Holy Spirit: Heaven's Greatest Worship Leader

All true worship is a response to revelation about God. All true revelation comes by the Holy Spirit. You can sing without a revelation. You can dance without a revelation. But you can’t truly worship without a revelation.

Worship is intensity of attention. 

Worship is adoration. 

Worship is giving God glory as you see His glory. 

But if you can’t see, you can’t worship. 

For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)

Worship isn’t a chore to be completed or an obligation to be fulfilled. Worship isn’t therapy to be used for our own benefit. Worship is a spiritual reaction to a divine reality. It’s your being’s way of celebrating God’s being.

Therefore, true worship cannot be conjured by means of emotional posturing. Worship can’t be demanded by an ambitious song leader. Hype can’t produce it. Production can’t mimic it. Musical talent cannot cause it. Only the Holy Spirit can ignite the fire of worship in your heart. For the carnal cannot produce the spiritual. He is the one who awakens true worship within you. 

The Holy Spirit uses the truths of the Word to produce a knowing of God - that knowing of God causes the natural response that is worship. To Worship is to be wowed by Him. The Holy Spirit takes the information and adds to it inspiration - that brings forth revelation. So it is the spirit and truth that together cultivate genuine worship of God. 

May we stand in awe of Him as we see Him with the eyes of the Spirit. For the Holy Spirit is the greatest worship leader of all time. 

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Don't Be a People Pleaser

When I was a teenager, I attended a Bible conference in Southern California. I was excited to attend that conference, because I was believing for God to move in my life. I went to the conference full of faith and prepared to receive God’s Word. I took my Bible, a notepad, and a pen. I arrived early and was even able to get a seat in the front row. 

Now, during this time, I had only just begun in ministry but God was blessing the ministry with some small but healthy growth. So there were a few people at the conference who were somewhat familiar with my ministry.

While sitting in the front row, my sense of anticipation intensified. I was ready to receive. Then, just a few minutes before the service began, a pastor approached me, greeted me, and then sneered, “Well, well, well. Look at you. You think that just because you’re in ministry now, you can sit in the front row.”

I was shocked and saddened by that comment. I began to search my heart. 

“Was I sitting in the front row to be seen?”

“Should I have not sat on the front row?”

“Was there some hidden impure motive in my heart?”

“I thought I was just excited to be there!”

I don’t remember what was preached during that night of the conference, but I remember how I felt about that comment.

Not wanting to risk or tolerate even a bit of impure ambition, I decided the next night of the conference to sit in the back row. So I did just that. I still arrived early. I still had my Bible, my notepad, and my pen. But I sat in almost the very last row. Surely, I would be free from all criticism there. 

This time, however, a different Christian leader approached me. He shook my, greeted me, and then remarked, “You get a little bit of popularity and suddenly you think you have to hide here in the back row.”

You can’t please everyone. So just worry about pleasing the Lord.

Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. (Galatians 1:10)

No matter what you say, someone will disagree. No matter what you do, someone will think it should have been done differently. No matter what truth you speak, someone will point out a truth you left out. There’s no escaping the opinions of people. For every action and inaction, the offense of someone is waiting. 

Now, by no means am I saying that you should never consider the feelings or even the corrections of loved ones or the wise. I’m simply saying that it’s impossible to please everyone. So don’t even try. Instead, focus on pleasing the Lord, and everything else will fall in line. For when we please God, we are truly living. 

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The Holiness Spirit

The Holy Spirit is not our reward for holiness; He’s our source for holiness. The Holy Spirit’s presence and work in you is what causes you to obey God.

God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace. (1 Peter 1:2, NLT)

The Holy Spirit gives you the desire, but you must make the decision to respond to that desire. He provides the desire; you provide the discipline.

He has given you everything you need to live in holiness. Beyond just giving you the power to say “no” to temptation, the Holy Spirit changes your desires. The sins that once tempted you begin to disgust you, as the Holy Spirit does His work.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Philippians 1:6, NLT)

So trust the Holy Spirit, for He is, indeed, the Spirit of holiness. There’s no amount of mistakes that you could make to cause Him to cease His work in you. Consider the children of Israel. After years of back-and-forth, after generations of idolatry and backsliding, God made a powerful promise to them. 

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

When the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in you, the most stubborn and problematic areas of your character become refined. He can change anyone. He can free you from anything, no matter how long you’ve been bound.

The Holy Spirit makes you holy.

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Overcoming the Victim Mindset

There is no greater privilege in life than knowing Jesus. There is no greater advantage than the presence and power of the Holy Spirit within you. No matter where you come from, how you were raised, or what disadvantages life seemingly forced upon you, the Bible declares that you are victorious if you are in Christ.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. (Romans 8:31 & 37, NLT)

This, of course, does not mean that we will never face hardships. This simply means that even in hardships, we are victorious, because we belong to God.

Being victorious doesn’t mean that I don’t face difficulties. Being victorious means that even in difficulties, I continue to believe that God wins in the end. The victorious believer doesn’t allow exterior circumstances to diminish inner joy. The victorious believer doesn’t allow the actions of others to steal their peace.

In persecution, we have God’s love.

In loneliness, we have God’s presence.

Even in death, we have eternal life. 

You have God’s attention, voice, favor, and love. God opens doors, brings opportunities, and shapes your destiny.

What can anyone do to us? Truly, the believer can never be a victim. No person, system, government, or idea can hold us down. We are never victims, always more than conquerors.

With this God-given position of eternal victory comes the responsibility of walking in it. And one of the keys to walking in Heavenly dominion is thinking according to the truth - having a godly mindset.

Thoughts are the actions of the mind. And you can choose your thought patterns.

The choice is ours: we can either choose to live with a victim mindset, constantly blaming everyone and everything else around us for our defeats and challenges, settling for less when God has more. Or we can choose to allow the truth to affect our thinking.

It’s time to embrace your privilege - the privilege of Christ in you. 

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The Potter's Hand

The rebellious nature has been crucified with Christ, but it seems that the rebellious nature often tries for a resurrection. We surrender things to God and then try to control them again. We place things in His hands and then try to hold them for ourselves again. We put things on the altar and then try to pull them off. We tend to forget that God is the potter, and that we are the clay.

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’ (Isaiah 45:9, NLT)

This is why we so desperately need the help of the Holy Spirit; it is only through the Holy Spirit that we can truly learn to surrender. 

Let God break your will and mold His. Let God reshape your thinking to be like His. Allow God to fashion your nature, your character, your speech, your thought patterns, and your conduct. Don’t fight Him. 

Realize that God’s vision for your life will often contradict your vision for your life. But considering the fact that you surrendered your life to Him when you got saved, can you truly say anymore that it’s “your” life?

Don’t fight the process. Don’t resist the movement of the Potter’s hand. Let Him break what needs to be broken. Let Him remove what needs to be removed. Let His desire take shape in you. 

Indeed, we are just the clay; He is the Potter. 

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Secret Place Prayer

The issue with our hobbies, careers, plans, and responsibilities isn’t that they’re evil. The problem is that, all too often, they’re “instead of.” By that I mean that they are often chosen instead of time with the Lord. If the pace of your life is too fast to allow for quality time in prayer, then the pace of your life is too fast.

Jesus spoke specifically about carving time out of your day to devote to prayer.

But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6, NLT)

The secret to true Christian living is how you spend your time in secret. With what do you fill the secret spaces of your life? You see, only those who truly believe in God practice secret prayer. If they didn’t believe in God, for whom would they be performing in secret?

As followers of Christ, we must get into the habit of guarding our secret time. Let nothing or no one come between you and your time in prayer. 

Business should not take the place of secret prayer, for you can accomplish more in a prayer-filled day than you can in a prayer-less week.

Family should not take the place of secret prayer, for nothing would be better for your family than for them to have a Christ-like version of you.

Worry should not take the place of secret prayer, for worry is simply the flesh’s powerless counterfeit for prayer.

Entertainment should not take the place of secret prayer, for there is nothing more spectacular and fulfilling than knowing the depths of the Spirit.

Stubbornly guard your prayer life. Vigilantly protect the secret place. Re-arrange your schedule. Say no to taking on more hobbies and responsibilities. Wake up earlier. Stay up later. Turn off your phone. Whatever you need to do in order to protect the secret place, do it. 

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THIS is How Prayer Changes YOU

Moved by compassion, Jesus took notice of the crowds. He saw that they were confused and helpless. It was that compassion that moved Jesus to send out His disciples. He instructed His disciples to pray that God would send help for the people.

37He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” (Matthew 9:37-38, NLT)

Now here’s what’s interesting. Jesus instructed His disciples to pray for God to send more workers into the spiritual harvest fields. Yet those very disciples, who were instructed to pray for more workers, were themselves sent out as workers.

At the beginning of the very next chapter, the disciples were sent out.

Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evila spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. (Matthew 10:1, NLT)

Often, when you pray, God’s desire is to cause you to become an answer to prayer. More than it will change anyone or anything else, prayer will change the one who prays. Prayer is not about persuading God to change His will - no one can persuade God. Rather, prayer is about becoming an active participant in God’s will.

Prayer is less about receiving and more about becoming. When you live a life submitted to prayer, you become God’s will in the earth. You become an answer to prayer. 

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Two Kinds of Prayer

Did you know that there are two kinds of prayer? Though you won’t see these terms in Scripture, you will see these principles.

There is unceasing prayer, which is speaking with the Lord all throughout the day. Then there is intentional prayer, which is the setting aside of time.

Unceasing prayer is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

“Never stop praying.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NLT)

Intentional prayer is found in Matthew 6:6.

“But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private.” (Matthew 6:6a, NLT)

All prayer - whether speaking in tongues, intercessory prayer, spiritual warfare, and so forth - will always fall under the categories of either unceasing prayer or intentional prayer.

Unceasing prayer is spontaneous, in the moment, fluid. It is practiced during even the most mundane portions of your day. Unceasing prayer is carried out in the car, quietly within your heart, on the job, at school, and so forth. It can fill any gap of time, and can be practiced in any circumstance. But there is also a ceremony to prayer that must be regularly observed. Ceremony—that is, preparing the atmosphere—is necessary for intentional prayer. Intentional prayer takes place when I set the atmosphere to sharpen my focus on the Lord.

Unceasing prayer is for any atmosphere. Intentional prayer is for a certain atmosphere. The undisciplined struggle with intentional prayer. The structured have trouble with unceasing prayer. The undisciplined think intentional prayer is unnecessary. The structured think unceasing prayer is strange. Unceasing prayer is spontaneous. Intentional prayer is scheduled. Both are necessary. If unceasing prayer brings about spiritual longevity, then intentional prayer brings about spiritual depth.

By practicing both intentional and unceasing prayer, you can strengthen your prayer life.

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Body, Soul, Spirit: Simply Explained

I am a spirit, who has a soul, that lives in a body. You are a spirit, who has a soul, that lives in a body.

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NLT)

BODY

Your body is your “earth suit.” Your body is your connection with this world. Your body is the vehicle through which you experience the natural realm. Every single interaction that you share with others is through your body. With the body, you speak and communicate. With your physical being, you see, hear, and touch the world around you. Contrary to what some religious ideologies have led us to believe, the body itself is not a sinful, corrupt thing. Sure, the body is decaying and dying. And, yes, your physical body can be trained to become an instrument of the sin nature, but that doesn’t mean that your body is itself sinful. Your body can be used for either sin or holiness. The choice is yours. In fact, your body can be a carrier of the glory of God. 

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself (1 Corinthians 6:19, NLT) 

Your body can be a holy host of the Holy Spirit’s presence. You can be the Holy Spirit’s physical connection with this world.

SOUL

The soul is the realm of decision. In the soul lives your mind, will, emotions, and personality. Your mind—what you imagine. Your will—what you want. Your emotions—what you feel. The soul is the neutral ground between the body and the spirit. It is the place where free will is exercised. 

The soul is eternal, and everyone has a soul—redeemed and unredeemed alike. The wicked have souls. 

The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes (Proverbs 21:10, KJV). 

The godly have souls. 

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth (3 John 1:2, KJV). 

Every human being has a soul. 

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind (Job 12:10, KJV). 

The breath of life is in the soul. The soul gives animation, consciousness. The soul is where your free will is exercised.

SPIRIT

Your spirit is your connection with God. It is the innermost part of your being, the center of you, the source of your identity. Your spirit is the deepest part of you, and your spirit knows perfect fellowship with God. 

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. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us (1 Corinthians 2:10-12, NLT)

No one knows your thoughts like your spirit does. The same is true of God. The Holy Spirit knows God’s thoughts. The Holy Spirit, who is God’s Spirit, searches out the deep things of God. The Holy Spirit knows God’s secrets, intentions, and desires. The Holy Spirit knows God’s will. The Holy Spirit perfectly and completely understands God’s nature and power. Everything there is to know about our infinitely intricate God, the Holy Spirit knows. The Holy Spirit is not learning about God. The Holy Spirit knows God. He knows Himself fully. 

The Holy Spirit communicates what He knows of God with your spirit. God’s Spirit shares revelations with your spirit. God’s innermost Being shares mysteries with your innermost being. In that place of inner oneness, divine secrets are being imparted. By the Holy Spirit, every believer has this privilege of internal, eternal connection with God Himself. 

No matter how you feel in body or soul, your connection in the spirit remains. You live, not to connect with God, but from connection with God.

Your body belongs to God. (1 Corinthians 6:19, NLT)

Your Spirit is one with God. (1 Corinthians 6:17, NLT)

And, yes, even your soul is filled and owned by God. (Ephesians 1:14, AMP)

You are a Spirit, who has a soul, that exists in a body.

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Partnering with God

Good stewardship is always rewarded with increase in responsibility. Growth comes when we do well with what God has already given us. This applies to ministry, finances, and much more.

EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING

Everyone is given something to be used for the glory of God. Everyone has resources, big or small. Everyone has energy - whether a little or a lot. Everyone has time. Everyone has influence, free will, and relationships. Inside every human being, God has deposited gifts, talents, and abilities. Everyone has been entrusted with something, and, therefore, everyone has the responsibility of maximizing their potential and using all they have, to the best of their ability, unto the glory of God. 

DILIGENT PARTNERS

We were made for the glory of God. Since the beginning, God has sought a partnership with man. Man was made to steward what God started, to cultivate what God created, and to call into order what God has called into existence. We are called to be diligent partners of God.

God has provided you with the substance of your life. You must exercise your free will to shape that and then give it back to God as an offering. Our purpose is to love and glorify God through whatever means we have been given.

Good work ethic. Diligence. Focus. These are marks of the Spirit-filled. These are marks of good stewards.

THE PARABLE

Think of the parable of the talents. In that parable, a master went away on a long journey, leaving varying monetary amounts with his three servants. 

14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. (Matthew 25:14-15, NLT)

The servants were given resources in proportion to their abilities. Now, in the parable, the master never once gave them specific instructions. They were simply expected to do something with what they had been given. They were expected to take initiative with what they had been entrusted.

When the master returned, he evaluated the performance of each servant. 

“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. (Matthew 25:19, NLT)

Notice that the servant who had the least wasn’t excused because He had a different starting point than the other servants. Nobody can say, “I didn’t do anything for God because I don’t have what others have” or “I don’t have anything to offer God.” A different starting point is never an excuse for inaction and poor stewardship. Just because we don’t have what others have doesn’t mean we aren’t responsible for what we do have.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP

When you steward well what God has given to you, that good stewardship unlocks the door to more responsibilities. God wants to entrust you with more, but can He?

Stewardship is about increase and productivity. Stewardship is about walking in divine authority. Stewardship is about recognizing that everything in your possession belongs to God. It’s all His. And when we take care of and when we use well what He has already given to us, He can trust us with more.

So how can you maximize what God has given to you? Even if you feel you have little, what can you do right now to further the Kingdom of God? When you treat what you have like it’s what you want, God will bring the increase.

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Welcome the Holy Spirit

In the modern Church, the Holy Spirit is often treated like He’s a liability rather than the very power to truly grow the Church. In many cases, He’s barely tolerated, when He should be sought after and honored.

The Holy Spirit was present at the founding of the Church, because He is the key to a powerful Church.

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. (Acts 2:1-4, NLT)

We need the Holy Spirit. Programs cannot replace power. Strategy cannot replace Spirit. Methods cannot replace miracles. We must do away with clever-sounding excuses that limit the Holy Spirit’s influence in our churches and ministries.

Without the power of the Holy Spirit, our preaching is just self-help, our worship is just entertainment, our evangelism is just marketing, and our gathering is just a club.

No more superficial encouragement; the hour calls for supernatural empowerment. The hour calls for a remnant that is unashamed of the Holy Spirit’s work. Stop trying to explain Him and just embrace Him. Be bold. And let it be known that we believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe in His power to convict the heart of the sinner and to heal the disease of the afflicted. We believe in miracles, in healing, in casting out demons, in speaking in tongues, in manifestations of power. Yes, we believe in the power of pentecost, the power of the Holy Spirit.

Some are surrendered just enough to be blessed by the Spirit but not enough to be transformed by the Spirit. But it’s time to surrender all. It’s time to acknowledge that we are utterly helpless without Him - that we need the Holy Spirit.

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Don't Hurt the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is a Personal Being. He has a mind. He has a will. He has feelings.

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, NLT)

A startling reality - the Holy Spirit can be grieved by our actions. The way we live can hurt Him. With this in mind, those who love the Holy Spirit must ask, “What grieves the Holy Spirit?”

Whatever contradicts the nature or the Word of God grieves the Holy Spirit, especially when such contradictions are lived through God’s own children.

Disobedience to the Word of God grieves the Holy Spirit. Ungodly thoughts grieve the Holy Spirit. When we prioritize entertainment over prayer, we grieve the Holy Spirit. When we ignore His gentle voice, we grieve the Holy Spirit. When we are more committed to interacting on social media than we are to reading the Bible, we grieve the Holy Spirit. When we allow anger to get the best of us, lust to control us, and fear to dominate us, we grieve the Holy Spirit.

When we place our political preferences over God’s truth, when we hold grudges against fellow believers, when we live contrary to what we preach, we grieve the Holy Spirit. When we disconnect from the gathering of believers, when we twist the Scriptures to excuse our compromise, when we withhold the gospel from those who need to hear it, we grieve the Holy Spirit.

Sin grieves the Spirit. Compromise grieves the Spirit. Spiritual apathy grieves the Spirit. Let us become people Who know the Word. Let us learn what break His heart, that we might not grieve the Holy Spirit. 

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Overcoming Guilt and Shame

Years ago, while driving my car, I noticed that my check engine light turned on. So I took my car to my mechanic, a trusted friend, and explained to him that I had no idea what was wrong with the car. All I knew was that my check engine light was triggered. 

He ran diagnostics on the car and found the problem. Whatever the problem was, within a couple of hours, my car was fixed. My mechanic assured me that the issue was resolved. 

However, as I drove away from the auto shop, I noticed that my check engine light was still on. “That can’t be,” I thought to myself. I was so bothered by the light that I became a distracted driver. It was difficult to focus on the road ahead while simultaneously worrying about the light. 

I turned around and complained to my mechanic friend. He assured me again that the issue was resolved. He explained, “The problem is fixed. Now, I just need to reset the check engine light.” 

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

The conscience is to the mind what pain is to the body. Guilt can be like a check engine light. It alerts you to an issue. It tells you that something is wrong, that something needs to be fixed, that something could lead to a breakdown. 

The problem comes when, after fixing the problem, we forget to reset the check engine light. After you’ve repented and been forgiven of a sin, it’s time to move on. Once godly sorrow has served its purpose, it’s okay to have joy again. That’s why the psalmist wrote,

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. (Psalms 32:1-5)

The conviction of the Holy Spirit is not a burden; it’s a blessing. Repentance is not an obligation; it’s an opportunity. Godly sorrow is your spiritual check engine light. Repent. Fix the issue. And then reset the light. Let godly sorrow serve its purpose and then move on. If you become too focused on your spiritual check engine light, it may become impossible to focus ahead on the road of your divine destiny.

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This is How You Know You Really Have the Holy Spirit

Some people have gifts but don’t walk in glory. Some demonstrate power but don’t carry the presence. The Holy Spirit will mark the life of the believer in many ways: spiritual gifts, anointed ministry, the gift of tongues, authority over demons, and so forth. But the demonstration of power alone isn’t the ultimate sign that you’ve received the Holy Spirit.

21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ (Matthew 7:21-23, NLT)

The ultimate sign that you’ve received the Holy Spirit is less about what you do and more about who you become. 

Healing, deliverance, miracles, ministry, speaking in tongues - it’s all wonderful. But the greatest sign of having received the Holy Spirit is Christ-like character.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. (Galatians 5:22-24, NLT)

There’s something I’ve learned about the Holy Spirit throughout my many years of friendship with Him: He glorifies Jesus. And one of the many ways that the Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus is by shaping you into the image of Jesus. 

God has commissioned a painting. Jesus is the model. The Holy Spirit is the painter. And your life, when it is surrendered to the Holy Spirit, is the blank canvas upon which He paints the character of Christ.

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3 Kinds of Impartation

Impartation has the power to accelerate your spiritual growth and to help lay a foundation for the future of your ministry. Impartation is the spiritual transfer that takes place through relationship. When I open myself to the teachings of or relationship with an anointed individual, I become a recipient of impartation. A portion of what’s on their life begins to rub off on mine. 

So, here are the three kinds of Biblical impartation and how to experience them in fullness:

#1 Given Impartation 

#2 Shared Impartation

#3  Received Impartation 

Given impartation is when I reach down. Shared impartation is when I reach across. Received impartation is when I reach up. Given impartation takes place when I act as a mentor. Shared impartation takes place when I act as a fellow laborer. Received impartation takes place when I act as a student.

#1 Given Impartation

You may think yourself too spiritually undeveloped to teach anybody anything about the Lord or spiritual truths. But this is simply not the case. For example, let’s take the new convert. The new convert typically knows little to nothing about what the Bible says about various truths and life applications. However, even the new convert can share their testimony. In sharing their testimony with a non-believer, the new convert is sharing the gospel. And in sharing the gospel, the new convert is evangelizing. 

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, NLT)

Evangelism, fundamentally, is a form of impartation. So no matter where you are in your spiritual growth, there’s something you can impart to someone who is coming along the path after you. 

#2 Shared Impartation

The Scripture tells us that iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17); it also tells us that bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33). Impartation doesn’t just take place between a mentor and a disciple. It can occur between two spiritual peers. The anointing of your peers rubs off on you, and the anointing on your life rubs off on them too.

#3 Received Impartation 

Now, it’s important to note that all power comes from the Holy Spirit within you, and that power works in proportion to your time spent in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. The more time you spend in the presence of the Holy Spirit, the greater the manifestation of power on your life.

But God has given to us gifts in the form of anointed individuals. For example, this is what the Word says in Ephesians chapter four:

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-12, NLT)

While receiving from anointed men and women of God, it’s important to keep this in mind: There is a big difference between impartation and imitation. You’re not the next anyone; you’re the first you. 

In fact, impartation makes you a unique expression of God’s power. As you glean from various servants of the Lord, you become a unique and uncommon blend of the anointing.

Impartation doesn’t just help to make you unique. It also accelerates your spiritual growth, as you learn by the Spirit from those with decades of experience. Growth from impartation should be a reality experienced by every single believer.

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7 Signs of Ungodly Ambition

If you want God to use you as a spiritual leader, you desire a good thing. 

Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. (1 Timothy 3:1, NIV)

Yes, the desire to be used of God is good, but you must guard your heart, lest it become contaminated with the mixture of impure motives. 

Here are 7 warning signs of ungodly ambition.

#1 - You lack personal holiness.

To perform in public is easy, but to live righteously in private takes true devotion to and fear of God. Many have gifts but don’t know the glory. Many have charisma but lack character. Living a lifestyle of sinfulness is a sign that your godly motives have been replaced by fleshly ambition.

#2 - You lack a personal devotional life.

If you don’t pray or read the Word consistently, you have no business being behind a pulpit. Spiritual leaders are supposed to help other believers grow spiritually. But how can you truly do that if you yourself haven’t grown? If you lack a prayer life and a devotion to God’s Word, then that’s a sign that your motives are becoming polluted by worldliness. 

#3 - You care more about crowds than you do about people.

If you don’t love God’s people, then why serve them? For financial gain? For status? For popularity? When you look into the faces of those to whom you minister, do you see people with needs, hopes, hurts, and stories? Or do you just see useful tools for your agenda? To have the heart of God is to have compassion for God’s people.

#4 - You have an unhealthy desire to be seen and recognized.

We all appreciate being encouraged and recognized for our work, but if you constantly crave the spotlight, you need to seriously evaluate your motives. People with an unhealthy desire for recognition are operating out of insecurity and rejection that hasn’t yet been healed. They need to be seen, celebrated, and noticed in order to feel fulfilled. These people love to see their faces on flyers, love to be seated in the front row, love to be noticed when they walk into a room, demand VIP treatment, and generally crave attention. 

#5 - You can’t receive correction.

When your motives are impure, everything you do becomes contaminated. Impure motives force you to build the ministry on self, not the Lord. Thus, when correction is brought to you, your first reaction is to be defensive, to protect what you have built upon self. Those who attempt to lovingly correct you are labeled as “haters” or “jealous.” Granted, you can’t give your attention or validation to everyone who brings criticism. Generally speaking, I think you should ignore the internet theologians and keyboard crusaders. But when those who know and love you, those who walk in relationship with you, bring correction, you should take that seriously. Rather than use deflections like, “Well, I’ve been in the ministry for blank amount of years” or “Well, they just don’t understand my anointing,” perhaps you should humbly receive the correction that comes from those who love and know you. If you can’t take legitimate correction, it’s time to check your motives.

#6 You imagine that the purpose of God’s favor is to elevate you.

When God elevates one of His servants, His goal isn’t to elevate a person; His goal is to elevate His Word - His message. God doesn’t raise you for the sake of you. Ministry is not so much a promotion as it is a death to self. Preachers and ministers, please, remember that we are not the main characters in the story. We are simply servants who serve the greater purposes of God. And we can very quickly be replaced. Count it joy that you can be a part of what God is doing, but remember your place. It’s about the lost. It’s about God’s glory. Walk humbly.

#7 You view other ministers and ministries as your competition. 

Ministry is not about competition but cooperation with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. If you feel pains of jealousy whenever something good happens for another ministry, your motives need to be purified. If you feel like the success of others is somehow taking away from your success, then your motives need to be purified. If you take joy in the failings of other ministries, then your motives need to be purified. Why see the success of others as a threat if we all have the same goal? 

Again, if you want God to use you as a spiritual leader, you desire a good thing. But watch carefully for these signs of ungodly ambition, lest ungodly ambition destroy your ministry and your soul.

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The Holy Spirit Dominates Demons

Jesus cast out demons by the power of the Holy Spirit. He said so Himself. 

But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. (Luke 11:20, NLT)

Much like healing, deliverance does not come by special procedure, a specific prayer, some superstitious ritual, or any man-made gimmick or technique. Quite simply, it’s the power of the Holy Spirit. There’s no complicated method to apply - that power is found in surrender. The more surrendered you are to the Holy Spirit, the greater will be the flow of God’s mighty power through your life.

It’s no contest. In all the talk of principalities, strong demons, and curses, I think we sometimes forget that no matter how strong a demonic spirit is, there is no spirit on earth more powerful than the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit doesn’t deal with demons; the Holy Spirit dominates demons. By His mere presence, the forces of darkness are exposed, overcome, and expelled. Just as quickly as light dissolves the shadows, so the Holy Spirit rids one of demonic influence. Like sand castles under a roaring ocean wave, the bondages of the enemy are destroyed.

Can you imagine the Holy Spirit being resisted by a demonic being? Do you imagine that a demon is powerful enough to struggle with or fight with the Holy Spirit? No way.

That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. (Matthew 8:16, NLT)

So if you’re a believer, rest assured that you carry within you the power to instantaneously overcome or expel any demonic being. Light is no match for darkness. Demons are no match for the Holy Spirit.

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Trembling Before His Glory

I’ve often heard it said, “When I get to Heaven, I’m going to run up to Jesus and give Him a big hug! When I finally stand before God, I’m going to ask Him so many questions.” In all reality, Biblically speaking, when you finally see God face-to-face, you’ll be down on your face, struggling to look up at His brilliance. 

3 At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, 4 “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! (Genesis 17:3-4, NLT)

5 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” 6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground. (Matthew 17:5-6, NLT)

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. (Revelation 7:11, NLT)

Sure, we will fellowship with God, laugh with God, walk and talk with God, and so forth. Yes, God is your Father, and you are His child. But we mustn’t so casually treat the glory of God that we fail to properly reverence His presence. 

It is a privilege to know His presence. 

In fact, before Christ’s death on the cross, there was a protocol to entering God’s presence. Only a certain few could enter and, even so, only on the right days, at the right time, in the right attire after having undergone the right procedures. Of course, today we enter His presence boldly.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. (Hebrews 10:19, NLT)

However, we mustn’t confuse boldness with irreverence. We must reverence, honor, appreciate, and cherish the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. His glory is beautiful, and it’s also frightening. May we remember to tremble before His glory. 

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Do you need spiritual leaders? What the Bible says about "Spiritual Covering"

You’ve heard it said, “I love God, but I’m not into organized religion.” This sentiment, though seemingly noble and virtuous, fails to take into account the fact that everything God does is orderly, structured, intentional, and organized.

Consider your body. Your body consists of various systems - nervous system, skeletal system, and so on. Your body lives in an ecosystem on a planet that moves through a solar system. 

In fact, the Church is described as an organized body of believers:

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12, NLT)

People have this idea that the Church shouldn’t be organized or structured, that the Church’s ministry projects shouldn’t be too large, that the Church shouldn’t function on systems. But it’s not only possible to be both led by the Holy Spirit and organized - it’s necessary. For the Holy Spirit Himself always brings order.

But let’s get down to it: one of the reasons that people don’t want to accept the fact that the Church is a system is because they don’t like the idea of God delegating authority to other human beings. This dislike of spiritual authority might stem from hurt or a bad experience. But the Bible makes it clear that God has given us spiritual leaders, not to control us, but to guide us in our spiritual growth.

Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit. (Hebrews 13:17, NLT)

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-12, NLT)

Spiritual authority is a protective covering, not a controlling lid. We can benefit from the wisdom, guidance, and love of those who are more mature in the faith. If we want to reach our full spiritual capacity, we must be rid of this unbiblical notion that we don’t need each other. 

Now I understand that some immature or insecure leaders abuse their positions of ministry. (Hint: if anyone ever tells you that you’re cursed or that you’ll never fulfill God’s perfect will if you leave them, that’s manipulation.) 

But we mustn’t allow the abusers of power to keep us from benefitting from leaders who are genuinely loving. All of us have room to grow, and, therefore, all of us can benefit from God’s system of Church authority. 

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Ask. Seek. Knock.

Through persistent prayer, by faith, we pull the wandering, broken pieces of creation into alignment with the will of God. Persistent prayer isn’t about convincing God; it’s about aligning creation. Jesus Himself taught us to persevere when we pray:

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

When you’re praying according to the will of God, you can be sure that what you pray will eventually come to pass. But in the waiting, discouraging thoughts like these may assault your mind: 

“If it was going to happen, it would have happened by now.”

“You’re being unrealistic. There’s no way it will ever happen.”

“Maybe God would do it for someone else, but it can’t happen for you.”

“The odds of it happening are just too difficult to overcome.”

“It just doesn’t look like it’s going to work out.”

When believing big, I myself have had to confront doubtful thoughts. The truth is that I’d rather believe until the end than to risk giving up just before the miracle happened. I wonder how many miracles have been missed simply because someone gave up even just an hour too soon.

Though it may be difficult to believe, though even doubt-filled Christians may tell you to quit, it’s best to side with what Jesus said: Ask, seek, knock.

Ask until you get the answer. Seek until you find. Knock until that door opens. 

You don’t know what tomorrow holds, and any moment can be your miracle moment. By the end of the week, you may be celebrating the miracle. All things are possible. Only believe. He makes a way where there seems to be no way. Persist in praying according to the will of God, for nothing is impossible with God.

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