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                         You Need the Holy Ghost!

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By David Wilkerson
August 13, 1990
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          Some of you have been saved for a number of years, some
          perhaps a year, and some just months or a few weeks.
          Being saved from sin is wonderful! Old things fade away
          - and all things become new, I am so glad you're saved!

          But to be a good soldier in the service of our Lord
          Jesus Christ, it's not enough just to be saved. There
          is much more for you! You need to be baptized with the
          Holy Ghost!

          In Paul's time, some believers didn't even know there
          was a Holy Ghost. "He said unto them, Have ye received
          the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto
          him. We have not so much as heard whether there be any
          Holy Ghost" (Acts 19:2). These people were saved, but
          it is clear they were not filled or baptized with the
          Holy Ghost.

          I believe we are saved through the power and ministry
          of the Holy Ghost. But Scripture tells us that in
          addition to this, there is also a baptizing, an
          infilling, a possessing that the Holy Ghost does in us!

          Jesus Himself did not send His disciples and followers
          into the world until they were baptized with the Holy
          Ghost. Certainly His disciples had pure hearts. They
          had faith to heal the sick, to cast out devils. They
          had the word of the Lord and already had been preaching
          Christ and gaining converts. They were witnesses to His
          resurrection. What more could there be? They were
          willing to die for Jesus! Wasn't their love for Him
          enough to send them into the world to do His work?

          Beloved, none of that was enough! Clearly, there was
          more: "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy
          Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto
          me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria,
          and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

          These great apostles - this inner circle of followers
          who knew Him so intimately, who had done such mighty
          works, who had been baptized in water and fully taught
          by Christ - needed still to be baptized with the Holy
          Ghost!

          "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they
          were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly
          there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty
          wind.... And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,
          and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
          gave them utterance" (Acts 2:1-4).

          The need for the Holy Ghost was evident after Philip
          went down to Samaria. He saw a great move of God there:
          "Then Philip... preached Christ unto them. And the
          people with one accord gave heed unto those things
          which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles
          which he did.... And there was great joy in that
          city.... Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem
          heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they
          sent unto them Peter and John" (Acts 8:5-7, 14).

          God's "Holy Ghost Squad" came down! There had been
          signs and wonders, miracles, unclean spirits fleeing,
          people crying out to God. The city was full of joy
          because of all these things! Yet there was still more!
          "(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they
          were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid
          they their hands on them, and they received the Holy
          ghost" (Acts 8:16-17).

          We have another example in Cornelius. He was a devout
          believer, "one that feared God with all his house...
          (who) prayed to God always," and was a kind and
          generous man as well. He and his family were pure and
          holy, their hearts wholly given to the Lord. Yet his
          devout heart told him there was more.

          Cornelius sent for Peter at the direction of an angel.
          When Peter arrived, he preached for a while - and
          suddenly the Holy Ghost fell on the people: "While
          Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all
          them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision
          which believed were astonished... because that on the
          Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy
          Ghost.... 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" (Acts 10:44-48).

          [This Scripture clearly settles the issue that water
          baptism is not the baptism of the Holy Ghost. "John
          indeed baptized with water: but ye shall be baptized
          with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 11:16).]

          Even after his dramatic conversion experience with
          Christ on the road to Damascus, Saul needed the Holy
          Ghost. He was hidden in a room in the city, broken in
          spirit and receiving a glorious revelation of Jesus
          Christ! God sent Ananias to him with the word that Saul
          was a special, chosen vessel for the Lord. Yet, still,
          Saul needed the Holy Ghost to fall on him:

          "And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house;
          and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the
          Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as
          thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive
          thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And
          immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been
          scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and
          was baptized" (Acts 9:17-18).

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                    You Need the Holy Ghost to Help you
                  Break with the World Once and for All!

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          When the Holy Ghost baptizes you, He takes over! "What?
          know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy
          Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are
          not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19).

          The Holy Ghost comes to drive out all the remaining
          claims of the old sinful life! He purges all evil
          powers. He puts down all rule and authority of the
          enemy. He raises up a holy standard, and He notifies
          Satan and his demon hordes that this temple belongs
          wholly to Jesus! "All principalities and powers of
          darkness, take heed: Your claims is lost! This is my
          house, and I have moved in to make Jesus Lord of this
          body, soul and mind!"

          If you have the Spirit of Truth, you will soon line up
          with God's Word and love to do so! He begins to reveal
          the mind of Christ to you. And when you read and hear
          the Word, you tremble and have the power to obey!

          The first message He discloses is this: "But the
          Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father
          will send in my name, he shall teach you all things,
          and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I
          have said unto you" (John 14:26).

          I have often wondered how those calling themselves
          Christians can distort the Word of God - how they can
          read the clear warnings contained in the Bible and yet
          ignore them. They lead a double life! They invent their
          own standards and mix freely with the world. They are
          two people - split personalities. One part continues to
          do everything sinful and evil, while the other one
          says, "But that's not me. The real me loves Jesus!"

          Scripture makes this division clear: "Be ye not
          unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what
          fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And
          what communion hath light with darkness? And what
          concord hath Christ with Belial?... And what agreement
          hath the temple of God with idols?... Wherefore come
          out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the
          Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
          receive you, and will be a Father unto you" (2
          Corinthians 6:14-18). How can any lover of Jesus miss
          or distort this?

          How can an actor and actress play in raunchy,
          sex-and-violence movies and say with a straight face,
          "God told me to"? How can Christians rent evil movies
          or go to filthy places and say, "I am a witness for
          Jesus"? It is because the Spirit of truth is not in
          them! They need the holy Ghost to come in and open
          their blinded eyes!

          Jesus said, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give
          you another Comforter, that he may abide with you
          forever; Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world
          cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither
          knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you,
          and shall be in you" (John 14:16-17).

          All the preaching, counseling and Bible reading you can
          absorb will be dead to you unless you have the Holy
          Ghost living in you! He makes you to understand and
          know it is God speaking! Some in our church here in New
          York have heard these words and warnings over and over
          again. Yet, after a year or two, they are still babies
          - still not separated, still half in the world. Why? It
          is because they don't have the Holy Ghost! He has not
          yet been called upon to possess the temple of their
          body! They still have control of their body - and they
          don't want to yield control to Him!

          You need the Holy Ghost, for He is the Spirit of Truth
          who "shall teach you all things." You won't be
          sidetracked by a distorted, compromised gospel.

          "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will
          guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of
          himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he
          speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall
          glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall
          show it unto you" (John 16:13-14).

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                      Holy Ghost Baptism Is For You!

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          Do you really want the Holy Ghost? Do you want Him to
          fall upon you and baptize you with fire? You have to be
          convinced this is for you. You must come to the place
          where you know you are nothing, have nothing and can do
          nothing without the power and leading of the Holy
          Ghost.

          You must know He is still baptizing, still falling upon
          believers - possessing their bodies! "Repent, and be
          baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
          for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the
          gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you,
          and to your children, and to all that are afar off,
          even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts
          2:38-39).

          Every hour of every day, multitudes worldwide are being
          baptized with the Holy Ghost! They have read of this
          promise in the Bible or have heard it preached. So they
          cried out claiming the promise, and they have been
          baptized!

          The baptism is especially for those living in these
          last days. "And it shall come to pass in the last days,
          saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all
          flesh... I will pour out in those days of my Spirit"
          (Acts 2:17-18).

          Jesus told a parable about a certain man who got up at
          midnight, went to a friend's house and asked for three
          loaves of bread (Luke 11:5-13). This parable is about
          the need for the Holy Ghost - about seeking, asking and
          knocking!

          This man had been in his home when a friend arrived
          from a long journey and was hungry. But the man had
          nothing to give him. This represents a lack of power,
          spiritual weakness! So the man who had nothing to give
          went to the one who had bread.

          This man who had nothing to give needed the power of
          the Holy Ghost. He was desperate!

          Beloved, it is midnight and you have family and friends
          who are hungry and needy - yet in yourselves you have
          nothing to offer. You need the Holy Ghost! And He is
          yours for the asking: "How much more shall your
          heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask
          him?" (Luke 11:13).

          God wants you to live and walk in the Spirit. You
          should not have to run to find someone else to meet a
          person's need. You are called to speak the Word of God
          as the Spirit moves on you, and to lay hands on the
          sick and cast out devils just as the apostles did. We
          are all called to be witnesses who are full of the Holy
          Ghost and power!

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            You Must Realize You Do Not Have All Jesus Wants You
           to Have Unless You Are Baptized With the Holy Ghost!

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          John the Baptist preached, "I indeed baptize you with
          water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of
          whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall
          baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire" (Luke
          3:16).

          Beloved, the Bible makes it very clear: When Jesus
          comes to you, He desires to baptize you with the Holy
          Ghost and fire! The Holy Ghost brings fire - a red-hot,
          consuming love for Jesus. Why are so many believers hot
          one minute and then cold the next, never totally
          yielded, never sold out? Is it because they refuse to
          let Jesus baptize them with the Holy Ghost?

          "When (the Holy Ghost) is come, He will reprove... of
          sin" (John 16:8). Could it be that these believers are
          not convicted because the Holy Ghost has not yet moved
          in - that He has never been invited to take His
          rightful place in them? If the Holy Ghost were in
          residence He would be convicting, convincing, probing -
          holding them to the Word. He is God's plumb line.
          Anything that does not measure up to Christ, He reveals
          - and He convicts us and empowers us to conform to His
          Word! Truly He becomes our Comforter in this, because
          as He convicts us of sin He empowers us to remove it.
          That is true comfort!

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                 You Must Be Willing to Let Go of Decorum!
                            That is Your Pride:
                    Etiquette - Primness - Starchiness!

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          In both the Old and New Testaments, the Holy Ghost fell
          upon people in the most unusual ways! He shook
          buildings. People's tongues began to praise Him - in
          new tongues. The Holy Ghost took full control!

          At Pentecost he came with a mighty, rushing wind! Fire
          fell! "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,
          and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
          gave them utterance" (Acts 2;4). Can you imagine what
          this crowd looked like to passersby - 120 people, all
          preaching and praising God at the same time and in
          different tongues? It must have looked like drunken
          chaos!

          When the Holy Ghost comes down, things get shaken up.
          "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where
          they were assembled together: and they were all filled
          with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God
          with boldness" (Acts 4:31).

          Some say, "The Spirit came down at Pentecost. We don't
          need to pray for Him to fall on us now." But throughout
          the Book of Acts, after Pentecost, the Holy Ghost was
          still falling on believers!

          He fell at the house of Cornelius: "While Peter yet
          spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them"
          (Acts 10:44). Again, they spoke with tongues!

          He fell at Ephesus: "The Holy Ghost came on them; and
          they spake with tongues, and prophesied" (Acts 19:6).

          The Holy Ghost will never make you do anything stupid.
          But He will come upon you in such a way that simmers
          may think you are drunk! He is not welcome in many
          churches because He is thought to be too noisy, too
          upsetting, too unpredictable!

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                   The Holy Ghost Is Received by Faith!

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          "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit
          by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"
          (Galatians 3:2). Saints, this message should ignite
          your faith, - and by faith you should lay hold of God's
          great promises! "Let him ask in faith, nothing
          wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the
          sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that
          man think he shall receive anything of the Lord" (James
          1:6-7).

          The Lord says, "Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill
          it" (Psalm 81:10). Praying for the gift of tongues
          should not be our focus; we ought to pray to be
          baptized in the Holy Ghost - and speaking in tongues is
          an expression of His indwelling.

          Have you asked God for this gift? Are you seeking the
          Holy Ghost? Are you continually knocking? "If ye then,
          being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your
          children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give
          the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" (Luke 11:13).

          Simply ask and you will receive! Seek your heavenly
          Father for the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and He will
          give it to you!

          Here in New York City we have come to realize our
          desperate need to be constantly filled with the Holy
          Ghost, always dependent on His power and presence, and
          fully trusting in His ability to do the impossible. For
          example, we have been led to pray for HARD CASES -
          praying in the Holy Ghost for the salvation of those
          considered too far gone to be saved: the pornographers,
          the drug dealers - the evil-minded big-shot business
          men who have lost all sense of morality.

          We are witnessing great miracles as a result. The most
          wicked, evil-minded sinners are being strangely
          convicted by the Holy Ghost: and they are getting right
          with God.

          The Holy Ghost is the HOUND OF HEAVEN, and He is
          hunting down sinners and the backslidden everywhere.
          They are falling under an incredible "misery," and are
          beginning to hate their sin for the first time. They
          are feeling an urge to seek spiritual help. That, my
          friends, is the powerful ministry of the Holy Ghost.

          We face a mad devil on the loose in our world today. He
          is unleashing all the power at his command; and legions
          of evil powers are digging in for the final conflict
          with heaven. It is going to take more than the dead,
          powerless religion practiced by most denominations. Our
          modern church programs are silly - carnal - and the
          laughing stock of hell. Demonic hordes will simply walk
          all over backslidden, apostate Christians and pastors.
          Unclean, unholy Christians are weak, powerless and
          afraid of Satan's power. They can no more stop the
          onslaught of Satan than an ant can stop an armored
          tank.

          But Satan cannot stand up to a righteous, Holy
          Ghost-filled child of God who walks in faith and
          obedience. Show me a truly Holy Ghost-possessed
          believer, and I'll show you one who puts the legions of
          hell to chase.

          We don't need bigger churches or more Christian TV or
          more sophisticated religious methods! We need more Holy
          Ghost-baptized saints - separated and sanctified - who
          will live and walk and talk in the power given them! We
          need to be on our faces crying out to God for a fresh
          Pentecost: that the Holy Ghost would again fall upon
          us, our churches, our pastors and evangelists - and rid
          ourselves once and for all of everything profane and
          fleshly.

          God, send the Holy Ghost! Fall upon us! Baptize us
          mightily. And send us forth against satanic strongholds
          with an uncompromising faith that He will prevail in
          our day!

          ---
          Used with permission granted by World Challenge, P. O.
          Box 260, Lindale, TX 75771, USA.

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