조영진목사
Today is Advent of the Spirit. Jesus, who overcome death and was resurrected, appeared to His disciples in various forms for 40 days before He ascended into heaven. After Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples diligently prayed together in an attic with faith in God's promise. On the tenth day, the disciples experienced the presence and work of the powerful Spirit. Advent of the Spirit is a Sunday remembering the descent of the Spirit.
But this day was the Pentecost according to the Old Testament. The Pentecost was the first season occurring seven weeks after Passover, when they harvested their first crops and gave thanks. And among future generations, the Pentecost became to additionally commemorate Moses' reception of the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. Also known as "Seventh week season feast" for the reason that it comes seven weeks after Passover, this season gained a new meaning through the descent of the Spirit.
The descent of the Spirit brought the disciples new convictions. Although the resurrected Jesus had ascended into heaven, the disciples also realized and firmly believed that He was with them through the Spirit. Through the descent of the Spirit, they experienced the Living Presence of Christ.
And descent of the Spirit gave rise to the church and to missionary work. Through the descent of the Spirit, the Gospel of Christ started to spread. Churches were built by the return of many people back to Jesus. As a result, missionaries or witnesses of the Gospel actively spread. Therefore, Advent of the Spirit is a birthday of the church and the day when the concept of missionary work started. On this meaningful day, our church will hold a missionary feast of this year. We would like to inform you about the extent of the missionary works of our church and give you an opportunity to participate in the work. We chose a very fitting day for this.
I.
On this meaningful Advent of the Spirit, a feast of missionaries, we have together read the words in Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18 and thereafter. There is a line of a letter written from a prison addressed to the Christians in Ephesus. In today's scripture, the apostle Paul advises: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."
There are some who feel rejected when others speak of being filled with the Spirit. There are those who think it is proper to believe with an emotional and passionate faith while there are also others who believe that a calm, solemn, and noble faith is proper. There are also people who set a distance as if being filled with the Spirit has no bearing on their life. What do you think about it? What do you think about these words that advise you to be filled with the Spirit? Does being filled with the Spirit indeed have no difference in my life? Am I able to put it aside as if it is irrelevant?
Of course, it must be overcome that some people have understood being filled with the Spirit as emphasizing an excessively enthusiastic appearance. Understanding with more balance and depth is necessary. However, it is also problematic to think that being filled the Spirit has nothing to do with me. It is also necessary to overcome the thought that it only applies to the zealous believers. It is because there is nothing as important as the work of the Spirit. It is because there is nothing as important as the work of the Spirit for our faith and church.
(1) The Spirit leads us into the truth. Without help of the Spirit, we cannot believe nor can our faith mature.
Everyone let us think frankly. Jesus was crucified to death on the cross over the hill of Calvary more than 2000 more ago. Can you believe the fact that He died for you or vicariously for your sin? Is that easy for you to believe? Everyone, since even this is difficult to understand, how could you even believe it? He did not die recently, but rather He died two thousand years ago. It did not occur close from here, but rather in a far away Judean land called Jerusalem. What in the world does His death have anything to do with me?
What is the reason that allows us to believe this event of the past is inseparably related to my life? What is the reason that we become to kneel before His cross and cry a thankful tear? How can we believe that the cross on the Calvary hill of two thousand years ago was a cross for me? It is because of the inspiration and help of the Spirit. It is because of the awakening and guiding of the Spirit.
If it were not for the help of the Spirit, today we would still continue to commemorate Jesus who once lived on Judean land two thousand years ago and continue to follow his teachings. But, by the help of the Spirit, we can believe that the Spirit allows us trust and follow Jesus as the truth of our salvation. We can be convinced and we can thankfully follow Jesus. Therefore, how can we turn away from the fullness with the Spirit? How could we marginalize the work of the Spirit as having nothing to do with me?
(2) Secondly, the Spirit helps us live a divine life as the children of God.
The God whom we believe is not a god who merely commands to live only by His words. He gives us strength to live upon His words. Everyone, how could you be able to love your enemy? How could you be able to give also your underwear to someone who only asked for your outer garments? How could you seek the right to be in God's heaven ahead of things to eat, drink and wear? It is impossible with solely human power. Clearly there are limitations in human will or ability. Nevertheless, God tells us to live a life overcoming these limitations.
The thing to be thankful of is that the Lord promised us to give the power to live as such. Through the Spirit, our Lord gives us today the power to love, the patience to endure, and the wisdom to judge right from wrong. Therefore, without asking for the Lord's help and ability, we have not yet done our best. Without obtaining the help of the Spirit, we are not leading our best lives.
A father asked his son a favor. "My son, will you move the stone in the garden?" The son tried with much effort to move the stone. However, he could not move the stone at all. The son told his father that he could not move the stone after a couple of tries. "Daddy, I can't move it. I tried my best, but it doesn't move at all." Then the father answered. "You have yet to do your best." The son got angry and said. "Didn't you see that how hard I tried? I did my best." Then the father said. "You did not ask me to help you. Not asking for my help, you have not done your best."
How fitting. Without relying upon the help of the Spirit, we have not done our best. The Spirit helps us live our best lives. Then how could we turn away from being filled with the Spirit? How could we put aside the work of the Spirit as having nothing to do with me?
(3) There is the third work the Spirit conducts. It helps us manage the mission to evangelize Gospel.
Everyone, there are words Jesus said to his disciples before they started to spread the Gospel. In Luke chapter 24 verse 49, Jesus told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they had been clothed with power from on high. In Acts chapter 1 verse 4, Jesus said them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the gift his Father promised, which they had heard Him speak about. And, in chapter 1 verse 8, Jesus told they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came on them; and that they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Dissemination of Gospel was not possible without help of the power of the Spirit. Without help of the Spirit, it would have been impossible to have powerful witnesses on the Gospel of the initial church. Being filled with the Spirit is a requirement of missionary work and a source of power. These concepts are not different today. Then how could we turn away from being filled with the Spirit? How could we put aside the work of the Spirit as having nothing to do with me?
Being filled with the Spirit is so important. Being filled with the Spirit is definitely necessary for all of us as Christians. We can overcome the weak aspects of our faith when we get help from the Spirit. We also can overcome a duplicate and powerless life with help of the Spirit. Our fruitless religious life (in reference to our possible inability to evangelize anyone since becoming a Christian) can and will change when our religious lives are clothed with power of the Spirit.
II.
Now, there is a question facing us. Everyone, how can we be filled with the Spirit? How can we live a powerful life of faith, relying on the help of the Spirit? How can we be filled with the Spirit as today's scripture says? Today's scripture says: "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
(1) In order to be filled with the Spirit we should first repent. We should turn around our way of life. In response to the people in Acts chapter 2 verse 38 who were touched to the heart by Peter's sermon and cried "What shall we do?", Peter shouted this reply: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." That's right. Repentance is key to receiving the Spirit. Repentance is not merely regretting wrong doings. More fundamentally, the meaning of repentance is turning the direction of life around. It is that I, who has lived outside the Christ, come before Christ. It is that I, who has lived without faith in God, turn around and begin a life believing in Him.
The essence of this repentance is receiving Jesus Christ. Everyone, the Gospel John states that to believe Jesus is to receive Him. Receiving Jesus is not receiving the records about Him. It also goes over receiving the teachings Jesus said. It is also not about receiving information or knowledge of Jesus. It is about receiving Jesus, who has resurrected and is still alive today.
When you receive Jesus, who comes inside us? The Spirit comes. The Spirit comes to be with us inside of us. This Spirit changes our thoughts and also our lives. He begins to govern our existence as the Lord of our lives and work. Therefore, belief and repentance to change direction is the first step to receive the Spirit. Christ must come to us. We must receive Him. Then the Spirit comes to our lives. He begins to work in our lives.
(2) Secondly, there is something required to be filled with the Spirit. It is to admire and earnestly desire receiving the Spirit.
Everyone, there is a clear fact. God wants every one to be filled with the Spirit. But we aren't filled with the Spirit in many cases because we don't earnestly desire it. It is because we don't have interest in it. The Bible clearly promises this. Like when parents of flesh give good things to their children who seek it, the heavenly father will give the Spirit to those who genuinely seek it. Being filled with the Spirit is a lifelong prayer subject. It is a feature of life to be pursued for good.
(3) Thirdly, in order to be filled with the Spirit, we should beat the obstacles that interrupt God from us.
Everyone, what is being filled with the Spirit? In many cases, we understood it as an outward phenomenon. Outburst of a dialect, appearance of healing work, proclamation of a prophecy and such phenomena were what we used to think of in relation with the Spirit. Of course, such graceful phenomena could happen when filled with the Spirit. However, the real meaning of being filled with the Spirit is that He controls each and every area of my life. Reverend Oswald Smith in his book titled "Being filled with the Spirit" said: "I would like to say that being filled with the Spirit is not that we have more spirit but that the Spirit possesses us the more. Though we give Him a cell of room, it is not that we give him the keys for all rooms to allow Him enter everywhere He wants. The spirit must possess the whole house. It's because He is not a visitor, but the owner of the house."
That's right. Being filled with the Spirit means He acts as a true Lord of our lives. However, aren't there obstacles interrupting me from giving every area of my life to the Lord? For being filled with the Spirit we should overcome the obstacles and eliminate them. It could be a certain habit. It could be hatred in my heart. It could be affection for or attachment to possession or property. It could be confidence or pride on which we rely more than on God. Everyone, please look around yourselves. If there is anything interrupting this life of fullness where the Spirit controls every area of my life, please overcome them all. Remove them all. If we don't do that, we cannot become filled with the Spirit. While time flows, our life of faith cannot do anything except stand still.
III.
In today's scripture, our Lord not only advises believers in Ephesus but also us who live in Washington in 21st century. No, He orders us to be filled with the Spirit. This is the Lord's command, which we cannot neglect. Pastor Oswald Smith says this command is the most important command we should obey among the Bible. It is an important command to keep commandments, and it is also an important command to spread the Gospel, but command to receive the Spirit is the most important. It is because if you receive the Spirit, you can keep God's words, and further you can spread the Gospel. It is because being filled with the Spirit is the way to solve every problem in life. Being filled with the Spirit is the best way available to lead our lives. It is the highest way. It is because a life God leads is far better than that I lead. Thoughts of the Spirit of God are better by thousands or tens of thousands times than mine. Ability of the Spirit is powerful by thousands or tens of thousands times than mine. The spirit is far wiser than us. He is far much more able than us. Therefore, wouldn't our lives be the best if the Spirit leads our lives, or if we receive the fullness of the Spirit?
There is no need for you to be seated here if you believe your wisdom is better than that of the Spirit or if you live believing so. What use is such a god? What is the use of believing a god inferior to me? Such god is not the God in the Bible. That is just an idol. It is nothing but an idol we cooked up to comfort ourselves.
The Spirit today comes among us, is here with us, and leads us into the truth. He helps us live a divine life. He gives us ability to be equal to the mission to witness and spread the Gospel. I would like to finish my sermon by introducing a story of a person.
Billy Lewter, a Methodist pastor in Florida, once wrote a story about his father on a Methodist prayer book titled Attic. Without anything to eat during the Great Depression of the 1930s, his mother and three siblings barely managed to live in the Salvation Army Feeding Center. His father was an alcoholic and gambler. According to his mother, his father left his home leaving this word, "This may be the last time I see you," as his father watched him only being six years old and his two little brother and sister. He became a thief to pay a gambling debt and went to prison frequently. Somehow, his father was about to commit suicide when his mother found him and tearfully begged him to go to church together. We could only say that the end result of the story is a miracle. Such an evil father, a waste man who hit rock bottom became a totally new person as he confessed that he believed and would dedicate the rest of his life to God. He was uneducated as he stopped in second grade of elementary school, but he learned by heart five hundred paragraphs of the Bible and became an evangelist visiting a detention center, a prison, or a hospital every evening. And he made his son a pastor at a great American church. Recollecting his father, pastor Lewter said, "It is solely a miracle. I don't know other way to explain but to say such ability was granted when he received the Spirit."
Everyone, you should be filled with the Spirit. You can live only by being filled with the Spirit. This is a command of our Lord.
Today is Advent of the Spirit. Jesus, who overcome death and was resurrected, appeared to His disciples in various forms for 40 days before He ascended into heaven. After Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples diligently prayed together in an attic with faith in God's promise. On the tenth day, the disciples experienced the presence and work of the powerful Spirit. Advent of the Spirit is a Sunday remembering the descent of the Spirit.
But this day was the Pentecost according to the Old Testament. The Pentecost was the first season occurring seven weeks after Passover, when they harvested their first crops and gave thanks. And among future generations, the Pentecost became to additionally commemorate Moses' reception of the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. Also known as "Seventh week season feast" for the reason that it comes seven weeks after Passover, this season gained a new meaning through the descent of the Spirit.
The descent of the Spirit brought the disciples new convictions. Although the resurrected Jesus had ascended into heaven, the disciples also realized and firmly believed that He was with them through the Spirit. Through the descent of the Spirit, they experienced the Living Presence of Christ.
And descent of the Spirit gave rise to the church and to missionary work. Through the descent of the Spirit, the Gospel of Christ started to spread. Churches were built by the return of many people back to Jesus. As a result, missionaries or witnesses of the Gospel actively spread. Therefore, Advent of the Spirit is a birthday of the church and the day when the concept of missionary work started. On this meaningful day, our church will hold a missionary feast of this year. We would like to inform you about the extent of the missionary works of our church and give you an opportunity to participate in the work. We chose a very fitting day for this.
I.
On this meaningful Advent of the Spirit, a feast of missionaries, we have together read the words in Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18 and thereafter. There is a line of a letter written from a prison addressed to the Christians in Ephesus. In today's scripture, the apostle Paul advises: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."
There are some who feel rejected when others speak of being filled with the Spirit. There are those who think it is proper to believe with an emotional and passionate faith while there are also others who believe that a calm, solemn, and noble faith is proper. There are also people who set a distance as if being filled with the Spirit has no bearing on their life. What do you think about it? What do you think about these words that advise you to be filled with the Spirit? Does being filled with the Spirit indeed have no difference in my life? Am I able to put it aside as if it is irrelevant?
Of course, it must be overcome that some people have understood being filled with the Spirit as emphasizing an excessively enthusiastic appearance. Understanding with more balance and depth is necessary. However, it is also problematic to think that being filled the Spirit has nothing to do with me. It is also necessary to overcome the thought that it only applies to the zealous believers. It is because there is nothing as important as the work of the Spirit. It is because there is nothing as important as the work of the Spirit for our faith and church.
(1) The Spirit leads us into the truth. Without help of the Spirit, we cannot believe nor can our faith mature.
Everyone let us think frankly. Jesus was crucified to death on the cross over the hill of Calvary more than 2000 more ago. Can you believe the fact that He died for you or vicariously for your sin? Is that easy for you to believe? Everyone, since even this is difficult to understand, how could you even believe it? He did not die recently, but rather He died two thousand years ago. It did not occur close from here, but rather in a far away Judean land called Jerusalem. What in the world does His death have anything to do with me?
What is the reason that allows us to believe this event of the past is inseparably related to my life? What is the reason that we become to kneel before His cross and cry a thankful tear? How can we believe that the cross on the Calvary hill of two thousand years ago was a cross for me? It is because of the inspiration and help of the Spirit. It is because of the awakening and guiding of the Spirit.
If it were not for the help of the Spirit, today we would still continue to commemorate Jesus who once lived on Judean land two thousand years ago and continue to follow his teachings. But, by the help of the Spirit, we can believe that the Spirit allows us trust and follow Jesus as the truth of our salvation. We can be convinced and we can thankfully follow Jesus. Therefore, how can we turn away from the fullness with the Spirit? How could we marginalize the work of the Spirit as having nothing to do with me?
(2) Secondly, the Spirit helps us live a divine life as the children of God.
The God whom we believe is not a god who merely commands to live only by His words. He gives us strength to live upon His words. Everyone, how could you be able to love your enemy? How could you be able to give also your underwear to someone who only asked for your outer garments? How could you seek the right to be in God's heaven ahead of things to eat, drink and wear? It is impossible with solely human power. Clearly there are limitations in human will or ability. Nevertheless, God tells us to live a life overcoming these limitations.
The thing to be thankful of is that the Lord promised us to give the power to live as such. Through the Spirit, our Lord gives us today the power to love, the patience to endure, and the wisdom to judge right from wrong. Therefore, without asking for the Lord's help and ability, we have not yet done our best. Without obtaining the help of the Spirit, we are not leading our best lives.
A father asked his son a favor. "My son, will you move the stone in the garden?" The son tried with much effort to move the stone. However, he could not move the stone at all. The son told his father that he could not move the stone after a couple of tries. "Daddy, I can't move it. I tried my best, but it doesn't move at all." Then the father answered. "You have yet to do your best." The son got angry and said. "Didn't you see that how hard I tried? I did my best." Then the father said. "You did not ask me to help you. Not asking for my help, you have not done your best."
How fitting. Without relying upon the help of the Spirit, we have not done our best. The Spirit helps us live our best lives. Then how could we turn away from being filled with the Spirit? How could we put aside the work of the Spirit as having nothing to do with me?
(3) There is the third work the Spirit conducts. It helps us manage the mission to evangelize Gospel.
Everyone, there are words Jesus said to his disciples before they started to spread the Gospel. In Luke chapter 24 verse 49, Jesus told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they had been clothed with power from on high. In Acts chapter 1 verse 4, Jesus said them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the gift his Father promised, which they had heard Him speak about. And, in chapter 1 verse 8, Jesus told they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came on them; and that they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Dissemination of Gospel was not possible without help of the power of the Spirit. Without help of the Spirit, it would have been impossible to have powerful witnesses on the Gospel of the initial church. Being filled with the Spirit is a requirement of missionary work and a source of power. These concepts are not different today. Then how could we turn away from being filled with the Spirit? How could we put aside the work of the Spirit as having nothing to do with me?
Being filled with the Spirit is so important. Being filled with the Spirit is definitely necessary for all of us as Christians. We can overcome the weak aspects of our faith when we get help from the Spirit. We also can overcome a duplicate and powerless life with help of the Spirit. Our fruitless religious life (in reference to our possible inability to evangelize anyone since becoming a Christian) can and will change when our religious lives are clothed with power of the Spirit.
II.
Now, there is a question facing us. Everyone, how can we be filled with the Spirit? How can we live a powerful life of faith, relying on the help of the Spirit? How can we be filled with the Spirit as today's scripture says? Today's scripture says: "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
(1) In order to be filled with the Spirit we should first repent. We should turn around our way of life. In response to the people in Acts chapter 2 verse 38 who were touched to the heart by Peter's sermon and cried "What shall we do?", Peter shouted this reply: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." That's right. Repentance is key to receiving the Spirit. Repentance is not merely regretting wrong doings. More fundamentally, the meaning of repentance is turning the direction of life around. It is that I, who has lived outside the Christ, come before Christ. It is that I, who has lived without faith in God, turn around and begin a life believing in Him.
The essence of this repentance is receiving Jesus Christ. Everyone, the Gospel John states that to believe Jesus is to receive Him. Receiving Jesus is not receiving the records about Him. It also goes over receiving the teachings Jesus said. It is also not about receiving information or knowledge of Jesus. It is about receiving Jesus, who has resurrected and is still alive today.
When you receive Jesus, who comes inside us? The Spirit comes. The Spirit comes to be with us inside of us. This Spirit changes our thoughts and also our lives. He begins to govern our existence as the Lord of our lives and work. Therefore, belief and repentance to change direction is the first step to receive the Spirit. Christ must come to us. We must receive Him. Then the Spirit comes to our lives. He begins to work in our lives.
(2) Secondly, there is something required to be filled with the Spirit. It is to admire and earnestly desire receiving the Spirit.
Everyone, there is a clear fact. God wants every one to be filled with the Spirit. But we aren't filled with the Spirit in many cases because we don't earnestly desire it. It is because we don't have interest in it. The Bible clearly promises this. Like when parents of flesh give good things to their children who seek it, the heavenly father will give the Spirit to those who genuinely seek it. Being filled with the Spirit is a lifelong prayer subject. It is a feature of life to be pursued for good.
(3) Thirdly, in order to be filled with the Spirit, we should beat the obstacles that interrupt God from us.
Everyone, what is being filled with the Spirit? In many cases, we understood it as an outward phenomenon. Outburst of a dialect, appearance of healing work, proclamation of a prophecy and such phenomena were what we used to think of in relation with the Spirit. Of course, such graceful phenomena could happen when filled with the Spirit. However, the real meaning of being filled with the Spirit is that He controls each and every area of my life. Reverend Oswald Smith in his book titled "Being filled with the Spirit" said: "I would like to say that being filled with the Spirit is not that we have more spirit but that the Spirit possesses us the more. Though we give Him a cell of room, it is not that we give him the keys for all rooms to allow Him enter everywhere He wants. The spirit must possess the whole house. It's because He is not a visitor, but the owner of the house."
That's right. Being filled with the Spirit means He acts as a true Lord of our lives. However, aren't there obstacles interrupting me from giving every area of my life to the Lord? For being filled with the Spirit we should overcome the obstacles and eliminate them. It could be a certain habit. It could be hatred in my heart. It could be affection for or attachment to possession or property. It could be confidence or pride on which we rely more than on God. Everyone, please look around yourselves. If there is anything interrupting this life of fullness where the Spirit controls every area of my life, please overcome them all. Remove them all. If we don't do that, we cannot become filled with the Spirit. While time flows, our life of faith cannot do anything except stand still.
III.
In today's scripture, our Lord not only advises believers in Ephesus but also us who live in Washington in 21st century. No, He orders us to be filled with the Spirit. This is the Lord's command, which we cannot neglect. Pastor Oswald Smith says this command is the most important command we should obey among the Bible. It is an important command to keep commandments, and it is also an important command to spread the Gospel, but command to receive the Spirit is the most important. It is because if you receive the Spirit, you can keep God's words, and further you can spread the Gospel. It is because being filled with the Spirit is the way to solve every problem in life. Being filled with the Spirit is the best way available to lead our lives. It is the highest way. It is because a life God leads is far better than that I lead. Thoughts of the Spirit of God are better by thousands or tens of thousands times than mine. Ability of the Spirit is powerful by thousands or tens of thousands times than mine. The spirit is far wiser than us. He is far much more able than us. Therefore, wouldn't our lives be the best if the Spirit leads our lives, or if we receive the fullness of the Spirit?
There is no need for you to be seated here if you believe your wisdom is better than that of the Spirit or if you live believing so. What use is such a god? What is the use of believing a god inferior to me? Such god is not the God in the Bible. That is just an idol. It is nothing but an idol we cooked up to comfort ourselves.
The Spirit today comes among us, is here with us, and leads us into the truth. He helps us live a divine life. He gives us ability to be equal to the mission to witness and spread the Gospel. I would like to finish my sermon by introducing a story of a person.
Billy Lewter, a Methodist pastor in Florida, once wrote a story about his father on a Methodist prayer book titled Attic. Without anything to eat during the Great Depression of the 1930s, his mother and three siblings barely managed to live in the Salvation Army Feeding Center. His father was an alcoholic and gambler. According to his mother, his father left his home leaving this word, "This may be the last time I see you," as his father watched him only being six years old and his two little brother and sister. He became a thief to pay a gambling debt and went to prison frequently. Somehow, his father was about to commit suicide when his mother found him and tearfully begged him to go to church together. We could only say that the end result of the story is a miracle. Such an evil father, a waste man who hit rock bottom became a totally new person as he confessed that he believed and would dedicate the rest of his life to God. He was uneducated as he stopped in second grade of elementary school, but he learned by heart five hundred paragraphs of the Bible and became an evangelist visiting a detention center, a prison, or a hospital every evening. And he made his son a pastor at a great American church. Recollecting his father, pastor Lewter said, "It is solely a miracle. I don't know other way to explain but to say such ability was granted when he received the Spirit."
Everyone, you should be filled with the Spirit. You can live only by being filled with the Spirit. This is a command of our Lord.
