Jesus Responded To The Spirit Behind The Words Of A Person

Jesus listened to the words spoken by others but His answers were for or against the spirit. When Peter announced that He was the Son of God Jesus responded in the affirmative. The same Peter a few minutes later said Jesus would not die on the Cross and Jesus rebuked Him for saying it and blamed Satan for it.How does the same person manifest God's word and Satan's word? This is possible when we know that both God and Satan are at work. This is why our tongue is a powerful agent to bless or to curse. We determine who will use us. This maybe an admonition to us to watch what we say. We have the authority on earth to curse or to bless.

Example

I remember at one prayer meeting in Dundee that I cursed the night club beside the church. Six months later it got burned down but the church was spared. I still am amazed that it happened! When we walk in the Spirit, evil will come against us but we have the authority over every serpent and scorpion to crush it under our feet. In these days of turmoil we need to bless what is good and curse the things that God hates. This may sound drastic but the Kingdom of God suffers violence and we have to take it by force by praying in the Spirit.

Discernment

Identifying the spirit behind the words is easy when we choose to walk in the Spirit. Our responses will be in the Spirit. This is how Jesus confused the religious in His day. They just were paralysed in their responses as He bound the spirit that was talking through them. All they could do was to scheme to kill Him. The devil always is in the business of stealing, killing and destruction.Therefore we know that gossip and slander is of the devil. Anything God hates we must hate, like killing babies and euthanasia. This is not an opinion but standing on God's revealed will. We must stand for justice and righteousness and be the salt and light where He has planted us.

Distance Yourself From Your Body To Overcome Your Sinful Desires.

God created us as spiritual beings. God thought of us before we were conceived in our mother's womb. God created us with a purpose and He has written a book about us. However we live in a body that is fallen. It was not God's perfect will that we should eat of the fruit of the tree of good and evil. However Adam and Eve fell from grace and we too are stained with sin. This means that we will have  to choose each day whom we will serve. This has been the conflict down through the ages. God has provided a way of escape but sinful flesh continues to want its own way. One way to manage the longings of our sinful desires is to distance ourselves from them. This is similar to being crucified to the flesh. 

Distancing

Distancing is a strategy that helps us objectify what we struggle with in the flesh. If we are addicted to porn than distancing ourselves from this will help us see this habit outside ourselves. This enables us to have more control of this desire and help us stop it. This can be applied in any area where an idol has replaced  Christ as Lord. An idol is anything or person who distracts us from the Lordship of Jesus. It can be your wife or children or even a hobby. Satan's strategy is to distract us from serving Christ with all our heart, mind and strength. We need to cast all our cares upon Him and never relent till He is Lord over all.

Externalisation

Distancing is a strategy I have found helpful. When one is able to distance one self we are able to see the offending person, thing or habit as external to ourselves. This is a form of separation. We are called to be separate from the world so that the world does not have an influence over us. Too many have given in to the pressure from the world and compromised. Now is the time to be separate as a body, holy and pure for our soon coming Bride.

Truth Forces Us to Think In Black And White

Truth is difficult to comprehend in a fallen world. Yet Jesus said He is the Truth. His word is truth and is the template for all to base their opinions on. However many do not accept that the Bible is the word of God and is based on absolute truth. Facts are different from truth. Facts can change. Science is based on facts. Truth belongs to a higher realm of intelligence and is from a heavenly realm. Truth is spirit based while facts are based on what can be evaluated. Truth many times cannot be proved by facts because it is based on a different dimension of knowledge. Therefore when we apply truth as our standard for our conduct we become black and white in our thinking and responses.

Black And White

Black and white thinking does not help us in our interactions with others. Most of our dealings with others are based on context. A person who operates as a victim cannot appreciate another who behaves like a victor. Both are true in their own life experience. When one tries to apply one experience against another conflict of opinions arise. Both are right but come from different experiences. Jesus came to lead us to embrace the truth. Truth is in a person and He said He is the truth. Pilate could not understand this. Many find this a challenge that there is such a thing as absolute truth. Yet God is absolute truth and therefore we can expect justice and righteousness from Him.

Truth

Truth enables us to think in a higher plane but there is no discussion on truth. In heaven there are no opinions and therefore there are no questions. Everything is truth and plain to all. Truth enlightens our minds and we can see right from wrong. Truth enables us to be free to be. This is what Jesus promised us when we receive Him as our Lord and Saviour. He comes to live in us and lead us and guide us in our daily life. We need to lead others to the Truth so that they too can be set free from the world of opinions.

The Disconnect Between God's Word And Our Experience.

God's word is full of promises and we are supposed to avail of them in this life. However there is a disconnect between what His word says and what we experience. Why? I believe this disconnection is due to several factors and one of them is trust. Faith demands that we believe and trust what God says. However our mind is slow to understand and comprehend His word. We read His word and fail to receive its benefits. This disconnect has caused many to wander away from walking with God. God says He has come to give us abundant life but all we see is strife and chaos. Many are still in the Romans 7 experience where we find ourselves doing the things we should not be doing.  We fail to enter into the Romans 8 experience of abundant living. 

Alignment

We experience the born again state where our spirit is redeemed but continue to walk according to the flesh. No wonder we are in conflict in ourselves. When we align ourselves with God's word we will experience the fulfilment of His promises. This is a process of sanctification where our mind gets transformed to  align with His word. The Holy Spirit then manifests through us and we experience the healing and restoration of our soul. God's word says you have been healed yet many continue to suffer from sickness and disease. How can this be? We must pursue the things in the Spirit and not operate with our mind.

Sanctification

Our minds need to be transformed to understand the things of the Spirit. If we try and understand spiritual matters using our mind we will operate at a human level. God is Spirit and we need to connect with Him through our spirit. The disconnect we see is because we are trying to live our lives using our mind. Revelation comes to us through the spirit and then understanding comes to our mind. Let us stop walking according to our flesh and begin to walk by faith in the Spirit.

We Must Operate In The Overflow To Avoid Burnout.

Walking in the spirit is not easy in the flesh. The flesh operates by sight and this is not the way of the spirit. The spirit operates by faith. This is a different dimension to walking by sight. Faith sees what is not seen yet believes. He who comes to God must believe He exists. It is impossible to please God without faith. God has not made it impossible for us to walk this walk of faith. He sent His Holy Spirit to help us in our walk. Now we must be filled with Him so that we trust Him more than we trust ourselves. When we trust Him He comes through for us. All the saints who have gone before us are a testament of their trust in God.

Be Filled

God wants us to be filled in the Holy Spirit like a tank is filled. He also wants us to overflow in the Spirit. Being filled is sufficient for us to function but the overflow enables us to bless others. Filling our own tank meets our needs but we are here to bless. Blessing will flow out of us to bless others and meet their needs. Many are hungry and thirsty and unless we reach out they will surely die. The baptism in the Spirit is a requirement for the overflow. This baptism was manifested in the gift of tongues. It is as if the overflow spilled out in tongues. Now as we pray in tongues we begin to prime the pump to start the overflow.

Praying In Tongues

I have found that praying in tongues has enabled me to flow in the overflow. Many things that appeared impossible became possible in the overflow. People were affected around me and the atmosphere shifted. Many times we enter a space where there is a spirit of strife and our presence calms the atmosphere. Many solutions come forth in daily mundane matters. Creative thoughts and visions manifest in the overflow. Healing and deliverance manifest in the overflow. Ministry becomes a joy rather than a burden. We are refreshed rather than washed out. Today let us operate in the overflow and glow for Jesus.

Those Who Spaak From The Fire Spread The Fire

The Fire is where God resides in glory. Fire speaks of holiness and purity. It burns but also empowers. This fire is living and so can produce life. In the Spirit we enter into a higher realm. We are seated in heavenly places with Christ as believers. However few of us understand this and therefore still operate from earthly realms. When we enter the throne room of God we have a different perspective of things. We see things from God's perspective. This change of perception will lead to a different way of doing things. Jesus spoke from the fire and many did not understand Him. They failed to comprehend His words because they saw from an earthly perspective. Those who understood the meaning of His words began to change.

Jesus

When we speak from the Fire we will speak like Jesus. His words from heaven will flow through us and touch others. When Jesus spoke the devils left and healing and deliverance happened. This is what we can expect as signs and wonders following our preaching of the word. This is the time when God is moving in nations and making Himself known to the masses. The glory cloud is descending and people are being caught up through the revelation from heaven. Those outside the fold will see and be amazed. The systems of the world will crumble under the power of God. 

Justice

Righteousness and justice will return to government as people repent and turn from their wicked ways. Only a fresh move of God can reverse the downward trend that we see in the world today. Let us join our hearts together and pray for the fire of God to spread through the nations. It has already started happening and those who have ears to hear will hear the rumblings. Many suddenlies will happen. Signs in the heavens and on earth will happen. These are all signs of the things to come. We must be ready and prepared to move as the Spirit moves.

Attachment, Intimacy And Transformation

Attachment

Attachment to Jesus is the first step to transformation. Jesus call is that we should leave all and follow Him. This is not an easy path to walk but He laid down His life for us. He expects us to lay down our life for Him. We do this by leaving all and being attached to Him alone. This is firstly a spiritual attachment and then a emotional attachment. Jesus is a living person as He rose from the dead. He can be known as closely as the person next to you. He is not an object in the sky but a living person we can relate to. He identified with us, His creation, by coming down in the form of man and lived with us. He knows our weaknesses as He bore our sins on His body and died for us. He was the living sacrifice and died once for all. 

Intimacy

We can now have intimacy with Him as He loves to have a relationship with us. He sent His Holy Spirit that we may have a Comforter to help us in our relationship with Him. He talks with us and walks with us and says we are His own. This is the joy of fellowship we have with Him. He knows everything about us and now He wants to reveal everything about Him to us. We now can walk in revelation which is the knowledge of God from heaven. His word is the first instalment of this revelation. His Spirit then reveals more of Himself as we meditate on His word. Jesus and His word are one. 

Transformation

As we walk in His revelation we become transformed by His Spirit into His image. Just as Moses face shone and glowed in His presence we too will shine. Our complexion will change and we will look younger. His blood flows through us and transforms our cells. Our organs will begin to heal and be recreated in His presence. The glory of the Lord will descend upon us. We will impact those around us and we will be history makers. This transformation is dependent upon our surrender to His will. It is a daily walk and not just a one time anointing.  Let us encourage each other to walk like Him today.

It Is Time To Operate In Resurrection Power

Paul states his desire was to know Him and His resurrection power and the fellowship of His sufferings. This is my desire too and should be the desire of all of us who believe in Jesus. His resurrection power is available to us now. If this is not true then our faith is based on shaky ground. It is only through His resurrection power that we were born again of the spirit. Some would say it is a delusion to believe this but those of us who have experienced His power know different. His power is available to all who call on His Name to be saved. His blood is powerless to cleanse us from all sin but for His resurrection power. This power is what turned the world upside down after His ascension. This same power is what will turn the world right side up now.

Resurrection Power

We need to operate in resurrection power now to reverse the downward spiral of the world to self destruction and annihilation. It is His church that is keeping the world from spiralling into disaster. Once the church is raptured the world will lose all restraint. Now is the time to pray for the kingdoms of the world to become the Kingdom of God. Our chief weapon is prayer. Prayer is what changed history in the early church. The same applies now. God promises to intervene when His people pray and turn from their wicked ways. What is stopping us from doing so? We are not operating in resurrection power so our prayers are not answered.

Pray

We need to pray from our position in heaven down to earth. Most of us pray from our earthly position than our heavenly position. We are seated with Christ in heavenly places now. This shift in position will bring about a change in the atmosphere on earth. When we speak His word out aloud we can stop wars. His word goes forth to do that for which it is sent. This is the authority we have on earth. Only we humans have this authority on earth to bind and to lose. The angels don't have this authority. The devil and his demons have no authority when His people rise up and pray. We must possess the land and God promises to give it to us. Just as Israel occupied the land we too must move in and occupy the land where God has placed us.

The Battles In Our Mind Disappear In His Presence

Our mind is the centre of our operations. We think through situations and problems and come to a solution. We are not animals that just react by their senses. We sense and then process it and decide if it is good or bad. Most of the time we decide to do the right thing. However many times we choose to do the wrong thing. This is what Paul describes in Romans 7 where he wants to do the right but ends up choosing the wrong. His solution was to move to the anointing in Romans 8. In Christ there is no condemnation and the case is closed. We are now free to choose what is right and to do it. However many still operate in Romans 7 and continue to battle in their minds.

Escape

God has provided a way of escape. In His presence  there is peace and joy. None of the mind battles appear to matter any more. They disappear in His presence. The way into His presence is to meditate on His word and pray in the Holy Spirit. His word enters our mind and dispels all conflict and addictions of the mind. Many are held captive by obsessive thoughts that control them and there appears to be no way of escape. Demonic infiltration further compounds the problem. The devil plays games in our mind and we believe him rather than the word of God. God says that He has not given us a spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind.

Partnership

We have now to partner with the Holy Spirit and walk in obedience to His word. His word divides between soul and spirit. His word is the sword of the spirit that is able to deliver us from our battles. His word is power and the word of His power will obliterate every attack of the enemy. The enemy will make you feel guilty and make you own his thoughts. He sows thoughts into your mind and then makes you own it. We need to discern the enemy's tactics and not give in to him. We need to distance those negative thoughts and delete them from our mind. The Holy Spirit will provide the strategy required to do this. I find it helpful to distance myself from anything or person that will take the place of Jesus in my mind. My only attachment should be with Jesus. This is what will cause the separation from the world and all that will come against us.

Resurrection Power Is Experienced When I Experience Death To Self

Jesus rose from the dead. He died first before He rose. This is resurrection power. The Holy Spirit was at work all through His life even to His resurrection and Ascension. We too must live a life of death to self to experience His resurrection power. When we are weak He is strong. His power is released in weakness. We don't need His power when we can operate in our own strength. I have experienced His resurrection power when I have called for His strength. This applies in all areas of life. He comes when we are weak to strengthen us through His resurrection power. His death was a lifestyle He lived before He was crucified. We too are called to die to self and live in His strength.

Self Power

This is not an easy journey for most of us who have grown up to be self sufficient. In the world we are trained to be independent and to be strong. This is good in some ways but maybe a hindrance when we need to rely on the Lord. He desires for us to walk in His strength. He said He would carry our burdens but we prefer to do it our way. Letting go and letting God is not easy. We need to retrain our way when we come to the Lord. His ways are the best way to walk. He has sent His Holy Spirit to help us in our walk. We have access to supernatural power to meet all our needs. 

Resurrection Power

Operating in resurrection power is the way to live an abundant life on earth. This is the heavenly life on earth. We pray thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven but never realise this. Why? I believe it is because we prefer to walk in our own way and strength. We prefer to ask the Lord to bless our work rather than do what He wants us to do. We pray to do His will but then do our own will. Pride keeps us locked in our own prison. God has so much more for us but we are happy with our little. We need resurrection power to live a heavenly life on earth. I desire this more than anything else.

When The Holy Spirit Comes Forth, The Flesh Recedes.

The Holy Spirit resides in our spirit in born again believers. He comes to help us in our daily walk. However many of us do not consult Him or allow Him to lead us. He is waiting to be asked but we rather walk in our own way. Many of us want God to bless what we choose to do rather than wait to be led by the Holy Spirit. One is a walk by the flesh and the other a walk by the Holy Spirit. This is why we need to be baptised in the Holy Spirit to be led by Him. Even then we can still choose to walk by the flesh. This is the dilemma that many believers face and the only way out is to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us.

Holy Spirit Led

To be led by the Holy Spirit is peace and light. When we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. This is why there is a war down here to distract us from a walk by the Holy Spirit to compromise with the world. We see this increasingly in our world where the church has largely given in to worldly pressure to conform. Those who stand for righteousness get labelled as bigots. The spirit of worldliness has penetrated the church and has to be exorcised. The only way out is to allow the Holy Spirit to take over our life.

Revival

It takes only one person alight in the Holy Spirit to move a generation. What will happen when more of us decide to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us each day? A tsunami wave of change will sweep a nation and many generations will be affected. This is what we need to see in this generation. It took two decades of prayer to change Roe vs Wade and start a movement to change history. As more engage in the Holy Spirit His glory will descend on earth and sweep across the globe as never before. I want to be part of this great move of God. Will you?