2Ti 1:6 For this reason, I am reminding you to fan into flames the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands.
In part one and two of this topic I laboured the point that “the Gift of God that is within us through the laying on of my hands” is the receiving of the Holy Spirit…as John the Baptist prophesied that they would receive.
Mat 3:11 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:..
It is clear that believing ONLY and being baptised in water was not sufficient in the minds of the early Apostles. They made sure that people had hands layed on and the Gift of the Holy Spirit was given and received. This was something that was seen and heard as Peter said in
Acts 2:33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
And it is the same with other mentions of people receiving the Holy Spirit. There was something to see or hear. And do not forget that Jesus Himself felt the Holy Spirit. Luk 8:46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.”
At the end of the last post I quoted John 7:37-39- here it is again. We need to look at this..
Joh 7:37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
Joh 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
Joh 7:39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
As we have seen previously, just because you believe in Jesus does not automatically mean that you have received the Holy Spirit. The multitudes in Samaria who believed and were baptised had still not received the Holy Spirit. This is not my theory–this is the Bible!
Act 8:14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
Act 8:15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
Act 8:16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 8:17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Act 8:18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
God included this event in Scripture to show us the further need to make sure we receive the Holy Spirit. It is not enough to simply believe the message. You and I must receive the One that the message is about. Receiving the Spirit of God is receiving the Spirit of Jesus. You must receive the Holy Spirit, and there will be evidence that you have received Him as Simon the Sorcerer can testify. This evidence was shown as tongues and prophesying and praises to God.
Back to John 7
Jesus said out of the heart or belly of the believer would flow rivers of living water. But without the receiving of the Holy Spirit there can be no rivers flowing out. You may need hands layed on you and prayer made to receive Him. Jesus spoke this concerning the Holy Spirit. The rivers flowing are what comes out from the Holy Spirit, whom those believing in Jesus would receive. The Spirit was not yet given when Jesus said this. The Spirit was given to those who believed in Jesus AFTERWARDS.
Many people read this passage in John 7 and simply believe intellectually that rivers of living water are flowing out of their bellies to all around them. No! If you have not had Him FALL UPON YOU and embrace your spirit, flooding you with His gushes and pourings, then there WILL NOT BE ANYTHING flowing out of you my dear dear friend.
Some say that the Disciples received the Spirit in John 20:22 when Jesus breathed upon them. Jesus Himself told them to wait in Jerusalem for the Promise- THE HOLY SPIRIT. Why would they need to wait for this experience if they already had it? They did not have the Spirit yet. They believed…but they still had not received Him because the Spirit had not yet been given or poured out as Peter says in Acts 2:33. Let this be established in your mind. Believing in Jesus changes no one! Receiving Him by the reception of the Holy Spirit does. Rivers of living water only flow out of the believer who has received the Holy Spirit after they believed in Jesus.
Paul would not leave a believer alone today who could not demonstrate that they had had an encounter with the living God. When he came across a certain group of disciples at Ephesus he did not know them. He asked if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed? Acts 19:2
Why ask such a question if one automatically receives the Holy Spirit when they believe on Jesus? “What a stupid question!” many believers today would say. Not stupid at all. Where is the evidence that you did receive Him? For Paul the evidence was power, not words. It was tongues not good deeds. Look at the story yourself in Acts 19. Paul made sure that these guys got right. Their hearts were soft and open to receive whatever Paul said….not like many “believers” today! After they had believed on Jesus Paul baptised them in water and then layed hands on them and they RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BEGAN SPEAKING PRAISES TO GOD IN TONGUES.
Okay let us move on…so Paul reminds Timothy to fan into a flame the Gift of God within him.
This is because although many of us have received the Holy Spirit we hardly ever speak in tongues if at all. The fire grows dim. The tongue, we are told by James is a little member and it has the power to ignite a large forest on fire. James spoke of it in a negative sense.
The Tongue is a little member!
Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. (gehenna)
No man can tame the tongue—BUT GOD CAN!
The tongue is so set among our members that is has a controlling influence…as we know..death and life are in the power of the tongue. Words are important! God said, “Let there be light and there was light.” When we receive the Holy Spirit the first thing that happens is the overflow of the Holy Spirit comes out of our mouth!
This is the rivers of living water that Jesus said shall flow out of the belly(spirit) of the one who believes in Him. When we receive the Holy Spirit he embraces our spirit and brings us alive in Him. The praises naturally flow and bubble and gush forth from our spirit to our surprise, in a language we have never learned before. This speaking forth in other tongues is the river of life flowing. You are giving thanks “WELL” when you join with the Holy Spirit in tongues.
1Co 14:17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
1Co 14:18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
Paul gave God thanks all the time in tongues…more than all the Corinthians did. When he was not with people in a gathering, he spoke and sang and prayed to God in tongues more than all the Corinthians. He said that doing this is indeed doing it well.
When the disciples first received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost their spirit’s blazed with the power and life of God. And it is the same for all of us who have received Him. As we received Him in the beginning with praises and giving thanks in tongues so we should continue to do so. Paul reminds Timothy to fan into a flame the Spirit. This is one of the best ways to do this. It is not the only way but it is the main way. God gave this ability to us for the purpose of edifying and building up our inner man…our spirit.
1Co 14:2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
When we speak in tongues we are speaking to God- ALWAYS. And what are we speaking? Mysteries! Hidden things. They are hidden from us but not from God. They are hidden from the enemy as well. Our spirit knows the things deep in our soul. Our spirit is now ONE with the Holy Spirit IF we have received Him. By speaking in tongues the Spirit(ours and His)join together in conversation with the Father. We do not understand what we are saying but we trust the verse above is true and speak to God. These mysteries about ourself and about God are prayed over by our very spirit! N
o carnal reasoning in the way! No unbelief from the natural man…just Spirit/spirit prayer to God. Paul said that a man’s spirit knows what is in that man…and Gods Spirit knows what is in God and He searches the deep things of God.
1Co 2:9 But as it is written: “EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”
1Co 2:10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1Co 2:11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
This is what speaking to God is tongues accomplishes. That we might have revealed to us by the S/spirit(we are ONE)the deep things of God….and the hidden mysteries of God….and the deep things of ourselves that are hidden from our minds.
1Co 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
My Spirit prays!!! Do you see that? You do not understand what you are saying with your understanding, but you continue praying in tongues—which Paul says is my spirit praying. You keep praying in tongues(in faith), not leaning on your own understanding which has ruled you all your life. Oh how the flesh hates tongues!
The devil hates tongues because he knows how effective it is. He has not got a clue what you and God are conversing about.
Religion hates tongues as well because religion is of the flesh…and Jesus said the FLESH PROFITS NOTHING!! Religion has 100,000’s of believers who have never received the Holy Spirit and have been taught against this wonderful, powerful ability of our recreated spirit. And the religious works that these all are engaged PROFIT NOTHING!! How has religion changed the world? Has Religion brought revival? Has religion destroyed the works of the Devil? No, because it is of the flesh and has no S/spirit power in it at all. It is the Harlot called Babylon who rides upon the Political and financial beast..flee the flesh religion and get baptised in the Spirit my friend.
Paul reminds not just Timothy, but all of us to fan into a flame—to stir up the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of hands. Give God your spirit in tongues for 10 minutes…just 10 minutes a day. If you have never prayed in tongues get someone who does to pray for you and lay hands on you. The same way your spirit blazed with Holy Ghost fire when you first received Him is the way God wants us every day! Pray in tongues often. Paul said, “Do not forbid to speak in tongues.” 1 Co14:39
Speaking in tongues edifies your spirit. That means it charges up and builds up your spirit man. Paul spoke about not knowing the word of people who thought they were something special…but the power! The Kingdom of God is not in words but in power! 1 Cor 4:19,20 The power resides in a person’s spirit–not the soul. The soul can speak many words…good words…religious words…BUT it is the spirit that gives life not the flesh. The words we speak must be spirit. Speaking in tongues and praying to God in tongues releases God’s anointing from our/His Spirit in us.
1Co 14:3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
1Co 14:4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
Speaking in tongues to people is silly. It is not for that. Prophesying, ie. preaching in the local language is what edifies men. But speaking in tongues to God edifies and exhorts and comforts us. This is why Paul says
1Co 14:5a I wish you all spoke with tongues, …
Paul obviously spoke in tongues a great deal. He said he spoke more than all of them…and that he spoke 10,000 words in tongues when he was not with people. But in a meeting he only ever spoke with the understanding so as to edify and encourage the people listening. But no doubt, on his many long lonely journeys Paul prayed for hours and hours in tongues to God.
Today we have been ripped off! So many have not even experienced the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Others have received Him long ago, but have long since stopped fanning the flame of their spirit. They have been talked out of tongues…or have just become lazy. The flesh hates tongues and will convince you that it is not necessary.
Well, let me encourage you to begin again to speak with your spirit to the Father. Your spirit will again blaze for Him…the unseen hindrances in your soul life will be prayed over properly by you and your Helper- The Holy Spirit. You will begin to see change and breakthrough where once all was impossible.
Chasing the Dragon
Read “Chasing the Dragon” by Jackie Pullinger. If it was not for her beginning to daily pray in tongues, it is doubtful whether any of the Triad gang members and hopeless drug addicts that were saved and changed forever under her ministry would have ever listened to her. Her story demonstrates perfectly Jesus promise…
Act 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Or Dave Roberson’s book- The Walk of the Spirit-the walk of Power
