PREACHING OF AUGUST 04, 2024:

Pastore Antonio Russo

OUR NEED FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT Part 2

We have had a glorious time in these weeks talking about the person of the Holy Spirit, and we will continue to do so because He is our best friend and lives within us. Together, we address some very important aspects regarding His person. Sometimes in our "evangelistic" language, we say, "I have known Jesus". In reality, we haven't known Jesus once and for all, but we are getting to know Him every day, and the one who can reveal Him to us is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in the lives of God's children and in the Church, not in the world. His role is to convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Three truths make Christianity unique: the Cross and Jesus' sacrifice, the Supernatural that manifests His glory, and the Holy Spirit who anoints and empowers us. In the book of Acts, it is written: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses". Therefore, let us feel honored and privileged. The Church should never reject the Holy Spirit, but often it does, disconnecting from heaven and remaining unaware of what is happening in the present and in God's story. Instead, it should be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit reveals to us things present, past, and future, enabling us to be prepared for every situation.

1°Corinthians 2:14; 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

When we talk about the natural man, we refer to both those who have not been born again and those who, even though they have been born again, are carnal. Without communion with the Holy Spirit, we cannot receive the things of God's Spirit because they are considered foolishness and cannot be understood without spiritual discernment. God does not want us to live a purposeless life; He has a purpose for each of us, and only the Holy Spirit can reveal where we stand in this purpose. Being awake is crucial because those who sleep lack discernment and do not recognize the moment in biblical history where we find ourselves. You see, when Jesus returns, He will not do so for a slumbering Church but for a Church in love and ready to receive Him. It is crucial not to reject the Holy Spirit and His gifts, such as speaking in other tongues, which are essential in the Christian life. However, some churches prohibit these gifts, thus denying the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. How many of us have gone to a worship service ardently desiring the gifts of the Holy Spirit to manifest in our lives?

1°Corinthians 12:31; 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are nine and belong to the category of charismatic gifts, are essential in our Christian life. These gifts, such as wisdom and healing, must be earnestly sought after. However, it's important to emphasize that the most relevant gift is the one that meets our specific need at a given moment. For example, the gift of healing becomes most precious when we are ill. Other types of gifts, such as motivational and ministerial gifts, as well as gifts of grace, also have their roles. However, charismatic gifts can significantly change and transform our lives and the situations we face. Unfortunately, as mentioned, there are those who have not only rejected the gifts of the Holy Spirit but also His supernatural power. This happens because many people are not interested in the supernatural; today, entertainment seems to take priority. Statistics show that the average Italian spends seven hours a day in front of the TV, a sign of how we can overlook the power of God. When we encounter problems and difficulties, without God's power, we cannot meet our own needs or those of others. Only through His power can we respond effectively. In times of crisis and hardship, we need supernatural guidance, and the Holy Spirit, who encourages us not to give up and assures us of His constant presence, provides precisely that guidance. We cannot consider the Holy Spirit as an option: Jesus gave Him to us as a command, underscoring the urgency of walking led by the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Acts 1:4; 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

The command that Jesus gave to the disciples was not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father. He didn't say to wait until completing biblical studies or acquiring specific knowledge, but He emphasized the importance of receiving power through the Holy Spirit because without this power, knowledge alone would not be sufficient.

Luke 24:49; 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

What was the Father's promise during Jesus' ministry? We're not referring to the many promises God made to His people and His Church, but to the ultimate promise: that of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul exhorts us to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit, not only through an initial baptism but also through ongoing infillings. Faith and the fullness of the Holy Spirit are crucial for meeting people's needs and living a life of authentic testimony. When we say that Jesus heals and encounter someone who is sick, we should pray with certainty and faith not hoping or pleading, but believing in the healing already accomplished, as written in the book of Isaiah and in First Peter. If someone is depressed or anxious, let us pray that the Holy Spirit heals them immediately with faith, just as Jesus did, without waiting for Sunday church services. Healing is not a future hope; it is a present reality that we must receive today, walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. If we are not filled with the Holy Spirit, we won't be convinced of what God wants to do in people's lives. Often, our past experiences lead to doubt, but we must never replace God's Word with these negative experiences. God's Word is steadfast and unchanging; it should confirm our experiences, not the other way around. Let's not allow the devil to deceive us and hinder our prayers and faith.

John 15:26; 26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

How many of us want to fall in love with Jesus? We must remember that Jesus will return for a church in love, not as a slave, but as a bride eagerly awaiting the return of her bridegroom. Who can introduce us to Jesus? Who can reveal and testify about Him? It is the Holy Spirit: He is the one who testifies of Jesus.

John 16:14; 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

To truly know Jesus, we must have communion with the Holy Spirit, who reveals His person, His ministry, His sacrifice on the cross, His death, and His resurrection. All of us have been supernaturally anointed and empowered to do what is impossible for humans but possible for God. Only the Holy Spirit can anoint us to serve God because this anointing is a fundamental requirement. Attending Bible school alone is not enough; the anointing, which comes from the Holy Spirit, is essential to fulfill God's purpose in our lives. Without this anointing, we cannot meet people's needs because relying solely on our own strength depletes us. It is the Holy Spirit who guides us and keeps us energized. Human psychology cannot solve spiritual problems, but the power of the Holy Spirit can cast out demons and heal minds. Without the Holy Spirit, a church becomes merely a human institution, lacking the divine power necessary to address people's true needs.

2° Timothy 3:5; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

External religion manifests with an appearance of piety, where Christians know the right terms and how to pray, but lack true spiritual power, thus nullifying faith in their lives. The Church, often trying to adapt to societal customs that desire a God without power, offends God because without it, we live a life of falsehood and pretense. When there is no movement of the Holy Spirit, there is neither His presence nor His power. Without the Holy Spirit, there is no freedom, and a Church without Him is dry and barren because where the Spirit of God is, there is freedom. Without Him, there is no life in the believer or in the Church; indeed, we can have the best tools, hymns, and sermons, but without His presence, all of this is in vain.

Let's conclude by discussing some manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3:11; 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

First characteristic: The Holy Spirit moves like the wind, but He is not the wind.

This is one of His manifestations because He is a person, yet He moves like the wind. When there is a hunger for the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, do you know what we feel? We sense a fresh wind swirling around us, manifesting like a whirlwind. The Holy Spirit finds someone who is hungry, someone unwilling to ignore His presence, and He begins to reveal Himself; it's not the wind, but it's like a wind.

Second characteristic: The Holy Spirit purifies like fire, but He is not the fire.

The fire mentioned by John the Baptist is not natural fire; it is a fire that burns in our hearts and consumes our lives. To receive this fire, we cannot be passive; we must hunger for it and have a longing, so that He can move. You see, even though many of us have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, we often haven't received the baptism with fire necessary to ignite the power stored within us, much like dynamite. To win souls, we must be ablaze and passionate about people.

Third characteristic: The Holy Spirit is like a dove, but He is not a dove.

What is the peculiarity of a dove? The dove is identified by its sensitivity to movement: as soon as there is a change, it flies away. This characteristic reflects the nature of the Holy Spirit, who is extremely sensitive. For example, while we are in church praying and worshiping God, a distracting thought, such as the idea of sending a message back home, can interrupt our communion with Him, causing the Holy Spirit, being sensitive, to withdraw from us. It is essential to live our lives aware that the Holy Spirit, like the dove, can easily retreat if we do not keep our focus on Him.