Receiving the Promise of GOD.

“Have you received God’s promise? If you haven’t, consider that you won’t enter into rest. Christ, who became a curse for us, redeemed us from the curse of the law, as it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’ This happened so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promised 1 Spirit.

Which Spirit? And what was the promise? Jesus explained about this promise:

‘And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are endowed with power from on high.’ Here also, Jesus spoke about the promise. And after he had met with them, he commanded them, ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the 2 Holy Spirit.’

Here Peter is also speaking about the promise. Peter stood up with the Eleven and lifted up his voice and said, ‘Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give ear to my words. 3 For these people are not drunk as you suppose, 4 for it is only nine in the morning. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘“‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my servants, both men and women, 5 in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.”’

Has this promise been fulfilled in your lives, as it was on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the one hundred and twenty, and they began to speak in other tongues? Or has it been fulfilled in the lives of the Gentiles, as when the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and his household? Or has it been fulfilled in the lives of the twelve men in Ephesus? If not, then obey the word and receive the promised Holy Spirit as Joel the prophet said.

We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. Those who have not received the Holy Spirit and do not speak in tongues are not obedient to God’s word, for Jesus himself said, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents 6 with their hands; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 7 If you do not have these signs, then you are not a believer. These signs are proof of God’s promise.

If you do not believe Jesus’ words, then Paul said, “God will punish such people with everlasting destruction and shut them out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” Jesus said in Mark 16:17-18 that these signs will accompany believers. If you don’t believe this, you will be punished. Paul said, “For this is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, when he will be glorified in his holy ones and regarded as wonderful among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.”

Paul is saying that you have not believed our testimony. What testimony was Paul giving? When Paul was establishing the church, he asked the twelve men who had been baptized by John, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Did your pastor ask you this question when he was establishing the church? If not, ask him. Paul baptized them and laid his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Did your pastor lay hands on you? Did the Holy Spirit come on you? Did you speak in tongues? This is Paul’s testimony. Read it and follow it in your life. And test your pastors and preachers…*

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