THE HOLY SPIRIT– God’s POWERFUL Gift to New Believers.

Some people ask me, “How can you be such a faithful witness? Everywhere you go, everyone you talk to, they somehow walk away having heard the gospel or about Jesus.” And my answer is pretty simple. “I’m possessed.”  Ha! “I have a Spirit.”  Ha!

Jesus announced His gift of the Holy Spirit to everyone in the synagogue when He said, as written in Lk 4:18-19:  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. To set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

And WE have the SAME Holy Spirit which Jesus received when baptized by John the Baptist which empowered Him to operate in the

Spirit here on Earth, even though a man. “And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and he (John) saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him (Jesus): And lo a voice from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.'” (Mt 3:16-17)

Then John witnessed to all just what Jesus would do!  “John answered, saying to all, ‘I indeed baptize you with

water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I  am not worthy to unloose.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit  and fire.'” (Lk 3:16)

Some people say, “Well, how do you expect me to be like  Jesus or live as exemplary a life as He did?”

This is the very reason why the Holy Spirit of God was provided to us as well. That was the main purpose of the Day of Pentecost; not just the supernatural manifestations that took place. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples was to EMPOWER them. “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Jesus had His disciples wait in Jerusalem so that when the infilling of the Holy Spirit came, they would have the power to win many others to Him. “And when they had prayed, the place where they

were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled  with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31)

The Holy Spirit was sent for ONE specific purpose. –To empower us to live out our Christ-like life.  How can you actually do the things that Jesus did? It’s simple. Get ahold of the same Holy Spirit that He was empowered with.

Jesus said that ALL believers CAN receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and make WITNESSING their ministry as well, by simply asking the Father to give Him to us. “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” (Lk 11:13)

The Holy Spirit empowers us with the Words of God, giving us faith to stand up for the truth and boldly share our faith with others. “But the helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your

remembrance all things that I said to you.” (Jn.14:26)

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and

on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” (Acts 2:17-18)

There is no reason or excuse for any Christian not to witness. The Holy Spirit is given to all, FREELY, in order to empower us to live out our faith. So if you have not received God’s Holy Spirit, ask Him in. Be possessed. Ha! And witness your faith. Set your light on the mantelpiece and SHINE Jesus