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 have wise spiritual leadership We need Christian leaders who are appointed by God. We need the guidance and inspiration of Christian leaders, who have been sent by God and have a dynamic experience of the workings of the Holy Spirit. Eph.4v7-16. 1Cor.12v28. Rom.10v13-16. Acts.8v30,31. The apostles prayed and strove to bring their converts into a rich experience of God. Eph1v15-21. 3v14-21. 1Thes.3v10. 1v2,3. Rom.1v9. Col.2v1-5. 4v12,13. Converts were upheld by prayer and practical care. Acts.6v4. Rom.10v1. Phil.2v19-30. Acts.14v21-23. Etc. The apostles had little or no ecclesiastical training, or scholastic ability, but their spiritual dynamic amazed the people of their day. Acts.4v13. Christian leaders have the responsibility of instructing their flocks in Scripture truth, and praying their charges into a rich experience of that truth. A true teaching ministry has rivers of living water flowing through it, the truth is alive with the power of God, and brings people into a rich experience of God. Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” People's hearts burned with heavenly life as Christ spoke to them; the truth He proclaimed was on fire with the power of God. Jn.6v63. Lk.24v32. Hardened soldiers said, “No man ever spoke like this man,” and “the people were astonished at His teaching: for He taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” Jn.7v46. Mt.7v28,29. We need Christian leaders who are anointed by God. Even great truth can fail to inspire us if the anointing of the Holy Spirit is lacking. It is God that makes us able ministers of the New Covenant, not oratory, rhetoric, or eloquence. 2Cor.3v5,6. There is too much “word only” preaching today; we need to preach “with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven,” like the early Christians. 1Thes.1v5. Eph.3v7. 1Pet.1v12. Prevailing prayer is needed to bring and keep God's presence in our Churches. 1Sam.12v23. A true ministry does not need to scramble for position and power; it is satisfied with a ministry of Christ's love, power and truth. The Scriptures censure spiritual leaders who fail to take proper care of God's flock, and lead it in the way that He intends. Jer.23v1-6. Ezek.34v1-31. Mt.23v1-39. James.3v1. To avoid spiritual declension, we need leaders who have a real experience of God's power and greatness, and can inspire others to seek and receive the same experience. Judges.2v7-17. We need leaders who are examples, not Lords. Ecclesiastical tyranny and denominational prejudice should have no place in Christ's Church. Mt.23v8-12. Lk.22v24-27. Christ warned His apostles that they must not dominate their charges; they had the authority to exhort Christians to observe Scripture truths, but no authority to act as lords over God's heritage. 2Cor.1v24. 1Pet.5v3. Mt.20v20-28. Paul appealed in love rather than commanded 2Thes.3v4,6,11,12. 1Tim.4v11. 1Cor.13. all. 14v34. Rom.12v1. Gal.4v12. Etc. It is the constraint of love that unites Christians together, not the pressure of authority, or church mergers. When Jesus is truly Lord, Christians from different churches can experience a true unity and fellowship of the Spirit. The only thing that can hinder a sweet fellowship between truly converted Christians, is a denominational and doctrinal bigotry and pride. If we only use the Scriptures to shoot people down, we have become “as sounding brass and clashing cymbal.” 1Cor.13v1. N.B. What we must do if we are members of a spiritually cold church. Earnest Christians should not leave a cold church unless the Lord tells them to, or forced to leave through circumstances; they should try to create a praying group within the church. Love, patience, humility, wisdom and prayer will produce a sweet fellowship, which can change the spiritual atmosphere of a church and attract other hungry hearts. Churches of all denominations have been transformed by the radiant witness of truly Spirit-filled Christians, and have become centres of evangelism, revival, healing, and blessing. Our churches can and should manifest the goodwill, the great spiritual brotherhood, and fellowship of love that God intended them to be. Informal house meeting are the best cure for spiritual lethargy in a church, as long as they are under mature Christian leadership. Here time is given to worship, prayer, testimony and Bible study, and problems are talked about and prayed over, all on an informal level. 1Cor.13v1. < >
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Chapter Two

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

We must have wise spiritual leadership

We need Christian leaders who are appointed by God.
We need the guidance and inspiration of Christian leaders, who have been sent by God and have a dynamic experience of the workings of the Holy Spirit. Eph.4v7-16. 1Cor.12v28. Rom.10v13-16. Acts.8v30,31. The apostles prayed and strove to bring their converts into a rich experience of God. Eph1v15-21. 3v14-21. 1Thes.3v10. 1v2,3. Rom.1v9. Col.2v1-5. 4v12,13. Converts were upheld by prayer and practical care. Acts.6v4. Rom.10v1. Phil.2v19-30. Acts.14v21-23. Etc. The apostles had little or no ecclesiastical training, or scholastic ability, but their spiritual dynamic amazed the people of their day. Acts.4v13. Christian leaders have the responsibility of instructing their flocks in Scripture truth, and praying their charges into a rich experience of that truth. A true teaching ministry has rivers of living water flowing through it, the truth is alive with the power of God, and brings people into a rich experience of God. Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” People's hearts burned with heavenly life as Christ spoke to them; the truth He proclaimed was on fire with the power of God. Jn.6v63. Lk.24v32. Hardened soldiers said, “No man ever spoke like this man,” and “the people were astonished at His teaching: for He taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” Jn.7v46. Mt.7v28,29.

We need Christian leaders who are anointed by God.
Even great truth can fail to inspire us if the anointing of the Holy Spirit is lacking. It is God that makes us able ministers of the New Covenant, not oratory, rhetoric, or eloquence. 2Cor.3v5,6. There is too much “word only” preaching today; we need to preach “with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven,” like the early Christians. 1Thes.1v5. Eph.3v7. 1Pet.1v12. Prevailing prayer is needed to bring and keep God's presence in our Churches. 1Sam.12v23. A true ministry does not need to scramble for position and power; it is satisfied with a ministry of Christ's love, power and truth. The Scriptures censure spiritual leaders who fail to take proper care of God's flock, and lead it in the way that He intends. Jer.23v1-6. Ezek.34v1-31. Mt.23v1-39. James.3v1. To avoid spiritual declension, we need leaders who have a real experience of God's power and greatness, and can inspire others to seek and receive the same experience. Judges.2v7-17.

We need leaders who are examples, not Lords.
Ecclesiastical tyranny and denominational prejudice should have no place in Christ's Church. Mt.23v8-12. Lk.22v24-27. Christ warned His apostles that they must not dominate their charges; they had the authority to exhort Christians to observe Scripture truths, but no authority to act as lords over God's heritage. 2Cor.1v24. 1Pet.5v3. Mt.20v20-28. Paul appealed in love rather than commanded 2Thes.3v4,6,11,12. 1Tim.4v11. 1Cor.13. all. 14v34. Rom.12v1. Gal.4v12. Etc. It is the constraint of love that unites Christians together, not the pressure of authority, or church mergers. When Jesus is truly Lord, Christians from different churches can experience a true unity and fellowship of the Spirit. The only thing that can hinder a sweet fellowship between truly converted Christians, is a denominational and doctrinal bigotry and pride. If we only use the Scriptures to shoot people down, we have become “as sounding brass and clashing cymbal.” 1Cor.13v1.

N.B. What we must do if we are members of a spiritually cold church.
Earnest Christians should not leave a cold church unless the Lord tells them to, or forced to leave through circumstances; they should try to create a praying group within the church. Love, patience, humility, wisdom and prayer will produce a sweet fellowship, which can change the spiritual atmosphere of a church and attract other hungry hearts. Churches of all denominations have been transformed by the radiant witness of truly Spirit-filled Christians, and have become centres of evangelism, revival, healing, and blessing. Our churches can and should manifest the goodwill, the great spiritual brotherhood, and fellowship of love that God intended them to be. Informal house meeting are the best cure for spiritual lethargy in a church, as long as they are under mature Christian leadership. Here time is given to worship, prayer, testimony and Bible study, and problems are talked about and prayed over, all on an informal level. 1Cor.13v1.

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