The Baptism And Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

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< > Chapter Two How to receive and retain a Pentecostal fullness from our Lord Jesus We must seek out Christ and the Father in faith There are attitudes of heart and means of grace that will help us to receive and retain a fullness of the Holy Spirit. When we seek the baptism in the Spirit and His gifts, we must “ask in faith with no doubting,” we must believe that God is “a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” We have every reason to trust our unchangeable, good and gracious “Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change,” from whom, “every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift” proceeds. The Trinity love us with a love that surpasses knowledge. James.1v5-7,16,17. Eph.3v19. Heb.11v6. 6v13-20. The strengthening grace of our Lord to us in our "faith distress." Paul states that our faith should grow, “from faith to faith.” Rom.1v17. However, our faith can at times be severely tested, as Abraham found out, when, “with no grounds for hope, Abraham sustained by hope, put faith in God.” Abraham at 99 and Sarah at 90, both laughed in unbelief at the long delayed promise of God, when old age made the promise of a child seem ridiculous. They later embraced and received the promise of God through the gracious faith-building acts of God. A personal visit of the Lord caused them to be “strengthened in faith,” and receive the promise of God. Gen.15v4-6. 18v11-14. Rom.4v17-20. God allows our faith to be tested, because faith grows through overcoming the trials that test it. We should also take great comfort from the fact that God not only takes great pleasure in our faith, He also delights to encourage and sustain it. Jesus was never hard on people with genuine doubts and problems; He treated Nathanael, Nicodemus, doubting Thomas, and multitudes more, with great grace and love; Jesus always met a sincere seeker's need. Jn.1v46-51. 3v1-21. 20v24-29. Mk.9v17-29. The risen Christ restored the shattered faith of His apostles, and though He chided them for their ignorance of the prophetic Scriptures, and their consequent unbelief, He was very gracious to them, and encouraged them with a benediction of peace. Jesus also restored their faith by “showing Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs;” He “appeared to them repeatedly over a period of 40 days talking with them about the affairs of the kingdom of God.” Acts.1v3. Lk.24v25-29,44,45. Jn.20v1-31. 1Cor.15v3-8. We too can experience the strengthening grace of our Lord in our times of trial and “faith distress.” The difference between "genuine doubts," and "an evil heart of unbelief." God never despises a genuine seeker who is harassed by doubts and fears. There is a great difference between a “genuine doubter” with “faith distress,” and a person who has a spirit of scepticism and “an evil heart of unbelief,” who does not want to believe, because of the demands that faith will make upon them. Heb.3v12-19. This is why Jesus severely censured the people who were still full of unbelief, and wilfully unrepentant, after seeing multitudes of signs and wonders from God. Mt.11v20-24. 12v31-45. The honest doubter may want to believe, but they may have real problems and difficulties that keep them from a clear faith. Genuine doubts can give us real distress, anguish and perplexity, for the very reason that faith and authentic experience are so earnestly desired. This longing “faith distress” will certainly lead to a positive and conclusive faith, and an abundant and satisfying experience of God. Every seeking heart in God's gallery of faith has known what it has meant to pray through from genuine doubts to a certainty of faith, and from barrenness to a blessed and fruitful experience. Even godly Enoch had a period of crisis before he started to walk with God. Gen.5v21-24. Heb.11v5,6. Jude.v14,15. The Christian's fight of faith. All Christians will experience some kind of “fight of faith,” and these trials of life and conflicts with the powers of darkness, can be particularly expected when we are seeking a deeper walk with God and a more effective ministry for God. We cannot avoid having battles of faith, and the pressures on our faith and the gloomy doubts that rise, are often not our own fault. There are the demanding pressures of life that we cannot avoid, such as financial and health problems, difficulties in our home and work circumstances, and the opposition and unbelief of the world. 1Tim.6v12. Pressure and problems can be exacerbated through false teaching and unscriptural traditions, and the lack of a Spirit-anointed fellowship, for this leaves Christians without the essential spiritual support they need, when they are attacked by the insinuations and lies of the powers of darkness. However, God understands and sympathises with us in all these pressures and difficulties, and our Saviour's intercession and ministry are totally dedicated to us. He is the author of our faith, and He will perfect and finish it; so let us cling to Him and seek Him with all our hearts. Heb.12v2. Rom.8v26-39. We can surely believe that the God, who gave His Son for us, will with Him also freely give us all things. Rom.8v32. Mt.11v27. 19v26. 21v22. 1Cor.3v21,22. Rev.21v5,7. < >
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Chapter Two

How to receive and retain a Pentecostal fullness from our Lord Jesus

We must seek out Christ and the Father in faith

There are attitudes of heart and means of grace that will help us to receive and retain a fullness of the Holy Spirit.

When we seek the baptism in the Spirit and His gifts, we must “ask in faith with no doubting,” we must believe that God is “a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” We have every reason to trust our unchangeable, good and gracious “Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change,” from whom, “every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift” proceeds. The Trinity love us with a love that surpasses knowledge. James.1v5-7,16,17. Eph.3v19. Heb.11v6. 6v13-20.

The strengthening grace of our Lord to us in our "faith distress."
Paul states that our faith should grow, “from faith to faith.” Rom.1v17. However, our faith can at times be severely tested, as Abraham found out, when, “with no grounds for hope, Abraham sustained by hope, put faith in God.” Abraham at 99 and Sarah at 90, both laughed in unbelief at the long delayed promise of God, when old age made the promise of a child seem ridiculous. They later embraced and received the promise of God through the gracious faith-building acts of God. A personal visit of the Lord caused them to be “strengthened in faith,” and receive the promise of God. Gen.15v4-6. 18v11-14. Rom.4v17-20. God allows our faith to be tested, because faith grows through overcoming the trials that test it. We should also take great comfort from the fact that God not only takes great pleasure in our faith, He also delights to encourage and sustain it. Jesus was never hard on people with genuine doubts and problems; He treated Nathanael, Nicodemus, doubting Thomas, and multitudes more, with great grace and love; Jesus always met a sincere seeker's need. Jn.1v46-51. 3v1-21. 20v24-29. Mk.9v17-29. The risen Christ restored the shattered faith of His apostles, and though He chided them for their ignorance of the prophetic Scriptures, and their consequent unbelief, He was very gracious to them, and encouraged them with a benediction of peace. Jesus also restored their faith by “showing Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs;” He “appeared to them repeatedly over a period of 40 days talking with them about the affairs of the kingdom of God.” Acts.1v3. Lk.24v25-29,44,45. Jn.20v1-31. 1Cor.15v3-8. We too can experience the strengthening grace of our Lord in our times of trial and “faith distress.”

The difference between "genuine doubts," and "an evil heart of unbelief."
God never despises a genuine seeker who is harassed by doubts and fears. There is a great difference between a “genuine doubter” with “faith distress,” and a person who has a spirit of scepticism and “an evil heart of unbelief,” who does not want to believe, because of the demands that faith will make upon them. Heb.3v12-19. This is why Jesus severely censured the people who were still full of unbelief, and wilfully unrepentant, after seeing multitudes of signs and wonders from God. Mt.11v20-24. 12v31-45. The honest doubter may want to believe, but they may have real problems and difficulties that keep them from a clear faith. Genuine doubts can give us real distress, anguish and perplexity, for the very reason that faith and authentic experience are so earnestly desired. This longing “faith distress” will certainly lead to a positive and conclusive faith, and an abundant and satisfying experience of God. Every seeking heart in God's gallery of faith has known what it has meant to pray through from genuine doubts to a certainty of faith, and from barrenness to a blessed and fruitful experience. Even godly Enoch had a period of crisis before he started to walk with God. Gen.5v21-24. Heb.11v5,6. Jude.v14,15.

The Christian's fight of faith.
All Christians will experience some kind of “fight of faith,” and these trials of life and conflicts with the powers of darkness, can be particularly expected when we are seeking a deeper walk with God and a more effective ministry for God. We cannot avoid having battles of faith, and the pressures on our faith and the gloomy doubts that rise, are often not our own fault. There are the demanding pressures of life that we cannot avoid, such as financial and health problems, difficulties in our home and work circumstances, and the opposition and unbelief of the world. 1Tim.6v12. Pressure and problems can be exacerbated through false teaching and unscriptural traditions, and the lack of a Spirit-anointed fellowship, for this leaves Christians without the essential spiritual support they need, when they are attacked by the insinuations and lies of the powers of darkness. However, God understands and sympathises with us in all these pressures and difficulties, and our Saviour's intercession and ministry are totally dedicated to us. He is the author of our faith, and He will perfect and finish it; so let us cling to Him and seek Him with all our hearts. Heb.12v2. Rom.8v26-39. We can surely believe that the God, who gave His Son for us, will with Him also freely give us all things. Rom.8v32. Mt.11v27. 19v26. 21v22. 1Cor.3v21,22. Rev.21v5,7.

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