Casting Out Demons » The Holy Spirit

Hindrances to Your Prayer Closet

Pastor Dennis — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:22:14 +0000

Hindrances to Your Prayer Closet

The Bible says to examine ourselves to see if we be of the faith. With this statement in mind, we should also examine our prayer lives to see if there are things that may be stopping us from spending quality time with the Lord. Everything that we do that keeps us from time with the Lord may not be sin, however, these things may consume our time and keep us from our prayer closets either totally or where we will spend very little time with the Lord.

There are many activities in this life that are required for those that have a family. Some of these activities include: Taking care of a family but going to a nine to five job and maintaining a home. These activities are very important but should not stand in the way of our spending time with the Lord in prayer.

Samuel Chadwick once said: The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.

A Christian in order to be successful and at peace with himself must seek the Lord in prayer. The things of this world have such a powerful pull on most people and even believer’s that go to church every Sunday. There is a race to see who can buy the next newest car or to have the nicest clothes, phone, house etc. There is nothing wrong with having nice things. Nonetheless, when this desire takes precedence over our seeking the Lord in prayer they will become hindrances to your relationship with the Lord.

2 Timothy 2:4:No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

There has to be a time of separation from the ways of the world and come apart with the Lord for a fresh outlook and a fresh vision for our spiritual lives.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:21: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Questions that you might want to ponder:

Is there someone or something in this life that means more to you than Jesus Christ?
Is there anything in this life that you possess that you just cannot or refuse to live without?
Are you more interested in the things of this world than the things of God?
If Jesus came to take you today would you be ready to meet Him?
There are questions that we need to ask ourselves in examination of our spiritual lives and relationship with the Lord.

Yes, this world offers things that are good and in some cases it is not a sin to participate. We commit sin when we permit the things of this world to pull us away from prayer and our relationship with Jesus. When we do this we could be placing an “idol” above the Lord.

Let’s worship and serve the Creator above His Creation and avoid

Hindrances to Your Prayer Closet

The Christian Mind Warfare

Pastor Dennis — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:48:15 +0000

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

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The Flesh can be a snare in a Christian’s Life

Pastor Dennis — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:30:22 +0000

The Bible says that we must “put off “the works of the flesh”.

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore put off the works of darkness, (Romans 13:13)

The Bible also talks about a person being ignorant to Satan’s devices. We as Christians have the Word of God as our guide and we “should not be ignorant of Satan’s devices”.

2 Cor 2:11: Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

The Word of God speaks of two types of Lives. The first type is the Natural Life or Bios. Bios makes reference to our natural and earthly life here on this earth. The Bible also referes to Zoe which refers to the resurrection or eternal life that Jesus us when we commit our lives to him.

John 14:6: Jesus said: I am the way the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

The Word of God also talks about three types of people:

The Natural person

He is unsaved
Has the adamic nature
Cannot discern spiritual things and does not want to hear them
Everything about the natural man is opposed to the ways of God

The Carnal person

Lives a life of the world
Jesus is Saviour but not Lord
Not interested in spiritual or eternal things
Not interested in serving the Lord

2 Cor 10:4-5: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

“For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envy ing, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” 1 Cor 3:3

And last but not least.. The Sprirtual Person

Saved but also wants Jesus as Master
Uses this life to bring glory to the Kingdom of the Lord
Wants to exalt Jesus and be like Him
Has a gradual change in life to be more like Christ

“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, and holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5)

Jesus the Baptizer in the Holy Ghost

Pastor Dennis — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:39:53 +0000

The Supernatural Gift of the Holy Spirit, promised to us in the Bible, is special from all of the manifestations of the Holy Ghost. Jesus said: “But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. He shall teach you all things! And bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever He have said unto you,” (Jn. 14:26). Christians need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit for the purpose of serving the Lord. We must be endued with power to witness, “(Lk. 24:9; Acts 1:8). Jesus speaks of the Holy Ghost in the following chapters: (Jn. 14:15-17; 14:26; 15:26,27; 16:5-11,12-15).

There are conditions that must be met in order to receive the Holy Spirit Baptism:

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for believers only
There must be repentence and acceptance of Jesus in the Heart and Life
There must be a thirsting for the Lord
We should ask the Lord for the Baptism (though not required)
We drink the just like living water (signifies receiving by our wills)
The Holy Spirit wants us to yield to Him “Believe, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38).

What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit gives us the power to lift up Jesus and not be embarrassed about it. The power to proclaim that Jesus is Lord under the power of the Holy Spirit. Luke 24:49 says this is the power to be a witness. Jesus says: “Be endued with power from on high . . . to witness, (Lk.24:49; Acts 1:8). We receive the supernatural power of God to be witnesses for Him.

Steps of the original Baptism in the Bible

They repented and believed and were baptized. “Believe, Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost,” (Acts 2:38).
Received by Christ following Salvation
Followers of Jesus received the Baptism on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4)
In Samaria (Acts 8:14) (Simon saw what?)
Corneilus’ House received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit before water baptism (Acts 10:44)
Received by the Disciples of Ephesus (Acts 19:6)
The World cannot received the Baptism unless coming and accepting the Lord Jesus as Saviour (John 14:17)

Step one: We receive the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit when we are saved. The Baptism of the Holy is another happening altogether. Jesus Christ Baptizes you (Luke 3:16) John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one migthtier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am unworthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. Baptism with water is an outward act of what has already happened on the inside. Repentance is an inward
change of heart.

Step two: There is a speaking in another language. (Acts 2:4) shows that “they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterence.

Step three: A supernatural change happens in your life. You are able to lift up the name of Jesus in power.

Step four: We must thirst for more of the things of God and God will give them to us sometimes without us even having to ask. (Jn. 7:37,38). “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not glorified, (Jn. 7:37).

Step five: Just being hungry for the Lord also. The Holy Spirit comes for the Lord Jesus Himself. Some don’t feel a need for the Baptism and live beneath their inheritences. This is a free gift that Jesus desires to just give us. “Out of the innermost belly will flow rivers of living water, (Jn. 7:38).

Step six: The new language that we receive upon receiveing the Baptism of the Holy Spirit comes from the belly from our innermost being and not the language center of our brain. Flows like a river! Jesus said: “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” ( Jn. 4:13).

Some don’t receive that Baptism of the Holy Spirit because of fear. Other reason are:

Have been taught against it

Have not been taught about it
Do not open their hearts and mouth and receive (resist the things of God)

We are not passive when receiving the Baptism. We are active in drinking and being filled and surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ in receiving what is free to us. We should not say if “God wants me to have it, He will give it to me” this is passive. Active is asking the Lord for the Holy Spirit Baptism and desiring Him. Jesus said : “If ye shall ÁSK anything in my name, I will do it. (Jn. 14:14).our members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

The Person of the Holy Spirit

Pastor Dennis — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:42:13 +0000

Jesus said: “But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. He shall teach you all things! And bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever He have said unto you,” (Jn. 14:26). The highlight of the teaching of the Holy Spirit is shown in (Jn. 14-16). These few chapters show the “paraclete sayings” (Jn.14:15-17; 14:26; 15:26,27; 16:5-11,12-15). When we read these chapters and verses we see that by the use of masculine pronouns and adjectives that we should view the Holy Spirit as a male, personal being. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and is shown in the Word as the One that shows us who Jesus Christ is.

The Holy Spirit’s Functions

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity or Godhead. He functions to teach, guide us into truth, cause us to remember the Word of God, to bear witness, and show us things to come, and to glorify Christ. (John 14-16). The Holy Spirit remembers the teachings of Jesus which may not be fully recognized by the believer and will bring them as a fresh understanding and revelation to the reader. These teachings in the Bible become not only revelation knowledge but also truth to the heart and mind of the believer. The Holy Spirit also plays a major part in the witnessing ministry. He acts as to convict and convince the hearer of their sin lives and opens them up to receive Jesus Christ as the personal Saviour. The Holy Spirit also proclaims the judgment that has been issued to Satan (John 16:8-11).

The Holy Ghost also takes the Word of God and reveals the teachings of Jesus Christ to believers and to a lost and dying world. Unless by revelation, the world will never even know that the Holy Spirit exists. John 20:22 says that: Therefore Jesus was crucified, raised from the dead, and went to heaven to talk with the Father. On that resurrection evening, He talked with the disciples saying: “Peace be unto you; as my Father has sent me, even so send I you. He sent me even so send I you. And when He had said this He breathed on them and said RECEIVE YE THE HOLY GHOST! The Holy Spirit is the Power of God and will get you to feel the power and Fire of God as you go about and witness about the need for the unbeliever to receive Christ in their lives.