The Holy Spirit Of all the earthly pursuits and accomplishments, there is nothing equal or close to living in a true and meaningful relationship with the One who created you!
Michael Naidoo
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All scripture references are from certain translations of the Holy Bible, mostly the King James Version and The Amplified Bible, unless otherwise indicated. The use of as much scripture as possible has been used to maintain the doctrinal position of the The Holy Bible concerning the Holy Spirit. Above all, the ministry of the Holy Spirit was carefully sought for both spiritual illumination and to maintain and impart a pure spirit throughout.
ISBN: 978-1-928245-15-5 Printed By : BK Press
Š Michael M Naidoo: 2014 Date of first publication: May 2015
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INTRODUCTION I was prompted to write a book on the Holy Spirit. If I was indeed led of the Spirit then there are several reasons why this book is a necessity. One of the main reasons for this writing is to reflect my passion for God’s Holy Spirit and all things spiritual. Of greater importance is the need for informed understanding that without the Holy Spirit, no one can possess a relationship with God for God is a Spirit and those that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. T hen there is this belief that the Spirit of God became preeminent only after Pentecost when in actual fact the Spirit is eternal and presided all of creation. The Spirit of God is the breath of life and seeks to influence and indwell man. With the indwelling of the Spirit we choose to have our being conformed to the stature and perfection of Jesus Christ. There are many things in life that are humanly impossible yet attainable if we choose to live in the supernatural. The Holy Spirit leads us into the all-important relationship with God through Jesus the Saviour of the world and then leads us to the realm of the supernatural. Then there is considerable confusion, or put another way, a lack of clarity concerning the Holy Spirit; which I will endeavour to address. As with certain other doctrines of the Bible, we often find misinterpretations and diverse contradictory beliefs. Considering the fact that God is not the author of confusion and that the Holy Bible is not difficult to
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comprehend if we seek the illumination of the Spirit, the Body of Christ has opened itself to contradiction, confusion and at times heresy with regards to the Holy Spirit. If we carefully seek the counsel of the Spirit from the biblical pattern there will be clarity and sound doctrine instead of misleading interpretations. God bless you.
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CONTENTS
Chapter One: There is no God without the Holy Spirit Many religions~One God God and His Word are One Divine Revelation Credibility in Authority Ancient of Days Human gods or Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit of God
Chapter Two: The Holy Spirit and Covenants Origin of Covenant Adamic and Noahic Covenants Abrahamic Covenant Mosaic Covenant Ark of the Covenant
Chapter Three: Ark of the Covenant Israel’s Guide The Ark determines Destiny The Ark manifests the True God Consecration Death and Life
Chapter Four: Reformation of the Spirit Chapter Five: The Spirit of Reformation
Unrighteous leadership of Ahab Ungodly leadership succession Jehoiada Anointing Elijah and the Spirit of Reformation Elisha and the Spirit of Reformation
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Chapter Six: The Anointing
The Elijah Anointing lives forevermore Cyrus, Ezra and Nehemiah The Spirit anoints Isaiah Isaiah envisions the Trinity The Spirit anoints Jeremiah Obedience is necessary The Spirit anoints Micah God’s prophets are anointed Daniel and the anointing
Chapter Seven: The Covenant of Christ
An eternal covenant Termination of the transitional covenant of death Termination of the dispensational covenants Culmination of dispensational covenants
Chapter Eight: Spiritual Dimensions of a human
Importance of the Holy Spirit Human spirit Evil spirit Evil actions Root of evil behaviour Godly behaviour Satan masquerades as light Spirit of the world Sin of presumption
Chapter Nine: Jesus and the Holy Spirit
Jesus needed the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit produces divinity Baptism and Anointing of Jesus Overpowering temptation increases the anointing Consecration increases the anointing Power and authority
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Chapter Ten: John the baptist, Jesus and the Holy Spirit A new era Mary and Elizabeth – filled with the Spirit John, Jesus and Zechariah – filled with the Spirit Simeon - filled with the Spirit Preparation of John Jesus, the eternal covenant Baptism of Jesus
Chapter Eleven: Baptism preceding the Spirit baptism
A greater baptism than John’s baptism John looked beyond the water baptism A baptism of heavenly authority In whom did John baptize? John embraced Elijah’s mantle
Chapter Twelve: Baptism patterned after Moses the deliverer Baptism through immersion Waters inaugurate the baptism of life Ark of Moses and baptism Burning bush and baptism of fire Baptism in Christ Baptism of the apostles Baptism of Moses Baptism of Israel
Chapter Thirteen: A leper’s sin, redemption and baptism Limitation of the covenant Jesus the redeemer Leprosy of sin All sin and sinners need redemption The Spirit leads the sinner to Jesus Oneness of the Spirit and Jesus Salvation and Spirit baptism are distinct
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Chapter Fourteen: You must be born again Born from above Regeneration Sanctification through the Spirit Nicodemus breaks out of tradition The Spirit anoints the dead
Chapter Fifteen: Spiritual Regeneration Divine nature compromised Spiritual regeneration God is the Baptizer Manifestations of the Spirit are discernible
Chapter Sixteen: Baptism of the Spirit: Apostles and disciples Born again but not baptized From the Spirit’s first infilling to fullness Desire determines measure Abiding Presence Spirit baptism prior to Calvary? Baptism brings divine revelation Baptism produces supernatural power and authenticity
Chapter Seventeen: Philip, Paul and the Holy Spirit Philip and the Holy Spirit Ethiopian receives Salvation and the Spirit Paul and the Spirit Born again then baptized Discernible manifestations of Paul’s baptism Other manifestations of a Spirit-filled ministry
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CHAPTER ONE THERE IS NO GOD WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT Many religions ~ One God Not everyone knows God. It is one thing to know about God and another thing to know God. This is Chapter One Objective: why there are so many faiths, beliefs and religions Distinguish the true God and in the world, all trying to explain God. God has one understand that not caused this diversity of confusion; or God cannot exist confusion of diversity. Zealous spiritual without His Holy Spirit protagonists have formulated their own understanding of God. How can anyone justify the existence of so many gods for so many cultural and ethnic groups throughout the world? There is only one God. All the theological persuasions and knowledge about God does not necessarily testify of this one and only God. Whilst the divine attributes of God such as holiness, omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence are acknowledged by most faiths, it does not mean that this one God is spoken of or believed in. No one can explain God or explain the spiritual things of God, except the Holy Spirit. “For what man knoweth the things of a man, except the spirit of man which is in him?” 1 This means that the understanding of anything mortal or human is within the comprehension of the human being. On the contrary, the understanding of anything spiritual or immortal is within the comprehension of only God. It is beyond human ability to define God: “… even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” 2 God and His Word are One This means that there is only one truth of God. This truth comes from God. Everything else that is knowledge about God which does not come from God is devoid of truth. How can one distinguish the truth of God from erroneous knowledge of God? Of all the doctrines and knowledge about God, only one equates the Word and doctrine of God, with God Himself. “In the beginning [before all time], was the Word [Christ], and the Word was with 1
God, and the Word was God Himself.” 3 ‘And the Word was God Himself’ 4 means that God and His Word are one. All the other doctrines and so-called holy books about God do not have the authority of God. Christ emphasized this fundamental aspect that “Your Word is Truth.” 5 This is further accentuated by the disciples of Christ; “And we also (especially) thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of (mere) men, but as it truly is, the Word of God…” which is the “Word of Truth.” 6 What is distinguished by the disciples is: (i) (ii)
they merely communicated the message of God and, the message or knowledge of God, is from God Himself, which the disciples had not formulated.
Divine Revelation Other faiths and religions lack this dichotomy between the message of God from the message of man. This explains the doctrinal contradictions about God. For this reason it is said, “For God is not a God of confusion and disorder but of peace and order.” 7 Any theology of God, no matter how good, that lacks the authority of God, is not the “Word of Truth.” How many “holy books” can say “every Scripture is God breathed…”?8 Only one. There are many good philosophies of God and good philosophers, but God’s word is not philosophical. God’s word is spiritual. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 9 In like manner as some people will not esteem the “Word of Truth” or the spiritual things of God, God will denounce the wisdom of man as foolishness: “For this world’s wisdom is foolishness with God…” 10 Credibility in Authority The credibility of God’s word is therefore determined by the authority of God. Apart from divine authority, it must also have divine power. The evidence is not “…in lofty words of eloquence 2