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HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE IN JESUS CHRIST

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us - for it is written, cursed be every one who hangs on a tree - that IN CHRIST JESUS, The blessing of Abraham might come upon the gentiles, that we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through faith" (IN CHRIST JESUS) (Galatians 3/13-14).

The word of God, very clearly teaches us, that the entire human race, having descended from ADAM, (Genesis 5/3) and being IN ADAM (Romans 5/12), are under a curse, because Adam was cursed by God, (Genesis 3/17-19), and in Adam, the entire human race is under the curse. Being under the curse, the human race cannot abide by all things written in the book of the law, and do them. Hence the law itself becomes a curse for them, because, sinful man, in his weakness cannot keep the law. Hence the word of God says - "for all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, and do them" (Galatians 3/10). Also (Galatians 5/4) tells us - "you who are severed from Christ, (alienated; cut away from Christ), you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace".

Since the fallen human race, cannot by themselves, keep the law, because their heart is hard as stone, God needs to give them a New Heart, and He needs to put His Spirit within them, to enable them, to walk in obedience by the power of the Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 36/26 - 27). In order to receive this new heart from God, man's present heart of stone has to be destroyed and removed. The weapon God uses for this purpose, is the word of God which is likened to a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces; is likened to fire, that burns and melts away the impurity (Jeremiah 23/29). The word of God is also likened to a two edged sword which pierces to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrew 4/12).

It is also very important to note, who can use this weapon effectively, that will bring conversions, healings and deliverances. In the days of his flesh, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, preached this word of God in a way, contrary to the already existing preachers in His time. These were the Pharisees, scribes and teachers of the law, who also preached. When Jesus preached; - "they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one who had AUTHORITY, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, what have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? And the unclean spirit convulsing him and crying with a loud voice came out of him" (Mark 1/22-24, 26).

In our previous message (In Christ Jesus - part VII), we had pointed out from the scriptures, that both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, came preaching the Kingdom of God in the Power of the Holy Spirit. It is this power that Jesus promises to all those who are willing to be His disciples (called the Christians in acts 11/26); when Jesus said to them - "And behold, I send the promise of my father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are CLOTHED WITH POWER on high" (Luke 24/49).

"As the father has sent me, even so I send you. And He BREATHED on them, and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20/21-22).

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do, and greater works than these will he do." (John 14/12)

The early Church, went forth in the power of the Holy Spirit, and preached as Jesus preached, with authority and power. Healings, miracles and deliverances took place. The Holy Spirit came upon those who received the message with gladness of heart (Acts 10/44). At the same time nothing happened to those who did not receive the message. "For Good News came to us just as to them, but the message which they heard did not BENEFIT them, because it did not meet with faith in the hearers or as the margin in the old RSV would say, they were not united in faith with the hearers" (Hebrews 4/2)

In the present day too, there are those, who have made an all out commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and have become His disciples, and they too, like John the Baptist, like Jesus Christ of Nazareth, like His early disciples - (THE FIRST CHURCH) - go about preaching, with the same authority and power, and the hearers who receive it with gladness of heart are filled with the Holy Spirit as in (Acts 10/44), while others disbelieve or does not receive the full message, and so get nothing as in (Hebrews 4/2). At the same time there are those, who preached like the Pharisees and scribes with no authority or power softening the message in order to please the itching ears of the listeners (2 Timothy 4/3) often; knowingly or unknowingly preaching either a lie or an half truth and hence do not experience the workings of the Holy Spirit and yet claim to have the Spirit when the signs of His presence are not seen. About such people Paul wrote - "For we are not, like so many, PEDDLERS of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak IN CHRIST JESUS." (2 Corinthians 2/17)
Now the word of God, very clearly tells us, as to who receives the Holy Spirit. "In Him you also, who have heard *THE WORD OF TRUTH, the gospel of your salvation had have believed in Him, (IN CHRIST JESUS) were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire permission of it, to the praise of his Glory (Ephesians 1/13-14)

"Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us IN CHRIST JESUS with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 1/3)

From these verses of scriptures it is very clear that all the blessings are obtained in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 1/20), especially the spiritual blessings - the greatest of them being the blessing of the Holy Spirit; is received only IN CHRIST JESUS (Ephesians 1/3,6,7). It is also noteworthy that all the epistles written in the Bible are addressed to those who are IN CHRIST JESUS. As an example (Ephesians 1/1) tells us - "Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints (believers in Christ) who are also faithful IN CHRIST JESUS." At the same time the letter of Jude again written to the church tells us that there are many who are like waterless clouds, carried along by winds, fruitless trees in late autumn, TWICE DEAD, uprooted, wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars for whom they nether gloom of darkness has been reserved forever, who are grumblers, malcontents, following their own passions, loudmouthed boasters, flattering people to gain advantage, scoffers following their own ungodly passions, setting up divisions, worldly people, "WHO DO NOT HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT" (Jude 12-13, 16-19)

In order to receive the Holy Spirit, the word of God, in (Eph 1/13-14) tells us that,

1. We need to FIRST, hear the word of truth - (not half-truth or LIE that seems to be the truth - but THE TRUTH. Because Jesus said, you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free" - free from your ignorance, free from your spiritual blindness, free from your spiritual pride and arrogance. It is the gospel of your salvation, preached with authority and power of Jesus Christ and heard with humility and faith that enables one to be set free.

2. Having heard the word of truth, one needs to believe in Christ Jesus; receive Him as Lord and Saviour and abide in His Word. That is to be IN CHRIST.

3. Then, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit

4. This Holy Spirit is given as a guarantee in those IN CHRIST JESUS, as an assurance of their full inheritance (full inheritance with Christ - Rom 8/17) - As seen in (Ephesians 1/13-14)

It is through listing to the WORD OF TRUTH, preached with authority and power; and exercising one's own free will to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, that one is saved. It is a fact that Jesus Christ died for the entire human race. But each individual needs to hear and decide for themselves to receive Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, in order to enter into Salvation. As one great saint has said; "The God who created you, without your permission cannot now save you, WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION." Exercising one's free will to decide, to receive and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour is very important to Salvation, as we know Salvation is a free gift of God (Ephesians 2/8-9, Romans 4/1-8, Titus 3/5-7). A GIFT becomes a Gift, only when it is accepted personally. A GIFT cannot be bought. A GIFT is freely offered; it is not forcefully pushed into anybody. A GIFT that is freely offered must freely be accepted without payment. Salvation is a free GIFT of GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. Jesus is the GIFT of God (John 3/16). Salvation cannot be obtained by Good Works. You either reject it, or receive it in faith. God has placed a condition for Salvation - "If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved; for man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved" (Romans 10/9-10). "To all who received Him, who believed in His Name, He gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, BUT OF GOD" (John 1/12-13)

It is children, who receive from the father. When we become the children of God, the father God gives His children the Holy Spirit. This is clearly stated in (Luke 11/13) "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gift to your children, how much more will the heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. (His Children)." It is also clear that there are two types of children and two types of fathers. Speaking to the believers of Jesus - mind you; not to the unbelievers, but to the believing Jews in (John 8/31-47); Jesus, finally tells those who claim to be the descendants of Abraham that they are the children of the devil. "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him" (John 8/44) Again, in (1 John 3/10) it is written "by this it may be seen who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil." "You son of the devil" - (Acts 13/10). Again (1 Peter 2/10), two types of people are mentioned - those who are God's people and those who are not God's people. Hence, on one side there is God the father and His children, who are IN CHRIST JESUS and on the other side there is Satan, the father of his children who are not IN CHRIST. It is through the undiluted word of God that is preached, uncompromisingly, with authority and power, that people are delivered from the dominion of darkness (Satan) and transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son (Colossians 1/13). These who have come out of darkness into the marvellous light of Christ are sealed with the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1/13). And IN CHRIST JESUS these receive all the blessings of God especially the promise of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3/14).

Until and unless, a human being listens to the Word of Truth, the gospel of their salvation, and exercise their free will to receive Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord; they will remain in darkness; they will belong to this world - [a system under the power of Satan (1 John 5/19), which is ruled and controlled by Satan (Luke 4/5-7).] Jesus Himself acknowledges, that Satan is the ruler of this world; the prince of this world (John 12/31, John 16/11); the God of this world (2 Corinthians 4/4), the deceiver of this world (Revelations 12/9), who controls and enslaves those who are not IN CHRIST JESUS.

God's word calls this system in which those who are not IN CHRIST belong; as the WORLD. And these worldly people do not have the Holy Spirit, says God in (Jude 19). These worldly people cannot receive the Holy Spirit, says Jesus in (John 14/17). Jesus does not even pray for the world as seen in (John 17/9) and Gods word speaks to us very strongly in (1 John 2/15-17) where it is written, do not love the world of the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not the father but is of the world (SATAN)"
From the above it is very clear, that everybody in this world do not have the Holy Sprit. One needs to come out of this world; come out from following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. Walking with these worldly people, following the desires of body and mind makes us children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. (Ephesians 2/2-3). And so we cannot receive the Holy Spirit unless, we repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, having come out of this world filled with a crooked generation. This is what peter advised the listeners who heard his first speech in (Acts 2/38-40)

The Good news is that the promise of the Holy Spirit is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him (Acts 2/39); to everyone who is prepared to repent and turn away from the world; to everyone who is prepared to receive and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour (John 1/12-13); to everyone who is prepared to believe in their heart and confess with their lips that Jesus Christ is Lord (Romans 10/9-10); to everyone who is prepared to acknowledge before men without being ashamed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Luke 12/8)

Making a general statement, that all have the Holy Spirit; and whether or not they are in the world, in Adam, a sinner, who has never heard the gospel, who after having heard it, has not made a good surrender to Jesus accepting His Lordship - is the greatest DECEPTIVE MESSAGE, that is attractive to the worldly people who are under the power of the prince of the air, which helps them to continue in their sinful, worldly, ignorant state, not knowing that they are under the power of Satan (1 John 5/19).

It would do well to listen very carefully to the apostle, whom Jesus loved, as, though the Holy Spirit, he is warning us when he says - "Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come; therefore, we know that it is the last hour." (1 John 2/18) The Antichrist - Spirit working in the people who are not IN CHRIST JESUS, will teach things contrary to what is written in the scriptures.

The scriptures clearly teaches us that

SALVATION IS ONLY IN CHRIST JESUS! (Acts 4/12)
HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE IN CHRIST JESUS
(Galatians 3/14, Ephesians 1/13-14)

The coming of the Holy Spirit in one's life is the beginning of the Kingdom of God in one's life. That is why the Holy Spirit is given as a guarantee or (the advanced payment) as some manuscripts would say; in full assurance that one will acquire the fullness of the Kingdom. For this one needs to REPENT, Surrender to the Kingship, the lordship of Jesus in one's life. To believe that all have the Holy Spirit, will lead people to a state of self - contentment and self - righteousness and blind to SIN and to the Deception of Satan.

"If anybody is thirsty, let him come to me" says Jesus in (John 7/37)

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If, anybody opens, I will come in" (Revelations 3/20)

"If a man loves me, he will keep my word, then, we will come (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) to him and make our home with him." (John 14/23)

"REPENT and be baptised, every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of Sins and you shall receive the GIFT of the HOLY SPIRIT" (Acts 2/38)

REPENT - Turn away from SIN, World and the works of the devil.
If - (condition) - you are thirsty . . . . . . . . . .
If - (condition) - you open the door . . . . . . .
If - (condition) - you keep my word . . . . . . .

And receive Jesus Christ (BE IN CHRIST) you become God's child (John 1/12) and the Father gives you HIS BEST GIFT to SEAL you for HIS OWN, which is the Holy Spirit.

The Covenant People
P.O. Box: 20, Kanjirapally
Kottayam District, Kerala - India


Messages of Jose Anathanam and the Covenant Ministries from THE UPPER ROOM, built on a beautiful small hill named after Mount Zion, where the Lord Jesus Christ manifests His presence in a mighty way.