Christian Internet Evangelism: Outreach of BIBLE TRUTH MINISTRY INC. by Evangelist Larry Wolfe

"The Promise of The Father"

The Bible believing church of today is being held captive by a strange,un-Biblical interpretation of the doctrine and work of the blessed Holy Spirit. Many good intending Bible preachers/teachers of today have relegated the Book of the Acts of the Holy Spirit literally for the days of the early church only, saying "You can't take doctrine from the Book of Acts, it's just a transitional period of church history". This attitude/position has been formuated, it seems, to combat the error/heresy of the un-Biblical charismatic movement that overemphasizes the Holy Spirit, practicing and preaching that one must speak in tongues to be saved/showing that they have received the Holy Spirit. This is only one of their many mistaken claims concerning the Book of Acts.

Their overemphasis and error/heresy concerning the doctrine of the Holy Spirit has thereby caused many who handle the Word of God to "steer clear" of this most vital Book of the Bible, thereby cancelling out even the possibility of a God-sent Revival of His people, which will only come as we the people of God embrace Him in His fullness as God, our Comforter, Advocate and Friend !

Yes, the Holy Spirit is a Person! He is the One Who came to replace The Lord Jesus Christ on earth! (John 14:16,17,26;15:26:16:7,13-18) He, Who is fully God, therefore deserving our worship, is the one to Whom we must look to for guidance, comfort, and Truth! He is the One that will fill us with the Spirit of Christ our Saviour in time of need! He will exalt/glorify The Lord Jesus and reveal to us "things to come". Without His power and presence in our life we can not do the will of God! We can not perform even the simple tasks of ministry and please our King without the presence, yea, the fullness of this One Who was sent to replace the Son of God Himself! (John 15:5)

So, what then shall we do? The remedy is as simple as everything else is in Christ Jesus! Faith must be exercised on our part to receive "The Promise of the Father" (Acts 1:4,5). However, we must first realize that this promise is for all Believers of all ages. Turn with me to Peter's proclamation of this very truth in Acts 2. After experiencing The Promise of the Father along with the 120 in the upper room (Acts 2:1-13) Peter began to preach that marvelous explanation of what had just occurred there in Jerusalem, he then made application to the crowd who witnessed these miraculous happenings, turning his preaching into a powerful salvation message. In v.33 he summarized "Therefore (The Lord Jesus) being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." In v.39 he gives God's list of who this Promise of the Father was for: "For the Promise is unto you and your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call".

So, have you been called into God's family? Have you been born-again the Bible-way? Have you received The Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour? If you have, you are qualified to receive The Promise of the Father! Not only are you qualified, but you must understand this: It is an absolute necessity, if you are to please God by serving Him as He has so designed, that you receive the "Promise of the Father"!

Let us examine the Scripture closely and find out just what is "The Promise of the Father". This promise originally spoken of by Jesus in His last message before the Cross is the coming of the Holy Spirt to indwell the 120 believers in the upper room. Jesus said "He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:17). Prior to the Cross, the Holy Spirit was with the Apostles, but after the "Promise of the Father" came He now was dwelling in them.

However, not only would He dwell in them, He would also "Baptize/fill" them with His fullness when they prayed for His Baptism/filling.(Acts 1:14, 2:1-4, 4:31-33, 8:15) Although many fundamentalists will scoff and reject these truths of Scripture as a passing Apostolic occurence meant only for the first century, the testimony of good men of a century ago such as R.A.Torrey, D.L.Moody, and Charles Finney attest to the fact of a "Baptism", a distinct event after salvation that occurred in their lives, and thereafter multitudes of repeated "fillings" by the Holy Spirit. Yes, Peter himself on three distinct occasions was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4, 4:8,4:31) illustrating our need of repeated fillings for service.

R.A.Torrey in his book "The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit" tells of the marvelous working of the Holy Spirit emphasizing the need for this doctrine to be taught even though the scoffers were also present in his own day. D.L.Moody would often request Torrey to "preach on the Spirit" knowing that Torrey could light the fires of revival in multitudes of listeners as they obeyed this all powerful but simple doctrine of the Scripture. Torrey's formula was and is quite simple and soundly Biblical:

1. You must be born-again, repenting of your sin putting your faith in The Lord Jesus for your salvation.
2. You must renounce all sin (full and complete repentance)
3. Open confession of receiving Christ/renunciation of sin
4. Absolute surrender to God
5. Intense desire for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
6. Definite prayer for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
7. Exercise your faith believing you have received The Baptism

This last step is most crucial for "without faith it is impossible to please God!" However, it is God's will that you receive His Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13) and if it is His will it is your responsibility to exercise that mustard seed of faith and believe His Word! "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will He hears us: And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him" (I John 5:14,15). What could be closer to the Heart and Will of God for us, but that we receive His Holy Spirit in His fullness?

Let me add just a brief footnote of testimony. If we expect to have this mustard seed of faith we must be in full obedience to God's revealed will to us, and we must "Let this mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus", in essence we "must let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly", in order to "hunger and thirst after righteousness" and be filled with the Holy Spirit, we must be digesting His Word, for the faith that is required for His Baptism/filling only comes from the Word, yes, the supernatural faith must be derived from the Word, and memory and meditation on His precious Word is a must! Jesus said "The Words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, they are Life" (John 6:63).

If we expect the blessing of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit we must also obey God's Word and do what He said to supply us with His Spirit's plan for success! (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2, Colossians 3:16). In my own experience, it was not until sin was purged from my life through digesting the Word, cleansing my body,soul and spirit, preparing me to receive God's Holy Baptism (John 15:2,3) that the "Promise of the Father" became a reality. It is my prayer to God that you will embrace this all too important doctrine to be neglected and set aside, and be used of God for His glory, and the exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ!


Rev. Larry Wolfe--Evangelist
3015 Pelzer Hwy
#16
Easley, SC 29642

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