Call of the Spirit Publications

I think back to the old western’s we used to watch, when the good guys finally got the bad guys surrounded in some old shack or something like that. There was no way out for them and they ended up surrendering, giving up their running. They had come to a place where they could no longer get away from their pursuers and they had to give up trying — they surrendered!

God is on the pursuit! He’s looking for those who will give up trying to live life apart from His help and direction. In His sovereignty He created man with a free will; meaning we have the right to choose how we live and who we live for.

Death, man’s new nature

At the fall of man the fruit of death became lodged within the spirit of man. You could say it became our default ‘life’, and everything that comes with it: sickness, pain, fighting between ourselves and every other misery we face in this life. So we’re faced with one of two choices: continue living in darkness and experiencing the result it brings or we can choose the life only God can provide.  The first is automatic (default); do nothing and you’ll be carried where it can only lead, death!

We have a choice

Choose the life that God offers and the Heavenly possibilities are endless!: Peace, joy, hope, love is just the beginning of the quality of life God has in store for those who come to Him.

First you have to surrender to Him.  The choice has to be made to come to Him.  Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).  This coming to the Father is called being born again or being made a new creature in Christ (see John 3:3-7 and 2 Corinthians 5:17).

That’s just the beginning though.  Because death is man’s default fruit there is a lot of reprogramming we must undergo to function in the Kingdom of God.  Our thinking, the way we talk, how we treat others must all be saturated with the life of God.

God’s quality of Life

The fruit of the Spirit as listed in Galatians Five (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) is now our new nature; the new ‘life’ within our spirit-man.

The problem is: these attributes do not automatically take over and become our standard of behavior.  They have to be put on, or worked out from within.  Paul put it this way: “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you / put on the new man / present your bodies to God” (see Philippians 2:12-13, Ephesians 4:24 and Romans 12:1).

There must be a change

Again, because we have a free will to choose, God is not going to make you do this.  You have to surrender to His dealings (things in your life He’s putting His finger on to change) and give up trying to live like you’ve never met Him!

The great part about this all is He’ll give you the desire and strength (or ability) to make the changes!  But you have to come to the end of your self and give in to Him—surrender!

The time is coming when “Every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God” that “Jesus Christ is Lord” (see Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:11). For Jesus to be Lord He must be on the throne of your life; it takes surrendering your own ways and taking up His.

Brokenness

All mature believers have come to the place of brokenness.  The place where they no longer are on the throne of their lives, but they’ve surrendered to the dealings of God. Scripture says: “‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.’  If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?  But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then your are illegitimate and not sons” (Hebrews 12:5-8).  “Beloved, now are we the sons of God” (1John 3:2a).  The earlier passage came right after talking about resisting sin in our lives.  Our primary job is to be Christ-like, this will require one to surrender to God by throwing up their hands and saying: “Not my will be done, but Yours, O God!”

Let’s “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us” (Hebrews 12:1) and surrender to God!

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1-2).

In the epistle James wrote the Holy Spirit instructs that a double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways.

The days in which we live are hallmarked by instability.  If you look all around you, I’m sure you’ll agree.  It seems nobody can make up their mind, from corporate operations to personal beliefs!  The ‘winds’ of popular opinion blow and drive lives from one extreme to another.  In their wake the result of instability causes shipwreck, destroying lives. Men and women divide households by this plague and long-time businesses have folded.

Church’s dissolve because their members divide over varying doctrinal opinions.  We no longer see the ‘Black-and-White’ of scripture.  The Word of God has to line up with what’s considered to be politically correct.  We fail to understand that there’s a curse attached to the altering of God’s Word!  “Every Word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.  Do not add to His Words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:5-6).  Two of the last four verses in the Word of God speak of the curse to expect when you add to or take from His Words (read Revelation 22:18-19)!

Who’s programming you?

Our opening scripture tells us to set our minds on things above and not on things of this earth, indicating the two arenas of influence our minds receive their programming from.

To receive the world’s instruction—do nothing but go with the flow around you!  The fruit though will be bitterness, envy, self-seeking, confusion and every evil thing.  “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17).  Wow!  That’s powerful!  So, one who is envious, self-seeking and a hypocrite is confused and full of evil?  According to the Book, yes.

There is hope

We can change!  One of the greatest aspects of the gospel is God makes available to mankind His thoughts and ways of doing things, and He’s extremely successful!  He said: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways…for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).  “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God (and) we have the mind of Christ” (compilation of 1Corinthians 1:30 & 2:16).

We see the contrast here, God’s thoughts and ways vs. man’s.  You may ask, “If we have the mind of Christ, then why aren’t we thinking like God thinks?” The answer in simple, we have to renew our minds with the Word of God.  “…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2a).  The word transformed comes from the same Greek word we get metamorphosis from, which means a complete change.

Christ’s followers

The intended process of Christianity is to become like Jesus.  First we’re made a new creature inside, then we change on the outside to be like Him.  This is done by renewing the mind.  That’s why Paul instructed the church at Colosse to set their minds on things above.  He knew of the pull this world-system would have on them (and us!).  To have your mind set means to place or position it in an unmovable posture; in, by and with the Word of God!   The solid Rock!    Jesus!

To have heaven’s success, you have to think like heaven!  As a man thinks, so does he become!

The desire of all nations

The prophecy of scripture declares that Jesus is the desire of all nations and that we are His body.  He’s the head and we’re the rest of His body, His feet, arms and so on.  Scripture also reveals all of creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now!  Why?  Waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, the Body of Christ in her fullness (see Romans 8:22 & 19)!  How will it be accomplished?  By the renewing of our minds to think like God thinks! Setting our minds on things above!  The unchangeable Word of God is the only source of stability available!

Jesus is coming soon!  In order to have a lifestyle that will welcome His return we’ll have to set our minds on Him, His ways and desires.  Everything else is evil!

A good question we must continually ask ourselves is: “Am I sent from God to do this work (activity)?”  Remember we talked a little about identifying with Christ and how we are an extension from Him into this world?  That’s what being an ambassador truly is—someone who’s conducting ‘business’ on behalf of another.

Let’s take a look at something interesting the Bible says about the ministry of John the Baptist: “This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.”  That’s found in John 1:7.  I italicized the latter portion to emphasize his purpose.  Verse six tells us he was a man sent from God.  That was his purpose (or God’s plan for his life).

While God’s plan for our individual lives may not be as vocal or require us to separate into the wilderness apart from civilization eating locusts and honey, I do believe we all are called to bear witness of the Light that all through us may believe!  Right in the middle of Jesus’ prayer as recorded in John 17, He said: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word” (v. 20).  That’s you and I, as well as those who’ll believe in Him through what we bear witness of Him, whether in word or our lifestyle!

Remember what Jesus said about the one who gives someone a cup of cold water in His name (or as representing Him)?  There’s nothing insignificant any one of us could ever do in response to our Masters leading!  Responding to His promptings is bearing

witness to the Light!  Speaking an encouraging word to a wounded soul is bearing witness to the Light!  Cooking a meal for a mother with a newborn is bearing witness to the Light!

If this sounds like walking in Love—guess what?  IT IS!!  Laying down our life for the benefit of another is our highest calling!!  Then the world will know (be acquainted with and have an intimate knowledge of the fact) that God has sent Jesus into the world!!  God is still sending Jesus into the world—by sending you and me!  We are His hands, we are His feet and we are His mouth!  Our purpose?  To bear witness of the Light!

Last night (Feb. 9, 2006) I had to press through some pretty intense disturbance (somewhat like anxiety) while I was ministering on the drums. I remember wondering what was wrong; asking the Lord if I had missed it somewhere or was out of line at all with Him. There was no response, so I dismissed it.  [On a side note: when God doesn’t show you something’s wrong — then don’t bother about it, and don’t allow the devil to conjure up something either]. Then this morning I had an unrest about me, so I prayed again asking the Lord what was wrong. These words arose in me: “Rest is a decision.”

As I’ve taught in the past: when revelation comes from God you will also get understanding (at least partial — revelation usually grows with time and maturity).

So here’s the understanding I received: as with all of the promises of God (our inheritance), we must possess it, take hold of it; in other words, “labor to enter into” the rest of God (Hebrews 4:11), that takes decision.

Wait a minute, I thought we were talking about resting, and now labor is brought up? First let me mention that rest is not a ceasing of work, nor is it abundance of sleep; one can sleep for ten hours and still not be at rest.

Rest is a quietness of soul, undisturbedness in spirit. The primary labor required to enter into the rest of God is the renewal of the mind with the word of God — then being a doer of what you’ve renewed your mind to. Things like: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Or: “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7). One of my personal favorites is found in Proverbs from the Amplified Bible: “Roll your works upon the Lord — commit and trust them wholly to Him; [He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed” (16:3).

We all want success in life. I dare say most all of unrest or anxiety stems from concern for the things happening all around us — the uncertainty of this planet has spawned a spirit of hopelessness, and if we’re not careful to guard ourselves against it, it’ll get on us!

I strongly believe part of the light and glory that’s to be seen on us in these latter times is the security we have in Christ, Who is our refuge and fortress, our strong tower and Rock of defense!

Quiet your soul today (and every day) with these comforting words, then be ready to give an answer for the hope that’s within you, seasoning the world around you with the rest of Almighty God!

Are you persuaded? True faith is a product of being truly persuaded of a thing; in this case, the will of God on any matter.  You see faith begins where the will of God is known, which comes from hearing in your heart what His will is. This knowledge is an intimate acquaintance with, not just a know by what you’ve heard, but you’ve spent time with and have become acquainted with what you have heard; you’ve taken possession of it and it now has become part of your consciousness.

Another way to say it is: you now see it that way in your life, whether the physical manifestation is before you or not; in your heart (inner-man) it has become a reality, which turns into hope (a confident expectation). Now you see yourself this way; you’ve become persuaded (convinced of it’s reality regardless of outward evidence)!

Paul said he was “persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (Romans 8:38-39).  Mike Leach paraphrase: there’s no death or life, no circumstance or anything that’s created (you know, God is the only thing that hasn’t been created?!) could ever have the power to separate (take us away from) the love of God; the goodness of God; the mercy of God; the grace of God (you get the picture)!

Why? Because He has made us more than conquerors!; He leads our lives in victory!; He is able to keep us from destruction and harm!  Are you IN HIM? Are you PERSUADED of His love for you and His ability to keep you (take good care of you)? Are you persuaded our God is good and His mercy endures forever? Are you persuaded He’ll provide your every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus? If not, then get persuaded! Read the Book! It’s all in there; He wrote it down for you, so you could become persuaded! “He who has an ear to hear…”

I want to share something that exploded inside me this morning. Let’s look at Ephesians 4:17-19: “…no longer walk (conduct your manner of life) as the rest of the Gentiles (unbelievers) walk, in the futility (useless—vanity) of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated FROM the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them…who being PAST FEELING, have given themselves over to licentiousness (morally unrestrained), to work all uncleanness with greediness” (parenthesis and caps mine).

First I want to mention that this lifestyle of being ruled by a darkened mind causes one to NOT experience the life of God (that’s a whole other teaching, though).  What I want to emphasize is: being past feeling they gave themselves over to a morally unrestrained lifestyle.  Or we could say it this way: the nature inside them was able to be given full expression as they were PAST FEELING.

Well, I want to encourage each of us to get to the point of being PAST our FEELINGS (stop being moved by how we “feel” all of the time) and allow the LIFE OF GOD, which is already inside us by the Holy Ghost: “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2), to come out and govern our lives.  The way we think, the way we talk, how we treat others and so on!

Smith Wigglesworth always said: “I’m not moved by how I feel, I’m moved only by what I believe.”  That’s a great way to live.  Let’s shoot for that goal!

September 30, 2005

This morning I was reading in Mark chapter six verse thirty-four: “And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them.” Then I had thought: “How could Jesus stand always being pulled on, never being left alone?”  I know that’s a carnal—selfish thought, but I really want to get my love walk right and the Lord has been showing me areas where I need to change.

As soon as that thought came into my mind my heart received this revelation: I saw in the spirit realm that there are multitudes of spirits vying for our attention that they may influence us and be given expression in this earth. Pulling at and pushing us around with their attitudes and evil ways.

Jesus knows this and desires to bring us into freedom from their influence.  That’s why He was manifested!: “that He might destroy the works of the devil!” (1John 3:8).  The human race is helpless without Him!  But, thanks be to God—we’re NOT without Him!  We overcome the evil forces in this world “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony!” (Revelation 12:11a).

That co-worker or family member that’s causing you emotional pain by their cutting words or actions is simply being ‘moved upon’ by our enemy: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). The Mike Leach paraphrase would be: we’re not fighting against the people around us, but against the unseen ones they’re being influenced by.

Remember: Love covers a multitude of sins.  Love believes the best of every person.  We overcome evil by doing good.  Love prays for their enemies.  Love prefers others better than himself.  LOVE NEVER FAILS!   

Do you want your lamps filled to overflowing at His return?  Be caught being moved with compassion!

I want to announce to each and every one of you that the enemy of all of mankind IS ALREADY DEFEATED! Whatever battles he may launch — they’re already destined to fail!

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death!”  (Revelation 12:11)

The sealed victory is revealed in this verse in three parts: 1) the blood of the Lamb; 2) the word of their testimony; 3) they did not love their lives to the death.

The blood has already been shed and in the shedding of His blood Jesus “disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.”  (Colossians 2:15, Hebrews 2:14b respectively)

Another translation says that Jesus paralyzed the devil! GLORY!!!

Now we come to our parts; the word of our testimony regarding the triumph of the cross and not loving our lives unto death.

First, we must daily testify to what Jesus did for us!  Tell those symptoms of sickness, “I’ve BEEN healed by the strips of Jesus.”  Tell your checkbook: “my God supplies ALL of my need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus!”  Everything that pertains to life and godliness, it was all purchased at Calvary with His blood – apply it, speak it, tell it, ENFORCE THE VICTORY!  His power (grace) will cause the results, for He watches over His word to perform IT (not your pastor’s version — the raw, pure word of God) and His word will not return void. If it seems void in your life I have to ask: Are you returning it to Him?

Then the last thing is where most of us fall off: not loving our lives to the death.  What does that mean?  In every realm of God we all come to a crossroad where we have a choice.  The choice boils down to this: following the dictates of the flesh (what seems reasonable, and maybe even responsible) or allowing the witness of the Spirit of God lead us into the unknown.

There’s a death we all face when it comes to obeying God. We want to know the beginning to the end before we step out and do something that seems ridiculous to our thinking (bless our hearts!). But God doesn’t work that way. He says to step out of the boat (on to His word — written or personal) THEN He’ll uphold us!

Well, is it the end of time or not?  Is God speaking truths today that challenge us to do the works of Jesus? Or—are we going to be complacent, live OUR lives in the realm of same-ole, same-ole?  How will that affect our eternity?  What will we have to say to Jesus on that Great Day when He judges the hearts and works of man?

Beloved, it’s not my intention to bring you down, but to lift Him up and encourage us all to prioritize our day with the here-after in our minds!

These words just went off on the inside of me: “What if you knew for sure that Jesus was coming back this weekend; what would you want to accomplish—what’s in your heart to do before the coming of the Lord?”

Let me expound. Scripture teaches that when we delight ourselves in the Lord, He places His desires in our hearts (Ps. 37:4). And I’ll further say that with the desire comes the enablement (grace) to carry out that desire.

The Bible is THE avenue by which we can understand the ways of God. Being our standard we’re further taught that we are LABORERS TOGETHER with God. That means we work together with God (and He works together with us).

Jesus said He could do nothing apart from the Father, but the implication is the Father can do nothing apart from our cooperation. So let’s put the same question this way: “What would the Father like to accomplish THROUGH YOU before the return of the Lord?”

You know, this may or may not be our last week before Jesus raptures us home…who among us is willing to take that chance and put off God and His desires for this planet? There IS coming a week when IT WILL BE the last! Let’s make sure we’re all candidates for the praise of God: “Well done thou good and faithful servant!”

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1).

Webster’s dictionary uses words like these to describe perilous: harmful, risky, dangerous.  But I like the margin rendering in my Bible for perilous: times of stress.  If ever the planet earth and the people on it have experienced ‘times of stress’ it’s right now!  Talking of the last days, Jesus said in Luke 21:25 & 26 that there would be “distress of nations” and “men’s hearts failing them from fear.”  Yet in John’s gospel He said: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (16:33).  The Amplified Bible finishes that verse like this: “I have deprived it of power to harm, have conquered it [for you]” Glory to God!  That’s good news!

Notice the qualifier is “in Me you will have peace, (for) I have overcome the world.”  First and foremost you have to be IN CHRIST, which is another way of saying you have to be born again.  These truths aren’t automatic though.  Scripture teaches: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).  Your mind has got to be fixed on God.  Paul put it this way: “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).  How does one do that?  Stay in the Word of God!  Read it, listen to teachings from it, put post-it-notes throughout your house reminding you of it.

Jehovah said it like this to the Israelites: “(My Words) you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes…write them on your doorposts… and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:8 & 9).  Earlier in this discourse the Lord said to talk about His Word when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and to teach them diligently to your children.  That’s all day and all night!  He knew the importance of constantly keeping your mind on Him, His provision and what He’ll do for you and what He expects from you.

He told Joshua to meditate His Word day and night, “For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8b).  Notice He said YOU will make YOUR way prosperous and then YOU will have good success.  Allow me to do a Mike Leach paraphrase: “When you view your life through the eye glasses of the Word of God, you will see just how God would do a thing and be successful at it!”  That sounds just like seeking first the kingdom of God, His way of being and doing right.  That sounds like trusting in the Lord, leaning NOT to your own understanding, but in all of your ways acknowledging Him and He directing your paths! (see Matthew 6:33 and Proverbs 3:5-6)

I named this encouraging word “Last Chapter” because the devil would like you to think that the darkness surrounding you now is it for you, this is your LAST CHAPTER.  There’s no hope for you, you’ll never come out of what you’re going through.

Since God never changes and Jesus (the Word made flesh) is the same yesterday, today and forever and He’s no respecter of persons (which is a fancy way to say if He’s done something for someone else, He’ll do it for you) then let’s ask Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego if they felt any heat from the fire before their deliverance came from the Lord (you know they did).  Or, how about the children of Israel under Isaiah’s ministry when he prophesied: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned” (43:2).  How about Paul writing to the church at Rome that would go through tremendous persecution and trial: “If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? … Who is he who condemns? … Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? … Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors THROUGH HIM who loved us” (Romans 8:31b-35a & 37).

Through Him, by Him, with Him are all ways of acknowledging God’s involvement in our lives.  God making up for where we lack.  Paul said he could do all things through Christ that strengthens him.  John wrote that our faith (in God) was the victory that overcomes the world.  Peter wrote that if we would cast our cares on God, He would exalt us in due time.  “While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

So if the devil is trying to get you to look at circumstances and convince you that this is your LAST CHAPTER, maybe you should talk back to him and remind him that you have already overcome him by the blood of the Lamb of God and the word of your testimony.  Remind him that he’s in his LAST CHAPTER and soon the Books will be opened!