Servias Ministries Blog

As we walk in Holiness, we should expect The Holy Spirit to insert Himself as a direct Sign from Heaven of the Truth we are speaking!

The Holy Spirit had no problem in interrupting Peter as he was sharing the testimony of Jesus Christ to Cornelius and his household.

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 10:

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard The Word.

Notice the word “all” is used just as it was used in Acts chapter 2. The Holy Spirit’s gift is available to ALL who will hear The Word.

45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

46 For they heard them speak with Tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,

47 Peter said, “How could anyone object to these people being baptized? For they have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

What a great confirmation of the importance of the Baptism of The Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in Tongues.  Many people today believe that there is difficulty in receiving the Baptism.  Some believe that it was only for the early church.  Some even deny its existence.

What I have observed over that last 52 years is that unbelief is a primary hindrance to receiving the Baptism of The Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in Tongues.

Luke had already recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 2:

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty Wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3 Then there appeared to them divided Tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts chapters 10 & 11 may be two of the most important chapters in the New Testament!

The Disciples received the Baptism of The Holy Spirit first and later, Cornelius and his household experienced the same Baptism… prior to being water baptized.

So, Jews and Gentiles alike are offered this Blessing from Above.

When FATHER wants to remove any question, HE will repeat the importance of what HE is revealing.

Luke again recounts the essence of chapter 10 when he recorded by The Holy Spirit in chapter 11:

1 Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the Word of God.

2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him (challenged him),

3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

It was necessary for Peter to recount the events found in chapter 10.

4 But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying:

5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me.

6 When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.

7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’

8 But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’

9 But the Voice answered me again from Heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’

Peter challenged FATHER because of his previous mindset.  FATHER gave Peter a triple witness.  This translates to an emphatic command!

10 Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into Heaven.

11 At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea.

12 Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.

Peter was able to hear The Holy Spirit and did not doubt His instructions.  This is critical to our walk as well.

13 And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter,

14 who will tell you Words by which you and all your household will be saved.’

15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.

16 Then I remembered the Word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

The Holy Spirit will bring His Word to remembrance as we walk in Holiness.

17 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

Do any of us dare contend or challenge The Word of GOD?

18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to Life.”

The apostles and brethren who were in Judea listened to Peter testify of the work of The Holy Spirit concerning the Gentiles who had also received the Word of God.  This confirmed to them that the Gentiles were included in Jesus’ command to go throughout the world and preach the Good News to ALL MANKIND!  These two chapters set the stage for a true worldwide ministry for all believers.

As we walk in Holiness, let us not be surprised when The Holy Spirit moves unexpectedly in our midst.

As we walk in Holiness, we will testify of the Power of GOD unto salvation through the Good News of Jesus Christ and Him alone!

We are all called on preach the Good News of Jesus Christ. Our own testimony is helpful, but it will not save anyone.  Only the Gospel of Christ will bring forth salvation to sinners.  This is what His Life and ministry is all about, reconciling mankind to GOD.

Peter understood this proclamation as he ministered to Cornelius and his household.

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 10:

33 So I (Cornelius) immediately sent my men to bring you here—and you were kind enough to come. And now, here we are, all of us in God’s Presence, anxious to hear the message that God has put into your heart to share with us.”

FATHER has a message for every lost person you and I encounter thus we need to be prepared to share the Message of The Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The focus should be on Christ alone, not us.

34 Peter said, “Now I know for certain that God doesn’t show favoritism with people but treats everyone on the same basis.

35 It makes no difference what race of people one belongs to. If they show deep Reverence for God, and are committed to doing what’s right, they are acceptable before Him.

36 God sent His Word to the Jewish people first, announcing the wonderful news of hope and peace through Jesus, the Anointed One, the Lord of all.

37 You are well aware of all that began in Galilee and spread throughout the land of Israel immediately after John preached his message of baptism.

38 “Jesus of Nazareth was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with great power. He did wonderful things for others and Divinely healed all who were under the tyranny of the devil, for God had anointed Him.

39 We apostles were eyewitnesses to all the miracles that He performed throughout the land of Israel. Finally, in Jerusalem, He was crucified on a cross,

40 but God raised Him from the dead three days later, allowing Him to be seen openly.

41 He didn’t appear to everyone, but he appeared to us, His chosen witnesses. He actually ate and drank with us after He rose from the dead!

42 “Jesus ordered us to preach and warn the people that God had appointed him to be the judge of the living and the dead.

43 And not only us, but all of the prophets agree in their writings that everyone who believes in Him receives complete forgiveness of sins through the power of His Name.”

44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to The Message.

Peter did not preach a lengthy treatise on the history of Israel.  Neither did he exalt himself by detailing the miracles he had already performed in Jesus’ Name.  He simply presented the Gospel of Christ and The Holy Spirit confirmed the Good News to Cornelius and his household.

It is good to give our testimonies, but don’t confuse our testimony with evangelism.  Our own testimonies are pre-evangelism. My life is not the Gospel, His Life is the Gospel and has the power unto salvation.

If you don’t include the cross, it is not evangelism.  Jesus was raised on the third day and was showed Himself openly to over 500 witnesses.  There is no one else who qualified in this manner to bring forth salvation to the world.  If the affirmation of the resurrection of Christ is absent from your testimony, it is not the True Gospel of Christ.

Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in his Epistle, 2^nd Peter chapter 1:

16 We were not retelling some masterfully crafted legend when we informed you of the power and appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we saw His magnificence and splendor unveiled before our very eyes.

17 Yes, Father God lavished upon Him radiant glory and honor when His Distinct Voice spoke out of the realm of majestic glory, endorsing Him with these Words: This is my cherished Son, marked by My Love. All My delight is found in Him!

18 And we ourselves heard that Voice resound from the Heavens while we were with Him on the Holy mountain.

19 And so we have been given the prophetic Word—the written message of the prophets, made more reliable and fully validated by the confirming Voice of God on the Mount of Transfiguration. And you will continue to do well if you stay focused on it. For this prophetic message is like a piercing light shining in a gloomy place until the dawning of a new day, when the Morning Star rises in your hearts.

20 You must understand this at the outset: Interpretation of Scriptural prophecy requires the Holy Spirit, for it does not originate from someone’s own imagination.

21 No true prophecy comes from human initiative but is inspired by the moving of the Holy Spirit upon those who spoke the message that came from God.

Peter, James, and John were all witnesses to the validation coming from GOD’S Voice.  Because I am a believer in Christ, I too have heard GOD’S Voice on various occasions.  The Holy Spirit has validated the Message by manifesting the anointing.  This is why a sinner cannot convince me that the power of the Gospel of Christ isn’t real… it is too late!  Our lives should testify of the Good News of Jesus Christ where people will want to know what causes us such great joy.

As we walk in Holiness, we will be sought out by those who desire a greater anointing by GOD!

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 10:

1 At that time there was a Roman military officer, Cornelius, who was in charge of one hundred men stationed in Caesarea. He was the captain of the Italian regiment, 2 a devout man of extraordinary character who worshiped God and prayed regularly, together with all his family. He also had a heart for the poor and gave generously to help them.

3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he had an open vision and saw the angel of God appear right in front of him, calling out his name, “Cornelius!”

4 Startled, he was overcome with fear by the sight of the angel. He asked, “What do you want, Lord?” The angel said, “All of your prayers and your generosity to the poor have ascended before God as an Eternal offering.

Cornelius had consistent actions with his prayers to FATHER.  His generosity to the poor was noted and received by FATHER as an acceptable offering.

5 Now, send some men to Joppa at once. Have them find a man named Simon the Rock (Peter),

6 who is staying as a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

7 After the angel left, Cornelius called for two of his servants and a trusted, Godly soldier who was his personal attaché.

8 He explained to them everything that had just happened and sent them off to Joppa.

9 The next day around noon, as Cornelius’ men were approaching Joppa, Peter went up to the flat roof of the house to pray.

Both Peter and Cornelius were given to prayer at different times of the day.

10 He was hungry and wanted to eat, but while lunch was being prepared he fell into a trance and entered into another realm.

11 As the Heavenly realm opened up, he saw something resembling a large linen tablecloth that descended from Above, being let down to the earth by its four corners.

12 As it floated down he saw that it held many kinds of four-footed animals, reptiles, and wild birds.

13 A Voice said to him, “Peter, go and prepare them to be eaten.”

14 Peter replied, “There’s no way I could do that, Lord, for I’ve never eaten anything forbidden or impure according to our Jewish laws.”

15 The Voice spoke again. “Nothing is unclean if God declares it to be clean.” [16] The vision was repeated three times. Then suddenly the linen sheet was snatched back up into Heaven.

17 Peter was so stunned by the vision that he couldn’t stop wondering about what all it meant. Meanwhile, Cornelius’ men had learned where Peter was staying and at that same moment were standing outside the gate.

18 They called out to those in the house, “Is this where Simon, the Rock, is staying?”

19-20 As Peter was in deep thought, trying to interpret the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Go downstairs now, for three men are looking for you. Don’t hesitate to go with them, because I have sent them.”

21 Peter went downstairs to the men and said, “I believe I’m the one you’re looking for. What brings you here?”

22 They answered, “We serve Cornelius, a Roman military captain, who sent us to find you. He is a devout man of the highest integrity who worships God and is respected throughout the Jewish community. He was Divinely instructed through the appearance of an angel to summon you to his home and to listen to the message that you would bring him.”

You and I don’t need to make things happen in the Spiritual realm, we need to simply respond to what The Holy Spirit is leading us to say and do.  FATHER will orchestrate our walks to minister to those who are ready to hear us speak The Word of THE LORD.

Peter testified of what he heard, saw, and experienced:

38  “Jesus of Nazareth was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with great power. He did wonderful things for others and Divinely healed all who were under the tyranny of the devil, for God had anointed Him.

39 We apostles were eyewitnesses to all the miracles that He performed throughout the land of Israel. Finally, in Jerusalem, He was crucified on a cross, 40 but God raised Him from the dead three days later, allowing Him to be seen openly.

41 He didn’t appear to everyone, but He appeared to us, his chosen witnesses. He actually ate and drank with us after He rose from the dead!

42 “Jesus ordered us to preach and warn the people that God had appointed Him to be the Judge of the living and the dead.

43 And not only us, but all of the prophets agree in their writings that everyone who believes in Him receives complete forgiveness of sins through the power of His Name.”

The Holy Spirit then confirmed The Word spoken by Peter:

44 While Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit cascaded over all those listening to his message.

45 The Jewish brothers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on people who weren’t Jews,

46 for they heard them speaking in Supernaturally given languages and passionately praising God.

47 Peter said, “How could anyone object to these people being baptized? For they have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

48 So he instructed them to be baptized in the power of the Name of Jesus, the Anointed One. After their baptism, they asked Peter to stay with them for a few more days.

The Holy Spirit will confirm The Word we speak as we walk in Holiness and, we should not be surprised!

As we walk in Holiness, we must not be fearful during troublesome times!

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Daniel chapter 9:

25 “Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.

26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.“

Daniel was given the Seventy-Weeks prophecy concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem.  This is a type and shadow of the coming Kingdom of GOD on the earth.  FATHER warned us of the troublesome times to come but we are to be of good courage, and we need to keep the HIS endgame in mind.

FATHER expected there would be conflict with the adversary in restoring Jerusalem thus HE issued the warning to Daniel.

Jesus acknowledged the troublesome times when He spoke to the disciples in John chapter 16:

31 Jesus replied, “Now you finally believe in Me.

32 And the time has come when you will all be scattered, and each one of you will go your own way, leaving Me alone! Yet I am never alone, for the Father is always with Me.

33 And everything I’ve taught you is so that the peace which is in Me will be in you and will give you great confidence as you rest in Me. For in this unbelieving world you will experience trouble and sorrows, but you must be courageous, for I have conquered the world!”

As we mature in Holiness, we will walk in peace and not be moved by the trouble and sorrows all around us.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 12:

9 Let Love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly Love, in honor giving preference to one another;

11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

In other Words, live happily together in a spirit of harmony, and be as mindful of another’s worth as you are your own. Don’t live with a lofty mind-set, thinking you are too important to serve others, but be willing to do menial tasks and identify with those who are humble minded. Don’t be smug or even think for a moment that you know it all.

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

As I have stated, troublesome times are ahead.  Lies are being exposed in an accelerated fashion.  What we have been fed by “the media” for most of our lives will be found to be false narratives to accommodate the nefarious intent of those in power.  Be not discouraged, FATHER has taken all of this into account.  Those who walk in Holiness will access the power and authority of Heaven and will overcome the turbulent times ahead!