Jesus spoke these words to his disciples, just before he ascended into heaven Acts 1:8, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me”.  On the day of Pentecost, he sent the “power” as promised.  And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.

 Is baptism in the Holy Spirit needed today? Yes! If Jesus needed it, we need it all the more. The ministry of the Holy Ghost is just as real and important today for us as it was in the days of Jesus and His disciples.

The promise of the Holy Spirit is given to us in (Acts 2:38-39) 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.  I believe the only requisition for receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost In our life today is for a person to repent of their sins and to yield their life over to Gods will.

He is still the same today; the anointing of the Spirit is just the same today, and we need that “Holy Ghost Power” in our life today to witness Christ to others.  So this baptism was not only for those who tarried there in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, but it is for today, and for every one who would believe upon the name of the Lord Jesus.

What about the church’s need for encouragement and edification? These things come to us through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The Bible tells us in Ephesians 4: 11-12 and he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.  The early church needed these things, and I think we need them today also.

The Bible tells of 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:  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 

Right here in this verse we can see all three distinct persons in the Godhead.  The Father, as the voice from heaven, The Son who is Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost or the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon Him,  The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit working together.

Remember the words that Jesus read from the book of the prophet Esaias saying, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor: he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

The “Spirit of the Lord” that was upon Christ was a mantle of Gods Spirit that enabled Him to do the things that no other could do. He walked upon water, He healed the sick, gave sight to blind eyes, made a deaf man to hear, a dumb man to speak. He fed thousands of people with just a few loaves of fish and bread, He set free those who were oppressed and delivered those who were possessed with demonic spirits. He healed the crippled and lame and made them leap for joy and walk again; He cleansed the lepers, and turned water into wine. But most of all He brought salvation and healing to all who would call upon His name.

On the day of Pentecost when the disciples were gathered together in one room and in one accord, the Bible says that there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. So as Jesus had been anointed at His baptism with the Holy Spirit and power, so now His disciples shared in that anointing.  When the Holy Ghost came upon the disciples they too were clothed with heavenly power.

In the Acts of the Apostles, the Bible tells how Peter and John went up together to the temple to pray.  And they found a man who was lame from his mother’s womb, who was laid there at the gate of the temple.  He would ask alms of those who went into the temple.  And when he saw Peter and John coming through the gate, he asked alms of them.  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John said, Look on us. 

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I now; but such as I have give I thee, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength, And he leaping up stood and walked and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping, and praising God.

Now that’s demonstration of the Power and of the Spirit that was upon Peter‘s life after that the Holy Ghost had come upon him. 

It is God's will -- it is His commandment -- that we be baptized, or filled with the Holy Spirit: "Be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18).  It is important for us to realize that God has set us here in these last days, these days of falling away from the faith, that we may be vessels so filled with His Spirit, that our lives would reflect Jesus Christ to others.

And by the indwelling power of the Holy Ghost in our life today, we have an anointing to carry out our assignment and that is to reflect the love of Christ to a lost and dying world.  The Bible says that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38) this same anointing is for us today.

 1John 2:27 “The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you.  In other words, the anointing of the Holy Spirit which we have received from Christ now abides and operates in our life.

1John 4:17 “As he is, so are we in this world”.   The Holy Ghost is Gods presence in the World today, and His Spirit is now upon us as it was upon Christ that we may minister to others. 

And here’s what Jesus said to his disciples, and as ye go, preach, saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

I believe we are on the verge of one of the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit that the world has ever known, God is pouring out of His Spirit upon all flesh.  People are moving in the power of Gods might and miracles and wonders are being performed.  Not too long ago a revival broke out in Africa, and it’s been documented that the dead are being raised back to life again.  

Isaiah 60:1-2 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people:  but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

We know that our light has come, and the glory of the Lord has now risen upon us.  It’s time that we “Arise and Shine” for Christ.  We are living in evil days where sin is all around us.  And I believe that there is such a need in the world today, that we, as Christ representatives should be burning and shining lights to reflect the Glory of Christ in the world today.

Acts 2:17-18 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:  and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

I believe God is raising up a Church in these days that will move in the power of the Holy Ghost. And His power will be revealed through our lives as His witness’s in the earth.  Gods Divinity bursting through our humanity!  Oh what a wonderful revelation of Gods Spirit living within our lives today, given freely to all who would believe.

The Bible ask, “Don’t you know 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?  His Spirit now lives within us.  The very day that Jesus cried out on the cross, "It is finished", the curtain of the temple was rent in two, and the Holy Ghost moved out and has never lived in an earth-made temple since. His Holy Spirit now dwells in us!

Today let us have this same mind that was in Jesus Christ, and to know whose Spirit dwells within us. When they look upon us, they will see Jesus, and when they see Christ they will see God.  There is a place where you know that the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and hath anointed you to do the works of Christ. Many will see the manifestations of the Power of God flowing in your life, and will believe on the name of the Lord.

John 14: 8-9 Philip saith unto him, Lord shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

So many people stumble over this passage of scripture, not fully understanding what Jesus was saying.  Jesus Christ is the express image of God revealed to the World.  His very name “Emmanuel” means “God with us”.  When they saw Jesus, they had seen the Father. 

Many today have heard about the Holy Spirit, but they don’t know him personally or realize that He is God in the same way the Son and the Father are God.  And I believe today when the world looks upon us, they should see Jesus in us.  They should see His love, his compassion, his mercy, his forgiveness in us.  I believe they should also see the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in our life.

St John 14:12-12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 

So today, it is my prayer that we may all be filled with the “Spirit of the Lord”.  That we may effectively and powerfully be Christ witness’s in the world wherever we may be.

Rev. James A. Lewis                                                             Word of Life Ministry

  Hand in Hand Publications August 2008

I am very pleased to welcome back to Hand in Hand Publications as this month Guest Writer, Pastors Roger and Dianne Wilson from Mississippi. Roger and Dianne are ministers with the heart and passion for reaching the lost and hurting of the world.

Broken Rose Ministries is dedicated to spreading the love of Jesus to all who would come to them. Active in the army of the Lord, they are determined to make a difference for the kingdom of God. They also minister by counsel at home, and on the phone, as well as on the Internet. 

This months Hand in Hand article in entitled, Do you really know who your enemy is?  A message delivered this month by Sister Dianne to tell us the importance of walking in the Spirit and Love of Christ.  This months publication reveals who's behind all the attacks that we often encounter and how it stir's up our old flesh to react.

I believe this is an important message to teach us Christ example when dealing with those who oppose us.  I welcome you to visit Dianne's message this month, and if you do, would you please take a moment and email her to let her know you stopped by? 

You can visit Sister Dianne's message this month by visiting this link below

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