Author: ShapedByTruth

Filled with and Immersed in the Holy Spirit

Salvation precedes being filled with and immersed in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit convicts an unbeliever to bring them to salvation in Messiah (John 16:8-11)

After salvation, the Holy Spirit works in the believer through the process of sanctification, crucifying the flesh daily and “Walking in the Spirit”

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1


This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  Galatians 5:16

Additionally a person can seek to be immersed in and filled with the Holy Spirit.

On the Day of Pentecost, Luke makes it clear that this gathering of 120 are all “brothers”  or “disciples”. They had already put their trust in the resurrected Christ and were obeying His command to receive the Holy Spirit’s power (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5,8).

Peter and John prayed for the believing Samaritans to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-18).

Saul is converted to Paul. Later, Ananias lays hands on him and prays for him to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17).

In the Gentile Pentecost account of Acts 10, Luke portrays the Italian military officer Cornelius and his household as devout, God-fearing, giving, and consistently prayerful. Peter affirms the salvation of Cornelius and his Gentile friends in the opening statement of his sermon (verses 34,35). In fact, Cornelius’ Spirit baptism was an obvious indicator to Peter and his Joppan travelmates that this group had been saved previously (verses 47,48).

The Ephesian Pentecost of Acts 19 is full of indicators that Spirit baptism was separate from salvation/regeneration and occurring afterward.  The previous chapter describes Apollo’s credentials: “mighty in the scriptures,” “instructed in the way of the Lord,” “fervent in spirit,” “teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus.” Even Priscilla and Aquila helped complete his theology. The final word mentioned about him is that he could demonstrate by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. No wonder Acts 19:2 calls his Ephesian converts “disciples.” These are the very disciples to whom Paul ministers Spirit baptism.

Peter reveals a separate and afterward theology in his Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:38,39).  Jesus Himself makes this promise only to believers/disciples in Luke 24 and Acts 1, not those who need to be regenerated.

Keep on pursuing love, and keep on desiring spiritual gifts, especially the ability to prophesy. 1 Cor 14:1

When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we have power to be witnesses and carry out the will of the The Father

The Holy Spirit:
– convicts us unto righteousness
– is our Comforter
– leads us into truth
– aligns our steps
– brings to our remembrance God’s Word
– helps us to discern truth (truth is spiritually discerned)
– generates the fruits of the Spirit in us
– equips us with spiritual armor and weapons
– uses our natural talents and blesses the works of our hands
– gives us spiritual gifts as He wills
– equips us to fulfill ministerial roles and functions

Promise of the Holy Spirit

Jesus told us that we would do the same works He did and even greater ones…

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  John 14:12

Signs should follow believers…

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:15-18

Promise of the Father of power from on high…

Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem[a] until you are endued with power from on high. Luke 24:49

Power to be witnesses is from the Holy Spirit…

But 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 end of the earth. Acts 1:8

defense against deception

Doorway to deception is doubting God’s words

Yea, hath God said?

Once the door is opened, lies can be injected.

(+) Addition – Some add to the word of God things that are not in there, or say you can only unlock the meaning of scripture by interpreting it through the “lens” of another book (ie: Book of Mormon, Scientology, Koran, etc)

(-) Subtraction – Some subtract from the word of God, may cause doubt that it is really something Jesus said, or deny the either deity of Jesus or the humanity of Jesus.

(X) Multiplication – Some multiply or magnify one aspect of the scripture at the expense of others.  We must take the whole counsel of God because scripture balances scripture.  (ie: Word of Faith, Calvinism, etc)

(/) Division – Some say they are the only ones with the truth and everyone else is wrong.  Scripture is of no private interpretation.  It is not some man that we should go to for truth, but instead we go to Scripture trust the Holy Spirit to open the scripture to us.

We do not look to men, traditions of men, doctrines of demons, or worldly religions.  Men will always fail, but God never fails.

We look to Jesus and His word as revealed in the scripture.  We must each study to show ourselves approved and search the scriptures daily to know what things are true.

two gatherings of Israel

Prior to the first coming of Messiah, prophecies concerning Messiah were confusing.  There was much debate over whether there would be two Messiahs, one a suffering servant (Son of Joseph) and another a reigning king (Son of David) or if Israel was to do the suffering and the Messiah to do the reigning, etc…   It is now clear that there is one Messiah, and He came once to suffer and die for our sins, then rise in victory and will return again to rule and reign.

Similarly, there has been much confusion about the gathering of Israel together.  
Many get confused when looking at scriptures that talk about a day when Messiah will gather the faithful of Israel together to form a nation, yet there are also scriptures that talk about children of Israel being gathered together not because of their faithfulness, but for the sake of God’s Name (completion of His promises, whether Israel is faithful or not) and this gathering of Israel is in preparation for the Tribulation where He will ‘sanctify’ His people and prepare them for His return where He will gather together the believing remnant. (Isaiah 66:8; Ezekiel 36:17-24)
The closer we get to the time described by prophecy, the clearer and more understandable the prophecy becomes.
It is becoming clear that the nation of Israel formed in 1948 was the gathering of Israel in unbelief for the purpose of the rise of Antichrist, rebuilding the temple, and the Great Tribulation.
After the tribulation, Messiah will return and gather the faithful remnant of Israel, who have repented and accepted Messiah and were preserved through the tribulation to form the nation of Israel that will exist through the millennial reign.
Both gatherings are fulfillment of prophecy, and both gatherings are accomplished according to God’s Will and by His hand.
Whether gathered in belief or unbelief, keep in mind that nations are judged according to how they have treated His chosen and the nation of Israel.