 |
|
Holy Spirit III - SPIRITUAL WARFARE !
****************
The Holy Spirit – the third Person of the Trinity is the agent of regeneration, actively at work in the earth, in this age – the dispensation of God’s amazing Grace.
In John 16:8 Jesus promised, And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
After regeneration/conversion, His mission is not to give you a form of religion; but His work is to make you like Jesus.
1. One of the most important functions of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Believer is in the area of Prayer.
He brings intimacy and awareness of God’s presence in our lives. And through prayer the Spirit communicates to God through us as we seek to live a life that brings honor and glory to God.
Sadly, millions of people prayer ritualistic prayers to a God they don’t know – to a god they barely imagine. They’ve never met Him through Jesus Christ. They’ve never been born again. They don’t have God’s Spirit living in them. Their God is a making of their religion; the ideas of men. The apostle Paul met some of these people on Mars Hill in Acts 17, and revealed to them the one true God whom they ignorantly worshipped. He proclaimed to them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
But even more tragic is the fact that many Believers do not have this awareness of God’s closeness in their lives because they never take time to allow the Spirit to lead and direct their lives. They’re so busy living little lives of quiet desperation. They’ve never learnt or been taught to wait upon the Lord. And their Father waits with such longing to draw them closer in prayer.
Prayer is also spiritual warfare.
The Scriptures reveal that we’re not alone in this physical universe. There’s a vast array of spirit beings actively engaged in warfare – mortal combat against the human race, and particularly all Believers. There’s in this world a well-organized army of evil spirit beings led and directed by their leader satan – the arch-enemy of God the Creator of the whole universe. As Lucifer the light bringer in eons past, he was lifted up with inordinate pride and lost his place and position in his attempt to dethrone God.
He was kicked out of Heaven and heads up a host of like-minded spirit beings arrayed as principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world. They motivate and manipulate the milling multitudes and masses. They engage in the subversion, perversion, and diversion of men and women from doing their Creator's holy will. These hosts of evil spirit beings cause division, depression, destruction, oppression and possession.
Satan, sin and suffering are an incessant trinity of terrors. In Scriptures they are called spiritual wickedness in high places. Satan’s chief aim is to pervert the human race in his rage against God. They decidedly influence, divide, conquer and take captive the minds of unconverted men and women everywhere. Satan and his evil hosts are the consummate weapons of mass destruction. For they control both individuals and nations as they wield incredible power causing death, destruction, dissension, and darkness throughout this world. Their prize and goal is the souls of lost men and women.
Jesus called satan the god of this world who blinds the eyes of men.
But Jesus Christ dealt satan and his hosts a decisive blow through the power of His precious blood shed on Calvary’s rugged Cross. In that one defining day, in that one event that forever marked the annals of human history for all eternity - Satan’s evil head was bruised, fulfilling the prophecy of Genesis 3:15. Now the weakest saint has an arsenal of resources to defeat, derail, and destroy the works of the enemy as he comes against him.
Indeed we’re neither helpless nor alone; we have the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.
In the Scriptures we see Daniel is praying to God for 21 days, until an angel is dispatched from the Heavenly realm to break through the ranks of the enemy and give final victory in answered prayer.
The Spirit helps us, He’s our forward charge as Believers engage in spiritual warfare through their prayers to Father God.
From the moment you get right with God, the enemy seeks to influence you and to neutralize your position and render you ineffective in your walk with God the Holy Spirit.
Praise God for the power of the Spirit in prevailing prayer. Satan trembles when he sees you pray. In prayer, all believers approach Father God in the strength of the Spirit to enforce the victory decidedly won at Calvary. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, ‘Deliver us from the evil one.’
The devil goes about seeking to destroy God’s creation in man. Yes, man is involved in a cosmic conflict of staggering proportions. And we wage warfare in prayer, praying in the Holy Spirit. And in Ephesians 6:10-12 we are commanded to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
In this world Believers are fortified, energized and lionized by the Holy Spirit of God as we face a formidable foe in satan. The Spirit helps us to pray as we engage in spiritual warfare. We have overcoming power in Christ. Yes, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God. And Christians should always be in an attitude of communion with God.
Prayer can take place in every circumstance. Communion with God. It is the closest, most intimate relationship with the Creator you can have. In prayer the depths of your spirit are in communion with the depths of the Spirit of God. Out of this can come instruction, guidance, or a burden to pray for certain things as the Spirit guides & directs our prayers.
Often we don’t know what we should pray for, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26). There are times when we can emit only wordless groanings because we don't know how to pray about a specific situation. Jesus says in John 4:24 those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
The Spirit gives us staying power to endure. We are commanded in Jude v.20 to pray in the Holy Spirit, always with all prayer and supplication building up yourselves on your most holy faith, watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. And to keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
In God there’s no defeat.
Every Believer is guaranteed victory as He places his trust and confidence/allegiance in God.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous avails much!
~ I have had many answers to prayer; seen healings and deliverance through prayer; and thwarted the works and intentions of the enemy against me, all through being led by the Spirit of the living God.
Yes indeed: you were born to live a life of victory – life in the Spirit. It’s yours from your Father. Why settle for less than the best? You can have it all! A victorious, overcoming, stressfree ‘Life in the Spirit of Christ – our blessed Comforter. ~ Wow! The Comforter is here.
2. You need the Holy Spirit in order to effectively share the good News.
On the first day of ministry, Jesus read the prophesy: Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
This same Spirit indwelling in all Believers, gives them power to give bold witness to the truth of the risen Christ.
‘You shall receive POWER’ in Acts 1:8, you shall be anointed with power,’ Jesus promised; ‘after the Holy Spirit comes upon you: and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
And throughout the book of Acts we see this mighty demonstration of the Spirit’s power over and over again as Believers boldly told the story and multitudes were swept into the Kingdom of God – with signs, wonders and miracles.
That’s the manifestation of the Spirit’s anointing. It's the awesome power of God the Holy Spirit. We receive unction to function – with distinction. When David was ANOINTED in the midst of brethren, that very DAY he became a different person.
We too, are different.
Believer, have you been baptized and subsequently equipped with His power – the power of this mighty Spirit?
The church is not about us four and no more. It’s about spreading the fame of the Name – that Name that is above every other name – that mighty, matchless, glorious, sin-destroying, all-conquering powerful name – Jesus Christ - to which every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess: that Jesus Christ is Lord.
It’s about His Kingdom and making His name known among the nations of the earth. God bless your obedience in following the CALL.
Yes, the Spirit is the healer of once broken lives and once broken families. We are Ecclesia – the chosen, called out ones.
You are a light on a hill. You are meant to shine your light upon the children of the night. So that those struggling with the turbulence of life in the darkness of sin, would see you and navigate safely to the harbor of spiritual freedom in God’s AMAZING GRACE.
Matt. 5:16.Jesus commands: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. .Believer, does your life bring glory and honor to God? Are you a shining light in the dark places of this world? You are the light of the world.! When the Spirit abides in you, there’s a change in your life. When our light sweeps across the culture, men and women will see Jesus. We are called to live a life of responding to the presence of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives.
Praise God for this mighty Holy Spirit.
Listener, please hear the voice of the Spirit today and respond to His generous invitation:
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him who hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Yes, the Spirit IS THE ONE WHO marks you present in that day when your redemption from sin is COMPLETE.
God bless You.
Write us at:
pastor@wisdomforlivingministries.org
| Home | The message | Archive | Previous | Top |