Is It Possible To Be Led By The Holy Spirit All The Time?

 

Jesus promised to send His Holy Spirit after He had ascended to the Father. He filled the disciples with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost as promised. Once they were filled they were led by the Holy Spirit to turn the world right side up. Is this possible today? God is the same yesterday, today and forever. His word is a now word and never changes. Therefore it is possible to be filled and led by the Holy Spirit. The only hindrance is the extent of our surrender. Total detachment from this world and all earthly desires is necessary for this kind of life. Jesus surrendered all to His Father even to death on the Cross. We too must be prepared to walk in His foot steps.

 

Why are so few walking in this path? I believe this is because we are still attached to things in this world. Our flesh still seeks honour and pleasure in this world. Death to self is not easy but is the only way to a full life in the Spirit. Our flesh tends to protest and not give in to the Spirit. The flesh fights against the Spirit. So our arch enemy is our flesh, and the world and the devil conspire with our flesh to war against our spirit. However we have the victory because the Holy Spirit dwells within us to overcome all things that war against us. This is our privilege and authority. Death to self is a process. Some are able to do so more quickly than others. 

 

Yes it is possible to be led by the Spirit all the time. God desires that we all be filled and led by the Spirit. This is to live the heavenly life on earth. His life in us is the answer to all our battles. He is the overcomer and He lives in us. All we need to do is surrender to Him each time we are challenged by our flesh. Death to the flesh is the only way to live in the Spirit. We are spirit beings on an earthly journey. Our spirit is eternal while our flesh is mortal. Therefore let us be filled with the Spirit and be led by the Spirit.

Rapture: Are You Ready Or Are You Hoping For The Best?

 

God is in control and His plans are perfect and His timing is perfect. However we need to be prepared at all times for His promised return. The world is going through a phase where everything appears out of control. One virus can take the whole world hostage. Man has no control although he thinks he has. This proves that we are so vulnerable to outside forces that can destroy our little secure world. Money cannot do anything to prevent death and loss. One catastrophe strikes and it destroys all our sense of security. We realise how vulnerable we are and cry out to God to save us.

 

God has made His promises known to all. He has provided us a way of escape in Jesus. Sin trapped us and Jesus came to show us the way out of our entrapment. Soon He will return to take us home with Him. Are we ready to receive Him or do we think that He will not come? We have heard of His coming soon since the beginning of the Church but He appears to have delayed His coming in every generation. Do we therefore get lukewarm and not prepare as did the five virgins that ran out of oil? We need to be watchful and pray and expect His soon return. He will come like a thief in the night and it will be too late. 

 

The Rapture is a hope we have of being taken up with the saints who have died. We will be taken up and the world will go through tribulation under the reign of the antichrist. There will appear to be peace just before the Rapture, but once the saints are taken up there won't be any restraining force to evil. Evil will abound and those left will go through the tribulation. Those left behind will suffer much and cry for deliverance but it will be too late. After seven years of suffering Christ will return to reign on earth with His saints for a thousand years. Are we ready for the Rapture? The signs are revealing that it could be near. Let us keep our lamps burning and never take our eyes off our Saviour and Lord. Those who wait will be satisfied. I am waiting for the Rapture soon. Are you?

No Evil Spirit Can Occupy Your Soul When The Holy Spirit Is Lord

 

Most of us are ignorant of the fact that we can be influenced by evil spirits that wander about looking to occupy or attach themselves to our soul. These wandering spirits don't have a body and so search for a body they can legally enter (Eph 4:26, 27). They are like an infestation that has been allowed entrance through sin or familial iniquities, passed down our generational line. Once we become aware of their presence then we need to expel them. They occupy only because we allow them to. They are so familiar that we are not even aware of their presence. Many reason that it is a personality quirk or a weakness and live with it.

 

Once we become aware of their presence then we need to expel them. It maybe a spirit of pride, jealousy, envy, anger, hatred, addiction to substances etc. Anything that compels you to give into its power is an evil spirit. If you find yourself struggling with lust or anger which gets you out of control, then you need to think, Is this an infestation?If it is in your family line, then know that you can cut it off from being passed on to future generations. Not much is taught in this area. However when one becomes aware of the spiritual powers that are around then the war is on. Spiritual warfare is all about taking dominion over principalities and powers that seek to dominate your world.

 

Cast out the evil spirit in Jesus’Name. Jesus was always fighting these powers. His main mission was to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). He did this in the market place and delivered all who were oppressed by the devil. Sickness and disease will bow down to the Name of Jesus. His blood and His Name will expel any evil spirit out of you. Now be filled with His Spirit to keep your house clean. Many undergo deliverance but then continue with their former lifestyle and friendships. Common spirits tend to attract each other through ungodly friendships. These need to be cut off if you desire to keep your house clean. Old habits will lose their grip on you as you cut off the old and receive the new. The Holy Spirit will keep you and guide you in keeping your house clean. This is true freedom.

Religious Spirit and the Holy Spirit.

 

Many are confused in these days because of what is seen and heard appears good but is not right. This kind of appearance denotes a conflict between what is heard in the natural and what is felt in the spirit. Some call it diabolical because the receiver of the message hears something but feels something else. This is where one needs to discern the spirit behind the words that are spoken. Many fail to discern and therefore remain confused.  The religious spirit appears to be good but is demonic in nature. It appears as a spirit of light but really is not. Appearances can be deceptive. This is why we need to pray for a gift of discerning of spirits (1 Cor 12:4,10) to know what is the source of the words we hear. 

 

Many are trained to say the right thing and appear as genuine. However underneath the cover is a spirit of lies and deception. One can easily fall for this and be deceived. Many politicians and sales people are good at selling their stuff with charming words that stroke our ego. This is only a front. Just like a shop window or well made-up person can present well but on closer examination fails the test of authenticity. Watch out for this during these days of fake news exploding and bombarding us daily through the media. Lot of the stories are made up to direct our attention away from the truth.

 

The Holy Spirit never deceives. He is a Spirit of peace and love and righteousness. You can sense Him and know that He is speaking through a person. This is different from a religious spirit. The Holy Spirit encourages and exhorts and guides us in our daily life. He is a Comforter and never forces us to do things. He is gentle and loving and kind. You can sense His presence in a person and know the difference from a religious spirit. A religious spirit tends to be controlling and is particular about rules and rituals. Just like the Pharisees the emphasis is on rules rather than love. Ask today for a gift of discerning of spirits when you hear the many voices demanding your attention.

I Am A Branch Connected To The Vine.

What are you connected to? I am a branch connected to the vine, Jesus. A branch is just an off-shoot of the tree. It is not the tree. Just like your arms and legs are part of your body. I am just a part but who I am connected to is important. If I am connected to a dead tree then I am dead. If I am connected to a living tree then I draw life from that tree. The sort of life I draw from is dependent on the type of tree. Thorns will draw from a thorn-tree. Fruit trees will bear fruits of their kinds. Therefore it is important to know who we are a part of.

 

This is a good illustration of our relationship with God. In Him we are safe and secure. He holds us and nourishes us and protects us. We need to rest in the truth that we are part of Him. We are in Him and He is in us. We are joined together and nothing can separate us from this union. We will bear the fruit that befits the tree we are connected to. A good tree bears good fruit. We will be known by our fruit. The works Jesus did came from His relationship with His Father. We too must work the works of the Father.

 

What security there is in knowing that we are in union with our Heavenly Father through Jesus. We were once lost but now are found in Him. We were grafted into Him and now we have a new identity. The old is past, the new has come. We need to operate in our new identity in Him. This is possible because He lives in us through His Holy Spirit. What a salvation, what a redemption. Come now and be encouraged that you are part of the vine that produces good wine for all to enjoy.

For Perfect Peace, Fix Your Mind On Him

 

In these days of turbulence in all areas of life, peace is what is needed most. Turbulence is a fact of life. On the boat Jesus was asleep when the storm was raging outside (Mark 4:38). The disciples panicked and feared they were going to drown. They forgot that the Saviour of the world was in the boat with them. They looked at the storm and lost heart. When they finally called on Jesus, He said "Peace, be still" and the storm calmed down. We too must turn to Him and keep our eyes fixed on Him when things get rough. This is not the time to lose heart. This is the time to pray for peace as warriors. The world will panic but we must stay fixed on our course. We have a King who is above all other kings and presidents.

 

Peace is what is needed most in times of trouble. Many talk about peace and being peace keepers. The peace the world gives is temporary. It is based on human values and not the eternal values of the Kingdom of God. What is earthly has only a short life span. We see this in many peace agreements between nations. It's only as good as the word of man. The Word of God on the other hand provides eternal peace. This is why we need to fix our mind on Him and not man. 

 

Our mind is the place where we determine if we will give in to the pressures of the world or not. When the pressure increases it is easy to give in and compromise. We must check the state of our mind to keep it fixed on Him (Isa 26:3). When we stray from Him who is our Keeper, we become vulnerable to other voices. Our spirit must be in tune with His Spirit and our mind will follow. Our mind decides which way we will turn. Watch and pray when things get rough for this is the time to get tough.

What Is The Face Of Your Character?

 

We are so taken up by externals and deceived that we fail to see who is within us. God sees our heart. When we shift our seeing from the external to the way God sees us then a shift will occur. Seeing ourselves and others as God sees us is the shift we need to make to overcome our flesh. Our flesh is at enmity with our spirit. Our spirit wants to cooperate with God but our flesh wants to do it our way. This is how the world operates and Frank Sinatra's song "I did it my way" illustrates this. 

 

God is looking for a people of character. He called us to be sons and daughters of His Kingdom. We are not of the world. We are part of His heavenly Kingdom. Yet we often behave like the world and not of the Kingdom. Why this discrepancy between who we are and what we see? I believe this is because we have not embraced His truth about us but have given in to the lie of the devil. The devil will keep us bound to our flesh and not let us walk according to the Spirit. The devil is a fallen spirit being. We are redeemed spirit beings. He is jealous of our status as sons of God. 

 

Come now and see yourself as how God sees you. You have been purchased by Jesus blood. You are no more a slave but a son. Live and operate in this heart knowledge. Many have head knowledge but lack the experiential knowledge of truly knowing who they are. Once we know in our heart we will be different in the way we talk and walk. Look within you and see that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords lives within you. He has come to take over your life and be the Lord of your life. Today is the day of your salvation.

Hearing God's Voice Is Like Coming Home.

 

Hearing God's voice is possible when you become a child of God. This is like the prodigal son who came home to his father. We were all wanderers till we heard the Father's call to come home. This is what is called the conversion experience. We heard Him call us by name and we responded to His call. Now He says we are children of God. What a home coming it was. We will continue to hear His voice as we walk by the Spirit. Jesus came to bring us back to the Father. We were lost and wandered around till we heard His call. He is calling all to come home to Him. This was the purpose for which He came to earth. To show us the way to the Father. 

 

Hearing God's voice is the most intimate experience one can have. It is so comforting and assuring. There are so many voices that compete for our attention. In the midst of all those voices, we can hear Him speak if we listen. All we need to do is to wait and listen. He comes as a still small voice. Many times it is a thought that appears out of the blue. You know the difference for it does not appear to be a natural thought. It has a quality beyond the natural. You catch that initial thought and others follow. This is how I hear Him and then I write down His thoughts in a blog.

 

Some hear His voice as a audible sound. I rarely have this experience.  Some see a picture in their mind's eye. I rarely have this either. However when it happens I know it is from the Father. It comes out of the blue and the experience is so exhilarating. God wants an intimate relationship with us. He speaks in different ways to assure us of His love. He confirms His word with signs following (Mark 16:20). Come to the Father today and expect Him to speak to you personally. His voice makes you feel like a son and thus accepted. No more feeling rejected. Today, when you hear Him calling you, is the day of your salvation.

Vote For Justice And Life Rather Than Lies And Death

 

God is a God of love and justice. He operates on truth and justice is based on truth. The opposite of truth is lies. There is no justice where lies prevail. This is why we need to pray for justice to prevail based on truth rather than lies. This applies to every area of our lives. When we operate on God's truth we know that justice will prevail. God is for those who seek for righteousness which results in right living. He will rescue the oppressed who fight for justice. He will be true to His word. His word is truth and He never lies. Therefore when we live according to His now word we can trust Him to fight for us.

 

In this world there are battles for truth and justice. It is a battle of good versus evil. The god of this world operates on lies. Therefore every media outlet that cooperates with lies will be destroyed by the truth. Truth will always win for this is a universal law.  We can think we are winning on lies but the truth will finally trump lies. In a world filled with fake news, it is only the brave Christians that are able to stand against the tide of evil. All through history we see that justice prevailed where righteousness was pursued. This universe is under God's control. God needs a people who will stand on His word and pray His living now word to be accomplished. 

 

God has given us a weapon called prayer. We need to pray that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Once we know His will we can pray it into being. This is the way we can overcome evil with good. Good will always triumphs over evil. Love always wins. God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son to die for us. We must be prepared to die for righteousness to prevail. Death has lost its sting for life has been granted to us who believe. Let us stand for justice and life and never give into lies which lead to death.

Operating According To Tradition Or A Living Relationship With Jesus.

 

Tradition is a set of rules that govern the operation of a church or body of worshippers. The traditions have a long history and heritage that is passed down the generations. These traditions hold the group together and bind them together. Many attend the services and go through the motions whether they believe in Jesus or not. I once belonged to a traditional church and used to follow its teachings and customs. However it did not make much of a difference in my life. I was blind to theChristian beliefs and everything was a routine. Just like the Lord's Prayer is recited in many services but few understand the significance of the prayer. One can get caught up in a tradition although the tradition has value. 

 

Some in traditional churches do have a living relationship with Jesus. Their relationship enhances their tradition. Many leave traditional churches because they are disillusioned by the robotic nature of it. I too left my traditional church and searched for a living relationship with others. My faith took a leap when I was born again. This is not to bag traditional churches. Like any organisation, when tradition is more important than relationship, death tends to set in. In routine or ritual prayers, one goes through the prayers without any life. 

 

It is time to address this problem. Many call themselves Christians but don't have a born again experience. This is confusing since what they believe does not match up with their lifestyle. Many see Christians as hypocrites who attend church on Sunday but are like the world the rest of the week. No wonder the troubles of the world are similar in the church. Whatever is done as a routine will decay and die. This is why we see so many reformations in the Church, because what began well often dies through tradition. The only way out is in a living relationship with Jesus. We need a revolution that will break down traditions and free people from their prisons of unbelief. Only a living relationship with Jesus can do this.

Is It Time To Move From Democracy To Theocracy?

 

Democracy as a system of government is said to be the best we have at present. Is this true? Democracy separates church from state and so in some places God is made an object rather than a person. God desires to be the centre of every aspect of our lives but we have chosen to separate Him from politics. This means that other idols can rule over us rather than God. This separation of church and state has led to more laws being introduced to satisfy the desires of a minority. The minority now have found ways to push the majority into a corner through guilt and shame. This is why abortion, gay marriage and euthanasia have found a platform in some governments. This is going against the laws of God but the majority have accepted this as a way of life. 

 

It is time that God becomes the centre of our daily lives and this includes the government. A godless government is prone to make many laws and rules that work against the best interests of the people. When God is replaced by replicas of Him it will be like when the Israelites replaced God with a golden calf. This is where God is found in most democracies. Many other isms have replaced God. Nations that follow this path are doomed to face God's judgement. It appears we never learn from the lessons of history.Like idiots, we repeat the same mistakes of our forefathers. Someone said it is a sign of madness to do the same thing even when you know it will obtain the same results.

 

The Kingdom of God  is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). When Jesus is crowned King in a nation thenall the fruits of the Kingdom will follow. Prosperity, peace and favour will follow. This applies to the individual, family and society. It starts with the individual acknowledging Jesus as Lord. Theocracy is government under God where there is no separation of church and state. I believe this is what God desires. Will this be possible? Only a revival that sweeps a nation can bring us to a place where we will see this as possible. It is time to pray for the glory of God to invade our nation and stop the trend to anarchy and chaos that is sweeping some nations. When we cry out to God, He will hear our cries and respond and bless our nation. It is time to turn from our wicked ways and return to our God and let Him be Lord of our lives.

Socialism And Christianity.

 

There are many values in socialism that appear to be like Christian values. The social benefits of caring for the poor and providing an equality of resources to all are commendable values. However the state control of resources takes away individual initiative and progress. Christian values are akin to some socialist values but individual rights are not compromised. Socialism appears attractive but those in control do still live extravagant lives. Capital is located in the hands of a few and the rest are cared for by the state. This appears good and sounds good but due to human greed it will not last long. 

 

Christianity is, on the other hand, a value driven system that acknowledges God and His supremacy in all areas of life. This means that there are some who will not accept this system and thus reject God. Socialism does not necessarily acknowledge the supremacy of God. It is based on humanistic values and tries to provide equality for all. Acceptance and equality for all is what drives this system of government. This is commendable but mostly not practical. Many have confused Christianity with socialism because it sounds right.

 

Many Christians are caught in this dilemma and compromise their faith and values. Issues like abortion, gay marriage, and euthanasia become social issues which conflict with Christian values. There are many Christians therefore who support these issues in the name of acceptance. However God is clear in His word about these issues. How does one then manage these issues but through compromise. This is the state of affairs that many find challenging and without a strong faith in God they easily give in to popular opinion. Christians must stand for justice and righteousness. There can be no compromise of Christian values as this is sin. Sin is knowing what is right and not doing it. Jesus is clear that those who call Him Lord must put Him first in all areas of life. Choose today to acknowledge Him as Lord and not to compromise with the socialist system.