Simon the Sorcerer, Sold out to Satan(poetic story-telling)

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The Power of the Holy Spirit is a gift for all believers. The Holy Spirit is essential for a vibrant Christian life. He is the Helper, the Standby, the Sprit of Grace, the counselor, the Comforter. He has come to teach, as the Spirit of truth and the Teacher. He is the anointing Who anoints and commissions us for service. Without Him we may remain lifeless, weak, fearful, carnal, easy prey to the adversary. He brings about the miraculous, equips us for service, giving us gifts such as the Word of Wisdom, Word of knowledge, Gifts of healing, Gift of faith, gift of prophecy, tongues and interpretation of tongues; He set the five fold Ministry gifts in the Body of Christ- Apostles, Pastors Evangelists, Prophets, Teachers, Preachers and other gifts.

To receive the Holy Spirit, we have to ask in faith and be yielded to Him. he convicts us of sin, refines us and uses us as His instruments of reconciliation.



[color:e37f=black:e37f]We must have the right motive when we desire to receive the Holy Spirit. He cannot be bought or sold. However He is also gentle and would not force Himself on any Christian who does not want Him or skeptical about Him. But the fruit we bear will be limited when He is not given His proper place.

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[color:e37f=black:e37f]The Holy Spirit empowers us to Be Witnesses

8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 NiV

The Holy Spirit Bring About the Miraculous

38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. Acts 10:38

If You ask for the Holy Sprit you will get the Holy Spirit

11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"Luke11:11-13

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a different experience form salvation

1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"
They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
3So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
"John's baptism," they replied.
4Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.Act19:1-6

14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, Acts 8:14-15

The Holy Spirit adds impetus to our prayer and grants us extraordinary boldness and power preaching and witnessing.
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly
Acts4:31

8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11He is
" 'the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone. 12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts2:8-13

8Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. 9Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, 10but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke Acts 6:8-10
We need the Holy Spirit for effective service
3Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." Acts 6:3-4

You can be filled again and again with the Holy Sprit

18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians5:18