THE THIRD PART: 24 CRUCIAL LINES IN THE BIBLE
The Consummated Spirit
Message Three
The Essential Spirit of Resurrection Life
and the Economical Spirit of Ascension Power
Scripture Reading: Luke 24:49; John 20: 22; Acts 1:5, 8; 2:4, 33; 4:8; 6:3; 13:52; 1 Cor. 12:13
I. The Scriptures reveal that there are two aspects of the work of the Holy Spirit: the inward aspect for life—the essential Spirit—and the outward aspect for power and authority—the economical Spirit—John 14:17; 20:22; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5, 8: (2008 WT, msg. 3)
A. Essential refers to the existence, to the being, and to the life for existence; economical refers to work, function, and power—v. 8; John 14:17. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
B. As a man, Christ Himself experienced these two aspects of the Holy Spirit—Luke 1:35; 4:18: (2008 WT, msg. 3)
1. He was born of the Holy Spirit essentially for His being and living, and He was anointed with the Holy Spirit economically for His ministry and move—Luke 1:35; Matt. 1:18, 20; 3:16; Luke 4:18. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
2. The essential Spirit was within Him, and the economical Spirit was upon Him—1:35; Matt. 1:18, 20; Luke 4:18. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
C. In principle, both aspects of the Spirit are the same with us as they were with the Lord Jesus; every believer in Christ should experience both aspects of the Spirit—24:49; John 14:17; 20:22: (2008 WT, msg. 3)
1. Inwardly we need to drink of the Holy Spirit for life, and outwardly we need to be clothed with the Holy Spirit for power and authority—1 Cor. 12:13; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5, 8. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
2. Inwardly we need the breath of the Holy Spirit breathed into us for life, and outwardly we need the wind of the Holy Spirit blowing upon us for power—John 20:22; Acts 2:2, 4. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
3. To experience the Spirit as our life for our spiritual being and existence is essential; to experience the Spirit as power for our spiritual work and function is economical— Rom. 8:11; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5, 8. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
4. Regarding the Spirit of life, we need to breathe Him in as the breath; regarding the Spirit of power, we need to put Him on as the uniform, typified by the mantle of Elijah— John 20:22; Luke 24:49; 2 Kings 2:9, 13-15. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
II. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is the outpouring of the consummated Triune God as the all-inclusive compound Spirit by the Head upon His Body—Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5, 8; 2:1-4; 10:44-47; 11:15-17; 1 Cor. 12:13: (2008 WT, msg. 3)
A. Through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the believers were put together to form the Body of Christ, joined to Him as the Head—v. 13. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
B. The real meaning of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is that we are immersed in the Triune God and that we put on the Triune God as our uniform—Luke 24:49. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
C. The baptism in the Holy Spirit was accomplished in two sections—Acts 2:1-4: (2008 WT, msg. 3)
1. All the Jewish believers were baptized in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost—vv. 1-4. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
2. All the Gentile believers were baptized in the Holy Spirit in the house of Cornelius—10:44-47; 11:15-17. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
3. In these two sections all genuine believers in Christ were baptized in the Holy Spirit into the one Body of Christ once for all universally—1 Cor. 12:13. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
D. There are five historical cases of the outpouring of the Spirit recorded in Acts, only two of which are called the baptism in the Holy Spirit—1:5; 8:15-17: (2008 WT, msg. 3)
1. In these two cases Christ as the Head baptized the Jewish and Gentile parts of His Body in the Holy Spirit once for all; by so doing, He fully accomplished the baptism in the Holy Spirit upon His Body—Acts 1:5; 11:15-17. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
2. In the other cases the baptism in the Holy Spirit that had already been accomplished upon the Body by the Head was transmitted to the new members of the Body through identification with the Body; these three cases were experiences of the one baptism in the Holy Spirit, which the Body of Christ had already received—8:15-17; 9:17; 19:1-7. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
E. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is uniquely one and has been accomplished upon the Body once for all; the experiences of the baptism in the Holy Spirit are numerous and may be shared continually by the members of the Body who have a proper understanding and realization—4:8; 139: (2008 WT, msg. 3)
1. We need to realize that the Lord has ascended and that He is the Lord and the Head over all things to the church— Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9-11; 2:33-34; Eph. 1:19-23. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
2. The baptism of the Body in the Holy Spirit is an accomplished fact and now exists upon the Body, ready for us to apply; this fact is a bequest given to us through the New Testament as a will—Luke 22:20; Heb. 8:8, 13. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
3. We need to be right with the Body, stand in the Body, believe the will, and take the baptism in the Holy Spirit by faith—1 Cor. 12:13; Heb. 11:1, 6. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
III. As believers in Christ, we should experience both the inward and the outward filling of the Spirit—Eph. 5:18; Acts 2:4; 4:8; 6:3; 13:9, 52: (2008 WT, msg. 3)
A. To be filled with the Spirit inwardly is to experience the essential Spirit as life—Eph. 5:18; Acts 6:3; 13:52. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
B. To be filled with the Spirit outwardly is to experience the baptism in the Spirit for power and authority—1:5, 8; 2:4; 4:8; 13:9. (2008 WT, msg. 3)
C. When we are filled with the Spirit both inwardly and outwardly, we are completely mingled with the Triune God, who fills us, occupies us, and covers us; inwardly and outwardly, everywhere and in everything, there is the Spirit as the consummation of the processed Triune God—1 Cor. 12:13. (2008 WT, msg. 3)