Hello everybody, it's Mr. Tall23 back to the video.
I'm going to make sure to do a quick sound check first to make sure that the sound is
working.
All right, so it is working.
Anyway, so in this video I want to talk about the relationship between the Spirit of God
and the Word of God, which if we study out the subject in the Bible, we'll find that
the two are inseparable.
Some groups out there, like the Pentecostals for example, the Charismatics, put too much
emphasis on the Spirit, while others think to preach the Word without the power of the
Spirit.
Some people will remove the Spirit, some people will remove the Word that is necessary in
several things, such as salvation, growth as a Christian, preaching, among other things.
First let's start out by establishing the basics of the relationship between the Word
of God and the Spirit, such as first of all that both the Word and the Spirit are called
God.
In John chapter 1 verse 1 it says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.
We of course know that this is referring to Jesus Christ, who was the Word made flesh,
as it says in verse 14 of that same chapter, which shows us that the Word of God, the Scriptures,
has the same authority as Christ himself, who was the voice of God in the Old Testament,
as revealed unto us in John 1-18.
That when God spoke in the Old Testament, it was the Lord Jesus who had declared the
Father.
It was not the Father speaking unto man, but it was Jesus who was speaking.
He was the one who was declaring the Word of God.
Now likewise the Bible tells us that the Holy Ghost is God as well.
In Acts chapter 5 verse 3-4 it says, But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled
thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Why else it remained?
Was it not thine own?
And after it was soul, was it not in thine own power?
Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?
Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
First he says unto Ananias that he's lied to the Holy Ghost in verse 3, and next he
tells Ananias that he lied unto God, because the Holy Ghost of course is God.
That's also why the Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 3-16 and chapter 6 verse 19-20 that our bodies
are the temple of God because of the fact that the Holy Ghost indwells within us.
The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God indwells within us as unbelievers, making us the temple
of God.
So that would be one obvious relation between the Spirit and the Word.
They are both God and therefore both have supreme and infallible authority.
Another relation between the Spirit and the Word of God is the fact that the Word of
God is called the Sword of the Spirit as it is written in Ephesians chapter 6 verse 17,
and takes the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
Now the context of the scripture is in telling us how to stand against the wiles of the devil
about taking the whole armor of God, that this is the only weapon listed among the things
which God has given unto us to defend ourselves.
The Word of God which is called the Sword of the Spirit, meaning that the Spirit which
indwells within us as believers uses that Word of God to fight against the principalities,
the powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world.
I'll get into that a little bit more later in this video, but we need to understand the
importance of the Word of God in the fight against Satan and the fight against false
prophets and against the wickedness in this world.
Now this makes sense for the Word of God to be called the Sword of the Spirit because
the word which we have in the scriptures in the Bible today were themselves revealed
unto man by the Holy Ghost as it is written in 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 20 to 21, knowing
this verse that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation for the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were by the
Holy Ghost.
So this of course, what the Bible calls inspiration as it says in 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16
that all scripture is given by inspiration of God.
That is that all that is written within the Word of God was directly spoken and breathed
out by the mouth of God and particularly revealed unto man by the Holy Ghost who spake unto
holy men of God in time past.
So this is how we have the prophecy of scripture today from Genesis to Revelation.
It was revealed unto man by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.
This is why also in the book of Acts there are several times when the apostles when quoting
from the Old Testament say that the Holy Ghost spake by the mouth of this prophet or that
prophet such as by the mouth of David in Acts chapter 1 or some other prophet because the
words did not come from man, they were not by the will of man, but they came from God
through the Holy Spirit.
So we understand that the Word in the beginning as Jesus Christ was God and the Spirit is
God.
We understand that the revealed Word of God in the scriptures, the Bible that we have,
is inspired of God, spoken unto man by the Holy Ghost and is the weapon of the Holy Ghost
of the Spirit against evil.
Another interesting thing that we could look at is the fact that both had a role in the
creation of the world.
As it says in Psalm chapter 33 verse 6, by the word of the Lord were the heavens made
and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
And in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 3, through faith we understand that the worlds were framed
by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
When the world was created, God simply spake as is written in the book of Genesis, for
example in Genesis chapter 1 verse 3 where it says, let there be light and there was
light.
That is through speaking through the word of God, the heavens and the earth were made,
they were formed.
But we know also based on the book of Genesis that in the beginning it was the Spirit of
God which had moved upon the waters in Genesis chapter 1 verse 2.
Therefore both the Spirit and the word played a role in the creation of the world which
of course makes sense since both are God and that is a good attribute of who God is, the
one, the Lord who created the heavens and the earth.
Now I want to also talk about the role of the word of God and the Spirit in salvation
which is very important that unfortunately some people have tried to remove either one
of these from the subject of salvation.
There's some foolish people out there who try to remove the word of God, the scriptures
from the matter of soul winning who claim that the word has nothing to do with the salvation
of sinners but folks it's clear in the scriptures and we'll see that in a moment here.
Without the word and without the Spirit there is no salvation of sinners.
The Bible says concerning the ministry of the word and salvation in 1 Peter chapter
1 verse 23 to 25, being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the
word of God which liveth and abideth forever for all flesh is as grass and all the glory
of man is the flower of grass, the grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away but the
word of the Lord endureth forever and this is the word which by the gospel is preached
unto you.
So when somebody is born again according to the scripture they are born again by the incorruptible
seed which is the word of God.
So when we go out and we preach the gospel, the gospel being the good news of the death
barrel and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we do so based on what is contained within the
word of God.
It's not the wisdom which man teacheth but the wisdom which the Holy Ghost teacheth and
I'll explain that a bit later when I get into the subject of preaching from the word of
God, talking about 1 Corinthians chapter 2.
But without the scriptures there is no second birth, there is no being born again.
That's just what the Bible says.
When somebody tells me that they got saved and didn't have any scriptures preached unto
them, I don't believe them because that's what the Bible says.
The Bible says the word is preached by the gospel and the word is the incorruptible seed
by which we are born again.
So when somebody does the work of evangelism, that which they are planting within the hearts
of the unbeliever is the word.
As Jesus said in the parable of the sower in Mark chapter 4 verse 14, the sower soweth
the word.
When we are sowing, that's preaching the gospel as opposed to reaping which would be actually
bringing people into Christ, getting people saved, but when we are going out and preaching
the gospel, what we are sowing is the word of God, okay?
And therefore Jesus speaks after that in that same parable in Mark chapter 4 of those who
hear the word and receive it.
So the job of a preacher of the gospel is not just to put it in their own words, to
not just give the general idea or the general message, but to preach the gospel based on
what the Bible says.
It says in James chapter 1 verse 18, of its own will begat he us with the word of truth
that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures, for how are we begotten again
or born again through the word of truth?
Without it there is no being born again, but the word of God is essential for the faith
which brings salvation.
It says also in Romans chapter 10 verse 14 to 17, how then shall they call on him in
whom they have not believed?
And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach except they be sent?
As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and
bring glad tidings of good things.
But they have not all obeyed the gospel, for as I sayeth, Lord who hath believed our report,
so that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
We know from the scriptures of course that we are justified by faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ, but this faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God according to what
that passage just said.
So when somebody goes out to preach the gospel, they must preach the word unto the sinner
and the sinner by hearing the word of God must believe that word.
If they do not have the word of God, there can be no true faith.
The Bible makes that abundantly clear and yet for some reason, there's a lot of people
out there today who limit our responsibilities in evangelism and try to get rid of the part
about the word of God, but the scriptures make it very clear that the role of the word
of God is in salvation, that the preacher of the gospel preaches the word, the sinner
hears the word, the word is sown in the heart of the unbeliever, and if they receive it
by faith, if they believe the gospel preached unto them through that word, they are born
again.
Okay?
Now another thing of course which is essential for the salvation of sinners is the spirit
of God.
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 18 to 20, and all things are of God
who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us, we pray
you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Breaking this passage down, it says in verse 18 that God hath given to us the ministry
of reconciliation, which is that we should preach the gospel that the sinners might be
reconciled unto God by faith through which their sins are forgiven, they are remitted.
Now when it says, hath given unto us the ministry of reconciliation, and hath committed unto
us the word of reconciliation, that's not very difficult to figure out what he means
by that, because he's writing to the church in Corinth, he's writing to fellow believers.
What it's saying is that the task of preaching the gospel, of getting people saved and therefore
reconciled unto God, is given unto Christians, not to anybody else.
The unsaved cannot get somebody saved, which should be obvious, but for some reason there's
some people out there who try to argue against that as well.
Well Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7 verse 17 to 19, even so every good tree bringeth
forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit, a good tree cannot bring
forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.
Now this is in the context of Jesus speaking about knowing who false prophets are, identifying
a person who is a preacher and yet is a fake one who is not of God, but is a ravenous wolf.
Jesus says clearly that a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt
tree bring forth good fruit.
So what does that mean?
Well the corrupt tree, the false prophet, cannot bring forth good fruit.
It's impossible.
That's what the word cannot mean.
That's what Jesus said.
Okay?
Now why is that?
Because if we go back to Genesis chapter 1, back to the basics, it clearly tells us that
every fruit brings forth after its own kind.
An apple tree bears apples, an orange tree bears oranges, a lemon tree bears lemons.
They can't bear a different type of fruit or it wouldn't be the type of tree that you
thought it was.
Likewise, a corrupt tree, a false prophet, cannot bear after the kind of a good tree.
An unsaved false prophet cannot produce a saved person.
And we see the same thing if we go back to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, where it says in
verse 20 that we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray
you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Now are you really going to tell me that an unsaved person is an ambassador for Christ?
That doesn't make any sense, okay?
It's unto us, unto the children of God, unto Christians, that has been given the ministry
of reconciliation and therefore we, as Christians, the saved people, are Christ's ambassadors.
And whenever we share the gospel, it is as though God did beseech the sinner by us.
Now why is that?
Well, first of all, we know that the spirit of God is kind, meaning that if you don't
have the spirit, you don't belong to Christ.
But we do have the spirit of God indwelling within us as Christians, as Jesus promised
in John chapter 7, that anybody who believes on him would receive the Holy Spirit.
And therefore, when we preach the gospel, there's two things going on which make it
as though God is beseeching the sinner himself.
Firstly, the words which we should be using in presenting the gospel is the word of God.
So when they hear the word of God, they're hearing the very things that God spake.
And secondly, the Holy Ghost within us is also beseeching them.
Jesus said in John chapter 16, verse 7 to 11,
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away.
For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you.
But if I depart, I will send him unto you.
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment,
of sin because they believe not on me, of righteousness because I go to my Father and
you see me no more, of judgment because the prince of this world is judged.
So Jesus tells us plainly what the job of the Comforter, which was identified in John
chapter 14, verse 26 as the Holy Ghost, is going to do when he comes unto us, that he
will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment.
And then he explains in verse 9, of sin because they believe not on me.
So he's speaking about reproving unbelievers, saying that when the Comforter comes unto
us and dwells within us, then through us, it reproves those which do not believe of
their sin.
So therefore, when we preach the Gospel, it involves both the Word of God but also the
work of the Spirit, which is working in the heart of the unbeliever to reprove them and
enlighten them to understand the truth.
Now I'm going to get back to that thought a little bit later as well when we go to the
subject of preaching and talk about the subject of preaching the Gospel in the Spirit a bit
more and the proper way to do that.
But we understand, of course, that in sharing the Gospel, one needs to be saved, meaning
that the person who's preaching needs to be saved, so that the Holy Ghost works from
them to the unbeliever.
Now another role that the Spirit has in the salvation of sinners is the new birth itself.
Once somebody believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, once they respond to the reproof of their
sin and the preaching by the Word, when they receive the Word with gladness, what happens
within them?
Well the Bible says in Titus chapter 3 verse 5, not by works of righteousness which we
have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Ghost.
So according to the Scripture we are saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing
of the Holy Ghost.
This thing done within us is the act of salvation, of being born again.
That's what the word regeneration means.
It means being generated or born again.
The prefix re obviously means again.
Likewise the word renewed means making something new again, that through the power of the Holy
Ghost, when we believe, he creates that new man within us, or as it calls it in 2 Corinthians
chapter 5 verse 17, the new creature.
Jesus spoke of our second birth as being born of the Spirit in John chapter 3 verse 5 to
6.
Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except man be born of water and of the
Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
As already seen in the book of Titus, the regeneration and the renewing is of the Holy
Ghost.
So therefore we are born of the Spirit.
The Spirit is that which produces the new creature within us at our salvation, and that
also means that the new creature which is produced by the Spirit is itself spirit.
You see, every man has a spirit and their flesh, but as we know, for those who are lost,
their spirit is dead.
As the Bible says, you have to be quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.
Therefore when we are born again, that is the renewing of our spirit, which was dead
in trespasses and sins, but is made new again, that's what the word renew means, to make
it a new creature, which according to Ephesians chapter 4 verse 24 is created after righteousness
and true holiness.
So first when we hear the gospel and receive it by faith, there is that new birth within
us and the new creature, the Spirit, the new man is brought forth through the working of
the Holy Ghost.
Then the Holy Ghost comes to indwell within us.
As the Bible says in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13, in whom ye also trusted, after that ye
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that ye believed,
you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Now this verse is summarized the relation between the Spirit and the word of God.
Again it says that those who are lost, they heard the word of truth, which is the gospel
of our salvation.
So again, preaching the gospel is through the word of God and not our own words.
Then when we trust in Christ after hearing the word, that is when the Holy Spirit seals
us which includes both the spiritual birth as well as the indwelling of the Holy Ghost,
which according to John chapter 7 verse 38 to 39 is given to all believers.
The Bible says in another place that we have been given the earnest of the Spirit.
We can't remove these two important elements from our salvation.
Both of them are important, both the word of God and the Holy Ghost.
The former itself are the words of the Holy Ghost.
The word of God is the words of the Holy Ghost, which when preached is implanted in the heart
of the unbeliever, then explained by the Holy Ghost who also reproves the sinner.
Then when the sinner believes the word that is preached, the Holy Ghost immediately regenerates
them and comes to indwell the believer.
So now let's talk about what happens after our salvation, about living the Christian
life.
This is also important for us to understand because we ought to know how to live a holy
and a clean life in this present evil world, to please God and to do His will.
So what exactly is it that we are supposed to do?
How do we overcome sin now that we are born again?
Because the subject of salvation, that's just the beginning of the Christian life.
That's not the end.
I know there's a lot of false religions out there which act like you need to work your
way to salvation, but no, you're not a child of God until you get saved, until you're born
again.
And then after that, you can start serving the Lord.
Well, first of all, we ought to understand that through the indwelling of the Holy Ghost,
we have the ability to know the things of God.
That's one thing, as it's written in 1 Corinthians 2, verse 12 to 13.
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that
we might know the things that are freely given to us of God, which things also we speak,
not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing
spiritual things with spiritual.
According to verse 12, we have received the spirit of God, and one of the reasons for
receiving the Holy Spirit is so that we might know the things that are freely given to us
of God.
It says in verse 14, which I didn't read, the natural man receiveth not the things of
the spirit of God, for their foolishness unto him, neither can he know them for they're
spiritually discerned, meaning that the things of the spirit, which we've already established
to be this word of God, the word spoken unto man through the Holy Ghost cannot be understood
by the natural man, that's somebody who has not been born again, somebody who does not
have the spirit within them.
So prior to our regeneration, we cannot understand the scriptures.
But now that we have the Holy Ghost within us to teach us, now we can compare spiritual
things with spiritual and understand it.
Jesus promised that when the comforter would come, he would teach us of all things and
guide us in all truth in John 14, 26 and 16, 13.
And that is indeed so.
So the first connection between the word of God and the spirit after our salvation is
that without the spirit, one cannot understand the word of God, one cannot know the truth
of God on their own.
But now that we have the spirit, we can know those things and we learn those things through
the study and reading of the word of God.
Secondly, we also understand that as Christians in order to grow, in order to put off the
lust of the flesh, we need to walk in the spirit.
It says in Galatians 5 16, walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the
flesh.
Meaning that if you do this thing called walking in the spirit, you're not going to give into
the desires of our sinful flesh, which serves the law of sin, according to Romans chapter
seven, you're not going to end up doing the works of the flesh, which are listed in Galatians
chapter five verse 19 to 21 as a variety of different sins.
What exactly does it mean to walk in the spirit?
Well, the Bible defined before us pretty clearly in Romans chapter eight verse five, for they
which are after the flesh to mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the
spirit, the things of the spirit, be after the flesh simply means to mind the things
of the flesh.
While if we're walking after the spirit, that means we mind the things of the spirit or
let our mind regard the things of the spirit rather than the things of the flesh.
Jesus warned in Matthew chapter six in the Sermon on the Mount, not to worry about things
like what we're going to eat or what we're going to wear or any of that.
If that's what our mind focuses on, if our mind focuses on fulfilling the desires of
our flesh, of our mortal body, then we're going to fall into sin.
But rather, he said, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these
things shall be added unto you, meaning focus or set your mind or as it says in Colossians
three, set your affections on things above and not on things of this earth.
Now the scriptures get a bit more specific than that, telling us more exactly what it
is that we should set our minds on, such as in second Corinthians chapter 10 verse four
to five, which explains it perfectly.
It says for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the
pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalted
itself against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience
of Christ.
So this scripture tells us that there are weapons of God that he has given which are
mighty and which are able to cast down imaginations, to cast down high things that exalt itself
against the knowledge of God and able to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience
of Christ.
Now, if you study out the passage in Romans chapter seven, which talks about the conflict
of the war between the spirit and the flesh, it states in verse 23 of that chapter that
the law in our members, which would be our physical body, brings us into captivity to
the law of sin.
Now, if you compare that with this scripture in second Corinthians chapter 10, this would
be the opposite.
Instead of the flesh bringing the new man into captivity to obey the law of sin so that
we obey the laws of the flesh, the spirit brings the old man, so that Christ.
So how is it then that we allow our thoughts to be controlled and keep our minds from wondering?
Or as it says in first Peter chapter one, how do we gird up the loins of our mind?
Well, we already looked at this earlier in Ephesians chapter six verse 17 where it names
what the primary weapon is that we have, and that is the sword of the spirit, which is
the word of God.
So walking in the spirit is primarily about setting your mind on God's word, about minding
regarding focusing on that.
After all, as mentioned earlier, the word of God was spoken by the Holy Ghost.
So of course this is the things of the spirit.
So if we're going to have victory over sin in our life, the first and most important
thing that we have to do is to know the Bible, to know the word of God.
It says in Joshua chapter one verse eight, this book of the law shall not depart out
of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to
do according to all that is written therein, for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous
and then thou shalt have good success.
God speaks unto Joshua and tells him that the way he is able to do the things written
in the law is to meditate therein day and night.
And he says that if we do so, we will be prosperous and have good success.
The first Psalm tells us also that the man who meditates in the law of God day and night
is blessed of God.
When we open up the scriptures and we read it and we study it and we think about it or
meditate upon it, when we set our mind on the things which God has said, we grow as
Christians and are able to overcome sin in our life.
Jesus said when promising the gift of the Holy Ghost in John 14 verse 26, but the comforter
which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things
and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you.
Now the word remembrance of course implies that you need to know it beforehand.
You can't remember something that you've never learned.
Yet if we do learn it and we know it, then the Holy Ghost within us is that which brings
the words of the Lord into our remembrance and teaches us the meaning thereof.
So again, another great connection between the spirit and the word.
Now in the book of Colossians chapter 3, which that whole chapter is primarily about the
subject of putting off the old man and putting on the new man, it tells us firstly that we
should set our affections on things above and mortify the deeds of the flesh.
So basically we should walk in the spirit and not walk in the flesh.
We should put our mind on the things of the spirit and not let ourselves be given over
to the desires of the flesh.
Then it goes into more detail about how to do this in verse 12.
Verse 12 to 16 says, put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of
mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another and
forgiving one another.
If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness, and let
the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and
be ye thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwelling you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts of
the Lord.
Now of course all these things are good and noteworthy for the matter of walking in the
spirit, forgiveness and longsuffering and having charity and letting the peace of God
rule in your hearts, being thankful, et cetera.
But I want to mainly focus on verse 16 in this passage, where firstly it says, let the
word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, and then tells us also to sing psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs.
These two things, which both are based on that which is written in the Bible, are according
to the scriptures how we can put on the new man and overcome sin in our life.
That's what we are supposed to do.
The key is to know the Bible, to know the scriptures, to think upon it, to mind spiritual
things, which is the word of Christ.
Those who do not read nor learn their Bibles and put it into practice, being a doer of
the word, those who do not think and meditate upon these things are associated with carnality
in the Bible.
In fact, growth as a Christian, the transition from being a babe in Christ to being spiritual
is clearly associated with the word of God in several scriptures.
It says in first Corinthians chapter three, verse one to two, and I brethren could not
speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ, I have
fed you with milk and not with meat for hitherto you are not able to bear it, neither yet now
are you able.
Paul says unto the Corinthians that they are carnal, meaning fleshly, that they are still
babes in Christ.
So they have not grown spiritually and therefore he is not able to provide them spiritual meat,
but only spiritual milk.
Now these are symbols that are used in the Bible to refer to the simple truths and doctrines
with the deeper things of God, that would be the milk and the meat respectively.
And I think I'm going to make a video going into more detail about that symbolism in the
future particularly, but just kind of going over this simply today, another scripture
pertaining to this is the following, Hebrews chapter five, verse 13, for everyone that
useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness for he is a babe.
Therefore it is defined exactly what a babe in Christ is, one who only uses milk, but
not strong meat, one who is carnal, one who is unskillful in the word of righteousness.
So again, it all has to do with the word.
Therefore it says in first Peter chapter two, verse two, as newborn babes desire the sincere
milk of the word that ye may grow thereby.
So the way in which we grow as Christians is by desiring the sincere milk of the word.
When somebody's born again, when they have become a babe in Christ, they start off with
the basic teachings of the Bible and they read it and they meditate upon it and they
grow and they put into practice, then they will grow and eventually they shall no longer
be babes in Christ, no longer be carnal, but become spiritual and learn how to walk in
the spirit.
So how is it that we conquer our flesh, this body of sin, which we have as Christians through
the word of God, when we mind the things of the spirit, which is the word of God that
is walking in the spirit, and if we do that, according to the Bible, we shall not fulfill
the lust of the flesh.
Now I want to explain the last important relationship between the spirit and the word, and that
is in the matter of preaching.
Christians preaching from the word of God, both when preaching the gospel or preaching
other things as well, such as I'm doing right now.
The scriptures show us, of course, that we should, when we preach, speak the word of
God.
We've already seen in various scriptures about how the word of God is sown in the heart of
unbelievers when we preach the gospel.
So if we're preaching the gospel, we should use the word of God.
I think we already established that, for faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word
of God.
But in addition, when a preacher preaches on other subjects, of course, they are to
use these scriptures as well.
The Bible says in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 1 to 2, I charge thee therefore before God
and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing in
his kingdom, preach the word.
Be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and
doctrine.
This is a command given unto Timothy, a bishop whom Paul is instructing within this letter
of 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy, and he gives him the duties that are expected of a man of God,
which includes, most importantly, preaching the word.
That does not mean preach your own ideas.
It does not mean preach what comes out of your heart.
If one is preaching, the driving force of the message ought to be from the Bible, from
the word of God, and they ought to use it to reprove, to rebuke, and to exhort with
all longsuffering and doctrine.
I think that's pretty clear.
Of course, the Bible also associates the preaching of the word with the Holy Ghost, as it says
in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 5, for our gospel came not unto you in word only,
but also in power and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as ye know what manner
of men we were among you for your sake.
Paul says that when he preached unto the Thessalonians the gospel of Jesus Christ, it was not just
that he preached the word, but he also preached with power in which the Holy Ghost, which
was upon him as he was preaching.
This is what we see all throughout the book of Acts.
In fact, a connection between the Holy Ghost and preaching of the word, that those who
had the power to change people's lives, to lead people unto Christ, were those who were
filled with the Spirit.
Before Christ's ascension, he promised unto his disciples in Acts chapter 1 verse 8, when
ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses
unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost power
of the earth.
He says unto the apostles that the power to be witnesses, the power to go forth and fulfill
the Great Commission, which was just committed unto them, is through the Holy Ghost, and
that they receive this power only when this happens, only when verses earlier telling
them that they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence.
This was fulfilled at the day of Pentecost in the next chapter, Acts chapter 2 verse
4, where it says, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues of the Spirit gave them utterance.
The 120 people in the early church in Jerusalem were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and the
Bible says, as the Bible says, and they were also given the spiritual gift of speaking
with other tongues, which, by the way, is not what the Pentecostals out there think
it is.
The word tongue in the Bible simply means language.
It's a declaration that the apostles were able to speak other languages, not just that
they spake gibberish that nobody understood, but they were able to speak other tongues,
other languages, which are then listed in the following verses in that very same chapter,
beginning in verse 11, where it says,
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
What happens is the people of the city who had come from all nations all over the world,
the proselytes who had converted to Judaism from different nations who spoke different
languages, they come into Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost, and they heard the apostles
speak in their own languages, and the things which they spake they understood being of
the wonderful works of God.
Therefore, the things which they were speaking was because of the power of the Holy Ghost.
Peter identifies this, and when he speaks unto the Jews in verse 16 to 18, he says,
But it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my spirit upon
all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see
it, your old men shall dream dreams, and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour
out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy.
So this day of Pentecost is a fulfillment of the prophecy made by Joel that in the future
the Spirit would be poured out, and both the sons and the daughters and the young men and
the old men and servants and handmaidens shall prophesy.
The word prophesy in the Bible simply means preaching the word of God.
Therefore, the pouring out of the Spirit is associated with the preaching of the word,
that the reason why the apostles and others in the church were able to lead 3,000 people
unto Christ in that day is because the power to preach the gospel had been given unto them
through the fullness of the Spirit.
However, some people mistakenly believe that this was just a one-time thing, as if one
could never be filled with the Spirit in the same way again.
But this is not true.
We see in Acts chapter 4 verse 31, it says, And when they had prayed, the place was shaken
where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they
speak the word of God with boldness.
What happened is they were filled with the Holy Ghost once again.
After that, they had prayed for such to happen, and in doing so, they were able to speak the
word of God with boldness.
So once again, just as in Acts chapter 2, being filled with the Spirit is about speaking
and preaching the word of God.
It's about having the power to be witnesses, the power to be bold as opposed to having
the spirit of fear.
When Stephen preached in Acts chapter 6, it says of him in verse 10, And they were not
able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
There was this spirit which had power by which he was able to speak unto the Jews and to
the people in Jerusalem.
Likewise in the Old Testament, there are many examples of the same, such as in the story
of the company of the prophets in 1 Samuel chapter 10 verse 10 to 12, And when they came
thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God came
upon him, and he prophesied among them.
And it came to pass, when all that knew him before times saw that, behold, he prophesied
among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is common to
the son of Kish?
Is Saul also among the prophets?
And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father?
Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
Only when the Spirit of God comes upon Saul does he actually prophesy.
Again, preaching the Word of God is about the fullness of the Spirit.
Paul says in recording his preaching efforts in Romans 15 verse 19, Oh, through mighty
signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about
unto a Lyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
So how did he preach the gospel of Christ?
By the power of the Spirit of God.
When we preach, we ought to be filled with the Spirit.
We ought to be walking in the Spirit and pray unto the Lord to give us the fullness
of the Spirit.
If we're to do any type of preaching whatsoever, whether it's preaching the gospel or preaching
other parts of the Word of God, we are given boldness and power to preach the Word of God
by the fullness of the Spirit.
So let's recap what we've gone over in this video, that there is a very important connection
between the Spirit of God and the Word of God, which unfortunately, some people try
to separate, but which the Bible makes very clear.
The Spirit is God, and the Word is God.
The Word of God, which we have in the scriptures, were spoken unto man by the Holy Ghost.
They both in dwelling within them, they must be saved, and they must be filled with the
Holy Ghost, thereby having the power to preach with boldness, and in doing so should preach
that which is contained within the Word of God.
And when the sinner hears the Word of God, it's planted within their heart, the Holy
Ghost in love, and the sinner hears the Word of God, it's planted within their heart,
the Holy Ghost in light generated and renewed by the Holy Ghost, and then indwelled by the
Holy Ghost, so that they now have the power to do the same in soul winning.
Now that this person has the new man created within them, and the Holy Ghost indwelling
within them, they have the power to live a godly life by walking in the Spirit, which
primarily includes setting one's mind on the Word of God and meditating therein.
He also can be filled with the Holy Ghost to allow him to preach the Gospel and the
rest of the Word of God as well with power.
So there's a very evident connection between these two things, between the spoken inspired
by God, it's perfect, and anybody with the Spirit within them, if they read this, if
they believe it, if they put it to practice and teach others in the power of the Spirit,
their lives will be transformed, as well as the lives of others, and they will have success
as Christians.
So I thank you everybody for watching, that's it for this video, thank you everybody for
watching and God bless you and goodbye.
It doesn't look like I have any comments, so goodbye.