Holy Spirit - Bishop of the Church

HOLY SPIRIT - BISHOP OF THE CHURCH

"Don't give me any of that Holy Spirit stuff." That is what some in the church keep saying. Then they wonder where the absent Lord could be and why things are not happening. Jesus instructed us to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Our God is a "trinity" - three-in-one, one-in-three. God is beyond any possible understanding on our part, yet HE revealed Himself to us in the Bible as Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

The church in the Book of Acts came forth from the 120 in the Upper Room, fresh in her first love of JESUS (compare Rev. 2:4). Filled with the Holy Spirit, with power, with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, and with a 100% consecration to God. This was the secret of her success. They prayed for boldness and the house was shaken as a sign. She - the church - was all for God and God was all for her. This principle will apply to all ages of time. If there is no "sacrifice on the altar,"there will be no fire. The fire of God never falls on an empty altar. The greater the sacrifice of love and praise, the greater fire. When the prodigal brings himself back home and the church is filled by God, we will have the same power, the same life - and also the same persecution. Opposition may come from our own "brothers & sisters." When that happens we must either surrender or fight. (Note Matt. 10:21-22 "Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved."

When we read the Book of Acts we are impressed by the fact that God-the-Holy-Spirit stands out on its pages. The Lord's church in Acts is both holy and "charismatic" in the best sense of the word. ( Charismatic is a word greatly misused. But like so many words with a biblical base, it is too good a word to be abandoned because of differing meanings and connotations. The danger is too great that in banning the word we may inadvertently close the door to an important area of truth or restrict the free operation of the Holy Spirit among us. Note Paul wrote: "Do not quench the Spirit." 1 Thess. 5:19)

Salvation is too important to be left entirely in human hands. (Yet God does not "twist our arm" to force us to obey.) Satan tries to steal the life, the power, the joy, everything - and then trick us into the "leaven of the Pharisees" (that is, "beating a dead horse"). The early church ran well for a season. We see the Holy Spirit taking a very active role in getting things together. The day of Pentecost, of course, with the spiritual excitement and power and 3,000 being baptized into Christ. The prayer in Acts 4 and the Holy Spirit shaking the house. Something like Pentecost when Philip preached to the Samaritans. Peter seeing the vision of the sheet & animals, then being sent to Cornelius, and the Holy Spirit fell upon them as at the beginning (Acts 11). Paul being sent out as a missionary by The Holy Spirit from the church at Antioch , then being directed to Macedonia. Heaven was real to the early church - far more real than earth. Their longing, their goal, their hope, was to be delivered from "this present evil world." They included in their prayers, "Come quickly Lord Jesus!" [Maranatha.]

It is the office/work of the Holy Spirit to preside over the entire work of God on earth. Jesus Himself is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls (1 Peter 2:25). He continues to be our Advocate/Paraclete (1 John 2:1). But Jesus, as He was about to ascend back to heaven, promised to send another Comforter (Paraclete) so that we would not be orphans (comfortless). HE - the Holy Spirit - was to abide with us forever (John 14:16-18). Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to take His place (John 14:16; 15:26; 16:7-14). Jesus promised: "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

We must be co-workers with Christ, partakers of the Holy Spirit. The church has the right idea that we need bishops/elders. But they must be given authority by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And their qualifications must be the endowment of the Holy Spirit (compare Acts 6:3). We read: "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28). But note each and every Christian has the authority to be a "witness" to Jesus. Following the endowment of Pentecost, when persecution struck the church, they were scattered. "Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word" (Acts 8:4). This was like "pouring gasoline on a fire." Christianity exploded across the world!

The early church believed in God the Holy Spirit - while many today are afraid of the Holy Spirit. The church knew the Holy Spirit personally by their own experience (compare Gal. 3:1-3). Man is all right in his place, as God intended. It is God the Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus from the glory land, who works through this "tabernacle of clay" which we are. When the Holy Spirit is chairman/bishop of the assembly, you will find a fruitful assembly. God chooses human instruments to preach the word. The Holy Spirit gives birth to everyone who "receives with meekness the engrafted word" (James 1:21; Titus 3:4-7). Just as it takes a father and a mother to bring forth children of this natural life, so it takes the Word and the Spirit to bring forth children of the spiritual birth. Oh thank God for this holy way! "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Rev. 2:7.

Ask yourself: Is my life making an impact where God has put me? Am I channel through which the rivers of living water are flowing day by day (John 7:37-39)? Am I willing to allow this to be true? "Lord, whatever it may involve, make my life a channel for Your rivers of living water! Continue to restore and revive Your church, according to Your great purpose. And let me be a living part of that glorious recovery of the first love of Jesus and the power of the early church!"

> OLD SONG <
On the far reef the breakers
Recoil in shattered foam,
Yet still the sea behind them
Urges its forces home;
Its chant of triumph surges
Through all the thunderous din -
The wave may break in failure,
But the tide is sure to win.

O mighty sea, thy message
In changing spray is cast:
Within God's plans of progress
It matters not at last
How wide the shores of evil,
How strong the reefs of sin -
The wave may be defeated,
But the tide is sure to win.