Thursday, May 13, 2010

Moving of the Holy Spirit - IN and ON

Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you..."

I asked Leong Tien Fook "What is the difference between the Holy Spirit in the old testament and in the new testament?"

In the old testament, the people did not know about the trinity. To them, the holy spirit is the spirit of God. Actually the old testament embeds the new covenant. It was predicted that there will be a new priest in the order of Melchizedek and he will be the son of David (Psalm 110:1-4, 2 Samuel 7:11-14) and that's Jesus our priest forever! In Ezekiel 36:25, it talks about being "born again" through the washing of water and that God will give us a new heart, a new spirit, no longer worshiping idols and the law will be written in our hearts so we can keep the law. That was God preparing the people of Israel and the world to receive Jesus under the new covenant.

Interestingly and I am so relieved that Leong Tien Fook said this "Why can't the Holy Spirit dwell in us and move amongst us as well?" If it could have happened in the old testament, and Act 2 demonstrates that the holy spirit is poured out onto them and empowered them, why do we just think that the holy spirit is limited to indwelling us only. He said it is for this unwillingness to see this that has sparked many debates between the traditional and charismatics.

If you search the word "spirit" on the online bible, you can see all the references to the holy spirit and you can see for yourself that the holy spirit dwells in us and can also move from person to person during anointing (like Saul to David). http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=spirit&version1=31&searchtype=all&wholewordsonly=yes

I am only now beginning to understand the word "anointing". I did not even know what it meant! Anointing means the holy spirit empowering us to do a certain task for Jesus. One definition says "Supernatural enablement, grace, manifested presence of the Holy Spirit operating upon or through an individual or corporate group to produce the works of Jesus."

So, when Tien Fook said that the holy spirit works IN and ON on a person, I am soooooooooooooo relieved because that to me ends all confusion in my mind. At least there's someone from a traditional view who agrees with me! Because, from my personal experience, I can see Him working in us, His power on us, there can be special anointing as well. That's why someone with special anointing can do a particular task better and more effortlessly compared to others eg teaching, evangelising, healing etc and everyone else around them cracks their head and wonder how it is possible. It is the power of God!

We are dead, it is God living in us and if we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives everyday, oh, words cannot describe it! It will be like all of us in heaven right now - new Jerusalem spritually! Awesome!

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