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Do we actually belong to Christ, and would He claim us as His? Do we bear His name? These questions aren't ridiculous. Don't forget Matthew 7, where the Savior taught that many who call Him Lord will not enter heaven on judgment day. This includes those who did signs and wonders in His name. He will nevertheless reject them because they did not do the will of God, the Father (Matthew 7:21-23).
That warning has encouraged me to maintain a healthy fear of the Lord. It keeps me from doing things that seem normal to those who don't yet fear Him. The possibility of being a Christian who misses heaven has encouraged me to submit myself all the more to God's word and His Spirit.
And it is this latter point that can interfere with many Christians' ability to enter heaven. Many of us resist Christ's instruction to receive and be led by the Holy Spirit (John 4:26). It makes sense in a way. We live in a time where independence and agency have become hallmarks of modern existence. These ideals are not inherently bad, but when applied without the fear of the Lord, many end up living in a way where God Himself becomes irrelevant.
This is a problem, and it ignores the warning in Romans 8:9 - You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. We therefore cannot claim to be true disciples of Jesus if we lack His Spirit, the very Spirit of God Almighty. It is only through the Spirit that any of us can do the will of the Father and become His children.
The fullness of Christ's gifts and calling only flowed after the Holy Spirit descended on Him as a dove during His water baptism by John the Baptist (Matthew 3). Many of us have been stifled in our Kingdom identity and purpose because we haven't allowed that same dove to descend on us. We've resisted God's desire to fill us with His Spirit, focusing on the belief that submission would quash who we are and stop us from doing what we want.
We've, however, ignored that the Spirit is the only thing that distinguishes us from others and is our ticket to heaven. We won't get there by claiming to follow Jesus, belonging to a Christian family, or even serving in church. The hallmark of belonging to Jesus is whether you've received the Holy Spirit. And that is just the beginning, because from that point, we have to grow in listening to and being led by that Spirit. This is why, when Paul met about 12 disciples of John the Baptist in Ephesus. He spoke urgently to them about the Holy Spirit and receiving the baptism of Jesus (Acts 19).
Today, I am speaking urgently to you about the Holy Spirit and receiving the baptism of Jesus. You don't need to be like those men Paul ministered to, who believed but hadn't stepped into the fullness of the faith. Something was missing in their walk. They didn't even realize they needed more and that the Holy Spirit was key to this. But once they received the Spirit of God, they spoke in tongues and prophesied, becoming vessels through whom God's gifts and fruits were displayed. In an instant, they became true disciples of the Son of God.
There is no better moment to go beyond where you currently are in your walk. This is your chance to tell God you want His Spirit to live in you. Remember, Jesus came so that everyone who believed in Him could become a living temple in which the Lord would dwell. I sincerely implore you to lay yourself down as a living sacrifice that will rise filled with the Spirit of the Lord. Ask to be filled and to be marked by speaking in tongues and the other gifts that manifest in those who belong to the Almighty. Jesus promised that when we ask for the Holy Spirit, God will give this gift (Luke 11:13).
Please, don't assume you can wait to give your life to God until after you have satisfied your flesh with the sinful delights of this world. By then, sin will be so deeply rooted in you that returning to God will be much harder than choosing to faithfully walk with Him right now. I don't know who this message is for, but I know you are reading. You have backslidden, but think you are still a true disciple. That doesn't matter because God wants you back. He wants to fill you with His Spirit so Jesus can claim you and stand as your Advocate. He wants your name written in heaven's scrolls. Don't run away from Him. Give or recommit your life to Jesus and ask for God's Spirit so Christ can claim you as His own.
God bless you and see you at fellowship, right here, at Noon EST. If there's anything above you have questions about, don't hesitate to click the hyperlinks (they lead to my personal, safe website with Praise & Pray posts). Plus, you can ask your questions below. We are all learning and on a journey to becoming who God created us to be, so let's grow together by sharing questions, scripture, and Spirit-led wisdom.
Give your life to Christ with the Altar Call below and learn more about today's topic from the following previous P&P messages:
Have you ever heard or read someone's testimony about what God did for them and felt your stomach sour? Maybe there was a little jealousy as you realized what you'd been waiting for God to do was taking longer than expected. In that case, your reaction had nothing to do with the person or even what they are sharing. Or could it be that hearing what God did for someone brought up negative emotions and thoughts about the Lord and the person who shared what He did for them?
Such things can happen because of a deep desire to see God help you, too. And still, I want to encourage anyone who has had this experience to guard against it because if such feelings fester, they can create a barrier to our prayers. Any discontentment or impatience should be controlled. Another person's testimony should spur us to keep praying and trusting the Lord for the fulfilment of our prayers. Negative feelings shouldn't be allowed to become a well from which anger, backsliding, doubt, and hatred for God and people spring forth.
Instead, we are to delight in what God does for others and be encouraged that the appointed time approaches for us. We are told in Psalm 20:5 - May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests. The Bible makes it clear that rejoicing when others are blessed is to be the norm in Psalm 35:27 - May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant."
Scripture repeatedly compels us to be the sort who are joyful for others. And it is not just an Old Testament command because it is repeated in Romans 12:15 - Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Those who don't are considered unwise and wicked. Yes, there are times when the realities of life are such a heavy cloud that it's hard to feel joyous, but this is why God calls His children to trade their anxieties for His peace. He wants them to come boldly to His throne to receive grace in times of need (Hebrews 4:16).
It isn't always easy, but when we make it a practice to spend time in the Lord's presence, we will be refreshed in our spirit and can set aside our fears and troubles to give thanks on behalf of others. And as we do so, God sees this as a sacrifice we have made to honor His word in the way we respond to the good news shared by others. He cannot close His eyes to this obedience, especially when we are enduring struggles of our own.
Having a heart of joy for others pleases God. It is selfish and thus ungodly to expect others to rejoice with us without genuinely being happy for them when things work out. We may think it's fine only to have such joy after God answers our requests, but He asks His own to praise and be thankful even before He answers them. And we are to do this because Christianity requires the practical application of faith. Faith is certainty about what we can't yet see all because we have a faithful God who can do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine.
Regarding how we react to testimonies, there is a caveat. If we know a testimony is false, then we are under no obligation to cheer for a liar. Sadly, some will claim God did something, knowing that is untrue. Whatever their reason, they ignore the example of Sapphira and Ananias, who tried to deceive the Spirit of God. That such a liar didn't pass away as the Biblical illustrations speak to God's grace and mercy. It shows that He is patiently granting them time to repent for agreeing with the father of lies - satan.
And if you are wondering how anyone could know whether someone was lying about their testimony, the answer is simple. The Holy Spirit is the only way anybody would know that a testimony was a lie, except where there is concrete proof of the deception. It was the Holy Spirit who revealed the lies of Sapphira and Ananias, and till this day, He continues to reveal what many think is secret. However, unless we know for certain that a testimony is untrue, we simply need to glorify God for what He did and rejoice with the person He blessed.
The Lord God will help us to react appropriately when His hand rests favorably on someone else. I pray that we will be filled with joy, not frustration or any other emotion that could hamper our petitions and our walk with our Heavenly Father. He will grant us grace to rejoice with others, honoring Him for what He's done, while being expectant of what He will do for us and our prayer subjects, IJN, Amen. It is well.
As you wait for fellowship at 12 Noon EST, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages:
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