jesusjnr2020:
What The Early Church Learnt From The Gentiles About The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit doesn't wait for men, including the true prophets or apostles of God, to understand what He's doing before He does what He wants to do.

When the gentiles first received the baptism of the Holy Spirit while Peter was yet preaching to them, the Jews from the church that were present, including Peter, didn't see it coming. Peter himself thought they must first be baptized with water beforehand, that's if they'd be baptized by the Holy Ghost at all, hence he instructed that they'd be baptized with water immediately afterwards.

Acts 10:45-48 (KJV)

And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

But when Peter returned from the assignment God had given him, he faced serious interrogation from those of the church, including the apostles, who didn't go with him, as they were said to have contended with him because of what they heard about him regarding the gentiles. Acts 11:1-3

But Peter had to rehearse to them what had actually transpired, that he had not gone there of his own volition but that it was the Spirit of God that actually sent him there. Acts 11:4-16

He then made the following statement in conclusion of his defence to which they could neither gainsay or resist:

Acts 11:17 (KJV)

Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

Sadly though that lesson is yet unlearnt to those of the present day church. They still mistake the Holy Spirit for the spirit of the prophets which they say is and expect to be subject to the prophets.

However as that instance clearly showed, the Spirit of God is anything but that. He is the Spirit of God so it's the prophet or the apostle that ought to be subject to the Spirit of God, and not the other way around.

Even Jesus Himself, the only begotten Son of God was said to have been led of the Spirit into the wilderness while He was human on Earth and not the otherwise. Matthew 4:1.

So if the church of this day is seeking a spirit that which they can control or fully understand, then it's not the Spirit of God they seek but another, because the Spirit of God cannot be led of any man. It's man that ought to be led of the Spirit of God, and He doesn't always wait for his prophets or apostles to understand what He's doing before He does it.

But the Holy Spirit needs those who are willing to be led by Him to be able to showcase the capacity of His power as He did with such ones in the past.

That could explain why His power is not being displayed in the church now as much as it was in those days.

So that one lesson the present day church needs to learn if it wants to be used of the Holy Spirit in the same vein.

God bless.

Myer:
While this is rightly said scripturally.
My question is simple, what has the Holyspirit led you to do off Nairaland like the early Christians, I'm assuming you have the same measure of the Holyspirit.

Kobojunkie:
Does the Holy Spirit aka the Spirit of Truth, the one who lived and operated inside of Jesus Christ Himself while He was here on earth, come in measures? If, yes, where did Jesus Christ, the one whose spirit and promise it is, reveal this?

Myer:
Only Jesus Christ had the spirit without measure.

John 3:34, KJV: For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

Kobojunkie:
So because Johh the Baptist said there that God gives the Spirit(Eternal Life and Truth) to Jesus Christ fully, we are to then conclude that God does not give the Spirit of Truth fully to those who are followers of Jesus Christ?

Myer:
You're free to interprete the verse as you wish.
If you have the same measure of yhe spirit as Jesus Christ, you should be performing the miracles he performed and operating with the wisdom he operated.

But clearly, you're not doing either.

Kobojunkie:
I don't think I am free to interpret the verse as I wish as there is only one Truth and all other interpretation are lies.

1. The apostles were able to perform miracles and operate in wisdom as far as we are able to pull from the stories told of them in the book of Acts, so are we to assume they had the same measure of the "Spirit" that Jesus Christ had then?

2. Jesus Christ did state that those who belong to Him will do that which He did and more, meaning it ain't OK for anyone to fall short of that goal He set for all of His followers. So if a one is able to accomplish all that Jesus Christ did and more, would it then mean one has the same measure "Spirit" that Jesus Christ had?

3. Jesus Christ did also warn that even false prophets and false teachers would do miracles, cast out demons and prophesy using His name, so are such things really a good enough way to Guage "measure" of "Spirit" a one has?

4. This is not to say that it is OK for a one to have any of the signs indicated by Jesus Christ missing in his life, only that if may not be a good enough way to guage the presence of the Spirit of Truth in the life of a born-again, don't you think?

Myer:
1. I gave you the interpretation of the verse but you choose to reject it. Which is why I said you're free to have your own interpretation but it doesn't change the True interpretation that no one had the spirit in the same measure Jesus did, not even the early apostles.
It's a given.

2. Everyone one who is reborn of the Spirit receives the same Holyspirit. But the measure and operation are different.

3. Otherwise, since you have the Holyspirit, you should operating atleast at the sane level/measure as the early apostles atleast.

Kobojunkie:
1. I didn't ask for an interpretation since a clear digest of what John the Baptist is written to have said there does not speak the same meaning which you claim.

When Jesus Christ was in the womb, His mother was described in Luke 1 as being full of grace(Eternal Life). In John 1, it is written that Jesus Christ was full of Truth and Eternal Life(grace), and in John 14 vs 6 Jesus Himself reveals that He is indeed the very Eternal Life(Grace) and Truth THAT is God. In the same chapter, Jesus Christ also reveals that He and the Father will live inside of those who obey His teachings and commandments implying the very same Truth and Life will reside inside of all followers. So surely the statement made by John the Baptist in John 3 takes on more meaning when you consider this, and this idea that only Jesus Christ has the "full measure" of the Spirit of Truth begins to fall apart when you begin to put together all the other pieces of the puzzle found right in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

2. Where in the teachings of Jesus Christ, Gospel, does this idea of yours come from?

3. So are you insinuating then that for the apostles to have done even as Jesus Christ did means they also had the same measure of the Spirit of Truth that Jesus Christ had?

Myer:
1. When the Bible says he was full of grace and truth. What does that imply to you?
2. Was any other father of faith or apostle so described?

3. It means that not every one is full of grace and truth. But a given measure which God predetermines. Even among the apostles we know Paul Peter and John had a measure beyond the other apostles.
You have been evading the simple question I've been asking since... Are you operating at the same measure of Jesus or even the early apostles? Even if its only in terms of miracles and wisdom?

6 Jesus answered, “I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. The only way to the Father is through me.
7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father too. But now you know the Father. You have seen him.” - John 14 vs 6 - 7

jesusjnr2020:

Acts 11:17 (KJV)

Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

MyVILLAGEpeople:
Jesus is lord!