The Power from on High
Ephesians 2:1 And you [hath he quickened]... (King James Version)
"Quickened" is the English translation of the Greek word "zōopoiéō" (from zōgréō, which means "alive" and 4160 /poiéō, "make") – properly, make alive (zōos); i.e. "quicken," vivify ("animate"); (figuratively) cause what is dead (inoperative) to have life; empower with divine life.
zōopoiéō ("make alive, enliven") is particularly used of God infusing His life in the believer. The Lord infuses eternal life (zōē) into us each time we receive (obey) faith from Him. This enables living WITH God – not just FOR God (cf. Gal 2:20; Ro 8:28-30; 1 Jn 5:4).
Romans 8:9 says, "You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ."
If you haven't been made alive by the Lord Jesus Christ then the "spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:" is still working through you and you are still dead in your sins and trespasses. Ephesians 2:2. And you would only have a "form of godliness but deny the power of" God to keep you walking as Jesus Himself walked in agape/love of God with ALL the heart, mind, soul and strength. 2 Timothy 3:5a
Highlight
"Orphanos" Strong's Greek: 3737. ὀρφανός - Only two usages in the New Testament. John 14:18 and James 1:27; "Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world." -NET
“You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”
— 2 Corinthians 3:3
The word "deny" above in the Greek is "arnéomai". Which is defined as this: "properly, deny (refuse); hence, contradict, refuse to affirm or to confess (identify with); disown (repudiate)."
That is what you do when you have not been quickened (made alive) by Jesus the Christ.
When I got saved, not only did the blood of Jesus wash my sins away and I felt the huge burden of sin removed, but then I opened the door of my heart and I invited the Lord into my heart and He powerfully entered my body. I was baptized in the Holy Spirit!
That Baptism of the Holy Spirit is when the Spirit of GOD enters our body and makes us a new creation in Christ. And whereby we cry, "Abba, Father" Mark 14:36, Galatians 4:6, Romans 8:15
If that didn't happen to you then you are NOT saved yet. You do not have eternal life dwelling in you and all the Scriptures about being more than conquerors (overwhelmingly victorious) and being overcomers do NOT apply to you.
I'm not trying to be mean or exalt myself, I'm just telling you the truth:
YOU HAVE NO POWER
Acts 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Because the apostles were living the life of the cross which only the resurrected Savior in us can guide us into!
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
The gospel. That Christ in us can bring our flesh to the cross and nail it there by His Spirit within us on a daily basis! (1 Corinthians 15:31)
1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
We can mortify our members on this earth by God's Spirit within us! That is the power of God and we are the witnesses of God's kingdom.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
That's right! All those baptised in God's Spirit should know this!
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
AMEN!
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
It's no small thing to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. It's no trip or emotional experience, it's "the power of God unto salvation" ! It's THE GOSPEL!
A certain man who was a member of a certain Christian denomination gave his "testimony" which was nothing but a confusing mess. He said he felt cleansed of sin but NEVER said the Lord entered into him. So he's not really a Christian! And neither is his "pastor" I gather..
I talked to this person and of course he believes OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved) because he has no power to cease from his own works. Hebrews 4:10 So he HASN'T ceased from sin. So he hasn't entered into God's rest. And so he hasn't actually come to the Lord, or taken Jesus' yoke upon him. So he is heavy laden. Matthew 11:28
Then this same certain man says "EVERYONE sins" (including Christians. No, that's NOT what the Bible says exactly. Please see my message on sins of ignorance vs wilfully sinning) and he even tried to insinuate that a man wanting sexual relations with his own wife is SIN. He makes it his job to convince Bible believers that they are supposed to sin. Just like the devil tries to tell everyone (that it's normal for a believer to live in sin).
I say, "how long have you been saved?". He says 7 years. So I said, "oh, so you're practically a baby Christian." He then threw a fit about what a big shot he is in the Lord and he feels he's something (I still feel like I'm almost still a babe in Christ even after almost 21 years). He says he's going to be a big preacher. Well, since I talked to him I've realized he's right about not being a babe in Christ. He's just a counterfeit (adokimos).
According to the Book of Acts 1:8 you CANNOT be a witness for the Lord!
And I'm just telling you the truth. Because God loves you and wants to REALLY use you. Its the WHOLE purpose of our LIVES. But right now you are a false witness. You need to repent and seek the Lord and ask Him to baptize you in His Holy Spirit so that He can BEGIN baptizing you in FIRE and purge out your impurities so we may "grow in grace". And THEN the BIBLE can APPLY to you in a wondrous and miraculous way.. And THEN you can have fellowship with the Lord and those who are His. Because right now the two-edged Sword (the Word of God) only applies to you as an unsaved sinner!
And I don't really blame you. And I hope and pray God doesn't blame you ("Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" Acts 7:60) Because It seems very few actually get this right.
But here's how it works. God convicts your soul of sin. Either through someone preaching by the power of the Holy Spirit, or the Holy Spirit directly convicts you. (1)(2)
THEN you hear the Gospel of Christ and you IMMEDIATELY REALIZE CHRIST IS THE SAVIOR YOU NEED and you throw yourself at His mercy and repent with all your heart and you KNOW something supernatural is happening to you. (1)
Then you accept the death of Christ on the cross and the BLOOD that He shed for YOU personally and you KNOW you've been cleansed of all sin and you feel as pure as a newborn babe. (1)(2)(3)
THEN you open the door of your heart and invite Him in, or you understand by revelation from God that you NEED His Holy Spirit within you, which is Christ (the fullness of the godhead, and in Him all God's fullness dwells.
Colossians 1:19,
Colossians 2:9). And Christ enters your body (heart - Ephesians 3:17; Acts 15:9.) And that is something you will ALWAYS KNOW FOR SURE that you were SAVED. And its a definite testimony of salvation. (1)(2)(3)(4)
You are now a NEW man or woman and you KNOW IT! It is VERY powerful! (John 3:3; Mat. 18:3; 2 Cor. 5:17)
You have passed from death and hell into eternal LIFE (John 5:24, 1 John 3:14)
Another person in this "church" has a similar testimony. It wasn't salvation. Its sad. And will you all be too proud to receive it?
Well, I am praying for you. And I am loving you as myself because Christ in me is allowing me to lay down my life for real. And that is what I am doing. And I will continue to pray for you and people like you who have never experienced God entering your body and making you born again.
And this is all from my heart right now. Its experiential knowledge. Nothing I needed to prepare for. No outline I needed to follow.
Reject it if you like. But it will be your own undoing. You've been warned and according to Ezekiel 33, your blood is off my hands!
I pray you humble yourselves and seek God about what I am saying. Because its the truth. And its the Word of God.
I pray in Jesus' NAME Amen
You can be saved!
God loves the people in the world so much that He came down to die for us. If God is opening your heart to His message and you feel convicted for your sins which have separated you from a holy God and you feel the need to be forgiven, then say this prayer. This is how I was powerfully converted to the Christ in 1997!
Say, "My Lord and my God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I believe Jesus the Christ died on the cross and shed His precious blood for the forgiveness of all my sins. I believe Jesus raised from the dead and ascended into heaven and is now on the right-hand side of God listening to this prayer. I open up the door of my heart and I invite You in, Lord Jesus. Thank you, God, for saving my soul and I vow to serve you with all my heart which is the first and greatest commandment. Amen."