THE CALL OF THE SPIRIT

                                          By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D. D.

Jesus said, “And behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning, and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates into the city.

“I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and the Morning Star. And the Spirit and the Bride, say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst Come. And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely.

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the word of the Prophecy of this Book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this Book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the Holy City, and from the things written in this Book.

“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22: 12-20)

THE HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS LIFE!

A life that is devoid of the Spirit of God is weak, dead and without fruit! In our natural lives we are prone to be sinful, weak, fearful, and guilty. When the Holy Spirit fills us with the life of Jesus, the condemnation leaves and we receive forgiveness, peace, healing, and joy!

Jesus of Nazareth did no miracles until He was filled with the Holy Spirit. At His baptism, the Holy Spirit came into Jesus and miracles happened immediately. He overcame Satan in the wilderness temptation and began healing the sick and casting out evil spirits!

After His great Victory over the devil, Jesus returned to Nazareth in the power of the Spirit and immediately He began healing the sick and casting out devils. The evil spirits recognized Him: “And in the synagogue there was a man which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with Thee Jesus of Nazareth? Art Thou come to destroy us? I know Thee who Thou art:  the Holy One of God.

“And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him; and when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him. And the fame of Him went out into every place out of the country round about.” (Luke 4:33-37)

GODLY FEAR IN HIS PRESENCE!

There is no way that I can fully comprehend the enormity of the statement, “that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates into the city”.  In His presence I tremble with godly fear! What did I ever do to deserve such a position in His Kingdom? A sinner by birth, by nature and by choice?

That we mortals who trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour will be allowed to enter Heaven is made possible by the grace of God! Only by His amazing grace, through faith in His shed blood for us and in Christ alone, do we have the right to make Heaven our Eternal Home!

Charles H. Gabriel (1855-1932) penned the words: ‘I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and I wonder how He could love me, a sinner condemned unclean. Oh, how marvellous; Oh, how wonderful and my song shall ever be. Oh, how marvellous, Oh; how wonderful is my Saviour’s love for me!’

Even now the Blessed Holy Spirit is calling for sinners to ‘Come Home to Jesus’. He is anointing His servants to declare His Gospel and is pleading with souls! And our Lord Jesus intercedes for us: “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Heb. 7:25)

“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son:

“In Whom we have redemption through His Blood, even the forgiveness of sins: who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn (first in rank) of every creature: for by Him (Christ) were all things created, that are in Heaven, that are in earth, visible and invisible whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.

“And He is the Head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He might have the pre-eminence.” (Col. 1: 12-18)

JESUS’ MISSION STATEMENT!

 “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through all the region round about. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and as His custom was, He went into the synagogue and stood up to read.

“And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Esaias, and when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor: He hath sent Me to HEAL the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of the sight to the blind, to set at LIBERTY them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4: 14-19)

The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16, 17)

“Grace be unto you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who Gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God, the Father.” (Gal. 1:3,4)

“For He hath made Him to be Sin (sin offering) for us, who knew NO Sin; that we might be made the Righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor. 5: 21); “For we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” (2 Cor. 8:9)

THE DEATH OF HIS CROSS!

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; He being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; And  being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the Death of the Cross.

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a Name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and in things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2: 5-11):

“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son: In Whom we have Redemption through His Blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

“For by Him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were Created by Him, and for Him. And He is before all things and by Him all things consist. And He is the Head of the body, the Church: Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in ALL Things He might have the pre-eminence. 

“For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell; And having made peace through the Blood of His Cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things on earth, or things in Heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through DEATH, to present you holy and unblameable in His sight.

ALL TREASURES IN CHRIST!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ                           to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise and glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved: In Whom we have Redemption through His BLOOD, the forgiveness of Sins, according to the riches of His Grace; wherein He hath abounded toward us in all Wisdom and Prudence.

“Having made known unto us the Mystery of His Will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will…

“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, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of Promise, which is the earnest of our Inheritance until the praise of His glory.” (Eph.1: 3-14)

CHRIST IS OUR PEACE!

“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the Blood of Christ. For He is our Peace, who made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us: Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace and that He might reconcile but unto God in one body by the Cross, having slain the enmity thereby.

“For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Corner Stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Eph.2:13-22)

“And having made PEACE through the death of His CROSS, by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in Heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works hath He Reconciled in the body of His flesh, through Death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.” (Col. 1:20-22)

JESUS CHRIST CONQUERED SATAN!

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened (made alive) together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances which were against us, and took it away, nailing it to His Cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers. He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Col. 2:13-15)

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When, He who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in Glory.

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which ye are called in one body and be ye thankful. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, signing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartedly as unto the Lord, and not unto men: Knowing that of the Lord, ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” (Col.3:15-17, 23, 24)

CHRIST THE GOOD SHEPHERD!

Jesus said: “I am the Good Shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and am know of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so I know the Father: even so, I lay down My life for the sheep.

“Therefore, doth my Father love me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again, but I lay it down of Myself. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” (John 10: 11, 14-18, 27-30)

General Giuseppe Gerabaldi (1807-1882) was on maneuvers with his Italian soldiers in the Swiss Alps. A distraught shepherd informed him that he had lost a lamb. Immediately the General ordered his soldiers to search for the lamb. Hour after hour they searched to no avail. Night fell and the soldiers went to their tents. In the morning the General was awakened by his AID, saying, “I’ve allowed you an extra hour. You must arise”. The General sat up on his cot and rubbed his eyes. Then, he reached under the cot and pulled out the lamb. While his soldiers slept, General Gerabaldi continued searching until he found the lamb.

The Good Shepherd will not give up on us. Others may give up, but Jesus keeps knocking! Our Saviour continues searching and calling through His Word, by His Holy Spirit and through His church! He will not give up on you, my friend. He said, “Behold I stand at the door and knock: If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” (Rev. 3:20)

Jesus didn’t stop until He had atoned for the sins of the entire world, from Adam until the Rapture of the Church! He made the ultimate sacrifice to satisfy the righteous demands of divine Justice in the courts of Heaven through His vicarious death on the Cross on Golgotha!

 The Bible says, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4: 16)

The Blessed Holy Spirit is calling for sinners to ‘Come Home to Jesus’. He is anointing His servants to declare His Gospel and is pleading with souls! And the Holy Spirit also intercedes for us!

 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for us we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Rom.8:26, 27)

CHRIST IS ALIVE FOREVERMORE!

One writer stated: “Christianity stands or falls with the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If the resurrection could have been disproved, it would have utterly destroyed the church.”

 Neither the Roman Authority nor the Jewish Hierarchy could produce the body of Jesus of Nazareth! History gives no record of the enemies of Jesus ever refuting the resurrection. John R.W. Stott said that their “silence is as eloquent a proof of the resurrection as the apostles’ witness.”

After God shook the prison with an earthquake at midnight, the Philippian jailor fell before Paul and Silas asking, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be Saved.” (Acts 16: 25-33)