"We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away... how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will" (Hebrews 2:1,3,4).
Pastor Sam reminded us of a moment in the Old Testament where God showed Israel a key characteristic of the Holy Spirit: He is not confined to space and time. In Numbers 11, the LORD takes seventy men and shares with them the powerful Holy Spirit who was on Moses. In that transfer of power, the Lord spoke and the elders around the Tent of Meeting prophesied (Numbers 11:25). The Scripture specifically informs us that Eldad and Medad, two of the seventy elders, were not present at the location where Moses and the other sixty-eight elders were. But, Eldad and Medad were apparently exhibiting some sort of behavior that made it apparent that the Holy Spirit rested upon them- the report came from a young observer, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp" (Numbers 11:27).
The presence of the Holy Spirit was obvious.
The power of the Holy Spirit was observable.
The Hebrews 2 passage (above) reinforces this fact of the work of the Spirit as a phenomenon that is not private, but public. I said it last week, and today I will say it again. The Bible declares that God's testimony of salvation comes by signs, wonders, and miracles.
What would the world be like if every Christian believed what the Bible says? What would our services be like if every attendee at Bronx Bethany believed what the Bible says? What behavior do you exhibit while God is speaking? Do you prophesy, or do you just run around telling on people?
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