My last blog was titled, "Can You Recover?" This will actually be part 2 of that blog, but I have changed the title to state the fact that you actually can recover if you are not where you want to be in this life. But in order to do this you will have to make some decisions that are contrary to the decisions that you have been making. I know that some may already be clicking off of this post right about now, but if you want help the Word of God has answers.
One of the biggest things that I see today in the Body of Christ is deception abounding. There are so many that are living by this word or that word, or this devotion or that devotion. I am not against anyone or any devotion, so long as they line up with God's word. But from the majority of what I read, at the very most, it is only a part of God's word, and not the whole counsel or rightly divided. It is also usually hand picked to make me feel very special and very good. Of course, all of God's Word is good. If I follow and obey it, then it will produce good results and feelings as well. All of this is true.
It is also true that the Word of God is the mirror that I am to look at continually. It is also true that when I am not getting the results that have been promised in God's word it would be wise to make sure I am obeying it. God's Word never fails! If I am failing in my life I cannot be speaking and acting on God's Word because it does not produce failure.
What seems to be going on and one area that deception seems to be abounding most is in this area of daily living. I see people who are not succeeding and they are not happy in their lives. Many of them will be honest and even tell you this. But they spend much time following behind ministers and others who only tell them what they want to hear. They only tell them what makes them feel good. This is dangerous because this is the formula that will keep you in that bad way for the rest of your life.This is not the way we want to go.
I have lived both for God and for the devil. I am not proud of that, but it's true nonetheless. I remember one time that things weren't right in my life. I had been hungry for God before, but wasn't hungry at this time. I sat there thinking about the position I was in and where I wanted to be in my life. The Holy Spirit spoke to me and asked, "What were you doing during the times you so hungry for me?" This got me to thinking. I realized that it was what I was doing a that time that was producing those Godly results in my life. The Holy Spirit said, "If you will get back to doing what you were doing at that time you will begin to get the same results you were getting then."
It is not just the Word of God that will change your life! James 1:22 says, "But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." It is when you know, act on, and obey God's word that it produces results in your life. It is important to go to a word church, but that in and of itself will not change your life. If they preach the word at your church then they are loading you up with seed. But it is your responsibility to plant that seed!
This must be understood if we are ever going to come out of where we are today. God wants the best for us and has proven that by giving us the best, Jesus Christ. You and I must take advantage of God's word and walk in the authority we have in the Name of Jesus if we are going to succeed.
You can come out of any place you are in today, but you cannot do it without obeying God's word! Peter was one of the first apostles (Matthew 10:2). Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus (Matthew 14:29). Peter declared his allegiance to Jesus several times. Even when Jesus predicted Peter's denial Peter told Jesus he would never betray him. Peter did mess up and deny Jesus. This brought Peter to a bad place in his life. The bible says that Peter wept bitterly after his decision. Peter knew he messed up. But another point that must be noted is that Jesus never gave up on Peter, and Jesus has never given up on you! Jesus prayed for Peter's restoration ahead of time and even called for him after he was resurrected (Mark 16:7).
If you will draw near to God today he will draw near to you (James 4:8). Don't stay where you are today in life if you are in a bad way. This is not God's plan for your life. God desires that you prosper in every way and that you have the fruit of the Spirit abounding in your life. Open your heart and life up to him and be willing to examine yourself in the light of God's word. By receiving and applying the word of God in your life things will have no option but to change for the better. God's word always works!
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Can You Recover?
The answer to this question will be entirely up to you. I received this revelation through my own personal life experience. God has shown me several things that are very important to know and understand if we are to accomplish his plan for our lives. I pray it blesses you as well. I am only sharing this because I know by the Holy Spirit that there are many that need it.
Contrary to popular belief, every single Christian has to make the decision to obey God's word, or to not obey. A common misconception that I see, especially about ministers, is that we just float through life on the anointing. It is true that each of us has an anointing to do all that God has called us to do, but it is not true that the ministers of the Gospel are any different than anyone else in this area. If I give the devil a place in my life he will come in and destroy me. I do have authority over him, just as you do, but I must exercise this authority or I will fail. Satan is very slick and deceptive and we can only uncover his plots and plans against us as we live by the Word and stay in tune with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides us into the truth of God's word and his word shines light on the devils plans of darkness and defeat for our lives, thus exposing him.
Remember, Satan's plan is always to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). No matter your position or anointing, he desires to render you useless to the kingdom of God by making you feel absolutely worthless and beneficial to no one, including God. I want to make it clear that I allowed him to do this, he cannot destroy any of us at will!
For some time now, Satan had been harassing my mind in one particular area. I was dealing with thoughts that I had never had before. They were thoughts of defeat and destruction, but at a much greater level than I have ever had. I did not properly bring these thoughts into subjection, so they only got worse. This began to affect my disposition, attitude, and even my confidence in God's ability to use me. Because I chose not to bring these thoughts into subjection they began to spill over into other area's of my life. Things came to a head when I allowed them to effect me so much that I said some things to my wife, Laura Leigh, that were much more destructive than edifying. This may happen everyday in many marriages and even be commonplace, but to me it is unacceptable and displeasing to God. We are to love one another, not hurt one another.
We sometimes have the idea that we have to be out committing sin in order for the devil to gain access to our lives. This simply is not true. I know to walk by faith and how to bring wrong thoughts into subjection. As Satan endeavored to convince me that my life and ministry was ineffective, like he has been doing with many of you, I listened more than I should. By not obeying the Word, I opened the door for him in my life. I have learned that Satan does not care how he gains access to your life, as long as he can gain access to your life.
At this time I realized what I had done! I had fallen for the devil's trap! I do not come from a family with many loving, Godly marriages. There are some, but not many men in my family understand the concept of loving your wife like God loves the church. I have tried for years to become the husband that God wants me to be. I definitely have not arrived, but I have gained much ground over the last few years. I have seen my marriage grow so much stronger and become so much more rewarding for Laura Leigh and I. How could I hurt the one person that I love more than anything in the world? How could I say things to her to hurt her when I had been trying so hard for so long to love her, nourish her, and cherish her, as Christ does the church? Why would anybody with good common sense do things to work against the very plan of God in their lives? That is what I want to answer for you today!
Laura Leigh and I are great today! We are in love more than ever before! I thank God that when I did this to her I knew how to fix it. I knew where to go and that is where I went. I got right by myself and went to God! But through this he showed me how people allow the devil to destroy their lives, marriages, finances, relationships, etc. I caught this immediately, but if I had not I could have gone down a path that so many have taken. I could have kept the door open for Satan to destroy my marriage and life.
As I sat down to pray, the first thing I did was repent. Then the Holy Spirit began to show me what I had done. He said, "You know that was the enemy bringing those thoughts to your mind, and you did not bring them into subjection. The more you allowed them to stay, the bigger and stronger they grew. What has happened now is that you have not only allowed the devil to have a place in your life, but you have become a vessel that he has used to harm the very person you love most." I saw at this very instance how people cooperate with the devil to destroy their lives! The even bigger problem is that the majority of the time they have no idea that they are their own worst enemy. This is how deception works!
Where are you at in your relationship with God today? Do you think God is mad or upset with you? How is your marriage today? Do you think everything would be better if your spouse would only do as they are supposed to? What type of relationships do you have in your life? Do you find that when you first meet people everything is great, but then over a period of time you can no longer get along with them? Do you have children that are estranged from you? Do you think often that almost everyone around you is against you and wants to cause you harm?
If you answered yes to any of these questions you need to pray today! If when I say that you immediately start thinking about how wrong the other party is, then you definitely need to pray today! They may genuinely be wrong, but you don't have the authority to change them or make their decisions. But you are responsible for you!
I see that a part 2 of this article will be necessary, but I want to leave you with this. When I missed it I asked God, "Can I fix this?" God said, "You can fix this, but not by doing what you have been doing." I understood clearly what he meant when he said this. This is also when I saw how people cooperate with the enemy to destroy their lives through deception. If I would have continued thinking those wrong thoughts I could have eventually destroyed my life. I thank God that I caught this and addressed it immediately. But the Lord told me that many are in this situation right now and they have not addressed it. Each day their situation is getting worse and they believe it is everyone else's fault that they are in the predicament that they are in. We must get the revelation that we are responsible for the decisions that we make. When we obey God and follow his plan we will not be defeated but we will continually overcome. If I am walking in defeat today I must blame one person, and that is me. God has given us complete mastery over Satan and every evil work, but we must exercise this authority.
Satan will sell me any lie that I will buy. One of the most popular ones is that it is somebody else's fault that my life is in the situation it is in. The reason it is so popular is because it will allow you to completely blame someone else while taking no responsibility for your own actions. The problem with this is that nothing gets better, only worse. Nobody, not even Satan himself, has the power to destroy you. It is only you and I that can make decisions that will put us over or under.
I encourage you today, especially if you are in some of these situations I specified, to get alone with God. It does not matter how bad things are in your life today, Jesus is your answer. No matter how great your sin, no matter how bad your decisions, you will never go to God and be rejected! The Holy Spirit is your helper! If you will ask, he will reveal to you the exact direction you need to take. If you will follow his direction, you will eat of the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19).
I went home shortly after praying about my own personal life. I looked Laura Leigh right in the eyes and apologized, because I was 100% wrong. I may not have realized I was wrong at the time, but that is not relevant. I was wrong and for wrong to be righted you must own up to it! As usual, she lovingly forgave me and we are moving forward. That may seem simple enough, but anything you keep feeding will grow. If you keep feeding the thoughts the devil feeds you they will keep growing until they destroy your life. This may not cause you to dance a jig, but it's still true.
In closing for now, Yes, you can recover! But you must realize that if you are in a bad way, it was your decisions that God you there. It can be God that gets you out, but you must go to him, receive his direction, and obey his direction for things to change.
As a Christian, you have all that you need to succeed. You have the greatest support system ever in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit! Get alone with God today and you will be amazed at the benefits of seeking him and getting his direction in your life!
Monday, November 11, 2013
A Heart to Serve
John 13:13-17 (NIV)
13 You call me "Teacher" and "Lord," and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one that sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
I heard a minister say, "If you will listen to the Holy Spirit he will make you look like a genius." I would have to agree with this statement 100%! It's not that I want to be seen as a genius, but I do want to fulfill the perfect will of God for my life. I will have to listen to the Holy Spirit in order to do that. The Holy Spirit will always lead me in line with God's word. The Holy Spirit will, through the Word of God, bring me to a place of success and balance in my life.
I have been ministering a message lately titled, "The Heart of the Church." I believe that through this message God is not only trying to establish his word in my heart, but also to bring us back to a proper balance concerning our mission, The Great Commission.
I am in no way trying to attack anyone or any church, but I still believe in right and wrong. I still believe we should get our direction, instruction, and correction from God's word with the help of the Holy Spirit. It seems to me that church has become the entertainment center instead of the life changing and training center. When I hear many Christians talk, what seems to dominate conversation is what they like and what they don't. Even concerning church, it is "the music was awesome" or "the message was so encouraging." I hear often, "come to church with us, we have so much fun." Don't get me wrong, it's great to have awesome music and there is nothing wrong with being encouraged, but church is not supposed to be all about me. Church is supposed to be all about Jesus! I am supposed to be getting trained every day and every service to be more like him. If my heart is truly right then my heart's desire is to not please myself always, but to please the one who saved me. I should be encouraged at church, but I should also be equipped and encouraged to action.
You may ask, "Where is all this coming from?" This is not coming from watching others, judging them, and then writing and ministering along these lines.This is what the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention. Many Christians are focused on having fun while family, friends, co workers, and the world is dying and going to hell!
This is specifically what the Holy Spirit said to me, "It is very important that you know and understand who you are in Christ, and your rights, authority, and privileges in him. You cannot live a successful life or fulfill God's plan for your life without knowing this. You are called to rule and reign in this life as Kings and Priests, but it is also very important to remember that your heart is always to be that of a servant."
In the passage above we see Jesus leading by example. Jesus was and is the Only Begotten Son of God. Jesus was and is the Messiah. Yet, Jesus always had his focus absolutely perfect. Jesus' focus was to fulfill God's plan for his life, he walked in absolute mastery and authority over Satan, and he exemplified the heart of a servant from beginning to the end.
Your identification should always be who you are in Christ Jesus. I would never disagree with that. But your heart is always to be that of a servant. Society has told us we could have it our way and so has much of the church, but the true church desires that it's God's way!
Have you asked today or even lately, "God, how could I serve you this day?" I can assure you that if you will stop and ask this question the answer will be revealed to you. As you obey the direction you get from the Holy Spirit in this area you will become a greater vessel for him to use each day.
In closing, I know this is not popular to many today, but that is their own personal choice. Please know that any critical comments will simply be deleted with no response. I have chosen to judge my life by God's word and not others opinions.
13 You call me "Teacher" and "Lord," and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one that sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
I heard a minister say, "If you will listen to the Holy Spirit he will make you look like a genius." I would have to agree with this statement 100%! It's not that I want to be seen as a genius, but I do want to fulfill the perfect will of God for my life. I will have to listen to the Holy Spirit in order to do that. The Holy Spirit will always lead me in line with God's word. The Holy Spirit will, through the Word of God, bring me to a place of success and balance in my life.
I have been ministering a message lately titled, "The Heart of the Church." I believe that through this message God is not only trying to establish his word in my heart, but also to bring us back to a proper balance concerning our mission, The Great Commission.
I am in no way trying to attack anyone or any church, but I still believe in right and wrong. I still believe we should get our direction, instruction, and correction from God's word with the help of the Holy Spirit. It seems to me that church has become the entertainment center instead of the life changing and training center. When I hear many Christians talk, what seems to dominate conversation is what they like and what they don't. Even concerning church, it is "the music was awesome" or "the message was so encouraging." I hear often, "come to church with us, we have so much fun." Don't get me wrong, it's great to have awesome music and there is nothing wrong with being encouraged, but church is not supposed to be all about me. Church is supposed to be all about Jesus! I am supposed to be getting trained every day and every service to be more like him. If my heart is truly right then my heart's desire is to not please myself always, but to please the one who saved me. I should be encouraged at church, but I should also be equipped and encouraged to action.
You may ask, "Where is all this coming from?" This is not coming from watching others, judging them, and then writing and ministering along these lines.This is what the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention. Many Christians are focused on having fun while family, friends, co workers, and the world is dying and going to hell!
This is specifically what the Holy Spirit said to me, "It is very important that you know and understand who you are in Christ, and your rights, authority, and privileges in him. You cannot live a successful life or fulfill God's plan for your life without knowing this. You are called to rule and reign in this life as Kings and Priests, but it is also very important to remember that your heart is always to be that of a servant."
In the passage above we see Jesus leading by example. Jesus was and is the Only Begotten Son of God. Jesus was and is the Messiah. Yet, Jesus always had his focus absolutely perfect. Jesus' focus was to fulfill God's plan for his life, he walked in absolute mastery and authority over Satan, and he exemplified the heart of a servant from beginning to the end.
Your identification should always be who you are in Christ Jesus. I would never disagree with that. But your heart is always to be that of a servant. Society has told us we could have it our way and so has much of the church, but the true church desires that it's God's way!
Have you asked today or even lately, "God, how could I serve you this day?" I can assure you that if you will stop and ask this question the answer will be revealed to you. As you obey the direction you get from the Holy Spirit in this area you will become a greater vessel for him to use each day.
In closing, I know this is not popular to many today, but that is their own personal choice. Please know that any critical comments will simply be deleted with no response. I have chosen to judge my life by God's word and not others opinions.
Monday, October 28, 2013
The Heart of the Church
The Holy Spirit dropped this phrase down in my spirit several weeks back. I, like most every Christian, want to be effective in life, ministry, family, etc. I also understand that in order for me to be effective I must live my life in line with God's word. After all, it is his will, not mine, that I am to be found accomplishing.
What is the heart of the church? What should be the heart of every Christian? I know there are many more answers to this question than you will get here, but I will only share what God has emphasized to me. I also believe as we get back to doing life and church God's way we will be amazed at the results we get.
The Holy Spirit said to me, "Ministry is loving God and helping people." This would completely cover the New Testament commandment of love. Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to seek and save those that were lost (Luke 19:10). Jesus came to fulfill God's will here on the earth. Jesus was moved with compassion for those who were bound by the devil. Do we want to be like Jesus? Does it matter to us that there are people in our circles of influence who are lost, broken, and/or held captive by the enemy?
We are instructed in the Word to follow the example of Jesus. Honestly, at this time it is the Body of Christ that is to carry out God's will here on the earth. It is you and I that should be carrying this gospel to the lost and dying of this world. We are anointed of the Holy Spirit for this purpose.
I know very often we teach and preach about our rights, authority, and privileges in Christ Jesus. This is not wrong and I will continue to do this. But I also know that every single Christian has a ministry! The ministry we have been called to is called the ministry of reconciliation. What does that even mean? It means that now that you are saved you have a responsibility to allow God to use you to bring others into the body as well.
We as a church must get back to loving God and helping people. When was the last time that your prayer included a request of God to put someone in your path to witness to? When was the last time that you looked for someone to encourage? When was the last time that instead of talking about how messed up someone was you invited them to come to church with you so they could get straightened out?
I am not saying that the church as a whole is not growing, but I do believe that we could gain much more ground if reaching the lost and dying of this world was a top priority. No matter where you are in your life today if you will allow him to God will use you to help others. Always remember that the greatest ammunition that you have is to tell others what God has done for you!
What is the heart of the church? What should be the heart of every Christian? I know there are many more answers to this question than you will get here, but I will only share what God has emphasized to me. I also believe as we get back to doing life and church God's way we will be amazed at the results we get.
The Holy Spirit said to me, "Ministry is loving God and helping people." This would completely cover the New Testament commandment of love. Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to seek and save those that were lost (Luke 19:10). Jesus came to fulfill God's will here on the earth. Jesus was moved with compassion for those who were bound by the devil. Do we want to be like Jesus? Does it matter to us that there are people in our circles of influence who are lost, broken, and/or held captive by the enemy?
We are instructed in the Word to follow the example of Jesus. Honestly, at this time it is the Body of Christ that is to carry out God's will here on the earth. It is you and I that should be carrying this gospel to the lost and dying of this world. We are anointed of the Holy Spirit for this purpose.
I know very often we teach and preach about our rights, authority, and privileges in Christ Jesus. This is not wrong and I will continue to do this. But I also know that every single Christian has a ministry! The ministry we have been called to is called the ministry of reconciliation. What does that even mean? It means that now that you are saved you have a responsibility to allow God to use you to bring others into the body as well.
We as a church must get back to loving God and helping people. When was the last time that your prayer included a request of God to put someone in your path to witness to? When was the last time that you looked for someone to encourage? When was the last time that instead of talking about how messed up someone was you invited them to come to church with you so they could get straightened out?
I am not saying that the church as a whole is not growing, but I do believe that we could gain much more ground if reaching the lost and dying of this world was a top priority. No matter where you are in your life today if you will allow him to God will use you to help others. Always remember that the greatest ammunition that you have is to tell others what God has done for you!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Forgiven
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 NKJV
Do you believe that the Word of God is true? Do you believe that God says what he means and means what he says? I pray that you answer yes to both of these questions! I do not believe that any of us will every fully comprehend God's love for us on this side of heaven. 1 John 4:8 says, "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love." God does not just have love, but God is love. Romans 8:31 says, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" It is a scriptural fact that no matter where you are in your life today God is for you and he is on your side! Romans 8:39 says, "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Absolutely nothing can separate you from God's love!
So, what is it in your life today that has caused God to be upset with you and not love you anymore? Why is it that you think you are not good enough to accomplish anything for God? Why is it that you look at other people and always feel like you are less than them? Why is it that you think you are a failure? I know this may not apply to everyone reading this, but there are many that deal with these exact issues. I know this because I have dealt with them myself. Very often the reason people buy these lies from Satan is because he has continually attacked them with their past. One tool that Satan uses to defeat the Christian is to get them to disqualify themselves from being used by God because of how they have missed it before in their lives.
Most of us know that the blood of Jesus can cleanse and make brand new the most rank sinner there has ever been. We know that the blood of Jesus can make a man that has been a murderer a brand new man with the nature of God. We might can't wrap our minds around it, but we know it's true! The reason we know it's true is because the Word of God says so!
Then why can't we believe that when we confess our sins that God does just as he has promised and forgives, forgets, and makes us brand new again like we'd never sinned? Hebrews 8:12 says, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Again, did God mean what he said in his word? Micah 7:19 says, "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."
This is a far cry from God holding your past and past sins against you. Many today need to realize that God does just as he says. Renew your mind with God's word and no longer let who you used to be determine who you are today! If you have confessed that you have sinned God has forgiven you and cast those sins out into the depths of the sea. You need to remind the enemy of this every single time he brings up just how bad you've missed it! It is time that each of us move forward and accomplish God's will for our lives!
I think if God forgives us, we must forgive ourselves. C.S. Lewis
1 John 1:9 NKJV
Do you believe that the Word of God is true? Do you believe that God says what he means and means what he says? I pray that you answer yes to both of these questions! I do not believe that any of us will every fully comprehend God's love for us on this side of heaven. 1 John 4:8 says, "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love." God does not just have love, but God is love. Romans 8:31 says, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" It is a scriptural fact that no matter where you are in your life today God is for you and he is on your side! Romans 8:39 says, "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Absolutely nothing can separate you from God's love!
So, what is it in your life today that has caused God to be upset with you and not love you anymore? Why is it that you think you are not good enough to accomplish anything for God? Why is it that you look at other people and always feel like you are less than them? Why is it that you think you are a failure? I know this may not apply to everyone reading this, but there are many that deal with these exact issues. I know this because I have dealt with them myself. Very often the reason people buy these lies from Satan is because he has continually attacked them with their past. One tool that Satan uses to defeat the Christian is to get them to disqualify themselves from being used by God because of how they have missed it before in their lives.
Most of us know that the blood of Jesus can cleanse and make brand new the most rank sinner there has ever been. We know that the blood of Jesus can make a man that has been a murderer a brand new man with the nature of God. We might can't wrap our minds around it, but we know it's true! The reason we know it's true is because the Word of God says so!
Then why can't we believe that when we confess our sins that God does just as he has promised and forgives, forgets, and makes us brand new again like we'd never sinned? Hebrews 8:12 says, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Again, did God mean what he said in his word? Micah 7:19 says, "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."
This is a far cry from God holding your past and past sins against you. Many today need to realize that God does just as he says. Renew your mind with God's word and no longer let who you used to be determine who you are today! If you have confessed that you have sinned God has forgiven you and cast those sins out into the depths of the sea. You need to remind the enemy of this every single time he brings up just how bad you've missed it! It is time that each of us move forward and accomplish God's will for our lives!
I think if God forgives us, we must forgive ourselves. C.S. Lewis
Monday, September 16, 2013
Exercise Your Gift
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18
It is very interesting that Paul was talking to the same Ephesians that had already been filled with the Spirit under his own ministry! He is telling Spirit filled people to be filled with the Spirit, right? What he is actually telling them is that God desires that they be continually filled with the Spirit. God wants each of us saved and continually filled to the overflow with the Holy Spirit!
In our church service on yesterday we had at filling and refilling service. We had at least one filled for the first time and many refilled! I am almost positive that every single person we laid hands on began to speak in other tongues. This is God's will for every believer! (If you are reading this and you have never heard or do not understand this subject you need to go to our website, rlcmarion.org, and listen to the service on Sunday, September 15, 2013).
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:4
How do we know when we are filled with the Holy Ghost? When we are filled with or full of the Holy Ghost we will begin to speak with other tongues. This is the scriptural evidence that we are full of the Holy Ghost.
Also, it is important to understand that it is not the Holy Spirit taking control of you or the Holy Spirit speaking through you. You do the speaking. The Holy Spirit gives the utterance, or what to say. This has confused many, but understand that God doesn't give you a gift on Sunday morning and then take it back from you. When you receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38,39) you now possess this gift and can pray in the Spirit and stay full of the Spirit each and every day of your life.
Now to our focus point:
But you shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 1:8
This word "power" in the Greek is dunamis which means "inherent power capable of reproducing itself like a dynamo." This is where we get our English word dynamo. The example the Holy Spirit gave me was a generator. We have hurricanes sometimes here in South Carolina. Very often this storm will knock out the power to your home or business. But, if you have purchased a generator you can have power when everyone else's lights are out! Is it enough to have a generator in the storm? Definitely not! You need the generator, but you need fuel is well if you are going to produce power!
I said all of that to say this: When you were given the gift of the Holy Ghost you were given the capability to produce all of the power you need to accomplish everything God has called you to accomplish in this life. But the fuel to keep this power flowing is spending time praying in the Spirit!
What do I need to do now?
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James 1:22
You walk in the fullness of God's blessings when you know what to do, and when you do it!
If you are filled with the Holy Ghost you need to make sure you take the time to exercise your gift daily. If you have never done this, begin by taking about 5 minutes each day to pray in the Spirit (tongues). Even though you may be filled with the Holy Ghost it is extremely important that you exercise your gift daily to develop your heavenly prayer language! Do not worry about how it sounds to you for your natural mind will try and make you think you are crazy. Simply know you are obeying God's word and you will see almost instantaneous results in your walk with God.
I will cover in more detail the purpose and benefits of praying in the Holy Ghost next week at the latest. In the meantime it would benefit you greatly to read Kenneth E. Hagin's book "Why Tongues." It is a mini book that you can read in less than 30 minutes.
In Christ,
Pastor J
Ephesians 5:18
It is very interesting that Paul was talking to the same Ephesians that had already been filled with the Spirit under his own ministry! He is telling Spirit filled people to be filled with the Spirit, right? What he is actually telling them is that God desires that they be continually filled with the Spirit. God wants each of us saved and continually filled to the overflow with the Holy Spirit!
In our church service on yesterday we had at filling and refilling service. We had at least one filled for the first time and many refilled! I am almost positive that every single person we laid hands on began to speak in other tongues. This is God's will for every believer! (If you are reading this and you have never heard or do not understand this subject you need to go to our website, rlcmarion.org, and listen to the service on Sunday, September 15, 2013).
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:4
How do we know when we are filled with the Holy Ghost? When we are filled with or full of the Holy Ghost we will begin to speak with other tongues. This is the scriptural evidence that we are full of the Holy Ghost.
Also, it is important to understand that it is not the Holy Spirit taking control of you or the Holy Spirit speaking through you. You do the speaking. The Holy Spirit gives the utterance, or what to say. This has confused many, but understand that God doesn't give you a gift on Sunday morning and then take it back from you. When you receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38,39) you now possess this gift and can pray in the Spirit and stay full of the Spirit each and every day of your life.
Now to our focus point:
But you shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 1:8
This word "power" in the Greek is dunamis which means "inherent power capable of reproducing itself like a dynamo." This is where we get our English word dynamo. The example the Holy Spirit gave me was a generator. We have hurricanes sometimes here in South Carolina. Very often this storm will knock out the power to your home or business. But, if you have purchased a generator you can have power when everyone else's lights are out! Is it enough to have a generator in the storm? Definitely not! You need the generator, but you need fuel is well if you are going to produce power!
I said all of that to say this: When you were given the gift of the Holy Ghost you were given the capability to produce all of the power you need to accomplish everything God has called you to accomplish in this life. But the fuel to keep this power flowing is spending time praying in the Spirit!
What do I need to do now?
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James 1:22
You walk in the fullness of God's blessings when you know what to do, and when you do it!
If you are filled with the Holy Ghost you need to make sure you take the time to exercise your gift daily. If you have never done this, begin by taking about 5 minutes each day to pray in the Spirit (tongues). Even though you may be filled with the Holy Ghost it is extremely important that you exercise your gift daily to develop your heavenly prayer language! Do not worry about how it sounds to you for your natural mind will try and make you think you are crazy. Simply know you are obeying God's word and you will see almost instantaneous results in your walk with God.
I will cover in more detail the purpose and benefits of praying in the Holy Ghost next week at the latest. In the meantime it would benefit you greatly to read Kenneth E. Hagin's book "Why Tongues." It is a mini book that you can read in less than 30 minutes.
In Christ,
Pastor J
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Whose Plan Are You Following?
Luke 22:42
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
KJV
Do you believe that Jesus is our example? Do you believe that we can follow his example? According to God's word Jesus is an example that each of us as Christians can, and should, follow.
When Jesus made this statement above he was in the garden headed to the cross to die for you and I. Very often we do not realize that Jesus was facing this impending death dealing with the same exact feelings that you and I would have.It is true that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. But it is also true that Jesus stripped himself of his deity and became a man like you and I. Jesus walked this earth as a man anointed of the Holy Ghost just like us!
What I really want to focus on is what Jesus said in this passage. Jesus said, "not my will, but thine be done." This word will means "desire, choice, purpose, or plan." Do you see what Jesus was saying to God the Father? Do you still remember that Jesus is our example and we are supposed to be following him? Jesus was telling the Father that he was not here to accomplish what he wanted, what he desired, or what he would choose. Jesus told the Father that he was not here to accomplish his purpose, but God's!
Whose plan are you following today? Whose desires are you fulfilling today? Are you doing what you want to do or what God wants you to do?
This is what the Holy Spirit spoke to me recently: "The problem with most of my people, especially faith people, is that they have forgotten why Jesus was here. They will tell you that Jesus is the best example of faith. They will tell you that they are to follow him. But, what they have forgotten is that the entire time that Jesus was walking in faith on this earth he was accomplishing my will, and not his own."
The number 1 purpose of faith in the life of the believer is to bring God's will to pass in their lives!
I am not telling you to do anything that I have not been doing. It is time that we examine our lives to see whose plan we are trying to fulfill. Very often we are struggling terrible because we are trying to use our faith in God to accomplish our wills, plans, and desires! God's will is first and foremost his word, but he also has a specific plan for your life that you must pray out and then step out by faith to accomplish!
In Christ,
Pastor Jason
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
KJV
Do you believe that Jesus is our example? Do you believe that we can follow his example? According to God's word Jesus is an example that each of us as Christians can, and should, follow.
When Jesus made this statement above he was in the garden headed to the cross to die for you and I. Very often we do not realize that Jesus was facing this impending death dealing with the same exact feelings that you and I would have.It is true that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. But it is also true that Jesus stripped himself of his deity and became a man like you and I. Jesus walked this earth as a man anointed of the Holy Ghost just like us!
What I really want to focus on is what Jesus said in this passage. Jesus said, "not my will, but thine be done." This word will means "desire, choice, purpose, or plan." Do you see what Jesus was saying to God the Father? Do you still remember that Jesus is our example and we are supposed to be following him? Jesus was telling the Father that he was not here to accomplish what he wanted, what he desired, or what he would choose. Jesus told the Father that he was not here to accomplish his purpose, but God's!
Whose plan are you following today? Whose desires are you fulfilling today? Are you doing what you want to do or what God wants you to do?
This is what the Holy Spirit spoke to me recently: "The problem with most of my people, especially faith people, is that they have forgotten why Jesus was here. They will tell you that Jesus is the best example of faith. They will tell you that they are to follow him. But, what they have forgotten is that the entire time that Jesus was walking in faith on this earth he was accomplishing my will, and not his own."
The number 1 purpose of faith in the life of the believer is to bring God's will to pass in their lives!
I am not telling you to do anything that I have not been doing. It is time that we examine our lives to see whose plan we are trying to fulfill. Very often we are struggling terrible because we are trying to use our faith in God to accomplish our wills, plans, and desires! God's will is first and foremost his word, but he also has a specific plan for your life that you must pray out and then step out by faith to accomplish!
In Christ,
Pastor Jason
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