THE DETERMINING FACTOR – The Holy Spirit

It is always nice to have options and choices, but when it comes to the Kingdom of God that Jesus Christ came to bring, there are only two. There is no middle ground. There is no gray area. We either choose to serve the God of the Bible, the Great I AM, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; or by default we serve Satan, the devil, and the father of lies. Our choice is clear, righteousness or wickedness, love or hatred, Heaven or Hell. For you see, God makes a distinction between those who serve and love Him and those who do not, and that distinguishing factor is the Holy Spirit. (Malachi 3:16-18 AMP) Verses 17-18 read as follows: Then those who feared the Lord [with awe-filled reverence] spoke to one another; and the Lord paid attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who fear the Lord [with an attitude of reverence and respect] and who esteem His name. They will be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, on that day when I publicly recognize them and openly declare them to be My own possession [that is, My very special treasure]. And I will have compassion on them and spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve Him.”

In John 14:15-17 (KJV), Jesus tells us the Holy Spirit will be the distinguishing difference between those that serve Him and the those who serve the world. “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; 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 with you, and shall be in you.” The Holy Spirit is not optional in the Christian’s life. The world doesn’t know the Holy Spirit, because they don’t know Christ. We know the Holy Spirit because Jesus told us about Him and commanded that we receive Him. (John 7:39) The very last command before Jesus left this earth was for His disciples to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8) The Holy Spirit is the One who gives us the power to be witnesses and to walk as Jesus walked. Thus, we cannot do what God called us to do without the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in us and will remain with us forever! He will never leave. He is our advocate, our counselor, helper, intercessor, strengthener, and standby. He is the Spirit of Truth, but the world will not receive Him until they have received Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God first!

Ephesians 2:1-2 (AMPC) makes it crystal clear that the world without the Holy Spirit is following the influence of demonic spirits that stand against the purposes of God. “AND YOU [He made alive], when you were dead (slain) by [your] trespasses and sins in which at one time you walked [habitually]. You were following the course and fashion of this world [were under the sway of the tendency of this present age], following the prince of the power of the air. [You were obedient to and under the control of] the [demon] spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience [the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God].”

I John 2:18-20 (AMP) says, “Children, it is the last hour [the end of this age]; and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming [the one who will oppose Christ and attempt to replace Him], even now many antichrists (false teachers) have appeared, which confirms our belief that it is the last hour. They went out from us [seeming at first to be Christians], but they were not really of us [because they were not truly born again and spiritually transformed]; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out [teaching false doctrine], so that it would be clearly shown that none of them are of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One [you have been set apart, specially gifted and prepared by the Holy Spirit], and all of you know [the truth because He teaches us, illuminates our minds, and guards us from error].”

The growing trend of the antichrist spirit is to deny the working of the Holy Spirit. Some might view the move of the Holy Spirit as socially unacceptable, but we cannot deny the work and move of the Holy Spirit in an effort to fit in with the world. Without the Holy Spirit, our helper, teacher, and guide, we can easily be deceived. Is the church already being influenced by the thoughts and ideas of the world? Are socio-political buzzwords creeping into our ministries? Are we being influenced by scoffers and not God’s Word and Spirit? It is vital that the church uphold the Bible, God’s Word. We must be influenced and led by the Holy Spirit, not the world.

So, what is the determining factor? When we are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, we are anointed, set apart, and the Greater One who lives in us guards us from error. If we have no relationship with the Holy Spirit, it is like driving a car without any safety features. How dangerous! The Holy Spirit becomes that determining factor between truth and lies, revelation and deception, the wisdom of the ages and the deception of the world. Choose carefully! The option you select becomes your determining factor!