Chronicles of a Watchman by Dr. James P. Norman Jr.

The Spirit is the spirit of conviction, enlightenment, quickening, in the sinner: and of revelation, remembrance, witness, sanctification, consolation, to the saint. The spirit of the sinner is struggling for light as it is stumbling on the edge of a precipice at midnight; enlightens the Christian, as the rising sun reveals a landscape which was all there before, but which was hidden from sight until the great luminary of Jesus, love made it visible.  This morning light did not create the lovely prospect it revealed; it only showed the real state of what the darkness had concealed.  Without the Holy Spirit at work redemption would be impossible, and the revelation of God's true love for us would be just a shadow idea.  Christ is God entering into human history, but without the Holy Spirit Christianity would be only history.  The Holy Spirit is God entering into human hearts.  The Holy Spirit turns creed into the love for life.  Christ is the physician...

An important work of the Spirit of God clearly is to protect God’s people.   Christians are protected by the power of God and identified as His because He put His Spirit on them as a seal.   This security is a great source of assurance for Christians.   Those who live with such security and assurance, quite understandably experience boldness, joy, and peace as a result the Spirit is also a deposit, or down payment.   A deposit is simply the first payment.   The remainder will come later.   The Gift of the Spirit is God’s first payment to His people.   The remainder of His blessings will be given later in the life to come.   This Spirit’s presence with us is a foretaste of the life to come.   Humanity Restored   God will redeem or fully restore believers in Christ so we perfectly conform to His will.   Until then, the Spirit in our lives guarantees we will be redeemed.   The Church, the saints love “does” more than it “fee...

We should be allowing the Spirit of Faith to advance us further, and further into the victories against evil, and satanic spirits.   This revelation is still made available to us who are called into the Five-Fold ministry.   Each office, by title and call, still has that access into another’s office, or call to profit the whole body of Christ.   1 Thessalonians 2:1 says that it’s obvious that our coming here was no waste of time.   We have been given a lot of rough treatment over the years, as you know, but that hasn’t slowed us down or stopped us to this day.   We are sure of ourselves in God, and are going right ahead presenting God’s message to you in defiant opposition to evil and biblical error.   God is constantly training us thoroughly to make sure we are qualified to be trusted with this message.   Be assured that when we speak to you we are not after crowd approval but God’s approval.   Since we’ve been put through the battery of...

Hebrews 5:11-14 says, “Of Christ, we have many things to say and difficult to make clear to you, not because they are mysteries, but because you are slow to grasp the doctrines delivered you.   You are dull and slothful not willing to self-judge.   It is not true that it is so complicated.   The trouble is with men who take the wrong attitude due to their religious background.   One factor is that preachers and teachers today do not emphasize the gifts of the Spirit nor do they stir up the gifts.   People are not hungry for Holiness and Righteousness.   Many today are not keeping the principles and standards to continue to build on.   You have been professed Christians long enough to be examples, but because of your laziness and dullness in grasping truth, your desire to be liked has made it a must to be taught a second time the first simple doctrines of Christ.   You have not grown at all.   You have become of those who drawback, and have...

I have heard some believers say, “I am conscious of no fault,” but that does not in itself make certain, or sure that God's acquittal respects this particular charge.  This poses an interesting corollary relative to the positions of faith and justification.   The usage of the Epistle of James does not contradict this which states that we are justified only by such faith that makes us faithful and produces good works. 1 Corinthians 4:4 states "For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord." James 2:21,23, and 24 asserts "was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Further and careful examination reveals that James is denouncing a dead faith,...

Acts 1:8 says “ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” One of the most common excuses for not becoming a Christian is the fear of failure to live by faith in the Christian life.   Besides overlooking the fact that men cannot be saved on the basis of good works, this objection neglects the truth that God provides the power to live the faith life. Before Christ was crucified He promised the coming of the Holy Spirit to help believers.   The subsequent events of the Book of Acts supply ample evidence of the fulfillment of this prophecy. Let’s stop here for a moment. This is the exit point which every denomination grabs the power, makes it human, and not supernatural. They will use and rely on water baptism as the basis and not Holy Spirit power. It takes generations of developing and working with the power, and autho...