Holy Spirit
God’s Spirit Poured Out
In this passage it seems that Joel has compressed together in prophetic fashion events separated by hundreds of years. Some of these special events of history are: The locust plague in Joel’s day. The day of Pentecost on which the Holy Spirit was made available to …
The Provison For Victory Over Sin
The fruit of the Spirit in this passage has to do with character (vv. 22-23). It is important that we distinguish the gift of the Spirit which is salvation (Acts 2:38) and the gifts of the Spirit which have to do with service (I Cor. 12). In some Christian circles there is a tend …
Who is The Restrainer of Evil in Our World?
Why is Satan unable to reveal his “man of sin†sooner? It is because God is restraining the forces of evil in the world. Satan cannot do whatever he wants to do, whenever he wants to do it. Paul mentions a restraining force that helps keep everything on schedule ( …
Bible Doctrine Steers the Spiritual Ship
Have you heard someone say, “Don’t preach doctrine to me, just give me sermons that will encourage me!” The truth is that it is Bible doctrine that steers our spiritual ship. Unless we learn Bible doctrine, we cannot know the mind of Christ. In this passage Paul deals with three vital doctrines …
The Work of the Holy Spirit
At the beginning of this chapter, Jesus warned that persecution would strike the church and some Christians would fall away (vv. 1-4). Jesus did not want his disciples to stumble, but He knew that the events of the next 24 hours would shake their faith greatly. He spoke these things to them …
The Holy Spirit is a Person
Paul arrived in Ephesus, one of the greatest commercial centers of that time, as it was located on the main trade route between Rome and the east. It was also the center of Satan worship, and the place where the temple of Diana stood. This temple has been described as one of the seven wonders …
The Imprisonment of John
The crowds who had come to hear John preach began to wonder if he could possibly be the Christ (v. 15). In answering them John the Baptist clearly stated that he was not their Messiah, but only His forerunner (vv. 16-17). He goes on to say that the Messiah, soon to come …
The Holy Spirit’s Dwelling in Believers
Do you love the Lord? True love is demonstrated by obedience to the Lord’s commandments (v. 15). If you are married, the same is true of your marriage vows. Love is not some emotional …