Issue 1 August 2013 Page 10
A Publication of Gospel Commission
A Publication of Gospel Commission Issue 1August 2013 Page 11
THE HOLY SPIRIT
OUR MOST URGENT NEED
God does nothing without a purpose. From creation right up to the close of this earth’s history, God’s actions are driven by purpose. Our purpose as the Seventh-day Adventist Church is exactly the same as that of Abraham. In Genesis 12:1-3, we find the essence of the call of Abram and his posterity the Israelites, to be a blessing to the whole earth. The purpose is the means by which the plan of salvation is carried out. As the Seventh-day Adventist movement, who pride ourselves in the being the Chosen, our purpose is no different from that of Ancient Israel. Paul puts it this way in Romans 3:1-2, “What advantage then hath the Jew? Or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. (See also Deut. 7:6-8).
I am sure you are wondering what this purpose has got to do with the Holy Spirit, our most urgent need. Because without the presence of the Holy Spirit, we can never be able to proclaim the 3rd angel’s message, and what that means is that, we cannot live in accordance with the purpose for which we were created and called, bearing in mind that if we are not living according to that purpose, we have no right to live. But God in His mercy still permits us to live.
Nonhlanhla Mlalazi
The Disciples Before His ascension, Jesus promised the disciples that the Holy Spirit would come and they would receive Him. At Pentecost, the disciples received Him and as a result, they did things that had never been done before. The church grew in leaps and bounds, thousands added to their number daily, demons were cast out, the sick were healed and the dead were resurrected.
Our purpose as a movement is to proclaim the 3 angels’ messages, and specifically for our time, the 3rd angel’s message (Rev 14:9-10) warning people against receiving the mark of the beast. We have been called the remnant church for this purpose and for this purpose alone. If we are not living according to this purpose, then we have no right to live. Let me illustrate this with an example: you buy an iron so that when you turn it on, it heats up and you use it to press clothes to make them look neat. If the iron ceases to serve that purpose, you have to get rid of, you dispose of it. Jesus put it this way, “If salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” Matthew 5:13.1
If we are not living according to this purpose, then we have no right to live
It was only after they received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost that the disciples finally knew and lived out their purpose. Remember how despondent and dejected they had been after the death of Jesus? They even went back to their boats and fishing nets. That all changed after the resurrection and after Pentecost. It took the power of the Holy Spirit to re-align their focus, to clarify their obscured vision and nowhere is it recorded in scripture that after Pentecost they went back to their boats and fishing nets, at least I haven’t read it. The Holy Spirit gave them the power to fulfill their purpose. In fact once they started living for that purpose, they were ready to die for it, and die for it they did. There is no sense in planning to die for Jesus or the gospel when we have not started to live for Him. Those who are prepared to die for a cause are those who have lived for it. History records that all the twelve disciples, except John the beloved Revelator, were martyred (Judas Iscariot was replaced by Matthias3). For that which they lived, they died. He was on their lips such that they were nicknamed “Christians”. The Advent Movement Our work is so great that we cannot even begin to think we can do it on our own. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us again that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” All odds are against us. God has promised to send us the Holy Spirit in a mighty way in the form of the latter rain. But the condition for receiving the latter rain is the daily receipt of fresh supplies of the Holy Spirit. We will not receive the latter rain if we have not been receiving Him on a daily basis. It is our privilege to daily plead for the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. “For the daily baptism of the Spirit every worker should offer his petition to God. Companies of Christian workers should gather to ask for special help, for heavenly wisdom, that they may know how to plan and execute wisely.” [AA 50 para3]3
Encouragement from the pen of Inspiration-Christ’s example “To the consecrated worker there is wonderful consolation in the knowledge that even Christ during His life on earth sought His Father daily for fresh supplies of needed grace; and from this communion with God He went forth to strengthen and bless others. Behold the Son of God bowed in prayer to His Father! Though He is the Son of God, He strengthens His faith by prayer, and by communion with heaven gathers to Himself power to resist evil and to minister to the needs of men.” [AA 56 Para1]
It is the daily fresh supplies of the Holy Spirit that will:
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o Convict us of our sins John 16:8 o Teach us all things and bring to remembrance all things John 16:4; John 14:26 o Bring before the mind the standard of righteousness o Fill the soul with a desire for holiness – Guide us into all truth John 16:13 o Revive, transform and sanc tify o Empower us to live above sin o Give us the power we need to proclaim the 3rd angel’s mes sage
Photo by Cherly Edwards