Looking For Evidence

When I was an unbeliever and walking in rebellion to God I could discern the people that walked in the power of the Holy Spirit and those who didn’t.  To me, it was apparent and obvious. I didn’t know there was any controversy about the baptism in the Holy Spirit, just the evidence or the lack there of. Later, after receiving the Lord into my life, I was amazed to discover believers were arguing that when you got saved you already received the Holy Spirit and don’t need any further baptism. The person I wanted to pray for me to receive Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit and I could tell the difference between those who talked a good game and those who were walking with the Holy Spirit.

Today, many believers are what I call “Uneducated” by church doctrine, instead of opening their eyes to the evidence before them. Somehow many Christian believers today are trained “NOT” to think critically but instead to learn concepts that they are told are biblical that are devoid of the power of the Holy Spirit. When we undermine the scripture by removing the spiritual or supernatural we create a religion devoid of the power to transform.

In Acts 8, Luke gives us an overview of Philip going down to Samaria and ministering to people that were following a man named Simon, a sorcerer who preformed magic to convince his followers he was something special. Philip shows up and does the simple things. He shares the good news about Christ and engages in signs and wonders. It was because of his two pronged approach to ministry that he won over many people to Christ. Had he not included signs and wonders with the good news, people probably  would have kept following Simon the sorcerer.

Acts 8:6

The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing.

People are looking for a faith in something or someone that will demonstrate the power to overcome the problems in their lives. People are not looking to change religions “UNLESS” there is evidence that there is power in one greater than what they are already experiencing. This was the case with Philip and the way he communicated the gospel.

Acts 8:14-17

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

16] For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

The apostles Peter and John were coming down to Samaria to verify that this ministry of Phillip had evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit, not just an empty gospel. Remember, Jesus taught them not to leave Jerusalem until they were “EMPOWERED” by the Holy Spirit. These men who walked with Jesus were looking for “PROOF” that Philip’s teaching and ministry was indeed filled with the Holy Spirit and not just words.

This illustrates that the early church believed in the importance of people receiving the Holy Spirit “AFTER” being born again. Scripture says that these two men saw they were truly born again because they had been baptized in the name of Jesus and you didn’t get baptized unless you had been converted. Peter and John laid hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit.

Question – If the new believers automatically receive the Holy Spirit, why would Peter and John feel the need and desire to impart the Holy Spirit by laying hands on them?  Peter and John believed in the “Infilling “of the Holy Spirit, which meant the baptism. Baptism is an immersing of the Holy Spirit, not just merely a touch. The apostle Paul tells us to be “Constantly” filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life.

Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.

This concept of being filled with the Holy Spirit, especially with Peter and John’s story with Philip’s audience, not only spoke to these people about being filled but demonstrated how to do it by laying hands on them. Even after being born again and converted to the Christian faith, we often need to spiritually empower people to pray for us to be filled, either for the first time or at different times in our lives, when we are drained through the challenges of life. Our life journey has a way of getting our eyes off of the Lord and his power, which leaves us overwhelmed by our struggles. It is being refreshed in the Holy Spirit that we regain our spiritual strength to fight the good fight of the Lord.

From my study of scripture over the last 54 years, I have many times seen God instructing us with scripture to gain understanding in the Life in the Spirit.  Many times Christians get stuck trying to live out their Christian faith with human strength alone rather than having the strength of the Spirit as well. We can end up becoming people who can quote scripture without the power to live it out.

When we lose the ability to look for evidence in our spiritual practice we become dishonest about the faith we profess to have. So, many revivals throughout history have begun because people got honest about their lack of spirituality and counterfeit faith that was more about laws and regulation than about a deep and nurturing relationship with the living God. We shouldn’t let Satan beguile us into accepting a powerless gospel devoid of Spirit power!

Paul talks a lot about the spiritual battle we are in and that battle is not about the Word as much as it is about spiritual forces meant to kill us and our relationship with God. Remember that Jesus says the enemy of our souls is trying to do in us….trying to steal, kill and destroy. Satan is trying to steal our walk in the Spirit by convincing us to walk only  in the natural.  Once Satan convinces us to walk in the flesh, he then proceeds to the second phase of his attack by trying to kill our love for God by encouraging us to continue living the Christian life without power. Finally, he destroys our faith so that we walk away from God completely because we no longer find life in our faith.

John 10:10

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.

If you want the abundant life that Jesus promised us then be filled with the Holy Spirit regularly. Learn to allow the Holy Spirit to not only fill you with hope in believing in Christ but also allow him to manifest his presence with all of the gifts of the spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:1-2

Let love be your highest goal, but also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives, especially the gift of prophecy. For if your gift is the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking to God but not to people, since they won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious.

May the Holy Spirit fill our souls today so that we might walk in life and victory. May we be so filled that we can recognize the evidence of a Spirit filled life and may we walk in the faith to believe for miracles, signs and wonders that we might glorify our savior, Jesus Christ.

Questions:

1) Have you bought into the deception that you are filled with the Holy Spirit when the evidence says otherwise? Find some spiritually mature believer to lay hands on you and pray for a fresh importation of the Holy Spirit like Peter and John did.

2) Are you in a habit of yielding to the Holy Spirit’s guidance knowing it is him who is speaking to you or do you walk through life hoping God is with you? Remember Nehemiah’s words to the people who just finished building the wall around Jerusalem – The Joy of the Lord is your strength.

Seeking to regularly be filled with the Holy Spirit,

Pastor Dale