2004.04.1.02b Some Thoughts On 2 Thessalonians 2:7 When "He Who Now Restrains..." "...Is Taken Out Of The Way" Created by James3 on 6/28/2019 6:47:27 PM Some Thoughts On 2 Thessalonians 2:7 When "He Who Now Restrains..." "...Is Taken Out Of The Way"
To all who call themselves by the name of Christ and truly seek to serve Him with all their hearts, all their souls, all their minds and all their strength.
Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Following exposure to certain teachings based on 2 Thesallonians 2:6-7 I have been led to research the scriptures on the subject of that teaching and I offer you the results of that research for your prayerful and diligent consideration as that which follows raises issues which are of eternal import to those who seek to serve the Living God.
2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 states:
6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. (NKJ)
There is a current interpretation of this scripture which appears to be to the following effect:
i. The restrainer is the Holy Spirit.
i. The Holy Spirit dwells in born again believers.
ii. The Holy Spirit is restraining through born again believers.
iii. Therefore, when "He who now restrains.." "..is taken out of the way" signifies that when the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way the born again believers will be taken away, in other words the "rapture" will take place.
iv. And since the restrainer must be removed before the tribulation can occur the rapture will take place before the tribulation.
This discourse presents some scriptures relating to this interpretation.
You may ask why you should read this discourse and why you should analyze the interpretation presented above.
If this interpretation is correct then those who are truly born again can expect to escape the tribulation, if this interpretation is incorrect they can expect to have to endure the tribulation and should be preparing themselves against the eventuality that tribulation could commence shortly. If someone believes that they will escape the tribulation they may well prepare themselves differently to if they believe that they will have to endure the tribulation.
In considering this, let us first consider 2 Peter 1:20-21:
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (NKJ)
Clearly no scripture is open to private interpretation by man, no matter how many men may agree. It is only the interpretation of Scripture which is God's interpretation which carries any weight!
Furthermore, in Matthew 23:8-13, Jesus Himself states:
8 "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.
9 "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
10 "And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.
11 "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 "And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. (NKJ)
It is quite clear that no man on earth is to be given a title which suggests that he is a teacher, the teacher is the Spirit of Truth. In John 14:15-31 Jesus states:
15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
19 "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.
20 "At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?"
23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
24 "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.
25 "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.
26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
28 "You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.
29 "And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.
30 "I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.
31 "But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here. (NKJ)
Jesus refers here to "the Spirit of truth" and also to "the Holy Spirit" as being a helper whom He will send to those who love Him and states that this Helper will "teach you all things"
Clearly we are not to rely on men to interpret scripture. They may share with us what they believe that God has shown them BUT we are accountable for determining whether that interpretation is of God or not. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 is quite explicit:
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. (NKJ)
We are certainly in the latter times and this scripture clearly applies to people who are in "the faith" who depart therefrom by "giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons". Surely it is clear that this refers to believers who listen to deceiving spirits and / or accept doctrines of demons? Clearly we must be on our guard!
Let us consider the full context of the passage in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 referred to in section 1. The full passage states:
1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,
2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (NKJ)
Verses 10 to 12 seem to indicate clearly that people who believe the lie or conversely who did not receive the love of the truth may be condemned. This is in agreement with the scriptures cited previously.
Could it be that those who are referred to here are those who believe a lie about the coming of the lawless one? In other words, those who speak falsely about the circumstances and signs associated with the coming of the lawless one?
It would seem that this is possible.
Furthermore, Proverbs 21:28 in the NIV states:
A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be destroyed for ever. (NIV)
Revelation 21:8 states:
8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (NKJ)
There are various other scriptures which indicate that the preaching or teaching of false doctrine or lies will lead to the destruction of those who utter such teachings AS WELL AS those who listen to (accept?) such teachings.
Accordingly there would seem to be good grounds to test this teaching carefully before we accept it.
Let us now consider whether, on superficial inspection, there are grounds to consider the possibility that some elements of this teaching that:
the restrainer is the Holy Spirit, that His removal involves the removal of believers and that therefore the believers will be raptured before the Anti Christ is revealed and the tribulation occurs, could be incorrect.
Let us again consider 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12:
1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him {1}, we ask you,
2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day {2} will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed,{3} the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. {4}
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. {5}
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. {6}
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (NKJ)
Considering the highlighted passages and superscript numbers, we see that:
1. Paul is indeed writing "concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him," in other words Paul is writing about the rapture, the gathering together of Jesus' elect to meet Him in the clouds.
2. We see in verse 3 that he states that "that Day", referencing the day referred to in verse 1, the day of gathering together of His elect to Him.
3. In other words the rapture "will NOT COME UNLESS the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed,". It would appear clear that the anti-christ must be revealed BEFORE the rapture.
4. Verse 4 continues to define the anti-christ and states further "so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." It would appear that this is referring to the appearing of the anti-christ in the temple of God which is fairly widely accepted as being three and a half years after the start of the tribulation. Section 4 offers more scriptures around this aspect.
5. The scripture goes on to state that "only He who now restrains will do so UNTIL He is taken out of the way." The implication is clearly that he who now restrains will do so UNTIL he is taken out of the way. Placing the emphasis on UNTIL it would appear that it is possible that the taking out of the way will be a precursor to the lawless one sitting in the temple of God.
This could mean immediately before the appearing in the temple or it could mean that the restraining ceases some time earlier. For example, this might take place three and a half years earlier - refer section 4. There does not appear to be a definitive indication in this scripture of this being an event that takes place instantaneously prior to the appearing of the lawless one in the temple.
6. The next verse goes on to state "THEN the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming." The revealing of the lawless one certainly follows the taking out of the way of him who restrains but, as indicated in section 4 there seem to be grounds to consider that the saint's will be persecuted AFTER the revealing of the lawless one. Again, this appears to call the interpretation presented in section 1 into question.
It therefore appears on a relatively superficial inspection of the passage of scripture from which the phrase when "He who restrains" "is taken out of the way" comes that the interpretation reported above may be incorrect to a greater or lesser extent.
It would therefore appear that there are valid grounds to investigate this interpretation further.
This section presents certain scriptures in support of the text in section 3.
Daniel 7:24-27 states:
24 The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; he shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings.
25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.
26 'But the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it forever.
27 Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.' (NKJ)
The phrase "a time and times and half a time" is reasonably widely interpreted as being a year, plus two years plus half a year, that is three and a half years and this, in turn, is interpreted as being the first half of the tribulation. This in turn is considered to correspond with the anti-christ sitting "in the temple of God" as per point {4} in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 above.
Daniel 12:9-13 states:
9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
10 "Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
11 "And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.
12 "Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
13 "But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days." (NKJ)
It has been suggested that the abomination of desolation may also correspond to the anti-christ sitting "in the temple of God" as per point {4} in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 above in which case it would appear that those who wait to this time will be blessed AND that there will be a period of 1290 days after that time, a period of 43 months or slightly over two and a half years. However, there is also a period of 1335 days which is approximately 44.5 months. It is not clear what the distinction is between these period in this passage and it does not seem to be material to the issues raised in this document.
This, in turn, appears to correlate with Daniel 9:26-27:
26 "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate." (NKJ)
Which suggests that the one who makes desolate shall appear on the wing of abominations in the middle of seven weeks being interpreted as being after three and a half years. This again seems to correlate with the anti-christ sitting "in the temple of God" as per point {4} in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 above.
Revelation 13:1-18 states:
1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
4 So they worshipped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.
12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,
17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (NKJ)
Verse 5 states that the beast "was given authority to continue for forty-two months", forty two months is also three and a half years and is seemingly widely considered to correspond to either the same period of three and a half years or the period of three and a half years following the appearing of the anti-christ in the temple of God. Either way there is clear reference to a period of intense manifestation of evil with evident physical persecution and tribulation and that this persecution takes the form of "war with the saints" in which he (the anti-Christ) overcomes them.
There is certainly a period of intense persecution and tribulation of THE SAINTS and this must surely take place before they are gathered together to Jesus in the air.
Revelation 14:9-13 takes this further:
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand,
10 "he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
11 "And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them." (NKJ)
This passage seems to make it quite clear that the mark of the beast will be associated with this period AND that the saints are required to be patient in keeping "the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" and that they will blessed if they "die in the Lord from now on". Presumably, if they are to worship the beast he must have appeared. It would also seem that, in order for them to worship the beast, he would be in the temple so that they would indeed believe that he is God.
It seems to be quite clear that the saints must endure through this period and that a particular blessing awaits those who die during this period without renouncing their faith.
It therefore seems that there are grounds to question the interpretation in section 1 and to consider that the rapture WILL NOT take place before the tribulation.
AN ASIDE : WORSHIP
As an aside, the word "worship" in the phrase "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand in Revelation 14:9 is the word "proskunei::
Strong's Definition 4352 proskuneo (pros-koo-neh'-o);
from 4314 and a probable derivative of 2965 (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand); to fawn or crouch to, i.e. (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore):
KJV-- worship.
Thayer's Definition 4352 proskuneo-
1) to kiss the hand to (toward) one, in token of reverence
2) among the Orientals, especially the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence
3) in the New Testament by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication; used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank
a) to the Jewish high priests
b) to God
c) to Christ
d) to heavenly beings
e) to demons
Which would not necessarily be inapplicable to the gestures that would be necessary to bring a micro-chip implanted in the hand or forehead, into contact with a scanning device on an automatic teller machine for example.
The line of thought set out in section 1 above states that the "restrainer" is the Holy Spirit. How do we know this?
Referring to 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 we see:
6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. (NKJ)
The interpretation is that the "restrainer" is the Holy Spirit. However, verse 6 refers to "what" is restraining, which, since we understand the Holy Spirit to be a person, one might expect to read "who". On the other hand, in verse 7 the word "He", capitalized to indicate God, is used in the New King James version.
Let us examine some other translations:
In the New American Standard Version which usually capitalizes words referring to God, including the word "He", 2 Thessalonians 2:6‑7 reads:
6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains {will do so} until he is taken out of the way. (NAS)
The basic translation is similar to the New King James BUT "he" is not capitalized suggesting that these translators were not certain that "he" in fact referred to God.
In the King James version (which does not capitalize "he", 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 reads:
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. (KJV)
Here the word in verse 6 is again "what" but "restraining" is now translated "witholdeth" and in verse 7 "restrains" is translated "letteth".
In the RSV and NIV "what" is used in verse 6 and in verse 7 and the NIV translates "restrains" as "holds back".
It does seem that there may be some grounds to enquire whether the "what" of verse 6 and "he" of verse 7 really is the Holy Spirit.
There does not seem to be any doubt as to the action that takes place, the word translated restrain, letteth or withhold is "katecho":
Strong's Definition : 2722 katecho (kat-ekh'-o);
from 2596 and 2192; to hold down (fast), in various applications (literally or figuratively):
KJV-- have, hold (fast), keep (in memory), let, X make toward, possess, retain, seize on, stay, take, withhold.
Thayer's Definition : 2722 katecho-
1) to hold back, to detain, to retain
a) from going away
b) to restrain, hinder (the course or progress of)
1) what hinders Antichrist from making his appearance
2) to check a ship's headway, that is, to hold or head the ship
c) to hold fast, to keep secure, to keep firm possession of
2) to get possession of, to take, to possess
All verses in the Greek Scriptures containing 2722 katecho are listed in appendix A. From this it will be apparent that the context and translation of this word are relatively varied.
The phrase "he be taken" is translated from the word "geneetai", derived from "ginomai" meaning:
Strong's Definition : 1096 ginomai (ghin'-om-ahee);
a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"- erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):
KJV-- arise, be assembled, be (-come, -fall, -haveself), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.
Thayer's Definition : 1096 ginomai-
1) to become, that is, to come into existence, to begin to be, to receive being
2) to become, that is, to come to pass, to happen; used of events
3) to arise, to appear in history, to come upon the stage; used of men appearing in public
4) to be made, to be finished; used of miracles, to be performed, to be wrought
5) to become, to be made
This word occurs approximately 624 times in the Greek Scriptures with 42 different translations including :
arise (16); be (249); be assembled (1); be brought to pass (1); be come (1); be done (62); be made (69); be married (3); be ordained to be (1); be preferred (3); become (42); come (53); come to pass (82); continue (1); follow (1), etc, etc
Accordingly, it would seem unwise to attach any particular significance to the "he" in "he be taken".
The "what" in verse 6 is the Greek word "ho" which is translated "he" or "He" in verse 7:
Strong's Definition : 3588 ho (ho);
including the feminine he (hay); and the neuter to (to); in all their inflections; the def. article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):
KJV-- the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc..
***. ho. See 3739.
3739 hos (hos);
including feminine he (hay); and neuter ho (ho); probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:
KJV-- one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who (-m, -se), etc. See also 3757.
Thayer's Definition : 3588 ho (including the feminine he, and the neuter to)-
this, that, these, etc.
Young's Analytical Concordance : Ho
the,
Freq. untranslated; often transl. by a pers. or demons. pron. by a noun supplied from the context, etc....
There does not appear to be anything in the original Greek which attempts to associate that which restrains directly with the Holy Spirit, in fact, on casual inspection, it would appear that nowhere else in scripture is "ho" translated in any manner that is associated with the Holy Spirit or with "he".
Insofar as I am not knowledgeable in Greek and I therefore recognize the possibility that I may have missed something, it does seem to me that there are grounds to suggest that the words "what" and "he" at best do not definitively denote God or the Holy Spirit and at worst may indicate some rather creative interpretation based on a preconceived idea of what the passage is seeking to convey. Either way, this does not seem to be a particularly strong basis to suggest that the "restrainer" IS the Holy Spirit OR the Holy Spirit in believer's.
Let us consider some other scriptures where the English word "restrain" or it's derivatives appears relative to God:
Isaiah 48:9 states:
9 "For My name's sake I will defer My anger, and for My praise I will restrain it from you, so that I do not cut you off. (NKJ)
God's restraining His anger in this verse would certainly be consistent with the sense of 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7. It may even be that it is this very restraint which is to be removed in terms of 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7
Isaiah 63:15 states:
15 Look down from heaven, and see from Your habitation, holy and glorious. Where are Your zeal and Your strength, the yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? Are they restrained? (NKJ)
Here the idea is of God restraining or withholding His zeal, His strength, the yearning of His heart and His mercy. This is the reverse of the previous verse, He is restraining Himself from helping His people but the implication would seem to be congruent with 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7.
Isaiah 64:12 states:
12 Will You restrain Yourself because of these things, O LORD? Will You hold Your peace, and afflict us very severely? (NKJ)
The idea here is again of God restraining Himself thus afflicting His people very severely. This is the reverse of the interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 which suggests that the removal of restraint exposes God's people to affliction. In this case the idea is one of God restraining Himself from preventing the affliction.
2 Samuel 24:14-17 reports:
14 And David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man."
15 So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died.
16 And when the angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "It is enough; now restrain your hand." And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
17 Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, "Surely I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father's house." (NKJ)
Here we have a clear example of God executing judgement on His people for the sin of their King, not even their own sin. How much more will he execute judgement on His people who have preached heresy in the name of Jesus Christ, have permitted demons to reside in the temple of the Holy Spirit and have failed to honour God and keep His commandments?
At the same time we see another instance in which God restrains Himself from further destruction against His people at that time. Is not that righteous judgement restrained for God's people for the end of the age? Is that not perhaps the restraint to which 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 refers?
Luke 24:16 states:
16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. (NKJ)
The idea here is of God "restraining" their sight so that seeing they did not see. Thus the restraining in this verse could suggest that the removal of restraint in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 could relate to peoples eyes being opened to see that the lawless one is indeed in the temple?
We therefore have a number of verses here where the concept of "restraint" applies to God restraining things to achieve particular ends. Isaiah 48:9 in particular would seem to be consistent with 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 relating to God no longer restraining His anger against the sin in the world and, in the process, permitting the full magnitude of sin to be revealed to those whose eyes are open.
2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 appears to relate to Isaiah 48:1-22 which reads in full as follows:
1 "Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; who swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth or in righteousness;
2 For they call themselves after the holy city, and lean on the God of Israel; the LORD of hosts is His name:
3 "I have declared the former things from the beginning; they went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.
4 Because I knew that you were obstinate, and your neck was an iron sinew, and your brow bronze,
5 Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, lest you should say, 'My idol has done them, and my carved image and my molded image have commanded them.'
6 "You have heard; see all this. And will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from this time, even hidden things, and you did not know them.
7 They are created now and not from the beginning; and before this day you have not heard them, lest you should say, 'Of course I knew them.'
8 Surely you did not hear, surely you did not know; surely from long ago your ear was not opened. For I knew that you would deal very treacherously, and were called a transgressor from the womb.
9 "For My name's sake I will defer My anger, and for My praise I will restrain it from you, so that I do not cut you off.
10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
11 For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; for how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.
12 "Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last.
13 Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has stretched out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand up together.
14 "All of you, assemble yourselves, and hear! Who among them has declared these things? The LORD loves him; he shall do His pleasure on Babylon, and His arm shall be against the Chaldeans.
15 I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and his way will prosper.
16 "Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit have sent Me."
17 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.
18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
19 Your descendants also would have been like the sand, and the offspring of your body like the grains of sand; his name would not have been cut off nor destroyed from before Me."
20 Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing, declare, proclaim this, utter it to the end of the earth; say, "The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!"
21 And they did not thirst when He led them through the deserts; he caused the waters to flow from the rock for them; he also split the rock, and the waters gushed out.
22 "There is no peace," says the LORD, "for the wicked." (NKJ)
Does not this scripture have the potential to apply to the age in which we live and specifically to the period and date to which 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 refer?
In fact, is it not possible that the passage in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 is actually referring to those who call themselves by the name of Christ who have done wickedly and sinned persistently and who have permitted the spirit of the anti-Christ to take up residence in the temple of God which IS the body of the born again believer??!!!
1 Corinthians 6:15-20 states:
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!
16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh."
17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. (NKJ)
Surely this scripture demonstrates that notwithstanding the fact that the Holy Spirit is dwelling within the temple of our bodies, it is possible for us to defile that temple by joining it to a harlot. Surely the history of the first and second temples clearly shows that idols of demons were brought right into the Holy Place in the temple before the Spirit of God left.
Jesus has said that He will never leave us or forsake us, Hebrews 13:5:
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (NKJ)
Surely then His Spirit will not leave us until we commit that sin which results in us losing our salvation and returning from eternal life to eternal death and there is indeed such sin:
Hebrews 6:1-8
1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this we will do if God permits.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God;
8 but if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. (NKJ)
Hebrews 10:23-31
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The Lord will judge His people."
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (NKJ)
I John 5:13-17
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.
17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. (NKJ)
Clearly there is sin leading to death but also sin not leading to death.
1 Peter 4:12-19 states:
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters.
16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. (NKJ)
This passage refers to "the fiery trial which is to try you". Could this in fact not be referring to the tribulation that has been described in other scriptures referenced previously?
Clearly this scripture indicates that judgment will "begin at the house of God". Is not the very tribulation to which is referred above possibly the culmination of the judgment referred to in verse 17 above?
This verse also makes it plain that "the righteous one is scarcely saved", accordingly, how can we presume to believe that those who are righteous will be spared the tribulation and be raptured before things really get rough?
Further scriptures and comment is contained in appendix B.
In section 1 we have an interpretation which suggests that the "restrainer" is the Holy Spirit. In section 5 it is suggested that the text itself offers no basis to conclude that the restrainer is, in fact, God or the Spirit of God or The Holy Spirit. In section 6 it is nevertheless suggested that it is quite possible that The Lord God, Jehovah might indeed be retraining His anger and judgement until an appointed time and that this judgment might well in fact begin with those who call themselves by the name of Christ and might even be directed primarily towards them!
It seems however that there is nothing in the specific text to even remotely connect the "restrainer" of 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 with "The Holy Spirit". It would seem that the assumption in the interpretation in section 1 is that God moves only by the Holy Spirit on the earth.
Here follow a number of scriptures which contain the word "Spirit" capitalized in the New King James Version by the translators to indicate an association with God:
Matthew 10:18-20
18 "You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19 "But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;
20 "for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. (NKJ)
Matthew 12:28
28 "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. (NKJ)
John 14:15-17
15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (NKJ)
Acts 5:9
9 Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." (NKJ)
Acts 19:1-6
1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples
2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."
3 And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism."
4 Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. (NKJ)
Surely, since they had already believed, they had received a Spirit from God which was not the Holy Spirit? It is generally assumed that when a person is "born again" the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in them but does not this passage clearly indicate that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a distinctly different spiritual event?
1 Corinthians 12:3
3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. (NKJ)
This passage uses "Spirit of God" and "Holy Spirit" in the context of two distinct spiritual issues, are they necessarily the same Spirit of God?
Romans 1:4
4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. (NKJ)
Romans 8:2
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (NKJ)
Romans 8:9-14
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors-- not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (NKJ)
This passage seems to suggest that it is "The Spirit of Christ" that makes a believer born-again NOT the Holy Spirit. There are other scriptures that follow which appear to support this.
Hebrews 10:29
29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? (NKJ)
Galatians 4:6-7
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"
7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (NKJ)
Philemon 1:19
19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, (NKJ)
1 Peter 1:11
11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. (NKJ)
Interestingly, this refers to the "Spirit of Christ" indwelling so-called Old Testament prophets.
1 Peter 4:14
14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. (NKJ)
I John 4:6
6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (NKJ)
Clearly there IS a "spirit of error" in addition to the Spirit's of God, this is confirmed in the following passage.
I John 4:1-5
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. (NKJ)
This passage clearly refers to "every spirit" does this not suggest that there is more than one spirit that is of God? Could this not mean that there is more than one Spirit of God?
Revelation 19:10
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (NKJ)
Revelation 4:5
5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. (NKJ)
Revelation 5:6
6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (NKJ)
Revelation 1:4-5
4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,
5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, (NKJ)
Here are three references to there being SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD clearly in addition to the Father and Jesus Christ His Son. It is unclear whether the Holy Spirit is one of the seven Spirits or in addition to them. However, it would seem that this is not particularly relevant to this discussion.
Further scriptures containing references to "Spirit" are contained in appendix D and other references to "spirit of" are contained in appendix C.
Suffice it to say that there appears to be more than enough scriptural evidence to suggest that even if the restrainer is a Spirit of God it is not necessarily The Holy Spirit and there is, in any event, absolutely no basis to suggest that the believer would be raptured if that particular Spirit of God were to be withdrawn from the earth!
The train of thought presented in section 1 suggests that God would remove His chosen people by their rising to meet Jesus in the clouds (rapture) in order to spare them the suffering of the great tribulation.
The terms applicable are defined in Matthew 24:21-33:
21 "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.
23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.
24 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
25 "See, I have told you beforehand.
26 "Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it.
27 "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
28 "For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30 "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 "And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.
33 "So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near-- at the doors! (NKJ)
It seems absolutely clear that the "great tribulation" will PRECEDE the gathering together of His elect (the rapture). It would seem that this passage of scripture on it's own should be sufficient to refute the interpretation presented in section 1 but hopefully it at least serves to provide a clear basis for the use of the term "tribulation" and the concept of a 'rapture' being a gathering of the elect, whoever may qualify for that exalted term, to join the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds.
There are a few other passages of scripture which seem to have particular relevance to this topic:
Genesis 6:1-14
1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,
2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
3 And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."
4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
7 So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.
10 And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
13 And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
14 "Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. (NKJ)
Genesis 7:11-24
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.
13 On the very same day Noah and Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark--
14 they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort.
15 And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life.
16 So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the LORD shut him in.
17 Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth.
18 The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters.
19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered.
20 The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered.
21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man.
22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died.
23 So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive.
24 And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days. (NKJ)
On the very same day that God destroyed all life on earth, Noah entered the ark. In addition, Noah had to labour by faith for a considerable length of time to construct the ark. Presumably in a situation of some hardship and ridicule. There is certainly no basis to presume that God will deliver those who overcome to the end other than at the last minute.
Likewise, the Lord only removed Lot and his family from Soddom, moments before He destroyed the city. Genesis 19:12-29 reports:
12 Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city-- take them out of this place!
13 "For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it."
14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, "Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!" But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.
15 When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city."
16 And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.
17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."
18 Then Lot said to them, "Please, no, my lords!
19 "Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.
20 "See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live."
21 And he said to him, "See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken.
22 "Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar.
24 Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens.
25 So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.
26 But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD.
28 Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace.
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt. (NKJ)
Clearly Lot and his family were removed at the very last instant before destruction came. NOT before the full magnitude of the sin had been accomplished. At the same time there is an indication that a truly righteous man can dwell in the midst of spiritual turmoil and destruction and be protected by the Grace of God. This passage certainly does not give grounds to believe that a rapture will take place until the very last minute.
In similar fashion, the Israelites were in bondage in Israel for many many years before God removed them and they were required to endure the first of the plagues with the Egyptians.
2 Peter 1:13-2:22 provides further insight into this topic:
13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,
14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.
15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
CHAPTER 2
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.
3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;
7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked
8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)--
9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,
10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,
13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,
14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.
15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire." (NKJ)
Here we clearly see that believers will return to their sin and lead others astray as well. We also see reference to Noah, Lot and others as a clear type of the end time believer who endures to the end.
Can there be any doubt that we must each endure much testing and persecution to refine us that me may endure to the end unless we have already sanctified ourselves and sought righteousness earnestly BEFORE THE TRIBULATION BEGINS IN EARNEST!
God protected Daniel from the Lions and Shedrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego from the fiery furnace because they refused to bow the knee to Nebuchadnezzar's idol. Surely this is a type of the beast of Revelation and surely God will not deliver us from the test?
James 1:2-3 states:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. (NKJ)
If we are told to "count it all joy", why would He deliver us?
Surely there can be no doubt that God has no intention of intervening to prevent His people having to go through the tribulation. He wishes to afford us the opportunity to "store up treasure in heaven" to compensate for all our carnality and disobedience in this life, rather than permitting us to suffer in hell for eternity because of our ignorance and unwillingness to learn from His word and our prideful insistence on our own private interpretations of His word!
Genesis 5:23-24 states concerning Enoch:
23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.
24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. (NKJ)
Hebrews 11:5-7 states concerning Enoch:
5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (NKJ)
Jude 1:14-15 states concerning Enoch:
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,
15 "to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." (NKJ)
Surely this has relevance today?
It is suggested that the fact that Enoch was translated BEFORE the flood and that he was apparently very righteous and a man of great faith, indicates that the rapture will take place before the tribulation.
However, "The Living Torah" a modern Jewish translation of the five books of Moses by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, published by Maznaim Publishing Corporation of New York and Jerusalem presents a graphic in Plate 2 "From Adam to Moses" on page 23 from which the following information is extracted:
|
PERSON
|
FATHER
|
YEAR OF BIRTH
|
YEAR OF DEATH
|
|
Adam
|
God
|
1
|
930
|
|
Seth
|
Adam
|
130
|
1042
|
|
Enosh
|
Seth
|
235
|
1140
|
|
Kenan
|
Enosh
|
325
|
1235
|
|
Mehalalel
|
Kenan
|
395
|
1290
|
|
Yared
|
Mehalalel
|
460
|
1422
|
|
Enoch
|
Yared
|
622
|
Translated in 987
|
|
Methuselah
|
Enoch
|
687
|
1658 (the flood ?)
|
|
Lemech
|
Methuselah
|
874
|
1651
|
|
Noah
|
Lemech
|
1056
|
2006
|
|
Shem
|
Noah
|
1558
|
2158
|
|
THE FLOOD
|
|
1658
|
|
It seems clear from this table which is based on the information contained in Genesis 4 to 11 and other genealogical passages that if Enoch had not been translated, he would have been 1036 years old at the time of the flood, 65 years older than Methuselah, the oldest man who ever lived. Furthermore, it appears that 671 years elapsed AFTER Enoch was translated. In fact, Enoch was translated 69 years BEFORE THE BIRTH OF NOAH!
Accordingly it would appear that it is not sound logic to suggest that Enoch was translated in order to escape the flood. Hebrews 11:5-6 is quite clear that Enoch was translated because of faith.
There would therefore appear to be no reasonable basis to suggest that Enoch offers a precedent to those hoping to escape the tribulation!
As a final thought, there are a number of scriptural analyses which indicate that certain events will happen 3,000 years after the founding of Jerusalem by David and 2,000 years after the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem of Judea. Owing to an error in the Julian calendar, you may not be aware that it appears fairly conclusive this date was the Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles which was Friday 4 October 1996. The basis of this interpretation is outside the scope of this discourse and is not material to the conclusions reached herein. However, given that no visible event happened on that date and that certain aspects of interpretation of prophecy were proved wrong on that date, this does not necessarily mean that something did not happen in the Spirit on that date.
You might care to ponder and pray over the question "Was the restrainer removed on 4 October 1996?". I do not have an answer to this. What I can say is that since late 1996 I have seen great apostacy in the church, there are numerous reports of levels of demonic activity and wierd manifestations in the church and diverse other things which certainly should lead one to consider the possibility that we are already in the midst of the events foretold in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 and the verses that follow. IF that is in fact the case, there are serious grounds to get serious with God and to seek Holiness at ALL COSTS!
I can find no basis to suggest that the restrainer referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 is the Holy Spirit, or that the removal of the restrainer involves the removal of believers and that therefore the believers will be raptured before the Anti Christ is revealed and the tribulation occurs.
To the contrary many scriptures are offered which suggest that it is entirely to be expected that the believers are expected to endure the great tribulation. There are grounds to suggest that, in fact, the great tribulation is all about judgment of the church in order to produce a spotless bride. And that we should look forward to the tribulation with expectant hearts and great joy at the privilege of being granted the opportunity to die for Him if necessary. Thus we may bring Glory to His name and in so doing spread the Gospel of peace to the entire world!
As I was completing the first draft of this document, the Lord laid the following on my heart, which I convey as it came to me:
Matthew 13:41-43 states :
41 "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
42 "and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! (NKJ)
Let him who has ears to hear, hear!
This is a time to prepare yourself, to separate yourself from the things of the world, to cease watching what the world is doing and start watching what God is doing, to lay aside those things that so easily beset you and to press on towards the goal which is our high calling in Christ Jesus.
Read your Bible and pray and read your Bible again. This is NOT the time to study what men have written, it is time to nourish your spirit to capacity with the living word of God which is Spirit and Life to you. Recognize that the time is not far off when you MAY NOT HAVE A BIBLE, or praise music. You may soon be rotting in a concentration camp inadequately fed and inadequately clothed under brutal oppression and violence because you have chosen not to bow the knee to Satan. That will not be a good time to realize that you have not spent the time in the Word of God, in prayer, in praise and in worship, that you should have!
Set aside your television, your newspaper, your social engagements, your armchair sports and your sporting engagements. Devote every moment that you can find to seeking God.
Seek to be led by His Spirit every second of every minute, every minute of every hour, every hour of every day, every day of every week, every week of every month and every month of every year until the Lord Jesus returns. Seek not to think a thought, utter a word, spend a cent or execute an action that is not the thought, word, cent or action that He has ordained for you at that instant.
Seek a revelation of your current deception. Set aside your pet notions of how you would like to think God is and seek to know Him through His Word. Set aside your false doctrines and private interpretations and those that are trumpeted from the pulpit. Your pastor will not save you when you face judgment, you must make up your own mind about those difficult scriptures which you have avoided making a decision on all these years.
Remember those first years of your salvation when you wrestled with scriptures that you did not understand and then caved in to the pressure of your pastor's and peer's opinions? Now is the time to brush those false doctrines off and get on your knees and repent for placing the opinions of men above the Word of the Living God. Repent now before you face judgment for your wilful sin!
Seek a heartfelt revelation of Paul's words in 1 Timothy 1:15:
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (NKJ)
If Paul, near the end of his life could see himself as the chief of sinners, how much more should we? Now is the time to recognize sin for what it is, an abomination in the sight of an uncompromisingly righteous God. But also something for which Jesus has paid the price IN FULL. However, if you do not recognize your sin, if you do not acknowledge your sin, if you do not take your sin to Him and confess it and receive His forgiveness and turn from your wickedness, He will not forcibly remove it from you and YOU WILL BE JUDGED FOR THAT SIN!!!!!
This is the end of the age, you can choose to continue to play games with God or you can get serious about looking at yourself in the mirror of His Word and seeking His cleansing blood to deliver you from all your iniquity.
You DO HAVE A CHOICE but you DO NOT HAVE MUCH TIME!!!!
May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, King of Kings and Lord of Lords and saviour of the world. James Robertson, Apostle of the Most High God.
POSTSCRIPT
ABSTRACT AND SOME THOUGHTS AFTER READING
"THE WORLD AFLAME"
GUIDANCE FROM THE GREATEST REVIVAL YET AND THE GREATER ONE TO COME"
By RICK JOYNER
(Published by Whitaker House 1993)
─────────────────────────────────────────────────
A day after completing this document and another entitled "Some Thoughts on Dealing with Current Developments in the World and the Church", I was led by the Lord to purchase the book "The World Aflame" Guidance from the Greatest Revival yet and the Greater One to Come" by RICK JOYNER (Published by Whitaker House 1993). This book is a summary of the Welsh revival which commenced at the start of this century.
Shortly after I returned home I felt that I must immediately read the book, which I did. On a number of occasions the Spirit of God moved on me in great travail for a recurrence of the scenes so vividly depicted in this book and my heart was ignited with a great hope that, amongst all the destruction and prophecies of tribulation and doom, there was also a basis for an enormous hope that the birth of a massive outpouring of the Holy Spirit leading to revival and restoration on a magnitude such as man has never experienced, was near at hand.
This book describes at length the progression of events immediately before and during the Welsh revival. There are accounts of thousands streaming into towns where the revival was breaking out. Of men and women broken by the revelation of their sin coming to the cross to gratefully receive their salvation. There are reports of spontaneous prayer meetings and praise and worship in the streets, in the coal mines, factories, offices and homes. Meetings frequently started hours before advertised time as people gathered to be sure of a place in the hall and the Spirit moved in His time. Meetings that started in the early evening regularly went on till after midnight and often to early morning, only to be taken up by new meetings.
People spontaneously marched round towns and entire towns came to salvation. The Spirit moved with such power that entire meetings were conducted solely at the leading of the Holy Spirit and thousands of people sang the same hymn without hymn sheets or accompaniment, sometimes singing songs that had never been sung before. On occasion entire towns ceased to trade for several days at a time as the Spirit moved with power. Gaol's were empty and policemen had nothing to do. The pubs and gambling houses closed their doors or became houses of prayer and football heroes were so busy preaching the Gospel that matches were cancelled. The football stadiums were empty.
Mine ponies were unable to take direction from their handlers since the only language that the ponies knew was cursing and suddenly their handlers ceased to curse! A school teacher was led to the Lord by a four year old who put up her hand and simply asked with all sincerity "Miss, do you Love Jesus?". Much of the preaching and praise and worship was led by youngsters in their teens.
It was a time of incredible power and grace and an entire nation came to know Jesus Christ as real and powerful. From Wales the flames of revival spread around the world to every corner of the globe. The Azuza street revival was ignited by a spark from Wales.
It is a profoundly moving and powerful account of God moving sovereignly in His way in His time using totally yielded vessels who offer Him unquestioning obedience.
In this document I have endeavoured to extract those components of the message which seem to me to be important in understanding how we can avoid obstructing revival and, if possible, align ourselves more fully with the will of God in order to facilitate the coming of revival.
Contrary to the other two documents where I have quoted scripture extensively, in this document I do not quote any. My objective here is simply to extract an abstract of what impacted me as I read the book and then encourage you to seek God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind AND with all your strength to assist in giving birth to that which it seems to me is at the very portals of the earth waiting to break at any time!
Brother's and sister's now is a time for great awareness of the coming tribulation and of the current spiritual turmoil in the church BUT it is also a time of travail in the Spirit as God gives birth to that outpouring of His Spirit which is necessary for His plans to be finally accomplished on earth. That outpouring may start tomorrow, it may take years but I have no doubt that NOW is the time for us to enter into travail for the delivery of this new gift from God!
In the text that follows I will present simply the page number and a brief synopsis of the key thought that struck me with occasional further comment. My objective is to present you with a concise summary of what seemed important to me about this book as an encouragement to you to read the entire book.
EXTRACTS
13: It is profanity to seek glory at God's expense.
15: One should have a healthy fear of man's planning - it frequently get's in God's way.
16: The Wind of the Spirit blows as He chooses.
19: Do NOT plan ahead for revival.
21-2: God's true servants know when NOT to speak.
22-3: THE CHILDREN - god used the children, even four year old's, to lead people to Christ. We must BECOME LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN in order to be used by God in revival. In my heart I developed an intense burden we must seek revival for the SAKE of the children!
28: Carry the Ark of God's presence correctly and reverently.
31: After agonizing intercession comes power!
32: The book "With Christ in the School of Prayer" by Andrew Murray had a profound impact on Evan Roberts (that evening I found the book in a secular book shop!)
The fire was started by the words "I LOVE JESUS WITH ALL MY HEART!! spoken by a new convert.
35: Roberts had been faithfully seeking God for THIRTEEN YEARS!
36: The cry became "Bend Me Lord!!!"
38: There were immediate setbacks to the small beginnings but they persevered and then came the breakthrough!
39: Cast off ALL sin!
40: The Four Great Tenets preached by Roberts at the start of the revival:
"All sin must be confessed to God and repented of. The church has to be cleansed - the Lord's bride would be without spot so there would be no room for compromise with sin. If there is anything in our lives about which there is even doubt as to whether it is good or evil - then cast it off!"
"There must be no cloud between the believer and God." Forgive.
"We must obey the Holy Spirit. Do what the Spirit prompts you to do. Prompt, implicity, unquestioning obedience to the Spirit is required if we are to be used by Him."
"There must be public confessions of Christ as Saviour. This is not just a one time incident after our salvation experience or baptism - for the Christian it is a way of life."
41: Roberts kept prophesying UNTIL the light came on!
43: Revival depended on the acceptance of ONE MESSENGER! It is suggested that many revivals have failed because God church did not accept the messenger that God sent and revival was never birthed. It is suggested that if Roberts had not been accepted in his home church, when he did things contrary to tradition, there would have been NO REVIVAL!
Bless those that He sends! Whether we like them or not!
44: Paul was bold to defend his recognition by God as an apostle. It is not for man to decide whether a man is a prophet or apostle if God has anointed that man. "Receive a prophet in the name of a prophet."
Policing the body of Christ is a terrible form of spiritual pride.
45: There is a fine balance between wrongly exalting men and receiving them properly.
We are not supposed to humble others, we are told to humble OURSELVES, God will humble others!
46: When Roberts' mother grieved the Holy Spirit, he did not comfort her, he sought to HELP HER TO REPENT!
53-4: In the midst of the revival, God told Roberts to withdraw and NOT speak to ANYONE! God's ways are NOT our ways! During this week he made the following notes:
1. Do everything that the Lord commands - DO NOT STRIKE THE ROCK as Moses did.
i. Bring even the smallest things to God in prayer before you act - DO NOT MAKE A PACT WITH THE GIBEONITES - as Joshua did.
ii. TOTAL OBEDIENCE!
iii. GIVE GOD THE GLORY!
56: The spiritual realm is much greater than the natural realm.
59: The SON was lifted up.
68: People have been taught to death! They need to experience Jesus!
72-3: The Cross Was The Center
"The following recorded prayer of Evan Roberts captures succinctly the central emphasis of and devotion of the revival evangelists:
"Lord Jesus, help us now through the Holy Spirit to come face to face with the cross. Whatever the hindrances may be, we commit the service to Thee. Put us all under the Blood. Oh, Lord, place the Blood on all our past up to this moment. We thank Thee for the Blood. In the Name of Jesus Christ bind the devil this moment. We point to the Cross of Christ. It is our Cross and we take its conquest.
Reveal the Cross through the Name of Jesus. Oh, open the Heavens. Descend upon us now. Tear open our hearts; give us such a sight of Calvary that our hearts may be broken. Oh Lord, descend now; open our hearts to receive the heart that bled for us. If we are to be fools - make us fools for Thee. Take us, spirit, soul, and body. WE ARE THINE. Thou hast purchased us.
Reveal the Cross for the sake of Jesus - the Cross that is to conquer the world. Place us under the Blood. Forbid that we should think of what men may say of us. Oh speak - speak - speak, Lord Jesus. Thy Words are "wine indeed". Oh, reveal the Cross, beloved Jesus - the cross in its glory.
Reign in every heart for the sake of Jesus. Lord, do Thou help us to see the dying Saviour. Enable us to see Him conquering the hosts of darkness. Claim victory for Thy Son, now Lord. He is worthy to have the victory. THOU ART THE ALL-POWERFUL GOD. OH, CLAIM VICTORY. We shall give all the glory to Thy Name. No one else has a right to the glory but Thee. Take it, Lord. Glorify Thy Son in this meeting. OH, HOLY SPIRIT - DO THOU WORK THROUGH US AND IN US NOW. Speak Thy Word in power for Thy Name's sake. Amen - and Amen!"
The love, sufferings, death and resurrection of Jesus were the theme of every meeting, every sermon, every prayer and became the passion of every heart. The people were not being converted to a new doctrine, a denomination, a personality, or even the new movement - they were converted to Jesus."
74: Being "born again" means a PROFOUND comprehension of our sinful condition!
76: A Nation born again.
77: The workers must pace themselves and LEARN TO REST!
Equip the workers before the revival, there will not be time to equip them once it comes!
78: Azuza street was sparked from Wales - Jesus continues to be born in stables!
79: When we embellish the Gospel we destroy it's power!
85: A Holy desperation precedes new beginnings.
86: Most of the great revivals in the world have come BEFORE the judgment!
87: Revival has preceded major wars. There was revival in the USA before each of their Civil Wars, the Welsh revival preceded the First World War.
COMMENT : By extension it would appear that if we are truly about to see judgment poured out upon the earth we will see the Glory of The Lord poured out first. In this case, those who are anticipating rapture before tribulation may, in fact, be anticipating revival before tribulation!?
88: Revival starts with searching out sin IN ONE SELF!
89: Give what is born, back to God.
Holy desperation birth's revival.
91: Be desperate BECAUSE OF SIN!
92: Revival also leads to restoration of TRUTH!
93: Great leaders of revival have seldom endured more than five years, some have only lasted for one!
94: Renew EXISTING CHURCHES and restore lost truths.
96: Trouble began as soon as people started to resort to form.
Jesus honoured the old order.
97: Recovery of truth without discord.
100: BEND TO THE WILL OF GOD!
101: Intercede first for intimacy with Him.
102: True revival is born out of love for the Lord.
103: There is a distinction between prayer for judgment and prayer for revival.
104: God is moved FAR MORE by relationship than by proper form.
The Lord gives His people space to make mistakes.
If we walk BY FAITH, we are SELDOM ABSOLUTELY SURE!
106: Idealism versus revelation. Idealism can KILL REVIVAL.
The man appointed by God remains accountable.
COMMENT : It is alleged that the Welsh revival died prematurely because Roberts listened to an idealistic woman (Jesse Penn-Lewis) who said that he was becoming too prominent and therefore completely withdrew from sight and involvement. If this is correct, then he broke one of his fundamental principles of taking everything to God in prayer first and allowed Satan to use criticism to kill the new born child before it's earthly father had raised it to a point where it could stand alone. How easily we permit our intellect and respect for persons to get in the way of unquestioning obedience and the application of the very revelation that God has given us personally.
109: Criticism is one of the enemies foremost weapons.
110: The apostles and elders did not gain influence by exposing darkness but by manifesting light.
Hold fast to that which is GOOD!
111: Do not try and uproot the tares prematurely.
Love IS PASSIONATE!
112: Emotions DO reveal us, they should NOT control us.
113: The difference between spiritual pioneers and spiritual settlers, the church needs both.
115: Prepare for revival.
117: Cast our crowns (our own ideas and objectives) down before the throne of God.
118: God does not anoint division.
COMMENT: True unity requires that all doctrinal differences must ultimately be removed. This requires the removal of all the false doctrines and heresies which are rife in the church today. Those who have truth must share it but God will water the seed and nurture it's growth - we cannot force it.
121: Christians should be the most free and alive people on earth.
122: Control is one of the greatest enemies of revival.
Satan uses intellectual truth to control.
123: God gave us freedom of choice - we have a choice whether to obey or not.
124: Worship must enable our hearts to touch God's heart.
125: We have the capacity to choose and that means from time to time we will make mistakes.
126: The Holy Spirit through and with the Bible NOT man or the Bible without the Holy Spirit is our teacher.
Live by every word that proceeds (present tense) out of the mouth of God.
127: The Word of God requires RADICAL OBEDIENCE!
129: We cannot compromise believers freedom to disagree on non-core issues.
130: The freedom to do what is not specifically banned. God wants us to use our own judgment.
131: Hermeneutics and Phariseeism.
133: The SUM of Thy Word is Truth!
134: True Christianity promotes extraordinary liberty for the personal quest for God's truth.
135: A spiritual man does not need a contract and a carnal man cannot keep one.
136: The Lord made it easy for His Disciples to leave and difficult for them to stay.
138: Be led by the Law of LOVE.
139: That which is highly esteemed by men is detestable in the sight of God.
144: We must go to the field DESPITE the tares.
149: Joining together.
152: Harvest and tribulation.
154: Flee to the mountains when men try to exalt you.
155: Increasing chaos and revival are coming, not yet the rapture.
Build on Jesus!
I was profoundly moved by this book. So much of what was written confirmed my own thoughts and amplified them enormously. It seems clear to me from this that we have even further to go before we truly know how to be led by the Spirit of God every moment of every day in everything that we do. It also seems clear to me that VERY FEW men can assist us in such a quest. We must press in to God as never before, we MUST TRAVAIL as never before, we MUST ASK TO KNOW JESUS HEART on every matter, we must grieve when He grieves, rejoice when He rejoices and experience His wrath when that is appropriate.
We MUST NOT lean to our own understanding and we MUST spend far more time in His Word than ever before. We must ask Him to show us our sin and we must recognize that our flesh may be polluted by demonic influences which MUST be identified and cast out. We must ask for and receive with joy the crucifixion of our flesh on a daily basis and we must fix our eyes on Jesus as never before!
The word restrain, letteth or withhold in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 is 2722 "katecho". The following is a selection of scriptures in which this word appears:
Luke 4:42
42 Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; (NKJ)
Luke 8:15
15 "But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. (NKJ)
Luke 14:9
9 "and he who invited you and him come and say to you, `Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. (NKJ)
Acts 27:40
40 And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. (NKJ)
Rom 1:18
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (NKJ)
Rom 7:6
6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. (NKJ)
1 Cor 7:30
30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, (NKJ)
1 Cor 11:2
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. (NKJ)
1 Cor 15:2
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you-- unless you believed in vain. (NKJ)
2 Cor 6:10
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. (NKJ)
1 Thessalonians 5:21
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. (NKJ)
2 Thessalonians 2:6
6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. (NKJ)
2 Thessalonians 2:7
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. (NKJ)
2 Thessalonians 2:7
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. (NKJ)
Philemon 1:13
13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. (NKJ)
Hebrews 3:6
6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. (NKJ)
Hebrews 3:14
14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, (NKJ)
Hebrews 10:23
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (NKJ)
Isaiah 42:1-43:28
1 "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, my Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; he will bring forth justice for truth.
4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law."
5 Thus says God the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it:
6 "I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles,
7 To open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.
8 I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."
10 Sing to the LORD a new song, and His praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you coastlands and you inhabitants of them!
11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory to the LORD, and declare His praise in the coastlands.
13 The LORD shall go forth like a mighty man; he shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; he shall prevail against His enemies.
14 "I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in labor, I will pant and gasp at once.
15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation; I will make the rivers coastlands, and I will dry up the pools.
16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them.
17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, who trust in carved images, who say to the molded images, 'You are our gods.'
18 "Hear, you deaf; and look, you blind, that you may see.
19 Who is blind but My servant, or deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is blind as he who is perfect, and blind as the LORD'S servant?
20 Seeing many things, but you do not observe; opening the ears, but he does not hear."
21 The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness' sake; he will exalt the law and make it honorable.
22 But this is a people robbed and plundered; all of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prison houses; they are for prey, and no one delivers; for plunder, and no one says, "Restore!"
23 Who among you will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Was it not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in His ways, nor were they obedient to His law.
25 Therefore He has poured on him the fury of His anger and the strength of battle; it has set him on fire all around, yet he did not know; and it burned him, yet he did not take it to heart.
CHAPTER 43
1 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.
3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life.
5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west;
6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not keep them back!' Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth--
7 Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him."
8 Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears.
9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear and say, "It is truth."
10 "You are My witnesses," says the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me.
11 I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior.
12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are My witnesses," says the LORD, "that I am God.
13 Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?"
14 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I will send to Babylon, and bring them all down as fugitives-- the Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships.
15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King."
16 Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters,
17 Who brings forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):
18 "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
20 The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen.
21 This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise.
22 "But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob; and you have been weary of Me, O Israel.
23 You have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings, nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with grain offerings, nor wearied you with incense.
24 You have bought Me no sweet cane with money, nor have you satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices; but you have burdened Me with your sins, you have wearied Me with your iniquities.
25 "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.
26 Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted.
27 Your first father sinned, and your mediators have transgressed against Me.
28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; I will give Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches. (NKJ)
Certainly this passage speaks of Jesus. Equally certainly He has not yet "established justice in the earth". Surely the book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ refers to the time when God will go forth as a mighty Man of War as referred to in verses 42:13-14 and could not that be what follows the revelation of the abomination in the temple? Are verses 42:24-25 not addressed to our generation?
Is it not entirely possible that this generation has "burdened" God with their sins and wearied Him with their iniquities? Is He not perhaps challenging us to contend with Him and to state our case? Are not the "princes of the sanctuary" which He will profane indeed the strong men and the idols of our hearts?
Is it not time to examine ourselves?!
Isaiah 63:1-64:12
1 Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this One who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength?--" I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save."
2 Why is Your apparel red, and Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?
3 "I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, and trampled them in My fury; their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My robes.
4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help, and I wondered that there was no one to uphold; therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me; and My own fury, it sustained Me.
6 I have trodden down the peoples in My anger, made them drunk in My fury, and brought down their strength to the earth."
7 I will mention the lovingkindnesss of the LORD and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies, according to the multitude of His lovingkindnesss.
8 For He said, "Surely they are My people, children who will not lie." So He became their Savior.
9 In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.
11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying: "Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit within them,
12 Who led them by the right hand of Moses, with His glorious arm, dividing the water before them to make for Himself an everlasting name,
13 Who led them through the deep, as a horse in the wilderness, that they might not stumble?"
14 As a beast goes down into the valley, and the Spirit of the LORD causes him to rest, so You lead Your people, to make Yourself a glorious name.
15 Look down from heaven, and see from Your habitation, holy and glorious. Where are Your zeal and Your strength, the yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? Are they restrained?
16 Doubtless You are our Father, though Abraham was ignorant of us, and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O LORD, are our Father; our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.
17 O LORD, why have You made us stray from Your ways, and hardened our heart from Your fear? Return for Your servants' sake, the tribes of Your inheritance.
18 Your holy people have possessed it but a little while; our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary.
19 We have become like those of old, over whom You never ruled, those who were never called by Your name.
CHAPTER 64
1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence--
2 As fire burns brushwood, as fire causes water to boil-- to make Your name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your presence!
3 When You did awesome things for which we did not look, you came down, the mountains shook at Your presence.
4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.
5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, who remembers You in Your ways. You are indeed angry, for we have sinned-- in these ways we continue; and we need to be saved.
6 But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses (NKJ)
Could not at least some of this passage apply to the church today, are we not indeed "all like an unclean thing" compared to the Holiness, Grace and Beauty of our Lord Jesus Christ. How dare we presume ourselves to be worthy to escape the judgement that is to come when we have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God, when it is debatable whether any one of us truly knows what it is like to be sanctified and set apart for His service. Surely we stand by Grace alone and it is the greatest presumption and folly to presume on that Grace to deliver us from Judgment in this life which is insignificant compared to eternity with our Lord if that is the price that must be paid to redeem us from our rebellion and hard heartedness?
Luke 24:13-33
13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
17 And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"
18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?"
19 And He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
20 "and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.
21 "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
22 "Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.
23 "When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.
24 "And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."
25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26 "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"
27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.
29 But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them.
30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32 And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"
33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, (NKJ)
So we see here that their eyes were restrained, this is discussed in more detail in section 6.
Furthermore, it is written here, "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" How much more ought we be prepared to suffer for His name in order to bring Him Glory and to bring us closer to Him. Is that not the Glory that the Apostles attained - to die willingly for their saviour and, as Peter is reputed to have requested, be crucified upside down because he did not consider himself worthy to be crucified in the same fashion as his Lord?
How can we presume to expect God to deliver us from affliction in this generation when He has seldom, if ever, delivered His Holy men of God from affliction in any previous generation? And then only the most uncompromisingly righteous. Is that not the most horrible presumption?
Exodus 33:11 states:
So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle. (NKJ)
Surely we must ask ourselves the question: if Moses, whom God spoke to face to face, as a man speaks to his friend, having wandered for 40 years in the wilderness when God called him, was required to wander a further 40 years in the wilderness with the children of Israel because of their rebellion and YET was not permitted to enter the promised land because of one act of disobedience! How can any one of us truly deign to imagine that we are worthy to be 'raptured' before the tribulation?
Revelation 14:1-5 states:
1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.
3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.
4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God. (NKJ)
If some are removed before the end, then surely that will be an act of the most incredible Grace extended only to those who truly have pleased God and no one should dare to presume to imagine to state that they will be one of those.
But even so, Revelation 6:9-11 states:
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. (NKJ)
Elsewhere the martyrs are called "blessed". Are we certain that even those who truly are without deceit will be removed before the end? Does it not seem presumptious in the extreme to assume this?
The following are a selection of Greek Scriptures containing the phrase "spirit of" in the New King James:
Matt 3:16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
Matt 10:20 "for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
Matt 12:28 "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed;
Luke 4:33 Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice,
Luke 13:11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.
John 14:17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
John 15:26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
John 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
Acts 5:9 Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."
Acts 8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 16:16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
Rom 1:4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
Rom 11:8 Just as it is written: "God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, to this very day."
Rom 15:19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
1 Cor 2:11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
1 Cor 2:11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
1 Cor 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
1 Cor 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Cor 7:40 But she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my judgment-- and I think I also have the Spirit of God.
1 Cor 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
2 Cor 3:3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
2 Cor 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2 Cor 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Cor 4:13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,
Gal 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
Eph 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
Eph 4:23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Phil 1:19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
2 Tim 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
I Jn 4:2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
I Jn 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
I Jn 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
I Jn 4:6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
The following are most of the scriptures relating to "Spirit" capitalized to indicate association with God. Readers are encourage to study this list in order to gain a greater understanding of the rich diversity of the Spirit of God:
Gen 1:2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."
Gen 41:38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?"
Exod 31:3 "And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
Exod 35:31 "and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, Num 11:17 "Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.
Num 11:25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.
Num 11:25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.
Num 11:26 But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but who had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp.
Num 11:29 Then Moses said to him, "Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the LORD'S people were prophets and that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!"
Num 24:2 And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
Num 27:18 And the LORD said to Moses: "Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; Judg 3:10 The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-Rishathaim.
Judg 6:34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him.
Judg 11:29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced toward the people of Ammon.
Judg 13:25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Judg 14:6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.
Judg 14:19 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave the changes of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. So his anger was aroused, and he went back up to his father's house.
Judg 15:14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands.
1 Sam 10:6 "Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.
1 Sam 10:10 When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
1 Sam 11:6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused.
1 Sam 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
1 Sam 16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him.
1 Sam 19:20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
1 Sam 19:23 So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
2 Sam 23:2 "The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue.
IKing 18:12 "And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the LORD will carry you to a place I do not know; so when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth.
II Ki 2:16 Then they said to him, "Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, lest perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley." And he said, "You shall not send anyone."
1 Chr 12:18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, and he said: "We are yours, O David; we are on your side, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you." So David received them, and made them captains of the troop.
1 Chr 28:12 and the plans for all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, of all the chambers all around, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries for the dedicated things;
2 Chr 15:1 Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded.
2 Chr 20:14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly.
2 Chr 24:20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, "Thus says God: `Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He also has forsaken you.'"
Neh 9:20 You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst.
Neh 9:30 Yet for many years You had patience with them, and testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
Job 26:13 By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Job 34:14 If He should set His heart on it, if He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,
Ps 51:11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Ps 51:12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Ps 104:30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth.
Ps 106:33 Because they rebelled against His Spirit, so that he spoke rashly with his lips.
Ps 139:7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
Ps 143:10 Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.
Isa 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.
Isa 30:1 "Woe to the rebellious children," says the LORD, "Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;
Isa 32:15 Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as a forest.
Isa 34:16 "Search from the book of the LORD, and read: not one of these shall fail; not one shall lack her mate. For My mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them.
Isa 40:13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or as His counselor has taught Him?
Isa 42:1 "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, my Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
Isa 44:3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring;
Isa 48:16 "Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit have sent Me."
Isa 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.
Isa 59:21 "As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the LORD, "from this time and forevermore."
Isa 61:1 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
Isa 63:10 But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.
Isa 63:11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying: "Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit within them,
Isa 63:14 As a beast goes down into the valley, and the Spirit of the LORD causes him to rest, so You lead Your people, to make Yourself a glorious name.
Ezek 2:2 Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me.
Ezek 3:12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: "Blessed is the glory of the LORD from His place!"
Ezek 3:14 So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.
Ezek 3:24 Then the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and spoke with me and said to me: "Go, shut yourself inside your house.
Ezek 8:3 He stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my hair; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the image of jealousy was, which provokes to jealousy.
Ezek 11:1 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the LORD'S house, which faces eastward; and there at the door of the gate were twenty-five men, among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
Ezek 11:5 Then the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said to me, "Speak! `Thus says the LORD: "Thus you have said, O house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.
Ezek 11:24 Then the Spirit took me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to those in captivity. And the vision that I had seen went up from me.
Ezek 11:24 Then the Spirit took me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to those in captivity. And the vision that I had seen went up from me.
Ezek 36:27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
Ezek 37:1 The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.
Ezek 37:14 "I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it," says the LORD.'"
Ezek 39:29 `And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord GOD."
Ezek 43:5 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
Dan 4:8 But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying:
Dan 4:9 "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
Dan 4:18 "This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you."
Dan 5:11 "There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father-- your father the king-- made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.
Dan 5:14 "I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.
Joel 2:29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
Micah 2:7 You who are named the house of Jacob: "Is the Spirit of the LORD restricted? Are these His doings? Do not My words do good to him who walks uprightly?
Micah 3:8 But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, and of justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.
Hag 2:5 `According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!'
Zech 4:6 So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: `Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts.
Zech 6:8 And He called to me, and spoke to me, saying, "See, those who go toward the north country have given rest to My Spirit in the north country."
Zech 7:12 "Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.
Zech 12:10 "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they have pierced; they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
Mal 2:15 But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.
Matt 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
Matt 1:20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Matt 3:11 "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Matt 3:16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
Matt 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Matt 10:20 "for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
Matt 12:18 "Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen, my Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles.
Matt 12:28 "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Matt 12:31 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
Matt 12:32 "Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
Matt 22:43 He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him `Lord,' saying:
Matt 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Mark 1:8 "I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Mark 1:10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.
Mark 1:12 And immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.
Mark 3:29 "but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation"—
Mark 12:36 "For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: `The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool." '
Mark 13:11 "But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:15 "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
Luke 1:41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:67 Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
Luke 2:25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Luke 2:26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Luke 2:27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,
Luke 3:16 John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Luke 3:22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."
Luke 4:1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Luke 4:1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Luke 4:14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.
Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed;
Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.
Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
Luke 12:10 "And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
Luke 12:12 "For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."
John 1:32 And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
John 1:33 "I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, `Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'
John 1:33 "I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, `Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'
John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
John 3:34 "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.
John 4:24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
John 7:39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 7:39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 14:17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
John 15:26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
John 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
John 20:22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
Acts 1:5 "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Acts 1:16 "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:17 `And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.
Acts 2:18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.
Acts 2:33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
Acts 5:9 Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."
Acts 5:32 "And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."
Acts 6:3 "Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
Acts 6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
Acts 6:10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
Acts 7:51 "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.
Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
Acts 8:15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
Acts 8:19 saying, "Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit."
Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."
Acts 8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Acts 9:31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
Acts 10:19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are seeking you.
Acts 10:38 "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
Acts 10:45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
Acts 10:47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"
Acts 11:12 "Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.
Acts 11:15 "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.
Acts 11:16 "Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, `John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
Acts 11:24 For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
Acts 11:28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.
Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
Acts 13:4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
Acts 13:9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him
Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 15:8 "So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,
Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.
Acts 16:7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.
Acts 18:5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
Acts 19:2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."
Acts 19:2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."
Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
Acts 19:21 When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome."
Acts 20:23 "except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.
Acts 20:28 "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Acts 21:4 And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:11 When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, `So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"
Acts 28:25 So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,
Rom 1:4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
Rom 2:29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
Rom 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Rom 7:6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Rom 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Rom 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
Rom 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Rom 8:23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom 9:1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,
Rom 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Rom 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Rom 15:16 that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Rom 15:19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
Rom 15:30 Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me,
1 Cor 2:4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
1 Cor 2:10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1 Cor 2:10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1 Cor 2:11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
1 Cor 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
1 Cor 2:13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Cor 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1 Cor 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Cor 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
1 Cor 7:40 But she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my judgment-- and I think I also have the Spirit of God.
1 Cor 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
1 Cor 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
1 Cor 12:4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1 Cor 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
1 Cor 12:8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
1 Cor 12:8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
1 Cor 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
1 Cor 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
1 Cor 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
1 Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-- and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
1 Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-- and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
2 Cor 1:22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
2 Cor 3:3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
2 Cor 3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Cor 3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Cor 3:8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
2 Cor 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2 Cor 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Cor 5:5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
2 Cor 6:6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
2 Cor 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Gal 3:2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Gal 3:3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?
Gal 3:5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—
Gal 3:14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Gal 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"
Gal 4:29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Gal 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Gal 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 6:8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Gal 6:8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Eph 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 2:18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Eph 2:22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Eph 3:5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
Eph 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
Eph 4:3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eph 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Eph 5:9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
Eph 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Eph 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Phil 1:19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Phil 2:1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
Phil 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
Col 1:8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
1Thes 1:5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
1Thes 1:6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,
1Thes 4:8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.
1Thes 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit.
II Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
1 Tim 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.
1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
2 Tim 1:14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
Titus 3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Heb 2:4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
Heb 3:7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice,
Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
Heb 9:8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.
Heb 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Heb 10:15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,
Heb 10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
James 4:5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"?
1 Pet 1:2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
1 Pet 1:11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
1 Pet 1:12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven-- things which angels desire to look into.
1 Pet 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
1 Pet 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
1 Pet 4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
2 Pet 1:21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
I Jn 3:24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
I Jn 4:2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
I Jn 4:13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
I Jn 5:6 This is He who came by water and blood-- Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.
I Jn 5:6 This is He who came by water and blood-- Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.
I Jn 5:7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.
I Jn 5:8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.
Jude 1:19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
Rev 1:4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,
Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
Rev 2:7 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."'
Rev 2:11 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'
Rev 2:17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."'
Rev 2:29 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
Rev 3:1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, `These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
Rev 3:6 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
Rev 3:13 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
Rev 3:22 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."' "
Rev 4:2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.
Rev 4:5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Rev 5:6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
Rev 14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: `Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."
Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
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