Ephesians 1:12-14 That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.
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.
*****
It is the Holy Spirit of God that speaks the word of truth to each of us.
Five-thousand people could be listening to a preacher. To one person in that 5000, the Holy Spirit might rise up and say, "This pertains to you." Or the Holy Spirit just sets that person on fire by the Word being spoken by the preacher. The other 4999 people sitting there with him might just sit there, doing nothing. (In such cases, The Holy Spirit is not speaking to the masses but only to that one person.) But that one person is electrified by the Holy Spirit of God. And by that work of the Holy Spirit speaking to us individually, we are saved, born again, changed forever.
After writing this, I told God I didn't know if there was an example of this concept in Bible, and immediately Holy Spirit reminded me of Paul. (Acts 9 & Acts 26)
After writing this, I told God I didn't know if there was an example of this concept in Bible, and immediately Holy Spirit reminded me of Paul. (Acts 9 & Acts 26)
On the road to Damascus, God spoke to Saul (Paul). Notice there were other people there at that time. This was a message to Paul, not to the others. Jesus was putting Paul into the ministry according to following:
Ephesians 4, after Jesus arose ... 8 When HE (Jesus) ascended up on high, HE led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men ...
11 And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Paul explains to king Agrippa:
Ephesians 4, after Jesus arose ... 8 When HE (Jesus) ascended up on high, HE led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men ...
11 And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
(Jesus appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus and set him into the ministry after Jesus arose, after the crucifixion and resurrection. Though the others traveling with Paul heard a voice, they didn't see Jesus as Paul did, for Jesus was calling Paul (not the others who were with Paul. Acts 9:7)
Paul explains to king Agrippa:
Acts 26:9-19 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord?
And He said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in ME.
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord?
And He said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in ME.
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
*****
I love The Holy Spirit. I have so much experience with The Holy Spirit, thanks to God in teaching me about the Holy Spirit and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Thus, I call this chapter, "The Holy Spirit and I".
*****
I was born again in 1975.
I had been staying at the home of my best friend and her husband, while I recovered from an operation.
They had several books in their library, religious books, one of which had to do with the subject of sin. As I was reading that book the Holy Spirit spoke to me in a very gentle voice and said, "Joan, you know those mistakes you've been making all these years? Those weren't mistakes. Those were sins."
I was very shocked!
I knew I was making mistakes along the line, but I had no idea they were sins until the Holy Spirit spoke this to me.
This was "the word of truth" spoken to me that night by the Holy Spirit, The Spirit of Truth ... and it was the word which I believed and thereby was the word of my salvation, and with that word I was born again and sealed with the Holy Spirit of God, WHO would then live in me and teach me and guide me that I would be able to know the way to go on the present earth.
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 16:13 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 shew you things to come.
***
There are many words of truth in the Bible and from the Holy Spirit of God, and we have our salvation in specific words given by God which HE delivers to us by HIS Holy Spirit.
We are born again by that word of truth spoken by the Holy Spirit when we agree with that word.
Then we are sealed by God with the Holy Spirit who then lives in us.
And for the remainder of our lives the Holy Spirit speaks the word of truth to us by bringing us
thoughts which contain the words of truth so we will know the way of God as we deal with problems throughout this life.
Without the word of truth given by the Holy Spirit we would flounder as the people of the world, making many godless decisions and dwelling in many godless concepts.
It is important for us to recognize those thoughts given by The Holy Spirit for that is God speaking to us to show us what to do.
I have seen a situation where a woman in our little church group rejected the ideas brought by the Holy Spirit and went her own ways over and over until finally the Holy Spirit was removed from her and she was left with a reprobate mind, a mind without God's judgment.
Then she could no longer see her own sin for the Holy Spirit was not there to convince her of sin when she committed sin.
When I would confront this woman, she would often say to me, "I thought of that." But she didn't choose to go that way. Thus she sat aside the way spoken by the Holy Spirit and went another way. She did this many times. Finally she couldn't see she had done wrong. This showed me a woman who once had the Holy Spirit who no longer had the Holy Spirit but had been turned over to a reprobate mind, a mind without the Spirit of God, thus a mind void of God's judgments, no longer to see certain sins she was committing. After 40 years of being with us, she was no longer with us.
But I still have hope for this woman for she once did me a big favor and I feel the following scripture pertains to her.
Mark 9:41 Jesus said: For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in MY name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
***
Paul speaks of being turned over by God to a reprobate mind in the following scripture.
Romans 1:28-32 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
(God spoke to them but they preferred to go another way, much as Balaam preferred to go another way for the reward a human could give him. Numbers 22)
God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
***
There are many words of truth in the Bible and from the Holy Spirit of God, and we have our salvation in specific words given by God which HE delivers to us by HIS Holy Spirit.
We are born again by that word of truth spoken by the Holy Spirit when we agree with that word.
Then we are sealed by God with the Holy Spirit who then lives in us.
And for the remainder of our lives the Holy Spirit speaks the word of truth to us by bringing us
thoughts which contain the words of truth so we will know the way of God as we deal with problems throughout this life.
Without the word of truth given by the Holy Spirit we would flounder as the people of the world, making many godless decisions and dwelling in many godless concepts.
It is important for us to recognize those thoughts given by The Holy Spirit for that is God speaking to us to show us what to do.
I have seen a situation where a woman in our little church group rejected the ideas brought by the Holy Spirit and went her own ways over and over until finally the Holy Spirit was removed from her and she was left with a reprobate mind, a mind without God's judgment.
Then she could no longer see her own sin for the Holy Spirit was not there to convince her of sin when she committed sin.
When I would confront this woman, she would often say to me, "I thought of that." But she didn't choose to go that way. Thus she sat aside the way spoken by the Holy Spirit and went another way. She did this many times. Finally she couldn't see she had done wrong. This showed me a woman who once had the Holy Spirit who no longer had the Holy Spirit but had been turned over to a reprobate mind, a mind without the Spirit of God, thus a mind void of God's judgments, no longer to see certain sins she was committing. After 40 years of being with us, she was no longer with us.
But I still have hope for this woman for she once did me a big favor and I feel the following scripture pertains to her.
Mark 9:41 Jesus said: For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in MY name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
***
Paul speaks of being turned over by God to a reprobate mind in the following scripture.
Romans 1:28-32 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
(God spoke to them but they preferred to go another way, much as Balaam preferred to go another way for the reward a human could give him. Numbers 22)
God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Paul says ...
II Corinthians 13:5-6 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
The Holy Spirit convicts us of sins.
Without the Holy Spirit, we are not convicted. We have no idea we have sinned, although we may know something is wrong.
This is one of the works of the Holy Spirit, to convince us of our sins.
*****
After I heard from God that my mistakes were actually sins, August 5, 1975, I was changed immediately, born again by God's Spirit.
II Corinthians 5:17 if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
I left my best friend's house that morning, and as I walked past her I said, "Oh by the way Donna, I don't think I was a Christian before now." And I just kept walking on toward my car.
Donna excitedly shouted out to me, "Joanie ... wait, come back. What did you just say?"
I said, "Well ... I don't think I've been a Christian until now."
Donna, who was raised as a Baptist, knew that something was wrong with me, though I thought I was a Christian before this had happened. I had gone forward at a church. I had been baptized, immersed in water. I had done the things they told me to do at church.
But the Holy Spirit was not there to convict me of my sins until this incident approximately 20 years later at Donna's house.
After that, I thought because I was reading that book I was saved. So I went to the book store and bought copies of that book for everyone I knew and sent that book to them. I did not realize that I was saved by God by His Spirit. I thought the book saved me.
I have heard so many people say that they were saved at the meeting of an evangelist. And they in turn have tried to get everyone to go hear that evangelist thinking he saved them. (And sometimes I think the evangelist thinks he saved them!)
I made exactly the same mistake, thinking I was saved by that book.
God chose to reveal sin to me at the exact moment I had been reading that book. But it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me to convict me of my sin, and not the book.
So know that it is God saving us by His Spirit by HIS will.
Romans 9:10-16 when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of HIM that calleth;)
It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
For HE saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
God reveals HIMSELF to us by The Holy Spirit as HE wills.
***
And God brings truth, by HIS Spirit to us, not just that one time when we were first born again, but we are led throughout the remainder of our time on this earth through His Spirit, and truth is brought to our minds as we deal with issues of this life so we can know the will of God and the way to go in the matter at hand.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
The Holy Spirit is one of the greatest gifts of all things given to the church today.
Witnessing of God is sharing that which God has said or has done ... and it is shared when the Holy Spirit brings it to our mind while we are with another person. It is not planned ahead by our own fleshly thinking.
To share this way requires both understanding and discipline. For God does not make us share anything. We learn to yield to the Holy Spirit.
Other spirits might try to force us to share but we know when we are being led as opposed to being driven and forced.
***
More concerning the working of the Holy Spirit:
I Corinthians 2:9-13 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
I know many are taught the once saved always saved doctrine. But the problem is, I see Paul being afraid that he could be a castaway.
I Corinthians 9:24-27 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
I also see and am reminded of, the section of scripture in Revelation 3:5, where Jesus said, He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before MY Father, and before HIS angels.
By this I see that our names could be removed from the book of life.
I also remember Jesus saying this in Matthew 24 ... And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Many do not endure.
I have seen preachers go in the way of personal fame and greatness and end up with nothing but vain pompous words, as they prance around on platforms before the people. We see this almost every time we happen upon a religious type TV broadcast. They wave their arms in the air, shout, and stir up other fleshly, emotional people, while they say nothing at all spiritual nor edifying to build up the church in the ways of God.
Jude v. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
(They say, "Jesus is Lord," but they deny Jesus when they cast aside portions of scripture and will not be ruled by Jesus, The Word.)
I have also seen many individuals come saying, "Jesus is Lord", while by their actions they show they are not being led by Jesus by His Spirit but rather they are led by dead doctrines of men, and they even cast aside portions of scripture to be able to do that which they want to do on this earth. The fear of God is not in them.
Jude vv. 12-13 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
And I have seen those who had the Holy Spirit, but later did not have the Holy Spirit, for they rejected the words brought by the Holy Spirit and finally God turned them over to a reprobate mind, a mind which no longer has God's judgment.
Jude vv. 5-8 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, HE hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
II Thessalonians 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (of the Lord) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
* If a man divorces "a faithful wife" and that faithful wife remarries, she commits adultery but her husband who divorced her will be the cause of her adultery. Matthew 5:32
* The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Matthew 5:32
* If the woman leaves her husband, she must remain unmarried or return to her husband. I Corinthians 7:10-11
* A man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery. Mark 10:11
* A woman who divorces her husband and marries another commits adultery. Mark 10:12
* A woman who is a widow is free to remarry but only to a real Christian man. I Corinthians 7:39
***
Other things taught us in Bible that are often changed by today's church groups have to do with requirements for elder/bishops.
This is the apostasy in the church, the falling away, the rise of antichrist in the church.
Antichrist is not one man but is a spirit in many men. The apostle John in his day said there were already many antichrists.
I John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
***
In 1979, God gave me the following terrifying dream to show antichrist in the churches.
Destruction was everywhere.
I went into a room where a man was speaking to a group of people.
I sat down and began to listen to that which this man was speaking.
Another man rushed into the room and said: "Stop ... wait ... can't you see? It's too late. It's already begun."
I looked out the window to see what had already begun.
What I saw was very disturbing and shocking.
There was a tall pole with a yellow civil defense type warning-speaker on top of the pole. A gas was coming out of the speaker. The gas was poisonous and would kill the people. The gas was coming directly toward those of us in that room where the man was speaking!
I looked at the man who was sitting next to me. He had a big smile on his face and he was looking directly at the man who was speaking. But then I saw. This man looked alive but he was a corpse. He was already dead from the gas.
I looked at the others who were in the room and saw they, too, were already dead.
And as I sat there among them, I began to feel sleepy. I knew that gas was killing me too as I sat among these dead people.
These were church groups who had been gassed to death by the doctrines coming from their speakers.
***
There is a danger today, 2019, which many are likely to fail to recognize until they have been greatly injured, even possibly swept away.
Paul explained:
II Timothy 3:1-8 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
(This was going to happen in the church groups in the last days.)
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
13-17 evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
And God brings truth, by HIS Spirit to us, not just that one time when we were first born again, but we are led throughout the remainder of our time on this earth through His Spirit, and truth is brought to our minds as we deal with issues of this life so we can know the will of God and the way to go in the matter at hand.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
The Holy Spirit is one of the greatest gifts of all things given to the church today.
*****
The Holy Spirit never takes over our bodies. The Holy Spirit never causes us to roll around on the floor or to jump up and run around the room shouting "Praise God" or any such thing as that.
I Corinthians 14:32-33 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
So we see the Holy Spirit is there to give information that the prophet, in this case, can speak but the Holy Spirit does not make the prophet speak.
Neither does the Holy Spirit make anyone speak. The Holy Spirit brings the truth from God to the mind of the individual and that person can chose to speak what the Spirit has said to him or he can chose not to speak the word.
Through the years, I have disciplined myself to speak as the Spirit gives utterance, to yield myself to God, but HE never forces me to speak.
***
I Corinthians 14:32-33 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
So we see the Holy Spirit is there to give information that the prophet, in this case, can speak but the Holy Spirit does not make the prophet speak.
Neither does the Holy Spirit make anyone speak. The Holy Spirit brings the truth from God to the mind of the individual and that person can chose to speak what the Spirit has said to him or he can chose not to speak the word.
Through the years, I have disciplined myself to speak as the Spirit gives utterance, to yield myself to God, but HE never forces me to speak.
***
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth.
The Holy Spirit carries truth from God to the believer, so that we know the will of God in all things pertaining to God. Thereby, we are able to go in this life in the direction God would have us go, serving God and not our own flesh. And we are able to share God's truth after we have heard the word from the Spirit of God.
Acts 1:8 Jesus said to His disciples: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto ME both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
When God illuminates something to us by HIS Spirit, we then have the power to speak that which God has shown us and then we are witnesses to HIM by sharing that which the Holy Spirit brought to mind.
***
Shortly after I was born again, in 1975, I was at a copy store. A little old man came up to me and said, "Little lady. You didn't happen to park behind that green and gold car did you?"
I replied, "No sir."
He then asked, "You don't happen to be a Christian do you?"
I excitedly replied, "Well YES ... I Am!"
He then said, "OH, Heck ... I have just joined the witnessing class at First Baptist Church and you are the first person I have chosen to witness to."
He and his witnessing class were trying to do works they thought to be godly by their own fleshly thinking.
***
Another example of fleshly witnessing ...
There was a woman at the bridge center who frequently told new players that she attended Church of Christ. (I'm sure this woman felt she was "witnessing" as she told this.) But this is not witnessing to God and that which HE did, it is just telling where she went to church, what "she" did, not what God did.
Actually by doing this she divided the body of Christ and showed herself to be carnal.
I Corinthians 3:1-4 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
The Holy Spirit carries truth from God to the believer, so that we know the will of God in all things pertaining to God. Thereby, we are able to go in this life in the direction God would have us go, serving God and not our own flesh. And we are able to share God's truth after we have heard the word from the Spirit of God.
Acts 1:8 Jesus said to His disciples: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto ME both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
When God illuminates something to us by HIS Spirit, we then have the power to speak that which God has shown us and then we are witnesses to HIM by sharing that which the Holy Spirit brought to mind.
***
Shortly after I was born again, in 1975, I was at a copy store. A little old man came up to me and said, "Little lady. You didn't happen to park behind that green and gold car did you?"
I replied, "No sir."
He then asked, "You don't happen to be a Christian do you?"
I excitedly replied, "Well YES ... I Am!"
He then said, "OH, Heck ... I have just joined the witnessing class at First Baptist Church and you are the first person I have chosen to witness to."
He and his witnessing class were trying to do works they thought to be godly by their own fleshly thinking.
***
Another example of fleshly witnessing ...
There was a woman at the bridge center who frequently told new players that she attended Church of Christ. (I'm sure this woman felt she was "witnessing" as she told this.) But this is not witnessing to God and that which HE did, it is just telling where she went to church, what "she" did, not what God did.
Actually by doing this she divided the body of Christ and showed herself to be carnal.
Paul explains.
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
One says, "I am a Baptist." another says, "I am Catholic." Division occurs immediately, depending on those who hear this.
But in truth ... There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism ... and it has nothing to do with all these divisions of church groups.
Godly witnessing is as follows:
God speaks a word to us by HIS Spirit bringing that word to our mind, or God does something with us by HIS Spirit.
Later we are with another person and we are reminded of that word given us by God or that thing done to us by God, and we share that with another person.
This is witnessing by the Spirit of God and not by our own thinking.
Here is an example:
I was visiting with my aunt, a Church of Christ goer.
As we spoke, I heard from the Holy Spirit, "Tell her about being taken into heaven."
I really didn't want to do that!
My experience with Church of Christ is they don't usually take well to supernatural experiences.
But because I believed the Holy Spirit told me to tell of that experience, I yielded myself and began to speak, sharing what had happened to me.
I said: One night as I was sleeping I was transported into heaven. I was with God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. (I didn't see any figures, it was in the spirit.) At that time, I was merged into the body of Jesus, made one with the word of God, God and the Holy Spirit witnessing.
A few nights later, the exact same thing happened to me a second time.
As I was speaking this to my aunt, I noticed a dreamy look coming on her face ... after I finished speaking she said, "Something like that happened to me once and it was all golden."
Witnessing of God is sharing that which God has said or has done ... and it is shared when the Holy Spirit brings it to our mind while we are with another person. It is not planned ahead by our own fleshly thinking.
To share this way requires both understanding and discipline. For God does not make us share anything. We learn to yield to the Holy Spirit.
Other spirits might try to force us to share but we know when we are being led as opposed to being driven and forced.
***
More concerning the working of the Holy Spirit:
I Corinthians 2:9-13 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
This is all done by The Holy Spirit who lives in us, the believer.
***
In the New Covenant, God chose to work through HIS Spirit with HIS children.
It was not this way in the period of the Old Covenant.
Only a select few, the prophets, in the Old Covenant times, were given the Holy Spirit. The people then went to the prophet in the Old Covenant to see what God had to say about the issue.
But in the New Covenant God gave HIS Spirit to all HIS children so they could hear directly from God. God still used prophets in the NT church as we see in Acts 11:27-30, when God sent Agabus to the church with a message.
Acts 11:27-30 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
***
But all today, who are of God, are given the Spirit of God in the NT church.
Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom HE hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also HE made the worlds;
The Holy Spirit who lives in the believer and guides the believer is the Spirit of Jesus.
Ephesians 1:12-14 That we should be to the praise of HIS glory, who first trusted in Christ.
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.
***
In the New Covenant, God chose to work through HIS Spirit with HIS children.
It was not this way in the period of the Old Covenant.
Only a select few, the prophets, in the Old Covenant times, were given the Holy Spirit. The people then went to the prophet in the Old Covenant to see what God had to say about the issue.
But in the New Covenant God gave HIS Spirit to all HIS children so they could hear directly from God. God still used prophets in the NT church as we see in Acts 11:27-30, when God sent Agabus to the church with a message.
Acts 11:27-30 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
***
But all today, who are of God, are given the Spirit of God in the NT church.
Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom HE hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also HE made the worlds;
The Holy Spirit who lives in the believer and guides the believer is the Spirit of Jesus.
Ephesians 1:12-14 That we should be to the praise of HIS glory, who first trusted in Christ.
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.
*****
As a new believer in 1975, my best friend Donna, a long-time Baptist, said to me, "Joannie ... you have to start memorizing scripture."
Then she said, "I am going to enroll you in Bible Memory Association."
So she did.
I had to memorize one scripture a week. Then I had to recite that scripture by memory to my sponsor, who was Donna.
This is one of the most difficult things I have ever tried to do.
At that time, I had an earned doctorate. It should have been very easy for me to do this, but it was not.
(Fleshly ways of man are an hard yoke!)
(Fleshly ways of man are an hard yoke!)
Donna and I knew absolutely nothing about the Holy Spirit.
We did not know the truth, that Jesus said, the Holy Spirit would remind us of everything HE had said.
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.
When I saw this scripture, I realized the Holy Spirit would bring to my memory what Jesus has said. All I had to do was read the Bible, do that particular verse, and it would become part of me and the Holy Spirit would bring it to my mind when I was speaking to another person as needed, and it would be effortless.
I never tried to memorize a scripture after that.
Today I can quote probably hundreds of scriptures as they are called to my mind by the Holy Spirit, and the work is then by God by His Spirit, and not by my own flesh by my attempt to memorize and recite a scripture like a parrot.
Today I can quote probably hundreds of scriptures as they are called to my mind by the Holy Spirit, and the work is then by God by His Spirit, and not by my own flesh by my attempt to memorize and recite a scripture like a parrot.
I actually think people do harm by quoting a scripture by their own flesh.
We should quote scripture when the Holy Spirit calls that scripture to our memory.
One of my church friends, had a particular scripture that she quoted over and over. When she began to speak I began to cringe because I knew that scripture was coming. And, sure enough, she would quote that scripture. I actually began to dislike that scripture and it took me years to get over disliking it.
If you try to quote scripture by your own flesh, it can cause harm to the people who hear you.
I have many scriptures that I love, but I try to control myself when speaking to another person and recite the exact scripture called to my memory. If I do not know that scripture by memory, I will take a Bible and simply say, "Wait a minute. I have a scripture brought to my mind." I will look up the scripture and read that exact scripture to the person with whom I am speaking.
It is so important to handle scripture by the Holy Spirit.
*****
I know many are taught the once saved always saved doctrine. But the problem is, I see Paul being afraid that he could be a castaway.
I Corinthians 9:24-27 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
I also see and am reminded of, the section of scripture in Revelation 3:5, where Jesus said, He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before MY Father, and before HIS angels.
By this I see that our names could be removed from the book of life.
I also remember Jesus saying this in Matthew 24 ... And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Many do not endure.
I have seen preachers go in the way of personal fame and greatness and end up with nothing but vain pompous words, as they prance around on platforms before the people. We see this almost every time we happen upon a religious type TV broadcast. They wave their arms in the air, shout, and stir up other fleshly, emotional people, while they say nothing at all spiritual nor edifying to build up the church in the ways of God.
Jude v. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
(They say, "Jesus is Lord," but they deny Jesus when they cast aside portions of scripture and will not be ruled by Jesus, The Word.)
I have also seen many individuals come saying, "Jesus is Lord", while by their actions they show they are not being led by Jesus by His Spirit but rather they are led by dead doctrines of men, and they even cast aside portions of scripture to be able to do that which they want to do on this earth. The fear of God is not in them.
Jude vv. 12-13 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
And I have seen those who had the Holy Spirit, but later did not have the Holy Spirit, for they rejected the words brought by the Holy Spirit and finally God turned them over to a reprobate mind, a mind which no longer has God's judgment.
Jude vv. 5-8 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, HE hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
Therefore some religious people are like the Pharisees and the Sadducees, not born again by the Spirit of God, but they are religious by the teaching of humans.
Others were once born again but fell away and then were turned over by God to a reprobate mind.
Many insist in continuing with church groups where portions of scripture have been removed. They fail to have a love of the truth that they may be saved. They are described in the following:
II Thessalonians 2:10-12 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
They love the church group more than they love the Word of God, so even knowing the scriptures have been removed, in part, they continue in that church group.
This is a critical point for each of us. I first faced it as a new Christian in 1975.
My best friend, at the time I was born again, told me I had to go to church.
So I began going to the church group she and her husband attended.
(This was a church very similar to Church of Christ & Baptist in doctrine.)
The preacher, a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, was teaching a series of subjects concerning speaking in tongues. He was teaching tongues to be of the devil.
One day, I was reading the Bible and came across the following scripture.
I Corinthians 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
I told Donna I had found this in the Bible and I showed this to her.
I told her I was not going to that church group anymore because they were teaching opposite to that which was in the Bible.
She said she wasn't going there either.
So we both went to another church group. They also were teaching things that were not in the Bible, so I had to leave again.
I did this many times in hunting a church to attend over the next 30+ years.
I was very grieved and sad but I always left when they were teaching something that was opposite from Bible.
In approximately 2017, God showed me that which I had been seeing in the various church groups.
It was that which the apostle Paul told us would happen in the churches in the last days before Jesus returned:
* Churches would fall away from scripture
* This falling away from scripture allowed antichrist, a spirit, to enter the church group and take over, presenting that which is opposite from instructions of Bible
* The apostasy would come through the churches
II Thessalonians 2:6-7 NASB And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.
(Jesus, the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, kept antichrist back until the churches fell away from portions of scripture thus allowing lawlessness into the church group.)
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only HE (Jesus, the Word, the Holy Scriptures) who now restrains will do so until HE is taken out of the way.
***
Paul said men were just waiting until he left so they could take over the church and bring perversions into the church.
Paul warned them as follows:
Acts 20:26-30 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which HE hath purchased with HIS own blood.
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
***
Paul said men were just waiting until he left so they could take over the church and bring perversions into the church.
Paul warned them as follows:
Acts 20:26-30 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which HE hath purchased with HIS own blood.
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
***
Scriptures such as the following were removed from the church groups:
Matthew 5:32 But I say unto you, That
whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication,
causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is
divorced committeth adultery.
- The man who divorces a faithful wife will be the "cause" of her adultery if she remarries.
- The woman will commit adultery if she remarries after she is divorced.
- The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
- The man who divorces a faithful wife will be the "cause" of her adultery if she remarries.
- The woman will commit adultery if she remarries after she is divorced.
- The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
I Corinthians 7:10-11 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
For the wife, the rules differ a little from rules for the husband. The husband can divorce a wife if that wife is unfaithful. To humans way of thinking it would be the same for a wife whose husband was unfaithful. But the above scripture shows us that is not so. This scripture tells the wife not to depart from her husband but if she does depart she must remain unmarried or return to her husband.
Here is another important scripture to consider.
I Corinthians 7:12-15 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
The believing mate continues to dwell as a believer, doing that which believers in Christ do, following the Holy Spirit.
If the unbeliever is happy to dwell with the believer, under those conditions, then allow him or her to do so.
But if the unbeliever is not pleased to do this, let that unbelieving mate depart, thus allowing the believer to live in peace as a believer.
***
Here is another section of scripture where Jesus addresses the subject of marriage and divorce and remarriage.
For the wife, the rules differ a little from rules for the husband. The husband can divorce a wife if that wife is unfaithful. To humans way of thinking it would be the same for a wife whose husband was unfaithful. But the above scripture shows us that is not so. This scripture tells the wife not to depart from her husband but if she does depart she must remain unmarried or return to her husband.
Here is another important scripture to consider.
I Corinthians 7:12-15 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
The believing mate continues to dwell as a believer, doing that which believers in Christ do, following the Holy Spirit.
If the unbeliever is happy to dwell with the believer, under those conditions, then allow him or her to do so.
But if the unbeliever is not pleased to do this, let that unbelieving mate depart, thus allowing the believer to live in peace as a believer.
***
Here is another section of scripture where Jesus addresses the subject of marriage and divorce and remarriage.
Mark 10:2-12 And the Pharisees came to Him, and asked Him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting Him.
And HE (Jesus) answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?
And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
***
And in the house His disciples asked Him again of the same matter.
And HE saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
And some of you who read this are sitting in church groups where all manner of divorce and remarriage is sanctioned in that church group!)
***
Concerning widows:
A woman who is a widow is free to remarry but only "in the Lord" ... only to a man who has the Holy Spirit and follows the Holy Spirit. Many men join a church but we must consider that man who demonstrates having the Holy Spirit and therefore a love of the scripture and following scripture, adjusting his life to fit the scripture, as being a Christian, being "in the Lord."
I Corinthians 7:39-40 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
And HE (Jesus) answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?
And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
***
And in the house His disciples asked Him again of the same matter.
And HE saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
(I
have never heard any of the above scriptures taught at any church group
that I have attended. People in those church groups are allowed to
divorce and remarry at will.
And some of you who read this are sitting in church groups where all manner of divorce and remarriage is sanctioned in that church group!)
***
Concerning widows:
A woman who is a widow is free to remarry but only "in the Lord" ... only to a man who has the Holy Spirit and follows the Holy Spirit. Many men join a church but we must consider that man who demonstrates having the Holy Spirit and therefore a love of the scripture and following scripture, adjusting his life to fit the scripture, as being a Christian, being "in the Lord."
I Corinthians 7:39-40 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
***
To summarize the subject of divorce and remarriage:
* If a man divorces "a faithful wife" and that faithful wife remarries, she commits adultery but her husband who divorced her will be the cause of her adultery. Matthew 5:32
* The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Matthew 5:32
* If the woman leaves her husband, she must remain unmarried or return to her husband. I Corinthians 7:10-11
* A man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery. Mark 10:11
* A woman who divorces her husband and marries another commits adultery. Mark 10:12
* A woman who is a widow is free to remarry but only to a real Christian man. I Corinthians 7:39
***
Other things taught us in Bible that are often changed by today's church groups have to do with requirements for elder/bishops.
Some
who are elders in the church group have divorced and are remarried.
Some who are elders aren't even married, violating other scripture such
as,
Titus 1:5-7 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop
must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon
angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Other foolish departures from Bible in churches today have to do with the following subjects.
* Drunkeness ... The medical world today often calls drunkenness "a disease" and has renamed it "alcoholism" ... The Bible identifies drunkenness as "a sin" ... I Corinthians 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
* Homosexuals & Lesbians ... Some of these today want to say they were born that way, thus excusing themselves from sin. But the Bible says God turned them over to do these unnatural sins. Romans 1:22-28 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
***
I Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Those who do these sins, after they are born again by God, and repent and no longer do these sins, they are received as the church.
***
Many of these doctrines of Christ have been changed in today's church groups.
***
Many of these doctrines of Christ have been changed in today's church groups.
This is the apostasy in the church, the falling away, the rise of antichrist in the church.
Antichrist is not one man but is a spirit in many men. The apostle John in his day said there were already many antichrists.
I John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
***
In 1979, God gave me the following terrifying dream to show antichrist in the churches.
Destruction was everywhere.
I went into a room where a man was speaking to a group of people.
I sat down and began to listen to that which this man was speaking.
Another man rushed into the room and said: "Stop ... wait ... can't you see? It's too late. It's already begun."
I looked out the window to see what had already begun.
What I saw was very disturbing and shocking.
There was a tall pole with a yellow civil defense type warning-speaker on top of the pole. A gas was coming out of the speaker. The gas was poisonous and would kill the people. The gas was coming directly toward those of us in that room where the man was speaking!
I looked at the man who was sitting next to me. He had a big smile on his face and he was looking directly at the man who was speaking. But then I saw. This man looked alive but he was a corpse. He was already dead from the gas.
I looked at the others who were in the room and saw they, too, were already dead.
And as I sat there among them, I began to feel sleepy. I knew that gas was killing me too as I sat among these dead people.
These were church groups who had been gassed to death by the doctrines coming from their speakers.
***
We must love the word of God more than we love going to the church group where the portions of scripture are cast aside.
I had to come out of these church groups where scripture was violated in the church group.
*****
Paul explained:
II Timothy 3:1-8 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
(This was going to happen in the church groups in the last days.)
Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of WHOM thou hast learned;
(It is God who has taught us by HIS Holy Spirit.)
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
***
Jesus warned us that things would get so bad even the elect would be destroyed except for the shortening of time which God will do.
Matthew 24:21-22 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
I do not believe "the great tribulation" has started yet. But I have experienced three extremely dangerous attacks from church people during the first half of 2019.
I even felt I might be swept away.
But God saw me through the problems and kept me going in the calling given to me by HIS Spirit, The Holy Spirit who dwells in me, the Spirit of Jesus.
Each of these battles came through people who call themselves Christians.
* One attack was from my 96-year-old cousin who has attended Church of Christ group all her life.
Jesus said: the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. John 16:2-3
* One attack was from my 96-year-old cousin who has attended Church of Christ group all her life.
Jesus said: the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. John 16:2-3
They come to set us "right", to stop us from doing the work which we believe to be from God. They come to turn us to themselves and their long time doctrines. They come to draw us away from that which we believe God has shown us.
* Another attack was from a woman in our own church group. She thought I was "throwing rocks at her" when I brought corrections to her. She saw these as trespasses against her and she stored them up for decades in her heart against me. Finally they burst through her mouth against me.
It was devastating to me. I turned to God and asked HIM to judge me.
That same night, God gave me a dream.
I opened my front door to my house to find someone had piled bags of their garbage at my door and all the way down the front of my house.
It took a few days to restore me and set me back on my feet, doing the work of the ministry again, but the Holy Spirit reminded me of things to reestablish me in the assignment God had given me.
* The third major battle came from a woman who said she was a Christian but she didn't come to gain truth nor to share things God had shown her, but rather her goal was to examine me and put me into a church category.
It is an impure heart that comes for a hidden purpose and secret motive ... rather than coming for a pure love of the truth of the word of God.
I Corinthians 3:1-4 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
Rather than learning things of God, such people want to put us in identification slots, such as: Baptist? Catholic? Pentecostal?
Their impure questions are asked for these reasons and not for learning about what God says in Bible.
They just want to know where we stand in the church spectrums.
This is perhaps the most dangerous persons of all for they divide the body of Christ with their questions and that is their purpose.
***
I can't follow God with joy and peace when I am around any of the church-type people who lie in wait as they are trying to catch me in error.
We must keep our hearts pure through prayer and forgiveness.
And when we see others who call themselves Christians and we see the impurities, to sustain joy in God again, we just come away and seek fellowship with others who are trying to follow God with pure hearts, simply rejoicing in God by HIS Spirit and by that which God chooses to show us.
***
There are many "unbelievers" in today's church groups.
Jesus told His disciples, in the last days, many would come saying "Jesus is Lord" and by that they would deceive many.
Matthew 24:3-5 And as HE (Jesus) sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto HIM privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of THY coming, and of the end of the world?
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
In the last days, many will come saying, "Jesus is Lord", and because they say that, they will deceive many.
If they came to us saying they, themselves were Lord, we would not listen to them. But because they come saying "Jesus is Lord" we will think them to be Christians and they will gain entrance to deceive many.
(I have certainly been taken in by individuals who said they were Christians only to see them depart when certain scriptures offended themselves.)
John says:
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
***
We will not save them but they can pull us away from those things God has told us if we allow them to do so.
I just can't "fellowship" in things of God with unbelievers who are inwardly trying to trap me.
Nor will I attend any church group when I think they are doing wrong against the Bible.
***
Though they say they are Christians, they do not believe the Bible when they reject portions of the Bible.
Though they say they are Christians, they do not believe the Bible when they reject portions of the Bible.
II Corinthians 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be MY people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean; and I will receive you.
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be MY sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
***
Through times of peace and times of spiritual warfare, the Holy Spirit rises up in me by the will of God to bring victory through the Word of God.
Several years ago, I was given the following dream.
There was a long row of baby bassinettes lined up in a room. I walked down the row and began looking at the babies. It was a terrible, shocking sight! These babies were horribly deformed. I got to the end of the row and there stood my favorite aunt. She was fully grown but she had very large spots and blemishes on her face.
I knew the deformed babies were church people who never grew in things of God because they refused to take proper nourishment. Therefore they become weak, sickly, and many die, eating only a very small portion of doctrine. And they become very twisted in their doctrine.
My aunt had been taken into heaven as I had also been. But before she died, she told me she knew things were wrong at the church ... but she stayed there anyway.
I could not have stayed with the wrong doers for I know it would have pulled me down too.
I once told my mother. "You can go down, but I won't go with you."
My mother straightened up.
*****
Some time after I was born again, I went to Clovis, New Mexico, USA, where I visited with my mother.
I went into the kitchen to get something and I noticed in her cabinet a set of Zodiac mugs, which I had given to her before I was born again.
I took a garbage bag and began putting the Zodiac mugs into the garbage bag without saying a word.
My mother saw what I was doing and she became agitated, and said to me, "What are you doing? You gave those to me. I want to keep them."
I
didn't say a word. I just kept loading the mugs into the garbage bag.
I went out the door. I went to the back alley where the garbage
dumpster was sitting. I broke the mugs and threw them into the garbage.
I returned to my mother's house.
The Holy Spirit called to my memory the following scripture. I took the Bible and read aloud this scripture to my mother.
Deuteronomy 18:9-13 When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.
My mother listened to me as I read those verses.
Then she said, "Well, then I guess we better not do that again."
My mother had always enjoyed horoscope books, which supposedly told the future.
When I was a child, my mother would often buy the monthly horoscope book at the news stand and read my horoscope to me.
When she heard God's view from Deuteronomy 18, she was apparently convicted by the Holy Spirit and agreed in her heart with the Word of God, and was saved.
I am convinced she was born again by the Holy Spirit at that exact moment that she heard the word of God and agreed with the spirit of God.
Which of us would ever think a person could be born again by the scriptures in Deuteronomy 18:9-12. But that is what I heard to speak and I believe it was the Holy Spirit reminding me of that scripture, so that is what I spoke.
God knows exactly what to do for each of us and exactly how to bring us to God, through Jesus, The Word.
Or if HE chooses, God knows how to offend a person and drive that person away from us.
The Holy Spirit uses that which God wants used.
All we have to do is speak that scripture or word.
The Holy Spirit does the will of God as we speak the scripture or concept that is called to our mind.
When we do that, some people are saved, while other people depart from us.
Either way, it does the will of God.
Isaiah 55:8-11 For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways, and MY thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall MY word be that goeth forth out of MY mouth: it shall not return unto ME void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Salvation
is of God through the Holy Spirit of God who convicts us of our sins
that we might believe the word of truth as it is given unto us by God to
believe.
*****
At
the time I was born again, I owned a business, American Indian Arts, in Dallas, Texas. I had
to go to the Indian reservations in New Mexico to purchase items for my business.
I was on a plane enroute to Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, when I heard these words from the Holy Spirit, "Be baptized."
Jeanne, my Church of Christ cousin, was meeting me at the plane.
I said to her, "Jeanne, if you can set it up today, I will be baptized."
Jeanne replied, "But you've already been baptized."
I replied, "But I was not born again until now."
It appeared to me that Jeanne had absolutely no idea what I was talking about, nor did she have any concept at all of the subject of being born again by the Spirit of God.
I did not try to explain this to Jeanne.
As we drove along the highway, enroute to the place where I was to purchase jewelry, I spoke freely of God, telling some of the things God had done for me.
Jeanne said to me, "Well, I believe you are a Christian. I just don't know how you can be one."
That afternoon, after I had purchased the jewelry and was ready to return by plane to Dallas, Jeanne had set it up at the Church of Christ for me to be baptized. About 15 of my relatives were there.
The young minister said to me, "Would you like to say anything?"
I replied, "Well, I guess so."
And I began speaking the things I heard from the Spirit of God, just speaking those things that came into my mind, for I believe that's the Spirit of God, in most cases.
I noticed that my uncle who was sitting in the congregation began crying. I noticed that one of my cousins was shaking her head up and down vigorously as I spoke. She could understand what I was saying.
As the minister lowered me into the water, I heard from the Holy Spirit. He said, "This is like being buried with Christ."
As I came out of the water, the Holy Spirit said, "This is like being raised with Christ."
I dressed and came back to the auditorium where my relatives were waiting for me.
My uncle came up to me with tears in his eyes. He said, "I have never heard anything like that which you said today. Could you write that out for me?"
I said, "Well yes, I guess I can." So when I got back to Dallas I did write it out and sent it to my uncle.
I think he was born again with that which I said by the Holy Spirit at that Church of Christ building that afternoon in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
When we follow the things brought to our mind by the Holy Spirit without pre-planning anything at all, I am convinced we do the work of God.
***
There was a woman in our little church group. I called her one afternoon to talk with her about something. She said, "My daughter and son are coming this afternoon to visit me. They will be here in about 30 minutes. I have made out a list of things that I want to say to my son."
(Neither her daughter nor her son were born again and the son had just separated from his second wife.)
I replied, "Don't do that! Just speak those things called to your mind by the Holy Spirit."
Later she told me not one of the things on her list which she had prepared were called to her mind by the Holy Spirit. Her list was all the work of her own flesh. Not only was the son spared, but she was spared.
We cannot plan ahead of time the things that we are going to say to someone else, for it very well might be us speaking and not the Spirit of God. The only thing we will do in such a case is cause unnecessary trouble to everyone.
What I do, is simply pray, "God please have me speak the things that YOU want spoken."
By faith I believe God does that for me, and HE will do that for you by faith if you believe.
God is the One who saves or removes the person from our life. We must speak the things given to us by the Spirit of God, meaning the things brought to our mind by the Spirit of God.
I Corinthians 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
(I know Paul is speaking here to married couples, but I find this also applies to dealings when one person is a believer and the other is an unbeliever. I think we still speak as we are led by the Holy Spirit and if that unbeliever departs don't try to appease him to get him to remain in your company.)
***
If you are in envy or strife, it might not be the Holy Spirit speaking. It will likely be devils speaking through you. So we must work to keep ourselves in peace with God through prayer. Otherwise we can do great harm by speaking that brought to our mind.
James 3:14-16 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
If we have "a bone to pick", we must first be healed and restored by God before we speak to that other person.
So we go to God in prayer, pouring out our heart before God, asking God to heal our hearts.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
*****
You
cannot speak from the Holy Spirit if you do not have the Holy Spirit, and
many religious people try to speak without having the Holy Spirit and
they speak their own minds and church doctrines which usually does harm to the other person.
It is only when you are sealed by the Holy Spirit after you believe God that you have the Holy Spirit.
And
if we have the Holy Spirit, I believe the Holy Spirit can be taken away
from us, if we refuse the Holy Spirit enough times and go in our own
way.
I know David was afraid that he could lose the
Holy Spirit, and he did have the Holy Spirit, although the Holy Spirit
was not yet given to everyone in the Old Covenant.
David prayed... Psalm 51:11 ... Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
*****
The joy of the Holy Spirit is peace with God and fellowship with those who keep pure hearts and follow God with sincerity of heart and with a pure mind.
I John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as HE is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ HIS Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Those of us who walk in the light of the Word, doing that Word that we have been shown by the Holy Spirit, have fellowship with others who also walk in the light of the Word.
And we go forth in the joy of the Lord.
Isaiah 55:12-13 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Also joy and peace are two of the fruits of the Holy Spirit of God.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
But I don't find it possible to go forth in joy and in peace when I am grieving over a person who says he is Christian when he rejects doctrine from Bible.
All I can do is come away from him to live in peace and joy.
Titus 3:9-11 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
II Peter 3:10-14 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to HIS promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.
The second Jesus returns for the church, I cannot be in peace and might not even be without spot and blameless, if I am trying to "visit" with disobedient church people.
Also joy and peace are two of the fruits of the Holy Spirit of God.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
But I don't find it possible to go forth in joy and in peace when I am grieving over a person who says he is Christian when he rejects doctrine from Bible.
All I can do is come away from him to live in peace and joy.
Titus 3:9-11 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
(Heretic is one who refuses to submit to the power of the scripture through the Holy Spirit and insists in explaining away the scripture.)
*****
The apostle Peter tells us how we must live and how we must keep ourselves continually.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to HIS promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.
The second Jesus returns for the church, I cannot be in peace and might not even be without spot and blameless, if I am trying to "visit" with disobedient church people.
So what will happen to me?
I might be left here to see the great tribulation for some of the elect of God will go through the great tribulation.
Matthew 24:21-22 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
***
***
Therefore we must do what we have to do to live in peace, without spot and blameless.
We can only do this by continually forgiving those who trespass against us, by correcting ourselves by the word through the Holy Spirit as needed, and by connecting to God through prayer continually as we live on this earth.
Luke 21:34-36 Jesus says: And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting (over indulgence), and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
*****