Abiding in the Vine

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

Making the mistake of doing things in your own strength is as deceptively easy as living without prayer.

Certainly, the ministry requires from us hard work, and living the Christian life is done so with vital disciplines. But the ministry is not to be overwhelming, and the Christian life is not tedious. The believer is not meant to walk in a constant state of exhaustion and tension.

We become exhausted when we give from ourselves instead of from the Source. However, if you will abide in the secret place of prayer, you’ll not grow weary.

When you abide in the vine, your ministry is overflow, your messages are fresh, your prayers are energizing, and your efforts are carried by the wind of the Spirit.

By contrast, when you try to carry out the ministry while neglecting the secret place of prayer, your mind grows tired, your body becomes exhausted, and there is a dryness to your prayers for others.

Thankfully, abiding in the vine is simple. It takes only this: time.

Spend time with the Lord daily – and moment by moment. Whether you, at first, sense a difference or not, God is pouring into you when you set aside time for Him. So step out of the desert and into the springs of living water.

Establish again the altars. Seek the face of Jesus. Keep it simple, and just spend time with Him. Obey His Word, and trust Him. Then you will receive all the benefits of abiding in the vine.

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The Futility of Worry

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” - Matthew 6:34

Let neither the depression from the past nor the fear of the future deny you of your peace for today. Jesus understood the troubles with the human heart. When He spoke those timeless words, He knew the nature of man.

We worry. We worry, even if we can’t admit that we worry. Some worry more than others. And we all worry about different things. But we all worry or, at the very least, have the inclination to worry.

Anxiety, paranoia, fear, and all kinds of phobias are deeply rooted in man’s desire (not “need”) to control everything. Worry is man’s useless attempt at control.

Somewhere within our minds we believe that if we can assess, analyze, and consider a matter thoroughly enough, long enough, and intensely enough that we can prevent or solve the problem.

This is why Jesus asked this powerful, rhetorical question:

“Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” - Matthew 6:27

Worry accomplishes nothing.

Your breakthrough, your freedom from fear and anxiety, begins with exchanging worry with prayer.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” - Philippians 4:6

So, today, replace worrisome thinking with faith-filled prayer. Exchange what troubles you for what gives you peace. Give up the futility of worry and walk in the effectiveness of prayer.

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Only One Nature

You’ve often heard it said that the believer has two natures, two identities that battle for the foreground his being. An intense, inner struggle between sin, self, and spirit rages deep within the soul. However, I contend, based upon what the Bible says, that the believer is not dual-natured. Rather, the believer has only one true nature – the spirit.

The Bible clearly teaches that the born-again believer has crucified his former self with Christ.

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. - Galatians 2:20, NLT

In the book of Romans, Paul the apostle asks a rhetorical question regarding living in sin.

By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? - Romans 6:2, NLT

The answer to his rhetorical question is simply that “the believer who is dead to sin cannot live in sin”. You’ve been made completely new.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. - 2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV

But this is where it can become confusing: while we know that we are dead to sin, we still experience a very real struggle to resist the temptations of the world.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
- Galatians 5:16-17, NLT

How can this be?

What do you do when your new mind seems to be thinking old thoughts? Where should you turn  when your new nature behaves according to old patterns? This is the frustrating part, indeed. Paul the apostle describes this battle.

I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. - Romans 7:15-25, NLT

So on one hand the scripture describes the believer as being completely dead to sin, yet on the other hand the scripture describes sin putting up quite a lively battle. How can we reconcile these two realities?

The answer is found in one simple verse:

But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
Romans 7:20 (NLT)

Paul the apostle, in the verse above, is not dismissing himself from the responsibility of his own sinful actions. He is simply choosing to not identify with the sin nature. Sure the sin nature puts up a fight, but the sin nature just simply isn’t you anymore.

Just because you struggle with sin doesn’t mean you have to identify with sin.

So when you sin, you are not acting according to “another nature” that you possess. Instead, when you sin, you are acting against your actual nature.

When you sin, you’re not a fake Christian; you’re a fake sinner. You’re not a wolf in a sheep’s clothing; you’re a sheep in a wolf’s clothing.

Avoid sin. Repent of sin. Feel sorrow over sin. Despise sin. But never identify with sin. You have one nature: you are of the spirit.

Choosing to identify with the Spirit rather than with the sin nature is an important step towards holiness. For overcoming the power of the flesh is not a matter of fight sin but of surrendering to the Holy Spirit.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. - Galatians 5:16, NLT

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The Holy Spirit: Masterful Teacher

The difference between information and revelation is like the difference between looking at a photo of a moment and actually being there to experience that moment.

The Holy Spirit is a Masterful Teacher of the Word of God, because He doesn’t just give you information; He brings forth revelation. He doesn’t just help you to process the information; He helps you to appreciate the revelation. Information is the depositing of facts into your mind, but revelation is the impartation of truth into your spirit. Information informs. Revelation transforms.

He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. – John 14:17 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit leads us into the truth of the Word of God. We cannot fully appreciate what God is communicating with us without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Sure, anyone – even the carnal man – can retain the factual information of scripture. However, knowing what God’s Word says and experiencing the truth of God’s Word are two separate things.

One can know of God’s love and still never yield to it. One can know of the Holy Spirit’s power and still never walk in it. One can read about Jesus and still never meet Him. The information of the Word comes by reading the Word, but the revelation – the full experience and understanding – of the Word comes only with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Word of God becomes an experience when the Holy Spirit breathes upon it.

You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst. - Nehemiah 9:20 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit is our Instructor.

Perhaps you have become frustrated with what you feel is a lack of understanding. Perhaps you have attempted several times, to no avail, to receive from the Word of God on your own. Maybe you have seen others expound upon the Word of God with powerful insight and have thought, “Why didn’t I see that in the Word?” or “I wish I could receive revelation like that.”

If you’re like me, then there are times when you’re reading the Word and the information seems scattered. You have a difficult time putting the pieces together. My secret is simple: I just ask for the Holy Spirit to teach me as I read the Word.

Yes, it really is that simple. The scripture says…

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. – James 1:5 (NLT)

Without His help, I am absolutely unable to truly understand the deeper things of God. I don’t want to just learn theology, I want to access spirituality. The Holy Spirit helps me to do that. I simply and slowly move through the text. As I am diligent to give myself to the discipline of research and reading, He is faithful to remind and reveal. You do the difficult, and the Holy Spirit will do the supernatural. You take the time for the Word, and He will meet you there to teach you.

So, as you read the Word of God, relax, be still and, with child-like faith, ask for the guidance of the Masterful Teacher, the Holy Spirit.

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Divine Brokenness

Before God will use you, He will break you. Before God will bless you, He will test you.

I mean that the carnal nature must be broken. God will use circumstances and challenges to change you. He will use pressures and problems to process you.

Challenges have a way of making us cling tighter to the Lord. I think of Jacob who, upon having his hip broken, held tightly to the Lord.

When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
– Genesis 32:25-26

Of course, we later discover that the “man” with whom Jacob was wrestling was actually God.

When wrestling with you, when dealing with you, God will sometimes break you. I don’t mean that He will harm you. I mean that He will break you in the same sense that a wild horse is “broken”. He will tame your unruliness by making you need to lean on Him.

God wants to bless you. God wants to use and anoint your life for His glory. God wants to change your nature. God wants to give you a new name. But first, He has to break you.

Why?

It’s because the broken lean on Him; the broken cling to Him.

Jacob was alone. Jacob was facing pressure (His brother was pursuing him). Yet that loneliness and pressure positioned Jacob to meet God face-to-face.

Don’t fight the process. Don’t resist what God is doing.

You may find yourself alone. Perhaps you’re reaching out for help, and nobody seems to be reaching back. Often, the invitations of God are disguised as the rejections of man.

You may be facing pressure. Your circumstance may make you uncomfortable. But pressure makes you desperate, and desperation drives you closer to the Lord.

Could it be that God is using your current predicament to get your attention?

We don’t want to find ourselves in the place of challenge, pressure, loneliness, and heartache. But that is the very place where God will meet us and deal with the flesh. That is the place of brokenness where we receive true transformation from a true encounter with God.

Embrace it. Let God break you.

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Praying “Our Father”

Remember this: the Holy Spirit is the One Who helps us to pray. Jesus instructed us on how to pray, and the Holy Spirit helps us to obey those instructions.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. – Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV)

Our Father…

Notice here that Jesus does not instruct us to pray, “My Father”. He is teaching us to pray from a point of unity, from the sense of collective belonging. In fact, Jesus taught us that we should reconcile our issues with each other before approaching our Heavenly Father. Unity is so important to the Lord that He will not even hear your prayers until you have forgiven others.

…leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. – Matthew 5:24 (NLT)

Unity brings about a greater power when we pray. But unity isn’t just about praying corporately or in groups. To pray from the collective sense by truly declaring, “Our Father”, we must pray without offense within our hearts. In this way, even when we are praying in solitude before the Lord, we can still rightfully pray, “Our Father”.

True unity is about being free from offense. True unified prayer is prayer without grudges or bitterness.

So how do we live in this unity and, thereby, pray from the right posture?

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. – Ephesians 4:3

The Holy Spirit is the One Who promotes unity among the brethren and is, therefore, the One Who helps us to rightfully pray the “Our” in “Our Father”.

Our Father…

Think about what that means. Jesus begins the prayer by recognizing His Sonship. He starts from faith, not from questioning. He enters prayer with confidence, not with begging. Prayer begins with Sonship; it is not a means to obtain it.

How much time could you save in prayer if, instead of begging God to hear you, you believed He already did?

We must enter prayer knowing that we are children of God. We must come to Him in confidence. Don’t waste another moment begging for God to hear you. Know that He hears you now!

“Our Father which art in Heaven!”

Here again the Holy Spirit is our Helper, for He convinces us of our rightful place as God’s Children.

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. – Romans 8:15

And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” – Galatians 4:6

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. – Romans 8:9

Perhaps the most important work that the Holy Spirit will ever do is convince us of our identity in Christ. He convicts us about who we are. Conviction is deeply held belief. The Holy Spirit doesn’t just convict us about sin – He convicts us of our identity and God’s righteousness.

And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. – John 16:8

He convicts us (causes us to deeply believe) that we are children of God.

The Holy Spirit helps us to truly pray, “Our Father”. He helps us to stand in the collective sense of “Our” by helping us to live free of offense and in unity with one another. And He helps us to identify God as our “Father” by convicting us of Sonship.

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The Holy Spirit is a Person

The Holy Spirit is a Person – just as divine as the Father and the Son. I don’t mean that He is a human. I mean that He is a personal Being.

As simple of a thought as this may be (that the Holy Spirit is a Person), I still believe that it’s important to demonstrate it through scripture. The scriptures I am sharing with you in this post demonstrate that the Holy Spirit is both personal and divine.

In the case of the original language, the Greek refers to the Holy Spirit with a masculine pronoun in the following portions of scripture:

“But I will send you the Advocate–the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.” – John 15:26, NLT

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. - John 16:13-14, NLT

The Bible refers to the Holy Spirit as a “Who”, not a “what”.

And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. So we have these three witnesses— the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree. – 1 John 5:6-8, NLT

The Holy Spirit is not just a Person, but He is just as divine as the Father and the Son. The Bible makes clear distinctions between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Yet it mentions them as equals.

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

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. – Romans 8:9-11, NLT

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” – Matthew 28:19, NLT

The Son is distinct and divine. The Father is distinct and divine. The Spirit is distinct and divine.

Why then is the Holy Spirit referred to as “the” Holy Spirit?

Consider this verse:

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” – Matthew 28:19, NLT

The Father…

The Son…

The Holy Spirit…

The word “the” doesn’t take away from one’s personal nature. We refer to persons all the time using the article “the”. For example: the president, the police officer, the teacher, etc.

Furthermore, the Holy Spirit has a will.

“But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” – 1 Corinthians 12:11, KJV

The Holy Spirit can speak.

The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” – Acts 8:29, NLT

The Holy Spirit is referred to as God – “The Lord”.

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. – 2 Corinthians 3:17, KJV

The Holy Spirit is one with Christ.

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, NLT

The Holy Spirit is omnipresent.

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! – Psalm 139:7, NLT

Finally, we are to walk in fellowship with the Person of the Holy Spirit.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. – 2 Corinthians 13:14, NLT

The Holy Spirit can commune with us, because He is a Person.

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Prayers of the Holy Spirit (2 of 2)

Last week, I wrote to you concerning areas that affect your relationship with the Holy Spirit, and then I wrote prayers after which you could model your own. This article is the second and final piece of “Prayers of the Holy Spirit”. The idea behind this two-part post is simple: to draw you closer to the Person of the Holy Spirit by getting you to think in key directions while sealing said thinking with prayer.

So let’s continue now to together meditate on the Word of God and sincerely pray. We will pray that we might be people who…

Believe His Truth…
Embrace His Gifts…
Be Aware of His Presence…
Bear His Fruit…

Believe His Truth
Perhaps the most important work of the Holy Spirit, of course outside of His participation in the miracle of salvation as the Father’s seal of promise, is His convincing the believer to think according to truth.

“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” – Romans 8:15

The Holy Spirit stirs faith within the soul, enabling the believer to exchange the fear that comes with deception for the joy that comes with truth. While we live with the constant need to resist temptation and rebuke demonic powers, for the mature believer, the greatest battle isn’t against sin or the demonic realm. For the mature believer, the greatest battle is the fight of faith – the simple battle to believe God’s truth over every lie.

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” – 1 Timothy 6:12

And this is where the Holy Spirit commits to that vital role of convincing you according to God’s truth. He is the One Who gives us the unction to cry “Abba Father”! He bestows upon us the boldness to believe in the completeness of salvation. He helps us to identify as God’s, securing forever in our hearts the assurance of God’s blessed salvation.

If ever we are to do, become, and have all that God desires, we must choose to believe His truth. Even when our own flesh – by which I mean emotions and doubts – tells us convincing and powerfully persuasive lies, we must, with the grace of the Holy Spirit, cast down those thoughts which contradict truth.

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” – 2 Corinthians 10:5

Believing His truth is in part an act of faith and in part an act of discipline. We must allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us and cause us to dispose of those thoughts that drag us toward deception. We must believe His truth to know victory.

Pray this prayer:

Holy Spirit, help me to believe your truth, even when the lies seem so convincing. When I am confronted with deception, help me to recognize it and defeat it with your Word. Reveal to me the areas in which I am being deceived in my own life. I commit to casting down imaginations and everything that would contradict what you say and think about me. Holy Spirit, thank you for helping me to think according to your truth. In the saving name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Embrace His Gifts
Paul the apostle taught the Corinthian Church about the special abilities that the Holy Spirit distributes to each individual believer. He emphasized that He did not want them to be ignorant about these abilities.

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” – 1 Corinthians 12:1

In his letter, Paul continued to teach on the spiritual gifts by distinguishing the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit from the pagan abilities of the occult.

“Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” – 1 Corinthians 12:2-3

Paul did not want the Corinthians to confuse the spiritual gifts with their former pagan power displays. He gave them this “test” to help them distinguish between pagan power and God’s power: The spirits that don’t point to Jesus as Lord are not spirits of God. Only the Holy Spirit points to Jesus as Lord.

By giving them that clear instruction, Paul the apostle gave to the Corinthians a safety net that would keep them from venturing again into idolatry.

Despite this clear distinction given by Paul the Apostle, many believers still to this day have trouble identifying the work of the Holy Spirit through His gifts. Instead of confusing occult power for the power of the Holy Spirit, most believers today confuse the power of the Holy Spirit with demonic activity. In other words, many portions of the Church are labeling the Holy Spirit’s work as heretic activity. This is sad, indeed. For we know that the source of the spiritual gifts is truly divine.

“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.” – 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each played a role in assigning to each believer a spiritual gift. And Paul the apostle gave us a clear standard by which we can discern all displays of power: if the power is backed by the message of the gospel and points to Jesus as Lord, it is of God. Again, despite this very simple standard, many, likely out of paranoia, reject the gifts of the Holy Spirit. When we do so, we stifle the effectiveness of Christ’s bride.

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” – 1 Corinthians 12:7

We must not be so afraid of error that we rush to the extreme of powerlessness. The safety net is Jesus Himself, and we can have confidence in that safety, confidence in the fact that if we keep Him as the focus, we are safe.

Whether you are adamant or apathetic and whatever your hesitation may be, there is no good reason to reject the gifts of the Holy Spirit. When explaining such rejection, many often point to some bizarre display that they witnessed at some church service. They will cite that display as their reason for rejecting the gifts of the Spirit. They will say something like, “Well, I once saw a man barking like a dog” or “I saw people acting out of order.” And they, for some odd reason, think that the existence of the counterfeit is a good reason to reject the genuine. Odd, isn’t it?

But why would you want any less than all for which Christ died to give you? Don’t punish the Church or the Holy Spirit for something foolish someone else did. Fear not. The Holy Spirit is not silly or senseless. He is classy, elegant, regal, and beautiful.

Open yourself to embrace His gifts today.

Pray this prayer:

Holy Spirit, I’m sorry for rejecting your gifts. Forgive me for being so suspicious of you when you did no wrong. I receive anything you want to give to me. Without hesitation or reservation, I embrace my spiritual gifts. Thank you for them. In the generous name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Be Aware of His Presence
Sometimes, it can feel as though God is a million miles away. But I ask you this: how can God come any closer than within you?

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” – 1 Corinthians 6:19

The key to experiencing a moment-by-moment closeness with the Holy Spirit is not emotions. Who cares if you feel Him or not? Feelings change all the time. The key is not in getting the Holy Spirit to come close to you; the key is becoming aware of the presence that is already within you. This presence is, of course, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

You may not always see Him at work in your life. You may not always feel Him close to you. However, believer, you must not live by feelings, but by faith. Your faith is based on the unchanging Word of God.

If you will commit to simply keeping the Holy Spirit in mind as often as possible, you will strengthen your daily walk with the Lord. You can experience His presence all throughout your day, and you can begin to walk in this awareness as soon as this very moment!

Pray this prayer:

Holy Spirit, I know that you dwell within me. I know that you are ever-present and that you are always with me. Help me to accept the fact of your nearness despite what I feel. I commit to moment-by-moment fellowship with You. Help me to be aware of you at all times. In the unchanging name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Bear His Fruit
The greatest sign of having been filled with the Holy Spirit is the way you live your life.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” – Galatians 5:22-24

Speaking in tongues is not the primary evidence of having received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Neither is the gift of healing, the gift of prophecy, or any other supernatural display of power.

The primary evidence is the fruit of the Spirit. These fruits, when they are displayed in your life, make you look like Jesus. And Christlikeness is our goal. Don’t be dull, bitter, angry, impatient, or lifeless. Let the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit flood your being and make you a magnetic witness for Christ.

Let His fruit grow in your life.

Pray this prayer:

Holy Spirit, I want to be like Jesus. I want You, in the place of my image, to bring about the lovely and majestic countenance of Christ. Help me to bear Your fruit. Give me Your peace, love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, humility, and temperance. Thank You for Your work in my life. In the life-giving name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

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Prayers of the Holy Spirit (1 of 2)

Prayer is potent. It can accomplish much. But while prayer can certainly affect the world around you, it is most effective on the one who prays. Prayer is a force that can change the outer world, but it is most trans-formative toward the inner man. Prayer causes you to become its own answer.

There are many things for which we can pray, but I want to help you focus your prayer on your friendship with the Holy Spirit. This week, we will focus our prayers on these four areas:

Pray to hear His voice…

Pray to obey His leading…

Pray to receive His power…

Pray to understand His revelation…

Hear His Voice

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27

If you belong to Him, you can His voice. You just have to spend enough time seeking Him to recognize that voice. Don’t fall for the commonly accepted myth that the believer must struggle to hear the voice of God. Did the prophets, the apostles, or early Christians struggle to hear God? Certainly not! You can hear His voice with confidence and clarity. The question is not, “Can I hear God?” The question is, “Am I a sheep?”

Pray this prayer:

Holy Spirit, help me to find your voice in the sacred place of silence and stillness. I commit myself to quietness. Speak to me; I’m listening. Thank you that I don’t have to struggle to hear you. Thank you for speaking with absolute clarity. Help me to hear your voice on a moment-by-moment basis. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Obey His Leading

“And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.” – Ephesians 4:30

We all have things in our past of which we are ashamed. Disobedience can be quite damaging to not only your mind and emotions – but also to your life and those around you. But God’s mercies are renewed every morning. There’s no reason or benefit to be found in beating yourself up over your sin. Instead, renew your commitment daily to obeying the leading of the Holy Spirit and avoiding grieving His vulnerable heart. From this moment on, commit to a lifestyle of repentance and obedience.

Others cannot pray for you to be obedient to God. God inclines the heart of those who approach Him in humility. You must seek the obedience of the Lord for yourself personally and willingly. Even if you struggle in certain areas, you can ask the Lord to make you willing to obey. In other words, you can be willing to be made willing. He’ll meet you right where you are.

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” – Psalm 51:12

“Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.” – Psalm 119:36

Pray this prayer:

Holy Spirit, I want to be more like Jesus. I want to obey your leading and walk in righteousness. Give me the grace and the power to live holy, and help me to keep going when I falter. Thank you for dwelling within me and supplementing my lack, for placing your strength where I am most weak. Thank you for making up the difference. I renew my commitment to a lifestyle of obedience and repentance. Give me your empowering grace. In the merciful name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Receive His Power

“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

The Lord gives us His power to accomplish His purposes. The primary reason for which God will give you power is the spreading of the gospel. Grace empowers you to live holy, but the kind of power being talked about by the Lord in Acts 1:8 is the power to fulfill the great commission, to participate in the divine and global mandate of world evangelism. You can’t do it without the power of the Holy Spirit. We need a fresh infilling of power.

“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit…” – Ephesians 5:8

The phrase “be filled” in that portion of Ephesians, in the original language, means to be filled “continually”. For example, when you plug your phone into its charger and it reaches a 100% charge, it is both charged and being charged. We must live in the states of both “filled” and “being filled”. We must walk in a fresh empowering through daily surrender.

Pray this prayer:

Holy Spirit, I can’t be an effective witness without your power. Help me to focus on the task of global evangelism, and then give me the power to do it. I want to live in a constant charge of your power. Remind me constantly to plug into the source. Thank you for your power that makes me a soul-winner. In the powerful name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Understand His Revelation

“But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true–it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.” – 1 John 2:27

The natural man cannot receive the things of the spirit. Only spirit can understand spirit. We cannot receive God’s revelation by the flesh – by intellect or human wisdom. We can only come to truly understand God’s Word by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit without the Word brings only inspiration. The Word without the Spirit brings only information. But, together, the Word and the Spirit bring revelation.

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative–that is, the Holy Spirit–he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” – John 14:26

Pray this prayer:

Holy Spirit, be my Teacher and my Guide. I can’t truly know God or the things of the spirit without your help. Make the Word come alive for me. Make Jesus real to me. Vivify the Master! Reveal Jesus, the Word, to me in a way I never knew possible. Thank you for being so patient with me. Thank you for being such a masterful Teacher. I love you with all of my heart. In the wonderful name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

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The Law of Persistence

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 is not persisting 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, actual faithfulness, is judged upon God’s timetable, not ours.

We cannot forget that, at times, we need to reevaluate strategies and approach. 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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He Healed Them All!

Meditate upon this simple verse:

As the sun went down that evening, people throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one. – Luke 4:40

The touch of the Lord’s hand healed each and every person who approached Him for healing. (See also: Acts 10:38; Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 12:15; Luke 6:19)
He healed them no matter what their diseases were. Both serious and minor illnesses alike were completely healed. Jesus never rejected a single person who approached Him in child-like faith. He has not changed.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. – Hebrews 13:8

Healing is still in His nature. He is still both able and willing to heal all who touch Him, no matter their sickness, no matter their disease.

He heals the major sicknesses like cancer, AIDS, and heart disease. But, dear reader, if you have faith, He will also heal those sicknesses that are considered minor. He will heal hair loss, acne, and the flu. And why not? For He concerns Himself with every detail of your life.

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” – Psalm 37:23

You are His own. The sickness that troubles you, the ailment that brings you pain or embarrassment, can be healed with one healing touch of Jesus. Even those problems which we have accepted as a normal part of life can be healed. He wants to heal you. He wants to make you whole.  Big or small, your miracle is yours to claim by faith, for He heals all!

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The Holy Spirit of Jesus

Consider the fact that The Word of God was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. – 2 Timothy 3:16, NLT

…No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. – 2 Peter 1:21, NLT

If the Holy Spirit was the overseer of the writing of the very Word of God, then it stands to reason that the writings were masterfully done, for excellence is a hallmark of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God wasted not a single word when speaking to those who would scribe the Old Testament and the New Testament. Every detail was carefully considered. It is this careful attention to detail that inspires me to read the Word of God with as much attention to detail as it took to write it.

The Holy Spirit helped men of God write the Word, and the Holy Spirit helps us to read the Word. When we reverence the care with which the Word of God was written, we are more likely to find treasures of revelation. One such revelation came to me as I slowly read the book of Acts. While carefully reading the Word, I stumbled across this portion of scripture:

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. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. - Acts 16:6-7

 Did you see that? It would be missed if not read with care.

Verse six makes mention of the Holy Spirit. Then verse seven makes mention of Him again only by a different name.

… “the Spirit of Jesus”

Think about that.

Dear reader, do you realize that the Holy Spirit within you is the reality of Christ? The Holy Spirit wants to make Jesus real to you. The Holy Spirit’s primary focus is to glorify, magnify, and emphasize the Son. In that regard, He is Heaven’s greatest evangelist! The Holy Spirit always emphasizes Jesus.

He is the Spirit of Jesus. He is the One Who reveals Christ. He is the One Who vivifies the Savior. They are One in the same. What does this mean? Dear reader, you’ll love this.

This means that the Holy Spirit will do anything for you that Jesus would and could have done standing before you in physical form. The Holy Spirit is Jesus without physical limitation; He is Jesus everywhere. Meditate on that truth, and believe God for something miraculous. The Holy Spirit makes Jesus real, because He is the Spirit of Jesus!

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Jesus Said to Go!

And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” – Mark 16:15

We often wonder about the perfect will of God. Should we? The mandate is clear. Our Lord has commanded us to go into the world and spread the gospel. Use every gift. Use every resource. Use every moment. Go! The Father wants souls. He sowed His Son that He might receive sons and daughters; and Jesus deserves to reap the reward of His suffering.

To preach the gospel, God has called you.

You may be asking the Lord, “What is your will for my life? What am I supposed to do?” You’ll be happy to know that the answer is quite simple. It’s not complicated or difficult to understand. God’s agenda in the earth is the spreading of the good news about His Son.

So it stands to reason that God’s will for your life is the participation in this global evangelistic effort. You may not know what job you should work at, what region you should live in, who person you should marry, or what school you should attend. But you do know that whatever it is that God reveals concerning those details of your life that you are to aid in the spreading of the gospel.

What should we do while we wait for answers concerning the specifics of our lives? We should involve ourselves with the spreading of the gospel. Do what is the clear will of God (spread the gospel), and, in time, God’s will for your life concerning the details will be revealed. In other words, while you wait to hear from God on the uncertain, involve yourself in the certain. You may not have all of the answers or every direction from God. But, in the meantime, you do have this clear command: Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.

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Great Faithfulness

“If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.” - 2 Timothy 2:13

I just want to give you a simple reminder this week: God is faithful.

You may be troubled by the thought that your mistakes may have cost you the call of God upon your life. And while our disobedience toward God can certainly slow His work in our lives, our disobedience does not mean God’s inactivity.

Even when you are stubborn, He is faithful. Even when you are fearful, He is faithful. Even when you are not keeping up with all of the things that you know you should be doing, He is faithful. God’s grace supplements our disobedience.

Should we abuse that grace? By no means!

This just means that when you think you’ve gone too far, when you think you’ve messed everything up, He remains faithful. No matter how far you’ve gone or how long it took you to get that far, a single moment of repentance can bring you all the way to righteousness.

Look to the future, and be empowered by God’s grace, which is brought about by His faithful nature. Be encouraged today!

You’ve not been counted out. You’ve not been overlooked. God still wants to use your life.

He is merciful – not because we deserve it, but because He is faithful, and He cannot deny Who He is.

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The Conviction of the Holy Spirit

“And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.” - John 16:8

The conviction of the Holy Spirit is not a punishment; it’s a gift. His faithful and guiding voice obstructs the plans of the enemy over our lives. His corrective instructions free us from the snare of distraction, prevent destruction, and bring about the perfect will of God in our lives.

I’ve seen the believer become discouraged by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Such discouragement comes about because, firstly, the believer has trouble distinguishing between the voice of the Holy Spirit and his own anxieties. The Holy Spirit doesn’t tediously critic every decision we make, and He certainly doesn’t beat us down with shame. The flesh and the enemy do that! The Holy Spirit yearns to draw us to repentance, and, once we repent, He wholly desires that we experience the joy of forgiveness. Think about this: God so wanted you to experience the joy of His forgiveness that He sacrificed His only Son. Once you’ve repented on a matter, let the matter be settled. Don’t hear what the Spirit isn’t saying. Don’t confuse His voice with your anxious thoughts.

Secondly, the believer becomes discouraged at the conviction of the Holy Spirit, because he keeps a record that God Himself doesn’t keep. When God corrects us, we often become frustrated with ourselves, noting all of our faults. But God isn’t counting our faults against us. He doesn’t keep any sort of record of our wrongs. Conviction is an opportunity for improvement, so be encouraged when the Holy Spirit brings correction to your life. Don’t keep your mistakes on a list.

That you are being convicted by the Holy Spirit is a sign that you are still able to hear the Lord, and that’s a good thing.

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The Potential of a Moment

Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.” But Jesus said, “You feed them.” “With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!” “How much bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and find out.” - Mark 6:34-38

In later verses you’ll read about how Jesus miraculously fed the masses of people who were present. The story is quite famous. But what stood out to me upon this time reading was what the disciples said about their own ability to feed the thousands who were gathered.

When told by Jesus to feed the people, the disciples defensively quipped, “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!”

Before you judge them for having “little faith”, it’s important to note that they weren’t exactly wrong for thinking so. In fact, it’s true that the disciples would have to had worked for months to feed the people. In their own effort, within the limitations of their own ability, time needed to pass in order for the disciples to meet the need.

But what Jesus famously did was miraculous! Not only did He multiply the small amount of food that was provided; He also provided that food in supernatural timing. What should have taken man months to earn took Jesus only moments to create.

Yes, the Lord allows for time to pass for the processing of our character. There is no substitute for long periods of waiting. That’s the only way we can be processed. And, no, there are no shortcuts in life or ministry. God will not do a “quick work” by raising a novice minister to places he or she is not ready to occupy. But God will, when His timing is right, supernaturally accelerate certain events and situations.

The takeaway? You’re closer to your miracle, your breakthrough, than you might think. God’s promise is coming sooner than you believe. The destination is closer than it looks.

Jesus can do more in a moment than we can accomplish in a lifetime.

Lock yourself away in His presence. Abandon the selfishness of the flesh, and let God perform His supernaturally efficient work in you.

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The Divine Challenge

Dear reader, I want to give you a simple challenge, a practical and immediately applicable truth that will help you to become more like Christ each day. King David understood this simple principle:

“But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” - Psalm 1:2

God’s Word is the law, and Jesus is God’s Word.

We must fix our minds upon Christ. The eyes of your heart must lock a gaze upon the majestic countenance of Christ.

For all our toil and strain, we so often come up empty. It’s not complicated. It’s beyond human effort and exhaustion. Stop struggling. Be still. Just think upon the Word of God. Be still and look at His face by meditation on the Word.

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:” - Proverbs 23:7

Think about Christ, meditate upon Him, and you will become more like Him.

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” - 2 Corinthians 3:18

We are changed in His presence as we behold Him.

You can’t get more of God. All that God was, is or ever shall be abides within you. When the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in you, He comes in fullness. If you’re hungry for that ‘something more’, you will discover it when you realize this: it’s not about how much you have of God; it’s about how much God has of you. And one of the many ways that we can surrender more of ourselves to Him is our thoughts.

I am being completely honest with you when I tell you that, when I am awake, not more than 5 minutes can usually go by without me giving a thought to the Lord. I live in an awareness of His presence. I am looking forward to the day when I can get that down to 1 minute.

It’s possible to surrender the mind to the beauty of Christ. I encourage you to take up this challenge today: Think of Christ more today than you did yesterday. Do that everyday and you’ll see transformation.

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Rejecting Superstition

In order to become a real threat to hell and a real help to others, we must be loosed from the distracting nature of superstition and learn how to engage in true spiritual warfare. In the introduction to this book, I presented a caution about our approach to spiritual warfare and warned against the extremes of both skepticism and superstition. I now want to focus on avoiding superstitious thinking that can keep you from overcoming the enemy.

Before I go any further, I want to be clear. It is not my intent to be dismissive of demonic activity. My goal is to keep you from becoming bound to superstitious thinking that can make you fearful of casting out or confronting demons. If you can understand the liberating truth I seek to present here, you will approach spiritual warfare with the peace of God and not become inordinately concerned about demonic activity.

This is about becoming a threat to the enemy—defeating him. To become that threat, we must consciously avoid superstitions that make us paranoid about being influenced by demons.

What kinds of superstitions am I talking about? While doing my research for this book, I read a lot of material, carefully studied the Scriptures, and spoke with several people. Through those conversations and materials, I discovered many people were living in fear of demons despite their vast “knowledge” of Scripture. They were fixated on “rules” to keep demons from “attaching” themselves to them.

They had been told that they should pray when walking into buildings so demons wouldn’t latch onto them and then to pray when leaving so no demons would follow them home. In a few extreme instances some even came to believe that they should pray before loading every web page they visited lest a demon jump off the page and into their lives. They even feared rebuking demonic spirits lest they jump onto them.

They were constantly on guard. If they got angry, they’d pray against the demon of anger that may have entered their lives. If they came into contact with a drug addict, they believed that if they didn’t rebuke the demon they might become its next victim. If they accidentally touched a trinket from the occult, they’d think they had opened a door for an evil spirit to torment them.

Instead of living in the light of Christ, these believers were tediously working to counter every possible assault that could arise from almost any possible scenario. Though they were trying to remain vigilant against demonic attack, they were actually giving demons too much of their time and living in bondage to fear instead of in the freedom Jesus purchased for us on the cross.

This isn’t how we are supposed to live as followers of Christ. Of course, the Bible tells us to “be sober and watchful, because your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). So we should guard against temptation and opening doors that would give the devil legal access to influence our lives. For many of us, this means there are certain places we should not go. And obviously we should not participate in occult rituals. But greater is He who is in us than He who is in the world (1 John 4:4)! There is a difference between vigilance and paranoia. Vigilance in spiritual warfare is rooted in confidence in God and His Word and the authority we have in Him. Paranoia is rooted in fear. Vigilance is offensive; paranoia is defensive.

If you allow yourself to become paranoid about demons, you’ll constantly be looking around for demonic stalkers. We don’t see Jesus worrying about demons, and we don’t see the disciples living in that kind of fear. In fact, the apostle Paul allowed a demon-possessed girl to follow him around for several days before finally casting the demon out of her. And when he did cast it out, he took only an instant to do so.

“On one occasion, as we went to the place of prayer, a servant girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, shouting, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.’ She did this for many days. But becoming greatly troubled, Paul turned to the spirit and said, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And it came out at that moment“ - Acts 16:16–18, MEV

Whenever you form a belief or embrace a concept, ask yourself this: Does this idea help me better live the lifestyle of Christ that we see reflected in Scripture? If it doesn’t, don’t embrace it. I want to see you operate in the authority that has been given to you through Christ.

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Demons & Fallen Angels

Through my observation and study of Scripture, I have come to believe, quite confidently, that demons cannot be fallen angels.

Now, I know that idea will be rather jarring for some people. It may seem that I am not only challenging a widely held traditional view but also contradicting very clear teachings of the Bible. Well, the idea that demons are not fallen angels certainly contradicts tradition. But in no way does it contradict Scripture.

The Bible speaks of demons, and it speaks of the fall of Lucifer and the co-rebellion of a third of the angels, but no verses actually link the two and define demons as fallen angels. The idea that demons are fallen angels is simply a long-held tradition. The Bible actually gives three subtle distinctions between demons and fallen angels, and I want to explore each one here.

Demons Need Bodies

Demons seek to possess bodies and seem rather uncomfortable being outside of them. Take for instance the story of a man possessed by an entire legion of demons. While being cast out, the demons in that story begged Jesus to send them into a herd of pigs:

There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. So the demons begged, “If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine” - Matthew 8:30–31, MEV

Fallen angels, however, can appear in physical form and even interact with mankind. In Genesis fallen angels even procreated with women. The bizarre procreation resulted in the birth of giants.

“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown” - Genesis 6:4, KJV

For that procreation, God punished the “sons of God” by binding them in “everlasting chains” until the day of judgment (Jude 6). Keep in mind that every reference to “sons of God” in the Old Testament was a reference to supernatural beings or angels. Only in the New Testament does “sons of God” refer to the redeemed children of God. So we know that it wasn’t ordinary men, as some might suggest, who procreated with the “daughters of men.” Had those referred to in Genesis 6:4 been mere ordinary men, there would be no clear reason their procreation would produce giants.

Some also suggest that perhaps “sons of God” referred to a select group of people who were forbidden to procreate with a certain other group. Still, that would not explain why their union produced giants or why God punished their actions so harshly.

There are others still who say angels cannot breed, citing Matthew 22:30: “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels of God in heaven” (MEV). But that verse tells us only that angels do not marry. Angels can still have a gender and appear to mankind in earthly bodies. The book of Hebrews tells us that angels can actually walk around among us without being noticed.

“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unknowingly” - Hebrews 13:2, MEV

Consider also the angels at Christ’s empty tomb. “While they were greatly perplexed concerning this, suddenly two men stood by them in shining garments“ (Luke 24:4, MEV).

Also, the men of Sodom desired to have sex with the angels that appeared to Lot. How could that be unless the angels had bodies and looked like human beings?

“... the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them he rose up to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. … Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. 5 They then called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, so that we may have relations with them” - Genesis 19:1, 4-5, MEV

From Scripture, we see that both fallen angels and holy angels have bodies. In contrast, demons greatly desire bodies because they do not have them. Demons are clingy, needy, angry, tormented creatures. That is the first distinction between fallen angels and demons.

Demons Wander the Earth

Demons are cursed to wander the earth while fallen angels still have the ability to stand before God in heavenly places. Though they were banished from heaven, the fallen angels still gave an account of their doings.

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Adversary also came among them“ - Job 1:6, MEV

I’ll give you a few good reasons to believe fallen angels, and not just heavenly angels, were among those who stood before God in the story recorded in the Book of Job. First, the devil was no longer Lucifer, for the Book of Job refers to him as “Satan.” Second, we also know that Satan was in his fallen state because later in the story of Job he sought to steal from, kill and destroy Job.

As Jesus said, “The thief’s does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy … “ - John 10:10, MEV

Third, we know from the following verse that Job’s story took place after the great flood, which means it definitely took place after the fall of both man and Satan.

“Will you keep to the old way, that wicked men have trod? They were cut down before their time; their foundations were swept away by a flood” - Job 22:15–16, MEV

So if Satan in his fallen state was among the angels who had to give an account in Job, it is consistent to believe that other fallen angels were called upon as well. Fallen angels can appear in heavenly places. Therefore, fallen angels are not completely bound to earth. Demons, however, can only wander the earth or live in a body, as Jesus explained:

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through dry places seeking rest, but finds none” - Matthew 12:43, MEV

Nowhere in Scripture do we see demons moving from the earth to God’s presence. Those accounts are always referring to fallen angels.

Demons Are Called ‘Devils’ and ‘Unclean Spirits’

When referring to fallen angels, New Testament scriptures do not use the terms demons, devils or unclean spirits. Instead, the Bible makes reference to fallen angels by simply using a negative description or context. For example, these verses clearly describe fallen angels:

For if God did not spare the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be kept for judgment …” - 2 Peter 2:4, MEV

“Likewise, the angels who did not keep to their first domain, but forsook their own dwelling, He has kept in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day” - Jude 1:6, MEV

“Then He will say to those at the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels'” Matthew 25:41, MEV

In these verses there is no mention of demons or devils. Instead, to make a distinction between God’s holy angels and fallen angels, the New Testament simply calls them the angels “that sinned” or “which kept not their first estate.”

Apart from the simple use of negative descriptions, the New Testament also uses context to draw distinctions between fallen angels and holy angels. An example of this is when, in Matthew 25:41, hell is described as a place prepared for the devil and his angels. The angels in that verse were said to belong to the devil, so it is obvious that they were fallen.

Furthermore, in the following verse, while making a strong point about the need to avoid false gospels, Paul the Apostle mentions angels “from heaven.”

“Although if we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you than the one we have preached to you, let him be accursed” - Galatians 1:8, MEV

Of course, it’s obvious that one should reject the gospel of a fallen angel, but it might not have been as obvious to the Galatians that they should reject a different gospel from even a holy angel. To drive his point home, Paul essentially warns, “Even if one of the angels from heaven should preach to you another gospel, do not be deceived.” In other words, “Don’t be swayed even if one of the good guys starts to preach a different gospel.”

Paul’s warning is an example of how the New Testament contrasts both fallen and holy angels. No special term is used to describe fallen angels; they are simply described in a negative way and/or placed in a negative context. Demons, on the other hand, are referred to as “devils,” “unclean spirits” and “demons.”

Excerpted from Truths About Demons and Spiritual Warfare by David Diga Hernandez (Charisma House, 2016).

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Dominion Over Demons

Just as I was preparing for a much-needed night’s sleep, I received an unexpected (and somewhat unwelcome) phone call. Tempted to ignore the relentless ringing of my cell phone, I glanced at my phone to assess the call’s importance. Despite my lack of enthusiasm, I reached out, perhaps by impulse, and answered the call. I immediately recognized the caller’s voice. He was a friend and fellow Christian leader. I could tell by his tone that he knew his call was an imposition. He was sincerely apologetic but frantic and panicky.

“Hey can I tell you something please?” he asked timidly. Still trying to commit my mind to conversation, I answered, “Yes, sure.”

He explained, “Well, I’m here at the home of a friend. I was ministering to the family who lives here, and this lady started acting very strange. She appears to have a manifesting demon. I think she is demon-possessed.”

“What makes you say that?” I asked.

“Well, when I started to pray for her, she started screaming, saying weird things, and shaking. And she—or maybe the demon—is mocking me. What should I do?”

I pulled the phone away from my face so I could sigh without the caller hearing me. I was frustrated that he was calling me because he was a Spirit-filled believer. Had it been a new convert or an inexperienced believer who asked me that question, I would have been more understanding of his nervousness. Internally I was praying for the Lord to give me patience. I mustered all the kindness I could in that late hour of the night, and I gently said, “Well, brother, you should cast the demon out of her.”

He paused for a moment. “I can do that? Are you sure you don’t want to do it? We’d rather have you do it. Can you come over? Am I allowed to do that? I don’t need a special anointing for that or something? Won’t the demon get on me? What about everyone else here?”

His frantic questions didn’t leave me even a second’s opportunity to respond. I waited for him to calm down. “My brother,” I replied, “you can cast the demon out yourself. The same Holy Spirit who lives in me lives in you.”

There was another moment of pause. His tone was one of both excitement and concern as he replied, “OK. Thank you. … but are you sure?”

My tone tipped slightly toward irritated. “Yes, my friend. You can cast the demon out.”

After reiterating that point for about a minute more, I ended the call with my friend. Then I began to think about what had just occurred. I thought to myself: How is it possible that a fellow Christian leader doesn’t know how to cast out a demon?

Say what you will about my frustration, but Jesus Himself expressed this sort of aggravation toward His disciples when they were unable to cast out a demon of a little boy (Mark 9:19). I know that some demonic beings rank higher in power and are more difficult to deal with. But I was astonished that my friend didn’t even attempt to cast out that demon.

Most believers have the same state of mind my late-night caller had. He was living righteously. He was filled with the Holy Spirit. He was walking with the Lord. Yet he hesitated to confront the powers of darkness.

If one is living a spiritually compromised life, then hesitancy in the face of demonic activity is expected. But just as the compromising Christian can be too confident, so the battle-ready believer can be too doubtful. I don’t care what anyone says; the Bible tells us that “those who believe” the gospel message will be endued with the power to drive away demonic forces from enslaved souls.

“He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues” - Mark 16:15–17, MEV

Who will the signs follow? He who believes! He who believes what? He who believes the gospel message preached by the disciples of Christ. The moment you believed is the very moment you received authority over demonic forces.

Dear reader, you don’t need to be a “demon expert” to be a threat to hell. Should you know the dynamics of spiritual warfare and demonic activity? Absolutely. But how much more do you really think you need to learn before you begin to exercise your authority over them? The ability to cast out demons and destroy the works of hell is not necessarily about how much you know about demons; it’s about how much demons know about Christ in you.

While the “inexperienced” believer may not always be able to discern the difference between a genuine demonic manifestation and emotional hype, that individual still has the ability to cast out demons. Might the one who is unfamiliar with casting out demons do some foolish things? Of course. But his ability to cast out demons is still there.

For example, I’ve heard of some believers who, while trying to perform deliverance, smack the demon-possessed individual in the face with a Bible. The enthusiasm is good, but the actual act of hitting a person in the face is not. We know that while there is power in the Word of God, there is no actual power in a book’s leather, paper or ink. We also know that we “wrestle not” against the flesh or against people themselves. So smacking the flesh with a leather-bound book serves no actual spiritual purpose. You may even be able to expel a demon while using such silly methods, but the exorcism would have to succeed despite the foolishness, not because of it.

As believers grow, they will move beyond hype, bizarre methods, unhealthy fear of demons and superstitious thinking. But regardless of any need for growth, every Spirit-filled believer has the power to cast out demons. How effectively they exercise that authority depends upon their spiritual maturity.

My caution here would be to tell you that if you are compromising in sin, demonic beings will be able to resist your commands. They may even retaliate against your attempts to expel them. However, I am compelled to remind you that there are limitations to a demon’s attacks on a believer.

 The Believer’s State of Being

Authority flows from the top down, so you need to be positioned under authority in order to exercise authority. For example, a police officer has authority to enforce certain laws. He can command you to do many things, but the moment he commands something outside the scope of what the law allows, he loses legal authority to give orders. An employer has the authority to make demands of his employees, but if that employer steps into the home of one of his employees, he loses the right to make certain demands.

Government leaders have the authority to enact laws upon their citizens, but the moment those leaders step foot outside sovereign soil, they lack the authority to command the people of that different country. If you want spiritual authority, then you need to remain in your spiritual place of authority. Once you step out of the Spirit, you step outside your jurisdiction.

Speaking analogously, a police officer with a California badge can’t enforce the laws of Florida. A police officer with a U.S. badge cannot enforce American laws in the country of Japan. It doesn’t matter if you have a badge if that badge isn’t used in your place of influence. Jurisdiction is the key to having authority.

In the spiritual realm for the believer jurisdiction isn’t found in a physical place—it’s found in a state of being. The believer has jurisdiction in the state of righteousness, in the state of peace, in the state of faith and so on. When you live a lifestyle of compromise (the state of unrighteousness), you step out of the state in which you have dominion. You don’t lose your badge (your authority), but you do leave the state where that badge works.

How can you command a spirit of perversion to leave when you’re in the state of perversion? How can you rebuke a spirit of fear when you live in the state of fear? When you leave your jurisdiction, it’s not that you don’t have authority; it’s that you’re walking in the wrong state.

When you walk in holiness, everywhere you go is God’s dominion—and when you live in dominion, your authority works to its fullest. Simply put, this dominion, this full realization of authority, is found in the state of submission to the Lord. Our authority is fully realized in submission to God. And that submission to God precedes our ability to resist the enemy.

”Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” - James 4:7, MEV

God’s authority upon you will always work when you’re living in the right state of being. This is why you can have authority everywhere you go: Dominion goes with you! Your authority over fear works in the jurisdiction of faith. Your authority over demonic beings works in the jurisdiction of righteous living, and so on. The key is in remaining in the right jurisdiction.

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