Spirit #16 – When God Speaks

Workings of the Holy Spirit

Courtesy: Dean Williams 2012

God is always speaking. Do we know when to listen? For spiritual Christians, he speaks to us by:

 

1. Spirit (Acts 11:12-Peter; 6:10-Stephen);
2. Angels (Luke 1:26-38-Mary);
3. The mouths of his holy prophets (Luke 1:70-Zacharias);
4. Day or night visions (Acts 11:5-Peter; 16:9, 10-Paul); or,
5. A quickened bible verse (—was this you?).

Sometimes, he troubles our spirit to warn us of unpleasant circumstances (John 13:21-Jesus’ betrayal). If it’s to serve a greater purpose, then we are to prepare because God will not change the situation.

He sends dreams to non-Christian cultures, too. When they don’t listen, he sends the dream to others, and they tell the non-listener (Matt. 27:19-Pilate’s wife to Pilate). God troubles or disturbs their spirit to get them to pay attention to the dream (Gen. 41:8-Pharaoh; Dan. 2:3 -Nebuchadnezzar). Otherwise, it’s a dream easily forgotten upon waking up.

God speaks to the non-spiritual person through natural or physical occurrences, i.e. a gathering storm-cloud at sea (so don’t go out in a boat!)

To everybody, God speaks wisdom in the form of advice, concern, or counsel through the mouths of those who care for us, like our family, friends, relatives, co-workers, and those in authority.

The list is unlimited because God is unlimited! Thus, if we hold strict expectations that God speaks only to Christians, then through our arrogance we’ve shortened God’s reach and limited his mercy to all.

Truthfully? Only our little faith and lack of love blinds us to the mysterious ways of God.

We welcome your comments.

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Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Spirit #15 – A More Excellent Way

Workings of the Holy Spirit  

courtesy: Dean Williams 2012

Sometimes I wonder if spiritual churches have lost their way. Once a church is charismatic or Pentecostal (defined as displaying the gifts of the Spirit), then the focus is on receiving the Spirit and the accompanying gifts (1 Cor. 12:8-10). All good.

However, the apostle Paul clearly argued for an emphasis on the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23)—more particularly love. The reason for love is to prevent schisms (splits, breaks, rifts) among the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:25) as each member—i.e. the academic or the street person—manifests the gifts. While that is happening, it is important to hold together like glue. Love’s definitions will help guide you (1 Cor. 13:4-7 NIV).

Spiritual gifts accelerate the growth process of faith, whether you’re one who manifests the gifts, or one who is a recipient of the manifestation.

Since God will one day stop spiritual gifts from flowing through you (1 Cor. 13:8-10 NIV) consider the gifts as a means to come to the “unity of the faith”; and the growing of spiritual fruit as the ends—that the church may come to the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).

To fight the good fight of faith (Gal. 5:22, 23; 1 Tim. 6:11, 12) may be admirable; but to be patient, kind, envy-free, not boastful, humble, considerate, selfless, slow to anger, thinks only good, rejoices with the truth, always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres—is the more excellent way—because love never fails.

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Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scriptures marked “NIV” are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Spirit #14 – Your Confession is Your Reality

Workings of the Holy Spirit

courtesy: Dean Williams 2012

Churches that manifest spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:8-10), appear to manifest fear as well:

• A Christian woman attends a large church that manifests the gifts of the Spirit. However, she visited our smaller church for help. When we listened to her, we noticed that her confession was always about “satan this” or the “devil that”. She had a lot of fear.

• On a different day, I passed by a group of boys from a nearby Christian middle school. They were talking about pvp (player vs. player) games. The subject of choosing computer names came up. One boy—probably not more than 13 years old—told the group: “Yeah, if you wanna scare Christians, just make 666 or demon part of your name!” They laughed.

Our churches are infected with fear. Yet, isn’t it odd that mature church members are clueless to what adolescent school boys are alert to?

So get a clue. If you’re hitting bumps in the road, do you often confess that the devil is hindering you? Why give him so much power over your life? All a humble Christian has to do is “resist” him and he’ll run (James 4:7)!

Or, if you’ve been too busy chasing after spiritual gifts that you haven’t made time to bring forth spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-23), then fear will be your new best friend.

So get another clue. Spiritual fruit—especially love—assure us of our continued connection to Christ Jesus (John 15:2-17). That connection helps us confess that Jesus within us is greater “than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

All relationships take work. So, if you’ve managed to lose your connection to the Vine, what else can your confession contain but “he that is in the world”?

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Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Spirit #13 – After the Holy Spirit, the Fall Out

Workings of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit appeared as tongues of fire upon the few frightened believers hiding in an upper room. Afterward, they poured out into the streets—full of courage and joy—and preached the gospel for the first time since Jesus’ death and resurrection (Acts 2).

Thus begins the spiritual journey of three types of born-again, spirit-filled Christians:

The first type seems to have lost all ability to think reasonably. These bark up trees, crawl on all fours in the church aisle, or slap other Christians—while claiming these behaviors are from God. Please…

The second type are barren Christians eager to manifest all of the power gifts of the Spirit, yet, bring none of the Spirit’s fruit to the family of man, the family of God, or even their own families. Tsk…

The third type loves God and others from the heart—with tough love. God anoints their heart since that is where all actions originate. Thus, they manifest the anointing through 1) what they say; 2) what they do; 3) what they see; 4) what they smell; and/or 5) what they hear. Until they familiarize themselves with their consecration, they too will offend. It’s just part of our walk of ignorance. Sigh…

The bottom line is to keep love, keep faith, and keep going. Until we “get it”, maybe those who we’ve offended along the way, will forgive us and—dare we hope?—befriend us again.

After all, if even for one season, we’re all destined to walk alone.

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Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Spirit #12 – Glorify God in Your Body

Workings of the Holy Spirit

There are two ways our bodies can glorify (*#1392 dŏxazō, esteem or honor) God. The first is through suffering or death:

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify (dŏxazō, esteem) God on this behalf (1 Peter 4:16); or

Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify (dŏxazō, honor) God (John 21:19 NIV);

The second is by pursuing a lifestyle that comes up to God’s standards (Eph. 4:22 - 32). Afterwards, our bodies become a living sacrifice that glorifies (dŏxazō, esteems) God—and in return, God glorifies (dŏxazō, esteems) us:

…your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost…therefore glorify (dŏxazō, esteem) God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Cor. 6:19, 20);

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son…And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified (dŏxazō, honored). What, then…? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom. 8:29-31 NIV)

Jesus is the express image of God. After we conform to the Son’s likeness, we become the express image of Jesus—not in his deity—but in his character!

Thanks to the ministry of the Spirit, and the work by the Spirit of the Lord, our transfiguration is made possible from glory (dŏxa, very apparent honor, dignity) to glory (dŏxa, very apparent honor, dignity) (2 Cor. 3:18).

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Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scriptures marked “NIV” are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

* Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.