The Uttermost Parts Of The Earth

You can be truly saved and still feel underpowered. That tension sits at the heart of our message on the baptism in the Holy Spirit, where we open the Bible and ask a blunt question: did Jesus intend believers to attempt ministry with only good intentions, or with supernatural power from on high?

We walk through Joel’s prophecy of an outpouring, the turning point of Pentecost in Acts 2, and Jesus’ command in Acts 1:8 that links the Holy Ghost directly to power for witness “to the uttermost parts of the earth.” Along the way, we separate salvation and Spirit baptism as two distinct operations of the same Spirit. We also address the question many Christians ask out loud or quietly: don’t we receive the Holy Spirit at salvation? We answer from Scripture, then trace examples in Acts that show a subsequent empowering experience.

We also tackle the most debated flashpoint: speaking in tongues. We explain why we preach tongues as the initial physical evidence of Holy Spirit baptism, and why minimizing spiritual gifts can leave believers unprepared for spiritual warfare. Finally, we deal honestly with abuses, excesses, and counterfeits, arguing that discernment and biblical testing are the answer, not shutting down the gifts of the Spirit.

If you’ve wrestled with Pentecostal doctrine, spiritual gifts, or what “power” is supposed to look like in everyday Christian life, this teaching is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves Scripture, and leave a review with your biggest question about Spirit baptism.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:32

Hello, welcome to Valley Gospel Church. We are a non-denominational Pentecostal church located in Springdale, Pennsylvania. Our sole mission is to present the living truth of a risen Lord, Jesus Christ, to a remnant church and a lost world. So let's go into the service recorded live at Valley Gospel Church.

Promise Poured Out For All Days

Salvation Versus Spirit Baptism

Tongues As Initial Evidence

SPEAKER_00 0:56

We have a um well, yeah, we have a straight up Pentecostal message this morning, not one of denomination or uh, but it's a message with some very foundational statements to begin. Uh, you know, I hear the Sunday school teachers ask their classes, do you have your spiritual ears on? And if they don't, they can get them there. They have a little box to get the spiritual ears. And if you listen this morning with your spiritual ears, the ones that Jesus talked about, I believe the Holy Spirit will confirm to you that what I'm about to present is Bible truth. Um this morning we're going to talk about the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Uh Joel 2 and 29 says, Upon my in those days, upon my servants and my handmaidens, I will pour out my spirit in those days. In those days. A lot in that little verse, in those days. And that the Holy Spirit revealed that he chose for this outpouring Jesus did. What was considered at that time the lowest of society, servants and women. Those days, those days include all the days from Pentecost until today, should the Lord tarry, and tomorrow as well, if the Lord tarries. In truth, God desired for Israel to receive the baptism in the Holy Ghost, this outpouring. But the Jews refused it. Said, no, this isn't for us. And now today, most of the church world refuses it. Most of the church rejects it. This outpouring of power that Joel talked about that the book of Acts talked about. When Israel rejected the baptism in the Holy Ghost, most of the early church, beginning with Peter, embraced it and became recipients of this great promise that God said they would have. By the power of the Holy Ghost, the disciples knew and evangelized much of the world of that day. Think about that. From a dozen men and a handful of women to 2.7 billion Christians on this earth and growing. From 17 people to two to 2.7 billion with a B. Chrissy, let's go to work. You may wonder why I tell Chrissy, let's go to work or let's punch in. Getting ready for the message is fun. Lord's pouring into me, revealing things to me, telling me things. I'm in, like Daniel says, I'm hanging with the Lord. And then when it comes time Sunday morning to turn this all around and present it to you, now it becomes work. It was fun all week. It's not fun this morning. First truth that we need to do is to differentiate between salvation and the baptism in the Holy Ghost. Salvation, being born of the Spirit. Alright? That's God's greatest gift to the world. For God so loved the world he gave his son. Amen. But the baptism in the Holy Ghost is God's greatest gift to the church. Hallelujah. You know, it might be better identified as a baptism of power. That is indispensable for the Christian seeking to do God's will. And look, we teach and believe because the Bible teaches that every Christian that receives the baptism speaks in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. We also teach and believe because the Bible teaches that speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence that one has received. Not the only evidence, but the first one. The initial one. We believe that any teacher, any preacher, any church that does not proclaim this mighty baptism in the Holy Ghost is remiss in their teaching and are spiritually weakening the saints that depend on them to give them the truth. I told you it was going to be a little bit strong. Amen. So if you have your Bibles, let's start. Chrissy has a lot of work to do this morning. Let's start with 1 Corinthians 12. Whenever you get there, the other one's Acts. If you flip by Acts, put your finger in there. 1 Corinthians 12 and 4. Whenever you get there, stand for the reading of God's word, please. 1 Corinthians 12, 4 through 11.

Gifts Of The Spirit Explained

SPEAKER_01 7:11

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which works in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For one is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom, to another, the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit, to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit. To another the working of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, discerning of spirits, to another, divers of kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But all these work that one and the same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will.

SPEAKER_00 8:07

Just so we understand, a Christian becomes a Christian the moment that we accept and commit to follow Christ. Once we, and I'm not necessarily relating to a sinner's prayer, but once we accept Christ and commit to following him, we're a Christian. Done. Done deal. Just like an inductee. Huh? You'll understand this, Barbie. Just like an inductee, the moment you take that oath, you are now a soldier. However, you're not prepared. You're not prepared until you receive the training, until you receive the weapon. It's the same in as a Christian. Without the baptism in the in the Holy Ghost, we are unprepared to enter that spiritual warfare against Satan and his angels. And we will fail. We will fail. Two more readings. Pardon me for keeping you up on your feet all this time. It'll be worth it. Amen. Acts 2. Acts 2, 1 through 4.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as a rushing wind, mighty wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

SPEAKER_00 9:52

They were all filled, all were filled. Amen. Flip back to Acts 1, 4 through 8.

SPEAKER_01 10:01

And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which said he, You have heard of me, for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, will you at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not you for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has put in his own power, but you shall receive power after that Holy Spirit is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and in all Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.

To The Uttermost Parts

Refusing The Baptism Weakens Believers

Called To Preach Full Gospel

Jesus Last Instructions Before Ascension

Born Of The Spirit Versus Power

Humility Over Tradition

Scripture Proof Of A Second Experience

SPEAKER_00 10:59

I used for a subject this morning to the uttermost parts of the earth. Amen. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you, Lord. Thank you for this truth, Lord. Thank you for revealing to me what you would have your children to receive, Lord. I ask you to open hearts and minds and spirits this morning to receive this teaching and what you're trying to present to your church. Lord, let this let this word today be a lamp unto our feet, a light to our path. It is in the name of your blessed, precious, soon coming Son we pray. Amen and amen. Please be seated. You know what's always intrigued me is that Acts 1 and 8 starts with but. But what do you start a sentence with but? But and I've always wondered that here's what the Holy Spirit gave me regarding that. Our Lord said, You may think you're insufficient, but you shall receive power. You may think that you're unprepared, but you shall receive power. You may think you're powerless and weak and ill-equipped, but you shall receive power. Don't worry about it. You'll receive power. Glory. After that, what? The Holy Ghost comes upon you. You shall receive power. After that, the Holy Ghost comes upon you. We need that power if we're going to work effectively against the destructive forces of darkness, not only in this world, but in the ether. We need that power. In truth, the power of the Holy Ghost is the only force that can go up against our adversary. The only one. You think you can fight the devil when you can quote scripture to him? Hmm. He's too tough for that. He's too strong for that. Amen. We need the Holy Ghost. In our second reading this morning, it's clear that it is God's desire and command that every Christian be filled with the Holy Ghost. So doesn't it stand to reason that anyone denouncing or working against this infilling is in effect working at cross-purpose to the will of God? I don't care be they minister, church, institution, they're working at cross-purpose to the will of God. Even churches who don't teach or practice or provide opportunity to receive the baptism in the Holy Ghost are working against God's wishes. It's not this Pentecostal preacher telling you that. It's the word of God. It's the word of God that's saying that. And I know that's strong. Some might even say it's divisive that we're not in harmony with our Baptist brothers and sisters or our Methodist or Presbyterian friends. But it's the truth of God and the Word of God bears it out. And I'll keep saying it. I'll keep preaching it. You know, I used to have a handful of minister friends. It went from about that many down to none. Down to zero. But I'll keep telling this congregation, I won't back up, I won't shut up, I won't simmer down, I won't lighten up, I won't back off because it's the truth. It's the word of God. I won't modernize, I won't socialize, I won't unify. Glory. I will not be cool. I won't chill. I won't peace out. I will not be intellectualized, criticized, or minimized. Because I have been called, anointed by the ancient of days. Glory, glory, to blow the trumpet inside. Sounding alarm in his holy mountain. That's what I've been called to do, to tell his people the truth and to preach unto you the full measure of this gospel. Glory. Not some watered-down version or some milk toast feel-good gospel or a unified social gospel that we can all gather around. We will preach Christ and Him crucified. We will preach that His blood still flows from Calvary. And I will preach the baptism in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. It's the only way a child of God can stand toe-to-toe with the devil. He's the Holy Ghost in fire. He's keeping me alive. Glory. I might as well finish my thought. I'm not a sissy boy preacher trying to entice you to swallow and follow some scheme or some denomination or give you some ritual that you can follow so I can keep my membership in the club. Or the golf course or the pastor's club. Or make sure my salary is secure, or my mistress. I'm not a John Deere, I'm not a Kubota. You cannot buy me. Glory. Glory. Pardon the tractor reference. It's just the way my mind works. I'm giving you the message that God has given me that will keep you and empower you and allow you to walk in victory. Glory, glory, glory. Especially in this time, this place of darkness that we find ourselves. The truth is, it is only by the power of the Holy Ghost that you will make it through. Let me say that again. If I said anything ever worth writing down, that's it. This truth is the only way, the truth of the baptism and the Holy Ghost, that we will make it all the way through. The last message that Jesus preached is in part given to us in Acts 1. He was leaving earth. His lifetime of work and ministry on earth was complete. He was returning to heaven where he would remain at least for the next twenty centuries. This would be the last time that he would physically address his followers and advise them. This is a pretty unique situation. Jesus in the flesh advising his disciples, his apostles, that group one last time. And it would mark his words, I believe, as very important. He could have spoken on a lot of things, could have spoken on the prophets, could have spoken on uh uh the Lord's Supper, could have spoken on salvation, worship, could have spoken on sanctification, so many things. But he didn't. Being God, Jesus is God, being God and knowing everything to come in the future, Jesus tells his disciples to attempt nothing in the way of ministry, uh, in the way of sharing the gospel or concerning salvation in the world. And remember those numbers, 17 to 2.7 billion until they received the promise of the Father, until they were endued with power from on high. So the question that always comes up, don't we receive the Holy Spirit at salvation? Good question. That is a good question. Uh and the only correct answer is yep. Yes, we do. But being born of the Spirit and baptized in the Spirit, two different operations by the self-same Spirit. Two operations. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12 and 3 that no man could say that Jesus is Lord unless the Holy Spirit helped him. Amen. Also, no one comes to Christ lest the Holy Spirit draw him. Amen. That's what's happening with your dad, Barbie. So we know without question that the Holy Spirit is received at salvation, at least in respect to conviction, repentance, salvation. But the Holy Spirit is multifaceted. See, he's not Jesus' little brother. He's not a force, he's not an influence, he is God, the Holy Ghost. And his first name tells you everything you need to know. Holy. Holy. He is omnipotent. He is God. So to suggest that the saving work in the Holy Spirit not only constrains the Lord in our walk, it can lead us to erroneous and false doctrine by omitting him or minimizing who he is. At salvation, the Holy Spirit imparts life to a person that was dead. Born again. That's why the term born again. Again. That's the Holy Spirit's work that imparts life. At the Spirit baptism, power is imparted to the Christian who was previously weak, weak, and scarcely, as Paul said, scarcely saved. But now is fitted for service to God. Now is ready. Now is ready to go to battle. So isn't this mandate according to scripture and to common sense that we receive what God said we need? The Bible says that God resists the proud, right? And gives what? More grace to the humble. And it takes humility to study the Word of God and say, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Despite all the things that I have been taught all of my life, what my denomination said, what my family says, and you're all I'm sure most of your family at some point or another has told you you're crazy. Huh? You with that, you with that, uh, what are you gonna roll on the floor today? You're gonna you gonna talk in tongues today? But we've been taught a certain way, family, denomination, whatever it is. But this is what the Bible says about this matter. So what are we gonna do? What do we do with that? Am I gonna follow follow family and denomination or tradition? See, I'm I'm always shocked when I the last two pastor friends that I had. I'm always shocked that when I would present in conversation, well, here's what the word of God says about that. These doctors of divinity would respond to me with, I know, but it's not what we believe. I know, I know what you're telling me, brother, but it's not what we believe. So wouldn't it be better to line up what you believe with the word of God than to try to make the word of God line up with what you believe? I don't get it. I don't understand why a pastor, a leader would try to make what they believe, what they've been taught, what's been ingrained in them to line up with the word to have the word of God line up with what they believe. You see, I'm and we know what you believe. Uh does the word provide proof of that? I'm glad you asked that. Yes, it does. There are two distinct operations of the Holy Spirit. Go back to John. John 14 and 17. 14 and 17, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth in you, dwelleth with you and shall be in you. Two distinct receptions of the Holy Spirit. With you shall be in you. With you shall be in you. Jesus told his disciples in Luke 10, when they returned from ministering, when they he sent them out two by two, he said, Rejoice rather that your name is written in the Lamb's book of life. Uh means they were saved. These men were saved. They weren't trying to get saved, they weren't in the process of getting saved. If there was a process to getting saved, I don't know. Salvation is instantaneous. Amen. We can call on the Lord any time. Uh they were saved, but they were not baptized in the Spirit until Pentecost. Weren't baptized. What about Paul in Acts 9? Dramatic salvation scene on the Damascus Road, right? Where he gave his heart to the Lord. He called him Lord. Who are you, Lord? But it wasn't until he went to Straight Street and was laid hands on by Ananias that he was that he was healed and baptized in the Holy Ghost and spoke with other tongues. Acts 19. I know. A lot of scripture today. This is the same Ephesus, I think we talked about uh a couple of weeks ago. Acts 19 and 1. And it came to pass that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coast, came to Ephesus. And finding certain disciples, he said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And he said unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied. Ephesus. Ephesus. Ephesus, uh really rough, maybe even wicked city. And the Holy Spirit comes into twelve believers. The Bible leaves absolutely no room for doubt that these men were believers. They were saved, they were water baptized. Amen. They were disciples. But Paul asked them, have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? Have you received the Spirit since you believed? All right, we already know that it was the Holy Spirit who drew them, who indwelled them, who brought them to Jesus Christ. But he asked them this question, have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? It's almost as if my take. Almost as if the Holy Spirit knew that controversy would erupt over this spirit baptism, especially just prior to the end of time. And he wanted to put an end to the controversy. This goes on in traditional, what we have labeled traditional Pentecostal churches, where they have not only minimized the baptism, but they hide it, or they say it in their tenets of faith, but don't practice it. And in fact, it's not allowed to be practiced. Have you noticed and read it again if you get a chance when it says that since you believed that it jumps off the page or off the screen? Since you believed, uh it kind of leaps. It's clear, I believe, that we can proclaim that there is a separate experience subsequent to salvation that the Lord knows you need, that the disciples knew you needed, that the Bible says you have to have, that it's God's will that you receive it. That is the baptism in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. He's comforter, he's guide, he's teacher, he's administrator, he's the glorious Lord. He is the most important person on earth. Don't shout blasphemy. He is the most important person on earth of the Holy Spirit. Yet his ministry today is by and large rejected even by Pentecostal churches. I'll omit any names or any because I don't speak ill of the dead. But in their books, they write things like the gifts of the spirit are just natural extensions of our abilities or our education instead of a supernatural experience. Follow me? That uh an example, the gift of knowledge is a result of we study really hard and read everybody's book, and that's the gift of knowledge, or or uh wisdom. Wisdom is the result of gaining that knowledge through a result of our study. We get wisdom, and that's fostered over life experience and time. Amen. Same as discernment, they say, it comes from studying human nature and being able to relate it to the times and to the and to the word of God. No, they're not extensions, they are gifts. They are gifts given by Jesus instantaneously to equip you. Instantaneously, not something we studied and gleaned over time to aid us in carrying out his will on earth. And those preachers that tell me there's no value or there's no purpose, it's to carry out God's will on earth. That's what the baptism is all about. Most of the church world teach things concerning the baptism and the gifts that do not accurately represent the gospel, nor are they valuable to a believer. And we've all, if you've come up in Pentecost, you've all experienced some of those things that in order to receive the baptism, you start in the natural and some pony motor kicks in and then you start to speak, look at my tie, look at my eye, look at my tie, look at my eye, and it somehow kicks in. Or and you've probably all heard this, it's because of the fleshly displays with experience. Um and that's why I stay away from these gifts and seeking the baptism. It's brother Phil, who you could set your watch by his message in tongues. It's coming at 1155. Amen. Soho, roho, soho, roho, so ho. Thank you, Pastor. Uh or it was Sister Gertrude. Pastor, I have a message. Or that spooky lady in the back of the church, eyes rolled back and she'd twitch and jerk. We've all experienced those things. If you came up. Or George will relate to this brother Frankie who would who would grab your hands at the door and his eyes would roll back, whoa, and he wouldn't let go of your hands. Go with me, Frankie. But I've also heard Frankie deliver some of the most incredible prophetic words that I have ever heard spoken. Uh but frankly, that's why it's minimized. That's why this experience is minimized. Uh and people say we need to, that's why we need to shut this down. At what cost? At what cost? Yeah, there are some abuses, there are some excesses, there are some, and do you know why that is? It's because the Pentecostal church is so welcoming, so open, so inclusive that if God gives you something, look, I would much rather you err and don't be afraid of doing something wrong. Error on that side. You know, if there's scriptural correction that's needed, we'll do that quietly and privately. Amen. But don't hold back just because you think it might not be right. Uh and it look, it's not new. It's happened since the beginning of time. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Displays, imitations, forgeries, fake. They'll always be with us. They were back in the in the first century. The Lord will sort it out. It's nothing to worry about, it's not a concern. Remember Simon the sorcerer? Wanted to buy the gifts, wanted to buy speaking in other tongues? That's why we need the gift of discernment. But they don't teach that either. That's not allowed. Don't you know that Satan seeks to imitate with forgeries the great and powerful things of God? That's what he's trying to do. And how many of you know that he does his best work in churches? That's why if you look up our tenants of faith, it says distinctly in our tenants, miracles, signs, wonders, gifts of the Spirit are absolutely active today. However, they can be imitated. Therefore, it is credit critical that they are tested and discerned according to the word of God to ensure they are from God.

Paul Asked Since You Believed

SPEAKER_01 37:17

Thank you for listening to this week's podcast. We pray it was an encouragement and a blessing to you. You can contact us at Valley Gospel Church at 1069 Butler Logan Road, Springdale, Pennsylvania, 15144. We invite you to listen to this week's worship service that follows and tune in for next week's podcast.

SPEAKER_02 37:39

Church, this morning we can thank God because he picked us up out of that slimy pit, out of the mud and the muck and the mire. In my mind, I see it as being stuck in quicksand, slow but sure, being pulled under by sin and the things of this world, not free. And he picked us up out of that quicksand and set our feet on a solid rock never to sink anymore. We can thank God because who the Son sets free is free indeed. And we can thank God because I am not the same person, I am a new creation in Christ Jesus. And we can thank God because hell is no longer our destination. Amen. I thank God.

Gifts Are Supernatural Not Learned

Abuses And Counterfeits Addressed

Test Gifts With Discernment

Contact Info And Worship Begins

SPEAKER_03 38:54

Yes, I'll say every well, my praise will present. Every day that I live. Yes, it fills me with peace. Washes over Like a sweet channel. I love the sang of the face. I want to come on the sick. Change my name, I'm forever free. I'm not the same. I thank the master. I thank the savior. I thank God. Because your love is better than life. My lips will glorify you. I will praise you for as long as I live. And in your name, I will lift up my hands. Oh, let's sing it again. Because he picked me up. He turned me around. He placed my feet on the solid ground. I thank the master. I thank the Savior. Because he held my heart. He changed my name. I'm forever free. I'm not the same. I thank the Master. I thank the Savior. I thank God. I love to sing your face, Lord. Hey, hey, oh, I just love your face. Yes, Lord. Oh, it fills me with peace. Washes over me like a sweet chapel ray. I love to sing your praise, Lord. Hey, hey, it brings me victory. No matter what I face You all about. I love to sing your face. Yes, Jesus. Give praise to the Lord. Proclaim his holy name. Make known among the nations what he has done. I will exalt you, my God the King. I will praise your name forever and ever. Because he picked me up. He turned me around. He placed my feet on the solid ground. I thank the Master. I thank the Savior. Because He killed my heart. He changed my name. I'm forever free. I'm not the same. I thank the Master. I thank the Savior. I thank God. Holy holy. Sing it out. Holy holy God Almighty. God Almighty man you well. Sing it down. Holy holy holy God almighty. I want Jesus to walk with me. I want Jesus to work with me. And while this tedious journey, I need you, Jesus, to work with me. Oh, be my friend, Lord. Please be my friend. I want Jesus to be my friend. And while I'm on this of this tedious journey, I need you, Jesus, to be my friend. Open our eyes, Lord. We want to see Jesus to reach out and touch him and say that we love Him. Open our ears, Lord, and help us to live some. Open our eyes, Lord. We want to see Jesus. There is none like you, Lord. Now I know that He is mine and I'm His forever. He is free along livesway. He'll be holding to my hand when I cross Death's River. He will take the sting of death away. Because I'm his praise his home. Because I'm his praise his name.