THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The difference that the Holy Spirit makes in the lives of those He fills is immeasurable. He fills Believers with a power that is inconceivable to the human mind. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is BIBLICAL and was promised to the disciples by Jesus Himself.
Luke 24:49 AMP – [Listen carefully: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high.”]
This promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 and is still manifest for Believers TODAY!
Acts 2:1-4 – [ When the day of [Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place, and suddenly a sound came from heaven like a rushing violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. There appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were being distributed [among them], and they rested on each one of them [as each person received the Holy Spirit]. And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [clearly and appropriately].
Sharing on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit during PART 3 of her series, Sanita Ioapo-Tuala explained, “The primary purpose of the baptism with the Holy Spirit is to make us witnesses for Jesus Christ. We need this experience to enable us to preach the Gospel with full power to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons. It enables us to fulfil the great commission, not to be MERE WITNESSES, BUT EXTRAORDINARY WITNESSES!”
“Anyone can ask for and receive the Holy Spirit into their heart as their Helper and guide to the truth. God willingly gives to all who obey Him, who seek to be disciples of Jesus and follow Him on the way. He opened through the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 5:32; Hebrews 10:20) But it is what you do through the Spirit once He dwells in you that changes your life.”
1. HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS US TO WALK & PREACH IN POWER
God wants to transform ordinary men into extraordinary witnesses (Acts 4:13)!
In the book of Acts, the Apostles healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons and cleansed the lepers with boldness and authority. The Holy Spirit gave Apostle Peter the boldness, the authority that he had not possessed naturally until then. If that is what the Spirit can do in a person in a day, imagine the results in the life of a person who lives each day obedient to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
2. HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS US TO OVERCOME THE LUSTS & DEEDS OF THE FLESH
Holy Spirit not only empowered the disciples to perform miracles, signs and wonders but He also empowers you and I to overcome sin in our life. We all have certain sins that we have struggled to put to death in our life. Holy Spirit in us overcomes the lusts and deeds of the flesh. When you choose to receive the Spirit of the living God, He will empower you to overcome!
3. HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US THE GIFT OF SPEAKING IN OTHER TONGUES
When we are baptised with the Holy Spirit, we are given the gift of ‘speaking in tongues’ which is the gift of speaking in a language not known to us personally.
(Acts 2:4 – all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.)
As we pray in tongues the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. Often we do not know how we should pray but the Holy Spirit helps us and makes intercession through us with groaning which cannot be uttered.
(Romans 8:26 AMP– In the same way, the Spirit comes to us and helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself knows our need and at the right time intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groaning too deep for words.)
Sanita continued, “I love talking about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit because it has done so much for me and is one of the greatest testimonies in my own life. When we talk about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit – we are talking about accepting Holy Spirit immersed into your life.
You can’t accept or receive something in your life if you firstly don’t know about it. You can’t invite Holy Spirit if you don’t have any idea of who He is. He is omnipotent – all powerful, omnipresent – all present, omniscient – all knowing. He is the Spirit of the living God!
In our Christian walk, we cannot accept everything else and deny the Spirit of God. You cannot accept everything else and deny the POWER! To deny the Holy Spirit is to deny God.
(John 4:24 – God is spirit and His worshipers must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.)
All those who receive the Holy Spirit and live in obedience to Him are a part of the same Church that was started on the day of Pentecost! This obedience transforms your life.
If you are not faithful to obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit in your heart, the Spirit can be quenched.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:19 -22 AMP – Do not quench, subdue or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of the Holy Spirit.)
You can watch Sanita’s full message on the replay here: https://www.facebook.com/supernaturalfellowship/videos/473946657146584
28/04/21
IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS
Accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, along with true repentance – are the basics of Christianity and as Believers in Christ, everything we believe revolves around these keys. At times it seems that we can become too familiar with these basics, but the fact of the matter is that these keys, though simple, carry much weight as they are the foundation of our faith.
There is no Christianity without Jesus Christ and He is the Core of who we are and what we stand for.
Last Wednesday, Sanita Ioapo-Tuala shared PART 2 of her series on ‘Restoring Power Back to the Church’. Her message addressed the need of the Body of Christ to go back to the basics of our faith. She reminded us that the foundation of our faith is centered on Jesus.
She said, “Who is Jesus Christ? What do we know about Jesus, and what does He mean to you?
We live in a generation where tolerance for certain things is becoming more acceptable each day. We can get to the point where we are accepting anything that comes along the way. It’s right about time that we need to know the real Jesus who we serve!”
Sanita explained that if we are not truly rooted in Christ especially through the Word, we can be blown about by every wind of thought or opinion in the world. It is Jesus who has the authority and power. His name is the key that gives us access to healing, deliverance, freedom, wholeness, restoration, etc.
Matthew 16: 15-16 AMP – [ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the living God.”]
Sanita added, “Having grown up in a ’Christian’ nation, I can tell you that there is big difference between knowing of Jesus and having a personal relationship with Jesus! Know your Jesus! Many people view Christianity as just attending church, but true Christianity is the ongoing relationship between a Believer and Jesus Christ. No one is saved through the faith of others, you cannot be saved by the decision of your parents, family or friends, or even through good works that you may have done. Scripture clearly says that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ!”
Ephesians 2:8-9 AMP- [ For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; 9 not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].
Romans 3:22-24 AMP- [This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son]. There is no distinction, since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus,]
“In this time and age there are so many ‘ways’ that we are presented with, but the truth stands that Jesus is the ONLY WAY. If you have been struggling with life, if you have been looking for a way – I want to present to you THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE – Jesus Christ.”
John 14:5-6 AMP – [ Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; so how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.]
“There are many of us who have been living a lie, and at times that lie sounds so good. If up to this point you have been living life without a personal relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior, I’m sorry to tell you that you have been living a lie. You have been lied to because Jesus is the only truth!
If you have been drowning, trying to find the meaning of your life – I have good news! Give Jesus a try! I guarantee you; you will not regret it!”
You can watch Sanita’s complete message on the live replay here:
https://www.facebook.com/supernaturalfellowship/videos/2807625729492085
21/04/21
RESTORE POWER TO THE CHURCH
We have heard testimonies of miraculous healings, dead people raised to life, lepers cleansed, demons expelled and the great signs and wonders that occurred in the early Church, as well as through great men and women of God in Church history.
But how often do we see these powerful signs promised to the believers, actually manifest in our daily life?
This was the question that Sanita Ioapo Tuala addressed in Part 1 of her series last Wednesday.
She said, “The Great Commission (Mathew 10:7-8) tells us to preach the Good News, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons, Amen! If we are not seeing it, then it needs to be restored. We need to desire it because this is what is available to us as the Body of Christ! It is the POWER of the Holy Spirit that activates the Great Commission!
Why do we need the POWER to return to the Church? Because people are dying. People are tormented day in and day out by unclean spirits! The sick are still sick and what are we doing about it?
We speak about it, we read about it, but where is it? To some people this is ‘101 Christianity’, but the truth is that Authority and Power has been given to the Church, to the Body of Christ!”
[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 NKJV
[And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.] -Luke 10:18-19 NKJV
“The same power of the Holy Spirit that was upon Peter in Acts 5 verses 15-16, which was enough for his shadow to heal people, is the SAME Holy Spirit with us today! Peter didn’t even need to touch them, his passing shadow was enough! As I pressed in for this message, I was so challenged!
If Jesus wanted his first disciples to wait on in Jerusalem until they received the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49), what makes you and I think that we can do so much without the power of Holy Spirit?
What saddens me about our people (of Samoa) is that we would rather believe in witchcraft, than in God’s healing power. Many believe a demon heals, but the moment you talk about the healing of the Holy Spirit, it’s like blasphemy!
If you believe that the dark side has power, why can’t you believe that there is power in the ONE TRUE GOD?
The other problem is that for so long the Church has shut off the power, for so long we haven’t allowed Holy Spirit in, that the people are now running to the other side looking for remedies.
The great man of God – Smith Wigglesworth once said, “I believe in the blessings of Pentecost, but I also believe in the POWER of Pentecost!”
I’ve know many people who say that the power ended with the 12 Apostles. But was the Apostle Paul one of the 12? Was Barnabus one of the 12? Was Silus one of the 12?
In my Bible above Acts 5:12-16 there is a subtopic that says, ‘Power in the Church’. And I want to highlight what the scripture below it reads:
[And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,] -Acts 5:12-14 NKJV
“See, people came and were drawn to the power. They weren’t drawn to Peter! And they were being added to the Kingdom!
Have you ever shared with someone about how God loves them or that Jesus came to die for them, and all of a sudden they breakdown and repent? They did not cry because you had a nice sermon or that you are too beautiful to behold! They cried because the power had come upon them and activated the message, and the Holy Spirit brought forth the conviction.
Have you ever prayed for the sick and they were healed? It’s not because of you or I, it’s the power of the Holy Spirit!
In Luke 24:49, there was such an emphasis by Jesus on the need to wait until they received the power of the Holy Spirit. Why was this? Why was it so important to Jesus?
I believe it’s because Jesus knew that in order for the Gospel to go out to the ends of the earth, the disciples needed the power of Holy Spirit. They needed it so as to not operate from their flesh and carnality, and so they would not spread the Gospel in their own strength.”
The Gospel of Christ was never limited to just mere words, but as affirmed by Apostle Paul – [And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.] -I Corinthians 2:4-5 NKJV
“The Good news of Jesus Christ is not the good words or preaching, but the MANIFESTATION of the POWER of God! Let me reassure you that the same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is the same Spirit in you!”
As Sanita expounds on this teaching & message of exhortation over the next two Wednesdays’, she will dive into THREE KEYS to ‘restoring power back to the Church’.
These keys are:
1. Accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour – TRUE REPENTANCE
2. Receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit – EMPOWERMENT
3. Death to thy self! – SURRENDER & YIELD
You can also watch this on replay here: https://www.facebook.com/supernaturalfellowship/videos/282331186807634/
14/04/21
