The Calhoun Church of Christ Podcast

Who's Afraid of The Holy Spirit? -2 "Can Anyone Qualify?"

Why are so many afraid of the Holy Spirit and his working? One answer is that Cessation-ism, a common doctrine in many Protestant denominations, has taught that all miracles and the direct operation of the Holy Spirit passed away when the original apostles died, and the Bible was completed.

But Jesus said he would build his church, and the gates of Hades couldn't withstand it (Mathew 16:18). Wouldn't that supernatural church require supernatural help to complete such a mission? Wouldn't that demand the ever-present help of the Holy Spirit?

Listen and see how the Holy Spirit connects believers to their salvation and how each believer qualifies for the Spirit's supernatural help.

 

Who's Afraid of The Holy Spirit?

Jesus said he would build his church, "and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." (Matthew 16:18 NIV)

Wouldn't a church that powerful involve the Holy Spirit? Then why are so many churches afraid of the Holy Spirit?

Because many denominations and even non-denominational churches today believe and teach that the days of miracles and overt workings of the Spirit have all passed away, that they died when the Apostles died and when the Scriptures were completed. But why believe that?

Because they've adopted a concept of "Cessation-ism" - a belief that began during the Protestant Reformation's battle with Catholicism and even continued during the Restoration Movement. 

In this episode, we examine Cessation-ism and the Scriptures on the Holy Spirit's continuing work in the Lord's church today. 

Jesus & The Holy Spirit-9 "I Will Not Leave You As Orphans"

Jesus said, "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit" in John 3:6.

The Holy Spirit gave birth to the flesh that the Son of God would inhabit as he did his Father's work on earth.

When Gabriel appeared to Mary and announced God's plan to bring the Messiah through her body, he said:

"The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35 NIV)

By creating the body of Jesus in Mary's womb, the Holy Spirit began an amazing partnership with the Messiah. From then on, we see the Holy Spirit intimately involved in every part of the redemptive work accomplished in Christ.

The Spirit gave birth to flesh for Christ's body so that through Christ he can give birth to our born-again spirits. He will not leave us as orphans.

Learn more about the supernatural events adorning Christ's birth and life, and how Christ gives us this new life.

Jesus & The Holy Spirit-8 "The Heart of Jesus"

The Bible mentions the word "heart" almost 1,000 times. Your heart (spirit) is called the "wellspring of life" in Proverbs 4:23. It's a key to your whole life and should be guarded. 

And for believers, God has "set his seal of ownership on us and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit." (2nd Corinthians 1:22 NIV).

Jesus certainly walked this earth with a Spirit-filled heart, which is why he could say, "I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matt. 11:29 NIV)

Since Jesus' heart was a key to his work and ministry on earth, maybe we should find out how to have his heart.

Listen and learn more about the heart of Jesus and how he will give it to you.

Jesus & The Holy Spirit -7 "Seeing & Walking By Faith"

After Jesus healed a blind man, he said this:

“I came into this world so that the world could be judged. I came so that people who are blind could see. And I came so that people who think they see would become blind.” (John 9:39 ERV)

His healing of the blind man started a discussion about spiritual blindness vs physical blindness. Jesus came so that the spiritually blind could be 'healed' just like the physically blind.

So, what's the key secret to overcoming spiritual blindness? 

"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." (2nd Chronicles 16:9 NIV)

Listen and learn more about this amazing secret to spiritual healing and wholeness.

Jesus & The Holy Spirit -6 "To See The Unseen"

Jesus "saw" things no one else could see.

He "saw" Nathanael under the fig tree and shocked the man (John 1:43-51). Jesus "saw" his betrayer before it happened (Matt. 26:21). He "saw" Peter's denial coming, he "saw" the destruction of Jerusalem forty years before it happened (Matt. 24:1-44). Jesus "saw" in the spirit realm by the Holy Spirit.

And his disciples have that ability, too. We can "walk by faith and not by sight" (2nd Corinthians 5:7). And we can "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen" (2nd Corinthians 4:18).

Want to learn more about how to "see" the unseen?

Jesus & The Holy Spirit -5 "Heaven's Work - Heaven's Power"

Jesus, the Son of God, needed the Holy Spirit. Why? 

Jesus himself said (more than once), "I can of myself do nothing." (John 5:30 NKJV) 

Yes, the Son of God walked this earth as a man and completed his mission on this earth as a man. That's why he needed the Holy Spirit.

He came here to do Heaven's mission on the earth, so he needed Heaven's power to accomplish it. And so do we!

Listen and learn more about Heaven's power to accomplish Heaven's mission in your life.

Jesus & The Holy Spirit -4 "The Anointing"

What if Jesus left his "mantle", his anointing by the Holy Spirit, to us when he went back to Heaven? What if he left it so we could "replace" him on the earth and carry on his work? He did.

Just like Elijah's mantle fell on Elisha (2nd Kings 2:9-15), we've also inherited an anointing from Christ - the "Christ-anointing" ("Christ" means "anointed one").

That's why Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12 NIV)

John also wrote, "But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth." I1st John 2:20 NIV)

Listen and find out more about our "anointing" as believers.

 

Jesus & The Holy Spirit -3 "The Spirit-Led Messiah"

Amazingly, Jesus said things like - "By myself I can do nothing..." and "the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing..." (John 5:30 and 5:19).

He said those things because, though he is the Son of God, Jesus still walked this earth as a man. He often called himself the "son of man".

Like the rest of us, he relied on the Holy Spirit to lead him in his life and ministry.

Listen and you'll learn about Jesus interacting and exercising the power of God the Father every day led by the Holy Spirit. Since the Master did it that way, we can too.

Jesus & The Holy Spirit-2 "The Spirit's Personality"

The Holy Spirit isn't an "it" or an angel, or a "ghost". He's a person, an equal personality in the Divine Godhead, or sometimes called the "Trinity". Jesus always referred to him as "he" or "him" - (John 14:17 & 16:13-14).

So, since the Holy Spirit is a "person" - what's he like? 

In this podcast you'll hear about nineteen personality traits of the Holy Spirit.