THE HOLY SPIRIT

THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT (1-9)
Isaiah 44:1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

We will examine three thoughts in the passage:
1 – THE MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Isaiah 44:3 reads, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:”
Many in Israel waited for the day when the Messiah would come and set up His Kingdom on earth. Others knew when He came He would take away the sins of the world.
John the Baptist said, “Behold the lamb of God who shall take away the sins of the world.”
Simeon was an old man, but a godly man who gave his life to wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus. When he saw him, he turned his head towards heaven and said to God, “My eyes have seen thy salvation” (Luke 2:30).
Anna, a widow of 84 years of age saw the Lord and gave praise to the Lord and prophesied that He would be the redeemer of Israel.
The Angel that appeared to Joseph and said, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
Mary said, “…my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.”
When Christ came, many people recognized Him, but most did not. Jesus Christ was not crowned King of the Jews but was crucified and became the Savior of the world and the bridegroom of the Church.
**He will yet in the future come again. When He does, he will then set up His kingdom.
He will come in two events separated by seven years.
He will come in the rapture of the church and in the revelation.
At the first of the Tribulation the betroth Church will be taken to heaven. There we will be purified and dressed in His righteousness.
John speaks of the celebration in Revelation 19:7. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.”
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Seven years after the rapture, the Church will return to this earth with the Lord. At that time He will reveal Himself to the world as the Christ, the Judge, the Savior of the world, King of kings and Lord of lords.
At that time Isaiah 44:3 will take place in its fullness.
As the Lord came to betroth (promise of marriage) His Church 2,000 years ago. And the consummation of that betrothing period will not take place until He returns. So, the promise of the fullness of the Spirit began at Pentecost but will not fully be consummated until the future, partially in the Tribulation and completely in the Millennium.
To understand this completely two Scriptures need to be examined: Joel 2:28-32 and Acts 2:16-21.
Joel 2: 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. Acts 2: 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Notice four very important thoughts that place the fullness of these Scriptures in the future:
1) God said He would pour out His Spirit on all flesh. At Pentecost His Spirit was poured out on 120 and then on 3,000. After that whosoever received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, was given God’s Spirit.
A believer is given the earnest of God’s spirit, today. (II Corinthians 1:22) 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Earnest money seals the deal, but it is full payment. When we receive Christ, we are sealed until the day of redemption, but the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy is in the future.
2) There is a future day when all of God’s children will be given the spirit in such a way that our sons and daughters will be given prophetic messages. The young men will be given visions and the old men will dream dreams.
Now listen to and understand this prophetic scripture that will take place in the Millennium. Isaiah 11:9 “…the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
In Old Testament days, the Word of God was spread by the patriarchs, the prophets and the priest through the preaching and proclaiming of God’s Word.
In New Testament days, which are the days we are living in, the Word has been spread through the spoken word and the written word.
But, it seems that during the Millennium, the Word of God will be placed in His children lives by the Holy Spirit through visions and dreams, for the knowledge of His Word will cover this world as the water cover the sea.
Many folks I know have given themselves to memorizing the Scriptures and that is great and should be done. I remember someone asking me, “How do you memorize Scripture?” I said, just put your Bible under your pillow and when you wake up the next morning, you will have memorized Scripture.” Well, you know that is not true. Today, you must read it over and over and over and quote it again and again and again. And after you memorize it, a few months later, you forget it and you have to rememorize it.
Well, during the Millennium, it seems as if God’s Word will come to people supernaturally. The Old men will but go to sleep and God will put in their minds great and wonderful truths that they never studied.
The young children will have such innocent hearts that they will speak prophecy. They will be able to tell what will happen in the near future and young men will be see visions of tomorrow and they will share that with their families and others.
3) A third truth that places the fullness of the Spirit, yet in the future is Joel 2:31. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. That has not happened yet. The moon turning blood red and the sun going black will take place during the Tribulation in Revelation 16.
4) Lastly, a prophecy in both Joel’s account and Peter’s account in Acts is prevalent today and will be during the tribulation and future. Joel 2:32 or Acts 2:21 reads, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved (delivered).”
Because of the working of God’s Spirit today as well as future here is what a person must do to be saved:
1 - A person must see themselves a sinner and the need of salvation
2 – A person must believe the story of salvation.
3 – A person must repent. They must change their minds about life.
4 – A person must be pricked in the heart or convicted by God’s Spirit.
5 – That person must humbly and earnestly cry out to God from their hearts asking to be forgiven for their sins, and delivered from hell and saved for God’s glory.
It isn’t the exact words one prays, but the humble, broken condition of a man’s heart when he cries to the Lord that will save that person.

II – THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The ministry of the Holy Spirit today is numerous.
1 – He convicts of sin people’s needs of salvation and fellowship.
John 16: 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Remember that “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). With that verse in mind know also that the Bible, in written text was not readily available for people till the fifteenth century and then only a hand full.
Whereas we need to hear the reading, teaching and preaching of God’s word, we need to read it personally for ourselves to increase our faith.
2 – He indwells the believer and gives the fruit of the Spirit. Here is the difference in how God’s Spirit deals with a lost person and a saved person (Romans 8:9).
The Spirit convicts the lost to come to Christ and be saved.
He reproves the believer to give himself to God’s Word.
The believer is admonished to “Abide in Christ.” Meditate on God’s Word. As we abide in Christ and think on His word, we become like Christ. His likeness in us comes from our abiding in His Word. (John 15).
3 – He comforts the saints. He gives us peace and consolation no matter how bad things seem to get (Acts 9:31).
4 – He seals us for heaven and fills us with power (Eph 4:30).
5 – He anoints God’s children in service (1 John 2:27).

III – THE MOVING OF GOD’S SPIRIT
TURN TO JOHN 16:13-15 and notice four final thoughts on the work of God’s Spirit:

I - THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S SPIRIT:
John 16: 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.
His purpose is to bring glory to Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit is like floodlights on a building. If you drive by a beautiful house or building that has flood lights on it at night, you see the building, but you don’t see the lights. That is the work of God’s Spirit today. He shows forth the glory of Jesus Christ. He is not seen.
That is a picture of a spirit filled person. They don’t need to be seen. They don’t want to be seen. If they can use their gift for God’s glory, they simply want the Lord Jesus Christ to receive that glory. If our purpose in singing, teaching, preaching, serving, giving is to be seen, we lack the fullness of God’s spirit in our lives.

II - THE POWER OF GOD’S SPIRIT:
The power of God’s Spirit is like the function of a dam. The doors of the dam must be open so water can run through the dam; turning the turbines that generates electricity. If the water can’t go through the dam there will be no power and no lights for anybody.
Sin locks the doors and prevents them from opening. Once we confess our sins and fill our hearts and minds with God’s word, the water of His Word begins to slowly turn the turbines. The more water we let in, the more power is given to our family and friends and this world.
It takes the power of God’s spirit to change us and remake us.

III- THE POURING OUT OF GOD’S SPIRIT:
Romans 15: 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
One preacher used greatly of God in America in the late 1800’s was a man by the name of D.L. Moody. He only had a sixth grade education. But, he read and studied and was determined to be successful in life. He became a shoe salesman and a good on. Then he got saved. He began studying the Bible. He went to the preacher of his church and ask if he could teach Sunday school. The preacher said, “We have plenty of teachers, what we need is students. So, Moody went out and brought in people to teach.
One day he overheard someone say, “What would God do with a man totally surrendered to Him.” Mr. Moody said, “I’ll be that man” and God greatly used him.
When he went to England to preach, an elderly pastor denounced his coming. “Why do we need this ‘Mr. Moody’?” said the pastor. “He’s uneducated and inexperienced. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?”
A younger, wiser pastor rose and responded, “No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody.
The power of God on a person’s life comes from how much time they surrender to Him and how much they meditate on the Scripture. Walking in the will of God, yielding our actions and attitudes to being like Christ, is all part of receiving the pouring out of God’s Spirit.

D. L. Moody said, “I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and our own ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s Word, then the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God.
We must be emptied before we can be filled.”
Today, for the Spirit of God to overwhelm a person that person must hunger and thirst after God, His Word and righteousness.

IV- THE PROVING OF GOD’S SPIRIT:
It is seen in one who gives himself to the scripture, the church and prayer. It doesn’t come by the asking but by abiding.
In a dormitory room were four young men. They all had the same test the next day. Three of them studied diligently for the test. The other young man was a Christian, he decided to spend hours in prayer, asking God to endow him so he might do well on the test. After the test, the three young men that studied made a B and two C’s. The young man who prayed for hours and ask for a miracle from God made an F.
God Spirit does not empower us because we ask but because we abide, meditate, memorize and hunger and thirst after Him then ask.
Look at Isaiah 44:3 again. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:”
I have often heard parents say, “I want to give my children what I never had.” Well, there it is! Give your children the blessings of God. Give your children a mom and dad filled with the Spirit of the living God.
Twenty-five years ago I heard an evangelist gives this illustration. He said a man in India came to a Guru seeking to know God.
The Guru ask the man how much he wanted to know God. The man said, I want to know Him more than anything in the world. The Guru told the man to follow him. He went down by a body and water and walked waste deep. The younger man followed. He said again, “How much do you want to know God?” The younger man replied. “With all my heart.”
The Guru grab the man, lifted him off his feet and put his head under water for about a minute. The man came up grasping for breath. The Guru asked, “Do you want to know God?” “Yes,” cried the younger man. Again, the Guru put the man’s head under water for over a minute. When the young man came up he was grasping for air.
The guru said, “Do you want to know God?” “Yes! Yes!” cried the young man.
The guru said, “When you want to know God as much as you want to breath, only then will you get to know Him.
When I heard that story, I thought, “Wow, that is an amazing story.” Over twenty-five years I have discovered that to be true.
A lot of folks want to live close enough to God as to just get along in life without getting in trouble.
But, for those who really want to know God; that person must hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Psalms 42; 1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

Everything in life will be different if you ever come to that place where you hunger and thirst after the Lord.
Have you ever been physically hungry and you began looking in the house for something to eat. Maybe you saw something you didn’t think you liked, but you ate it, and you liked it and developed a taste for it. And you ate more and more and more.
That will happen to you if you begin eating of God’s Word and drinking from God’s fountain.
Song:
Like the woman at the well I was seeking for things that could not satisfy:
And then I heard my Savior speaking: "Draw from my well that never shall run dry".
Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord! Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
There are millions in this world who are craving. The pleasures earthly things afford; But none can match the wondrous treasure, That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.
So, my brother, if the things this world gave you Leave hungers that won't pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you, If you kneel to Him and humbly pray:

5 One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Galatians 3: 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them.
8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.