Isa. 11:2-4 π Rom. 8:5-11 π Rom. 8:9 π 1 Cor. 12:11-13 π Gal. 5:16-17 π Gal. 5:22-23 π Eph. 2:18 π Eph. 4:4 π Rev. 1:4-5 π Rev. 3:1 π Rev. 4:4-5
There is a fascinating "contradiction" in the Scriptures about the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote, "There is...one Spirit..." ( Eph. 4:4; top )
And he instructed the Corinthians, "But one and the same Spirit works all these [spiritual gifts], distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 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. 12:11-13; top )
Paul also wrote to the Ephesians, "For through [Christ] we both have access by one Spirit to the Father." ( Eph. 2:18; top )
In the face of these Scriptures, to even suggest that there are more Persons in the Trinity of God would indeed seem incredibly wrong. But what do we do with the following passages in Revelation?
John, to the seven ekklesias 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, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. ( Rev. 1:4-5 - emphasis added; top)
And to the angel of the ekklesia in Sardis write, These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God..." ( Rev. 3:1 - emphasis added; top)
Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. ( Rev. 4:4-5 - emphasis added; top)
There are more references to the "seven Spirits of God" but this is sufficient to suggest that the idea of "one Spirit" is insufficient in some ways to explain what the Scriptures are trying to tell us. Fortunately, we are not left to conjure up or imagine what the explanation might be. God revealed this information to Isaiah in a prophecy concerning the coming Messiah.
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. His delight is in the fear of the LORD, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. ( Isa. 11:2-4; top )
What we see here is that the seven Spirits of God are not more Persons in the Trinity but that the one Spirit of God has seven spiritual characteristics. The Spirit of God will always manifest Himself in one or more of these seven ways: wisdom, understanding, counsel, power, knowledge, reverence for God and the righteous judgment of God. Anything manifesting itself in any other way or in any way that contradicts these seven is not the Spirit of God.
Paul gave us another glimpse of what a person coming under the influence of the Spirit of God will be like. He wrote, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." ( Gal. 5:22-23; top )
We could spend a great deal of time plumbing the depths of these two lists - the Spirits of God and the fruit of the Spirit - but I believe we are familiar enough with some of these concepts to get to the point I wish to make. And if you are not familiar enough with these concepts, then you have before you a perfect opportunity to explore the depths of Scripture for yourself.
The point I wish to make is the same one Paul made to the Romans. He wrote, "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. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 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. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 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. 8:5-11; top )
Paul summed up this conflict when he wrote to the Galatians, "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 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. 5:16-17; top )
Let me, for emphasis sake, simply repeat one verse from the passage in Romans. "Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His." ( Rom. 8:9; top ) How much clearer can it be said?
Let us synthesize these Scriptures and see if we might not hear what God is saying to His people. He is saying, "Unless you have My Spirit - the Spirits of wisdom, understanding, counsel, power, knowledge, reverence for God and the righteous judgment of God - and this is evidenced by resulting growth of the fruit of My Spirit - love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - You are not Mine. I don't care what religious affiliations you have. I don't care how much you practice self-imposed religion (and that includes much of what you call 'church'), false humility, and neglect of the body, you are not living by My Spirit and you are not Mine. I command you now to repent and turn from your dead works, those things you think you are doing for Me but which in fact you do only for your own independent notions of what I want from you. That was the whole essence of Adam's sin - I condemned it in him and I will condemn it in you. I am quite capable of leading you into all truth by My Spirit - but you will not stop resisting My Spirit. Your hard-heartedness and stiff-necked ways are not new to the earth. They were practiced by those who perished in the flood and by those who were constrained by the enemy to place My Son on the cross.
"Choose you this day whom you will serve. If it is Me you will serve, then take up the cross of self-denial and embrace My Son and My Spirit that you may know My will and My power to perform My will. If you wish to continue to please your self, then know that you are only a willing participant in Satan's schemes and I will send upon you a deceiving spirit that will cause you to believe lies as truth - and you will be condemned along with all those who love lies and unrighteousness. I have warned you many times that you cannot live the life of the flesh and reap the rewards of the Spirit. Repent and be cleansed of all unrighteousness that you might be My Son's bride, readied and prepared for His return. The door will not be opened to you then if you will not hear My Spirit now.
"If you read this as harsh and unloving, then you are listening with your fleshly ears - for My voice is filled with longing and tenderness for you. But you are a young child drawing very near to eternal flames from which there will be no recovery. I am not an unloving parent who refuses to speak sternly to His children. Those whom I love, I rebuke sternly that they might turn to Me and live. Those who will not be turned from their wicked ways, I leave them to their own ways. Hear My stern rebuke and recognize the love that is in it. Repent and be saved from all unrighteousness and death. Or continue on in your practice of unrighteousness and know that you will reap the consequences. The choice is yours - but I will not allow you to make such a dreadful choice without being fully advised of what you are choosing. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is life through the Spirit of Christ.
"I have set before you this day life and death. Choose life that you may live and bring joy to Me."
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