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Receive Ye The Holy Spirit
5/19/2015

Daily Devotions:by Christina Farris

John 20:21-23 KJV
(21) Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
(22) And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
(23) Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

What is our world coming too? When the teaching of the Holy Spirit comes to new and old believers it has become more complex then simple receiving of Christ Spirit. People hold people mouths forcing them to speak in a language not known or known by the person pressing on the face. One might wonder if the preacher is going to grab the tongue of the person and literally bridle it to do exactly what the minister say for it to do. That not the Holy Spirit in most cases. I will never say it not, but there is a fine line of a written play and someone grabbing a person forcing them to speak and simply having them to receive the Holy Spirit. If one speaks in tongues it should be a natural work of the Holy Spirit unless taught in a school or by someone that speaks a language. The mockery of what some groups do is outrages.

When I was about nineteen I was introduced to the term baptism of the Holy Spirit in a way I never heard it before. I began to desire something I did not understand. I understood the term filling or refilling of the Holy Spirit just fine. Yet the way the baptism was describe it seem like it gave Christians super abilities. What I had not understand because of faith had begun at age six was perhaps was the move of the Holy Spirit instruction already in my life. It not that I was not taught about the Holy Spirit. It was the fact that the way ministry world seem to talk about great things of God and giving honor or notoriety to the Holy Ghost. I am almost convinced that in some churches the teaching of God is much like the early church world seen in Acts 8, 10, and 19, where only part of the Godhead was either taught or emphasized. Cornelius experienced the Holy Spirit yet he understood not until Peter came and preached about Jesus and told about the Holy Spirit which Cornelius family received upon hearing. In Acts 8 and 19 it more like stages of teaching of both Father and the Son and then the Holy Spirit. Our world seems to have gone through these stages as well. From the coming of the great evangelist like Jonathan Edwards who preached “Hands of Angry God” to Billy Graham whose main focus was salvation, to the evangelist of our time that teach about the Holy Spirit. Perhaps in truth the inner working of God’s Spirit is to teach about who God is and His power comes in stages for the believer, some consuming it all at one time upon receive Christ to stages, of knowing that there is a God the Father, then a Son and then the Holy Spirit.

Jesus came breath on his disciples, He told them to receive. That was a choice. He did not force it. Second the disciples received the evidence of the resurrection of Christ by seeing the nail scarred hands. Third the receiving of the Holy Spirit was for a purpose of mercy or forgiveness of sin. Jesus told and taught the disciples about forgiving sin and not forgiving sin throughout his ministry. He made it clear that part of the work of the Holy Spirit was to show mercy and grace. One of the greatest act of mankind is the ability to forgive, but it often takes the Holy Spirit when it is something that one would like to avenge a person. Receiving God’s Spirit is a choice, yet one needs to first receive forgiveness for their own sin and then receive the Holy Spirit to do the work of grace in their life for others. The Holy Spirit did not come just to bring you comfort, but to demonstrate the power of God in the believers life to demonstrate God’s mercy.

In truth it is hard at times to demonstrate mercy, it is often easier to lash out. Sometimes one has to stand up for themselves and others, but there time to bow and allow the apple cart to role right over you as well, because God given that space between the wheels for you to fit between as your protection, because of your own sin. There time of enforcing the law and times of mercy. It knowing when a person is not going to change unless something is done and when forgiveness is all it takes to change a person. No one gets it right all the time, but that were God judgment and mercy is shown as well. I can testify I seen God avenge my enemies as well as shown mercy.

The truth of the matter is do not allow someone to force you into receiving until you are ready to receive forgiveness, ready to receive Christ Spirit of love, mercy and grace. To receive the work of the Holy into your own life as well as allow the Spirit to enable you to demonstrate the work of God in your life. It is as simple as letting go of a monkey bar, and for me that was not so easy, but it is that easy, to say Lord have your way with my heart and soul, and forgive me Lord of my mistakes. God’s Spirit enters the heart upon saying Lord come into my heart today, change me and enable me to demonstrate your love toward others. It is that simple, yet the wrestling your spirit goes through is often what makes it hard to do. Yet each time you reject, the devil is saying that a point for him. Don’t allow the devil to win. Allow God to forgive you and allow His Spirit to teach you to forgive others.

Dear Heavenly Father help us to receive your grace and mercy, and your Spirit in our life. Help us to simply receive your Spirit upon asking, with out the forcing of a minister, but the work of your grace. If tongues should happen that is your grace, if tongues should not but other gifts of your Spirit is demonstrate that is God’s grace as well. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

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