Sealed with the Holy SpiritWritten by Michael Bradley
At moment of salvation when we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, three most amazing things will happen. The first is that we get automatic forgiveness for all of our sins - all past, present and future sins that we will ever commit. The second thing that will occur is that we will get to go straight to heaven when we die and cross over because we have now become saved and born again. However, there is a third thing that will occur that some Christians really don't realize or have full knowledge of. At exact moment that we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and become saved and born again - we also instantaneously "receive" third person of Godhead - Holy Spirit Himself! The Bible tells us that both God and Jesus live in heaven. However, when we become saved and born again - we literally get to receive Holy Spirit Himself. He literally, and I mean iterally, comes to live on inside of us. As you will see in Scripture verses I will list below - our bodies have now become temple of Holy Spirit because He is now living on inside of us! Not only does Holy Spirit come to live on inside of us as a result of accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, but Bible also tells us that we have now become "sealed" with Holy Spirit. According to Webster's Dictionary, word seal means "to confirm, authenticate or guarantee - to pledge." In two Scripture verses I will list below, Bible tells us that we are given Holy Spirit by God Father as a "guarantee" and as a "deposit." When God says that we are sealed by His Holy Spirit at moment of salvation in Him and Jesus - He is giving us a very powerful revelation on what is actually occurring in spiritual realm. Not only are we receiving presence of Holy Spirit, but we are also being sealed with His presence. That seal now becomes a very powerful bond between us and God. Though I do believe that it is possible for a Christian to lose his or her salvation per article I have done on that yopic - I believe that it will take quite a bit to break this seal - this bond that we now have established with God and Jesus. This seal is not easily broken. Here are specific verses from Bible that tell us that we will "receive" Holy Spirit at moment of salvation, that our bodies have now become temple of Holy Spirit and that we have now been "sealed" with presence of Holy Spirit. 1. Receiving Holy Spirit at Moment of Salvation This first verse will tell us that we receive Holy Spirit at moment of our salvation with Jesus - not sometime later. Here it is: Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins; and you shall receive gift of Holy Spirit. For promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as Lord our God will call." (Acts 2:38) Notice that this verse is talking about those who are actually getting saved. When you "repent" and you are getting "remission" for your sins - you are in process of getting saved by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You cannot truly repent and get forgiveness and remission for your sins unless you first are willing to accept Jesus as your Savior. Then notice what verse says next. After you have repented and have accepted Jesus as your Savior - then you will receive gift of Holy Spirit Himself. I believe that this verse is telling us that we will receive Holy Spirit moment we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. It will happen right then and there - not sometime later. Some people will get saved and water baptized at same time. Others get saved, and then baptized at a later date. The Holy Spirit will come into you at moment you get saved - not at moment you go through a water baptism. If you go through water baptism at a later date - Holy Spirit is not going to wait until you do that. He will enter into you right at moment that you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior - no matter where that may take place at. 2. Our Bodies Are Now Temple of Holy Spirit The above Scripture verse tells us that we will "receive" Holy Spirit at moment of salvation. So once we receive Him - exactly where does He go? The next set of verses will tell us that He will literally come to enter on inside of us. The Bible says that we have three parts to our beings - body, soul and spirit. Our human spirits are referred to our as our "innermost being" by Bible. The Holy Spirit will enter into and actually live and dwell in your human spirit. As a result of Holy Spirit now living on inside of us in our human spirits - Bible tells us that our bodies have now become "temple" of Holy Spirit since we now carry His presence on inside of us.
| | Smith Wigglesworth on the Power of the Word of GodWritten by Michael Bradley
You have all heard me talk about Smith Wigglesworth. He had a major healing ministry in early to mid 1900's. In my opinion, he was one of greatest eagles to have ever walked this earth. If God has a hall of fame, this man will definitely be in it. The only book he had ever read was Bible. One of main secrets to his incredible healing ministry was his high level of faith. On a scale of 1-10, he had a perfect 10 - and that is why there were so many mighty miracles in his ministry. He was called "APOSTLE OF FAITH" because of his high level of faith. He believed everything he read in Bible and was not afraid to push envelope with God. One of his favorite sayings was: "If Spirit doesn’t move me, I’ll move Him." I recently was reading one of my books on his life when I came upon a message he gave to some younger people. As soon as I read it, I felt it was a word from Lord. I do not know if he himself was aware of it, but I believe he received a prophetic flow from Holy Spirit on this message. He is giving a message on POWER of word of God. I’m going to type this out for you because I would consider this a "classic statement" on how powerful Bible and individual Scripture verses really are. Here was message. The Message "Fill your head and your heart with Scriptures. Memorize passages from Word, with name of book, chapter, and verse, so that you can quote Scripture correctly in addresses or in open-air meetings. As you do this, you are sowing in your heart seeds, which Spirit of God can germinate. He can bring to your remembrance from time to time that which you have once memorized. You must be so soaked with Word of God, you must be filled with it, that you yourself are a living epistle, known and read of all men.
Believers are strong only as Word of God abides in them. The Word of God is spirit and life to those who receive it in simple faith, and it is a verifier of all who own its sway. Know your Book, live it, believe it, and obey it. Hide God’s word in your heart. It will save your soul, quicken your body, illumine your mind. The Word of God is full and final, infallible, reliable, and up-to-date, and our attitude towards it must be one of unquestioned obedience.
If a thing is in Bible, it is so; it is not even to be prayed about; it is to be received and acted upon. Inactivity of faith is a robber, which steals blessing. Increase comes by action, by using what we have and what we know. Your life must be one of going from faith to faith." Conclusion He had 3 other "pet sayings" which I feel are really catchy. These are true words of knowledge and wisdom. "Great faith is product of great fights." "Great testimonies are outcome of great tests." "Great triumphs can only come out of great trials." The Bible is referred to as seed of God. Like he says, when you read Bible, individual Scripture verses are going into you like seeds. The Holy Spirit will then take knowledge that is in those verses (seeds) and start what he calls germination process.
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