Do not neglect the gift which is in you, that special inward endowment which was directly imparted to you by the Holy Spirit by prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you at your ordination. Practice and cultivate and meditate upon these duties; throw yourself wholly into them [as your ministry], so that your progress may be evident to everybody (1Tim 4:14-15 –Amplified).
Each of us has been given a special gift, talent, or ability by the Father. It’s just an embryo within us at first. Sometimes it manifests as a faint desire that glimmers faintly in the background of our thoughts.
This special ability won’t develop on its own. In fact in many people it lies dormant year after year, longing to be activated, but never given opportunity. Paul’s admonition to Timothy shows the practical way the gifts of God develop in us. You must practice, cultivate, meditate upon, and throw yourself wholly into them.
I was eighteen years old when I first sensed the call of God on my life to preach the Word. It came as an embryo of desire to begin with. I changed the course of my life from pursuing a career to pursuing this call. It was a general call to ministry at first, and following that desire I enrolled in Bible College.
Then I began to notice a strong desire to help people understand who they are in Christ and to help them apply the scriptures to their own lives. It was faint at first, but as I began to talk with people, it seemed like a “switch” would turn on inside and I found words pouring out of me with passion. That was the gift God placed in me seeking to manifest.
A while later I was asked to speak in the morning devotions for our large church staff. I was petrified by fear! But I said yes, and spent weeks studying, praying, and preparing. That “switch” cut on again as I spoke for the few minutes each day that week and the words just poured out. Later I ministered in hospitals, taught Bible studies, ministered to people one on one, and said yes anytime a need arose for someone to minister in a small meeting. The gift kept growing, until today, it dominates me!
The Father has placed a gift in you. Develop it. Allow it to grow by giving in to it. It may be only a faint desire, but go after it! Pursue your passion. Give yourself to the godly desire that rises from within. This desire will “tickle” your thoughts over and over again until you yield to it. Fear will seek to override it and keep you from acting, but go ahead and do it scared!
It may be a spiritual or natural desire, but give yourself to it. Some have a gift to make money and finance the kingdom of God in earth. Others yearn to stay in the background and be a support for those called into full time ministry. Some have a strong desire to teach and mentor children. Still other have a desire to reach out to the lonely, the down and out and provide practical relief. Some yearn to pray. Whatever the desire, you must give in to it and allow it to develop. It will not until you act.
With practice, the gift from the Father in you will make room for itself. Make room in your life for it, and watch what the Father will accomplish with it. He’s waiting on you to faithfully act!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Use the Gift
Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 5:31 AM by Pastor Mitch
Monday, September 29, 2008
Servant Leaders
Posted on Monday, September 29, 2008 at 9:36 AM by Pastor Mitch
But Jesus called them to Himself and said, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:25-28).
There’s a lot out there these days about leadership. Seminars and self-help books abound. While much of the information is helpful, we must keep ourselves in check as believers. We live in a different kingdom. Jesus said my kingdom is not of this world. Our standards are different that that of the world’s. And our attitudes and motives are different.
We’re not called to acquire a big name for ourselves; we’re called to glorify Jesus in all we do. We’re not building our little kingdoms; we’re building the kingdom of God. We’re called to be servants. If we’re leading others, we’re called to be servant leaders. The greatest leaders among us must become the greatest servant of all. The more we lead, the more we serve.
Jesus washed the feet of the disciples in John 13. This was the job of the lowest servant in the house. It was a menial task to be sure. And Jesus didn’t stop until He had washed all of the disciple’s feet! He left us such a wonderful example. We need to be very careful in this day of big ministries, lots of money, and lots of helpers. We must never lose the perspective of servanthood in our lives, regardless of our position in ministry.
We should carry ourselves in such a way that attention is not brought to us, but to Jesus. In reading of the life of Smith Wigglesworth, he became troubled just before his home-going that people were bragging on him and his accomplishments too much, and he lamented that people were not deflecting the praise to Jesus. Poor Wigglesworth, he said. God must remove me from the scene soon. He longed for people to grasp the concepts of humility and servanthood.
I’ll leave you today with Paul’s comments that we best be familiar with:
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God — and righteousness and sanctification and redemption — that, as it is written, He who glories, let him glory in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:25-28).
There’s a lot out there these days about leadership. Seminars and self-help books abound. While much of the information is helpful, we must keep ourselves in check as believers. We live in a different kingdom. Jesus said my kingdom is not of this world. Our standards are different that that of the world’s. And our attitudes and motives are different.
We’re not called to acquire a big name for ourselves; we’re called to glorify Jesus in all we do. We’re not building our little kingdoms; we’re building the kingdom of God. We’re called to be servants. If we’re leading others, we’re called to be servant leaders. The greatest leaders among us must become the greatest servant of all. The more we lead, the more we serve.
Jesus washed the feet of the disciples in John 13. This was the job of the lowest servant in the house. It was a menial task to be sure. And Jesus didn’t stop until He had washed all of the disciple’s feet! He left us such a wonderful example. We need to be very careful in this day of big ministries, lots of money, and lots of helpers. We must never lose the perspective of servanthood in our lives, regardless of our position in ministry.
We should carry ourselves in such a way that attention is not brought to us, but to Jesus. In reading of the life of Smith Wigglesworth, he became troubled just before his home-going that people were bragging on him and his accomplishments too much, and he lamented that people were not deflecting the praise to Jesus. Poor Wigglesworth, he said. God must remove me from the scene soon. He longed for people to grasp the concepts of humility and servanthood.
I’ll leave you today with Paul’s comments that we best be familiar with:
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God — and righteousness and sanctification and redemption — that, as it is written, He who glories, let him glory in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Walk With a Limp
Posted on Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 5:19 AM by Pastor Mitch
A man came and fought with Jacob until just before daybreak. When the man saw that he could not win, he struck Jacob on the hip and threw it out of joint.
They kept on wrestling until the man said, "Let go of me! It's almost daylight." "You can't go until you bless me," Jacob replied. Then the man asked, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. The man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have wrestled with God and with men, and you have won. That's why your name will be Israel."(Genesis 32:24-28 - Contemporary English Version)
Even before birth, Jacob, whose name means deceiver, was in a struggle. Since birth, he had pushed his way through life, doing whatever was necessary to make it. He took advantage of others, and thought nothing of deceiving to get his way.
One night of wrestling with an angel (the angel was possibly Jesus Himself!) changed Jacob from deceiver to Israel, prince with God. After that night of struggle, He walked with a limp. He was never the same again. His character was transformed.
Don’t ever give up on yourself. No matter how long you’re struggled with issues in your life, keep going forward! The Lord can transform you. It usually requires that you come to the end of yourself just like Jacob. When his best human efforts failed, Jacob finally realized his need to yield to God’s plan for his life, and he changed. His walking with a limp was an outward sign of his inward submission.
Moses was transformed at the burning bush. David was transformed from a shepherd to mighty warrior when he faced Goliath. Peter was transformed after denying Jesus and being filled with shame. The power of God’s mercy created within him a pastor’s heart. Saul was converted on the Damascus Road and was transformed into Paul, one of the greatest men of the church age.
In my own life, I was an extreme introvert, ruled by fear and rejection thinking. My only sense of value was through accomplishment. When I came to the end of my own ability, I found God’s grace to change. He replaced the fear with genuine love, the rejection with a knowing that I am accepted in the beloved, and the goodness by works attitude with a knowing that it’s not my deeds, but His grace that make me acceptable to God.
Take your personal frustrations with yourself and take your failures to the foot of the cross. Lay them by faith at the feet of Jesus. Humble yourself to Him and like Jacob, he will change your name! He’ll create in you the ability to be what He has called you to be.
At he end of your self-striving to accomplish, to be something, or to succeed, you’ll find the power of God to transform. But you must be willing like Jacob to walk with a limp.
They kept on wrestling until the man said, "Let go of me! It's almost daylight." "You can't go until you bless me," Jacob replied. Then the man asked, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. The man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have wrestled with God and with men, and you have won. That's why your name will be Israel."(Genesis 32:24-28 - Contemporary English Version)
Even before birth, Jacob, whose name means deceiver, was in a struggle. Since birth, he had pushed his way through life, doing whatever was necessary to make it. He took advantage of others, and thought nothing of deceiving to get his way.
One night of wrestling with an angel (the angel was possibly Jesus Himself!) changed Jacob from deceiver to Israel, prince with God. After that night of struggle, He walked with a limp. He was never the same again. His character was transformed.
Don’t ever give up on yourself. No matter how long you’re struggled with issues in your life, keep going forward! The Lord can transform you. It usually requires that you come to the end of yourself just like Jacob. When his best human efforts failed, Jacob finally realized his need to yield to God’s plan for his life, and he changed. His walking with a limp was an outward sign of his inward submission.
Moses was transformed at the burning bush. David was transformed from a shepherd to mighty warrior when he faced Goliath. Peter was transformed after denying Jesus and being filled with shame. The power of God’s mercy created within him a pastor’s heart. Saul was converted on the Damascus Road and was transformed into Paul, one of the greatest men of the church age.
In my own life, I was an extreme introvert, ruled by fear and rejection thinking. My only sense of value was through accomplishment. When I came to the end of my own ability, I found God’s grace to change. He replaced the fear with genuine love, the rejection with a knowing that I am accepted in the beloved, and the goodness by works attitude with a knowing that it’s not my deeds, but His grace that make me acceptable to God.
Take your personal frustrations with yourself and take your failures to the foot of the cross. Lay them by faith at the feet of Jesus. Humble yourself to Him and like Jacob, he will change your name! He’ll create in you the ability to be what He has called you to be.
At he end of your self-striving to accomplish, to be something, or to succeed, you’ll find the power of God to transform. But you must be willing like Jacob to walk with a limp.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Don't Despise Your Birthright!
Posted on Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 8:04 AM by Pastor Mitch
Jacob then gave Esau some bread and some of the bean stew, and when Esau had finished eating and drinking, he just got up and left, showing how little he thought of his rights as the first-born (Genesis 25:34 - Contemporary English Version).
The story of Esau despising his first-born birthright is an excellent example to us of how yielding to the flesh can cost us the blessings of God.
Esau was born struggling. Before he and his brother were born, they were wrestling in the womb. When He was born, his twin brother Jacob had grasped his heel. Jacob means deceiver, schemer. These brothers were always disagreeing and fighting. Their personalities were opposite extremes. Jacob was a shepherd and stayed close to home. Esau was a hunter and loved the open field.
Esau came in from hunting one day and was overcome with hungry. He asked Jacob for a bowl of the soup he had made. The aroma had filled the house. Jacob was only willing to give Esau the soup if he would trade his firstborn birthright to him. Esau so little regarded his birthright that he gave it away for a simple bowl of soup!
The firstborn birthright meant that when his father died, he received 2/3 of the inheritance. The 1/3 left was divided among all of the rest of the siblings! This birthright was both an honor and a great responsibility! And Esau gave it away for next to nothing. He despised it.
As believers, we have a great heritage. We are heirs of God, and equal heirs with Jesus! We have inherited every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). We have God’s delegated authority, His favor, His nature. The Greater One lives within us. The gifts of the Spirit are available to us. Healing belongs to us. The Father has promised to prosper us as we honor Him. We have such a rich heritage!But if we yield to the flesh and refuse to walk in the spirit, we stand to lose it all. It’s just like Esau giving away his inheritance!
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).
It’s just not worth yielding to the flesh to stand losing all that Jesus made available to us. Don’t allow Satan to dangle the carrot of the flesh in any area before your eyes! Just like the forbidden fruit, it may look good and taste good to your flesh, but it’s not worth the end result! Let’s respect our God given inheritance and walk in the spirit today!
The story of Esau despising his first-born birthright is an excellent example to us of how yielding to the flesh can cost us the blessings of God.
Esau was born struggling. Before he and his brother were born, they were wrestling in the womb. When He was born, his twin brother Jacob had grasped his heel. Jacob means deceiver, schemer. These brothers were always disagreeing and fighting. Their personalities were opposite extremes. Jacob was a shepherd and stayed close to home. Esau was a hunter and loved the open field.
Esau came in from hunting one day and was overcome with hungry. He asked Jacob for a bowl of the soup he had made. The aroma had filled the house. Jacob was only willing to give Esau the soup if he would trade his firstborn birthright to him. Esau so little regarded his birthright that he gave it away for a simple bowl of soup!
The firstborn birthright meant that when his father died, he received 2/3 of the inheritance. The 1/3 left was divided among all of the rest of the siblings! This birthright was both an honor and a great responsibility! And Esau gave it away for next to nothing. He despised it.
As believers, we have a great heritage. We are heirs of God, and equal heirs with Jesus! We have inherited every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). We have God’s delegated authority, His favor, His nature. The Greater One lives within us. The gifts of the Spirit are available to us. Healing belongs to us. The Father has promised to prosper us as we honor Him. We have such a rich heritage!But if we yield to the flesh and refuse to walk in the spirit, we stand to lose it all. It’s just like Esau giving away his inheritance!
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).
It’s just not worth yielding to the flesh to stand losing all that Jesus made available to us. Don’t allow Satan to dangle the carrot of the flesh in any area before your eyes! Just like the forbidden fruit, it may look good and taste good to your flesh, but it’s not worth the end result! Let’s respect our God given inheritance and walk in the spirit today!
Friday, September 26, 2008
No Demands
Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 at 10:01 AM by Pastor Mitch
We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification (Romans 15:1-2). Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, How can I help? (Romans 15:1-2 – The Message).
We had a really awesome men’s meeting this morning. The Lord began to speak to and through many of us of the importance of loving those close to us without demanding that they conform to our wishes. When we expect others to do things our way and refuse to accept them the way they are, we lose.
Many years ago when Susan and I had been married only a few years, God began to deal with me about my perfectionistic twinge. I wanted others to do things my way. Susan took the brunt of this when we were first married. She felt that she had to do things my way to please me. How immature was it of me to create an atmosphere like that in my home!
The Lord began to deal with me about walking in love. He began to show me that I must love Susan the way she is, and try to get her to conform to the way I do things. If I really walk in love, then I must allow her to be herself and not a clone of me. The height of self-centeredness is when I demand that others do things the way I do them.
When Jonathan was a toddler I would find his room in a mess! I would straighten it completely up; shoes lined up in the closet, all toys placed a certain way. A few hours later I would walk back in his room, only to find it looking like a cyclone hit it! Though I had standards, I had to learn that his personality was different than mine. He processed information differently and approached life differently than me. I grew up the day I learned to let my son be himself as he lived with certain home standards. Now, Jon is on his own in life. He’s a different personality than me, and I’m glad. He has abilities that I only wish I had. His abilities would have been stifled if I had not allowed him to be himself apart from me!
Ask yourself, do I allow others to be who they are without making them feel that they must conform to me? Love allows others to move at their pace in life as they grow. Can I be nice and sweet to those who approach life differently than me? This shows my stage of development in the Lord.
This is not something we can do ourselves. We must trust the Master Potter to mold us and shape us as we grow in life. Only He can bring permanent needed change to us. Let us throw ourselves at His feet and ask for His help! He is a very present help in our time of need.
We had a really awesome men’s meeting this morning. The Lord began to speak to and through many of us of the importance of loving those close to us without demanding that they conform to our wishes. When we expect others to do things our way and refuse to accept them the way they are, we lose.
Many years ago when Susan and I had been married only a few years, God began to deal with me about my perfectionistic twinge. I wanted others to do things my way. Susan took the brunt of this when we were first married. She felt that she had to do things my way to please me. How immature was it of me to create an atmosphere like that in my home!
The Lord began to deal with me about walking in love. He began to show me that I must love Susan the way she is, and try to get her to conform to the way I do things. If I really walk in love, then I must allow her to be herself and not a clone of me. The height of self-centeredness is when I demand that others do things the way I do them.
When Jonathan was a toddler I would find his room in a mess! I would straighten it completely up; shoes lined up in the closet, all toys placed a certain way. A few hours later I would walk back in his room, only to find it looking like a cyclone hit it! Though I had standards, I had to learn that his personality was different than mine. He processed information differently and approached life differently than me. I grew up the day I learned to let my son be himself as he lived with certain home standards. Now, Jon is on his own in life. He’s a different personality than me, and I’m glad. He has abilities that I only wish I had. His abilities would have been stifled if I had not allowed him to be himself apart from me!
Ask yourself, do I allow others to be who they are without making them feel that they must conform to me? Love allows others to move at their pace in life as they grow. Can I be nice and sweet to those who approach life differently than me? This shows my stage of development in the Lord.
This is not something we can do ourselves. We must trust the Master Potter to mold us and shape us as we grow in life. Only He can bring permanent needed change to us. Let us throw ourselves at His feet and ask for His help! He is a very present help in our time of need.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The Blessing is on You!
Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 at 6:29 AM by Pastor Mitch
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:13-14). And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29).
Our nation is facing a great financial challenge at the moment. A lot is at stake worldwide due to the bad decisions of a few. Let me remind you that if you’re a believer, you are a covenant person! God has made a covenant with you to protect and provide! And this is not just any covenant, it is the Abrahamic covenant!
You are a son or daughter of Abraham as a believer. And everything that God promised Abraham also belongs to you. The above scriptures are proof.
This is the hour to lean on your covenant with God. Keep your eyes on the covenant, not on the needs around you. Regardless of what you hear, remind yourself and the Lord that you are a covenant person.
Abraham’s blessing was threefold. God promised Abraham deliverance from poverty, sickness, and spiritual death! And that belongs to us! We are redeemed from poverty! We are redeemed from sickness! We are redeemed from spiritual death!
God does not meet our needs according to the economy of the land we live in, but according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus! Act in faith every single day for your provisions. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing (Psalm 34:10). Don’t yield to fear and circumstance. Keep your eyes and ears attuned to the word!
Be a giver in this hour. Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek in Genesis 14. The blessings of God was on him. He was a giver. Give tithes to your local church. Give to others. The law of giving is a spiritual law. Give and it will be given back to you. Give, and lean on your covenant with God.
I’ll leave you today with what the blessings of your covenant provide you as listed in Deuteronomy 28: 1-14:
Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. "Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. "Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. "Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. "The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. "The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. "The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
Our nation is facing a great financial challenge at the moment. A lot is at stake worldwide due to the bad decisions of a few. Let me remind you that if you’re a believer, you are a covenant person! God has made a covenant with you to protect and provide! And this is not just any covenant, it is the Abrahamic covenant!
You are a son or daughter of Abraham as a believer. And everything that God promised Abraham also belongs to you. The above scriptures are proof.
This is the hour to lean on your covenant with God. Keep your eyes on the covenant, not on the needs around you. Regardless of what you hear, remind yourself and the Lord that you are a covenant person.
Abraham’s blessing was threefold. God promised Abraham deliverance from poverty, sickness, and spiritual death! And that belongs to us! We are redeemed from poverty! We are redeemed from sickness! We are redeemed from spiritual death!
God does not meet our needs according to the economy of the land we live in, but according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus! Act in faith every single day for your provisions. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing (Psalm 34:10). Don’t yield to fear and circumstance. Keep your eyes and ears attuned to the word!
Be a giver in this hour. Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek in Genesis 14. The blessings of God was on him. He was a giver. Give tithes to your local church. Give to others. The law of giving is a spiritual law. Give and it will be given back to you. Give, and lean on your covenant with God.
I’ll leave you today with what the blessings of your covenant provide you as listed in Deuteronomy 28: 1-14:
Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. "Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. "Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. "Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. "The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. "The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. "The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Be Filled With the Spirit!
Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 7:50 AM by Pastor Mitch
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
The Message paraphrase of this verse reads, Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. And Weymouth’s translation declares, Do not over-indulge in wine--a thing in which excess is so easy- but drink deeply of God's Spirit.
The Greek verb in this verse is in the continuous present tense. It should read: be being filled with the Spirit, indicating progressive continuous action. When a person is born again, the Holy Spirit enters his or her body and changes their spirit from spiritual death to spiritual life; from darkness to light; from the power of Satan to the power of God.
When a believer receives the baptism with the Holy Spirit, that person enters into a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit immerses the person into Himself!
There is only one experience of the indwelling of the Spirit that we receive in the new birth. There is only one instance in a person’s life of receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit. But there should be many instances of a believer being filled with the Spirit!
We leak. As we go through life we use up our spiritual energy reserves. They must be replenished. Being filled with the Spirit needs to be a daily experience for all of us!
Here’s how. Get alone; go into your “closet” where you privately fellowship with the Lord (a long, walk, a secluded room, just a real private place). Begin to worship, singing songs in English and singing in tongues! Tell the Lord of how wonderful He is and how thankful you are that He has and is transforming your life. Sing some more. Pick up your Bible and read a passage out loud. Lift your hands and praise some more. Sing some more in tongues. And just keep this regimen going for a while. Then pray, pouring your heart out to the Father, mentioning the things that trouble you to Him. Go into great detail, and ask Him to help you! Talk to Him about your personal weaknesses, and ask Him to help you overcome them! Then, lift your hands and sing and praise some more. Sing songs that you know, and sing in tongues. You may not “feel” it, but you’re being refreshed and filled with the Spirit as you to this!
Make the previous paragraph a daily thing! Be being filled every day! Speak to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord! Stay close to Him. Mediate the Word. You’ll stay filled with the Spirit, and the devil will run and hide when you show up! He will sense the power of the Greater One that has risen within you!
The Message paraphrase of this verse reads, Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. And Weymouth’s translation declares, Do not over-indulge in wine--a thing in which excess is so easy- but drink deeply of God's Spirit.
The Greek verb in this verse is in the continuous present tense. It should read: be being filled with the Spirit, indicating progressive continuous action. When a person is born again, the Holy Spirit enters his or her body and changes their spirit from spiritual death to spiritual life; from darkness to light; from the power of Satan to the power of God.
When a believer receives the baptism with the Holy Spirit, that person enters into a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit immerses the person into Himself!
There is only one experience of the indwelling of the Spirit that we receive in the new birth. There is only one instance in a person’s life of receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit. But there should be many instances of a believer being filled with the Spirit!
We leak. As we go through life we use up our spiritual energy reserves. They must be replenished. Being filled with the Spirit needs to be a daily experience for all of us!
Here’s how. Get alone; go into your “closet” where you privately fellowship with the Lord (a long, walk, a secluded room, just a real private place). Begin to worship, singing songs in English and singing in tongues! Tell the Lord of how wonderful He is and how thankful you are that He has and is transforming your life. Sing some more. Pick up your Bible and read a passage out loud. Lift your hands and praise some more. Sing some more in tongues. And just keep this regimen going for a while. Then pray, pouring your heart out to the Father, mentioning the things that trouble you to Him. Go into great detail, and ask Him to help you! Talk to Him about your personal weaknesses, and ask Him to help you overcome them! Then, lift your hands and sing and praise some more. Sing songs that you know, and sing in tongues. You may not “feel” it, but you’re being refreshed and filled with the Spirit as you to this!
Make the previous paragraph a daily thing! Be being filled every day! Speak to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord! Stay close to Him. Mediate the Word. You’ll stay filled with the Spirit, and the devil will run and hide when you show up! He will sense the power of the Greater One that has risen within you!
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