Macarthur's Understanding Of The Holy Spirit

JustPassingThru said:
... but we are called to expose the darkness.
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That's what I'm trying to do ... and there's a TON of it in the churches.
Cessationism is from the very pits of hell ...
and the EOC and RCC fell for it 1700 years ago, and it was continued on by the Protestants!
Satan is no dummy, and man has free will, and God takes His hands off.
The Lord will not force man to do anything that he doesn't want to do!
 
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Major said:
The only ones getting the glory of the 8 ladies you spoke of was the 8 ladies.
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There have been many thousands of occasions since NT times ...
when God has blessed believers with signs, wonders, and miracles of all kinds!
All was done in the name of Jesus! ... And so, Jesus got all of the glory!

Please explain what benefit Satan has derived from these occasions.

Now, of course, to discount what happened during these occasions
is to call millions of people liars. That would be fun.

But, not nearly as much fun as blaspheming the Holy Spirit, who performed the miracles!

This where the rubber meets the road, so to speak.
 
Osterloh said:
No, I wrote what I wrote: Jesus never said "I AM GOD".
Even though it is an incredibly true and important fact.

If you'd like to get into the nuances of the man-God, I'm here, start a thread.
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So you take the time to do the Word study of where Jesus said I am (egō eimi) in the Greek, ...here's a hint for you, John 8:28 start there.

That way you can speak intelligently here on the subject.
 
Osterloh said:
There have been many thousands of occasions since NT times ...
when God has blessed believers with signs, wonders, and miracles of all kinds!
All was done in the name of Jesus! ... And so, Jesus got all of the glory!

Please explain what benefit Satan has derived from these occasions.

Now, of course, to discount what happened during these occasions
is to call millions of people liars. That would be fun.

But, not nearly as much fun as blaspheming the Holy Spirit, who performed the miracles!

This where the rubber meets the road, so to speak.
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You're kinda funny with all of your beliefs without quoting any verses, ...how could a Spirit filled, born again, child of God blaspheme the Holy Spirit, no one having the Spirit will/can say Jesus is cursed and no one that is Spirit filled will blaspheme Him.

You are taking/making you doctrine from what you have read on this forum, certainly not from what is written and taught us by the Holy Spirit from the Word, try using some Scripture verses, rather than your opinions (because opinions are like elbows, everybody has two of them) and you will gain some credibility and respect from us, otherwise you are just like what Spurgeon said, ....blind mouths.
 
Osterloh said:
Please explain what benefit Satan has derived from these occasions.
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Pentecostals (and other fundamentalist types) supported the Iraq war. They supported it for religious reasons. They supported in Jesus' name. In Pentecostal churches across the country "God has blessed believers with signs, wonders, and miracles of all kinds!" affirming the need for the US to attack Iraq. The result is that Christian population in Iraq has been nearly wiped out and Christianity in America has been further marginalized as a cultural influence. How has Satan benefited by the end of Christian civilization? Hmmm, let me think.
 
Osterloh said:
There have been many thousands of occasions since NT times ...
when God has blessed believers with signs, wonders, and miracles of all kinds!
All was done in the name of Jesus! ... And so, Jesus got all of the glory!

Please explain what benefit Satan has derived from these occasions.

Now, of course, to discount what happened during these occasions
is to call millions of people liars. That would be fun.

But, not nearly as much fun as blaspheming the Holy Spirit, who performed the miracles!

This where the rubber meets the road, so to speak.
Click to expand...

I am amazed that a man able to use a computer, and go to the bathroom by himself can not understand that Satan can and does turn healing events into confusion and leads those there to lie and exaggerate what actually took place.

Do you honestly believe that the people you are talking with here have never been to a "healing" ceremony and seen what took place???? Do you really think that we as Christians have never seen how Satan can trick, fool and lie his way into a church service????

I have already told you that David told us in Psalms by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that ALL men are liars. Do you not believe that statement????
English Standard Version........... ".I said in my alarm, All mankind are liars.”
New American Standard Bible ....."I said in my alarm, "All men are liars."
King James Bible............................"I said in my haste, All men are liars."
Holman Christian Standard Bible "In my alarm I said," Everyone is a liar."
International Standard Version ....."and speak hastily, "All people are liars!"

Does that include the 8 people you referred to? YES!
Does it apply to you...............................................YES!
Does it apply to me?..............................................Yes!

Satan is the prince of the power of the air and he will do and has done anything and everything to fool people.
 
And another one bites the dust!

People can twist the Word to mean whatever they want it to mean, but there isn't any power dunamis of the Holy Spirit behind it, however,

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isa 55:10, 11

That's a demonstration of the dunamis of the Holy Spirit, and people can argue with us all day, but they can't argue against the Word when it's empowered by Him, ...it literally closes their mouths.

So let's add this person to the ever growing list to pray for, ...that the Lord's will be done in his life.

Blessings,

Gene
 
I have said this before but I feel it is important to say it again. Something I learned from the people, past and present on this forum - that I really didn't know before. The Word - the bible - is written on so many levels, interwoven, and compacted, I have stopped counting and wondering. When I came here, like everybody else (it seems), I saw contradictions and things that troubled me. I don't see them any more because someone told me to use the HS within me to read and as simple as that, I saw Truth - beginning to end. I don't say I understand it all, but I realized I wasn't just hungry - I was starving. Because, as what I had thought was a good, liberal Christian (me) had allowed alot of errors in because they sounded good. What I have said before and got off the track a wee bit is: THE BIBLE CAN BE CUT UP AND TWISTED TO MAKE ANY DEVIL'S POINT SOUND REASONABLE. When I grew up, there wasn't alot of teaching about the HS. I felt this terrible lack. But I didn't look to learn about it in the bible - I came here instead. I would have gone further into error about the HS, if I hadn't listened to the real HS inside me. MacArthur has helped further clarify my learning and thoughts in this area. If you don't test the spirits coming to you, you don't know if it is your own pride speaking or the devil's or the divine. As human beings, we can still be deceived. If we are listening to the wrong voice it will tell us things the flesh likes. The only miracles I have seen were done by God - not by me or any flesh. Stop looking in scripture to prove preconceived points - look for truth just for yourself so you don't wander. I don't want to pass on and have Jesus tell me He doesn't know me. Nor do I want that to happen to any of you.
 
Silk said:
I have said this before but I feel it is important to say it again. Something I learned from the people, past and present on this forum - that I really didn't know before. The Word - the bible - is written on so many levels, interwoven, and compacted, I have stopped counting and wondering. When I came here, like everybody else (it seems), I saw contradictions and things that troubled me. I don't see them any more because someone told me to use the HS within me to read and as simple as that, I saw Truth - beginning to end. I don't say I understand it all, but I realized I wasn't just hungry - I was starving. Because, as what I had thought was a good, liberal Christian (me) had allowed alot of errors in because they sounded good. What I have said before and got off the track a wee bit is: THE BIBLE CAN BE CUT UP AND TWISTED TO MAKE ANY DEVIL'S POINT SOUND REASONABLE. When I grew up, there wasn't alot of teaching about the HS. I felt this terrible lack. But I didn't look to learn about it in the bible - I came here instead. I would have gone further into error about the HS, if I hadn't listened to the real HS inside me. MacArthur has helped further clarify my learning and thoughts in this area. If you don't test the spirits coming to you, you don't know if it is your own pride speaking or the devil's or the divine. As human beings, we can still be deceived. If we are listening to the wrong voice it will tell us things the flesh likes. The only miracles I have seen were done by God - not by me or any flesh. Stop looking in scripture to prove preconceived points - look for truth just for yourself so you don't wander. I don't want to pass on and have Jesus tell me He doesn't know me. Nor do I want that to happen to any of you.
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Amen my little sister! You have said it all! I love you and your way of saying what needs to be said in the right way. I wish I had that gift instead of being so straight forward and to the point!
 
Barnabas said:
Pentecostals (and other fundamentalist types) supported the Iraq war. They supported it for religious reasons. They supported in Jesus' name. In Pentecostal churches across the country "God has blessed believers with signs, wonders, and miracles of all kinds!" affirming the need for the US to attack Iraq. The result is that Christian population in Iraq has been nearly wiped out and Christianity in America has been further marginalized as a cultural influence. How has Satan benefited by the end of Christian civilization? Hmmm, let me think.
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I love ya man but I can not go along with your idea here. I see no proof of Pentecostals or other fundamentalists as being supporters of the Iraq war.

In fact......you said Pentecostals and "OTHER" fundamentalists. That is an incorrect statement. They TWO diametrical ways of believing the Word of God.
 
Silk said:
Thoughts?
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I've been reluctant to reply because there's so much misunderstandings about the Holy Spirit, but here goes. I love John MacArthur. He's a great teacher. He is correct about a lot of what is done in the name of the Holy Spirit is wrong. All humans are in the flesh and for the most part do what they've been taught to do. Only Jesus was free from the effects of sin within His decision making process. Anything holy and right will be exploited by the devil so it won't be believed. Blood-letting used to be a common medical practice, but that didn't make it right. They just didn't believe the word of God, Lev 17:11. The same is true today about the Holy Spirit and what people are taught, ask any school teacher - people use the homework of others.

I've been listening to John MacArthur for many years and I can honestly say, he's afraid of losing control, which is why he's not experienced the Holy Spirit, Luke 3:16. I've never heard anyone preach on Jesus' life and HOW He did what He did, but it was all through the work of the Holy Spirit. He said He had to go so the Holy Spirit could come, John 16:7. I've struggled with understanding that phrase until I received the understanding. The Holy Spirit's mission while Jesus was on the earth in human form was to guide Him to do the will of the Father. The Holy Spirit is the conduit to the spirit realm once you go through the Door - Jesus. Once Jesus was glorified (John 7:39) then the Spirit could come to us all. Once the Spirit fell on His, then the power, the fire is manifest. Those that really want it can have it. The former rain, Hosea 6:3, was Pentecost, and latter rain will be double, Joel 2:23. Between those months it was dry and only when the seasons changed did the latter rain begin in various cities, Amos 4:7, which is why not everyone has yet experienced the fire of Holy Spirit. Jesus said if you believe, you'll do greater works than He did, John 14:12. Yet because so many do not believe, they can't do the works Jesus did through the same Holy Spirit, let alone more. It's the same of salvation: if you do not believe in your heart, you won't be saved though you know Who Jesus is.

So if anyone answers "where's the proof" I say "you won't believe though someone come back from the dead." There are documented cases of raising the dead by Smith Wigglesworth, but because he lived so long ago people chalk it up to inferior medical diagnosis. Today they'd say "they're acting" or "it's been photoshopped." It doesn't matter until you experience Him for yourself. As I stated elsewhere, I repeat here: the word of God is a photo album in text form of snapshots of the spirit realm in man's history. You can either enjoy the black-n-white photo of the word of God, or you can experience it for yourself. The choice is solely yours, Acts 19:2.
 
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Abdicate said:
Jesus said if you believe, you'll do greater works than He did, .
Yet because so many do not believe, they can't do the works Jesus did
through the same Holy Spirit, let alone more.

The choice is solely yours.
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Hope you don't mind me commenting on the above 2 points.

Many believe Jesus meant greater in number.

The choice is rather difficult because of the opposition to spiritual Truth:
one's flesh, Satan, indoctrination by the churches, etc.
All of this stands against the Spirit's still small voice, the testimonies of others,
and a personal experience wouldn't hurt.
As you say, it all comes down to one's free-will choice.

Just like one's free-will choice determines whether one co-operates
with being sanctified unto holiness unto salvation.
E.G. all habitual sin must be overcome to be welcome to enter heaven.
 
I trust in God's control totally, however, let me confess - I never was able to fall backwards in gym class even with the whole class standing in back of me. But if God told me to fall back - I would. I have felt God's presence. I said I was not worthy. He lovingly agreed. He told me to learn and understand and I'm still doing that. I have felt the HS moving in me. I do not feel divinely neglected in gifts. What I have seen on Youtube and read has convinced me that people are claiming revelations from the HS and works that are patently not the work of HS/God/Jesus. And I believe people are being mislead. I am not speaking from a cessationist viewpoint because I believe and have seen God healing and revealing and felt but it is a mistake to say, "I heal" or you heal. Whatever God reveals has to be true and has to conform to His Word. This movement has snuck in and taken over and it is all seemingly "I experience". It has unleashed errors that multiply, fraud compacted, and abuse of "gifts" that speak of pride, not glory to God. I can follow Christ - I can't be Him. I can be in Him but I know where all credit is due.
 
Silk said:
This movement has snuck in and taken over and it is all seemingly "I experience". It has unleashed errors that multiply, fraud compacted, and abuse of "gifts" that speak of pride, not glory to God.
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Yes, this is where the spiritual gift of "discerning of spirits" (1 Cor 12:10) is highly recommended.
But, first comes the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Whomever sincerely desires this, trust in Matt 7:7-11.
Those numbers are recommended in Vegas also.
 
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