Monday Meditations – Episode 4

Originally written August 8, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/29/monday-meditations-acts-18/

Today's Meditation Verse:

Acts 1:8

8But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.

I became born again when I was 13 years old. I had known, walked with and loved the Lord for many years prior, but realized at 13 that I needed to be born again. I attended a denominational church at that time that focused on salvation and very little else.

I had such a heart for the Lord and yet I still felt like there was something more, something else I was missing.

Then on Thanksgiving night in 1977 a co-worker who had become a friend whom had also began to mentor me spiritually led me to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. On that night I received, from true hunger the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. My life was never the same again.

A fire was birthed in me, an undeniable passion for Christ that was insatiable and continues to this very day.

Many years ago while reading in the Amplified Bible I noticed the paragraphs in verse 8. The word that stood out to me was the word 'efficiency'. For many years I had been amazed at just how much more I was able to accomplish than any of my other co-workers. I did my work, quicker, better and with much more professionalism than anyone else.

It was so noticeable that I was asked by my manager to speak to the entire department at the national meeting on why I was so successful. I knew, and told him, that my success was only because of the Lord working in and through me. But I still had to speak at the national meeting about the steps I took to do my work.

The number one comment I received from everyone was that what I did, was just too much work! But what they didn't realize was that I was able to accomplish much more in much less time than they did because of the efficiency of the Holy Spirit in my life.

When I read this scripture and saw the word efficiency I finally had biblical proof that my ability to work efficiently had been totally and completely due to the power that I had received from the Holy Spirit.

When you say you do not have enough time to do this or that, or to even spend time with the Lord, you are wrong! Spend time with Him ask for the Holy Spirit power and you will receive the power that gives efficiency. Your work will become so efficient that it will get done better in a fraction of the time.

Rest in the Spirit. Don't work harder, work smarter with the power of the Holy Spirit!

Each Monday I am going to be having 'Monday Meditations'. I hope to bring to you each Monday a verse to mediate on for the week. This is not for memorization, but to think about and to dwell on. The word meditate, in the bible, means to mutter. So this week as you go about your life, think about and mutter to yourself the verse for the week and think about how it applies to your life. Meditating on a verse will bind it to your spirit and it will become part of you! The more of the Word you meditate on, the more it will transform you into the image of Christ!

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Archive Story

Episode 16

Originally written March 1, 2023

Religion - A Dead Man Walking

Sometimes I say things that shock people. Saying that religion is still, after thousands of years, standing in the way of God fully doing what he wants to do on this earth may be shocking to many people.

But I am completely honest in making that statement, and it is our fault.

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We Alone Are To Blame

Religion is divisive. It puts boundaries around opinions, thoughts, and ideas, of what a group of people determine is right and it excludes everyone else that does not believe exactly that way. Of course, if the 'others' will change to thinking and believing their way, then they will be included.

Once the myriad of boundaries are in place, then the walls are constructed and boom, bob's your uncle, you have what we call a church. And we have literally thousands upon thousands of them across the globe. Each one perpetuating their own brand of religion and they will die defending that they are right, and the only ones that are.

Don't Be Tempted to Discard What I am Saying

Yes, I am on a soapbox. I've felt this way for a very long time and I feel quite at a loss of what to do. It is honestly my number one prayer request. That God would supernaturally destroy those religious walls in a radical explosion of his mighty power. That we would stop with our diehard desire to be right at all costs, and the cost is high.

Being right, if we even are, will not save a person from an eternity away from God. Being right will not help the homeless, feed the hungry, and tend to ANY in need. We would rather choose to die on the hill of our own opinion than venture out from behind those walls and join hands with others who do not agree with us.

Being Right Doesn't Matter

Putting aside our petty differences and joining hands in unity will accomplish what God has ordained for us to do. And the truth is that none of us is completely right. We have all been given, by divine design, a piece of the truth and only by uniting can we have the whole.

But that takes us daring to have an open mind and, at the very least, listen to others in other 'religions'. Listening will not taint your belief system, but the Holy Spirit may take that opportunity to reveal to you another facet of his dimension that you never knew before.

Dare to Listen to Those Who Do Not Agree With You

Many boxed religion buildings, otherwise called churches, do a measure of community outreach and ministry. If it is done with a genuine hunger to love those in need that is great. If you have an ulterior motive such as to 'get them into your tidy little group', then you have already failed. We must eliminate the desire to fill our four walls, increase our bank rolls, and brag about how many 'we' have.

But, these religious walls are concrete obstructive barriers that keep more out than will ever come in. They segregate the kingdom of God and forbid unity.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to" (Matthew 23:13)

We can do quite a bit separated into our small boxed religious buildings, but I have a dream of unity, where we all come together with only one agreement - Jesus is Lord. When I think of the possibility of what we could do and how our world would change, I salivate from eagerness.

The Kingdom of God Will Take Over

Reading and re-reading the bible from front to back, it is clearly evident that God's plan is and always was to get us back to the garden where his glory reigned and there was unity.

His kingdom is meant to unite into one body upon which he is the head. In the last few decades I have seen the ekklesia grow more and more in unity, but there is still too much dissension. Too much jealousy and backbiting.

I Corinthians 3:1-9 1) And I, brothers and sisters, could not speak to you as spiritual people, but only as fleshly, as to infants in Christ. 2) I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to consume it. But even now you are not yet able, 3) for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like ordinary people? 4) or when one person says, "I am with Paul," and another, "I am with Apollos," are you not ordinary people? 5) What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6) I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7) So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8) Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9) For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. NAS

We See Us - God Sees Us in Jesus

However, even with increased unity in many areas, the trend which the hardcore naysayers and criticizers of others in the body, have grown more vicious and rabid in their detrimental hammering of others they deem as heretics.

They are hungry to tear down others in the body at any cost, only because they believe differently than the way they do. And they are angry. They declare them the enemy and that they must be of the devil. To them, that makes what they are saying and doing right. But no one who says Jesus is Lord does so aside from the power of the Holy Spirit.

I Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. NAS

We Are Not the Holy Spirit

We must stop trying to perfect others that Christ himself sees redeemed in Jesus. We are all on a different journey to our salvation in Christ Jesus. It is dangerous for us to meddle and try to force another journey on others. That is the job of the Holy Spirit.

Phillipians 2:12 & 13 12)So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13) for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure. NAS

We label our own selves, which highlights our disunity. I am a ______ (insert any denomination). Since I was young, I always wondered why anyone would define themselves by their segregation within the body rather than defining or labeling themselves simply a Christ follower, or a Christian.

Our Words Should Never Bring Condemnation

Social media, as much as I love it, has given a platform to those who want to rail against others in the kingdom of God. Their excuses are plentiful and meant to justify any criticism they so desire to fling out into the world. But there is nothing Christ-like in these actions. And it pushes more people away from the body of Christ than it will ever pull in.

Matthew 12: 33-37 33)"Either assume the tree to be good as well as its fruit good, or assume the tree to be bad as well as its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.

34) You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, express any good things? For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart.

35) The good person brings out of his good treasure good things; and the evil person brings out of his evil treasure evil things.

36) But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment.

37) For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." NAS

Unity does not mean being and acting or even thinking alike. Unity means having grace and compassion for everyone else out there, and I mean everyone else, regardless.

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Miracle Story

Episode 16

A Horrifying Ordeal

Sometime around 1984 my dad was having trouble swallowing. They went to many different doctors in an attempt to get a diagnosis. There were some crazy suggestions, none of which were right.

Since my mother's brother was an MD, he did a referral to MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, TX. You couldn't get in without one.

Listen to my professionally narrated audio books and other podcasts here: AUDIO BOOKS & ALL PODCASTS.

The Found It

Within just a few moments with Dr. Gepfort, he found a cancerous tumor in my father's esophagus. All the weeks and months of seeking a diagnosis in Oklahoma had caused them to lose precious time.

My father was admitted to the hospital and they had to removed not only his esophagus but also his voice box. That was devastating news, but at least they had gotten all the cancer.

Slow Recovery

My dad was not quick to recover however, and remained in the ICU for several weeks. About six weeks in, he got pneumonia.

I had remained in Oklahoma. The kids were in school, and I had a small flower shop to operate as well as the family farm. It was summertime, so it was the busy season for the farm. My mom would call with daily updates.

One day while I was working at the flower shop my mom called me. She had called to tell me that the doctors had told her that it didn't look good and that I should fly down to see my father before he passed away.

Come and Say Good-bye

I knew that words were the rudder that navigated our lives, so I simply said. "I'll call you back."

I went to the front of my flower shop and locked the front door so no one would come in. I knew I was going to lay on the floor and deeply intercede for my father's life.

I laid on the floor on my back and looked up at the clock. I had been Spirit filled for about nine years by that time. I had prayed in the Spirit many times over many situations. I had even entered into deep intercession a few times.

I Knew to Pray in The Spirit

This day though, when I began to pray in the Spirit and move into that deep intercession, it was incredibly different. The words were hard to utter and they didn't flow as usual. But, I continued.

As I prayed, I saw my father's ICU room. I had never been there and had no idea what it looked like. But in a vision, as I prayed, I saw it.

There in the room was a black entity hovering over my dad's body. I knew it was the angel or rather demon of death. I continued to pray and saw two large angles grab the demon, one on each side of him. They drug him to the corner of the room and held him there.

The Angel of Death

I continued to pray. I wanted that demon to be removed completely from the room. But, soon I realized that the intercession was over having finished its work. Even though it had only lasted for a few minutes, it was the hardest physical, mental, and spiritual battle I had ever experienced.

I opened my eyes, looked at the time and then drifted off to sleep from exhaustion. I only slept for about twenty minutes. When I woke up I called my mom and simply said, "I'm not coming."

Many times our actions confirm our beliefs. I knew what had been done in the spirit realm. Staying put was a stand that showed I believed in what I had seen and what I knew.

Your Response Reflects Your Faith

This was not something I had to think about and decide to do in order to make a statement. I just knew there was no need for me to come because he would be fine.

I told my mom about my experience praying and that I had prayed until I felt it broken over him. She then asked me what time that was and I told her.

She began to cry. She had been in the room at the time and she said at the exact time I felt the release, my father took a big sigh of relief and let it go. In that room with my father she saw the result of what I had seen and felt in the spirit realm.

And, in just about a week, my father was removed from the ICU for the first time since his surgery several weeks prior. His health continued to improve and came home one month from being released from ICU.

He Healed and Came Home

He did have to make several trips back and forth from Oklahoma to MD Anderson for radiation treatment. But was soon back home where he continued to improve.

I know that many people who are Christians, and who love and serve the Lord, have said that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues passed away with the disciples. There are others who agree it still exists today but, that it isn't for everyone.

Many Christians feel that receiving the Holy Spirit when they became a Christian is good enough and that they don't need all the supernatural what-not.

They Are Missing Out On So Much

This makes me very sad. I know that God designed for us to live fully immersed in the Holy Spirit inside and out, and as Paul said praying in the Spirit at all times.

Why? Well for so many reasons. We often don't know what we should be praying for but the Holy Spirit does, and when you pray in the Spirit which is in tongues, you are praying exactly what needs to be prayed so that the problem will be resolved.

We often don't know what is exactly going on in the spirit realm so our prayers with words of understanding are often not the words we should be praying.

Romans 8:26-27 26) Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27) and He who searches the heart knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God

There are times I've felt the urge to pray in the Spirit and had no idea why, but I knew my obedience was needed and prayers would be answered because of it. In fact I know in those times that someone's life may be dependent on it.

Fearing What You Don't Understand

Many Christians shy away from it because it seems too 'mystical' and they fear it. They fear that they can't control it or that they may do embarrassing things like roll on the floor and scream out.

I've never done either of those things. I won't speak about those who do, but for me I've always known that I have complete control over when and where I pray in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and won't violate the free will that God the Father has given us.

It makes me sad to know that so many people could have helped their loved ones, and even themselves by praying in the Spirit. God does hear our natural prayers and he does answer them, but having a hotline to voice the perfect prayer is priceless.

It Doesn't Make Us Perfect

Does being Baptized in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues make us perfect? No, it does not. What it does, is gives us a tool that gives us an edge over and above to use as we need.

If I had not been baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues and had not learned how to intercede in the Spirit, I believe my father would have never left that ICU which would have had more serious repercussions.

This was just a means to an end that I will write about in a coming blog post. Living a life in the Spirit is multi-faceted and so exciting. I wouldn't want to live any other way.

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Faith and Belief - Two Completely Different Things

Monday Meditation – Episode 2

Originally written August 15 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/15/monday-meditations-hebrews-111/

Today's Meditation Verse:

Hebrews 11:1 KJ

I Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

This verse is the definition of faith! What is faith? Well if you will picture this with me…

You want to build a patio so you get some boards and you begin to build a form with those boards the size of the patio you want to build. You could say that the form is the hope of a patio.

Then you get your concrete and it begins to pour into the form and takes the shape of the form. The concrete is the substance of the patio.

You could take that little analogy and read it into the verse this way:

Now concrete is the substance of the patio hoped for, and the evidence of the patio before it was seen.

What is it today that you hope for? Begin to see what it is and what it will be. That is hope. Then as you walk with God allow Him to 'fill-in' your form of hope until you have what you were seeing as you hoped!

Wednesday Word Study – Episode 2

Originally written August 17, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/17/wednesday-word-study-faith-2/

Hebrews 11:1 AMP

1NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, [a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

This is the Strong's Greek Concordance Number 4102 Transliteration: pistisPhonetic Spelling: (pis'-tis)Definition: faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

I love the way this verse reads in the Amplified version. Faith is the assurance, the title deed of the things we hope for.

Once you hold the title deed to something, it is yours! No one can take it away unless you give it to them and sign it over to them.

So, if we hope for our children to come to the Lord, or if we hope for the finances to get out of debt, or if we hope for healing for our bodies, do we also have the faith to fill the hope? Do we have divine assurance that this will happen?

You cannot generate hope by yourself. It must come from God. It is a God given gift; a divine gift.

Romans 12:3 Amplified Bible

3) For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service].

There is a difference between belief and faith. You may say you believe something, but the devil himself believes. Belief is something you choose on your own usually based on previous experience. Faith is a gift. Human belief is merely confidence. Faith is a God given assurance in something. Something that probably hasn't even happened yet. Belief is based in the past. Faith is based in the future.

Ephesians 2:8-9 Amplified Bible

8) For it is by grace [God's remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; 9) not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].

When the world says they have faith that their car won't break down, that is simply belief that their car won't break down. From repeated past experiences they believe it will function properly on that day too, and that it won't break down.

Faith is a gift of the Spirit and is divine assurance. So when a believer says they have faith that their car won't break down, it could very well be that they have divine assurance that their car will not break down. They believe because they have read about and know firsthand about God's divine care and protection over His children. They have received the faith for the promise ahead.

Evaluate your faith today. Do you use the word faith when you really mean you believe? Is your belief based on repeat experience and knowledge, or do you really have faith based on divine assurance?

Receive faith from the Holy Spirit today. The faith that can move mountains.

Friday Finale – Episode 2

Originally written August 19, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/19/are-confusing-faith-with-belief/

Are You Confusing Faith With Belief?

Have you ever encountered someone who made a comment similar to: "Their faith was shattered"? Or maybe they said it of themselves, "After that situation, my faith was just shattered".

The problem with these comments is that they are confusing Faith with Belief.

As we learned on Wednesday Word Study – Faith, there is a difference between the two.

Faith is a divine gift from God. It is a DIVINE certainty that something will or will not happen. It is a knowing that cannot be described or touched, but resides deep in our soul, our inner most being. A divine gift from God that cannot be shattered, damaged or destroyed.

Belief is a confidence that something is a certain way, will or will not happen. It resides in the mind of an individual. It is usually based on previous experiences or training.

I used to ponder this scripture a lot:

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

Having lived a life of faith and faith teaching for almost 40 years this used to stump me. How can hope be deferred if our hope is in Christ and our faith is in Him?

Well while studying faith this week I have come to realize something very important that I believe will help all of us, me included. There isn't a one of us out there who have hoped, prayed and believed for something that didn't happen.

I would say that most of the time we were quick to just say that it must not have been God's will for us. But we know even when we are saying it that it just doesn't ring true in our hearts. But it is the only explanation we have.

We many times are referring to this very scripture below when we come to that conclusion.

1 John 5:14-15 AMP14And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.

15And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.

But we as His children seek to be in His will. I know there are times when a certain job or move is not of Him and when we don't get the job or we make the move and then it doesn't feel right or work out, we know that it was not His will.

But there are so many things in our lives that we can have certainty are His will and when we hope towards them and then they don't happened we are shaken.

We know that on the trip to Calvary Jesus took 39 stripes for our healing. He bought and paid for it there so we would never have to be sick again. Yet here we are struggling with this very thing.

He also became poor and weak so we did not have to be poor and weak. He became sin and took the penalty once and for all for our sin so we would never have to suffer the punishment of sin.

There are certainties in the bible that we know are God's will and yet when we pray, hope and believe, they do not come to pass. We believe that because we did not receive our healing that God did not mean for us to be healed. Or maybe that our healing was not bought and paid for by Christ and that healing is not for everyone, but for God to choose on a case by case basis.

But we must know that is not true. God is no respecter of persons. He loves us equally and would never withhold one universal gift from one of His children while giving it to another.

We have often chalked it up to 'not enough faith'. We've come up with a multitude of reasons and excuses because we refuse to believe that the scriptures we read and studied about faith are wrong.

So where is the disconnect?

I have come to believe that the disconnect is in our concept of faith. I have come to believe that what we many times refer to as faith is really just a belief that something will happen.

Remember as we talked about on Wednesday, faith is a divine gift from God. It is not something we can generate or create on our own. It resides in our inner most being and is just something we know without any definitions or explanations, we just know!

I think what we do so many times is that we build a form of hope for something we want or need to happen, but instead of pouring faith into the form, we pour our own belief into the form.

Hebrews 11:1 KJV Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen

We must pour the supernatural gift of faith into our hope to manifest or materialize what we hope for. If we pour our own mental belief into our hope mistaking it for faith, our hope will be deferred! Our heart will be made sick!

So what must we do then? We must spend time with the Holy Spirit, requesting and receiving His gifts from Him. We must read the Word and allow the Spirit to teach us and bring revelation knowledge to us. We must listen to faith based teaching by credible pastors and teachers. We must share testimonies of faith with our friends, family and co-workers. This is how we grow that seed of divine faith given to us!

And even past experiences can produce faith when you tell them to yourself and to others again and again! When you recite to yourself all that God has done and you 'hear' it again, it builds your faith. Faith comes from the Holy Spirit BY hearing! Our faith will arise in our spirit man in the pit of our soul and that faith will not be denied!

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Once again we need to rethink what we know about this word, this concept. Are you filling your form of hope today with true Holy Spirit faith or are you filling it with your own mental belief?

God has given His only son not only for our spiritual salvation, but for all the gifts a child of God is entitled to. He has even provided the gift of faith to pour into our hope to materialize those gifts here on this earth. But YOU must be the one to engage in a relationship with the Holy Spirit to receive those gifts.

Luke 11:13 AMP13If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts [a]that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and [b]continue to ask Him!

Invite the Holy Spirit into your life today to teach you, comfort you and grant you His gifts.

This is the full teaching on this subject in one place. You will flow from the Monday Meditation to the Wednesday Word Study and then the Friday Finale where I bring the teaching home with in depth teaching.

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A Horrifying Ordeal

Sometime around 1984 my dad was having trouble swallowing. They went to many different doctors in an attempt to get a diagnosis. There were some crazy suggestions, none of which were right.

Listen to my professionally narrated audio books and other podcasts here: AUDIO BOOKS & ALL PODCASTS.

Since my mother’s brother was an MD, he did a referral to MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, TX. You couldn’t get in without one.

The Found It

Within just a few moments with Dr. Gepfort, he found a cancerous tumor in my father’s esophagus. All the weeks and months of seeking a diagnosis in Oklahoma had caused them to lose precious time.

My father was admitted to the hospital and they had to removed not only his esophagus but also his voice box. That was devastating news, but at least they had gotten all the cancer.

Slow Recovery

My dad was not quick to recover however, and remained in the ICU for several weeks. About six weeks in, he got pneumonia.

I had remained in Oklahoma. The kids were in school, and I had a small flower shop to operate as well as the family farm. It was summertime, so it was the busy season for the farm. My mom would call with daily updates.

One day while I was working at the flower shop my mom called me. She had called to tell me that the doctors had told her that it didn’t look good and that I should fly down to see my father before he passed away.

Come and Say Good-bye

I knew that words were the rudder that navigated our lives, so I simply said. “I’ll call you back.”

I went to the front of my flower shop and locked the front door so no one would come in. I knew I was going to lay on the floor and deeply intercede for my father’s life.

I laid on the floor on my back and looked up at the clock. I had been Spirit filled for about nine years by that time. I had prayed in the Spirit many times over many situations. I had even entered into deep intercession a few times.

I Knew to Pray in The Spirit

This day though, when I began to pray in the Spirit and move into that deep intercession, it was incredibly different. The words were hard to utter and they didn’t flow as usual. But, I continued.

As I prayed, I saw my father’s ICU room. I had never been there and had no idea what it looked like. But in a vision, as I prayed, I saw it.

There in the room was a black entity hovering over my dad’s body. I knew it was the angel or rather demon of death. I continued to pray and saw two large angles grab the demon, one on each side of him. They drug him to the corner of the room and held him there.

The Angel of Death

I continued to pray. I wanted that demon to be removed completely from the room. But, soon I realized that the intercession was over having finished its work. Even though it had only lasted for a few minutes, it was the hardest physical, mental, and spiritual battle I had ever experienced.

I opened my eyes, looked at the time and then drifted off to sleep from exhaustion. I only slept for about twenty minutes. When I woke up I called my mom and simply said, “I’m not coming.”

Many times our actions confirm our beliefs. I knew what had been done in the spirit realm. Staying put was a stand that showed I believed in what I had seen and what I knew.

Your Response Reflects Your Belief

This was not something I had to think about and decide to do in order to make a statement. I just knew there was no need for me to come because he would be fine.

I told my mom about my experience praying and that I had prayed until I felt it broken over him. She then asked me what time that was and I told her.

She began to cry. She had been in the room at the time and she said at the exact time I felt the release, my father took a big sigh of relief and let it go. In that room with my father she saw the result of what I had seen and felt in the spirit realm.

And, in just about a week, my father was removed from the ICU for the first time since his surgery several weeks prior. His health continued to improve and came home one month from being released from ICU.

He Healed and Came Home

He did have to make several trips back and forth from Oklahoma to MD Anderson for radiation treatment. But was soon back home where he continued to improve.

I know that many people who are Christians, and who love and serve the Lord, have said that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues passed away with the disciples. There are others who agree it still exists today but, that it isn’t for everyone.

Many Christians feel that receiving the Holy Spirit when they became a Christian is good enough and that they don’t need all the supernatural what-not.

They Are Missing Out On So Much

This makes me very sad. I know that God designed for us to live fully immersed in the Holy Spirit inside and out, and as Paul said praying in the Spirit at all times.

Why? Well for so many reasons. We often don’t know what we should be praying for but the Holy Spirit does, and when you pray in the Spirit which is in tongues, you are praying exactly what needs to be prayed so that the problem will be resolved.

We often don’t know what is exactly going on in the spirit realm so our prayers with words of understanding are often not the words we should be praying.

Romans 8:26-27

26) Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27) and He who searches the heart knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God

There are times I’ve felt the urge to pray in the Spirit and had no idea why, but I knew my obedience was needed and prayers would be answered because of it. In fact I know in those times that someone’s life may be dependent on it.

Fearing What You Don’t Understand

Many Christians shy away from it because it seems too ‘mystical’ and they fear it. They fear that they can’t control it or that they may do embarrassing things like roll on the floor and scream out.

I’ve never done either of those things. I won’t speak about those who do, but for me I’ve always known that I have complete control over when and where I pray in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and won’t violate the free will that God the Father has given us.

It makes me sad to know that so many people could have helped their loved ones, and even themselves by praying in the Spirit. God does hear our natural prayers and he does answer them, but having a hotline to voice the perfect prayer is priceless.

It Doesn’t Make Us Perfect

Does being Baptized in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues make us perfect? No, it does not. What it does, is gives us a tool that gives us an edge over and above to use as we need.

If I had not been baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues and had not learned how to intercede in the Spirit, I believe my father would have never left that ICU which would have had more serious repercussions.

This was just a means to an end that I will write about in a coming blog post. Living a life in the Spirit is multi-faceted and so exciting. I wouldn’t want to live any other way.

Originally published by me here: https://nancyjacksonauthor.com/blogs/miracles/my-life-of-miracles-pt-15

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Faith and Belief - Two Completely Different Things

Monday Meditation – Episode 2

Originally written August 15 2011

posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/15/monday-meditations-hebrews-111/

Today’s Meditation Verse:

Hebrews 11:1 KJ

I Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

This verse is the definition of faith! What is faith? Well if you will picture this with me…

You want to build a patio so you get some boards and you begin to build a form with those boards the size of the patio you want to build. You could say that the form is the hope of a patio.

Then you get your concrete and it begins to pour into the form and takes the shape of the form. The concrete is the substance of the patio.

You could take that little analogy and read it into the verse this way:

Now concrete is the substance of the patio hoped for, and the evidence of the patio before it was seen.

What is it today that you hope for? Begin to see what it is and what it will be. That is hope. Then as you walk with God allow Him to ‘fill-in’ your form of hope until you have what you were seeing as you hoped!

Wednesday Word Study – Episode 2

Originally written August 17, 2011

posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/17/wednesday-word-study-faith-2/

Hebrews 11:1 AMP

1NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, [a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

This is the Strong’s Greek Concordance Number 4102

Transliteration: pistis

Phonetic Spelling: (pis'-tis)

Definition: faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

I love the way this verse reads in the Amplified version. Faith is the assurance, the title deed of the things we hope for.

Once you hold the title deed to something, it is yours! No one can take it away unless you give it to them and sign it over to them.

So, if we hope for our children to come to the Lord, or if we hope for the finances to get out of debt, or if we hope for healing for our bodies, do we also have the faith to fill the hope? Do we have divine assurance that this will happen?

You cannot generate hope by yourself. It must come from God. It is a God given gift; a divine gift.

Romans 12:3 Amplified Bible

3) For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service].

There is a difference between belief and faith. You may say you believe something, but the devil himself believes. Belief is something you choose on your own usually based on previous experience. Faith is a gift. Human belief is merely confidence. Faith is a God given assurance in something. Something that probably hasn’t even happened yet. Belief is based in the past. Faith is based in the future.

Ephesians 2:8-9 Amplified Bible

8) For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; 9) not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].

When the world says they have faith that their car won’t break down, that is simply belief that their car won’t break down. From repeated past experiences they believe it will function properly on that day too, and that it won’t break down.

Faith is a gift of the Spirit and is divine assurance. So when a believer says they have faith that their car won’t break down, it could very well be that they have divine assurance that their car will not break down. They believe because they have read about and know firsthand about God’s divine care and protection over His children. They have received the faith for the promise ahead.

Evaluate your faith today. Do you use the word faith when you really mean you believe? Is your belief based on repeat experience and knowledge, or do you really have faith based on divine assurance?

Receive faith from the Holy Spirit today. The faith that can move mountains.

Friday Finale – Episode 2

Originally written August 19, 2011

posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/19/are-confusing-faith-with-belief/

Are You Confusing Faith With Belief?

Have you ever encountered someone who made a comment similar to: “Their faith was shattered”? Or maybe they said it of themselves, “After that situation, my faith was just shattered”.

The problem with these comments is that they are confusing Faith with Belief.

As we learned on Wednesday Word Study – Faith, there is a difference between the two.

Faith is a divine gift from God. It is a DIVINE certainty that something will or will not happen. It is a knowing that cannot be described or touched, but resides deep in our soul, our inner most being. A divine gift from God that cannot be shattered, damaged or destroyed.

Belief is a confidence that something is a certain way, will or will not happen. It resides in the mind of an individual. It is usually based on previous experiences or training.

I used to ponder this scripture a lot:

Proverbs 13:12

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

Having lived a life of faith and faith teaching for almost 40 years this used to stump me. How can hope be deferred if our hope is in Christ and our faith is in Him?

Well while studying faith this week I have come to realize something very important that I believe will help all of us, me included. There isn’t a one of us out there who have hoped, prayed and believed for something that didn’t happen.

I would say that most of the time we were quick to just say that it must not have been God’s will for us. But we know even when we are saying it that it just doesn’t ring true in our hearts. But it is the only explanation we have.

We many times are referring to this very scripture below when we come to that conclusion.

1 John 5:14-15 AMP

14And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.

15And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.

But we as His children seek to be in His will. I know there are times when a certain job or move is not of Him and when we don’t get the job or we make the move and then it doesn’t feel right or work out, we know that it was not His will.

But there are so many things in our lives that we can have certainty are His will and when we hope towards them and then they don’t happened we are shaken.

We know that on the trip to Calvary Jesus took 39 stripes for our healing. He bought and paid for it there so we would never have to be sick again. Yet here we are struggling with this very thing.

He also became poor and weak so we did not have to be poor and weak. He became sin and took the penalty once and for all for our sin so we would never have to suffer the punishment of sin.

There are certainties in the bible that we know are God’s will and yet when we pray, hope and believe, they do not come to pass. We believe that because we did not receive our healing that God did not mean for us to be healed. Or maybe that our healing was not bought and paid for by Christ and that healing is not for everyone, but for God to choose on a case by case basis.

But we must know that is not true. God is no respecter of persons. He loves us equally and would never withhold one universal gift from one of His children while giving it to another.

We have often chalked it up to ‘not enough faith’. We’ve come up with a multitude of reasons and excuses because we refuse to believe that the scriptures we read and studied about faith are wrong.

So where is the disconnect?

I have come to believe that the disconnect is in our concept of faith. I have come to believe that what we many times refer to as faith is really just a belief that something will happen.

Remember as we talked about on Wednesday, faith is a divine gift from God. It is not something we can generate or create on our own. It resides in our inner most being and is just something we know without any definitions or explanations, we just know!

I think what we do so many times is that we build a form of hope for something we want or need to happen, but instead of pouring faith into the form, we pour our own belief into the form.

Hebrews 11:1 KJV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen

We must pour the supernatural gift of faith into our hope to manifest or materialize what we hope for. If we pour our own mental belief into our hope mistaking it for faith, our hope will be deferred! Our heart will be made sick!

So what must we do then? We must spend time with the Holy Spirit, requesting and receiving His gifts from Him. We must read the Word and allow the Spirit to teach us and bring revelation knowledge to us. We must listen to faith based teaching by credible pastors and teachers. We must share testimonies of faith with our friends, family and co-workers. This is how we grow that seed of divine faith given to us!

And even past experiences can produce faith when you tell them to yourself and to others again and again! When you recite to yourself all that God has done and you 'hear' it again, it builds your faith. Faith comes from the Holy Spirit BY hearing! Our faith will arise in our spirit man in the pit of our soul and that faith will not be denied!

Romans 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Once again we need to rethink what we know about this word, this concept. Are you filling your form of hope today with true Holy Spirit faith or are you filling it with your own mental belief?

God has given His only son not only for our spiritual salvation, but for all the gifts a child of God is entitled to. He has even provided the gift of faith to pour into our hope to materialize those gifts here on this earth. But YOU must be the one to engage in a relationship with the Holy Spirit to receive those gifts.

Luke 11:13 AMP

13If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts [a]that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and [b]continue to ask Him!

Invite the Holy Spirit into your life today to teach you, comfort you and grant you His gifts.

This is the full teaching on this subject in one place. You will flow from the Monday Meditation to the Wednesday Word Study and then the Friday Finale where I bring the teaching home with in depth teaching.

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Friday Finale

Episode 3

Friday Finale – Episode 3

Originally written August 26, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/26/the-destruction-of-pride/

This week the Monday Meditation and Wednesday Word Study focused on the word pride. I myself have been meditating on what I would write for this blog for some time. There are so many things I could talk about in regards to pride and all would be good, but space is limited and I sincerely want to write about what I believe is on the heart of God for the moment.

As I was re-reading through various scriptures pertaining to the subject, this one stood out to me and in a moment brought into focus what I was to write about today.

Romans 12:33) For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

Pride is arrogance and when we are prideful we are puffed up and exalt ourselves over others and God. Upon hearing the word we all immediately have thoughts of pride where someone is bragging about something they have done, have consistently arrogant behavior and in general, someone who looks down at others with disdain.

We all have someone, maybe more than one person, come to mind when we hear the word. Prideful people are people we do not like to be around. We would all generally agree that pride is NOT a Godly attribute and one that those following after Christ should guard against fervently.

But…

I've seen more arrogance and pride in the so called body of Christ than in most other places. And it not only shames me, but sincerely grieves me.

When we become born again and become a true child of God inheriting not only His love but all that the inheritance provides emotionally, physically and materially, we develop a new found sense of status. We ALL know, or should know that it is not from our works or from what we have done, but simply from the merciful and graciously loving heart of Father God.

Yet just like a child born into a wealthy family, bloated with status and influence, they are born with a sense of position that was not obtained from anything they themselves had done. But it does not stop the arrogance and sense of pride.

Now let me write a brief disclaimer here. I know that not all wealthy people are prideful and arrogant. There are many who are humbled by the very knowledge of their good fortune.

But my point is to paint a picture here. There is something about becoming a new Christian that makes all the dark clouds roll away and we feel as though we can suddenly see clearly. There is hope and joy and for a moment it all seems so very simple, life that is.

I can look back as a baby Christian and see all the damage I unknowingly did. I had all the answers. It was simple, you just did not sin, you just tithed, you just did what you knew was right to do. It was just that simple. And I was arrogant about it. It all just seemed so easy to me and I could not understand what the struggle was all about. I loved the Lord with my whole heart and couldn't spend enough time with Him, praying and reading the Word and couldn't understand why others didn't.

Well, I soon found out. The Lord allowed my life to take a dastardly turn. He did not cause it, but I believe he allowed the pride I was dwelling in to have its way with me. Remember our verse this week?

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Remember that when read in the Lexicon it says the word .before' means faces? Well the pride I was exuding caused me to face destruction. A friend of mine and I call those the dark days. It was actually more like a few years.

I never stopped seeking the Lord through that time. In fact in some ways I genuinely sought Him more out of desperation and panic. But He delayed delivering me from the consequences of my own making. I did things during that period of time that I had adamantly spoken against doing just a short time before. I finally understood life from the other side. And I was humbled.

It was during that time that I developed the mantra, 'you can only do what you can do when you can do it.' It seemed no matter what I tried I just could not break free from where I was at. But by God's grace I finally did and once on the other side I was broken, but alive.

Gone was the arrogance of, 'you just don't sin'. Gone was the non-understanding of why people didn't just stop doing what they were doing and 'turn to God'.

I've been on the watch for that demon pride ever since. If I fail, and I often do in many areas, the one that I know I cannot afford to ever fail at again is in the area of pride.

As a people we do so many things well. We are a well educated and an aggressive society that goes after what we want. If we want to achieve a goal, we have the knowledge, the means and ability to go after it until we achieve it. If we are Christians then we have even more in our favor because we are joined with Christ who never fails.

We work so hard to achieve what we want and when we get there, we are glad. We are so glad that we brag. Then when others become enamored with our results they begin to ask us, what was it we did to achieve success in that area.

And we are oh so happy to tell them. We believe that if they will do just what we did, the way we did it, they too will succeed. So with exuberance we tell them, we coach them and then when there are too many people to tell, we write a book about it. Then we go on talk shows and tell the world what we did.

This last year God has taken me on a new journey. It is one of rest. He has been teaching me to rest in Him. To rest in God is to give Him full and complete control over everything and just, rest. But we have to work, you say.

We work too hard. We do too much. God genuinely wants to lead us. He wants to make our efforts efficient. When our work is targeted to achieve the maximum impact then we will have to work much less while achieving greater results. But this cannot be done without Christ and resting in Him.

The more we do the more credit we can rightfully take for the results. God wants us to rest in Him and let Him do the work so we have no right to take the credit for the results.

When we follow a plan because the plan has been tried and proven to have worked for at least one person, then we are not following God, but man. And when you have a plan that has worked and you become arrogant and prideful that your plan worked, you are certainly not following God's leading.

Nothing makes me more nauseous than to hear a self appointed expert talk condescendingly to a group of people who have not mastered his plan. It is so simple. You just do it. Awe… reminds me of me in years gone by.

Even as Christians who have inherited the entire world, we have no right to pride! It was not of our own doing, but from the love of the Father. All that we have and all that we ever hope to be is all because of His divine love.

And don't mask your pride with an insincere, 'I couldn't have done it without God' comment. It is like trying to spray sweet perfume to mask the odor of rotten eggs. It just increases the stench.

So, if you are someone who is pushing others to just work harder, try harder, achieve more. You are pushing with guilt and your own pride. If you genuinely care about them, develop a sympathetic ear and love them with the love of Christ. Take their hand and walk the journey together with them on the path that God leads them, the way that He leads them. Even if it defies your own knowledge, experience and understanding.

His way is always the best way.

This study is a culmination of this week's Monday Meditation and the Wednesday Word Study. By drilling down on specific scriptures and then specific words, we can begin to gain a better understanding of the Word of God and therefore apply it to our lives more accurately. The Friday Finally episodes take both the Monday Meditation and Wednesday Word Study and pull them together for an overall teaching to equip and train us for a more Godly and beneficial life.

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Are You Driven by Guilt or… Led by Conviction?

Monday Meditations – Episode 1

Originally written August 8, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/08/monday-meditations-2-timothy-316/

Today's Meditation Verse:

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

This scripture seems like an obvious statement. But there are aspects to this verse that many people disregard. One item is the very first word. It says ALL scripture is inspired by God and profitable…

I know that there are many people in many walks of life, in many different churches, who say that only parts of the scriptures are relevant to us today.

They disregard the history of the Old Testament. The genealogies of Christ and others. They can't understand the book of Revelation so they push it off for later. Of course Numbers and Leviticus is difficult.

But this scripture says ALL scriptures are profitable for teaching, reproof and correction, for training in righteousness. Even the most difficult to read hold nuggets that will help transform your life.

As you meditate on this scripture this week, contemplate what scriptures you have neglected, avoided or ignored and ask the Father to help you read them with understanding and to learn from them.

Wednesday Word Study – Episode 1

Originally written August 10, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/10/wednesday-word-study-conviction/

Conviction

There are two Greeks words for conviction.

The first meaning is 'full assurance' and the other is 'correction'. The use as correction is only used once when Paul was talking to Timothy in:

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

This is the Strong's Greek Concordance Number 1882 Transliteration: epanorthósis Phonetic Spelling: (ep-an-or'-tho-sis) Definition: correction, reformation, setting straight (right) again.

1882 – used only once in 2 Timothy 3:16

Another usage, full assurance is used in scriptures such as

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I Thessalonians 1:5 NASfor our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

This is the Strong's Greek Concordance Number 4136 Transliteration: plérophoria Phonetic Spelling: (play-rof-or-ee'-ah) Definition: full assurance, conviction, confidence.

But the one thing it is not used for is when thinking or talking about guilt. Many times we have interchanged the word conviction for guilt. Maybe you have not done this knowingly, but I'm sure you have in your mind.

When we have failed in some way, maybe slipped into an old habit or sin and we feel guilty, we interpret that as conviction from the Holy Spirit. It is not!

The word conviction is only used as instruct, only one time and that is when Paul is telling Timothy to use the Word as instruction/conviction to stay on the right path. And it does not mention that the Holy Spirit will convict us in this way, but the Word.

The other times conviction is used is when talking about the full assurance we have of faith. That is how the Holy Spirit will convict us! It is to encourage us that we can draw near to the Father because we are fully assured (convicted) that our hearts are sprinkled and clean from evil.

Today when you use the word convicted, stop and think, are you really referring to feeling guilty? If so, be fully assured (convicted) that you are free from guilt and can draw near to the Father because you are cleansed by the blood and have received the grace provided by Jesus Christ!

Friday Finale – Episode 1

Originally written August 12, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/12/led-or-driven/

RU Being Driven or Led?

Why do you do what you do? Is it a thought or a feeling? Is it a rule or a law?

I've been trying to stress home the idea of living a life of being led by the prompting of the Holy Spirit and not by any other thought, feeling or idea.

When I was much younger attending church, one of the first theological words I heard was conviction. Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of something? When you did that wrong thing, did you feel conviction?

But not until the last several years has the Lord begun to specifically define and show me what that word conviction really feels like. And how the Holy Spirit truly leads us in our lives.

One definition of the word conviction is referring to when Paul is preaching and it states that he preached with conviction, or forcefulness.

There are actually two Greeks words for conviction in the context that I am referring to and not what I expected to find. You may find a full word study on the word conviction on Monday Meditation - Conviction.

The first meaning is 'full assurance' and the other is 'correction'. The use correction is only used once when Paul was talking to Timothy in:

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

Hmmm, the scripture, not the Holy Spirit, is for correction. Just like a textbook not the teacher.

I don't think I would get any argument if I made the statement that this is a harsh world. A world where we are introduced to pain and suffering at a very young age. There are mean people in this world doing mean things.

Even our own parents, as much as they loved us, didn't always discipline and correct us in the way that was appropriate. I know as a parent myself, I can look back and see that sometimes I did whatever it took to get them to do what I wanted or needed them to do.

If I had to spank them, I would. If I had to ground them, I would. If I had to yell and scream, I would. If I had to place guilt on them, I would.

But I'll be the first to admit, I was not a perfect parent. In fact, I was far from it. But our Father God is a perfect parent and doesn't parent at all the way we do. And the Holy Spirit is our teacher and guide here on this earth and a perfect and gentle teacher, always leading us, not pushing us.

But since all that we know is the parenting we have experienced here on this earth we automatically associate it to our Father God.

So when we hear from the pulpit that the Holy Spirit will convict us, our minds go to something difficult and highly unpleasant. We usually associate it with feeling guilty.

As we grow older in the Lord we don't sever that feeling of guilt from true conviction.

Let me give you some examples:

You go to church every Sunday because you feel convicted if you don't, or is it guilt?

You give offerings because you feel convicted if you don't, or is it guilt?

You try to 'be good' because you feel convicted if you don't, or is it guilt?

Are you starting to think now? Look back at the feelings that you have and the thoughts that you have had in these instances.

As I began to ponder this myself, I really wanted to know what it was that was motivating me to do the things I did. I wanted a clean heart and a clear conscience and I wanted to do things from the leading of the Holy Spirit and for no other reason.

Then the Lord began to teach me about conviction versus guilt. Guilt and condemnation come from the enemy. So Father God would never use the emotion of guilt to correct us or to move us. So the very first thing I had to do was to learn to resist guilt. The moment a thought or feeling of guilt would enter my mind, I would take it captive and reject it.

2 Corinthians 10:5 AMP We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,

So then what and how does the Holy Spirit lead? Picture these two examples:

In one you are held at knife point and are poked and prodded to move forward against your will while feeling dread and remorse. But you move because the sharp point of the guilt-knife hurts!

In the second, you are a sweet young puppy and you have a safe and comfortable harness on. You have a leash attached to the chest portion of the harness. You feel a slight tug from the leash, just below the center of your chest. It is a gentle tug, one that could easily be missed if you weren't paying attention and there is a gentle loving voice urging you to come. But when you do recognize it, you get up and move forward, at your own pace being led in the correct direction.

We must practice to learn to silence guilt from the enemy and listen with a slightly turned ear to the voice of Holy Spirit, to learn to feel that tug in the center of our being.

Psalms 46:10 AMP "Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth."

You have also read the version where it says, Be still and know that I am God. I love this because sometimes we are striving to obey the voice of guilt in our lives so much that we cannot hear God and know His true heart for us.

How does the enemy feed guilt into our lives? By thoughts and words. They may enter our minds through the words of other people telling us that we have not done enough or are not good enough or are failing in some way.

In an another post I wrote called Christian Clones, I spoke about self-help books that take the plan God gave individuals for their life, and decided it was the plan for everyone. That is another way that guilt enters our minds.

We try to follow a diet or weight loss plan and it doesn't work for us. We try to manage our money the way the book says to do and we can't do it that way. So we feel guilty that we were not able to be successful at this and are then overridden with guilt and condemnation.

If we do something we perceive as wrong we feel guilt. That is not from the Holy Spirit. We as a people are conditioned to respond to guilt, especially when we've been taught that it is conviction from the Holy Spirit.

Also, when we do read the Word for true instruction, if we read about things we have done wrong in the past or are still struggling with, the enemy is quick to bring guilt! He will tell you what a bad person or Christian you are and that God will abandon you and not love you anymore because you've not done what He asked of you in the Word. And we interpret this as conviction from the Holy Spirit!

But we must, absolutely must read the Word as much as we can. It is the Word that convicts us while we are reading it. When we see something in there that corrects us, we should then make a point of changing our behavior to make that correction. If we do not spend time in the Word, we will not be able to know what Holy Spirit wants us to change.

Therefore when we are going through our daily lives the Word isn't abiding in us and it is more difficult to discern the Holy Spirt leading us. The Word is the plan, the road map that Holy Spirit uses to lead and guide us. It is imperative that we have read it and have it in us.

Remember, that feeling of guilt is of the enemy! The Holy Spirit is a loving and leading entity not a pushing and prodding entity. Immediately reject the guilt, be still and listen for the soothing loving voice of the Father to lead you forward in the right direction.

Even if you feel guilt after doing something wrong, it is still not of the Lord. He wants to lead you into doing right, not pressure you at the knife point of guilt after you have done wrong.

You will move forward much quicker and go much farther with the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit. You can be assured that by following the leading of Holy Spirit you are going in the right direction, much more so than if you moved forward reluctantly at the sharp knife point of guilt. There will be less ground gained and you can be almost certain that you won't be on the path that the Holy Spirit would be leading you on no matter how 'good' it may seem.

But if we can put aside the feeling of guilt and allow ourselves to hear the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit, He will lead us to the very best goals, good deeds and a peaceful lifestyle, gently and easily, but on a path that makes sense for your individual life, not someone else's path.

It takes much practice and it is something that I am still learning to do every moment of every day. But I routinely stop, lean my ear to the Spirit and sense His quiet leading in the midst of the chaos and noise. And then that is the way I choose where to go. I know that this will become an unconscious habit for me and not something that I have to remember to do.

Don't let guilt speak louder in your life than the Holy Spirit. Learn to silence it once and for all.

This is the full teaching on this subject in one place. You will flow from the Monday Meditation to the Wednesday Word Study and then the Friday Finale where I bring the teaching home with in depth teaching.

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Wednesday Word Study

Episode 3

Wednesday Word Study – Episode 3

Originally written August 24, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/24/wednesday-word-study-pride/

Pride

Proverbs 16:18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

This is the Strong's Greek Concordance Number 1347a Transliteration: ga'own Phonetic Spelling: (gaw'-ohn) Definition: arrogancy

When I was studying this word I noticed that there were several Greek variations of this word. I've selected the one used here in this verse.

I was not surprised by the definition. It is a word we all know well, and use often.

But one thing I did learn when reading all the different words in the definition is the word – exaltation. I had to stop on that one and think about it.

Isn't exaltation something that should be reserved for God? You bet it is! That is exactly why when we are prideful we are exalting ourselves and God will not, cannot stand for that. Pride – self exaltation is what got Satan ejected immediately from heaven. Go directly to earth, do not pass go, do not collect $200!!!

I've added a bit of humor to this critically serious topic, but we do tend to snicker when we think about how quickly, with no debate, Satan was ejected from Heaven. But we must see that this scripture is warning us that should pride, in any form, enter our behavior or attitude, we are certain to face destruction as well.

If that thought makes you shudder the way it did me, then evaluate your life and your attitudes towards others today to see if even the slightest morsel of pride has crept in. If it has, immediately eradicate it before you too are facing certain destruction.

Each Wednesday I will be posting a Wednesday Word Study to further elaborate on a significant word from the previous Monday's Meditation episode. On Mondays I focus on one verse to meditate on for the week. On the Wednesday after I drill down to look at one specific word to gain further information and knowledge. Then on the following Friday I will post a teaching pulling it all together. Each week will provide a thorough study into a verse, a word, and then the overall concept.

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Monday Meditations

Episode 3

Monday Meditations – Episode 3

Originally written August 22, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/22/1962/

Today's Meditation Verse:

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

I love reading the Lexicon version of a scripture. To me it reveals so much.

For instance there is little variation in this scripture from translation to translation. It pretty much says it like it is and in any language or culture it is pretty much the same.

But just now as I was reading this verse in the Lexcon (the original Greek translation) I saw something that I had to meditate on for a bit. Then I saw how obvious the original word was to our own modern terminology.

That word is before. In the Lexicon that word means faces. We use that word often now. She is facing an uphill battle. He is facing termination at work. They are facing the playoffs.

We know this word so well.

Let's look at this week's scripture again using the original word, facing.

Pride causes you to face destruction, and a haughty spirit will cause you to face a fall.

We know when we face something that it is coming, for sure. Something that we face is something we know we will have to deal with.

So this week when you meditate on this scripture know that the pride in your life will cause you to face with certainty, destruction and that a haughty spirit will cause you to face a fall.

Each Monday I am going to be having 'Monday Meditations'. I hope to bring to you each Monday a verse to mediate on for the week. This is not for memorization, but to think about and to dwell on. The word meditate, in the bible, means to mutter. So this week as you go about your life, think about and mutter to yourself the verse for the week and think about how it applies to your life. Meditating on a verse will bind it to your spirit and it will become part of you! The more of the Word you meditate on, the more it will transform you into the image of Christ!

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