POSTED | Rev. Gordon Williams
Tasting the New Wine
The Holy Fermentation Process.
"Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; if it is, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but the new wine (the baptism of the Holy Spirit) is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved" (Matthew 9:17).
"And no one after drinking old wine desires new; for he says, "The old is good" [Greek: chrestos: better] (Luke 5:39).
The Holy Spirit starts what I call a "Holy Fermentation Process" that actually works in us, cleansing out the works of the flesh and replacing them with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. He brings us into a relationship with Jesus and the Heavenly Father where Jesus moves from being Saviour to being the LORD of our lives.
As such, He has ministry plans for us to carry out which are very different from what is accepted in the traditional type of churches where people are expected to act and react according to the traditions of men [where people robotically respond to pre-organized "form(s) of religion"].
Today, the traditions of men are called "church denominations" which dispense or replace portions of the word of God, the Bible scriptures.
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be ...lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,... holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people" (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
There are those who, after receiving the Holy Spirit, do not respond to the "new wine" (Holy Spirit) because of these worldly expectations and their fear of coming out from among the traditions of man. Because of their stand-offish rebellion against the Holy Spirit, they "do not receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit."
"The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (1st Corinthians 2:14). They grieve the Holy Spirit" and risk quenching Him.
They risk outraging the Spirit of grace and blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. "And every one who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven" (Luke 12:10).
However, some people who receive the new wine, dislike its taste and prefer the old. The fermentation process of the new wine is unbearable to many so they succumb to or revert back to their old ways. The Holy Spirit requires our full cooperation. We need to "walk in the spirit" (by praying in our tongues language daily) and not gratify the desires of the flesh" (Gal 5:16-18).
Jesus tells us that when a person has been forgiven of sin at the time of salvation, he or she is made into a "new wine skin" into which the "new wine" of the Holy Spirit must be poured.
"Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; if it is, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but the new wine (the baptism of the Holy Spirit) is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved" (Matthew 9:17).
"And no one after drinking old wine desires new; for he says, "The old is good" [Greek: chrestos: better] (Luke 5:39).
The Holy Spirit starts what I call a "Holy Fermentation Process" that actually works in us, cleansing out the works of the flesh and replacing them with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. He brings us into a relationship with Jesus and the Heavenly Father where Jesus moves from being Saviour to being the LORD of our lives.As such, He has ministry plans for us to carry out which are very different from what is accepted in the traditional type of churches where people are expected to act and react according to the traditions of men [where people robotically respond to pre-organized "form(s) of religion"].
Today, the traditions of men are called "church denominations" which dispense or replace portions of the word of God, the Bible scriptures.
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be ...lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,... holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people" (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
There are those who, after receiving the Holy Spirit, do not respond to the "new wine" (Holy Spirit) because of these worldly expectations and their fear of coming out from among the traditions of man. Because of their stand-offish rebellion against the Holy Spirit, they "do not receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit."
"The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (1st Corinthians 2:14). They grieve the Holy Spirit" and risk quenching Him.
"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30).
"Do not quench the Spirit" (1st Thessalonians 5:19).
"Do not quench the Spirit" (1st Thessalonians 5:19).
They risk outraging the Spirit of grace and blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. "And every one who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven" (Luke 12:10).
It is important for the Christian believer to receive the "new wine" of the Holy Spirit and the gift(s) of the Spirit that precede thereafter. Paul explained, “Do not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (1 Cor. 12:2).
Jesus compares us to old wineskins when we repent and receive forgiveness for our sins, He makes us into new wineskins. The new wine (of the Holy Spirit} cannot be put into old wineskins or it will burst, the wine will spill, and the skins will be destroyed. New wine skins are able to stretch enough to handle the rigorous fermentation process. The old skins have already been used and are fully stretched and if they are used again for holding wine that is still in the process of fermenting, they will burst. The new wine of the Holy Spirit must be put into fresh wineskins so they are preserved.
"Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." (Matt. 9:17)
We become "new wineskins" when we repent, and receive the (Baptism of the) Holy Spirit. We experience being "transformed by the renewing of our minds," and the Holy Spirit takes residence as God in us. Then, the Fruit of the Holy Spirit grows on fertile soil, taking a firm root and developing within us to maturity (Matt. 7:16-20).
However, some people who receive the new wine, dislike its taste and prefer the old. The fermentation process of the new wine is unbearable to many so they succumb to or revert back to their old ways. The Holy Spirit requires our full cooperation. We need to "walk in the spirit" (by praying in our tongues language daily) and not gratify the desires of the flesh" (Gal 5:16-18).
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