Lessons

1. on the
2. Holy Spirit
3. Preached at Argo Church of Christ: 2010
4. [email protected]
5. The Holy Spirit
6. The Indwelling Spirit
7. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
8. Healing: Miraculous and Providential
9. Tongues and Prophecy
10. The Conviction of the Spirit
11. False Signs of the Spirit
12. Baptism of the Holy Spirit
13. Sinning Against the Holy Spirit
14. The Holy Spirit
15. The Holy Spirit

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: John 14:12-18

I. Why study the Holy Spirit?

A. He is God, Acts 5:3-4

B. He plays a role in our salvation

II. The Spirit performs many duties in regards to our salvation that we will discuss

1. in a future lesson.

A. He is active in the New Testament

III. Jesus often spoke of the Spirit and His role in the continuing work of the

1. apostles, revelation, and salvation.

IV. If we want to understand the New Testament, we must understand what the

1. Bible says about the Holy Spirit.

A. That we may grow in our love for the Spirit

V. The Spirit is God and so we should love Him like the Father and the Son.

VI. Sometimes we do not consider love for the Holy Spirit for He seems so

1. mysterious and distant.

VII. Perhaps we have allowed misunderstanding and speculation regarding the Holy

1. Spirit to prevent us from learning about the Spirit; thus our love and adoration
2. for the Spirit is lacking.

A. Clear up misunderstandings

VIII. Common Misunderstandings

A. Sources

IX. False teaching

• False teachers will often emphasize and embellish the difficult things of

1. scriptures; speaking in ignorance of the things they cannot know.
   • Some use the mystery of the Spirit to draw in the ignorant and gullible.

X. Mysticism

• Many are drawn to the Spirit because of the mystery; it is like a secret that

1. only they know.
   • In a later lesson we will notice how many who are drawn to the Holy Spirit
2. doctrines have very little Bible knowledge for Bible study is not as exciting
3. to them as a mysterious moving of the Spirit.

XI. Little truth taught on the subject

• Preachers and Bible class teachers often avoid the subject because of the

1. speculation and false teaching that surrounds it.
   • Some things require much time and diligent study to comprehend, but our
2. effort is rewarded with an understanding of God’s will.

A. The Holy Spirit is a personality

XII. Not an impersonal “it”

• We refer to the Father and Son as “Him” but often to the Spirit as “It.”
• The Spirit is a personality just like the Father and the Son.

XIII. Separate from the Father and the Son

• As we studied before, the Spirit is a separate being.
• Matthew 3:13-16 – The three personalities are present.

1. The Holy Spirit

XIV. Ascribed characteristics of personality (bulletin)

XV. Works as a personality (bulletin)

XVI. Creative power

• Creation of the world – Genesis 1:2 “The earth was without form, and

1. void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was
2. hovering over the face of the waters.”
   • Creation of man – Job 33:4 “The Spirit of God has made me, and the
3. breath of the Almighty gives me life.” (Reminds us of God breathing life
4. into Adam)
   • Creation of the spiritual man – John 3:5 “Jesus answered, “Most assuredly,
5. I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the
6. kingdom of God.”

A. The Holy Spirit is not the word of God

XVII. “The word is the Spirit and the Spirit is the word.”

XVIII. Though the Spirit inspired the Bible, the Spirit is not the word of God.

XIX. If we want to be precise, Jesus is called the Word in John 1.

XX. There are things that the Spirit accomplishes through the word but let us not

1. erroneously say “The Spirit is the Word.”

XXI. Names of the Holy Spirit

A. Holy Spirit

XXII. (O.T.) Psalm 51:11 “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take

1. Your Holy Spirit from me.”

XXIII. (N.T.) Acts 2:38 “You shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”

XXIV. This name describes the holiness which truly describes God alone. Though we

1. strive to be holy, only God is holy.

XXV. Why “Spirit” since the Father and Son are also spiritual beings?

• Often the Father was perceived in physical terms: sitting on His throne, the

1. hand of God, and other characteristics we can relate to as humans.
   • Of course, Jesus appears in the O.T. as God coming as a man and we relate
2. to Him as the Son of Man.
   • The Holy Spirit is generally associated with the power of God; the will of
3. the Father and Son in action.
   • The Holy Spirit is also associated with inspiration and leading; things we
4. associate more with spiritual influence than physical manifestation.

A. Holy “Ghost” (describe origin and usage)

XXVI. Holy Ghost is a term used in the King James Version.

XXVII. A ghost, in that time, denoted a spirit being as opposed to a physical person.

XXVIII. However, the common use of ghost to describe the spirit of a departed person

1. that supposedly returns to earth, as in our ghost stories, gives an erroneous idea
2. of this person in the Godhead and so other terms are preferable.

A. The Spirit

XXIX. The Spirit of God - Occurs about 12 times in the New Testament

XXX. My Spirit - Used by God of His own Spirit, such as, “I will pour out My Spirit”

1. from Joel 2 and Acts 2.

XXXI. Do not rely on the capital “S” since the context really determines whether the

1. word spirit found alone refers to the Holy Spirit or man’s spirit.
2. The Holy Spirit

A. The Finger of God

XXXII. Used by the magicians in Exodus 8:19 in describing the miracles of Moses.

XXXIII. Luke 11:20 (Jesus speaking) “But if I cast out demons with the finger of God,

1. surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

A. Helper

XXXIV. Jesus uses this term to describe the Spirit and His role in helping the apostles in

1. their work after Jesus ascends back to the Father, John 14:15-18.

XXXV. He would help the apostles remember what Jesus taught them, John 14:26.

XXXVI. The Spirit would inspire the apostles as they taught and wrote the message of

1. the gospel.

XXXVII. Conclusion: The Spirit is active in creation, inspiration, and salvation. Future lessons will

1. explore the relationship of the Holy Spirit and the Christian and the spiritual gifts of the Spirit.
2. The Indwelling Spirit
3. The Indwelling Spirit

XXXVIII. Introduction: The Holy Spirit living in the Christian is a topic that interests us and confuses us.

1. We read about God dwelling with us but then are at a loss to describe how He does so and the
2. effect of His presence in our lives. We must face this topic humbly and prayerfully. We must be
3. careful not to leave our domain and venture into the things known only to God.
4. Text: Romans 8:1-11

XXXIX. God’s indwelling is a fact

A. The New Testament tells us that all of the Godhead dwells in us

XXXX. 1 John 4:12 - God dwells in us

XXXXI. Colossians 1:27 - Christ dwells in us

XXXXII. Romans 8:9 – The Spirit dwells in us

A. However, the Bible teaches that the Father and Christ dwell personally in heaven

XXXXIII. John 20:17 - Jesus ascended to heaven, back to the Father

XXXXIV. Acts 7:55 – Stephen saw Jesus standing at God’s right hand

XXXXV. John 16:7-14 - Jesus promised to send the Spirit to the disciples after He ascended

1. to the Father
   • Jesus promised this to the apostles only.
   • However, other scriptures tell us the Holy Spirit dwells with the Christian

A. The Holy Spirit dwells in the Christian

XXXXVI. Acts 5:32 – Holy Spirit given to the obedient

XXXXVII. Acts 6:3 – Seven chosen to serve were full of the Holy Spirit

XXXXVIII. Romans 8:9 – Spirit of God dwells in you

XXXXIX. 1 John 4:13 – The Spirit dwells in us as evidence of God being with us

A. It is a fact that the Spirit of God dwells in the Christian, the question is how does he

1. dwell in us?

XXXXX. Position 1: The Holy Spirit dwells in us indirectly through God’s word

A. Many argue that the Holy Spirit does not dwell in us personally but it is the influence

1. of the Spirit acting through the Word of God in our lives.

XXXXXI. Weldon Warnock’s argument in “Indwelling of the Holy Spirit” tract (p. 3)

• Ephesians 3:17 – Christ dwells in our hearts by faith
• Galatians 4:19 – We permit Christ to be formed in us
• 2 Peter 1:4 – We become partakers of the divine nature through faith
• Romans 10:17 – Faith comes from hearing the word of God
• “When we allow our lives to be controlled by the Spirit through the revealed

1. Word, the Spirit dwelleth in us.” -Warnock

XXXXXII. Galatians 3:2 – The Galatians received the Spirit by the hearing of faith

• However, those who believe in a personal indwelling also believe the Spirit

1. came through obedience to the faith.
   • Galatians does not tell us how the Spirit dwelled in them.

A. How can the Spirit of God dwell in many people?

XXXXXIII. Argument

• Warnock: “…an individual is indivisible and cannot be separated into parts.

1. Hence, the Holy Spirit, as a person, an individual, is indivisible. The Holy
2. The Indwelling Spirit
3. Spirit can no more be broken up into bits and pieced and parceled out among
4. thousands of people…than you or I can” (Ibid, p.8).
   • The heavens cannot hold God, how can our souls?

XXXXXIV. Answers

• God’s presence was at the Mercy Seat above the Ark of the Covenant in the

1. temple (Exodus 25:22-Numbers 7:89) yet this was the same God of which it
2. was said, “the heavens cannot contain Him,” 2 Chronicles 6:18.
   • The Spirit dwelled in the apostles in a unique sense
3. Matthew 10:18-20 – Spirit will speak through the apostles
4. John 14:15-18 – Spirit would dwell in the apostles
   • How many times have we said that “God is with us” when we worship,
5. knowing that there are brethren all over the world, many at this same time, who
6. are worshipping God? How can God be at all of these places of worship?
   • People will argue the impossibility of a personal indwelling of all Christians on
7. one side but the presence of God with all worshippers on another side.
   • If God dwells in the Christian personally and is simultaneously present when all
8. believers assemble to worship, that ability is something that only God can
10. We cannot define or limit God by earthly characteristics
11. I do not understand how a personality can be all knowing, all-powerful, and
12. omnipresent, but God is all of these things.
13. We do not understand how our own spirit dwells in us or how it leaves our
14. body when we die.
15. We must leave the things of God to Him.

XXXXXV. Position 2: The Holy Spirit dwells in us personally

A. The Father gives the Holy Spirit to the Christian upon conversion.

XXXXXVI. This is the natural reading of Acts 5:32, etc. read earlier.

XXXXXVII. If the Holy Spirit dwells in Christians personally, God determines how to

1. accomplish this and does not reveal this to us.

A. The personal indwelling of the Spirit does not necessitate the presence of miraculous

1. abilities in the lives of Christians.

XXXXXVIII. The New Testament records instances where Christians were converted but did not

1. have the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit.

XXXXXIX. Acts 8:14-15 – The Samaritans had to have the apostles lay hands on them so they

1. could receive the miraculous abilities of the Holy Spirit

XXXXXX. Acts 19:6 – Paul laid hands on converted some in Ephesus then gave them the

1. ability to work spiritual gifts.

A. The evidence of the Spirit’s presence is through the word.

XXXXXXI. The New Testaments says nothing of our feelings testifying of the Spirit’s presence.

XXXXXXII. Guy Woods argued, “Did we know the moment the gift came, and were we

1. conscious of the reception? Who will dare say yes? Who can honestly and
2. intelligently confess to a consciousness of its abiding presence? If one can have it
3. and never know it, of what use is it?”
   • This is a foolish argument for it ignores other aspects of our Christian life.
   • Who can intelligently confess that God is with us in our worship or Jesus’
4. presence in the Lord’s Supper? Are we conscious of it?
5. The Indwelling Spirit
   • Woods argument went to far for if the Holy Spirit only dwells with us through
6. the word, of what use is the Spirit in the world?
   • The Bible teaches that the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and angels have some work
7. in our lives yet we do not know how they act, what they do, nor do we have
8. consciousness of their presence.

XXXXXXIII. We have the Spirit’s presence by promise (quoted above)

• We know our sins are forgiven by promise.
• We know we are saved by promise.

A. The Spirit works in our lives through the word

XXXXXXIV. This is an area of agreement between the two views though the first view says that

1. the Spirit is in the Christian through the word alone whereas the second view says
2. that the Spirit lives in the Christian but acts through His inspired word.

XXXXXXV. The Spirit leads us using the word of God.

• Some neglect this point and go into error saying that the Holy Spirit leads them

1. apart from God’s revealed will.
2. This is not taught anywhere in Scripture.
3. Even in New Testament examples in which the Holy Spirit took an active
4. role in conversion, He sent teachers to proclaim the word.
5. Ethiopian Eunuch – Phillip sent to overtake the chariot
6. Cornelius – Peter sent to tell them words that would lead to salvation
   • The personal leading is problematic for people will assume that what they want
7. to do is what God wants them to do—subjective.

XXXXXXVI. Which is the right answer?

A. Each must draw his own conclusions

B. The Spirit does dwell in us; that is a fact.

XXXXXXVII. Is it through the word or personally, without miraculous leading or charismatic

1. gifts? One can make good arguments for both sides of the issue.

XXXXXXVIII. Ultimately, it is important to realize that God abides with us, strengthens us, and

1. will not forsake us. We have this through His promises.

XXXXXXIX. What does the Spirit do in our lives?

A. Intercedes in prayer, Romans 8:26-27

B. He is an earnest, or down payment, on our eternal salvation.

C. We are sealed, or kept, by the Holy Spirit for salvation

D. Will give us life in the resurrection, Romans 8:11

E. All of these we will discuss in a future lesson

1. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
2. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

XXXXXXX. What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

A. Gifts of the Holy Spirit are miraculous abilities given to men to accomplish a purpose

1. for God in the church.

B. Examples of these

XXXXXXXI. Word of wisdom

• Ability to use what has is known; application of God’s message

XXXXXXXII. Word of knowledge

• Revelation of God’s message either directly or calling the knowledge to the

1. remembrance of the Christian

XXXXXXXIII. Faith

• All Christians have faith and without it no one can please God, Heb. 11:6
• This seems to be an extra measure or special endowment of faith.

XXXXXXXIV. Healing

• The ability to cure diseases as a proof of Jesus’ ability to cure the ultimate

1. disease of the soul—sin
   • It was not used for the convenience and benefit of Christians generally
2. Paul’s thorn in the flesh – 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 (Reference)
3. 2 Timothy 4:20 – Paul left Trophimus in Miletus sick

XXXXXXXV. Miracles

• Signs of wonder and amazement not otherwise categorized here
• Possibly exorcism and perhaps the ability to raise the dead

XXXXXXXVI. Prophecy

• 1 Corinthians 14:3-5 – Greater than tongue speaking for it edifies
• 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 – Convicts the unbeliever when the secrets of his

1. heart are revealed
2. Like Nathanael, John 1:46-50
3. Not generic prophecy but the unbeliever’s spiritual needs are
4. addressed

XXXXXXXVII. Discerning of spirits

• There is a need to determine what is truth and what is error
• 1 Corinthians 12:3 – One test of the spirit

XXXXXXXVIII. Tongues (Brief—a later lesson will cover it in detail)

• Not meaningless babble or ecstatic utterances
• Speaking in languages foreign to the speaker

1. Acts 2:4-11 – They spoke in languages they had not studied but that
2. the hearers could recognize
3. 1 Corinthians 14:10-11

XXXXXXXIX. Interpretation of tongues

• The gift of tongues was useless without interpretation
• 1 Corinthians 14:14-19

1. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

XXXXXXXX. Origin and purpose of the gifts

A. Origin

XXXXXXXXI. When Jesus was on the earth He performed many signs as proof of His divine

1. nature and message
   • John 14:9-11
   • John 20:30-31

XXXXXXXXII. Though not all obeyed, they could not deny His works

• Nicodemus: “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for

1. no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” –John 3:2
   • John 11:47;12:10-11

XXXXXXXXIII. Jesus endowed the apostles with the ability to work miracles to prove the

1. validity of their message
   • John 14:11-17
   • 2 Corinthians 12:12 “Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished
2. among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.”
   • His work through the apostles, Acts 4:7-10, 16

A. Purpose of the spiritual gifts to the church

XXXXXXXXIV. Edification

• 1 Corinthians 12:7 – Gifts are given for the profit of all
• 1 Corinthians 14:3 – Edification and exhortation

XXXXXXXXV. Not to get people excited

• In 1 Corinthians 12-14, there is nothing about getting people whipped up

1. into a frenzy.
   • Paul continually stresses the need of the gifts to direct them in the truth
2. since the word of God, as we have it in the Bible, had not yet been
3. • Most who seek spiritual gifts today do so for excitement in worship yet the
4. Bible does not give one word to support this desire.
   • Walter Chantry in Signs of the Apostles said, “He is not the Jolly Spirit but
5. the Holy Spirit.” The emphasis is not on my joy in worship but my
6. holiness in life.

XXXXXXXXVI. Not to indicate a greater spiritual relationship with God

• The Corinthian church was plagued with serious problems

1. They were divisive, (1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:1-4)
2. They were puffed up against Paul’s teaching, 1 Cor. 4:18-21
3. Some questioned Paul’s apostleship, 2 Corinthians 10-13
4. They were arrogant concerning immorality in the church, 1 Cor. 5
5. They were taking their brethren to court, 1 Cor. 6
6. They abused the Lord’s supper, 1 Cor. 11
7. Some preached that Jesus was not raised from the dead, 1 Cor. 15
   • 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 – Paul says one could have spiritual gifts but not have
8. love; which would be useless

XXXXXXXXVII. Should we expect those gifts today?

A. 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

XXXXXXXXVIII. Love is superior because it will not fail. It will outlive all

• Spiritual gifts will pass away, v.8 because they are only a partial help.

1. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
   • When the perfect is come, the part will be taken away.
   • After these are taken away, faith, hope, and love will abide, or remain.
   • However, love is the greatest for it will outlast faith and hope.

XXXXXXXXIX. What is the perfect?

• Jesus

1. It cannot be Jesus for the perfect is a thing not a person
2. Not “he who” but “that which”
3. Also, if Jesus were the perfect, faith and hope would not outlive the
4. partial revelation through spiritual gifts.
5. Faith – Hebrews 11:1 – The evidence of thingsnot seen. When we
6. see Jesus we will no longer have faith in Him; faith will be realized.
7. Hope – Romans 8:24-25 “For we were saved in this hope, but hope
8. that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
9. But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with
10. ” So hope will end when we see the one we hope for.
    • Heaven
11. It is a “that which” but it will not allow faith and hope to abide.
12. All will come to an end when heaven is revealed.
    • The completed word of God
13. Some translations provide a marginal note “complete” as an
14. alternative meaning for perfect.
15. It is a “that which”
16. It will allow faith and hope to abide.
17. It is related to knowledge that edifies the church
18. We know in part; we prophesy in part.
19. The completed word fulfills all that the spiritual gifts of
20. prophecies, tongues, and knowledge provided temporarily.
21. Paul’s analogies are about spiritual maturity
22. 1 Corinthians 13:11 – the child

XXXXXXXXX. i.1 Corinthians 14:20 – Paul wanted them to be mature

XXXXXXXXXI. ii. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – Maturity and completion comes

1. through the word
2. 1 Corinthians 13:12 – the mirror

XXXXXXXXXII. i. Numbers 12:6-8 – God spoke to Moses directly and not in

1. mysterious visions, etc.

XXXXXXXXXIII. ii. With the spiritual gifts, there were a variety of means of

1. revelation that would pass when the word was complete

XXXXXXXXXIV. iii. James 1:22-25 – We can know ourselves through the word

A. Passing on by the hands of the apostles, Acts 8:9-24

XXXXXXXXXV. Simon saw that by the laying on of the apostles hands, the gifts of the Holy

1. Spirit were given.

XXXXXXXXXVI. Philip could do the wonders but could not give the ability to work miracles to

XXXXXXXXXVII. Since the apostles died out, the ability to transfer the miraculous gifts of the

1. spirit died with them.

A. Early writers attest to the passing of the gifts

1. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

XXXXXXXXXVIII. John Chrysostom (347-407) “This whole place is very obscure: but the

1. obscurity is produced by our ignorance of the facts referred to and by their
2. cessation, being such as then used to occur but now no longer take place.”

XXXXXXXXXIX. Augustine (354-430) “These were signs adapted to the time. For there

1. behooved to be that betokening of the Holy Spirit in all tongues..that thing was
2. done for a betokening and it passed away.”

XXXXXXXXXX. How does the Bible accomplish the purpose that gifts once did?

A. The miracles of healing and other signs are recorded for our faith

XXXXXXXXXXI. We can read the testimonies of friends and foes of the gospel and they attest to

1. the validity of the miracles though the foes would not believe.

XXXXXXXXXXII. Those who think we need more since we have the revealed word would do well

1. to heed the words of Jesus, Luke 16:27-31

A. Prophecy

XXXXXXXXXXIII. Hebrews 4:11-13 - The word of God lays bare the secrets of the heart

XXXXXXXXXXIV. We edify one another from the revealed word

A. Testing the message of others

XXXXXXXXXXV. We can test the message of teachers by the word of God

XXXXXXXXXXVI. Word of wisdom

• Ability to use what has is known; application of God’s message

XXXXXXXXXXVII. Word of knowledge

• Revelation of God’s message either directly or calling the knowledge to the

1. remembrance of the Christian

A. Faith

XXXXXXXXXXVIII. Romans 10:17 – Faith comes by hearing the word of God.

XXXXXXXXXXIX. Our faith grows as our knowledge of God’s word grows

A. Tongues – The word of God is available in nearly (possibly) every language in the

1. world and the readers can recognize the power of its message

XXXXXXXXXXX. Conclusion: In the next few weeks we will studying the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, tongue

1. speaking and healing, and the Holy Spirit and the Christian. I hope you will attend with us to
2. explore these important Biblical topics.
3. Miraculous and Providential Healing
4. Healing: Miraculous and Providential

XXXXXXXXXXXI. Introduction: Many television ministries and “full gospel” ministries revolve around God’s

1. power to heal sickness. Many claim that God has given them the power to heal sicknesses just as
2. Jesus and the apostles did while on the earth. Let us examine their claims in light of scripture.

XXXXXXXXXXXII. Jesus and the apostles healing power

A. Examples of diseases

XXXXXXXXXXXIII. Matthew 4:24-25 - Recognized demon possession as separate from diseases

1. such as epilepsy

XXXXXXXXXXXIV. Luke 7:22 – “Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you

1. have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed,
2. the deaf hear, the dead are raised,”

A. Characteristic of healing

XXXXXXXXXXXV. Instantaneous not many days, weeks, or months of recovery

XXXXXXXXXXXVI. Healing was not the center of the message; the kingdom was.

A. Failures to heal

XXXXXXXXXXXVII. Matthew 17:41-21 - Apostles could not heal because of their own lack of faith

XXXXXXXXXXXVIII. Some faith healers claim that failures are due to a lack of faith on the part of the

1. one who wanted to be healed.
   • John 9:35-38 – He was healed and later learned about Jesus
   • Mark 5 – Twelve year old girl was raised from the dead

XXXXXXXXXXXIX. Modern claims of faith healing

A. Examples of diseases and verification

XXXXXXXXXXXX. TV evangelist’s doctor that was one of his followers would say, “I don’t see

1. evidence of __________.” However, he did not examine them before nor was
2. there a confirmed diagnosis.

XXXXXXXXXXXXI. When you see the modern healers you do not see the dead raised, the leper’s

1. skin restored, or those who are palsied and visibly diseased go away healed.

A. Characteristics of “healing”

XXXXXXXXXXXXII. Claims are made but no proof but questionable testimonials.

XXXXXXXXXXXXIII. Most claims are about inside feelings, pains, aches, and mild problems.

XXXXXXXXXXXXIV. Not instantaneous. Oral Roberts, in his book, God Still Heals Today , says that

1. “during the faith healing process, there may be pain, or slight relapses, or even
2. what may appear to b a reoccurrence of the problem” but that one must remain
3. convinced of their healing and await further improvement (Randi 11).

A. Failures to heal

XXXXXXXXXXXXV. Faith and the healed

• Faith of the healer

1. Shouldn’t this remain constant?
2. Jesus blamed a failure to cast out demons on the lack of faith with
3. His disciples; I have never heard a faith healer claim that a failure
4. was due to his own lack of faith.
   • Faith of the sick person
5. Miraculous and Providential Healing
6. Some teach that if a person does not have faith, and especially a faith
7. that gives, he will not be healed.
8. This is dangerous for the person who is not healed blames his lack of
9. faith instead of the ability of the healer; he may become more
10. desperate in his giving and mental state because of these charlatans.

A. How can the healers have some apparent success?

XXXXXXXXXXXXVI. The Freireich Experimental Plan states that any remedy will have some

1. effective benefit for virtually every patient with any disease because of the
2. natural ups and downs of any disease (Randi 9-10).
   • If a person receives any type of treatment, there will likely be a relief
3. period soon to follow that can be attributed to the treatment.
   • If a person feels no better or worsens, the healer can say that they came too
4. late but to give more and pray more; eventually a relief period will come.
   • If a person dies they can say it was God’s will.

XXXXXXXXXXXXVII. Some people are not suffering from illnesses but have convinced themselves

1. that they are sick so that their faith in the cure—any cure—will succeed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. Some seek healing for things that will, in the natural course of time, heal.

XXXXXXXXXXXXIX. Some are being heavily treated by medications, medical therapies, etc. but, after

1. going to a healing service, will claim that it was a completely divine healing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX. Some are deceitful, working for the ministry.

• An undercover survellience of W.V. Grant’s ministry witnessed 30

1. wheelchairs being unloaded and placed in a staging area. Some early
2. arrivals, walking in with canes were put in the wheelchairs and wheeled up
3. When the healer calls the person to stand up (who could stand up
4. and walk without the wheelchair before), the crowd is amazed (Randi 107).
   • Former ministry employees have related instances of being “healed” many
5. times in different cities being made to walk, receive sight, etc.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXI. Does God heal people today?

A. Not by the hands of men

XXXXXXXXXXXXXII. Acts 8:13-21 – Simon realized how the power was transferred by the apostles

XXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. Death of the apostles ended this method

XXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. James 5:14-15 – Prayer and anointing of the elders

• This was during a time when spiritual gifts were prevalent in the church
• This, too, ended with the passing of spiritual gifts.

A. God does not remove all suffering

XXXXXXXXXXXXXV. Suffering is a part of life

• “The impression given by the ‘full gospel’to the average believer is that

1. God does not want His people to suffer in this world…Here is the candy-
2. coated life, guaranteed to extract all bitter tastes.” (Chantry 103)
   • Philippians 2:25-27 – Epaphroditus was sick unto death
   • 2 Timothy 4:20 – Paul left Trophimus in Miletus because he was sick
   • 1 Timothy 5:23 – “No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for
3. your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.”
   • Sickness is a natural part of life; a consequence of Adam and Eve’s sin in
4. which our physical bodies are born to die.
   • When suffering comes, we either draw close to God or blame Him.
5. Miraculous and Providential Healing
   • God does not promise release from suffering but strength to endure it.
6. 1 Corinthians 10:10-12 – We can endure because God is in control
7. 1 Peter 5:7 – “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
8. Too often we give up before we really know what we are made of.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. We can gain strength through suffering

• 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 – Paul’s thorn in the flesh
• Charles Spurgeon: “The greatest earthly blessing that God can give to any

1. of us is health, with the exception of sickness. Sickness has frequently
2. been of more use to the saints of God than health has. If some men, that I
3. know of, could only be favoured with a month of rheumatism, it would, by
4. God’s grace, mellow them marvelously…I would not wish for any man a
5. long time of sickness and pain; but a twist now and then one might almost
6. ask for him.” (Chantry 104)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. Some suffering is brought on as a consequence of sin or neglect

• Hosea 8:7 – “They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind.”
• Galatians 6:7-9 – We will reap what we sow; physically and eternally.

A. We should seek God’s help and strength

XXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. God has blessed our world with wonderful medical advancements and

1. knowledge by which we can improve our physical health.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. When we are sick, we can pray for strength and renewed health.

• James 5:13 – “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.”
• 3 John 2 – “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in

1. health, just as your soul prospers.”
   • We should also ask for strength to endure suffering and sickness if we will
2. not be healed of the sickness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Job 2:7-10 – Let us accept good and adversity and do not blame God.

1. Sources
2. Chantry, Walter J. Signs of the Apostles . The Banner of Truth Trust: Pennsylvania, 1976.
3. Randi, James. The Faith Healers . Prometheus Books: New York, 1989.
4. Tongues and Prophecy
5. Tongues and Prophecy

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. What of the charismatic ecstatic worship services?

A. Such services as evidence of the spiritual presence of the Holy Spirit is problematic

1. for many diverse religious groups have claimed godly presence through such signs.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. Wen-Amon in Byblos 1110 B.C. “Now while he was making offerings to his

1. gods, the god seized one of his youths and made him possessed. And he said to
2. him: ‘Bring up the god. Bring the messenger who is carrying him. Amon is
3. the one who sent him out. He is the one who made him come.’ And while the
4. possessed youth was having his frenzy on this night, I had already found a ship
5. headed for Egypt.” Glossolaliaby Jimmy Jividen, p. 60.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. Origen (~185-255) “There are many who, although of no name, with the

1. greatest facility and on the slightest occasion, whether within or without
2. temples, assume the motions and gestures of inspired persons…for the purpose
3. of attracting attention and exciting surprise…To these promises are added
4. strange, fanatical, and quite unintelligible words, of which no rational persons
5. can find the meanings for so dark are they, as to have no meaning at all; but
6. they give occasion to every fool or imposter to apply them to suit his own
7. ” Glossolaliaby Jimmy Jividen, p. 64

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. Plato on the Delphi Oracles: “Herein lies the reason why the Diety has bereft

1. them of their senses, and uses them as ministers, along with soothsayers and
2. godly seers: it is in order that we listeners may know that it is not they who
3. utter these precious revelations while their mind is not within them, but that it is
4. the God himself who speaks.” Ibid, p. 61

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. Islam

• Regarding spiritual gifts, an Islamic evangelism guide suggests: “Islam has

1. also used such methods [miraculous gifts/tongue speaking], specifically
2. through Sufi groups approaching Western societies through the Ottoman
3. It is effective with Westerners for some unknown reason,
4. perhaps because of the aversion to reason so prevalent in Western religion.
5. Some Muslims might consider to what extent Islamic healing practices
6. might open avenues to make fruitful contacts. A full-blown charismatic
7. approach, however, would merely be a capitulation to a popular trend in
8. Christianity rather than the spread of Islam.” (fromhttp://www.al-
9. org/invitationhowto/11.htm)
   • Sufi mysticism: “They perceived that the Sufi’s emphasis on experience as
10. a superior source of truth, and their tendency to neglect legal prescriptions,
11. could lead to the corruption of Muhammad’s religion. The use of dance for
12. spiritual purposes has become one of the most distinctive characteristics of
13. Sufism, though not all the orders observe it. The dance is…intended to
14. plunge the dancer into a state of concentration upon Allah.” Elliot Miller;
15. “Sufis: The Mystical Muslims.”
16. http://www.arabicbible.com/christian/islam_revival_p3.htm)
    • Sufi approach: “Meditation…and breathing exercises induce altered states
17. of consciousness. As the natural mental barriers to psychic intrusion are
18. Tongues and Prophecy
19. broken down…the Sufi may see visions, hear the voices of angels and
20. prophets, and gain from them guidance. It is a condition of joy and
21. And when this condition seizes on the ‘seeker,’he falls into
22. ” Ibid.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. Religions in Africa, among the native Americans, Mexican Indians, and eastern

1. religions are filled with ecstatic utterances in unknown languages, reports of
2. miracles and healing, and worshippers lost in emotional frenzy yet none of
3. these are associated with the Holy Spirit and Christ.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. There is a charismatic movement within Catholicism (they have their own

1. publications, web sites, etc.) and believe in the authority of the pope, pray to
2. Jesus calling on Mary or other saints to help, and other doctrines. Some have
3. written that the Holy Spirit influence has helped them appreciate the mass and
4. their relationship with Mary, the mother of Jesus, on a deeper level.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. We can look at the diverse Pentecostal and charismatic landscape and see many

1. who claim the active power of the Holy Spirit in their lives and worship yet
2. practice diverse things.
   • 1 Corinthians 12:4-5 “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
3. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.”
   • Ephesians 4:3-6 “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
4. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one
5. hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father
6. of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
   • 1 Corinthians 1:4-10 – Though led by the Spirit, they were to be unified
   • We cannot say that the one Spirit, who revealed one faith, is pleased by so
7. many who are not of the same mind, and are not speaking the same thing.
   • Which one is really being led by the Spirit and, thus, correct in its practice?

A. Experiential religion becomes a double-edged sword because on what basis will you

1. condemn practices in others that you yourselves practice?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. The frenzied worship, indecipherable tongues, and individual ecstatic loss of

1. control were foreign to the New Testament church so one cannot compare the
2. New Testament church to pagan religions.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. If a person wants to defend these practices, they must effectively refute the

1. reasons why another person’s identical practice is fraudulent.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. One cannot go to the Bible for defense for:

• The practices were foreign to the New Testament church.
• The spiritual gifts that did exist passed away, as prophesied, when the

1. apostles died and history supports that fact.
   • So one’s defense must be subjective.
   • Here is the double-edged sword: if it cannot be defended with scripture
2. and the only defense is one’s subjective feelings, there is not valid reason
3. to refute the experience of the Muslim, Catholic, Cybilline Oracle, African
4. medicine man, New Age practitioners, or any other religion that
5. encourages ecstatic experience.
6. The Conviction of the Spirit
7. The Conviction of the Spirit
8. Text: John 16:7-15

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. Background

A. Jesus was about to be betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and crucified

B. Jesus consoled His disciples telling them that He would not abandon them

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. He loved them and the Father loved them, 16:26-27

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. He chose them to take the gospel to the world, 15:15-17

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. He warned them that many in the world would reject their message

• John 15:18-20
• John 16:1-4

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. Though He would leave, the Spirit would be with them

• He would call to mind Jesus’ teachings and would explain the fullness of the

1. gospel, 16:13
   • He would guide them in what they would say when they were persecuted by the
2. world, Luke 21:12-19
   • He would give them works to validate their message, 14:12-14

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. Beginning from Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit was with the apostles

1. as they took the gospel throughout the world.

A. The work of the Spirit is summarized in John 16:8-12

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. Convict the world of sin

A. Sin is transgression of God’s law which merits spiritual death—separation from God

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. Sin was introduced in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Each person is guilty of sin when he transgresses God’s law, Romans 3:9-12; 23.

A. The Spirit convicts the world of sin by declaring what is holy and right and the sin

1. which opposes it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. Romans 7:7 – Paul knew sin through the Law

• He knew what God required and yet sometimes disobeyed the word.
• The fault was not the word but his transgression of God’s commands.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. 2 John 9 – Abiding in Jesus

• Christians must abide in Christ by keeping His commandments.
• When one disobeys Christ’s commandments, he rebels against God.

A. The Spirit, through the writings of the apostles, still convicts the world of sin

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. Sin is a universal problem both in time and space; all men of all ages are guilty of

1. sin before God and need salvation.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. A lack of knowledge about sin makes it difficult to reach the world today.

• Some do not acknowledge sin because, to do so, would require that one

1. acknowledge a God who is in control and has a right to expect obedience.
   • Some acknowledge sin but blame it on their childhood, societal situation, or
2. genetics and thereby absolve themselves of guilt and any personal
3. responsibility or accountability regarding sin.
   • Some compare themselves to others and think that if they compare well, though
4. they sin, they have nothing to worry about.
5. This is a foolish type of judgment, 2 Corinthians 10:12
6. God will judge us by His word, John 12:48
7. The Conviction of the Spirit
   • Though many deny the existence of sin or fail to acknowledge their guilt of sin,
8. all will be convicted of sin in judgment, “for all have sinned.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. Convict the world of righteousness

A. Christians will also be convicted as sinners, but will be declared righteous through the

1. grace of God and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. Romans 3:21-26

• Righteousness comes through Jesus to all who believe though they have sinned.
• Jesus became a propitiation for us through His blood.

1. Propitiation is something offered to God to appease Him, or make
2. reconciliation, for rebelling against Him.
3. There is nothing we could do of ourselves to receive favor from God and
4. satisfy the penalty of death due from our sin.
5. Jesus died to satisfy the penalty of death due to the sinner.
6. Through His sacrifice we who are guilty of sin and deserve condemnation
7. can receive eternal life with God as if we were innocent for God’s justice
8. has been satisfied through Jesus.

A. 1 Peter 1:22-2:3

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. We purify our souls through obedience to the truth and the new birth through the

1. word of God.
   • Through baptism we are purified, our sins are washed away, Acts 22:16.
   • This new birth is described in Romans 6:4 in which we rise from baptism, being
2. washed by the blood of Jesus, to have a new life.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. The conviction of righteousness comes through the gospel

• James 1:21-22 – Receive the word that can save your souls
• Yet we must obey the word of God and do what He commands.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. Convict the world of judgment

A. God will judge all mankind

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. 1 Peter 4:1-6

• All will give an account to God
• Therefore we must live righteously, 1 Peter 4:7, 17-19

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. Revelation 20:11-15

A. God has judged the world in the past, 2 Peter 3:1-9

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. He destroyed wicked humanity before with a flood; only saving righteous Noah and

1. his family from destruction.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. He punished many nations for disobedience.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. Men willfully forget God’s judgment and do not fear His wrath; yet God is

1. longsuffering so that they will realize their destructive error and repent

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. Since He will come in judgment again, we must be ready, 2 Peter 3:10-15a

A. You will be judged

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. You will die and make your appointment for judgment, Hebrews 9:27-28.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. You will give an account of your life before God, Hebrews 4:11-13

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. Jesus will satisfy the penalty of death for sin if you will serve Him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Revelation 22:14-15

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. Your eternal future is in your hands; what do you choose?

1. False Signs of the Spirit
2. False Signs of the Spirit

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 14:6-19

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. Introduction: Some claim that they have received the Holy Spirit because of various

1. manifestations: speaking in unintelligible languages, ecstatic worship, or better felt than told
2. Do these really testify of the Holy Spirit’s presence?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. Unintelligible tongues

A. Bible tongues

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. Acts 2:4-8 – Tongues were languages

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. This is the first use of tongues so the Bible writer defines it for us.

A. Modern Tongues

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. Unintelligible words

• Not languages of man
• Linguists have analyzed many tapes of ecstatic utterances and concluded

1. that they have no similarities to known languages and are unrecognizable
2. among the multitude of languages they have studied.
   • The Bible condemns the use of such in the church
3. 1 Corinthians 14:6-12
4. If it does not make sense, it is useless
5. It is babble to the hearer if it has no meaning
6. 1 Corinthians 14:23-25 – It is babble to the unbeliever
   • The modern tongues have no semblance to real language

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. Are modern tongues the tongues of angels

• The apostles did not speak in angel tongues on Pentecost for Acts 2 lists

1. languages of men.
   • 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
2. Paul exaggerates to make a point.
3. Verse 3 in particular emphasizes the exaggeration; if Paul could do
4. the mightiest of things, if he had no love it would be useless.
   • Man cannot speak the heavenly language
5. 2 Corinthians 12:4: “how he was caught up into Paradise and heard
6. inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”
7. When angels spoke to men they used human languages.

A. Not all speak in tongues

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. 1 Corinthians 12:30 – “Do all speak in tongues?”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. 1 Corinthians 14:5 – It is obvious that not everyone spoke in tongues

• Tongues were inferior to prophecy unless they were interpreted so the

1. hearers could be taught.
   • In the modern tongues movement, most want to speak—and expect to
2. speak—in tongues; it was not that way in the New Testament church.

A. Violation of 1 Corinthian principles in many churches

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 – If no interpreter, let him keep silent

• In some assemblies, the whole audience is speaking at once.

1. False Signs of the Spirit
   • Some speak without interpreters especially in the services where all are
2. speaking at the same time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 – Women were not to take a leading role

• Some charismatic churches are lead by women.
• Women were some of the most prominent people in the charismatic

1. movement, such as Aimee Semple Mc Pherson and Kathryn Kuhlman.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. Ecstatic worship

A. Many claim a feeling of “electricity”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. Benny Hinn: “Then, like a jolt of electricity, my body began to vibrate all

1. over…I felt the same shaking for another hour once inside [the revival]…I was
2. shaking, but at the same time I again felt that warm blanket of God’s power
3. wrapped all around me.” (Hinn, p.12-13)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. Cane Creek Revival, 1801: “Conversion was quite literally a convulsion.

1. Converts went through a series of bodily agitations:” (West, p.23)
   • The falling exercise – the subject would cry out then fall as if dead, laying
2. around for many minutes or an hour.
   • The jerks – violent body jerks one way then another; sometimes the person
3. jerked so violently they would grunt; and that part was known as the
4. barking exercise.
   • The dancing exercise – Would start with the jerks then the subject would
5. dance, sometimes all around the tent, until falling down exhausted.
   • Laughter and singing exercise (All from West)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. We do not read of the jerks, falling exercises, laughing exercises, and the like in

1. the scriptures. If it were not from God, where is it from?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. Anton Mesmer practiced something similar

• Mesmer was an occultist who worked with magnetism used techniques

1. similar to modern faith healers and charismatic leaders to ‘heal’ his
2. He made no claim to be a Christian
   • “Mesmer marched about majestically in a pale lilac robe, passing his hands
3. over patients bodies or touching them with a long iron wand. The results
4. Some patients felt nothing at all, some felt as if insects were
5. crawling over them, others were seized with hysterical laughter,
6. convulsions, or fits of hiccups. Some went into a raving delirium, which
7. was called ‘the crisis’ and was considered extremely healthful. What was
8. described is people feeling good, uplifted, felt a release and had a sense of
9. well being from the experience.” (Let Us Reason Web site: “Slain in the
10. ”)
    • He did not claim to be a Christian but achieved the same results as the
11. modern charismatic movements by the way he manipulated the service and,
12. as a result, his audience.

A. Writing that compares the living service with the dead service

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. Benny Hinn: “The Holy Spirit became real…the Bible became alive…the

1. Father was more real…Jesus became as real to me as the floor beneath my
2. ” (Hinn, p. 13, 31).

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. Benny Hinn: “Their faith is long on form, ritual, and dogma, but short on

1. God’s anointing. The power is missing. And as a result, they have virtually no
2. False Signs of the Spirit
3. comprehension of what it means to hear from the Lord or to be ‘led by the
4. Spirit’.” (Hinn, 37)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. William De Artega: “God loved the church so much that He would not allow it

1. to remain in this error [those practicing spiritual gifts were considered heretics],
2. no matter how satisfied most Christians felt about their theology or how content
3. they were with formal religion…In the process certain graced individuals have
4. had to reevaluate their stuffy theologies…and release long-suppressed spiritual
5. ” (De Artega, p. 14).

A. Worship must be decent and orderly, 1 Corinthians 14:40.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. There is nothing decent and orderly about people jumping around and making a

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. Paul commands something different in 1 Corinthians 14:26-33.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. Experiences

A. No one was ever told to “experience” a feeling to validate God’s presence

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. We have His presence by promise

• Romans 5:5 “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has

1. been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
   • We are not promised better told than felt experiences or uncontrollable
2. ecstatic activity; these come from man.

A. Martin Luther: “[Some preachers in his day] confuse their own spirit with the Holy

1. Spirit…they think they have swallowed the Holy Ghost feathers and all.” (Let Us
2. Reason Web site, “Slain in the Spirit”)

B. John Calvin: “The fanaticism which discards the scripture, under the pretense of

1. resorting to immediate revelations is subversive to every principle in Christianity.
2. For when they boast extravagantly of the Spirit, the tendency is always to bury the
3. word of God so they can make room for their own falsehood.” (ibid).

C. Why do people seek experiences

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. Some seek experiences because they are bored with regular worship yet they

1. never think to examine themselves and whether they are truly giving
2. themselves to God when they come to worship in the way He commanded.
   • The Corinthians were rich in spiritual gifts yet there were some of their
3. number who, when observing the Lord’s supper were spiritually dead.
   • 1 Corinthians 11:30 “For this reason many are weak and sick among you,
4. and many sleep.”
   • If there is a problem, it is not with God’s way of worship, it is with us.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. Some see tongues and ecstatic experiences as a short cut to spirituality; no

1. study of the Bible needed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. Common experiences among different religions

A. Wen-Amon in Byblos 1110 B.C. “Now while he was making offerings to his gods,

1. the god seized one of his youths and made him possessed. And he said to him:
2. ‘Bring up the god. Bring the messenger who is carrying him. Amon is the one who
3. sent him out. He is the one who made him come.’ And while the possessed youth
4. was having his frenzy on this night, I had already found a ship headed for Egypt.”
5. Glossolalia by Jimmy Jividen, p. 60.

B. Origen (~185-255) “There are many who, although of no name, with the greatest

1. facility and on the slightest occasion, whether within or without temples, assume the
2. False Signs of the Spirit
3. motions and gestures of inspired persons…for the purpose of attracting attention and
4. exciting surprise…To these promises are added strange, fanatical, and quite
5. unintelligible words, of which no rational persons can find the meanings for so dark
6. are they, as to have no meaning at all; but they give occasion to every fool or
7. imposter to apply them to suit his own purposes.” Glossolaliaby Jimmy Jividen, p.

C. Plato on the Delphi Oracles: “Herein lies the reason why the Diety has bereft them of

1. their senses, and uses them as ministers, along with soothsayers and godly seers: it is
2. in order that we listeners may know that it is not they who utter these precious
3. revelations while their mind is not within them, but that it is the God himself who
4. ” Ibid, p. 61

D. Islam

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. Regarding spiritual gifts, an Islamic evangelism guide suggests: “Islam has

1. also used such methods [miraculous gifts/tongue speaking], specifically through
2. Sufi groups approaching Western societies through the Ottoman expansion. It
3. is effective with Westerners for some unknown reason, perhaps because of the
4. aversion to reason so prevalent in Western religion. Some Muslims might
5. consider to what extent Islamic healing practices might open avenues to make
6. fruitful contacts. A full-blown charismatic approach, however, would merely
7. be a capitulation to a popular trend in Christianity rather than the spread of
8. ” (fromhttp://www.al-islam.org/invitationhowto/11.htm)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. Sufi mysticism: “They perceived that the Sufi’s emphasis on experience as a

1. superior source of truth, and their tendency to neglect legal prescriptions, could
2. lead to the corruption of Muhammad’s religion. The use of dance for spiritual
3. purposes has become one of the most distinctive characteristics of Sufism,
4. though not all the orders observe it. The dance is…intended to plunge the
5. dancer into a state of concentration upon Allah.” Elliot Miller; “Sufis: The
6. Mystical Muslims.”
7. http://www.arabicbible.com/christian/islam_revival_p3.htm)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. Sufi approach: “Meditation…and breathing exercises induce altered states of

1. As the natural mental barriers to psychic intrusion are broken
2. down…the Sufi may see visions, hear the voices of angels and prophets, and
3. gain from them guidance. It is a condition of joy and longing. And when this
4. condition seizes on the ‘seeker,’he falls into ecstasy.” Ibid.

A. Religions in Africa, among the native Americans, Mexican Indians, and eastern

1. religions are filled with ecstatic utterances in unknown languages, reports of miracles
2. and healing, and worshippers lost in emotional frenzy yet none of these are associated
3. with the Holy Spirit and Christ.

B. There is a charismatic movement within Catholicism (they have their own

1. publications, web sites, etc.) and believe in the authority of the pope, pray to Jesus
2. calling on Mary or other saints to help, and other doctrines. Some have written that
3. the Holy Spirit influence has helped them appreciate the mass and their relationship
4. with Mary, the mother of Jesus, on a deeper level.

C. We can look at the diverse Pentecostal and charismatic landscape and see many who

1. claim the active power of the Holy Spirit in their lives and worship yet practice
2. diverse things.
3. False Signs of the Spirit

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. 1 Corinthians 12:4-5 “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There

1. are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. Ephesians 4:3-6 “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of

1. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of
2. your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who
3. is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. 1 Corinthians 1:4-10 – Though led by the Spirit, they were to be unified

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. We cannot say that the one Spirit, who revealed one faith, is pleased by so

1. many who are not of the same mind, and are not speaking the same thing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. Which one is really being led by the Spirit and, thus, correct in its practice?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. Experiential religion becomes a double-edged sword because on what basis will you

1. condemn practices in others that you yourselves practice?

A. The frenzied worship, indecipherable tongues, and individual ecstatic loss of control

1. were foreign to the New Testament church so one cannot compare the New
2. Testament church to pagan religions.

B. If a person wants to defend these practices, they must effectively refute the reasons

1. why another person’s identical practice is fraudulent.

C. One cannot go to the Bible for defense for:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. The practices were foreign to the New Testament church.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. The spiritual gifts that did exist passed away, as prophesied, when the apostles

1. died and history supports that fact.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. Therefore, one’s defense must be subjective.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. Here is the double-edged sword: if it cannot be defended with scripture and the

1. only defense is one’s subjective feelings, there is not valid reason to refute the
2. experience of the Muslim, Catholic, Cybilline Oracle, African medicine man,
3. New Age practitioners, or any other religion that encourages ecstatic
5. Sources:
6. De Artega, William. Quenching the Spirit . Creation House: Lake Mary, FL: 1992.
7. Hinn, Benny. Good Morning, Holy Spirit . Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville: 1990.
8. West, Earl Irvin. The Search for the Ancient Order , Vol. 1. Gospel Advocate Company,
9. Nashville: 1949.
10. Baptism of the Holy Spirit
11. Baptism of the Holy Spirit

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: Acts 11:1-18

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Baptisms of the Bible

A. Baptism of John

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. God sent John the Baptist to prepare the people for Jesus’ coming.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. As John preached repentance, he baptized penitent believers for repentance

1. unto the remission of sins.
   • Luke 3:2-8 – Account of John’s work.
   • Mark 11:28-33 – John’s baptism was authorized by God.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. John’s baptism was not permanent, John 3:22-30

• John fulfilled his work in preparing the way of Jesus and his baptism was

1. no longer necessary.
   • Acts 19:1-7 – The Ephesian converts
2. Paul questions their baptism since they had not received the Holy
3. Spirit
4. Paul taught them the way more accurately and baptized them into
5. Jesus
6. Paul then laid his hands on the believers so they could have the gifts
7. of the Holy Spirit
8. John’s baptism was insufficient for them.

A. Baptism of fire

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. Predicted by John the Baptist, Matthew 3:11-12

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. John describes the baptism of fire as one reserved for those who will not obey

1. Jesus and will be consumed with unquenchable fire.

A. Baptism of the Holy Spirit

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. Also predicted by John the Baptist, Matthew 3:11-12

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. Jesus said that it would occur when the apostles returned to Jerusalem after He

1. ascended to the Father.
   • Jesus promised the Helper, the Holy Spirit, would help them in their work,
2. John 15:26-27.
   • Jesus told the disciples to go to Jerusalem to wait for this promise to be
3. fulfilled, Luke 24:46-49; Acts 1:4-5
   • Acts 2 records the apostles being baptized with the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:1-4.
4. Accompanied by miraculous signs, speaking in tongues
5. They did not seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit; the Spirit came
6. upon the apostles.
   • At the end of Peter’s message, many in the audience wanted forgiveness
7. for killing the Son of God.
8. Peter told them to be baptized for the remission of sins.
9. Peter told them to do something, to obey his command.
10. The baptism he commanded was not the baptism of the Holy
11. Spirit for you cannot command a person to do this.
12. He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus.
13. We will study this baptism in a moment.
14. Baptism of the Holy Spirit

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. A similar thing happens when God sends Peter to teach Cornelius, the first

1. Gentile convert, Acts 10
   • At the beginning of the kingdom, the gospel was taught to the Jews and
2. • Peter was divinely instructed to take the gospel to the house of Cornelius.
3. Peter preached about Jesus the Son of God
4. Peter preached that through Jesus they could have remission of sins
5. At this saying, the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and his
6. household and they began speaking in tongues.
7. Acts 11:15-17 – Peter noted that this is the same thing that
8. happened to them in the beginning, Acts 2.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. i. If it were a continual thing with all converts, surely he would

1. have said that the Spirit came up them as they came upon all

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. ii. Peter refers back to the beginning of the gospel and the

1. promise of Jesus.
2. When they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Peter knew
3. that he could not withhold the baptism for the remission of sins.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. i. Acts 11:17 – I could not withstand God

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. ii. Acts 10:46-48 – Peter commanded them to be baptized into

1. the name of the Lord

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. iii. As with Acts 2, they had to obey a commanded baptism

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. The purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit

• In Acts 2, to demonstrate that Jesus had ascended to the right hand of God.

1. John 16:7
2. Acts 2:33
   • In Acts 10, to show that the Gentiles could be baptized in the name of Jesus
3. The conversion of the Gentiles was a great source of controversy
4. In Acts 11, Peter has to defend his work among the Gentiles.
5. In Acts 15 the apostles had to meet regarding the conversion of
6. the Gentiles as it related to the Old Law.
7. Ephesians 2:11-13 – The unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ was a
8. profound thing for Paul’s audience to consider.
9. God had to persuade Peter that the Gentiles could have salvation.
10. Acts 10:9-17 – Peter’s vision
11. Acts 10:28-29, 34 – The vision taught Peter that he should not
12. call the Gentiles unclean.
13. Acts 11:4-10, 15-18 – Peter used the vision and the baptism of
14. the Holy Spirit to show God’s approval of the Gentiles

A. Baptism in the name of the Lord for the remission of sins

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. This baptism was introduced at the beginning of the church in Acts 2:38.

• It is a commanded act (also Acts 10:47-48)
• It is for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38; 22:16
• It is a baptism by which one is put into the Lord, Galatians 3:26-27.
• It saves, Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21
• It is a new birth, John 3:3-5; Romans 6:1-4

1. Baptism of the Holy Spirit

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. Like John’s baptism, it is a burial in water (i.e., Acts 8:38-39)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. What is the one baptism of Ephesians 4:5?

A. Paul wrote the Ephesian letter, about 59-61 AD

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. The baptism of John probably appeared about 29-30 AD

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. The baptism of fire is a figurative analogy of the destruction of the disobedient

1. who reject Jesus.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. The baptism of the Holy Spirit first appeared about 33AD, at Pentecost, and

1. about 36-38 AD upon Cornelius’ house.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. The baptism in the name of the Lord began about 33AD, at Pentecost and

1. continues until our day.

A. The one baptism cannot be the baptism of the Holy Spirit

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. The baptism in the name of Jesus is what saves us

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. The baptism of the Holy Spirit cannot be commanded; neither the apostles nor

1. Cornelius’ house sought it, it came upon them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not mentioned after Acts 11 nor in the epistles.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. Baptism in the name of Jesus receives much attention in the remainder of Acts

1. and the epistles.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. Conclusion: Some claim that they have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and that their

1. spiritual gifts and ecstatic worship prove it. Next week we will explore this claim from the
2. scriptures and look at some of the spiritual gifts in detail.
3. Sinning against the Holy Spirit
4. Sinning Against the Holy Spirit

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: Matthew 12:22-32

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. Grieving the Spirit

A. Ephesians 4:29-32

B. Definition

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. Grieve – to cause one to feel grief

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. Grief – Intense feeling from loss, disaster, or suffering

A. Israel of old grieved the Spirit, “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He

1. turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.” Isaiah 63:10.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. They would not heed God’s word.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. They rebelled against God’s authority

• Psalm 78:40 – “How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, and

1. grieved Him in the desert!”
   • They witnessed His wonders in Egypt and in the wilderness, they heard
2. Him speak from Mt. Sinai, and God fed them daily; yet they rebelled.

A. We can make the Holy Spirit feel grief.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. The Spirit has given us words of edification by which we can build up one

1. When we destroy one another, we are destroying God’s work.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. If we are filled with evil speaking towards our brethren, it causes strife within

1. the church and with God.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. “When you did it to the least of my brethren, you did it unto me,” said Jesus.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. We must respect God’s authority and not rebel against the Word revealed

1. through the Spirit.
   • Those who seek their own interests above their brethren grieve the Spirit
2. for they cause problems within the church.
   • Jude 17-21

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. Resisting the Spirit

A. Acts 7:51-53

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. Their fathers resisted the Holy Spirit by resisting God’s authority and

1. oppressing their brethren.
   • 7:9 – Joseph was sold by his brothers (the head of the tribes that would
2. become Israel) out of envy
3. Though they treated Joseph terribly, God was with him.
4. Through Joseph, God saved the brothers and, by extension, Israel.
   • 7:23, 35-40 – The Israelites rejected Moses on several occasions though
5. God was with Him and had chosen him to lead the people from Egypt.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. The Jews rejecting Jesus were just like the Jews that rejected God’s chosen

1. leaders in the past.
   • Moses spoke of Jesus who would come, 7:37.
   • The Jews rejected Jesus and, in doing so, resisted the Holy Spirit.
   • They also resisted the Holy Spirit by objecting to Stephen’s message and
2. killing him for teaching the truth.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. Quenching the Spirit

A. 1 Thessalonians 5:19

1. Sinning against the Holy Spirit

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. NIV: “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. Other uses of quench

• Ephesians 6:16 – “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will

1. be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”
   • Mark 9:48 – “[hell fire]where Their worm does not die and the fire is not
2. ”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. In a list of several exhortations at the close of Paul’s letter.

A. From a spiritual gifts perspective, they should use the gifts that have been given and

1. give heed to prophecies.

B. We can quench the Spirit.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. The Spirit inspires the Word of God which teaches us how to worship and live.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. When we do not study the word nor teach it to others, we render the Spirit

1. inactive in our lives.
   • This action is like pouring water on a campfire on a cold day. The fire can
2. bring warmth and may even save our life, but if we quench it, it will do us
3. no good.
   • As some have said, the person who can read but does not is no better than
4. the person who cannot read.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. We can also quench the Spirit by sapping the joy and peace that the word brings

1. out of our lives.
   • The Spirit does not equal excitement or ecstatic fervor.
   • However, the product of our salvation should be peace, joy, hope, love, and
2. goodness which we can drive from our lives.

A. Let us not put out the fire of the Spirit in our lives.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. Let us daily study and meditate on the word so we can become like Jesus.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. Let us go forth in the good work and inner joy that should accompany salvation.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. Blaspheming the Spirit

A. Matthew 12:31-32

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. Jesus cast a demon out of a possessed person.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. The Jewish leaders attributed the miracle to the work of Beelzebub.

• Jesus said that it was illogical to think that the Devil would fight against

1. himself and hope for success.
   • He also said that the argument would mean that their sons also cast out
2. demons by Beelzebub; a conclusion they would not want to accept.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI. Jesus said that His power came from the Spirit of God, v.28.

• The might of the Spirit is such that it can overcome Satan’s power.
• The purpose of the miracle was to prove that Jesus is God’s Son.

1. John 10:24-28 – The works testify that Jesus is the Christ
2. John 14:10-11 – Believe for the sake of the works
3. John 20:30-31 – The signs were to prove Jesus’ divinity
   • In rejecting the works of Jesus, or attributing them to Satan, the Jewish
4. leaders rejected the following:
5. That Jesus came from the Father
6. That Jesus was the Christ
7. That Jesus is the Son of God
8. Their only hope of eternal life
9. Sinning against the Holy Spirit
10. John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the
11. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
12. Luke 10:16 – “He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you
13. rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

A. We can blaspheme the Holy Spirit by denying the signs of Jesus, rejecting Him as the

1. Christ, the Son of God.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII. John 16:8-11 – The message of the spirit convicts one of sin, persuades one to

1. prepare for judgment, and provides the message of salvation through Jesus.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII. If we reject the divinely inspired word and the Son who was demonstrated to be

1. the Christ by many wonderful works, we cannot be saved.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV. Insulting the Spirit

A. Hebrews 10:26-31

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXV. We may not blaspheme the Spirit choosing instead to heed the Spirit’s call and

1. obeying the gospel.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI. If we, after obeying that message, turn our back on God, we insult the Spirit

1. that called us and Christ who saved us.
   • Instead of exalting Christ above every name, we trample Him under our
2. • Instead of considering the blood as something precious, valuable, and life
3. saving; we treat it as something common that can be wasted or spilled
4. carelessly on the dirt.
5. We often throw the remaining water in a glass out in the yard if we
6. are no longer thirsty.
7. If we were out in the desert, would we be so careless with the water?
   • Instead of respecting the Spirit who calls us to God’s grace and forgiveness
8. of sin through the gospel, we insult Him.
9. Imagine someone making great preparations for your comfort and
10. safety and preparing to give you things you never dreamed of and
11. you carelessly ignored the offer. The person would be insulted at
12. your rejection of his extremely generous offer.
13. We insult the Spirit when we reject the offer of grace from God,
14. which we do not deserve, to receive help from God, which we do not
15. deserve, and an eternal home with God, which we do not deserve.

A. God will avenge those who ignore His offer, reject His Son, and insult the Spirit

1. either before or after they are baptized.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 – Punishment on those who reject God

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII. Hebrews 2:1-4 – Do not neglect your salvation

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX. Conclusion: The message of the gospel, inspired by the Spirit, calls you to salvation. The

1. apostles, though the Spirit and the command of Christ, command all to repent of their sins and to
2. be baptized into Christ, Mark 16:15-16. Do not insult the Spirit; respond to His invitation. He
3. calls you to a rich feast and living waters, Revelation 22:12-17.