Whoever believes in Him will receive what? Remission of sins. Forgiveness of sins. While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all of those who heard the Holy Word. In other words, the Holy Spirit loves these words. That through Jesus you receive forgiveness of sins. So I’m going to say it for a while, okay, because I know He likes it. Through Jesus, you’re all forgiven for your sins. Through Jesus, you’re all forgiven of your sins. Through Jesus, you are forgiven of all your sins.
Announcer: God wants you to behold the beauty and glory of Jesus in His word and to bask in the sunshine of His love for you. As you grow in your revelation of Christ, get ready to be effortlessly transformed from glory to glory and strength to strength. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any size to the Ministry this month, Joseph Prince Ministries would like to bless you with Joseph’s latest three-CD audio series titled Renewed Transformed & Blessed.
Separately, for a specific gift to the Ministry this month, you will receive the You Can Reign commemorative gift edition bundle, which contains the Grace Capsule MP3 player. With more than 70 hours of life-transforming content, comprising 55 anointed grace messages by Joseph Prince, the Grace Capsule now comes in a new 8 gigabyte MP3 player. This bundle also includes the Renewed Transformed & Blessed 3-CD audio series, a brand-new You Can Reign 2-DVD and 3-CD resource series and the Destined to Reign book.
For more information on how to order these resources, call us toll free at 1-877-769-5433 or visit us at JOSEPHPRINCE.ORG today.
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Joseph Prince: Are you all ready for The Word? I want to share with you about the Holy Spirit and how this wonderful person, the third Person of the triune God, how misunderstood He is, especially among us in the charismatic circle. We talk so much about the Holy Spirit, yet the Holy Spirit is so misunderstood, alright, in so many areas. We’re going to see why the Holy Spirit came, what does He delight in, and, if we have time, we’ll share about what really grieves the Holy Spirit.
So, let’s look at the Scriptures right now on the Holy Spirit. I want to tell you this right now. The Holy Spirit Himself is God. Have you ever heard the Holy Spirit loves you? Okay, in Romans, the Apostle Paul says it like this: Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me. Love of the Spirit, not Love for, but Love of. It is the Holy Spirit’s Love.
On the Day the Pentecost came, in the New Testament: When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all one accord in one place, and suddenly – say suddenly – suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Holy Spirit came back in a new [muffled]. This happened when Jesus died and was raised from the dead. One of the first things Jesus did after He went back to heaven his Father said to Him you are a Priest forever. Sit on my right hand and make your enemies your foot stool. Jesus sat down and the first thing He did was He shucked forth the Holy Spirit. And this was how the Holy Spirit came. He came rushing. He came suddenly. Halleluiah. This is our God. This is our God. He loves you. Amen. Amen.
The next thing we need to ask is this. What does the Holy Spirit delight in? What was His purpose in coming? I’ll tell you something. God loves to hug His children. You know, the Lord wants to hug you. And the Holy Spirit loves to hug His people. I want to show you this. This happened in the Cornelius house, the Centurion of the Italian band. His name was Cornelius. This is the first time the Gospel was preached to the Gentiles or the non-Jews and the Apostle Peter. Peter didn’t even have time to call before the Holy Spirit fell. Look at this: To Him – to Jesus – all the prophets witness – you know, all of the prophecy of the Old Testament is a witness of Jesus. It is not about law or it’s about what to do; it’s about Jesus. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever – are you a whoever? – believes in Him will receive remission of sins. Or, forgiveness of sins.
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. In other words, the Holy Spirit loves these words. That through Jesus you receive forgiveness of sins. So I’m going to say it for a while, okay, because I know He likes it. Through Jesus, you’re all forgiven for your sins. Through Jesus, you’re all forgiven of your sins. Through Jesus, you are forgiven of all your sins.
And the Holy Spirit, when He hears that, He hugs and embraces the people. Because the word fell here is what? The word epipipto, which literally means love hug. Love hug. The Holy Spirit love hugs all of the people and embraces them, like a bear hug.
The next thing you need to know about the Holy Spirit is this. The Holy Spirit is a different kind of spirit from the spirit of the world. There is a spirit of the world. The Bible talks about the spirit of the world. Say spirit of the world. Now say Spirit of God. There is a difference, and the Bible says it clearly here, in 1 Corinthians 2: Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. That we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. Now, the Spirit of God is to tell you that the things of God are freely given.
Therefore, I submit to you, by the same token, the spirit of the world is the opposite. It tells you there is no such thing as a free lunch. Amen. Everyone understands the spirit of the world. But the Bible says we have not received this spirit. We have received the spirit by which we know the things that are freely given. Say freely given. Shout freely. Shout free. Say free. Sounds good, right? Freely given, alight. So people, even Christians, cannot believe this. They have a gospel that’s mixed. They tell you, I believe in righteousness by faith, Master Priest, but – God’s but – no, there’s no but. When God says you’re righteous by faith, you are. Amen.
So the things that are freely given to us, God wants you to receive everything freely as a gift from Him. Alright. You look at somebody and you see him as having this talent or this gift. Alright. You admire them; you envy them. Don’t envy them. Ask God for the gift that He has for you that is freely given. Amen.
So, why have you not asked God? Are you tired of trying to obtain something by your efforts, by your manipulation and by your positioning and name dropping and trying to get this guy to help you? Will you stop all of that and start looking to God alone. And ask God I don’t know how but I’m at the age where I’m supposed to get married. All of my friends are all married already. But I know I have a series of bad relationships so I don’t know how, I don’t know when, I don’t know where. But Father I would like to get married; Father, bless me with this, a wonderful marriage in Jesus’ name. Amen? Amen. That’s faith. Now, faith doesn’t mean that you take care of the details. Let God take care of the details. Amen. Faith is having rest in God. And God takes care of the details. Hallelujah. Are you with me?
Now, Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes in John 16: Nevertheless – Jesus talking here – I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come – when the Holy Spirit has come – He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment – stop here, look at me. You know, I’ve heard so many people that when they touch on this that’s where they stop. They would say the Holy Spirit has come to convict us of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. It’s like all 3 are for us. Bacalio. Bacalio means everything. Taken. It’s like convict of sin and righteousness all for the believer. But thank God Jesus expanded. Because Jesus foresaw that there would be people against his great message.
So, Jesus took his time to explain: of sin – singular sin – because they – not you, He’s talking to his disciples and He says the Holy Spirit can convict the world of sin because they do not believe on me. Not you. Now, all of us who are saved today, we are now new creations, partakers of His divine nature. We all have been convicted at one time of this sin, unbelieving in Christ. That is why you are a believer today. Do you know that’s the only sin the Holy Spirit convicts the believer of?
But, the problem is that we have a system of theology that teaches people every day the Holy Spirit points to your faults, every day the Holy Spirit points to you. Every day. It’s almost like He’s nagging you. Every time you say something wrong; every time you say something amiss. And that’s not even the Bible. In the Bible I’m showing you what Jesus said. The Holy Spirit does not convict you of sin, believer. He convicts you once, before you are a believer, of your sin of unbelieving in Christ. But once you believe in Christ, do you know what He convicts you of?: Of righteousness, because I go – and this is you, this is a message for you disciples, He’s talking to you now – to My Father and you see Me no more. And because you see Me no more, you can’t see My approving eyes, My smile, My acceptance. So, you have to know you are righteous by faith. And the Holy Spirit has been sent to convict you of righteousness. You have an everlasting righteousness. A righteousness you cannot lose to sin. This is a confidence we have in the gospel. But how do we as people affirm the righteousness in Christ? And then Jesus says the Holy Spirit convicts the world of the right of judgment. Good thing He explained who is being judged: because the ruler of this world is judged.
Well, thank God He mentioned the devil being judged. Or else do you think that the Holy Spirit if He stops there of being judgment that we would think oh He’s judging us? No, we’re all – we have this propensity in us, condemning ourselves. Thank God Jesus explained. I think Jesus saw some of the difficulties Joseph came with him if He didn’t expand. So the thing is this. Why not convict the believer of prosperity? No, He doesn’t. He convicts the believer of righteousness. Why? That’s when you’re convinced you’re righteous by faith. Prosperity will come.
Now, this is how Jesus said it. In his sermon on the mount, Jesus said, therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ This is Matthew 6. For after all of these things the Gentiles seek. The non-believers, the non-Jews. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of these things. Do you know that God thinks you need all of these things? Amen. So this is what God wants from you in this line: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. All these things shall be what? Added to you. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Notice it’s His righteousness, not your righteousness or my righteousness. This righteousness is a gift. Your part is to use yoru faith to believe that you are righteous by Jesus’ blood. When you use your faith for that, all of these things will be added. The membership card is righteousness. The privileges are all added. Are you with me?
See, this is the message the Holy Spirit wants to convict us. And yet, the Church world today doesn’t understand still about this gift of righteousness. Romans 5:17, let’s read it: By the one man’s offense – that’s Adam – death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. That’s why Pastor Priests love to preach on the abundance of grace. Say, Pastor Priest you preach too much on grace, that’s why I preach abundance of grace. And the gift of righteousness, because these two gifts is what causes the believer to reign in life. To reign in life. Because when you reign in life, your addictions don’t. When you reign in life, your bad habits don’t. When you reign in life, disease don’t. When you reign in life, the devil doesn’t. Who wants to reign in life?
Reigning in life is not achieved. It’s not something achieved. It is those who receive. This is what is receive, in Greek; the New Testament is written in Greek. It’s in the present active participle. Say present. Present tense is what? Now, continuing. Now. It’s not past tense; it’s not future tense. It’s now. Active is what? You’ve got to do it. Participle. In other words, your receiving must be active. All the time. Present tense. In other words, keep on keeping on receiving the gift of righteousness. It’s not just one time you’re saved or whatever. It’s not the same. Every day you need to receive these two gifts, abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. Especially when you fail. Because that’s the time when it really matters. When the Bible in the New Testament mentions righteousness, it is always in reference to the gift of righteousness, unveiled through the gospel. Unless it’s talking about self-righteousness. The only other type of righteousness is self-righteousness, produced by man’s voice. But there’ll be those who try to hook-win you by saying it’s good you have the gift of righteousness but you also must have practical righteousness.
Now, there’s practical holiness. For example if you believe you are righteous by faith, one day there comes a time when you stop smoking and that’s practical holiness. There comes a time when a desire to not want to do that kind of thing comes. That’s practical holiness but it’s not something that’s practical righteousness. Righteousness is a gift that everyone receives when you receive Jesus. And you have to keep on keeping on receiving the gift for your own sake, to remind yourself you’re always righteous. Are you listening?
For example, and I’ll close with this, the Apostle Paul cares so much about his Jewish people, the nation of Israel, he said these words. He said in Romans 10, Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. Alright?
So how many agree that Israel, the Jewish people, have a zeal? I mean, look at the way they celebrate their feast, the way they keep the laws, the way they pray at the Western Wall. Even at night when you have a video cam on the Western Wall, there’s a website in Hebrew there, at night, right in the middle of the night, they are still praying on the Western Wall. You can’t fault them for zeal; they pray longer than many of us. So, Paul says when it comes to zeal they have a zeal for God. But, not according to knowledge. Okay.
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness – now, what is God’s righteousness? It’s the gift of righteousness. They’re being ignorant of the gift that came to their messiah. That’s why we must preach to them so that their ignorance shall be no more. Alright. They’re ignorant of God’s righteousness. And seeking to establish their own righteousness – now, isn’t that what they call practical righteousness? By doing that, they have not submitted to the righteousness of God, which is a gift of righteousness. Can you see that?
The moment you try to establish practical righteousness, bang, you’re out of the gift of righteousness. Let me explain. Look up here. You cannot be both. You cannot say I am righteous by Jesus’ blood and I am righteous by my performance. You cannot. Are you listening?
People are concerned about blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and grieving the Holy Spirit. Do you know that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is something a Priest cannot every commit? It is something that a Pharisees committed because they see Jesus in the flesh and they say that what He did was by the devil. And Jesus says this sin has no forgiveness. Now, in Paul’s letters to the Church there is no unforgiven sin. That means that this sin is committed by those unbelievers who continuously – notice that word – and always reject Jesus Christ. Okay? Don’t worry about unpardonable sin because when I was a young Priest I was so worried about this that I committed this sin. You did not commit this sin. You cannot commit this sin. Once you are in sin you cannot commit this sin. Okay? Is that okay?
That brings us to the last one, what about grieving the Holy Spirit? So let’s look at this verse and then we’ll finish with this reading about the Holy Spirit. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Now, some Christians will tell you, and especially some leaders will tell you this, you know, they use the Holy Spirit’s grieving for everything under the sun. Oh he’s got long hair; I’m grieved. I think the Holy Spirit is grieved. This lady got too much makeup; oh I feel grief. Do you feel grief when you see that lady’s face? Yes, I feel grief. You are jealous of a lady’s beauty, all right. And I’ve seen this, anything they don’t like, I’m grief, I’m grief, I’m grief, I’m grief. You want to see grief, come here. No, no.
(Laughter).
Let me tell you this. Alright. This has nothing to do with the Bible or grieving of the Holy Spirit. Look at the context. This is ‘and do not grieve.’ And is what? Tied up with the previous verse. So let’s look at the previous verse. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart what? Grace to the hearers.
Now, whatever words come out of your mouth that is not unearned or undeserved favor for your listener – alight, whatever’s not grace grieves the Holy Spirit. For example, God’s people are a new creation. You would see the Church today are so filthy. So dirty. That grieves the Holy Spirit. How dare you talk about that of His right for whom He died? He washed her with His blood. And what He washes, He washes clean. How dare we slander another brother or another sister? That grieves the Holy Spirit. Because that is what was used by Jesus one time, or used on Jesus one time.
In Mark 3:5 in the Synagogue. When Jesus looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts. Do you see what happened with the Pharisees? They saw a man whose hand was withered. And the guy desperately needs healing. And they were all looking at Jesus to see whether He would heal. You know something, some of the descendants are still around. And they’re always looking at whether you’re gracious or not. They have a problem with grace; they really have a problem with grace. Then Jesus looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts. Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.
Now watch this. What grieves Jesus? You will never find it. I challenge you. You will never find it. He’s grieved with the prostitutes. Never. You will never find He was grieved with the tax collectors. Never. You’ll never find he was grieved with the drunkards. Never. Look through the gospels. The only time it says Jesus was grieved it was found here. He was grieved at the lack of grace. The same word grief is used by the Holy Spirit. To not grieve the Holy Spirit. It is the same word. Same word used. Did not grief the Holy Spirit. What grieves Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. It’s lack of grace. Isn’t that interesting? Whenever you’re not gracious, and what is gracious? It means you’re saying a thing to someone that they don’t deserve. In a natural. All of us, we are righteous. We are clean. And that’s how we [muffled] from one another. The bride groom looks at you and you know how he calls you that you are all together lovely. There is no spot in you. That’s how Jesus sees you. And if somebody comes along and says that He calls himself a Priest. He’s a lousy Priest. He’s a dirty fellow. And these are things that are taught in the body of Christ. And once you’re saved, you are hopelessly, helplessly, irreversibly righteous. There’s no hope for you here. You can never be unrighteous. Do you understand?
Okay. Turn to your neighbor, smile and say, I am convicted of righteousness. Give Jesus the praise. Come on, Hallelujah.
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Separately, for your gift of any size to the ministry this month, Joseph Prince Ministries would like to bless you with Joseph Princes’ latest 3-CD audio series titled Renewed Transformed & Blessed.
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Joseph Prince: It’s not just enough to hear the word. Whatever you hear, get ahold of what speaks to you and meditate. Chew on it. Mutter it under your breath. Memorize the verse and mutter it. And during the week, bring it up again. Because when you meditate on God’s word, you become a success. You prosper.
By grace you meditate, and when you meditate it brings more grace. Hallelujah. Grace upon grace upon grace upon grace. That reminds me of a verse in John 1:16. And of Jesus’ fullness we have all received and grace for grace. The whole objective for coming to Church is to prosper your inside, long before you see it outside.
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