Receiving the Power of the Holy Spirit

To be baptized with (or in) the Holy Spirit

December 1, 2018

D.P. Weary

The difference between the filling of the Holy Spirit  (being born again by the Holy Spirit) and the Baptism or covering with the Holy Spirit (being endued with the power of the Holy Spirit).

The disciples are born again.

[John 20:19-23 NASB] 19 So when it was evening on that day, the first [day] of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace [be] with you." 20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace [be] with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 "If you forgive the sins of any, [their sins] have been forgiven them; if you retain the [sins] of any, they have been retained."

          Receive the Holy Spirit: Jesus gave His disciples the Holy Spirit, bringing new life and the ability to carry out their mission. It seems John noted a deliberate connection between this breathing on the disciples and when at creation God breathed life into man. This was a work of re-creation, even as God breathed life into the first man. This is where the disciples were born again. (Guzik) (Note: 10 disciples were present here)

The disciples and other believers are baptized with (or in) the Holy Spirit.

 [Act 1:4-5, 8 NKJV] 4 And being assembled together with [them], He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," [He said], "you have heard from Me; 5 "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." ... 8 "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." (The 11 disciples)

[Act 2:1-4, 16-18 NKJV] 1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and [one] sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. ...

16 "But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.

          The Promise of the Father - Being baptized or covered over with (immersed in) the Holy Spirit is a gift the power of the Holy Spirit to equip believers to be God’s witnesses in all the earth.

          “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit: The idea of being baptized is to be immersed or covered over in something; even as John baptized people in water, so these disciples would be “immersed” in the Holy Spirit. It may be more useful to describe the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a condition than as an experience. We should perhaps ask, “Are you baptized in the Holy Spirit?” instead of asking, “Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit?” (Guzik)

The difference between the filling of the Holy Spirit and the Baptism (or covering) with the Holy Spirit.

“The difference between the filling of the Holy Spirit and the Baptism, or covering with the Holy Spirit. The filling of the Holy Spirit is just as the word implies. Your life is filled with the Holy Spirit. This takes place at conversion. This is what being born again is all about. It is being born of the Spirit into the new life of the Spirit. The idea of baptism is that of being immersed, covered, and overflowing.  Thus, Jesus wants to immerse you, cover you, and overflow you with the Holy Spirit.  The purpose of the baptism with the Holy Spirit is to give you the power to be a witness of Jesus Christ. It was seven days after Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem that the Holy Spirit came upon the waiting believers.” (Smith)

           “There are three Greek prepositions that refer to the different relationships that the believer has with the Holy Spirit.

1. Para: "He is with you."

          a. With us to convict us of our sinful state.

          b. With us to draw us to Jesus Christ as the only answer.

2. En: The same as our English in.

          a. Dwelling in your body.

3. Epi: Over, upon, overflowing.

          a. Flowing out of your life like a torrent of living water.”

          (Smith)

The Holy Spirit comes upon about 120 disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem:  

[Acts 1:13-15 NKJV] 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James [the son] of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas [the son] of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. 15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, (about 109 believers and the 11 disciples)

          The ten disciples were born again in John 20:22. In Acts 1:4-8 they were told to wait in Jerusalem for the “promise of the Father”, the gift of the power of the Holy Spirit. There were about 120 believers in the upper room there in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost when they were baptized or immersed in the power of the Holy Spirit. There is a question as to just when the other 110 believers were “born again”. Because they did already believe that Jesus is Lord, is the Son of God, and is the Messiah (their savior), and had openly confessed their belief, were they already “born again of the Spirit” or did this occur here on this Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon them? (Romans 10:8-11, John 1:12-13, 3:3-6, 1 Peter 1:23, Acts 16:31, 1 Cor 12:3, 1 John 4:16) It is not unreasonable to assume that the other about 109 believers/disciples were “born again” sometime after Christ’s resurrection because of their faith and confession, but before this gathering on the Day of Pentecost. It is also not unreasonable to see that these could have been “born again” at the same time as the gift of the power of the Holy Spirit was given to them on this Day of Pentecost. As we shall see, there is no fixed formula or pattern for this “baptism with the Holy Spirit”. Scripture will tell us that there is a variety of experiences, methods, and ways by which the people received the gift of the Holy Spirit, or the filling of the Holy Spirit, or the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Yet it is something that all believers need and should seek.

The believers in Samaria receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

[Act 8:5, 12, 14-20 NKJV] 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. ... 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. ... 14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, "Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!        

          “For as yet He had fallen upon none of them”: "Obviously, there was a subsequent experience with the Holy Spirit that these Samaritan believers did not know until the apostles came and ministered to them. They laid hands on them: Often, the empowering and filling of the Holy Spirit is received as hands are laid on a person and prayer is offered for them (Acts 9:17, 1 Timothy 4:14, 2 Timothy 1:6). We should always be ready to receive whatever special graces and gifts God has to give us through the laying on of hands. They received the Holy Spirit: We don’t know exactly how this was evident. Perhaps certain spiritual gifts were manifested (1 Corinthians 12:7-10). Whatever the Samaritans experienced, it seems to have been more than the “regular” bestowal of the Holy Spirit at salvation. This is a filling of the Holy Spirit we should always desire and seek.” (Guzik)

The house of Cornelius receives the Holy Spirit.

 [Act 10:43-47 NKJV] 43 "To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we [have]?" The Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples in Ephesus.

          “Salvation came when each one of these Gentiles responded to Peter’s message with believing faith in their hearts, so that they were actually born again as they listened and believed. Their filling with the Holy Spirit was accompanied by the demonstration of spiritual gifts. This was a filling with the Holy Spirit in two senses: First, in the sense that He indwells and abides in every believer; second, in the sense of a special empowering with gifts and graces from the Holy Spirit.  When they spoke with tongues, it was to magnify God, not to teach men. The audience was God, not man, as is consistent with the principle of 1 Corinthians 14:2. This was unique. It was not common in the Book of Acts or in subsequent Christian experience for those who were not previously converted (born again) to instantly be born again and receive such evident spiritual gifts. Yet it was good and even necessary on this occasion, to show that they received the exact same Spirit, the exact same blessing as the apostles and first followers of Jesus did on the morning of Pentecost (Acts 2).” (Guzik)

 “The Gentiles are brought into an exactly parallel position, not merely with normal Jews (or even Samaritans) who had believed on Jesus, but with the apostles themselves.” (Boice)

The Holy Spirit comes upon the believers in Ephesus.

 [Act 19:1-6 NKJV] 1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." 3 And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." 4 Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." 5 When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

          “Apparently there was something about these disciples that prompted this question from Paul. We don’t have any indication that it was his custom to ask people if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed. ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit’. By their reply, these Ephesian disciples showed they didn’t know much about God’s nature as revealed in Jesus. They knew enough to be saved and to be students of Jesus (they were called disciples), but they didn’t know much about all Jesus did for us, especially in His promise to send the Holy Spirit when He ascended to heaven. These Ephesian disciples sensed their need to get right with God, and knew the answer was in God’s Messiah – but they had gone no further than that. They need to go all the way, to trust in everything Jesus is and everything He had done, and to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. These Ephesian disciples had only a basic understanding of the Messiah Jesus and His ministry, only what could be gained through the message of John the Baptist. They were in the same place as Apollos before Aquila and Priscilla explained the way of God more accurately (Acts 18:24-26).” (Guzik)

24Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor a and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

“Have ye then received the Spirit since you believed? Beloved, are you now receiving the Spirit? Are you living under his divine influence? Are you filled with his power? Put the question personally. I am afraid some professors will have to admit that they hardly know whether there be any Holy Ghost; and others will have to confess that though they have enjoyed a little of his saving work, yet they do not know much of his ennobling and sanctifying influence.” (Spurgeon)

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WHAT DOES THE SCRIPTURE TEACH ABOUT THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT (by Chuck Smith)

A. Note baptism in the Holy Spirit.

B. When John was baptizing at the Jordan River, he declared to the people, "There is one who is coming after me, Who is mightier than I, and He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."

          1. The difference between the baptism of John and the baptism with the Holy         Spirit.

                     a. John was the baptizer, the water was the element, and repentance from                    sin was the issue.

                     b. With the baptism in the Holy Spirit, Jesus is the Baptizer, the Holy Spirit                          is the element, and power to witness is the issue.

          2. Jesus had told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father that Had been speaking to them about, for John did indeed baptize with water unto repentance, but they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit in a few days, and they would receive power after the Holy Spirit had come upon them and would be witnesses unto Him both in Jerusalem, all Judea, and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.

          3. This baptism was to be subsequent to their believing, for they already believed, and had been regenerated, for Jesus breathed on them earlier as John recorded and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

C. In the section that we have before us tonight, it is quite obvious that Samaritans had believed the gospel of Jesus Christ, and were baptized. We are told that in verse 12.

            Act 8:12 But when they believed the preaching of Philip concerning the things of     the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men      and women.

          1. They however had not yet received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. For when the church in Jerusalem had heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

D. The baptism of the Holy Spirit seems to be identified with this Greek preposition epi. You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon (epi) you. As yet the Holy Spirit had not come upon (epi). In chapter 10, at the house of Cornelius

[Act 10:44-47 NKJV] 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we [have]?"

[Act 19:1-6 NKJV] 1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." 3 And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." 4 Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." 5 When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

          1. I believe that the scriptures differentiate between the Holy Spirit dwelling in your life and the Holy Spirit flowing out of your life. And the sign often was their speaking in tongues.

          2. [Jhn 7:38 NKJV] 38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

Further commentary on the baptism of the Holy Spirit by Chuck Smith:

“Now as we have looked at these cases in the Book of Acts, what we have observed is that there was a variety of experiences, methods, and ways by which the people received the gift of the Holy Spirit, or the filling of the Holy Spirit, or the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 2, they were all sitting there, when suddenly there was a noise from heaven that sounded like a mighty rushing wind filling all the house. There were cloven tongues, like as of fire, sitting upon each of them. And they all began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them the ability.

In Acts 8, the gift of the Holy Spirit was imparted by the laying on of hands by Paul and by John. It is interesting that this was not done by Philip, who was an evangelist and used mightily of God in working miracles. But Philip was not used of God in the imparting of the Holy Spirit. And we will talk about that in subsequent lessons.

In Acts 9, the Holy Spirit was imparted to Paul by an average believer. Ananias? Who is he? He was not an apostle. He was just a certain disciple in Damascus, but really not of any spiritual hierarchy. Ananias was just a common believer in Damascus.

Now the Holy Spirit was imparted to those in Samaria when Peter and John laid their hands on them. Yet there is no mention of any supernatural phenomena accompanying their being filled. However as we pointed out, there obviously was something that occurred, though the Scripture does not record it; or else Simon would not have sought that power.

When Paul received the Holy Spirit, there was the healing of the blindness that took place at the same time. But there was no mention of any other supernatural phenomena accompanying his receiving the Holy Spirit. However, it should be mentioned that later when Paul was writing to the Corinthians about the gifts of the Spirit, he declared that he did speak in tongues more than all of them.

In Acts 10, Peter did not get a chance to lay hands on them. While he was speaking, suddenly his message was interrupted by the Holy Spirit, who just fell upon them and they began to speak in tongues. As Peter was speaking to them, there was just that sovereign move of God's Spirit, and this empowering, this filling of the Spirit.

In Acts 19, when Paul was there in Ephesus, again he laid his hands on them and they spoke in tongues, and they prophesied. So that in all of the illustrations that we have of the infilling of the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts, there are no two identical experiences. There was not a repeated experience recorded. In every scriptural passage that was identified, the closest thing was perhaps the experience of the house of Cornelius with the disciples. But there was no mighty rushing wind and no cloven tongues of fire. They were just speaking in tongues, which says to me, that God is not bound by a particular method or by a particular way.

God can do things as He wants to do them and we are wrong in trying to pattern our experience after somebody else. We are wrong to look for the same kind of an experience that someone else has had. And I think that there is a real danger of this in the church. God deals with us as individuals according to our own nature and according to our own temperaments. You cannot formulize God and say, "Well now, do this and lay your hand there, and touch this spot. I mean, there is no formula. God is sovereign.

There are people who have testified of their experiences and I accept their testimony as legitimate. I am not going to disclaim what they are saying. Finney described these waves of liquid love that just kept flowing over and over him, until he had to shout out to God crying, "God, stop! I cannot take any more." Now that is wonderful, and that is glorious, and that is how Finney experienced the baptism with the Holy Spirit. But it does not mean that is the way you are going to experience it or that I am going to experience it. And you see, the danger is to hear someone else's experience or to read about someone else's experience and think that such an experience is what happens or that is how you are going to feel.

I have heard people talk about how they felt like there was electricity going through their body from the top of their head and out through their toes or something. Well, that is great. I have never experienced that. I was struck by lightening once and I felt like there was electricity going through me, but I would not attribute that to the Holy Spirit. It was a bolt of lightening and I was laid on the ground by it. But their experience is wonderful!

I am not discounting the experience of others, but I am saying that not everybody has that experience and it is wrong to look for a particular experience. Because when you are looking for a particular experience, then the tendency is to put your faith in the experience rather than in the promise of the Word of God. And so often, when you are looking for a particular experience that someone else had-because God does not follow a pattern-it may be that you will not have that kind of an experience. This does not mean that God is not working in your life. It does not mean that you are not filled with the Holy Spirit because you did not have the similar experience that someone else had.

And so God shows us in the Book of Acts that there is a wide variety of ways by which He operates in the lives of individuals. And it does not follow a consistent pattern all the way through; rather there seems to be a total inconsistency of the way God did it all the way through the Bible. Experiencing the gift of the Holy Spirit was never exactly the same; and thus, the testimony of scripture leaves room for you to experience God in your own personal way. God is not bound to a formula.

Thus, my suggestion to you is just to be totally open to whatever and however God wants to work in your life. You should not look for a particular sensation, not look for a particular gift, not look for a particular reaction or a response. But just be open to let God work and to do however He desires through the imparting of this glorious gift upon your life. It may be that it will be through the laying on of hands by someone-one of the pastors, or one of the laymen in the church, as it was with Paul. It may be that no one will lay their hands on you, as was the case in Acts 2, when the believers were just all sitting together-and notice they were sitting. And I have heard of people who were standing, and I have heard of people who were lying on the floor. It does not matter-even lying in bed. God is not bound to one particular way.

And just open your heart. As Peter was preaching in the house of Cornelius, the hearts of the people were opened by the Spirit. The Spirit was bearing witness of the truth to their hearts. And as their hearts were opened by faith, they were receiving the Word of God. And as they were receiving the Word, the Holy Spirit just came upon them and it was beautiful!

So just be open. Do not try to pattern God. Do not look for a particular experience, but just receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Receive that power-that dynamic power in your life to be what God wants you to be. Receive the power to be a true witness for Jesus Christ in this world.

Shall we pray?

Father, we need, we desire, and we long for the power of Your Holy Spirit in our lives. And we thank You that You have promised that if we ask anything according to Your will, then we have received those things that we have asked of You. We know that it is Your will that we be filled with the Spirit, because it is Your command. And thus, Lord, we ask that we might receive. We seek that we might find that power-that dynamic. And as You work Lord, in Your own sovereign, special way, may we be open and may we receive, even in this moment. In Jesus' name. Amen. (Smith)

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“Have ye then received the Spirit since you believed? Beloved, are you now receiving the Spirit? Are you living under his divine influence? Are you filled with his power? Put the question personally. I am afraid some professors will have to admit that they hardly know whether there be any Holy Ghost; and others will have to confess that though they have enjoyed a little of his saving work, yet they do not know much of his ennobling and sanctifying influence.” (Spurgeon)

 If someone doesn’t seem to know if they have the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in their life, it’s fair to assume that they don’t have it. If you have it, you should know it. “Give a man an electric shock, and I warrant you he will know it; but if he has the Holy Ghost, he will know it much more.” (Spurgeon)  

This isn’t something to hope about; we can know – one can and should know they have been given the power of the Holy Spirit to live the life the Lord calls His disciples to live. His disciples can and should know the authority they have in Jesus’ name, and the power of the Holy Spirit to exercise that authority. And how can they know unless they are taught?

           The baptism with (or in) the Holy Spirit, this gift of the power of the Holy Spirit, is something all disciples need to fully live the life Christ calls us to live and to truly be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and even to the remotest parts of the earth.

          [Act 1:8 NASB] 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon         you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

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David Guzik is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara, California. Before that he served as director and teacher at Calvary Chapel Bible College, Germany, following more than 20 years of pastoral ministry. He currently serves now as the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara. 

Charles Ward "Chuck" Smith was an American pastor who founded the Calvary Chapel movement. Beginning with the 25-person Costa Mesa congregation in 1965, Smith's influence now extends to "more than 1,000 churches nationwide and hundreds more overseas", some of which are among the largest churches in the United States. Pastor Chuck Smith was best known for his expository style of preaching, as he unpacked the truths of Scripture while working his way through the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. These teachings are still being broadcast daily around the world on his radio program The Word for Today. He founded and pastored Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, California, in the late 1960’s and faithfully served there until October 3, 2013, when he entered into the eternal presence of our Lord. 

Charles Spurgeon was one of the most evangelical and puritan of protestant minister's in the 19th century. These charismatic and inspiring sermons are enough to encourage, convict and inspire anyone who seeks a closer and more intimate relationship with God. Charles Haddon Spurgeon was an English Particular Baptist preacher. Spurgeon remains highly influential among Christians of various denominations, among whom he is known as the "Prince of Preachers".

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The Issue of Authority and the Power to Enforce the Authority (by D.P. Weary)

  God originally gave mankind the authority over all the earth.  Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."  When mankind (Adam and Eve) disobeyed God and obeyed the devil in the Garden of Eden they gave this authority away to Satan.  Obedience creates authority.  It cost God His son's life to take this authority back from the devil.  This is the power of the cross; the power of the Blood of God spilled at Calvary.

1.     What happened to us at the cross?

·       He delivered us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of Light - Col. 1:13-14.

·       He gave us the power to live the life He called us to live - 1 Jn. 4:4.

·       He gave us back authority to exercise on the earth -Lk. 10:19.

·       We exercise our authority by obedience.  Legal authority must become exercised authority.

·       In the book of Acts, God gave us the power to exercise our legal authority.  We must activate our will and choose to exercise our authority.  We must pursue the enemy, confront the enemy, and finally “arrest” the enemy.  It is the dunamis power of God that is within that is the power to enforce Jesus’ victory on the cross.

 [Act 1:4-5, 8 NASB] 4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," [He said,] "you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." ... 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

[Acts 2:3-4 NASB] 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

2.     Now all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus.  He in turn now gives it to all those who are His disciples, His Bride, the sons and daughters of God in order that they can continue His work on earth; making disciples of all nations and destroying the works of the enemy.

·       Matthew 28:18-19 - Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

·        1 John 3:8 - He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. (NIV)

3.     The power and the right to exercise that power, which is authority, that has been released to the saints of God to use on earth is to be used for specific things.

·       It is authority over evil spirits, demons and the power of the enemy:  It is also authority over sickness and the authority to heal diseases. 

·       Matthew 10:1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

·       Luke 9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,

·       Luke 10:19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

·       Mark 6:7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.

·       Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

·       It is the authority to bind and to loose things on earth.

·       Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

·       It is the authority to encourage and build up the saints of God on earth.

·       2 Corinthians 10:8 For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

·       Titus 2:15 - These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

·       It is the power and authority to be His witnesses in all the earth.

·       Acts 1:8 -  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."   (Matt. 28:18-19)

4.  To those who are over comers and do His will to the end, He will give power and authority over the nations.

·       Revelation 2:26 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations -- (NIV)

·       The Church, Jesus' bride, is to rule and reign with Him as kings and priests.  Lk. 12:32, Rev. 3:21, 1 Cor. 6:2-3, Jn. 17:22, Rom. 8:17, 1 Pet. 2:9.

Becoming A Spiritual Warrior

Use this link for "Becoming A Spiritual Warrior".
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xDUiCsVBTdkqQTWGimwwVbJhJA2GE7U8/view?usp=sharing

A Study in the Book of Ephesians

A Study in the Book of Ephesians
Use this link to access the study.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13Atc24DFM-C2ep1RrbeRAdizDLOVn0GF/view?usp=sharing

The "Mysteries" of the Bible

The “Mysteries” of the Bible (4-6-2018, D.P. Weary)

The word mystery is used 22 times in the King James Bible and 28 times in the New American Standard Bible. These mysteries are truths that are in general hidden or secret.  They are hidden from some but revealed to others by the Holy Spirit of God. Even as we study these mysteries, some “will get it”, but to others they will still be confusing or unclear. Some will simply reject them as fables. Such is the “mystery” of the mysteries.

[Mat 13:10-17 NKJV] 10 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" 11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 "For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 "Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 "And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. [Their] ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with [their] eyes and hear with [their] ears, Lest they should understand with [their] hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.' 16 "But blessed [are] your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 "for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous [men] desired to see what you see, and did not see [it], and to hear what you hear, and did not hear [it].

In the Biblical sense, a mystery is simply a thing to be understood by spiritual, rather than by merely human perception. Paul will tell the Corinthian Christians (1 Cor 2) something they could not have known by reason or research. They could not have known this unless God revealed it to them.

  Guzik

The real mystery of all these “mysteries” is what do these mysteries have to do with the world we live in today, what do they mean for the true church today, and what do they mean for you personally? There are truths in these mysteries that are important to be applied to our lives today. Find them, apply them, find hope in them, and live by them.

[2Ti 3:16 NKJV] 16 All Scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

We will begin our study by finding all places in the Bible where something is actually called a “mystery”; places where the Hebrew word rawz is used and in the New Testament where the Greek word  mysterion is used.

In the Old Testament - Mystery: רָז râz, rawz; (Aramaic) from an unused root probably meaning to attenuate, i.e. (figuratively) hide; a mystery:—secret.

 [Dan 2:18 NASB] so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

[Dan 2:3 NASB] The king said to them, "I had a dream (the mystery) and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream."

[Dan 2:19 NASB] Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven;

[Dan 2:27 NASB] Daniel answered before the king and said, "As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king.

[Dan 2:30 NASB] "But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

[Dan 2:47 NASB] The king answered Daniel and said, "Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery."

1.    The first mystery: Dan 2:3, 18-47; the great image representing Bablyon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the 10 king/nation of the Antichrist.

b. Concerning this secret: Daniel had confidence that God could do an unprecedented miracle. Joseph had interpreted dreams with God’s help, but had not reconstructed the dreams.

c. Might not perish: Considering what was at stake, there is little doubt that their prayers were extremely earnest. God listens to earnest prayer.

3. (Dan 2:19) God reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its interpretation to Daniel.

Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

a. The secret was revealed to Daniel: This was not religion, but revelation. Daniel did not find it out, God revealed it to him.

i. Christianity begins with the principle of revelation. What we know about God is what He has revealed to us. We do actively seek Him, but we seek what He has revealed. Our job isn’t to figure things out about God, but to understand what He has revealed to us.

      Guzik

In this mystery we can search for the grammatical, literal, historical events, the story being told, the principles that are presented, the hints that are there, and then there are the mysteries that the Holy Spirit can reveal to us. What does this mystery mean for the world today? What does it mean personally to you today? All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. So how do we apply the truths in this mystery to our world today and to each of us personally?

[Dan 4:9 NASB] 'O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation.

[Dan 4:10 NASB] 'Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth and its height was great.

2.    The mystery: Dan 4:10-33; Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of his fall from power and wandering in a wilderness like an ox.

In order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men: Nebuchadnezzar heard these words in his dream. In light of this, the dream wasn’t hard to interpret – it clearly dealt with the humbling of a great king. No wonder none of Nebuchadnezzar’s counselors wanted to interpret the dream for him.

            i. Like most kings – ancient and modern – Nebuchadnezzar wanted to believe that he ruled instead of God or anyone else. “Both the Assyrian and the Babylonian kings thought of themselves as rulers over all the earth, so describing themselves in their inscriptions.” (Wood)

Nebuchadnezzar was given the opportunity to humble himself, and he did not. Now God humbled him, and the experience was much more severe than it would have been had Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself.

i. “Great men and princes are often represented, in the language of the prophets, under the similitude of trees, see Ezekiel 17:5-6; 31:3 and following; Jeremiah 22:15; Psalm 1:3; 37:35.” (Clarke)

What are the secrets in this mystery that are important to us today; to you today?

Now we turn to the New Testament.

In the New Testament -  Mystery: μυστήριον mystḗrion, moos-tay'-ree-on; from a derivative of μύω mýō (to shut the mouth); a secret or "mystery" (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites):—mystery.

[Mar 4:11 NASB] And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, 

3.    The mystery: The parable of the sower.

b. To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: Jesus would answer the disciples’ question about the parable, but first He would teach them why He used parables.

i. The disciples, who wanted the things of God, were given to know the mystery of the kingdom – they could be spoken to plainly. But others were often taught with parables.

ii. In the Bible, a mystery isn’t something you can’t figure out. It is something that you would not know unless God revealed it to you. In the Biblical sense of the idea, you may know exactly what a mystery is, yet it is still a mystery because you would not have known unless God revealed it.

iii. Notice that even with this “simple” parable, the disciples themselves do not understand (Mark 4:10, 4:13, 4:33, 4:34).

3. (Mar 4:13-20) Parable of the sower explained.

And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Guzik

Again, what are the secrets in this mystery that are important to us today; to you personally today?

[Rom 11:25 NASB] For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--

4.    The mystery: that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

 [Rom 11:26 NASB] and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB." [Rom 11:27 NASB] "THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS." [Rom 11:28 NASB] From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; [Rom 11:29 NASB] for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

b. Blindness in part has happened to Israel: Paul summarizes his point from Romans 11:11-24. God’s purpose in allowing blindness in part to come upon Israel is so that the fullness of the Gentiles can come in.

i. In part has the idea of “temporary”; Israel’s blindness is temporary. “One day the Jews will realize their blindness and folly. They’ll accept Jesus Christ, and the glorious national restoration of these people will bring in the Kingdom Age.” (Smith)

c. Until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in: At that time, God will once again turn the attention of His plan of the ages specifically on Israel again, so that all Israel will be saved. God’s plan of the ages does not set its attention on everyone equally through all ages.

  Guzik

How does this mystery affect you today?

[Rom 16:25 NASB] Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, [Rom 16:26 NASB] but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; [Rom 16:27 NASB] to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

5.    The mystery: The plan of redemption through Jesus to both Jew and Gentile.

b. According to the revelation of the mystery: Paul means this as the whole plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. Though God announced much of the plan previously through prophecy, its final outworking wasn’t evident until revealed by God through Jesus.

i. Now that the mystery has been revealed through the preaching of the gospel, God calls all nations to obedience to the faith.

c. To God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever: In this conclusion Paul reflects on the wisdom of God’s plan in the gospel and the fact that such wisdom is beyond man. God had a plan no man would come up with, but the wisdom and glory of the plan is evident.

i. If there is anything that the Book of Romans explains from beginning to end, it is the greatness and glory of this plan of God that Paul preached as a gospel – as good news. It’s entirely fitting that Paul concludes this letter praising the God of such a gospel.

ii. The good news Paul preached presented the God who chose to glorify Himself through the person and work of Jesus Christ, and who will glorify Himself that way forever. Amen!

            Guzik

How does understanding this mystery affect you today?

[1Co 2:6 NASB] Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;

[1Co 2:7 NASB] but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;

6.    The mystery: God’s hidden wisdom.

[1Co 2:8 NASB] the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;

[1Co 2:9 NASB] but just as it is written, "THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM."

[1Co 2:10 NASB] For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

 [1Co 2:11 NASB] For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

[1Co 2:12 NASB] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,

[1Co 2:13 NASB] which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.  

d. Why did the rulers of this age fail to recognize God’s wisdom? Because it came in a mystery; a “sacred secret” that could only be known by revelation. It is the hidden wisdom that is now revealed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which Paul preaches. (Guzik)

How has this wisdom of God affected you today?

[1Co 15:51 NASB] Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

7.    The mystery: The rapture and the new immortal bodies of believers.

[1Co 15:49 NASB] Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

[1Co 15:50 NASB] Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

[1Co 15:51 NASB] Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

[1Co 15:52 NASB] in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

[1Co 15:53 NASB] For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.

[1Co 15:54 NASB] But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.

c. I tell you a mystery: In the Biblical sense, a mystery is simply a thing to be understood by spiritual, rather than by merely human perception. Paul will tell the Corinthian Christians something they could not have known by reason or research. They could not have known this unless God revealed it to them.

d. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed: Since sleep is a softer way of describing the death of a believer, Paul tells us that not all Christians will die, but there will be a “final generation” who will be transformed into resurrection bodies at the return of Jesus before they ever face death.

e. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet... the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed: In a single moment, Jesus will gather His people (both dead and on the earth) to Himself, for resurrection.

i. Paul expressed the same idea again in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18. This remarkable, instant gathering of Christians unto Jesus in the clouds has been called the rapture, after the Latin word for caught up in1 Thessalonians 4:15-18.

ii. There will come a day when in God’s eternal plan, He gives those dead in the Lord their resurrection bodies, and then in an instant He gathers all His people to meet Jesus in the air. All the redeemed on the earth at that time will rise up to meet the Lord in the clouds, and will receive their resurrection bodies.

iii. What of the dead in Christ before that day? Are they lying in the grave, in some kind of soul sleep or suspended animation? No. Paul made it clear that to be absent from the body means to be present with the Lord(2 Corinthians 5:8). Either the present dead in Christ are with the Lord in a spiritual body, awaiting their final resurrection body; or because of the nature of timeless eternity, they have received their resurrection bodies already because they live in the eternal “now.”

            Guzik

This mystery is the hope set before many, is viewed very skeptically by some, and is ridiculed by others. What it is to you today?

[Eph 1:9 NASB] He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him

8.    The mystery: Eph 1:9-12 – The gathering together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on the earth.

a. Having made known to us the mystery of His will: Part of what belongs to us under the riches of His grace is the knowledge of the mystery of His will, God’s great plan and purpose which was once hidden but is now revealed to us in Jesus. Through the Apostle Paul, God called us to consider the greatness of God’s great plan for the ages and our place in that plan.

i. “In the New Testament sense a mystery is something which is hidden to the heathen but clear to the Christian.” (Barclay)

ii. The idea behind the word dispensation also reflects a plan or a strategy. “The plan which the master of a family, or his steward, has established for the management of the family… it signifies, also, a plan for the management of any sort of business.” (Clarke)

b. That… He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; in Him: God’s ultimate plan is to bring together — to ultimately resolve — all things in Christ, either through Jesus as a Savior or Jesus as a Judge; this will happen in thefullness of the times.

  Guzik

What does this “gathering together in one all things in Christ” mean to you personally?

 [Eph 3:3 NASB] that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.

[Eph 3:4 NASB] By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

[Eph 3:5 NASB] which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;

9.    The mystery: Eph 3:3-11; that Gentiles would be fellow heirs with the Jews of the covenants and promises of God.

            [Eph 3:6 NASB] to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of    the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, 

2. (Eph 3:6-7) The mystery described.

That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.

a. That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body: This describes the mystery itself – that believing Jews and believing Gentiles are joined together into one body of Christ, into one Church, and no longer separated before God as such.

b. Partakers of His promise in Christ: The truth of this mystery means that Gentiles are now full partakers of His promise. This was a privilege no longer reserved only for the believing Jewish person.

c. Through the gospel: This could only happen through the gospel, where all men have an equal standing in Jesus. This is the same gospel Paul is a servant of, because of the gift of grace given to him by the working of God’s power.

i. Paul says he is a minister, but that is a title of service, not exaltation. In classical literature of ancient Greece, the minister (diakonos) “is a table waiter who is always at the bidding of his customers.” (Wood)

            Guzik

What Jewish “covenants and promises of God” are personally important to you today?

[Eph 3:9 NASB] and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;

10.  The mystery: The fellowship of the mystery; all believers united in Christ without any separation such as existed between Jew and Gentile.

(Eph 3:8-9) Paul’s presentation of the mystery.

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;

e. Fellowship of the mystery: We should carefully consider what this phrase means. It demonstrates that these are not only facts to know but also a life to live, united in Jesus with other believers, without any separation such as existed between Jew and Gentile.

f. Which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God: This great truth – the fellowship of the mystery – was hidden before it was revealed after the finished work of Jesus on the cross. This reinforces the idea that there is genuinely something new in the New Covenant, and that it is wrong to consider Israel simply the Old Testament Church and the Church the New Testament Israel.

i. “This statement settles the question once for all concerning the existence of the church, the body of Christ, in and during the Old Testament dispensations. Yet it is one of the most widespread views that the church existed from the beginning of creation and the words of promise contained in the Old Testament prophetic Word are the promises of the church, and its glorious future on the earth, in reigning over the nations.” (Gaebelein)

4. (Eph 3:10-12) The purpose of the mystery.

To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

How does this mystery affect your view of Jews and of Israel in general?

[Eph 5:32 NASB] This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

11.  The mystery: Eph 5:21-33; marriage likened to the relationship between Christ and the Church.

c. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church: It would be easy to think that the Genesis 2:24 passage (also quoted by Jesus in Matthew 19:5) only speaks about marriage. Paul wants us to know that it also speaks about the relationship between Christ and the church.

i. This is true in regard to the pattern of the first man and the first woman. “Woman was made at the beginning as the result of an operation which God performed upon man. How does the church come into being? As the result of an operation which God performed on the Second Man, His only begotten, beloved Son on Calvary’s hill. A deep sleep fell upon Adam. A deep sleep fell upon the Son of God, He gave up the ghost, He expired, and there in that operation the church was taken out. As the woman was taken out of Adam, so the church is taken out of Christ. The woman was taken out of the side of Adam; and it is from the Lord’s bleeding, wounded side that the church comes.” (Lloyd-Jones)

ii. It is also true in regard to the pattern of marriage in general.

· It shows us that Jesus wants more than just an external, surface relationship.

· It shows us that Jesus wants us to be one with Him.

· It shows us that there is a sense in which Jesus is incomplete without us. Adam was incomplete without Eve; we can say that Eve makes up the “fullness” of Adam and makes up that which was lacking in him. And that is exactly what the church does for Jesus; Ephesians 1:23 says of the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

iii. It shows the common connection of unity and oneness in the two relationships. “Unity, mark you for that is the essence of the marriage-bond. We are one with Christ, who made himself one with his people.” (Spurgeon)

                        Guzik

Does this mystery affect your view of earthly marriage, and/or of the “marriage between Jesus and His Bride, the Church?

[Eph 6:19 NASB] and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel

12.  The mystery: Salvation and the forgiveness of sin through the death and resurrection of         Jesus (The Gospel).

d. Boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel: Paul could have asked prayer for many things, but he wanted his readers to pray for this. He probably had in mind his upcoming defense before Caesar.

i. We could imagine Paul asking for many things, such as relief from his imprisonment or for other comforts. But his heart and mind were fixed on his responsibility as an ambassador of the gospel.

e. That utterance may be given to me: The idea behind utterance is clear speaking. Added to boldly, Paul asked for prayer that he might proclaim the gospel both clearly and with a fearless power. It is easy to neglect one or the other.

  Guzik

This is the Great Mystery, the mystery of the sacrifice of God’s own Son, and eternal life found only in the name of Jesus. The path to eternal life is narrow and the path to destruction wide, many will never find a revelation of the Great Mystery.

            [Mat 7:13-14 NKJV] 13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide [is] the gate and broad [is] the             way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 "Because narrow        [is] the gate and difficult [is] the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

[Col 1:26 NASB] that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints,

[Col 1:27 NASB] to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

13.  The mystery: Christ in you, the hope of glory; the indwelling of the Holy spirit in believers, the earnest or down payment of our inheritance, immortality with a new, immortal body.

b. The word of God, the mystery which has been hidden: In the Biblical sense, a mystery is not a riddle. It is a truth that can only be known by revelation and not by intuition. Now it can be known, because it now has been revealed to His saints.

i. Hidden from ages and generations: This reminds us that there are aspects to God’s plan that were not clearly revealed in the Old Testament. The specific mystery Paul refers to here deals with many aspects of the work of Jesus in His people, but especially the plan of the church, to make one body out of Jew and Gentile, taken from the “trunk” of Israel, yet not Israel.

ii. “The mystery is this: that God had designed to grant the Gentiles the same privileges with the Jews, and make them his people who were not his people. That this in what Paul means by the mystery, see Eph 3:3, etc.” (Clarke)

3. (Col 1:27) Part of the mystery: that Jesus would actually indwell believers.

To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

a. This mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you: The wonder and glory of the abiding, indwelling Jesus was not clearly revealed in the Old Testament, especially that He would abide in the Gentiles. Therefore, this aspect of the work of Jesus in His people was a mystery that wasn’t revealed until the time of Jesus and the apostles.

i. “This is the crowning wonder to Paul that God had included the Gentiles in his redemptive grace.” (Robertson)

ii. This means that God is revealed to us in Jesus. Classic theologians use the Latin term deus absconditus to refer to the “hidden God,” the God than cannot be clearly seen or known. The Latin theological termdeus revelatus refers to the “revealed God.” In Jesus, the deus absconditus has become the deus revelatus.

b. Christ in you, the hope of glory: This is the Christian’s hope of glory. It isn’t our own hard work or devotion to God, or the power of our own spirituality. Instead, it is the abiding presence of Jesus: Christ in you.

  Guzik

This mystery marks the distinction between the “true church”, those that come to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior by faith, are born again, and are filled with His Spirit, and coved by Christ’s righteousness, and others that are considered “righteous” by God because of their “works”. These would include the OT Saints judged “righteous” because they pleased God like Enoch (Heb. 11:5), and Noah who did all that God commanded him (Gen 6:8-22), and Abraham who “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Gal 3:6). Then there were Daniel and Job who deliver themselves by their righteousness.

[Eze 14:14, 20 NKJV] 14 “Even [if] these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver [only] themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord GOD. ... 20 “even [though] Noah, Daniel, and Job [were] in it, [as] I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver [only] themselves by their righteousness.”

Consider this: Jesus was born of a human women (Mary) and the Holy Spirit (Mat 1:20). He was fully human, but born of the Holy Spirit. In a similar way, believers in Jesus are “born again of the Spirit” (Jn 3:3, 7; Pet 1:23). Jesus died on the cross as a human, but when He walk out of that grave He was transformed into something new, a new creation never seen before. He had a body, He could be touched, He ate, yet He walked through walls, could change His appearance, transport Himself for one place to another, and could just appear and disappear at will. Believers in Jesus when they are born again  by the Spirit are given the Holy Spirit to indwell them as an earnest of their full salvation which is a new and incorruptible body like Jesus’ new body (we will be like Him – 1 Jn 3:2). They will be “new creations” like Jesus (2 Cor 5:17). This is indeed a great mystery that seems to make the Church, believers by faith in Jesus from the day of the first Pentecost to the day of the rapture (the church age), very unique, new creations like the resurrected Jesus Himself (Rom 8:29) to become “one with Him” (Jn 17:21-23, Eph 5:30-32).

Also it seems that the Jews saved during the 7 years of tribulation find themselves in Abraham’s Bosom along with all of the OT saints. Then, at the end of the 7 years, at Christ’s return, there is another reaping, a reaping of these Jewish saints, another “resurrection” (Rev 14:13-16).

It is possible that at this point the Jewish saints of God from before the Church age and after the Church age (after the fullness of the Gentiles has come in) are resurrected and given new imperishable bodies.

This is confirmed in Daniel 12:1-2 where we are told that during the great time of trouble (the 7 years of tribulation) Israel (Jews) will be delivered because their names are found written in a book.

These resurrected Jews who are not a part of the Church ( the Bride of Christ the King, the Queen)  make up administrators in Jesus’ court of the Kingdom of His 1000 year reign on earth. Some make up a sort of Supreme Court (a heavenly Sanhedrin who are teachers of the Law and Judges), some are the priests who keep charge of the temple, for all its work, and for all that has to be done in it. Many are to sit on thrones of judgment (Rev 20:4) and King David of old who sits as the Prince and rules over all Israel. (Isaiah 2:3–4, 11:1–5; Zechariah 14:9; Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23–24, 37:24, 44:10-24)

Also consider that the nation Israel is unlikely to be the Lamb’s bride because she has already been wed. God the Father is Israel’s husband (Isa 54:1-5). Even though Israel proved to be an unfaithful wife which God put away by divorce, He promises to remain faithful to her in His relationship as husband. Moreover, in order to divorce her, she had to first be married (Hos 2:2, 7). As unfaithful as Israel has been, God promises to stand by her. Their husband-wife relationship will be reestablished (Hos 2:16, 19, 20). The LORD’s accomplished purpose in Israel’s chastening also will result in the reestablishment of her original husband-wife relationship to the LORD (Hos 2:15). Israel in her land was the wife of Jehovah (Jer. Jer. 3:14-20; Isa. Isa. 54:1), but the wife was divorced because of her iniquity. Israel, however, is to be reinstated in Jehovah’s favour. But a divorced wife can never again be a virgin, and it is not a divorced wife but a virgin whom the Lord marries (Lev. Lev. 21:14).

In the OT, God is the bridegroom of Israel (cf. Isa. Isa. 54:6; Isa. 62:5; Jer. Jer. 31:32; Eze. Eze. 16:7-14; Hos. Hos. 2:16, Hos. 2:19), and in the NT, Christ is the bridegroom of the church (cf. 2Cor. 2Cor. 11:2; Eph. Eph. 5:25 ff.; Rev. Rev. 3:20+; Rev. 19:9+; Rev. 21:2+, Rev. 21:9+; Rev. 22:17+). In the gospels, Christ is the bridegroom a number of times (cf. Mtt. Mat. 9:15; Mark Mark 2:19-20; Luke Luke 5:34-35; John John 3:29) and parables about marriage occur in Mtt. Mat. 22:2-14; Mat. 25:1-13; Luke Luke 14:15-24.  (BibleStudyTools Commentary)

 What do you think? Is the Bride of Christ (the Church) unique among those that God considers “righteous”?

[Col 2:2 NASB] that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself,

 [Col 2:3 NKJV] in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge

14.  The mystery: The character and person of God.

d. To the knowledge of the mystery of God: The term mystery of God is used in a few different ways in the New Testament. Here, Paul uses the term regarding the character and person of God – something we could not know unless it was revealed by Him.

i. “The word ‘Christ’ is in the same case as ‘mystery,’ placing it in apposition with it. The mystery is Christ.” (Wuest)

ii. “Others might lead them astray with specious talk of mysteries; but there was one mystery above all others – the mystery of God’s loving purpose, disclosed in Christ alone – and Paul’s concern was that they should come to know this all-surpassing mystery, and know it as an indwelling presence.” (Bruce)

iii. Three mysteries are described in Colossians 1:24 through 2:3:

· The Church as the Body of Christ, for which Paul suffered and served (Col 1:24-26).

· The Indwelling Christ, the hope of glory in each individual believer (Col 1:27).

· The Revealed Jesus, the treasury of all wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:2-3).

Paul wrote, “You will only find all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Jesus. He has them all.” It’s not wrong to seek after wisdom and knowledge; but we must seek it all in Jesus. (Guzik)

Jesus said, “He who has seen me, has seen the Father”, and “if you had known Me, you would have known My Father also”. God is revealed in and by Jesus, this is the great mystery.

[Jhn 14:7, 9 NKJV] 7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." ... 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

Do you know Him today? Have you seen God?

[Col 4:3 NASB] praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;

15.  The mystery is the Gospel of salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

If we do not know and understand this mystery, then we cannot know and understand the fullness of any of the mysteries of the Bible.

[2Th 2:7 NASB] For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

16.  The mystery: Rebellion and lawlessness, especially against God and His people. The mystery seems to be that this lawlessness is in the end a work of Satan himself, the lawless one that will be destroyed at the Lord’s coming.

         d. The mystery of lawlessness is already at work: This great principle of evil is already present in the world. It will be ultimately unveiled in the man of sin, but he does not introduce a new wickedness into the world, only an intensity of prior wickedness.

i. Right now, this lawlessness is a mystery – that it is, it can only be seen and understood by revelation. Otherwise it is hidden. “It is not open sin and wickedness, but dissembled piety, specious errors, wickedness under a form of godliness cunningly managed, that is here meant.” (Poole)

b. And now you know what is restraining: For now, Satan and the man of sin are being restrained. The principle of their working is now present (the mystery of lawlessness is already at work). But at the right time, the Holy Spirit (He who restrains) who restrains their full revelation will be taken out of the way.

e. And then the lawless one will be revealed: Paul states two certain facts about the man of sin, here called the lawless one. First, it is certain that thelawless one will be revealed when the Holy Spirit removes His restraint. Second, it is certain that the lawless one will be destroyed by the merebrightness of Jesus at His coming.

Guzik  

The understanding of this mystery is the believer’s strength and hope in dealing with the world we are living in today. There is a mighty battle raging all around us in the spiritual realm and we are caught up in this battle. This battle is over the souls of men and the establishing of a kingdom on the earth, either Satan’s or God’s. Spiritual warfare is real and we need to be taught and equipped to deal with it.

 [1Ti 3:9 NASB] but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

17.  The mystery: 1 Ti 3:1-13, qualifications for deacons.

            c. Holding the mystery of the faith: Those who can adhere to proper doctrine, out of     sincere conviction.

Understanding this mystery is essential if one seeks, or is asked, to be in a position of leadership in God’s Kingdom.

[1Ti 3:16 NASB] By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.

18.  The mystery: Jesus, revealed in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, and taken up in glory.

i. “Observe that the comprehensive summary of the gospel here given is contained in six little sentences, which run with such regularity of measure in the original Greek, that some have supposed them to be an ancient hymn; and it is possible that they may have been used as such in the early church.” (Spurgeon)

b. God was manifested in the flesh: This is the essence of the incarnation; that God the Son, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, added to His deity humanity – and was thus manifested in the flesh.

c. Justified in the Spirit: We can say that Jesus was justified by the Spirit not in the sense that He was once sinful but made righteous, but in the sense that He was declared to be, by the Holy Spirit, what He always was – completely justified before the Father.

i. This declaration was made at His baptism (Matthew 3:16), and at His resurrection (1 Peter 3:18; Acts 2:32-33).

d. Seen by angels: The ministry of Jesus, both on earth and through the Church, is of great interest to angelic beings. There were many instances when Jesus was seen by angels (Mark 1:13; Luke 22:41-43), and especially at the resurrection (Matthew 28:2-7).

i. “The apostle mentions this to show the greatness of our religion, since the noblest intellects are interested in it. Did you ever hear of angels hovering around the assemblies of philosophical societies?” (Spurgeon)

ii. “The Godhead was seen in Christ by angels, as they had never seen it before. They had beheld the attribute of justice, they had seen the attribute of power, they had marked the attribute of wisdom, and seen the Prerogative of sovereignty; but never had angels seen love, and condescension, and tenderness, and pity, in God as they saw these things resplendent in the person and the life of Christ.” (Spurgeon)

e. Preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world: Paul himself did his best to fulfill these statements. He was busy preaching Jesus among the Gentiles and bringing the world to belief.

i. “God’s way of creating faith in men’s hearts is not by pictures, music, or symbols, but by the hearing of the word of God. This may seem a strange thing, and strange let it seem, for it is a mystery, and a great mystery, but a fact beyond all controversy; for ever let the church maintain that Christ is to be preached unto the Gentiles.” (Spurgeon)

f. Received up in glory: This reminds us of Jesus’ ascension (Luke 24:51), His finished work on our behalf (Hebrews 1:3), and His present intercession for us (1 John 2:1).

i. “He was so received because his work is finished. He would never have gone into his glory if he had not finished all his toil. He would have accepted no reward had he not fully earned it.” (Spurgeon)

ii. Received up in glory: Jesus ascended into heaven in a resurrection body; yet it was a body that still retained the marks of His great work of love for us. It still had the nail prints in His hands and feet, the wound in his side, all marks of His suffering on our behalf (John 20:24-29).

iii. Paul’s description of Jesus after the passage speaking of Christian character reminds us of the key to our own character transformation – beholding Jesus. It is just as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:18: But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

iv. Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of these descriptions of Christian character. We trust that Jesus will transform our life according to the same character, as we put our focus on Him. We sometimes want religion to build this character in us; but truly, relationship with Jesus is what really does it.

            Guzik

This mystery is basically a concise summary of the Gospel. It is knowing Jesus and believing that indeed He was, and is, the Son of God, and that His death and resurrection is the only way to get one’s name written in the Book of Life.

 [Rev 1:16 NASB] In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.

[Rev 1:20 NASB] "As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

19.  The mystery: The seven “angels” of the seven churches and the seven lampstands.

c. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches: Jesus kindly interprets His own images. The stars in His hand represent the angels of the seven churches. The lampstands represent the seven churchesthemselves.

i. We note that each church had its own angel, and Jesus held theseangels in His hand. Some believe these angels are the pastors of these seven churches. This idea is based on a literal understanding of the ancient Greek word translated angel, aggelos. That word literally means “messenger,” and certainly pastors are “messengers” to churches. Others think the angels might be “guardian angels” over each congregation. Some suggest that the angels are not literal beings at all, but they just represent the prevailing spirit of each church. There are strengths and weaknesses to any of these interpretations, but we do know that in some way, these angels are representatives of each congregation.

ii. Adam Clarke believed the angel of each church was its pastor. “Angel of the Church here answers exactly to that officer of the synagogue among the Jews called... the messenger of the Church, whose business it was to read, pray, and teach in the synagogue.” (Clarke)

iii. It is more important to notice where the angels are: the right hand of Jesus. This is a place of safety and strength. Even the problem churches that will be described in the next chapters are in the right hand of Jesus.

            Guzik

The revelation of this mystery gives us a glimpse into the relationship between the churches of God and the heavenly realm. It sets the stage for understanding of Revelation chapters 2 and 3.

How does this mystery affect your church and you personally?

[Rev 17:5 NASB] and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."

[Rev 17:7 NASB] And the angel said to me, "Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.

20.  The mystery: This is the mystery of Satan’s infrastructures down through the ages. All areas of government, commerce, religion, entertainment, sports, morality, and education are affected. It is also the mystery of “the beast that carries here”; Satan’s kings and kingdoms down through the ages.

a. I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her: The focus of the explanation is on the beast. It appeared that the harlot ruled (rode) the Antichrist’s system, but he is the dynamic factor, using her as tyrants have always used religion – as a mere tool to accomplish their purposes.

2. (Rev 17:8) The beast carrying the woman is plainly connected with the beast ofRevelation 13.

Guzik

Does the revelation of this mystery help you understand the history of the world, and specifically the world we find all around us today?

[Rev 10:7 NASB] but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.

21.  The mystery: We could well say “mysteries” here.

         b. The mystery of God would be finished: What mystery? One important aspect of this mystery is that it has been declared to His servants the prophets.

i. In Biblical vocabulary, a mystery isn’t something no one knows. Amystery is something no one could know unless it was revealed to him. If you could know it by intuition or personal investigation, it isn’t a mystery, because mysteries must be revealed. Therefore, something can beknown and still be a mystery in the Biblical sense.

c. The mystery of God: It’s hard to say what this precise mystery of God is, because the phrase – or its equivalent – is used for a many different aspects of God’s plan.

· The ultimate conversion of the Jewish people is called a mystery (Romans 11:25)

· God’s purpose for the church is called a mystery (Ephesians 3:3-11)

· The bringing in of the fullness of the Gentiles is called a mystery (Romans 11:25)

· The living presence of Jesus in the believer is called the mystery of God (Colossians 1:27-2:3)

· The gospel itself is called the mystery of Christ (Colossians 4:3)

d. The mystery of God: In this context, the mystery of God probably refers to the unfolding of His resolution of all things, the finishing of His plan of the ages.

i. “The mystery of God which is declared as subject to fulfillment is unfolded therefore in the Old Testament in the many passages which speak of the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth.” (Walvoord)

ii. Possibly, the mystery also regards the great question “Why does God allow Satan and man to rebel and go their own way?” The idea may be that this question, this unanswered mystery, is coming to an end under rule of Jesus. God is beginning the end, the resolution of all things, the gathering together (resolution, summing up) of all things in one in Jesus (Ephesians 1:10).

iii. God freely acknowledges that life today is full of mysteries; but it will not always be so. A day will come when all questions of this age will be answered.

                        Guzik

These mysteries of the Bible can only be understood by revelation from God Himself through the agency of the Holy Spirit. But I suspect that the true depth of these mysteries can never fully be understood because like God Himself, they are infinite in depth and scope. What we are to do is to continually seek after Jesus who in the end is the revelation of God and His Mysteries to us, His children, and His Bride.

Our prayer: Give us eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying.

 [Rev 2:11 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." '

[Rev 2:17 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives [it]." '

[Rev 2:29 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '

[Rev 3:6 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '

[Rev 3:13 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '

[Rev 3:22 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." ' "

[Mat 7:7 NKJV] "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

[Luk 11:9 NKJV] "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.