God Is Lifting Up His Standard! Conclusion

Difficulty has arisen because of a departure from the leadership of the Holy Spirit. How can we be led by Him if we are not first possessed by Him? How can we be possessed by Him unless we believe that He exists as the third person of the Godhead fulfilling Jesus' promise to be our comforter? John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” The promise of the Comforter was to provide an Advocate to lead and guide the Church as Christ's Advocate or on His behalf. The Holy Spirit is to lead the Church just as God led Israel and Jesus led the New Testament Church.

The Hebrews writer tells us that if we are to please God we must first believe that He exists and secondly believe that He will reward us as we seek Him. Hebrews 11:6, “But 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.” Consequently, we must believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, co-existing and co-equal with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Those who reject the Person and work of the Holy Spirit reject the whole of God's plan and that is the root of the confusion. When this basic scriptural truth is denied, every doctrine built upon that foundation is at risk of dilution or discarding altogether.

The doctrine of inclusion came into existence because religious leaders wanted to accommodate people. As public opinion has become increasingly more liberal, societal pressure has expanded to include entire groups of people and lifestyles. Although the Word of God strongly condemns carnal, fleshly thought and lifestyles, the moral climate of our world demands that such behavior be accepted and embraced by the populace of the world including Christianity and the Church.

The Kingdom of God is a spiritual entity and as such has a spiritual administration. True, we all are mortal beings but God uses mortal beings in His Kingdom if they are subject to the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the work of the Holy Spirit must be embraced in submission and obedience. The tension comes in the conflict between the carnal leadership of man and the administration of the Holy Spirit. Religious leadership has succumbed to the collusion of ambition, greed, and pride. Therefore the door is thrown open wide for governance by man and the Holy Spirit has been expelled. Hence our present dilemma.

God will set apart and identify the believers in His Kingdom. By the Holy Spirit, God is lifting His Standard and His obedient followers are flowing to it as the enemy comes in like a flood. The question today is, “Am I going to follow a religious movement or the Holy Spirit?” The answer to that question will determine our affiliation with a religious group or being a part of the Kingdom of God. And the answer to that question will determine our eternity. My prayer is that we will allow the Holy Spirit to open our ears to hear what He is saying in this late hour! God Is Lifting Up His Standard!