“Tarry in Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” Lk. 24:49
As Jewish believers in Messiah, when we think of the Festival of Weeks (called Pentecost in the Church) we primarily think of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit two thousand years ago on the first Jewish believers gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate this biblical first fruits holiday. This day nearly two-thousand years ago was indeed the beginning of the Holy Spirit ministry in the New Testament context which jump started the gospel from Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
When considering the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we tend to first think of the gifts, the power and anointing which the Holy Spirit imparts. While that is an incredibly exciting and important element of Holy Spirit’s ministry, I believe that the Spirit is asking us to first spend time meditating on the word that defines the Spirit – Holy.
Be Holy for I am Holy (1 Peter 1:15-16)
It is natural that our attention tends to stay on the dramatic and outward manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s ministry, but the ministry of Holy Spirit should first and foremost empower us to live holy lives. We all discover sooner or later that when someone operates in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit, it does not mean that the person’s personal walk with God is in good standing. In fact, someone can be living in egregious sin and still minister in the power of the Holy Spirit. If that minister does not repent, eventually the sin will be revealed, and it brings shame on the name of Messiah and places a stumbling block before young and immature believers. Therefore, to focus on ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit without living a life of holiness through the Holy Spirit is damaging and dangerous.
Religious Holiness
At the same time, some believers emphasize holiness without the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit. A holiness emphasis without the power of the Holy Spirit is equally damaging and dangerous because it can lead people into a religious mindset and an attempt to struggle against sin without the help of the Holy Spirit. We also cannot experience God’s love for us without the Holy Spirit. In fact, we cannot truly know God and have an intimate relationship with Him without the Holy Spirit because God reveals Himself to us through the agency of the Holy Spirit.
What does it mean to live holy lives?
Like many basic spiritual truths, there is quite a bit of misunderstanding about what it means to live a holy life. Most would describe living “holy” as hardly ever stumbling in sin. That definition makes “living holy” seem like a near impossibility. But the fact is, that is not what it means to live holy! Living holy is first and foremost the mere desire to do what is right in God’s eyes, repenting when we fail, and continuing to desire to do God’s will. That is the standard of holiness for us. The more we desire to do God’s will, the more the Holy Spirit fills our souls with grace, strength and conviction to choose the good and reject the evil. Over time, we will experience more victory in our struggles with sin. But it doesn’t mean we become immune to sin and live perfect lives. There is only One Righteous Man who did that!
The End-Time Bride: holy and endowed with Power from on high
This year as we celebrate the Festival of Weeks, I am filled with the urgency for the need of the Body of Messiah to step into the full calling God has given us – to live holy lives and to operate in the power of the Holy Spirit. Not one on the account of the other. In these end times, the Spirit is calling all of us to desire to experience God’s love poured out in our hearts, to live lives of holiness, and to earnestly desire and operate in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul Cohen says:
Shalom from the USA, thank you for the encouraging message. I am a Jewish believer in Yeshua (my father was a traditional Jew who accepted Jesus just before dying in the mid 1970’s) but I was raised as a Christian by my Baptist mother. The concept of being filled with the Holy Spirit to be able to do the same kind of miracles that we read about in the renewed Covenant always intrigued me, and I know many believers who claim to operate in the realm of the supernatural, yet, as you mentioned, they don’t always bare the kind of fruit that one would expect. I have prayed more times than I can count to “receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit” and yet, I have never felt any change in my life. I believe that I am born again, but I wonder if even after trying to surrender all aspects of my life, in order to be a receptive vessel, I don’t seem to be able to tap into any of those Charismata gifts. Please pray for me. I teach the Torah and I am hoping that an unsaved Jewish man who lives near me named Barry will attend my home fellowship this Shabbat as I am going to share about Yeshua fulfilling both Pesach and Shavuot.
Meghan says:
Shalom Paul from Nashville. I found my church, The Belonging Co, while looking for a community walking in and believing in the same Holy Spirit manifestation. I want to encourage you that you do have peace, joy, self discipline, the evidence and convictions of the Holy Spirit living in you🙏🏼 You have the gift of teaching. A book that changed my life was The Intercessor. While I may not have certain gifts, I now understand and know how to pray until all doubt is removed. I have seen prayer after prayer answered simply learning how to believe fully. God bless you on this journey!
Susan Peltier says:
So exciting to hear what is happening in response to the prayer going out leading up to Shavuot! I believe there is going to be a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit this year which we are so in need of! Thank you for your precious encouraging ministry! Love, prayers and blessings to all of you!!❤️🙏🏻
Wendy Clark says:
Well said…My heart is blessed. Thank you. Chog Sameic! Blessed and Happy Shavuot!
Sharon Bowdler says:
This wisdom is very much a blessing to receive. It answers many questions. Thanks, and the Lord bless.
Cindie Haese says:
Exactly, for how can we be His witnesses when we are unable to live a holy life?
Mark Rodgers says:
Wow! Thank you. I have never heard a more concise and on point teaching about the outpouring of and ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Dragan Vujic says:
The Holy Spirit as the English translation emphasizes that He is God. But in the original Hebrew Ruach ha Kodesh actualy means the Spirit of holiness which focuses on His function as the means, power to make holiness effective in our life. That makes the baptism, immersion in the Ruach as indispensable in the life of a believer much more clear. In most of the churches, especially in the West there is little emphasis in sermons and teaching on holiness in our life. Hopefully after this Isaiah 62 fast that will shift the momentum in the direction of ecclesia to reach her full calling in the end time. There is no fullness of the Gentiles in Rom.11:25 without holiness which will provoke Israel to jealousy and ultimately salvation/full redemption and return of her Messiah King.
Sonam Christopher says:
Thank you for this message on the true desire for daily baptism of the Holy Spirit. He is the means to the true intimacy with God the Father we all crave for. Thank you for your messages; they are very biblical and inspiring. I really liked your Passover message as well.
Blessings
Gary Kaplan says:
I am an American Jewish believer that went to an orthodox Shule for 7 years as a believer then came to Israel. If you need me to talk to any orthodox new believers I can but my Hebrew is not very good