But there is no substitute for the genuine power and presence of the Holy Spirit. You cannot duplicate His craftsmanship. We have to stop limiting His timing to our Church calendars and schedules. We need to stop confining His power to back rooms and “special services”. Methods cannot replace miracles. Programs cannot replace power. Structure cannot replace Spirit. And our pursuit of attendance should never become more important than our pursuit of the anointing.
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”.
In scripture, when looking at the God’s mighty prophets and anointed ministers, you’ll notice that it was rare for any of them to doubt that they were hearing God. Sure, they sometimes doubted situations, and they were met with many of the same inner struggles that we face today. But those men were confident in their ability to hear God. Compare that confidence with the uncertainty of many of today’s believers, and you’ll be forced to ask yourself this important question: why do believers today struggle to hear God?
I want you to picture a tree. See its leaves, branches and stems. Imagine its thick trunk and twisted roots. Allow yourself to see through the dirt and visualize the tree in its entirety, from the highest point to the far tip of its deepest root. Now, let us say that this tree represents your salvation. Only a real tree can bear fruit. But is it the fruit that causes the tree to grow? No, it is the root system that causes it to grow. Good works are the fruit of salvation. They are not the root of salvation.
You must show faithfulness. And you have to give Him something to bless. You can’t expect God to bless your ministry if the only hard work you do is to keep yourself from hard work. There are no shortcuts in God’s kingdom. Quick works will quickly fail. God gives visions AND plans. The vision is the heart; the plan is the action.
I am very intentional about cultivating and preserving, within myself, both a willingness and an ability to learn from others. Everybody knows something that you don’t. So it is wise to glean the good from within people. I have received from people of varying personalities, cultures, mindsets and expressions. Many great men and women of God have spoken mindset-altering words into my life.
“Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,” - Proverbs 1:5
There is no such thing as being too spiritual. You can be too emotional. You can be too chaotic. You can be too weird. You can be too strict. But you can never be too spiritual. The essence of spirituality is not strictness, seriousness, silliness or spookiness. Do not equate such characteristics with what should be your highest goal. Being spiritual is simply being aware of and in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. And He marks those who spend time in His presence with distinct characteristics.
As I stood there mesmerized by the lively underwater scene, I felt a breeze move passed me. It was cool enough to be refreshing without causing me any discomfort. At that moment, I looked up at the blue sky filled with white billows of clouds. I can’t really explain this, but the sky seemed so much larger than in real life. And the sky, like the water, was also very clear. Though it was daytime, I could see faint displays of stars, colorful galaxies, shining through the sky. That display, in particular, was so awesome that is was borderline terrifying.
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.
