Tag: presence of GOD

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Working in partnership

We are meant to be partners with GOD. God working in partnership with us is His heart and it is the means to transforming society, bringing mankind back to Him.

How to partnership with Yehovah GOD

Writing from GOD’s perspective as I have been attempting to do for the past several weeks, I can’t possibly assume I know what He’s thinking or wanting to share; and yet, He reveals things to us through His Word and through His Spirit that complement one another and encourage us. GOD lives and breathes in and through us to the degree we allow, through our obedience, surrender, engagement and worship. We are saved individually, but also for the purpose of bringing others to Him. He is a good GOD, the righteous and generous father of mankind, giving good gifts to His children and desiring that none should perish.

“GO and make disciples of all nations…” said Jesus in Matthew 28.

A leaf from GOD’s STORY

So, this piece is not a part of GOD’s STORY per se, but about our relationship with Him and the depth and breadth He can draw us to Him.

Why did GOD create mankind? 

GOD created mankind for relationship — with Him, as well as with one another. 

Reading Genesis 1, He reveals Himself as 3 persons with 3 identities, aspects, personalities in the One Person of GOD. He is 1. Creator who creates. 2. The Word who speaks 3. The Spirit who hovers over the waters from the beginning. GOD spoke and creation happened. He was and is and will be GOD: “In the beginning, GOD”. 

As GOD is Creator, Word and Spirit – He is one GOD revealed in three persons, He is and always has been in relationship. Likewise, when He created Adam in His image, He did so for relationship. And then, He said it was “not good” that man was alone and He created woman. More relationship. 

And so it is with us, we who are born again, we who speak of a relationship with GOD, we who have faith and follow Him through His Word and by His Spirit — we are in relationship with Him.

In Partnership

But I choose to go a step further today to say: Yes, we have relationship, fellowship… and also partnership with Him.

I read a book recently which offered good teaching for young people about following GOD. I won’t quote it but I mention it to say this: It has solid information but it lacks one thing: It does not teach about partnership through Holy Spirit.

The book taught that since Word became flesh and that word has been written down, everything Jesus had/has to say to us is in the Bible; by following that Word, and using sound judgment, we walk the Christian life. This is true but it is leaving out a vital point: through Holy Spirit we have fellowship with GOD and the opportunity for complete partnership with Him. 

The Father wants relationship with us. He is relational; it’s a part of His identity. Even following the Bible with the best will and passion in the world, we are still walking in the flesh, which is still finite and, I purport, still limits our engagement with GOD. 

Only through the power and presence of Holy Spirit manifesting in our lives are we walking in complete partnership: yielding our flesh to His Spirit with each step that we take.

This does not mean we cannot tie a shoe without asking GOD. As the book rightly suggests, GOD is Sovereign and in that, He gives us freedom and room to choose, to think, to delegate, to “live and move and have our being” while He is also fulfilling His plans and purposes. 

But our walk can be so much more than applying the Bible to our lives. Applying the Bible is good! but it is still not the fullness of what GOD asks and what He offers. Rather, He offers and seeks intimacy that comes with constant fellowship — conversation with Him, seeking Him out, allowing Him to fill us with His supernatural presence and power through the person of Holy Spirit.

John 3:6 says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.” Acts 17:28 says, “for in Him we live and move and have our being”

Faith is Trusting in GOD

First and foremost, we commit our lives to faith in Jesus, as son of GOD, as the one who died and rose again. We trust Him with our salvation and with our lives, both here on earth and in heaven after our physical presence on earth ends. We believe and we trust. But there is more…

Rigidity without Holy Spirit

There is a danger in following the Bible totally fastidiously:  that danger is to become rigid in our thinking, becoming religious or even self righteous. Without the Word we have no compass. But with only the Word we can become legalistic, dictatorial. Alternatively, our attempting to follow the Holy Spirit can become whimsical, irrational, or can even lead us toward error in our thinking without the Bible support. If, for example, we think “GOD said to do X” when X is clearly contradictory to the Word, it cannot be true. We do need both the Word and the Spirit to walk with Jesus in the way He has always intended.

The Word keeps us on a righteous path. The Spirit keeps us surrendered to GOD. 

Jesus said he did only what the Father told him to do (John 5:19). His Spirit will never contradict. We need to know the Word so we recognise the voice and the will of Jesus. But Jesus left earth in order for Holy Spirit to come, and we need that Helper to help: to lead, guide, teach, correct us. Father, Son and Holy Spirit will always have the same message, though they may express themselves to us differently. We need all three in our lives. We need Holy Spirit in order to grow in our intimacy with GOD, in order to become perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48), in order to fellowship with GOD and with one another to the capacity GOD has for us.

There is nothing trivial with GOD!

Some might say that GOD isn’t interested in what we should eat for dinner, or whether we should wear these shoes or those, take this job or that, marry this Christian or that one. But I disagree. 

“As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him.” (Psalm 103:13) He is watchful, He is engaged, He is interested.

Jesus adored and encouraged the children to come to him. Likewise, the Father relishes our time with Him. It is narrow for us to think He isn’t interested or that what is trivial to us is also trivial to Him. That is looking at ourselves as equal to GOD, as “adults”… but we are neither equal nor adult to Him.

1 John speaks of children, young men and fathers. And yes, we in the faith, mature. And Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians of teaching “meat” versus “milk” to the believers. We do grow in maturity as re are ready to hear.

But GOD does not limit our access to Him nor our prayers. Yes, He wants us to move and respond freely and as we grow, in a mature way. But this takes time and experience. We learn the Word and we discover Holy Spirit: both Jesus and Spirit of GOD are equal and of equal importance to grow us into the people GOD has created us to be. 

In one sense, we will always be His children.

Predestination v Arminianism

I think the debate between predestination — where everything is pre-ordained, and arminianism — where GOD gives us freedom to effect the outcome of our lives, is futile, because both purport a one way or other way view. 

I think the truth is in between, a both/and reality. GOD is sovereign. And yet, we must wrestle against flesh and blood to grow into His likeness. 

The Hebrew people were completely able to recognise competing truths. I think we gentiles need to be able to do the same.

Sovereignty and Partnership

Recognising GOD as sovereign does not mean we are puppets. Realising the active influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives does not mean we can foul up the predestination of GOD. Rather, we trust in GOD’s righteous and powerful sovereignty even in the midst of our attempts and failures at following His voice today through Holy Spirit.

GOD wants partners. GOD wants us to grow to full maturity. GOD wants to engage with us. And in my experience, I grew more though Holy Spirit than without. I failed more often too. But here I am, more surrendered, more intimate, more in line with the character of GOD as revealed in His list of Holy Spirit fruits (Galatians 5) , than I ever would have become with the Word alone.

I have studied the Word voraciously. But that alone was not enough to curb my impulsivity, my fleshly temperament, my ego. I needed Holy Spirit actively in my life to ensure my dependence and eventual maturity in GOD. 

Flesh v Spirit: obedience, wonder, worship, surrender, grace

We cannot walk in the flesh forever. Ultimately and sooner-is-better-than-later, we need to walk by the spirit in us. How?

“I die daily.” 

“I am crucified with Christ.” 

We must “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.”

Centuries ago, priests seeking to be more like Jesus literally flagellated themselves to try to defeat the sinful flesh. In the 1800’s many preached hell and damnation, not erroneously but without love, and alienated for generations those who would be lost; today Christians still have a rotten reputation for hypocrisy and judgementalism rather than for the lovingkindness of Jesus.

Seek Jesus, Seek Holy Spirit, Seek the Father

The Word of GOD is wonderful. It needs no editing, no addendum, no apology. However, Jesus was openly declared at his baptism by the voice of GOD and the presence of Holy Spirit. Only then did his ministry begin. Likewise, we need Holy Spirit to live our lives as Jesus teaches us. 

If we resist Holy Spirit out of fear, suspicion or pride, we miss an essential part of GOD and forfeit the power and presence He wants us to have. 

We learn to worship the LORD in Spirit and in Truth!

“Not my might, nor my power but by My Spirit says the LORD of hosts.” (Zachariah 4:6)

As we ponder the Spirit of GOD, to the degree we allow Him to be active in our lives, we will determine our growth in character and our depth of relationship… that’s what I’ve experienced and that’s what I believe.

Going forward, I press on to the upward call of GOD in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13) and pray for the same for all of us. How we manage is up to the LORD and may we all surrender fully into this so that He can have His way entirely in our lives.

Shalom and GOD BLESS you!

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GOD'S STORY

GOD’S STORY: Part 7 – Baptism of Holy Spirit is necessary

GOD’S STORY Part 7 Baptism of Holy Spirit…. He is necessary for growth beyond our sinful nature

Tongues of Fire “sat upon each of them” in the upper room as recorded in Acts 2:3

What does that indicate? And why haven’t we witnessed tongues of fire as they did?

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

So, I proceed on a deeper look at Holy Spirit, the person of GOD:

The key for our character growth is not how Holy Spirit manifests but why we need Him. For salvation, when we receive Jesus, the Holy Spirit is as a seal upon that prayer commitment. So, one could say for salvation, you only need the seal, not the baptism. But what if you want to walk beyond your sinful nature. What if you desire to “be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect” as Jesus suggests in Matthew 5:48?

We work out our own salvation with fear and trembling… We come before the LORD in humility with repentant hearts. Jesus offers us complete freedom from sin through salvation through faith in Him (Ephesians 2:8-9) but also from sinfulness, from our very propensity to rebel, to sin, to walk in our own will. How is this changed? How are we transformed?

Our transformation is by Holy Spirit

Have you ever wondered why Jesus sent the comforter? Have you ever wondered why He needs to dwell within us? His seal, our salvation, is just the first step.

Have you ever wondered why the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) are listed as of the Spirit? 

Our character is in Christ at the moment of our commitment to Him. BUT for our character to be transformed into His likeness by GOD’s sweet grace, He’s provided us with the Holy Spirit. Jesus left earth after His resurrection in order for this “Helper” to come. And how does He help us where Jesus did not?

Jesus is the role model. But Holy Spirit enables us to fulfil the role.

I will say this another way: Jesus, son of GOD, son of man, came to earth that He could take on our sin in our stead. He was and is perfect. But we are not. Even at the point of our salvation, though GOD no longer sees our sin, we still wrestle within ourselves. Anxiety, fear, control, wilfulness, rebellion, impatience, misery, negative thought, jealousy, insecurity… these are just some of the human traits we wrestle against. Holy Spirit teaches us how to rid ourselves of them and He helps us to retrain our thinking and our action toward the love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience, faith and self control …. the grace… which He moulds in our character. 

Then we model Jesus with our own unique personality.

How to live without baptism of Holy Spirit… Why live with baptism of Holy Spirit

Apollos was a minister mentioned several times in Acts and in Paul’s letters. Originally, he’d only been baptised in the name of John, until Priscilla and Aquila taught him “more accurately”. (Acts 18)

Apollos moved from having little knowledge to a fuller understanding. Likely he originally knew little of the Spirt having only been baptised in the name of John. Gaining fuller and deeper understanding from Priscilla and Aquila, his ministry must have grown for Paul to refer to him with the respect he showed. (1 Corinthians 3)

Like Apollos in his early days with Jesus, some Believers are walking in partial experience of GOD’s salvation. We all need Jesus, and the seal of the Spirit evidences our salvation. But also we all need Holy Spirit baptism in our journey toward heaven, so that our character can be more effective on earth and I daresay, we live more peace-filled lives. This surely is a delight to the LORD.

Are we saved without baptism of Holy Spirit. Well, of course it isn’t up to me, but I believe so, yes. Is a person without baptism of Holy Spirit equal with those with? I can only witness my own journey… 

My testimony of life before and after Baptism of Holy Spirit

I gave my life to the LORD at age 24. At age 31 I was a committed Christian who swore, was anxious and controlling, lacked inner peace. At age 32 I was challenged by a fellow-believer to seek water baptism. 

At first, I contested. I had been christened as a child. Surely that was the same thing. But that night, before I went to bed, I wondered, “Why was I so argumentative about baptism?” I felt convicted, ‘Because I need to be baptised’ was the answer that fed back to me.

Some days later, that same friend suggested I ask GOD for the gift of tongues. That bedtime on my own, I asked and the LORD bubbled within me, and as I opened my mouth, I began to speak in tongues.

It was shortly thereafter that I was able to find an opportunity to be water baptised. On that evening I testified, “I gave my life to Jesus for myself. But now, I get baptised in order to walk for others’ sake.”

At the point of re-emerging from the water, I felt Joy! ‘Ah’, I thought, ‘so this is what Joy is!?’ I had never felt it before.

From that moment maturity came upon me more and more quickly. I found it easier to yield my will to His. I stopped swearing virtually overnight. Early on, I felt like a part of me was dying and of course it was… the part or at least some of the part of me that very much needed to die: the carnal, fleshly part of me.

I’m still on that journey.  But my understanding of the Word became much more clear and is acute now, in huge part because of Holy Spirit.

Why some say Holy Spirit gifts are passed

Holy Spirit gifts and power often need to be expected in order to be received. Faith and hope rise up in expectation of what GOD can do. 

In the Dark Ages, people believed GOD but Catholicism had taken root in Europe. As a European descendent I know little other historical theology. Where Christianity flourished it was largely either Catholic or Orthodox. And during the Dark Ages, the Medieval times, there was — as far as I understand — little power evidence of Holy Spirit. Perhaps that is where the idea was birthed that such things as miracles had ceased. There are Biblical scriptures namely 1 Corinthians 13 that are taken to mean the gifts end but the saving grace and love of Jesus continue. But that is a stretch of scripture, as far as I can see.

There are forces against faith in Holy Spirit just as there are forces against faith in Jesus. And so, those saved but not walking in the Baptism of Holy Spirit have limited experience of the power and presence of GOD. Perhaps some have tremendous faith in Jesus but if taught not to expect anything more, they don’t seek and they don’t receive.

Further, some may fear manifestations which are reported as Holy Spirit by some but others contest. To that I bring you to scripture: 

Luke 11:11 says,

“If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?”

GOD will not give us something that is unholy or unhealthy. We need to trust Him.

Matthew 7:7-12 says,

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?”

What is the manifestation of Holy Spirit

Ultimately, the litmus test regarding the Holy Spirit is the transformation of our character.

Discernment and experience will tell us whether something is “of GOD” or is “not of GOD”.

Our discernment will be spiritual and not of our opinion. We need to learn the difference.

Yes, there are forces of darkness and the devil is prowling around. But GOD is sovereign, GOD is bigger, GOD’s angels outnumber satan’s demons 2-1.

The manifestation of the Spirit of GOD will draw us closer to Him and will grow our character into that which more resembles His.

Sometimes we might seem undignified. If the LORD is removing some influence from us, we might have to physically break free as well as mentally or spiritually. David danced and his wife mocked him. Who was the loser of the two?

“So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honour.” Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.” (2 Samuel 6:21-23)

Will you seek Holy Spirt and share His Truth

The reality is that the world is getting darker and we who are in Christ are shining more brightly. But we need more of GOD (and less of ourselves) as offered through the Holy Spirit in order to witness and to stand in these times.

Will you trust GOD more, will you surrender more of yourself to Him, will you receive all He offers, when He offers, in the way that He offers? Will you yield your life 100% to Him? I believe He’s asking us all. Who will say, “Yes and Amen”?

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GOD'S STORY

GOD’S STORY Pt 6 Who is Holy Spirit

“And those members of the body which we think to be less honourable, on these we bestow greater honour; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty”

While this is what Paul writes to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 12:23) in reference to the church as analogous to a human body, so I would ask you to look at this as analogous to the persons of the Godhead: namely, Father Son and Holy Spirit.

So Who is Holy Spirit?

We give GOD All the Glory! But who is GOD: Yehovah, Elohim if not inclusive of all three? Who is Holy Spirit and how does He fit with the others?

The Holy Spirit is to GOD as our most unpresentable parts are to our humanity: vital, for discretion, to be revered.

Part of GOD’s Story then is that Holy Spirit has been given less honour, less respect, less opportunity in our lives as a body of Christ = the church, than the other persons of GOD and I believe this needs to be addressed. Here is my opportunity to share GOD’s Story of Holy Spirit.

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

So, here we go…. GOD’S STORY Part 6 Who is Holy Spirit

GOD is Spirit. Surely that is first and foremost. He is timeless, omnipotent, omniscient, and perhaps most important for us to understand in order to understand Holy Spirit, is to remember that Our Father: Yehovah GOD, Elohim is omnipresent. 

From His hovering over the earth in Genesis 1:2 to Jesus leaving the earth so that He could send His Spirit (John 14:25-26)…. I think it’s fair to say WE STILL DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE HOLY SPIRIT, not that well at any rate.

United with the Holy Spirit, there is nothing our LORD cannot do, nothing we cannot do when we abide in Him.

In John 15 Jesus says,

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.”

Several times Jesus says “abide in me… and bear fruit”. What is this fruit that he is talking about? He is talking about character and the fruit that counts is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which Paul lists in Galatians 5:22-23 namely, love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience, faith and self control. These are markers of character, godly character, Christ-like character, fruit which flows from the Holy Spirit.

And so in order to abide with Jesus and in Jesus, in order to grow in His character, we need the Holy Spirit. It is through Holy Spirit that we abide and through Holy Spirit that the our character bears fruit. That Spirit which is GOD, dwelling in us, transforming us as we allow, that Spirit which is united with us: GOD in us.

Yes, all humanity can choose love and can choose decency by its will. But only through Holy Spirit can we succeed in bearing the character of Christlike love and character. 

How we grow in Christ

Man wrestles with himself and with GOD. Remember Jacob wrestling for his blessing (Genesis 32:24-29)? Jacob did not get all his answers but he did get the blessing of a new name: Israel. And it is his descendants who would become the nation of Israel. 

We all are like two year olds are we not? Like children who want both to please Mum and Dad and yet also to have their own way, do we not struggle against our love for GOD and our own way?

Holy Spirit teaches us and comforts us — leading us to follow and convicting us when we don’t, touching our hearts to draw near and not to punish ourselves for our short-comings but rather to learn from our mistakes. This is the personal touch of Holy Spirit. He is no less a person with whom we are encouraged to relate than the Father or Jesus. And yet, He is the least known, the least acknowledged of the three persons of GOD. 

As the Father is the powerhouse of GOD — the one in whom we ‘fear’; as Jesus is the lamb of GOD, who models for us our humanity as GOD intends; so the Holy Spirit is deeply personal; He encourages us to persevere. In our humanity we will to do life on its own terms. We wrestle against GOD’s will; we doubt Jesus; we resist the Holy Spirit.

“Come unto me all who labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest…” These are Jesus’ spoken words in Matthew 11 but it is through a surrender to Holy Spirit that we can yield, be still, come unto, abide and find our rest.

GOD says, “Come”, “Be still”, ‘Love Me and love others” but we get distracted and diverted as our own will says, ‘Come, do it this way, now!’

All of life is a journey

GOD has offered us a journey of a lifetime when we surrender to Him. Holy Spirit enables that walk in that surrender. Only to the degree that we walk His way, in love, above the clouds of turmoil and strife, full of His grace, truth, love, peace do we live the best life. 

This part of GOD’s Story is simply to say, GOD offers, GOD encourages, GOD asks us to align with, yield to, enjoy, and surrender to Him, and it is through Holy Spirit that we are able to do this.

GOD in our own strength

We are not meant — but often do— live a soul-ish spirituality. We love GOD yes, but we still follow our own will to Him. Instead we must surrender our will. We must surrender to the Spirit of GOD, walking daily in His will and way, if we are metaphorically, to ride on the clouds: Surrendering our body to our soul, soul to our spirit, our spirit to Holy Spirit of GOD will lead us into a spirit-filled walk that is as walking on water and as beyond the earthly condition. We can live as GOD lives, without time, without conditions, without limitations, if we simply trust and obey, surrender and receive.

GOD’s Power and Presence within us

Holy Spirit is the power and presence of GOD. When we abide in the LORD and allow ourselves to live completely surrendered, then we will rise above the temporal, beyond the clouds of emotion and circumstance, into a freedom and grace that is unknown to the earthly person.

What is the Holy Spirit? Who is the Holy Spirit?

He is that part of GOD that enables us to be truly intimate. We know the Father from above. We know Jesus from His earthly walk. We know Holy Spirit because He lives within us. 

THE LORD GOD is seeking to draw us closer to Him. How closely will you allow Him to draw you? Will you yield all to Him? In His Story, He is asking you. He is asking us all.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) This is not only a call from Jesus to us. This call is from GOD to us. This call is Holy Spirit’s offering to us. 

Will we trust and accept the calling to be fully surrendered to the Creator of the universe?

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

The Need for GOD’s Anointing of the Holy Spirit

Is Christian Revival around the corner? I sure hope so… But if it is, we’ll need plenty of help to manage it.

Revival and the Holy Spirit

Are we in need for GOD’s Anointing of the Holy Spirit? Why wouldn’t we be?!

Jesus said, ‘I go that the helper may come’ (John 14:26). How does the Helper help? By anointing us for service, giving us power through His presence: to move hearts toward GOD and to pull down strongholds.

If we want revival — and most of us who follow Jesus do, in some measure at least — we must allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and follow His lead.

There are those in the church who say that the supernatural gifts of GOD are passed. Some suggest, ‘We have the Word now, so we don’t need the supernatural.’ I say rather bluntly, this is a cop out. I think it is borne of the fact that the speakers don’t personally see the manifestation of miracles and therefore they reckon they don’t exist. They might quote, “… pass away but my Word shall not pass away…” (Matthew 24:35) But that scripture is taken out of context. Jesus, as the Word of GOD, was resurrection life that will never pass away. But He left the earth so that He could send His Spirit to fill each of us. It is by the Spirit that I have been transformed: through GOD-given faith and His conviction. I experience transformation and demonstrate it because of His supernatural attendance to me and His infilling within me.

Others who accept the Holy Spirit presence but resist the power, say undignified behaviour is manifested and therefore such cannot be a move of GOD. I say Jesus accepted the undignified, preferring their behaviour to the pride and superficial dignity of His contemporary pharisees. I was once accused of being a pharisee. Me? But I love the LORD! was my immediate response. And yet, over time I realised the religious spirit of the pharisees had affected me. My recognition and rejection of it was instrumental in my maturity and freedom.

Holy Spirit – active today

What I testify is this: The Holy Spirit is the LORD within us who enables us to surrender our lives; He gives us leadership showing us how to engage with Him and with others about Him. He is the evangelist, the pastor, the teacher, the prophet and the apostle within (Ephesians 4:11) And He enables the fruits of love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, patience and self control (Galatians 5:22-23) to grow and supersede our own will and natural inclination to rebel. And it is through Him that miracles are manifested (1 Corinthians 12:8-9). He is the power and the presence of GOD, without whom we have neither His power nor His presence. He has not changed any more than has the Father or Jesus. GOD does not change.

Vocabulary that promotes the undignified

“Hallal” means praise! We are called to join in a manifestation of high praise, ‘flashing forth light like!’ Cymbals crash! King David danced with joy to his LORD, practically naked. GOD is to be revered but He does not control us. He brings liberty. Dignified or noisy, this is the celebration of GOD.

Jesus’ word about the Helper

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26)

For centuries, the power of GOD was squashed with religion. Protestants have blamed the Catholic faith, and it may largely be true that the manifestations of the Spirit were full-on during the early church but were largely wiped out by organised religion. But the chains have fallen off! And so should there be room again for the Spirit, so that we can “live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

We need the anointing

Recently, I was in a worship service and tears began to flow as we ministered to the LORD, not only in song but in spiritual warfare, praying for the nation. This began with the steadfast commitment of the worship leader to sing to the LORD but also to pursue Him. In so doing, the anointing came and remained. A call from the congregation for prayer came and then the engagement: spiritual warfare through a unified force amongst the brethren of believers, to bring GOD’s kingdom onto earth “as it is in heaven”. I don’t believe this could have been done without the anointing. But with the anointing, there was faith and a unified voice in worship and prayer. All the glory goes to Him through our passionate pleas to Him.

Abandon

GOD is full of grace and love. We are to revere Him. But we do not have to be religious. Rather we are called to be “like little children” (Matthew 19); children are not self-conscious.

Decorum matters between one another, as does common sense and respect. But sometimes, as the LORD’s presence manifests, so too does the demonic. This is not to be shunned nor embraced, but to be recognised, deliverance* to be undertaken, and freedom to be received (*to protect all involved, deliverance should only be undertaken under specific conditions and by those trained and experienced).

Sometimes there is joy and dancing: David danced; it pleased the LORD! (and led to the barrenness of David’s wife because she mocked him)

The Spirit is unpredictable. The Spirit is free. He does not give us licence to be irreverent but irreverence is not the same as lacking dignity. Sometimes, we need to be met with unpredictable abandon to be set free.

I pray that those who are reading this have either met with the Holy Spirit and have been baptised and anointed by Him, or will pursue Him with their whole heart until they are. The Spirit is no less GOD than is the Father or the Son. There is power from the Creator. There is power in the Word. And there is also power through the Spirit. Embracing Him is what Jesus calls us to do. And we ignore this at our peril.

Implosion of the World

While science is fast becoming debunked by those who preach “whatever we feel is real” and religion in Western society has all but passed away, common sense, fact and reality are becoming as rarely inspected as history. This is the time for Faith to arise. Let us not copy what has gone before: a narrow religiosity that has the imitation of Truth but not the power of it. Let us endorse and whole-heartedly embrace the full Gospel: that we are saved by Faith in Jesus, both for our eternal future but also for our present. Jesus saves, delivers, restores. He is found both in Word and in Deed. And we ignore either at society’s peril.

GOD bless you. In Jesus’ name. May you receive the power and presence of the Lord Jesus, Yeshua, our Messiah, by His Holy Spirit. Amen.

Categories
Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Expect More: it’s time!

Do you think it is time to expect more from our prayers? I do.

I think it’s time to expect GOD to actually move to heal, to deliver, to renew minds. It’s time for His transformational power to MOVE. How does that happen? When we believe.

Doubt is our enemy.

James 1:5-8 says, 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been tossed and blown as much as anyone, and I’m fed up (with myself) with accepting unanswered prayer. Surely, GOD is waiting for us to believe and trust the words we pray!

Let us take hold of our passion, compassion, and determination to see GOD’s power, to experience His presence in the lives of our loved ones, strangers on the street, anyone for whom we feel led to pray.

Father, give me faith!

Matthew 17:18-20 gives an account of a boy being set free.

“Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” 

Give me, give us mountain moving faith, LORD. May Your will be done, today, now, in Jesus’ name. 

We cannot whip up, stir up our faith…. or can we?

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1:6, “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

And so we can proactively seek to build up, stir up, drive up our faith. Let us do so, all to the glory of GOD, that we might see Him move powerfully to transform lives in these days.

Let’s expect more, much more, of GOD’s transformational power and manifest presence, that healings will take place, hearts and minds will be moved, and more of GOD’s glory will be revealed.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

24 Hours alone: a poem

Last night the LORD left me. 

I was in despair

In despair, I didn’t know He’d left

I just felt despair.

Last night I sought the LORD

He was quiet, I was fraught

I sought the LORD 

and He did not reply.

After weeks of calm

Methodical detachment and trust

I was emotional:

Angry and afraid.

But I did not flee

Nor blame or denounce

I did not succumb to my flesh

But clung to His Spirit in me.

His grace is enough

His love is sufficient

His truth is all

And I am bathed once again.

Know this: we grow

Then we are tested

When we have a choice,

We yield and are saved

All over again.

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

God’s Word, yes, but also His Presence

We need to be in God’s Word, yes, but also we need to be in His Presence.

Word and Holy Spirit together

2 Timothy 2:15 urges us to”Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

And Jesus before his accession to heaven told the disciples, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if depart, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7)

How safe is the prophetic

It is easy to reject all prophecy and the prophetic because of some people who are in error or who seem to seek attention through a building of their ministry. BUT GOD. He sent His Holy Spirit, not just to intervene in the salvation process, activating our Spirit, but also to walk, live, breathe, share, comfort, convict and guide us daily. 

We must no longer live as empty vessels, occasionally to be filled with inspiration from God’s Word BUT ALSO we must allow the Holy Spirit to infill us and dwell with us, the aim being that we are filled constantly with God’s presence through His Spirit in us. We need the Word but that is not enough. We need the baptism of the Holy Spirit so that the understanding of His Word is complete.

Perfect Love, not Fear

We are not to fear the things of God, but to discern. Yes there are false prophets, most of whom may well not know they are false. But not all prophets are false. And we need the Holy Spirit’s discernment to distinguish the false from the true. Most of all, we must follow Yeshua, our Lord Jesus to the Father. Following him is perfected only through time spent with him directly, not seeking the prophetic from others, but seeking the Lord for ourselves. Then, as we dwell intimately with Yehovah, God’s Word, and Yehovah God’s Spirit, we may well receive His prophetic word. All this is what Jesus left us for… and sent to us.

Expect the Holy Spirit

I am not writing a theological argument. Many may well argue over the matter of the Spirit within us. The Word and the Spirit go together. Jesus said he must leave in order for us all to have the Helper. I believe he meant it.

I believe and have experienced (“you shall know them by their fruits” Matthew 7:16)) that as I surrender to God, as I am still before Him, as I rest and wait for Him, He comes. He comes in Spirit and in truth. His presence is for all, today, and He expects us to receive. Is it all-or-nothing: full surrender or not? We each choose. Time is short, so I ask you directly: which will you choose?

How to find His Spirit

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

So we shall wait… be still and wait… Ask and receive the fullness of the Spirit in your walk with the Lord, and expect Him to fill you with His presence (there is much more in scripture about this, and there is a discussion about baptism to be had also, but these are digressions from my point today… Depending on Jesus’ timing, there is fuel for Future blog posts).

We do not fear

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him.” (Matthew 7:11)

I urge us all, that we take nothing for granted, knowing His love and His presence. Let us then be ready… for anything.

God bless.

Sarah Tun

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

In His Presence examined: The Church needs to Change – Part 5

When I wait upon the LORD He renews my strength (Isaiah 40:31) . Hallelujah!

What about everything else that needs doing in life?

Following on in the Series “Church needs to Change”, I address the second point on the list, that of engaging with GOD’s presence.

I Corinthians 1:29 says, “that no flesh should glory in His presence”.

Basking in GOD’s presence is a glorious experience: a spirit to Spirit encounter as ours meets with His.

But is it for its own sake? As we spend time with the LORD and when He chooses to anoint us by His Holy Spirit, is it only to draw closer to Him? Is it not also to walk under His direction, to offer solace to others, or healing, or words of wisdom… as and when He may direct us?

In Psalm 119, the Psalmist asks, “Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.” Amen.

Our Walk is Revelation

Jesus loved both Mary and Martha, but it was Mary who sat at his feet, whom Jesus defended against Martha’s criticism that her sister did not help with the practical household duties (Luke 10:38-42).

I have been “sitting at Jesus’ feet” of late — or to say more accurately, I have been spending a lot of time reaching out for GOD’s presence, and receiving. But it has meant I’ve had little else on my agenda. Indeed, I didn’t even post a newsletter last week (as those who usually receive it will be aware). Am I being distracted? Or perhaps it is simply that the LORD has my full attention, at last.

It is difficult to navigate the matter of seeking GOD’s presence. Society is busy and offers plenty of duties and distractions. Covid-19 Lockdown across the world has offered GOD’s children time to spend with him. How have we spent that opportunity, or what, in this regard, can we do going forward?

Day Jobs, Family Ties, Responsibilities and Choices

Paul of Tarsus built tents for a living. He did receive some payment for his preaching and teaching, but by and large, he supported himself — he had a day job. He encourages all who can to work, to be self-respecting and self-sufficient, and in turn to support those who cannot work.

He has also written to us about family ties being a blessing, though singleness he sees as better, being without the distractions of spousal obligations (1 Corinthians 7:34-38).

We all have our responsibilities, yes, and we can make our own choices. There is, after all, “no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1)

But…..

Luxury of the presence of the Holy Spirit

But my current thinking is, we cannot afford to ignore the opportunity of GOD’s presence in our lives. Spending time with the LORD and resting in His presence is a luxury; it is a luxury we must take. How else can we grow and walk continually “according to the Spirit”? How else can we become more like our shepherd, Jesus?

When I rest in His presence, I find my experience sometimes daunting, sometimes sleepy, sometimes like a wave (or waves) of His glory pouring over me. Sometimes I sense peace, other times I gain wisdom. Always it is a bit scary yet totally lovely. I do it for the sake of intimacy with Him, and then I seek to encourage others.

Baptism of Holy Spirit

We all must work out our own salvation “with fear and trembling,” as Paul writes (Philippians 2:12). But our journey needs to have encounters with GOD personally, sometimes through His word, but also through the intimacy of His Spirit.

Jesus prayed. He did nothing His Father did not direct him to do. He is our model.

Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26) And he said, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of me.” (John 15:26)

Jesus departed so that the Spirit might come to us. He told his disciples, “…if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7)

We need the active presence of the Holy Spirit in our day-to-day lives

Let us no longer engage in our journey without the Spirit of GOD… not only as He resides in us through the act of our salvation when we made our commitment to Him, but also through His repeated anointing, infilling and indwelling, to lead and guide us.

Questions remain

I am aware I’ve not answered my own question about how we use the anointing He brings. I believe it is all dependent upon Him. As He engages with us, He’ll let us know where we walk and when, how we proceed with others. Nothing is meant to be in our flesh, not by our will but by His.

I think we are to wait as long as we can, listening, abiding, allowing Him to fill us.

As for me, as I manage to live in His presence, then my next steps will be directed by Him. That too will no doubt be daunting, exciting, peaceful and enriching. For in His presence “is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11).

May we all drink deeply of Him, abide with Him, and grow in Him, Amen.

 

 

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

Intimacy: Seeking the Presence of our Creator GOD

I read the Bible, I read books, I am inspired by music too.

But most of all, I seek His presence

Yet push him away, I do.

That’s a little ditty that describes my heart versus my behaviour.

Seeking Intimacy

If I could spend all my time with the Father, I feel sure I would. And yet, when time and stillness are available,
I realise I have yearning but also hesitation. I do seek Him, but I don’t always give all my attention.

Why do I hesitate? He comes gently, carefully, peacefully. And yet, I am afraid, even quivering a little as He draws me to His presence.

I am discovering, as I meditate on scripture and am inspired by others who share their experiences*, that although I have been encompassed by His presence in the past, I am still learning about Him and know Him so little.

“I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23) comes to mind and I wonder, does he think that of me?

I look up the scripture in its entirety, “And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practise lawlessness.”

The Word gives me solace.

In our walk with Jesus

There is total surrender when we commit our lives to Jesus. We say the words but to what degree do we practise “total surrender”?

We are imperfect, made perfect in Jesus’ sacrifice for us, so this isn’t to lay a guilt trip on anyone, and in fact I’m sharing in the way that I am, personalising this, because I want readers to have the sense that it’s okay not to be perfect, even though we are called and are responsible to give our all.

We can rest assured his work is finished and his salvation sure. And yet, I don’t want to take this for granted.

The days are closing in

There seems to be endless speculation on the timing of Jesus’ return. Some say we will first be raptured, others say we go through the tribulation just like everybody else, as witnesses to the reality and goodness of GOD. What seems to be agreed is that these are unprecedented times and as the world and its systems and human beings spiral out of control, we who love Jesus hope there will be an end to the way things are. So whatever an individual believer’s End Times theology, I think most readers will be on the same page: the world is in bad shape, we are called to witness goodness, and must not take that call for granted; time is short!

And in our remaining short time, we are to mature into His likeness and to witness to others His goodness and truth. I believe we can no longer do this without the manifest presence of GOD: His Holy Spirit working in and through us, not any longer.

For centuries, it seemed the gifts and callings for the Holy Spirit were dormant. There may have been pockets of outpourings and a peculiar few anointed, but by-and-large the traditional denominations operated outside of the manifestations of the Spirit until Azusa Street (1906-1915) in California and the birth of the Pentecostal movement.

Now now now now, we need the Holy Spirit and we need Him fully. True surrender, as I understand it, is to allow Him to fill us to the brim and to operate in His call. The anointing comes to us for ministry and His presence fills us. We need the Spirit to operate in signs and wonders, to build the body of Believers and to surprise and delight others to discover GOD for themselves.

The Cost of Intimacy

But it does cost. I am learning that to ask the Holy Spirit to fill me requires courage and patience to wait for Him. It isn’t just allowing Him to fill me when His circumstances permit, but to ask for Him to dwell in me always, then yielding when He does, seeking to live in His presence always, placing the illusion of control at His feet.

It isn’t romantic. It isn’t fleeting. It’s always. And for an independent person like me, that’s hard.

But without Him, am I even on the narrow road? Without willing to surrender fully, am I truly available? Am I truly committed? Taken literally, if I have committed to give Him my all, then what does that look like?  And am I doing all I can to live for Him, for my Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith?

What is our need

I write this today out of compulsion to yield and to encourage others to yield to Him. GOD will not give us a serpent or a stone when we ask for bread. Jesus is the bread of life. But he returned to the Father in order to send to us the Holy Spirit: comforter, presence and power of GOD, not only for salvation but for anointing as well, to live as Jesus did whilst on the earth, and to be as Jesus was whilst on the earth. I certainly cannot fulfil this call in my own strength. I need His Spirit, not only to dwell within me but to be ignited within me, leading me, transforming me, inspiring me to “be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

Will we surrender?

Taking everything into account: the cost of surrender and the reward of His presence, can we do anything else?

As David the shepherd wrote long, long ago, “He restores my soul;… He leads me in paths of righteousness… For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me… You anoint my head with oil [of the Holy Spirit]… Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (excerpts from Psalm 23)

My prayer

Oh Father, lead me into Your way everlasting,

Amen.

 

* Most recently, I’m in the process of reading Terry MacAlmon’s 30 Seconds in His Presence… will change your life forever! as shared with me by a dear sister and prayer partner. Graham Cooke is also someone whom I also find inspiring — urging us to draw closer to Our LORD Yehovah GOD, Creator of this whole entire spectacular universe.

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

Fresh Beginnings: a reflection

FI am seeking a still and deeper relationship with Holy Spirit…. not funky or flakey, but real, deep and true. I am seeking to walk in the Spirit 100% of the time.

I’ve experienced moments, and once a 5-day blessing of GOD’s Holy anointing upon me — not because I’m more worthy than anyone else, nor less, but simply because I asked and He granted it to me.

This is September. It is a time when autumn prepares for winter by means of the hibernation of animals; leaves fall from deciduous trees to allow them to be dormant for winter. But it is also the season of new beginnings, such as for educational institutions in my neighbourhood and country. And for me — perhaps in part because I am a former teacher — this season is also for me more about beginnings than endings.

I am seeking GOD’s Holy purpose for me for this season. I am searching for a deeper identity with Him. I am holding on to Yehovah, Father, Creator, so that the times — which are darkening — do not darken me.

I will find fulfilment as I spend time in the Word, spend time in Worship, spend time in stillness with my GOD. I will find because He promises: He is present, and in His presence is fulness of joy. (Psalm 16:11)

What will you seek this new season? What will you search for? What will you hold dear?

I encourage you not to wait one more moment, but to contemplate: to seek Him and allow Him to envelope you with His presence and His love, so that you can be that whom He has created you to be.

It is September 2019. We have much to learn and much to do. The master teacher, our Yeshua/Jesus will show us the way, when we wait and trust and follow his lead, for “He who waits upon the LORD shall renew his strength; he shall mount up with wings as eagles, he will run and not be weary, he will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Blessings…