The Holy Spirit and Mount Hermon
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing – Life forevermore. Psalm 133.1-3
The unity of the Church of the Lord Jesus is founded upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Those who were not born of the Spirit of God are certainly not part of this Church. It was the Lord Himself that said to Nicodemus:
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3.5-6
Being born of water happens when, during the baptism in water, the Adamic nature (living soul) is buried. Soon after this baptism, the faithful begin to live in newness of life because their old nature died and was buried for this world. Because of this, he no longer lives in sin (Romans 6.3-4).
However, to be born of the Spirit is the Personal Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the baptism in water, a servant of God submerges the candidate into the water. In the baptism with the Holy Spirit, the Lord Jesus is the Baptizer. He submerges the faithful into the Ocean of the Holy Spirit.
But there are no specific rules to be born of God. Some people were baptized with the Holy Spirit before being baptized in water. However, usually the baptism in water comes first and then with the Holy Spirit. But the most important thing is to know that there is no way to enter and live in the Kingdom of God (the Church built by the Lord Jesus Christ on earth (Matthew 16.18)) without the baptism in water and the Holy Spirit.
The Church built by the Lord Jesus Christ is only possible when it meets the conditions mentioned above. The great number of rebellious people that has risen among the evangelical church is precisely because most of its members were never born of water and the Spirit. They are fruit of the flesh. This is why there is so much division, carnality, adultery, theft and conflicts of interest driven by the uncontained greed of the power of the flesh.
Only the baptism with the Holy Spirit is able to maintain the true CHURCH OF THE LORD prepared for the next KINGDOM: THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. This is the CHURCH the prophet speaks about in Psalm 133. This Church is invisible because it is the Kingdom of God here on Earth.
Bishop Edir Macedo
www.bispomacedo.com.br/en
Follow me on Twitter
