Prayer is by the Spirit

If prayer isn’t by the Spirit, then it isn’t truly prayer. The Holy Spirit wants to help you to pray. He is the One Who enables you to seek the face of God, the One Who graces you with the desire to know Jesus in greater depths.

Everything that is spiritual is by the Spirit. Prayer is no exception.

All prayer is initiated by the Holy Spirit. This, of course, does not mean that you cannot, of your own free will, approach the throne of God. This simply means that if there is a desire within you to seek the Lord, then it was the Holy Spirit Who helped to cultivate that desire within you.

One must be quickened before he can call upon the Lord.

“So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.” – Psalm 80:18 (KJV)

Prayer is a spiritual act, initiated and sustained by the work of the Holy Spirit. And only those who are living in the Spirit can truly be guided by the Holy Spirit in spiritual matters.

“But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.” – 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit helps you to pray by giving you the desire to pray, giving you the understanding to pray, and empowering you when you pray. The initiation, action, and results of prayer are all by the Holy Spirit.

It is by prayer that we involve God and exchange our weaknesses for His strength. It is in prayer that we yield to the will of God. It is in prayer that we become surrendered to the Holy Spirit.

Let the Holy Spirit give you the desire to pray. Follow His leading and let Him make you a person of prayer—one who lives in moment-by-moment divine fellowship.

Prayer is by the Spirit.

For more on this topic, you can watch my teaching, “Jesus Reveals What Most Get Wrong About Talking to God,” on YouTube by clicking here.

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Sooner Than You Think

You’ve been waiting, praying, and maybe even worrying a little bit - but what if the miracle isn’t as far off as it seems? For several years my wife Jessica and I were believing for God to give us a child. Our only option at the time was a medical procedure we could not afford - so all we could do was believe God for a miracle. Some days we were filled with hope and we imagined our lives as parents. Other days, we were afraid to hope because we didn’t want to be disappointed. Finally we decided this: We’ve cried our tears, from here on out, only faith. 

6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. - James 1:6-7 (NLT)

I would rather go my whole life believing for the miracle than to give up even one day too soon. I wonder how many gave up in the night on the miracle that waited for them in the morning. On a seemingly ordinary day like any other, we found out that Jessica was pregnant. Nine months later Aria was born. 

7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. - Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)

Only God knows what tomorrow holds for you. I dare you to believe God for the miracle. By the way, our precious Aria believed for a miracle too. Now she has her baby sister, Lilian.

For more on this topic, you can watch my teaching, “The Life-Changing Power of Praying Without Ceasing,” on YouTube by clicking here.

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When People Overlook You

The prophet was sent by God to anoint the next King. The prophet Samuel was told by God to go to the home of a man named Jesse. Jesse had several sons, one of whom would become king. But Jesse didn’t present all of his sons, only the ones he deemed as possibly capable of being God’s choice for king.

10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” - 1 Samuel 16:10-11 (NIV)

The son that was left out was David, the very one God chose to become king. Man overlooked him. In fact, one could speculate that his own father intentionally tried to push him out of an opportunity. Still, the Lord had called him. The prophet spoke adamantly, “we will not sit down until he arrives.”

Once God has chosen you, it’s not possible for others to prevent your promotion. Once God has selected you for a purpose, even the most jealous, competitive, or ambitious people can’t stop the mantle from falling onto your shoulders.

So when others overlook you or attempt to block your way, relax. Trust God. Be at peace. God knows where to find you.

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Spiritual Wickedness in High Places

There exists a world beyond what natural eyes can see, and therein rages a war for the soul of this generation. Light against darkness, Heaven against Hell. Be vigilant.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” -Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)

Let’s break this verse down.

“We Wrestle Not Against Flesh and Blood”

This phrase emphasizes the fact that behind every seemingly human agenda is a spiritual force. This doesn’t mean that people aren’t responsible for their own rebellious ways, nor does it mean that the enemy can’t use human individuals as enemies of the gospel. This just means that we should remain aware of the fact that, ultimately, the Devil is working from the shadows to bring about destruction.

“Principalities”

A principality is a high-ranking demon. But more than just the demonic entity, the term “principality” is also a loose reference to a region under heavy demonic influence.

“Powers”

Likewise a reference to demonic entities, the term “powers” also carries somewhat of a dual meaning. “Powers” doesn’t just refer to demons themselves but also the systems of which they are a part. Just as the term “The Government” can simultaneously refer to a group of individuals and the overall system, so the term “powers” can mean both the demonic entities and the structures of Hell.

“Rulers of Darkness in This World”

This is a reference to demonic beings and the individuals they influence.

“Spiritual Wickedness in High Places”

This is a reference to high-ranking demons and the high-ranking individuals they influence. This can also be a reference to fallen angels, which are different than demonic beings.

For more on this topic, you can watch my teaching “Spiritual Wickedness in High Places” on YouTube by clicking here.

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Believe Big!

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” – Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV)

Lately, my heart has been stirred by the Holy Spirit again. In every season, the Lord will challenge me to stretch my faith. I think about all of the souls I’ve seen come to Jesus, all of the bodies I’ve seen made whole by God’s healing power. While thankful, I am emboldened to ask the Father to do even more.

Dear reader, God wants to widen your reach, stretch your faith, and expand your vision. Believe it! Too often do we sacrifice the miraculous on the altar of practicality. We talk about a big God, yet pray little prayers. But I want to challenge you to believe big.

No more little prayers. We want to be used for the glory of God!

I want to see more souls come into salvation. I want to see more people healed. I want to see more mighty men and women of God raised. I want to see the world changed.

Is this too much to ask?

By no means! We serve a big God.

If this season has discouraged you, drained you, then now is the time to let your faith come alive again. If the enemy has come against you, push back even harder in faith. Lay hold of God’s every promise. Take every Word He has spoken to you and commit your heart to accept it as your only reality.

Nothing is outside of God’s reach. No heart is so hard that it cannot be turned toward Jesus. No sickness is too potent that it cannot be healed. No life is so normal that it cannot be used to touch the world for God’s glory.

Now is the time to believe big. Do you believe it? Do something that won’t work without a miracle!

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How to Make Spirit-Led Decisions

Is it God or just your own thinking? How can you know if the decision you’re making is of God’s will? I’ve been there too. On one hand, you don’t want to be stuck or waste time. On the other hand, you don’t want to be presumptuous and move ahead with a decision that isn’t Spirit-led. So, what are you supposed to do if you don’t have an indication in either direction? 

Afraid to make a bad decision, many become spiritually stuck. So I want to give you a couple of truths that will help rewire the way you think so you can be decisive, while also being obedient to God.  While there are several keys to recognizing and responding to the voice of God, I want to focus on giving you two simple thoughts.

First, we, as believers, hear God primarily through His written Word. This isn’t to say that God doesn’t speak to us directly. Of course, He does. However, this does mean that if you’re not in the Word, you will more often find yourself stuck in indecision. To receive the Word is to develop wisdom, and wisdom is the foundation of decisiveness. Wisdom is divine reasoning. Wisdom is the problem-solving approach given to us by God. 

“The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” - Psalm 19:7 (NLT)

Second, don’t trust in your ability to hear God. Now, at first, this directive might seem unusual, especially for Christians. I don’t mean that we shouldn’t desire to hear God or that we shouldn’t be glad when we do. I simply mean that when your trust is placed in your ability to hear God, you add unnecessary tension to your walk with the Lord. You see, Christians who trust in their own ability to hear God live with the perceived burden of having to make God speak, which nobody can do. 

When you trust in your own ability to hear God, you leave yourself vulnerable to the fear that you might not be doing enough to hear Him and, therefore, might be missing His instructions. You become stressed about making sure you’re using all of the correct tactics to hear Him. Of course, we, as believers, ought to live in the stillness of readiness to hear the Lord. We must learn to quiet mind and emotion, so that we might not mistake our own thoughts for God’s voice. And, yes, we should seek the Lord and seek to hear His voice. Yet, ultimately, your faith cannot be in self or in your own faith. We trust not in our ability to hear the Holy Spirit but in His ability to speak to us. If God could get through to Pharaoh and Saul, He can get through to you.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” - Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

We can find relief, and then joy and peace, as we live ready and eager to hear Him while trusting that He’ll speak when He’s ready. 

To become decisive, ground yourself in the Word and then learn to trust that He knows how to get through to you.

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The Dawn of Something New

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Holy Spirit was with them also. The Holy Spirit was not a bystander but an active force in creation.

“In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” - Genesis 1:1-2 (KJV)

The Spirit hovered. That Word “hovered” actually means that the Spirit brooded over creation. As a bird incubates its eggs, so the Holy Spirit, the gentle dove, brooded over and incubated creation. In partnership with the Father and Son, the Spirit moved upon the spoken Word, causing all things to come into existence.

Then, creation chose to enter into the darkness of sin. Man became wicked, so God decided to start over, to begin again. 

He commanded a global flood, which washed away everything. Everything except for Noah and his family, who survived on an ark. 

After the flood, looking for somewhere to begin again, Noah released a dove from the Ark. The dove was released once and returned to the Ark. There was no sign of dry land. The dove was released a second time. It returned again, but only with a branch. Dry land was appearing. The dove was released a third time. It didn’t return. The dove found where God would begin the world again. 

Interestingly, we do not see the dove land in the book of Genesis. Nor do we see it land in all of the Old Testament. It’s not until Matthew chapter three that we finally see a dove landing: 

“After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.” - Matthew 3:16 (NLT)

The dove, the Holy Spirit, is a symbol of new beginnings. When the Holy Spirit hovered above the face of the deep, God created the world. When the Holy Spirit hovered above the Son of God, the Father truly began creation anew: a new creation, a new man, a heavenly reality. And to this day, wherever the Holy Spirit broods, something fresh appears. 

God is searching for a place to create, for an obedient vessel who will allow the Holy Spirit to rest upon them. God is announcing the dawning of a new creation…in you.

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Don’t Quit: Your Harvest Is Coming

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. – Galatians 6:9

An impossible situation is the perfect setting for a miracle. Difficult places are the very same where the hand of God will move. If where you were didn’t require faith, it wouldn’t require God. What a privilege that you and I have – that we can share in the adventure of faith, that we can walk the risk-filled path of miraculous potential.

The scripture is perfectly clear. If you don’t quit, you will reap a harvest. The seeds that you have sown will grow. Just don’t faint. Stand firm in faith. It is an irrefutable, immovable law of scripture: persistence in well-doing produces the harvest of blessing. The laws of God’s Word are more certain than the physical laws under which our world operates.

The major difference between those who reap and those who regret is persistence. Of course, we must persist in well doing – this includes our actions and attitudes while we patiently persist. Continuing without the right attitude or perspective does not persist in the Biblical sense – it is mere movement.

Ignore the voices of negativity. Some will say, “I’ve persisted for years, but it hasn’t worked for me!” Those who claim to have persisted without results are fooling themselves, for true persistence and actual faithfulness are judged upon God’s timetable, not ours.

We cannot forget that, at times, we need to reevaluate strategies and approaches. Growth always demands change. However, it is the very act of persisting, the resolute commitment to continue, that becomes the foundation upon which destiny is built.

Persistence always produces. Don’t grow weary. Become excited about the future. Don’t judge your future breakthrough based upon today’s needs. Instead, use all that you possess today to persist, with gratitude and hope, to the best of your ability. The law of persistence will prevail, and you will, when the timing is just right, reap the harvest.

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The Power in Your Hand

Questioning the Lord, Moses protested several times. His fears and excuses so overwhelmed his mind that he dared to question the mighty voice coming from the burning bush. But for every excuse Moses made, God gave a promise.

God was calling Moses to deliver the people of Israel from out of slavery. God had made it clear that Moses was to be the chosen deliverer of a nation, but Moses was filled with doubt and uncertainty.

It came then to the point where Moses worried about whether or not the people would believe that he was sent by God. The scripture records his questioning:

But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. “Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back. – Exodus 4:1-3 (NLT)

Now, there is much more to this dialogue between God and Moses than we are about to examine. However, I want to just focus in on how the Lord responded to this line of questioning in particular: “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me?”

Moses wanted to know how he would proceed with leading the people of Israel.

God responded to Moses’s question with a question of His own.

“What’s in your hand?”

When backed by God’s power, what was in Moses’s hand was enough to complete the divine mandate. When backed by God’s power, what you have, right now, is enough to move forward.

So I ask you, dear reader, “What’s in your hand?”

Don’t wait for the ideal situation to present itself before you step out in obedience toward God. Whatever it is He has called you to do can be accomplished. The next step can be taken. The next task can be completed. You don’t need to wait. Just step out and do what you’re supposed to do right now with what you have in your hand.

It is enough.

Plant that church. Start that ministry. Preach the gospel. Teach the Word. Pray that prayer. Write that song. Begin.

Obey God.

Don’t worry about being promoted, recognized, or celebrated. Don’t fear failure, rejection, or heartache. Just let God empower you right where you are, right now. Obey, and leave the results up to God.

Use what He’s placed in your hand.

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A Fresh Anointing

Apathy, familiarity, monotony – these are far more detrimental to your spiritual well being than even some demonic assaults. Human nature can be so easily sidetracked. We have the tendency to veer off track. This is why it is so important to approach our walk with the Lord on a moment-by-moment basis. Whether yesterday ended in victory or defeat, we must focus on today.

We must learn to walk in a fresh anointing, a fresh touch of God’s power.

 “But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.” – Psalm 92:10 (KJV)

(“Unicorn” in the original language simply means “beast with a single horn”. Some scholars speculate that David is referring to a rhinoceros in Psalm 92:10)

It is important to maintain the flow of God’s power upon our lives. Surely, the power and presence of the Holy Spirit are always within us. His presence is an internal and eternal reality. Though we do not need to acquire power within, we must live a life that maintains power upon. What good does it do to have God’s power within us if we live in a way that stifles the flow of God’s power upon us and through us?

Yesterday’s anointing cannot break today’s yokes. We need fresh oil!

It is so important to keep the oil fresh. This is accomplished through daily surrender to the Holy Spirit. Don’t get comfortable in spiritual success. Don’t get lazy with spiritual disciplines.

When we lack fresh oil, there is a dryness to our walk with the Lord. There is a struggle in the flow of God’s power. The miracle anointing loses its potency as it ages. We mustn’t operate from a reservoir of the anointing. We must receive it fresh daily.

Pastors and ministers, without the anointing, the ministry can feel like a career. Without a fresh anointing, we struggle to put together sermons and offer prayer. However, when we operate in a fresh anointing, we receive a stronger witness and joy.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” - Acts 1:8 (NLT)

“…the lampstand also for the light and its utensils and its lamps and the oil for the light;” – Exodus 35:14

The power of the Holy Spirit has been given to us to win souls. The oil is what keeps the light of the gospel burning in your life.

Fresh oil will also bring joy.

“You love justice and hate evil. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.” – Psalm 45:7 (NLT)

So I want to give you this simple encouragement: get back to or remain connected to the source. Get back to or stay in the place of daily surrender to the Holy Spirit. Whether good or bad, let the past be the past – receive fresh oil today.

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7 Marks of the Spirit-Filled

In the first year that I had come to know Jesus, I sought out spiritual mentors and studied them closely. From both men and women of God, I received information, inspiration and impartation. While learning from God’s anointed servants, I came to notice similarities in their mindsets, character traits, and even demeanors. They shared certain attributes that I’ve come to call “Marks of the Spirit”.

I asked the Lord to mark me in the same way and have committed to faithfully seek the face of Jesus. The more I seek Him, the more I notice the work of His Spirit in my life.

And, dear reader, you too can bear these marks. And if you already do, they can become more clearly seen upon your life.

For God has commissioned a work of art. Jesus is the model, the Holy Spirit is the painter and your surrendered life is the blank canvas. With every stroke, the Holy Spirit causes the countenance of Christ to appear on you in greater and greater detail.

Samuel the prophet spoke to Saul concerning this kind of Spirit-empowered change:

“And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them. And you will be turned into another man.” - 1 Samuel 10:6

Consider that: “…turned into another man.’

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, the Holy Spirit has the power to make you more like Christ. He brings transformation.

And you know His work isn’t static; His work is continual.

“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit…” - Ephesians 5:18

Be filled. In the verse above, the word filled is the Greek verb Plerousthe. It literally means to be continually filled. This is not to say that we can receive the Holy Spirit a second time.

To clarify, I present this simply analogy: You can charge your cell phone all the way up to 100%, but the moment that you unplug the phone, it begins to die again. However, if you plug your cell phone into a power source, it can be fully charged to 100% and kept there. Even using your phone would not drain its battery if it were plugged into a power source. The phone would be both fully charged and continually charged.

In the same way, we are to be continually filled with the Spirit, even after having received the infilling.

So the Holy Spirit can make you a different man or woman even now. You can be a different person today than you were yesterday. In fact, His work can even be from moment to moment! You can be a different person now than who you were even a second ago. Your change is constant when you abide in the presence of the Holy Spirit. For every second you spend in His presence, you become more like Jesus.

Consider His awesome power. He is the very same Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead, empowered the early Church and now confirms the message of the gospel with power and demonstration. That very same power is at work in you now, in this very moment, whether you realize it or not.

And, as you live under that power, these are the marks you will come to bear.

#1 Boldness

“When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.” - Acts 4:31

Before I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, I was an awkward, self-conscious person. Constantly second-guessing myself, I feared the criticism of people.

Then one day, I took a day trip to a college with a campus preacher. He was a very bold man who cared deeply about proclaiming the truth in love. He didn’t mind being mocked, criticized or hated. In fact, people would even physically harm him from time to time. But he just wanted to see people get saved, so he frequented college campuses.

I stood in awe, as I watched this man proclaim the gospel with divine wisdom. I’m telling you; the people who opposed him were confounded (much like the pharisees). I was just thinking to myself something like, “I don’t think I can do that”, when this campus preacher turned to me and said, “Okay. It’s your turn.”

With fear and trembling, I stood in front of a crowd of intimidating onlookers (about 60 people) and began to preach the gospel to them. And, as I preached, I felt the chains of fear break away from me. In the place of fear, I felt a boldness well up within my soul. Something took over!

I was mocked.

I was criticized.

I was challenged.

But I was perfectly fine. None of what I feared was as bad as I thought it would be. From that day forward, I allowed the boldness of the Holy Spirit to be my strength. It changed almost everything about me. The power of the fear of man was broken over my life, because of the boldness of the Spirit.

Believer, the boldness is already in you. This has nothing to do with personality types, for we all must adjust to look more like Jesus. Let boldness come forth through bold action.

#2 Confidence

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 15:13

If boldness is the ability to act in faith, then confidence is the ability to avoid reacting in fear. Boldness is action; confidence is a state of being. Confidence is peace, inner-calm.

I recall a story of a preacher who was taking a nap on a flight. While he was taking his nap, a problem occurred with the engines and the passengers were told to prepare for an emergency landing. Everyone on board the plane began to panic. One of the panicked passengers nudged the sleeping preacher and announced to him, “Wake up! We’re going to need to make an emergency landing!” The preacher looked at the passenger, glanced around and casually said, “Jesus slept through the storm; I’m going to sleep through this.” Then he went back to sleep.

Everything turned out fine.

That’s one of the marks of the Spirit-filled; they are confident. In the face of deadlines, they are not hasty. In times of lack, they are not worried. In moments of chaos, they are not shaken. They remain collected, calm, intentional, methodical. There’s a relaxed and refreshing air about them.

This is not to say that they aren’t practical when need be. This just means that they are at peace no matter the situation.

They may be in a storm, but they do not allow the storm to be in them.

#3 Authority

“…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” - Acts 10:38

Confidence has to do with how you respond to situations, but authority has to do with how situations respond to you. Everywhere Jesus went, He changed the atmosphere. Sickness and demonic power was broken at the very nearness of Jesus.

The same is true of the Spirit-filled.

The authority to operate in God’s power is not reserved for the spiritually elite, if ever there was such a group. The authority of Heaven can rest on your shoulders. It can be yours. It is yours.

The Spirit-filled carry such an authority that they themselves become an atmosphere. When you enter a place, the spiritual atmosphere changes, because you have God’s authority by the Holy Spirit.

#4 Revelation

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” - John 14:26

While gleaning from mighty men and women of God, I would often find myself astounded by their knowledge of God’s Word. But I was most impressed with how they would often see things in the scripture that I had missed. I would have to ask myself, “How could I have missed that?”

People can tell the difference between a message that is prepared with only intellect and a message that is prepared under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

When you study the Word of God with the help of the Spirit, you will make important connections, find deep truths and understand concepts more often. The Holy Spirit doesn’t just give information; He ignites inspiration and imparts revelation.

The Spirit-filled are rich with revelation.

#5 Sensitivity

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” - Romans 8:14

Before I was born, my parents prayed that I would have a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. As a result of their prayers, I can remember being aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit as early as the age of 7. From then on, I have sensed Him in the air around me.

So it was only a matter of time before I would begin to “click” with believers who also walked in this kind of awareness of God. And, while spending time with those believers, I began to pick up what some might call “strange habits”.

Such habits were things like: stopping mid-sentence to respond to the Lord, leaving social occasions early to “tend to the Spirit’s call to prayer” and involving the Lord in almost every circumstance.

People who are sensitive to the Spirit will catch themselves when they say something un-productive and say, “Forgive me, Lord. I shouldn’t have said that!” They are constantly aware of God’s likes and dislikes. People who are sensitive to the Spirit don’t just hear God clearly; they respond quickly.

How many times have you felt a “hesitation” before doing something, only to realize in hindsight that the “hesitation” was actually the leading of the Spirit? Conversely, perhaps you’ve also missed opportunities to do something you should have done.

Sensitivity will cause you to pause and respond to the inner leading of the Holy Spirit. You can walk in an awareness of God 24/7. Spiritual sensitivity is a mark of the Spirit-filled believer.

#6 Generosity

“We have diverse gifts according to the grace that is given to us: if prophecy, according to the proportion of faith; if service, in serving; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with generosity…” - Romans 12:6-8a

I’ve seen people give away so much that others considered them to be crazy. And the Holy Spirit has led me to give in ways that made me think I was crazy.

The Spirit-filled give so extravagantly, so selflessly that people ask, “Should you really be doing that?” They say, “That seems to be a bit much.”

Everyone wants to receive extravagantly, but very few are willing to give extravagantly. And I’m not just referring to specific amounts, for all giving is relative.

I’ve seen wealthy business people give hundreds of thousands of dollars towards the gospel. I’ve heard of Spirit-filled believers giving away cars and houses simply because, “The Holy Spirit spoke”.

And…

I’ve also seen missionaries, who were barely making enough to buy food, give away almost all of their income to other missionaries. I’ve witnessed believers, who were believing for a financial breakthrough, give to others in need.

Spirit-filled believers pray for God’s provision, while at the same time becoming God’s provision for someone else.

The Spirit-filled allow themselves to be selflessly marked with generosity.

#7 Burden for the Lost

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” - Acts 1:8

The purpose of the Holy Spirit’s power is world evangelism.

Every truly Spirit-filled believer who I have ever met had, burning within, a passion for souls – they were weighted by a burden for the lost. The Holy Spirit is the most gifted evangelist on the earth today, and His love for the lost soul overflows to you.

Dear reader, I believe that we should carry joy, but I also know that we must come to a place of agony over the spiritually dead. Without a brokenness for the un-saved, the believer lacks. It is a  love for souls that drives the gospel into closed countries and hardened hearts.

When you allow the Holy Spirit to shed this painful love abroad in your heart, you won’t need to be convinced to evangelize; evangelism will become somewhat of an obsession.

I’ve often wondered what “sharing in” Christ’s suffering completely entails. What comes with sharing in His pain? Perhaps, this heartache for the lost counts toward that.

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10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Quit

We’ve all felt like quitting at one point or another. The desire to quit is as much a part of growth as success. For those who do not quit, a reward waits. Nothing worth having is easy to obtain. And everything that has value also has a cost. This is why so few actually reach their God-given goals: though most acknowledge that hard work is needed, most fail to realize just how hard that work will be. We know good things take years, decades even, but when the years begin to pass by, many are still caught off guard.

Make no mistake: the bigger the vision, the longer it will take and the tougher times will be. God will give no weighty thing to the one who cannot stand under its pressure. It is the process that makes you a person who can handle what God wants to give you. I assure you: there are no shortcuts.

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” - 1 Corinthians 9:24

Trials, testing and tragedy – these cause us to grow weary. Setbacks, disappointments and long-term delay – these add to the demise of our resolve. But in our weak and frail moments, we can find the strength to continue.

We see the vision. We hold onto the dream. We pray that we become someone who pleases God. But sometimes life doesn’t align with our ambitions and hopes. People, discouragement and demonic powers speak to your heart, “Just quit and try something else.” I’ve even heard preachers say, “If it’s God, it’ll flow easily” and that’s absolutely false. When you do something for God, when you pursue the dream that He placed in your heart, opposition will come. And it will come ferociously. But in difficult times, I am reminded of this scripture:

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” - Galatians 6:9

Hold this thought captive in your mind: “I will not quit.”

In your life, work, relationships and, even ministry, you may have had moments where you wanted to quit. It may feel as though you’re stuck, trapped and just “making it”. It’s tempting to look forward to an ideal situation. It’s easy to put your happiness on hold until things “settle down” or “fall into place.” But the key to not quitting and walking in joy is two-fold. Enjoy the journey and keep the vision. Enjoy where you are now but don’t lose sight of the future. Be happy in the moment and grateful for what you have.

And if you can just hold on a little longer, I believe breakthrough is just around the corner. Who knows what can change in the next 24 hours? You just may be standing on the brink of your breakthrough. Here are at least 10 reasons that you shouldn’t quit.

#1 Don’t quit, because what you are doing now may be positively affecting a life, and you may not even be aware of it.

#2 Don’t quit, because you may be just days away from a tremendous breakthrough.

#3 Don’t quit, because everything you do in love will count for all of eternity.

#4 Don’t quit, because faithfulness pleases God.

#5 Don’t quit, because quitting would undo all that you have worked for up to this point.

#6 Don’t quit, because quitters are more filled with regret than those who persevere.

#7 Don’t quit, because the world is still in need of the gospel, and you are a vital part of the church.

#8 Don’t quit, because future generations of your family will reap from your obedience.

#9 Don’t quit, because truth is worth the fight.

#10 Don’t quit, because life is too short to re-take divine tests.

This gospel will be preached and we will continue to walk in victory.

If God is with you, who or what can be against you?

You are a child of God. The favor on your life is uncommon, and the vision God has placed before your eyes is unstoppable. God has never failed you and continues to expand you further than you ever thought you would go.

Don’t quit… ever.

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Is Being Slain in the Spirit Biblical?

by David Diga Hernandez

Yes, it is, and I’ll tell you why it is.

But before I can present the “why”, I must define the “what”.

There are many different terms coined for the manifestation of which I write: Slain in the Spirit, Falling Under the Power, overwhelmed in God’s presence, etc.

Many believe that the phenomenon is either purely psychological or, on the more extreme view, demonic in nature. Now I want to make it completely clear that I do not make this a priority in my ministry. The “Slain in the Spirit” manifestation is not essential to my core beliefs about Christ. My faith is founded on the life, death, resurrection and identity of Christ. So rather than teaching that “Falling Under the Power” is primary, I teach that it is only incidental.

I do not seek the manifestation. Rather, I seek God. And, in doing so, the manifestation is sometimes experienced. Someone being “Slain in the Spirit” can occur during a spiritual encounter with God, but if someone is not “Slain in the Spirit”, that doesn’t mean that they didn’t have an encounter with God.

Because many often ask about it, I have been inspired to write a Biblical explanation and defense of the “Slain in the Spirit” phenomenon.

The Definitions

I want to define what I mean by “Slain in the Spirit”.

Here is my definition: A temporary, physical response to a spiritual encounter with God that involves some or much difficulty with standing.

Now, it’s important to realize that there are people who fake these encounters, and, at the same time, there are people who simply allow themselves to fall in an almost ritualistic fashion. There’s the genuine, there’s the real and there’s the ritualistic. Don’t confuse the three. The one of which I write is the genuine – I mean the one that holds truest to the definition I presented. It is, by definition, genuine. But I will lend you its scriptural support in later sentences.

The Ritualistic

Some people voluntarily fall out of reverence, because they sense God’s presence. In some cases, it’s not that they are trying to fake an experience but rather that they are, in their known traditional way, responding with respect to the presence of God. You can tell the difference between when someone voluntarily falls out of reverence and when someone falls as a result of being touched by the power of God. So someone could be experiencing the presence of God, and, even though they’re perfectly able to stand, fall out of reverence. It’s almost a tradition in some Pentecostal circles. For some people who grow up in a church culture that is accepting of the manifestation, falling over when a preacher lays hands on them becomes just as much a part of their tradition as bowing their heads when they pray. In many cases, it’s not that an experience is being faked, but, rather, a tradition is being upheld.

I must go as far as saying that these people are not deceitful or evil. Is bowing out of reverence evil? Is closing your eyes when you pray evil? Do those who practice this do so with the motive to fake an experience? Not the ones in this context.

For them, it is not that they are trying to fake an experience. They are simply being ritualistic, as their tradition has taught them to be. This “Ritualistic Slain in the Spirit” is not evil or deceptive, but I do not necessarily support it.

The Fake

Then, of course, as with anything good, you have those who intentionally fake the experience. Some people, when they feel absolutely nothing, act as though they are experiencing the manifestation when, in fact, they are not. These people, too, can be easily identified.

These are the ones who are being emotional or deceitful (sometimes a little of both). Sometimes, they are not trying to deceive others per se, but they are emotionally deceiving themselves. Other times, they may be so desperate for a “Slain in the Spirit” experience that they work themselves up and into a frenzy. Perhaps wanting to be regarded as “Spiritual” or perhaps being starved of attention, some people deceitfully fake a holy and pure spiritual experience. I definitely do not support such behavior.

The Genuine

What I am specifically writing of is the genuine encounter with God that causes your physical body to react. I am writing of the effect God’s presence has on an earthly vessel.

The Negative Arguments

So what are some of the arguments against the “Slain in the Spirit” manifestation? What issues do people take against it? And why do some vehemently deny that it is Biblical? Categorically, though specificity might seem to reveal more, there are four basic arguments that opponents of the manifestation will use. They are as follows:

#1 – Being “Slain in the Spirit” is Not Biblical

#2 – Being “Slain in the Spirit” is Present in Other Religious Faiths or It Can Be Counterfeited

#3 – It’s Purely Emotional or Lacking in Purpose

#4 – It Brings Glory to Man, Not to God

So, now, I will address the arguments:

Argument #1
Being “Slain in the Spirit” is Not Biblical

Now, as far as this specific argument goes, there are really two main positions. Firstly, there are those who believe that the manifestation is “anti-Biblical”. Secondly, there are those who believe that the manifestation is “extra-Biblical”.

However, there is nothing in scripture that specifically condemns the manifestation itself. The manifestation cannot be considered “Anti-Biblical”, as there is nothing in the Scripture that labels it as demonic or of the flesh. In fact, the opponents will say, “It’s not even found in scripture.” If that were true, what grounds would they have of labeling it as “anti-Biblical” in the first place? At that point, it would simply be “extra-Biblical”.

So those who say it is “anti-Biblical”, say so without any justification whatsoever.

Now what about those who say it is “extra-Biblical?”

I find it quite humorous that opponents of the manifestation will pick at the supporting scriptures with statements like, “Well, they fell but they didn’t fall backwards. They fell, but nobody laid hands on them.” They demand very specific mentions, yet the criticisms that they raise are themselves not found in Biblical specifics. Rather, they base their criticisms on Biblical principles. It’s insincere to then say that the manifestation cannot, therefore, be supported using the same approach.

If one is to believe, based upon the Scripture’s supposed silence, that the manifestation is something to be avoided, the same must commit to a very subtle form of hypocrisy, particularly if he denies that the silence can also be an endorsement.

After all, if the Scripture doesn’t address it, should not they be silent to condemn it, especially if they are so concerned about adding to the Scripture? Most who reject the manifestation do so because it is “extra-Biblical”. Yet their condemnation of the manifestation is itself “extra-Biblical”. We don’t see the apostles or Christ specifically condemning the “Slain in the Spirit” phenomenon. So if anything, the Bible’s silence on the issue should lead them to be silent on the issue; that is, again, if they are really that concerned with adding to the Bible.

But, in fact, that’s not their position. They base their opposition upon Biblical principles. If then the opposition is based upon principles like “defending the faith”, should we not then first look to see if the manifestation can be supported by Biblical principles?

In fact, it is supported by Biblical principles. My response to critics can be summarized in four premises that lead to one conclusion. Each premise is based upon a Biblical principle, and the principles together make a solid, undeniable conclusion, that the manifestation can be supported with scripture. My argument is as follows:

Premise A: God manifests His Presence.
Premise B: God’s Manifested Presence can cause a physical reaction.
Premise C: The Spirit dwells in us.
Premise D: The Spirit and His power can be transferred through touch.
Conclusion: Therefore, being “Slain in the Spirit” is Biblical.

So we take Biblical principles and apply them to being “Slain in the Spirit”. You won’t see that term in the Bible, but neither will you see “rapture” or “Bible” in the Bible. Just because something is not specifically mentioned – chapter and verse – does not mean that the foundational principles for it are not. The question we must ask then is not, “Is it in the Bible?” The question we must ask is, “Is it in God’s Nature?” And, if someone were to disagree, they would have to deny one or all of the premises above.

Premise A is so Biblically solid that I don’t feel I even need to show scriptural support for it. For we know that, in fact, God manifested Himself to people, time and time again. The same goes for premise C.

What about premise B? Does the manifested presence of God sometimes cause people to physically react? Indeed, it does.

“They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.” - John 18:5-6

“At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” - Acts 26:13-14

In the instances above, those who fell at God’s glory did not do so voluntarily and did not do so out of reverence. They did not faint, and they did not collapse in fear. And they did not fall back out of surprise (yes, that’s an actual argument someone tried). They were simply unable to stand in the presence of God.

In each of the instances above, they fell because that is what the Glory and presence of God caused to happen.  It is very clear, from the Scriptures above, that God’s manifested presence can cause the physical human body to react.

Again, we are not looking for this specific instance: a preacher lays hands on someone and that person falls backwards. Rather, we are searching to see if the principle, that God’s manifested presence sometimes causes a physical reaction, is well founded.

Some would argue, “But in the Bible, they fell forward, not backwards like at revivals”. And they would be correct in speaking of other references besides the ones above. In the Scriptures above, they fell backwards and were also unable to stand. It is obvious that the manifested presence of God causes physical and emotional reactions. In the case with the priests, they were unable to stand.

But I don’t even think that’s the main issue for opponents. The effects of God’s presence on a human are both plainly and often seen all throughout the Old and New Testaments.

The challenger might here interject, “Yes, but nobody laid hands on them!” That leads us to premise D.

So how about it? Can the power of God be transferred through touch?

“When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled." - Acts 19:12

“Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched my robe?’" - Mark 5:30

“Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands." - 2 Timothy 1:6

“Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." - Acts 8:17

So we see, from scripture, that spiritual things can be transferred and given through the laying on of hands. The Spirit and His power can be transferred through human touch.

And what happens when the Holy Spirit and His power are present? In some cases, people are unable to stand or otherwise react physically. We see the reactions to the Glory of God all throughout scripture.

So to say that the manifestation is unbiblical, one must deny one or all of these premises. Otherwise, he cannot reject the conclusion.

Premise A: God manifests His Presence.
Premise B: God’s Manifested Presence can cause physical reaction.
Premise C: The Spirit dwells in us.
Premise D: The Spirit and His power can be transferred through touch.
Conclusion: Therefore, being “Slain in the Spirit” is Biblical.

Argument #2
Being “Slain in the Spirit” is Present in Other Religious Faiths or It Can Be Counterfeited

This next argument is a rather weak one that seems to be based more so on fear than on scripture. The argument is that, because it can be faked or duplicated, it must, therefore, be rejected. Opponents often reference Kundalini.

But think of the concept of the anti-Christ. If Christ’s identity can be faked then is Christ Himself therefore to be rejected? Of course not!

My point is that the existence of the fake does not prove the absence of the real. In fact, the enemy duplicates all sorts of God’s manifestations:

1. Moses vs. Egyptian Sorcerers
2. Prophets vs. Psychics
3. Word of Knowledge vs. Divination
4. Tongues vs. Satanic Tongues
5. Christ vs. Anti-Christ
6. Gospel vs. False Gospel
7. Church vs. Cult
8. Prayer vs. Incantation

You can counterfeit even the purest of things. This is why we are to judge with righteous judgment, according to the Holy Spirit.

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." - John 7:24

“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:" - 1 Corinthians 12:8-10

The Church has been given the gift of discernment. We are to judge between the real and the fake. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us in these matters. He reveals, and He reminds. He guides us in the new and happening. At the same time, He grounds us in the foundational truths. He is our guide in all these things. So don’t let the fake discourage you from experiencing the real. If we reject the manifestation because of the existence of counterfeits, we must do the same with all else.

#3 It’s Purely an Emotional Experience and Yields No True Results

Now this argument is more of an opinion than a matter that can be refuted with scripture. I have already shown that being “Slain in the Spirit” is Biblical, but, for this argument, I will use the principles already established to form my point.

It’s not “Being Slain in the Spirit” that changes an individual, just as it’s not the anesthetics that heal a person who undergoes surgery. The surgery is what causes real change, while the anesthetics come with the surgery. God’s presence causes change, while being “Slain in the Spirit” is simply a side effect. We do not seek to encounter God in order to be “Slain in the Spirit” no more than one goes into surgery just to receive the anesthesia. Rather, we seek God’s presence, and the manifestation of His presence will sometimes cause you to be “Slain in the Spirit”.

Besides, what exactly is wrong with having your emotions touched by God? Isn’t He the One who created them? Just as He has given you sight to see, He has given you emotions to feel. Every aspect of our being responds to the touch of God – intellect, physical body, spirit and even emotions. People ask me, “Should we have an emotional experience or a true encounter with God?” But I believe that an encounter with God is, indeed, an emotional experience. Please, notice that I am not saying, “An emotional experience is an encounter with God.”

I’ll admit that emotion can sometimes cause a pure, holy and reverent encounter to be turned into a foolish display. But I argue that, even in the midst of great emotion, God can be doing a great work. Just think back on all of the ways God’s people responded to His presence: washing feet with tears, dancing almost naked in front of the ark, appearing drunk, etc. It seems to me that the critics focus more on the emotional aspects of it than do those experiencing it.

So, yes, emotion is involved. But that’s just a side effect to what’s really happening. And who are we to say it didn’t cause change in someone’s life? What if that experience simply encouraged the person? What if God did a subtle work? What if God did something deep in the individual’s heart that won’t manifest until later? If it were purely emotional, I would agree with the critics. But, again, realize that I’m writing about the genuine manifestation. It’s true that some people only experience emotional hype, but that’s not what I’m defending here.

#4 It Brings Glory to Man, Not to God

All throughout scripture, a consistent theme is found. God uses men. He uses former murderers, liars, fornicators, prostitutes, deceivers, thieves and rebellious men of all sorts. God uses people. Among believers, there is no debate about that. Whenever men are being used of God, there will always be those who wrongfully glorify them.

Here are some other things for which man wrongfully receives glory:
1. Preaching the Gospel

2. Praying for the Sick

3. Taking Care of Orphans

4. Teaching God’s Word

5. Missionary Work

6. Taking Care of Widows

7. Tithing and Giving

8. Having Faith

9. Comforting Others

Man can get glory for just about anything godly.

So just because “The Focus” can fall on a man, that does not mean that the action of that man is wrong in and of itself. If that’s the case, you might as well just throw out all of the spiritual gifts. The problem doesn’t rest with the act but with the people who give glory to men for the act. Should we do away with all things for which people glorify man? Or should we just teach the people to instead glorify God?

Conclusion

So, even if you put all of the weak opposing arguments together, they just make one big weak argument. There is nothing in the Bible against the manifestation, but the Scripture (God’s nature, Biblical principles and simple study) shows us that it’s not unlike God to use such a manifestation. It’s more of a stretch to reject it than it is to defend it.

The Bible teaches us of the nature of God (e.g. speaking through visions, causing deep sleeps, causing trembling). It is perfectly reasonable to believe that God is involved enough to manifest His tangible presence to us. And it is no great leap to say that those manifestations sometimes cause physical reactions.

Some Questions for the Critic

Now, I have some questions for those who oppose the phenomenon: Is God’s presence not strong enough to produce this effect? Cannot God move in this way? Is it unlike God to move in this way? Can you prove, Biblically, that being “Slain in the Spirit” is not of God? How do you know it’s not truly the Holy Spirit? Do you reject it because of true discernment or personal discomfort? Does believing in or experiencing the manifestation void someone’s salvation? Can someone know Jesus and believe in the manifestation? Would you reject Christian unity because of your disbelief in the manifestation? Is rejecting the manifestation central to your fundamental Christian beliefs or the essence of the gospel?

Read David’s bestselling books on the Holy Spirit. Click Here to visit his amazon author page.

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The Crucified Life

“Your dreams are about to come true."

“Your breakthrough is on the way.”

"The toughest times come just before the greatest blessings.”

“God is getting ready to catapult you into greatness.”

Statements like those find their power by pulling on a person’s deep longing to be successful, wealthy, put-together, respected, and otherwise well-positioned in life. In fact, the Word “breakthrough” has become a Christian code word that means “The day I never have any more struggles.” We have sermons that give you steps to a better you and keys to success in this area or that area. It seems that every message you hear is about how your dreams are just within arm’s reach. But the reason we have so much preaching on climbing mountains is because we don’t have the faith or power to move mountains. And we lack faith and power because we lack the preaching of the cross.

Sadly, many are promising a life without troubles, trials, sacrifice, or commitment. Honestly, that’s just contrary to what Jesus told us:

John 16:33

In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Sure, the blessings of God abound in the life of every believer. He prospers, provides for, protects, and loves His people. God does not despise the prayer request. God does not become angry with His child’s request for a blessing. But one thing we should all remember is this: God’s cause takes precedence over the believer’s comfort. So let me just be real with you - many are deceived by a false gospel that requires nothing of them.

Mark 8:34-35

34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.

Jesus spoke those challenging words just after prophesying His own death. His disciple Peter was resistant to the idea of Jesus giving His own life on the cross. The Lord rebuked Peter, saying, “Get away from me, Satan! You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

Get away from me Satan? Those harsh words exposed the source of Peter’s resistance to the cross. Resistance to the cross is Satanic. Think of how the Devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Satan offered to Jesus a cross-less path to glory. Yet Jesus, filled with both the Word and the Spirit, overcame the temptation to deny the cross. He chose instead to deny Himself.

A cross-less gospel is a Christ-less gospel. The gospel is not about self-improvement; it’s about self-abandonment. It’s not about our dreams; it’s about God’s will. We must stop trying to build what the Word of God has told us to crucify.

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10 Reasons Why You Should Give to the Gospel

1. Win Souls

When you invest financially into this ministry, you’re helping us to spread the gospel message and win more souls. Your sacrifice could change someone’s eternity.

2. Give Efficiently

Because our ministry spreads the gospel through newer, more effective and more exciting forms of media, every dollar of your investment goes further. This ministry is excellent soil for sowing.

3. Impact Generations

By supporting this ministry, you are ensuring that the gospel message will thrive and spread throughout future generations - no matter how dark the world gets.

4. Preserve Uniqueness

This ministry is a uniquely anointed ministry. Through events and media, this ministry both builds the believer and wins the lost. This ministry has a rare balance of both the pure gospel and demonstrations of power.

5. Demonstrate Love

Money is a test of your heart. That’s why many become offended at requests for offerings. But when you give to the gospel, you are demonstrating your love for the Lord. (Matthew 6:21)

6. Grow Faith

By stepping out in giving by faith despite the season, you are putting fear in check. As you grow in your giving, you grow in your faith. Don’t consider the season; just step out in faith. (Ecclesiastes 11:4)

7. Store Treasures

By investing your finances into the gospel, you are storing up for yourself eternal treasure that can never be corrupted. (1 Timothy 6:19)

8. Please God

Faith pleases God, and giving sacrificially is an act of faith. (Hebrews 11:6)

9. Overcome Mammon

Many complain when Christian leaders raise finances for the gospel. But by choosing to obey the Lord in your giving, you overcome the spirit of mammon and destroy greed in your life. (Matthew 6:24)

10. Receive Blessings

Though you don’t give just to receive, the scripture does promise that God will meet the needs of the giver - and bless them with enough left over to share with others. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

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Only Believe

A man approached Jesus’ disciples. The man was distraught, scared. His son, who was possessed by a demonic spirit, was tormented. The father was desperate for his son’s deliverance. He explained to Jesus:

One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” (Mark 9:17-18, NLT)

Imagine how disappointed the man had become once he realized that the demon wasn’t going to obey the commands of the disciples. I speculate that the disciples were, in his mind, the very last hope of his son ever living a normal life. 

He had likely, up until that point, visited numerous physicians, spiritualists, and so-called experts. However, his son remained bound by chains of darkness. He had been disappointed time and time again. With every failed attempt to make his son well, his faith diminished just a bit more. 

He must have heard the stories about how the disciples were able to work miracles and cast out demons. Yet what little hope he could have mustered was suffocated under the weight of yet another disappointment. The disciples, the man learned, were not able to free his beloved son.

But that’s when Jesus approached him. When you read the narrative in the gospel of Mark, you’ll notice that the man did not approach Jesus - Jesus approached him.

Possibly still glowing with Heavenly glory from his transfiguration, Jesus asked about the boy’s suffering:

“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” (Mark 9:21-23, NLT)

I love the Master’s straight-forward approach. With an almost indignant tone, Jesus asked, “What do you mean if I can?” I believe the emphasis was on the “if”. Jesus certainly knew His own identity. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

All things are possible; Only believe. 

The man had tried all that he knew to try. He had gone to every expert. He had tried every remedy. He had looked at every potential solution. But, when it came down to it, all he needed to do was believe. And I love his honest response.

The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24, NLT)

After the man’s candid prayer, the Lord delivered his son completely. The boy was freed from the demonic spirit that tormented him.

What do you do when you’ve done all there is to do? What can be attempted when all of your ideas have already failed? What do you do when you need a miracle?

It’s that place of frustration and waiting. Though beneficial to your character, it can be painful. Truly, a miracle is only needed when all other ways have proved to be ineffective. When you’ve come to the end of yourself - talent, intellect, resources, emotion, energy - that’s when the miracle can happen. 

Like that father, perhaps you too face a situation that cannot be overcome with human effort alone. Don’t worry; this is when Jesus steps in. You may have doubt, but He can help your doubt. You may be weary of having your hopes crushed. He won’t disappoint you. You can trust Him. 

Leave it to Him. When you’ve done what you can, rest and trust. Relax. Only believe. He’ll take it from here.

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How to Speak with Power and Authority

I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. (Mark 11:23, NLT)

What incredible power the Lord has given to us. There is power in your words. When you, by faith, declare a thing, it is so. But from where does that power come? Are we able to simply will anything we desire into existence? Concerning what we speak in prayer, this is what the Scripture says:

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: (1 John 5:14, KJV)

As we should, we celebrate the reality of our ability to “ask anything”, but we mustn’t forget “according to his will.”

We have the tendency to stray into superstition. Indeed, many believers live under the bondage of superstition. Perhaps you have heard the threatening phrases: “Don’t speak that! There’s power in your words. Be careful what you say; you might speak death upon yourself.”

And while I am fully committed to speaking life over myself and those around me, I don’t live ruled by the paranoia of unintentional curses.

Is there power in our words? Yes. Can we declare things to be so? Certainly. Do our words affect us and our situations in profound ways? Absolutely. But you can thank God for the limitations that He has placed within the power of our Words.

When God speaks, He speaks with unquestionable, unlimited authority. When we speak, we have the authority “according to his will.” When God speaks, He creates. When we speak, we shape. And aren’t you glad that not everything you declare manifests as reality? God speaks as the Creator. You and I speak as influencers, shapers of the creation. We cannot will worlds into existence, but we can will worlds into alignment with God’s Word.

For example, a police officer cannot legally come to your house and rob you of your valuable possessions. If he attempted to even enter the premises, he would legally need a warrant. If for some unfortunate reason he decided to step outside of the law and rob you, he would legally need to return whatever was taken, even if he wore a badge and claimed authority while robbing you. You see, the police officer has been given the power to enforce the law, not his own will. The law limits his authority. He can only make demands, as far as the law allows.

In the same sense, we are given power in our words according to God’s will and Word. We can declare healing, deliverance, salvation, and blessing. Why? Because that’s God’s will. You cannot expect your words to have power if they contradict God’s Word or if they are born of your own will. We cannot simply will anything we desire into existence, because the power is not in human will. We can speak, but God must first will.

When we obey God, we position ourselves in a place of authority and our words become as certain as the will of God itself. Our authority comes from submission to God’s authority. When we submit to that authority, we align ourselves with the power of Heaven. The power in our words comes from our obedience to His Word. Therefore, speaking in faith does not obligate God, it positions us.

You’ve heard it said, “We can speak things into existence.” However, perhaps it might be more helpful, more accurate even, to say, “We speak things into order.” If something contradicts the Word or will of God, we can speak it into order. We can command all things to bend to the will of God.

The power of your words is directly proportional to the depth of your surrender.

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Don't Quench the Holy Spirit

I was ministering at a church in Southern California, and the service was prophetically anointed. I mean the prophetic was activated with such intensity that I was shocked at some of the things that were coming out of my own mouth! People’s very thoughts were being revealed, and I could see and hear into the spirit with an unusual clarity.

I continued to prophesy over people, and each person receiving a word would either break down into tears or gasp at the detailed words of knowledge. I said something like, “I’m in a whole different place in the spirit now! I can see so clearly.” The people were captivated by the Spirit, and the room was silent with anticipation.

As I scanned the crowd with my eyes, I noticed a woman walking in from the very back of the church. She walked all the way from the back, moved down the aisle, and sat directly in the front row, right in front of me. The way she entered was so distracting that I watched her take her seat. Then, as if my eyes were released from a locked position, I readjusted my vision. Right at that moment, I felt normal again. The weight of power lifted from my shoulders, and I could no longer see with that astonishing clarity. The flow was broken. Immediately, I said, “Well, that’s it. I’m done.” Then I handed the microphone back to the pastor and left.

That woman disrupted the move of the Holy Spirit. She came in and distracted me—as well as the people.

I learned a long time ago that nothing breaks the flow of the anointing like distraction. It’s possible to disrupt a move of the Spirit.

Quench not the Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:19 KJV).

The Holy Spirit is a fire, and He can be quenched. Remember, in us, He only goes as far as we allow Him to go.

I’m not suggesting that the Holy Spirit is a weak and easily frightened Person. We are the ones who can be easily distracted. Distraction doesn’t stop the Holy Spirit from moving; distraction stops us from recognizing and receiving that move.

We can stifle Him with distraction, rejection, and foolishness. Be careful to reverence and embrace the Holy Spirit. Don’t disrupt His moving. Don’t despise His ways.

Don’t quench the Holy Spirit.

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False Prophets & Heretics

The Bible is perfectly clear. If anyone perverts the gospel or preaches another Christ, let that individual be cursed.

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8, KJV)

When it comes to the gospel, we must be unwavering. Salvation is found in Christ alone. There is no other way to the Father but through Jesus. We cannot change the gospel for the sake of anyone’s preference.

Jesus is God.

Jesus came to earth in the flesh.

Jesus died on the cross for sin.

Jesus rose from the dead and achieved victory over death, over all.

To be saved, we must put our faith in Him.

We must repent of sin.

Those are some of the fundamental doctrines of the faith. From those, we cannot waver.

But what happens when a believer disagrees with another believer on, let’s say, divine healing? Speaking in tongues? Financial prosperity? The sabbath?

Are those doctrines worth dividing over?

The Bible is the Word of God, the final authority. And what if, like Peter and Paul, two believers find themselves in a doctrinal disagreement? None of us would dare to call Peter or Paul a heretic, yet those two men had doctrinal disagreements.

We so easily throw around terms like “False Prophet” or “Heretic”. But the definition of heretic is not “anyone who disagrees with me on anything.” A heretic is one who teaches a direct contradiction to the fundamentals of the faith.

Finances are important, but finances are not the gospel. Divine healing is important, but divine healing is not the gospel. The sabbath is not the gospel. Bible version preference is not the gospel.

So long as we agree on Christ and the essentials of salvation, there is room for unity.

I’m not preaching relativism; I’m preaching truth. I know it’s difficult for some to accept, but not every doctrinal disagreement is cause for division or name-calling. My encouragement to all believers: don’t stone your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Call out the false prophets. Call out heresy. But don’t major on minors. It doesn’t matter your stream, so long as you are in the river of Christ.

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Guard the Secret Place

Prayer is not a means to acquire something; prayer is itself the reward. Spending time with Jesus is the reward.

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. (Genesis 15:1, KJV)

Prayer brings power, transformation, blessing, and results - that’s the truth. But prayer is much more than answered requests. Prayer can impact more than just the temporary. When you pray, you step into eternity Himself. He is all you need.

Only the presence of Jesus satisfies the deepest longing of the heart. There is no substitute for spending time with Him. It would be better to lose anything and everything else than to lose His presence.

We so easily drift away. We are so easily distracted. Too often, our fragile minds and emotions can become agitated with clutter. However, we don’t need to allow the distractions and cares of this world to take us away from that precious time with the Lord.

Guard the secret place. Stubbornly refuse to lend Jesus’ time to anyone or anything else. Cling to Him; fix your eyes on Him. Seek Him.

He is your reward. His presence is your Heaven. Take a moment today, now even, to spend time with the Lord. No one has ever left their prayer closet regretting the time they spent with the Lord. Get away from it all - even if just for a few moments.

You are given the privilege and the joy of spending time with Jesus. Don’t let the time slip away. Don’t trade the precious moments that belong to Him.

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