You and I are going to have one of the most practical
heart -to -heart talks that we've had for a long
time. Oh, somebody said good. We're going to
have a heart -to -heart talk today. That's right.
And I'm going to talk about something that I
feel is vitally important to you because I tell
you very frankly that there is never a week but
when somebody asks me one question, That's what
I'm going to talk about today. And you may be
wondering about the answer to that same question.
You may have thought, now sometime I'm going
to ask Catherine Kuhlman this question. But the
only reason that you haven't asked it is because
you haven't gotten around to it. So I might just
as well include... All of you, once and for all.
Like a lady wrote recently, and she said, I want
you to answer for me. Then I'll be satisfied
once and for all. I hope you feel that way about
it. All right, this is it. Now, no one in the
whole world is more sold, and I say that very
reverently, on the Holy Spirit than I am. No
one believes more in the baptism with the Holy
Spirit than I do. And I believe in the baptism
of the Holy Spirit as a very definite experience.
You've heard me say over and over again that
one's conversion, the new birth experience, being
born again is a definite experience. Definite.
Just as... definite as your first birth. Just
as definite as when you were born in the flesh.
Your spiritual birth is just that definite. Now,
when we come to that wonderful experience of
being filled with the Spirit, the baptism of
the Holy Spirit, it too is just as definite.
It isn't a matter of growth. It is definite.
And this is the question that I'm asked so often.
Is it necessary to have the baptism of the Holy
Spirit for the power to be raised in the rapture?
In other words, you and I know that the next
great world event will be the rapture of the
church, the great catching up, when this glorious
body of Christ will be taken up. Is it necessary
to be filled with the Spirit, to have the baptism
with the Holy Spirit, to be taken? Let me rephrase
it. Only those who have been filled with the
Holy Spirit, only those who have received the
baptism of the Holy Spirit, be taken up at the
time of the rapture. I see somebody just taking
her hands out of the dishwater right now and
saying, I want to hear that. First of all, let's
see what the Word of God says regarding the Holy
Spirit. I like what Jesus says. Oh, it's something
that's so personal. It's just right from his
own lips. And he's talking in the 16th chapter
of John. And he's telling them about the Holy
Spirit, the work of the Holy Spirit. And he says,
nevertheless, I tell you the truth. Don't you
like that? In other words, I'll never lie to
you. I tell you the truth. It is expedient for
you that I go away. For if I go not the way,
the Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, will not
come unto you. But if I depart, I will send him
unto you. And when he is come, now he begins
talking about the ministry, the work of the Holy
Spirit. When he has come, he will reprove the
world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.
Of sin because they believe not on me. Of righteousness
because I go to my father and he see me no more.
Of judgment because the prince of this world
is judged. In other words, the Holy Spirit is
the mighty convicting power in the world today.
And he continues, I had yet many things to say
unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit
when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will
guide you into all truth. For he shall not speak
of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that
shall he speak, and he will show you things to
come. He will glorify me. Always remember, the
Holy Spirit will never glorify an individual.
He'll never glorify any man, any woman. Always
know that. The Holy Spirit will never glorify
Catherine Kuhlman. The Holy Spirit will never
glorify Dr. Jarman. The Holy Spirit will never
glorify any preacher, any personal worker. Never.
The Holy Spirit will only glorify one, and that's
Jesus Christ. He shall glorify me, Jesus says.
Never, as long as you live, forget those words.
Now then, let's go a little deeper. I'm taking
the words of Jesus regarding the Holy Spirit.
Those last words before he went away. Just before
he left, he is talking about the same person.
And he's talking about this wonderful experience.
Being filled with the same person, the Holy Spirit.
the same person that he said would convict, the
great revealer, the one who would glorify Jesus.
And the last words before Jesus went away were
concerning this same person. But ye shall receive
power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you. In other words, You're going to receive
power after you've been filled with this wonderful
person. But don't stop there. Don't stop there.
Keep right on going. Because Jesus very distinctly
tells why one is filled. the purpose for this
experience. And ye shall be witnesses unto me
both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria
and unto the uttermost part of the earth. He
makes it very clear that this wonderful experience
of being filled with the Spirit, this glorious
experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit,
is given for one purpose. To witness its power
for service. Never forget some of these things
that I'm giving you in the spirit today. I think
that we need more good old -fashioned teaching
regarding the Word of God. truth about some of
these things. I do not believe that there's any
ignorance worse than spiritual ignorance. Zeal
is wonderful, but be sure that you use your zeal
in the right channel. You see, this wonderful
experience is so new to so many. So many are
receiving the light regarding this wonderful
experience and this wonderful person of the Holy
Spirit that it's almost like a child who has
received a wonderful present. And they're so
overwhelmed with it all, they don't know what
to do with it. They're so overcome with it all.
the thrill of it all, the excitement of it all.
What we need to do is to hold steady, come back
to the Word of God, and stay with His Word. There'll
always be those who'll carry a thing a little
too far beyond the real truth of the matter.
Stay with the word. That's the reason this ministry
has held low these many years without any fanaticism,
without any sensationalism. It's had a good foundation.
Lo, these 20 years. Sure. This ministry is open
to anyone who wishes to investigate it. Sure.
It hasn't been a fly -by -night thing because
it wasn't built on sensationalism. It has had
as its foundation the very word of God. We've
stayed with the word. And when you stay with
the word, not adding to it, not taking from it,
go right down the middle of the road, you'll
get results. Mm -hmm. The converts will stick.
If it's just built on sensationalism. You go
back six months later and say, where were the
converts? Where were those who were born again?
Where were those who came to the altar? But when
it's built on the word of God and you stay with
the word, you can go back 60 years later and
you'll still find those converts, Dethi. continuing
to grow in the Word. And that's the reason that
I'm talking to you about this truth that is so
vitally important. This wonderful experience
of the baptism with the Holy Spirit is given
the believer for power. Power. for service. Power
to witness. And every believer should experience
the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Because if
ever there was a time when Christians needed
this power for service, it's now. If ever there
was a time when Christians needed this power
to witness, it's now. This very hour. And you
are not claiming your full inheritance in Christ
Jesus if you have not yet been filled with the
Holy Spirit. But let's come back now to the original
question. Is this experience of being filled
with the Holy Spirit, the baptism of the Holy
Spirit, necessary to be taken up in the rapture?
When we have this great catching up, those who
have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit
be taken up. Oh, it's gotten quiet even at your
house. Let's take the word. Just take the word,
my friend. All right. You've heard me read it
over and over again. You've read it so often.
You know it. without even turning to the word.
But had you really read it? Fourth chapter, 1
Thessalonians. He's talking about this great
hour when the dead in Christ shall be raised
first, then we which are alive. But let me read
it to you. For the Lord himself. shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God, and the
dead in Christ shall rise first. Just one requisite.
Those who died in the Lord. When the trumpet
of the Lord shall sound, If right now, that moment
would take place when God turns to the holy angels,
when the Father turns to the Son, when he gives
the Holy Spirit the nod, and he says, this is
it. And watch. And with the... Trump of God,
the dead in Christ shall rise first. Those who
died in the Lord, and there are literally thousands
and tens of thousands who died in the Lord, who
had no light whatsoever regarding the Holy Spirit.
They had no light whatsoever. ever regarding
the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Saints of God,
born again, their sins covered with the blood.
It doesn't say those who died in the Lord and
were filled with the Spirit. It doesn't say that
at all. Sometimes I think that we're so prone
to put words in God's mouth. Sometimes I think
we're so apt to put words in the mouth of Jesus.
Things that he never said at all. We're so prone
to add to the Word of God. Be careful. You and
I are on dangerous ground when we start adding
to the Word of God. That's very dangerous. And
there are those today who are adding to the Word
of God. And you can't just take a phrase or a
portion of the Word of God, take it out of its
context, out of its setting. You've got to see
everything that relates to the same subject.
You could almost make a new doctrine out of any
portion of the Word of God. by taking it out
of its setting. No, ma 'am. There is nothing
more or less said about those when the trump
of the Lord shall sound and the dead in Christ
shall rise first. precious saint of God, every
man, every woman, who's been born again. And
their bodies are out there in that cemetery,
wherever they are. Whether they were a Christian
for 50 years or five hours, if they were born
again and died in the Lord, will be caught up.
That's the first resurrection. Tomorrow, I will
continue to talk about those of us who are left
at that time. God bless you.