(The Ministry of the Spirit) in the Gospels

Let's bow our heads and open our hearts to God this evening and be still in His presence. Let's all bow our heads and close our eyes and concentrate on the Lord who is in our midst. Let's turn our attention away from ourselves to the risen Lord Jesus.

The woman said that if I can only touch the hem of His garment, I know I will be healed. Many crowd around Him, a few touch Him by faith. Let's reach out to Him tonight and say, Lord, I want to touch you by faith, I want to come into a living contact with you.

It's like getting an electric connection. The contact is broken, but it's reconnected and the power comes flooding back. Our Father, as we come before you, we want to lean upon you, Lord Jesus, and seek for a manifestation of your power in our midst.

We don't want to live in words, we want to live in the reality of the power of the Gospel. Hear us, O God our Father, we pray that every heart here receives something from you tonight, according to their need, and go back, having met with you, having experienced something of your Spirit working in their life tonight. Lord, we pray it will be so.

Your Spirit be upon me as I speak. Give me words to speak according to the need of those who are here, Lord. Let the word be prophetic.

Let your name be glorified in our midst this evening. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Okay. Yesterday, if you remember, we looked at the Holy Spirit's ministry in the Old Testament. And today we want to see the ministry of the Holy Spirit as we see it in the Gospels.

We really need to look at only two of the Gospels, Luke and John, because they mention more than Matthew and Mark, and some of it is repeated in Matthew and Mark. But I'll begin with the verse in Mark, and that's in chapter 9 and verse 1. In chapter 9 and verse 1, the Gospel of Mark, Jesus was saying to them, Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God, after it has come with power. Now Jesus meant what he said, that at that particular time there were some people standing in front of him who would not die until they saw the kingdom of God coming with power.

And many Christians who have read that verse have speculated, what does that mean? Is that referring to the final establishment of Christ's kingdom on earth? Well, there's certainly nobody standing there who is alive today, and the kingdom of God has not covered the earth yet. Some people say, well, it's referring to what it says in the next verse, that six days later they went to the Mount of Transfiguration, and they saw Jesus in all his glory, but that was not the coming of the kingdom of God with power either. And I don't know how many people died within those six days, because Jesus said, some of you who are standing here will not taste death.

So it's not referring to the future establishment of Christ's kingdom? It's not referring to the Mount of Transfiguration? Then what is it referring to? The word power gives us some understanding, and the word kingdom of God. And when you search through the New Testament, and look for these two words, you first come to Acts of the Apostles in chapter 1, and verse 6 where you read about the disciples asking Jesus, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now, the kingdom of God? And Jesus said, no, that's not for you to know. And then he said in Acts 1.8, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.

And later on in Romans 14.17 we read, the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. So when you put Romans 14.17 and Acts 1.8 together, you realize that the kingdom of God coming with power is what took place on the day of Pentecost. And between the time when Jesus spoke and the day of Pentecost, some people who were standing there had died.

But a number of them had not died. And they saw, so how did Jesus describe the day of Pentecost? It's very important to see that. He described it as the kingdom of God coming with power.

So, do you know what you and I are supposed to experience in the church? The kingdom of God in power. A power which no Old Testament saint ever experienced. A kingdom which no Old Testament saint ever experienced.

The kingdom that they experienced in the Old Testament was an earthly kingdom. And many people who don't have the slightest clue concerning the difference between the New Covenant and the Old Covenant, and they talk about the Holy Spirit and get all confused. Please remember, my brothers and sisters, I have labored in teaching this for 25 years and more in many parts of the world.

I rarely come across someone who has a clear understanding of the difference between the New Covenant and the Old Covenant. They all think it's the same thing. I say, if it is the same thing, in Hebrews 8.13, why does it say God abolished the Old Covenant? Is British Raj the same as India being a republic? Is it the same thing? Who was our head? I remember I used to live in Delhi in 1947 when our head was King George VI.

I am not under King George VI or his daughter Queen Elizabeth today. No. It's gone.

That old regime is gone. I am not under the Old Covenant. It's been abolished.

It's obsolete. It says, God himself found fault with it, it says in Hebrews 8. The distinctive word of the Old Covenant was the Law, the Ten Commandments. The distinctive word of the New Covenant is Grace or the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Grace.

So you cannot delink the Holy Spirit from the New Covenant. If you connect the Holy Spirit with the Old Covenant, then you have what we studied yesterday. That is, the Holy Spirit clothed Gideon.

Shirt. You can change your shirt when you go home, take it off. Samson would take it off when he went to Delilah.

When he faced the lion, he would put the shirt back on again. When he faced the Philistines, he would put the shirt back on again. And when he went to some prostitute, he would take it off again.

That was Old Testament Holy Spirit. And that's exactly what you see in today. A lot of people, charismatic, speaking in tongues, great preachers who preach to millions.

All of a sudden you discover they have been going to prostitutes. Yeah. One of the greatest preachers in America.

In fact, I heard that on Canadian television, some of the secular TV programs brought a prostitute onto the screen, onto the program, waving dollar bills and telling the Christians, the money you gave to the preacher comes to me finally. These are supposed to be great preachers. But God used them.

Didn't God use Samson? How many of you can kill 1000 people with a bone? Or tear a lion to pieces? So all Christians who think of being used by God. A lot of people say, I want to be used by God. Well, Samson was used by God.

And there are a lot of preachers today who are used by God. So what? I don't want to follow Samson and I don't want to follow any of those preachers. I want to follow Jesus.

And people like Paul who can say, follow me as I follow Christ. There are very few who can say that today. I believe that every elder brother in our churches should be able to say that to his flock.

Follow me as I follow Christ. Otherwise you are not really fit to be an elder brother. Otherwise you are fit to be an elder in Babylon.

In Babylon they don't say, follow me as I follow Christ. They say, don't look at me. My life is not very good.

But listen to what I say. Listen to me. Come and hear.

Come and hear is the great word of the old covenant. The great word of the new covenant is, come and see. In John chapter 1 when people asked Jesus, where do you live? He said, come and see.

Today when people ask Jesus, Lord Jesus, where do you live? Come and see. Come and see in this church, in that church. That's where I live.

Come and see how they live in their home. Come and see how they live with one another. If you cannot invite people to come and see, you are not a new covenant church.

You are not a new covenant home. You are not a new covenant elder. Whatever doctrine under the sun, you may preach.

Whatever pattern you have in your church. If you cannot say, come and see. If you cannot say, follow me as I follow Christ.

It is not a new covenant church. It is not a new covenant home. It is not a new covenant elder.

If you can only say, come and hear. We got a great preacher coming from somewhere. Come and listen to him.

Is that all we have got to say? That was old covenant. So, the kingdom of God coming with power. In the old testament they had a kingdom of earth.

Earthly. It was Canaan's land. Today, for me, Canaan's land, the promised land is in the heavenlies.

In Christ. The promised land is my body. My body, like your body, has been ruled by giants of anger, bitterness, jealousy, love of money, selfishness, pride, lying, hatred.

Many, many giants have ruled this land of Canaan for years. God brings us to the borders of the promised land through this pillar of cloud, the Holy Spirit and says, Go in and possess it. Kill the giants and occupy their territory.

From Dan to Beersheba. That's how they said it in the old testament. Today we say from head to foot.

Occupy it for me. And people look at the giants and say, We are like grasshoppers compared to these giants. We cannot occupy it.

But two people filled with the Holy Spirit like Joshua and Caleb will say, Let's go in. If God helps us through the Holy Spirit, we will possess this land. We will drive out the giants and we will occupy the land because this land belongs to God.

Canaan belongs to God. This is the body God has given us. So, this is where the kingdom of God has to be manifested first.

Jesus said, don't look here and there for the kingdom of God. He said in Luke, the kingdom of God is within you. And the kingdom of God coming with power, power to drive out these giants and to occupy the land for God.

And you know the miracles God did in the book of Joshua to defeat those giants. And I tell you, God will do miracles for you to drive out the giants that have ruled your body forever. So remember, Jesus described the coming of the Holy Spirit in the day of Pentecost as the kingdom of God coming with power.

And the kingdom of God, He said, is within you. Inside you. Don't say it's here, there or coming here and there.

It is within you, He said. And when the kingdom of God is within me, in power, the giants cannot rule the land. And I want to say to you in Jesus' name, to everyone sitting here who is born again.

My dear brother and sister, that is your birthright. Don't allow those giants of anger and bitterness and grudges and all that to rule your land. He is destroying you.

How many years are you going to let those giants live and control Canaan's land? God told you years ago, get rid of them. The day you were born again, He said, get rid of them. Be filled with His Spirit and get rid of them.

The kingdom of God coming with power. And when you have a number of people who are living this life, coming together, you have a church where the kingdom of God has come with power. And the devil is always trying to neutralize that church and make that church weak by bringing in, into that church, all the riffraff of people who are not serious disciples.

Somebody's brother, somebody's sister, somebody's aunt, somebody's uncle, whole lot of people come in who are not at all interested in being disciples and the devil has compromised the church. What shall we do? Shall we drive them all out? And say, get out all of you fellows? No. Let them come.

The way I have come to see it is, let them sit there. Like the Gibeonites, they can sweep the floor, they can arrange the chairs, they can arrange the song books, they can do so many things like that. We need Gibeonites to do things like that.

But the real church won't be those people. They can live there. They can come to all the meetings.

The real church will be the core of disciples. In other words, if you have a church of a hundred people, let them all sit there. Ninety percent of them are not serious.

They are just coming to listen to a message or something. But if you can get ten people there in that church of a hundred, who are a core, who are determined that this church is going to be run by the Holy Spirit, that must be the central core of the leadership of that church. The others can come and sit in the meetings, and have lunch on Sundays, and come for the picnics, and play games, and come for the conferences, and nod their heads in the meetings.

And if they want, they can put some money in the box. We don't stop these things. But they are not going to fight the battle, and win the battle in the kingdom of God.

They are coming for fun, games. They have got other interests in life. Their job is more important for them.

Their boyfriends and girlfriends are more important than them. Their fashion, and their style, and their new new dresses, and high heel shoes, and latest fashions and all. These are much more important to them than building the kingdom of God.

Let them do it. Let them do it. Don't get disturbed by them.

Let them sit there forever. They are not going to build the kingdom of God. Let them sing the songs.

Let them sing in the choir and all that. But those who are going to do spiritual battle, are those who are wholehearted, radical disciples of Jesus, who are determined that Jesus is going to be first in my life. God is going to be everything in my life.

I have got nothing, no interest on earth except God. I have got nothing to look forward to in heaven but God. Full stop.

Period. It's the end. And my whole life is going to count for God's kingdom.

And if you young brothers are like that, get married to a sister like that. If you young sisters are like that, get married to a brother like that. Not everybody is like that.

Not even in our churches. Don't think everybody who comes to our CBC church is a disciple. I tell you, I have travelled around, I have discovered they are not.

Many of them are interested in other things on earth. But the kingdom of God coming with power, that is the New Testament church. And that is what the Holy Spirit came to do on the day of Pentecost.

Okay, that's an introduction. Now we go to the Gospel of Luke and John just to look through and see a number of references to the Holy Spirit in these Gospels and see what the Holy Spirit did from the beginning, from the time of John the Baptist, whose birth is first described as the beginning in the Gospels because he was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. Luke chapter 1, the angel came to Zacharias, the father of John, who was going to be the father of John the Baptist and told him, your prayers have been heard.

Luke 1.13 And your wife Elizabeth is going to bear you a son and you are going to give him the name John. You will have great joy and gladness and many people will rejoice at his birth because he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while he is still in his mother's womb.

That's why I am against abortion. Something in the mother's womb. He is a human being, you know.

If somebody can be filled with the Holy Spirit in the mother's womb, it must be a human being. I mean, if God fills somebody with the Holy Spirit in the mother's womb, when it's a small little embryo, when John the Baptist was about this size, can you see that? When he was about this size, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. You believe a person this size can be filled with the Holy Spirit? You think you have to be this size to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Who said you got to be at least 17 years old before you were filled with the Holy Spirit? Who said our little children cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit? Here is someone who is this size, who is filled with the Holy Spirit.

Be encouraged. That's the first person filled with the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Nobody in the Old Testament was filled with the Holy Spirit when they were this size.

Are all of you bigger than this size? Yes, you are. Once upon a time, you and I were this size. And isn't it interesting that the New Testament begins with somebody being filled with the Holy Spirit when he was this size, when you could see a microscope to see him.

That's why I am against abortion, killing a human being. Amazing. The New Testament begins with a reference to the Holy Spirit filling an embryo.

An embryo, which a lot of debate today in the world as to when does life begin? I suppose it must have begun for him to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit doesn't fill flesh. I mean if it's just some meat.

The Holy Spirit doesn't come upon meat. It's a human being. That little embryo is a human being filled with the Holy Spirit from the mother's womb.

He was conceived supernaturally. Well, I mean supernaturally because Zechariah and Elizabeth were old. But in normal way.

And as soon as he was conceived, the Holy Spirit filled him. So don't any of you young children think, I can't be filled with the Holy Spirit till I wait for some more years. Little children, if you love Jesus, and you want to live for Jesus, I'm speaking to children now.

5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 years old. If you love Jesus, and you want to live for Jesus, and you want to glorify Him in your life. Please tell your children that.

That they can be filled with the Holy Spirit. Because it's God's work. He didn't become a great preacher when he was in his mother's womb.

When he came out, he had to learn ABC just like all other children. Don't think when people are filled with the Holy Spirit, they suddenly know a lot of things. They know Maths and English and Physics and all.

John the Baptist knew nothing. But it's a great encouragement to know that the Holy Spirit can fill a person when the person hasn't even prayed. I mean, when he became an embryo, he was not praying.

It's amazing. Do you think God can do that for you? That's how the New Testament begins. This is not like the Old Testament.

This is much better news. Don't miss your birthright. You little children, you can be filled with the Holy Spirit.

When you are very, very young, just open your heart. In fact, it's easier. Because little children, the smaller they are, the less they have grudges and bitternesses.

You look at all the older people. They've got so many bitternesses, grudges, worldliness, so many things. But you little children are so free from that.

It's much easier for you to seek God to be filled with the Holy Spirit. And ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. That's the best life you can ever live.

Tell your children at home, if they are not here. You little, my little boy, my little girl, ask Jesus to fill you with the Holy Spirit. Never mind if they don't understand.

John the Baptist, when he was this size, what did he understand? He could not explain anything. But he got filled with the Holy Spirit. And all of you who are bigger than this size, you don't have to understand.

It's not understanding. It's God doing a work upon you. Okay, that's the first thing.

Then we go to the next reference to the Holy Spirit is verse 35 of Luke chapter 1, where we read about the angel telling Mary. She said, How in the world can I have a child? I mean the history of the human race, since Adam, nobody has ever had a child who's a virgin, who's not known a man. And Mary said in verse 34, How can this be? When you say, I'm going to have a child.

You're going to bear a son, the angel told her in verse 31. He said, How can this be? You're going to name him Jesus. Verse 31, He's going to be great.

And the angels, and Mary said, How can this be? It's the same question we ask. When we are aware of our terrible sin and failure and defeat and helplessness and impotence, impotence, powerlessness, and you get a message, you are going to be like Jesus. And you say, How can this be? Me become like Jesus? How can this be? Same question that Mary asked.

How can this be? I'm such a wretched child of Adam. I see so much of sin in my life, which other people cannot see. How can this be? And here is the answer.

The same answer for you as it was for Mary. The Holy Spirit, verse 35, will come upon you. And the power, always the Holy Spirit is linked with power.

Please remember that. Not tongues, not miracles, but power, power right from the beginning. The power of the Most High will overshadow you.

You will dwell in the shadow of the Almighty. That is the Holy Spirit. And then, from your nature will come forth the nature of the Son of God.

That's the only way to do it. It's not by... Angel didn't say, Mary just grit your teeth and do some physical exercises and take these tablets and somehow or the other you'll get a child. No, it doesn't work like that.

And neither does the Holy Spirit tell you, grit your teeth and get up at 4.30 every morning and read the Bible and you're going to be like Jesus. No. The Holy Spirit doesn't say that and I'm not going to say that either.

What shall I say? Let the Holy Spirit come upon you. Let the power of the Almighty overshadow you. And supernaturally, that which is impossible.

Is there anything more impossible in the world than a virgin having a child? The impossible will take place and Jesus will be born in you. Will come forth from you. It will take time.

Won't happen overnight. It took nine months for Mary. It will take many years for you, for Jesus to come forth fully but it will happen.

Little by little by little that baby will grow. Little by little, she's changing me. I'm not the same as I used to be.

That's what Mary said as her stomach became bigger. I'm not the same as I used to be. Bigger and bigger and bigger.

I'm getting a little more like Jesus. And one day He was born. And one day I'll be like Him completely.

It's the ministry of the Holy Spirit. No man can take the credit for it. Joseph could not take the credit for it.

Mary could not take the credit for it. It was 100% the work of the Holy Spirit and you will not be able to take the credit when Jesus comes forth in you, in your life or in your ministry. If you have a longing and Mary's and then the angel said another wonderful word in verse 37.

Nothing is impossible with God. You wretch! You wretched woman! You wretched man! God can make you like Jesus. Nothing is impossible with God.

But there is one requirement. You have to submit and you have to believe. That's all that Mary did.

What did she say? Behold verse 38. The born slave of the Lord. That's submission.

Let it be done to me. According to your word. Whatever you want.

Mary hang on. Hang on Mary before you say that. You know what's going to happen? The whole of Nazareth will accuse you of being immoral.

You will lose your reputation in a few months when your stomach becomes bigger. Everybody will say this is an immoral woman. This is the child of some Roman soldier.

They say it even today among the Jews. Imagine how much more they said it 2000 years ago. You will lose your reputation.

Even your marriage may break up. Joseph may forsake you. Just think about it before you say Behold the born slave of the Lord.

Don't be in a hurry. So many thoughts must have gone through in Mary's mind in that fraction of a second. What will happen now? What will people in Nazareth say? What will Joseph say? Will my parents understand this? When you follow Jesus you got to forget about what your parents think.

You got to forget about your boyfriend, girlfriend, potential marriages. Everything has to disappear. You must be willing to lose everything.

Willing to be misunderstood. Falsely accused. Falsely accused for 2000 years.

Mary is falsely accused even today. Did you know that? There are multitudes of people who don't believe in the virgin birth. Even among people who call themselves Christians.

Are you willing? Behold the born slave of the Lord. I hope there will be many people like that here in our midst who say Lord, I am ready. Let your spirit come upon me.

I am willing to face rejection by parents. Rejection by everything. I am willing to lose everything.

I am willing to lose my reputation. I want Jesus to come forth in my life. I want to fulfill the ministry for which you called me.

When Mary was born as a little baby God had his eye on her. And when she was conceived in her mother's womb before her mother knew that she was pregnant before her mother knew that she was pregnant God said there is a little conception taking place in that woman's womb that's going to be a little girl Mary Now I am going to watch over her and she is going to grow up and be the mother of Jesus. Can you imagine how God cared for that Mary? I want to say to you Listen Before your mother Are you listening? Before your mother Think of it now.

You know who your mother is? Before your mother knew that she was pregnant with you inside her womb before she knew that she knew it only a few days or weeks later sometimes weeks later but God knew it long before your mother knew that a conception had taken place God knew that you were one day going to be his child. Before your mother knew about you and he knew that one day you will accept Christ you will be born again and he made a plan for you just like he made for Mary and he knew that one day the Holy Spirit will come upon Mary and fulfill that plan and God knew that one day he would offer you the power of his Holy Spirit to come upon your life to fulfill that plan Do you want it?

Wonderful I believe it More than 65 years ago when I was conceived in my mother's womb God knew me and he knew that one day I would give my life to Christ when I was 19 years old and he knew that one day he would put his spirit upon me and fulfill a plan through my life It's not only for me my brother, sister It's for you but you got to submit You got to say Lord Really It astounds me Lord, before I was in my mother's womb you had a plan for me Yes He wants to fulfill it but he will never be able to fulfill it without the power of the Holy Spirit There was absolutely no way no matter how many Bible schools Mary went to how much she studied the Bible how many conferences she went to there was absolutely no way of God's plan for her being fulfilled without the Holy Spirit It's the one answer She had to be filled with the Holy Spirit and then it all took place and you know what you need my brother, sister?

You don't need words We have had enough words We have a lot of preachers who get forth and give us words and words and words and words I am sick and tired of words I don't want any more words I have got enough words for ten lifetimes leave alone one lifetime What I want is power What Mary needed was power and what you need is power and that's what God offers you The power of the Most High will overshadow you Imagine if the power of the Most High overshadows me What's the devil going to be?

The devil is going to be like a little ant under my feet That's why it says The God of Peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly just like a little ant Are you going to be afraid of a little ant crawling on the ground? I mean you may be afraid of rats and lizards but I have never heard of a person who is scared of a little ant crawling on the ground or a little worm The power of the Most High will overshadow you My brothers and sisters The devil has robbed you of your birthright which is the mighty power of the Holy Spirit He's robbed most Christians of that by getting them all involved in theological arguments Did you receive it when you were born again?

Do you need to have it again? I say, brother, I'm sick and tired of these arguments I'm not interested in theological arguments and then he's got other people who seek it and get all worked up in some emotional frenzy and the devil says, you got it, you got it, you got it and they haven't got anything How do I know? Jesus is not coming forth in their life What is Mary going around saying? Hey, I got it, I got it, I got it and ten years later, no, Jesus comes forth from her life Mary, don't fool yourself That is just excitement How do you know whether Mary the power of the Most High overshadowed Mary?

Jesus came forth from her life and Jesus will come forth The second thing she had to do was believe Verse 45 Blessed is she who believed that there will be a fulfillment of what has been spoken to her by the Lord There's only two things, submission and faith The Lord has said it It will take place in my life I may be the greatest wretch on earth but, verse 37, nothing is impossible with God, even with a wretch like me I believe that Okay We go on now to verse 67 another reference to the Holy Spirit This is all in Luke chapter 1 We haven't got past Luke chapter 1 yet This is the beginning of the Gospel and it's just Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit Zachariah It says here that Zachariah was dumb for so many days because he didn't believe what the angel told him and for nine

months he was dumb and then he had a child and the moment he did what the angel said, call him John they asked him and it says, he didn't even speak it verse 63, he asked for a a slate, and he wrote on the slate, His name is John and they were astonished and as soon as he did it his mouth was opened and that's usually what happens when a man is filled with the Holy Spirit dumb mouths become open, and when they open they stop gossiping and stop backbiting they begin to speak in praise, verse 64 of God, and verse 67, Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and he prophesied Isn't that wonderful? dumb people dumb for so long dumb because they don't believe suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit and beginning to prophesy, this is not a gradual growth into prophecy after ten years of spiritual

growth or any such thing no immediately, it was always like that in the Acts of the Apostles, here too dumb fellow living under the Old Testament suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit and begins to prophesy and begins to say all types of things there, concerning the future about John, you child verse 76, you'll be called the prophet and you'll go on before the Lord to prepare His ways, to give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins because of the tender mercy of our God and so on, and you're going to the Lord has come to teach us verse 74, to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days boy can you be filled with the Holy Spirit like that? dumb people, people who are scared to open their mouth for Jesus, can the Holy Spirit

fill you that suddenly you become bold and talk about Jesus, it can happen it's the first chapter of the Gospels, teach that, ok, let's go to chapter 2 in chapter 2 we read about Simeon he was another old man, godly man in Jerusalem he was a man who was righteous and devout verse 25, waiting for the coming of the consolation of Israel, that is the Messiah and it says here in verse 25 the Holy Spirit was upon him, you see how many references there are to the Holy Spirit even before we begin with the Gospels Luke 1, Luke 2 men filled with the Holy Spirit women filled with the Holy Spirit, Mary and it says here also, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit in verse 41 I didn't show you that, Luke 1 41, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, there is another person filled with the Holy

Spirit, women, Mary filled with the Holy Spirit it's very interesting to see that the first people mentioned here, who are filled with the Holy Spirit are Mary and Elizabeth, two women and John the Baptist and Zachariah, right in the first chapter of Luke you have two women and two men, it's equal Mary and Elizabeth and John the Baptist and Zachariah it's going to be an age of equality for men and women to be filled with the Holy Spirit this is a new age, this is not like the old days, great I'm excited that sisters can be filled with the Holy Spirit, I wish more of them were, so that they'd stop gossiping and backbiting and start being witnesses for Jesus Luke chapter 2 again you read about two people, Simeon and Anna, it's not just Simeon please note, Simeon and Anna both waiting for

the Messiah, both old people Simeon, the Holy Spirit was upon him it's great, I mean he hadn't experienced the New Testament Pentecost but he had experienced the Old Testament Holy Spirit coming upon him and Holy Spirit revealing things to him revealing saying before you die you will see the Messiah can you imagine how excited that guy was I don't know what age he got that revelation when he was 25 or something 25 and he's waiting, waiting, 45, 55 55, 65, I don't know, it looks as if the Messiah, what's happened, but the Holy Spirit told me I won't die till I see the Messiah 75, 80, 80 I mean he had seen hundreds and hundreds of babies being brought by their mothers into the temple to be prayed for but one day he saw one poor carpenter with his wife coming with a little baby and the Holy

Spirit said that's it that's the one you've been waiting for and his eyes were open and he saw this is Jesus, you know in the midst of so many babies to find the parents that have Jesus as a baby, it's great in the midst of so many churches to find the church where you know you can grow to become like Jesus that requires a revelation that's the one the Holy Spirit says that's where you will find Jesus in that church that's where you can grow to become like him have you found a church like that?

Simeon Simeon had the Holy Spirit upon him in the midst of all the babies, he wasn't fooled Holy Spirit said that's the one and he came and he picked up this baby and he said Lord at last I can depart in peace because at last I have seen your salvation I felt a little bit like that God formed a church, I said so many years Lord I long to see a church which is like a body and I said almost similar words I said Lord I can depart in peace now I have seen it at last I have seen in a poor country like India in the 20th century that the promises of God are true that we can build the body of Christ among highly educated PhDs and doctors and engineers and totally illiterate people who cannot know how to read or write and they can come together, people of different languages and different

communities and different backgrounds and can become one body and love one another and where there is no distinction between the educated and the uneducated and this community and that community Lord I have seen your body I can depart in peace now you know that's the body that Jesus is building in India today yeah and if it is a body he will bring people from many lands to come and see it and to hear about it it's all the Holy Spirit's work and no other way and he said but I want to tell you something about this child, this child is not going to have an easy time and a church like this is not going to have an easy time, a church which has Jesus in the middle is going to be attacked by the devil north, south, east, west from all sides and we have seen that also and this child verse 34 is

said for the rise, the fall and the rise of many in Israel that means when people come into this church or meet with this Jesus they are either going to fall or they are going to rise they cannot be neutral when they come face to face with Jesus you come in contact with Jesus and you will either go to a much higher life or you will sink to a lower life Judas Iscariot would never have been called the son of perdition if he had not become a disciple of Jesus if he had gone and become a Pharisee and sat on the Sanhedrin, he would have lived a long life till he was 70 years old and died and gone to hell peacefully but because he joined these Jesus disciples he got exposed by the time he was 30 or 33 exposed as a son of perdition and I have often said to people listen don't come to a church

where Jesus is moving in power unless you want a total body scan of everything in your life if you don't want that type of body scan, there are other churches you can go to they just collect your money and fool you that nothing is wrong with you and send you home and you will die peacefully but if you come into a church where Jesus is moving in power, they will expose every wretched small little disease there is in your body and tell you you got to be cured and they will cure you do you want that? you either fall or rise if you meet Jesus and you either fall or rise when you meet a church where Jesus is moving in power or where you meet a man in whom the Lord is moving in power you can't be the same, you will either hate him with all your guts or you love him enough to lay down your life

this child is appointed for the fall and rise of many and for a sign to be opposed everybody will oppose Jesus, the Romans will oppose him, the Greeks will oppose him, the Jews will oppose him, the Pharisees will oppose him, the Sadducees every denomination among the Jews will oppose him that's how it is that's how it is, even today Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever and where Jesus is in a church moving in power it will be opposed that's what the Holy Spirit said and the Lord, he told Mary, a sword will pierce through even your own soul it's a painful thing to bring forth Jesus Mary found that and every true servant of God has found that and every church that has sought to uphold the principles of God's word and the life of Jesus has found it a sword pierces through,

it's not an easy life it's not a life of prosperity and health like they say it's a life of opposition and a sword piercing the purpose is so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed when Jesus came the thoughts of many hearts were revealed people who sat in the synagogue for so many years comfortably, demon possessed people, suddenly the demons got all upset when Jesus came there they were living comfortably there for years with all the Pharisees preaching away, but when Jesus came all the demons got stirred up and that's what happens the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed and that's what happens when Jesus moves in a church people's thoughts get revealed your secret grudges and bitternesses of course what you do with it is your business, but they get revealed in the

church, and that's the mark of a New Testament church that where Jesus is, in the meetings the thoughts of people's hearts are revealed Paul quotes it later on in 1 Corinthians 14 that in the spirit of prophecy the spirit of God coming, we will come to that later the thoughts of people's hearts are revealed and they say, Oh!

God is here that's what it says here too and then there was Anna she was also another spirit filled person who had lived for 7 years only as a married person and then became a widow and continued to live as a single lady with fasting and prayer night and day, never leaving the temple and this old lady 84 years old anybody here, more than 84 at the age of 84 she was fasting and praying and telling everybody verse 38 all those who were looking for redemption about the Messiah great if we can have some 84 year old spirit filled widows like that in our church who are fasting and praying and witnessing, I tell you they will put all our young people to shame you are not too old to fast and pray you are not too old to witness for Jesus but you need to have the Holy Spirit upon you that's for

sure, this is how the New Testament begins we haven't even come to Jesus yet this is just the introduction and now we come to chapter 3 and John the Baptist is out in the wilderness and he preaches and he says I'm only baptizing you with water John Luke 3 16 but somebody is coming after me, who is mightier than me and he will baptize you baptize is a Greek word which means immerse, in Greek oh ancient Greek, if I dip my hand in a bucket of water it was saying I baptize my hand in water baptizo, bapto it's a Greek word which means dip so to be baptized in the Holy Spirit means to be immersed in the Holy Spirit there are two ways to be immersed one is you go into a river or into a tank that's how we are water baptized the other is you stand under a waterfall and you get thoroughly immersed,

that's the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the river of God flowing from heaven boy, can you imagine from heaven when a river falls, what fantastic pressure and power it is by the time it comes upon me that's baptism in the Holy Spirit it's coming under the waterfall he will immerse you with the Holy Spirit and fire fire is one of the words used concerning the Holy Spirit, we saw a little bit of that yesterday now I want to say this that all the first five books of the New Testament listen to this the first five books of the New Testament all begin with the promise of the baptism in the Holy Spirit the first promise in the New Testament is that you will be saved from your sins Matthew 1.21 the second promise in the New Testament is Matthew 3.11, you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit and

fire and you turn to Mark chapter 1 it is there, you turn to Luke chapter 3 it is there, you turn to John chapter 1 it is there, and you go to Acts chapter 1 Jesus spoke about it baptism in the Holy Spirit, baptism in the Holy Spirit baptism in the Holy Spirit I am not surprised that the devil has made this a big point of controversy so that people get all confused and people don't know whether it's right or wrong have I got it, have I not got it did I get it when I was born again yeah if you are not sure, ask God to assure you but it's certainly your birthright the first five books in the New Testament all begin with this promise you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit it must be for everybody don't let the devil say it's not for you and don't let the devil say, oh you can never be sure

of course you can be sure in fact in Acts chapter 19 the Apostle Paul will come to that tomorrow did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed they are expecting them to know that ok now we come to chapter 3 and verse 22 where Jesus was being baptized and the Holy Spirit came upon him and I want you to notice what it says here that when Jesus was baptized what was he doing Luke 3.21 what were you doing when you were baptized you were just hoping the water doesn't get into your nose yeah, it's good to think about that also, hold your breath but Jesus was not only holding his breath, he was also praying and I know what he was praying, even though it's not mentioned there how do I know, because Jesus prayers were always answered, immediately that's how I know what he was praying, now

read he was praying as he was baptized, verse 21 and heaven was open and the Holy Spirit came upon him, I know what he was praying for he said father, now is the time anoint me with the Holy Spirit as I come out of these waters because I can't serve you without that and he came up Holy Spirit came upon him it's all got to do with faith it's all got to do with recognizing I cannot serve the Father without this power I don't want an emotional thrill I don't want a theological argument I want power you know Jesus lived 30 years without sinning that was the power of the Holy Spirit, sure you can't live without sinning without the power of the Holy Spirit, no you can't but yet when he went out into his ministry he said father living a holy life is not enough how many of you know that living a

holy life is not enough to serve the Lord you think living a holy life it's necessary, but it's not enough because Jesus lived for 30 years how many of you know that knowing the Bible is not enough to serve the Lord, he knew the Bible when he was 12 a lot of people think, if I know the Bible and I live a holy life, I can serve the Lord no sir, you can't you still need the anointing of the Holy Spirit Jesus knew the Bible when he was 12, he lived a holy life for 30 years what did he need now, to serve the Father the anointing of the Holy Spirit and if Jesus needed it I hope you are humble enough to say, I think I also need it you know the apostle Peter later on said in Acts 10.38 you know how God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power that's how we know what he got here he got

power he was full of the Holy Spirit and he went out what happens after you are filled with the Holy Spirit you get temptation, 40 days of wilderness you think it's all open heaven and all great but the devil is going to be after you as soon as you are filled with the Holy Spirit that's what we see it happened in Jesus, in Luke chapter 4 verse 1, he was full of the Holy Spirit, he had lived a holy life the Father had said, I am well pleased with you in Luke 3.22 you got to begin with life that's sure, you can't move into ministry before you begin with life Jesus had 90% of his life he had no, what you call public ministry 90% of his life do you know where he spent 90% of his life? in home, at home and in his place of work where do you spend 90% of your life, tell me at home and in your

place of work isn't that right well that's exactly where Jesus spent 90% of his 33 years at home and in his place of work what did he do he didn't heal the sick he didn't cast out demons he just made good tables, he did his job properly he helped his mother and his brothers and sisters at home, he lived a holy life at home and in his place of work, never cheated anybody that's how God expects you to live in those 90% areas of your life and then you can go out into that 10% area of your life called ministry and be anointed but for that 10% you need the anointing then Jesus full of the Holy Spirit came from Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness now sometimes the Holy Spirit can lead us into dry places some people think the Holy Spirit will never lead me into a wilderness

he'll always lead me to mountain tops and green pastures well, also but sometimes he can lead you into the wilderness to teach you to live by faith some people have asked me, brother Jack, I feel so dry well, I said first check up whether your dryness is due to sin, if it's due to sin, confess it, but if it's not due to sin, you've got a clear conscience, maybe God is just teaching you to live by faith I'm not going to live by my feelings of dryness, the Holy Spirit led him into the wilderness and to be attacked by Satan and to fast and pray and when the Holy Spirit fills you, he will lead you into a life of fasting and prayer and fighting against Satan and overcoming temptation and all the knowledge of the word that you've stored up for your life till then will come forth now to overcome

Satan, it is written, it is written it is written, and he overcame and at the end of the overcoming it says in verse 1, he was full of the Holy Spirit, by the time he had finished, when the devil had finished every temptation verse 13, then what happened Jesus returned in the power of the Holy Spirit you see what happens as a result of temptation you're tested you're tested and now you're equipped then he can come into the temple and preach so what do you need in order to preach you need to be you need to live a holy life you need to be faithful at home you need to be faithful in your place of work, carpenter shop or anywhere in that 90% area of your life you need to be anointed with the Holy Spirit and you need to be tested by the devil to see whether you're upright to see whether you'll

compromise, to see whether you will seek your own or whether you will seek the glory of God and when God has tested you he'll say go my son, my daughter go and give my word to those people you need all that to back up your life a good life, faithful in work anointed with the Holy Spirit, tested in temptation you go forth in the power of the Holy Spirit and you get up, it says he came to Nazareth verse 16, and he got up in the synagogue and he began to preach, and what did he preach, about the Holy Spirit his first message was about the Holy Spirit they gave him the book of Isaiah and he said roll, roll, roll, roll, roll, roll, roll he said where, where, get me that verse and you know it was all a scroll he rolled it, rolled it, rolled it, and he found the place, verse 17 he looked for it

and he found the place where there was a prophecy about the Holy Spirit and he said today my message is about the Holy Spirit learn to value the Holy Spirit in your life and he said the spirit of the Lord is upon me, he's reading Isaiah because he has anointed me and there we read the results of the anointing to preach the gospel to the poor, I love that I know when God anointed me many years ago I had a great burden for poor people when we got I was glad to marry somebody who also had a burden for poor people one of the reasons I married her was because she wanted to work among lepers I said that's the type of person I want and in the early days even when she was pregnant we used to go on a bullock cart to some places we loved the poor because he came to preach the gospel to the poor and

God has chosen the poor of the world, rich in faith, I thank God that now that we have so many churches that 90% of our churches are among poor people some of them very very poor the Holy Spirit has done it not me I am so blessed when I am among them because I know the Spirit has anointed me also to preach the gospel, the good news of victory over sin to the poor how many of you want to preach to the poor all these television evangelists don't preach to the poor you don't get much offerings you can't preach the prosperity gospel there in fact you can't even speak all those high sounding things and crack all those funny jokes because those poor people don't understand it you got to be very simple when you preach to the poor very very simple because you are not trying to impress them you

are not trying to get them to be excited you are changing lives for eternity are you interested are you interested to be anointed to preach the gospel to the poor I hope so this is the very first thing Jesus said that's why the Holy Spirit comes upon us he sent me to proclaim release to the captives there are people bound bound by the devil bound by legalism bound by pastors who bound them to do all types of things bound to all types of slavery they can't do a thing without consulting some pastor or somebody else we got to set them free and when we set them free you think the slave masters are going to be happy you think the slave masters will be happy if you set their slaves free no, the slave masters will call you heretic, false teacher because you are setting their captives free you

are telling them hey you don't have to be bound to that man you can go straight to Jesus Jesus he came to release the captives he came to open the give sight to the blind people who didn't know what the bible meant Jesus explained it to them when the anointing of the Holy Spirit comes upon you you will be able to open the eyes of people to understand the bible like some of you are seeing something today didn't you see something today that's recovery of sight you can do that, it's not just me you can do it I tell you in Jesus name you can do it you can sit in your home with some brother or sister comes to you and open your bible and say let me just share something with you that person's eyes will be open you don't have to stand in a pulpit that's my calling, your calling maybe to sit at

home and talk to one young sister who comes to your house and open her eyes to see something she has never seen before you need to be anointed with the Holy Spirit and to set free those who are downtrodden boy what a lot of people today are downtrodden by other christian rulers who rule them and don't let them free to set them free and to proclaim the favorable year of the lord to tell people this is the year of the lord's favor he hasn't come to judge you you are favored by the lord God's come to bless you to make you happy not miserable a year of favor what about next year another year of favor till Jesus comes it's a long year of favor how many of you believe the gospel is a message of God's favor upon your life get rid of all these legalistic gospels I'm sorry I preached it for years

when I was blind but God's opened my eyes I don't preach that wretched gospel anymore that binds people and takes people to court I've finished with that I preach a gospel of favor where you don't do harm to anybody you do good because God's been so good to you and you tell people this is the year of your favor don't look so miserable like you're looking right now it's a year of favor brother sister it is it is believe it it's a year of favor upon you God's favor is upon your life you look pretty good now it's a year of favor for all of you till Jesus comes close the book that's it that's the gospel not you must do this, you must do that you must do the other thing, no, none of these things I've come to set people free, to proclaim favor and open your eyes to see things you've never seen

before and see how good God is that's the gospel and when you experience it go and do the same for other people and especially the poor go and do the same for the poor I remember when we started our ministry I said Lord all the great preachers go to the cities they never have crusades in remote villages big cities but what about all these poor people in the villages they can't travel to Bombay and Bangalore to hear the great preachers Lord will you send me to the villages that's where the poor are and he took me at my word and he sent me and I've been so rich enriched and blessed give yourself to the Lord to serve the poor to set people free not to put people into bondage with all your rules set people free may your life be one where you are anointed you need the anointing of the Holy

Spirit to set people free what a blessing you can be to people setting them free, opening their eyes proclaiming the favor of the Lord encouraging them every single person here can do that you know what you need the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me that's the only way, there is no other way you don't need Bible schools you don't need conferences, you need the anointing of the Holy Spirit ok we go to chapter 10 I don't have time to look at everything chapter 10 when you are filled with the Spirit you have authority chapter 10 verse 19 I give you authority to tread upon serpents, scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall injure you I believe that's a word for me too and for you that when the Spirit of God comes upon us we have authority over all

the power of Satan and verse 21 at that time he rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit and said I praise you Father that you have hidden these things from all the clever intelligent people and you have revealed them to babes when I see some of these brothers who cannot speak a word of English and who are not highly educated bring forth revelation which clever intelligent people do not have even in our midst I say the same thing Lord Father I praise you you have hidden these things from all the great PhDs and great scholars and you have revealed them to people who can't speak one word of English I praise you with all my heart for thus it was well pleasing in thy sight so that the glory does not go to human intelligence and human study but to the revelation of the Holy Spirit I always wanted

to see this one day happen in our churches because that's how Jesus was he picked up fishermen who they called illiterate unlearned people and the whole of Jerusalem was amazed these people how did they get such it's the Holy Spirit that's the answer ok we go to chapter 11 and verses 5 to 13 this is the parable of the man who went to his neighbor's house asking for three loaves of bread because a guest had come to him at midnight and the meaning of the story is how to seek God for the Holy Spirit verse 13 if you pray like this the Father will give you the Holy Spirit that's the conclusion of this parable that means if you want to pray for the Holy Spirit this is how you should pray it's the one parable that Jesus spoke the only parable Jesus spoke that taught us how to pray for the Holy

Spirit because that's how he concludes it in verse 13 how should you pray when you meet a person who is in need that's the guest who has come to the house and you are willing to humbly acknowledge that you don't have anything to give him two things have compassion on the fellow whom you know who is in need maybe some friend somebody you know who is in need second have the humility to acknowledge you don't have what it takes to bless him or deliver him or help him then you go to God God I love this brother I love these people I don't have anything to give them please give me you know that I have done that for years when I have to get up to speak I say Lord I love these people these are like my children I don't have what it takes to give to them if you give me I will pass it on I won't come

to the house and tell this guest hey I went to the shop and struggled and got this no this is a gift brother my neighbor gave it to me I am just passing it on to you I don't deserve the credit you can go and thank my neighbor tomorrow morning and that's what I say God gave it to me and I pass it on you can have that Jesus said pray for the Holy Spirit like that go to God and say God I have got a burden to serve you to serve these people I want to serve them I love them but I don't have what it takes to give them something but if you give it to me I promise you I will give it to them I won't eat any of it myself and I will give you all the glory you see if God doesn't answer your prayer Jesus said ask like this verse 9 and it will be given to you knock like this keep on knocking that

fellow kept on knocking at that door until the door was open and it says Jesus said the last part of the verse he will give him as much as he needs what a promise he will give him as much as he needs go and ask God your heavenly father verse 13 to give the Holy Spirit to you like that for others for others for others the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for others for others for others for others so many people are seeking for the power of the Holy Spirit for something for themselves some excitement some wealth some prosperity some healing something in my body something this that and the other no wonder they get all types of counterfeits seek the power of the Holy Spirit to bless other people and there is not so much chance of a counterfeit then not to get some glory and when you get the

loaves and give it to them don't you take credit for it as though you produced it give the glory to the one who gave it to you ok ok Luke chapter 11 verse 20 now I don't have time to show this to you but this is where Jesus said if by the finger of God I cast out demons then the kingdom of God has come now if you compare that with a parallel passage in Matthew 12.28 exactly the same passage there he says if by the spirit of God I cast out demons then the kingdom of God has come upon you when you compare scripture with scripture you see that the finger of God is the spirit of God with the finger of God he wrote the ten commandments on tablets of stone and with the finger of God he says he will write his laws upon my heart and my mind those are the two tablets of stone today my mind and my

heart I can't do it have you ever tried to write write on rock you can't do it brother you can't do it brother God's finger can easily write you can't write God's laws on your heart and mind even if you try a thousand years but God can write it easily even if your heart is hard as a rock the finger of God the Holy Spirit can cause you to walk according to his will ok we move on to chapter 12 in verse 10 it speaks about how serious a thing it is to speak against the Holy Spirit anyone Jesus says you speak against me you will be forgiven but don't speak against the Holy Spirit don't devalue the Holy Spirit many of us make much of Jesus we all make much of Jesus and Jesus said you make much of me but don't devalue the Holy Spirit it is serious how do you devalue the Holy Spirit when you

ignore him when you neglect him when you don't value him you get a guest in your house and you don't care for him he sits in a corner you leave him alone that's how you devalue a guest honor the Holy Spirit in your life and another thing the Holy Spirit does is when we are preaching God's word or when we have to defend ourselves before people who accuse us or question us he says in verse 12 the Holy Spirit will give you the right words even when you are standing there I have experienced that not in a court but in the preaching in the pulpit exact fulfillment of verse 12 the Holy Spirit will give you the right words even as you are standing there you can experience that be open keep your conscience clear have a hunger be open to the Holy Spirit the Lord said in Luke 21 verse 15 I will give

you such a mouth and a wisdom that all your opponents will not be able to resist and then Jesus said in Luke in Luke 24 we read an example of how when somebody spoke like this what happened Jesus was a person who spoke words from the anointing of the Holy Spirit to two disciples he goes on the way to Emmaus it takes about two hours to walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus and it was a two hour long journey that Jesus walked with them and in those two hours that was a long sermon two hour sermon but they didn't get bored that entire two hours it says in Luke 24 32 their hearts were burning they didn't even notice the passage of time was that two hours one tells the other I thought it was ten minutes we already reached Emmaus and every minute of those two hours our heart was burning as he spoke to

us on the road explaining verse 32 the scriptures to us my brothers and sisters this is what we need in India this is what we need in our churches anointed men who when they explain the scriptures people's hearts burn even if it's for two hours who can do that only the Holy Spirit not human cleverness the Holy Spirit can do miracles honor him seek his anointing in your life chapter 24 that's why he told his disciples you know fellas verse 47 you got to go and preach repentance two things repentance and forgiveness of sins all across the world starting in Jerusalem in all nations because you are witnesses but hang on don't go yet you got to wait until you are clothed verse 49 with power from on high otherwise you will never be able to do it that's how the gospel of Luke ends we just gone

through the gospel of Luke and you see how it is Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit right from beginning till end now let me show you the gospel of John chapter 3 verse 5 unless you are born of water and the Holy Spirit you cannot enter the kingdom of God water there is only a picture of the Holy Spirit to be born of water it's like in another place the Holy Spirit is pictured with fire here the Holy Spirit is pictured as water born of the Holy Spirit and it says you know you cannot don't think that your experience of the Holy Spirit should be the same as another believer's verse 8 the wind blows, doesn't the wind blow always one way North, North, South, North West North, North West, South, South West it blows in so many different directions so is, not so is the Holy Spirit not so is the Holy

Spirit verse 8 so is everyone who is born of the Holy Spirit allow that brother to go North West if you are going South East he can be led of the Spirit just as much as you why do you want to force him to go South East if the Spirit is leading him to go North West so is everyone born of the Spirit led in different directions don't make rules saying if you are of the Holy Spirit you got to go this way of course they won't disobey Scripture but the leading of the Holy Spirit Jesus said is so like 360 degrees in the compass people can be led in 360 different ways that's why I say don't imitate somebody else listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit let the wind guide you in a unique way not like he guides brother Zach or somebody else the way he guides you you are a distinct person ok we go

to verse 34 where it says about God the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God and he gives the Spirit without measure to him if you want to speak the words of God you need the Spirit Jesus only wanted to speak the words of God and so God gave him the Spirit without measure if you say Lord I want to speak the words of God in my life I want you to send me to speak the words of God to people not gossip and backbiting and complaints and grumblings and complaining the world is full of that I want you to send me to speak the words of God please give me the Holy Spirit good prayer to pray chapter 4 verse 14 whoever drinks the water of this world will thirst again but the water that I give him that's the Holy Spirit will become like a well in John chapter 3 verse 5 it was a cup but lo and

behold this cup has become a well plenty of water now to satisfy all my thirst for the joy of the Lord springing up in me that's what the Holy Spirit does and later on in chapter 7 verse 37 to 39 this well becomes rivers a cup in John 3 a well why do I say a cup because in the Psalms it says I will take the cup of salvation in John 3 speaking about the cup of salvation then John 4 it becomes a well and John 7 38 and 39 it becomes rivers so there's progression in the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our life you shouldn't always be a cup God wants to expand you make you into a well full and then He wants to expand you again and make you a river that blesses hundreds and thousands God can do it believe Him ok we go now to the closing chapters just before Jesus went to the cross in John 14 He

said I'm going to go away now but John 14 16 I will ask the Father and He will give you another helper and in John 14 15 and 16 He speaks about this helper this helper is going to come and do you know how many of you know this verse all those who are awake can you please answer 1 John 2 verse 1 if any man sin we have a what advocate with the Father just for your information the Greek word which is translated as advocate there is exactly the same word translated here as helper paracletos, somebody who is called alongside to help me it means advocate, it means helper, it means somebody who has come called alongside to help me, Jesus is a advocate, the Holy Spirit is another advocate, Jesus is a helper the Holy Spirit is a helper how many of you like to have helpers I want a helper you don't

want a helper you don't want somebody to help you to live the Christian life, you don't want somebody to help you in the ministry, whenever I stand up to preach I say Lord I'd like a helper standing beside me telling me what to say it makes it much easier if I have somebody telling me ok now say this next ok go to this now time is running out now you better wind up I'd like to have a helper it's great rather than standing alone I'd like to have a helper wherever I go any part of the world, I want a helper that's what the Holy Spirit is, I'd like to have an advocate who is pleading for me before the Father and an advocate in my heart praying to the Father, we are all on the same side someone who is on my side against the devil that's the meaning of helper, that's the meaning of comforter,

that's the meaning of intercessor helper he will convict the world of sin he will bear witness of me, read all that in John 14, 15, 26 27, 16, 7 12, 13, all these verses you take your time to read it one who will convict the world of sin and finally chapter 20 verse 22 he breathed on them and said receive the Holy Spirit that's it brothers and sisters what a life if Jesus can breathe on us fill us with the Holy Spirit, that's how we want to live, that's how the gospels are the whole Christian life is one of being filled with the Holy Spirit and living for the glory of God Jesus became like us, lived like us depending on the Holy Spirit, showing us how you and I can live a life depending on the Holy Spirit do you want it? yes or no? praise the Lord do you want it? let's pray then, Lord you

have spoken to many hearts here today you have created a thirst, this is the year of your favor the favorable year of the Lord there is no condemnation no condemnation no accusation the favorable year of the Lord, the Lord's favor is on you he knew you when you were a little speck inside your mother's womb and he planned that one day you should be filled with the Holy Spirit, that Christ might come forth from your life say what Mary said behold the handmaid of the Lord behold the bond slave of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your will Lord I give up everything I give up everything that I've been holding on to I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit I believe you will do this for me breathe on me breath of God fill me with life anew that I may love what thou dost love and do

what thou wouldst do Heavenly Father we bow before you be glorified in our midst I pray that many of us will live this spirit filled life this life of glory this wonderful life where we have a helper standing beside us helping us, helping us strengthening us, pleading for us always on our side against the devil I pray it will be true in our life in many lives in Jesus name Amen