Lesson 99 – When the Spirit Knows the Heart

Acts 15:7-9

"And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: 'Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.'"

    God knows my heart. He knows how weak it is when it comes to sin. He knows when my heart yearns to know him. He knows when my heart is ignoring him. He knows who sits on the throne of my will. Know this for sure. Your heart cannot be hid from the Lord, no matter how hard you may try.

    It is because of God's knowledge of our hearts that he acknowledges our turning from sins and surrender to Jesus Christ through faith by sending the Spirit to live within us. God sees our hearts and sends his presence to mark us as his own. Every believer is touched of the Spirit.

    Notice the last few words of this text. With the Holy Spirit abiding with those whose hearts are turned to him, God is now at work purifying our lives. Our hearts are made clean, no longer defined by sin, but now alive in the holiness of God.

    Of course, every believer knows they still give in to sin. While this rightly causes sorrow in our lives, we humbly know that purification is still being done in us by the Spirit. One day, all sin will be fully removed as God transforms our bodies in the second resurrection of the church.

    Until then, the goal of the Christian life is allow the Spirit to purify us more and more so that we reflect the glory of Christ to the world around us.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the purifying presence of your Spirit within my life. Still, I long for the day that sin is fully removed and this body is made whole in you. Amen.

Lesson 98 – When the Spirit Gives Joy

Acts 13:52

"And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit."

    In spite of being expelled by the government from Antioch, Paul and Barnabas were said to be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. Like these early believers, our joy is not related to other people's acceptance of our message, but instead comes by the touch of the Spirit.

    I've always hesitated to preach about joy. By nature, I'm not one who is naturally joyful in the face of life's difficulties. Even when things are going relatively well, I tend to dread the trials still to come. Even as our soldiers return from Iraq after being gone for 15 months, I'm already thinking about the struggles we'll face in the next deployment.

    Still, the Bible teaches that joy rightfully belongs to believers in spite of life's circumstances. In whatever situation we find ourselves, we can and should have joy. And as with the disciples at Antioch, this joy is that which comes by a fullness of the Holy Spirit.

    When a believer doesn't have much joy, you can bet it's because they've been crowding out the Spirit's presence. Instead, we need to be about the business of nurturing the presence of God's Spirit. We do this by directing our minds to Christ when we have a quiet moment, or by refusing to doubt God's faithfulness when we don't know how a situation will turn out, or by filling our thoughts with the word of God or in prayer.

    Just as feeding takes effort, being filled with the Spirit requires our active participation. If we want joy in the world's troubles, it begins with our faithfulness to God. In response, the Spirit fills us full and gives us joy.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the possibility of being filled with joy in the presence of your Spirit. May I nurture this relationship until joy is the natural response of my life. Amen.

Lesson 97 – When the Spirit Blinds

Acts 13:9-11

"Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, 'O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.' And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand."

    In the face of sorcerer, Paul is filled with the Holy Spirit and blinds the man in a power encounter. Here we have the Spirit of truth against the forces of darkness, and every time this happens, the Spirit wins. You can count on it.

    Notice for a moment the ways of the devil, full of all deceit and fraud. Whereas the Spirit is truth, Satan desires to distort God's ways and lead men and women away from the Lord. This is what he did with Adam and Eve in the garden, and this is what he continues to do in the world today. There are always two world views—God's truth and Satan's deceptions. They are at war with each other and the Bible is God's offer for you to join the winning side.

    Satan is also the enemy of righteousness, perverting the straight ways of the Lord. His greatest desire is to replace a right relationship with God with one which makes friends with the world. Whereas the Spirit leads us to a close relationship with Christ, Satan would urge you to do anything which would strain this friendship. While he can't break a believer's friendship with God, he can so seriously hurt it that we find ourselves far from our Lord.

    The Bible calls believers to resist the Devil, something we do in the power of the Spirit. Just as Paul blinded the man controlled by Satan, we can call on the Spirit's power to resist the Devil's deceptions in our lives. Just as Paul was able to stand and refute Satan's lies, we can ask the Spirit to give us wisdom and knowledge to recognize and rightly respond to an anti-Christ world view. Unfortunately, most of simply give in to temptation and never look to the Spirit's power.

    The Spirit desires to empower your life, and all we need to do is ask him to fill us so that we can stand firm and blind the enemy.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the power you provide to resist deception. I invite you to fill me and your church so that we rightly live for you in the world today. Amen.

Lesson 96 – When the Spirit Separates for Work

Acts 13:2-4

"As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, 'Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus."

    One of the most exciting roles of the Holy Spirit is to set apart people for a specific ministry. Throughout the history of the church, we've seen the Spirit lead men and women to specific ministry callings. Likewise, the Spirit has used the church to identify and affirm these men and women.

    That's what we see happening here. The Spirit tells the church to set aside Barnabas and Saul, agreeing the God had already called these men to ministry. Still today, men and women surrender to God's call upon their lives and local churches send them out to serve the Lord in a joint partnership for faith.

    Every church and believer needs to follow the model for sending out into ministry shown here. We need to be about ministries wherever the Spirit has already planted us. It was while the church was busy ministering to the Lord when the Spirit spoke to them. Wherever God has put us, we need to jump right in and serve the Lord. The Spirit will lead from there.

    We also need to remain sensitive to the Spirit's leading. As the church fasted, they were ready to hear what the Spirit wanted of them. Fasting is not about getting God to bless the ministry you've chosen, but setting aside yourself to listen to what God wants to accomplish. Unless we're listening, as believers and the church, we'll miss the Spirit's leading and fail to set aside those the Spirit is calling to ministry.

    In my own life, I heard the Spirit's call to the preaching ministry, and sure enough, so did those in the church where I was already serving.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for your call upon my life to set me aside for ministry. I thank you that your church was sensitive to this calling and has joined me in serving you. Amen.

Lesson 95 – When God Cares

Acts 11:27-28

"And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar."

    Who hasn't dreamed of being able to predict the future? With just a little foreknowledge, we could accomplish everything we've ever dreamed of, and end up with riches untold. Wish I could tell you that with the Spirit's touch you'd have these powers, but that's just not the way our God has chosen to do things when it comes to prophesy.

    In the Bible, there are few recorded instances where the prophets foretold the future, and most of these were related to warning of God's pending judgment or issued to protect God's people from some coming catastrophe.

    God used Joseph to interpret a dream which allowed Egypt to be make preparation during times of good before seven years of drought. Likewise, God used Jeremiah and a long list of prophets to call Judah to repentance before the coming of Babylonian armies. And here, God gives warning to the young church of a coming famine. In response, the church at Antioch reaches across racial lines to send money to believers living in Jerusalem.

    I wonder why God decided to forewarn the church of this famine? He didn't do the same for Christian churches in New Orleans before Katrina. He didn't give warning to Chinese believers recently killed by a huge earthquake. And countless believers have suffered loss which would have been prevented with just a little heads up. If God really cares for his church, wouldn't he use prophesy to help us head off our troubles?

    Without a doubt, God cares. The problem is, we simply cannot fathom God's ways nor God's plans for his kingdom, so when he chooses not to give warning, we're left confused or angry. According to God's sovereign plans, some people are ordained for wealth and some for poverty. Some are ordained for success and some for failure. Some are ordained for long life and some to a tragic death. But still, God cares. No one has ever cared for his church like Jesus does for his bride. We cannot judge God's love according to man's ideas.

    Wish I knew how the Spirit showed through Agabus that a world-wide famine was coming. Maybe he saw a burning bush like Moses. Maybe he witnessed a hand, writing on the wall like Daniel. Maybe an angel came and spoke God's truth. We simply don't know. When God decides to show the future through the Spirit, there are many ways he can speak. We simply need to listen and believe.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for caring enough to send your indwelling Spirit. I thank you for caring enough to protect your church and to build your kingdom. I thank you for caring enough to have planned all of my future. Amen.

Lesson 94 – When the Spirit Makes Good

Acts 11:22-24

"Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent our Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord."

    Jesus once asked a startling question of a man who came seeking after faith: "Why do you call me good?" To a believer, there seems to be an obvious answer. As God, Jesus was surely good. However, the world does not define Jesus a good because he was God, but based on the goodness of his life.

    You see, man's way is to define one as good based on external standards of goodness. One is good who gives to the poor. A child is good if they are well-behaved. A woman is good who cares for diligently for her children. While these are good things for people to do, according to the word, no one is good, except God.

    Here's the problem. When we compare ourselves to God's standard of goodness, we all fall short. Still, Luke calls Barnabas a good man. How can this be?

    Luke records the answer for us in the very next phrase. Barnabas was "full of the Holy Spirit and of faith". The Spirit's touch upon the life of a believer is what defines them as good, for where God dwells, all unrighteousness is driven away.

    By definition, every believer is a good man or woman in Christ. We've been changed from darkness to light. Paul tells us even the sins we commit after our salvation are not of us, but of the sin that still dwells in our fleshly bodies. One day, even these bodies will be changed unto righteousness and sin will no longer be associated with us at all. That's one promise I can't wait for, growing tired of my inability to fight off sin.

    Growing up, I learned to identify the notes of the treble clef by the first letters of the phrase, "Every good boy does fine." As believers, we're the good ones, in God's eyes we've been made fine. I know I'm accepted by Christ according to the Spirit's indwelling presence.

    If you want goodness if your life, then look to the Holy Spirit. Get up every morning and ask the Spirit to fill you full of God's goodness. Not only will you please God, but your life will bless others as Christ shines through you.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the goodness of your Spirit. May I do nothing each day to resist your goodness, instead embracing your presence and the Spirit that lives within me. Amen.

Lesson 93 – When the Spirit Falls

Acts 11:15-16

"And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'"

    Peter continues to explain how Cornelius and came to faith through the preaching of the word. Through Cornelius, God showed he holds no partiality, equally giving grace to every believer, regardless of nationality or other factors. With the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, male or female, young or old, or between nations. The salvation of God has come to all peoples, given freely without favoritism.

    The proof salvation for both Jew and Gentile was the same. Peter sees the Spirit fall upon Cornelius in just the same way the Spirit came upon the Church at Jerusalem. Just as John baptized with water, so every believer is baptized by the Holy Spirit of God, Jews and Gentiles alike. With the witness of the Spirit, there could be no doubt. The apostles cast aside their prejudices and believed in God at his word.

    While the witness of the Spirit was made in a physical way for Peter's sake, this is not always the case. Most times, God doesn't work a physical miracle in our lives so that others in the Church can know for sure a person has become a believer. But still, the proof of salvation is the indwelling Holy Spirit. In fact, without the Spirit, there is no salvation at all.

    So how does one know for sure the Spirit has fallen on you for salvation? The first question to ask is this: "Is there some evidence of the Spirit within me?" Jesus put a lot of emphasis on the fruits of the Spirit, for where the Spirit abides, there comes a change unto righteous living. The Bible lists a few of these fruits as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control (hope that is all, since I wrote from memory). Still, if you see some of these fruits in your life, you need to determine if these are of the new nature in Christ or something you're trying to do to purchase God's love. The latter will never work.

    Another proof of the Spirit's presence is the internal voice of God. The Father speaks to those who are his own. The question to ask is this: "Does the Spirit commune with my spirit?" Do I sense the Lord leading me to be obedient to the word, or to share my faith, or to worship? These are evidences of the Spirit within and mark one as a believer.

    Even the sorrow we feel over sin, knowing we've let our Lord down can be an evidence of the Spirit within.

    Finally, the proof I hold to the most is the truth of God's word. Simply put, every believer is promised the Holy Spirit. God's word is where every believer can place their claim, even without a physical manifestation of the Spirit like that seen by Peter. I'll believe even without seeing a miracle, for I am the miracle of new birth!

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for your indwelling Spirit. Today, I reaffirm the truth of your word, believing and seeking to know your abiding presence. Amen.

Lesson 92 – When the Spirit Removes Doubt

Acts 11:12

"Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man's house."

    God touched Peter with a strange dream, one in which he was invited to eat animals which had been deemed as unclean for Israel according to the Mosaic law. In this dream, the Spirit tells Peter that God had ordained the cleansing of Gentiles and directs him to the house of Cornelius to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

    According to Peter's recollection of this event, Cornelius sent six men to invite Peter to come to his house. Prior to their arrival, the Spirit tells Peter to doubt nothing. Of course no good Jew would ever enter the house of a Gentile, much less eat with them, so this was surely a disconcerting time in Peter's life. Why would the Spirit tell him to eat with Gentiles?

    I think we'd all agree there are times we'd like to hear directly from God. But Peter did, and still, he doubted. Maybe it was the dream. Surely a dream is not a very reliable way to hear from God. We've all experienced some pretty wild dreams and would never accuse God of being their author.

    Or maybe Peter doubted the dream's content. While he knew it was from God, it didn't line up with his religious heritage and upbringing. Most of us are like that. If we heard a doctrine preached in our home church or from our parents, it must be truth, even when there is no real scriptural basis for the teaching.

    What we can know is the Spirit touched Peter in such a way he left with these men in obedience to God's direction. I'd like to say that the Spirit removed all of Peter's doubt, but I suspect that wasn't the case. Most likely, the Spirit gave Peter the encouragement he needed to be obedient, even in the face of his doubts.

    As believers, we all face doubts. Sometimes these are intense and all-consuming. Other times, they're fleeting thoughts, unresolved and ready to raise their heads at another moment's notice. We wonder if our faith is sufficient for salvation. We accuse God of not paying enough attention to our lives. We ponder what is perceived as differences between science and our faith. We all doubt.

    Even having the Spirit within us does not remove all doubt. But like Peter, the Spirit is there to encourage us to act even in the face of our doubts.

    The next time you encounter a doubt, remember the Spirit and pray God would either remove all doubt or give you the strength you need to remain faithful in the face of doubt.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for Spirit's encouragement to keep true to the faith even in the face of the doubts that are thrust upon us and which I conjure up in my own mind. I give you freedom to remove all doubt, and if you choose otherwise, I ask for your strengthening so that I'd be faithful to you. Amen.

Lesson 91 – When the Spirit Is with You

Acts 10:34-38

"Then Peter opened his mouth and said: 'In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel—He is Lord of all—that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began in Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.'"

    The Spirit is with every believer. As Peter explains, God shows no partiality, accepting people from every nation when they choose to fear him and pursue the righteousness of Christ.

    Just as God's Spirit was poured out on Christ for ministry, the Spirit is equally poured out on every believer. Of course, the works of the Spirit in us are not the same as they with Christ. We've got different purposes in the kingdom than Christ. He came to work out our salvation, was anointed unto good works and defeated the powers of Satan on the cross.

    We are anointed by the Spirit in other ways. Some of these are also unto good works, building up the body of Christ and ministering to those in need. And there is no doubt the Spirit strengthens our faith, sustains us during trials, gives wisdom, and meets every need to live for Christ. The Spirit also anoints to give power in ministry, enabling believers to boldly proclaim the name of Christ to a dying world.

    Regardless of God's purpose for your life, the Spirit's anointing is reality for every believer. God simply doesn't choose to give one the Spirit and to withhold the Spirit from another. Just as Christ was anointed by the Spirit, so is everyone of the church of Jesus Christ.

    Luke records that as Peter was preaching these words, the Spirit fell upon all those who heard (vs 44). They believed, and with their belief, God sent the Spirit upon them in power. He was poured out on even those of non-Jewish descent whom many thought would be excluded (vs 45). But that was not God's way. Everyone who believed received the Spirit in just the same way (vs 47).

    There is no discrimination in the kingdom. There should be no discrimination in the church.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the free gift of your Spirit, bringing you near to every believer. Thank you for leaving none out, choosing to give yourself without partiality. Amen.

Lesson 90 – When the Spirit Multiplies

Acts 9:31

"Then the churches through all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, there were multiplied."

    This is what every pastor dreams of for the church in where they minister – that they would grow exponentially according to the Spirit's touch. Every pastor understands that church growth is not simply a matter of delivering the right programs, worship styles, faithfulness to preach, or even committed prayer warriors. While these are essential to the life of the church, when it comes to church growth, it only happens as the Spirit multiplies.

    Spiritual multiplication is the rapid spread of the gospel through the faithful witness of the church. It comes from a partnership between people and their God, one initiated by the Holy Spirit. As God calls sinners to faith through the Spirit, we are used as the witness to speak the name of Christ and lead others to salvation.

    Spiritual multiplication may be often talked about, but it only happens as God wills. We can't force it through programming. We can't make it begin through strategic planning. We don't enable it through scheduling revivals. It only follows the moving of the Spirit.

    Still, believers do have an important role in church growth. According to this text, the church needs to walk in the fear of the Lord. Our focus in life and in ministry is to be rooted in obedience, reverence, awe and commitment to Christ. If we're to be an instrument of the Lord to reach our communities, we must first be focused on our Savior.

    We are also to live in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Simply put, our source for contentment in life needs to shift from economic stability, job satisfaction, academic success, and other sources of having our acts together, to the abiding presence of the Spirit. When we claim to be men and women of faith, but don't rely on God for satisfaction in life, we're not ready to be used of the Spirit for church growth.

    I've learned over the years that church growth is really more of the Spirit then it is of our faithfulness. I've even learned that church contraction is equally of the Spirit, and that we're not to doubt our Lord in those disappointing times. As we wait for spiritual multiplication, we need to keep on keeping on, seeking our Lord, praying for his presence, and preaching the word.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the miraculous working of your Spirit in our community. We invite you to be at work and use us as your witness to a dying world. Amen.

Lesson 89 – When the Spirit Gives Sight

Acts 9:17-18

"And Ananias went his way and entered the house, and laying his hands on him he said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized."

    While Saul received physical eyesight from the Lord, after being blinded by the glory of God on the road to Damascus while traveling to persecute believers, he also received sight by the Spirit in a spiritual sense. Not only was he made physically well again, with the coming of the Spirit he was healed spiritually.

    Without the Spirit's presence, all peoples are spiritually blind, not understanding the darkness which covers our eyes. Like Paul, we're spiritually blinded. Though we may be going through life, when it comes to spiritual matters we're really just groping in the dark, even when we may seem to be sincerely devoted to religious things. Without the Spirit in us, we are blinded by sin and in need of a miracle.

    Saul received his miracle when he encountered the Lord's glory. This wasn't a matter of his being worthy of God's love, or of calling down the Lord in a worship service, or from doing the right things. God simply chose to give him grace through new sight. Spiritual light opened his eyes to the truth of his sinful life and his need for a Savior.

    You and I receive our miracle of faith in this very same way. Though we'll probably not encounter a physical manifestation of God's glory, in the same way Saul was made to understand his spiritual blindness, our eyes are opened in faith by the Spirit and we confess our need for the Savior.

    Just as Saul's eyes were thus opened from his blindness, our spiritual eyes are opened when the Spirit comes upon us. Just as Saul could now see by the Spirit's touch, so we can now see through new life in Christ.

    Jesus' will is that no person go through life in spiritual blindness. He offers the presence of the Spirit to you so that you receive new sight.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for opening my eyes to spiritual blindness and the grace you gave me in bringing about the miracle of new sight. May I keep my eyes open and focused on you. Amen.

Lesson 88 – When the Spirit Moves You

Acts 8:39-40

"Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea."

    After Philip preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Ethiopian eunuch, baptizing him as a new convert to faith, the Spirit does something rather unique. Physically, the Spirit moves Philip to a new location. One instant, Philip is on the road to Gaza, and the next, he's in Azotus, moved from the south to the north to do God's bidding.

    Wouldn't it be great for God to move us so directly through the Spirit, making it where are to serve? When soldiers move from our church back to the United States, they often struggle to find a place to worship. If the Spirit would move them as directly as he did Philip, theses struggles would end. Fitting in wouldn't be the goal when the Spirit is doing the moving.

    While most believers won't experience a miracle of the Spirit's moving in such a direct way, God does use the Spirit to guide our lives. Just this morning, I read where David claimed God caused him to know the plans for the new temple by writing them on his heart. That's the way the Spirit tends to act. God writes his will on our hearts by the Spirit, and our role is to search out this writing and move accordingly.

    The problem is, even if God were as direct with us as with Philip, we'd still rebel and go our own ways. Even the great lawgiver, Moses, argued against God when he was sent back to Egypt. Jonah literally turned and sailed the opposite direction of where God tried to move him. And, Peter rebuked Jesus when the Lord's way was to move them towards Jerusalem and the cross. You see, when it comes to being moved by God, our nature is to rebel. We want to go our own way.

    Instead, we need to commit to seeking the Lord's ways, so when God moves us through a touch of the Spirit, we're willing to follow. We need to be ready to go after the Lord at any time, even he leads us in the way of sacrifice, or poverty, or danger, or to some way off location. We need to be ready to move anywhere, even it means leaving friends, family and security. We need to be ready to be obedient, and sometimes this means a complete change of direction.

    The Spirit wants to move you. Are you listening? When the Spirit moves, we must follow.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I must admit I'd rather go my own way, but as a man of faith, I commit to following after your plans for my life. May I be open to them and rejoice wherever you send me. Amen.

Lesson 87 – When the Spirit Couldn’t Be Bought

Acts 8:18-20

"And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying 'Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said to him, 'Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money.'"

    By definition, a gift costs the receiver nothing. It is freely given and freely received, no strings attached. Otherwise, it is not a gift, but a bribe or a purchase or something other sort of transaction that has myself as the focus.

    Of course, in today's "me, myself and I culture", choosing to do only what is best for me, it is almost impossible for one not to remember their own generosity. Surely we'll also get a gift as well when our birthdays roll around. You see people do this with Christmas cards. If a person sends one out and doesn't get one in return, they other person is cross off the list for the next year.

    We've become fully ingrained with cause and effect thinking--I do this, than that must happen; results stem from actions. Simon was no different in his thinking. He saw the Holy Spirit was manifested on believers after the disciples laid hands on them, and being a practical man, offered to buy this ability to give the Spirit from the disciples. Simon had been making his living through sorcery, and surely having this ability as well would add to his livelihood.

    But as Peter explains, the giving of the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with our moneys, coming only as a gift of God. While we can't buy the Spirit's touch on our lives, we do need to understand this gift came at a great price – that of our Lord on Calvary. Likewise, it demands something costly in return – that of our very lives to Jesus Christ.

    No doubt, Peter will tell us one day that it wasn't him who gave the Holy Spirit. The Spirit only comes from the Father at the request of Christ at the moment of our salvation. Sure, Peter had called forth a manifestation of the Spirit, but it was simply an unwrapping of the gift that had already been given.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the free gift of the Holy Spirit upon my life and commit myself back to you for all eternity. May my heart and mind never forget your sacrifice which made possible your presence. Amen.

Lesson 86 – When the Spirit Is Delayed

Acts 8:14-17

"Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as of yet, He had fallen upon one of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit."

    I must admit this is one of the Bible's more difficult passages, since it suggests that new Samaritan believers did not receive the Holy Spirit. This seems to with other scriptures telling us it is only by the baptism of the Spirit that one receives the new birth.

    It is also troubling that Peter and John seemed to have the ability to call down the Spirit in some miraculous way, while Philip must not have had this ability. Why would God use Philip to preach the gospel, but not grant the Spirit under his ministry? Why did Peter and John need to come?

    Scholars try to explain these difficulties by explaining that God purposely delayed the coming of the Spirit as a sign to the apostles. By delaying the Spirit until Peter and John arrived, the apostles could see for themselves that God blessed both peoples with the new birth.

    But couldn't Philip have testifies as to the coming of the Spirit? And how could these people have been believers without the Spirit to rebirth their souls? What would have happened if Peter and John had been delayed in coming? Would these new believers be without the presence of Christ for some time? I'm afraid these are questions without an easy answer.

    However, I'm inclined to believe that while the Spirit had not fallen upon these new believers in a visible way, the Spirit must have been present from their new birth. The experience of the Church is that the Spirit only falls on a few in any visible way at all, for the new birth is of the spirit and not the flesh.

    So where does that leave us today? First, be warned against making a determination as to one's salvation based on the lack of or presence of a visible manifestation of the Spirit. Regardless of what is preached, speaking in tongues is not a proof text for salvation or a fuller presence of the Spirit. Even in this text, the visible manifestation of the Spirit was probably tongues of fire and the mighty rushing wind which the disciples experienced in Acts 2.

    Second, we need to accept the reality that not all of God's ways will be fully understood by our attempts to wrap him up in doctrinal summaries. After all, if we could contain God in our treatises of faith, would he really be God at all? Don't let your faith waiver by not being able to figure out every scripture. When the Spirit wants us to understand, he will explain it to us.

    Third, we need to stop and give thanks that God chose to bring the message of Christ outside of the bounds of the church of that day. As believers were scattered around the world, the Spirit took their testimony of faith and drew new converts to Christ. Ultimately, even I heard the gospel message by the faithful testimony of another.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the mysterious working of the Holy Spirit. I'm especially thankful that you chose to draw me to yourself, even while I was yet a sinner. Amen.