Holy Ghost Baptism: Lesson-5

by A.A. Allen

PREMINISTERIAL AND CHRISTIAN WORKERS’
BIBLE COLLEGE CORRESPON DENCE COURSES
PREPARED BY A. A. ALLEN
COURSE NO. 2. THE HOLY GHOST BAPTISM--AND THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
LESSON 5
THE GIFTS OF FAITH, HEALING, AND MIRACLES

FAITH is both a gift and a fruit of the Spirit. It is the only GIFT that is also a FRUIT of the Spirit.

The blood of JESUS CHRIST is the most powerful and necessary thing on earth, spiritually speaking.

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, Precious is the flow That washes white as snow, No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

We cannot too strongly emphasize the fact that God had put a penalty on disobedience. That penalty was death . . . “For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Gen. 2:17b.

Afterward, when God had made a plan for redeeming the sinning soul, He said, “And without shedding of blood is NO REMISSION,” Heb. 9:22b. Glory to God! In the New Testament we read, “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” I Cor. 15:21,22. So the power of the brood of JESUS CHRIST to take away sin is the most amazing, miraculous, glorious fact in the world today.

HOWEVER, “Without FAITH it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Heb. 11:6.

Without FAITH to accept Him as your personal savior the benefits of Calvary will never be yours. “It is finished,” exclaimed Jesus on the cross, BUT each individual by FAITH must appropriate these benefits for himself.

There are two common errors in the minds of people about FAITH. Some people say that they have no FAITH at all. This is not true for the Bible says that every man has faith, “According as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Rom. 12:3. All of the gifts of the Spirit are operative by FAITH and you will notice in this same chapter, verse 6, “Let us PROPHESY according to the proportion of FAITH; ”

Then there are those persons who come through our healing lines saying, “I have ALL the FAITH in the world” This is likewise not true. If they had FAITH in such proportions they would not need to be in line. Most likely they would be conducting a healing campaign of their own. Actually they HOPE that God is going to heal them, but have very little FAITH that he will. Many of them die hoping that they will somehow be healed.

But HOPE is not FAITH, and FAITH is not HOPE. Sometimes it seems that there are such fine lines of distinction between these attributes that it is almost impossible to tell them apart. Each has its proper place in the life of a Christian and you can find all places where HOPE is referred to in your own concordance, but in this lesson we must pursue FAITH.

Someone has said that FAITH is a union of assurance and conviction, the counting of a thing as already done. “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37. Faith does not have to see before it believes. Faith centers in God, therefore, it KNOWS that “all things are possible,” Mark 9:23, The Bible teaches, “Believe and you SHALL see,” (Man, “if I could see I would believe,”) It doesn’t work that way. BELIEVE and you SHALL see.

The FAITH about which we are studying is mentioned in I Cor. 12:9, “To another faith by the same Spirit; . . . ”

Like so many English words FAITH has a variety of meanings. Let us dispose of some of these shades of meaning before we proceed with the GIFT of FAITH. First, there is just plain natural faith of the kind that makes you expect to arrive at some distant place when you exercise faith and board a train, plane or bus bound for that destination. Many people refer to this as “head faith.”

Sometimes the word FAITH is used to describe the total body of doctrine of any given belief, such as, “tenets of the Faith.”

Then, of course, there is saving faith, which is in operation when we come to know JESUS CHRIST as our Savior and Lord. This is when we experience the free pardon of our sins by accepting Him as God’s Son. We also give ourselves unreservedly to Him, in love and obedience, because we have been purchased with His own blood on the tree.

None of these varieties of faith are the gift of FAITH, which is one of the supernatural Gifts of the precious Holy Ghost listed in I Cor. 12:8-11. I assume that since you are reading this Lesson you are a Christian, or at least a Church member and are seeking God, either with your whole heart or superficially.

If I didn’t know from my own experience, and from having been able to observe other Christians, that YOU can have the GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST in your own life, I would not write another line of this course. But you can not only have them, GOD WANTS TO GIVE THEM TO YOU for he said by the hand of Paul:

“So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord JESUS CHRIST:” I Cor. 1:7.

“Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.” ICor. 14:1.

“Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.” I Cor. 14:12.

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matt. 6:33.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit pertain to the Kingdom of God. Recently I heard a young preacher who often comes into our campaigns, say that we hear a great deal today about Demon Possession BUT what he is interested in is GOD POSSESSION. A precious elderly colored minister of the old school said in a service one time, “If you can be as mean as the devil, why can't I be as good as GOD?” These two preachers summed up what I am trying to put over to you in this lesson on FAITH.

You can manifest the very LIFE of GOD, literally be GOD POSSESSED. You can move mountains, subdue kingdoms, obtain promises, close the mouths of lions, quench the violence of fire, escape the edge of the sword, turn to flight the armies of the aliens and even raise the dead.

You can not only do these things for yourself and your loved ones, you can do them for your church, your community and the repentant everywhere, WORLD WIDE, BUT you will never do them in your HUMANITY.

When Jesus Christ was still on earth a young man approached him, calling him “Good Master!”

“ . . . Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, GOD. ” Luke 18:19.

The Apostle Paul, who is the greatest preacher since JESUS made a similar declaration:

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me. Rom. 7:18a.

Another testimony along this line is found in the book of James, whom many scholars say was the half brother of our Lord Jesus:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, ” Jas. 1:17.

SO without further ado let us abandon our carnality, our humanity, our flesh, Raise your heart and hands to heaven and let us pray:

"Oh, Holy Father, possess my vessel from the t op of my head to the soles of my feet. Bring into subjection every thought to the obedience of Christ. Tame, I pray thee, without mercy, the unruly member, that little thing that is set on fire of Hell, which no man is able to tame. Grant unto me a VITAL union with the Lord Jesus Christ and the fulness of the Holy Ghost that you give to those who obey you. Sanctify me to the coming of Thy Kingdom. Amen.”

I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, I’ll do what you want me to do, I’ll say what you want me to say, dear Lord, I'll be what you want me to be!

NOW, since you have made a total consecration I will instruct you as to the things that will be beneficial to you in attaining to the very high estate of GOD POSSESSION. Remember that you won’t possess God, in the sense that you will use Him for your purposes, BUT RATHER that He will use you for His purposes. HE is GOD and you are the vessel. If you prayed with me from your heart and you really want to be GOD POSSESSED, no doubt, you will undergo certain trials and tests, as God usually finds out real soon if we mean what we tell him. So, be very watchful and very prayerful. No matter what kind of a sacrifice you are called upon to make, proceed with caution, God will help you if you keep a reverent attitude and will be submissive as soon as you ascertain that He is moving in your life. Pray earnestly always as, of course, the enemy will be looking for ways to cause you to stumble, and will deceive you as to who is moving if he possibly can.

However, do not become fearful for he has been a defeated foe for a long, long time. The worst he can do is confuse you and he can’t do that if you constantly trust the Lord for the leading of His Spirit. Rom. 8:11,

THIS IS A LESSON ON FAITH, A GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST. As soon as you possibly can, read the entire chapter of Hebrews 11, This is a FAITH chapter in a FAITH BOOK. The Bible definition of FAITH follows:

“NOW faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear,” Heb, 11:1-3.

If you are going to have the “faith of the Son of God,” you must constantly abide in the Vine for “I am the Vine, ye are the branches:.” Imagine what would happen to tender green grapes if a branch could pull itself away from the vine and spend the night out in revelry. The young grapes would certainly be withered and stunted if, indeed, they ever ripened at all. Just as with the grapevine, you must maintain a constant union with Christ Jesus.

“ . . . FAITH cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Rom. 10:17.

A love for and a knowledge of God’s Word is very essential. A definite, regular time to study and pray should be established and strictly observed, even if it has to be at 4:00 or 5:00 o’clock in the morning.

FAITH is the indispensable element necessary for receiving from GOD as well as producing for GOD. God never rebuked man for having FAITH, or for asking great things, but for the lack of FAITH.

Do not associate with unbelievers or carnal Christians. They will rob you of your FAITH. Affirm your FAITH several times daily by repeating statements like, “I BELIEVE GOD.” “BY HIS STRIPES I AM HEALED.” (I Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5.)

In this manner you are saying what God says. His WORD is true and He CANNOT lie.

The church, in general, is failing God because it is not believing Him and His Word completely. Too many still doubt the validity of:

“greater works shall he do” and “as He is, so are we in this world.” John 14:12 and I John 4:17.

It is essential to be thoroughly familiar with the great people of FAITH as recorded in the Bible. These include people such as Enoch, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Samuel, David, Elisha, Elijah, not to mention Moses, Aaron, and Joshua. Don't fail to read about their exploits often. The stories of their experiences will increase your FAITH.

Man is what he reads. He becomes part of the crowd with which he associates. Let your associations be with Moses, Elijah, Peter, Paul, and some of the modern day Saints by whom miracles have been wrought in the name of the Lord Jesus. Also when we pray, remember that God requires us “to lift up HOLY hands” to Him. I Timothy 2:8.

Also, do not stumble at this lesson on the GIFT of FAITH. You must remember that “WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.” Matthew 19:26. “ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO HIM THAT BELIEVETH.” Mark 9:23b. HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME THE WORKS THAT I DO SHALL HE DO ALSO AND GREATER WORKS THAN THESE SHALL HE DO; BECAUSE I GO TO MY FATHER.”

MASTER THE GIFT OF FAITH. It is a GIFT, Ask for it, seek it, FAST AND PRAY FOR IT. DO WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO TO RECEIVE IT BUT BE SURE YOU DO FOR THE NEXT LESSON WILL BE ON THE GIFT OF MIRACLES AND YOU WILL BE NEEDING THE GIFT OF FAITH WITHOUT WHICH MIRACLES ARE IMPOSSIBLE.

In the beginning of the Bible Course we recommended that you keep a 3 “X 5” card file on scriptures to be memorized. Are you keeping up this file and committing these verses to memory? Until 1955 the Bible was an international Best Seller for books. However, in the year 1955 the output of Bibles fell back to second place, and what do you think moved up to first place? You guessed it. V. I. Lenin’s works on Communism. Since that year they have made steady strides in the literary world.

Whole continents are without the Bible. It has been repeatedly prophesied that the Word of God would be taken away, perhaps even in our own country.

HOWEVER, there is a place where you can hide the Word of God even as the Psalmist David, said:

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalms 119:11.

So take up your memory work with a vengeance as your life may depend upon it, and also the life of your friends and neighbors.

“For to 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 kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” I Cor. 12:8-11.

I quoted this scripture at this particular point in order that you may see that there are nine gifts listed as gifts of the Spirit. Please note in particular that the gifts of healing and the gift of miracles are specifically mentioned - not as one gift, but as two distinct supernatural enabling powers.

The reason that I emphasize each, the gifts (plural) of healing and the gift of miracles, is because the gift of miracles has practically disappeared from the church, even in Pentecostal ranks, except for miraculous healings. We hardly ever hear miracles mentioned except miracles of healing.

We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ is a supernatural church. So, I hope to be able to inspire you to covet earnestly the gifts of the Spirit which caused the pagan world of the Apostolic Age to sit up and take note that the believers had been with Jesus.

Because people sick in their bodies are more noticeable than those suffering spiritually, the gifts of healing have had more publicity and are more sought after than some of the others. However, other gifts are often used in conjunction with the gifts of healing, and this is as it should be. The gift of the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, or discerning of spirits may be necessary to pinpoint the affliction or its cause, and therefore the gift materially aids in delivering the seeker.

The purpose of the gifts of healing are to deliver the sick and suffering and to destroy the works of the devil. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38.

Jesus had promised, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you” to fulfill the Great Commission as set forth in Mark 16:17,18.

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

Jesus used this power in his own life to attract multitudes of people whom it was the will of God to heal. However, when they came seeking healing Jesus used the occasion to teach them the way of life. He also substantiated his claim to be the Son of God by his works. In one place he said, “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.”

Another time John the Baptist sent his messengers to question whether or not Jesus was the Son of God.

“When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. “Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.” Luke 7:20-22.

John knew what kind of works the Messiah would be doing when he came, hence, he was satisfied with the answer.

The momentum of MIRACLE RESTORATION REVIVAL has been considerably stepped up since it was ushered in a few months ago. God has spoken to a number of big evangelists to step-up their programs. Several ministers have put aside very large tents at the Word of the Lord. God spoke to their hearts and said: The schedule must be faster. Hasten from one city to another. Do away with cumbersome, hard to handle equipment, and exchange it for some more easily transported and easier to erect equipment. Hasten from city to city, for the grain is ripe unto harvest; the grain is falling.

Some of the largest tents in America will not be in the air henceforth. The men who own them are hurrying at the word of the Lord and travelling light while it is yet day.

No doubt, you wish to receive the fullness of the Holy Ghost or you would not likely be taking a course in the Gifts of the Spirit. Today is the day of salvation. Every year it becomes increasingly difficult to meet all the regulations imposed on religious organizations, especially Pentecostal and full gospel organizations. Night is closing in. If you have a call upon your life and you intend to get the job done for the Lord, this is the time to fast, pray, consecrate and dedicate. Covet earnestly the best gifts. You will surely need the supernatural power of God operating through the gifts of the Holy Ghost to substantiate your ministry as being of God. Can such gifts be lightly neglected in the face of the needs of today?

Jesus expects you to do the works that he did - and even greater works than he did for he said: “Greater works than these shall he do; because I go to my Father.” John 14:12b.

This is the time of the restoration of all things. Today the gifts prove our claim to divine relationship with God. To “restore” means to put back into the condition it was at some given time. We believe God is restoring the same power and anointing that the early church enjoyed. Every local church needs the gifts or the Spirit in operation. The gifts of the Spirit are for the perfecting of the saints.

In addition to the gifts of healing provided, there are several other ways for God to heal YOU or YOUR loved one. Have faith in God! You can be healed by the gift of faith. Even someone else may claim healing for you (By his stripes I am healed) - simple FAITH, besides the gifts of healing.

As in the case of all the spiritual gifts, faith is necessary for the operation of the gifts of healing. It may be in someone else’s behalf, as in Mark 2:5.

“When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. ”

“But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.” Matt. 9:22.

It may be the faith of the believer alone, as for one in a coma, one mentally sick, or an infant incapable of believing for himself:

“He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.” Matt. 9:24,25.

Of course the combined faith of the sufferer and those having the gift of healing provides the most ideal condition. This situation is the most usual. Faith must be exercised and often, conditions must be met.

Jesus was hindered by the unbelief of others, in doing mighty works for God, therefore that we will be, too.

“He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” Matt. 13:58.

We have an adversary, and he works to keep us from exercising FAITH in God when we have need of deliverance. Our healing and deliverance, when it is accomplished, is for the Glory of God, so naturally the devil is against it.

Many things cause unbelief, some from without, and others from within. You may have friends who say that healing is not for us or that it is not for now. They may feel that they don’t have the strength to put forth the effort to come to the evangelists, but these difficulties may be disposed of by a firm determination not only to get to the evangelist, but also to get to God.

Those hindrances within, such as unconfessed sin or, acts of disobedience in our own lives, are quite a different problem. It is impossible to have faith for any thing from God if we have a guilty conscience.

“For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” I John 3:20.

Therefore, search the heart, the conscience, the life, and make sure that there is nothing to condemn the seeker. Then and then only, can we expect to have the victory. The gifts in anyone’s life, no matter how great, cannot be effectual in the face of either sin or unbelief.

A miracle is a supernatural intervention in the ordinary course of nature. Joshua commanded the sun to stand still. It did. This was a suspension of the laws of nature.

“Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. “And the Sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies.” Joshua 10:12b,13a.

Several years ago two young men came into the Gospel White Top tent while it was up in California. They had been stoned, and threatened, and run out of their own tent which was up in a Mexican Village. However, the message came that every day at church time the people continued to gather under the tent in the Mexican Village where they heard the voice of the two young men who were safely back in the United States.

This type of miracle is rare in these days. Recently we heard about a young man who needed to be in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but had no means of getting there in time. He prayed in the Spirit of God and when he came to himself he was walking in the outskirts of that city. This reminds us of the fact that Philip in the Bible was transported from place to place by the Spirit of God.

“And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing, “But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.” Acts 8:39,40.

God has not changed. He is just the same today and he still does miracles where there is belief in the supernatural power of God, and faith for it.

Smith Wigglesworth, a famous evangelist of the past, often told of an experience of his son-in- law, who was a missionary to Africa. He had been stranded on one side of a creek by a flash flood that effectively prevented his crossing. It was nightfall, and it was imperative that he reach his destination quickly.

He knelt down on the bank of the creek to pray. When he opened his eyes and arose, he was on the other side.

Then the story is told of some preachers who were returning in 1949 from a brief missionary trip to Cuba and Jamaica. They were travelling in a large plane toward the Midwest. As they approached their destination, they were told that they would not be able to land, as the ceiling was only about 100 feet.

They were instructed to go to Kansas City, or even further, to see if they could fly out of the fog. However, as they discussed their plight, one of their number suggested that they pray for the fog to lift. They did and in 10 minutes time, they were contacted from the ground and told to land quickly. For some “unexplainable” reason the ceiling had suddenly lifted 1,000 feet. As soon as they landed it closed in again.

We should expect these things today. Many of us talk glibly about “going by the power of the Spirit” during the millennium, but are very squeamish about present day miracles. If I understand anything, the same faith will be required to move God as is needed to move Him now.

Now is the time we need to produce miracles in order to demonstrate the power of God to an unbelieving world.

It was the miracles of Moses and Aaron that proved to the Egyptians that Israel’s God was one of power and deliverance. It was the calling of fire down from heaven that demonstrated to the heathen of Elijah’s day that his God was the powerful one.

Miracles are not to be performed or expected at random or for no good purpose. Jesus performed miracles for the good of others. He refused to turn stones into bread for His own benefit.

Paul condemned a sorcerer to temporary blindness when he (the sorcerer), attempted to keep a man from finding God, but Paul did not breath a word of harm or judgment against his own persecutors.

As stated back in the beginning of this lesson, we expect to see miracles of healing, but often that is as far as our faith lets us go. Yet Paul was explicit in making a difference between gifts of healing and the gift of miracles. He said we should expect both.