Currently reading WHY? Trusting God When You Don’t Understand by Anne Graham Lotz.
It makes some interesting points about trusting the hand of God even when you don’t experience it or see it. That God can help you soar over your problems, etc.
Beth Moore also had traumas that she had to overcome, Joyce Meyer, lots of spiritual leaders seem to have had these challenges.
One underlying factor in their lives though seems to be that they had God first, then the problems came up. And they had the basis of their relationship with God to lean on.
What troubles me, is (very selfishly) people in my situation, where the troubles were intense before I even really knew that God existed, when I was a child.
I know that troubles are tough no matter whether or not you believe in God, but why would God (who knows our complete lives before we were born), throw such a challenge on a child before they have any feet to stand on. I know that it took a long time for me to sort out things enough to ask God into my life, but I also know that there are many from similar situations to mine, some on Xanga, that have turned their backs on God, like I did for 40 years, only they won’t turn back to God.
Why would a loving God risk his relationship with his children by putting such obstacles in their path.
I don’t know if I am asking this question clearly or not. But sometimes when I read a book by whom I consider to be a very spiritual person and they talk about how their faith pulled them through the trial, it hurts, because I wasn’t given that faith by God first, before the fiery trials. Makes me wonder. Sorry for the pity party, but things are tough right now emotionally for me.
Any ideas?
Heather
Yesterday we had a lot of fun. My oldest was invited to a birthday party, and there were canoes. When we went to pick him up, we were allowed to use the canoes, so here are pictures of my two sons, my husband and Katherine canoeing.
Now, Katherine did row, but she was taking a break for a few minutes. It was a beautiful day, so we stayed and played.
Glad Xanga is back up and running!!!
Heather
Wow, I was praying today about how to deal with weight loss, as I hit a glitch yesterday. There are days when the inner hurt is pretty tough and I start using food as a way to stuff feelings. Yesterday was one of those days where I used 10 of my optional points in a way that was not fun, just stuffing food that wasn’t even desired, just there.
Well this morning the Girl Scout Council of our area sent me an email about an organization called America on the move. www.americaonthemove.org And you can sign up to begin walking. And as you walk you can earn donations to an organization of your choice. So I signed up, and I think it will inspire me to do the walking that I need to do. So God was the answer to a prayer. If any of you are interested, you may have an organization in your area that could benefit from your doing exercise. If not, and you want to support my girl scout council, let me know and I will gladly email you the code number for them.
I could use prayers today to stop this spiral before it goes more downward. Why is it that weight loss can cause so many emotions to surface?
Hope you have a great day. Today is Friday and Bible study. Can’t wait, and I will share the notes with you as soon as I get some time on the computer this evening.
Heather
The kids are pretty much done with school now, except for a few regent’s exams, so my time on the computer has been significantly cut down. Here is Tuesday’s Bible study.
Pastor Don was talking about how many people mis-represent
1 Corinthians 13:8 to imply that the gifts of healing and prophesy died with the apostles. In order to do that, they need to take that part of the verse out of context.
Chapter 13 can be nick-named the LOVE chapter, and the whole chapter is about love, perfect love, agape love. The kind of love that God has for us (and one Bible teacher taught that you could substitute the word God for the word love and this chapter would make sense).
Love is a power based on faith, and true love never gives up. Faith walketh by love.
If we love a person in the flesh, there is often failure in the relationship. Failure in communication, in actions, for we are not perfect and we cannot in the flesh love in the perfect way that God can love us.
1 Corinthians 1:8 “Love never fails. But whether there are prophesies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”
Pastor Don then took the clauses of the above verse and put them next to perfect love. And he said that prophesies made in the flesh will fail compared to perfect love. That in the flesh that sometimes the motive behind making the prophesy may not be love, it could be to get a point across, to look very spiritual, because one is expected to make a prophesy. These kind of prophesies that are made in the flesh will fail.
Some prophesies are given in love, but not necessarily result in love. For example when the angel told Lot to get out because he was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot was reluctant to leave and Lot’s wife, looked back instead of following the angel’s instructions.
In the eternal presence of God, once we are in heaven, prophesies will fail because once we are in heaven, all prophesies will be completed, and we won’t need to prophesy anymore, for we will know all things clearly.
Tongues will cease when we are in heaven, because why would we need a tongue? Communication will be instantaneous, we will have the Mind of Christ, and all things will have been made clear to us.
1 Cor. 14:2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
While we are in our fleshly bodies, we speak in tongues and speak to God, once we are in Heaven, we will be face to face to God, and all mysteries will be made clear. We will not have to speak in mysteries to confound the evil one, we will be speaking mind to mind.
1 Cor. 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For indeed you give thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, then ten thousand words in a tongue.
Paul did pray in tongues more than others, but in the appropriate place, in the Church he did not pray overmuch in tongues, but rather prayed with his understanding. There is a place for both tongues and for speaking with understanding, but both are part of our prayer life.
In heaven we have no separation between the sprit and the physical, and when we are in heaven we will all be changed, corruption will put on the incorruptible. So we will then not need tongues in heaven, but on earth, there are times when we do need tongues.
When we pray in tongues we are edifying our spirit, and often praying what we are not certain we need to be praying for. But in heaven we will have all knowledge, and then tongues will vanish away. We will have the ability to instantly gather knowledge, have the answers to all our questions answered.
1 Cor. 13:9-10 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
The Bible is perfect. It is the perfect word of God spoken to an imperfect vessel. But, just as we look at various translations of the Bible, it is not the EXACT words of God, which were spoken to the Spirits of the vessels who wrote the Bible, but it is the Word of God we have, that has lasted through the ages. But we really don’t know what language God spoke the Bible to the people who wrote them.
When you think a thought, you have a whole idea. When you try to put the words of that idea down on paper, you cannot fully put down the complete words.
The Word of God is perfect, as God spoke it. But often when we take the perfect word of God, we interpret it in many different ways.
There is a difference between the Rhema word and the written word.
(Heather’s addition, this is not to say that we do not fully accept the Bible as the Word of God, for our church is a Bible-based church, but we do have to realize that people do mis-interpret what they read in the Bible, and draw wrong conclusions.)
Some will use verse 10 to say that Christ came down to earth, and he was perfect, so therefore because he came down, the need for healing and prophesies were done. But Christ, whenever people wanted to worship him, would always tell them to worship the father who was perfect, not himself. He did not accept worship until after the work of the cross. A careful reading of the Bible will show that not all of the prophesies have been fulfilled, and the Perfect Christ will not return until in Revelation, when He comes to rule and reign. So until the perfect has come, we still have need of prophesies, tongues, healings, for we are in an imperfect world.
Paul said that we see in a mirror darkly, but then face to face. Right now in our fleshly bodies we do not see as clearly as we will in our heavenly bodies. When Christ comes in the flesh again, that which is in part will be done away, and not all prophesy is completed until Christ come again.
Many theologians and thinkers think we don’t need the gifts of the spirit anymore because we have the Word of God, and we can use our intellect to solve the problems, and the knowledge of the Word of God is enough. It is childish to think that God left man on the earth and he can handle things without God and without his gifts of the sprit.
It would be like a child in a cowboy suit with a cap gun, fighting a battle in a crack house. WE can’t function on the basis of intellect in a supernatural world.
If we believe that the gifts of the spirit ended after the last apostle died, then that would be about AD 100 (which would be the longest period of time John would have been alive), then how do you account for some of the passages in a book called A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs.
Pastor Don read a lot of passages from this book from 210 (Totulian -not sure how to spell) and Cyprian in 250, who talked about healing, deliverance and the usage of the gifts of the spirit to command sickness, demons and devils out of people.
The Apostolic Constitution of 390 speaks about how even unordained people could cast out demons in the name of Christ.
It is our fault that the healing and casting out of demons stopped. Our job is to put the Word of God to the test and use what God gave us.
As Christians we are not making use of the gifts God gave us, and we should not let false teachings deter us from doing what Christ gave us to do.
Hope you enjoy this study, if there are errors, it is my notetaking. I got there a bit late, due to a meeting (I seem to be stuck going to the adult leader’s meetings of groups) and was a bit frazzled.
Heather
Good morning, for those of you students who are missing school, here is a homework assignment (she says smiling) or for those of us who just love to study the word, the same homework assignment applies. It is opinion, not research perse.
I got to speak with Pastor Don yesterday and we went over what I had researched for the Bible study. He likes what I have done so far, but I know I need to do some more work.
He asked me to find examples from everyday life to fit the behavior of those listed in my study.
King Saul – might be political correctness, or the stance on abortion, wanting to please the people, not following God’s laws.
Pharaoh
Balaam maybe could be a backstabber. Saying sweet and kind words to your face that sound Godly, or saying God’s words, but then going behind the back and undermining your position by false teachings. Not sure about this.
Judas is betraying God, or betraying a person, wrongly accusing, and then regretting the words said, but the hurt is still done.
David
Job
Prodigal son. seems to be a picture of salvation.
I am not sure what to do with Aiken, he doesn’t completely fit pure repentence and there was no redeeming on earth.
So if you have any everyday ideas about the above list of characters, I would love to hear them. Some I am drawing a blank on, and for the few that I came up with, I would love other examples, even names of current people in the news that might fit.
Thanks.
I will write out Tuesday’s Bible study later today. It was on
1 Corinthians 13:7 to end of chapter,
Heather
Pastor Don wants me to teach a Bible study, so this week I was praying about what to do a word search on. I started out with the concept of shame and guilt, but then a thought came to me, that people said, I have sinned. Not all people who say this are repentent, and I was curious about who in the Bible said, “I have sinned.”
Here is the list I came across, If you know of any others who have said, “I have sinned” please let me know.
These four realized that they sinned, but did not repent or change direction after they made that confession.
Pharoah
Balaam
Judas
King Saul
These three have said, “I have sinned” and repented, even the repenting did not prevent them from facing the consequences of their actions, but they did make a heart change. Job did not say “I have sinned” in those exact words, but his words implied that he did.
David
Job
Aiken
Pharoah sat through several plagues that God gave the land of Egypt because Pharoah refused to let the Israelites leave Egypt. These plagues were very pointed, and two things I noticed were that they were directly related to the various gods that the Egyptians worshipped, and told Pharoah who believed he was like a god, that God was the all powerful one. But if you look at what the plagues are and read Revelation, you will see that they mirror the plagues that occur after the scroll, trumpets and bowls are used.
Exodus 9:27-34 Pharoah says I have sinned. The truth is, he had sinned all along, and all he wanted to do was stop the destruction of the crops. Moses knew that Pharoah was not really repentent and said as much in verse 30, “But as for you and your servants, I knw that you will not yet fear the Lord God.” Yet Moses went out, and spread his hands, and God made the hail stop.
The scary verse in this passage is Exodus 9:35 So the heart of Pharoah WAS HARD. Up until then, Pharoah hardened his heart, by the time of this 7th plague, his heart was Hard, and from that time on, God hardened Pharoah’s heart, because that was what Pharoah wished. He had no desire to repent or turn around, even after his heart was broken at the death of his first born son. There was no repentence in Pharoah.
It is important to realize that the 7th plague dealt with the first crop of growing cycle in Egypt. God spared the wheat and the spelt, the second crop of the growing cycle.
God was merciful to the Egyptians. But they did not repent of their treatment of the Israelites. In Revelation there are two hailstorms, the first one comes after the first trumpet sounds when hail and fire mixed with blood is thrown to the earth destroying a third of the trees, and all the green grass. Rev. 8:7.
I will add on to this study later today, but Jim need computer now for work.
Heather
Pictures:
Here is a picture of Katherine (green shirt) and the Middle School Band taking a bow after a wonderful spring concert. Katherine plays flute and piccolo.
There she is walking off stage.
Yesterday’s boy scout car wash. A few of the boy scouts sisters came to help out. This is the first car of the day, all hands at work. My oldest son is the one scrubbing the top of the car with a brush, my middle son is on the other side of the car out of camera range.
Taking a break between cars. These three girls are in my girl scout troup and the two other adults are co-leaders for my Girl Scout troop and we are all committe chairpeople in the boy scout troup. Keeps us adults on our toes.
About 30 minutes later after the car wash pictures were taken, we had a major thunder and rainstorm, so had to close up shop early, but the boys managed to wash one last car in the pouring rain. That is true dedication.
Heather
Pastor Don asked one of our members, Maria, to talk about the Blood of Jesus. He pointed out that after a big move of God, the tendency is to relax, lose a bit of vigilance, bask in the glow of what happened. But that is dangerous because once there is a move of God, that attracts the attention of satan and his minions. He is wanting to attack us with doubt and unbelief, to try and take away the blessings we were given. So after a move of God is the time to pray hard and to plead the blood of Jesus.
In Revelation 12:11 it says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”
We are bought with a price, the price is the precious blood of Jesus.
1 Peter 1:18-19 “…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
Now we need to move forward, to make a heart adjustment and walk in the light of what the Holy Spirit gave us, this event will become a memorial for us,to mark another step along the path, and we move from mark to mark.
The word precious, in verse 19, is the key word If you are starving, food is precious. If you are thirsty, water is precious. When you are beset with sins (as we all are) the blood of Jesus is precious to us.
When Jesus’ blood was shed, it did not just cover us, but it released us from sin. The Israelites would, once a year go to the temple to make sacrifice of a spotless lamb to atone for their sins, but it did not remove their sins, they had to make this sacrifice year after year after year.
Jesus’s sacrifice was once for all, forever. The blood is sacred and there is life in the blood. Jesus’ blood gives us eternal life. He is the perfect sacrifice.
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
We are continually cleansed by the blood of Jesus, but we must repent our sins. To repent means to make a 180 degree turn, to turn away from the sin, make a change and make a heart adjustment.
We do not have to walk around in guilt and sin if we make a mistake, for Jesus died for all our sins, past, present and future.
God loves us, we are his kids, and we can go boldly into the throne room as his kids. As we love Him back, we will want to please him, and change our life to do His will.
Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.”
Hebrews 9:22 “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.”
Hebrews Chapters 7, 8, 9, and 10 talks about the blood of Jesus and would make a great study.
Judgment requires the blood, so we can be passed over for our sins because of the blood of Jesus. It is in a way like the picture portrayed by the Passover, where the lamb was slain, and the people whose doorposts had the blood of the lamb on it were passed over when the angel of death passed over the houses.
What is awesome is that God helps us to renew our minds, and to see clearly, he purchased for us eternal life. Before we were washed in the blood (accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior and confessed our sins, and repented of what we did), our minds were distorted. As we see in a mirror darkly, but when our minds become more Christ-like, we will see things clearly.
One way to know if you are seeing things distorted is if you are so convinced that you are right about an issue. Where we are so sure we are right and they are wrong, unless it is Biblical, we may be distorted in our view of things. Also those are the areas in our lives where we are very touchy, because we have similar sins. It is much easier to pick out the flaws in another person than to look honestly at ourselves.We can stunt our growth by distortion,temptation, etc.
Revelation 1:5 …And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”
Jesus has accomplished it all for us. All we have to do is walk in the light of the Word, magnify the Word, use IT IS WRITTEN. Walk in the light and be loosed. We need to get out of our mind and into a bigger mind set.
What we focus on earth, has no eternal significance. Finances, prestige, pride, job, car will not go with us into eternity. We need to make an internal heart adjustment and focus on God and what God wants, and He will then move mountains for us. But we are not to do this focusing on God so that He will move mountains. The purpose of our heart must be to worship God.
If we are not loosed from a sin or a problem or a need, we must ask God to take care of it. he will help us to do it. We can believe the Word, we can believe God, and God will orchestrate the change for us. We do not need to control the orchestration.
Our part to play is to magnify the Lord, function in His strength, enter into the perfect will. We are in the palm of His hand.
Hebrews 8:6-10 “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says; “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
We want His love and understanding to be on our hearts. Our hearts are circumcised by what Christ did, and our hearts are made tender. We will not sin not because of a list of laws, but because of the love we have for the Lord and his Mercy towards us.
Hebrews 8:11-13 “None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” In that He says, “A new covenant” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”
Hebrews 7: 26-28 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s; for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
God Himself came down for us, to die for us. He was perfect. Lived 33 years on the earth without one sin, unlike the Israelite priesthood who had to sacrifice to atone for their sins.
Hebrews 10: 19-25 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Because of the cleansing blood of Jesus, I can go boldly before God. Unlike the old covenant, when only once a year, with great ceremony, and in fear and trepidation could one priest approach the Holy of Holies to offer sacrifice, we can walk into the throne room of God. Christ in us, the hope of glory, we want to try and walk as He walked.
Sometimes, when we watch the move of the Spirit we wonder at why one gets healed and another doesn’t. Why someone who has lived a seemingly holy life for years doesn’t seem to receive the answer they are seeking and an unsaved, unsavory person receives a big blessing.
We have to trust God’s sovereignty, and know that He knows the best way to work in a person’s life, to hold onto what we are confessing and trust in God even if the external circumstances do not seem to be changing in the physical. Much could be happening in the spiritual.
Knowing about gardens, Maria told us that the point of the graft is where the plant is cut. And then the part to be grafted in is put where the cut was. She then went on to say that before his crucifixion, Jesus was cut many times with the whip, and he had perfect cuts in His body for each of us to be grafted in. Perfect cuts to meet with the sin of yours. Forgiveness is important.
Mark 11:23-24 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Never give up, never surrender, if you don’t have what you are desiring manifested for you, you must keep believing God.
It is impossible to please God if we do not have faith.
If we are out of the perfect will of God for us, we must ask forgiveness, and we will be back into right position immediately when we repent. God is concerned with our hearts and the eternal picture for our lives.
His blood will cause you to sing a new song. Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song…
Romans 3:23-26 “..For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.”
We have all sinned. A new born in Christ is in as right a standing and righteous as you are , even if you have been in the Lord for years and years and years. They may not have all the knowledge, but they are still righteous in Christ.
Then we spent the end of the Bible study in prayer. To cover our pastors, the church, the people, and the work that the Sprit did and is doing.
Hope you enjoyed this study. Maria is a very insightful teacher.
Heather
First pictures.
Here is a picture of Pastor Danquah on the left, a friend of his who is a pastor in Saratoga, New York, and Pastor Don Moore on the right.
Jim took a picture of me and Pastor Danquah
The text of last night’s study was Acts 2: 1-4, 13 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. (3) Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. ..(13)Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”
When Pentecost came the disciples were drunk with spiritual drunkenness. This was something done by God, and as always, what God does, the devil has a counterfeit for.
Ephesians 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit…
When you are drunk with the Holy Spirit, you are controlled by the Holy Spirit. If you are drunk with alcohol, you are controlled by the power of alcohol. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and these steps are controlled by the Holy Spirit.
At this day of Pentecost, they were all together in one place, in one accord. They heard a sound like the rushing wind.
God would want us as Christians to always be drunk in the Holy Spirit.
Proverbs 23: 29-30 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine.
With physical drunkenness you sit long at the wine. To get drunk in the Holy Spirit you must tarry long to get drunk. It is not instant. We want instant results, but it is a process. The disciples tarried 10 days, and spent the time before the Lord. To let the Holy Spirit work on you, you have to tarry long. Spend time in prayer and in the Word. You cannot just pray a few minutes and expect to have that relationship with the Holy Spirit, you need to consistently pray and meditate on God and the Word.
Boozers seek mixed wine (mixed drinks) for they want to get a very powerful high from the alcohol. If one bar is closed they SEEK for a place to fill their physical need for alcohol.
With the Holy Spirit you must SEEK the Holy Ghost, keep on seeking. As Paul says, press on toward the prize. If you seek, Jesus says, you shall find.
Proverbs 23:31-33 Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things.
When the Holy Spirit stirs itself, get there. When God moves, move along with Him. Get yourself where the Spirit is moving.
Benefits.
1. V. 32 Physical alcohol bites like a serpent. If we get drunk in the Holy Spirit (filled with the Holy Spirit) demons, serpents, powers of the enemy will fear you. You become a danger zone for the enemy. If you fill yourself with the Spirit, there is no room for satan to get a toe hold. Become a devil chaser.
Remember the sons of Sceva, who tried to counterfeit the works of Paul in casting out demons. The demons said, Jesus and Paul we know, but who are you, and they were possessed by the demons. We can’t imitate our relationship with Christ. And we must be fully drunk in the Spirit (filled with the Holy Spirit) before we begin a spiritual battle. We do not do works on our own power but through Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is important to know where we stand, to know Jesus, and to stay filled with the Spirit. To start your day filled with the Spirit, and continue filling as the day progresses, and go to bed filled with the Spirit.
Demons are not comfortable with light, and darkness flees from the light of the Spirit. Health and sickness cannot reside together, sickness will flee from the Health given by the Spirit.
The accuser that eats at us, satan, confusion, depression, despair will flee from the light of the Spirit.
2. Strange words, and perverse thoughts follow alcohol consumption. When you are physically drunk, even a woman who looks awful will seem beautiful to you because your mind is clouded by alcohol.
In the Spirit, you have a sort of sixth sense, and can see the supernatural. You see more than the ordinary person sees. God opens our eyes, and we have discernment. Jesus did not commit to men, for he knew what we were and our limitations. He discerned us and our ways. We have to make a choice, to be in the spirit of the devil, or the Spirit of God.
Pastor Danquah said that in Africa the shamans can put substances in food or chant over the food to bring the anointing to a halt. That is why it is so important to say grace over our food. To give thanks to God, for nothing of evil can stay where God is present and invited.
A believer must see what an unbeliever can’t see, and that discernment will help both. We can see ahead of time because we have the Word of God to show us what will be.
It is sad to say that many Christians do not operate with the discernment that God has made available to us. It is said in the Bible that in the last days men will dream dreams, and women will prophesy. But we do not listen to our dreams and visions. If we have them, we need to pray about them to make sure they are from God. The gifts of the Spirit operate in our lives today.
3. 33b in alcohol, people are led to utter perverse things. They say things that are not beneficial to themselves or to others. Often they regret what they say later on.
The Holy Spirit declares by inspiration the mind of the Almighty God, it declares – Thus says the Lord. Prophesy in the Holy Spirit, declare God’s words and the angels of God will get busy for you.
In Jude it says to build yourself up in the most holy faith, pray in the Holy Ghost,.
It will, if you pray consistently, get so filling in you that your body cannot contain the power of the Spirit and it will pour forth.
Often people want to feel that emotions are not part of the spiritual walk, but emotions are good, as long as they are grounded by the Spirit and you are lead to display them maturely.
A pastor cannot just lose himself in the Spirit. He functions in the Spirit, the Spirit controls him, but in the midst of people He must still be in control and acting maturely. It must be ordered, and appropriate.
If you drink physical alcohol, you often end up throwing up. In the Holy Spirit you throw up demons, sickness, things that are not of God. (Pastor Don yelled out, not on my carpet as a joke. It is not a physical throwing up, but a spiritual removal of what bars you from growing in God).
Keep getting drunk in the Spirit, don’t get dry. Pray in the Spirit, pray in tongues all the time. Often Christians put a printed prayer on the wall, or say five minutes of prayer a day at most. You cannot keep your self anointed with the Spirit with just five minutes of prayer a day. You need to soak yourself in the spirit.
There are times when you might not have the faith you need, or you might get physically sick, but we don’t have to entertain the sickness. The Holy Spirit can help you drive out the sickness.
Pastor Don, at another Bible study once told us that we should be praying in the Spirit as often as possible. To begin our day by rolling out of the bed onto our knees, praying during the day, when you do dishes, drive your car, every second you can (you can pray quietly so it is not noticed by people around you), and you should pray before going to sleep at night. Keep ourselves covered in prayer.
Hope you enjoyed this study. As soon as my resident CD minister and husband (Jim) makes the second day available to me, I will share that as well. I missed the talk due to an academic awards ceremony where my kids were being honored.
Hope you have a great day.
Heather
