Who's God? The Holy Spirit Part 1

God is a Covenant Keeper: the Holy Spirit

  
 1. God is a Covenant Keeper: The Promise of the Father
Jesus talked about sending the Promise of the Father:

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” - Acts 1: 4-5 

This scripture alludes to the time John the Baptist said in Luke 3:16:

John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with theHoly Spirit and fire.

This promise that Jesus was talking about is found in Joel 2:28-29:

“And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Notice that God says:

• "all flesh" -not just the spiritual, not just some, but on all
• When the Spirit is poured out, people will prophesy, have special dreams and see vision. When you have the baptism of the Holy Spirit, these are the things you can walk in. It's not just for special people!

2. Who is the Holy Spirit
             Creator

"the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters. Then God said, 'let there be light'... 

- Gen 1:2-3a

This is the first reference to the spirit of God in the whole Bible. Some translations use the word 'brooded' rather than 'hovered' - it conveys the sense of God thinking, imagining, planning, preparing for Creation. Notice that the first thing God did after 'brooding' is to start creating. The Holy Spirit is The Creator.

Helper

 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 

- John 14:26

The word 'helper' is 'parakletos' in Greek, which means 'summoned', 'aide', 'pleader/ intercessor'. I like to think of it as 'wingman' - The Holy Spirit is our support always by your side ready to bring you what you need.


Spirit of Truth

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 

- John 15:26

 He is the Spirit of Truth. Jesus in John 14:6 said, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. 
If Jesus is The Truth, and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, then they are one.


Col 2:9 - Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

Next time - the Work of the Holy Spirit

The Authentic Christ Follower

OK I'm not meant to be on the computer. I'm supposed to be resting my arms that have been typing all day. My physio would not be happy - but here's some things that's been rattling around my heart for a while: authentic discipleship and returning to your first love. I'll talk about a part of the first one today.

A few days ago, I picked up a book called Apprenticeship with Jesus by Gary W. Moon. Gary's words distilled some thoughts that had hung around for some time: consistent, daily change and transformation is the mark of a true follower of Christ. Wasn't it Smith Wigglesworth who said that if a Christian is not going forward, he is sliding backwards?

Apprenticeship is used as an analogy to discipleship in Gary's book. In my mind, apprentices are always learning and changing everyday. Sure, some changes are more gradual: skill takes time to be honed, and character changes like the shift of the afternoon sun - by the time you've noticed that the shadows are longer, you have missed the point of transformation.

I believe that any student on an intensive vocational course would be making changes everyday whether passively or actively. They would also be picking up new skills, better ways to do things, learning about new instruments, becoming more like the Master - both consciously and unconsciously. An apprentice would not be called a good one if they learned some days but failed to learn anything at all on most other days, yet most Christians - myself included - often find ourselves like that.

Please don't take me wrong. I'm not talking about an amazing change everyday. Life's just not like that! But spiritual growth, and the related changes should be happening in our lives more often than every once in a while, and consistently. Such changes should also be long lasting, not just lasting for the holiday periods of Easter and the New Year!

It just strikes me as horribly wrong to be under the tutelage of the Master of the Universe and fail to be irrevocably touched by it - it's not possible...unless you've been wagging your classes!

If Jesus were to come back today, would He call you a faithful servant? What are the obstacles that stop you from truly following Jesus? Who are you really - in private? Is it the same as your public self, or is it a persona you put on display? Is this person you display the same in Church as well as at a party?

I've asked myself - or God has asked me through my thoughts - all these questions. Far from feeling worthless and ready to give up, one should feel convicted to the point of seeking God earnestly. This is the reaction I hope you come to.

Each day is a classroom, everyday has its new lessons as well as its moments to hone something we've learnt previously. If we all thought that being a follower of Christ meant following Him into Heaven while we continue with our lives the way we want, we're asking for a very painful wake-up call - either here on Earth by the mercy of God, or when we stand at the Judgement Throne by our blindness and wilful disobedience. I know which one I'd rather have.

Dear Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus, give me the teachable, willing heart of a faithful student who loves to hear and learn from you. I want to be the kind of Christian that brings a smile to your heart, who is the real deal -- in other words, to be like Your Son -- not just in character but in deed, in palpable righteousness, and in power. 
Don't let me settle for the counterfeit Christianity that takes your mercy and my salvation for granted, then has nothing to show for its faith. Give me the grace to see the opportunities, and the ability to seize them before they slip away. Please be my Teacher each day. Change my heart! Make me more like you. I will incline my ear to you, and set my heart to obey. Amen

To Know Him

Our Youth Group has been going through a series on identity, and 2 weeks ago, we learnt about being a Weapon of Righteousness. To put it in perspective, weapons of mass destruction cause mass destruction, and weapons of righteousness cause righteousness in the sphere of their influence.

We learnt that righteousness is in close relationship to truth, justice, love and blessings. To be a weapon of righteousness means standing for truth, effecting love, justice and blessings. And the Bible promises that a person of righteousness will have life and blessings. But more on that another time.

In my research on this topic, I came across this OMF article that touched me and made me think. There are a lot of charismatic Christians running around saying 'Thus says the Lord' and yelling at demons. I've done it myself. There's nothing wrong with it unless it is done without understanding, and without a core ingredient that makes THE difference: the love of God. This love is so potent, so overwhelming that just a taste of it can transform lives and destinies. Isn't this what we all want?

Many Christians tend to think that salvation and power is what they have, and all that they need. But without love, we are merely noise, clanging symbols (1 Cor 13:1-3). It's the stuff of Bible-bashing -- all noise and completely pointless, not to mention destructive. Notice how the ladies were doing the best with what they knew about the Name of Jesus -- but they were acting out of fear and ignorance. And I'll go out on a limb to say that if we don't do something with the love of God, we are probably leaving Him out of it more than we realise.

There is one very basic factor in living as a Christian, and it can be lost in the myriad of 'doings': it's relationship. If you know God, you will have His love. These two things give you all the authority you need when you pray.

Acts 19:14-16 tells us about some exorcists who set out to try out this magical name of Jesus Christ that they had heard Paul use. Instead, they had a demon growling at them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" before sending them out of the house torn and naked.

It is essential to truly know God. Knowing God is not simply going to Church, praying and knowing the Bible back to front. These are all good things, and are essential towards that relationship but it is easy to just 'do' it and still not truly know God, just like reading letters from someone can give you a sense of who they are, but without time, effort and frequent heart-to-heart interaction, that relationship stays only at the stage of 'knowledge'.

I can assure you now that God is a force to be reckoned with. The world has dumbed Him down to a simpering do-gooder irrelevant to the modern age but I've personally felt a dark pain instantly lift at the Name of Jesus, nausea instantly cease after prayer, experience the wisdom of following His counsel, the reality of true prophecy, the startling feeling of a powerful presence filling the room and the beautiful comfort that comes with it. This is a living God. And He is everything He says He is.

Do you truly know Him?

Ways of the Mustard Seed 3

In a previous post about the Mustard Seed kind of faith, we said that when Jesus said, 'Have faith in God' in Luke 11:22, the original Greek is 'Have the faith OF God'.

Well! How do we get the faith OF God? The same way we come to trust in someone else's abilities -- spend time with them, talk with them, listen to them: Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Rom 10:17)


God's Word is life and power. It was His Word that brought the world into being; every blade of grass and dainty butterfly, towering volcanic inferno, raging hurricane and whispering breeze on a sunny spring morning was brought into existence by His Words.

The Bible also says that His Word is our spiritual staple: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of the mouth of God (Deut 8:3)  -- we were made to thrive on the spiritual food of God's Word. This is because we are spiritual beings with a physical body. We cannot live on physical bread alone. 


Our spirits need food too, and just like we can feed our bodies junk as well as wholesome food, there is junk and wholesome spiritual food. God's Word is the equivalent of Nanna's home-cooked, healthy, fresh-from-the-garden meals. You grow strong and happy on it.


It's not enough to just hear. We need to receive it in our hearts, believe it, do it, develop it. This takes time to do; just as it takes time to build up muscles. 

It takes time and effort, the right diet, and the right exercise. So it is with our spiritual faith muscles. Your diet is the Word of God. You must take the time to fill yourself with it, and make the effort to use that faith.


So if there's something that looks impossible - it isn't. Not to God. Get an infusion of His faith, change your diet. Find out what He's saying about your impossible situation, then have the faith of God, and speak the same to that mountain!

Ways of the Mustard Seed 2

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you." Luke 17:6

Mustard seeds are tiny. But one seed holds a lot of potential.


Faith, when it is borne of hearing and believing God's Word, is like a little packet of dynamite with so much potential it could move a tree from the top of a hill to the bottom of the sea.


Mark 11:22 has a similar verse to Luke:

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 

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.

Derek Prince, in His teaching 'Gifts of Power' said that the original Greek actually implies, "have the faith of God". (Check out Derek Prince's teachings. If you sign up to the free newsletter, they often give away free CDs of his teachings.)


If so, this means:

• God wants to give us His faith
• We are able to receive His faith & work in it
• Nothing will be impossible for us when we agree with God's Word on something!

This agrees with something else Jesus said (on this same topic) in Matt 17:20:

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

Nothing is impossible for God, and therefore if we are acting by God's leading, and step out in His faith, the impossible becomes possible. It's important to realise that this is the important caveat to all the above verses.


We have no business acting on something outside of God's leading. If we decide to do something that runs against the character and will of God as revealed in His Word, we step outside the right to act in God's faith. We also step outside His blessing and protection. 


It's not that He doesn't want to bless and protect us - it's more that He cannot endorse our actions or words if it doesn't agree with His Word. God will always be true to His Word. 


Moreover, if we willingly step out of His Word, God will not override our choice since He gave us the freedom to choose our own paths. So if you choose to step out, He'll let you go out from under the umbrella of His blessing and protection, although not without some warning. 


God's grace is amazing - He may step in to prevent something from going too far, or to protect someone else, but that same grace also allows you to taste the fruit of your choice so that you know God's way is still the best way.


However, just because God is not in something doesn't mean that we won't accomplish something amazing without Him. The human will is amazing -- it can complete astonishing feats, but any feat without God is potentially destructive - both to yourself, and to others, no matter how amazing or innocent it might seem at first.


Notice also that Jesus' example of the potency of a small measure of pure faith is something that seems bizarre and impossible -- that a tree would uproot itself from the ground and plant itself into the sea, or that a mountain could do the same. 


As with anything about God, the faith of God overrides physical and natural laws. Look at the parting of the Red Sea, the healing of blind eyes, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego's fiery experience -- all of them defy natural laws. God is not bound by the physical laws He made. So don't expect God to do things your way, or the way that looks the most logical. Do you trust Him?


How do you get such faith, or apply it? It's simpler than you think. More on that another time.

Staying on the Right Road

Stay on the path and you won't touch the poisoned apples.

"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Gal 5:16. Walking in the Spirit is basically living out God's character and power in your own life. To do so is a daily battle between your natural inclination to laziness and sin, and the desire to do right.

"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matt 26:41

We all know first-hand how weak our flesh is so the first thing to walking in the Spirit is to remember that if you are Christ's, there is no condemnation from God over your weaknesses or failings: you can be assured of His mercy and love. If you acknowledge your wrongs and repent, God is faithful and just to forgive you. If you are forgiven, then it is Christ's righteousness that is accounted to you, not your own flawed one.

That aside now, how do we stay walking in the Spirit?

1. Put God First
Whoever you respect the most has the most influence over your choices.
Even the most spiritual person could still respect their own opinion and ideas over God's. When they do that, they have not subjected themselves to Him and therefore will find it easy to override the little nudge inside their hearts.

But it is important to note that the person you subject yourselves to also has power over you. Would you rather have Satan power over you, or God? Satan will encourage you to do what you want, but only in order to seek your destruction. God guides us to protect and lead to blessing and fulfillment of your potential. If you subject yourself to Him, He gives you the power to overcome all temptation and troubles with Satan.

There is an example I read once that is a good picture. Let's say you were a sailor on a ship where a political situation is forcing you to choose between your Captain or the First Mate. Whoever you choose, you will make available to them your time, skills, and loyalty. When they order you to do something, you will do so because you have set yourself to obey that person. You could alternatively decide that you will not be subject to either, and will do as you please.

We have the same situation played out everyday between God, ourselves, or Satan. The difference is that in this world, there are only two sides: the flesh or the Spirit. The flesh listens to its own desires and rejects the things of the Spirit -- this is exactly what Satan encourages because the flesh opposes the desires of the Spirit (Rom 8:7; Gal 5:17). Those who choose to subject themselves to the Spirit do the opposite and will find that they are following the ways and characteristics of the Lord.

Who do you respect more? Many Christians are on a round-robin of allegiance: sometimes you listen to God, but for the rest of the time, you do it your way. If you want to be able to walk consistently in the Spirit, subject yourself only to God.

2. Choose to Walk in Love
Love is the fulfillment of the whole law (Rom 1:10), and is the heart of God's character (1 John 4:16) . It is easy to give in to the urge for revenge, anger, unforgiveness and bitterness. But each of these work like maggots inside you; they cause rot that destroys you from the inside out, with great pain.

Love always chooses to honour others above themselves (1 Cor 13). Choosing to walk in love may go against the grain but to walk in love is to walk in the Spirit, and it will bring life rather than death to your relationship, situation, or private life.

3. Watch What You Absorb
We exhibit the nature of what we absorb. We absorb ideas, emotions and attitudes by hearing, watching and thinking over things.

It is almost universally agreed ('almost' because not everyone is convinced) that people who habitually watch or play violent movies or computer games are likely to be actually violent in real life.

If you have a problem with lust of any kind, you feed it by giving in to its desires, and giving your mind and body over to its urges. In consequence, it will grow and invade other areas of your life, and sooner or later, that problem you were hiding will become blatantly obvious. If you starve the desire for lust and feed your soul wholesome things, it will abate.

If you are hungry and want junk food but fill yourself with good food, the urge for junk food loses its power.

In the same way, if you feed your soul patience, joy, care for others, the Word of God, time in His presence, then you will exhibit God's nature, including the fruits of the Spirit.


How will you walk today?

Tapping into Unlimited Ability

Why is it sometimes we just can't make it? All our best efforts seem unrecognised, or not needed. Sure, when we set out to just do something that doesn't bother anyone, we can do it. But if we want to do a 'something' that counts, that changes lives, we are left helpless staring at the limitations of our ability.

I don't just want to say things to entertain, or write to tickle someone's fancy but not reach their heart. Sometimes we hit on a gem. Most times it's easy to just become part of the overall clamour of humanity.

How can we always hit the mark for someone out there? Without becoming completely drained and unhappy? They say that the best things come when you are not trying hard, but I think it's more than that.

Today, I am reminded that my best is nothing without God. After all, '...your life is hid with Christ in God' (Col 3:3). Only He is still able to stand out amidst that clamour. We forget that God wants to touch hearts more than we do. We can't do it without Him.

When we try to do things solely by our own understanding and ability, we will always fall short. We may have a God-idea but it must also be done by His power. To tap into God's ability, we need to work in complete partnership with Him. Yet, most times, we treat God as an oracle, or genie, ('Help me!') and when everything goes well, we say 'Go me! This is awesome!'

But partnership with God means letting Him be who He is with us - and that means Master, King, Friend. The Master and King always has a good plan - so we should find out what it is and follow it. Being our Friend means that we are on more than speaking terms - we are family, precious, beloved. We can trust Him to watch our back. We can discuss, laugh and joke together. But that never negates the fact that He is still sovereign and is worthy of our awe.

'God, you lead the way, and I'll come. You give the order and I'll follow.'

From experience, I've found this approach the most stress-free, most powerful path to follow. People are helped, but not because of me. But I do forget.

Digging for Treasure

We settle for too little. I, for one, find this a recurring theme. We complain if we're bored but often can't be bothered getting off the couch to do something about it. The inertia can be overwhelming.

Comfort is good but if we live doing all we can to stay comfortable and convenient, our hearts become numb. All of us were created with a spark, that if put to tinder would light up to be a mighty fire that others will come to catch some of. We each know that the inertia becomes nothing when we stand up and just DO IT.

So this is your little encouragement to stave off inertia for today. You were made to live for more than yourself. You have so much to give in away that only you can deliver. You already have what it takes to make a difference NOW. You might have plans for the future and think, 'I need this, and that'. Yes, but what about today? What do you have now that you can use?

But it means means ditching routine, the daily grind, the automatic modes of our lives. It means challenging ourselves, stepping outside of our comfort zone once in a while to do something bigger than ourselves, to live for something bigger than ourselves. It means investing ourselves in others because when we leave this Earth, the only thing about us that lives on is our legacy in others' lives. The world isn't all roses but you don't have to leave it that way.

Jesus said He had come to bring abundant life, but He sacrificed it in order to do so. In the same way, if we try to keep our lives, and keep it comfortable, we'll lose it because it will go numb and die on us. Seeds have to die as a seed in order to be born as a plant.

Scudding along the surface of life is safe but...flat. If we want to truly live, we need to break the numbness of our hearts and make the effort to dig deeper everyday, to go beyond routine, the humdrum, in every activity, in every conversation to find the treasures around us - even if it means some extra effort or discomfort.

So...
how often do you go out of your way to help someone?
Purposefully look for ways to make someone's day?
Ask 'how are you' and be actually interested in how they are?
Plan a night of purpose, not self-entertainment? Habitually?
Shake the automatic mode during praise and worship and press in to a place where you have bared your heart to God and got it renewed?
Took communion with tears?
Prayed to hear God talk, not just yourself?
Made time to pray for someone you said 'I'll pray for you' to?
Prayed for a relative stranger with such fervency that there were tears in your eyes, and red patches on your knees?
Allow preaching to grip your heart and challenge you?
Not just read the Bible but connect with it?
...

How will you dig deeper tomorrow?

All Smoke and No Fire

Did you know that it's possible to operate in anointing without the presence of God? But without His presence, you operate without the source of ability and you run on a limited tank, and also without the power to transform lives.

Sometimes I think we end up worshipping the anointing rather than the Anointer: we lap up the atmosphere, are entertained by the speakers, enjoy the music, dance and jump when it's all good. But what if there wasn't any atmosphere? What if the speaker spoke the truth with sincerity but lacked pizzazz? Would you listen just as hard? What if the music was terrible and the singer off-tune? Could you still sing and jump and have a good time? We can be such superficial people.

The Bible warns that in the last days, there will be more and more people who want their ears tickled more than to hear the truth (2 Tim 4:3-4). Are you one of them?

It is possible to be oblivious to the fact that God is not there, or that you have moved on without Him. There are Church services like that. Serving God without God is a dangerous place to be. Why? Because anointing (ability, dynamism) is irrevocable. It's a gift. But if you're not plugged in, the batteries quickly dry up.

And as surely as a pool of water cut off from the river will stagnate, stink, collect rubbish and die, so will the Christian who serves God but is losing intimacy with Him. If you starve the intimacy, you starve the ability to operate out of life-giving power.

When you are close to God, the glimpses you get of His greatness keep you down-to-earth. Your regular talks with Him bring inspiration, creativity, uncanny timing. But without the life of God coursing through you, anointed people become like a talented monkey showing their skill for entertainment. God is so amazing that He can still use your talents to make a difference. But you'll stink. And stink attracts maggots. There are people rotting inside and dispensing spiritual death but don't know it. They are smoke without fire.

Don't get me wrong. Nobody starts out wanting to go that way. Usually, the right intentions are still there. Rather, it's easy to fall into the traps of laziness, dependency on ourselves, putting other things ahead of our relationship with God. When that happens, our waters begin to stagnate, and the good intentions we may have become tainted with the rubbish of the world.

Many mighty Christians fall because of little things that built up to become big things to separate them from God. Separation from the source of power leads to weakness against temptations. And when they fall, they take a whole lot of people with them, people who become disillusioned, hurt, confused. People who are disconnected from God will minister death. No one is immune from these traps; everyone is susceptible, and all are called to be alert.

Which would you rather be? Defend your time with God, and make each moment count to know and live in His presence.

Lose it, Find it

The Bible is filled with seemingly back-to-front concepts:

it is more blessed to give than to receive; 

pray for your enemies and do good to them;

...

and the list goes on.

The most challenging one (I think) is this: 

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matt 16:25

What??

The commentaries all agree that 'whoever desires to save his life' is in the context of someone trying to save himself from trouble/persecution by denying Christ. This person will find that denying Jesus lets him off in his physical life, but such a person has lost sight of his destination -- he risks losing his eternal life.

This makes sense since the following verse says:

or what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Conversely, if we refuse to deny Christ when push comes to shove, we'll receive an eternal reward.

May we avoid being like Peter, who denied Christ when it was convenient to meld in with the crowd.