Of The Rock That Begat Thee Thou Art Unmindful, And Hast Forgotten God That Formed Thee - Part 1771

Jesus said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink; he that believes on Me, as the scripture hath said, "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." This spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet [given] because that Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39; John 12:16, 23, 31-32; I Peter 4:11)

If you read this scripture again, you will see that the Holy Ghost was not yet because Jesus was not yet glorified. This is critical to understand, if we are to fully understand the doctrine of Christ. (Hebrews 6:1-2; II John 1:9)

As well, the scripture here shows that we who believe on Him should receive the Holy Ghost, similar to the the first outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, wherein they were all filled and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. In Acts 2, 3,000 souls believed that Jesus is both Lord and Christ, repenting of their sin, and later water baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:36-38; Joel 2:22; Acts 2:1-47)

Note that the outpouring of the Holy Ghost was prophesied earlier in Joel.

"And it shall come to pass in the last days," saith God, "I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on My servants, I will pour out in those days of My Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath ..." (Acts 2:17-21; Joel 2:28-32; Acts 10:45; Acts 21:9; I Corinthians 12:10; Matthew 24:29)

But there is more here to understand. Citing from Ephesians, note that we are builded for an habitation of God through the Spirit -- the same Spirit wherein, after Jesus was taken up, He through the Holy Ghost gave commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen. (Acts 1:2-3)

As Jesus told His disciples, they were to wait for the promise of the Father; "which," saith He, "ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water: but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence ..." (Acts 1:4-5)

" ... but ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me [Jesus] both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

(More can be understood by studying Acts 2, I Corinthians 12-13-14, Ephesians 4, and Romans 12)

How does receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost impact you, beyond strengthening and edification? From Ephesians 2:

"And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:1-10)

Why? So that in Christ Jesus, we who sometimes were afar off are now made nigh by the blood of Christ, for He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were night ... for through Him, we both have access by ONE SPIRIT unto the Father.

"In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:22)

Therein lies our hope, from whence comes our salvation! Stand in the offering plate.