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HOW DO I KNOW IF THE PASTOR IS BEING DIRECTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT?
●The Indwelling and Infilling of the Holy Spirit
●Preaching Another Jesus, Receiving Another Spirit, Preaching Another Gospel
CHAPTER 3
THE NEW TESTAMENT PERSPECTIVE
At this point in this study we are going to look at passages of scripture from the New Testament.
Hopefully, some of them will shed light on the question, how do I know if the pastor is filled (being directed by) with the Holy Spirit?
Just one more idea to consider.
There is a difference between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the filling of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is received when a person responds to the gospel.
The filling occurs sporadically over time throughout a believer’s life.
A person who is born again has a right to continue to live after their flesh (sin nature). God will chasten them in order to bring them back onto the right path of sanctification, but the believer is still allowed to choose to live as they want.
Please go to the book of Romans.
Be Ye Transformed By The Renewing Of Your Mind
Rom 12:1-2
The pastor that is being filled (directed by) with the Holy Spirit will tell the assembly to yield themselves as those who are alive from the dead, not living according to their old sin nature, but by the Holy Spirit; and if they respond positively to what is being said they will be living with the Messiah’s life and thereby be set apart for God.
He will further instruct them to not put on the form, fashion, or appearance of the sentiments and morals of men, but to appear as new persons with new habits by means of a complete change for the better of their mental processes (the changing into new views and feelings that results in the restoration of the divine image) so that they will be able to test and approve what God’s will is.
God transforms our minds and makes us spiritually minded by using His Word. As you spend time meditating on God's Word, memorizing it, and making it a part of your inner man, God will gradually make your mind more spiritual. If the world controls your thinking, you are a conformer, if God controls your thinking, you are a transformer5.
If the believer is no longer habitually living by his old sin nature but more and more is living by the Spirit, then he will exhibit the Messiah’s life.
If the pastor is filled with the Holy Spirit, and subsequently is being directed by Him, then his teachings will be such that he will talk about the desire to no longer live according to the sin nature, but by means of the spiritual qualities of the Holy Spirit.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Does your pastor talk about that it is his desire for both himself and the assembly that they would learn to live by means of the spiritual qualities of the Holy Spirit?
If he does, then does he provide teaching that if responded to by himself and the assembly will cause these spiritual qualities to become operative in their life?
What else will characterize a pastor who is filled with the Holy Spirit?
Let’s go to the book of 1 Corinthians.
In Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power
1 Cor 2:1,4
A Spirit filled pastor’s speech is not centered on persuasive doctrines of human wisdom (of human philosophy-a system of principles for guidance in practical affairs6), but in the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and of power.
This demonstration could refer to either signs (gifts) of the Holy Spirit or to the declaration of God’s word in the power of the Holy Spirit.
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
Another way of saying this is that a pastor who is filled with the Holy Spirit will evidence the power of the Spirit when he teaches.
Another word the assembly will be personally impacted by God’s presence (e.g. love, joy, peace, etc.).
Are you impacted by God’s presence in the assembly that you are attending?
Let’s continue on and look for another characteristic of a pastor who is filled with the Spirit.
This time we will turn to the book of 2 Corinthians.
If He That Cometh Preacheth Another Jesus, Whom We Have Not Preached, Or If Ye Receive Another Spirit, Which Ye Have Not Received, Or Another Gospel, Which Ye Have Not Accepted
2 Cor 11:3-20
Paul is concerned that as the devil deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden so should the thoughts of the Corinthian believers be corrupted concerning their single hearted faith in Christ.
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
He fears that they might gladly tolerate those who:
a. Preach another Jesus.
This refers to his identity. It is true that he was a prophet and a teacher, but not just a prophet and teacher. He is also one of the persons of the trinity, being God the Son, who pre-existed time and came to earth in the form of man without sin, having died on a cross paying for the sins of the whole world, thus satisfying the justice of God. He is the only way to have access to God the Father. It is only by repenting to God the Father and believing in who Jesus is and what he has done will procure the receiving the Holy Spirit.
b. Advocate receiving another spirit.
Without faith in Christ there is no receiving of the Holy Spirit. If there is no receiving of the Holy Spirit, then God’s presence and guidance can’t be experienced.
c. Preach another gospel
The gospel is the good news that Christ, who is the God-man, paid for the sins of the whole world. He died on the cross and descended into hell declaring the victory over sin to those who were residing in Paradise. By means of the Holy Spirit He was raised from the dead after three days, re-entering his fleshly body, which became transformed into a glorified body, never to die again. He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God the Father. The gospel also includes the idea of repenting (to turn form one’s sins) to God the Father. And by the way certain sins are not considered acceptable just because of societies’ approval.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
The Spirit-filled pastor will declare that Jesus is not just a prophet or teacher, but is the God-Son, one of the members of the trinity, by him and him only a person who repents and believes in Him can receive another member of the trinity this being the Holy Spirit and now as a result they have access in prayer to the third member of the trinity God the Father.
This pastor doesn’t condone sin. He understands that all of us are sinners. Sin is inherent in all of us. None of us are any better in the flesh than anyone else.
Sin has a pull on all of us, but the word of God and the Holy Spirit can break its chains.
If what was just said characterizes your pastor then this person is being directed by the Holy Spirit.
Please go to the book of Ephesians.
But Speaking the Truth in Love
Eph 4:15
The pastor is to communicate the whole system of bible doctrine, while operating in the love of the Holy Spirit, so that the believers in the church may grow up into full grown men, who are to become like Christ.
The assembly can only grow if the pastor is teaching while operating in the love (spiritual quality) of the Holy Spirit.
Why is this the case?
If he is operating in the Spirit’s love, then he has become aware that he needs to have his mind renewed, which is the basis for the co-operation of the Holy Spirit.
If the pastor knows how to have his mind renewed, then he will teach this concept to the assembly.
As they apply this teaching they will over time be like him becoming full grown.
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Does your pastor teach about the renewing of the mind?
There is one more characteristic of a Spirit-filled pastor that we will look at. Please stay in the book of Ephesians.
Walk Not As Other Gentiles Walk
Eph 4:17-21
The Spirit-filled pastor will instruct the assembly of believers that they are not to imitate the life of the unsaved people around him7, who walk with empty aims in life, chasing shadows, doing anything to make time pass agreeably; not considering or knowing either what they were, or whence they came, or whither they were going8.
The unbelieving (unsaved) have given themselves over to every self-indulgence, acknowledging no restraints, being involved with scandalous enormities of every description with a continual lust for more.
But you are imbued with the knowledge of Christ, instructed in his precepts, learning to know him, the Messiah. This refers to not simply the doctrine of Christ, but Christ Himself, a process not merely of getting to know the person but of so applying the knowledge as to walk differently from the rest of the Gentiles.
The instructions subsequent to those that you received at your conversion are that Christ is the subject and sum of the preaching which you heard.
The Spirit-filled pastor will let the assembly know that at conversion they have become a new person, with new thoughts, new habits, divine gifts (spiritual endowments), and have become a part of a divinely initiated plan.
Over time they will learn about the new person who they have become, will become aware of the God given gifts that they have received, will become more and more sure of the eternal life they have received, and will realize their place and purpose in God’s plan.
If you are hearing this type of teaching then the pastor is being filled (directed by) the Holy Spirit.
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Are you learning from your pastor about: the new person who you have become; the gifts or gifts that you have been given; your place and purpose in the plan of God?
I hope that these scripture sections have helped you to become more aware as to whether a pastor is being filled (directed by) with the Holy Spirit.
This is a lot of information to disseminate.
I will condense this information in the form of a checklist that I will provide in the next chapter.
I can’t emphasize how important this study is for your spiritual growth.
A pastor who is being directed by the Holy Spirit can help you live a life that is full of God where you’re spiritual potential can be realized.
May you learn how to discern this for yourself so that you can live the life that God has in store for you.
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