Jesus Calls You a Friend: Living From His Perspective, Not Confusion
Jesus doesn’t relate to you as a servant trying to figure Him out. He calls you a friend. And a friend knows what the Father is doing. Confusion isn’t a sign God is withholding—it’s an invitation to renew your mind and live from the identity Jesus already gave you.
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“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
Jesus calls you a friend. And when He takes the time to give you a specific perspective, we should make sure that perspective becomes the foundation of what we believe.
In John 15, Jesus deliberately gives us His view of us. He tells us plainly that He no longer sees us as servants, but as friends.
John 15:14–15 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
This is only possible because of the new birth, and because through Christ’s finished work we have been given the right to become the children of God.
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.
Jesus goes on to explain the difference between a servant and a friend. A servant does not know what his master is doing. But since we are no longer servants and are His friends, He says that He is making known to us everything the Father has made known to Him.
That statement deserves time.
Ponder it for a while. Sit still. Take a few deep breaths. Allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate the depth of this truth. Let it saturate your heart to the point that it actually changes how you see yourself.
As I did that, the insight that came was this: if Jesus has made everything known to us that the Father made known to Him, and if Scripture tells us that we have the mind of Christ, then that means that in every situation and in every decision we face, it is possible to have the mind of Christ—and to know what the Father has made known to Christ about that issue or decision.
1 Corinthians 2:16 For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
If you’re confused, it’s not because God is withholding from you. It’s because you’re thinking like a servant and not like a friend.
Confusion reveals where we need to renew our minds—where repentance is needed—and where we need to put on the new man. The new man is a friend of God, someone Jesus shares His knowledge with.
James reinforces this when he writes:
James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
You’re God’s friend. You have the mind of Christ. It brings Him joy to share His wisdom with you. In fact, Scripture says it brings Him great pleasure to give you His kingdom.
Luke 12:32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Your responsibility is to believe that. To persuade your heart of His reality until it becomes your reality. When you do, you’ll find that you don’t have to live in confusion.
His word will emerge from your spirit into your heart. And when you are thinking like a friend of God, it will begin to take shape in your thoughts and emotions. His wisdom will become a natural fruit in your thinking—sometimes so natural it almost feels like your own thoughts.
That is His grace at work.
This is how it functions. He is in you like leaven, quietly working His way through your entire being.
Matthew 13:33 The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.
Your role is simple but intentional: take Him at His word. Put on the mindset that you are His friend—because He deliberately tells you that you are.
Believe it. Let it guard your thinking. Put off every thought that contradicts it. And make confident decisions from your sonship in Christ.
Season Your Words with Thanksgiving
Your words reveal the atmosphere of your heart, and gratitude is one of the fastest ways to change that inner environment. When thanksgiving rises first, peace begins to guard your emotions, your thoughts, and eventually your speech. As you intentionally practice Philippians 4:8–9 toward the people in your life—seeing what’s true, noble, lovely, and of good report—your reactions soften, your perspective shifts, and your relationships become places where the love of Jesus can actually be felt.
Message starts at 35:30. Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/clintbyars
“Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.
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Season Your Words With Thanksgiving: How Gratitude Guards Your Heart and Shapes Your Speech
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been exploring how gratitude shapes the way we see God, ourselves, and the people around us. We started in Message 1 with Jesus rebuking His disciples for not considering the miracle of the loaves—showing that fear and anxiety grow in a heart that forgets His provision. When we attach significance to His goodness with gratitude, our hearts soften, anxiety loses its grip, and we begin to experience the peace described in Philippians 4.
In Message 2, we shifted our focus to relationships and the destructive habit of assuming motives—how quickly we judge others in our minds and create unnecessary pain. Gratitude interrupts those mental loops, reframes our perception of people, and helps us stop taking everything so personally.
Now, in Message 3, we’re taking these ideas into something incredibly practical: our words. Because whatever is happening in your heart—fear, peace, judgment, gratitude—will always show up in the things you say. A grateful, peace-guarded heart doesn’t just change your inner world; it changes the way you speak and the way you love.
This connection between the heart and the mouth might seem simple, but the more closely you examine Scripture and your own life, the more you realize that your speech is a spiritual barometer. It tells you what’s happening in your inner world long before your behavior does.
And if your words are reactive, sharp, or anxious—especially with the people closest to you—that’s not a communication problem. That’s a heart problem. But the good news is that the same grace that transformed your spirit can transform your desires, reactions, and even your vocabulary.
Faith Has to Reach Where You Actually Live
One of the great challenges in modern Christianity is that we often stop at mental agreement. We believe the right doctrines, know the right verses, and can quote the right truths—yet those truths never fully penetrate the deeper layers of thought, emotion, memory, and desire.
But Jesus never preached a surface-level faith. His words went straight to the inner life. He didn’t merely call His followers to right behavior; He called them to right desires. When He taught that even wrongful thoughts made a person guilty, He wasn’t raising the bar to shame us—He was exposing the impossibility of self-righteousness and pointing us toward the Savior who would give us His own life and righteousness.
So transformation in Christ isn’t behavior modification from the outside in. It’s renewal from the inside out—an alignment of desires, motives, and beliefs that eventually shows up in how we speak.
And this is where the everyday application becomes incredibly important.
Why We Are Most Reactive With the People We Love
It’s not your coworkers or strangers who pull the most reactivity out of you—it’s your family. It’s the people you love most, the people whose opinions matter most, the people who have a history with you. With them, old patterns resurface quickly.
We also tend to be most judgmental with family—not because they’re the most judgmental people, but because we assume motives faster with them than anyone else. Before they explain themselves, we’ve already decided what they meant, why they said it, and what it says about who they are.
This internal leap is a form of judgment Jesus warned us about: presuming to know the heart. And the moment we do it, our words follow. Tone shifts. Frustration leaks out. Sarcasm slips through. The atmosphere changes.
Proverbs 18:21 reminds us how powerful this is:
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue…”
Words don’t simply communicate—they shape. They imprint. They can lift or crush, heal or injure. They can even lodge themselves inside us for years.
Which is why Proverbs 21:23 offers one of the most practical promises in Scripture:
“Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.”
Guarding your mouth isn’t about walking on eggshells. It’s about tending to the condition of your heart so your words flow from peace rather than tension.
Gratitude Is the Atmosphere Where Peace Grows
Sara shared a little bit during my sermon, too. She touched on something profound: Gratitude is one of the simplest yet most overlooked spiritual disciplines. It’s something we teach children early, but often forget to practice ourselves.
→ Gratitude shifts the internal atmosphere.
→ It aligns your mind with God’s goodness.
→ It softens your heart toward people.
→ It prepares you to speak life instead of reacting out of habit.
Paul understood this, which is why his famous passage in Philippians 4 doesn’t begin with avoiding anxiety—it begins with thanksgiving:
“…in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving…” (Phil 4:6)
Thanksgiving doesn’t just express appreciation—it invites peace. And peace doesn’t just calm emotions—it literally guards your heart and mind (Phil 4:7). That guarding is what stabilizes your speech.
Which is why Paul immediately follows with:
“Think on these things… true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report.” (Phil 4:8)
This isn’t just positive thinking. It’s a deliberate reframing of how you see people. Gratitude and truth become the filter through which you interpret their actions. And when your perception shifts, your words follow.
Gratitude → Peace → Guarded Heart → Healthy Words → Healthy Relationships.
This pattern is simple, but it is not automatic. It must be applied.
Putting Gratitude Into Practice With Real People
The holidays are approaching. You’ll spend more time with family—people you love deeply and react to quickly. You may walk into conversations with people who push old buttons or trigger old patterns.
But imagine walking into those same moments with a heart already grounded in gratitude. Imagine framing the people in your life through the lens of what God says is true, noble, lovely, and of good report.
That doesn’t mean ignoring issues or pretending everything is perfect. It means refusing to enter the situation in a defensive posture. Gratitude positions your heart so that even if someone else reacts poorly, you don’t have to join them there.
Your words can stay anchored in peace.
Let Gratitude Do the Guarding
This whole process isn’t about suppressing what you feel—it’s about letting the peace of God rule in your heart so your words reflect who you truly are in Christ.
→ Gratitude prepares the heart.
→ Peace guards the heart.
→ Guarded hearts speak life.
Every relationship in your life changes when gratitude becomes your default posture. Not because you force better behavior, but because your words now flow from a heart shaped by Jesus.
It’s Not All About You: Loaves, Lordship, and Letting Go of Judgment
Jesus expected His disciples to read themselves into the miracle of the loaves—to let His provision reshape how they saw themselves and what they believed He would do for them. Instead, they slipped back into fear. We often do the same thing in our relationships. Luke 6 shows us how easily we judge people by assuming their motives, especially with family, and that judgment always multiplies back into more conflict than we ever intended. The blog calls us to interrupt that cycle by using Philippians 4. Pick someone you’ve had tension with and choose to think on what’s true, lovely, admirable, and honorable about them. When you do, you break the judgment loop, heal your reactions, and let the peace of God lead your heart.
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“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
There’s a moment in Mark 6 that reveals something stunning about the heart of Jesus—and something equally stunning about the human heart. After feeding thousands from a handful of loaves, Jesus sends His disciples across the lake while He goes up to pray. A storm sweeps in, panic sets in, and when Jesus appears walking on the water, the disciples are overwhelmed with fear.
Mark says of them…
“They were greatly amazed… for they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.”
Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid, be of good cheer, I am here.” Jesus expected the miracle of the loaves to change the way they saw themselves in relation to Him, from then on. He expected them to interpret their well-being through His provision and power. He expected them to say, “If He fed thousands through us, He will surely protect and provide for us.”
They were supposed to read themselves into His miracle—to let His faithfulness reshape their self-image, their expectation, and their confidence in His lordship.
Instead, they did what we often do:
They returned to fear because they returned to the old version of themselves.
Miracles Aren’t Just Proof of What Jesus Can Do—They're Invitations to See Who We Are With and In Him
Every time Jesus reveals Himself, He is also revealing who you are in Him. If He provided for them, He will provide for you. If He calmed their storm, He will stand with you in yours. You are not the exception.
The disciples failed in this not because they didn’t remember the details of the miracle, but because they didn’t let that miracle reinterpret their expectations.
That’s the healthy way to read yourself into life’s circumstances, here’s the unhealthy way…
When Reading Yourself Into the Story Becomes a Trap
In Luke 6, Jesus teaches a principle as powerful as the feeding of the five thousand:
“Judge not, and you shall not be judged… with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you—pressed down, shaken together, and running over.”
Most people only apply this to money, but Jesus is talking about relationships.
Judgment, in the way Scripture describes it here, is not just about deciding right and wrong in your own logic. Judgment is assuming motive, attaching significance to someone’s actions in your own perspective, and then treating them according to your assumptions.
And when we do that, Jesus says it multiplies back into our lives—good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over.
Judgment is a seed too.
You sow judgment, and you reap more anger, more conflict, more strife, more relational turbulence than you ever meant to plant. This is especially true with the people closest to us.
“It’s not that our families are the most judgmental people, it’s just that we are the most judgmental and thin-skinned with our families.”
Why?
Because our identities were formed around them. We’re emotionally exposed around them. We react faster, assume quicker, and rehearse offenses longer.
We read ourselves into everything:
They didn’t text me back—are they mad?
They walked right past me—are they ignoring me?
They didn’t say thank you—do they even appreciate me?
We build entire emotional stories on fragments of information. And just like the disciples in the boat, we project our fears onto a moment that Jesus is trying to use to shape us.
Two Kinds of “Reading Yourself Into the Story”
1. The way Jesus intends:
Let His faithfulness redefine how you see yourself. Every miracle, every promise, every display of His compassion is meant to say: “This is who I am—and this is who you are with Me.”
2. The way Jesus warns us against:
Reading your insecurities, assumptions, and fears into what other people do. That’s judgment. That’s self-inflicted pain. That’s the feedback loop that keeps relationships in turmoil.
The same heart that Jesus wants to make confident in Him can quickly become the heart that assumes the worst in others.
The Hardest Homework You’ll Ever Do
Philippians 4 Homework for Your Heart
Pick one person you have had tension or strife with—
yes, that person.
Sit with the Lord and walk through Philippians 4:8 with their name in mind:
1. What is TRUE about them?
This includes who they are in Christ and the sincere good qualities they possess.
2. What is HONORABLE about them?
Where can you show respect, even if you disagree?
3. What is RIGHT?
Not “right” according to your emotions, but right according to Scripture.
4. What is PURE?
Filter out motives you’ve assumed.
5. What is LOVELY?
Yes, there is something lovely. Write it down.
6. What is ADMIRABLE?
Even one small thing counts.
7. What is EXCELLENT or PRAISEWORTHY?
How can you reinforce the good rather than rehearse the bad?
When you do this, something powerful happens:
Your heart stops reading fear and hurt into the story and starts reading love and truth into it instead.
You break the feedback loop.
You disrupt the judgment cycle.
You choose the mind of Christ over the reflex of the flesh.
And whether they change or not— you will.
The Cure for Anxiety and a Formula for Peace
When you’re facing something you feel the desire to pray about, ask yourself; Where is Jesus and who is Jesus in this situation? Are there any promises I can stand on and speak? What miracle of Jesus am I meditating on to persuade my heart of his power, character, and will in this situation?
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“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God”
Consider the Loaves
After Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish to feed thousands, Scripture says something surprising about the disciples. Mark 6:52 tells us, “They had not understood about the loaves, because their hearts were hardened.”
These were men who had seen miracles with their own eyes. They watched Jesus feed a crowd of twenty thousand people with one basket of food. They had collected the leftovers. Yet hours later, when the storm hit, they were terrified. They thought they were going to die. Jesus walks across the water, steps into their chaos, and says, “Be of good cheer. It is I; do not be afraid.”
Then the Scripture adds, “They were amazed… for they had not understood about the loaves.” In other words, their observation of the miracle of the loaves hadn’t sunk into their hearts to the degree that it affected the next problem they faced. They didn’t attach the proper amount of significance to what they saw Jesus do, to the point that it changed their expectations.
Jesus expected his disciples to ponder his miracle to the point that they shouldn’t have been afraid of the storm, and he expected them to frame their view of themselves in light of the miracle he did for thousands of people.
When we fail to meditate on what Jesus has already done—His character, His power, His heart for us—we become vulnerable to fear. The storm reveals whether we’ve truly trusted His nature. Jesus wasn’t frustrated that they didn’t have enough faith to calm the waves; He was frustrated because they doubted who He showed Himself to be. Had they remembered the loaves, they would have been at peace in the storm. Had they taken the miracle personally, in other words, adopted the mindset that he would take care of them too, they wouldn’t have been afraid, even in the face of death.
When we recall God’s faithfulness, good cheer or gratitude rises, and then gratitude brings peace. That’s what Paul was describing in Philippians 4:6–7 when he said, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Paul doesn’t just say “pray.” He says pray with thanksgiving. Why? Because thanksgiving remembers the loaves. Gratitude remembers who God is, what He’s done, and what He promises to do. Thanksgiving turns prayer from desperation into confidence.
Gratitude reminds the heart of the character of God.
A lot of us pray with fear, focused on what we lack. We pray with worry. We pray with confusion. But you can pray with thanksgiving. Why? Because you’ve remembered the loaves.
When you know who Jesus is—His character, His power, His heart—you can pray from peace, not panic. You can make your requests known to God without fear of being ignored, because you know His heart toward you. Jesus said the Father “knows what you need before you even ask.” So when you do ask, don’t ask from lack. It’s okay to acknowledge the need, but don’t root your request in worry. Root it in trust.
Jesus and the disciples recognized the need for food that day. He didn’t ignore it, but He met it with faith and compassion, not fear. Later, when they were in danger on the water, they could have expected the same kind of provision—the same heart of love, the same faithfulness that fed the multitudes. That’s the point Jesus wanted them to see. The miracle of the loaves wasn’t just about bread; it was a revelation of His character.
Jesus said, ““Be of good cheer. It is I. Don’t be afraid.” When you recognize Jesus in the situation, fear should leave.
When you’re facing something you feel the desire to pray about, ask yourself; Where is Jesus and who is Jesus in this situation? Are there any promises I can stand on and speak? What miracle of Jesus am I meditating on to persuade my heart of his power, character, and will in this situation?
Every situation in life gives us a chance to consider the loaves again—to look at the track record of God’s goodness and settle our hearts in His character. When you do that, Philippians 4:7 becomes your reality: “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus.”
Peace doesn’t mean every detail of your life is perfect. It means you’re anchored in a truth deeper than the chaos around you. It’s the awareness that Jesus is in the boat. It’s the confidence that the same One who multiplied the loaves will multiply provision, wisdom, and strength for whatever storm you’re facing.
Peace is not passive. It’s not the absence of problems—it’s the presence of Jesus. It’s remembering the loaves until your heart believes that He is enough.
Homework: Practice the Peace Formula
This week, take time to “consider the loaves.” Think back on what Jesus has done in your life—His power, His character, His track record of provision. Make it personal. Recall the miracles, the answered prayers, the moments when His peace carried you through.
Then use Philippians 4:8–9 as your thought process when anxiety tries to rise:
“Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report… meditate on these things.”
When something troubling happens, pause and ask:
What is true about Jesus in this situation?
What is lovely and good about His character right now?
What past evidence of His faithfulness can I remember?
Write those thoughts down. Speak them out loud with gratitude.
As you do, your heart will soften, your fear will dissolve, and peace—the kind that passes understanding—will guard your heart and mind.
Be of good cheer. Jesus is here. Don’t be afraid.
How to Commit Your Works to The Lord
Break the fear of making a wrong move. You’re not waiting on God—He’s waiting on you. Commit (roll) your works to the Lord (Proverbs 16:3), act from your new identity, and watch Him establish your plans as you walk in love.
#4 The Future is Now
“Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.”
I’m thinking about where the world is and how easy it is to live inside our bubbles and routines. Routine is fine—work your job, love your family, be a light and an anchor for them, love your neighbors, and be the light of Christ and the salt of the gospel right where you live. Trust God and do good.
But there are also specific assignments that can emerge as you walk with God. And here’s the big idea of this message: those specifics are often more up to you than you realize. You truly have the opportunity to make decisions in partnership with God.
You’re not waiting on Him as much as you think—God is waiting on you. The promise is solid: Proverbs 16:3 Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established. And Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.
You can make a plan, roll the weight of it onto Him, and move. He loves to establish His kids’ steps.
Why So Many Believers Feel Stuck
So many Christians are afraid to make a decision because we’re afraid we’ll make the wrong one. We don’t want to disappoint people—and we certainly don’t want to disappoint God. We bury our talent in the dirt, hoping that inaction will be safer than risking a mistake. But that’s not pleasing to Him. He’d rather you try with little results than do nothing. If there’s a little mess to clean up along the way, He’s big enough to help you learn and keep going.
A quick, simple step looks like this: when a co-worker is having a hard day and lets you know their marriage is hurting or their kid is struggling, just ask, “Hey, you mind if I pray for you real quick?” Be available. Compassion initiates action.
Detoxing from Control and Cultish Vision
Many of you have been in church environments where leaders had strong vision—and the unspoken (or spoken) philosophy was, “You are here to fulfill the vision God gave me.” That stunts people. You end up indoctrinated into someone else’s system and you stop hearing God for yourself. If, when you think about following God, somebody else comes into your mind—you got a problem. If your first instinct is What would my pastor think? —you need to detox. Following God is between you and Him.
The tricky part is that freedom can feel like inactivity if you’ve been accustomed to being controlled. People leave highly structured places and come into a freedom-oriented church, and because no one is telling them what to do, they think nothing is happening. But what you feel is actually freedom.
You are not under any man’s authority the way some systems frame it. The “fivefold” are roles that equip and serve, not ranks that control.
What “Commit” Really Means
Back to the promise: Proverbs 16:3 Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The Hebrew word for commit here is galal—it means to roll, roll away, roll onto. Picture a 50-pound backpack on your shoulders. Committing your works is literally rolling the weight of your work and its disqualifications onto Someone stronger. He takes the weight, and then—this is important—He strengthens you as you walk.
Jesus’ yoke language fits perfectly: [Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me… 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.]When your doing feels heavy, roll it onto Him. Mercy unburdens you; grace strengthens you. It’s not laziness; it’s divine exchange.
Seven ways to “roll it onto Him” (how to commit your works)
These are heart postures and practices that keep grace doing the heavy lifting while you make and execute plans with God.
Repent and believe the gospel
[Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”]
Every plan I make sits inside the good news of what Jesus accomplished. I change my mind from fear and self-effort to trust in His finished work.Refuse legalistic burdens
The early church had to settle this: do Gentile believers have to keep the law to be right with God? [Acts 15:5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”] After prayer and debate, they wrote: [Acts 15:28 it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:] [Acts 15:29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality…]
And Peter had already testified, [Acts 15:9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.]
Translation: don’t re-yoke yourself to law to feel clean or qualified. Your heart is cleansed by faith in Jesus, not by rule-keeping.Trust His care over worry
[Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow…]
When I’m planning, anxiety is my cue to roll outcomes onto Him. My part: seek His reign and rightness; take today’s step.Abide daily—identity and grace
[John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit…”]
Abiding is acknowledging my oneness with Him, letting grace supply before I “do.” I don’t run to Scripture to become connected; I go as a connected son to deepen understanding of what I already possess.Put on the new man
[Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God… 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…]
I present my body because I’m holy in Christ, not to get holy. Mind renewal proves His will as I walk it out.Do everything in His name, with gratitude
[Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.]
Gratitude is a practical way to “roll” the work. I thank Him while I do the thing.Cast outcomes and walk in love
[1 Peter 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.]
[1 John 4:9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.]
Love is my tuning fork. Faith works through love [Galatians 5:6 …faith working through love.] If I intentionally shift to compassion toward the person in front of me, I often hear God—sometimes not as a “word,” but as a simple, kind action to take.
Wisdom Enters the Heart - A Proverbs 2 Practice
Incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding.
Cry out for discernment and lift up your voice for understanding.
Seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures.
Then wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will preserve you, understanding will keep you. (See [Proverbs 2])
He’s already speaking, mine His emerging wisdom like gold. Build a lifestyle that hears, plans, and acts. When the grace arises in your heart, step into it, apply the wisdom, and watch Him establish your plans. Try it!
It's Time to Make A Decision
You’re not waiting on God—He’s waiting on you. “You’ve got ministry in you. You’ve got passion in you. You’ve got family tree changing mornings in you.” The Father’s heart is clear: “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established” [Proverbs 16:3]. It’s time to make a plan, take a step, and trust Him to guide the way.
#3 The Future is Now
“Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.”
This message calls believers to stop waiting and start moving: “You’ve got ministry in you… What are you waiting on?” God’s heart is to give us the kingdom [Luke 12:32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.], and our confidence comes from identity in Christ—not performance—because “my yoke is easy and my burden is light” [Matthew 11:30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.]. Jesus, the Logos, reveals the Father’s logic and grace [John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word…], and the Spirit has given us a new heart to believe and act from [Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.]. Practically, wisdom looks like applying the heart to understanding and taking concrete steps—“Make a plan. Take a step.”—as we commit our works to the Lord and trust Him to establish our thoughts [Proverbs 16:3 Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.; Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.].
It’s Time to Make a Decision
If I had one word from the Lord for you today, it’s simple: go. “You’ve got ministry in you. You’ve got passion in you. You’ve got family tree changing mornings in you. What are you waiting on?” I know it can feel like you’re waiting on a green light from heaven, but here’s what I’ve learned—God’s waiting on you.
This isn’t about pressure or hustling to impress God. It starts with His heart. Scripture says, [Revelation 4:11 You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor… for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.]. And Jesus tells us plainly, [Luke 12:32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.]. Read that again—His good pleasure. The Father delights to bring you into His kingdom purposes. That changes how we move. We don’t step forward to earn; we step forward because we’re already loved.
Jesus is the foundation for this confidence. He’s not just a great teacher—He’s the Logos, the logic and mind of God in human form: [John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.]. I like to say, “Jesus is how God thinks as a human.” He taught the Law to an impossible standard on purpose—to show us we can’t do it on our own and to point us wholly to grace: “Only in me is your acceptance.” That’s why I keep reminding you of His invitation: [Matthew 11:30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.]. Yes, life can be hard. Steps of obedience can feel costly. But the Jesus part is easy and light.
Grace doesn’t make us careless. It makes us confident. I told a story about a king whose daughter was condemned. He halted the execution, laid himself down in her place, and said, “Carry out the penalty.” That’s grace. And you know what grace produced in her? Not rebellion—gratitude and a changed life. When you really see what Jesus did for you, you’re free from trying to perform your way into God’s favor. That freedom becomes the soil where real fruit grows. “Free people set people free. Hurt people hurt people. Controlling people control people. Free people set people free.”
So why do we still hesitate? Often because we doubt whether we can hear God. But hear me: “If you can read the Bible, you can hear God.” Proverbs repeats this rhythm: incline your ear and apply your heart. Until you actively seek to livethe Word, it stays theory. Wisdom arrives in motion. As I said, “Until you actually are actively seeking to live it out, you won’t really know how to live it out.” Move—and clarity will meet you on the way.
This is why the heart matters so much. God didn’t just patch you up; He remade you. [Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.]. “Your heart is where you believe from. The heart is who you really think you are.” Even your physical heart surprisingly stores memory, but spiritually speaking, your new heart carries God’s Word, voice, and love. Learn to direct it: apply your heart to understanding. Let the spiritual truth become the most sensible thing in the deepest part of you—about healing, your future, finances, relationships. [Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.]. Many of us stay stuck because we keep looking outsidefor identity and direction. Church culture sometimes hasn’t helped—“tell me who I am, tell me what to do.” But sons and daughters are called to grow up, to hear, and to walk with God from the inside out.
Here’s the liberating shift: you’re probably not missing a single, fragile bullseye called “the will of God.” If you’re in Christ, you’re in the will of God. From there, you and the Lord walk out assignments together. There will be specific moments He highlights, but the “what” is often wide open. That doesn’t create pressure; it creates freedom. It means you can choose a direction that glorifies Jesus and serves people—and trust Him to guide and correct as needed.
So let’s get practical. Scripture gives us a simple path: [Proverbs 16:3 Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.]. Notice the order. Your works—your steps, your plans—committed to the Lord. Then your thoughtsget established. In other words, clarity often comes after motion. That’s why I kept saying, “Make a plan. Take a step. Even if it’s the wrong step, He can change it. He’ll guide. He’ll establish.”
A Simple Plan to Move from Waiting to Walking
Decide a Direction (Identity First).
Sit with the Lord until there’s peace about the kind of fruit you want to see (souls saved, widows cared for, orphans housed, families discipled, businesses redeemed, neighborhoods served). From acceptance—not anxiety—choose a direction that reflects Jesus. Declare: “In Christ I’m accepted and loved; His yoke is easy and His burden is light” [Matthew 11:30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.].Name One Concrete Next Step.
Buy the domain, call the partner, meet a mentor, register the nonprofit, block a weekly serving slot, outline the curriculum—something. Wisdom meets you in the doing: “Until you actually are actively seeking to live it out, you won’t really know how to live it out.”Commit Your Works—Out Loud.
Pray Proverbs 16:3 over your specific action: “Lord, I commit this work to You. Establish my thoughts, shape my plans, correct my course.” Expect Him to stabilize your inner world as you move.Apply Your Heart Daily.
Each morning, incline your ear (read a short passage) and apply your heart (one obedience you’ll do today). When fear or confusion rises, answer it with truth: [Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.]. Choose spiritual thinking.Refuse Performance—Stay in Grace.
When you miss it (and you will sometimes), remember the King who took your place. Repent, receive, and keep walking. “Free people set people free.”
I’ve lived this. When Sara and I first knew I was called to pastor, it was fifteen years before we started our church. I didn’t know you were “supposed to fast and beg and get mad at God because it’s not happening.” I just knew the direction and took the next step—training here, serving there, learning, moving—and the Lord gave us the “how” along the way. That’s my promise to you as your pastor and brother: on the way, it will get stylized and personalized and specific for you. You’ll discover creativity you didn’t know you had. You’ll experience the satisfaction Jesus described after the well encounter: “My food is to do the will of my Father.” It’s not heavy or churchy; it’s the normal Christian life—alive, free, fruitful.
So… what’s your plan? You might not know ten years from now. You might not know five. You might not even know next month. But you can know right now: the next faithful step. Turn your face toward that direction and go. If it’s wrong, He’ll guide. If it’s right, He’ll establish. Either way, He’s with you. It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom [Luke 12:32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.].
Make a plan. Take a step. Go.
God is Waiting on You
Too many believers think they’re waiting on God, but the truth is God is waiting on us. Romans 8:11 says the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, giving life and power right now. You don’t lack anything. The future isn’t someday—it’s now.
#2 The Future is Now
“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
When I look around at the body of Christ, I see so many believers who feel stuck. They’re waiting for something — waiting for God to speak, waiting for circumstances to align, waiting for someone in authority to give them permission. But here’s what I said in this message: “You think you’re waiting on God, God’s waiting on you.”
The future is not some distant, far-off moment when everything lines up perfectly. The future is now. God has already equipped us, empowered us, and called us to move. The only question is, will we step out?
The Spirit That Raised Jesus Dwells in You
Romans 8:11 declares, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Think about that. Jesus was in the grave, cut off, dead, and God’s Spirit reached into death itself and pulled Him back to life. That same Spirit now lives in you.
I said it this way: “That same spirit that raised Him from the dead dwells in you. He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your physical body.”
Do you feel the weight of that? This means you don’t lack anything. You’re not waiting on more of God. “The Spirit of the living God dwells in you in fullness. You lack nothing.”
So if the Spirit that conquered sin and death is already in you, why are you still waiting?
The Misunderstanding of Waiting
A lot of us have been conditioned by church culture to wait. Wait for revival. Wait for a sign. Wait for God to drop specific instructions into our laps. Or worse, wait for someone else’s vision to play out before we feel like we can step into our own.
But here’s the reality: signs are not meant to direct you, they’re meant to confirm what God has already placed inside of you. I gave the illustration of a road trip: “If you know you want to go to Birmingham and you start driving that direction and you see a sign that says this way to Birmingham, you already know you’re going. A sign doesn’t make the decision for you. It just confirms it.”
Too many of us are wandering around looking for a sign to tell us where to go. That’s backwards. God has given you a new heart, and His Spirit is united with yours. You already have inward direction. Signs simply affirm what you’ve already chosen to walk out.
Freedom and Responsibility
Here’s the paradox: You don’t need anyone to tell you who you are in Christ, but you deeply need community. No one has spiritual authority over you, yet we desperately need each other for discipleship, encouragement, and sharpening.
“It’s such a huge misunderstanding in the body of Christ today to think that any person, man or woman, has authority spiritually over you because they don’t.”
That doesn’t mean we live like “Lone Rangers.” I even joked, “Do you kids know who Lone Ranger is?” The truth is, we need each other. But we need each other in a healthy way. Your role is just as important as anyone else’s. In Christ, there are no ranks — just different functions that make up one body.
So don’t wait around for someone else to tell you who you are. Know who you are in Christ, find a place to express that vision, and move forward.
Making a Decision and Trusting God
Scripture is clear: God is not blocking us from moving. He’s partnering with us as we go.
Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” What does He bring to pass? Your way. Proverbs 16:3 adds, “Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” And verse 9 echoes, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”
Here’s how I put it: “God is not standing in your path to block you. He’s standing beside you, asking, ‘Where do you want to go?’ And when you answer, He says, ‘Alright, here’s how.’”
That’s why I challenged us: “You think you’re waiting on God, God’s waiting on you.”
Even if you take a step that isn’t perfect, God can redirect. “A ship tied to the dock is not going anywhere. But if it sets out, even if it goes in the wrong direction, you just course correct, set the sail, the wind blows and then you go.” In other words, moving is better than staying stuck.
Wisdom for the How, Not Just the What
Many of us are asking, “God, what do you want me to do?” But often, God is more interested in showing us how to do what’s already in our hearts. Proverbs 2:2 says, “If you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding…”
Wisdom is not more information. Wisdom is application. I said it this way: “Wisdom manifested from God by His Spirit in your heart and in your mind oftentimes feels like your own thoughts. It feels like intuition.”
That’s why Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts. God gave us new hearts at salvation, hearts that can naturally follow Him. But we must direct our hearts, not simply follow them blindly. As I explained: “We’ve mysticized hearing God to sound like booming Old Covenant prophecy. But you’re one with God. You have the mind of Christ. His Spirit dwells in you. It’s perfectly natural for your thoughts to be in alignment with God’s thoughts in and through you.”
Practical Application
So let me make this really practical. Here are a few questions I asked in the message, and I encourage you to ask them of yourself today:
Who am I in Christ apart from my job, relationships, or church role?
Am I waiting for someone else to tell me what to do?
Do I believe I can make plans that God will help me establish?
What do I want to do?
What are my next three steps?
If you’re waiting on God to make everything clear before you move, you’ll be waiting a long time. But if you know who you are in Christ, and you’re willing to step out in faith, God promises to direct your steps and establish your plans.
The Call to Action
This isn’t about arrogance, it’s about humility. Humility is agreeing with God about who you are. “The most humble thing you can do is to honestly stand before the Father and say, ‘I am the righteousness of God in Christ.’”
So don’t bury your gifts. Don’t hide behind excuses. Don’t wait for some distant future. The future is now. The Spirit of God lives in you, you are equipped, you are empowered, and you are free to move forward.
“It’s not too late and you’re not too old and you’re not too broke… We’re the body of Christ. Let’s be it.”
Breaking Free from Confusion and Control
So many believers live stuck—waiting for a move of God, waiting for a prophecy, or waiting for a leader to tell them what to do. But the truth is, Jesus is your breakthrough. You’re not waiting on Him to act; He’s already given you everything you need for life and godliness. The problem isn’t that God is withholding—it’s that confusion and control have clouded your vision. In this message, Breaking Free from Confusion and Control, we’ll look at Proverbs 2:1–2 and Hebrews 11:11 to see how to incline your ear, apply your heart, and judge God faithful. Freedom starts when you stop waiting and start walking in who you already are in Christ.
#1 The Future is Now
“My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding…”
Have you ever felt stuck—like you’re waiting for the right conditions before you can really move forward with God’s plan for your life? Maybe you’ve thought, “I’ll be ready once God gives me another sign… once a leader opens a door… once I finally feel qualified.” The problem is, that kind of waiting can last forever.
Let me ask you plainly: What are you waiting on?
I said it this way in my message: “We are masters at giving ourselves excuses to not put into practice that which Jesus has already done on the inside of us.” The future isn’t something we sit around waiting for. The future is now.
The Word That Reads You
Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “The word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit.” The Word is not just ink on paper—it’s living. It cuts down to the deepest places of your heart. But for that to happen, you have to let it.
“You gotta let it read you. You gotta take that reflective time to give it the opportunity.” Transformation doesn’t come by sitting back waiting on God to act. It comes by allowing His Word, alive in you, to confront false beliefs and shape your heart.
Confusion sets in when we fill our minds with wrong teaching, or when we look to people to tell us who we are, instead of letting the Word cut down to the heart and reveal truth. The Word, alive in you, is the foundation that breaks the cycle of confusion and control.
Stop Waiting for God to Move
Many of us are caught in the trap of waiting—waiting for a move of God, waiting for a vision, waiting for perfect conditions. But here’s the truth: “God has already told you and empowered you to do the things that you might be thinking that you’re waiting on God to do.”
He already gave the Great Commission. You don’t need to wonder if you should serve the poor, share your faith, or care for the hurting. “There’s general commissions that anybody can do. If you’re confused about what you should do, there’s about ten things that Jesus said in general. Just go do those things.”
So if you’re wondering where to start, stop overthinking. Start loving, start serving, start obeying what Jesus already said.
Breaking Free from Control
Some of you hesitate to step forward because of past church experiences. You may have been told you had to “serve another man’s vision” before God would give you your own. That mindset has kept too many believers in confusion and bondage.
I put it bluntly: “Some of you have gone through gag-me-with-a-spoon leadership… but one thing I can promise you is we’re gonna set you free. We’re gonna have an environment of freedom.”
Ephesians 4 tells us that apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are gifts to the church. But they aren’t ranks of authority. As I said, “They’re not ranks. Hogwash. They’re job descriptions. And anybody in the body of Christ can fulfill any of those roles if the Lord calls you into it.”
That means you don’t need a leader to hand you an identity. You already have one in Christ. You don’t need permission to live in your calling. Christ Himself gave it to you.
Jesus Is My Breakthrough
One of the biggest lies is that breakthrough is somewhere out there in the future, waiting for the right moment. But I want you to declare with me: “Jesus is my breakthrough.”
You’re not waiting for Him to send breakthrough. You’re learning to experience what He’s already finished. “The kingdom is here. The kingdom is in you, the judgment is finished for you, He’s given you His Spirit, He’s healed you, all His promises are yes and amen. He’s given you all things that pertain unto life and godliness.”
This isn’t about earning or waiting. It’s about believing.
Learning from Sarah
Hebrews 11:11 gives us a perfect example: “By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she judged Him faithful who had promised.”
God had already spoken His will. He was ready to fulfill it. But Sarah laughed. She doubted. She even pushed Abraham into trying to fulfill God’s word through Hagar. And yet she’s remembered as a hero of faith—why?
“Because she finally judged God faithful that He was able to accomplish that which He spoke.”
The power was in the promise all along. But she didn’t let it bear fruit until she chose to believe. How many of God’s promises are sitting dormant in our lives, waiting for us to judge Him faithful?
Unlimited Potential
Too often, we think of faith like Newton’s laws of motion: every action has an equal reaction. If I fast enough, pray enough, give enough—then God will respond. But that’s not how the Kingdom works.
“Where God exists in unlimited, superpositional potential… it’s always available. It is His will. It is His character. It is what He wants for you.”
The promises of God aren’t locked in a vault, waiting for the right formula. They are like rain already pouring outside. If you want to enjoy it, step out.
Prophecy, Signs, and Freedom
I believe in prophecy. Scripture tells us to desire it. But its role is to confirm what God has already said, not to define who you are. “If you need a prophecy to tell you what to do, it’s time to come on over into the New Covenant and realize that you’re complete in Christ.”
The same goes for signs. God can use them to encourage, but they are not meant to guide your life. I shared the story of a thousand blue jays that appeared outside my house when I was young in the Lord, asking if I was even alive. That sign encouraged me, but it didn’t define me.
Living in Your Identity
1 John 4:17 says, “As He is, so are we in this world.” Jesus Himself prayed in John 17:22, “I have given them the glory that you gave me.”
This means we live as God’s image-bearers on Earth. “You bear the image of God in this Earth. We live on this Earth as little gods, you could say. And if we could wake up to know who and what we are, we realize we have dominion over this planet.”
That’s not arrogance—it’s truth. You’re not called to be under control. You’re called to be free, to reign in life through Christ, and to live from your new identity.
The Wisdom is Already Yours
Finally, Proverbs 2:1–11 shows us how to posture our hearts:
“My son, if you accept my words and hide my commandments within you, if you incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding… then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.”
Notice it doesn’t say God will release wisdom once you beg enough. It says you will discover it.
“It’s not ‘then God will release it,’ it’s ‘then you will discern.’ It’s there for you to mine like gold.”
Wisdom is already given. You just need to seek it, incline your ear, and apply your heart.
The Challenge
So I’ll ask you again: what are you waiting on?
If you don’t have a personal vision, you’re setting yourself up to be confused or controlled. But when you let the Word read you, judge God faithful, and step into your identity, you realize you’re not waiting on a move of God. The move has already come. Jesus is your breakthrough.
The future is not someday. The future is now.
How the Holy Spirit Empowers Your Everyday Life
The anointing isn’t some mystical thing you’re waiting on—it’s the Spirit of God already in you and working with you. When your heart doesn’t condemn you, you’ll walk in confidence and power—because love is the force that moves miracles.
“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”
In this message, I unpacked the idea of living filled with the Spirit—not as a one-time charismatic event, but as a continual lifestyle rooted in love, compassion, and partnership with God. I challenged the church to reframe spiritual language in ways that are relatable and biblically grounded, explaining that the anointing is simply God’s Spirit working with and through us. Drawing from personal stories, I illustrated how the power of the Spirit is present in everyday moments of peace, wisdom, love, and compassion—not just in dramatic miracles. True spiritual power flows from a heart free from condemnation, rooted in God’s love through the cross, and confident in our union with Christ. The Spirit of God is in us, and Jesus is with us, confirming His word with power, love, and wisdom.
How I Learned That the Anointing Is Simply God Working With Me
I didn’t grow up in church, and maybe that’s one of the greatest blessings of my spiritual journey. I didn’t inherit all the programmed language or religious constructs—so when I discovered the Spirit of God, I wasn’t interested in sounding spiritual. I wanted to live empowered.
I’ve heard the questions so many times: Have you received the baptism of the Spirit? Do you speak in tongues? And while those things matter in context, I think we’ve overcomplicated them. “Being filled with the Spirit is not a one-time event… Being filled with the Spirit is a lifestyle.” It’s not about speaking in tongues to prove you’ve ‘got it.’ It’s about living in a daily awareness that God’s Spirit is in you and upon you, empowering you for everyday life.
I tell people this often: You already have an anointing from the Holy One. You don’t need someone else’s anointing. You don’t need Todd White’s or William Branham’s. “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things” (1 John 2:20). That’s the power of the new covenant—we are temples of the living God, and He’s not withholding anything from us. His Spirit is in us, and Jesus is working with us.
One of the stories I shared in this message comes from a moment where fear gripped me. I was lying in bed, triggered by something I heard outside. And then I remembered: “No enemy can touch me. Jesus is more powerful.” As soon as I turned my thoughts back to Christ, I audibly heard the voice of God laughing from within me. It wasn’t mockery. It was pride—like a Father saying, He’s got it now. God delights in you when you live confidently in what He’s already given you.
That confidence is key. Scripture says in 1 John 3:21–22, “If our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him.” We make it mystical, but it’s simple: when your heart doesn’t condemn you, you allow God to move through you. A condemned heart will hesitate, disqualify itself, and question its worth. But a heart established in the love of God will expect the Spirit to flow.
And here’s how He flows—love. Not performance. Not striving. Love.
Over and over in the gospels, we see Jesus moved with compassion. That phrase—“moved with compassion”—comes from the Greek word splagchnizomai, which literally refers to being moved from the gut. “It’s like a bowel movement,” I joked, “but with no mess.” That’s what it feels like when the love of God wells up so strongly in you that you can’t not act. Jesus healed, fed, taught, and raised the dead—all from that deep well of love.
You want to move in the supernatural? Cultivate love. Because “love never fails.” And love doesn’t wait for a church service or ministry moment. Love acts when your co-worker is panicking, when your spouse is hurting, or when your child needs grace.
That’s being filled with the Spirit.
I’ve also had people tell me they don’t feel anything when they pray. And I get it. But don’t let feelings be your gauge. One pastor told a story of praying for a man in an airport—nothing happened in the moment. But when he went through a security scanner, the machine detected high levels of explosive material on his body. The anointing is real—even when you don’t feel it. “The Spirit of the Living God dwells in me. And it’s just true.”
So here’s what I want you to walk away with:
You don’t need a second dose of something mystical. Jesus has already baptized you in the Spirit.
The anointing isn’t just for miracles. It’s for peace, wisdom, love, and integrity.
Your daily life is the place of power. “The Lord working with them” (Mark 16:20)—that’s your story.
If your heart condemns you, run to the cross. Let His love recalibrate your confidence.
When love rises up in you, let it move you to act. That’s how the Spirit moves.
And remember—“You hear God better than you think you do.”
The anointing is just Him—working with you.
You Are Complete in Christ: Understanding the Spirit Within and Upon
You don’t need more of God—you need to yield to what He’s already placed in you. The Holy Spirit lives in you, and when you choose to lean into Him, He comes upon you with power for daily life. You are complete in Christ—now live from that fullness.
The Force From Within
“And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”
There’s probably no subject in the modern church that stirs up more confusion and division than the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I’ve had enough questions come through recently—emails, conversations, online discussions—that I figured it’s time to walk through the scriptural foundation of what the baptism of the Spirit really is. Not from a denominational lens. Not to convince anyone they’re wrong. But to simply lay out what scripture says, affirm the finished work of Christ, and help us understand what’s already been given to us in Him.
Because here’s the truth: If you are in Christ, you are not lacking. You are not waiting on God to give you something He’s holding back. You are complete in Him. And when it comes to the Holy Spirit—whether it’s His indwelling presence or His power upon your life—you already have what you need. What remains is your choice to yield.
The New Birth and the Spirit Within
When you put your faith in Jesus—truly trust that what He did on the cross applies to you—something happens. Spiritually, a transformation takes place. Paul calls it a circumcision made without hands in Colossians 2:11. God cuts away the body of sin. You’re sanctified by the lifeblood of Jesus. You’re cleansed. You’re made new. Dead in sin no longer describes you. You’re revived. Alive in Christ.
It’s not just poetic language. Ezekiel 36:26–27 shows what happens in that moment. God says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you… I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes.” That’s not symbolic. That’s literal. You receive a new heart. Not an old, wicked heart patched up. A new heart. A new spirit. And God’s own Spirit joined to yours.
It’s not like the old covenant, where the Spirit came upon someone for a task and then lifted. No, under the new covenant, you become the very temple of God. The presence that once rested behind a veil now resides in you. Permanently. As Paul said in Colossians 2:9–10, “In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him.”Complete. Lacking nothing.
So from the moment you say yes to Jesus, the Spirit of the living God takes up residence in you. He joins Himself to you. You’re one. You’re not trying to get close to Him. You’re not trying to earn access. You are in Him and He is in you.
Spirit Upon: The Power to Live and Witness
Now here’s where the distinction matters. You can have the Spirit within you and still not walk in His power. You can be born again and yet live as if you’re on your own. That’s why we need to understand the Spirit upon.
Jesus said in Matthew 3:11, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Now, God is the one who puts His Spirit in you. But Jesus—the high priest of the new covenant—is the one who baptizes you with the Spirit. That word “baptize” means to immerse. Think about water baptism. The goal isn’t to get water in you; it’s to be surrounded by it. Immersed. That’s what Jesus does with the Spirit.
So while the Spirit is already in you, there’s another dimension available: the Spirit upon you. Power for daily life. Boldness to witness. Fruit for character. Gifts for ministry. And it doesn’t come by waiting for God to do something new. It comes by yielding to what’s already there.
Too often we confuse the terminology. We say, “Have you received the baptism of the Holy Spirit?” or “Are you Spirit-filled?” As if those phrases describe separate events or classes of believers. But let’s clarify something: there are only two kinds of people in the world—those who are born again and those who are not. If you are born again, you have the Spirit. Period.
From there, the choice is whether you’ll live under His influence.
Filled with the Spirit Means Yielding
Let’s look at Acts. This is where most of the confusion tends to come from. In Acts 2, the disciples are filled with the Holy Spirit, and they begin to speak in tongues. But then in Acts 4, it says Peter is “filled with the Spirit” again—and this time, he speaks boldly to the religious leaders, not in tongues but in his own language.
This shows us something important: being filled with the Spirit isn’t about getting the Spirit in you for the first time. It’s about yielding to His influence. It’s about being inspired, empowered, and emboldened by the Spirit already within you.
Jesus said in Luke 12:11–12, “Do not worry about how or what you should answer… for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” That’s what happened in Acts 4. Peter, filled with the Spirit, spoke as the Spirit taught him—not in tongues, but in boldness. And that same Spirit teaches you.
Being filled with the Spirit means living from His influence. Whether it’s for ministry, for patience in traffic, or for loving someone who’s hard to love, it’s all the same Spirit working in you and upon you.
What About Acts 19?
Acts 19 is often used to say you can believe in Jesus and still not have the Spirit. But if we slow down and look closely, that’s not what’s happening.
Paul finds a group of disciples and asks them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answer, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” Right away, we see these folks didn’t even know the Holy Spirit was available. So Paul digs deeper: “Into what then were you baptized?” And they respond, “Into John’s baptism.”
So they weren’t believers in Jesus yet. They’d heard the message of repentance from John, but they hadn’t yet heard or responded to the gospel of Christ. That’s why Paul tells them again to believe on Jesus, and after they do, “they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” That’s when they got born again.
Then Paul lays hands on them, and the Spirit comes upon them—they begin speaking in tongues and prophesying. But the point here isn’t that they were believers lacking the Spirit. It’s that they weren’t believers yet. Once they were, they received what was already theirs.
And Acts 8?
Same deal. In Acts 8, it says the Samaritans had received the word of God and had been baptized in the name of Jesus, but “the Spirit had not yet fallen upon them.” Sounds like they were missing something, right?
Here’s where word study helps. The Greek word for “receive” is lambano, and it doesn’t mean “get something new.” It means “to take, to lay hold of, to appropriate for oneself.” It’s an action. It’s not waiting for God to do something—it’s choosing to yield to what’s already available.
Likewise, the phrase “fallen upon” comes from the Greek epipipto, and in this case, it’s used metaphorically. It doesn’t mean the Spirit fell from heaven like a cloud. It means they hadn’t yet yielded to the inspiration or impulse of the Spirit. They hadn’t responded.
So when Peter and John lay hands on them, it wasn’t that God finally sent the Spirit. It’s that the people finally received—they took hold of what was already theirs.
We’ve turned these moments into doctrines that suggest you get saved, then get the Spirit later. But scripture doesn’t support that. What it shows is people learning to yield. The moment you’re born again, the Spirit is in you. And the power that comes upon you is available the moment you choose to lay hold of it.
You Don’t Need More. You Need to Yield.
Let’s stop waiting for God to send something. He already sent Jesus. He already put His Spirit in you. If you want to pray in tongues, speak. If you want to walk in boldness, speak. If you want wisdom, ask. James says God gives generously to all who ask without finding fault.
When Paul talks about being filled with the Spirit, he’s not talking about getting more of God. He’s talking about living under His influence. Whether that looks like praying in tongues, preaching the gospel, or walking in love, it’s all the same Spirit at work.
We often treat the Holy Spirit like He’s something to “catch,” as if He’s floating around waiting to land on us. But He’s already in you. You just need to say yes. That’s what repentance is—changing your mind, turning to Him, and stepping into what’s true. That’s how we walk in the Spirit. That’s how we see power.
And listen, if you’ve had a moment in your life where you responded beyond your own strength, where you acted out of love or wisdom you didn’t conjure up yourself, that was Him. That was being filled with the Spirit. That was the power coming upon you, not because you earned it, but because you yielded.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to wait for a fire tunnel. You don’t need someone else’s mantle. You don’t need to hope that maybe one day God will decide to move. You are complete in Christ. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. You lack nothing.
The anointing abides in you. Jesus lives in you. The Spirit of God is already within you—and when you choose to yield, He comes upon you. For power. For witness. For life.
So the question isn’t, “Will God move?” The question is, “Will you yield?”
As the Spirit leads you—whether into peace, power, or prayer—just follow. And let’s stop making it complicated. As Yoda said: “Do or do not. There is no try.”