The Holy Spirit Of Promise

Yesterday, during my sharing on the TWO FOLD PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, I digressed and also promised to treat a topic which will elavate your understanding and love for the Holy Spirit. Lack of knowledge make us become poor in Spirit(does that sound familiar?).

Today I am standing on the shoulders of PROFESSOR FINNEY'S LECTURES and draw inspiration from the very HOLY SPIRIT we are privileged to know about. I'm going to restrain myself from interruptions in his beautiful heart warming well scripted and Spirit backed and filled lecture series.

THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE. DO not rush through reading this as a mental rehearsal or story line for a film you are acting in. But do your self the favoured grace and tap into the God given institution ( THE HOLY SPIRIT) Who is active in our regeneration, transformation, sanctification and the saying will go on and on . He does all the running around for our God Head of the the TRUINE/TRINITY GOD and the Son. He also works entirely for us and in us, not yet finished ; you want to hear this!!! without HIM we do not and CANNOT have a relationship with God and enjoy GOD ALMIGHTY THE TRINITY as HE wants us to.

Text. Gal. 3:14.--That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

This text teaches us:
I. THAT THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM HAS COME ON THE GENTILES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

II. IT TEACHES WHAT THIS BLESSING IS.

III. THAT IT IS TO BE RECEIVED BY FAITH.

Before I conclude what I wish to say upon the promises, I will notice the relation which the New Covenant sustains to the Covenant made with Abraham. And I am to show,

I. That the blessing of Abraham has come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.

In the 12th chapter of Genesis, we have the first mention of the covenant which God made with Abraham. In the last clause of the third verse it is said, "In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." In Gen. 17:4, it is written, "As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations." Verse 7, "I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee;" and 18:18, the same promise is noticed again; and 22:18, "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed," and 26:4, the same words are repeated.

Now it should be remembered in regard to the covenant made with Abraham, that there were two things promised. Temporal Canaan or Palestine was promised to the Jews or natural descendants of Abraham. There was also a blessing promised through Abraham to all the nations of the earth.--This covenant was not only made with Abraham, but, through his seed, as we shall see, with all the nations of the earth. This was a spiritual blessing, and that which the text says has come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.

I will quote several other passages to show that this spiritual blessing was intended for, and has come on the Gentiles. In Rom. 4:13, it is said, "For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith."--and verse 16, "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed: not to that only which is of the law, but to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all." This epistle to the Romans was written to the Gentiles. And the Apostle here expressly affirms that the Gentiles who had faith are of the seed of Abraham, and that he is the father of us all.

Gal. 3:7, 9, 14, 29. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Here again it is manifest that the Apostle in writing to the Gentiles, expressly includes them in the covenant made with Abraham, and affirms that if they are Christians, then they are "Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." And 4:28, he says "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise."--Here then he affirms that the Gentiles are as absolutely within the promise made to Abraham as Isaac was.

In Eph. 2:12-22, we have it declared in full that the Gentiles inherit all the promises of spiritual blessings made to Abraham and the fathers--that there is no distinction in this respect between Jews and Gentiles, that all who have faith are entitled to the promises of spiritual blessings. "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

Now here's whats fascinates me, " But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometime were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us: Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby; And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God,

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; In whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." I might quote many more passages to the same import, but these must suffice.

II. I am to show what this blessing is.

1. It is not merely a promise that Christ should be of his seed, for the Apostle affirms in Gal. 3:16, 19 that the promise was made to Christ through Abraham. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds as of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgression, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."

And in the text it is said "that the blessing might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ." This blessing then promised was not Christ himself, but some promise to Christ, and through Christ to all the nations of the earth.I doubt if we have witnesses

2. The text informs us that this blessing promised to Abraham, and to his seed, and through Christ his seed, to all the nations of the earth, IS THE HOLY SPIRIT.This is the grand thing upon which the prophets and the inspired writers seem to have had their eye all along under the old dispensation.

And by a careful examination of the scriptures, it will be found that the promises are one unbroken chain from Abraham to Christ, and even to the time when the canon of the scripture was complete, everywhere pointing out this particular blessing. It was promised sometimes in figurative language, where the Spirit of God is represented as water. But in most instances the prophets have spoken without a figure and promised the Spirit by name.

Isa. 32:15, "Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest."--and 44:3, "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring;" and 59:21, "As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever."

Jer. 31:33, "But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." and 32:40, "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."

Ezek.11:19, "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh;" and 36:27, "And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them;" and the text; "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

Acts 1:4, 5, "And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptised with water; but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."

John 7:38, 39, "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 yet glorified.)" and 16:7, 13: "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you."

"Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come." and 14:16, 17: "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth HIM not, neither knoweth HIM : but ye know HIM ; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."

A careful examination of these passages will show what the great blessing under the eye of inspiration was. The great thing promised to Abraham as affirmed in the text, and in these passages which I have now quoted, with numerous other passages that might be quoted, demonstrate that the great thing promised was THE HOLY SPIRIT. This was the spiritual blessing that belonged to all nations, while temporal Canaan belonged only to the Jews. In Eph. 1:13, the Holy Spirit is expressly called the "HOLY SPIRIT of promise."

III. This blessing is to be received by faith.

1. This is expressly asserted in the text. "That we might receive the promise of the Spirit THROUGH FAITH." In the second verse of this same chapter the Apostle inquires, "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of FAITH?" John 7:28-29 [38-39]Christ says, "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." Other passages might be quoted to the same effect.

2. It is a natural impossibility that it should be received but by faith. This will be manifest if we inquire.

(1) into the nature of faith.
(2) what it is to receive the Holy Ghost.

The three elements of faith are,

(a) An intellectual perception of the truth.

(b) A realization of the truth.

(c) That trust or confidence of the heart that yields all our voluntary powers up to the control of truth. These are the essential elements of faith.

(2) To receive the Holy Spirit is to take HIM for our Parakletos, our Comforter, Guide, Instructor. Now it is manifest on the very face of it, that the Holy Spirit can only be received by the mind, by that act which constitutes faith. Perception of the truth, is not itself faith. A realization of the truth is not itself faith. Though both these are indispensable to its existence, yet faith itself is an act of the will--a trust--a confiding in--a yielding up of the whole being to the influence of truth.-

-Faith then is the yielding up of our voluntary powers to the guidance, instruction, influences and government of the HolySpirit.Remembering also that makes Him God This is receiving HIM , and this is the only possible way in which He can be received. The mere perception of truth respecting HIM is not faith, nor is it a receiving of HIM. For the truth respecting Him may be perceived, and often has been perceived and yet rejected. Nor is a realization of the truth respecting HIM, however deep and intense either faith, or a receiving of Him.

But when His offers of guidance are perceived and realized, faith is that act of the mind that lays hold upon these offers--that yields up the whole being to his influences and control It's faith to believe and trust and obey God more and freely. Meaning as you surrender, your emotions, will and Mind UNTO HIM ALONE so can He, sanctity, regenerate, transforms us into the glorious bodies to come out of the current corrupt and constraining body bound to decay.

Join me another time and God bless Prof.Finney whom I have quoted often vabatum and the children of Israel and her LEADERS, the BRIDE/CHURCH, the servants who are preparing HER with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. I'm not forgotten my biological children especially Jude Henry Taylor Junior and my virtuous wife not forgotten her immense support similar to Dorcas of the Apostles and all not the least those who are yet to come to God.