What is the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? How to Know If You Committed the Unpardonable Sin

What is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? Have you committed this unpardonable sin? 

The Word of God has the answers. Let’s take a look at the context. In Matthew chapter twelve, Jesus delivers a demon-possessed man from a demonic entity.

22 Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. 23 The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?” (Matthew 12:22-23)

The pharisees, who had heard about the miracle, looked for a way to discredit the miracle that Jesus had just performed. 

24 But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” 25 Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. 27 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. 28 But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 29 For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. (Matthew 12:24-29)

After revealing the source of His power and authority (The Holy Spirit), Jesus gave the pharisees a sobering warning: 

30 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me. 31 “So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come. (Matthew 12:30-32)

Firstly, either the Pharisees had committed the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit or came very close to committing the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. I suspect they only came close to committing the unpardonable sin. Otherwise, why would Jesus give them a warning if they were already beyond hope?

Secondly, look at the term that’s used here: blasphemy. Blasphemy is a sin that you commit by speaking something. So we know that the pharisees were being warned, because of the words they had spoken. In fact, in verse 32, Jesus warns, “anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.”

Since blasphemy is a sin that you commit through sinful words, we can rule out sins that are commonly mistaken for the unpardonable sin. The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not suicide, murder, witchcraft, backsliding, evil thoughts, or sexual sin. It is a sin that you commit by what you say. 

Thirdly, we know that the unpardonable sin can be committed in this lifetime, for Jesus said that the one who commits it will never be forgiven, “either in this world or in the world to come.” Some say that the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is simply the rejection of salvation or the stubborn refusal of the gospel up until death. But that cannot be the case, since the unpardonable sin is unforgivable, even in this lifetime. So the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is most certainly not just the rejection of salvation or the Holy Spirit.

So judging by what Jesus said to the pharisees, we can conclude that the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is speaking against the Holy Spirit or the attributing of the Holy Spirit’s power to demonic power.

But remember, we still don’t know whether or not the pharisees had already committed it or were merely coming close to committing it. The Biblical text implies a very deep-rooted form of sin. You can’t commit this sin on accident, yet we should still tread carefully. After all, I don’t want to inspire ease where Jesus sought to inspire fear.

And this is very important to note: Not all verbal expressions of skepticism, anger, disobedience, or disrespect toward the Holy Spirit can be categorized as the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit can only come from a conscience that is completely seared. I’ll prove that to you with scripture now.

So have you committed the unpardonable sin? Let me present another verse to you.

However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. (John 6:37)

Nobody comes to Jesus unless they are drawn by the Father. And the Father certainly would never draw someone who couldn’t be forgiven. Therefore, if there is a desire in you to be forgiven and to be right with God, then you are being drawn by God - and Jesus will not reject you. Comparing scripture with scripture, we discover that…

A.) it is not possible for the Spirit-filled believer to commit this sin and 

B.) those who commit it couldn’t possibly have any interest in repentance, nor would they have any fear of having committed the unpardonable sin. 

All scriptures have to be harmonious with one another. So think about it this way: if someone commits the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, then they will always be rejected by God. And Jesus promised to never reject anyone who comes to Him, because those who come to Him have been drawn by the Father. If the one who committed the unpardonable sin ever came to the Lord, then the Lord would have to break His promise of never rejecting anyone who came to Him. Therefore, the one who has committed the unpardonable sin would never approach God in the first place. Indeed, such a person has no desire to ever again approach God. 

Bottom line: Are you afraid that you may have committed the unpardonable sin? That fear alone is proof that you haven’t.

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The Holy Spirit's Still Small Voice

Standing on a mountain in the presence of God, Elijah the prophet learned a profound truth about the nature of God’s voice. 

1 Kings 19 tells us that Elijah encountered a wind, an earthquake, and a fire. Yet God was not heard in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire. Instead, Elijah heard the voice of God in a whisper.

And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. (1 Kings 19:12-13, NIV)

Had God revealed Himself through that mighty wind, Elijah would have been unable to prevent himself from being moved. Had God spoken through an earthquake, Elijah would have had no choice but to be shaken. Had God made Himself known in the fire, Elijah could not have prevented himself from being burned. But because God chose to speak in the whisper, Elijah was given the choice to respond. 

Today, God is still speaking to you in the whisper of the Holy Spirit. If you live a life too rushed, too distracted, too busy, you’ll never move slowly enough or be quiet enough to hear his gentle leading. 

This is not to say that the Holy Spirit doesn't, at times, speak with great force and volume. This is to say that He expects us to be so attentive to Him that we learn to respond to His whispers. 

We should desire to hear so clearly in the spirit that even the Holy Spirit’s whispers are as clear as shouts. To hear that clearly, we must live in an awareness to, in a sensitivity to His still small voice.

And remember this: sensitivity to the voice of the Holy Spirit isn’t just about how clearly you can hear Him but how quickly you respond when He speaks.

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Cleansing in God's House

Let he who has eyes to see, see. Let he who has ears to hear, hear. In this hour, God is cleansing His house.

For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? (1 Peter 4:17)

A distinct line is being drawn. While many are conforming to culture, others are standing strong for what is true. A remnant is rising.

24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. 27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’ (Matthew 13:24-27)

Indeed, from where did all the weeds come? From where have deception and division come? From where have demonic doctrines come? The enemy has attempted to sow these things in the Church. There are those who look like us, talk like us, and pretend to believe the Word of God like us. But we can rejoice and rest in the fact that God Himself will take care of it:

28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. 29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’” (Matthew 13:28-29)

Ultimately, it’s God Who will judge, God Who will separate the wheat from the weeds. We need to only wait and see. And while the final judgment comes at the end of all things, there are certainly seasons - even now - when God will clean house. 

What we’re seeing today is a separating, a revealing of truth. Truly, God is cleansing His Church. It is being revealed who truly believes the authority of the Word over the opinions of the world. It is being revealed who esteems Christ over culture. Take note. Sadly, many of the churches bowing to the systems of the world today could very well be the ones bowing to the system of the anti-Christ when it has fully come. 

For now, we just watch God do what He does. Who bows to culture? Who participates with the world’s systems at the cost of obedience to God’s Word? Who softens the message? Who winks at sin? God will bring separation.

This prophetic message is both a warning and an encouragement. Get ready. God is cleansing His house.

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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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Carriers of the Glory

You don’t have to go looking for an atmosphere; you are an atmosphere. You are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, a habitation of Heaven, a carrier of the glory. Because you have the Holy Spirit, you don’t have to follow signs; signs follow you. You don’t have to beg for a divine encounter; you live in a divine encounter. Wherever you step, the Holy Spirit steps. Your presence and God’s presence become indistinguishable from one another.

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)

When you walk into rooms, demons run out. When you walk into rooms, sickness starts to lose its hold. When you walk into rooms, you shift the atmosphere. Heaven invades wherever you step foot. Spiritual dynamics change, and Hell loses influence. 

That’s the potential of the believer’s life. However, though every true believer has the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit doesn’t have every believer. What I mean by that is not every believer is surrendered to the work of the Holy Spirit in their life.

Some allow for areas of compromise and spiritual neglect. Everything that God has for us is within us by the Holy Spirit. Power, love, joy, peace, wisdom, understanding, the ability to live holy, and so much more. But many leave reservoirs of the Spirit’s power untapped. 

But when you live a life surrendered to the Holy Spirit, the power within you begins to affect everything in you and around you. Like a river that gives off mist, your very being begins to give off the essence of the Spirit. People around you become refreshed. When you surrender to the Holy Spirit and become a conscious carrier of the glory, miracles begin to happen around you, people become drawn to the magnetism of the Holy Spirit within you, and God receives the glory for what He does through you as a vessel. 

Commit today to remember that you are a carrier of the glory. And then live and act like it.

QUESTION: In what ways has the presence of the Holy Spirit upon YOUR life affected those around you? Tell me in the comments.

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Disqualified from God's Call?

If you’ve made mistakes, you need to know that God’s not finished with you. He’s not giving up on you, and you still have a divine destiny.

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)

Of course, if believers want to be used by God, they ought to live holy lives. But perhaps you’ve made mistakes that you think have permanently disqualified you from ever being used by God again. Maybe you feel overwhelming shame and guilt - and it’s difficult for you to move forward. Let’s gain some perspective from the Scripture.

Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News! (1 Corinthians 6:19, NLT)

Consider why God raises someone. God doesn’t raise a person to elevate that person; God will raise a person to elevate His Word, His gospel. 

I think that sometimes the reason people imagine that God would never use them again is because they’re under the impression that it’s about them. But it’s about God’s glory; it’s about souls. God will use you again because lost souls are still slipping into eternity, and the world needs the gospel.

Get it right. Repent. Let God restore you. And then let Him use your life again. 

For God’s glory. For the lost.

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What's the Difference Between the Presence of the Holy Spirit & His Power?

The power of the Holy Spirit is what He does. The presence of the Holy Spirit is Himself. God’s message is endorsed by the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s people are endorsed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit can change your circumstance, but the presence of the Holy Spirit can change your heart. The power of the Holy Spirit comes upon you. The presence of the Holy Spirit dwells within you. The power is for service. The presence is for salvation. The power helps you to do. The presence helps you to become. 

Here is the presence within you.

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? (1 Corinthians 6:19, NLT)

Here is the power upon you.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. (Acts 1:8, NLT)

The power stirs you. The presence stills you. The power activates the gifts. The presence is the glory. The power inspires praise. The presence inspires worship. The key to the power of the Holy Spirit is the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Tell me in the comments: Did I miss anything? How would you describe the power of the Holy Spirit? What would you say about the presence of the Holy Spirit?

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Encounters Lead to Callings

Those who have been touched by the glory of God are most powerfully used for the glory of God. The call of God is found in the presence of God. The power of the Holy Spirit is found in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Your purpose is discovered in His presence. 

Remember this: all true ministry is an overflow of your relationship with God. If there is no relationship, then ministry is not a calling, but rather a career. 

When Adam had life breathed into him, he became the steward of the earth. When Abraham heard God, he was called as a father of many nations. When Moses saw the burning bush, he was called as a deliverer. Isaiah saw God in the temple. Jeremiah felt fire in his bones. Ezekiel saw Heaven opened. The apostles sat with Jesus. The early church heard the wind and saw the fire of the Holy Spirit. Truly, encounters lead to callings.

God wants to use you too. You may feel like your don’t measure up, like you lack the skills and gifts needed to do something for God. Here’s what the Bible says.

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

Your connection with God is your position to do something for God. The Holy Spirit in you is your qualification for ministry. The time you spend in God’s presence is what prepares you to carry His power. 

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The Spiritual World

There’s more to this world than can be felt or seen. Beyond the veil, there exists a realm energized by movement and life. That world, the spiritual realm, is more real than this world. And what happens in that world is more consequential than what happens in this world.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12, NLT)

Angels and demons exist. Angels are not just metaphors for good. Demons are not just metaphors for evil. They are actual beings that exist - with minds, wills, and feelings all their own. God exists. The Devil exists. Heaven exists. Hell exists. In the spiritual realm, it’s light against darkness. And a war is raging over your soul.

What happens in that realm affects what happens in this realm. And the choices you make in this life move through the eternal world.

I think that we live so fast-paced in this realm that we rarely allow for a moment’s pause to consider the other. This is why the Bible urges us to be vigilant.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8, NLT)

Behind every lie, there is a liar. Behind every attack, there is an assailant. See with the eyes of the Spirit. Behind this world is another. The spiritual world is real, and it’s time we start living like it.

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Are There Different Kinds of Anointing?

Just like most vehicles are powered by one kind of fuel - gasoline - so all ministries, gifts, and spiritual expressions are powered by one source: the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The anointing, simply put, is the power of God. It’s God’s ability at work in us. 

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. (Acts 10:38, NLT)

Though the anointing can accomplish different purposes, there is only one anointing. If you have the Holy Spirit within you, not only does the anointing work within you; the anointing also works through you to reach those around you.

18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.f” (Luke 4:18-19, NLT)

The anointing brings the power to proclaim the gospel, the power to bring healing, the power to bring deliverance, and more. The power of the Holy Spirit does it all.

Now, some believers wonder how they can acquire the "healing anointing”, the “deliverance anointing”, or the "prophetic anointing.” Some imagine that there are different kinds of anointing that require different protocols and procedures in order to collect. They may think that there’s something special one must do for the healing anointing, perhaps a special prayer to get the deliverance anointing, and so forth. But it’s actually quite simple.

The key to walking in the power of the Holy Spirit is surrender to the Holy Spirit.

When you live a life surrendered to the Holy Spirit, you make yourself available for God to use you in whatever way He wishes. So there are no secret keys. Live holy. Have a strong prayer life. Stay in the Word. And follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Just love Jesus. 

When you surrender to the Holy Spirit, you get the power of the Holy Spirit.

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Planted by the Hand of God

Salvation is free, but the call of God will cost you everything.

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. (John 12:24, NLT)

When you lay down your life for the call of God, you become like a seed planted in the ground. When you are planted by God, you may, at times, find yourself in dark and lonely places; but your life will be used of God to bring forth a harvest. 

Seeds are those who say to the Lord, “Spend me for your glory.” So here’s a question for you: Will you let God bury you? Will you let God take you to places that you may not want to go? Will you give up your own plans and ambitions and exchange them for God’s perfect will? 

Will you become a seed in the ground that others might hear the gospel? 

Paul the Apostle wrote of a daily death to self, and that’s exactly what it will take to be used of God. May you become a life planted, that Jesus might reap the reward of His suffering - a plentiful harvest of new lives, of souls.

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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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