Dear Doves,

     I don’t want to get embroiled in a debate over whether the Holy Spirit or Michael is the restrainer spoken about in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8.   I just want to remind you that the Holy Spirit initially came to the Church at a specific point in time.   Is it that farfetched that He will leave with the Church at a specific point in time as well?

     Jesus made it clear to His disciples that He was going to send them the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit could not come until after Jesus left the earth:

     "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth."  John 14:16.

     "All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."  John 14:25-26.

     "Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’  Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away.  Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you: but if I go, I will send him to you.  When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment …."  John 16:5- 8.

     "On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’"  Acts 1:4-5.

      It should be noted that when the Holy Spirit finally did come to the Church on Pentecost, it was 10 days after Jesus ascended into heaven.  Now, nobody in their right mind is going to argue that the Holy Spirit was not active on the earth prior to that day.  But you have to admit, and the Scripture is clear, that the Holy Spirit came to the Church on a specific day in history.  And if there was a specific point in time when He came to the Church, why couldn’t there be a specific point in time when He will leave with the Church?  Finally, if that is the case, why couldn’t the Holy Spirit just go back to ministering on earth in His capacity prior to Pentecost?

     Just my 2 cents on the subject.

     Maranatha.

                    – Lisa Taylor