The Gift of God's Holy Spirit

Well, Rev. today is the day of Pentecost, and it's a very, very important, pivotable time in the plan of God. You know, the Church was at a turning point, and the Holy Spirit had come. And in Acts chapter 2, in verses 1 through 8, it talks about that, a fact that it came with power, and it came with a mighty rushing wind. It came with flames of fire, and it talks about tongues of fire were sitting on each of the disciples' heads.

It says, the disciples began to speak in other languages, and the people that were there at that time heard them speak in their own language. There was a tremendous miracle, quite a miracle, that took place when God wanted to send the Spirit out, and He inspired His apostles and His disciples, and He began to introduce His truth, things that had never been spoken about before. And then Peter begins to speak with boldness and power, and He spoke with more boldness and power than He had ever spoken with before, because He was filled with God's Holy Spirit.

Not only Peter, but also the rest of the disciples at that time. Peter began to give a moving sermon, and the people heard, and they understood, and they realized that they were guilty. They were guilty of taking the life of the very Messiah that they had been waiting for, that they had been hoping for, for generations and generations.

That they realized that they were guilty of killing the Savior of mankind, taking the life of Jesus Christ. So let's pick it up in verse 36 of Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2 in verse 36. It says, and this is towards the end of His sermon that they've been listening, kind of the conclusion of the matter, He says, therefore, based on everything that has taken place, and He's been set up to this point in time, let all the house of Israel know assuredly.

In other words, what He's about to say is the truth. Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made that same Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ. Not only Lord, but Messiah, which is another term for the Greek word Christ. It is equivalent to the Hebrew word Messiah. Verse 37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in the heart, and they said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?

You know, the people finally realized for the first time that they were responsible for taking the life of the very Messiah in Christ that they've been looking to. And they felt that they were trapped. They felt they had nowhere to go. They didn't know what to do. And so they asked these men that God had inspired through His Spirit, what shall we do? And you know what? God in His mercy. Immediately at the drop of a hat, He responds to that question.

Notice the positive message of God to the people who felt this way at this time. Without skipping a beat, without dropping a hat, Peter says this in verse number 38. Peter said the following. He said, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins in you shall receive the gift. The gift. It's a gift, brethren, that comes from God Himself. Gift is what it is.

The gift of the Holy Spirit. You know, brethren, God's message to mankind was not condemnation. You know, here they were guilty and they realized it. And God was not going to condemn them. Peter said, you know what? I know. God inspired Peter to say, I know you realize that now. And so what God wants you to do is He wants you to repent and to be baptized and then you shall receive this gift. A wonderful gift. Let's talk about a gift here just for a moment.

Imagine a situation where you got a phone call and they said, you have won a car. You have won a car. You have won a Mercedes Benz 450 SEL. I mean, this baby is loaded. It's a convertible. It's got, you know, this awesome stereo system. It's got these huge 19-inch tires. You know, it's got 50 chrome spokes. It's got this powerful engine. And this is yours. This is all for you.

But then, you don't have the key. You don't have the key to start the engine. Can't go anywhere. No, brother, in our journey, we've rehearsed some of these things already because of the wonderful Holy Days that God has inspired through His Scripture. You know, we've gone and rehearsed already Passover, the fact that Jesus Christ gets us started on our journey. He's the sacrifice for your and my sins. And then the Days of Unleavened Bread, where we begin to examine ourselves to see where we lack as we compare ourselves with Jesus Christ.

And then comes Pentecost, the Holy Spirit. How can Pentecost be tied into the story? It's like the fuel. It's like the gasoline that gets us started so we can begin to go on our journey towards our destiny. Brother, let's notice how excited the God the Father and His Son, our elder brother Jesus Christ, were about the fulfillment of this day. How they anticipated the fulfillment of this day. How they looked for it and they were excited. How they anticipated of the giving of the Holy Spirit to mankind, their creation. Let's notice John chapter 4 and verse number 7.

John chapter 4 and verse 7. You know, this day and the fulfillment of it were very, very much on the mind of God the Father and Jesus Christ. And let's see how Jesus Christ is anticipating this in John chapter 4 and we'll pick it up in verse 7. Some of these scriptures will be from the old King James, some will be from the new King James, some will be from the New Living Translation. Hopefully you'll be able to follow along with what you have in your lap here.

It says, there cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water and Jesus said to her, give me a drink. You know, say here's a woman from Samaria sitting at a well and Jesus is sitting there. He's tired. The other disciples have gone away for a while. They've gone into town to buy food and here's Jesus sitting there at this well and here comes a Samaritan woman.

Now, at that time in that culture, you know, the Jews didn't have anything to do with Samaritans. You know, they weren't part of the people of God. They were Gentiles in a sense. They didn't have the truth of God. But Jesus says something to her because He wants to initiate a conversation with her. He wants to share something with her and with us as we read the story. Let's see what it says in verse number 8.

She says, He says, give me a drink to her in verse 7. Verse 8, for His disciples had gone away to buy food. Then says the woman of Samaria to Him, how is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Generally, they did not at that time, at least to Ephesus this time. But notice how excited Jesus is because He's going to begin to initiate a conversation on the topic of the Holy Spirit.

Let's take a look at it. Verse number 10. Jesus answered and He said to her, if you knew the gift... so gift is what it is, isn't it, brother? He refers to it as a gift again. If you knew the gift of God and who it is that says to you, give me a drink, you would have asked of Him and He would have given you living water. We're seeing a moment that that's referring to the Holy Spirit. Now, the woman doesn't really understand what He's talking about, does she? You know, she's still thinking about this well, this water in the well.

So she says this in verse 11. The woman says to Him, sir, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, or are you greater than his children or his cattle? So Jesus begins to reply to her here in verse number 13. And Jesus answered and said, well whoever drinks of this water is going to thirst again. But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, because the water that I shall give him will be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

That's our destiny. That's why God created us. That's what God designed right from the beginning. The creation of man was everlasting life. But notice in verse number 14, in order to have everlasting life, we have to be given something. Notice he says, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give to him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give to him shall be a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Wow, Jesus Christ talks to his Samaritan here, someone he would normally not talk about, the Holy Spirit, but he's anticipating, and apparently he is offering it to her.

Let's notice also in John chapter 7, verse number 37, just a few chapters over, a couple of pages maybe, John chapter 7 and verse 37, and again we'll see the anticipation.

Jesus Christ began to talk about the coming of the Holy Spirit before it ever came. John chapter 7 and verse 37, you may recognize this, this happened on a festival, one of the high days of God. John chapter 7 verse 37, or during one of his festivals. It says, on the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood up and cried. He was inspired, brethren. He was moved. He really wanted to share this information. He stood up before them all and cried out and said, if any man thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly or heart, as some translations say, shall flow rivers of living water. So now the heart is introduced here in reference to the Holy Spirit. You see the connection there with the Holy Spirit? For out of our hearts will flow rivers of living water. What's Jesus talking about? Verse number 39, but this he spoke concerning the Spirit. So the living water that he's talking about, he's talking about the Holy Spirit.

But this he spoke concerning the Spirit, which those that believe on him would receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Brethren, verse 39 introduced a personal responsibility that we have. Did you notice it in verse 39? It says, but this he spoke concerning the Spirit, which those that believe on him. You know that term is actually a whole sermon in itself. Those that believe on Christ, it doesn't mean this the fact that we believe that he exists. We believe in what he taught. And we imitate our elder brother as he begins to bring us back and reconcile us to not only his father, but our father.

And so we see we have some personal responsibility in receiving this gift. It's not given to everyone, but those that believe on him would receive. And notice the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Let's also notice, again in John, let's go a few chapters over to John chapter 20. John chapter 20 and verse number 20. We're going to again see the anticipation, the excitement that God has for wanting to share this gift.

Maybe you've been a parent too, and you've bought something really special for your children. And you just, you know, you're really excited about it. You know that it's something that they're really going to appreciate, they're really going to enjoy, and you want to see the expression on their face when they open that package. Well, there's some anticipation from our Heavenly Father as well, and from our elder brother here.

Let's take a look here. In this context, Jesus has already been crucified. He's already been resurrected from the dead, and now He was appearing to the disciples alive, which of course is going to get their attention. It says here, and when He had so said, He showed them His hands and His side, and the disciples were glad when they saw Him. You can imagine how excited that they would be. Then it said Jesus to them, peace be to you. As my Father sent me, now He says, I'm going to send you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and He said to them, receive the Holy Spirit.

You know, the disciples didn't know at that time that later on, on the day of Pentecost, that the Holy Spirit was going to come, manifest itself among other things, as a mighty rushing wind. And here's Jesus Christ breathing on them, and saying, receive the Holy Spirit. It was like a little bit of a clue what's going to come later on. They had no idea it was going to be this wind, but when Christ breathes on them, they probably would think back, oh, okay, okay.

So God the Father, in Jesus Christ, were anticipating what was going to happen. Let's also notice in Acts chapter 1 and verse 1. Let's go back to Acts chapter 1 and verse 1. You know, God has longed for the giving of the Holy Spirit for a very, very long time. In fact, He designed His plan that way. He wants everyone to come to the point of repentance, and to have the laying on of hands, and to receive this gift. In fact, it's the only way that we can be in His family. Let's take a look at this.

You know, it's the only way that you and I can achieve our ultimate destiny, is to have this day fulfilled in our lives, is to receive this gift. To be able to change us from human beings to spirit beings, and to be able to change us from a human nature to convert us to a divine nature. Without this gift, it's impossible. And so the Father and Jesus Christ are anticipating this day. Acts chapter 1 and verse 1. It says, The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day which He was taken up, after He, through the Holy Spirit, had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen.

So here we see God through His Holy Spirit inspired Christ to give certain commandments to the apostles whom He'd chosen. Verse number 3. To whom also He presented Himself alive after a suffering, so He'd already been crucified and was found alive, by many infallible proofs, having been seen by them for 40 days. So that's a pretty important proof that there were several people that had seen Christ alive after He had been dead.

So that's a pretty important and fallible proof. Having been seen by them for 40 days.

And what's on Christ's mind? What's He thinking about? Well, He's speaking of the things, as it says here, pertaining to the kingdom of God. So the kingdom of God is still His focus.

Hasn't changed. You know, He talked about that kingdom when He came before He was crucified.

Some people think maybe the message changed about the kingdom of God, but it didn't.

He's now been resurrected. He's appearing to them, and it's still His focus.

And notice what it says in verse number 4. And being assembled together with them, He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem. He said, I don't want you to leave yet. I want you to stay here in Jerusalem for a while. You know, because the day of Pentecost is coming. He says, I want you to wait for the promise. What promise? Well, the promise, wait for the promise of the Father. So this promise proceeds from God the Father, which He says you have heard of Me. Notice verse 5. For John, referring to John the Baptist, truly baptized with water, and many of Jesus' disciples have been baptized with water. But He said, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. Can you sense the anticipation that God has? That He is really looking forward to what's about to happen. He says to His disciples, don't leave. You need to be here. You want to be here when this takes place. Because not many days from now, you're going to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. You know, sometimes we don't always understand what God's trying to tell us. It doesn't make sense to us at the time, and we're thinking about other things, and the disciples changed the subject here in verse number 6. It says, when they were there for come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord, will You at this time again restore the kingdom of Israel? So they were concerned about that. Their nation was reoccupied by, or occupied by Roman, a foreign country. They were occupied by the Roman government. They couldn't come and go as they pleased. They couldn't make their own laws as they liked. They were wondering if Jesus Christ and God the Father are going to be restoring the kingdom to Israel. So that's what was on their mind. And He said, Jesus responds to their question in verse number 7. He said to them, well, it's not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But then Christ comes back to what He really wants to talk about. Notice that in verse number 8. But you're going to receive power. You're going to receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria. Jesus Christ had already met with that Samaritan woman in Samaria. Started to introduce the topic there. And notice how far this is going to go, and on to the uttermost part of the earth. So this is something that God the Father and Jesus Christ are anticipating greatly.

Let's go to chapter 2, verse 1. Chapter 2 and verse 1.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, so they'd hung around, just as Christ had told them to. When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all in one cord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them cloven tongues like fire, and sat upon each of them, and they were all baptized with the Holy Spirit. So as they were filled, it says, with the Holy Spirit. And they began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

You know, there were all kinds of people from all different nations that were there at this particular time in Jerusalem. You know, they were from all over the known world at that time.

And they were there, and they began to hear the inspired speaking of Peter and the other disciples. And then they were perplexed. They were confused. They were amazed. Why?

Well, let's pick it up in verse 5. And there were dwelling of Jerusalem, Jews devouched about men of every nation. And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together. They were confounded. They said, what is going on here? We've never seen anything like this.

They were confounded because every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were amazed.

And they marveled. You can imagine yourself being in their shoes, you know. There's a few times, maybe in your life, when you have been amazed. And you marvel. There's no other way or other terms that we can put it in that way that you just think, what is happening here? This is not the norm. We've never seen anything like this. We've never witnessed anything like this.

Verse 8, and how is it that we, every man here, can hear in our own language, in the language in which we were born, the one that we know best, our native tongue. And, brethren, there were all types of people there from different nations and languages. Verse 9 talks about the different nations and languages that were there. Let's go ahead and read it. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judea, in Cappadocia, in Pontus, in Asia, in Phrygia, Phamphilia, in Egypt, in parts of Libya, about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, even from the Roman area. Jews and Proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians. We do hear them speak in our languages. Notice the wonderful works of God. They were inspired not only by the miracle, but they were hearing. Verse 12, and they were amazed. They were amazed, and they were perplexed, and they said to one another, what on earth could this ever mean? Of course, there's always some. So we get to verse 13. They don't have all the facts. They're perplexed. They're confused, but they just shrug it off, and they say, you know what? You guys are just drunk. You're full of new wine. But if they would have taken all the facts into consideration, they would have known. Hey, wait a minute. I'm an Arab, and I'm hearing them in the Arabian language, or I'm an Egyptian, and I'm hearing them in the Egyptian language. You and I are hearing and listening to the same man, and we're both hearing them in our native tongue. But it's easy to shrug it off and say they're drunk. Verse 13, others mock, these men are full of new wine. But Peter, verse 14, standing up with the 11, lifted up his voice, and he said to them, you men of Judea, and all of you that are right now here dwelling in Jerusalem, be it known to you, and hearken to my words, for these are not drunk, as you suppose. It's just the third hour of the day. It's only nine o'clock in the morning.

And then he goes on to give an inspiring message, which results in 3,000 people not only being baptized, but committing themselves to their Maker and accepting their elder brother as their Savior. And as the latter part of verse 38 says, and they receive this gift.

Let's go back to verse number 32 here. Peter is wrapping up this message, Pete, that Jesus, this Jesus, has God raised up. He's now alive, this one that was crucified, and we're all witnesses of that. Therefore, being at the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father, the promise of the Holy Spirit. So the Father gave it to Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is the one that pours it out. So it originates from the Father. It was promised from the Father. He gave it to the Son, and the Son then pours it out. It says, having received of the Father, the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has shed forth this, which you now see and hear. Jumping to verse number 38.

Then Peter said, when they understood that they were guilty, repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift, the gift of the Holy Spirit. Let's turn to John chapter 3 in verse 1. John chapter 3 in verse 1. For then our destiny is not to remain flesh, and the religious leaders of Jesus' time didn't understand that. They didn't understand what our destiny was, and what the Holy Spirit's role was in it. John chapter 3 and verse 1. You may remember the story of a man by the name of Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee who was one of the religious leaders of the time of God's people.

John chapter 3 verse 1. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

Verse 2. The same came to Jesus by night, and he said, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent from God. We know that, he says. Not we think you are, but we know, because no man can do the miracles that you have done unless God be with him. Now, notice what Jesus does. You know, he starts to try to teach Nicodemus something. He starts to tell him about his destiny. Let's notice that in verse number 3. Jesus answered, he said to him, Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. And that's our destiny, to see the kingdom of God. It's been prepared for you and for me. It was designed right from the beginning. That's why this whole creative situation began with our Father, Heavenly Father. He says, unless you are born again, you can't even be there for what God has prepared for you. You can't see the kingdom of God. And that's our destiny, to be part of it, to see it, to be a part of his family, to be a spirit being. Now, Nicodemus did not know where Jesus Christ was going with this. This was all alien to him. He didn't know. And so in verse 4, Nicodemus said to him, Well, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?

So Nicodemus understood that Jesus was talking about birth, but he didn't understand how he could be born again, after he'd already been born the first time. But Jesus begins to explain in verse number 5, Jesus answered, he said, I'm telling you the truth. Unless a man is born of the water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. He goes on to say in verse 6, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. You know, we've all been born of the flesh. We understand that birth pretty easily. You know, we pinch ourselves, you know, we talk to our parents, you know, we know we came through the birth canal. We understand that birth. But Jesus Christ was trying to explain to Nicodemus and to you and I, as we read here from the scriptures, a second birth. A second birth. He goes on to say in the latter part of verse 6, that which is born of the spirit is spirit. That's our destiny. That's our, the creation was never meant to stop at flesh and blood. Right from the beginning, God intended from the beginning for you and me to be spirit sons and daughters of his and his family. Now, Jesus Christ could perceive what Nicodemus was thinking. In his heart, he says in verse number 7, Nicodemus, don't marvel. We talk about being amazed and perplexed and marveled. He says, don't marvel that I have said to you that you must be born again. And then Jesus Christ begins to explain what it's like to be born a second time. Verse number 7, or excuse me, verse number 8, the wind blows where it wishes.

Isn't that interesting? When the Holy Spirit came, it came as a mighty rushing wind. And now he's trying to explain what it's like to be born a second time. The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it. And you can imagine being outside and you see the trees waving in the wind, don't you know, catches the leaves and the leaves are moving and the branches are swaying.

You hear the sound of it as it whistles through, you know, as it comes through. You hear the sound of it, but you can't tell where it's coming from and where it's going. You can't see it.

You can't. Sometimes you can feel it. Sometimes I'll pick up a blade of grass, which direction is the wind blowing. But until you do that, you don't always know, do you?

The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it. But you can't tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone that is born of the Spirit. Remember, referring to the Holy Spirit, Jesus breathed on those disciples and Pentecost came with a mighty and rushing wind. He talks about wind again here in verse number eight. Then Nicodemus answers and he said to him in verse number nine, how can this be? This is something he had never heard before. This is something that he had never, but the thought had never entered his mind. It was such a foreign concept to him. He talks to Jesus Christ as master and teacher. He says, how can this be?

Brethren, it says in John chapter four, verse 24, I'm just going to refer to that, that God is Spirit. And it says clearly here that our destiny is also to be born Spirit.

That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit, to be composed of the same essence that God the Father and Jesus Christ are. And it's only through this gift that that's possible. What a wonderful gift.

What a great gift. What an important gift.

I don't know if you've heard the story of Jenny and her pearls. I think some of you here may have heard the story because I've mentioned in other locations from time to time, Jenny and her pearls.

Well, Jenny was a little girl and she was in the grocery store with her mom.

And she saw these pretty little pearls. It's the plastic kind, you know, that cost a dollar 29.

And she said, oh, Mommy, I would really like to have those pearls.

And her mommy said, well, okay, Jenny, we've, you know, you're going to have to, you know, to earn some money to be able to buy them. And, you know, I think Grandma may have some leaves to be raked or some dandelions to pick. And you've got a birthday that's coming up soon.

And so, sure enough, you know, she got 75 cents for Grandma and then she got another dollar that came in the mail for her birthday and she had enough money to go and buy those pearls.

And so she went and she bought those pearls and she put them on and she just, if you had a child that, you know, has a favorite toy or a favorite blanket or favorite something, she just would never take them off. She'd wear them 24-7. You know, her mom would try to, you know, get them to get off before she took her bath and, you know, and you wear these kind of long enough and it starts to change a little bit the color of your skin, you know, that type of thing.

Well, Jenny had a very, very good father that loved his daughter and he had a tradition where he'd tuck her in at night and he'd read her a story. And so one time at the end of the day and the end of the story, he said, Jenny, he said, give me your pearls.

And she said, oh, Daddy, not my pearls. No, how about that new rocking horse, you know, that I just got the other day? You know, Daddy, I'll give you the rocking horse, but Daddy, please not my pearls. And her father said, that's okay, sweetheart.

And he gave her a kiss on the forehead and tucked her in for the night.

It was a few days later that, again, Dad was there with Jenny and reading a story.

And at the end, he asked the same question. He said, Jenny, give me your pearls.

And she said, oh, no, Daddy, not my pearls. You know, how about that new, that little rag doll that I've got? You know, the one with the pretty dress and the white ruffles? Daddy, how about my rag doll? Her daddy said, that's okay, Jenny. And he gave her a kiss and tucked her in for the night. It was about a week later. And sure enough, same scene. He's tucking her in for the night, has read her a story. And he said, Jenny, give me your pearls.

And this time, Jenny was quiet. And she pouted a little bit. She kind of was sitting there kind of Indian style. And she had her head bowed down, her tears started to run down her cheek.

And she took off her pearls. And she gave them to her father. And then her father took something from behind his back. Beautiful blue velvet case.

He opened it up. And he presented her a genuine set of pearls. Further, that's what God has in mind for all of us. He's got a gift that is so wonderful.

And I'm sorry, every time I tell that story, I start to cry.

He's got a gift that is so unbelievable. He's anticipated this, just like Jenny's father had anticipated this for such a long, long time. And sometimes we want to hold on to the old pearls.

We want to hold on to things in this life.

Further, we know the scriptures. Eye hasn't seen. Ear hasn't heard. The most wonderful things that God has in store for those who love Him. I mean, He already loves us. We know that. We know that.

He loves us. He's got something great in mind. It's going to blow us away.

Brethren, if we know these things, Nicodemus didn't understand this time. Jesus Christ was trying to help Him and us to understand what's going on. Let's turn over to 2 Corinthians 4.

2 Corinthians 4.17. Sorry about that. I didn't know that was going to happen.

Knowing what God has in store for us, this gift that He has in store for us, how should we view things? How should we look at things? 2 Corinthians 4.17, for our light affliction, which is only for a moment.

And it doesn't seem that way. That's only for a moment. But, Paul, with all that he went through, he ought to know. Our light affliction, which is only but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The next verse, I think, is a fascinating scripture on how we should view things. While we look not at the things which are seen, but we look at the things which are not seen, because the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. That's just the opposite of what we think, isn't it? God looks at things just the opposite of what we look at. He says the things which are seen are temporary. You look around. You see walls, doors, lights, family, carpet, everything table. It's temporary.

And the things which you and I cannot see right now, those are the things that last.

Eternal. Just the opposite of what we think.

We need to understand that our destiny is more, though, than just being composed of spirit. It's a lot more than that. There are other beings out there that are composed of spirit, the demons, Satan, the devil. It has to be a lot more than that. There are spirit beings, too.

They're composed of spirit. So God's creation, this transformation that He has for you and me, is more than just being a spirit being. It involves turning and transforming our human nature into His divine nature. That's a pretty big project that He's taken on, and He's up to the task.

We have to be participants in that. He's trying to transform us into His character. Our character to be transformed, converted, if you will, conversion, moving from one thing to another, one state to another. That's what conversion is. Trying to change our character, convert our character to be like His, and He utilizes the Holy Spirit to do that.

In a big way. Huge. Absolutely vital. There's no other way that He could accomplish this without this gift. There's no other way. But in this ingredient, this Holy Spirit was the only way for you and I to realize our destiny. There is no other way. That's how important that this is.

It's impossible under our own power. 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 3. Let's notice 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 3. This gift of the Holy Spirit, this promise of it, was very much anticipated by Christ and the Father because they knew it was the only way. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse number 3.

1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 3.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again. I'm talking about a second birth, isn't it? He's begotten us again. To what?

To a living hope. Not a temporary one, but one that never ends. A living hope by the resurrection of our elder brother from the dead. Verse 4. To an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, that doesn't fade away and it's reserved in heaven for you. Who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation? That is our destiny. To be saved from what we are in right now, our destiny. And it's our destiny also to be incorruptible. It says to have an incorruptible inheritance, an undefiled inheritance that never ever fades away.

When's that going to be revealed? We revealed in the last time. The return of our elder brother, Jesus Christ. That's when it's going to be revealed. Verse number 6. In this you greatly rejoice. What better offer is there? What better deal is there out there to be a spirit being to have everlasting life, to have our character change from a corruptible character to a divine character in nature. What better deal is out there? You tell me.

You tell me. What better gift is out there than this?

It's being offered as a gift to you and to me. In this you greatly rejoice. Though now for a little while, if you need be, you're in heaviness because of various trials. So that's part of the plan, something that goes along with the journey. Going along the road of our destiny as we travel along, there are going to be difficulties. We've had a lot of them. If you've been in the church for a long time, you've been through a lot. You're still sitting here? I sometimes put it this way, I feel like I've lived several lifetimes. I told Dr. Donald Ward some of you probably know him, some of you probably don't. He came as a guest speaker quite a few years ago before we've had even some of our latest trials and difficulties. I said, Dr. Ward, I feel like I've lived several lifetimes. That's part of the plan. Why? Verse number seven, that the genuineness of your faith, so that's part of the reason for these trials, to see if we'll really stick on the journey.

After we've gotten this gift, gotten the key, started the engine, we're going down the road towards our destiny, towards our ultimate destiny. That the genuineness of your faith, notice being much more precious than gold that parishes, even gold apparently doesn't last forever.

The genuineness of your and my faith is much, much more valuable and precious to God than gold that perishes. Much more precious, though it be tested by fire, that it may be found in the end to the praise and honor and glory. When? As it says here at the revelation of Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ returns. That's when this transformation takes place, but it's a process. We begin with a small portion of the Holy Spirit. It's a mixture. We're flesh and blood, and yet we've got this Holy Spirit in us as well. Let's note a 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and verse number 1. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and verse number 1. The context here is that Paul is talking about our ultimate hope of the fact that we want a spirit body. We want to get rid of this tent. It's getting old. It's decaying, and we're looking forward to something better. It's the context here. We want a spirit body. We want to be resurrected from the dead. It's our only hope. How does it happen? 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 1.

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, referring to our body, we have a building from God. A house that's not been made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

So God is going to give something else. He's going to give us a body that's spiritual, like in the heavens. Verse number 2. For in this we groan, earnestly desire, and to be clothed with our habitation, which is from heaven. He says we really desire a spiritual body, because sometimes we groan in this life. And I talked with some of you before services, and I know you're hurting physically.

I know you're groaning. You know, we groan in this life. There's limitations.

We hurt. There's sickness. There's pain. We grow old. Verse 3. If indeed having been clothed, we shall not be found naked, for we who are in this tent, groan, being burdened. Not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed. We want a spirit body to be further clothed. Why? That mortality may be swallowed up by life. Wow! Swallowed up by life.

Then in verse 5, this is really the verse I wanted to focus on here.

Now he who has prepared us for this very thing, for mortality to be swallowed up by life.

He who has prepared us for this very thing, we're being prepared for that resurrection. We're being prepared for that spiritual body. We're being prepared to have that spiritual nature.

He who has prepared us for this very thing, who has also given the spirit as a guarantee.

And that's one of the things that God's spirit does. When God gives and pregnates you and I with the spirit, it says it's a guarantee that we are going to receive a spiritual body at the resurrection.

Now, the word guarantee isn't a very good translation. The New King James has guarantee.

I think the New Living Translation has guarantee. The Old King James has a different translation. It says earnest, and that's really a much better translation. Some translations, this is a Greek word that gets translated in English here as guarantee, and other English translations, it gets translated pledge or earnest payment. An earnest payment is really gets really close to the the proper meaning there. Let me read what one Greek dictionary of this word that's translated in this place translated guarantee and what it actually means. The earnest money deposited by the purchaser and forfeited if the purchase is not complete.

The earnest money that is deposited by the purchaser and is forfeited if the purchase is not complete.

So who buys us? Who purchases us?

I think we know the answer. It's God. But it's forfeited if the purchase or the agreement is not complete. I think Paul picked this particular word because it was really, really understood really well in the time in which he lived in the first century. They understood what that meant. It meant what we would say today is a down payment towards a completed purchase later as an earnest payment. That the buyer says, I am serious. I am in earnest. And it's my guarantee that I'm going to come up with the rest at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

God is inspiring Paul to tell us you're going to be in the resurrection. You're going to receive a spirit body. And you already have, if you receive the spirit, you already have the earnest payment. You already have the down payment as long as you and I don't forfeit it. It's already been given to you. The down payment of your and my eternity has already been given.

Now you and I don't give the down payment. You may have given it like if you're like my wife and I. About 21 years ago, we bought our first and only home and we put down a down payment, an earnest payment, that we promised that seller that we come up with the rest of the money when the transaction was complete. But you know the seller could change their mind. They could not follow through with the contract. And we get that down payment back. But they would forfeit that down payment if they did not do their part of the agreement. They would forfeit the down payment.

There's some tie-in, isn't there, brother? You know, we put that down payment on that house we got.

It wasn't ours yet, but we thought it was ours. We felt that this was our place. It was going to be our place. It's the same with God. He already thinks of you and me as His children. He's already given us the down payment of eternity, of sonship with this down payment, with this earnest payment.

God's building an eternal house. He's purchasing an eternal house, isn't it? In you and in me. This is really exciting stuff that God had all this thought, all this design, all this plan, even before the foundation of the earth. This has been well thought out. The land was slain from the foundation of the earth. This isn't the only way that we can fail. God's given us His Spirit. He's going to do His part of the bargain, isn't He? He's going to fulfill His part of the contract. He's going to do His... He makes a promise. He's going to follow through. He won't fail. We're the ones that have the trouble with doing our part of the agreement. We're the ones that can fail. We can begin to re-meag on the promise that we made to Him when we said we'd commit our life to Him. We can go back on our word. We're the ones that can do that. God's not going to do that. He's faithful. And God's not going to fail us, by the way, either. If we do our part, that gift's going to be there. If we're stirring up the gift of the Holy Spirit, that's a tool that we can use. It's going to be there. It's going to help us. His Spirit won't fail because it's His Spirit. God's given us a down payment that says, my desire to give you eternal life and I'm going to do this as long as you do your part of the agreement. I'm going to do my part of the agreement. That's what people do when they get to the end of the day. They are going to follow through. There's another thing that the Holy Spirit helps us with as it works with us and works in us. When God gives us this gift, He impregnates us with His very Spirit. It actually impregnates us with His very nature, with His very nature, with the divine nature. Let's look at 2 Peter chapter 1. Brethren, the Holy Spirit is involved in transforming our human nature into His divine nature. 2 Peter chapter 1. You may have heard, but in case you haven't, God will not give His eternal life. He won't give us eternity the way that we are. The way that we are, we have to change. We have to change from what we are. He won't give eternity to corrupt human beings. He's forgiven us, and we talked about that already. We rehearsed Passover in Days of 11 Bread. We begin to examine ourselves and put some of that out. But then He says, we have to have Christ live in us. We have to look at the example of our elder brother, Jesus Christ. Emulate that example of how He lives and begin to take on His nature, to have His mind in us. That's a pretty big process, and it's an important one, and it can only be done through God's Holy Spirit.

God's goal for us is to have our nature changed, changed into His divine nature.

You know, sometimes when I'm counseling with somebody, and I thought of this even before I became a pastor back in 2011, I thought, how can I help people? You know, some of the problems out there are pretty serious among some of our brothers and sisters. They're pretty deep-rooted.

I thought, how can I change somebody's nature? I can't. I came to realize that I can't, and I realized that pretty soon into the job. I realize that I can help guide you to what God's word says. You know, I can help you. If you have questions on whether you should keep the Sabbath or not, or how do you deserve the Sabbath? You don't work. I can help you with that. If you've got marriage problems, you know, I can bring out scriptures for the husband of what God's word says, and I can bring out scriptures for the wife of what God's word says to her.

And I always remember, I don't know if you've had a chance to hear a seminar that Pam Stenzel, if you've heard that name, but she's a public speaker, and she made a comment at one of the seminars that I went to. She said, she's talking about this topic of men and women. She says the man, the husband, say, well, you know what? I'll start loving you when you submit. And she's saying, I'll start submitting when you start loving. She says, we have to live our own verse. We have to obey our own verse, regardless of what the other person does. I can give you that guidance. And I think God's word bears that out. You know what? Only God's Spirit can change your nature.

I can't do that. I can't do that. I wish I could. But I can't. And I can't even change my own nature. I need God's Holy Spirit to change my nature. It's through the power, the miraculous power of the gift of the Holy Spirit of God that He's given to us, that those types of things can happen. There is no other way. This is an incredibly powerful gift. It really is. But we have our part to play in it, because we have to submit. We'll get to that. Time permitting. We've got time.

Because we have to be participants. We have to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. If you're going to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, that means you have to do something. If we've got a leader that we follow, like we're supposed to be followers of Jesus Christ, well, you listen to what He says, you listen to what God's Spirit inspired the words to be written, you listen to what they say, and you don't just stand there. Then you have to have action. You've got to follow the lead. God's sons and daughters are led by the Holy Spirit. And if we're not following the lead, then we're not His sons and daughters, and we're not participating.

2 Peter 1 and verse 2.

For then we have to submit to the work of God and changing our individual natures.

It's the only way. 2 Peter 1 and verse 2, Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord as His divine power. You know the Spirit of God is a spirit of power and beloved and of a sound mind. As His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. I think that covers a lot. I think we're talking about eternal life here, aren't we? His power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. Now, that statement's either true or it's not.

When you received the Spirit of God, God says you were given everything that you needed that pertains to life and the nature of God. Godliness.

God's not going to hold anything back. He's given the gift. It's what we do with it.

It's what we do with it.

Verse 4. By which we've been given exceedingly great and precious promises, and this is one of them, is the promise of the Holy Spirit. He's given us exceedingly great and precious promises that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature. There it is again. It's the nature of God Himself. The divine nature. Having escaped the corruption that's in the world through lust.

So, brethren, that's one of the things that the way the Holy Spirit works when it is impregnated into us. God's nature comes into us and all of a sudden we've got a combination of human nature and the nature of God within us. You know, some people think, well, then it's going to get easy. We've got God's Spirit. Everything's going to be fine. No! The battle is on, isn't it? We've got these two natures that are wrestling. You know, I think Paul talked about it better than anyone. Why I want to do, I don't do. I know what's right. I want to do it and I don't do it.

And the things that I should do, I find I don't do them. Oh, wretched man that I am.

You know, so I think a lot of us understand that once we're baptized, it's not just a bed of roses anymore. Now there's the battle. The war is on. Our light is starting to shine. Jesus Christ said when I, he was here, he was the light of the world. And then when he left, he said, now you are the lights of the world. And of course, we know what our enemy of darkness wants to do. You know, you can see light and darkness and you want to snuff it out. Brother, we've become partakers of the divine nature. When that spirit impregnates us from God, that gift comes into us. But there's more work to be done. There's sin that needs to be exposed. Part of the meaning of the Days of Eleven Bread for what it is has to be rooted out. And it's a struggle. And we've got our part to play in the contract. The down payment. The earnest payments already been given to us. And you know, if you're not baptized yet, that same promise, the divine power that we just read about, giving you everything for life and godliness that is available to you.

And it's the only way that we'll live in the family of God. It's the only way is to have this gift.

So that down payment's been given to us, those of us that have it. We have a part to play in the agreement now. The kingdom's been prepared for us. It's all being done. But then we have to begin to be participants in this conversion process from human nature to divine.

Further, our ultimate destiny is not just to be a spirit being. I've helped, but it's been made really clear, but to have the character of holiness. The character of God. So God is love.

It's one of the shortest phrases in scripture. It says a lot, though, doesn't it?

So it's Ephesians chapter 3 verse 15. Ephesians chapter 3 and verse number 15.

To develop the character of holiness, that's what God wants us to begin to develop. In verse 15 here of Ephesians 3, it starts to talk about your destiny and mine.

It says, "...of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." That sure ties in with the special music that we had called by his name. You know, we have the name of God. We are his sons. We are his daughters. He's got something great in mind. Verse 16, "...that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might through his spirit in the inner man." So now you can talk about the inner man, our heart, the way we think, the way that we are. Verse 16, that spirit in the inner man. Verse 17, "...that Christ may dwell in your hearts." There's that term, hearts again. Through faith. That you being rooted and grounded...

What's our foundation? Rooted and grounded in what? Love. In love. That's what Father and our other brother are rooted and grounded in. And that you may be able to comprehend with all of the other brothers and sisters, with all the saints, what's the width, the length, the depth, and the height, and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, and notice this, and that you might be filled with all the fullness of God. Wow! Did you get that, brethren? That you and I might be filled with all the fullness of God himself. Wow! What other better agreement or deal is out there? Is there a better deal out there than that? Please tell me if you know one.

That's the gift that he's offering, this agreement, the gift that he's offered to us. I don't think there's anything out there that can get even close. Verse 20, now unto him that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above everything, above all that we ask or think, notice according to the power that works, the power that works in us, his power. Let's turn to 1 Timothy chapter 4, verse 14. 1 Timothy chapter 4, verse 14. This is a more powerful gift sometimes than we understand.

It's a more important gift than we understand. We can neglect this gift. This is what we're going to read about here in a moment. You and I can neglect this gift. 1 Timothy chapter 4, and verse 14.

Paul, speaking to Timothy, says, don't neglect the gift that's in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying hand of hands. Don't neglect this gift. Paul is encouraging Timothy here, and he's encouraging us as we read. How could we neglect it? How could we neglect this gift?

Let's notice another warning message. God is so merciful. He warns us of things ahead of time, so we have time to change. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 19. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 19. These are pretty familiar scriptures, but they're here. God breathes for you and me. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse number 19. Again, Paul is the author here. Very short part of it here. Quench not the spirit. It can be neglected. It can be quenched. Apparently, we can. You and I quenched this gift, the Spirit of God. How do we quench it?

How do we neglect it? How do you quench a fire? You pour water on it and you remove the air.

But this is a warning to those of us who've received this gift that they can be grieved and quenched. Is there anything we need to do with this gift?

Let's go over to 2 Timothy. You should have had to keep your finger there. Over to chapter 1 verse 6. 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse number 6.

Paul gives us a little more information here. He's told Timothy not to neglect the spirit earlier, and now he's telling Timothy some more information here in the second letter. 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 6.

Therefore, I remind you... so it's like he maybe said this before, and maybe you and I have heard this message before. We're being reminded. I remind you to stir up the gift of God, which is in you through the lain on of my hands. So we know that we're talking about God's Spirit. He's saying to stir up the gift that we have a part to play in this gift. Notice verse 7. For God has not given us the Spirit of fear, but of power.

You know, that's partly of how we're going to be raised as Spirit beings is through the power of God's Spirit and of love. Getting back to that divine nature that we touched on that's in our hearts. It's our character. What's flowing out of our hearts is this living water, this Spirit, that has to be a right heart, the right character of God, and of a sound mind.

Talk about wisdom and understanding.

What a tool! What a gift! What a wonderful thing! But how do we use it? You know, we only can answer to God individually on that one. We can only answer to God individually on how we use this tool.

God tells us... Let's go over Romans chapter 8 verse 14. I've kind of referred to this, but you probably should see it in the Word. Romans chapter 8 and verse 14.

God gives us this gift, and then He says there's something that we have to do with it. Romans chapter 8 and verse 14.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the ones that are God's sons and daughters. They are the sons of God, those that are led by the Spirit of God. So notice it says being led, yet Spirit leads us. It doesn't push us. It doesn't twist your arm.

It doesn't poke you. It's out front, pleading. It's like, follow my lead. It leads us. How does it lead us? Well, you know, we can almost turn anywhere here in the Scriptures, and we can see how God's Spirit is leading us, how it leads us. And then what we have to do, we can see what God wants us to do. All we have to do is follow the lead of what God inspires us to do. There are so many examples of how God tries to lead us in His Word. Let's just take a look at one of them in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 22. Ephesians chapter 4 and verse number 22.

It's talking about a transformation here, being transformed.

Ephesians chapter 4 and verse number 22.

That you put off concerning the former conduct. So here's God's Word saying, okay, we got to stop living the way that you were living before. Put off the former conduct.

So God inspires through His Spirit to say, don't do some of the things you used to do. The old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. So God is telling us through His Spirit, I want you to put off the old ways.

And I want you to change and begin doing something different than what you were doing before, something new. He's telling us. He leads us, he begins to tell us some of the new things here. Verse 24. And you put on the new man, which is created according to God.

So we're going to be created in His image. We already, in a sense, have a physical image of how God is. But I think He's taking us a lot further, isn't He? He's talking about the spiritual image of our Father, which is created, the new man is being created according to our spiritual Father in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, put in a way, lying.

So the Holy Spirit is inspiring us to say, you know, if we've got a lying problem, we've got to stop.

Now, my son's not here. Our son's not here. But when he was young, he's passed it now. No problem now. But he was young. We had a problem with lying. He was beginning to grow. And we had to address it.

It was becoming way too easy. And he was becoming very, very good at it. We couldn't always tell if he was telling the truth or not. My wife was better at it than I would, because she'd hang in there long enough. She'd say, her son's name is Jamie. Jamie almost convinced me. But I hung in there just long enough. And he finally backed down. He said, no, Mom, I guess that isn't really the full true story. But she was that close several times to believing him. And he was telling a lie.

The God Spirit says, if we've got a lying problem, put it away. Put it away. It's time to stop it. And go on. Speak every man truth with his neighbor. Because we're all members of one another. Nobody likes to be lied to. So why would we lie to anyone? You know how you feel.

Breaks down trust. You don't feel right when someone's told you something that isn't true. That's why the truth is very, very important to God. There's a reason why it's important to God. It certainly simplifies our life. That's a whole other whole message in itself. Verse 26. The Holy Spirit inspires us here to be angry and sin not. So it's possible to be angry and not to sin. But notice, but don't let the sun go down on your anger. You know, that can be an opportunity for not careful that our enemy can use that anger. Eventually, it's okay to be angry and not sin, but then put it away. Put it away. Don't let the sun go down on your anger. Notice, because if we don't, we could give verse 27 in place to our enemy. Verse 28. Let him steal. Steal no more. So not only do you stop doing something, but you start doing something. But let him labor and working with his hands the thing which is good and that he may have something to share with somebody else that has need. So there's God's Spirit inspiring us there. Stop the stealing, start to work, and give to the others that may have need. So there it is. God's Spirit inspiring us, leading us in how we should begin to live our life. But I suppose after receiving this gift, we could decide to stop reading. We could stop responding, submitting to its lead, and where it's trying to take us. Verse 29. Don't let any corrupt communication out of your mouth. It's time to stop the filthy language if you're really going to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. God says we need to do that. But notice that what you do speak, make sure it's good, and it can edify others. It helps them. It encourages them that it may impart grace or help to the hearers.

So God wants us to follow the lead of His Spirit, as is mentioned here in His Word.

But I suppose we could stop following in the lead of His Spirit, as it says in verse 30.

Don't grieve the Spirit of God. Don't grieve it. Because, we've already touched on this, because by this gift we have been sealed to the day of redemption. We're talking about that eternal life with divine nature there, aren't we? We're sealed by God's Spirit.

Brother God doesn't want us to quit stirring up the fire. He wants us to stir up the gift. He wants us to respond to how it leads us in His Word. You know, we could stop being led. We could stop following. He doesn't want us to do that, and that's why He tells us to stir it up and to not grieve it. So, brethren, as we conclude here, those of us that have been given this gift of God's Holy Spirit, a very precious gift, like those precious pearls, the Pearl of Great Price, those of us that have this gift, let's not neglect it. Let's not grieve it, because God wants us to be there. He's excited for what He has not yet revealed to us.

He's very excited for what He has not yet revealed to us, because this is just a down payment of the ultimate gift. God wants us to be there as spirit beings, to be transformed from human nature to divine nature, to be filled with all the fullness of God. Brethren, let's not forget to use this gift so that we can inherit the promises in their fullness at the revelation of Jesus Christ.