In June 2006 the Spirit spoke to me and said, “Until the people of this region make the Holy Spirit Lord too you will never get the complete victory you desire.”

Ever since then I have been actively seeking to get to know the Holy Spirit more than ever. In this last month I have been asking Him why is He here? Here are some thoughts I have on the subject…

Destiny of Christians: To be the pure, passionate, knowing Bride of Jesus. (Rev. 22:17)

Primary Purpose of the Holy Spirit: To reveal all about our Bridegroom Jesus. He is the revealer of Jesus in His fullness. (John 6:13-14)

Reason to Know the Holy Spirit: If we know the Holy Spirit we will know Jesus. If we don’t know Him we won’t know Jesus. We seek Jesus our Bridegroom. He is the one that bought our price for a relationship. But it is the job of the Holy Spirit to reveal our Bridegroom to us. If we don’t accept the Holy Spirit in His fullness – primarily 3 areas – (1) inhabitation, (2) fruits (Gal 5:22-23), and (3) gifts (1 Cor. 12:7-10) – then in those areas we don’t embrace we will have an incomplete picture of who Jesus is.

Church History and the Revealing of the Holy Spirit

I believe that as we look at church history we will see that it is a history of preparing us to be the Bride of Jesus. The Holy Spirit has had the job of doing that! Jesus is coming for a Bride that knows Him. He is not going to marry a stranger. The Holy Spirit knows this and He is working to change it. This is His primary assignment.

Ever since the Middle Ages the Holy Spirit has been tirelessly working to restore His inhabitation, fruits, and gifts into Christians so that His assignment of revealing Jesus would be fulfilled. When we are inhabited by the Holy Spirit, walking in the fruits and the gifts it will give a clear picture of what Jesus is like.

Where are we at in History? I want to say we are almost at the end – just 4 more gifts to go! Yes, just 4 more to go. Let’s take a 30,000 foot view of history as I explain more.

1500’s

The Dark Ages (400-1200 AD) were called dark because there was no spiritual light! There was no light because the Holy Spirit was almost entirely shut out. There was no inhabitation, gifts, or fruits in most of the world.

The main thing the Reformation restored was a salvation that brought the inhabitation of the Holy Spirit. This was a mighty thing. For the first time in 1200 years the inhabitation of the Holy Spirit was occurring. With this inhabitation people were introduced to Jesus. The first step in knowing your Bridegroom is an introduction. But there was still more to be revealed through the releasing of fruits and gifts.

1700’s

An introduction to a person is a start but it’s not yet a full understanding. The fruits and gifts are often seen as an end unto themselves. But if the primary purpose of the Holy Spirit is to reveal Jesus then the primary purpose of His fruits and gifts is to not only to transform us but to show us more about the nature of Jesus.

The 1700’s saw the start of a very large movement that we now commonly call the Holiness movement (especially evidenced by the Methodist denomination through John Wesley). This movement emphasized that it was not enough to just be saved but you needed to take on the character – fruits – of the Holy Spirit. For the next 150 years the fruits of the Holy Spirit were emphasized.

Through this restoring of the fruits we have come to understand that Jesus is love, joy, peace, patient, kind, good, gentle, and full of self control. Who wouldn’t want to love a God like this?

The inhabitation and fruits were now available in the earth. A clearer picture of our Bridegroom was emerging.

1906

In 1906 the Azusa Street revival started the widespread realization that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are valid for today. Through this movement 2 of the 9 nine gifts were released on a large scale. These two gifts were speaking in tongues and the interpretation of tongues. We came to realize that our spirits could talk and receive direct input from God. This was exciting because another barrier to God was removed. Through this we were built up on in faith (Jude 1:20) and realized God wanted to communicate with us in a direct way. He desired to speak to us! This gave us more understanding about the nature of Jesus.

2 gifts down, 7 more gifts to be birthed. More revelation of Jesus needed to be given.

1960

In 1960 the Charismatic movement started that lasted for 40 years. Much could be said about the details but it did restore to the church 3 more of the Holy Spirit’s gifts that He had to offer. They were Prophecy, Word of Knowledge, and Word of Wisdom.

It’s important to keep in mind that the goal is not the gifts. The goal is to see Jesus in His fullness. The fruits and gifts are to be used to reveal parts of Jesus that we wouldn’t see or understand other wise to ourselves and to others. It is no different that the fact that we get to know people by not just reading about them but watching their actions.

Through these 3 gifts we realize that Jesus is for us and that He desires to encourage and build us up. We realize that He knows all about us and has a good plan for us. Much revelation of Him has been revealed through this movement.

5 gifts down, 4 more gifts to be birthed!

2000’s

So we are now up to the present. We have a good understanding of Jesus but it is not complete. We need a fuller understanding of the goodness and awesomeness of Jesus in order to be fully consumed by the desire to see Him so that Rev 22:17 will come true.

Rev. 22:17a (NIV) The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”

I believe that we are at the beginning of a new movement emphasizing the bridegroom of Jesus. This will be completed with a widespread adoption of the final 4 gifts. Those 4 gifts are Miracles, Healing, Discernment, and Faith. We have seen some movement in these gifts but the Holy Spirit wants to release them in all Christians as a way of life.

These gifts are power gifts that will reveal the awesomeness of God and His desire to restore us fully body, soul, and spirit and bring His kingdom to earth (Matt 6:10). As these gifts come into the world it will reveal that God is a GOOD God ALL the time. They will desire to be saved because they will want to run to a God that has these characteristics! As Christians, we will be consumed with seeing Him because we realize how wonderful He is.

Summary

We will have come a long ways throughout history in becoming a pure, spotless, passionate Bride, fully knowing her Bridegroom. This is a great time! We are at the beginning of seeing these final 4 gifts revealed in the earth! Ask the Holy Spirit to release these gifts in you to show you and the world how good He is. The completion of Acts 10:38 that Jesus started will happen with these final 4 gifts being released:

Acts 10:38 (NIV) how 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.

Pray

Holy Spirit, I want all that I am able to receive from you. Do not let me ever limit or say no to you. What I can’t handle now, make me able to receive as soon as possible. Reveal to me Jesus is His fullness. Amen.