From: October 21-27, 2008
Pastor: Edith Cruz
Study: #563
TOPIC: “I have known the Truth and I will not resist the Holy Spirit” Acts 7:51 Acts 7:51 Stephen was a compassionate man and there was nothing he could be accused of. He had come to the Lord with a sincere heart, but he suffered a severe death. Although he was humiliated by the Jewish leaders and by many, he had a clear conviction. For such reason, he dared to speak to the people of Israel. We sometimes think that we have a long life here; that is why we try to conserve friendships. And because we’re afraid of what people might say we don’t speak, but the truth must be strictly spoken as our brother Stephen did. The people of Israel had turned away from God on a large scale. That Jewish town had many opportunities. God knows our opportunities. As the years go by, God has protected and taken care of us, etc. We will never understand how many opportunities God has given men. He knows everything. God had given them all the opportunities to know the truth. It was the people of Israel who killed the great prophets that announced the righteous, Jesus. That was their opportunity to know the truth, to know God. We know the truth because Christ revealed Himself to us. It is to know His feeling, His will what His thoughts are towards us. John 8:31 When we know the truth, the truth sets us free. But, when we resist the Holy Spirit, we walk away from the truth of God. The Holy Spirit is upon the earth. We decided for the Holy Spirit to always live in our lives so that the truth would always live in us. Without the Holy Spirit it is horrible because it is the Holy Spirit that convinces us, if He wants. If we decide to remain in the Word of God the truth will set us free, there will be no burdens or sin. By knowing the truth we will not live in captivity because of any deceit. The truth will always come out. John 14:6 Jesus is the truth. We have arrived to the Father, we are His children, we have received the truth that has set us free, and we no longer live in captivity. All deceit is broken. If Jesus arrived, then we have known the truth. That truth remains in us always as long as we don't resist the Holy Spirit. It is the Father who tells the Holy Spirit to stay in us. He watches over the Holy Spirit in our body. The pagans resist the Holy Spirit, and for this reason the Holy Spirit cannot dwell in them. When we know the truth there should be no more deceit or anyone who can deceive those who serve Jesus. It is proper for human beings to reveal against God. When we become disobedient it is not known what the Holy Spirit wants and rebellion begins little by little. It is the Holy Spirit who guides our lives, we no longer guide ourselves. Obedience sustains us in God, in the Father's will. The Holy Spirit should guide our lives. When we resist we fall just as the town of Israel in the Book of Acts. How many excuses for disobeying, but nothing of the Spirit! When we resist we become defensive because we live in disobedience. Stephen had been accused, but he was full of the Holy Spirit. He had that privilege that the angels were worried about him. We can have many words, but nothing of the Spirit. No one can upset those who are full of the Holy Spirit. There is great joy for having the truth. The Jews wanted Stephen to present a defense, but instead he became a prosecutor who pointed out their sins and accused them because indeed he had the truth. He had no reason to defend himself. The truth gives evidence that it is correct, it is pure. The town was placing Stephen in a defense zone. Those who are not willing to humble themselves are the ones who resist the Holy Spirit; they will not bend before the Spirit while speaking. We belong to the one who called us and sealed us with the Holy Spirit. When we resist the Spirit the years pass, death appears and this will determine our path. When we lack humbleness because the Holy Spirit is not in the heart, pride and vanity completely
overcomes us. If we keep evilness in our ears our hearts will not be cleansed. This is to say that we can no longer understand what God wants. To show resistance in our body is to oppose to what God wants to do and when we do so the Holy Spirit leaves. People with hardness in their heart, rebellious, full of hatred, and false doctrines, feel pursued wherever they go. The Spirit gives us peace when the Word arrives in our lives. The Holy Spirit should control us to bring freedom and peace. Having the opportunity to receive the truth, the town resisted the Spirit and God could not speak. Matthew 12:31, Mark 3:29 A town full with wickedness could not understand and much less know the truth. They were tossing Jesus’ work to Satan. It is better to weep a little than to resist the Holy Spirit and complain so much. Something dangerous occurred in their lives, they didn't believe. It is wrong to attribute what comes from the Spirit to the devil. The Holy Spirit prepares people to recognize that truth when He arrives. Without the Holy Spirit we cannot sustain ourselves and be faithful to God. When the Holy Spirit leaves people can no longer recognize and understand the truth that Jesus brought. With the absence of the Holy Spirit we get confused. The human being is a phenomenon of disobedience, but the problem is that this suffocates the Holy Spirit. When present, the Holy Spirit gives people the ability to recognize the truth and the kindness. A person can lose a faculty when he or she no longer uses it. Those who live in the Spirit will flow, understand everything, there is no vanity because there is no disobedience, they’re active, and they don't close their eyes or ears to God. The Holy Spirit speaks to us. The town of Israel did not recognize the truth. To resist the Holy Spirit is a very dangerous fact. Acts 5:3 Satan provoked Ananias’ heart so that he would lie to the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is absent, it is the devil who teaches with his lies. We degenerate without the Holy Spirit and Satan’s lies corrupt and contend. He is interested in deceiving when God’s power and presence is closer. If we lie to the Holy Spirit, we are lying to God. God did not look at His son because He carried our sin. How is He going to look at us! Lies cannot and should not live among the church. I Thessalonians 5:19 The one who obstructs puts out the Spirit. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to speak, let us not shut it out so that the truth will always be in us. The truth has made us and will keep us free until the Lord comes again. Amen.
Christian Church Mega Zoé · Pastor Edermira Cruz
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