Ed Horak's Blog

          In order to fully enjoy the divine advantage we have been given by the Holy Spirit living inside of us as our comforter and helper, we must continually get to know Him better. God takes natural symbols or familiar material emblems to unfold new spiritual realities about the Holy Spirit).

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead

 Get to know the Holy Spirit better through symbols

Consider the following examples: water, wind, fire, wine, oil, clothing and the dove.

 The Holy Spirit symbolized by water

Isaiah 44:3

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,

And floods on the dry ground;

I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,

And My blessing on your offspring;

John 7:37-39

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive;

          As water is vital for physical life so is the Holy Spirit for spiritual life and vitality. Out of the heart or belly are the issues of life. The Holy Spirit’s influence in your life is like a river flowing out into ‘dry’ circumstances.

           Rivers also speak of movement: something characteristic of the Holy Spirit’s operation. He is always moving, and never stagnant. His dealings can be recognized as He shapes the landscape of your heart and mind to become more like Christ. Like flowing river water has the capacity to carry debris along with it, and even rub off sharp edges making smooth stones, so too the Holy Spirit has the capacity to remove filth from your life, and even smooth off rough edges in your personality.

Ezekiel 36:25-27

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

          Rivers also speak of productivity. The Holy Spirit will produce fruitfulness in your life when you yield to His dealings.

Revelation 22:1-2

1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

           Water comes in different forms: rain, dew and vapor. For water to condense as droplets of rain or even dew overnight, certain atmospheric conditions must apply, the primary one being cooling. In the stillness and cooling of night, symbolic of difficult circumstances, the refreshing and life sustaining ‘dew’ of the Holy Spirit can distill out to bring life into dry situations (Hosea 14:5). Look for the Holy Spirit reassurances, especially in difficult situations. Be calm, rest from your own efforts to make something come to pass, and let God have His way in the attendant silence.

          Remember, speaking in tongues is evidence of surrender and activates the strengthening or edification ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life. So make a practice of speaking in tongues daily and enjoy the refreshing effect. It’s like taking a spiritual shower, bath or swim.

           The covering ministry of the Holy Spirit is described as a ‘cloud’ by day (Exodus 13:22) sheltering the Israelites of old from the hot desert sun on their journey to the Promised Land. In like manner, see the Holy Spirit sheltering you from the ‘heat’ of adverse circumstances as you progress on your spiritual journey.

           One final point about water. The rainbow has seven distinct colors or aspects, as does the Holy Spirit.

 Revelation 4:5-6

And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

           Most commentators attribute the following seven characteristics of the Holy Spirit to His ministry: teacher, advocate, counselor, guide, strengthener, comforter and intercessor. Once again, get to know the Holy Spirit in the multiplicity of His grace. There is always more to explore.

 Wind, fire and wine as symbols of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1-4, 13

Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

           All three symbols are connected to the Spirit’s outpouring on Pentecost: wind, fire and wine. The wind is the ‘breath’ of God that when it blows has a sound. There is a particular sound to God’s voice. It carries peace, comfort, strength, power, healing or whatever you need at any particular moment. The wind can be mighty like a gale, or like a gentle breeze but always appropriate for the need of the moment. The Holy Spirit will speak to you in a tone and with the intensity that is suited to your situation. When you need healing and comfort when you are bruised, He will be gentle. When you need loud correction when in danger, He will be more forceful. Learn to discern by practicing your listening skills.

          With fire comes light, heat and even cleansing. The spiritual light we are given by the Holy Spirit must be set on a hill for all to see. Jesus said that we are the ‘light of the world’ (Matthew 5:14), and must shine in dark places. Let the Holy Spirit embolden you to let your light shine. In the coldness of life’s difficulties, you can also provide warmth and comfort through the Holy Spirit to people needing comfort.

          Also, be open to the cleansing and purifying effect of the Holy Spirit in your life. If you let him, he will ‘burn’ up things that are impure. The fires of heaven will burn up the fires of hellish situations that may be burning in you or those you love. For example, in 1666 AD the city of London England was ravaged by bubonic plague carried by rats. A great fire broke out and burnt up significant parts of the city. However, as a result, many rats were killed and the bubonic plague stopped. A ‘cleansing’ took place that, in the long run, saved the city. In like manner, there may be a ‘fire’ of adverse circumstance burning in your life, that can be cleansed if you are ‘set on fire’ by the Holy Spirit.

Malachi 3:2-3

“But who can endure the day of His coming?

And who can stand when He appears?

For He is like a refiner’s fire

And like launderer’s soap.

3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;

He will purify the sons of Levi,

And purge them as gold and silver,

That they may offer to the LORD

An offering in righteousness.

Matthew 3:11-12

He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

           In addition, when the disciples spilled out into the streets on the day of Pentecost, and the locals mockingly thought they were drunk with wine, Peter corrected them by referring to Joel’s prophecy of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring.

          Wine as a Biblical symbol speaks of refreshing, stimulation and abandon to God’s purposes. Obviously wanton drunkenness is to be avoided, but Spirit filled abandon is to be encouraged.

 Ephesians 5:18-21

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

           Joy is to characterize your life, and not bitter vinegary expressions of prideful and empty religion. Your heart is like a wineskin that must be soft and supple to receive and contain the ‘new wine’ of The Holy Spirit. Old ways and attitudes must make way for the joyful new.

Luke 5:37-39

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.

 Oil as symbol of the Holy Spirit

          In the story of the ‘good Samaritan’ the unfortunate traveler who fell among thieves had oil and wine poured into his wounds the Samaritan. This speaks of the the new birth and infilling of the Holy Spirit bringing about recovery from trauma. The trauma of sin that has affected all mankind needs to be dealt with by a twofold operation of the Holy Spirit. The wineskin of our broken hearts must be restored and softened before receiving new wine. So there is the new birth experience then the Holy Spirit baptism or infilling.

Luke 10:34

So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine…

          Oil is used as a symbol of anointing for service. The prophet Samuel anointed King David with a horn of oil (1 Samuel 16:13). Jesus, the king was anointed for service (Acts 10:38), and the early disciples were continually refreshed with an ‘oil change’.

Psalm 92:10

10 But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox;

I have been anointed with fresh oil .

Acts 3:19-20

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Acts 4:31

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

          They recognized this and yielded to these times of refreshing and were “re’- filled with the Holy Spirit time and again. They had previously been born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit, but still felt the need in this threatening situation to be ‘refilled’ with the Spirit, a ‘topping up’ if you please.

 The dove as a symbol of the Holy Spirit       

Matthew 3:16-17

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

           The Holy Spirit is likened to a dove in Jesus baptism, and in keeping with the first direct mention of the dove in scripture, is used to speak of the peace He always brought to any situation. (Olive branch of peace that the dove brought after the flood of judgment began subsiding – Genesis 8:7-12). After all, Jesus is described as the prince of peace! (Isaiah 9:6). In your life if ever you want to recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit look for peace, that’s where He will be.

           Then, like a dove broods over its eggs in order to bring forth new life, the Holy Spirit in you broods over new things he wants to bring forth in your life. He is gentle and protective and will speak comforting and encouraging things to you.

          The dove in the natural is faithful to its one mating partner, is gentle and is able to keep its eyes focused. The Holy Spirit in turn is faithful to never leave you, is gentle and controlled, and keeps your eyes focused on Jesus (John 14:16 / Isaiah 42:1-4 / Matthew 6:22). It is also ‘harmless’ or as is implied in scripture ‘unmixed’ or innocently unmingled.

Matthew 10:16

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

           Your witness in the world must reflect the purity of a dove like holiness. That is something only the Holy Spirit can give you. Your enemy, the devil, is unholy in all that he does, and you and I must cooperate with the Holy Spirit to be set apart from evil in all we say and do. Allow the inner seed of positional holiness given to you at the new birth to grow into the fruit of practical holiness as the ‘divine dove’ gains more and more control over your life.

Philippians 2:14-15

Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless , children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,…

It is fair to say that the apostle Paul was a seasoned minister of excellence. He mentored Timothy the young pastor of the large citywide Ephesian church estimated by some to be in the tens of thousands. Timothy was young but called and chosen for the great responsibility that faced him. There is much to learn from the tips Paul gave to Timothy. 

Remain committed to your calling  

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia–remain in Ephesus… 1 Timothy 1:3 

Things started well for Timothy, but in time, he was tempted to move on, finding some reason to validate his desire to move on. Paul wrote and gave instruction that he was to remain in Ephesus and be committed to his call there. Often our spiritual victory is a matter of outlasting the enemy. We are instructed elsewhere to stand our ground, fully covered with God’s armor when satan seeks to move us off our base. That is why it is a good idea to write the vision, so that in time when uncertainty creeps up, you can clearly remember the direction the Lord gave you. 

Prioritize Prayer 

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,…1 Timothy 2:1-2 

Paul had come to understand that his ministry stood or fell on prayer. He had learnt to pray unceasingly in a lifestyle of devotion and intercession. His apostolic prayers are common to the letters he wrote, and he exhorts Timothy to also prioritize prayer before all else: “first of all.” Busyness, even hard work, is no substitute for believing prayer that invokes God’s insight, foresight, strength, provision, and protection in all ministry effort. 

Be forewarned about people around you will ‘depart’ 

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith,… 1 Timothy 4:1 

Discouragement can set in when those around you ‘depart from the faith.’ If you are not careful their lack of faith can influence your faith, and you need to set a guard against the enemy who will lie about ‘something being wrong’ with what you have been ministering. After all, if what you have been ministering is all OK, how come so and so has now fallen behind?It is comforting to know that even under Jesus’ perfect teaching, some disciples turned back (John 6:66). So be aware of the enemy’s wiles. 

Be prepared to stir things up 

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you… 2 Timothy 1:6 

There is a natural tendency for the general spirit of intimidation, and the flesh to have a “settling” effect. God has placed in each one of His ministers, gifts that must be stirred up. Faith is an active pursuit of God’s will against opposition. It always involves a fight, and a fight requires spiritual effort. Through time, if you are not alert, you can “throttle back” and put up with the ordinary. God is never ordinary, and when we are walking closely with Him things can never be humdrum. Moreover it is your responsibility to stir up the gift within you through remembrance, prayer, confession and use. God will not do it for you. 

Be sure to associate with genuine believers 

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!2 Tim 3:1-5 

It is naïve to think that all people who show up in and around your ministry are genuine. It would be nice to think that everyone you minister to has a pure heart for the Lord. However, if you do not discern who and what they really are like, you can be taken in and suffer harm. Paul instructs Timothy to turn way from such people, knowing the danger that comes through tolerating such end time selfishness.Notice that these are not rank sinners ‘out there’ but people who have the ‘form’ or outward trappings of godliness, much like the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day. They were outwardly clean looking, but inwardly devoid of all real life. ‘Whitewashed tombs’ Jesus called them. Paul warns Timothy about such religious hypocrites that appear to be one thing outwardly, but inwardly really are another type of person. 

Be skillful in using the scripture 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 

God has built into scripture all that any minister needs in fulfilling the good works God has planned out for him. There is no use in trying to find some gimmicky approach to ministry that is separate from a solid and sound preaching of the scripture. Skillful preaching takes into account the four key directions preaching and teaching can and should take. All word ministry includes some doctrine or teaching; some reproof or rebuke; some correction of error, and some instruction or training in the ‘how to’s’ of living in the righteousness Jesus has given to us.Ministers of excellence apply the needed emphasis of the word to fit the situation. Ministry should be specifically targeted, not just thrown out there hoping that something will stick. 

Keep your focus on sound wholesome teaching 

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.2 Timothy 4:2 

The flesh can become bored with wholesome food, seeking after a while, things that are ‘spicy’ and new. Paul warns Timothy that if he is not watchful he can be tempted to lose his focus and cater to the ‘itching ears’ of his hearers rather than what he knows to be sound doctrine.As a minister of excellence realize there are ‘seasons’ when people you minister will ‘turn away from the truth’ and go after more fanciful teaching. It is in these seasons that you must remain faithful to what God has given to you, and fulfill your ministry. Avoid trying to compete with those that appeal to the listener’s carnal desires. Be ready in season and out of season. Keep your ministry simple and steady.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  Mark 10:45

The heart of leadership is service: making God’s dream come true in the lives of those you minister to. Although the leader is out front breaking new ground, he is also a follower. Jesus called men to follow Him, and promised to make them fishers of men, that is, lead others in turn to follow Him too.

Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Matthew 4:19-20 

Leaders influence, respond earlier than others to challenges, carry the weight of responsibility and discover vision and purpose. They are moved by conviction rather than settle for convenience and comfort. They dare to be different and manifest more strongly the ‘dominion drive’ that is found in all people as revealed to us in the book of Genesis.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26

Leaders of excellence will submit this drive under the Lordship of Christ and use their ambition to further God’s kingdom purposes and not their own agenda. They will recognize that we are called to have dominion over creation and not one another. Through Jesus, the way back to God is open for all men to draw near as kings and priests for themselves in what is called the “individual priesthood of the believer.” Leadership is never to usurp the privilege we each have in approaching God, rather it is to encourage and equip the saints in their walk with the Lord. Jesus is the only mediator, and no leader should stand in the doorway blocking a person’s way to God. Unfortunately, history is full of leaders who have used their influence to manipulate God’s people for their own advantage rather than to stimulate them to walk in the freedom that comes from knowing God personally through Christ.

True leadership involves equipping believers to be and do all they are called to. Leaders that stimulate their followers are characterized by a desire to impart faith in God through a practical presentation of the word, and a focus on building internal conviction and trust in God alone. Their ministry appeals to a person’s position in Christ. The positive response to this kind of leadership is increased illumination of God’s true purposes and a strong unwavering identification with His cause. The followers are energized to be equipped and activated by the Holy Spirit into fruitful ministry.

In contrast, manipulative leadership is characterized by fear, is externally based on duty and practice, condemnation, and drive their people from behind. In time, most people will respond to this kind of authoritarian leadership negatively. They will rebel, recoil or robotically resign themselves to a religious treadmill that sucks the life out of the purity and simplicity of their relationship with God. These followers see their leaders as their source of inspiration, not God Himself. Sooner or later they are let them down in some way and drop away to some low level of church life and expectancy. The leader of excellence must always see and place Jesus and His power preeminent in all areas of their service.

Instead of berating the sheep to do what they can and should, the leader is called to stir up the Christ within each believer so that they live life from the inside out, thus provoking or stimulating the call.

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,…” Hebrews 10:24

It seems as if some people because of ignorance or neglect spend their lives cultivating insignificant lives in a vain attempt to evade a multitude of sorrows. The world is largely mired in mediocrity and so much potential is wasted as days drag into weeks and weeks into months and years of aimlessness.

In God’s kingdom things are and ought to be different! God’s ministers, if they are to accurately represent the God of excellence, must go over and above the ordinary and manifest God’s majesty. God did not send an average person to do an average job in saving an average people destined for average things. No, He gave us Jesus, His best, so that we could live a life of excellence that brings Him glory. Thank God, He is different, and sets such a high standard. If He did not, He would not be supreme and we would continue sinking into lower and lower states, having nothing to look up to!

It is always a joy to purchase a product that is well engineered and constructed. It works exactly as it was made to, and keeps on working. You have no twinge of regret for paying what you did after years of flawless use. The ‘product’ in ministry, is the gospel. The channel through which it flows is your ministry. The gospel is the most excellent message ever, and each generation faces the challenge of cultivating a ministry that reflects the excellency of our God.

They shall see the glory of the LORD,The excellency of our God. Isaiah 35:2 

The definition of excellence is to be “over and above, to surpass or go beyond the ordinary or mediocre.” This in itself is not a bad thing. But in God’s economy, His person and character is the standard. Let me explain.

In the ways of the world, excellence will be comparative and competitive in nature. ‘I am richer, faster, and smarter than you.’ As a result pride is unavoidable. For pride gets no satisfaction or pleasure in having something, only in having more of it than the next person. Pride is a character matter in God’s eyes. Yet the world rewards achievers even if they don’t have character.

What is highly esteemed amongst men can be an abomination with God.

 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Luke 16:15 

Status, prestige, power, possessions, impact and influence are highly valued amongst man. Yet a morally impeccable person may be considered a failure if he makes no public impact. In contrast, a person whose personal life is riddled with moral failure is often still able to make a public impact at least for a while. Hitler, Stalin, Napoleon, all showed all showed determination, skill, resourcefulness, and were decisive. They were leaders and stood out, but unfortunately they stood out above the average in evil. Excellence must have a moral component.

Then too, God’s ways are not the ways of ordinary man. He is extraordinary in all His ways and thoughts.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.

Isaiah 55: 8

God measures everything in terms of calling, gifting and function. All things are of Him as the source, through Him as the process, and to Him for the glory, leaving no room for competition and its cousin, pride. Every minister has a unique position and function in Christ, and eternal rewards are given out in the light of the minister’s response to his call. Not someone else’s. We are all unique, and our place cannot be filled by someone else. If we realize this, we can be delivered from insecurity, competition and pride to pursue our calling with passion and excellence. Of course, the challenge is then to pursue excellence alongside some ministers still trapped in their unrenewed world view of excellence.

Outlined you could look at it this way

The standard of excellence is God’s pure character, and not how well we are doing compared to someone else. The model of excellence is Jesus Christ Himself, making the goal of excellence becoming like Him. Character development is thus the focus of excellence, and finally the motive of excellence is to glorify God. No room for personal glory there. It’s all wrapped up in God, not self! How big your ministry is, how much you have done for the poor, is not at the heart of the Bible view of excellence. Rather it is who you are. What you do must be rooted in who you are in Christ, and without Him we are nothing.

Does that mean that ambition is improper for the minister of excellence? No. There is both godly and ungodly ambition. Ambition or the desire or aspiration to succeed, when properly focused on bringing God glory is a good thing. The need for man’s acceptance and acclaim is closely linked to ungodly ambition. We should serve God with excellence out of gratitude for the love and acceptance He has already lavished on us, and not because of the standing and acclaim we can earn amongst men. We are ‘complete in Christ’ and excellence in any good work should start with that assurance.

  …and you are complete in Him,… Colossians 2:10 

The antidote to selfish ambition is to adopt a new mindset of service towards others.

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4 

To be highly motivated is not as important as being motivated by high things!

(Excerpts taken from my soon to be published book entitled: ‘The Peter Syndrome: From Shifting Sand to Solid Rock’.)

Introduction 

More and more manifestations of the glory of God are being reported as the end of this age draws closer. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is being received by literally millions of people on all continents in an unprecedented way. The twentieth century saw the former and latter rain beginning to fall together in a season of great harvest. Reports of signs and wonders from the four corners of the world indicate that God is moving mightily on the hearts of His people. There is acceleration in the tempo of events worldwide, and it is as if you can’t keep up with the flow. God is doing more than we expected and more quickly too.

He is on the move and increasingly there is a need for His people to walk in the spirit of discernment. Where God moves, so does the enemy in counterfeit. So the plumb line of God’s word is being proclaimed more boldly from pulpits across the nations to ensure that we are not drawn aside into the false. The church is learning to discern more accurately between the true and the false.

The ‘Peter Syndrome’ equips believers to walk in the spirit of true discernment. The Apostle Peter’s walk with the Lord provides us with practical insight into discernment. Simon Peter’s pathway to maturity shows us how to move from our own ‘shifting sand’ of uncertainty, to the ‘solid rock’ of God’s revelation.

 It is any Christian leader’s responsibility to walk in discernment for themselves, and also to teach their people the same skills.

The Peter Syndrome 

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on  earth will be loosed in heaven…”From that time Jesus began to show to his disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the leaders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”Matthew 16:13-19, 21-23  

Jesus asked His disciples the question: ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man am?’ Peter spoke up after the others had their turn in answering Jesus. His Holy Spirit inspired answer prompted Jesus to bless Peter in front of the others. The revelation was heaven sent.

Jesus then makes the powerful statement that the church will be built, not on Peter himself, but on the ‘rock’ of revelation knowledge that He, Jesus, is the Christ – God’s ‘anointed one.’ It is on this revelation that the church stands or falls. Peter received the revelation first.

Jesus then commands the disciples not to tell anyone, probably wanting to avoid any premature excitement amongst the Jews and even His followers. Peter is standing by, basking in the light of his revelation and probably itching to tell everyone what he got from God. Jesus then begins to talk about His need to go to Jerusalem and be crucified. The anointing was going to bring Him into opposition with the authorities and result in His death!

Peter takes it upon himself to pull Jesus aside and rebuke Him! He totally misunderstands Jesus’ mission at this time and his presumption earns him the sharp rebuke he got from the Lord: ‘Get behind me Satan.’

Peter’s new ‘revelation’ now comes from Satan whose interests are not God’s but his own, and Peter does not even know the difference! His limited understanding and discernment was rooted in his temporal and carnal expectations and hopes. Like any self respecting Jew, Peter was looking for the Messiah who was to conquer the hated enemies of Israel: the Romans. He had now found the Messiah and he was in on the great deliverance campaign right at the start! So he was shocked to hear Jesus’ rebuke at his perfectly reasonable advice – so he thought.

This first incident illustrates the ‘Peter Syndrome.’ One minute on the ball, the next off the wall! One minute he heard from the Lord, the next from Satan! What bewilderment he must have felt. The surprise on Peter’s face as the stinging rebuke came from Jesus, must have only outdone those of the rest of the disciples. They too, must have been shocked by the rebuke.

Today, many believers’ experience a roller-coaster type ride in their spiritual life. They find themselves in the spirit one moment and then totally in the flesh the next. The Lord wants His people to walk consistently in the Spirit. God wants to move His church on in its journey towards spiritual stability and maturity. His voice must be heard with clarity in these end times because so many voices are speaking lies contrary to the truth. To hear God speak clearly into our circumstances is not an option but vital if we are walk in victory.

Definition of Syndrome

A set of concurrent things (emotions, actions, reactions) that form an identifiable pattern and characterize a particular abnormality.

The Warning 

Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons… 1 Timothy 4:1

The Spirit of God has spoken a clear warning: there will be those who depart from the faith in the latter times. Having started well they will end up departing from the faith. Deceiving spirits and false doctrine will lead the unsuspecting astray.

Discernment in this environment becomes absolutely vital in the defense against deception. Jesus instructed the disciples that the key to avoiding temptation was to ‘watch and pray.’ (Matthew 26:41)

Being alert and watchful is necessary for guarding the treasure of faith. Christians cannot afford to be ignorant of the enemy’s strategy. The hidden works of darkness have to be recognized for just what they are. They are hidden from view and have to be discerned! The ‘eye’ has to be trained in discernment.

This book is intended to help equip believers to recognize the importance of walking in discernment in a perilous spiritual climate. What makes the times so perilous is that Satan is more sophisticated when dealing with those in the faith. He resorts to twisting and perverting the truth by introducing small amounts of leaven to the whole lump of revelation. In time the small error he introduces, grows to have a large effect. He silently and secretly works amongst believers by subtly introducing the false which always appears real. Being solidly grounded in apostolic doctrine and practice provides the believer with a measuring rod against which false doctrine and practice may be accurately judged.

Discernment is needed to tell the difference between:

Live and dead works

Profane and holy

Spirit and flesh

True and false worship

Genuine and counterfeit miracles.

If the difference were obvious there would be no need for discernment. Things are not always as they seem on the surface. It takes the Spirit of God to cut through the externals and get to the real substance of a matter. Fortunately God has provided for the Christian’s every need through His precious promises and so what remains is for the child of God to discover and walk in this provision through His word.

Discernment Defined 

To discern means to ‘perceive by sight’ or some other sense. It involves being able to ‘recognize as different’ or to ‘discriminate or distinguish.’ It implies an ability to recognize the essential elements of a situation and accurately observe differences.

In the church world today things are not always clear at first and it takes a discerning eye to ‘see through’ the smokescreen of deceit in much religious practice today. The enemy is full of guile or craftiness and practices deceit or the ‘art of concealment.’ He camouflages his true intentions we need to have discernment operating in his life to survive and prosper in a wicked and perverse generation.

Satan is the master tactician of misinformation. Our decision making process must therefore be founded on discernment. Our ability to discern is based on our ‘word level.’

We are instructed to examine and investigate all things. The truth must be separated out from a web of untruth: the precious from the vile. Notice that the precious must be separated from the vile, not the vile from the precious! There is a difference in focus. As Christians we are to focus on the good and not spend so much time focusing on the vile.

Discernment involves God’s supernatural insight and is not based purely on a study of background, circumstances and external evidence alone. Of course the senses can be trained to discern according to Heb 5:14, but this level of discernment is not the same as the supernatural gift. The gift of discerning of spirits recorded in 1 Cor 12:10 is divinely given and constitutes one level of discernment available to the believer.

Another level of discernment involves the prophetic office where God empowers and gifts His prophets to ‘see’ into His prophetic purposes in a supernatural way. This ability to see is supernatural and not achieved through human effort or study for example. The prophet is able to discern things by means of the Spirit of God.

This does not mean that the Christian having the Spirit of God resident in him will not be able to read the signs of the times and recognize things God is doing prophetically. The scripture teaches that the Holy Spirit will show us things to come, but this does not make everyone who ‘sees’ something prophetically is now a prophet. However when a prophet does speak to the body of Christ and the prophet is received, his reward is also received. The reward is that those who hear his message will ‘see’ things the way the prophet sees them. The body is thus equipped according to the purpose of the 5-fold gifting listed in Eph 4:11-12. The ‘eyes’ of the body, the prophets are conveying information to the body as a whole in much the same way as the eye of the natural human body conveys information to the body via the brain.

Every believer therefore fits somewhere in the spectrum of discernment:

General level of discernment applicable to anyone who has the Holy Spirit within.

Specific and supernatural gifting of the discerning of spirits.

The prophetic office where special prophetic revelation is given to help discern current and future situations.

All of the above levels are subject to the written word of God as the final standard. All revelation and discernment must be ‘filtered’ through the general framework of God’s word. God and His Word are one and He will not reveal anything to someone that contradicts that which He has already revealed in His word.

Condition of the Church 

…that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things… Ephesians 4:14-15

The overall condition of the church may be likened to that of a child that has not yet grown up into full maturity. Of course there are individuals and pockets of the Church that are mature in the Lord and not subject to being tossed to and fro. The future and hope is that we will be presented to the Lord as the glorious church and fulfill our destiny. The Holy Spirit is not finished with us yet!

However, at present much of the church is:

Unstable and gullible

Able to handle only milk and not meat

Fractured in it’s relationships

Knowing His works but not His ways

Carnal and divided into camps

Trapped in extremism

Busy with its own programs and agenda.

In many cases the church is largely untrained and ignorant of the exceeding greatness of God’s power available to it. Its power is relatively untapped and often lacks focus. It is in this spiritually anemic environment that the enemy gains an advantage.

The Carnal Corinthians 

For example, the Corinthian Church was highly gifted, and operated in the supernatural with childish abandon. The power was mismanaged and they were even divided into camps: one of Paul, the other of Apollos etc. They were not open to the whole counsel of the word coming through the variety of gifts that God had provided. They were locked into their favorite teacher-preacher and had not focused on the Lord. Caught in their carnality, they lacked discernment as to the true purposes of the body, communion and the gifts.

They knew how to operate in God’s works, (the gifts) but did not know His way of love. They had been caught up in the periphery without firmly having grasped the core of God’s purpose. They partook mostly of His power, but still had to enjoy the fullness of His love nature.

God could not trust them with the meat of the word and they needed apostolic correction to bring them to maturity.

The year is under way, and much must be done in the face of worldwide financial difficulties. It seems as if everything is accelerating towards what the Bible calls, the ‘end’. But the end will only come when the job is done. The ‘job’ is for the church to reach the world with the same gospel of truth and power that Jesus lived and preached.

The challenge must be met whilst facing or staring down the opposition. Whatever it is that is standing in the way of fulfilling your calling, it has to be faced and defeated. No use coming to the end without finishing what was started. So fight.

Here are some questions you must answer for yourself to make any progress in the face of everything that may stand in your way.

• What is it that you are absolutely committed to stand by against all odds?

• What must still be clarified in your thinking?

• What next step must you take to avoid staying stuck?

• Who is it that you must connect with to move forward?

• What promise are you standing on to see you through?

• Why will it worth it all at the end?

Get past these and you are well on the way to fulfillment in the face of…

Blessings,

Ed

Are you positioned for the future? 

No matter where you find yourself today, there is still a future ahead. Sure you may have regrets and frustrations about how you came to be in the position you are, but there is nevertheless still a future if you learn to position yourself. As a sports person playing ball, if you were to receive the ball you had to be in position. You could not always expect the ball to come where you were, you had to move into position. I believe this is true with the things of God. He is moving on our behalf, and although he comes to rescue us, he expects us to position ourselves properly. Even short Zaccheaus had to position himself up the tree to be seen, heard and step into God’s gracious provision through Jesus.

God is passionate about giving you the future as His gift. Allow His passion to motivate you no matter where you are at, or how old you may be. Use the following outline as practical steps on your own pursuit. Pioneers don’t settle for less than a life without regret. If life is worth living, it’s worth living with excellence for the Lord.  

Paint the picture – vision.   

Recognize that your destiny and calling will only be found as you behold the Lord face to face in worship and devotion. 

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 

We are changed by what we behold. Be sure to allow the Holy Spirit to paint a picture of your future in Christ. You are called to move beyond surviving the problems of life to a place of thriving.  

Prepare – develop faith for the journey.   

The voice of one crying in the wilderness:”Prepare the way of the LORD;Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3

Faith is the way of the Lord, and as you spend time practicing hearing His voice, faith will arise. Faith is like a highway where the Lord’s provision, protection and purposes are established or made straight.  

Pay the price and consecrate.   

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.Luke 9:23 

Change involves paying a price. Old things have to be left behind and the new embraced. Let go of what you already know holds you back. Let go in order to let God have His way. 

Posture yourself in worship and humility. 

And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Luke 7:37-39 

God’s anointing flows towards us when our worship and devotion flows towards Him. Like the woman in the above passage, humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up above degrading circumstances. Develop a lifestyle of worship and draw near to Him in daily worship. 

Position yourself with others.  

…the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:16 

Don’t stand alone. Allow seasoned people of God to speak into your life and impart their wisdom to you. As they do you will be edified or strengthened. We learned the hard way that making decisions without really yielding to the wisdom of others can cost you. Getting counsel is not a sign of weakness. It strengthens you. Ultimately you are going to do something, so you may as well get some Godly counsel. 

Where there is no counsel, the people fall;But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14 

Put Procrastination out to Pasture. 

…of the children of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do,1 Chronicles 12:32 

When we understand that the process of life involves seasons, and we learn to cooperate with them, we will know how to wait for the opportune moment and seize the moment when we cannot afford not to move. Learn to move in sync with God’s timetable. Know that God has not given you a spirit of fear, for fear is what underpins procrastination. It takes boldness to make decisions. Boldness comes from knowing God’s ways and works. Know what He can do and how He will do it. Then move. 

Put plans to your dreams.  

Goals must be set, and steps taken to fulfill the plan.  

The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, Proverbs 21:5 

Faith always has corresponding action. Put legs to what you believe. Take steps towards what you see with the eye of faith. Trust that your thoughts and steps are ordered of the Lord because you have consecrated your deeds to Him. Remember the hardest step to take is the first one. After that each step is comparatively easier. So be bold and take a step. At least you will be moving and God can direct your steps. 

Press into the future and persevere.  

…one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 

Paul learned to forget the past so he could forge into his preferred future. His pilgrimage was defined by the purpose spoken over him when Ananias prophesied his calling in Acts Chapter nine. He could write towards the end of his life that he had no regrets. His life was complete, he had finished his journey on earth. Be inspired, you can also fulfill your life purpose without regret.  

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

The Anatomy of a Decision

Decisions …Decisions

We are all faced with a multitude of decisions, each with their own set of consequences. Some will be more significant than others, and the leading of the Holy Spirit becomes imperative if we are to fulfill God’s plan for our lives. Very often correct choices are not immediately obvious, because we do not have all the facts up front. What may appear to be a good move now may later turn sour. However there is a way to avoid making wrong choices. The Holy Spirit knows all things and will help you make God ordained decisions.

The ‘Revelation Sieve’

All that we read, hear, and think about, needs to be ‘filtered’ through a ‘revelation sieve’ to make a wise decision. Any ‘leading’ you feel you have from the Lord, ought to be confirmed by two or three witnesses.  

“One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.  Deut 19:15-16

Many Christians get excited when something even remotely resembles a word from God. “I have heard from God,” they may excitedly say. Then they proceed to rush off half-cocked, later to crash and burn, lamenting that they had “Heard from God!” Yet time was not taken to get confirming witnesses. I know personally of two couples who got married at Bible school on the basis of one ‘prophecy’, later to get all messed up out of the will of God. They did not stop to check things out and get confirmation.

A house I stayed in as a youngster whilst visiting in the country, had water tanks that caught the rainwater from the roof. The tank had different types of sand to filter the dirty roof water. When you tapped the water at the bottom of the tank, it was clear and drinkable. It had been ‘filtered’ through the different layers of sand. God’s leading through the Holy Spirit will be ‘clear and drinkable’ when you take the time to filter the impressions and words you get through the ‘revelation sieve.’

The Word filter is the first and foremost step in the process of making a decision. The choices you have to make have to fit within the framework of God’s already revealed will. His word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. Be sure to shine the Word on what you are planning to do. See if there is something in the Word that God can and will ‘quicken’ to you. It will ‘stand out’ and minister life to you regarding the decision.

Your word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path.  Psalm 119:105 

Be sure to consecrate what you are planning to do to the Lord. Be prepared to back off without stubbornly clinging to what you believed to have been from God. If it was from God He will repeat the message in some way. You have to believe that God has your best interests at heart. He will not withhold any good thing from you if you walk uprightly before Him.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

The LORD will give grace and glory;

No good thing will He withhold

From those who walk uprightly.  Psalm 84:11 

However, God will keep you from something that looks good to start with, but which will eventually harm you. He knows the beginning from the end and what we are like, so He puts others in our lives to balance out our excesses and weaknesses.

The second step is to seek the counsel of wise elders in your church. God can and does speak through others who may have an angle on things that you have never thought of. Zeal without wise counsel can be dangerous.

Plans are established by counsel;

By wise counsel wage war.  Prov 20:18 

The third part of the ‘revelation sieve’ involves prophecy. If you received a prophecy or some other word from someone that did not know the circumstances, then they may well have heard from God. These utterances should confirm what God has already been speaking to you. Why would He take the time to speak to someone else, and not give it to you first, His own dear child of the faith? Someone else’s ‘word’ must witness with your spirit. Let peace be the umpire and judge. The God kind of peace will be real even in the midst of the pressure of your decision-making circumstances. After all, you do want to please God with your decision! He will allow you time to check things out, and will not be angry if you want to be sure. He is your Father and wants the best for you.

In addition be sure that you have a witness in your spirit and do not step out on someone else’s word alone. The decision must sit well with you and agree with what you already know to be the will of God for your life. If you step out on someone else’s conviction and not your own, they might move on and you may be left stranded without a sustaining sense of certainty. After all, you have to live your own life, so take the time to filter what you hear through the inner witness of your own heart. Do whatever it takes to develop a confidence in your own ability to hear the voice of God in your own heart.

The Example of Paul and Barnabas

Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  Acts 13:1-3

Here Saul (Paul) is sent out on his first missionary journey after the Holy Spirit spoke to the group at a special time of fasting. He leaves the local church where he had been serving to fulfill the call on his life. He had been saved and had been told by God through Ananias in Acts 9:15-18 that he was called to bear God’s name to the gentiles, even kings! We see that come to pass in the rest of the book of Acts.  Paul was trained in the Word under Gamaliel. The apostle Peter confirmed Paul’s ministry in the Word, acknowledging that there were things Paul knew that even he Peter found it hard to understand. Remember Peter had sat under Jesus, the Master, for three years!

In short, Paul was well grounded in the Word! He already knew that he had a call from God, yet was faithfully serving alongside other seasoned ministers in the local church in Antioch. His decision to leave the church and head on out in his ministry was no quick thing. It was the product of filtering ‘input’ from:

·         The written Word of God

·         What was already in his heart: the inner witness

·         A confirming supernatural utterance or prophecy

·         Counsel from wise leadership and peers

He became the greatest missionary of the book of Acts. The ‘revelation filter or sieve’ worked for him and his life provides a safe example for us to follow.

A useful rule of thumb to follow: if the decision is big, take enough time to be sure. Then have courage; it will still take faith to step out with confidence.

        For we walk by faith, not by sight.  2 Cor 5:7

He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. Psalm 103:7 

Introduction 

When I was in high school I always wanted to know how the particular math problem I was grappling with fitted into the ‘big picture’. I never had the reasons behind the operations explained to me, at least that I remember, and consequently my understanding was limited. Do you feel that way with the things that happen to you as a Christian? Where do all the dealings of God fit in? Where is all this leading?           

In this article we examine some of the ways of God with man with a view to learning how to cooperate with the Lord in what He is trying to do in our lives in a particular season. If we do not recognize what He is trying to do at any particular time, we may be found resisting His purposes in ignorance and miss out on His ultimate blessings and purpose. God is the God of purpose, working all that he does according to a strategy and timetable. The secret is to learn what He is doing at any particular time, and not tire ourselves trying to get Him to fit into and bless what we are doing!

The call, the fall and the recall!

Mankind was called to rule and reign on the earth as God’s under regent, having dominion over the creation. (Gen 1:26) However when Adam yielded to temptation, mankind fell and so the great recall to dominion status was set in motion by God to restore us back to our rightful and intended position in Him. This process has lasted at least 6000 years and will see its final outworking when Christ returns and the final ‘wrap up’ to this episode of human history occurs. What God is doing on the micro-scale in our individual lives fits into His grand macro-scheme of restoring mankind back to rulership on this planet under His loving guidance and governorship. (Acts 3:21) In case you are not convinced about the call to rule and reign check out the word in Matt 16:19 / Psalm 8:6-8 / Psalm 115:16 and Rom 5:17. They all point to the fact that God has ordained for us to rule and reign.

The question becomes then, over what or whom, when and how?Unfortunately we see all around us the perversion of this mandate and so are largely confused if our minds are not yet renewed to the will of God as revealed in His word. When God’s purposes are not understood, abuse is inevitable. People are being dominating or trying to dominate one another all the time, instead of serving one another. The dominion we are to have is over sin, selfish appetites and the devil, but never over one another.            

Christ came amongst other things to teach us to serve rather than manipulate and dominate. It is in serving that we learn the key to ruling and reigning. All things belong to God to whom we have to give an account. There is going to be an end to all things where God will judge everything we have done according His measurements and not ours. Once again life is not trying to get God to fit into our scheme of things but rather discovering where we fit into His scheme of things. His invitation to become like Him in service ought to be taken seriously as it has consequences both now and forever. If we serve ourselves then the benefit is short-lived. If we serve God, the rewards are eternal.Remember God builds from small to large. If we show ourselves faithful to serve in small things, then we can go to the next level. As a wise master teacher, God will not graduate us to the next level before we master the level we are on. He is not into statistics, but committed to producing Christlikeness in His subjects. All that happens to us fits into the framework of producing conformity to the image of Christ. Of course we have to qualify by our love for Him. We cannot expect difficult circumstances to work out when we are not cooperating with God according to His plans and purposes. 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.   Romans 8:28-29 

4 key elements            

In the process of restoring us back to rulership God uses a training and preparation time that involves four key elements: ·         Relationship through intimacy·         Character building through testing·         Gifting and empowerment·         Production and reproduction. At any one point in time God may be focusing on one or more of these aspects. Our responses to the dealings of God will either help or hinder the fulfillment of our destiny. God expects us to respond in faith to His friendly disposition towards us. We must also remain committed to His essential goodness if we are to avoid questioning Him when we come under pressure.           

God begins with relationship. He invites us into a deeper and deeper relationship with Him. First of all we have to accept Christ as savior and Lord. Then through continuing fellowship with Him we grow in our experiential knowledge of Him. This takes place in regular study of the word, prayer and worship, whilst joining together with other Christians in common kingdom endeavor.           

God is ever speaking to us to ‘come up hither’ to where He is. When in His presence we partake of His nature, are transformed as we gaze on Him and empowered to go back ‘out’ and serve our fellow man in need. It is in the going that character needs to be built into us. Being properly related to God through Christ is no guarantee that we will manifest His nature at all times especially when under pressure. It is in times of testing that we have our faith refined and proved genuine. It takes both the pressure of the convicting word and circumstance to stamp His image on our hearts.           

A word of wisdom. We need to discern whether we or the devil have generated a particular adverse circumstantial storm. In both these cases we are called upon to do something about it. Either repent or take authority over the enemy in the name of Jesus. If we don’t we can languish under a heavy burden. However, if we are in place of proving that is in God’s overall training program, we have to discern what it’s all about and learn the lesson and pass the test. If we fight it, we could be blowing bubbles into a proverbial thunderstorm! 

Working in us to work through us            

Before God can work through us He has to work in us. That is why he develops relationship through both nurturing and feeding as well as allowing us to get into situations where this relationship will be tested. In circumstances like these we may feel that God is far, but if we are to learn to stand in faith and be faithful to His purposes, we have to learn not to trust in feelings and what we can see in the natural realm. The God -kind of faith does not rely on circumstance to chart its course. No, it relies only on the word of God. The word working in our lives will bring about the necessary change that will open our capacity for God to deposit more of His ability to function according to His purposes.

Character enables us to ‘contain’ God’s gifting for proper use. His gifts are like weapons that can either damage the enemy or us. Character will ensure that the power of God is always properly directed at the enemy. God’s nature and gifting is imparted to us through relationship. (2 Pet 1:2-4 / 2 Cor 3:18). His gifts are given without repentance. He doesn’t take them away from us the moment we slip up. However the fact that we get to keep the gifts is no guarantee that we won’t misuse them. Take being filled with the Spirit for example. A person trusts God and is filled with the Spirit and begins to enjoy the newfound power in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In the course of time he may yield to some form of pride in the use of his gifts and hurt others in the process. Does God take the gift away? No. However pride lands the individual in trouble with his fellow members and God is presented with an opportunity to build Christlikeness into his character. If the individual responds to God’s correction positively, he will partake more of God’s nature and power. This process will further equip the individual to reproduce after his own kind. This time his fruit will be that much sweeter having learnt the painful lesson on the way.           

Zeal can often be misplaced. The zeal we have to use our gifts and talents to change others, ought first to be directed on ourselves. When we are changed then we can reach out and touch others and give them such as we have. In this way we impart life and not legalistic formula. Knowledge gained from our own experience has a greater capacity for changing others than mere intellectual assent. When God wants to impact our public ministry, He works in our private lives, giveing us the opportunity to put it into practice at home what we need to minister in public.           

Our function is to develop and maintain a consistent ministry to the Lord, one another and to the lost. This has to be nurtured against opposition, as this is a fallen world we live in. We have to gain dominion over our own flesh first before we can seriously expect others to gain it over theirs. The principle: ‘you reproduce after your own kind’ is God’s idea. He is endeavoring to develop a Christlike character in our lives first, so that our witness consistently brings glory to Him. 

Christ and Israel as examples             

At the tender age of twelve God had already established an enduring relationship with His son as a caring and providing Father. He then developed character in Him as Jesus in His humanity learnt to submit to the imperfect authority of Mary and Joseph. The empowerment of the Holy Spirit later followed as God released Jesus into fruitful ministry but not before he was tested in the wilderness. He then set about establishing a relationship with his own disciples, later developing character in them, empowering them for service and then releasing to go into all the world to reproduce after their own kind. Of course there were some bumpy moments in that process with the disciples misunderstandings, doubts, betrayals and confusion. Jesus patience, love and commitment ensured that God’s purposes were ultimately fulfilled. All things did work out for Jesus! This can happen for us too, if we submit to His dealings and yield to the training that is needed to bring us to a place of great fruitfulness.           

God’s invitation remains firm: be like me! But there’s much water that has to flow under the bridge before we can walk in the authority we are called to. ‘Between the call and the commission comes the college of life.’           

The history of Israel as they were led out of Egypt provides us with another example of this pattern. God first reestablished a covenant relationship with His people teaching them to see Him as a caring provider as they marched towards the Promised Land. The manna, water from the rock, cloud by day, fire by night, all proved His love for them. The problem arose when they came under pressure to possess the land. They failed to meet the character test as they refused to move forward on the word only. Instead they yielded to doubt and questioned God’s intentions saying that He had brought them this far only to kill them! Far from it. God remained committed to training up His covenant people to share in destiny. They were called to rule and reign over their own fleshly appetites, doubts, fears and inadequacies and were supposed to go straight into the land of promise killing giants all the way. Instead the first generation only knew His miraculous works of provision and protection, but not His ways of increase and fruitfulness! Fortunately, the second generation under Joshua did receive God’s power to take the land. Under Joshua’s leadership they fulfilled their destiny and became fruitful in their occupation of the promised land.            

Conclusion            

Understanding God’s ways equips us to cooperate with Him in the seasons he has established for growth. Spiritual growth need not be haphazard or accidental. God has a plan. Know it, recognize His dealings and flow with Him.

Saturday May 10, 2008

Dear Friends,

God is passionate about you, and wants to answer your every prayer. Problem is some of the prayers we pray are ‘off base’ and He cannot answer them. You see, all prayer must be in terms of what God has promised to answer. He has made a covenant that he is bound to honor, and if we step outside that covenant, it is as if we tie God’s hands.

Check out the following excerpt from my latest book entitled: “Where Heaven and Earth Meet”. This practical resource will set you on track with God so that you can have confidence that your prayers are being heard and answered.

Yours for the kingdom,

 Ed Horak

God’s Delight

As for the saints who are on the earth,‘They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.’  Psalm 16:3 

I will bless the LORD at all times;His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1 

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;When I awake, I am still with You. Psalm 139:17-18 

God is totally consumed with us. We are all His delight, and His thoughts towards us have no limit. They are like the never ending sands on the seashore.

The big question is what is our response? Do we delight in Him as much as He delights in us? It is amazing that whereas we fall short of perfection, God stills finds all His delight in us. It stands to reason that if God is completely and utterly perfect and worthy of our total devotion, then why should we be distracted by anything else less worthy?

This speaks of lifestyle. When our lives are oriented to Him in prayer and worship, other things cannot get our attention and distract us from the greatest pursuit of life.

My prayer is that “Where Heaven and Earth Meet” will encourage you to fulfill the call on your life to put God and His will in the center of all your passion.

He gave His only begotten son to bring us to Himself and make our hearts His eternal home. He is looking for continued intimacy and is awaiting our response on a daily basis.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8 

Establishing a Lifestyle of Devotion

A lifestyle is that which is customary or characteristic. Does your devotion to God characterize your life or is it merely part of who you are and what you do? Are you satisfied with mere ‘devotions’, or are you ready for a journey where you cultivate a ‘lifestyle of devotion?’      

Our devotion to God ought not to be restricted to a particular place and time, say Sunday morning Church. Our relationship with God should find expression in any place at any time.     

Intimacy can be cultivated. Use “Where Heaven and Earth Meet” to establish a regular ‘practice’ of prayer, worship and intercession. Make entering into God’s presence a holy habit that spills over into your everyday living. When you do, you will begin to walk under an ‘open heaven’ wherever you go, and enjoy the benefits of continual fellowship with your loving Creator.      

Broaden your practice of prayer from the ‘formal’ moments when you pray, to the ‘informal’ continual unceasing awareness of God in Your life. As you practice abiding in Jesus, you will experience more and more of His abiding presence, comfort and wisdom in your daily walk. 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 15:7 

The Power Twins: Word and the Spirit

I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 1 Corinthians 14:15-16 

God has given us the power twins of praying (and worshipping) ‘with the understanding’ – the Word, and ‘with the spirit’ – the Holy Spirit’s supernatural utterance in tongues. It is up to us to develop both these areas of prayer. Faith will arise as you yield to praying in both these ways. A good workman will know how and when to apply what is appropriate at any time. 

Praying with the Word

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15 

When you use the prayers in the various focus areas of this “Where Heaven and Earth Meet”, you will be praying according to the Word. God’s word is the language of prayer, the medium of exchange in the relationship between God and His children. It is true that God’s people perish not for a lack of prayers but for a lack of knowledge of His will.  Most Christians pray, but even though they may be entirely sincere, their prayers are ‘off target’ at times because they are not based on the Word. The solution of course, is to get the Word solidly built into your heart so that it will come out in prayer, not matter the circumstance. When prayer is scriptural, God is put in remembrance of His covenant promises that He has made. It is these promises that He is committed to watching over to make them come to pass in your life as you stand in faith.            

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom… Colossians 3:16 

Praying with the Spirit

If you are unfamiliar with the present day supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit, and how it relates to prayer, at this point open your heart to what God wants to impart to you.  Check out the chapter on the Holy Spirit in Section C: Resources on page 68 to see from scripture God’s plan for empowering you with the Holy Spirit in a new way.

For those already familiar with the Holy Spirit’s supernatural utterance ministry in your life, be reminded that God expects us to cooperate and co-labor with the Holy Spirit in prayer. He wants not only to lead us in the areas that we are to pray for at any time, but also to give us the supernatural utterance in tongues to pray in areas and in a manner that goes way beyond our own resources. He wants to help us pray supernaturally.

Where Heaven and Earth Meet

The role we have to play. 

Your kingdom come.Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

 Where Heaven and Earth Meet

Heaven and earth meet when man’s petition intersects God’s provision.

Prayer is not some dutiful religious exercise to keep us busy, but a vital expression of a dynamic relationship with our Almighty Covenant Father in Heaven. He requires that we connect with Him in order to establish His kingdom and will on earth.

God’s desire is that prayer be a delightful, fulfilling and fruitful experience where we co-labor with Him to extend His kingdom on Earth. He has chosen us to go in His name under His divine direction and in His power to proclaim and demonstrate His goodness to a world that desperately needs heaven’s touch. Prayer is the foundation for a fruitful life and ministry. 

God has given both His Word and Spirit to help us connect with Him in fruitful prayer. We have to do the praying, and He does the helping! To be heard in Heaven we must pray on target. To be on target our prayer must be in accordance with His revealed will. 

Prayer is not reserved for the super spiritual either. Elijah was a man with like passions. He was just like us, yet his prayers had dramatic impact because of his faith. He was able to connect heaven and earth with his prayers. Like Elijah, we should always pray with expectancy that God will honor what He has promised!

Prayer has a Protocol and Pattern

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.  But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.  Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Matthew 6:5-9 

To enjoy prayer’s delight, we must align with the discipline of the Word. Jesus taught us that our prayer must be:

Spontaneous and sincere: ‘not like the hypocrites.’ This speaks of the motives of a pure heart.

• Specific: ‘do not use vain repetitions.’  This underscores the importance of believing when you pray. There is no need to nag or beg God for what He has promised.

• Scriptural: ‘in this manner.’  Here the manner of approach is highlighted. God is orderly in all that He does, and He expects us to be the same.

Prayer has a broad three-fold focus

The first focus in prayer is where we adore the Lord in our ‘devotions’ through prayers of worship, and also through music and singing of praise to God.

Second, God expects us to pray for our own personal needs to be met in ‘petitions’ according to the promises He has made in His Word.

Third, we are to offer prayer for the needs of others in ‘intercession’ and ‘supplication’.

All three prayer focuses are valid and necessary expressions of prayer, and the “Where Heaven and Earth Meet” seeks to provide you with the tools to build these into a balanced and Spirit led prayer lifestyle.