Holy Spirit The Analyst of Our Spiritual Lives
KNOW THE TRUTH...and HE WILL SET US FREE!!
Superman didn't have to put on a costume to become superman. He was born a super hero.
Spiderman, Batman, Captain America and others had to put on a costume to become something other than who they were in daily life. And their true identity was hidden from almost everyone.
The mythical characters such as Hercules were chosen and given their powers.
All had characteristic flaws, all had weakness just the same as we do. But at the same time they also took their roles seriously.
We, are born to become sons or children of God. Predestined to become like Jesus. (Predestined is in the heart of God, but we still make the choices we will ultimately choose) Rom.8.29,30; Eph.1.5&11 Meaning that this is truly possible. "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God..." Rom. 8.16
Jesus said to Nicodemus that he did not have to go back into his mother's womb to be re-born. He was to be born from above, of the Spirit. Jn.3
It becomes our natural inheritance, as unnatural as it seems to appear. There is ownership, sanctioned by God. Matt.25.34; Eph.1.13-18; Col.1.12,13; 1Peter 1.3-5
We must step into our inheritance of son ship, duke, duchess, prince, princess, kings and queens.
It needs to become a natural trait or position, but this can only happen once we identify with who we are meant to become. In his likeness; then others will say, "I recognize Jesus in you". Our witness to the world of God's redeeming power. Also the power of true godly love for one another, the greatest example we can exhibit.
Following after the ONE TRUE SON; who just happens to be, the WAY, TRUTH, LIFE. In other words in Him is the way, truth and life. Nothing else can matter. Jesus knew and understood completely who he was, where he was from and what he was to do while here on earth and his position after he ascended into heaven, and who Holy Spirit was and why he was to come after him. Jn.18.37
Our question; that is to us as evangelical believers is this:
Who is Holy Spirit; the one Jesus said would come after him. Holy Spirit is to be in us, so why are we apparently limited in our discernment of him and the truth he was to bring to us and be in us? Jn.14.15-21
(Unless in your Biblical viewpoint you do not believe in the work or person of the Holy Spirit. Then, you have thrown away almost all of the NT, because it largely speaks of him and his work).
The Apostle Paul had revelation, knowledge and understanding of son ship that is rightfully ours by re-birth. He knew from being a Jew, a Pharisee of Pharisees, who he was, where he had come from and when he had his eyes opened for the second time he truly began to see. God chose, this outwardly, most unlikely candidate to be the most influential to carry out his purpose of giving us the best depiction of the person, Holy Spirit and his action or work both in us and for us. Rom. 8,9; Gal.4.5; Eph.1.5,6
Jesus wants us to fully experience what it means to be "Born from above"; not trying to become from above; striving to become is impossible, it only brings futility, pride, and a religious spirit. Jn.3.3-8
We are already born into an everlasting Kingdom! We just don't entirely identify with it yet.
How do we come into this full knowledge?
Full = Complete, jam-packed, whole, entire, All.
When does the revelatory light come on for us?
The truth can only be revealed by the TRUTH REVEALER, Holy Spirit.
How hard are we knocking on his door? How hard are we seeking for him to be more thoroughly revealed in us? Who are we asking about him and how much do we really want to know? How badly? Does he mean EVERYTHING to us? This does not mean separating the Godhead, because Holy Spirit shows us everything in Christ and brings all the glory to Jesus and the Father. Luke 11.9-13
If then as the scriptures say, "We are sons already!" Gal.4.6; Heb.2.10
Then what is our problem?
(Part of the problem is, Satan is a liar - the truth is not in him. Jn.8.44)
There are many denominations who don't teach an active living Holy Spirit as a person and who has a huge part in causing our lives to be truly fulfilled.
We all possess a natural tendency to not believe the truth. Perhaps it's too good to be true.
We don't deserve this.
Exactly, we don't. No one does.
All have sinned and come up short of God's glory... BUT! Wait, one has come all the way... prepared the way... Is The Way! The man Christ Jesus. Rom.3.23, 5.11-15;
Fully man, fully God. He transcends the barriers on our behalf. Rose above, goes beyond, surpassed, exceeded all the requirements. Heb.7.23-28
He breaks the sin and death mould (pattern) for all the human race once and for all.
What is our reluctance to understand and grasp hold of his truth? "...The Spirit will receive from me and make it known to you". Jn.16.12-14
Too good to be true... Can't be so... I need to work for it and prove myself worthy! I need to make myself holy and spiritual, all by myself.
I need to work for the crown, work towards it. Work, Work, Work... Work at what?
My salvation? Many stumble over this next verse.
Phil. 2.12-13; ...work out your salvation, with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you... NIV. But in the Complete Jewish Bible it says, "work out your deliverance". Quite a different interpretation to be considered and to make sense of.
The word salvation puts an emphasis on me, but the word deliverance places the emphasis on me not being hindered or influenced by the world around me, thus allowing God to do in me the things that are pleasing to him. (following up on the rest of the scripture verse).
Fear and trembling not so much at God but, at how subtly with clever scheming our enemy can manipulate and destroy us. (From My article: The Call to Intercession)
So, if we are working at our working things out in us, why isn't it working then... where is all this purified, sanctified life?
Is Holy Spirit failing at his job? Impossible, he cannot.
Who then is failing and why?
What is at the root of man's problem?
We don't believe we are born again.
We try to get reborn every other day because we see that holiness in our everyday life is not working.
We don't get it... we are the same as Nicodemus. He didn't get it either and he knew a lot more than we do. (Jn. 3 He was a teacher)
We still want all the futility of a work mentality; outside of Holy Spirit truth, which is to be at work in us, by faith. And what is it about this faith that is different?
Where does this true faith have to come from for our knowledge, understanding, and spirit revelation, to grasp so that we get the whole picture?
Where are we missing it?
What adjustments have to be made in our faith software, our heart, our mind and our spirit?
What is the difference in our intellect that separates faith, belief, truth, self, doubt, fear and places them into their perspective categories so that we might fully understand their height, depth, width, and length and what they are actively doing within us?
Something huge that we miss is the renewing of the mind. We have a tendency to want to bypass this particular aspect, because this is where the real work is. The largest part of Holy Spirit work in us is our counsellor (therapist, analyst). Usually if you go to have some kind of counselling advice, be it for marriage or whatever, there is an element of change expected if you are to succeed, therefore this equals the desire to accept change. Intransigence (inflexibility, stubbornness) is about being unwilling to accept change. Most of us will agree we need change but won't put the work into it. We may resist changing our mind-set completely. When Holy Spirit points something out to us, we may agree that this is true but don't put forth any effort in allowing our behaviour to be altered. We don't believe that our minds are corrupted by a virus of unbelief and that our souls, emotion, heart can come under a powerful delusion.
The work is not to get to heaven, the work is to keep ourselves from being tainted by the world that is going to hell and be willing to give over ownership of our mind-set, heart attitude and character flaws.
We are Sanctified by the truth - God's word Jn.17.17
We are blessed beyond our comprehension with inheritance. Heb.9.14-15
Our bank account in heaven is full.
But somehow it seems as though we are stuck here without the account number and pass code. Why?
The brother of the prodigal didn't get it, and neither do we. The father told him he had everything... in his possession... already there. Luke 15.31
Whatever of mine or is mine is yours, he was told by his father.
Jesus is in the Father and we are in Jesus... Ask anything in my name!
We are in = Presently!
We do not have to try to attain what we already possess unless... we don't believe it. But yet we continue to strive at trying. What's with that?
How great is our unbelief?
We are... on the other side of the Jordan. To take possession of the land.
Why don't we know it yet? Or we want more than just the aspect of taking (which requires work = faith in action). We want the gold, silver, and abundance without a heart, spirit, mind and soul transformation. The real work to salvation is keeping it and sharing it with others, thus proving the heart of Christ in us.
He shared all of the Kingdom with us and proved it ultimately by his life and sacrificially through his death.
What are we sacrificing? "To gain your life you must lose it"!
So... Why are we still struggling with ineffectuality, fruitlessness and futility?
It's not about money, bank accounts, possessions, wealth, success...
It's not about who can be the holiest, most sanctified, qualified, biggest heart, filled with the gifts, greatest soul winner, most submissive or saintly...
It's all about living HIS LIFE in TRUTH!
Having full possession of the TRUTH! (How much more will your Father in heaven give Holy Spirit to those who ask him). Luke 11.13
WE POSSESS THE TRUTH and HE IS A PERSON!
Now it is all up to US to...
KNOW HIM WHO IS THE TRUTH AND HE SHALL SET US FREE!
KNOW: Be acquainted, aware, familiar, recognise, distinguish, identify, discover, discern
POSSESS: Have, own, hold, acquire, gain, seize
Salvation is a gift from a loving and benevolent Father; but attached to it is our responsibility to live as large as we can in the Spirit, becoming a true likeness of Jesus with his help.
At the end of our lives it would be a tragedy to come to him and say, "I'm sorry I didn't take the time to really get to know you and your ways, or believe that Holy Spirit was a relevant part of my life".
Jesus words of, "Depart from me for I do not know you", should be the scariest thing we should never want to hear.
The Father says, "Seek me and you will find me, when you seek me with ALL your heart". Jer.29.13
Prov.8.17, Amos 5.4
Giving ALL of our heart to Jesus and the Father is also accepting Holy Spirit as the greatest friend we will ever know.
Help us Jesus. Amen.
(Scripture references are from the NIV unless otherwise stated)
