Part 3- The Lord's prayer gives us awesome truths about the Kingdom of God!

2009-12-27 Sermon Notes Jesus Prayer part 3

Jesus' prayer ushers believers into this new covenant with divine influence, the authority of His Word, and the power of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

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Sermon Notes

12-27-2009 Jesus Prayer part 3

John 17 is filled with the prayer that Jesus prayed! It is filled with much revelation about Jesus and the will of God the Father! The heartbeat of God is expressed!

John 17:9 "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.

Jesus is praying for those who come into covenant with Him! There is an absolute exclusiveness and it is Jesus! When one comes into covenant with God through Jesus, that one has gained a strong intercessor for their life time.

Heb 7:22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. 23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Those who come into this new and living way have Jesus Himself as their intercessor! Jesus has an unending priesthood. Anyone who believes that they are still under law should be asked what priesthood they are presenting themselves to! Jesus is praying a new covenant prayer and it is for those who have been given to Him by the Father!

John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 "But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 "This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

There is a absolute sureness of the keeping power of Jesus Himself as the keeper of the sheep! Those who come to Jesus will never hunger or thirst and He will by no means cast out! Many reject this word but may I remind you we have just quoted Jesus!

John 10:26 "But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. 30 "I and My Father are one."

Jesus gives eternal life and those who have come into the new covenant are kept in the hand of God!!

John 17:10 "And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.

Hebrews 2:11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He (Jesus) is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You." 13 And again: "I will put My trust in Him." And again: "Here am I and the children whom God has given Me."

Here in Hebrews 2 is unfulfilled prophesy; what a day it will be at it’s fulfillment! Jesus will call us His brother! Then He will sing the praises of the Father to us! At the conclusion of this great song service He Himself will present us to the Father!

Matthew 11:27 "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Jesus said it was in His hand to reveal the Father to whom He will! The next statement out of our Saviors mouth was “Come unto me all…”

1 Timothy 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,

Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost! Jesus did not come to condemn but to give eternal life!

John 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

To those who will believe Jesus stands as intercessor even today!

Rom 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

What a privilege to walk with a covenant keeping God! The one who could condemns is at the right hand of God interceding for us! Praise the Lord!

John 17:11 "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

Jesus has great desire for us to walk in oneness with God!

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

John 17:12 "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 "But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

Jesus has given us His Word! Jesus has given all that we need for the issues of life! Jesus came full of grace and truth! And of that very fullness we have all received grace for grace! Divine influence upon divine influence is the only way we can receive from the hand of God and there is no other way to receive.

John 1:16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

Jesus has armed us with His divine influence upon our hearts, we have been given the Word of God, and He has promised for every believer the Baptism of the Holy Spirit! The weapons that Jesus has given us are mighty for the pulling down of strongholds!

We have been given assurance of salvation by faith in Christ, and we have been given His word providing the authority that is needed; He is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit giving us all the power we need! If the object of our faith remains in Jesus Christ and His intercession for us is on going, how can we fail? John 17:15 will be brought to pass and we can walk with victory over the evil one!

Part 2 - The Lord's prayer reveals Jesus' heart for His Father & the Father's heart for His Son AND it reveals the heart of God for His People

2009-12-20 Sermon Notes Jesus Prayer part 2

Sermon Notes

12-20-2009 Jesus' Prayer part 2

John 17 is filled with the prayer that Jesus prayed! It is filled with much revelation about Jesus and the will of God the Father! The heartbeat of God is expressed!

John 17:4 "I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Jesus has come to the end of His earthly ministry here in John 17. Jesus through out His ministry brought glory to the Father! What does the religious word “glory” mean? To make manifest and show off the awesome beauty of God! When Jesus says He glorified the Father he is speaking of making clear who the Father is! True intimacy with God is what true salvation is! Every time Jesus healed the sick, or opened blinded eyes, or cast out demon spirits He was making clear the will and heart of the Father. When Jesus raised a widow woman son to life you were seeing the heart of the Father! Jesus came to set His people free from sin! He who the Son sets free is free indeed!

Some deny that Jesus existed before He came in bodily flesh; however John 17:5 refutes this error of doctrine! Jesus was the Son before He robed Himself in flesh.

Colossians 1:15 He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Jesus had glorified the Father and prays to be restored to the glory He had before He robed Himself in flesh. The Father not only glorified Jesus but He exalted the Name of Jesus above every name. The Father not only heard Jesus prayer but answered it in very awesome fashion!

Philippians 2:9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

There is only one high exalted name where by men can be saved! It is exclusively in Jesus Christ and no where else! There is not a single exception to this truth! The Father exalted the name of Jesus and exalted Him above all!

The name of Jesus being exalted is to the glory of God the Father! An exclusive trust in the precious name of Jesus is the only way and there is no other way!

1 John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

1 John 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

The Father surely exalted and glorified Jesus, just as Jesus requested in John 17:5

1 John 5:11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Much false doctrine abide in the church today! Salvation is of Jesus Christ and there is no other source for salvation! If the object of your faith is in Jesus and the work he did at the cross salvation is yours. This is the exclusive doctrine that glorifies the Father and the Son! There is absolutely no other way to made right with God but faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

If anyone is preaching salvation outside the cross in anyway, they are preaching a perverted gospel! Behold the Lamb of God (Jesus) that takes away the sin of the world! The Father chose to glorify Jesus by the way of the cross! Your exclusive trust in the work Jesus did at the cross brings you righteousness (right relationship with God). There is no other way of righteousness; any other way preached is a perverted gospel! The message of the cross is the power of God unto salvation! There is no other way!

John17:6 "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 "Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 8 "For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

There is no greater authority than the voice of Jesus! Yet many still reject His voice! Jesus is the Messiah, the Only One sent from the Father to provide salvation. All voices that don’t point to Jesus as the exclusive way are false teachers and liars!

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Purging from sins is found exclusively in Jesus and there is no other way to be purged from sin!! What you think of Jesus Christ determines your destiny.

John 6:27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." 28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

Acts 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 "If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 "let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 "This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' 12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

The object of your faith must be Jesus Christ the crucified one being the one who brings salvation; salvation is exclusively in His name and there is no other way! Jesus’ prayer to the Father was very clear!

John 17:8 "For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

Jesus felt his earthly ministry was fulfilled because the people the Father had given Him received the words that He spoke and they believed that the Father had indeed sent Him! Faith in the exclusiveness of Jesus is the only way, and for this purpose Christ has come and has glorified the Father! Now the Father has glorified the Son!

Part 1- Jesus Prayer -- John 17

2009-12-13 Sermon Notes Jesus Prayer part 1

Sermon Notes

12-13-2009 Jesus Prayer part 1

John 17 is filled with the prayer that Jesus prayed! It is filled with much revelation about Jesus and the will of God the Father! The heartbeat of God is expressed!

John 17:1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,

Jesus earthly ministry was to glorify the Heavenly Father. As Christ's purpose was to make manifest the glory of the Father so our lives should make manifest the Father’s glory

John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Jesus came declaring the Father! Notice the positions Jesus is in! In the very bosom of the Father! Jesus came sharing intimacy with the Father. Jesus came to bring us into right relationship with the Father. Jesus came with the ministry of reconciliation to God! All through the book of John you find Jesus trying to draw men into right relationship with the Father!

2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

John 17:2 "as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Jesus received a command from the Father and that command is eternal life.

John 12:49 "For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 "And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."

The command that Jesus received from the Father is eternal life! Now in John 17 in Jesus prayer He defines eternal life as knowing God the Father and to know the one (Jesus) He sent! Jesus came that you might know God! True salvation is coming to know Jesus as your Messiah, complete and total surrender! To know that God is your Father! To be joined to God spirit to Spirit!

Jesus came that we might know God and that we might be known by God! In fact, if there is not this level of knowing God you have not yet been born again. You have not come to a true salvation!

Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 8 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.

After becoming a son of the kingdom of God we know God; or rather we might say we become known by God. Believers can cry out Abba Father! After coming to such level of intimacy let us not go back to the weak and beggarly elements. Here in Galatians Paul was rebuking those going back to observing days and months and seasons. It was the observance of the law if you will! We come up higher through true intimacy with God through Jesus Christ and then take a nose dive by trying to go back under the lesser glory and the covenant of death and condemnation!

2 Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

What remains is the covenant of grace and truth! What remains is the eternal life Jesus was praying about; the eternal life that brings you to knowing God and you being known by God. In fact the greatest deception of the devil is to make them think they are saved when God does not know them. Men trusting in their own doing and not putting confidence into the obedience of Jesus Christ!

Romans 5:17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.

In order to know God and to be known by God we must come through the cross of Jesus Christ! Faith in the Messiah. As stated total surrender! The only way to know God is to know the one Man’s obedience is your only point of righteousness. Imputed righteousness if you will. A righteousness so sound that a man’s sins will not be imputed unto them based upon the one Man’s obedience to the death of the cross of Calvary ! Jesus the sin bearer! He faced the shame, the guilt and the punishment of the sin of the world! Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world! Coming to know Him as your Messiah, the one who saves His people from their sins is the only way to salvation!

Thus far the Word has defined eternal life as to know Jesus and His Father to be known by God!

Matthew 7:18 "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 "Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' 24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:

Imagine a group of people so deceived, casting out demons in the name of Jesus and doing many wonders in the name of Jesus! What does Jesus say to them? I NEVER KNEW YOU; So many who are trusting in their own doings even in the name of Jesus do not really know God or are they known by God. It goes back to what are you trusting in? One Man’s righteous act brings the free gift of righteousness. Whose obedience are you trusting in? If it be your own, I pray you never hear the words of Jesus, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' I want to know Christ!

John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Jesus prays to the Father that we may know the Father and the Son!

Isa 53:12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

For those who have come by the way of intimacy surrendering to Jesus as our intercessor, Jesus is ever praying for you!

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Jesus still is praying! If one comes to God through Jesus Christ there is a saving to the uttermost and an ever interceding. That is the knowing of God that is eternal life. This is found exclusively in Jesus Christ and there is no other source.

Jesus went back to the Father so we might receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost

2009-12-6 Sermon Notes

Sermon Notes

12-6-2009

John 16:16 "A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father." 17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, "What is this that He says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and,'because I go to the Father'?" 18 They said therefore, "What is this that He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is saying." 19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, "Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'? 20 "Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

Jesus going away was imperative! The plan of the Father was beginning to be worked out. Last week we talked about the purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit

1 To convict unbelievers they are sinners.

2 To convict believers of their righteousness.

3 To announce the judgment of Satan had begun!

It was necessary for Jesus to go away that the Holy Spirit could be given! Jesus promised to give the comforter! (John 16:7-11)

Acts 2:32 "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Rom 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

If God is your Father, you are instructed by Jesus Himself to ask of the Father for the Holy Spirit!

Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

Many forget but this whole discourse in Luke is started with Jesus teaching believers how they should pray. The teaching ended with this instruction to ask and seek and knock and the Father will give the good gift of the Holy Spirit! Before one is qualified to ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit you must be able to call God your Father!

Luke 11:1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." 2 So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

Exclusive faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah and redeemer of your soul is the only way to making God your Father. Jesus is very clear on this point!

John 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

John 20:17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'"

One of many revelations that John brings is that Jesus is the baptizer of the Holy Spirit!

John 1:33 "I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'

John 16:21 "A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 "Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. 23 "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

It is only at the receiving of the comforter that complete fulfillment of these verses can be brought! Many have done the asking without being baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem , but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; 5 "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

Acts 11:16 "Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 "If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?"

To whom is Peter speaking? The Jewish believers who did not want to believe that repentance from sins was granted to the non-Jewish people also. It was Cornelius and His household who were baptized in the Holy Spirit. Let us visit Cornelius’ house for a minute!

Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter,because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

The Jewish believers knew that Cornelius and his house had received the gift of the Holy Spirit for they heard them speak with tongues. This is the same way we know today that the gift has been poured out upon any one. For we will hear them speak in tongues.

1 Corinthians 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

This is offensive word to many; while my intention is not to offend the truth needs to be told! There is only one scripturally defined way of praying in your spirit. It is praying in tongues! This gift of the Holy Spirit is for every believer! God does not want you to be left out!

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

John 16:24 "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25 "These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 "In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 "for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.

The Father Himself loves you because you love Jesus! It is out of this very love that He wants to pour out upon you the precious gift of the Holy Spirit. Praying in the Holy Spirit is the divinely appointed way to commune with God Spirit to spirit!

John 4:23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

The precious baptism of the Holy Spirit is an element of grace that was not available to the Old Testament saints. However if you want to walk in the fullness of the Covenant of grace you will yield to this precious baptism! As Jesus told His disciples you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you!

John 16:28 "I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father." 29 His disciples said to Him, "See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 "Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God."

Jesus spoke that He came from the Father and must go back to the Father; this is for our benefit that we might be baptized in the precious Holy Spirit.

Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?

Acts 19:2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." 3 And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." 4 Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

Philip the Evangelist went to the city of Samaria and preached Jesus Christ; when they believed, Philip baptized them in water in the name of the Lord Jesus. Did they have faith in Jesus? Yes, they had moved from unbelieving to believing that is why great joy filled the city!

Had salvation come to Samaria ? Yes, Philip did not leave the city almost saved! Acts 8:14 clearly states they had received the word of God! However, when the church in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God they sent Peter and John to them that they might receive the Holy Spirit! Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?

Acts 8:14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

John 16:31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? 32 "Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Jesus spoke to the disciples promising them the comforter would come. Many try to read this passage ignoring the fullness of the baptism of the Holy Spirit being revealed by the very word of Jesus! Jesus overcame the world and gives us His peace and promises us His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all truth! Thank God for Jesus overcoming power that has been given to us!

Ask for the Holy Spirit today; Jesus is still the baptizer of the Holy Spirit!