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God makes a new covenant with man.

• A new covenant after the order of Melchizedek – Hebrews 8:6-7 (NLT) – But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. ⁷ If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it.
• And this covenant would be based off of grace, not of works – Ephesians 2:8 (NKJV) – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…
• Jesus would leave the deposit of this grace, the Holy Spirit, to His believers – John 14:16-17 (NLT) – “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.¹⁷ He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”

The new covenant would come with a promise of a gift – the Holy Spirit.

• Jesus 1^st reveals the gift of the Holy Spirit – Luke 11:13 (NLT) – “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”
• We see the early believers waiting on the gift – Acts 1:4-8.
• And then they would receive the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost – Acts 2:1-4.

The Holy Spirit would enable the believer to walk in this new covenant of grace.

• Grace is the Greek word, charis, means divine influence, favor, gift.
• We see a derivative of this Greek word, charisma, when we talk about the gifts of the Spirit – 1 Corinthians 12:4 – Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

People receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit look like something.

• Tongues is what I believe is the initial evidence of receiving the gift – Acts 2:4 and 1 Corinthians 14.
• You are sinning less (not sinless) – John 14:15 (NLT) – “If you love me, obey my commandments
• You have peace and are not afraid – John 14:27 (NLT) – “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
• You are hated for no reason – John 15:18 (NLT) – “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.”
• You are unified with other believers, oneness with God (John 17:20-23) – Ephesians 2:22 tells us we are being built together by the Holy Spirit into an habitation for God.

Additionally, you will bear much fruit if filled with the Holy Spirit.

• When the early disciples preached the Gospel, God confirmed the message – Hebrews 2:4 – And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.
• Doing even greater works than Jesus – John 14:12-13 (NKJV) – “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. ¹³ And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

But have we, the Church, gone backwards?

• Hebrews 8:5 (NLT) – They serve in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.”
• Hebrews 3:16-19 (NLT) – And who was it who rebelled against God… Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him?¹⁹ So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest.

 Will you have it?

• Do you want to fulfill Daniel 11:32 – Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.
• The early disciples of Jesus turned the world upside down because of the gift – Acts 17:6. We should too!

 * The audio corresponding to this post is under “media” on this site – dhfirstag.org – and is available on Monday