WHERE AM I ON THE SPIRITUAL BAROMETER CONCERNING FRETTING?

MY WIFE AND I WERE WORSHIPPING RECENTLY, AND THANKFULLY THERE ISN'T A SUNDAY WHICH GOES BY THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT DOESN'T HAVE SOMETHING RICH TO SHARE/TEACH US. HE LED US TO PSALM 37 DEALING WITH HIS COMMANDS, NOT SUGGESTIONS, REGARDING FRETTING! VERSE 1 DECLARES: "DO NOT FRET BECAUSE OF EVIL DOERS...";VERSE 7 "REST IN THE LORD, AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM; DO NOT FRET...."; VERSE 8: "CEASE FROM ANGER, AND FORSAKE WRATH; DO NOT FRET --IT ONLY CAUSES HARM." AND PROVERBS 19:3 "THE FOOLISHNESS OF A MAN TWISTS HIS WAYS, AND HIS HEART FRETS AGAINST THE LORD." CAN WE FRET/AGITATE THE LORD?  CHECK OUT EZEKIEL 16:43.."...BUT AGITATED ME WITH ALL THESE THINGS..."

I AM GOING SO FAR AS TO DECLARE FRETTING AS A SIN! HOW SO?, YOU ASK.
WHAT ARE SOME OTHER NEGATIVE SIN WORDS THAT ARE IN THE SAME BASKET AS FRETTING?  WORRY, FEAR, LACK OF RESTFULLY AND PATIENTLY TRUSTING EL SHADDAI (THE ALL POWERFUL/SUFFICIENT ONE), LOOKING AT THINGS SEEN, RATHER THAN THINGS HOPED FOR (HEB. 11:1), LACKING FAITH, ALL WHICH TRAGICALLY STEAL OUR PEACE AND OUR JOY, AND SO DISTRACTS US FROM HEARING HIS "STILL SMALL VOICE". ISAIAH 30;21 DECLARES "YOUR EARS SHALL HEAR A WORD BEHIND YOU SAYING, 'THIS IS THE WAY, WALK IN IT', WHENEVER YOU TURN TO THE RIGHT HAND OR WHENEVER YOU TURN TO THE LEFT." MOST INTERESTING THAT STILL SMALL VOICE DOES NOT SAY "TURN BACK"! THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY SO DESIRES HIS CHILDREN TO MOVE FORWARD!  FOR IT IS WRITTEN IN HEBREWS 11:6 "BUT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM, FOR HE WHO COMES TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, AND HE IS A REWARDER OF THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM."  FRETTING INDICATES THAT THERE IS A LACK OF "DILIGENTLY SEEKING HIM". COULD IT BE THEN, THAT HE WILL NOT REWARD THE "FRETTER"?  PAUSE AND "THINK ON THESE THINGS", BEING NOT ONLY HEARERS OF THE WORD, BUT DOERS OF THE WORD...AMEN?

IT IS IMPERATIVE TO DECLARE AT THIS POINT, THE TRUTH THAT FRETTING AND ALL ITS FAMILY MEMBERS, TRAGICALLY OPENS THE DOOR FOR SATAN AND HIS MINIONS TO RUSH IN AND WRECK HAVOC FOR THOSE BELIEVERS WHO ARE "WALKING IN THE FLESH AND NOT WALKING ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT!" FOR IT IS WRITTEN, THAT THOSE WHO ARE LIVING ACCORDING TO THE FLESH SET THEIR MINDS ON THINGS OF THE FLESH, BUT THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT SET THEIR MINDS ON THINGS OF THE SPIRIT". ROMANS 8:4,5  THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES..."ARE WE LIVING ACCORDING TO THE FLESH OR ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT"?

SO HOW DOES THE BELIEVER WHO IS IN BONDAGE TO FRETTING, ETC. BECOME VICTORIOUS OVER THIS BESETTING SIN(S)? BE ADVISED THAT ONE CANNOT ACCOMPLISH THIS IN THE FLESH FOR IT IS WRITTEN IN MATTHEW 26:41 "WATCH AND PRAY, LEST YOU ENTER INTO TEMPTATION. THE SPIRIT INDEED IS WILLING, BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK." AND 1 CORINTHIANS 4:10 "WE ARE WEAK BUT YOU ARE STRONG" AND 2 CORINTHIANS 13:9 "FOR WE ARE GLAD WHEN WE ARE WEAK AND YOU ARE STRONG....". JOHN 15:4,5 DECLARES: "..THE VINE CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF, UNLESS IT ABIDES IN THE VINE, NEITHER CAN YOU, UNLESS YOU ABIDE IN ME. I AM THE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES.  HE WHO ABIDES IN ME, AND I IN HIM, BEARS MUCH FRUIT; FOR WITHOUT ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING."
WE ARE ALSO COMMANDED BY JESUS IN MATTHEW 6:25-34: "THEREFORE I SAY TO YOU, DO NOT WORRY (FRET) ABOUT YOUR LIFE,  BECAUSE....."
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IN ADDITION, THE LORD IN HIS MERCY/GRACE HAS PROVIDED BELIEVERS AN INCREDIBLE WAY TO DEAL WITH OUR SIN(S). WE MUST REPENT AND CONFESS OUR SIN(S), 1 JOHN 1:8,9: "IF WE SAY WE HAVE NO SIN. WE DECEIVE OURSELVES AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN US. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS." THE MINUTE WE CONFESS OUR SIN(S) WE ARE CLEANSED AND OUR SIN(S) AND THEY ARE REMEMBERED NO MORE.  REMEMBER THE SONG "O HOW HE LOVES ME, O HOW HE LOVES YOU, O HOW HE LOVES YOU AND ME"? HERE IS A WONDERFUL WAY HE SHOWS US JUST HOW MUCH HE TRULY LOVES US AND CARES FOR US....WE DO NOT HAVE TO CONTINUE WALKING IN OUR SIN(S), THANKFULLY..SINCERELY REPENT, CONFESS, AND MOVE ON.....AMEN?

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT MOMENT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK OUT ROMANS 7 AND 8 WHICH DEAL WITH SIN.

I ALSO STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOUR READING ALL OF PSALM 34 FOR FURTHER ENCOURAGEMENT.

IN ADDITION, THE SCRIPTURE DECLARES IN ROMANS 8:34B AND 37, THAT JESUS IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF HIS FATHER INTERCEDING FOR US, AND BECAUSE HE IS, "WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS"!  WHAT AN ASSURANCE!   

TRAGICALLY THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON NOT ONLY IN THE WORLD AROUND US, BUT IN OUR VERY OWN PERSONAL LIVES THAT FRETTING, TRAGICALLY, HAS BECOME A INTEGRAL WAY OF LIFE, EVEN WITHIN THE LIVES OF BELIEVERS! LET'S EXAMINE THE VERY ESSENCE OF THESE DANGEROUS ACTION WORDS: FRET/ FRETTING!

FRET AS FOUND IN THE AMERICAN DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE (NOAH WEBSTER 1828) INCLUDES SUCH WORDS AS "GNAW, TO EAT AWAY, TO CORRODE, TO AGITATE, TO DISTURB,TO MAKE ANGRY, FUMING.."

THE QUESTION MUST BE ASKED CONCERNING THESE VERY DANGEROUS NEGATIVE INFLUENCES UPON OUR VERY BEINGS IS: "WHERE DOES FRETTING BASICALLY COME FROM?" IT COMES FROM OUR THINKING! AND AN EXPRESSION I HEARD AND LIKE TO USE BECAUSE IT REVEALS THE VERY ESSENCE OF THE BIRTH OF FRETTING..."STINKING THINKING"! IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE EVALUATE JUST WHERE OUR MINDS ARE FOCUSING...THE FLESH (AND WHO CAN SO INFLUENCE OUR MINDS OTHER THAN SATAN) OR THE SPIRIT OF GOD, AS WE JUST READ IN ROMANS 8:4,5.

                                                    TO BE CONTINUED.....

AND AGAIN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE LIKE THE BEREANS: "TO FIND OUT WHETHER THESE THINKS ARE SO."  (ACTS 17:11)

                               BE GLORIFIED ALMIGHTY GOD, BE GLORIFIED

                                         

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE - GIFTS/FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BLOG 11

                               

AS HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN PREVIOUS BLOGS CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE IS PART OF THE TRIUNE GOD, THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT.

REMEMBER IT WAS WRITTEN IN BLOG 9 THAT THE "FATHER IS THE EXECUTIVE, JESUS THE SON IS THE ARCHITECT, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE CONTRACTOR" - THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR "PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER", IF YOU WILL.

THE HOLY SPIRIT, THEN, BEGINS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH BY DRAWING THOSE WHO WILL TO THE FATHER THROUGH JESUS, FOR IT IS WRITTEN: (JESUS TALKING TO THOMAS) "I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME." (JOHN 14:6). ONCE A PERSON SURRENDERS HIS LIFE TO THE FATHER THROUGH JESUS WITH THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BECOMES BORN FROM ABOVE - JOHN 3:3 (JESUS TALKING TO NICODEMUS) "MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, UNLESS ONE IS BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD", AND  WHEN THIS SURRENDER TAKES PLACE, THEN HE/SHE IS READY TO BE SANCTIFIED (SET  APART), FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR SANCTIFIER, I.E THE ONE WHO CONFORMS US INTO THE IMAGE OF JESUS CHRIST.

NOW COMES THE CRITICAL NEXT STEP IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER....BEING "BORN AGAIN" IS THE ENTRY INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH, BUT THERE IS A CRUCIAL "NEXT STEP" FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE TO BE ALL THAT GOD WANTS THEM TO BE....AND THAT IS BEING BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AS JESUS WAS IN THE RIVER JORDAN AT HIS BAPTISM BY JOHN THE BAPTIST. ( MATTHEW 3:13-17)

AT THIS JUNCTURE, YOU COULD WELL ASK..."JUST WHAT DOES ALL THIS HAVE TO DO WITH SPIRITUAL WARFARE?"

IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS CRUCIAL QUESTION, LET'S VISIT MATTHEW 4:1-11... VERSE 1: "THEN JESUS WAS LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS TO BE TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL."  IT WAS THEN AND ONLY THEN THAT JESUS WAS EMPOWERED TO TAKE ON SATAN, MEANING THAT JESUS WAS FILLED (BAPTIZED) WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH THEN ENABLED HIM TO BEGIN WARFARE WITH SATAN TO "SET THE CAPTIVE FREE" AS WAS THE MINISTRY FOR WHICH GOD HAD SENT HIM TO EARTH, AS  IT WAS SATAN'S MISSION TO DESTROY JESUS WITH HIS DECEPTIVE WAYS! REMEMBER, IN VERSE 11, "THEN THE DEVIL LEFT HIM (JESUS) AND BEHOLD, ANGELS CAME AND MINISTERED TO HIM."  BUT THIS WAS NOT THE END...FOR SATAN WOULD INDEED RETURN TO CONTINUE HIS MJSSION TO DESTROY JESUS.  LITTLE DID HE KNOW JESUS COULD NOT BE DESTROYED....CRUCIFIED, YES, BUT HE ROSE AGAIN, AND NOW IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER...DOING WHAT?  INTERCEDING FOR GOD'S CHILDREN, AND BECAUSE THEY ARE, IT IS WRITTEN, "WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS". (ROMANS 8:34B,37) PRAISE GOD!

FAST FORWARD TO CALVARY, FOR SATAN HAD THE AUDACITY IN HIS PRIDE, TO BELIEVE HE HAD IN FACT, ELIMINATED ONCE AND FOR ALL, THE SON OF GOD!  BUT PRAISE GOD, HE LOST THE BATTLE!  HOWEVER, NOW THE BATTLE IS FOCUSED ON THOSE OF US IN THE BODY OF CHRIST!  WHY SO? BECAUSE THE GOD IN US IS A THREAT TO HIM! BUT WE MUST KEEP IN THE MIND THE SCRIPTURAL ASSURANCE WE READ IN 1 JOHN 4:4 (THE APOSTLE JOHN TALKING ABOUT THE ANTICHRIST WHO IS ALREADY IN THE WORLD) "YOU ARE OF GOD, LITTLE CHILDREN, AND HAVE OVERCOME THEM", FOR SPIRIT FILLED BELIEVERS ARE EMPOWERED TO OVERCOME THOSE WHO TRY TO DESTROY US), BECAUSE "HE (THE HOLY SPIRIT) WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAN HE (SATAN) WHO IS IN THE WORLD." AND ALSO KEEP IN MIND, THE COMFORTING ASSURANCE THAT WHICH IS WRITTEN IN ISAIAH 54:17 "BUT NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOU SHALL PROSPER, AND EVERY TONGUE THAT SHALL RISE AGAINST YOU IN JUDGEMENT YOU SHALL SHOW TO BE WRONG."THIS [ PEACE, RIGHTEOUSNESS, SECURITY, TRIUMPH OVER OPPOSITION] IS THE HERITAGE OF THE SAINTS OF THE LORD [ THOSE IN WHOM THE IDEAL SERVANT OF THE LORD IS REPRODUCED].". (AMPLIFIED BIBLE)

                                                 THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

THE QUESTION IS..."WHY GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WHAT ARE THEY"?

BEFORE WE TACKLE THESE QUESTIONS, LET DO A LITTLE BIT OF EXPLORING THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AGAIN...

IT HAS BEEN STATED IN PREVIOUS BLOGS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT FIRST APPEARED ON THE BIBLICAL SCENE IN GENESIS 1:1 WHERE THE TRIUNE GOD WAS INTRODUCED..."ELOHIM", (GOD PLURAL)...THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT. WE NEXT READ ABOUT HIM IN VERSE 1:2: "THE SPIRIT OF GOD HOVERED OVER THE FACE OF THE WATERS."

 AS WAS SHARED IN BLOGS 9/10, THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS ACTIVE ONLY AS THE FATHER DIRECTED HIM WITH SITUATIONS/INDIVIDUALS AS APPROPRIATE....TAKE FOR EXAMPLE THE ANIMALS BEING CALLED INTO THE ARK.
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN...THE HOLY SPIRIT DREW THEM FROM EVERY WHERE, AND AS WELL,THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKED IN THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS, PROTECTING THEM AND PROVIDING FOR THEIR EVERY NEED.

ANOTHER SPECIFIC EXAMPLE IS FOUND IN EXODUS 31:3 WHERE THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES: "THEN THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES, SAYING: 'SEE, I HAVE CALLED BY NAME BEZALEL, THE SON OF UR, THE SON OF HUR, OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, AND I HAVE FILLED HIM WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD, IN WISDOM, IN UNDERSTANDING, IN KNOWLEDGE, AND IN ALL MANNER OF WORKMANSHIP, TO DESIGN ARTISTIC WORKS, TO WORK IN GOLD, IN SILVER AND IN BRONZE......AND I, INDEED I
HAVE APPOINTED WITH HIM, AHOLIAB......THAT THEY MAKE ALL THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU.'"

TO BRING THIS UP TO PRESENT TIME....THE HOLY SPIRIT "MOVEMENT" BEGAN IN 1900 IN TOPEKA, KANSAS WHEN CHARLES PARHAM LAID HIS HANDS ON AGNES OSMAN AND SHE BEGAN SPEAKING IN TONGUES (ONE OF THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT)...FAST FORWARD TO THE FAMOUS AZUSA STREET REVIVAL IN 1906...THAT INTRODUCED IN EARNEST, THE "PENTACOSTAL MOVEMENT WHICH HAS BE
BEEN GOING ON SINCE. MANY PENTECOSTAL LEADERS AND CHURCHES SPRUNG UP AFTER THIS SO THE HOLY SPIRIT COULD FUNCTION IN THEIR CONGREGATIONS....THE SECOND PHASE BEGAN AFTER WORLD WAR 2. THEN IN 1960, DENNIS BENNETT, AN EPISCOPAL PRIEST IN VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCED THE BAPTISM OF HOLY SPIRIT AND HE WAS DISMISSED FROM THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH!  IN 1970, THE MOVEMENT REALLY CAME INTO BEING IN A POWERFUL WAY...(C. PETER WAGNER YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS...) YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THE BUMPER STICKER WHICH DECLARED: "I FOUND IT"....SHOULD HAVE BEEN "PRAISE GOD, JESUS FOUND ME"!!

A MOMENT FOR A PERSONAL TESTAMONY....I WAS "BORN AGAIN" IN 1975 AND ABOUT A YEAR LATER, A FRIEND GAVE ME DENNIS BENNETT'S BOOK THE HOLY SPIRIT AND YOU.  WHEN I FINISHED READING IT, I CLOSED IT AND DECLARED TO THE LORD, (SINCE GROWING UP IN VERY CONSERVATIVE NEW ENGLAND): "LORD, I DON'T UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS, "BUT IF THIS IS OF YOU, I WANT IT ALL!" IMMEDIATELY THERE CAME A WORD OUT OF MY MOUTH THAT MADE ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE TO ME....I WENT TO MY WIFE AND SHARED WITH HER WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED...SHE SMILED AND DECLARED..."THAT IS THE BEGINNING OF YOUR PRAYER LANGUAGE (SPEAKING IN TONGUES)."  I ASKED HER HOW SHE KNEW...SHE SAID...."I HAVE SPOKEN IN TONGUES FOR OVER A YEAR"!  I WAS ASTOUNDED AND REPLIED..."HOW COME YOU DIDN'T SHARE THAT PROFOUND EXPERIENCE WITH ME"...AND HER RESPONSE WAS:" I DIDN'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD ACT"....KNOWING THAT SHE HAD MARRIED A CONSERVATIVE YANKEE WHO TRAGICALLY HAD GROWN UP IN A DEAD CHURCH AND KNEW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OF ANY OF THIS!
THAT WAS THAT FOR THE EVENING...HOWEVER, ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL THE NEXT MORNING, (I WAS AN ELEMENTARY. PRINCIPAL THEN IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA.),  I BROKE OUT IN A SONG IN AN UNKNOWN LANGUAGE...AND I WASN'T THE KIND OF GUY WHO SANG IN THE CAR....I LIKE TO SAY..."YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN THE CAR OUT FROM UNDER ME, AND I WOULD HAVE FLOATED TO SCHOOL, IT WAS THAT POWERFUL!!  AND I HAVEN'T BEEN THE SAME SINCE, PRAISE GOD!"

THE QUESTION NOW BECOMES FOR YOU...CAN YOU PRAY AS I DID MANY YEARS AGO: "LORD, I AM NOT SURE ABOUT ALL OF THIS THAT I AM READING/HEARING, BUT IF THIS IS OF YOU, I WANT ALL THAT YOU HAVE FOR ME SO THAT I CAN BE THE MAN/WOMAN YOU SO DESIRE ME TO BE AND HAVE THE EMPOWERMENT/GIFTS/FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THAT WHICH YOU HAVE SLATED FOR ME IN MY DAILY LIFE."

THESE ARE THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS (FOUND IN 1 CORINTHIANS 12-14) WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT PROVIDES TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED IN HIM.  THEY WILL BE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL IN BLOG 12 AS WILL THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT:
                                         

      -  GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE                             - GIFT OF PROPHECY

      -  GIFT OF FAITH                                         - GIFT OF DISCERNING OF SPIRITS

      -  GIFT OF HEALING                                    - GIFT OF TONGUES

      -  GIFT OF MIRACLES                                 - GIFT OF INTERPRETING TONGUES

      -  GIFT OF WISDOM                                    - GIFT OF ADMINISTRATION

      -  GIFT OF HELPS

      THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LISTED IN GALATIONS 5:22-26:

      -  LOVE                                               -  GOODNESS
      -  JOY                                                 -  FAITHFULNESS
      -  PEACE                                             -  GENTLENESS
      -  LONGSUFFERING                           -  SELF CONTROL
      -  KINDNESS

AND AGAIN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE LIKE THE BEREANS: "TO FIND OUT WHETHER THESE THINGS WERE SO." (ACTS 17:11)

                               BE GLORIFIED ALMIGHTY GOD, BE GLORIFIED.


       -









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THE HOLY SPRIT AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE BLOG 10

IF YOU ARE A FIRST TIME READER, MAY I SUGGEST THAT YOU LOCATE PREVIOUS BLOGS THAT RELATE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, FOR IT IS CRUCIAL THAT YOU FIRST OF ALL COME TO KNOW JUST WHO HE IS AND HIS FUNCTION/ROLE  AS PART OF THE TRIUNE GOD..."GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT".  IT IS HE WHO SANCTIFIES US,
(WORKNG WITH US AND PERFECTING US) HELPING US BECOME THE MAN/WOMAN THE FATHER SO DESIRES US TO BE, AS WE ALLOW HIM!....HE ONLY EMPOWERED THE LIVES OF THOSE WHOM GOD INSTRUCTED HIM TO EMPOWER, WHEREAS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, AND AS AGAIN JOEL PROPHESIED, HE WOULD BE POURED OUT ON "ALL FLESH"...FOR ONLY THOSE WHO WOULD ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO FILL THEM!

COULD THIS BE THE PERFECT TIME TO EVALUATE JUST WHERE YOU ARE IN YOUR CHRISTIAN WALK CONCERNING THE FUNCTIONING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE?  AND AS WELL, TO WHAT EXTENT IS YOUR CHRISTIAN WALK UNDER THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?

WHAT DOES "EMPOWERMENT" MEAN FOR EACH OF US, AS IT RELATES TO THE HOLY SPIRIT?  CONSIDER WHAT THE SCRIPTURE DECLARES IN JOHN 15:4-5 "ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU.  AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF, UNLESS IT ABIDES IN THE VINE, NEITHER CAN YOU, UNLESS YOU ABIDE IN ME;  5 "I AM THE VINE AND YOU ARE THE BRANCHES,  HE WHO ABIDES IN ME, AND I IN HIM BEARS MUCH FRUIT; FOR WITHOUT ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING".  IT HAS BE DECLARED: "WITHOUT ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING, WITHOUT YOU I WILL DO NOTHING"!

JUST HOW ARE THE FRUIT (PLURAL)OF THE SPIRIT GROWING IN YOUR LIFE, WE MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT AS AN APPLE CANNOT GROW ITSELF, NEITHER CAN WE GROW THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! AND AS WELL, ARE THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT OPERATIONAL IN YOUR LIFE FOR BUILDING UP THE  BODY OF CHRIST. MORE ABOUT THE GIFTS AND THE FRUIT AS WE PROGRESS.

IT IS CRUCIAL THAT WE ESTABLISH THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD AND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.  WE ARE TOLD IN THE PROPHETIC BOOK OF JOEL (YAH EL IN HEBREW, AND WHOSE NAME MEANS YAHWEY IS GOD) WRITTEN ABOUT 835-805 B.C. AND WHO IS LOOKING AHEAD HUNDREDS OF YEARS DECLARES UNDER THE ANOINTING OF THE  HOLY SPIRIT THAT GOD WILL POUR OUT HIS SPIRIT ON "ALL FLESH" (2:28).

LET'S VISIT THIS SIGNIFICANT PROPHETIC WORD.  HOW COULD JOEL (WHOSE NAME MEANS "YAHWEH IS GOD") MAKE SUCH A PREDICTION 800 YEARS B.C.? IT WAS THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK IN JOEL.  IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE NOTE THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT'S ROLE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT....FOR HE ONLY EMPOWERED THE LIVES OF THOSE WHOM GOD INSTRUCTED HIM, WHEREAS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, AND AS AGAIN JOEL PROPHESIED, HE WOULD POUR OUT THE HOLY SPIRIT ON "ALL FLESH"...BUT ONLY THOSE WHO WOULD ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO FILL THEM, ( NOTE: HAVE YOU ASKED THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BAPTIZE YOU IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?)  FOR THIS WAS NOT TO HAPPEN UNTIL THE NEW TESTAMENT ADDRESSES THIS IN:

•  ACTS 1:4,5.. "AND BEING ASSEMBLED WITH THEM, HE COMMANDED THEM NOT TO DEPART FROM JERUSALEM, BUT TO WAIT UNTIL PROMISE OF THE FATHER 'WHICH' , HE SAID, 'YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ME; FOR TRULY JOHN BAPTIZED WITH WATER, BUT YOU SHALL BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT NOT MANY DAYS FROM NOW."
• 
  
•  ACTS 2:1-4 "WHEN THE DAY OF PENTECOST HAD FULLY COME, THEY WERE
• ALL WITH ONE ACCORD IN ONE PLACE.  AND SUDDENLY THERE CAME A             SOUND FROM HEAVEN, AS OF A MIGHT RUSHING WIND, AND IT FILLED THE         WHOLE HOUSE WHERE THEY WERE SITTING.  THEN THERE APPEARED TO THEM DIVIDED TONGUES, AS OF FIRE AND ONE SAT ON EACH OF THEM. AND THEY       WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK WITH OTHER   TONGUES, AS THE SPIRIT GAVE THEM UTTERANCE."

AGAIN, WHERE DO WE FIRST FIND THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT?  WE ARE INTRODUCED TO THE TRIUNE GOD...(THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT...ELOHIM) IN GENESIS 1:1..."IN THE BEGINNING, GOD (ELOHIM)........"

I ENCOURAGE THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE CURIOUS AS TO THE WORKINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, TO SPEND SOME TIME RESEARCHING GOD'S MIRACULOUS WORKINGS THROUGH HIM IN EACH BOOK...YOU WILL BE BLESSED AS YOU DO!

BLOG 11 WILL BRING TO LIGHT THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.

         AGAIN, MAY I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE LIKE THE BEREANS: "TO FIND OUT
         WHETHER THESE THINGS WERE SO"  (ACTS 17:11)

                         * BE GLORIFIED, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY BE GLORIFIED*      
                   

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE BLOG 9

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE LAST TWO BLOGS, I HAVE BEEN FEATURING THE TRIUNE GOD...THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT AND WHERE WE FIRST MEET THEM (ELOHIM) IN THE BIBLE.  GENESIS 1:1.

YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT EACH HAS HIS UNIQUE KINGDOM FUNCTION - AND IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE FATHER  IS THE EXECUTIVE, JESUS THE SON IS THE ARCHITECT, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE CONTRACTOR - THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR "PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER", FOR THOSE WHO WILL ALLOW HIM TO "BUILD THEIR SPIRITUAL LIVES", IF YOU WILL!  THE CRUCIAL QUESTION NOW BECOMES...JUST HOW MUCH WILL WE LET HIM BUILD OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES? THEREIN LIES THE BASIS OF OUR ENHANCED CHRISTIAN WALK.

WHY IS IT THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS SO MUCH ON THE HOLY SPIRIT?  LET'S LOOK AT WHAT SCRIPTURES SAY CONCERNING HIM:

     "BUT WHEN THE HELPER COMES WHOM I WILL SEND TO YOU FROM THE
      FATHER, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH WHO PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER,  HE
      WILL TESTIFY OF ME" (JOHN 15:26; 16:5-15)

 IN ADDITION, CONSIDER OTHER NAMES FOR WHICH HE IS KNOWN:

• THE COMFORTER, THE CONVICTOR OF SIN, OUR WISDOM, THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE, THE SPIRIT OF GRACE, THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS, AND THE EMPOWERER.  THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ALSO THE PERSON WHO PROVIDES SPIRITUAL GIFTS FOR THE BUILDING UP OF THE BODY OF CHRIST
• THERE ARE SYMBOLS WHICH ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT*: 
• FIRE, WIND (ACTS 2:1,2)
• WATER (JOHN 7:37-39)
• A SEAL (EPH. 1:13)
• OIL (ACTS 10:38)
•  A DOVE (ACTS 1:32)

 *(PAUL WALKER - "HOLY SPIRIT GIFTS AND POWER", SPIRIT FILLED BIBLE -NKJV)

YOU MIGHT WELL ASK, "WHY DO I  NEED TO BE 'PERFECTED' IN THE FIRST PLACE?  I BELIEVE I AM DOING QUITE WELL IN MY CHRISTIAN WALK JUST AS I AM?"

IF THIS IS TRULY YOUR BELIEF, THEN TRAGICALLY, YOU HAVE BEEN DECEIVED BY THE LIAR SATAN, AND SADLY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE SERVE ALMIGHTY GOD AS HE SO DESIRES YOU TO SERVE HIM, FOR YOU WILL BE STAGNANT IN YOUR CHRISTIAN GROWTH/EFFECTIVENESS!

HOWEVER, THIS IN NO WAY WILL HINDER YOUR ENTERING HEAVEN WHEN HE CALLS YOU HOME AS LONG AS YOU DON'T DEPART FROM THE FAITH!

"NOW THE SPIRIT EXPRESSIVELY SAYS THAT IN LATTER TIMES SOME WILL DEPART FROM THE FAITH, GIVING HEED TO DECEIVING SPIRITS AND DOCTRINES OF DEMONS, SPEAKING LIES IN HYPOCRISY, HAVING THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE SEARED WITH A HOT IRON...." (1 TIMOTHY 4:1-3)  THIS IS KNOWN AS THE GREAT APOSTASY OR "THE FALLING AWAY" WHICH DESTROYS ANOTHER LIE OF SATAN, "ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED"! (HEBREWS 6:6; MATT. 24:12,13, AMONG OTHER SCRIPTURES)

SATAN HAS TRULY DONE A POWERFUL WORK IN CAUSING SUCH CONFUSION IN INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIAN LIVES, RESULTING IN DIVISION WITHIN THE BODY OF CHRIST...FOR HE HAS BEEN MOST DIVISIVE!  AND WHY DO YOU THINK HE WORKS HARD AT DOING SO?  HE IS SO OUT TO DESTROY THE BODY OF CHRIST, INDIVIDUALLY AND THUS COLLECTIVELY! BUT THANKFULLY, "YOU ARE OF GOD, LITTLE CHILDREN, AND HAVE OVERCOME THEM, BECAUSE HE WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THEN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD" (1 JOHN 4:4)

SATAN WILL BE THE TOPIC OF ANOTHER BLOG, FOR IT IS CRITICAL FOR US TO KNOW OUR ENEMY!

TRAGICALLY, CHURCHES HAVE DIVIDED OR DESTROYED, BECAUSE OF SATAN'S WORK.  THAT'S HIS JOB...."THE THIEF DOES NOT COME EXCEPT TO STEAL, AND TO KILL, AND TO DESTROY".  (JOHN 10:10)

IN SO DOING, SADLY, MANY CHURCHES ARE IMPOTENT, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHO THE HOLY SPIRIT IS RESULTING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT NOT BEING ABLE TO FUNCTION IN THESE CHURCHES,  FOR HE WILL NOT GO WHERE HE IS NOT INVITED! TRAGICALLY, THIS SO GRIEVES AND QUENCHES HIM. (EPH. 4:30; 1 THESS. 5:19) THUS THOSE CHURCHES BECOMES POWERLESS, BECAUSE OF HIS ABSENCE! AND IN ADDITION, THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND!

PLEASE DO NOT READ INTO THIS THAT I AM ANTI-CHURCH!  GOD FORBID!  BUT MY HEART ACHES FOR THOSE BELIEVERS WHO ARE ATTENDING DEAD OR LUKE WARM CHURCHES THAT IGNORE THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND ALL THAT HE HAS TO OFFER THE BODY, ESPECIALLY THE GIFTS/FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.

I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS PERTINENT QUESTION FOUND IN ACTS:19:2...."HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT SINCE YOU BELIEVED?"

BLOG 10 WILL FOCUS ON:

• THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND HIS WORKING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
• THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS...THOSE  OF THE FATHER, THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS OF JESUS AND THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS/FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS WRITTEN IN 1 COR. 12-14.

AGAIN, MAY I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE LIKE THE BEREANS, "TO FIND OUT WHETHER THESE THINGS WERE SO"  (ACTS 17:11)

                        * BE GLORIFIED, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, BE GLORIFIED*

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE

IN BLOG 7, THE INFILLING/BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS INTRODUCED AND AS WELL, HIS SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE.

THE QUESTION NOW NEEDS TO  BE ASKED: "WHY DO WE NEED TO SPEND TIME CONSIDERING THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT- WHO IS HE AND WHAT HIS PURPOSE IS HERE ON EARTH?"

 PLEASE NOTE IT IS STATED "WHO IS AND WHAT IS HIS PURPOSE..PRESENT TENSE!  THUS HE IS!

FIRST OF ALL, WHERE DO WE FIRST EXPERIENCE THE HOLY SPIRIT IN SCRIPTURES?

GENESIS 1:1 "IN THE BEGINNING, GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH." (NKJV) AT FIRST GLANCE, ONE COULD WELL ANSWER.."WHY, GOD DID"!  AH...THIS IS WHY IT IS SO CRUCIAL THAT WHEN WE ARE READING AND HOPEFULLY STUDYING THE SCRIPTURES, THAT WE NOT JUST SKIM THE SCRIPTURES, BUT GO DEEPER AND DISCOVER WHAT THE ORIGINAL HEBREW (OT) OR THE GREEK (NT) IS SAYING......OTHERWISE, WE WILL MISS THE SIGNIFICANT TRUTH OF WHAT THE SCRIPTURES ARE REALLY DECLARING!.

MAY I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE LIKE THE BEREANS (ACTS 17:11)  "TO FIND OUT WHETHER THESE THINGS WERE SO".

"GOD" IN GENESIS 1:1 IS NOT SINGULAR, BUT PLURAL - "ELOHIM", MEANING "GOD THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, i.e, THE TRIUNE GOD - THE TRINITY.

 IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT "THE EXECUTIVE IS THE FATHER, THE ARCHITECT IS THE SON, AND THE CONTRACTOR IS THE HOLY SPIRIT". (PAUL WALKER, NKJV -HOLY SPIRIT GIFTS AND POWER)

ONE WILL FIND IN AN EXCELLENT STUDY SOURCE, EXEGESES - A LITERAL TRANSLATION AND TRANSLITERATION OF SCRIPTURE,THAT ALL THROUGH
GENESIS 1, IT IS NOT GOD IN THE SINGULAR, BUT ELOHIM ,THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT WHO ARE  INVOLVED IN THE CREATION..THUS, AS WE READ GENESIS 1, IT NOW GIVES US A NEW REVELATION JUST WHO WAS INVOLVED IN CREATING THE UNIVERSE. WHAT A MIGHTY TRIUNE GOD WE SERVE...AMEN?

I NEED TO ASK AT  THIS JUNCTURE, "JUST WHERE ARE YOU, IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE TRIUNE GOD"?  REMEMBER IN BLOG 7,  WE READ  FIRST AND FOREMOST..... THAT ONE MUST BE BORN FROM ABOVE (BORN AGAIN) AS JESUS TELLS NICODEMUS IN JOHN 3:3, AND AS WRITTEN IN ROMANS 10:9,10 - "THAT IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH, THE LORD JESUS AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED.  FOR WITH THE HEART ONE BELIEVES UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS,  AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION (BORN AGAIN). WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO ME, I WAS ASKED THE PROFOUND QUESTION..."IF YOU WERE TO DIE RIGHT NOW, DO YOU KNOW BEYOND A SHADOW OF DOUBT WHERE YOU WOULD END UP...HEAVEN OR HELL?" IF YOU DON'T KNOW, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PRAY THIS SALVATION PRAYER. AND SETTLE THE MATTER HERE AND NOW:

    "LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, I AM TOLD IN THE BIBLE, THAT I MUST CONFESS THE LORD JESUS AS THE SON OF GOD., AND AS WELL, IT STATES THAT "I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME". (JOHN 14:6)
 AND JESUS TOLD NICODEMUS THAT IN ORDER TO INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, ONE MUST BE BORN AGAIN.  LORD, I SO DESIRE TO BE BORN AGAIN AND INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. LORD JESUS, I SURRENDER MY LIFE TO YOU.  I WANT TO BE YOUR CHILD.   MAY MY LIFE BE USED TO SERVE, HONOR, GLORIFY, A.ND PRAISE YOU ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE.  THANK YOU FOR FORGIVING ME OF ALL MY SINS, PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE BECAUSE OF YOUR SHED BLOOD ON THE CROSS. HOLY SPIRIT, I AM ALSO TOLD THAT I CANNOT 'WALK THIS WALK' BASED ON MY OWN EFFORTS', THEREFORE, I ASK AS IT DECLARES IN BLOG 7 THAT YOU FILL ME/BAPTIZE ME AND EMPOWER ME AS YOU DID JESUS AT THE RIVER JORDAN. THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME.  IT IS IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS THE CHRIST THAT I PRAY THIS PRAYER. AMEN AND AMEN."

IF YOU PRAYED THIS PRAYER, PLEASE SHARE WITH SOMEONE (CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH)  WHAT JUST TOOK PLACE IN YOUR LIFE.  PRAISE GOD.

WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IN BLOG 9.

                            BE GLORIFIED, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, BE GLORIFIED
                                 

HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERMENT AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE - BLOG 7

                                     

                                                
                           JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY
 SOME TIME AGO, WE BEGAN TALKING ABOUT SPIRITUAL WARFARE . IN BLOG 5, YOU WILL RECALL,WE LISTENED IN AS JESUS WAS TALKING WITH HIS DISCIPLES CONCERNING HIS UPCOMING DEATH ON THE CROSS. IN JOHN 14:16, JESUS ASSURES THEM THAT HE WOULD NOT LEAVE THEM COMFORTLESS, IN THAT THEY WERE SORELY DISTRESSED THAT HE WAS LEAVING THEM!  WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM, THEY LAMENTED!  JESUS KNOWING THEIR THOUGHTS, SAID

TO THEM, "AND I WILL ASK THE FATHER AND HE WILL GIVE YOU ANOTHER COMFORTER (COUNSELOR, HELPER, INTERCESSOR,, ADVOCATE, STRENGTHENER AND STANDBY) THAT HE MAY REMAIN WITH YOU FOREVER!"  (AMPLIFIED BIBLE)

OF COURSE, WE CAN ANTICIPATE THEIR WONDERMENT AS TO HOW HE COULD POSSIBLY MAKE THIS COME TO PASS! WHAT DOES HE MEAN WHEN HE DECLARES "ANOTHER COMFORTER, ADVOCATE, ETC.? TRAGICALLY, THEY REALLY HAD NO CONCEPT JUST WHO JESUS TRULY WAS/IS!

IN MATTHEW 3:4, WE READ OF THE  DISCOURSE BETWEEN JESUS AND JOHN THE BAPTIST CONCERNING HIS BAPTISM IN THE RIVER JORDAN. "AND WHEN JESUS WAS BAPTIZED, HE WENT UP AT ONCE OUT OF THE WATER, AND BEHOLD, THE HEAVENS WERE OPENED AND HE (JOHN) SAW THE SPIRIT OF GOD (HOLY SPIRIT)  DESCENDING LIKE A DOVE AND ALIGHTING ON HIM; AND LO, A VOICE OUT OF HEAVEN SAID THIS IS MY SON, MY BELOVED, IN WHOM I DELIGHT!" JESUS WAS NOT ONLY EXPERIENCING WATER BAPTISM, BUT HE WAS BAPTIZED, (FILLED) WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

"THEN JESUS WAS LED (GUIDED) BY THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS
(DESERT) TO BE TEMPTED - THAT IS TESTED AND TRIED - BY THE DEVIL!"

WHY WAS THIS A NECESSITY ENDEAVOR? AFTER ALL, WASN'T JESUS GOD ALMIGHTY? WHY WOULD HE HAVE TO BE BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?
REMEMBER, HE WAS WALKING THE EARTH AS MAN AND WAS/IS A MODEL FOR "THOSE WHO WILL", I.E BELIEVERS.

JESUS WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN HIS MINISTRY (ABOUT AGE 30) THUS,  IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT HE ESTABLISH IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS WITH THE FOUL SPIRIT WORLD, JUST WHO HE IS, AND AS WELL,TO BE EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, SO AS TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THAT HIS FATHER HAD PURPOSED FOR HIM ON EARTH AND HE COULD DECLARE THE LAST THREE WORDS WHILE ON THE CROSS "IT IS FINISHED"   (JOHN 19:30)

AS IT MUST BE EVERY CHRISTIAN WHO IS PASSIONATE/DESIROUS IN ACCOMPLISHING ALL THAT THE LORD HAS FOR HIM/HER!  PLEASE KEEP IN MIND WHAT JESUS DECLARED IN JOHN 15:4,5, "ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU, AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR OF ITSELF,  UNLESS IT ABIDES IN THE VINE, NEITHER CAN YOU, UNLESS YOU ABIDE IN ME. I AM THE VINE AND YOU ARE THE BRANCHES.  HE WHO ABIDES IN ME AND I IN HIM BEARS MUCH FRUIT; FOR WITHOUT ME, YOU CAN DO NOTHING." 

TO REITERATE, ONE IS BORN AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT DRAWING HIM/HER. .NO ONE CAN COME TO THE FATHER WITHOUT THE WOOING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. SOME DECLARE THAT ONCE ONE IS "BORN AGAIN, THAT IS ALL THERE IS,,WE HAVE ALL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WE ARE GOING TO GET"! HOW TRAGIC AND SUCH DECEPTION FROM SATAN !  HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I HEARD BELIEVERS DECLARE,"WELL IF GOD WANTS ME TO HAVE THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE WILL GIVE HIM TO ME"!  THAT IS AS NONSENSICAL AS DECLARING :"IF GOD WANTS ME TO BE 'BORN AGAIN', HE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN"! NO, WE HAVE TO ASK  THE LORD TO BE BORN AGAIN, AND AS WELL, ASKING TO BE BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. ONCE WE BECOME "SPIRIT-FILLED", AGAIN, TO REITERATE, IT IS THEN WE ARE EMPOWERED, AS WAS JESUS, TO BE FULLY USED BY GOD!  THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE THEN RELEASED.  THESE WILL BE ADDRESSED IN BLOG 8.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PURSUING THIS TOPIC ON YOUR OWN, MAY I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THE BOOK OF ACTS AND 1 CORINTHIANS. I CLOSE BY INCLUDING A SIMPLE HEART-FELT PRAYER THAT WILL ASSIST YOU IN BECOMING "FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT", THAT IS, IF YOU HAVE BECOME "BORN AGAIN, OR BORN FROM ABOVE" AS JESUS DECLARES IN JOHN 3:1-21.      

             "MOST GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, I THANK YOU THAT WHEN
             I ASKED YOU TO BECOME BORN AGAIN, YOU DREW ME TO YOU AND I
             BECAME YOUR CHILD, TO BE CARED FOR AND LOVED BY YOU FOR
             ALL ETERNITY.  I KNOW THAT I AM UNABLE TO TRULY ACCOMPLISH
             ALL THAT YOU HAVE FOR ME AS YOUR CHILD, WITHOUT THE
             INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT TO EMPOWER ME, HOLY SPIRIT, I SO DESIRE
             NOW, THAT YOU FILL ME, BAPTIZE ME  I SURRENDER TO YOU NOW, HAVE
             YOUR WAY IN MY LIFE. LORD,  I SO LOOK FORWARD TO THE SPIRITUAL                          GIFT/GIFTS YOU HAVE FOR ME SO AS TO BUILD UP THE BODY OF CHRIST.                        AND IT IS IN THAT PRECIOUS NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES, JESUS THE CHRIST                    THAT I PRAY THIS PRAYER. AMEN AND AMEN."
         
 




                                                                           
                                                                                 
                                                                             

                                                  






                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

 

SPIRITUAL WARFARE PART 6

              SPIRITUAL WARFARE BLOG 6 – FEAR (CONTINUED)

     ONE OF THE MOST 10 TERRIFYING ROPE BRIDGES IN THE WORLD

 IF YOUR FRIENDS WERE CROSSING THIS BRIDGE AND WANTED YOU TO         

                        JOIN THEM…….WOULD YOU?

NOT LONG AGO WE WERE WATCHING A MOVIE WITH  SCENES SHOWING A MOTHER, FATHER WITH THEIR DAUGHTER AND HER WEDDING PARTY APPROACHING A VERY LONG ROPE FOOT BRIDGE HIGH OVER A SWIFTLY RUNNING RIVER. IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE THE GROUP WAS ON THE BRIDGE MOVING ACROSS…ALL EXCEPT THE MOTHER…SHE HAD BEEN LAST IN LINE…ON PURPOSE! SHE WAS PETRIFIED TO EVEN APPROACH THE BRIDGE, LET ALONE CROSS IT! 

OBVIOUSLY, FEAR HAD HER IN ITS GRIP!  THE FURTHER THE GROUP PROGRESSED ACROSS THE BRIDGE THE MORE INTENSE THE FEAR BECAME.  THE GROUP WOULD LOOK BACK FROM TIME TO TIME ENCOURAGING HER TO FOLLOW THEM….EVEN HER HUSBAND.  BUT SHE REFUSED TO BUDGE.  FINALLY HER HUSBAND TURNED AROUND, CAME TO HER AND TOGETHER THEY HEADED BACK TO THE HOTEL.

TRAGICALLY, SHE HAD BOWED TO FEAR! WAS THIS THE SPIRIT OF FEAR, OR JUST PLAIN SOULISH FEAR? THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE!  THIS WAS NOT A CHRISTIAN COUPLE IN THE FILM. UNFORTUNATELY,  FEAR CAN OVERCOME EVEN THE STRONGEST OF CHRISTIANS….IF  WE ACQUIESCE!

IF YOU WERE TO CROSS THIS BRIDGE, JUST HOW WOULD YOU DO SO? WOULD YOU WALK ACROSS IN GREAT CONFIDENCE, FULLY ASSURED  THAT YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER, EL  SHADDAI, OUR GREAT POWERFUL SHEPHERD  IS  PROTECTING YOU  ALL THE WAY (JEHOVAH ROI), OR WOULD YOU WALK ACROSS HESITANTLY, WITH FEAR AND TREPIDATION, HOLDING ON THE ROPES FOR DEAR LIFE, OR EVEN  CRAWLING ACROSS, PERSPIRING PROFUSELY?  OR JUST PLAIN REFUSING TO CROSS, AS WAS THE CASE OF THE WIFE IN THE FILM, LETTING FEAR DICTATE YOUR DECISION ?

THE CRUCIAL QUESTION BEFORE FOR US: “IS THERE A BRIDGE OR ARE THERE BRIDGES IN OUR LIVES THAT WE ARE AFRAID TO CROSS BECAUSE OF FEAR?” WE MUST ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND THAT THE ENEMY OF OUR VERY BEING, SATAN, IS PERSISTENTLY STALKING US, MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT! THAT’S HIS JOB, “ SEEKING  WHOM HE CAN KILL AND DESTROY (JOHN 10:10). HOWEVER, WE MUST ALWAYS KEEP BEFORE US  GOD’S  ASSURANCE THAT “GREATER IS HE (GOD) WHO IS IN YOU THEN HE (SATAN) WHO IS IN THE WORLD!” ( 1 JOHN 4:4)

IT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP IN MIND, THAT FEAR IS NOT ALWAYS THE RESULT OF SATAN AND HIS MINIONS HARASSING US….THE WORLD AND OUR FLESH CAN BE INSTIGATORS AS WELL! 

A WORD OF CAUTION….SOME BIBLE VERSIONS WILL USE “SIN NATURE” TO DESCRIBE THE FLESH.  THIS CAN NOT BE SUBSTANTIATED IN SCRIPTURE ,FOR WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A “DIVINE NATURE” ( 2 PETER 1:4.)  THANKFULLY, BECAUSE OF THE POWERFUL WORK OF OUR SAVIOR AND LORD JESUS ON THE CROSS, WE HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN, FOR IT HAS NO DOMINION OVER US ANY LONGER, THANKFULLY!  ( ROMANS 6:14)

IN ADDITION, HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HEAR CHRISTIANS DECLARE : “I AM A SINNER, SAVED BY GRACE”?  REALLY? WHERE IS THIS FOUND IN SCRIPTURE?  WE SIN IN OUR FLESH , BUT TO REITERATE, WE HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN, AS STATED IN ROMANS 7:1-25; 8:1-37. JESUS DECLARED IN JOHN 9:31, “GOD DOES NOT HEAR SINNERS, BUT IF ANYONE IS A WORSHIPER OF GOD AND DOES HIS WILL, HE HEARS HIM.”

 LET’S REVIEW THE SCRIPTURE “FOR GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER AND OF LOVE AND OF A SOUND MIND.” (2 TIM. 1:7)

 IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THIS SCRIPTURE THOROUGHLY, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF FEAR  AS IT RELATES TO THIS SPECIFIC SCRIPTURE IN 2 TIMOTHY 1:7 , FOR WORDS CAN BE TRANSLATED DIFFERENTLY DEPENDING UPON THE CONTEXT OF  THE SCRIPTURES. UNFORTUNATELY, SO MANY READ A SCRIPTURE SUPERFICIALLY WITHOUT GOING DEEPER AS TO JUST WHAT THE HEBREW OR GREEK TRANSLATION IS . FOR EXAMPLE, FEAR IN THIS SCRIPTURE IN THE GREEK TRANSLATES ”TIMIDITY”! (1167 STRONG’S CONCORDANCE). CONSIDER THE GREEK FOR FEAR IN LUKE 1:65 “AND FEAR CAME UPON ALL….” WHICH IN THE GREEK MEANS “TERROR/ALARM. (5401 STRONGS). THIS WOULD BE THE CASE OF THE LADY AT THE BRIDGE…SHE WAS TERRIFIED, NOT TIMID!

LET’S RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION: “WHAT BRIDGE OR BRIDGES  ARE YOU TIMID, TERRIFIED OR REFUSE TO CROSS IN YOUR LIFE?

MAY I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEEK THE WISDOM OF THE LORD AS TO FEARS THAT COULD WELL BE HIDDEN IN YOUR VERY BEING.  ONCE EXPOSED, THEY CAN BE DEALT WITH, FOR YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR, WORRY, FRETFULNESS, OR ANXIETIES..THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT THE WAY GOD WOULD HAVE US LIVE…AMEN?  IN FACT, HE DEALS WITH THIS VERY SUBJECT IN MATTHEW 6:25-34….MEDITATE IN THESE TRUTHS AND SEE HOW YOUR LIFE BECOMES LESS AND LESS FEARFUL/WORRISOME. 

THE LORD HAS PROVIDED STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH FEAR IN OUR LIVES AND WE WILL CONSIDER THESE MORE IN DEPTH IN THE NEXT BLOG, ESPECIALLY HOW TO DISCERN  WHERE FEAR COMES FROM…THE FLESH OR SATAN.

UNTIL THEN, BE COMFORTED AND ENCOURAGED WITH GOD’S WORDS IN 1 JOHN 4:18 “PERFECT LOVES CASTES OUT FEAR”; 2 TIMOTHY 1:7 “BEING FILLED WITH GOD’S SPIRIT WILL CAUSE YOU TO BECOME FEARLESS”!

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND GOD’S COMMAND: “BUT BE DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY, DECEIVING YOURSELVES. FOR IF ANYONE IS A HEARER AND NOT A DOER,HE IS LIKE A MAN OBSERVING HIS NATURAL FACE IN A MIRROR; FOR HE OBSERVES HIMSELF, GOES AWAY,AND IMMEDIATELY FORGETS WHAT KIND OF MAN HE WAS.” (JAMES 1:22-24)

                             BE GLORIFIED LORD, BE GLORIFIED