Day 175: June 25, 2016 Done Deal or Not?

June 25, 2016                   Done Deal or Not?
Day 175


Cessation means the fact or process of ending or being brought to an end. Many believe that the works of the Holy Spirit have ceased and therefore call themselves Cessationists. They believe once the bible was canonized there was no need for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to be in operation. These gifts were purposeful for a time but not for now.

If we use some synonyms for cessation we might have the following sentences. We have been arrested, stopped, from using the gifts of the Spirit. There is a break from them, we are in a breather period of time. The gifts have ceased, the time has closed, the gifts are concluded and cutoff. They have been discontinued and we are in a downtime. There is an end to the gifts. They are frozen, halted, they are on a hiatus. There is an intermission of the gifts, an interruption. The gifts are laid-off. They have paused and are in recess. There is a respite from the gifts. They have been resting and are at a standstill. They have stopped. There is a stoppage of the gifts. They are suspended and terminated. The gifts are in a time-out. There is a break-off of the gifts. The gifts have ceased. They have come to a grinding or screaming halt. In conclusion there is a time off.

Those sentences just do not flow in light of the New Testament.

We can also use the antonyms for the word cessation and create the following sentences. The gifts are in action and there is activity. The gifts are advancing and beginning. They have commenced and are in continuation. There is continuity of the gifts. There is an introduction and opening of the gifts. They gifts are in a time of persistence and have started.

These sentences seem right.

So, the question is, when Jesus died and rose again and then ascended into heaven, did we or did we not receive the Holy Spirit? And if we did receive the Holy Spirit why? Is the Spirit simply a downpayment? And what is the Holy Spirit able to continue or was terminated from doing? Is there a hiatus going on right now until the arrival of Jesus Christ? What is salvation, a forgiveness of sins and now we wait until He comes and endure the injustice of the land because there is nothing we can do. If the gifts are not in operation and the Holy Spirit does not operate in us like Jesus did on this planet is it just status quo from here till eternity? What do I use to fulfill the Great Commission? I was saved by grace through the Holy Spirit but now I am on my own and I am not the hands or feet of Jesus but just the prayer warrior. Looks like prayer closet for me and I probably do not need to show my face. Am I on the right track if I believe the gifts have stopped?

When I believe in something I try to follow my beliefs to the fullest conclusions. Do they make sense to me? To not believe that the Holy Spirit has given me gifts to be used today is very hard to believe as I have studied a multitude of books in the Bible and they all indicate a very active and present God. It is very hard for me to believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not in operation through us and in us today for the sake of His kingdom.