|
 How
to Receive
THE
BAPTISM
of
the
HOLY
SPIRIT
by: Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
"He
was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our
iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and with
His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)
THE
HOLY SPIRIT - The Holy Ghost & Fire
The
importance of the Holy Spirit and how to receive the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Ghost and Fire
"And
now ye know what withholdeth that he (Antichrist) might be
revealed in his time; And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom
the Lord shall consume with the breadth of His mouth and shall
destroy with the brightness of His coming. (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8)
PREFACE
The
purpose of this book is to announce to the Church and the world at
large, that the person of the Holy Spirit is very much alive and
in control.
Some
time ago, in a weekly religion column I was writing for the
"Edmonton Sun", I wrote: Pope John Paul II calls
himself the "Vicar of Jesus Christ." This is
impossible because Jesus Christ - the head of the Church -
appointed the Holy Spirit as His representative here, nearly 2000
years ago. I'm sorry John Paul, I didn't know the Holy
Spirit has taken early retirement."
THE
ANTICHRIST HAS NOT YET BEEN REVEALED
St.
Paul stated that the Antichrist has not yet been revealed because:
 The
antichrist has not yet been revealed because the stage is still
being set for the appearance of the antichrist.
The
Holy Spirit - Christ's representative - automatically bars the
antichrist from assuming power; so long as the church age lasts.
And
the Church, which is the 'Body of Christ' is too powerful for
Satan or the Antichrist to defeat, because we are blood washed and
baptized in God's Almighty Holy Spirit and have been given power
of Satan.
The
word 'let' in the King James Version is old English and means
'restrain'. The Holy Spirit, who now restrains the
Antichrist, will continue to restrain the Antichrist, until He
(the Holy Spirit) is taken out of the way.
When
He resurrects the 'dead in Christ', even as He raised Jesus from
the dead (Romans 8:11), we shall be 'taken up' and depart this
earth together with Him.
THE
HOLY SPIRIT - being omnipresent -
cannot leave this world, since He is God and everywhere present.
But the Holy Spirit will not function as He now does, since the
Church will then be in Heaven. After the parousia (Christ's
return), the Holy Spirit will do as He did prior to the Day of
Pentecost, and COME UPON people whom He desires to work through.
SALT
IS A PRESERVATIVE
Jesus
Christ stated, "Ye are the salt of the earth...' (Matthew
5:14) What did the Lord mean? The Church is
preserving the earth from corruption, because of our godly lives.
We are holding back evil, thus keeping the world from going
totally insane. We are also holding back God's holy judgment
from falling upon a wicked and corrupt world.
In
a like manner, God pledged to 'hold back judgment' upon Sodom and
Gomorrah, if there were a mere 10 righteous people there.
Another classic example is God 'postponing His judgment' upon
Ninevah for 490 yeas, because they repented at the preaching of
Prophet Jonah.
WHAT
DOES THE WORD RELIGION MEAN?
Religion
is taken from the words 're' and 'ligio', 'again hold back'
something. True religion holds back evil, wickedness, sin,
error, perversion, immorality, abortion and violence. True
religion keeps the devil 'at bay'. Religion can also mean to
'bind to' something.
As
Christians, we are bound to the cross of Jesus Christ. We
are love slaves (greek doulos) of Jesus Christ, bound to Him
eternally by the cords of love and devotion.
We
desperately need to make a re-commitment to serve the Lord Jesus
Christ with our whole being.
Rather
than assail the Church and 'men of God' who proclaim the truth,
'homosexual and abortion groups' should be thanking God for the
prayers and godly lives of born again Christians.
Gamblers,
drug addicts, drunks, adulterers and pornographers, should be
thanking God and Evangelical Churches for their faithfulness,
instead of 'dumping on us' their diatribes of hatred and
derision.'
Modernist,
compromising preachers and corrupt politicians should repent and
humble themselves, and give glory to God for His saving and
protecting grace, despite their sinful living. And the pagan
should receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Salt
is a preservative, and we, the Church - all those who are born
again by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit - are holding back
'The Man of Sin', the Antichrist.
Jesus
declared, "I
am the light of the world". (John 8: 1) Without
contradiction, Jesus is the Light of the world, yet He said: "Ye
are the light of the world.
A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works
and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
(Matthew 5: 14, 16)'=
Satan
is darkness personified, and cannot function in the light!
All that is necessary to drive away the darkness is to turn
on the light! That is why Satan - wise as he is - WILL
NOT COME DOWN to
this earth to reside in one man (the
Antichrist),
jeopardizing his entire end-time program, until the Blessed Holy
Spirit and the Church of the Living God are
gone.
WHY
IS THE HOLY SPIRIT & CHURCH OF LIVING
GOD GOING TO BE GONE?
Jesus
Christ gave His power and authority to His 12 apostles, 70
disciples, 120 in the Upper Room, and to His Church which consists
of all believers: "And
the seventy returned again with joy saying, Lord, even the devils
are subject unto us through Thy name."
He
answered: "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Behold I give unto you power (authority)
to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the
enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke
10:17-19)
If
Jesus told the truth - and we know He did - here is the scenario
which could easily happen if the Church were still here, when
Satan makes his last big move to rule the entire world: The fact
is that God has given us the power to cast out devils, therefore
Spirit filled believers could
bind the devil's ability, rendering him powerless to perform his
evil acts, since he would be encapsulated within the body
of a political leader 'the Antichrist'.
SATAN
WOULD NOT TAKE A CHANCE UNTIL
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GONE
SATAN
WOULD NOT CHANCE
such a move, until the Holy Spirit is out of the way! The 'parousia'
opens the door for Satan, the false prophet - who will miss the
rapture - and the Antichrist to make their move.
Satan,
who is the prince of the
power of the air, will then come from his sanctuary in
the air
- the atmosphere,
stratosphere and space - to make his temporary headquarters
on the earth! He is now called the 'prince of the power of the
air.' (Ephesians 2: 2)
What
will Satan, who is the 'Prince of the Power of the Air' do?
For
seven years Satan will terrorize, brutalize, brainwash and deceive
those who remain here after the 'harpazo' - the catching away of
His blood-washed, Spirit-filled Church. Satan will
permanently possess a political ruler who is called the Antichrist
in imitation of the infilling of Jesus the Son of God, by the Holy
Spirit.
GIFTS
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE NECESSARY
The
'Gifts of the Holy Spirit' are necessary for evangelism and
spiritual warfare, in the life of a vibrant and healthy Church.
There
is no substitute for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, in
His Body. The 'Gifts of the Holy Spirit' should be
'mandatory issue' for all 'soldiers of the cross'.
Without
the Holy Spirit's anointing, leading and supernatural wisdom, the
Church is adrift in a sea of uncertainty and prone to bareness and
discouragement. And even worse, the Church is adrift with
error and false teaching without the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
It
must offend our Lord, when Christians in general, and Ministers in
particular, show such disrespect that they ignore and marginalize
the Holy Spirit, and minimize his empowering spiritual gift.
It must offend our Lord as the Holy Spirit was given to the Church
by Christ himself.
The
Free Methodist 'Course of Study' states: "The Church cannot
accomplish its spiritual mission without the Gifts of the
Spirit". Dr. A.B. Simpson, founder of the 'Christian
and Missionary Alliance' wrote: "First Corinthians the
twelfth chapter is a pattern of for our present day
churches."
Billy
Graham wrote in his 'Bethelgram', 1981: "We have learnt much
about the power of the 'Holy Spirit'. You know, we have
looked a bit askance of our Pentecostal brethren because of their
emphasis on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.
I
wonder if one of the secrets of 'Pentecostalists' and the
Assemblies of God, cannot be learned by our mainstream churches
with the great emphasis on the Holy Spirit.
I
want to tell you that I believe that the time is come to give the
Holy Spirit His rightful place in our preaching, in our teaching
and in our churches: We need to go back and study what the Apostle
Paul meant when he said, 'Be filled with the Spirit'."
Dr.
A.W. Tozer stated: "It is a sad fact, but nevertheless true,
that were the Holy Spirit to be absent from our church services,
most of us would never recognize anything different."
Dr.
R.A. Torrey, in 'What the Bible Teaches', wrote: "The Baptism
with the Holy Spirit is an operation of the Holy Spirit that is
distinct from and subsequent and additional to His regenerating
work: An impartation of power, and the one who receives it
is fitted for service, not merely for the apostles, not merely for
those of the 'Apostolic Age', but for all that are afar off, every
believer, in every age of the Church's history.
One
of America's greatest soul sinners was D.L. Moody, who founded Moody
Tabernacle and won hundreds of thousands for Jesus Christ in
the USA and Great Britain.
D.L.
Moody stated: "I firmly believe that the moment our hearts
are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and self-seeking
and everything that is contrary to God's law,
the Holy Ghost will come and fill every corner of our hearts; but
if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and self-seeking
and pleasure and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of
God.
Moody
continued: "If God were to fill us as we are we would become
vain as peacocks. The
secret of the Holy Spirit coming in power to the believer is in
the individual's complete surrender to the Savior."
R.A.
Torrey,
a close associate of D.L
Moody, was stopped by a friend on his way to a convention, who
said: "I
see you are to speak on the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Tell the
people not to pray for the Holy Spirit."
Torrey replied: "I
shall certainly not tell them that, for Jesus said":
"How much more
shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask
Him." (Luke 11: 13)
G.H.C.
MacGregor writes: "God will fill us with His Spirit.
Upon the contrite, penitent, waiting, obedient soul there will
fall 'as there fell at Pentecost' the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Victory over sin, impossible before, will become possible.
Sin shall not have dominion over us, because He has cured it, and
in Him we are more than conquerors.
TO
RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT YOU NEED TO HAVE A
STRONG HUNGER FOR GOD
Our
greatest need is a deep longing and intense hunger and thirst
after God and His spiritual graces and gifts! Catherine
Booth, wife of the famous General of the Salvation Army, shares
her understanding of this crucial fact 'God never gives the gift
of the Holy Spirit to any human soul who has not come to that
point where he would sell all he had to obtain it."
Jonathan
Goforth,
one of the world's great missionaries, declared: "Nothing
can clothe with victorious might but the baptism of the Holy Ghost
and with fire, and no one can possess such a baptism, without
knowing it."
F.B.
Meyer wrote:
"The
Pentecostal
fullness, the enduement of power, the baptism of fire, are all
within our reach. Let us be inspired with a holy ambition to get
all that our God is willing to bestow."
England's
renowned Baptist preacher, C.H.
Spurgeon admonished his thousands
of parishioners: "Let us not be satisfied with the sip that
saves, but let us go onto the baptism which buries the flesh and
raises us in the likeness of the risen Lord:
Even the baptism into the Holy Ghost and into fire which makes us
spiritual and sets us all on flame with zeal for the glory of God."
Dutch
Reformed Theologian Andrew
Murray exhorted: "Brother,
what we need is to pray in the name of Christ, to ask that we may
receive that our joy may be full for the BAPTISM
OF THE HOLY GHOST."
Noted
Bible scholar A.J. Gordon,
insisted that the 'Baptism of the Holy Spirit' is a definite
experience, subsequent to conversion: "It
seems clear from the Scriptures that it is still the duty and
privilege of believers to receive the Holy Spirit by a conscious,
definite act of appropriating faith, just as they received Jesus
Christ."
Scottish
Evangelist John MacNeil,
once remarked: "Full
salvation consists in receiving the promise of the Spirit in
addition to being justified."
The
renowned Baptist preacher, Vance
Havner noted: "There is something lacking among Bible
Christians today. If you are aware of it, I need not describe it:
if you are not aware of it, you would not understand it if I did
describe it. You may call
it the 'filling of the Spirit', full surrender, consecration, the
victorious life, revival. Whatever it is, most of us haven't
it."
WHY
THE LACK OF SPIRITUAL POWER? IT WAS AS IF SATAN HAD BLINDED
THE EYES OF 'CHURCH LEADERS' TO RENDER THE CHURCH
INEFFECTIVE
I
was well aware of God's healing power - because of my mother's
dramatic healing in Norway
, even though I was
raised in the Evangelical
Lutheran Church. I was unaware, however, of the
Pentecostal experience of Martin Luther, the great reformer and
founder of our church.
That
I learned later, as I discerned 'the lack of spiritual power' in most
churches and the almost non - existence of the Holy Spirit's
presence in divine worship services! It was as though Satan had
blinded the eyes of 'Church leaders' through an invisible, yet
real, unholy conspiracy to render the Church ineffective.
And
Satan was doing a good job, as our nation was plunging into modernism,
materialism and the post Christian era.
Churches were emptying through wholesale backsliding and
apostasy, due to a dearth in the area of prayer, witnessing, soul
winning and missions.
The
very heart of the Church was becoming terminally ill, and the
greatest battles being fought were not against Satan, sin, and
evil, but against the very Word of God - the Holy Bible and the
doctrines of the Church.
And
the bulk of this diabolical evil was coming from within the
Church. Schools of Theology were on a campaign to
brainwash thousands of impressionable and earnest young men and
women with Satan's
poison, against the veracity of the Bible and the authority of
Jesus Christ! A fifth
column, if you please, was hijacking through so-called higher
criticism - Christian
Seminaries, Bible Colleges and Churches,
for their own sinister, sensual and humanistic purposes.
I
came to the conclusion, that two wrong things had been committed:
First, Church leaders had usurped the power and authority that
belonged to the HOLY SPIRIT. Church leaders had taken this
power and authority that belonged to the Holy Spirit and placed it
into human hands.
They
had rejected the authority of the Holy Spirit as the ONLY
true representative of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church
(Ephesians 5: 23; Colossians 1:18)
Secondly,
The Church leaders had rejected the Word of God, which the Holy
Spirit Himself had anointed.
Jesus
Christ, Who is the head of the Church, (Ephesians 4:15) sent the
Blessed Holy Spirit to teach, lead, guide, correct, encourage and
work with the very Word of God and through His Church (John
14,15,16; 1 Corinthians 12: 1,7,28,31; 14: 1) And unfortunately,
there has been deep
disloyalty to and infraction
against Him by a large segment of Church leadership,
world-wide.
PROBING
THE HISTORICAL RECORD
In
his Pentecostal message, St. Peter stated unequivocally:
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to
your children, and to all that are far off, even as many as the
Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:38,39)
THEOPHILUS,
writing
circa 170 A.D. states that the word 'Christian'
comes from the Greek word for oil (chrism)
which means 'anointed
one'. The
reason for that, was because Christ's followers were
anointed with the Holy Spirit, he declared.
TERTULLIAN,
who lived in the second century, wrote: "The
Baptized, when they came up out of the bath,
are anointed with the holy oil, and then the hand is laid upon
them with the invocation of the Holy Spirit." Again
he notes: "In baptism
we do not receive the Holy Ghost, but being cleansed we are
disposed for the Holy Spirit under the hand of the minister."
This
chain-of-events is similar to that practiced by the
Early
Church. After
the great revival conducted by Phillip in Samaria - where
multitudes were saved and baptized in water - and many were
miraculously healed and delivered from demon powers, Peter and
John were sent to lay their hands on them so that they might
receive the Holy Ghost.
Peter
and John prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost
(for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
"Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the
Holy Ghost." (Acts 8:4)
URBAN
the First,
one of the earliest bishops of Rome, circa 225 A.D. stated: "All
faithful people ought to receive the Holy Spirit by imposition of
the bishop's hands after baptism."
CYPRIAN,
writing at about the
same time, reported on how Church officials prayed for new
converts after their baptism in water, to be filled with the Holy
Spirit: "The faithful in Samaria had already obtained
baptism; only that which
was wanting, Peter and John supplied, by prayer and imposition of
hands, to the end the Holy Ghost might be outpoured upon them.
He
notes: "Which (the Holy Spirit) also is amongst ourselves,
when they which be already baptized are brought to the rulers of
the church to obtain by our prayer and imposition of hands the
Holy Ghost."
EUSUBIOUS,
an Early Church historian from the third
century records an incident of one NOVATIUS,
who was baptized while he
was ill, but did not receive prayer to receive the Holy Ghost. On
this account writes Eusebius, Novatius was censured by the Bishop
of Rome.
HOLY
GHOST BAPTISM: GOD'S SEAL ON BELIEVERS
PACIANUS,
who died in
390 A.D. recorded these words:
"In baptism our sins
are cleansed, in confirmation the Spirit is poured upon us."
GREGORY,
in circa 370 A.D. wrote thusly concerning the 'laying
on of hands': "We
therefore call it a seal or signature, as being a guard and
custody to us, and a sign of the Lord's dominion over us."
RAVANUS
MAURUS, as
late as 800 A.D. wrote
about the anointing service to receive the Holy Spirit: "In
baptism the baptized was anointed on the top of the head,
in confirmation on the forehead; by that was signified that the
Holy Ghost was preparing a habitation for Himself."
ST.
PAUL wrote: "In Whom (Christ) 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."
(Ephesians 1: 13, 14)
The
Bible teaches three things:
First, when a sinner receives the 'word of truth' and believes
the gospel message of God's great salvation, the blood of Jesus
Christ immediately cleanses that soul and makes him ready for
Heaven! He is born again and a new creation in Christ Jesus! (John
3: 3, 7; 1 Corinthians 5:17)
Second,
when that new convert in Christ reaches out by faith and has hands
laid upon him or is anointed with oil in Jesus' name, our
Lord Himself will baptize that person in the Holy Ghost and fire!
(Luke 3: 16)
Third,
every believer that is filled with the Blessed Holy Spirit is
SEALED by God, UNTIL
the day He calls us Home to Himself. The Blessed Holy Spirit
guarantees our salvation! He personally is the guarantor of our
salvation! The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is the earnest
(DOWN PAYMENT) of
our inheritance
in Glory, paid for by
Christ Jesus! It is just a taste of what Heaven will be like; a
little bit of Heaven to go to Heaven in.
St.
Paul declares: "ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of
promise until the
redemption of the purchased possession." What is he
talking about? What or who is the purchased possession? Hang on to
your seatbelts WE ARE THE PURCHASED POSSESSION.
"What
know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which
is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own For
ye are bought with a price."(1 Corinthians 6: 19, 20);
"Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of
men."(1 Corinthains 7: 23);
"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. "(Acts 20:28)
SATAN
STEALS THE WORD
Jesus
said: "Hearken; Behold a sower went out to sow: And it
came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and the fowls
of the air came and devoured it up. And some
fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately
it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
But
when the sun was up, it was scorched: and because it had no root,
it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns
grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on
good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and
brought forth, some thirty,
and some sixty, and
some an hundred."
(Mark 4: 3-8).
In
this parable, Jesus made it plain that when the Word of God is
sown, immediately the devil comes to steal the Word. (verse 15)
Our Lord stated that Satan came to 'steal, kill and destroy'.
(John 10:10)
The
seed that was sown on STONY
GROUND speaks
of those "who have heard the Word, immediately receive it
with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but
for a time: afterward when affliction or persecution ariseth for
the Word's sake, immediately they are offended." (verse
18,19)
The
seed sown AMONG
THORNS refers
to: "such
as hear the Word, and the cares of this world, And the
deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering
in, choke the Word, and it becometh unfruitful." (verse
18,19)
And
finally, the seed that fell on GOOD
GROUND are:
"such as hear the Word, and receive it, and bring forth
fruit, some thirty fold, some sixty, and some an hundred."
(verse 20)
JESUS
DOESN'T RECOGNIZE those who receive the Word with gladness, but
fall away or those who hear the Word and become unfruitful because
of the cares, pleasures and lusts of this world, as GENUINE
BELIEVER.
Interestingly,
our Lord also separates believers such
as hear the Word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit - into
three groups: some thirty fold, some sixty and some an hundred.
Jesus
is adamant that we bring forth fruit. There is no excuse why we
should not do so! JESUS
DESIRES FRUIT in His followers! He stated: "I am the true
vine, and My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in Me that
beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth
fruit, He PURGETH
it,
that it may bring forth more fruit."
"Abide
in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in
Me. I
am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in
him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do
nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a
branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into
the fire, and they are burned." (John 15: 1-6)
JESUS
PLACES BELIEVERS IN THREE CATEGORIES:
30% - 60% & 100%
Jesus
places believers in three categories: thirty percent, sixty
percent and one hundred percent! The famous American Evangelist,
D.L. Moody said: "The FIRST CLASS, are those who got to
Calvary and there got life. They believed on the Son and were
saved, and there they rested satisfied. They
did not seek anything higher. You
might safely say, I think, without exaggeration, that 19 out of 20
Christians' have just got life and have settled down, and have
not sought for power."
The
SECOND
CLASS, Moody calls, a better class of
Christian ' asserting' the secret of the Holy Spirit's
coming in power to the believer is the individual's complete
surrender to the Saviour. And we do not need to wait upon God to
do something for us. He is waiting for us to yield ourselves to
Him. Moody points to John 7: 37,38, where we read: "out
of whose belly (innermost being) shall flow rivers of living
water." He says: "This
is the BEST CLASS;
this
is the kind of Christian we ought to be."
A
number of years ago, Rev.
Ray Brubaker of
'Good News Behind The News', wrote the article, 'God's
Message to This Generation', in which he gave his personal
testimony of being miraculously healed and filled with the Holy
Spirit! He quotes great preachers- many of whom I have referred to
in this book - who have been used of God, because they were
empowered through the infilling of the Blessed Holy Spirit.
PENTECOST:
ONLY A SPECIMEN DAY
He
says: "As Moody stated, 'Pentecost was only a specimen day'.
Moody calls attention to the fact that for thirty years our Lord
lived in obscurity in Nazareth. Then, there came a day when
we read where Jesus was 'full of the Holy Ghost'."
Coming back to Nazareth after His victorious encounter over Satan,
in the wilderness we read where He entered the temple and read
from Isaiah "the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me."
From thence, 'for three years we find Him preaching the kingdom of
God, casting out devils and raising the dead'.
MOODY
concludes: "If the Son of God has got to be anointed, do not
His disciples need it, and shall we not seek it, and shall we
barely rest with conversion".
When
there were those who took exception to Moody's reference to
receiving the Holy Spirit, or his messages on the Baptism of the
Spirit, TORREY relates how Moody would reply: "Why will they
split hairs? Why don't they see that this is just the one
thing that they themselves need?"
GOOD
POINT MOODY! We
will follow your advice, as well as that of other great leaders of
the Church! In a German Church history, Sauer's 'History of the
Christian Church', vol. 3, page 406 we read: "Doctor Martin
Luther was a prophet, evangelist, speaker in tongues, interpreter,
and in one person, endowed with all the gifts of the Spirit."
In
Luther's Works, concerning prophecy, he says, "If you wish to
prophesy, do it in such a way that it does not go beyond faith so
that your prophesying can be in harmony with the peculiar quality
of faith". He goes on to write that "one may
prophesy new things but not things that go beyond the bounds of
faith". (Oswald nd. 25: 444-451)
Martin
Luther was a great man of faith and used greatly in the healing
ministry of our Lord! In 'Luther: Letters of Spiritual
Counsel', we read the personal letter of Martin Luther.
Luther's
detractors asked the great reformer: "Where will you be when
the whole world is against you, the Pope, the Emperor, the Nobles,
the Bishops, the people? Where will you be then, Martin
Luther?"
The
Reformer smiled and answered: "Then, as now, I will be in the
hands of God!" He was a great power for God during the
dark days of the Middle Ages! I never fully understood how
one man - standing alone - could change the course of the world by
standing up to a corrupt, evil and perverted religion system that
was pretending to be the Body of Christ on earth.
One
day I read where Luther stated: "I live as though Jesus
Christ died yesterday, arose today and is coming again
tomorrow!" Then, I understood his heart. He was
sold out to God and loved only to do His will. He feared
neither the 'Bloody old Vatican Wolf' or the Emperor of Rome!
He was radical in his prayers to God and in his declaration of the
Gospel, and spoke directly from his heart.
I
learned what Luther's Philosophy of Ministry' really was when he
said: "I live as though Jesus Christ died yesterday, rose
today and is coming again tomorrow!"
The
Gospel of Christ was a reality in his life! He believed in
and communicated with the RISEN CHRIST, instead of groveling
around in the dust of history, with higher critics who were stuck
on 'The Historical Jesus' aspect of theology! He didn't
suffer fools gladly and he didn't play Church. He lived the
Gospel every day, like St. Paul who stated: "For me to live
is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)
"Come
unto ME, all ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you
rest." (Matthew 11:28)
 The
Life Changing
POWER
OF PRAYER
by: Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
The
eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and His ears are open
unto their prayers but the face of the Lord is against them that
do evil." (1
Peter 3:12)
Jesus
said, "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the
heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much
speaking." (Matthew 6:7)
THE
AWESOME POWER OF PRAYER
"Watch
and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:41)
I
have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming
conviction that I had nowhere else to go." - Abraham
Lincoln
WHY
IS PRAYER SO IMPORTANT?
Prayer
is the natural outcry from the heart of a human being to his Maker
in response to the tug of the Word of God, implanted within the
conscience.
That
tug is even stronger in the heart of one who has had a visitation
of the Holy Spirit's convicting presence or has heard the gospel
message! The Holy Spirit's call to prayer becomes as natural
and desirous as the call for food at mealtime!
"Ask
and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it
shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and
he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocked it shall be
opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)
PRAYER
IS OUR INNER MAN CRYING OUT FOR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
Prayer
is our inner man crying out for help, fellowship and spiritual
nourishment! It is born out of our need and the assurance that God
is there to meet that need and answer our prayer.
PRAYER
IS COMMUNING WITH THE LORD
Prayer
is talking, listening and communing with our Maker as we enter
into the very presence of Almighty God.
It is
intimate fellowship on a "one-to-one basis" with God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
WHEN
WE PRAY, OUR TOTAL MIND, BODY & SPIRIT BECOMES INVOLVED
Our
spirit cries out in response to our needs and those of others, as
God plays on our heart strings, encouraging us to share those
burdens with Him.
Our
minds stagger under the weight of sin, fear, worry and care and
our spirits soar both to heights unknown as well as plumb to
incomprehensible depths.
We
groan in the spirit of intercession or exult in the joy of God,
knowing that He is taking control of the situation! And that by
our compassion, care and faith people in need are being convicted,
strengthened, healed and blessed.
As
we weep in travail our eyes redden, our physical strength is taxed
and our body becomes weary! Then the Holy Spirit takes over and
intercedes through us with groanings that cannot be uttered, and
we enter into a new realm as we pray in the Spirit (unknown
tongues), as St. Paul did. (1 Corinthians 14:15)
The
Divine Paraclete (the Comforter - the One sent alongside to help)
helps us as we do not know how we ought to pray. But He comes to
our rescue and prays through us to the Father.
The
entire Trinity is involved in our fellowship, as we pray to God
our Father in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
PRAYER
LINKS US TO ALMIGHTY GOD
Prayer
is mankind's most vital link with Almighty LORD God. It is, in
fact, entering into His very presence with our requests, petitions
and thanksgiving.
The
scripture says, He is closer than our hands or feet. It is
therefore, not difficult to draw upon His power by reaching out in
prayer and touching Him.
WHEN
WE PRAY, GOD NOT ONLY LISTENS TO US, BUT GOD SPEAKS TO OUR
SPIRITS
When
we pray, God not only listens but speaks to our spirits and
answers our requests in His own way, according to His divine and
gracious will.
The
woman with the "issue of blood" touched Him with her
faith and received an instant miracle. Jesus turned about in the
crowd and asked specifically, "Who touched My clothes"?
Many
rubbed shoulders with Him, but one person touched Him by faith.
She had said within herself, "If I but touch His garment, I
shall be whole." She was made whole, and Jesus declared that
her faith had gotten the job done! (Matthew 9:21)
God's
Word says: "And it shall come to pass that, before they
call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will
hear." (Isaiah 65:24).
'Prayer
is talking, listening and communing with God as we enter into the
very presence of the Almighty!'
The
20th Century Bible renders the account this way: Jesus said,
"Someone has touched Me". And they said, "Master,
the multitudes press Thee and crush Thee". But He answered,
"No, someone has made a demand upon My ability".
When
we believe and reach out for a miracle, we make a demand upon His
ability and draw from His great storehouse of blessing, that which
we desire! Another
beautiful aspect, is that the woman received the miracle without
Jesus knowing she had a need. The miracle was already accomplished
before Jesus was aware of it.
PRAYER
CAN COMPLETELY CHANGE YOUR
LIFE AND OTHER'S LIVES
The
Psalmist prayed: "Let the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my
Strength and my Redeemer. Thou hast heard the desire of the
humble." (Psalms 19:14; Psalms 10:17)'
PRAYER
NOT ONLY CHANGES THINGS; IT CHANGES LIVES
The
easiest way for me to illustrate God's provision for us, is to
compare it to a buffet banquet. Many tables, loaded with the best
foods sits in the middle of the room and guests help themselves at
will. The host simply walks among his friends to see if everyone
is getting enough to eat, while the servers keep loading the
tables with fresh supplies.
The
host is not really concerned whether you make one or three trips
to the tables, so long as you get enough to eat. He doesn't watch
to see if you take one leg of chicken or two.
AS
BELIEVERS, WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US: FORGIVENESS, HEALING,
BLESSING & PROSPERITY
Forgiveness,
healing, blessing and prosperity are all provided for us. We can
have all we need! All we have to do, is reach out by faith and
make a demand on His ability, by receiving.
Automatically,
when we tap into His resources by faith in His finished work on
Golgotha, the miracle happens.
PRAYER
CHANGE THINGS FOR THE BETTER
Prayer
changes things! Many situations have been altered, lives changed
and priorities rearranged by spending time in prayer.
Why
is this? God answers prayer! God performs miracles! He is real,
and communion with Him is a glorious reality! God does answer
prayer.
Through
prayer and communion with God we can affect the course of this
world and change the complexion of society.
Not
only does prayer change things but it changes people
- the lives of the ones prayed for as well as the persons praying.
Thousands of answers to prayer are recorded regularly in the books
of heaven, as well as in the remembrances of committed Christians.
Miracles
of salvation, healing, preservation, deliverance and prosperity
are common occurrences for those who really believe God's Word and
appropriate His promises for themselves.
PRAYER
CAN CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE AND GIVE
YOU A NEW OUTLOOK ON LIFE
A
person gets a totally new outlook on life when he spends time in
God's presence. His priorities change as well as his desires and
goals in life. And his disposition becomes kinder and more caring.
The
hymn writer penned these words which have blessed millions down
through the years.
"Sweet
hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer
That calls me from a world of care
And sets me at my Father’s throne,
Makes all my wants and wishes known.
In
seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare,
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer."
THE
TWIN PILLARS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH ARE REPENTANCE & FAITH
St.
Paul makes it very clear as to what the twin pillars of the
Christian Church are. The twin pillars of the Christian
Church are REPENTANCE and FAITH. St. Paul makes that very plain:
"Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks,
repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus
Christ." (Acts 20:21)
Writing
to new converts he said: "For by grace (God's unmerited
favor) are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it
is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast".
(Ephesians 2:8-9)
YOU
MUST HAVE FAITH TO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST AND TO RECEIVE HIM
To
believe in Jesus Christ and receive Him into your life is to have
faith! Faith is a fact but faith is also an act, because faith
requires corresponding action.
The
Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
When
you have faith in God, you will believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ
and dedicate your life in His service! Real faith transforms a
person's lifestyle, because faith in God works miracles in people.
"Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2
Corinthians 5:17)
HOW
DO WE RECEIVE FAITH?
According
to the Holy Scriptures, God has given each one of us faith to
believe in Jesus Christ, His Son and be saved: "...think
soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of
faith." (Romans 12:3)
He
has placed His Word within our conscience and our spirit which
came from God! (Romans 7:22-25)
THE
BIBLE WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD CREATES FAITH
The
Word of God also creates faith! "So then faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans
10:17) God has called us to a life of faith and worship, through
Jesus Christ His Son.
The
Bible says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen. But without faith it is
impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe
that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek
Him." (Hebrews 11:1,6)
WHAT
IS FAITH ? FAITH IS 3 VITAL THINGS:
1)
Coming to God with our needs.
2) Believing that God exists and that He is Who the Bible says He
is.
3) Expecting a miracle (an answer) when you pray
Faith
is also a gift as well as a fruit of the Holy Spirit! "To
another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing
by the same Spirit;" (1 Corinthians 12:9)
THE
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING,
GENTLENESS, GOODNESS & FAITH
"But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith," (Galatians 5:22)
GOD
CALLS US TO SEPARATION
What
does it mean when you say, "God calls us to separation"?
When
we accept Jesus Christ as our LORD, to serve and live for Him, the
LORD God sets us apart from non-believers through the divine
process of redemption and the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
But
God requires that we must separate ourselves totally and
completely unto Him, in order that His miraculous provisions will
work within us.
Jesus
calls us to righteous, holy and pure living! The Bible says,
"But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in
all manner of conduct." (1 Peter 1:15)
WHAT
IS SANCTIFICATION?
Sanctification
is the process by which believers are set apart for God and His
service, to be made holy and purified from sin by His gifts and
graces and our determined will to do that which is right.
We
cannot do this in our own power. The Scripture says, "But of
Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness and sanctification, and redemption." (1
Corinthians 1:30)
St.
Paul admonished, "For this is the will of God, even your
sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That
every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in
sanctification and honor."
"For
God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness."
(1 Thessalonians 4:3, 4, 7)
GOD
DESIRES HIS PEOPLE TO LEAD PURE, WHOLESOME LIVES -
COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM EVIL
The
Bible clearly states that God desire His people to lead pure,
wholesome lives - not like the pagan. We must be separated
from evil completely. We must be separated from the evil
practices of lying, witchcraft, hatred, gambling, idolatry, sodomy
and adultery. The Bible which is the Word of God teaches
purity of though, word and deed.
WHEREFORE
COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, AND BE YE SEPARATE, SAITH THE LORD
St.
Paul declared, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye
separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I
will receive you." (2 Corinthians 6:17)
GOD
PROMISES TO BE OUR FATHER, IF WE BELIEVE HIS WORD AND LIVE BY IT
In
His dealings with Israel ~ the Children of Israel, He demanded
that they separate themselves from idols and the pagan practices
of the heathen!
"But
I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they
sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye
should have fellowship with devils." (1 Corinthians
10:20-21)
As
Christians, we are followers of Jesus Christ and must not try to
drag Him down to the filth in which the ungodly live, but allow
Him to lift us to the place of purity and wholeness which He
exemplifies.
JESUS
CHRIST SAVES US FROM SINS - NOT TO LIVE IN OUR SINS
The
Bible says, "If a man therefore purge himself from these
(carnal, sinful & dishonorable pursuits) he shall be a vessel
unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and
prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but
follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call
on the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Timothy
2:21-22)
Again
God's Word states, "Having therefore these promises, dearly
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh
and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (2
Corinthians 7:1)
THE
CALL TO DEDICATION
The
word dedicate means to "set apart and consecrate to a divine
being. To give wholly or earnestly to a patron, friend or
purpose." It
is in this sense I now use this word. We should be willing to give
ourselves wholly and earnestly unto the cause of righteousness,
loving God and our fellowman!
THE
BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT IF WE DO CERTAIN THINGS, GOD WILL BLESS
AND PROSPER US
The
Bible does not compromise. It is clear in its teachings that if we
do certain things, God will bless and prosper us! And if we do
not, there will be no blessing.
Here
is His clarion call to dedication:
"And
be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)
This
stern admonition was sent to former pagans, who had converted to
Christ. St. Paul demanded that they break from evil, lustful and
perverted deeds and live in purity as Christians!
There
is no such thing as a Christian thief, a Christian liar, a
Christian drunkard, a Christian drug addict, a Christian
homosexual or a Christian fornicator.
When
Christ comes into our hearts, the Holy Spirit does a work in us
whereby we are liberated from the lusts and perversions of this
wicked old world.
He
admonishes Timothy and all of us: "but thou, O man of God,
flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith,
lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast
professed a good profession before many witnesses."
"I
give thee charge in the sight of God, Who quickeneth all things,
and before Christ Jesus, Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a
good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot,
unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:"
(1 Timothy 6:11-14)
It
is certainly a slap in our face, when Muslims and other
non-Christians reject Christianity because of the lewd way in
which our so-called Christian society conducts itself.
I
hasten to say that the rock and roll music, loose living,
pornography, abortion, alcoholism and perversion, which is so
prevalent in our society, is in no way Christian! On the contrary,
it is anathema!
It
is sad to hear Muslim leaders saying that they do not want their
people contaminated with "the abominable practices of sodomy,
pornography, drug abuse, obscene rock & roll music and
alcoholism, which are rife in Western Christian culture!"
GOD
CALLS US TO ABSTAIN FROM ALL APPEARANCES OF EVIL
The
Bible says, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and
pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul:
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas
they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good works,
which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of
visitation." (1 Peter 2:11-12)
We
are instructed, "Abstain from all appearance of evil."
(1 Thessalonians 5:22)
MAY
JESUS CHRIST ALWAYS BE OUR EXAMPLE, HE WAS PERFECT IN ALL
RESPECTS
May
Jesus Christ always be our example. He was perfect in all respects
- SINLESS in deity and humanity - yet was obedient to the cross,
suffering for our sin and shame, so that He could save us and
bring us to God!
The
Bible says, "Looking unto JESUS the author and finisher of
our faith; Who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of
the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)
Jesus,
"...being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon
Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross".
(Philippians 2:6-8)
St.
Paul was totally dedicated: "I am debtor both to the Greeks,
and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as
much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are
at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it
is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to
the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:14-16)
THE
CALL TO CONSECRATION
Consecration
is the act of obedience, when we privately and publicly make a
statement that we have given ourselves in dedication for God's
service!
In
like manner, as we consecrate a church building or musical
instruments to Go''s service, so we consecrate our bodies, talents
and riches unto the cause of Christ and His Church!
CHRIST
IS CALLING US TO CONSECRATE OURSELVES TO RIGHTEOUS LIVING AND
EVANGELISM
Christ
is calling us to give ourselves wholeheartedly to His cause. To
CONSECRATE OURSELVES unto a life of righteous living and
evangelism! He
is looking for those who will be totally committed to His gospel,
so that His light may shine in this ungodly world.
The
Bible says, "...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin
which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the
race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)
What
does that mean to the liar, thief, adulterer, homosexual or
gambler? Pure and simple - STOP DOING THOSE THINGS AND BEGIN
LIVING PURE LIVES.
Jesus
said, "Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up the cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his
life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake
and the gospel's, the same shall save it." (Mark
8:35-36)
OUR
LORD REQUIRES A FULL COMMITMENT FROM US
Our
Lord requires a full commitment and consecration from us, for Him
to trust us with His authority, gifts and power! He does not want
to be the "fifth wheel" of our existence or a
"fire-insurance policy" kept in a safety deposit box.
GOD
MUST COME FIRST IN OUR LIVES
He
must take center stage in our lives so that our lifestyle will be
pleasing in His sight, and effective in our relationship to
others!
Jesus,
Who is our grand example, "set His face" to go to
Jerusalem where He knew He would die upon a rugged cross and
become "a curse for us", in order to purchase our
salvation! (Galatians 3:13)
St.
Paul said, "What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For
I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for
the Name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 21:13)
Again
he stated, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of
my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy
4:6,7)
The
great apostle was totally dedicated to Jesus Christ. His life was
consecrated to His Gospel!
Martin
Luther emphasized: "I live as though Jesus Christ was
crucified yesterday, arose today & is coming again
tomorrow."
The
great leader of the Protestant Reformation was consumed with the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that is why God used him so mightily
to bring back the simplicity, truth, purity & power of
Christ's Gospel to a corrupt, idolatrous and backslidden Church!
This
is the commendation given by the leaders of the Primitive Church
regarding the preachers they sent out: "These are men that
have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ." (Acts 15:26)
WE
CAN CONSECRATE OURSELVES TO GO BY LIVING A 'DISCIPLINE
CHRISTIAN LIFE'
A
proper way to consecrate ourselves to God is through a
'Disciplined Christian Life'! Fasting & prayer is a good way
to humble ourselves before God and to become consecrated wholly to
God and His Kingdom!
GOD
CALLS US TO SERVICE
Jesus
declared, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to
every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark
16:15)
The
paramount duty of the Christian is to communicate the gospel to
our fellowmen by our chaste lifestyles, honesty, compassion and
wholesome outlook. We
are "saved to serve"!
JESUS
SAID, "THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY
HEART"
Jesus
said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first
and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all
the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40)
The
only road to true happiness is going God's way, walking the Gospel
road, by loving God and loving our neighbors as ourselves!
Let
us always follow the Golden Rule:
"Do
unto others as you would have them do unto you." (Luke
6:31)
TRUE
BELIEVERS OF CHRIST ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL, EMOTIONAL
& PHYSICAL NEEDS OF OTHERS
Born
again Christians automatically seek the "high road of
life" after an encounter with 'Jesus Christ'. We are
concerned about the needs of others, spiritual, emotional and
physical, because our lives have been changed: "Therefore if
any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new." (2
Corinthians 5:17)
Angelic
beings brought the message of Christ's victory to the disciples,
at the empty tomb on that first resurrection morning. They said,
"Come and see the place where our Lord lay, and go and tell
His disciples..." (Matthew 28:6, 7)
It
is incumbent upon all Christians to experience God's blessings
through Christ, and then to "go and tell" others the
good news that there is hope for our nation and our world!
AND
THAT HOPE LIES ONLY IN THE PROCLAMATION AND RECEPTION OF THE
GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!
The
Bible says, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached
in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall
the end come." (Matthew 24:14)
WE
ARE TO BE THE HANDS AND FEET OF CHRIST OUR LORD
Christ
has no hands but our hands, to do His work of preaching and
spreading His Gospel to the ends of the earth. Let us be about our
Father's business!
Christ
is calling us all to communicate, share, spread, dispense,
articulate and live His Gospel before this wicked world, so that
many more will be saved before it is too late.
This
also includes paying our tithes and giving offerings to God's
work. Let us remember the words of our Lord Jesus: "It is
more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35)
GOD'S
WORD SAYS, "GIVE, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO YOU"
He
also stated: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good
measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over,
shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye
mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke
6:38)
Sir
Winston Churchill said, "We make a living by what we get, but
we make a life by what we give". My question to us all is:
Are we doing our share to spread the Gospel through our giving?
Or
are we guilty of spending too much time & money pampering
ourselves when multitudes are going to a 'Christless Eternity'
because NO ONE HAS SHARED THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST WITH THEM?
William
Penn stated: "If there is any kindness I can show, or any
good thing I can do to my fellow human being, let me do it now,
and not deter nor neglect it. I shall not pass this way
again."
Francis
of Assisi said, "Preach the gospel everyday and if you must -
use words...It is in giving oneself, one receives; it is in
forgetting oneself, that one is found; it is in pardoning, that
one obtains pardon". He taught his students that there is no
point in, "walking somewhere to preach, unless you can preach
while you are walking"!
SEEK
YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Jesus
said, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
(Matthew 6:33)
The
Bible instructs: "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:
and be ready always to give an answer to every d man that asketh
you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness an
fear:" (1 Peter 3:15)
"Charge
them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded,
nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, Who giveth
us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be
rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the
time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." (1
Timothy 6:17-19)
God
loves you, my friend. He has purchased your total salvation
through the death of His Son Jesus Christ Who paid for our sins
with His pure and perfect blood!
The
Bible declares that He not only died for our sins on the cross,
but arose from the dead for our justification! (Romans 4:25)
Here
is our Lord’s invitation to you: "Come unto Me, all ye that
labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
(Matthew 11:28)
 WHAT MUST
I DO TO
BE SAVED?
Jesus
said, "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
Yes,
my dear friend, God is still in the business of setting men and
women free from their sins, sorrows, heartbreaks, fears and
troubles. In this age of frustrations, nervous tensions and
mental collapses, Jesus Christ is still granting peace to the
troubled, joy to the discouraged, strength to the weary and
healing to the sick!
1
- You must admit that you are a sinner
The
Bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God”. (Rom. 3:23) “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the
iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)
2
- You must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
You
MUST believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that Jesus died
on the cross, was buried and rose again from the dead.
“That
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal
life. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: buot he that
believeth not is condemned already.” (John 3:15,18) “Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on
Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)
 3
- You must repent of your sins
The
Bible says, “…except ye repent, ye shall all likewise
perish.” (Luke 13:3) “Let the wicked forsake his way and the
unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord,
and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will
abundantly pardon”. (Isaiah 55:7)
4
- You must receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour
The
Bible says: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16)
“Behold,
I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open
the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he
with Me.” (Rev. 3:20) “He that hath the Son hath life: and he
that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5:12)
5
- You must confess Jesus Christ as your Lord
The
Bible says: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is
made unto salvation”. (Romans 10:9-10)
“…Whosoever
shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of man confess
before the angels of God: But he that denieth Me before men shall
be denied before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:8, 9)
HOW
DO I INVITE
JESUS CHRIST INTO MY LIFE?
Pray
to God, a prayer - from your heart.
Tell Him that you
are a sinner and that you need forgiveness. Tell him that
you believe Jesus Christ died for your sins. Tell him that
you are willing to change, to turn away from sin. Ask Jesus
Christ to come into your heart and life and be your personal
Saviour.
"But
as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on his name." (John 1:12)
"Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2
Corinthians 5:17)
If
you prayed and ask Jesus Christ into your heart - YOU HAVE NOW
RECEIVED THE GIFT OF SALVATION - YOU HAVE BECOME A CHILD OF GOD.
God Bless You.
-
Powerful AUDIO Bible sermons/messages
by: Pastor Max Solbrekken
- click on
message to listen -
Bible
Scriptures verses about
The
Holy Spirit (The Holy Ghost)
Receiving the Holy Spirit & Water Baptism by Immersion
(King James Version -KJV)
Acts
2:38 - (kjv) - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost. Acts
1:5 - (kjv) - For John truly baptized with water, but ye
shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Romans
6:4 - (kjv) - Therefore we are buried with him by
baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead
by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness
of life. Romans
8:9-11 - (kjv) - But ye are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now
if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his... 1
Peter 3:21 - (kjv) - The like figure whereunto [even]
baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth
of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Acts
2:1-47 - (kjv) - And when the day of Pentecost was fully
come, they were all with one accord in one place... Matthew
3:11 - (kjv) - I indeed baptize you with water unto
repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose
shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost, and [with] fire: Galatians
3:27 - (kjv) - For as many of you as have been baptized
into Christ have put on Christ. 1
Corinthians 14:5 - (kjv) - I would that ye all spake with
tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater [is] he that
prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he
interpret, that the church may receive edifying. 1
Corinthians 12:13 - (kjv) - For by one Spirit are we all
baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether
[we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one
Spirit. Romans
6:3 - (kjv) - Know ye not, that so many of us as were
baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized unto his death? 1
Corinthians 1:17 - (kjv) - For Christ sent me not to
baptize, but to preach the gospel not with wisdom of words, lest
the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. Acts
4:31 - (kjv) - And when they had prayed, the place was shaken
where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with
the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Titus
3:5 - (kjv) - Not by works of righteousness which we
have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing
of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Acts
2:41 - (kjv) - Then they that gladly received his word were
baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about
three thousand souls. Galatians
3:14 - (kjv) - That the blessing of Abraham might come on the
Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise
of the Spirit through faith. Acts
19:6 - (kjv) - And when Paul had laid [his] hands upon them,
the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with tongues, and
prophesied. Acts
10:47-48 - (kjv) - Can any man forbid water, that these
should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well
as we? .... John
3:22 - (kjv) - After these things came Jesus and his
disciples into the land of Judaea, and there he tarried with them
and baptized. Acts
2:4 - (kjv) - And they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and
began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance. John
3:5 - (kjv) - Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God. Matthew
3:13-17- (kjv) - Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto
John, to be baptized of him.... Matthew
28:19- (kjv) - Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost. Mark
16:15 - (kjv) - And he said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 1
Peter 3:18-22 - (kjv) - For Christ also hath once
suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us
to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the
Spirit: .. Ephesians
4:5 - (kjv) - One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 2
Timothy 1:6 - (kjv) - Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that
thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on
of my hands. Acts
22:16 - (kjv) - And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be
baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts
13:2- (kjv) - And they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the
Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work
whereunto I have called them. Acts
10:48- (kjv) - And he commanded them to be baptized in the
name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain
days. Acts
8:38 - (kjv) - And he commanded the chariot to stand still:
and they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and
he baptized them. Acts
9:18 - (kjv) - And immediately there fell from his eyes
as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose,
and was baptized. Acts
4:8 - (kjv) - Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost,
said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel. Acts
8:36-39 - (kjv) - And as they went on [their] way, they came
unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See [here is] water,
what doth hinder me to be baptized? Acts
22:16 - (kjv) - And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be
baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts
13:2- (kjv) - And they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the
Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work
whereunto I have called them. Acts
1:8 - 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. John
20:22 - And when he had
said this, he breathed on [them], and saith unto them, Receive ye
the Holy Ghost: John
4:24 - God [is] a
Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and
in truth. John
4:2 - (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his
disciples,) John
4:1 - When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees
had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, John
3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. Luke
11:13 - If ye then, being evil, know how to give
good gifts unto your children: how much more shall [your] heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luke
3:21-22 - Now when all the people were baptized, it
came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the
heaven was opened Luke
3:16 - John answered, saying unto [them] all, I
indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the
latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Mark
16:16 - He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Matthew
3:16 - And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up
straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened
unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and
lighting upon him: Hebrews
6:2 - Of the doctrine
of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the
dead, and of eternal judgment. Colossians
3:10 - And have put on the new [man], which is
renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Colossians
2:12 - Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye
are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God,
who hath raised him from the dead. Ephesians
5:18 - And be not drunk with wine, wherein is
excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Ephesians
4:22 - That ye put off concerning the former
conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the
deceitful lusts; 1
Corinthians 15:29 - Else what shall they do which
are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are
they then baptized for the dead? 1
Corinthians 10:2 - And were all baptized unto Moses
in the cloud and in the sea; Romans
8:1 - [There is] therefore now no condemnation to
them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but
after the Spirit. Acts
18:8 - And Crispus, the chief ruler of the
synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of
the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. Acts
11:15 - And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell
on them, as on us at the beginning. Acts
10:47 - Can any man forbid water, that these should
not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? Acts
10:44-46 - While Peter yet spake these words, the
Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. Acts
9:17 - And Ananias went
his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him
said, Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus, that appeared unto
thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest
receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Acts
8:36-38 - And as they
went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water: and the
eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be
baptized? ;Acts
8:36 - And as they went on [their] way, they came
unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water;
what doth hinder me to be baptized? Acts
8:12 - But when they believed Philip preaching the
things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus
Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Acts
16:33 - And he took them the same hour of the night,
and washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and all his,
straightway.
CONTACT
INFORMATION
For further spiritual counsel, prayer or gospel literature, please
contact us!
www.mswm.org www.maxsolbrekken.com
max@maxsolbrekken.com
 Max
Solbrekken World Mission, P.O. Box 44220, RPO Garside, Edmonton,
AB T5V 1N6 (780) 460-8444
The
House of Prayer, New Sarepta, Alberta (780) 941-2372
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