The Holy Ghost is a mystery and is often misconstrued by the churches and peoples of this world. Some religious groups say he is not a God but an angel and others simply don’t believe he exists. There are Pseudo Christian sects that believe he can be caught and he will make you speak gibberish, jump up and down like a crazed person. However as children of God we know where to obtain information; within the Word of God. St John 16: 7-8.
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What did Jesus say
He would reprove the world of sin, judgment and righteousness. One definition of the word reprove is to convince. Simply put the Holy Spirit will give you understanding (convince) of what is true. In order for this to occur Christ would have have to leave this earth. St John 16: 13-14. The Holy Spirit would also glorify Christ as well.
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Works of the Spirit
The Holy Ghost intercedes on our behalf in several ways: he pleads on our behalf, restores and reconciles us to God, takes our prayers to the Almighty, bears witness to the spirit within us and teaches us about God’s word. Romans 8: 16, 26-27. He also will give us gifts, talents to be used to praise God. He is also responsible for changing our spirits and bodies to be acceptable before God the Father. This list is not the sum but highlights some of the great works this member of the throne of God does for us!
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During the Pentecost
We offer our best efforts (first fruits) because we want to qualify for the great works for the Spirit of God does on our behalf. We need him to take our prayers and pleas to the Ancient of Days. We have to have him intercede on our behalf and bear witness to the spirit within us. In order to better understand how he works we should review over the symbols of the Holy Ghost: water, rain, fire and wind.
Water
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It is a necessary substance that can nearly be found everywhere. There is nothing more refreshing that is vital for for life. Water is the primary substance used to clean and purify items. Anyone who has grown a plant understands the importance of water but why? Well the same characteristics that makes it good for cleaning and purifying things makes water vital for plants. It is has the ability to dissolve more substances than any other liquid on earth.
This trait means water can carry minerals, salts or nutrients wherever it goes; air, the ground or even in human bodies. This is why drops of water can carve its way into a stone and carry large pieces of mountain within it. Very little can withstand the force of water. The importance of water does not end there. Do you that it manipulates the enzymes in our body and makes them work at a faster rate.
Water is one of the most dynamic substances on earth. To be dynamic means that it is vigorously active or an effective action. Which makes it a perfect symbol of the Holy Spirit. He cleanses and purifies us. He opens our minds and hearts to the Word of God so that we may receive it.
Nothing and no one can stop the Holy Spirit either. When the Holy Spirit was rained on the disciples during the Pentecost; thousands of people converted that day. The church grew so fast under his influence. When you contrast that to the work of Lord Jesus who had 120 disciples. To better understand how the Spirit works within us we must remember that Christ referred to us as seeds and plants. The good seed and the tares. The sower and the seed and the mustard seed are parables in which Christ compared his children to seeds or plants.
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Plants
Plants need soil, sunlight and water. When a seed is placed in the ground it cannot change into a growing plant unless water is present. When water is available dynamic changes will occur to the hard seed. The hard outer shell softens so a stem and root can sprout from it. Without water the plant’s roots will not be able to absorb the nutrients that are in the soil. If there is no water available the hard shell would not be soft enough for the stem to reach to the sunlight. This is why you cannot talk to someone about the Truth and cause them to convert. It takes the Spirit to soften their hearts to force them to perceive the Word of God and convince them of righteousness. Without the Holy Spirit it is like talking to a wall. Nothing will happen. It is like a seed on the dirt. It is inert.
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Germination
Is the process to begin to grow or develop. Each seed has it own special requirements: darkness, light, intense heat or cold are just some of the different requirements for germination for different plants. Now let us look at some common seeds and the conditions that they need to become plants.
Sweet peas—come from seeds that are large hard and round. What is so peculiar about them is that in order for them to develop they need to be pricked or softened in water. I had to take a knife and puncture the outer shell of my sweet peas. To make sure they would germinate I would submerge them into water for 24 hours. To be pricked means to puncture or a sharp pain. In this work we can see the Holy Ghost will cause pain to force them break up their fallow ground or remove the hardness from their heart. Acts 2: 36-37. For these people what punctured that hard shell around their heart was hearing about how Lord Jesus was indeed the Son of God and they were responsible for his death. That fact caused considerable pain but it was necessary so they could germinate. Three thousand people began their journey to salvation on the day of Pentecost.
Strawflowers—come from small seeds that require light to germinate. These are tiny seeds that you place on top of the soil. Birds like to eat them. However if given bright light and some water in a week’s time they began to sprout. They can be as tall as 3 feet. These flowers tolerate heat, drought, sandy and rocky soils. This is a situation in which a person needs to see something in order to grow. An example of this can be found in I Kings 18:21-40. The people of Israel had to see a sign. Once they did the germination was quick and thorough. They were willing to kill the prophets of Baal despite the anger (heat) they would receive from their rulers.
Zinnias—are small seeds that do not need extra special treatment. I remember the first time I planted them and my mother said those will never grow. Well the Zinnias I planted in the early to mid summer grew fast and strong. They can tolerate drought and heat. These are similar to people who do not need a sign. If there are not a bunch of idols (rocks) or temptations (choking weeds) they will grow fast and strong in good ground. All they need is a little water.
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The Growth Cycle
All of these plants have something in common—they need water. Water is necessary to dilute the nutrients in the soil in small enough particles for the roots to be able to absorb them. That is similar to the Holy Spirit breaking down the words of the Bible in a way that we can understand why we must use it in our every day lives. That is the convincing of sin and righteousness. He will teach us why it is best to obey God in all things and in all ways. It was clear that Moses was convinced of what was most valuable in Hebrews 11: 24-27. That reverence of God made him stronger and steadied him for the journey ahead. We can think of it in another way. We know that calcium is an important mineral necessary for bone health. Well what if you never ate anything with calcium in it? What would happen to your bones? They would become weak and much more likely to break. That is what happens if we do not take in the nourishment that the Holy Spirit is giving to us. All of it is important for our development and maintenance.
Air is everywhere. It touches everything on earth and the movement is called wind. Wind is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Many people on this earth do not understand the role he has in a person’s salvation and redemption. They are unclear about his presence during creation and very little if any discussion about the part he plays in the judgment of this world. Some have said he did not show up until the New Testament—that is untrue. He was here in the beginning before the creation of man and continued to work with men after their fall in the garden. Genesis 1:1-2, Genesis 2 :7, Genesis 6: 3. Hebrews 3:7-11. Here we can see that the Holy Spirit was with the other members of the Throne of God. It is clear that a judgment was proclaimed that Holy Ghost would not always strive with human beings and our life span was decreased from 900 + years to 120. Then in the wilderness the Spirit of Truth spoke in his wrath after Israel rebelled and refuse to enter the promise land—they would have to wonder in the wilderness for another 40 years. All of these events occurred before Lord Jesus walked the earth.
How does observing the wind and understanding this force of nature; help understand the profound work the Spirit of God does for us. Some places have not experienced abundant rain because they live in dry places or have cooked and know the power of fire. However we all breathe and we have felt and heard the wind. We cannot control it or see it but it impacts everything that we do. You do not believe have you ever heard of a Nor’easter, Polar vortex, the Santa Ana winds, the Pineapple Express or been caught in rolling thunderstorm. These are all caused by changes and movements in the wind.
The largest wind current that impacts us is the Jet Stream. Imagine a river made of the fastest moving wind you have been exposed to. Now lets us increase that speed to hurricane strength (110 mph) or when it is really moving tornado strong (250 mph). It travels between the equator and the Arctic (for us that live in the northern hemisphere.
When it bubbles up we receive warmth from the south and when it sags low on the map our temperatures drop. There is nothing any living creature on this earth can do to impact or stop the Jet Stream. Last winter was a perfect example. We had polar vortexes on repeat. It would get as cold as 10 below zero and everyone complained but could do nothing to stop it.
he East coast had Nor'easters on repeat and received punishing snow. The cold refused to let go even in April. Everyone was desperate for spring and warmth but the Jet stream continued to sag and dragged the cold from the North into the United States.
The only thing that can stop the Jet Stream in the universe is the sun. When the earth tilts towards the sun the heat that radiates forces the Jet Stream to move towards the North Pole. We experience warmer days and rain from storms carried by the Jet Stream. It should be noted that one of God the Father’s symbols is the sun. Ecclesiasticus 23:19-20. Psalms 84:8-12.He is the being we pray to and he measures everything and his measurement is perfect. A few examples of what he measures includes: the amount of wind on the earth, the intents of the heart and how much time must past before an event can take place. Job 28: 23-28. Proverbs 16:2. Matthews 24: 35-37.
The Ancient of Days
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The Ancient of Days determines when, where and how the Spirit of God will work. Just like the sun heat at the appointed time will increase, decrease and shape what the Jet Stream does. When the Holy Spirit is given a command; nothing can stand in his way. God the Father determined that after Christ was crucified the Holy Spirit would begin a special work. It would begin on the day of Pentecost with the Apostles. This work would not just stay in Judaea. Instead it spread throughout the Roman Empire that contained 25% of the world’s population. The rebellious sadducees and Pharisees could not buffer it. The great iron power of Rome could not withstand it. It knocked down the abominations of the gentiles: suddenly evils like human sacrifices, cannibalism, sodomy and festivals of fornication were no longer sanctioned by governing authorities. We still live in a world where certain activities are considered taboo: the confusion with animals for example. The Romans would watch such horrors in the arena as half time shows to give homage to Jupiter; king of the gods. When the Holy Spirit began spreading the gospel; the name of Christ had a chilling impact on the debauchery of the heathen.
You see the evil Canadian thistle cannot take over a yard during the bitter cold winter. Yes it is still alive. Hidden deep in the earth and waiting for the opportunity to grow tall, ugly and spread it’s hideous leaves everywhere. However the winter chill knocks it down and this will allow for other plants to grow in the spring as well. The most heinous beliefs and intents of the wicked were inhibited by Christ’s name that was spread by the Holy Spirit.
However this work of the Spirit of God has an end as well. God the Father has determined that he would remove his goodness from the sons of men. As the great wind recedes there has been a resurgence of nefarious and destructive behavior. It is like the Canadian thistle that triples in growth in the warmer air of the spring. We have seen the resurgence of Sodomy. It was always present deep within the most corrupt of the people but now it is being embraced and normalize just like it was in the ancient days. In II Kings 23:7 it describes how King Josiah had to remove the Sodomites place that was firmly established in Judaea. This evil did just appear but was allowed to thrive under Rehoboam, King Solomon’s son I King 14: 21-24.
Other odious behaviors are now gaining traction because good is leaving the sons of men. The arena is now digital and acts can be seen via smart phone, tablet, computer or television. People are recording or live streaming (similar to a live Television broadcast) doing the most heinous acts. Many of us seen this troubling footage: the murder of black men by the police, crimes against the 7th commandment are lauded and broadcasted, brutal murders have been cheered on via snapchat and there are too many evils on youtube that could be discussed. People complain about the devaluing of life and that society needs to return to morals. However they cannot stop the removal of good—no one can force the wind or change its direction.
Today we are experiencing a new peculiar wind that has taken hold of the nation. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: II Thessalonians 2:11. People are worshipping the President in a cult like manner. Now people have had demigods in the past and some people have setup shrines in their homes for the founding fathers of this nation.
However this situation is different. How common is it for coins to be minted with picture of the President and an Ancient leader like King Cyrus. Is it normal that an evangelical preacher would say that Trump is sitting next to the right hand of God or that he is like King Cyrus. It is not just the foolish religious right that has overlooked the misdeeds of President Trump.
The Republicans in government are trying to cover his tracks and are assisting him in uprooting institutions and norms: discrediting the Department of Justice, cozying up with adversarial nations like Russia, saying nothing when he justifies Neo Nazis and using his terms when they describe media (fake news). Many in the business community have begun to fear him because they do not want to be mentioned in tweets.
The situation feels almost like ocean water that is extremely warm is being changed by strong winds and a massive hurricane is being formed. A storm that is being steered and nurtured by strong winds. We cannot stop this storm that is brewing among the people. What we have to do is observe it and try to not get caught in its tumultuous gales or fierce waves that will soon come crashing down.
Credits:
Created with images by Martin Cooper Ipswich - "Sweet Pea 'Cupani'" • audreyjm529 - "Strawflower" • The Paranormalist - "Zinnias" • Comfreak - "cyclone forward hurricane storm clouds winter storm" • WikiImages - "sun fireball solar flare sunlight eruption prominence"