLESS. He is working on His workmanship right now!

Our lack of patience with others is very evident sometime - but the Lord's patience with us is not easily understood in human terms. The Lord is not in the microwave religion business. The work He does inside of us is eternal and it carries with it an eternal prize - THE GLORY OF GOD. We can constantly fight the Holy Ghost’s work in our life and it will lead us to shipwreck on this journey. I can tell you this one thing - it will NOT lead us to the abundant life Jesus spoke about. (And abundant life is not necessarily a life full of pleasures and money - missionaries on mission fields who struggle to eat can have the abundant life of Jesus in their hearts even though they don't have great riches) Our lives don't belong to us anymore - our lives belong to HIM.

The Promise Of The Father Is The Anointing We Must Have In These Last Days

I Jn 2:25-27 - And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abides in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Jesus equates the promise here in John's epistle with eternal life. Again, being saved has very little to do with what I'm talking about in this journal. Many Christians will go to heaven but they will go saddened when they see what their lives could have accomplished for Jesus had they been anointed with the HOLY SPIRIT and baptized in HIS POWER. John said that the ANOINTING (THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER) ABIDES in us and that we don't need any man to teach us. That is not a call for us to do away with Bible teachers. It's a call for the church of the last days to be endued with so much power of God that no matter what ANY man tries to say to us or teach us we will be so in tune with the SPIRIT OF GOD we will not be "seduced" and led astray.

In that vein - our eternal destiny IS tied into the PROMISE OF THE FATHER. We need the HOLY GHOST to survive in this hour. We need so much of the HOLY SPIRIT that words cannot express that to you any stronger than I have in this journal. I'm not a "Holy-Ghost" expert and believe me there are not any out there even if they claim they are. I can tell you this. I know He is REAL today and His power is real today. I know that the baptism in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues is a VALID experience FOR TODAY and FOR YOU! You need this promise! You need this anointing. You need to have a prayer language known only to you and God. One reason Satan fights this anointing so much is that he can't interfere with your prayer life when you are praying in tongues! DID YOU KNOW THAT? Some do, and they still don't pray in tongues like they should.

That's another journal for another time. I encourage you to hear the words of Jesus - BE ENDUED WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH in these last days. With the entire Bible preaching and teaching on this subject you'd think there would be no need for this type message but there are many out there who have NEVER received the baptism in the HOLY GHOST. This experience is real today and it's for you! This is the start of a summer sermon series on the Holy Ghost we encourage you to read if you want to know more about this glorious experience as believers. Pray with me today:

Father in the name of Jesus, I pray for those reading this message right now that they will be endued with power from on high. I pray something we have written has quickened a heart and they have seen their need to be baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. I thank you that the power of God that resides in the hearts of many who are reading this already will become real to others. Father forgive us who HAVE received this precious anointing for taking it for granted and NOT praying in tongues constantly building ourselves up in our most holy faith. Forgive us for our apathy towards the gifts of the Spirit. Forgive us for no laying hands on the sick so they will recover. Forgive us for not casting out devils and walking in deliverance as the Holy Ghost has been put inside of us to make real. Anoint us afresh and shake us free from our apathy and unbelief here in America. In Yeshua’s name! AMEN

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