CHRIST FOR PRISONERS WEEKLY BULLETIN
Sunday, September 9, 2007

The Promised Holy Spirit
Joel 2:28, 29

Joel 2:28-29 (NKJV)
²⁸ "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
²⁹ And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Joel 2:28-29 (RVR)
²⁸ Y después de esto derramaré mi Espíritu sobre toda carne, y profetizarán vuestros hijos y vuestras hijas; vuestros ancianos soñarán sueños, y vuestros jóvenes verán visiones.
²⁹ Y también sobre los siervos y sobre las siervas derramaré mi Espíritu en aquellos días.

Many promises are given about the Holy Spirit in both the Old and the New Testaments. Many of these promises apply to us today. The Holy Spirit was sent by God to help men be better and stronger Christians. After Jesus ascended into heaven, He sent the Comforter who abides with God’s people.

1. The Promises in Prophecy

A. Major Prophet – Isaiah 28:11.

Isaiah 28:11 (NKJV)
¹¹ For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people,

Isaiah 28:11 (RVR)
¹¹ porque en lengua de tartamudos, y en extraña lengua hablará a este pueblo,

This prophecy was given 712 years before Christ was born. The prophet here is speaking about the forth-coming day of Pentecost [Acts 2:1-4]. Stammering lips precedes speaking in tongues.

B. Minor Prophet – Joel 2:28, 29.

Joel 2:28-29 (NKJV)
²⁸ "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
²⁹ And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Joel 2:28-29 (RVR)
²⁸ Y después de esto derramaré mi Espíritu sobre toda carne, y profetizarán vuestros hijos y vuestras hijas; vuestros ancianos soñarán sueños, y vuestros jóvenes verán visiones.
²⁹ Y también sobre los siervos y sobre las siervas derramaré mi Espíritu en aquellos días.

This prophecy was given 800 years before Christ’s birth. This promise would come true on the day of Pentecost. Peter confirms this in his sermon, after the Holy Spirit descended [Acts 2: 17, 18].

2. The Promises of Power

A. Power to wait – Luke 24:49.

Luke 24:49 (NKJV)
⁴⁹ Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."

Luke 24:49 (RVR)
⁴⁹ He aquí, yo enviaré la promesa de mi Padre sobre vosotros; pero quedaos vosotros en la ciudad de Jerusalén, hasta que seáis investidos de poder desde lo alto.

Seeking God almost always involves waiting. The prophet Jeremiah tells how we will find God if we search for Him with all our hearts {Jer. 29:13]. Power is always available to those who take time to wait before God.

B. Promises to witness – Acts 1:8.

Acts 1:8 (NKJV)
⁸ 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 (RVR)
⁸ pero recibiréis poder, cuando haya venido sobre vosotros el Espíritu Santo, y me seréis testigos en Jerusalén, en toda Judea, en Samaria, y hasta lo último de la tierra.

The witness would be four-fold:

1. Jerusalem – home town
2. Judea – home state
3. Samaria – home country
4. Uttermost part of the earth – foreign missions.

The Bible speaks of the four corners of the world [Isaiah 11:12}. This could mean taking the gospel to the north, south, east, and west.

3. The Promise in Preaching – Mark 16:17-18.

Mark 16:17-18 (NKJV)
¹⁷ And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
¹⁸ they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Mark 16:17-18 (RVR)
¹⁷ Y estas señales seguirán a los que creen: En mi nombre echarán fuera demonios; hablarán nuevas lenguas;
¹⁸ tomarán en las manos serpientes, y si bebieren cosa mortífera, no les hará daño; sobre los enfermos pondrán sus manos, y sanarán.

A. Promise –vss. 17-18. What this promised power would do:

1. Cast out devils. Power over all of Satan’s oppression, depression, and possession is given to the church.
2. Speak with new tongues-Acts 2:1-4.
3. Take up serpents (by mistake) and not be hurt.
4. Drink any poisonous liquids (by accident) and not be hurt.
5. Lay hands upon the sick and the sick will recover.

B. Proof - vss. 19-20

Mark 16:19-20 (NKJV)
¹⁹ So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
²⁰ And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

Mark 16:19-20 (RVR)
¹⁹ Y el Señor, después que les habló, fue recibido arriba en el cielo, y se sentó a la diestra de Dios.
²⁰ Y ellos, saliendo, predicaron en todas partes, ayudándoles el Señor y confirmando la palabra con las señales que la seguían. Amén.

1. Ascension – v. 19. Christ ascends into heaven (cf. Acts 1:11).

Acts 1:11 (NKJV)
¹¹ who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."

Acts 1:11 (RVR)
¹¹ los cuales también les dijeron: Varones galileos, ¿por qué estáis mirando al cielo? Este mismo Jesús, que ha sido tomado de vosotros al cielo, así vendrá como le habéis visto ir al cielo.

2. Power – v. 20. Christ’s followers go forward with power, performing the things He promised in vss.17-18.

4. The Promise After Pentecost – Acts 2:39

Acts 2:39 (NKJV)
³⁹ For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

Acts 2:39 (RVR)
³⁹ Porque para vosotros es la promesa, y para vuestros hijos, y para todos los que están lejos; para cuantos el Señor nuestro Dios llamare.

A. The past. The gift of the Holy Spirit was given to those who asked.

B. The present. The gift of the Holy Spirit is given today, to all who ask and who meet the requirements of God’s Word for receiving.

Some try to explain away the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. Some say that it is not for today and use Scriptures out of context to back their teaching. However, even cults can use Scriptures in this way to prove their teachings.

5. Claiming the Promise

If a person claims the promises of God, he will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was given so men and women could know and serve God in a better way. God wants amen to know how to:

A. Walk in the Spirit – Galatians 5:16

Galatians 5:16 (NKJV)
¹⁶ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Galatians 5:16 (RVR)
¹⁶ Digo, pues: Andad en el Espíritu, y no satisfagáis los deseos de la carne.

B. Witness in the Spirit – Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 (NKJV)
⁸ 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 (RVR)
⁸ pero recibiréis poder, cuando haya venido sobre vosotros el Espíritu Santo, y me seréis testigos en Jerusalén, en toda Judea, en Samaria, y hasta lo último de la tierra.

C. Worship in the Spirit – John 4:24

John 4:24 (NKJV)
²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

John 4:24 (RVR)
²⁴ Dios es Espíritu; y los que le adoran, en espíritu y en verdad es necesario que adoren.

Where Are You In Your Walk With The Lord???