What is the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?

Often, this question is asked from the state of fear. Terrified that they have committed the eternally unpardonable sin against the Spirit, some believers live out of a guilt-burdened discouragement. My heart goes out whenever I am met with a correspondence from someone who is filled with a tight and paralyzing anxiety. With panicked speech, they cry out in distress, “Have I committed the sin that cannot be forgiven? Am I forever doomed because of a single action?” While I understand that this topic can be somewhat alarming, it is important to remember that fear doesn’t come from God.

“ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." - 2 Timothy 1:7

Anything that takes away the soundness of mind isn’t of God. So if you carry uneasiness in your heart, know that God wasn’t the One Who put it there. Even conviction, which can sometimes bring about a sense of sorrow over sin, is essentially hope-filled, as it presents both problem and solution at once. Compare that with ungodly fear which is always paired with hopelessness.

First, let’s look at the key verse.

“’So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.’" - Matthew 12:31-32

Those are some very harsh words from Jesus. They are words found in three of the four gospels. So, before I attempt to do any explaining, know that I am not attempting to trivialize or minimalize the weightiness of the matter addressed. Jesus really meant what He said. There is certainly a sin that can never be forgiven. Of that be certain.

Jesus really meant what He meant. Jesus is very meticulous about His choice of Words, and every single one of them are inspired by the Holy Spirit Himself. Never really means never. Forgiven really means forgiven. “Never forgiven” really means “Never forgiven”.

Jesus really was speaking of a sin that could secure a soul’s eternal damnation. That soul can never be forgiven – not in this world or the world to come, not in this age or the age to come. So we must tread reverently in our approach to understanding those very holy words. In an attempt to comfort one another, we must not lower any standards that Christ Himself has raised. Neither should we aim to inspire ease where Christ has purposed to inspire great reverence.

Study the verse from any angle, and the seriousness is still very obvious. I approach the verse, as Paul approached the preaching of the gospel.

“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…" - 2 Corinthians 5:11

Secondly, let’s look at the verse’s context.

Simultaneously curing a man’s speech and sight, Jesus delivered that man from a demonic spirit. Upon seeing the marvelous deliverance, a crowd of spectators began to praise Jesus and discuss the idea that Jesus might be the messiah, the Savior of the world.

Within the crowd of onlookers was a group of Pharisees. They were constantly looking for a means by which they could discredit Jesus. So, in response to the deliverance they witnessed, the Pharisees accused Christ of using the power of Satan to cast out demons. Jesus responded by saying,  “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said.” (Matthew 12:25-27)

Now recall that it is by the Holy Spirit’s power that demons are expelled from an individual. Jesus corroborates that truth by saying, “But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” (Matthew 12:28-30)

In the very next breath, Jesus gives us the gravely stern words we are analyzing. The Pharisees attributed the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. That’s horrifying and very chilling. What an ugly accusation!

So is that it? Is false attribution the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?

Well, look at the account of Mark’s gospel. His narrative includes a portion where the Pharisees say that Jesus was, “… possessed by Satan, the prince of demons. That’s where he gets the power to cast out demons.”

Not only did the Pharisees attribute the working of Christ to demonic power. They also accused Christ of being possessed by Satan Himself. They said that the Holy Spirit was Satan and rejected Christ’s divinity.

We should have no trouble at all knowing the context of Christ’s warning. For, in fact, the Scripture specifically tells us why Jesus even spoke such sobering words in the first place.

“He told them this because they were saying, ‘He’s possessed by an evil spirit.’" - Mark 3:30

Thirdly, we must understand the word itself. Blaspheme here is the greek term blasphemia. (Side note: Interestingly, it’s a feminine noun.) It is slanderous speech against the divine. It is injurious speech. This is why Jesus used the phrasing, “who speaks against the Holy Spirit…”

So we can rule out some of the sins that are commonly pegged as the “unpardonable sin”: murder, suicide, fornication, witchcraft, adultery and so on. Those sins cannot be the unpardonable sin, because they are not sins of speech. Furthermore, even general blasphemy against God can be forgiven, as Jesus makes perfectly clear when He declared, “all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven…” Of course, He went on to specify the exception. Jesus was very specific with His message, and it is that specificity that makes the unpardonable sin more difficult to commit.

Now some suggest that the unpardonable sin is the sin of consistent and stubborn unbelief.  In other words, it’s “unbelief until death”. That cannot be true. Otherwise, how could one be marked as unforgiveable “in this world”, as Jesus put it? That one can be beyond God’s forgiveness in this world means that the sin can be committed on this side of eternity. Plus, the idea, that the unpardonable sin cannot be committed while one is living, completely ignores the original context where the matter was first addressed.

The Pharisees had either committed the sin or were otherwise perilously close to committing the sin. So what was it that they did?

They claimed that the Holy Spirit was Satanic, and they basically called Christ Satan. They witnessed the obvious working of God among them yet denounced Christ. Recall that all spirits against Christ will deny His Lordship.

“So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit." - 1 Corinthians 12:3

Therefore, it is not possible for a Christian to commit this sin.

Even still, by a non-believer, it is not easy to commit. The unpardonable sin is a very intentional one; you cannot commit it by accident.

The Pharisees stood before Christ in the flesh. Faced with an obvious miracle, they stubbornly denied the work of Christ. And, in an effort to deny an obvious work of God, the pharisees blatantly blasphemed what they probably knew to be divine, though they were too prideful to admit it. Furthermore, the Scripture doesn’t indicate whether or not the Pharisees had actually committed the sin.

The one who commits the unpardonable sin is so against the Holy Spirit that they move beyond the ability to repent of sin. The Holy Spirit will only convict the sinner who has the ability to repent. Otherwise, why would He convict them?

“But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them." - John 6:36-37

Jesus will never reject the one who comes to Him. That verse is true even when contrasted with this section’s key scripture. How then do we reconcile the two scriptures? Basically, anyone who comes to Jesus has yet to commit the unpardonable sin. Otherwise, how could His promise to never reject anyone hold true?

Truth: Jesus promises to never reject the one who comes to Him.

Truth: The one who commits the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is rejected.

Reconciled Truth: The one who comes to Jesus has yet to commit the unpardonable sin.

Conclusion: Jesus will accept anyone who comes to Him.

So we know that the one who has truly committed the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit doesn’t have the ability to be convicted. For it is the Spirit Who convicts (John 16:8). If one does not have the ability to be convicted, he also does not have the ability to repent.

So, if you are worried that you have committed the unpardonable sin, you haven’t committed it. If ever you turn toward Christ, He we will receive you. I stress: we must compare scripture with scripture.

In conclusion, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is a sin of the tongue that can be committed while you’re still alive. It is a slanderous attribution of the Spirit’s work. But, however one might define the unpardonable sin, it is clear that, if you have truly committed such a sin, then you will have no interest in repentance and no fear of having committed it. A desire to be forgiven and a fear of committing it are both proof that you have not committed it. When scripture is compared to scripture, we find that Jesus will never reject anyone. That is how we know that one must very deliberately move beyond a certain point in order to commit the unpardonable sin. However, it is a very sobering truth.

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Beholding the Glory

One of the scriptures I consider most often is this beautiful verse:

“So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord–who is the Spirit–makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” - 2 Corinthians 3:18

Jesus is the Glory of God.

And, because of the work of the Holy Spirit, you and I can fix a clear gaze upon the face of Jesus. It is that fixation, that divine obsession, that brings about God’s transformative power in our lives. We behold the very glory of God.

Behold…

be hold…

As we hold the gaze, He causes us to be like him.

In Exodus 33:10 the scripture says, “But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.” To behold the Glory, to gaze upon the countenance of Christ, is to experience the death of self and life unto God.

The scripture also says, “But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.” (Psalm 1:2). According to John 1:1, the Word is Christ. So Christ is our meditation. Upon Him, we meditate. And as we meditate upon Christ (The Word), the Holy Spirit takes the Word and causes it to become revelation.

Jesus is revealed.

The veil is lifted.

And we are changed as we behold Him…

The very Glory of God.

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The Immortal Mind

While it is in the nature of man to avoid the contemplation of his own demise, it is very healthy to consider the fact, the harsh reality that, no matter what we say or do, you and I will one day die. I know this isn’t popular preaching in the age of the self-help, life-improvement gospel, but the Bible is very clear on this matter. For the scripture says,

“How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog–it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” - James 4:14

The Bible also says,

“By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.” - Genesis 3:19

I’m not telling you this to frighten you. I’m not telling you this to discourage or depress you. I’m telling you this so that you can live your life in the light of eternity.

Today, you often hear it said, “Live for the moment; the moment is all that matters.” While we should find cause for appreciation during every moment of this life, it is foolishness to live as though the moment is all that matters. It’s silly and naive to think that the moment is all that is worth consideration. First of all, what is “the now” if not the result of past decisions? Every now moment has been directly influenced by the accumulative effect of “then moments”.

Furthermore, the only reason that “now” could ever possibly, actually matter is if there is a future to be affected.

Truly consider the nature of purpose. Purpose is only imaginary if all things are only temporary. Remove eternity from the equation and what purpose have you left?

Why does tomorrow actually matter if there is no eternity?

Some would say, “Well, the good you do today can long outlive you.”

That is definitely true, but what about afterwards?

If we seek to find our purpose in adding a page of our own to the history books, we fail to recognize that history too will someday itself cease to be. Even if your legacy should reach beyond to the generations to come, your legacy will only last as long as the society which honors or remembers said legacy. But what about when the generations are no more? What about 200 years from now, when your kids, grandkids and maybe even your great grandkids have returned to the dust? What then?

What happens at the fall of a city? Of a nation? What is to become of anyone’s accomplishments when the earth itself is gone? Even if we should advance so far along that we, as a society, are able to travel throughout the vast distances of the cosmos, won’t all material things come to nothing? Can any created being, without the protection of God, see its species survive indefinitely? Nothing lasts forever. Eventually all odds of catastrophe stack too highly. Throughout the eons, an apocalyptic event would become unavoidable, certain. In fact, the universe itself is headed toward dark and cold nothingness.

Death is the great equalizer: every billionaire and ever beggar, every president and every prisoner, every king and every kid – all of us will face death. All of mankind, of current days and of ancient days, spends his or her life, a brief moment, upon this earth. Our limited time is spent in a temporary world, and there is no escaping that reality.

Without the existence of an eternal place, there is no purpose other than the delusional purpose we might subjectively embrace for comfort’s sake. All that matters, all that is left, is what we do to affect eternity. Only the life spent for the eternal is a life filled with purpose.

This is why the scripture says,

“Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” - Colossians 3:2

There are at least three benefits that belong to the one who bears an immortal mind, a mind fixed on eternity.

#1 – The Immortal Mind knows the purest gospel.

The eternal perspective is the perspective which leads one to find the most truthful interpretation of scripture and the gospel message.

If ever you have heard a version of the gospel with which you found a small, difficult-to-justify discomfort, you are not alone. For a while, whenever I would hear a gospel being preached which only promised blessing, a better life, humanitarian success and social justice for all, I found it difficult to place my finger on what exactly it was that I found to be disagreeable. Much of the modern preaching sounded orthodox, but, still, I found something to be amiss.

It wasn’t until recently that I was able to successfully identify the source of my misgivings. You see, the true gospel promises most of its impact to one’s eternity. There is nothing wrong with being blessed or devoted to aiding one’s fellow man. But, when our proclamation of the gospel becomes mostly about what we do here on earth, we’re missing something big. Jesus Himself said,

“Jesus answered, ‘My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.’” - John 18:36

The gospel will improve your life, but that’s not what it’s all about. Following Christ is a commitment to self-denial, not self-improvement. The gospel may be advanced by humanitarian efforts, but the rescue mission to save souls is the greatest humanitarian effort of all time. It is dangerous to preach only likable portions of the gospel to attract people to Christ.

First of all, why would you ever share only a portion of the gospel when not a single one of us is promised tomorrow? Secondly, we see no example of portioned presentations of the gospel in scripture.

It is the duty of every believer to preach all of the gospel.

Only when one is thinking through the paradigm of eternity can that one remain properly grounded.

The second benefit of having an immortal mind is that it inspires godly decisions.

#2 The Immortal Mind inspires holy living.

“Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” - Hebrews 12:14

When you are aware of the fact that you will be held responsible for how you’ve lived your life, you gain the motivation to live right and holy. Your thoughts and your actions have an audience with God.

How much would your behavior change if you knew that you were going to stand before Christ today? Are you ready to give an account for your life? If you were to stand before the Lord right now, would He find you faithful? Though I may falter, I am determined to give my all to Him. I want my walk with the Lord to be one of consistency. When I am well, I will walk for His will. When I am refreshed, I will run for His will. When I am weary, I will crawl for His will.

Yes, I am determined, when this life has ended, to be able to look at my Master and be able to say, “Lord, I did all I could do. I gave my all for you.” Can you maintain your honesty when you say, “I’m living in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.”? If so, continue. If not, consider the brevity of life, while also contemplating the scope of eternity.

When you are mindful of just how fragile the human body is, something in you will change. We are so easily broken unto death. Life is a thin, fragile glass upon which we walk. Below us is eternity, and, once that glass shatters, we must meet the Creator.

There is no do over. Do not wait for the ideal situation to present itself to you, for no such ideal situation exists. Don’t wait for anything. Instead, use your every moment to store for yourself treasure in Heaven. Disdain sin and avoid evil. Be aware of that which comes after this life here on earth. Know that you will one day give an account for your every day.

But, contrary to what some might believe, living with the immortal mindset is not the same as living in fear. Just the opposite is true. When you live with an immortal mind, fear loses its power over you.

#3 The Immortal Mind is not fearful.

We fear loss. We fear pain. We fear death. We fear rejection, failure and harm.

But, in eternity, for the believer, none of those things exist. This life, compared with eternity, is not even equal to a second. So, no matter what may come in this life, it does not compare to what eternity has to offer.

“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” - Romans 8:18

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” - 2 Corinthians 4:17

Therefore, we can rest in peace now. Most count on death to bring them that sort of rest, but we count on the Word of God to bring us that rest, for Jesus promised,

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” - John 14:1-3

If you wait for death to allow you to rest in peace, then you have crowned the grave as prince. But, if you stand upon the promises of God, you can in this life rest in peace, for Christ is the prince of peace.

What, therefore, should cause us to fear? Should we lose a loved one, we have the hope of seeing them once more. Should we be martyred, tortured or persecuted for Christ’s sake, it is only for a moment. We have no evil to fear – sickness, terrorism, financial crisis – none of these should be feared. For all of that which causes men to fear, we will outlast in the beauty of eternity.

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The Surrendered Life

What qualifies one to be a minister of the gospel? What attributes must the believer acquire before he or she can be fit for the Master’s use?

Certainly, there are standards one must reach before being considered worthy of God’s high call. Such standards of proficiency are plainly laid out in the scripture. 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 lay out for us a general standard of leadership. But beyond those standards, we often reach or aim to reach further than we are able, further than God actually requires us to reach.

We disqualify ourselves based upon imperfections, inadequacies and past mistakes. In fact, some people have left the ministry and dread having to “regain” all that was lost. Accepting the definition their mistakes attribute, many believers, who might otherwise become a powerful tool in the hand of God, simply count themselves out.

When I first began to seek the Lord at the early age of eleven, I asked Him to use my life for whatever He saw fit. In my mind, I never considered myself to be great or ideal for God’s use. My prayers often sounded like this, “God, I don’t have much to offer, but use what you can.”

Of course, many would, at that point, interject something to the effect of, “Of course, you had much to offer!” While I appreciate the sentiment, if I am going to be real with you, in light of the endless abilities of God, it becomes quite apparent that we, in fact, have very little to offer to God.

But it’s never really been about what we can offer to Him; it’s always been about what He can do with what we offer to Him.

We may list qualifiers.  Some might think, “You need to speak eloquently, live perfectly, be charismatic and carry many talents.” While there might be some small truth to that sort of thinking, I can’t help but also think of Jesus’ disciples.

“The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” - Acts 4:13

The disciples were, by all standards, ordinary men. They lacked special training in the scriptures, and they definitely weren’t perfect. Their qualification was, I strongly believe, their relationship with the Son of God. It was their personal and close connection with Christ Himself that enabled them to be used of God.

All true Spirit-filled ministries are forged in the fires of a passionate love for Jesus. The Holy Spirit within you is your greatest qualification for ministry.

If God were to use only men of renown, our thinking would by no means be confounded. If God only used the strong, the intelligent, the charismatic and the able, then what reason would there be to marvel at the enabling of divine grace?

“Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world,h things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.” - 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

God uses the weak to demonstrate His strength, the powerless to demonstrate His power and the broken to demonstrate His restoring grace.

Though you’ve likely never heard this thought delivered in this exact way, you’ve most likely heard this thought nonetheless. This truth only has power if you come to embrace it through acts of faith. The truth, no matter what your distracting internal monologue might suggest, is that God wants to use you and can use you.

Be encouraged. Take a step of faith. It’s not a matter of how gifted you are but of how surrendered you are. The life that is most suitable for the Master’s use is the surrendered one. Ask the Lord to use you. Make yourself available. Do it now in this moment, and then take a step of faith.

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First Love

Jesus is holy – we must love Him more than our sin.

Jesus is humble – we must love Him more than ourselves

Jesus is present – we must love Him more than distraction

Jesus is selfless – we must love Him more than our comforts.

Jesus is truth – we must love Him more than our beliefs.

Jesus is trustworthy – we must love Him more than our fears.

Jesus is accepting – we must love Him more than our prejudices.

Jesus is supernatural – we must love Him more than our agenda.

Jesus is personal – we must love him more than our independence.

Jesus is good – we must love Him more than our blessings.

Jesus is merciful – we must love Him more than our rights to justice.

Jesus is generous – we must love Him more than our gain.

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No Other Way

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” - John 14:6

Either we believe Jesus’ claim to exclusivity or we don’t. Christ Himself has told us that there is no other way to God.

I am concerned especially for my generation when it comes to boldness. It seems that my fellow millennials have been raised in a culture that champions tolerance over truth. It’s almost as if we are to believe that if something is offensive that it is, therefore, untrue. Many would rather avoid offense than deception. But nothing is untrue just because it is offensive, and nothing is true just because it is offensive. An idea’s ability to agitate or offend has no effect on its truthfulness.

Disagreement is not hate. The belief in truth is not bigotry. Exclusive claims are not intolerant.

This culture, with hypocrisy, will applaud the individual’s journey to find and live in their “own truth” yet disdain the one who says they’ve found it. It seems to me that the spirit of the age celebrates the wandering journey to find truth while condemning anyone who has actually reached the destination.

Why?

It’s because, so long as man is wandering, he is never settled. And so long as he is never settled, he never finds truth. And as long as he hasn’t found truth, he is free to do as he wills.

But you, fellow believer, must not fall for such nonsense. Be bold. Be sold. Be convinced of the truth that Christ proclaimed. He is the only way to Heaven, to God, to Truth. All others are false. That’s the truth.

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Cast Your Net Again

“One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.’ And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!” - Luke 5:1-6

Perhaps you’ve been believing for the salvation of certain loved ones. You’ve preached to them, conversed with them and maybe even argued with them a little bit. Still, there seems to be a resistance, a worldly stubbornness. When believing for the salvation of someone who resists the drawing of the Holy Spirit, it’s easy to become discouraged and disappointed. It can seem as though your prayers aren’t making much of a difference.

But, as Jesus encouraged the disciples, I want to encourage you to cast your net again. Each time you cast your net – evangelize – you are taking a step of faith. And you never know which cast will yield a great catch. Don’t give up. Don’t be discouraged. Keep casting your net, and, eventually, the miracle of salvation will occur. Your loved ones will come to know Jesus – it’s just a matter of time and prayer.

Your efforts are making a difference, whether you see it that way or not. For it is impossible to accomplish nothing in prayer. God’s Word does not return void, and your evangelism is making a difference.

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Impossible Places

“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Be of good cheer. It is I. Do not be afraid.’ Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, bid me come to You on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter got out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'” - Matthew 14:27-31

Only Jesus could have invited Peter to walk upon the water.

Only Jesus was able to bring you to the place in life that you are now.

When you follow after Jesus, when you walk with Him in life through obedience, He’ll cause you to stand in impossible places. Sometimes those places may scare you. Sometimes you may feel inadequate to stand where you are standing. You may say, “Lord, I don’t know if I can do this.” Be encouraged: He stands with you.

Only God can cause you to stand in impossible places, and only God can keep you there. Just keep your eyes on Jesus, and you’ll walk in places where others sink. Only God could have brought you here, and only God can keep you here. Stay dependent upon Him. Don’t look around – keep your eyes upon Him.

Why does God take us to places that would have otherwise been impossible? It’s so that no flesh can glory in His presence.

The destiny He has for you is impossible to fulfill without Him. It may be intimidating, frightening. It may feel as though you cannot handle where you stand, as though you’re going to sink. Wherever God intends for you to walk will always take faith to walk there. Faith stands in impossible places. Follow the voice of Jesus, keep your eyes fixed upon His lovely countenance and you’ll walk upon the waters of your destiny, impossible places.

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Keep Dreaming

“One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. ‘Listen to this dream,’ he said. ‘We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!’ His brothers responded, ‘So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?’ And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.” - Genesis 37:5-8

God gave a dream to Joseph. Joseph shared that dream, and his brothers hated him for it.

Have you ever been hated, disliked or disdained because of the dream that God has given to you? Have you ever been misunderstood because of the favor upon your life? People label the passionate as “ambitious”, the faith-filled as “arrogant” and the dreamers as “crazy”. Not everyone is going to like you. Not everyone is going to believe that you are genuine. Regardless, do what God has called you to do.

You don’t have to explain yourself when you’re obeying God. In fact, even if you tried to explain yourself, there are some people who are just committed to believing the worst about you. Whether it’s because of jealousy or disagreement, some people will not be for you no matter what. Regardless, hold onto the dream.

To this day, Joseph is criticized. I’ve heard many preachers remark that Joseph should have kept his mouth closed. However, it was the sharing of the dream that ultimately positioned Joseph to fulfill it, even if the circumstances weren’t necessarily ideal. So do what God has called you to do, keep your heart right, stay focused and let God be the One to vindicate you. Hold onto the dream. It will come to pass.

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Divine Prevention

“Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.” - Acts 16:6

What God doesn’t allow is just as important as what God does allow. What He removes is just as important as what He gives. Paul wanted to go to Asia – it was a desire of his. But the Lord prevented Him from going.

In hindsight, it’s easy to understand why Paul the Apostle’s obedience to the Lord was so important. His life affects millions to this day. But who might your obedience affect?

Steer a ship slightly off course, and it will be difficult to notice the error. But, as the ship travels great distance, the error becomes more obvious. That’s the effect of the generations. Your decisions matter, here and there, now and then. So obey God.

Might you be experiencing divine prevention?

What feels like rejection can actually be promotion. What seems like delay can actually be a shortcut. What looks like a setback just might be a setup for something greater.

So, when it comes to the Lord’s prevention, don’t put up a fight. Let Him remove what needs to be removed. Let Him direct and redirect. Celebrate his permission, and celebrate His denials. Commit to obeying and embracing the will of God, even if it means divine prevention. You can’t go wrong obeying God.

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Hell: As Inspired by a Dream

Hell – No amount of regret can appease it. For every moment that passes, a moment is added to the extent of one’s stay. Deep frustration, hopeless turmoil and constant confusion are forever in the soul. Hope is destroyed. After all, there is no mercy past this point. The instant your eyes catch a glimpse, your pride and stubbornness are broken. But it’s too late. The moment you sense the evil, you desire the opportunity to repent. But God is not mocked. The reality is confirmed. Everything you knew in your heart to be true is now visibly apparent. You escaped the thought on earth, hoping the thought would never manifest its own reality.

Every moment of sinful pleasure, every comment of mockery, every laugh at God – they turn to be regrettable, sorrowful even. To know that safety was within reach is a tormenting thought. Why such foolishness? Why such carelessness? It could have all been prevented – that is a most tormenting thought. No time exists – Hell is the constant state of highest anguish. It is darkness that never again will see light, pain that will never know comfort and loneliness that will never again find companionship. It is the justice of God. Can you grasp the vastness of the universe? That is temporary. Hell is a universe void of all things good. Pride is the door to Hell, and stubbornness is the step that takes you through.

What sort of pride would walk into Hell fire? What pleasure is worth the soul? Mock, laugh, scoff and push it from your mind – it remains a reality. Life is a thin, fragile glass upon which we walk. Once it is broken, it cannot be repaired. Only fools go to Hell when salvation is so near. Frustration that causes physical tension, fear that causes your heart to race, anger that brings depression and pain that causes a scream – these are the reactions of a Hellish existence. They are the eternal marks of a tormented, rejected soul.

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