What Happens When God Holds Your Heart?
There are hundreds of passages in the Bible about our thought life. God gives detailed instructions on how and what to think about almost every subject. The goal of this instruction is to repent, change the way we think, and think as God thinks in every area. We often nurture harmful and destructive thought patterns in our minds and hearts rather than reigning in our thoughts and fixing them on what God says to think about. In this series, we will explore our thought lives' ups and downs and develop plans to experience transformation through mind renewal. In today's sermon, we will look at the hardening of Pharaoh's heart to discover a powerful truth about our responsibility to respond to God correctly. We pray today's message is a blessing to you.
“And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.”
I want to look at the story of Pharaoh hardening his heart to begin my Thought Life series. God spoke to Moses and asked him to go to Pharoah and set His people free, but God also told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh's heart.
The heart becomes hard from pride, ego, wounding, and trauma. Pharaoh's heart was most likely hard toward God out of pride. Egyptian Pharaohs believed themselves to be gods, so I can imagine when Moses came to him with the demand from the one true God to let all his slaves go, his heart was not soft toward God to comply with this request.
The Hebrew word for "harden" in Exodus 4:21 is ḥāzaq. This word is translated in other places in the Bible as; strengthen, hold, caught, hardened, relieve, encourage, be strong, courageous, and held.
In light of this definition, try reading that passage again.
"I will ḥāzaq his heart." You could just as accurately say God encouraged, strengthened, and held Pharaoh's heart.
Pharaoh's response was to harden his heart toward God rather than to allow his heart to be held and repaired by God. Pharaoh had a choice, and he chose to reject God. He faced the consequences of doing so, but he had a choice nonetheless.
The outcome was based on the receptivity of Pharaoh's heart to God's action toward him. Pharaoh could have allowed God's attempt to lay hold of his heart to soften his heart. Pharaoh could have said yes to Moses right away and turned the mighty nation of Egypt toward the one true God. But he didn't, he hardened his heart and reaped the wrath of God for doing so.
The point is this, as Proverbs 23:7 says, as we think in our hearts, so are we. The way Pharaoh thought with his mind and believed with his heart would not allow himself to be influenced by God. He rejected God's action toward him instead. This is an extreme example, but we do the same thing.
The Hard Heart
You think with your mind and your heart. The mind thinks about your feelings, and the heart thinks about what you believe. Both are irrational and need to be told what to think. The mind needs to be focused on the Lord for self-control and obedience, whereas the heart needs to be focused on the Lord to walk by faith.
Your emotions and decisions are directly affected by the way you think. Pharaoh could have changed the way he thought about God, and his life would have gone in a completely different direction. But when God moved toward him, he rejected God and faced destruction.
We do the same thing. We will reap our destruction when we reject God's strength and wisdom. Why would we reject God at any level? Because our hearts become hard toward him. We harden our hearts for many reasons.
Have you ever tried to love someone with a wounded or broken heart?
They can't receive it because they either don't feel worthy of it or are protecting themselves so fiercely that they reject love because of their past. Whether victimized or engaged in perverted experiences with unhealthy love, all love becomes potentially hurtful. Most efforts to love this person are rejected because this person has an unhealthy perspective of love and builds a fortress around the heart.
So the state of your heart determines what you will allow God (and people) to do for you. God is extending salvation, healing, and deliverance to everyone, but his method is Christ. If people harden their hearts to Christ, they reject God's strengthening, which can lead to salvation, and choose self-effort or destruction.
The heart has to be willing to be healed, which means it must be willing to forgive and stop allowing the trauma to define the identity. The wounded still wants to punish the person who hurt them, so it ends up being rolled over onto whoever is trying to love them. Or there is no self-love because of the perverted life they have lived. Each is equally as damaging and difficult to heal.
If you have been hurt, and it is difficult to allow people to love you, you are hard in your heart to God's forgiveness for you which causes you to continue to harbor unforgiveness for the one who hurt you, even if that is yourself.
You push others away because you despise the shame and are angry with yourself that you're still allowing it to hurt.
Forgiveness and reconciliation break shame and the fortified broken heart. The hard shell cracks and begins to fall away, leaving a tender heart that can finally heal and grow. You've packed the wound with wartime field dressing, and it's time to remove it so the actual healing can take place.
How you think and the paths you walk down in your thoughts will lead to more hardening or healing.
Homework
Reword the following passages into phrases that help you apply them practically. Each passage has instructions on how to think and what to think about, but unless you personalize it and see a way to incorporate this instruction into your daily life, they will remain words on a page.
Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts (affections) on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds (thoughts) on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Ephesians 4:22B put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ESV
Here's how I would reword these ideas and truths into personal, practical application.
I will think about things from a higher perspective than fear, depression, loss, anxiety, and carnality because Christ shares His authority with me. I am seated in Heavenly authority in Christ and higher than the things in this world. I am dead to the cares of this world because I live in Christ, and He lives through me.
In any given area of life, I will consider God's truth in the situation instead of thinking about it the way the world thinks about it. I will look for reasons to be thankful. I will think about what is good, honorable, and excellent about the situation rather than all the negatives. I will think like God thinks about it because he has made me new to be like Him in this situation.
I will reign in my thoughts and think about myself in light of who I am in Him and who He is in me. I am as He is, so I have nothing to fear.
Now...develop an awareness of the different areas in your life where you can change how you think and apply these principles. You will not think yourself into success, but changing the way you think will cause you to make different choices and eventually bring about an inner transformation, so living this way is more natural than living according to the world.
How to Consistently Hear God
Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit. When he described life with the Holy Spirit, he described a relationship. He described a relationship where his Spirit would speak with us, guide us, help us, and strengthen us. Today we’ll discuss how to hear God better from a Biblical perspective. It’s easier than you think.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
Wow, what a great time we had in this service!! The way the body ministered together was so beautiful to me. If you were not there or you did not catch it online, I encourage you to watch. Just after 9 minutes into my message I discuss the interpretation of a tongue someone brought during worship, and then several others in the body shared the interpretation they received. It’s a little hard to hear, but you can make it out if you turn up your volume.
The interpretation of the tongue came in the form of a prayer. You can listen to the prayer and then watch the message to see how accurate it was, then watch everyone’s input about what they heard from God during the tongue, it was a beautiful thing.
Click to watch the interpretation on YouTube.
Hearing the Holy Spirit
Hearing the Holy Spirit is about developing a meaningful relationship with God, where we can hear His voice and receive knowledge, wisdom, and direction. Jesus emphasized the importance of this connection when describing the sending of the Holy Spirit in John 14-16.
For me, the process varies, but when I feel the need to be influenced by the Spirit or seek guidance, I follow a general approach. I take a moment to get still, even if I'm driving or surrounded by a crowd. I consciously become fully aware of God's presence. I acknowledge different aspects of His character that feel relevant at that moment.
To fully embrace this moment, I release all stress and anxiety and might focus on a specific passage that resonates with the situation. After calming my mind and regaining peace, I pay attention to the thoughts that arise, specifically distinguishing thoughts of doubt and thoughts of faith.
Thoughts of doubt may remind me of challenges, failures, or tasks I've been avoiding, while thoughts of faith affirm my identity and salvation and lead to correction or guidance. Sometimes, these insights are accompanied by relevant scriptures or wise revelations. I then seek to apply the faith-focused impressions.
The Holy Spirit communicates with me in subtle ways, often through sentences that come to mind as memories, rather than audible messages. This aligns with what Jesus said—the Holy Spirit reminds us of who we are, bearing witness to our spirit that we are God's children, and recalls what Jesus had already taught. It's a reminder that we are joint heirs with Christ, sharing in His inheritance.
From the mix of responses within my mind and heart, I make decisions, recognizing that there can be no fruit or transformation without action steps. When impressed by the Spirit, it's essential to act in faith based on these impressions. But I’m careful to verify that the impressions are scriptural.
This process can be challenging, especially if doubts arise from the heart, as they may hinder the clarity of God's word in your heart and thoughts. Conditioning ourselves to think more in alignment with our temporary flesh or carnal aspects of identity might lead us to rationalize and miss faith opportunities.
To maintain clarity, I make it a practice to document these impressions after moments of peace. Over time, I have developed a track record of following these insights, understanding that the Holy Spirit is available to impress and guide me. Even when I don't receive a unique solution, and the impression is a generic Christian principle, such as generosity or believing the best about others, I trust the word and believe it will produce the intended transformation and guidance.
I have learned to trust the process of God’s word bearing fruit in my thinking. I’m careful to mix in wisdom as much as is available in the moment, and then move.
I do “hear” specific and unique impressions from God from time to time, but that is not the main way I try to hear God. I’d prefer to live in alignment and trust in his Word and general character, and trust that it will just work out. But I am open to direct specifics if that’s what happens.
I have seen too many people become disappointed because their decision didn’t work out they thought they had a word from God on. I have seen couples discouraged because they felt like they had a word on the gender of their baby. I have seen people sit and do nothing, waiting on God to do something because they thought they received a word.
I’m not suggesting we shouldn’t value “words,” I’m just suggesting that words should primarily confirm what you see in God’s Word. The Word will work if you live by it, and if a specific step or decision is needed, you are equipped to make a wise decision without second-guessing yourself.
Try this exercise if you desire to develop a more sensitive spiritual ear to God’s voice.
Practical Application
Based on my message about hearing the Holy Spirit from within, here’s your suggested homework.
Read John chapters 14 through 17
Make a list of all the points Jesus makes about the Holy Spirit as you read
Write a few sentences about what stands out to you the most as Jesus describes the Holy Spirit
Take a few minutes to get an inner vision of what it looks like in your daily life to hear God lead you
Practice it in as many areas of life as you can
Demystifying the Gifts of the Spirit
"The gifts of the spirit" is a loaded phrase. Think of the "gifts" as empowerments or manifestations of the spirit. The "gifts," or, to use a better word, graces of the spirit, are not individual abilities. They are expressions of manifestations of God through people. They are not to be isolated as if one person can do one thing and another person can do another thing. All the graces of the spirit are things that God does through his people. The same spirit can manifest all graces through all people.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us”
"The Gifts of the Spirit" is a loaded phrase. Firstly, the Greek word for “gifts” is charisma. The root word of charisma is charis, which is translated as grace. So they are more accurately called “graces of the spirit.” This distinction is essential because of the nature of grace.
Grace is a divine influence in your heart that brings about ability or capacity. Grace is power and strength in your inner self. The manifestation of the Spirit of God in you or through you is grace in action, signifying God's empowering presence in and through you.
The gifts/graces, or manifestations of God’s Spirit, are not individualized abilities that one person has while another person doesn’t. Meaning the gifts are not individual abilities. They are varied forms of expression of the indwelling Spirit of God.
I emphasize this distinction because some people think they don’t have a particular gift, while others think they have a gift that no one else has. There are no individualized gifts. Every believer has the Spirit; therefore, every believer can manifest the Spirit in the form of a “gift.”
Every believer can flow in all of the gifts.
While we all have the capacity to flow in all the gifts, we should tune our hearts to God’s guidance because he will lead some to operate in one gift while he leads others to operate in different gifts. As the body of Christ jointly harmonizes with God’s leading, we become a beautiful multi-faceted expression of God’s Spirit, seeking to accomplish his will in and through his body.
The Gifts Made Easy
We know of the list of gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, but I want to highlight a gift mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:28, the gift of “helping.”
Helping someone is a spiritual gift. Yes, you can help someone in your strength, but when you are motivated by love, you are walking in a gift of the Spirit.
Can you help someone? Then you can flow in the gifts.
For most of us, operating in the gifts is a desire, but we don’t have much confidence. We’ve done it before, or at least desired it, but for many, it feels like it doesn’t work consistently for us. So we just draw back and stop leaning into it.
Then Do It
May I make a suggestion? If you desire the gifts to be active in your life, try these two things first. Cultivate compassion in your heart for the person, then see if there’s any way you can help them.
As you’re helping them, lean in a bit. Pay attention to see if a scripture or an encouraging word comes to mind. Or a facet of Christ’s finished work is impressed upon your thinking that you can share with them. And then ask them if you can pray for them. As you’re praying, pay attention to see if any specifics arise that you might need to pray for.
The more you actively love and help people, the more you will create opportunities for the Holy Spirit to manifest in all his varied forms.
I’ll leave you with this thought from Paul. Don’t let the first part of verse 6 confuse you; remember that all believers have the Spirit. He’s making the distinction based on each person knowing which gift God would lead them to operate in. I love how he makes his point. The emphasis is mine.
Romans 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
THEN DO IT!
HOMEWORK: Lean into the gifts
So far, you were to read 1 Corinthians and identify which gifts you want operating in your life. If you desire to prophesy, write a sketch based on all the aspects associated with New Covenant prophecy. See last week's message and homework video.
This week we go a step further. Based on the message, love is the greatest gift of the Spirit. We also identified "helping" as a spiritual gift. This week's homework is to read 1 Corinthians 13 and get a vision of what it looks like for the other gifts of the spirit to blend with love. You may have to spend some time thinking about it, and it may not be an obvious thing at first. There's no right answer, and it's more about reframing the gifts through love than individual acts of "doing a gift."
If it's new to you or you haven't stepped out in a while. Commit to two things, to love people and to help people. As you're helping someone motivated by love, lean in a bit more and see if a scripture comes to mind you can share with them. Ask if you can pray for them and pay attention to God's spirit within for any specific things to bring up. It's ok to ask questions.
Prophecy in the New Covenant
The gift of prophecy needs to be active in our churches. It especially needs to be active from the perspective of the New Covenant. The focus of the New Covenant prophecy is to testify of Christ's finished work and His increasing Kingdom. If you desire to operate in the gift of prophecy, check out this sermon and application videos and the suggested homework.
“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”
If you create a sketch for prophecy in the New Covenant, it would include several factors quite different from prophecy under the Old Covenant. Any believer can deliver prophecy in the New Covenant. It should always build up, stir up, and comfort. It will ALWAYS testify of Jesus, his finished work, and his increasing Kingdom. New Covenant prophecy may teach, instruct, correct, or even predict the future, but it will always point the hearer to Jesus rather than a warning of judgment.
The Apostle Paul encourages us to desire the gift of prophecy, and other writers admonish us not to despise the prophecies. Why would we despise prophecies? Because we've all seen it abused and turned into a circus sideshow. The modern prophecy movement has created a co-dependent environment around a single gift. The gift is still active today, and there are legitimate prophets, but the communities that exalt it do their communities a disservice.
I know too many people who waited on God to accomplish what the prophet declared to them. Just because God speaks something to you doesn't mean it will automatically come to pass. You still have to walk by faith and apply wisdom in every situation in life. Prophecy is great confirmation, and it can give you vision for the aspect of God's Kingdom he's drawing you into, but it's not an automatic process.
In these sermon and application videos, I go into much more detail. I also suggest some homework. I recommend reading 1 Corinthians in addition to this message. The homework video will walk you through more instructions.
I am continuing this series for two more weeks. This coming weekend I will demystify the gifts and help you understand how love is the breeding ground for miracles and the demonstration of manifestations of the Holy Spirit.
Thanks for watching, I pray this message and exercise encourages you to step out in this gift if you desire to operate in it.
Here's my list from the suggested homework
Testify of Jesus
Exhort, edify, comfort
Have to do with Christ's increasing Kingdom
Can predict the future, warn, teach, or admonish
Affirm salvation in Christ
Living Free from the Law of Sin and Death
Christ set us free from many things, one of which is the power of sin and death. The law of life is now at work in us, so that we can glorify God. Whether it’s your sin, or someone that sinned against you, through God’s powerful grace you can not only resist but live in a freedom that no longer gives in to sinful behavior. We pray today’s message gives you hope and empowers you to live above the temptation in this world.
“Where sin abounds, grace MUCH MORE abounds”
Hello!! Thanks for reading this article. You’ll see two videos at the top of this page. One is a whole sermon, and the other is a Practical Application accompaniment video. You can consider it homework. I don’t just want to preach “ought to” messages, I also want to include the “how to.”
Anything you learn but are not actively seeking to put into practice will most likely not bear fruit in your life. But if you read/listen intending to do something with what you’re learning, your heart will be more open to the grace necessary to walk it out.
That’s what this message is all about, knowing Biblically that you are free from the power of sin, or as Romans 8 says, free from the law of sin and death. And how to subsequently live intentionally under the transformative power of grace.
Two Kinds of Freedom
You are free from the power of sin in two ways. Free from the sins that have happened to you and the sins that you have done. Whether you’re a victim of someone else’s sin or sowing death through your own sinful behavior, you can be free!!
Free from the effects of someone else’s sin that has held you captive. And free from the prison of your own sin.
Regarding captives and prisoners, Isaiah declared a beautiful prophecy about Jesus.
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners
The phrase “bind up” means dressing or bandaging a wound. Jesus came to heal your wounds. If you have been the victim of someone else’s sin, it’s time to let Jesus heal that wound so you can be free. And if you are reaping death from your own sinful behaviors, it’s time to lean into the power of grace and allow Jesus to help you break the power of that sin in your life.
You are the righteousness of God in Christ, it’s time to live that way. You live that way by living under the transformative power of grace.
In the sermon, I give you lots of passages about being free from sin, and in the homework video, I show you a few simple exercises to put on the power of the Spirit that lives in you and lean into grace for strength.
I pray these videos are a blessing to you. Click on the titles to watch on YouTube and leave a comment. Thanks again for reading and watching!!
The Power to Change: Giving Yourself Over to Godly Desires
God will let you have whatever desires you want to give yourself, whether it produces life or death. But he will also give you the power to change your desires if you are open to it.
In the fire chapters of Romans, the Apostle Paul makes the case for the need for a righteousness apart from the Law. He exposes the wickedness of man and then presents the good news that we can be saved from our own sin and darkness. He says that the solution to our sinfulness is God's grace, which is a power within us that is from the Holy Spirit. click to continue reading
“Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.”
The Witness Within #4
God will let you have whatever desires you want to give yourself, whether it produces life or death. But he will also give you the power to change your desires if you are open to it.
In the fire chapters of Romans, the Apostle Paul makes the case for the need for a righteousness apart from the Law. He exposes the wickedness of man and then presents the good news that we can be saved from our own sin and darkness. He says that the solution to our sinfulness is God's grace, which is a power within us that is from the Holy Spirit.
The most amazing aspect of our salvation to me is not that God can forgive us, but that he can do such a work in us that we become an acceptable vessel to house his Holy Presence.
One of the most incredible promises of the New Covenant is that God puts his spirit in us. Christians get hung up on doctrine, but the simple fact is you become the house of God when you believe in Christ.
From then on, there is a power in you that can not only meet every need but also change your core desires. If you will give yourself over to his spirit within you, you will see the opposite of the suppressors of the truth that Paul exposes in Romans. You become a person that is shaped and molded by God into the image of Christ.
To yield to the spirit of God within you is to be filled with the spirit. It's not a one-time event that comes with the single gift of tongues; it is a remaking of the kind of being that you are that now has a power within that is capable of making you just like Jesus.
But you have to give yourself over to it. We're used to giving ourselves over to worry, carnal thinking, and our own feelings. But we can also give ourselves over to God's creative power within, day by day, moment by moment.
In the Book of Acts, we see the phrase "filled with the spirit" many times. It's usually referring to a time that the spirit of God led the Apostles to answer someone in a certain way or preach a specific message. The gift of tongues does manifest in some instances when someone becomes "filled" with the spirit, but most times, it's a solution for glorifying God at that moment.
I highly recommend praying with your spirit in an unknown tongue often but don't make being filled with the spirit about that one gift. Also, allow the spirit to influence or fill you to be kind, loving, forgiving, wise, patient, and powerful for ministry purposes.
I want a practical life with the Holy Spirit that I can use daily. I'm not interested in perfecting how to say the right words around a specific doctrine if it doesn't make a difference in my life. Christians love to argue over doctrine, and we're quick to disqualify others if they aren't saying things the way we understand them. That's not living very filled with the spirit if you ask me. It sounds a bit legalistic if you ask me. But I digress.
The point is this, God lives in you and desires to shape your desires. The next time you want something or need, remember that you are God's child and clothe yourself with his spirit and let him empower you at the moment so that he gets all the glory.
As always, there's much more in the message on this topic. I hope you have time to watch it, and I hope it encourages you. Leave a comment on the video and share it with a friend. Thanks so much for your support!
De-Mystifying the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
When we experience the new birth, God graciously places His Spirit within us. He unites Himself to us, just as in a sacred marriage. From then on the Spirit of God dwells within us, empowering us to be faithful witnesses for His Kingdom. In today's discussion, we will explore the profound concept of God's indwelling Spirit and reflect on the pivotal role of grace in our daily journey of faith.
““I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.””
The Witness Within #3
There's a practical aspect to the "Baptism of the Spirit" and being "filled with the Holy Spirit" that you may have missed. First let me clarify what it means to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
The "baptism of the Holy Spirit" is misunderstood among most Christians. Put simply, the baptism of the Spirit is the fulfillment of God's promise to put His Spirit in you, which happens when you first believe and are born again. When you place your faith in Christ, God puts His Spirit in you as the fulfillment of one of His most significant promises regarding the New Covenant.
Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. ESV
From then on, you can "be filled" with the Spirit, like Peter in Acts 4. Acts 4 is most likely days or weeks after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out. God poured out the Spirit once with no need to repeatedly pour Him out into the earth.
Peter had received the Spirit when Jesus breathed on Him, but Peter was endued with power in the upper room when the Spirit was first poured out. From then on, Peter and every other believer experienced the ongoing filling of the Spirit.
Notice in this passage what Peter does while being filled with the Spirit. Again, this is days or weeks after Pentecost.
Acts 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being examined today about a kind service to a man who was lame, to determine how he was healed, 10 then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
Peter was "filled" with the Spirit and preached the Gospel. Did he receive the Spirit again? No. Was he baptized in the Spirit again? No. Did the Spirit leave him and have to come again? No. Had Peter not been baptized with the Spirit on Pentecost? Yes, he was. So what's going on? It's simple, to be filled with the Spirit is to be under the influence. To be filled with the Spirit is to allow the indwelling Spirit to come upon for whatever is needed in the moment.
In Acts 4, the Holy Spirit came upon Peter, which is another way to say he was filled with the Spirit, and he preached a message. He didn't pray in tongues, he didn't do a miracle, he didn't prophesy…he preached the Gospel, under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
There's a traditional belief in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches that says you can be born again but still need to receive the Spirit with the evidence of tongues. Praying in tongues becomes the sole goal to prove that one is baptized in the Spirit. This error has left many Christians waiting for something they already have.
But like Peter, we need to be filled with the Spirit.
The Greek word for "filled" is pimplēmi which means fulfilled, accomplished, furnished, and filled. It does not denote to receive something you didn't have but to be under the influence or complete in whatever the influencing agent is in the moment.
You can be filled with anger, but that doesn't mean you received anger, you just tapped into your inherent capacity to be angry.
In traditional circles, the question is asked, "Have you received the Baptism of the Spirit with the evidence of praying in tongues." And then they pray for you to receive the Spirit and start praying in tongues. If the person doesn't pray in tongues, that person walks away wondering if they have the Spirit or not.
If you have placed your faith in Jesus to be saved, God's Spirit abides in you, and He will never leave or forsake you.
There is further confusion from passages like this. Try this as you read this passage; instead of baptism, use the word immerse.
Acts 19:1And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"
So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."
3 And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism."
4 Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
The language seems to indicate they were born again but had not received the Spirit, but these concepts were all new at the time. To Paul, asking if they had received the Spirit was the same as asking if they were born again. He was asking if they had believed and been made new.
If they had only been water baptized in John's message of repentance, they had not yet heard the good news that they could be born again. Again, this was a brand new concept, and this was the message that was beginning to spread; you can be born again, and God's Spirit will do a work in you and make you new.
So rest assured, if you are born again, God's Spirit is in you. You can't be born again without God putting His Spirit in you as the agent that does the cleansing work to remove your root of sin, give you a new heart and prepare you to be inhabited by God.
So to be baptized in or with the Spirit means God has put His Spirit in you, which makes you born again. From then on, you can choose to be filled with the Spirit for all sorts of capacities.
Traditional folks say tongues are the evidence, but it's much better than that. I speak in tongues, and I think every believer should utilize that gift, but it's not the only evidence you have God's Spirit.
If you are afraid and turn to the Lord, and then boldness rises in you, you are being filled with the Spirit. If you are confused and pray, and wisdom rises up in your mind, you're being filled with the Spirit. If you are angry and allow God's peace to relax you and change your perspective, you are filled with the Spirit.
In every situation, you can turn to God's Spirit within and clothe yourself with that Spirit for wisdom, kindness, and self-control, operate in healing or prophecy for others, or even make a wise financial decision. You can clothe yourself with God's Spirit for every aspect of life, whether you pray in tongues or not.
The practical aspect of being filled with the Spirit is to trust God in every situation for the grace and strength to obey Him and follow His leading. You can try it in your strength, but being empowered by His Spirit in every situation is much more fruitful and effective.
Give it a try. As you face each life situation, become aware of God's presence in you, allow Him to remind you that you are His child, be willing to do it His way, and then step into the opportunity or decision trusting in the power of His Spirit in you and upon you.
God Has Made His Home With You So He Can Be Good To You
50 days after Jesus' resurrection, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon all flesh by God. This divine act marked a significant turning point, as the Spirit now dwelled within the followers of Christ, establishing the church as God's living temple. Consequently, whenever someone believes in Christ, they are saved and filled with the Spirit of God. There is no need to wait for the Spirit's arrival or for any additional requirements; one simply needs to allow the Spirit to come upon them daily.
“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”
The Witness Within #2
50 days after Jesus' resurrection, God poured the Holy Spirit out upon all flesh. This divine act marked a significant turning point, as the Spirit now dwelled within the followers of Christ, establishing the church as God's living temple. Consequently, whenever someone believes in Christ, they are saved and filled with the Spirit of God. There is no need to wait for the Spirit's arrival or for any additional requirements; one simply needs to allow the Spirit to come upon them daily.
This extraordinary event brought about a profound change. God's presence would no longer be confined to a physical temple built by human hands. Instead, He chose to dwell in unity with His family. Through His indwelling Spirit, God speaks to us, guides us, empowers us, heals us, and enables us to minister to others. The incredible news is that if you have accepted Jesus, the fullness of God's Spirit resides within you. Now, each day, you have the choice to invite His Spirit to come upon you.
Within this message, I explore various passages that depict God's longing to dwell among His people. We witness God's consistent desire to be with His people, beginning with the Garden of Eden and progressing to the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple. Finally, He finds His ultimate dwelling place within His family.
Check out this amazing prophecy from God about the time we live in. Notice God's relational language and see if you can feel His heart for you.
Jeremiah 32:38 They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39 and I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. 40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts, so that they will not turn away from Me. 41 I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and all My soul. NASB
Watch the whole sermon for lots more on this subject.
Clint and Sara Byars
Forward Ministries
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The Witness Within: God Confirms Your Sonship to Guide Your Steps
You don’t do what you do because it’s right or wrong; you do what you do because you believe that’s who you are. We make decisions that mirror our self-image. That self-portrait we have of ourselves guides our behavior and decisions at a deeper than conscious level. We don’t even think about it; we just act and decide, based on that self-portrait, whether healthy or destructive. Whether it leads to life or death, we nearly automatically live out our lives based on who we think we are.
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God”
The Witness Within #1
You don’t do what you do because it’s right or wrong; you do what you do because you believe that’s who you are. We make decisions that mirror our self-image. That self-portrait we have of ourselves guides our behavior and decisions at a deeper than conscious level. We don’t even think about it; we just act and decide, based on that self-portrait, whether healthy or destructive. Whether it leads to life or death, we nearly automatically live out our lives based on who we think we are.
There’s good and bad news with that truth. The bad news is self-evident. The Good news is God has taken up residence within us and has recreated us so that our actual image is just like Jesus. Our pursuit is then to agree in our heart, mind, and emotions with the new image, or being, that God has made us to be in Christ.
You have already become that new person spiritually; it’s complete. But you are becoming that new person in the rest of your being. As you live out your new identity, you will inherit and manifest everything God has placed in you by His spirit. It’s as automatic as a seed growing into whatever kind of tree or plant.
But if we are not in agreement in our minds, heart, and emotions, we will not outwardly reflect our true inner spiritual image, which has already been conformed to the image of Christ.
God has bonded Himself to us at the core of our being, and from that place, continually speaks to us, reminding us that we are His child. If you’re subconscious self-portrait is painted by the brush of God’s voice affirming your identity in Him, you will make decisions out of that image rather than the broken image that the pain, trauma, and failure of life has painted.
So the “work of Christianity” is not obedience to a set of rules; it’s to renew your kind, putting on the new man, and in doing so, naturally follow and obey God from the heart, perfectly in sync with Him because it IS who you are. We naturally live out of who we think we are, so let’s put the work in to allow God’s spiritual, eternal image of us to overtake every aspect of our thinking, feeling, and doing.
Psalm 37:23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. 24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. NLT
In this message, I walk you through a few passages to keep in mind when seeking to live from your spiritual image. Our great promise is that God will not walk away from us if we stumble; he’ll be right there with us, reminding us we are His child and continuing to give us the power to follow Him and reflect His image.
Hey Mom, The World Needs Who You Were Meant To Be - Callie Coryell & Clint Byars
It's easy to take our mothers for granted. Many of us have or had wonderful moms, while others did not. This can be a restful, joyous day for some; for others, it can be a day of bitterness and remorse. Whatever your experience, there is biblical instruction regarding both sides of motherhood that is valuable and applicable. Happy Mother's Day!!!
“Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.”
In the first part of this sermon, Callie Coryell shares an encouraging word from a Mom’s perspective on how to renew the calling to be a mother. I pray it’s an encouragement to all moms.
In my section of the sermon, I gave a word that I felt the Lord put on my heart for those of you struggling in your relationship with your mom. It wasn’t an easy word to deliver, but I could tell it hit home with several people.