The Reckless Love Of God

     Do you ever have those days where it seems God brings things together and you get that fleeting glimpse of the reality of Heaven on earth? For me, it was the convergence of several things that touched my heart and with which I was familiar, but they all came together in a flood of spirit consciousness of God's Goodness. I know that probably doesn't make much sense, but I honestly don't have the words to give this awareness its due. So let me just tell you how my day went....
     It began with a Sabbath morning of worship. I am able to stream worship music from Bethel and Hillsong on my TV, so I spent the morning cleaning my house (and my soul) to the sounds of worship changing the atmosphere in my home and my heart. And I'm sure most of you are familiar with the award winning song, "The Reckless Love of God" by Cory Asbury. I heard it that morning, and the lyrics washed over me .... Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. Oh, it chases me down, fights til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine...
     For some reason, the tears that always come with that song were even more heart-rending than usual. Why, I wondered? As the day unfolded, it would become apparent. Mark and I were to spend the day with his parents, sister, and our niece -- always something we look forward to. And Mark had it on his heart to share the 2014 Darren Wilson film "Holy Ghost" with our niece, Kaylee, who has such a heart for Jesus (and is even writing her own blog about what faith looks like for a Millennial).
     As we suspected, she was unfamiliar with this innovative -- and let's face it -- risky film. It's not exactly the kind of message that mainstream Christian churches embrace or even seek. Directed by film-maker Darren Wilson, the purpose of the film is unashamedly provocative: to prove the presence of God is real. And we hear Darren proclaim at the beginning of the film, "I wanna take the greatest risk possible as a filmmaker, to make a movie that is completely led by the Holy Spirit… just show up wherever he leads me, find the adventure, and make God famous".
     So, we got our chance to suggest that we sit down, as a family, and watch one segment of the film, hoping to open up a discussion of God's immense ability to love. If you are unfamiliar with the film, there is a portion that focuses on the heavy metal band, Korn, and two of its members, Brian "Head" Welch and Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu. They give their testimonies of years of drugs and anti-God living, and their "lostness". But then they tell of how Jesus chased them down, and changed them forever. The film then goes on to show them accompanying radical evangelist Todd White (a former atheist and 22-year drug abuser, himself) among the crowds of fans to share a simple Gospel message of Jesus loving them and wanting to heal them, both physically and spiritually.
    And here's where we had the opportunity to have a discussion with our family. How did they feel about these band members continuing to sing in the band Korn; singing lyrics that are obviously offensive and vulgar by society's standards? How does it coincide with their faith in Jesus? Can the two exist simultaneously? It was Kaylee's understanding I was most interested in, because she is the next generation to carry the Kingdom message forward. Would she get it?
     She did! She saw that this particular segment of the population needed to hear about Jesus, see the miracles He had done in the lives of the band members, and be presented with a new way to live. Even my seventy-something in-laws recognized that the tattooed, heavy-metal crowd would never be willing to hear about Jesus from us. But, those band members could reach them with the life-giving message of Jesus and they would listen! As I told them, "Do I wish they would change their music, get rid of the f-word and other offensive language, and sing more wholesome songs"? Of course! But then they would lose their influence over the people who come to see them and like that form of music.
     And here's an interesting fact: in 2005, Korn's management announced that after almost 12 years with the band, Brian Welch had left Korn, citing that he had "...chosen the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior, and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end." In addition, as a single father he did not want to raise his daughter in an environment filled with drugs, sex, and explicit language.  But after nearly eight years apart from the band, Welch says God told him to reunite with the band; he had a mission field he could sow into. He resisted, not wanting to return to the environment that fueled his depraved life. But he knew his victory was in Christ and there was no doubt that this mission field abounded with opportunities to bring lost sheep into the fold. 
     The bottom line is this: Does this style of the Gospel Message of the Kingdom offend mainstream Christianity? You bet it does! But isn't this picture similar to the reaction of the Pharisees, who objected to Jesus's style and message because it didn't align with their image of what religion was supposed to look like? Wasn't Jesus's method of showing the Father to the masses just as radical as using a heavy-metal band to present Him to those who would otherwise never hear of Him? Remember, the Bible tells us we are not to judge a Believer's heart, but we can judge their fruit for the Kingdom. And those band members are producing fruit among those fans that you and I could never reach.
     So, remember how my day started, with the emotion of the song "The Reckless Love of God"? Well, those lyrics haunted me all day, and I found myself singing them over and over in my mind... Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. Oh, it chases me down, fights til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine... Just like the Parable of the Lost Lamb in Luke 15, aren't these heavy metal lovers just like the lost lamb that Jesus would leave the ninety-nine Church-goers to chase down and fight for?
    But let me let Cory Asbury, the writer of "The Reckless Love of God" explain it better than me. In his own words he wrote, "When I used the phrase, 'the reckless love of God,' when we say it, we're not saying that God Himself is reckless, He's not crazy. We are, however, saying that the way He loves, is in many regards, quite so. But what I mean is this: He's utterly unconcerned with the consequences of His own actions with regard to His own safety, comfort and well-being. ... He doesn't wonder what He'll gain or lose by putting Himself on the line, He simply puts Himself out there on the off-chance that you and I might look back at Him and give Him that love in return. His love leaves the ninety nine to find the one every time, and to many practical adults that's a foolish concept. Well, what if He loses the ninety nine in finding the one, right? What if, finding that one lost sheep is and always will be supremely important"?
     Now, let's let Jesus express Himself: “There once was a shepherd with a hundred lambs, but one of his lambs wandered away and was lost. So the shepherd left the ninety-nine lambs out in the open field and searched in the wilderness for that one lost lamb. He didn’t stop until he finally found it. With exuberant joy he raised it up and placed it on his shoulders, carrying it back with cheerful delight! Returning home, he called all his friends and neighbors together and said, ‘Let’s have a party! Come and celebrate with me the return of my lost lamb. It wandered away, but I found it and brought it home.’”
     Jesus continued, “In the same way, there will be a glorious celebration in heaven over the rescue of one lost sinner who repents, comes back home, and returns to the fold—more so than for all the righteous people who never strayed away.”
     Can you see Him celebrating each and every heavy metal fan that turns from the dark side of that music genre to run to His arms? Have they wandered away? Yes. Does He want to work with us to find them and bring them home? Absolutely! And He has a willing partner with Brian Welch. Praise Him for not abandoning them and for sending Welch into their midst. Let us rejoice, for there is a glorious celebration in heaven! 
     So, there it is.... God speaking to me in a day that started with a song, which led to a movie, which led me back to Scripture, which ended up back at the song ... Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. Oh, it chases me down, fights til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine... A perfect circle of His love. He never stops pursuing the one who is lost.
     Father, may I never judge the methods and the ways You use to reach the lost lambs of this world. Instead let me lift up those in the Body of Christ who are reaching souls I could never influence, and may we learn to love our differences as we praise You for bringing us to unity in our shared faith. You've created us to walk in different lanes and paths, but all with the shared goal to reach the world for You. You paid it all for each and every one of us. Was that reckless in that You had no concern for what it would cost You, but were only devoted to what we would gain? Yes! And on behalf of all the "one lambs" You came after, I bow before You!

James 5:19-20   Finally, as members of God’s beloved family, we must go after the one who wanders from the truth and bring him back. For the one who restores the sinning believer back to God from the error of his way, gives back to his soul life from the dead, and covers over countless sins by their demonstration of love!

The Seven Spirits of God

     I am constantly amazed at how much there is to learn about my God. Once I became willing to open my heart fully to the presence of Jesus, He has been taking me on a wild ride of revelation; unveiling Scripture and introducing me to newer and higher concepts of just who He, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are. I look back at where I was when He first called me to this astounding relationship some 30 years ago, and where I am now, and I am so thankful that I was willing to listen and respond to the invitations.
     I say "invitations" in the plural, because there have been so many disclosures of the Character, Blessings, Favor, Commandments, and Manifestations of the Father that it is difficult to wrap my head around them all and compress them into one finite impression. And I think that is the point ... it is impossible to limit Him based on His immeasurable Nature. The only limits that can be put on God are those that we create ourselves, through our free will and unbelief.
     I can't quite explain how I have been blessed to be open to these revelations, while others have not. All I know is that I hunger for more. I want the fullness of all that God purposes for my life, and all that He is willing to reveal of Himself. And I know that my desire these last couple of years to engage the Holy Spirit in a deepening relationship has resulted in more spiritual growth than the preceding 20-odd years combined. All this has led to an increased consciousness of the Holy Spirit in my life, and more manifestations of His Presence. That being said, I am fully aware that I have a long way to go to receive all that Jesus and the Father offer through the Holy Spirit. And what exactly does that "fullness" look like, and is it possible for Believers to have it all?
     As I've often said, and utterly believe, Jesus Christ is our model. He lived His life as a man, not God. He came to show us what is possible in this life; what to ask for and how to walk it out. Ultimately, He walked with the fullness of God's Spirit upon Him, and I believe we can, too. And that is my desire for myself and all Believers. But how do we get there? First, we have to look at where it all started ... Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."  But then, in Genesis 1:2, something changed: "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." What happened between verse 1 and verse 2 is a blog post for another day (hint: perhaps it was the rebellion by Satan and his angels which resulted in God's judgment upon the earth causing it to become a place of darkness). But verse 2 makes it clear that the Spirit of God was "hovering" or "moving" over the earth -- it did not settle upon the earth.
    But it is not until verse 26 that God says, "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us." From that statement alone, we know that mankind was created perfectly, beautifully, and without blemish, just like God, the Father; Jesus; and the Holy Spirit. We were created as a three-part being -- body, soul (mind, will and emotions), and spirit; with the spirit being the deepest part of man, where he could commune with God. But, as we all know, man's beautiful state did not last. He fell prey to Satan's temptation, and his spirit became dark. Man, who had been created by God and made alive by the very "breath of God" (Spirit of God) was incapable of hosting the Holy Spirit of God because of his sin. So the Spirit of God continued to move over the earth, unable to rest -- until God sent His Son to redeem us.
     Isaiah 11:1-2 tells us when the Spirit of God would finally be able to rest upon the earth ... Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot -- yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him -- the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
     Here, we see the fullness of all that the Spirit of God is. It is His Holiness, His wisdom, His understanding, His counsel, His might (strength; power); His knowledge, and His fear (awesome reverence) of the Lord. SIDE NOTE: I'm not quite sure how to refer to these seven designations of the Spirit that came to rest upon Jesus, the man. They are more than characteristics or descriptions; they are more like the many different ways He operated in Jesus ... and therefore, how He is able to operate in us, too. How was that to come about?
     After disclosing that the Spirit of God would come to rest upon the descendant of David, Isaiah 11 goes on to allude to the future: "In that day, the heir to David's throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world". From the Old Testament prophecy to the New Testament, we read in Revelation 5 that John saw "the heir to David's throne", the Lamb who "had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven-fold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth".
     So, the Book of Matthew tells us that the Spirit of God hovered over the earth, unable to rest upon it until Jesus is baptized in the River Jordan: And as Jesus rose up out of the water, the heavenly realm opened up over Him and he saw the Holy Spirit descend out of the heavens and rest upon Him in the form of a dove.  From Isaiah, we see that the Spirit of God is seven-fold, including all the ways He operates, and that He will be sent out to all the earth. How do we connect the dots to us, and why can we believe that the fullness of the Holy Spirit is available to us, just as it was to Jesus? Remember what Jesus said to the Disciples before His ascension into Heaven? "You will receive power [and ability] when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [messengers], both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth." And then on the day of Pentecost, we read in Acts 2 that the Holy Spirit came in tongues of fire to "rest upon them".
     The Apostles were the first of a long line of Believers (down to us) who become filled with the Holy Spirit -- who are the depository of the seven-fold operation of the Holy Spirit -- who carry His Presence everywhere we go! Just as Jesus stated that the Disciples would be sent out to the ends of the earth to declare His Name, we are to do the same. And my desire is to carry and demonstrate that fullness of the Spirit, just as Jesus and the Apostles did! But how many of us Christians think we just house the Holiness of the Spirit -- that the holiness and righteousness of Christ, as realized in the Holy Spirit, is all we have at our disposal to reach the world? I want all of Him! In addition to the Holy Spirit, I want the Spirit of Wisdom to make the right choices at the right time, as endorsed by my Father. I want the Spirit of Understanding; to be able to discern and perceive from the Father's perspective. I desire to accommodate the Spirit of Counsel; to seek and receive the advice of God's heavenly guidance. I want to join my spirit with the Spirit of Might, as God's strength, power, and mighty acts are displayed through me to bring victory to the souls of men. I need the Spirit of Knowledge that comes from a personal and intimate relationship with God that results in divine revelation. And lastly, my spirit cries out for the Spirit of the fear of the Lord; a reverence so awe-inspiring that my spirit trembles in the midst of its longing.
     My descriptions of the operations of the Holy Spirit in all His fullness are by no means comprehensive. In truth, they are inadequate to explain the depth and breadth of how the Spirit of God can operate in us. Because God is so big as to be incomprehensible in His fullness, so is the Spirit of God. But it is enough for me to know that the Spirit wants to operate in me and rest upon me. It is only through Him that I am able to receive my marching orders from God and carry them out. So, Father, it is my prayer and request that the fullness of the Holy Spirit be activated in my life, and in the lives of all Believers. May we find increase in the Power and Presence of Your Spirit  in all our endeavors for the Kingdom. As for me, I welcome all seven of the Spirits of God as I sanctify myself for the work set before me. And I pray that each of you will receive higher levels of God's Spirit as He rests upon your lives, making you effective ambassadors of the Kingdom of God on earth.

John 16:14    "He will glorify and honor Me, because He (the Holy Spirit) will take from what is Mine and will disclose it to you."
    

Not Taught By Human Wisdom

     Today I'm going to invite you to come along for a wild ride. And I just want to warn you -- what I'm about to share comes from my own thoughts, and my thoughts only. It would have been easy to jump over to Google and seek the opinions of theologians and Bible scholars far wiser than I. But I wanted to listen to God and see if I could receive affirmation for what was no less than a thunderbolt to my spirit.
     I want to begin by saying that I recognize that I am in a particular season of my life where I have been blessed with the time to consider the Word at length. Therefore, please do not think that I consider myself superior to those of you who do not have this luxury. Some of the most Godly men and women I know are at the stage in their lives where raising children and putting food on the table takes an exorbitant amount of their time and energy. Yet they know "the Word" which, as we all recognize is Jesus, because God reveals Him through the Holy Spirit in their hearts, through their fellowship and worship with other righteous people, and yes, through whatever time they can find to study the Bible. Just because I may have been given this lifestyle at a later stage in my life, does not make me more knowledgeable or what I'm about to share more accurate. I want to make it perfectly clear --- this forthcoming opinion is simply something that I am considering a possibility; a revelation for which I am continuing to seek God's approval. So, just bear with me, and if need be, humor me a bit...

     Do you have a particular "mystery" of the Bible that you haven't quite been able to solve? Oh, there have been plenty of attempts by Church leaders and teachers to explain it, but there has never been any conclusive agreement that God has given us the answer. For me, among the most perplexing passages in the Bible have been those that give an account of Melchizedek, the king of Salem.
     We first encounter him in Genesis 14, where we get just a small picture of him blessing Abram after Abram rescues Lot, who chose to neighbor with Sodom and has found himself outside God's protection and in the midst of a war between these kings of pagan nations. Melchizedek is merely mentioned as the king of Salem (Jerusalem) and a priest of the Most High God, who blesses Abram and blesses God for delivering Abram from his enemies. So that's our first clue that Melchizedek is probably a "higher" being since he is aware of the Most High God even before the nation of Israel has been formed, or the Hebrew faith established.
     The most familiar mention of Melchizedek happens in Hebrews, Chapter 7.  It is proclaimed that his name means "king of righteousness, and that he was the King of Peace, because the name of the city he ruled as king was Salem, which means "peace". Again, we are told that he is a priest of the Most High God, and he blessed Abraham after the latter defeated many kings in battle, and afterwards Abraham gave him a tithe of a tenth of all his spoils.
     But then comes the part that has confused many a Christian down through the centuries: This Melchizedek has no father or mother, and no record of any of his ancestors. He was never born and he never died, but his life is like a picture of the Son of God, a King-Priest forever!  How many of you have been taught [and continue to believe] that this is telling us that Melchizedek was a pre-incarnation of Jesus? If you answered, "Yes", then we have a similar history of understanding this passage. But what if I told you that as I continued to read the short portrayal of who Melchizedek might have been, that my spirit shouted, "He was the HOLY SPIRIT"!
    Now, this might be an understanding that you have embraced and you are way ahead of me. Or this might be totally out of the context of any teaching you have received in the Church, and let me tell you that this has been my experience. I've never been taught this, and once this possibility surfaced in my spirit and mind, I was determined to use only the Word of God to try to understand if my inclination has any merit. And I will tell you that the following explanation is far from conclusive, and I am not prepared to declare it as God's Truth. It's just a check I got in my spirit, and I thought it would be interesting to present to you and possibly get your feedback. We can do no wrong if we search the Bible for answers from a pure heart, and I promise you, God delights in us when we seek more understanding of His Word.
     First of all, it is obvious from the text, that this Melchizedek must have some connection to God's divine nature, since "he was never born and he never died". Only God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are characterized by that definition. The next thing that niggled at my spirit was his designation as "King of Peace", with peace being one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Important? I don't really know, but I found it a possible connection. 
     Next, Scripture says that Melchizedek's life "is like a picture of the Son of God, a King-Priest forever". It doesn't say his life is the picture of Jesus, but rather it is like the life of Jesus, which to me, signifies that his life resembled the life of Jesus. It is not difficult for me to view this as being a description of the Holy Spirit, because God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are One; both Jesus and the Holy Spirit reveal the nature of God. 
     The next clue that Melchizedek might be an incarnation of the Holy Spirit is that Scripture tells us he was not a Jewish priest. In fact, it goes on to say that "Melchizedek was not Abraham's Jewish relative" (Passion Translation). But guess what? Jesus was! So it doesn't make sense to me that Melchizedek could have been a pre-incarnation of Jesus. The Bible also says that Melchizedek had the power to impart a blessing to Abraham [from God]. Throughout the Old Testament it is the Holy Spirit of God who empowered men to do what they could not accomplish on their own. And in the New Testament, Jesus, our Savior, promises that the Holy Spirit will indwell us as the representation and fulfillment of God's power in us. Nothing says that clearer to me than Ephesians 3:20: Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to [His] power at work within us...  
    Continuing with my train of thought -- Hebrews 7:11 says,  If any of the Levitical priests who served under the law had the power to bring us into perfection, then why did God send Christ as Priest after the likeness of Melchizedek? He should have said, “After the likeness of Aaron.” First of all, I'm thinking, "It's not Aaron, at all. It's the Holy Spirit"! And secondly, does this sound like God recognizes Christ and Melchizedek as the same entity? Not to me!
     But perhaps the most convincing verses that suggests my theory might be a possibility are verses 15 through 17: And all this is made even clearer if there was another King-Priest raised up with the rank of Melchizedek. This King-Priest did not arise because of a genealogical right under the law to be a priest, but by the power of an indestructible, [resurrection] life! For it says in the Psalms, You are like Melchizedek, a King-Priest forever!
     So, here's where I ended up ...  The Passion Translation gives this commentary on these verses: The word indestructible comes from a word that means, “tied together in unity,” that is, “a united life” (or “union with God”). Resurrection life is implied, for the priestly ministry of Jesus began after he was raised from the dead. The Aramaic can be translated “He has life-giving power that has no beginning.” Jesus’ ministry of Prophet, Priest, and King flows from his unlimited life of resurrection power!
    First of all, I think we can agree that Father God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are "tied together in unity", right? And Who was the power in Jesus's resurrection and will be in ours? The Holy Spirit! And this passage goes on to say that this resurrection power makes Jesus, our King-Priest like Melchizedek, only now this divine King-Priest [and His power] will be forever! Remember, God sent His Holy Spirit with His power to men in the Old Testament, but the power was temporary and at the behest of God when they needed it; He was the Decider of when it was imparted and to whom. NOW, the Holy Spirit resides in us [who believe] as a permanent impartation from God and Jesus. Jesus is the fulfillment of what Melchizedek started.
     I don't know if any of this makes any sense to you, or even if your spirit can recognize any truth in my reasoning. I am asking for more revelation from God, but for the moment, I am willing to consider that Melchizedek might have been an incarnation of the Holy Spirit, come as the first picture of what a King-Priest looked like; conveying blessings upon Abraham by the power given to him from God. I know for certain that Jesus comes as our final-and-forever King-Priest; incorporating the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit in His new covenant with us. 
     This is a sketchy argument at best; I know that. But I love sharing the sparks of revelation that I receive from reading Scripture. Does understanding this have any long-term affects on my inheritance in Heaven? Not that I can see at this time. But I truly believe God delights in our curiosity about His Word and our willingness to examine and analyze it in the hopes of discovering something new about Him. I do not foresee that this will consume much more of my time -- only if God wants it to, I guess. But this enigma caused a bright light to shine [for just a moment] upon a possible and new characteristic of my Father in heaven. And I can't even describe the joy and excitement that transformed what might have been a "normal" time in study. And for that reason alone, it is always worth the consideration.

1 Corinthians 2:11    "After all, who can really see into a person’s heart and know his hidden impulses except for that person’s spirit? So it is with God. His thoughts and secrets are only fully understood by His Spirit, the Spirit of God."     
 
    

Wolves In The Church

     I'm sure you are familiar with Jesus's Biblical warning in Matthew 7:15 which says, Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Implicit in this warning is that wolves of deceit have snuck into the Church and are ready to devour any true Christian sheep who are gullible enough [or unwise enough] to fall for their wrong teachings.
     And, boy, has the institutional Church used this alarming admonition to squelch any new revelations from God that are outside the established doctrine of any particular denomination. First of all, those who are quick to attack a fellow Christian's attempt at edifying the Body regarding something God or the Holy Spirit has revealed to them, don't bother to read Matthew 7:15 in context. Jesus says in the very next verse, You can identify them by the fruit [of their character], that is, by the way they act.  Scripture goes on to say that it's pretty obvious that you don't pick sweet grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from a tumbleweed. In other words, if you hear a different interpretation of Scripture, or a different teaching of a Biblical concept, the character of the "bringer" should be taken into account and easily discernible. If their testimony or word is plainly against Scripture, and if they don't possess a reputation of the fruits of the spirit (joy, love, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and they are not displaying the Lordship of the Spirit in their life), then you can rightly discern they are intent on damaging the Church. But if this fellow Christian is of good character, and his heart displays a visible love of the Lord, and his actions bear good fruit, then perhaps he or she should not be so quickly castigated.
     Yet, I have found far too often that the Church members will react in indignation and self-appointed authority in deciding that any new proposed understanding of Scripture that differs from the orthodox teachings is unacceptable, and it borders on either blasphemy or heresy. And that really saddens me, because this is a picture of the Church that is far different from how it began in the aftermath of Christ's resurrection and ascension.
     From the moment that the Disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and Peter preaches the first sermon at Pentecost, the idea of "church" meant "a fellowship of believers". The Bible clearly teaches that these believers were faithful to follow the teachings of these first apostles or "sent ones". (Re-read yesterday's post on my view of what makes an apostle}. They regularly met in devoted believers' homes, with the express purpose of sharing the Lord's Supper as a sign of their unity. They prayed, studied Scripture, sang songs, and the focus was always on edifying the body of believers who were present. I think it is important to note the Apostle Paul's exhortation to these "home churches", as stated in 1 Corinthians 14:26: Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you. Do you see that in the modern Church?
     Can you see how different this is from what the modern Church has evolved into? First of all, I would like to reiterate and re-evaluate Jesus's statements in Matthew 7 ... He isn't even talking to a group of Christians gathering in a Church building or denomination as we know it today. He is talking to disciples who are following Him around the countryside, and learning from His teachings. Shouldn't that describe each of us, regardless of which denomination we claim allegiance to? And doesn't He make it clear that we should look at both the character and the actions of our fellow believer before condemning their teaching/interpretation as deceptive? There are at least 34 verses in the New Testament that speak of the importance of fruit in the life of a believer, yet we seem too eager to judge based on shared theology.
    And, yes, Scripture is sufficient for us ... it contains all there is to know about our God, but as I have quoted from Scripture over and over, God conceals the revelation of His word in the hiding place of His glory. But the honor of kings is revealed by how they thoroughly search out the deeper meaning of all that God says (Proverbs 25:2). He reveals Himself through Nature; through our spirits who testify to His existence; through His Son Jesus as presented in the Bible; and finally through His written Word -- and through all these ways He gives us knowledge of Himself through our experiences with Him! It is not merely through our denominational doctrines and head knowledge! That is why the Greek translation of the New Testament talks so much about experiential knowledge -- knowledge that comes from experience.
     Have we, as the institutional Church, forgotten that God is a rewarder to those who diligently seek Him? Why is it so difficult for our fellow Christians to discern that God could reveal Himself to an individual believer today through the Holy Spirit? Why are we so quick to judge a fellow believer's testimony, just because it expands on accepted doctrinal beliefs? Why can't we think God might want us to know more about Him? Do we really think our doctrine is all there is to know about God? And for mercy's sake, why are we ignoring the character and actions of our fellow believers? Do we no longer believe that the Holy Spirit leads and directs us? Before condemning someone for what they are bringing to the Church Body, can we stop for a moment and spiritually assess the heart of the person, and look to see if they have borne fruit for the Kingdom of God?
     In fact, I often wonder just how Church members assess the fruits of their fellow believers. Is it based on the number of times they have been in the pews on Sunday morning, or the number of the Church activities they are involved in? Do they ever stop to think that perhaps there is fruit they don't see -- that this believer's fruit comes from being obedient to Jesus's commands when they invite Him to be present as they lay hands on someone who is in need of healing? What about the fruit that comes from the power of the Holy Spirit to defeat the spirit of unworthiness in a lonely and abandoned young girl, as this believer partners with the Spirit and Jesus to set her free from this torment.  All these experiences are revelations of the Presence of God in a believer's life and evidence that seeds are being sown and fruit is being produced.

     The Holy Spirit reveals God to our spirits through our experiences. The Holy Spirit reveals God through Bible passages; and through our thoughts, and ideas that He brings to our minds.  He is fluid and flowing; always ready to reveal an aspect of our God that magnifies Him; that amplifies His glory. John 3:8 says, For the Spirit [wind] blows as it chooses. You can hear its sound, but you don’t know where it came from or where it’s going. So it is within the hearts of those who are Spirit-born!” The Holy Spirit is not bound by Church doctrine!
     So, I ask you, how is it that Christians within the Church think they are qualified to decide how the Spirit is leading or directing a fellow believer [who exemplifies good character; whose actions portray a heart diligently seeking after God, and whose deeds bear fruit for the Kingdom]?  Could it be that the Church barely resembles those early gatherings of Spirit-filled believers who encouraged each other to share and edify the body with what the Holy Spirit was showing them?
     I am in no way negating the warning to be on guard against the wolves who bring false teachings. They are real, and I'm pretty sure the Enemy has been infiltrating them into the Church for hundreds of years. I don't see those early "home churches" being overly concerned with real estate, building programs, staff salaries, utilities, mortgages, pulpits, pews, sermons, elaborate worship programs, or how much money they had in the bank. When did the focus change from "going out" to "protecting our turf"?
     We all agree that wolves are definitely a danger to innocent sheep. And what I'm about to say may offend some, but I have personally witnessed a pack of wolves within the church driving innocent sheep out of the building where their Good Shepherd is waiting to feed them and lead them to springs of living water. It is not my attention to offend, but rather to give us all pause when meeting with our fellow believers, and before judging them.
     So, yes, we need to be persistent in keeping the wolves at bay and safeguarding the purity of Scripture. Lord knows, they are vicious and ravenous and waiting to destroy the Body of Christ. But let's not limit our oversight to one man's [or one denomination's] conditional and designated understanding. Let us give the Holy Spirit the freedom to reveal to a person's spirit what God would have them know about Himself. And then let us offer love and kindness and a heart that is willing to receive more of God. It just might bring more joy and peace to your spirit and to the entire Body. And that would be pleasing to God.

1 Corinthians 8:1-3     Knowledge [alone] makes [people self-righteously] arrogant, but love [that unselfishly seeks the best for others] builds up and encourages others to grow [in wisdom].  If anyone imagines that he knows and understands anything [of divine matters, without love], he has not yet known as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God [with awe-filled reverence, obedience and gratitude], he is known by Him [as His very own and is greatly loved].

 

The Flesh vs The Kingdom

   This is going to be a very personal blog post. I just want to reveal some truths that I know my Father in Heaven wants each of us, whom He calls His children, to grasp. My testimony today involves what I have been experiencing in these last few days, and what I have seen people whom I am close to experience. Furthermore, I know that so many other followers of Jesus can identify with what I'm about to share...
     To begin with, it has been nearly two weeks since my precious father-in-law began a journey into, and through, a serious health episode. He has been experiencing the increasing ramifications of rheumatoid arthritis, COPD, and various other health conditions.  He has valiantly and bravely endured a loss in the quality of his life, and as hard as that has been to watch, I have witnessed a growth in his spirit and relationship with the Lord that might not have occurred without him experiencing a decline in his health.
     No one wants to face a serious health situation, and our family is facing a very high risk surgery today. The last two weeks have seen an acceleration towards this life event and, as scary as it has been to experience, there have been so many blessings as I watch this man who loves his family and his Lord have supernatural encounters with Jesus all along the way. Jesus has helped him get through an exhausting and painful MRI, counseled him on critical surgical decisions, and calmed him during frightening realizations of the fragility of this human life.
     I have also been a party to the opportunities the Holy Spirit has given my husband, Mark, and I to lead our family from inexperience and indifference about the importance of spiritual warfare into dynamic participation on behalf of our patriarch. So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are His lovers who have been called to fulfill His designed purpose (Romans 8:28). 
     I had once prophesied over my father-in-law, [who questioned why Jesus had not healed him from all his infirmities], that God had a purpose for him. He wanted him to help his daughter grow her relationship with Jesus in the spirit. And here we were, witnessing her praying in the spirit for Jesus and warring angels to protect her dad! 

     So now we wait to see what God's designed purpose is tomorrow for this life-saving surgery. No matter the outcome, we know that my father-in-law will be in Jesus's hands -- whether he still has time to serve God here on this earth, or he enters into eternity with his Savior. In addition, we now, as a family, are using our power and authority to see our own spirits work in union with the Holy Spirit.
     On top of dealing with the emotional and spiritual aspects of this family event, my husband and I had to attend an art event in the middle of this situation. We always approach this business side of our life with the knowledge that God will provide our needs as He also works His sovereign will. The outcome may not always be as profitable for our fleshly needs, but He has never disappointed when it comes to meeting the needs of His Kingdom. 
     These events are always stressful, because the world tells us to focus on the outcome -- paintings sold means bills are paid. And you are in the midst of 60 or more artists whose own anxiety over sales adds to a rather secular and ungodly atmosphere. It can be difficult to take every thought captive and shut out the lies of the Enemy. Plus we were operating under emotional and physical exhaustion from making long trips to the hospital to see Mark's dad.  But the Holy Spirit woke me up in the early morning hours of the day of the Show and told me that I needed to make sure that I ministered to an artist's wife who was having to fill in for her husband because he was back home fighting a very serious bone infection after back surgery.
     So when we arrived at the event, I sought her out, but she had not yet arrived. I had hoped to find her before the buying public showed up and the chaos of the night ensued. It wasn't until a couple of hours later that I even spoke of this Holy Spirit prompting to Mark and he immediately said, "Go now! Find her and pray with her". So I left in search of her and this time, I found her. I explained about my early morning prompting and told her I knew this wasn't a very convenient time, but she stopped me and said, "No, now is the perfect time!" So we stood there in the midst of the crowds swirling around us, holding hands; two women believing that I could lay hands [in the spirit] on her husband's back while he was receiving treatment back home in Arizona, and that the healing power of Heaven could do a supernatural work in the flesh of her husband. I will tell you that I felt the power of her faith in that moment, and as I finished praying, she ended our time together by declaring that Jesus was Lord and Savior, and "By His stripes, her husband would be healed!" We didn't notice what the crowd thought about our spiritual warfare, and frankly, we didn't care. We were just obedient to do what Jesus commanded us.  And I am standing on God's promise that when two people are in agreement over what they ask for in prayer [in His Name[, that it will be received.
     And previously, Mark had prayed over a Board Member of the Museum, who was incapacitated by herniated discs in his back, and would be having surgery in a few days. As I returned to stand [in the physical sphere before the paintings we were exhibiting], all the anxiety I had been feeling disappeared. I told Mark, "You know what? I don't think this Art Show is about whether we sell paintings or not. What if the reason we are here tonight is to be the conduit between Heaven and Earth? What if the primary reason we came to the Show was not to seek provision for us, but to pray over those two men and release the power of the Holy Spirit into their situations and see them healed?" Mark just looked at me, and I saw the exhaustion of the last couple of weeks slip away, and the strain of the evening disappear. He said, "I think you're right. It's about doing Kingdom work; not about us".
     And you know something interesting? As soon as we put the Kingdom first, the atmosphere changed, and people began bidding on his work, and the Lord surpassed any expectancy we had about receiving His provision! And the joy at the end of the evening was not about number of dollars, but that we had been willing to hear the Holy Spirit and help Him invade that event with His Presence! 
     But it doesn't stop there! I have heard testimonies from my Brothers and Sisters in Christ of the opportunities they are receiving -- and acting on -- to minister to people; to heal them and to share the gospel. We are all discerning that the Holy Spirit is active and zealous for partners to work with. We are sensing He is on the move in the Body of Christ for those who are willing to hear Him and respond! The opportunities to do Kingdom work abound, and I pray that your heart and spirit are sensitive to hear the Lord calling, even as you answer Him, "Send me!"  

Ephesians 3:20     "Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for His miraculous power constantly energizes you".   

Searching For The Peace of God

     It was another one of those nights ... I woke up between 3 and 4 in the morning, and couldn't go back to sleep. There wasn't anything big pressing on my soul or spirit, but it was clear that I wasn't going back to sleep soon. I know that this is the time the Enemy likes to sow his lies into my sleepy brain, so I was on guard to take every thought captive. Since this is a regular occurrence for me, and I know that Jesus talks about being prepared in "the night watches" (Luke 12:35-40), I instinctively know that this is a time that God may be calling me to seek Him.
     So, instead of trying harder to go back to sleep, I chose to spend time with Jesus and see what we had to say to each other. Realizing that I was restless and just a little anxious, a spontaneous thought quickly came to my mind in the form of a question ... Did Jesus model for us what "being at peace" looked like? In my natural mind I tried to run that rabbit and see if I could think of any Scripture in the Gospels that spoke of Jesus being at peace or enjoying peaceful respite. I know the Bible talks about the "peace that surpasses all understanding", but did Jesus, Himself, show us what that looks like for us in our Christian walk?
     When I couldn't really think of any example in the Bible, I decided to spend these waking moments visiting with Jesus in the garden of my heart. I got still and quieted my mind. In my spirit, I entered through my garden gate and headed down the path to the bench under the big oak tree where we always meet to sit and talk. But He wasn't there! I had a moment of slight panic, but remembered another time when my soul and spirit were dry and I felt emptied of any divine energy.  At that time, Jesus had instructed me to immerse myself in the river of Living Water, and while floating there, I felt myself getting filled up; the Living Water from the throne of God seeped through my pores and I was restored and ready to serve Him again.
     So, when I didn't find Jesus at our meeting place this time, I immediately thought, "I'll just go to the river of Living Water and see if I can be filled with His peace there". I knelt down by the river and scooped the water up, drinking in its sweet flavor, both physically and spiritually. I couldn't get enough! All of a sudden, I was aware of Jesus sitting on the bank, watching me and smiling. He said, "You've instinctively thirsted for the Living Water, which is the source of your spiritual life. But there's more I want you to understand. You are seeking My peace, but I'm not sure you get the big picture. Let me show you more...".  At that moment, I drifted off to sleep, but in the morning when I woke up, every inch of my flesh and spirit was eager to go to the Word to see if I could find what He wanted to show me.

     I instinctively knew that there was a connection between the peace I was seeking and the Living Waters I had consumed in my garden. So, I started in Galatians, Chapter 5, where I knew peace was mentioned in conjunction with the fruits of the Spirit. It read, But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit.

     All of a sudden, the picture was coming into view ... Peace in my life is a fruit of the presence of the Holy Spirit. I knew that, but I was beginning to understand that peace was not something I could get or produce on my own, APART from the Holy Spirit. On the contrary -- the fruit was the evidence of the power producing it. In other words, it was the power of the Holy Spirit in me, bringing me into union with Christ that produces the peace. My peace is always found when I am filled to overflowing with the Living Waters!
     Now, I was eager to see if I could confirm that understanding through Scripture.  First of all, I found conviction [in the Psalms] that I was awakened in the middle of the night so that I might meet with Jesus. Psalm 119:147-148 says, Before the day dawns, I’ll be crying out for help and wrapping Your words into my life. I lie awake every night pondering Your promises to me. Psalm 4:4 says, Tremble in awe before the Lord, and do not sin against Him. Be still upon your bed and search your heart before Him. Pause in His presence. And Psalm 16:7 says, The way You counsel and correct me makes me praise You more, for Your whispers in the night give me wisdom, showing me what to do next.
     Now, could I find the connection between thirsting for the Living Water, it's overflowing from my heart, and the peace that I desired? Romans 15:13 spoke directly to me! Now may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in Him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with His super-abundance until you radiate with hope! There it was! The picture of the Living Water coming directly from God as my source of joy and peace! And that peace comes directly to me by the power of the Holy Spirit to reproduce the character of Christ in me!
     You know, sometimes, it is easy to say we understand the Biblical concepts that we've learned in Church. But to really understand is a heart knowledge, not a head or analytical knowledge. I knew peace came from God. And I knew that the Living Water was the Holy Spirit overflowing from my heart. But when I tried to see Jesus displaying that peace as a man, I was chasing after the peace of God in my flesh. Jesus always talked about the Living Water as a spiritual concept, not something that we could accomplish in the flesh. So, it was important that I understand that I can only know true peace when I am functioning out of the overflow of the Holy Spirit in my life. 
     So, now I understood what had taken place in the garden of my heart. In my search for Jesus' peace, I was led to drink of the Living Waters, flowing from the throne of God. Jesus wasn't at our meeting place under the shade of the big oak tree because I wasn't going to get instructions for peace from how He modeled life as a human man. I could only get the peace He knew by being filled with the overflowing joy and peace coming by way of the Holy Spirit, and straight from the fountain of hope, Himself, which is God, the Father. That's why Jesus was waiting for me on the banks that provided the peace I was looking for!
     In summary, I now understand that true peace is not something I can achieve through earthly measures. I can't do enough, have enough, or know enough [in the flesh] to set my soul or spirit at perfect peace. It is only through the presence and overflowing of the Holy Spirit, that I can know the peace that exists in the Kingdom of God. If I may be so bold, I don't believe you can find real peace in the realm of this earth. The key for us, who are living here until called Home, is the discernment that God's peace only exists in God's Kingdom realm. The only way we can experience His Kingdom while still on this planet is in the realm of the Holy Spirit. It all comes down to this ... Divine Peace exists in the realm where God is. God's realm is available to us through the power of the Holy Spirit in us. The power of the Holy Spirit is experienced as the overflowing of the river of Living Water in our hearts. Divine peace -- God's peace -- comes when we submit our hearts to Him and allow Him to fill us with Himself. Instead of looking for outward manifestations of peace, I will now look inward -- because I know that the peace of God, which surpasses all [human] understanding, will guard my heart and my mind because His realm lives inside me. Hallelujah!

Romans 14:17    Because the Kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking [as a human does]. When God reigns, the order of the day is redeeming justice, true peace, and joy made possible by the Holy Spirit. 
     

 
      
      
    

"Beware Of The Natural Familiarity of Ichabod Churches"

     Are you as intrigued by that statement as I am? It certainly captured my attention when reading an article written by John Burton for Charisma Magazine. But, what exactly is an "Ichabod Church"? To understand this reference, one must go to the Old Testament and the Book of 1 Samuel. There the Israelite Judge Eli (who helped raise the prophet Samuel) and his family were judged disrepectful of the Lord, despising the sacrifices and offerings made to Him, and taking the choice parts of meat and fat for themselves.

     The result was that the Israelites were defeated in battle by the Philistines; Eli's sons were killed in battle; and Eli, himself, dies upon hearing the news that the Ark of the Covenant has fallen into the hands of the Philistines. But it is his daughter-in-law, who before dying in child-birth, learns of the deaths of her husband and father-in-law and the capture of the ark, then names her son Ichabod, and proclaims, "The glory has left Israel, for the ark of God has been taken.”
     So, in essence, what John Burton is alluding to is the fact that the glory of God has left our churches today. At the heart of his article is this statement: "Most every day, in one venue or another, I'm hearing from disillusioned, frustrated people who cannot find a church that has been overtaken by the Holy Spirit. No extreme revival atmospheres can be found for many. The Upper Room experience that innumerable desperate people are searching for are nowhere to be seen, in some instances, within 500 miles of where they live. They complain of short, ordered, controlled services that, according to them, aren't worth their time. There's a measure of spirituality, but they don't even come close to the explosive, supernatural experiences they are craving".
     Now, when I read this my heart was pricked, and my mind became super-charged, and I felt as if God was down-loading thoughts faster than I could comprehend them and tie them all together!  First of all, we know that the Ark of the Covenant was the presence of God with the Israelites. So, if the ark is gone, then the glory [and His presence] of God is gone. But how do we define the glory of God? What is it? It is certainly true that, in history, God's glory has been externally manifested not only in the Ark, but in the plagues; the pillars of cloud [by day] and fire [by night]; in His appearance on Mount Sinai; in the fire initiating the sacrificial system; and in Solomon's Temple. His glory certainly became a reality at the birth of Christ and will be evident in the restored Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem, in the future.
     But what should His glory look like for us today? And if Mr. Burton likens our modern Churches to a condition similar to the circumstances surrounding the birth of Ichabod, what is he really saying? Let me see if I can connect the dots between his article and what the Lord is showing me.  I have heard it preached and spoken by today's pastors that "God’s glory can be seen in things such as love, music, heroism and so forth—things belonging to God that we are carrying “in jars of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7). We are the vessels which “contain” His glory. I can't disagree with that, but if we are the vessels that contain His glory, what about those vessels in the Upper Room on Pentecost? Why have we, in the modern Church, dismissed the glory that they contained? Why do we dismiss the signs and wonders and the power of the Holy Spirit that was evidence of God's glory in them? 
     In his article, Mr. Burton likens the state of our churches to the Wise and Foolish Virgins in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. In this well-known parable, half of the Virgins have their lamps full of oil (which is representative of the Holy Spirit in the Bible). The wise Virgins had been in recent contact with the dispenser of oil (Holy Spirit), whereas the foolish Virgins had apparently procrastinated. Engaging frequently with the dispenser of the oil [the Holy Spirit], the wise had an adequate supply of oil to trim their lamps and go into the marriage supper when the bridegroom finally arrived. They were prepared! But the foolish Virgins think they can just borrow some of the oil from their wiser counterparts.  But that's not how the Holy Spirit works!
      And this gets to the crux of Mr. Burton's premise: "Churches are filled with people the Bible would call foolish—those who are not spiritually vibrant, personally disciplined, and deeply intimate with Jesus. Their lamps are empty... If a church is ablaze with the spirit of prayer and alive as the Holy Spirit blows and burns through everyone there, those who are asleep and without any oil will definitely not feel comfortable. There is no way they can integrate in such a place without feeling the pressure to fill their lamps". Then he asks, why are we so willing to share our oil; to dilute the glory of God in the presence of the Holy Spirit in order to make those people feel comfortable? Why is the Church of today so willing "to integrate nicely with others who are equally resistant to the deeper things of the Spirit? They are [all] spiritually interested, but not spiritually invested. They have not paid the price and have not bought their own oil".
     Here's the thing ... the oil (Holy Spirit) cannot be borrowed. And it cannot be passed from one person to another.  Each person must determine just how much of the Holy Spirit he or she wants.
     This principle reminds me of those 120 who were present in the Upper Room at Pentecost. But do you recall that after He was resurrected, Jesus appeared first to Peter, then to the 12 Apostles, and then to more than 500 of His followers? Acts 1:3 says, "He presented himself alive to them after His suffering [on the Cross] by many proofs [signs and wonders], appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God".
     The Bible tells us in Acts 1:2, that just before He ascended into Heaven, He left instructions for ALL of those followers and apostles [which means "sent ones"; not restricted to the Twelve]. He told them all to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit; that which had been promised by the Father [in Joel 2].  So there were at least 512 people who had seen the resurrected Christ and been told to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. Why were there only 120 who received Him? Did the others get tired of waiting? Did they think they had lots of time and weren't diligent about being prepared? Or did they think that the gift of the Holy Spirit wasn't for them or worth their while? Do you see the similarities with the Foolish Virgins? With the modern Church?
     If we think that we're on solid ground, or good enough, with being saved and having the Holy Spirit indwell us, and thus being content with a moderate level of the Holy Spirit in us... aren't our lamps only half full? Don't we want the full measure of Him, which means we are willing to pay the price to seek Him on our own? Do we really want to be like those 200 or more people who missed out on the Upper Room experience because they weren't willing to pay the price to wait for the Father's gift of the Holy Spirit? As Mr. Burton writes, "Those who had their lamps full, those who responded to the command of Jesus to wait and pray, were ready when the wind and the fire came!"
     So, I believe the underlying message to the Ichabod Churches and to the foolish Virgins is this: Don't quench the desire of the Holy Spirit to manifest among you in the supernatural power of Heaven. Don't restrict His Presence because some are uncomfortable, or lazy, or fearful. Don't limit His Presence to the lowest common denominator. The glory of God is to make His Presence known; to pour out His Spirit on all mankind.  What He did in the Upper Room at Pentecost is His desire for you and me. We must not let His glory depart on our watch!

Exodus 24:17    "Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel".

    

Are You Willing To Be Possessed By The Spirit?

     By now it should be pretty obvious that I am captivated by the Holy Spirit -- or at least, it is my heart's desire to be His possession. I want every thought, every word I speak, every cell in my body to be His. He is increasingly drawing me into His Presence, and I desperately want to experience the fullness of His living water flowing from my heart. But I also recognize that I need His purifying fire to cleanse me and make my spirit holy like His.  So, if like me, you have recently discovered a hunger to be filled with the Holy Spirit -- or even if this is your present reality -- I invite you to consider these thoughts....

     Do we understand who and what the Holy Spirit is? First we must understand what we mean by "spirit". Spirit is a specific and identifiable substance; as real as matter, but different.  In our physical bodies we are matter. We have weight; we yield to gravitational pull; we have dimension and shape, and are extended into space. Matter bumps against other matter and stops.  But Spirit is different in that it has the ability to penetrate. In fact, Spirit can penetrate everything. For instance, your body is made of matter, and yet your spirit has penetrated your body completely. And Spirit can penetrate spirit.
     But what is the Holy Spirit?  The answer is that He is a Being dwelling in another mode of existence. He doesn't have weight; can't be measured or sized; doesn't have color, or extend into space. But He nevertheless exists as surely as you and I do. He is a Person, with all the qualities and powers of a personality.
     We often think of Him as being the literal breath, or wind, of God. If that's how you see Him, then you think of Him as nonpersonal and nonindividual. But the Holy Spirit has will and intelligence and feeling and knowledge and sympathy and ability to love and see and think and hear and speak and desire the same as any person has.
     [I would venture to say that] many of us have grown up on the theology that accepts the Holy Spirit as a Person, and even as a divine Person, but for some reason it hasn't done us any good.  We are as empty as ever; we are as joyless as ever; we are as far from peace as ever; we are as weak as ever. Why?
     Historically, the Church has recognized the Holy Spirit as God. I mean, how many of us grew up on the Nicene Creed: "we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified". We say we believe this, just as we believe the Scripture: "For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). Yet, if you would go to most churches and ask the preacher, "Do you believe that the Lord answers prayer and heals the sick?" he would reply, "Sure, I do!" He believes it, but he doesn't teach it, and what you don't believe strongly enough to teach won't be evident in your life.
     It is the same with being filled with the Holy Spirit. Evangelical Christianity believes it, but few experience it. Instead, this truth has been buried under mounds of inactivity and inattention, although the Lord Jesus made it clear this was His intention for Believers. Jesus spoke of the "promise of His Father" in Luke 24:49, which was a reference to the promised Holy Spirit in Joel 2:28-29, It shall come about after this that I shall pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

     This promise was realized when the Father poured out His Spirit at Pentecost. He wanted to take religion out of the external and make it internal and put it on the same level as life itself, so that a man knows he knows God the same as he knows he is alive and not dead. Only the presence of the Holy Spirit can do that. The Holy Spirit came to carry the evidence of Christianity from books [and rituals and traditions] into the human heart. The problem is that we too often try to confirm the truth of our Christianity [or faith] by appealing to external evidence. But the proof lies in an invisible, powerful, but unseen energy that visits the human soul and spirit when the authentic Gospel is preached. 
     Jesus came to do away with a religion that depended on external evidence, and gave us the promised Holy Spirit that brings a bright, emotional quality to our faith. What's more, we have inherited what He gave the Apostles -- direct spiritual authority that removes our fears, our questions, our apologies, and our doubts; an authority founded upon life in the Holy Spirit. 
     But, I want to explore a thought, here ... If you believe that the spiritual grace and power which was given to the First-Century Christians was only for them, or that it is unnecessary for us to desire it individually because it was given to "the Church", once and for all, then I have a question for you. Does each Christian need to individually be "born again" for his faith to be valid? Can you get born again by proxy? The fact that those first 120 at Pentecost were born again, does that mean that we don't have to be? 
     I'm assuming your answer was "no". In that case, is the experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit, which those first Christians received, enough for us? Does it cover you and me? If not, [and if we have yet to experience the fullness of the Spirit] is our state a satisfactory fulfillment of the expectations of the Father and Christ? Didn't Jesus express that there were certain high expectations of what the Father was going to do for His redeemed people?  Didn't He raise an expectation that was simply beyond words [and our ability to comprehend]; something so wonderful and beautiful and thrilling that it is hard for us to imagine? He gave us so much more than words can express, and the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment.
     But look around us ... are we living up to that expectation for His people? Are we possessed by the Holy Spirit, and does our life reflect it? Is our life evidence of His internal presence flowing out of us in immeasurable fruit? Here is what I believe is an unmistakable truth: Satan has opposed the doctrine of a Spirit-filled life about as strongly as any other doctrine there is.  He has confused it, challenged it, and surrounded it with false beliefs and fears. He has blocked every effort of the Church to receive from the Father her divine and blood-bought inheritance. The Church has tragically neglected this great liberating truth -- that there is now, for every child of God a full and wonderful and completely satisfying blessing of being filled with the Holy Spirit. 
     But here's the rest of that truth: You must believe that this is nothing added or extra to the Christian experience. The Spirit-filled life is not a special, deluxe edition of Christianity. It is part of the total plan of God for His people. It is not abnormal -- perhaps unusual, because we see so few people who walk in the light of it. We must believe that the Holy Spirit is the essence of Jesus imparted to Believers, and we have a right to a full, Spirit-filled life, purchased by the blood of Jesus on the Cross.
     But here's the catch ... Before you can be filled with the Spirit, you must desire to be filled. I think, for too many people, there is fear or doubt when it comes to being possessed by a spirit other than their own. [They don't want to give up control]. And here is the kicker ... that Spirit, if He ever possesses you, will be the Lord of your life! If we're honest, we will admit we want His benefits (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control/discipline). But do we truly want to be possessed by Him? Because He will not tolerate self-confidence, self-love, self-righteousness, self-magnification, or self-pity. Through God's holy Nature and Authority, He forbids these characteristics and He cannot send His mighty Spirit to possess the heart where these characteristics reside. 
     So we must decide if we are willing to be possessed by the Holy Spirit, and if we are willing to advance from our early stages of salvation to cultivate His presence, so that He might illuminate and bless and lift and purify and direct our lives. We must decide if we are willing to give up all so that we might have the All. And it is time to answer the hard questions ... Are we ready to give up our social concept of religion for the greater truth of the spiritual? Have we watered down the New Testament until it has no strength or taste in it? Are we more influenced by the world, and others' opinions, so that much of what passes for the Gospel Message today is little more than orthodox religion grafted on to a heart that is sold out to the world and its pleasures, tastes, and ambitions?
     We must cultivate a relationship with the Holy Spirit if we desire to be possessed by Him. We must dedicate ourselves to the glory of Jesus, honoring Him by doing the things He told us to do, trusting Him as our All, following His voice as our Shepherd, and obeying Him fully. When we honor Jesus in this way, the Holy Spirit will become the aggressor and seek to know us, and raise us to new heights of faith, enlighten us spiritually, fill us, and bless us!
     I have just one more point: Cultivate the art of recognizing the presence of the Spirit everywhere. Begin by opening your Bible, getting on your knees, and saying, "Father, here I am. Begin to teach me". 

     FULL DISCLOSURE: While I am in full agreement with these thoughts ... they are not mine. What I have presented to you is a compilation of a series of sermons by one of the most preeminent theologians of the last century, A.W. Tozer. These are his words -- all of them -- they are not mine. This self-taught theologian lived from 1897-1963 and committed his life to the ministry of God's Word.  
     I ran across his tiny little 64-page book, titled "How To Be Filled With The Holy Spirit" and read it in one sitting. While a man's thoughts are never a substitute for God's, I found Tozer's words to be written in the spirit of the Scriptures, and I was only slightly surprised to find that those thoughts mirrored my own. Although I'm not as bold as he, to declare that modern Christianity in the Church is a "pitiful, whimpering, drooling appeal to the flesh", I do recognize that, too often, the power of the Holy Spirit has left the building and been replaced by a weakened Gospel that leaves Christians influenced by man-made traditions and teachings, and suffering oppression from the devil. [I am reminded of the Disciples in John, Chapter 6, who were offended by Jesus's teachings, and turned away from Him, forfeiting all that He had to offer them].
     So, I applaud A.W. Tozer for his straight-forward representation of the Holy Spirit. It saddens me to think that the weakness he saw in the Church three-quarters of a century ago is still prevalent, and I urge you to heed his instruction. Talk to the Holy Spirit. Remember, He is a Person! He desires relationship! And He wants you to become His sanctuary. He brings great power and revelation with Him, and if we surrender to Him, the most simple and menial task becomes a ministry to the glory of God. Search the Scriptures to see what is revealed about the Holy Spirit. Then, as Tozer says, "pray and yield; obey and believe". See if ALL of what the Lord gave us is what you desire. And then ask Him to fill you and possess you!

John 6:63    “The Holy Spirit is the One who gives life, that which is of the natural realm is of no help. The words I speak to you are Spirit and life. But there are still some of you who won’t believe.”