27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
01 Acts 01 01-05 THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 11 Acts 01 04-05 Details of being His witnesses
📖 Acts 01:01-05
11 – 14Jun2022 – *Details of being His witnesses* - _Acts 01:01-05_ - THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - Bible reading: _John 16:7-15_
“Lord Jesus, thank You, that You have commanded us to be baptised by the Holy Spirit, so that we can be Your witnesses, reconciling the world back to You. Forgive us that we try to negotiate with You on Your command. You are our King and us, Your subjects. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
_Acts 1:4-5 And being assembled together with them, *He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; (5) for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now*."_
We have understood that the Lord has commanded us to be baptised by the Holy Spirit, in order to be His witnesses, reconciling a lost world back to Him. Let us go to the Gospel of John and see the details of being His witnesses.
*_John 16:7-15 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you._*
We can imagine, how the disciples would have been shaken by those words from the Lord. The Lord was telling them that it was to their advantage that He goes away from them.
The Lord was saying that the Holy Spirit would now take His place and provide the disciples with a far richer experience than what they had had with Him. We are in a relationship with the Holy Spirit, as we are with Jesus. We are cast on Him, guided, strengthened, from moment to moment, encouraged, and receive wisdom and understanding, from the Holy Spirit.
Throughout the day, we are in conversation with the Holy Spirit. This is where we are baptised in the Holy Spirit.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit begins at a certain point in our lives and is a continuous experience. *We are no more directing our lives but it is the Holy Spirit, who now has full control over us*. This is the life of a disciple of Jesus, who is baptised in the Holy Spirit and is being a witness to Christ.
*_(8) And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:_*
In and through the Holy Spirit, we are witnesses to our Lord Jesus, reconciling the world back to God. Jesus explains to us how the work of being His witnesses takes place through us, who are under the control of the Holy Spirit.
Generally, we speak much about the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit as signs, wonders and miracles. These do take place under the control of the Holy Spirit, but the important matter is the purpose for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is to be witnesses to our Lord Jesus, reconciling the world back to God.
Jesus gives us the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
*_(9) of sin, because they do not believe in Me;_*
Man has chosen to place his faith in the material world, making the material world his habitat. To believe in Jesus is to turn away from trusting the material world and place our trust in God, to be our habitat. This is a primary sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We will be those who trust God and not the material world.
*_(10) of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;_*
Righteousness is another evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus has gone back to the Father. The Lord has given us His righteousness, which we manifest through the Holy Spirit living in us.
*_Romans 8:4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit._*
The world will be convicted of righteousness for they will see tangible demonstrations of God’s righteousness in the lives of His disciples, who are baptised in the Holy Spirit.
*_(11) of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged._*
Another sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is, that we will live in reverential fear of God, for we know that He is the Owner, the Creator and Judge of all things. We will thus bring conviction to the world.
The Lord spoke of other matters of being His witnesses, which will take place in us as we are baptised in the Holy Spirit.
*_(12) "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. (13) However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. (14) He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. (15) All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you._*
The Lord has indicated that there are many other signs of the baptism of the Holy Spirit that will take place in us for the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth and He will teach us all truth.
Knowing the purpose and plans that He has for us, we can fully give ourselves to Jesus to be baptised in the Holy Spirit. We are His witnesses, reconciling the world to God.
*Gratitude to God*
```“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You have commanded us to be baptised with the Holy Spirt and You have explained the reason for this command.”```