Category: Spiritual Disciplines

January 31 2024

Return to The Word

A. Scott Ingram Bible Study, Christian Life, Gospel Leadership, Personal Discipleship, Spiritual Disciplines Bible, Bible Study, Jesus, Scripture, Word of God 0

One of the most significant calls on my life as an apostolic leader in a small corner of the church is not to lead leaders or plant churches. It is to make disciples.

I love discipleship. I love helping believers in Jesus learn to “grow up” in Him (Ephesians 4:15). After all, the goal of discipleship is to become like Him in the maturity of our faith and through a transformed life.

The problem with discipleship is that it is often a slow process and never a straight line from lost sinner to mature saint. There are, of course, significant leaps forward that people take. There are also seasons of baby steps and seasons of stumbling backward.

A true disciple-maker knows that although some seasons may be discouraging, the fruit of following the Holy Spirit and helping someone grow in Christ is a delight and will come with eternal rewards.

However, the challenge for us in 2024 is that with modern information technology, including instant access to everything on our smartphones and the immediate and effortless knowledge base provided by AI technology, it has become increasingly tedious to walk someone slowly and patiently through personal transformation.

We live in an age where a few moments of digital exploration can deliver almost anything humanity has ever known to us. While this is majorly beneficial in many aspects of life, it also increases our temptation of Christians to fall into the Renaissance-era foundations of modernity, believing that knowledge of truth alone is the goal. This is modern-day Christian Gnosticism.

We have thousands of self-proclaimed theologians who never even crack open the Bible because they, instead, have read every book and received endless teachings about the Bible, and they believe that is enough.

In the same way, we have self-proclaimed Christians who have learned so much about Jesus – through TikTok preachers and social media memes – yet they do not know Jesus! They never pray. They never wait on Him in the presence of the Holy Spirit. They know all about Jesus but don’t have time to slow down and get to know Him personally.

That is not, and cannot, be considered discipleship!

Jesus gave a two-part mandate to some of the early Jewish believers who followed Him in John 8:31-32:

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'”

The first part of this mandate is: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”

The Greek word here is “logos,” which can mean either “word” or “message.” Jesus was telling these Jewish believers that to be His disciples, they not only had to know the scriptures but also conform their thinking and faith to His understanding of the scriptures.

Jesus was a Rabbi in the Jewish culture. Being a disciple of any particular Rabbi meant that you would live with them, learn from them directly, observe their walk of life, and conform your own lifestyle according to that Rabbi’s interpretation of the scriptures.

Notice that Jesus doesn’t tell them they must “know my word.” He said you must “abide” in it. This distinction gives us clarity on how the mandate is to be received.

The Greek word for “abide” is “menō,” which means “remain, stay, reside,” and, in some uses, is translated as “wait.” When Jesus says His disciples must “abide” in His word, it implies we must intentionally and continually live in His word and live out His word.

Jesus was not offering an instant transfer of His message from the Bible to their brains before moving on to something else. We are not transformed by what we know. We are transformed by what we continually and diligently focus on and meditate on. (Romans 12:2)

This leads to the second part of Jesus’ mandate: “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

At a surface level, this seems to imply that our freedom in Christ comes from our knowledge of the truth. Therefore, we could assume, as do many in our culture, that the more truth you know, the freer you should be. The problem is that a mental understanding of the truth of God’s word has never actually set anyone free from the power of sin, death, and the devil. Just ask the Jewish people!

The nation of Israel had the sole revelation of God’s word in the Old Testament, which God had revealed over thousands of years through Moses and the prophets. They built their whole culture around these scriptures, and their scholars knew every “jot and tittle” of the law. Yet transformation into God’s righteousness never came to the nation, nor the individual Jewish people.

Paul makes this case repeatedly in the book of Romans when He speaks of “the law,” which refers to the Teachings of Moses in the first five books of the Bible:

“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)

Paul is saying that no knowledge of the law cannot transform you. All it can do is show you how deeply lost you are by revealing your sinfulness.

So what’s the point?

Jesus says if you will abide in My word, or “My understanding and teaching of the word,” then you are “My disciple.” But when you do that, He says that something else will happen that has never happened to any other disciple of any other Rabbi. Others only taught “knowledge” of the scriptures and a legalistic dedication to self-discipline. Jesus said that when you abide in “My word,” you will know the truth, and this truth will actually set you free from sin’s power and to live righteously before God.

So what makes this different?

Without spending too much time explaining the Greek language here, let me give you my summary of what Jesus says: “If you put your faith in My teaching, and you make it your goal to live continually in what I reveal to you, you will have an intimate experience with the only truth there is, and it will reshape your reality, setting you free.”

So, what ” truth ” would we encounter that sets us free? It is Jesus Himself!

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” (John 14:6)

Jesus’ message regarding the purpose of the scriptures was always that they would point people to Himself.

In John 5, Jesus tells the religious leaders of Israel that although they think they know the scriptures, something is missing in how they approach them. They do not honestly know the God of the scriptures, nor does God’s word “abide” in them (transforming and saving them), because they ignore all the evidence that the scriptures point to Jesus directly! (John 5:37-40)

He tells these scholars, without mincing words, that their theological studies are fruitless to save them because they are not leading to faith or a transforming encounter with Him!

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” (John 5:30-40)

In contrast, whenever Jesus covertly approached the disciples on the road to Emmaus, after His resurrection, the Bible tells us that “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). When later recounting this event, though they didn’t recognize Him personally in that moment, they knew something deeper was going on than just hearing a sermon. Something inside them was being drawn to Him. “They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?'” (Luke 24:32)

For Scriptures to be rightly known, they must lead us to know Him!

So, what does all of this have to do with discipleship?

My point is that while you can gain all the possible knowledge there is about the scriptures — about God, about Jesus, about His saving grace, about the Holy Spirit — it will not be enough to make you a disciple of Christ, nor will it set you free from sin, death, and the devil.

You cannot just know about these things. You must abide deeply in the Word of God with faith, expecting it to lead you deeper in your relationship with Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit so that you can know the reality of the Gospel and be set free.

If you do not abide in the Word of God, being transformed by the power He provides, then you are not His disciple. You are not saved. You are not born again. You are not free. You are deceived, just like the Jewish leaders were for centuries.

We live in a world that believes information is power. The more you know, the more data you collect, the more information at your disposal, the more power you are believed to have. Yet Jesus says it is not information that matters. It is intimate, personal, relational knowledge of the Truth: Him.

We cannot be discipled by 90-second TikTok videos. We cannot grow in Christ through memes and algorithmic revelation. We reach maturity in Him daily – slowly and tediously – by studying His revelation in scripture and asking Him to enlighten our minds and hearts to come closer to Him. As we get close to Him, we will become like Him! (2 Corinthians 3:8) As we become like Him, we will be set free from the grip of sin, from the devil’s domination, and the fear of death, because we know that eternity with Him awaits.

If you want to be His disciple, get in His Word and let it bring you into an encounter with Him. Anything less is fruitless.

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!

Another Breakthrough Benefit of Extended Fasting

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines Christian, Christian Life, Jesus, spiritual fasting 0

Last week we looked at two breakthrough benefits which can come through seasons of extended fasting. These two benefits — overcoming sin and being empowered by the Holy Spirit — directly impact us personally. This week, however, I want to look at one more benefit which comes through seasons of fasting, which will still benefit us, but will benefit others much more. Let’s begin by looking at another biblical account of fasting in the book of Acts.

Fasting In Antioch

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
^{Acts 13:1-3 (emphasis mine)}

In this brief story, we find that in the church at Antioch there were a group of leaders who came together for prayer and fasting. It does not tell us the length of their fasting period, but it seems to me that it was a season set aside for this purpose. After all, it is likely that some of these men had families and businesses to attend to. However, they came together for a period to fast and worship the Lord together.

I am sure that part of their pursuits in fasting included the things we discussed before. They would, as all Christians ought to do, be seeking greater levels of holiness and dedication to God in their lives, as well as more of the Holy Spirit’s grace and power in their lives. However, during this period of time, they also received something they didn’t expect: a new commissioning for missionary service.

As they prayed, the Lord spoke to the leaders: “set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Of course, a few years before, when Paul was first called by the Lord, it was revealed to him that he would carry the gospel to the gentiles (see Acts 9:15). However, he had spent the major portion of his time since his calling, either seeking the Lord alone in the wilderness of Arabia or learning from and serving within existing churches (see Galatians 1:11-24).

Launched Into Destiny

At this time, however, the plan and timing of the Lord was made evident to the leaders, through fasting. As the Holy Spirit spoke, the leaders obeyed: “Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”

Paul (and Barnabas) was launched into the destiny God had for his life. Though he had personally known the calling and things to come, now the church was made certain, and commissioned them for service.

The laying on of hands, throughout the Bible, was an act of public recognition of the calling on people’s lives. More than that, however, it was also a commissioning, which would carry with it the authority to do the work of ministry.

We see this same commissioning happening in the life of Jesus, when he laid hands on His apostles, and released them into their destiny, as well.

Apostolic Assignment

In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
^{Luke 6:12-16}

Once again, we see Jesus setting aside his night, not to sleep, and not to fellowship with other believers, but to dedicate Himself to prayer. (He was probably fasting through the night as well.) In the morning, God had spoken to Him to appoint these men for their destiny as well.

Mark and Matthew add to their accounts of this story that when Jesus appointed them, he also gave them spiritual authority, which up to that time had been reserved for Himself, alone.

And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.
^{Mark 13:14-15}

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.
^{Matthew 10:1}

Through Jesus’ night of prayer, these 12 men were called and appointed to a work which would change their own lives, and also the world!

Our Fasting Launches Others Into Their Destiny

Based on these stories, what we see is that as we give our time to prayer and fasting, God will (at times) not only empower us to serve Him better, but through us, will call others into greater levels of His service as well!

Now, I said before that this third benefit will benefit us, as well as others, but I think the “how” should be obvious. As we are led to equip others, and launch them into ministry, then the new partnerships in God’s work between them and us will multiply the fruit we can bear.

In fact, in Matthew, one verse before Jesus appointed the twelve and released His authority into them, He made His famous statement:

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
^{Matthew 9:37}

I personally believe this prayer was His own during the night on the mountain.

Seek The Benefit of Others

To shift this principle to become practical, I think the takeaway is that when we enter into a season of fasting and prayer, we must be seeking the Lord for bigger things than our own personal benefit.

Of course we need to seek Him in repentance, and also His victory over sin to become our victory over sin (1 Peter 1:15-16). Of course we need to be seeking more of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Ephesians 5:18). However, we should also be seeking God’s Kingdom (Matthew 6:33), which requires our outlook and prayer focus to go beyond ourselves.

A major lesson I have learned since becoming a leader of leaders is that one of the greatest goals of my prayer life must be to see those around me strengthened, equipped, and launched into their God-given destiny. The good news is that scripture testifies that God hears that prayer and will do it!

So who do you need to launch into destiny? Who around you needs you to seek God’s wisdom and grace for their lives? Who is God calling you to equip, empower, and impart destiny to, in this season?

It seems that fasting and prayer is one great way to find out the answer.

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January 12 2021

Two Breakthrough Benefits of Extended Fasting

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines extended fast, repentance 2

For the past 6 years, our ministry has begun each January with a 21-day extended fast. It has become a part of our annual rhythms, and has produced so much fruit in the lives of our churches and leadership, that it would be difficult to remove it from our calendars.

In the same way, many of you also begin the new year with dedicated time to fast and pray, as part of your annual re-focusing on the Lord for the next season. In fact, where I live in Uganda it is unusual to see Christians not fasting, in some capacity, during this season.

Despite the difficulty of an extended fast, many of the benefits of fasting are well established and attested to. We have seen numerous miracles, financial breakthroughs, physical healings, and more. It is also no secret that fasting has a large number of physical benefits for the human body as well. While all of these things are great, I want to narrow our focus a little bit in this post, and share two of the most beneficial effects of fasting in our spiritual walk with the Lord. Before we get there, let me address the question of “why” we fast in the first place.

Why Fast?

Fasting is an ancient practice, older than Christianity. It was a common practice of the Jewish people, as well as almost every other religious system. That in itself is not enough of a reason for us to do it, but does lay out the view that nearly every culture has found spiritual value in the practice.

According to the Lexham Bible Dictionary:

“In the ancient Near East, fasting held social significance similar to feasting. Both practices could create or renew a social bond and displayed an individual’s or group’s current state. While feasting was often a public display of wealth and success, fasting was a display of humility and grief…Fasting by people in the ancient world also could indicate a troubled spirit…By fasting, individuals could dissociate themselves from other people and society, perhaps to move closer to the divine…”
^{David Seal and Kelly A. Whitcomb, “Fasting,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).}

This is the same sentiment we read throughout the Old Testament, as people would fast in seasons of grief and mourning, or as a method of seeking God’s guidance in preparation to face uncertainty, such as before a battle. They would also fast in connection with the Day of Atonement, which likely included fasting from more than only food. It also meant abstaining from sexual activity, personal activities which would draw attention to yourself in public (such as fragrant oils or bathing), and possible even from wearing comfort items, like shoes.

Fasting has always been a spiritual tool to aid a person’s prayers, seeking the grace of the Lord in difficult situations, and victory in the circumstances ahead.

Jesus Expected His Disciples To Fast

As fasting was simply a part of Jewish life, and Christianity is a fulfillment of the Jewish law and prophets, it is no wonder that Jesus expected that his disciples would continue the act of fasting. In one of His earliest public sermons – the sermon on the mount – He gave clarifying instructions on a number of spiritual practices, implying that they should continue.

In Matthew 6:2, Jesus begins these instructions by saying “when you give to the needy,” do not do it for show. Those who make a big ado about their giving have their reward in the praise of man.

In Matthew 6:5, He continues: “when you pray,” don’t do it just to look spiritual in front of people. It’s better to go into hiding, in the secret place with the Lord, than to pray with ulterior motives publicly.

Finally, in Matthew 6:15, He says, “when you fast” don’t put on a public spectacle of yourself. Instead of showing off your piety for all to see, keep it between you and the Lord, and He will reward you.

Christians Fast For More of Jesus

In Matthew 9:14, a question arose among the disciples of John the Baptist as to why they, and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Jesus’ disciples did not. Jesus answered essentially that they could not fast because the answer to their prayers (Himself) was already with them. However, after He would leave them, they would fast.

This has proven to be the case. Since Jesus left, Christians in every generation have been faced with situations, both in private life and publicly, that have needed God’s divine intervention. Whether it be overcoming personal sin and demonic torments, or staying strong in the face of persecution, our only answer is to experience more of Jesus in our present lives. It is upon this point that I will build my case for the two big benefits of fasting.

Jesus Fasted

I believe that in all things, Jesus is the greatest example we have to follow in living the Christian life, and His Word gives us a view into His fasted life. In Luke 4:1, immediately after His baptism by John and His filling with the Holy Spirit, the Bible tells us:

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.

While Jesus was in the wilderness, He was fasting and praying. Modern science typically agrees that a 40 day abstinence from food is pretty much the extent of human capability. Death will follow not long after. That means that Jesus was not out for a refreshing spiritual retreat. He was desperate for God’s intervention in His life, and His ministry which was about to begin.

During this time, the Devil comes and tempts Jesus with many things, but only the final three temptations are recorded. The first was that He should turn stones to bread. Now, as someone who has not eaten for 40 days, and is possibly near death, this temptation would be a tough one. Still, Jesus resists the temptation. Then there is the temptation to test His identity as the Son of God. “Throw yourself off the Temple, and angels will rescue you.” Again, Jesus was victorious. Finally, the biggest test came. “I will give you everything you want, without the need to die on the cross, if you will worship me.” In full submission to God’s Word and will, Jesus sent the devil packing.

And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country.
^{Luke 4:13-14}

It is from this simple story that I want us to look at the biggest benefits we, as Christ-followers, can receive when we partake of an extended season of fasting.

Benefit 1: Triumph Over Sin and the Devil

The first benefit I see in fasting is that it gives us the opportunity to take our physical limitations out of the equation in our pursuit of righteousness in our lives. As we put aside the daily cares of life, we are able to truly feel the Lord’s grief with our sin, and to mourn the wickedness He reveals in our hearts.

In the case of Jesus, we do not know the full extent of His temptations. Luke seems to say the temptations lasted for the entire 40 days, yet we only hear about the final day’s challenges. Even the rest of the gospels do not give us a deeper insight into the sinful temptations our Savior faced. What we do know is that the author of Hebrews testifies to us:

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
^{Hebrews 4:15}

I believe that Jesus faced every sort of temptation that we do: temptation towards self protection and self promotion, temptations toward sexual sin, temptations toward personal comforts and security, and more. Yet, during this season of fasting, the devil’s temptations were exhausted and Jesus walked away victorious.

Facing Our Own Temptations

Within the Body of Christ, there are many believers who struggle with the same sinful desires and temptations year-in and year-out, who never find the victory they seek, and wondering what can be done. One big answer is fasting.

Now, it isn’t a magic formula, where you stop eating and all the temptations just disappear. Your fasting must be purposeful. You should be mourning over your sin before the Lord, and looking for Him to strengthen you to withstand.

You should also be dedicating more time during your fast to the Word of God. After all, Jesus overcame His temptations by quoting the Word of God to the Devil. If the Word of God is not inside of us, we will not be able to use it as the weapon God intended.

Fasting Defeats The Devil

Just as we see Jesus overcoming the Devil through His extended season of fasting and prayer, we also hear Him teaching His disciples to do the same. In Mark 9, while Jesus is on the mountain being transfigured in the presence of Elijah and Moses, the majority of His disciples are at the bottom of the mountain failing at deliverance ministry. When Jesus returns from the mountain and exorcises the demons from the child, the disciples ask Him why they were incapable. His answer was that “this kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29).

Although I cannot fully express what happens, there is a very clear spiritual dynamic at work that when we fast before the Lord, spiritual stamina is added to us to overcome every sinful temptation and demonic stronghold we face.

It doesn’t mean the tempter won’t return “at a more opportune time,” but it does give us victory for the current season.

Benefit 2: Empowerment By the Spirit of God

The second benefit I see demonstrated by Jesus’ 40-day fast was that it leads to a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit. Remember, Jesus had just been baptized in Luke 3, and when He came out of the water “the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove…” (Luke 3:22). Whenever He leaves the baptismal site, Luke 4:1 tells us very clearly that Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit” and that it was the Spirit that led Him into the wilderness to fast and pray!

However (and seeing that this is Jesus we are talking about, this is a big “however”), verse 14 makes sure to emphasize that after fasting, Jesus returned from the wilderness “in the power of the Spirit.”

Now, we must understand that as Jesus had laid aside His Godhood when He incarnated and took on flesh, everything He did on earth (miracles, healing, raising the dead, casting out demons, etc) was not done as God. It was all done as a man filled with the Holy Spirit. (See Philippians 2:5-8.) What we see in this passage is that Jesus Himself experienced varying levels of the Holy Spirit’s presence and activity in His life. The key to more of the Spirit? Extended fasting!

Receiving Our Own Upgrade

Again, Jesus is an example to us. If He was able to go to higher levels of anointing through fasting and dealing with sinful temptations, we should expect the same for our own lives.

To repeat myself, it isn’t a magic formula whereby we simply stop eating food and the Holy Spirit falls on us. It is a specific pursuit and heartfelt hunger for more of the Lord that will stir Him and draw Him close. There are many scriptures which emphasize this point:

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
^{Jeremiah 29:13}

But from (among the nations) you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.
^{Deuteronmoy 4:29}

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
^{Acts 4:31}

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
^{Luke 11:13 (emphasis mine)}

Although the biblical command is that we should continually be filled with the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:18), there is something that happens when we shut ourselves out of the world for a season, and seek more of God’s presence in our lives. (This is especially true when connected to the newfound holiness after dealing with sin).

Getting Practical

I do understand the difficulty in modern life to even find the time for an extended fast, however I cannot more highly impress upon you the benefits it will have on your Christian walk. My advise is to start small. If you cannot set aside a long period of time to fast and pray, then start with a two- or three-day fast. Give a weekend up to the Lord. As you experience the grace that will follow, I’ll bet you will be drawn to more. It can also be practical to set aside a regular one or two days a week to fast. I know some leaders who fast every Tuesday and Thursday, in order to keep their spiritual walk with the Lord close, continually.

Perhaps, when you are ready for a little more, do a week-long fast. If you can take off work, that is ideal, although not completely necessary. If you stick with fruit and veggie juices, you should have the energy to do what you have to do, while spending your free time (lunch breaks, morning and evenings, etc) with the Lord in prayer. As seven is the Biblical number of completion, I find this to be a perfect goal for starting out with extended fasting.

In many seven-day fasts, I have seen breakthrough for extremely difficult temptations and much answer to prayer for more of His presence.

Whatever you decide to do, I would simply encourage you that fasting is a biblical practice, and Jesus expected that His followers would practice it as a normal part of the Christian life. You don’t have to wait on a “word from the Lord” that you should fast, just as you don’t wait on Him to call you to pray. Just go for it.

As a final point, I would say, do not do it as a legalistic “must-do” practice just because Pastor Scott said to, and don’t view it as a religious burden that is expected of you. Instead, let it be a time of resting in God’s grace, and see what He will do in and through you when you dedicate yourself to Him, and Him alone, in a new way.

Let’s Connect

As this is the first post of 2021, I want to say a quick thank you to all of you faithful readers who have been with me throughout the past year and all of you who have already connected with me through my newsletter and social media. You encourage me, so much, to keep going with this blog!

For those who haven’t yet signed up, it would be my great honor to have you sign up to receive my weekly newsletter. This is especially true in this season where conservative voices are being silenced on social media. The newsletter is the only sure way to make sure you never miss a new post.

You can also join me on various social media platforms for more #ChristianLife and #Gospel Leadership insights throughout the week. I can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Parler, and LinkedIn, and would love to see you there.

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!

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March 28 2020

3 Ways To Build Your Relationship With God in Times of Isolation

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Personal Discipleship, Soul Care, Spiritual Disciplines quarantine, social distancing, worship 0

Right now, the world is in isolation and quarantine due to the COVID-19 outbreak, causing a lot of unrest in the world. One of the more deadly side-effects of this mandatory social distancing is the feeling of loneliness which consumes too many people. As I have been praying for many people who are feeling isolated and alone in this season, I felt the Lord’s presence stirring in me the greatest promise Jesus made when He left this earth. That is, “I am with you always…” (Matthew 28:20).

Personally, as an introvert, I was social distancing before it was mandatory. However, I know that many of you need personal interaction and relationship to keep you going. So I do pray that you are not being led into depression and anguish during this season of isolation. However, I want to remind you that you are not alone. The Holy Spirit is with you, and is ready to engage with you as a friend if you will give Him the opportunity.

With this in mind, I want to share three ways we can build our relationship with God during this season.

1. Get Comfortable in the Secret Place

One of the topics I talk about most is having relationship and hearing God’s voice. That is because I strongly believe that Christianity truly is, as the old cliche says, a relationship, not a religion. Over the years, my own relationship with the Holy Spirit has grown incredibly personal, and I have learned to discern His voice speaking to me on a daily basis. That is not only a promise for “prophets.” Jesus said that all of His sheep would know His voice and follow Him (John 10:27).

While I have coached many people in hearing God’s voice for themselves, too many people miss the most important part, and that is to take time to practice hearing Him. There are many great teachings on how to hear Him speaking. There are many books that give keys to grow in your ability to hear. There are many leaders who can lead in times of activation, allowing you to have the experience yourself for the first time. Yet, none of those things will make you any more effective at hearing the Lord speak, if you do not take time daily to sit down in a quiet place and listen.

Years ago, I read the book “Four Keys to Hearing God’s Voice” by Mark Virkler. The simple principles he shared shaped my ability to hear the Lord speaking to me personally, in ways I never imagined possible. One of the things he shares is the need to write down everything God tells you in a practice called “two-way journaling.” Basically, you ask God a question, then write down what you feel the Holy Spirit speaks. Since 2012, this has been my habit of prayer journaling, and it has allowed me to focus on the Lord, and to hear Him speaking to me on a daily basis.

Again, these keys I learned would not have made any difference in my life, if I didn’t take the time to practice them regularly.

Right now, as you are staying home, limiting social interaction, and trying to balance your sanity with social media and binge watching television, I don’t want you to miss this great opportunity to spend time with the Lord in prayer, and to get comfortable in the secret place with Him. He is right there with you, and ready to speak. Take the time to listen. Even if you have never been able to sit in a position of prayer for more than 10 minutes, you have ample time to try, again and again, until the secret place is somewhere you don’t want to leave.

I promise you, once you learn to fellowship with Him in private, and the joys of knowing Him so personally, even the return of normal life in a couple of months will not keep you from returning to the prayer closet again and again.

To learn more about hearing the Lord speaking, you can find my four-part blog series on Hearing God’s Voice here, here, here, and here.

2. Dig Deep in the Word of God

Another aspect of Christian life that too often gets neglected in our busy routines, is engaging with the Word of God. I know that many of you do spend time daily in the Bible, and that is great. Yet, what I have found in this season of isolation is that God has given us time to go deeper in the Word of God, and learn from Him the principles of the Christian life.

Of course we should be reading our Bibles continually, and seek to know what is there from cover to cover. Some of you read through the whole Bible every year! Our ministry, Sozo Ministries, just shared a Bible reading plan that will take you through the entire New Testament in 21 days, as a free resource during this time. Those things are great, but I am talking about going deeper in our understanding of the Word of God.

Surely there are things the Holy Spirit has whispered to you, that have made you think, “I really need to look into that.” Maybe it is a deep doctrinal truth debated for ages, or it could simply be a small personal curiosity about something in the Word. Either way, you have now been given ample time to dive into the Word and find out. I am talking highlighters, Bible dictionaries, concordances and commentaries! It is a great season to put on your Bible-nerd glasses, and get moving.

The good news is, you don’t have to have a study full of wall-to-wall books. In the days of internet, you can find many commentaries and bible study resources available online for free!

I don’t know how deep you want to take your Bible study, but what I want to encourage you in your journey in the Word is to go in prayerfully and trust that the Holy Spirit will guide you and teach you in this time. This, too, should be a relationship-building time with the Lord, as He speaks to you personally through His Word!

You can find my post on the R.E.A.P. Bible Study Method here, as well as my two-part series on keeping a Scripture Reading Journal, here and here.

3. Become Your Own Worship Leader

The third thing I have found necessary in times like these, is to create a routine of worship by yourself. With churches closed down to the public and now broadcasting online, it is easy to just watch the worship, rather than engage in our own. However, when we realize that worship is an activity which should invade all that we do, then we can learn to be our own worship leaders.

This doesn’t always have to be singing, although singing is one of the easiest ways to engage in worship. That is why King David filled the tabernacle with musicians and singers who praised the Lord 24/7.

For me, I have taken time in the last few weeks to pull an old hymn book off the shelf, and sing through some of the songs I learned when I first joined church as a teenager. I have also taken up the hobby of learning to play a penny whistle, which I ordered from Amazon over Christmas last year. Playing songs that stir my heart toward the Lord in my solitude has been an enjoyable experience, and I can feel His presence surround me as I play and sing.

The truth is that worship is a form of spiritual warfare, and it changes the atmosphere around us. If you are isolated in this season, and feelings of loneliness and depression are taking hold, worship may be the easiest way to remove yourself from that funk and be drawn into His presence afresh.

Don’t hesitate to switch off Netflix and turn on a YouTube worship channel. Sing along. Lead your family or your kids in praises. Just because we cannot “go to church” does not mean that we cease to be the church. Let’s learn to worship the Lord, even more, in our private lives now, as a way to build that relationship with Him, which will last for years to come!

You can find an Apple Music playlist I created called, Warfare Worship, here.

We Have Time To Engage

To be sure, there are many other ways you can seek to engage with the Lord and deepen your relationship with Him in this season. You might decide to fast. You might spend time creating prophetic works of art or writings. Perhaps you still lead small groups or video chat sessions for intercession. All of these things are great, and there are so many more ways that I can’t even begin to give a complete list.

No matter how you engage with the Lord, my prayer for you in this season is simply that you do. Do not miss the opportunity you have been given, to give the Lord time! I have never met a Christian who lives with too much time on their hands. Busyness always seems to pull us away from relationship with Him. In this season, however, you have been given the gift of time to spare. Let’s choose not to squander it!

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June 19 2019

Speaking in Tongues FAQ

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Christian Life and Gospel Leadership, Gospel Leadership, Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Gifts Bapticostal, Charismatic, Speaking in Tongues, Spiritual Gifts, Tongues, What about speaking in tongues? 7

Due to my Baptist upbringing and education, many people get confused when they discover that I both believe in and practice the charismatic or sensational gifts of the Holy Spirit (i.e. prophecy, healing, tongues, casting out of demons, etc.). Because things like ‘speaking in tongues’ are seldom practiced or taught about, even in Baptist churches that profess a belief in the gifts, there are many questions that arise when people find out about my beliefs and practices.

On the other hand, when I discuss spiritual gifts with my more charismatic friends — Pentecostals, or Assembly of God friends for instance — they are often confused by my ‘restraint’ put on the gifts and my inability to agree on some of the finer points of their respective denominations doctrinal teachings about the gifts, specifically the gift of tongues.

Over a decade ago, a girl in my church began asking me a ton of questions about the gifts and tongues, and I took the opportunity to write an answer to some of the more frequently asked questions that come up in discussions concerning this gift.

When I shared the FAQ to my blog, it quickly became the most read blog post I have ever written. I have revised the post a little from the original, but the information is still true and relevant today! I attempt to ground every answer with solid biblical support, so make sure to have your bible open and read the scriptures I refrence. If at the end of this post you still have more questions about the issue, please feel free to ask in the comments.

Is the gift of tongues an earthly language that you never studied but God teaches you, or is it an unknown (non-earthly) language altogether?

Both versions of ‘tongues’ are represented in the scriptures (Earthly tongues in Acts 2, Non-earthly tongues in 1 Corinthians 14). However, when most people talk about the gift of tongues they are referencing a non-earthly language that cannot be learned, taught, or even translated without the Holy Spirit giving the interpretation. If it were an earthly language, then the spiritual gift of interpretation of tongues (1 Cor. 12:10) would not be necessary (1 Cor. 14:5, 27).

What is the primary purpose of the gift of tongues?

The primary purpose of all of the spiritual gifts are twofold. First to build up and edify the church (1 Cor. 12), and secondly, as a sign to non-believers. Tongues can fulfill both roles by personally edifying the one who speaks it (1 Cor. 14:4) or edifying the whole church when an interpreter is present (1 Cor. 14:26-27), and as a demonstration to non-believers (1 Cor. 14:22)

Is speaking in tongues a sign of salvation? Do I have to speak in tongues to be saved?

Speaking in tongues is never shown in scripture to be a sign of salvation. On one hand you may can argue that if someone speaks by the Holy Spirit’s power, then he or she must be saved. At the same time we know of non-believers and even animals in the Old Testament who God used to speak truth, but no one argues that animals can be saved. And we also know that there will be people at judgement time who try to use their prophesying and casting out demons in Jesus name as a sign of salvation, but Christ will deny them (Matthew 7:21-23).

Is tongues a sign that a person has the Holy Spirit? If I don’t speak in tongues does it mean I don’t have the Holy Spirit inside me?

No and No.

First off, we know that Satan can imitate all of the power and signs that God demonstrates among men. Therefore, just because someone claims to be speaking in tongues, it does not mean that they are truly filled with the Spirit of God. The Bible says we will know them by the fruits of the gift (Matthew 7:15-20), not simply by the demonstrations of power.

Secondly, we know from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians that not all Christians will speak in tongues, just as not all will be able to prophesy or lay hands on the sick and see them healed (1 Cor. 12:27-31).** The Spirit alone will determine how He manifests His gifts through a person (1 Cor. 12:4-11).

Is tongues the primary gift of the Holy Spirit?

No. Paul makes clear that there are gifts more desirable than others (1 Cor. 12:31), then spends all of 1 Corinthians 14 arguing that, although he wishes all of them could speak in tongues (v. 5), he would rather them seek the gift of prophecy (vv. 5, 39) because it has more benefit to the full body of believers.

Can anyone speak in tongues? Should all Christians speak in tongues?

The only people who can legitimately speak in tongues from the Holy Spirit and not some counterfeit version are those believer’s who have sought the gift (1 Cor. 14:1) and whom God has chosen to give the gift to (1 Cor. 12:11).**

If I don’t speak in tongues does it mean that I am not as spiritual as someone who does?

No, nowhere in scripture is it indicated that the gift of tongues is any special mark on the character or spirituality of that person, or and indicator of a higher level of affection received from God.

What does it sound like when you speak in tongues? How do I know it’s tongues and not just gibberish?

Since I have not found a biblical answer to the question of what it sounds like, my cessationist friends will have to cringe a little as I answer from personal experience and the similar experience of others. Speaking in tongues does sound like gibberish, in the same way listening to someone speak in any language you don’t understand sounds like gibberish. However, when you listen intently to someone speaking in tongues, there is clearly a structure to the language, and as time goes on, you will hear certain ‘words’ or ‘phrases’ being repeated.

The only way we can know someone is really speaking in the gift of tongues from the Holy Spirit is to test the Spirit and see if it is really from God (1 John 4:1-3) and as mentioned earlier, to judge from the fruits produced by the gift.

Do you know what you are saying?

Speaking in tongues and interpreting tongues are two different things. Paul says that when a person speaks in tongues, he is speaking to God, and that no man understands (1 Cor. 14:2). It is a form of prayer in which even the mind of the one praying does not understand what is being said (1 Cor. 14:14).

How do I pursue tongues (or other charismatic gifts)?

1 Corinthians 14:12 says, “since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.” If you want to pursue the spiritual gifts, it begins by realizing that they are for the purpose of building up the church, and then seeking to serve. You become an extension of God’s love to the world (1 Corinthians 13). They aren’t for show, and they aren’t for you to have to feel you have attained a higher Christian status.

Now Christian Healing: Pentecostal Powerif you really want to pursue the gifts, I don’t know that there is a standard way to do so, but I feel like the following suggestions are a good place to start.

First of all, express the desire to God. He is a loving Father who wants to give gifts to His children if they will ask (Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13).

Second, we know that God delights in the obedience of His children. The Holy Spirit is drawn to the person who is pursuing holy living. So strive to live a life pleasing to Him, rather than one at odds with Him (Galatians 5:16-24). As your life becomes attractive to His presence, He will begin to manifest more often.

And finally, live a life that evidences your desire to see God’s Kingdom built, and God’s people to grow in maturity. Love and serve others (1 Cor. 13). Oftentimes it is when we run out of the ability to love and serve on our own power, that the power of God is made known (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

** Though it is true that not all people will practice every gift,, I do not discount the fact that Paul tells us to desire the spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 14:1), and that God gives good gifts to His children when we ask Him (Matt. 7:11). It is my personal theological conviction that God can give many or all gifts to the person who devotes themselves to pursuing Him and serving the church. However, we must remember that the gifts are for that reason – service – and not for making a name for ourselves. Seeing people healed will only come when we seek every opportunity to pray for the sick. Giving a prophecy will only come when we seek to edify, exhort, and comfort others often (1 Cor. 14:3). And speaking in tongues will come to the one who is most hungry to spend time with the Lord in prayer, and to be built up in Him.

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June 7 2019

5 Ways to Practice Hearing God’s Voice

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Gospel Leadership, Make Disciples, Spiritual Disciplines Hearing God's Voice, Holy Spirit, Jesus, prayer team, revelation, treasure hunting 0

Before you can hear God’s voice on behalf of others, you must develop a personal, intimate relationship with Him, in which you have learned to hear His voice for yourself. We do this by studying scripture, praying and asking the Lord for revelation, and taking time to wait on Him to speak to us. We must learn to practice hearing God’s voice!

As He speaks, it will take time for you to learn discernment between what is His voice, and what are your own thoughts and imaginations, as well as attempted distractions and lies from the enemy.

For the Christian, learning to hear the voice of God in your life is absolutely the most important and beneficial thing you can do. Here are five activities you can do to position yourself to begin hearing God’s voice.

Keep a Listening Journal

When I was new to hearing God’s voice regularly — not only on rare or “special” occasions — keeping a listening journal was one of the most helpful things I was taught to do. As it takes time dedicated to learning to hear, the journaling process helps you track your journey along the way. It also allows you to let other, more mature believers read things you are unsure of, to help you discern whether it was God you heard or not. The truth is, we all miss it sometimes.

Now that I have been hearing God’s voice regularly for many years, spending time praying and writing in my listening journal is still the most intimate time I have with the Lord, where I am able to press into Him more and to hear Him speak about issues of life, leadership, and ministry. Anytime I have one of those “I wonder…” questions, it usually goes into my listening journal, and it is always time well spent.

To keep a listening journal, get something to write on and something to write with, then simply ask God questions. I write my questions to God at the top of the page and use parentheses or “//” to mark when it is my words and thoughts, and then use the rest of the page to write down every impression or thought or vision I feel like God is using to answer that question. Sometimes the answer “bubbles up” immediately. Other times I will wait for a long time, but eventually an answer will come. As one question answered leads to another, I continue writing down my conversation with God until I am out of time or have exhausted that topic of conversation.

What I have found is that God is eager to speak to us and help us live the Christian life, so this is a great way to let the Holy Spirit disciple you and lead your own Christian walk. In fact, many times when I am just craving some intimacy with God, but don’t have a pressing question to ask, I will just start my journal with, “Lord, what do you want to talk to me about today?” These are often some of the most profound things He speaks to me.

A listening journal is also a great way to keep a record of your journey with the Holy Spirit, to look back on and see your personal growth in Him.

The Name Game

For many people, a listening journal may sound like an exercise in futility. I have discipled various people in the practice, and it is always a long process to get started with an activity like that as it takes time to train yourself to hear God’s voice clearly and consistently, without your own thoughts and preconceptions getting in the way. Some people have sat for long periods of time with a blank page in front of them, not actually knowing what to do.

The name game is a little bit easier, and is a good starter exercise to begin hearing the voice of God. Here’s what you do: get into a setting where you can spend time in silent prayer, a place without distraction, then simply ask the Lord to tell you what He calls you or how He sees you. Then wait on Him to answer.

As people I know have walked through this simple process, God has always been faithful to tell them something very personal and uplifting. For one person who did not have a good relationship with his dad, God simply called him “My son.” For another who dealt with rejection and not sure how people saw her, God said, “Beloved.” God not only spoke clearly to them, but touched them deeply with His love in what He said. Since God wants to be our biggest encourager, we can actually go back to Him again and again asking Him how He sees us or what He wants to say about us, and He will always have something sweet to say.

Again, this is a very simple process, but it can still take some time to hear what God speaks. Though everyone I know who has engaged in this activity have heard God answer, it has not always been immediate, and in some cases have taken weeks before they were sure it was God. Just remember, God’s promise is that we can hear His voice. However, just like tuning an old radio with the manual tuning knob, it can sometimes take a lot of work to get clearly on the desired station. Once you can hear God answer this simple question pretty easily, it can always become a good starting point for deeper question and answer times with God.

One neat story I can share about this activity is one time, when I was on staff at a local church in Texas, our Senior Pastor took all of our community group leaders through this activity. For some the answer came quickly, and for others took time, as is always the case. In that group was a husband and wife team who began praying together for this answer. The wife heard what God called her almost immediately. She then began praying for her husband, and she heard the answer for what God called her husband as well, and wrote it down secretly. It was, however, another two weeks before he heard the answer for himself. Yet when he did finally hear it, it was the same thing their spouse had heard on their behalf two weeks before. How’s that for confirmation?

Treasure Hunting

Treasure hunting has become a world-wide “game” in many charismatic circles of Christianity, especially young adults who have come to learn that they can hear God’s voice and He will lead them into plenty of opportunity to minister to people and see God do awesome things. Another word for treasure hunting in this case would be, “Prophetic Evangelism.”

This can be an individual practice, but is a lot more fun when you do it in small groups of 2-4 people. The premise is this: You (and your friends) sit down in a room with a notepad and pray. You ask God to show you a place you should go to and other clues such as tattoos, clothing, jewelry, or other things that would lead to a specific person. You write down the “clues” He gives you, then you set out looking for God’s treasure.

For example, God may give you a picture of a Starbucks sign in your mind’s eye. As you pray about who you should meet at Starbucks, He then tells you “red dress, black necklace.” You would then write those things down and head to Starbucks, to find God’s treasure. (Don’t forget to pray for words of knowledge, as to what God wants to say or do when you find them, too!)

It may be awkward at first, telling them, “God told me to come find you,” but as the Lord reveals further how you should minister to them, you will get past that quickly.

I have been on various treasure hunts, both in the U.S. and abroad, looking to see if I heard God speak clearly. Sometimes I miss it and try again. Other times, I have had some good times of sharing the love of Christ and prayer with people who need it.

Ask God About The Person Next to You

How much of your day is spent near people you don’t know very well? It may in a check out line at the grocery store, waiting to order food for lunch, sitting in a waiting area of the hospital or car wash, talking to a sales person, or sitting on an airplane.

Why not make some spiritual use of that time and ask God for a word of knowledge for that person. They may be shocked when you look at them and ask, “Is your daughter sick?” If the answer is yes, then you have a perfect opportunity to tell them how you knew that, and then pray with them for their child. If the answer is no, you can still use it to share your faith but saying, “oh, sorry. It’s just that I’m a Christian and I’m trying to learn to hear how God speaks to us. I guess I missed it this time. Are you a Christian?”

Serve on a Ministry Team

I know to include this may sound a bit out of place, but if I’m honest, one of the best places to learn to hear God speak is when you are actively engaged in loving on other people and seeking to serve them in one-on-one ministry. Unless you are one of those few people who are happy and loving twenty-four hours a day, serving on a ministry team will require you to hear God’s voice, and find your love, strength and abilities in His leading.

This may be serving long-term, on the ministry team in your church, or by serving on a short-term mission trip. My own ministry in Uganda and Keny a hosts various teams throughout the year for teaching and training in Spirit-led ministry.

I believe that serving on a ministry team can also offer one of the safest place to practice hearing without fear of rejection or intimidation. Though it isn’t always the case, it should be that as believers in the body together we encourage one another to keep trying to hear God more clearly, rather than bring one another down when someone misses it.

Do you have any other practical ways you have grown to hear God’s voice? I would love to hear them in the comments.

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How to Practice Discernment in Hearing God’s Voice

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Gospel Leadership, Make Disciples, Spiritual Disciplines Christian Life, discernment, gift of discernment, Gospel Leadership, Holy Spirit, how to practice discernment, Jesus, temptation 0

So far in our discussion on hearing the voice of God, we have looked at the three “revelatory gifts” given by the Holy Spirit to the church, as well as some biblical ways in which all believers can hear Him speaking to them. However, no matter how we hear God’s voice for ourselves, we must turn our attention to the fact that learning to practice discernment is of the highest importance in this pursuit.

THE THREE VOICES IN YOUR HEAD

As simple overview of the bible seems to tell us that, for all believers, there are actually three different voices you can hear in your head at any given time. Yet all of them will sound like your own thoughts. It is important to learn what these three voices are and how to recognize them. Then we can begin to align ourselves with the voice of Holy Spirit as we live our lives.

1. The Voice of Your Mind

The most obvious voice we all hear is our own thoughts and imagination speaking to us. This is key to human existence. This is how you reason, and determine your thoughts, wants, and needs. According to some philosophers, it is this mental capacity that make you who you are, and without it, your ‘self’ wouldn’t even exist!

“Cogito ergo sum.” “I think, therefore I am.”

The problem is that our mind and thoughts were corrupted in the fall. The self-voice in our head is influenced by emotions and external stimuli, and as such cannot always be trusted to make the best decisions. Certainly, it is our mental passions that lead us into temptation and sin. However, as we follow Christ closer and more intimately, this voice will become more and more conformed to the mind of God.

2. The Voice of the Enemy

The second voice we hear all-too-often is that of the enemy. He wants to flood our head with sinful desires and discouraging, condemning thoughts. He is always speaking lies to us to see if we will accept what He is telling us as truth. “You are not good enough.” “You are all alone.” “No one loves you.” “You’ll never stop sinning in that way. Why try?”

These are the thoughts that lead many Christians to withdraw from community and live in self-loathing solitude, believing they can never be used by God in a meaningful way. In reality, though, these are not your own thoughts. They are lies that we must reject. We must learn, through faith, to believe and hold to the the things God says are true about us.

3. The Voice of God

The third voice we can all hear is the Holy Spirit speaking. While many people talk about the supernatural ways God speaks say, “God is talk to me like that,” the truth is, most of them just don’t know how to tune in to what he’s saying.

I’ve heard Kris Vallotton, one of the pastors at Bethel Church in Redding, California, compare it to a radio where God is speaking on the FM channel, but we are searching the entire AM dial wondering why we can’t tune in. In order to practice discernment, we must learn how to tune to God’s station.

The key, then, is discerning how God speaks to you! Then you can make every effort to tune in, as often as possible, to hear how He’s speaking and leading you on a daily basis. The good news is, we can learn from history how God has spoken in generations past, and have a pretty reliable idea of how He will still speak to us today (see the last post).

GROWING IN DISCERNMENT

Once we recognize that these three voices are all present in our lives, it is time to grow in discernment.

Early on in my own process of learning to hear the voice of God, I was taught to keep a “two-way” journal. (This is something I will discuss more in the next post.) One night, during this time with Him, He gave me some insight on discerning these three voices. Here is what I asked, and what He spoke:

//Lord, what do you want to teach me tonight?//

“Tonight I want to focus on your discernment of when it’s My voice you’re hearing, giving you insights into thoughts and situations, and when it is your own imagination’s voice or a deception.

//Ok, so let’s start with the basics. What is Your gift of discernment as opposed to a natural discernment?//

“Natural discernment most often plays out for self-protection or self-promotion. My discernment, on the other hand, is for Kingdom promotion. There may be elements of personal benefit as a byproduct, but that is never the primary focus.

//So then, how does that play into discerning between the three voices in my head?//

“First, you need to understand that your thoughts will come based on where you have most focused your mind. Remember, you are transformed by the renewing of your mind, so to have sanctified thoughts, focus on Me and seek My Kingdom and your thoughts will follow.

“Second, when the enemy speaks it will sound like truth, yet underneath will be the ‘permission’ to rebel and sin without consequences. He is working to build a false image of Me and who I want you to be becoming.

“Third, to know for sure if it’s Me speaking, learn to ask me the question, ‘How is the Kingdom or my personal sanctification advanced by what I’m hearing?’”

THREE STEPS TO PRACTICE DISCERNMENT IN HEARING GOD’S VOICE

Based on this wisdom from the Lord, we must begin practicing discernment, and aligning ourselves with Him.

This means we must learn to identify the devil’s deceptions. We must recognized when He is speaking to us those permissions to glorify self, at the expense of God’s word. That is exactly how He spoke to Adam and Eve! “Did God really say you can’t eat the fruit or you’ll die?…” He led them to believe their own desires were more righteous and true and they doubted God.

As we grow in maturity in Christ, we should be able to distinguish truth. In fact, the writer of Hebrews describes mature believers as “those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14).

Let’s look at three steps we must practice daily, train ourselves to discern God’s voice, and align ourselves with Him.

1. Train Our Senses.

The Bible makes it clear that we are transformed by the direction our minds go. Too often, we allow our mind to be polluted with everything coming at us on the news, the sitcoms, Facebook feeds, twitter updates, and every other tool for entertainment and information. Most of us do this without the filter of scripture in place to keep us from the downward pull!

There is only one definite way we can train our senses to know truth, and that is through God’s only infallible revelation to man: the Bible. We must read the Bible. We must study the Bible. The Bible should become the foundation of our mindset, each and every day!

If we want the voice of our own minds to lead us into righteousness, and to come into agreement with everything the Holy Spirit wants to speak, then we have to begin guarding what we put in, and it must be filtered through the teachings of scripture.

There is only one definite way we can train our senses to know truth, and that is through God’s only infallible revelation to man: the Bible. We cannot just read the Bible; study the Bible. We must make the Bible the foundation of our mindset, each and every day!

2. Reject the Devil’s Input

In Luke 4 we see the devil tempting Jesus in the wilderness. Once again, He comes challenging the Word of God. The last thing heard spoken to Jesus before this is, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The first thing out of the devil’s mouth is, “If You are the Son of God…” followed by the temptation to sin and prove it.

Jesus, however, had grounded His own thinking in the Word of God, and used it as His weapon of choice to reject the devil’s temptations. Responding to every lie out of the devil’s mouth with scripture, Jesus successfully defeated the attacks.

The same is true of us! “Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). There is no better way to resist a demonic lie, than to be prepared with the truth of God’s Word. “You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

So when the devil brings shame and guilt, telling you that you are not good enough: Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus”

Or when the devil tries to tell you that God doesn’t love you. You are too sinful. God is punishing you: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

The Bible teaches that the weapons we use against the devil are not fleshly weapons. Through the Word of God and our new identity in Christ, we have supernatural power to take every thought captive, and bring it into obedience to Christ (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-6). We do this by contracting every temptation of the devil with truth!

The devil can talk to us all He wants, but when we know the truth of God’s word, and practice our discernment over every thought that come in, he cannot fool us!

3. Obey the Voice of the Lord

Once you have overcome the lies of the enemy, and are seeking to keep your own mind conformed to the thoughts of Christ, the only thing left to do is listen to God and do what He says. That is the foundational principle for the life of a Christian.

We want to be hearing Him speak to us. He definitely wants to speak to us. So once we are sure it is Him we are hearing, then we act on His revelation. Relationship with Him requires obedience (see John 14:15). It must be the goal of listening to Him, to then obey whatever He tells us to do.

As we begin to act on what He says, our lives will come into alignment with His will for our lives. We will walk in power. We will see blessings and breakthrough. Our whole lives will be changed!

It is the greatest privilege of the Christian to live a life led by the Holy Spirit. We must be diligent to ensure we hear His voice clearly, and to dismiss every other distraction.

Practice discernment. Listen to God. Do what He says.

I’d love to hear from you in the comments. How have you experienced living with these three different voices in your head? What testimonies can you share of when God has spoken and the fruit of obedience?

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June 1 2019

How You Can Hear God’s Voice

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Gospel Leadership, Make Disciples, Spiritual Disciplines Audible Voice of God, God speaks, Hearing God's Voice, Inspired Speech, Jesus, revelation, Trance, Word of God 6

In the last post, we said “you can hear the voice of God.” There is as expectation in scripture that all believers would know His voice and follow His lead. We also discussed the “revelatory gifts” of scripture: prophecy, words of knowledge, and words of wisdom, and how they work.

Today, we will begin to look more in depth at how you can hear the voice of God. All throughout the Bible, we see God speaking to His people in various ways. These are not always categorized into the three revelatory gifts mentioned before. Although there is no limit on how He might communicate with us, I want to explore eight ways He speaks to His people in the Bible. This will be followed in the next post on how to develop discernment in our hearing.

Reading Scripture

“All Scripture is breathed out by God…” — 2 Timothy 3:16

Even from the early days of the church, it was recognized that the Bible is a collection of books that was authored by men as they were directed by the Holy Spirit. That means that as we engaged with the Bible, we are reading a letter to mankind, written by the Holy Spirit Himself. As we trust in this fact, it becomes clear that the Bible is the foundational means for hearing God’s voice because it is in the Bible that we learn all about God’s character and His ways.

Since the Bible is true and written by the Holy Spirit, we can also trust that the Holy Spirit will never speak anything to us which is contrary to the scriptures. Therefore, not only does the Bible help you learn to hear God’s voice, but it also builds discernment for whether it is God’s voice you are hearing at all. We cannot neglect this foundation, if we want to hear God speaking to us.

Spirit to Spirit (or Intuitive Hearing)

Often times you will hear Christians say, “I feel like God is saying…” What they are usually talking about is hearing God with an intuitive hearing, rather than hearing God’s audible voice. It is the Holy Spirit inside of us, speaking to us from the inside.

Oftentimes, these words come more as impressions or as “outside thoughts,” not originating in your own mind. In the Old Testament, it is the Hebrew word, “nabi” meaning “to bubble up.” The thought you have is a Holy Spirit-given thought that seems to bubble up from the soul, rather than from the mind.

In my experience, this is one of the primary ways they hear God speak in the busyness of daily life for most Christians. It certainly is for me. Growing in discernment between the voices in your head will be key in learning to hear God speak this way.

Hearing the Audible Voice of God

This is when God speaks out loud, and we hear it with our natural ears. One biblical example is when Jesus blinds the Apostle Paul at his conversion, and speaks to him audibly with a loud voice, “Why are you persecuting me?” The Lord then spoke to him of his destiny and gave him instructions on what to do immediately.

The audible voice of God seems to be rare among Christians, but it does still happen. There are a few people who hear it regularly; however, the majority of people who do experience the audible voice of God only do so once or twice in a lifetime. This has never happened for me.

Dreams

Dreams are another very prominent way that God speaks to people. Some believe it is because that is the time our rational minds are at rest, and He can speak to us without us reasoning it away.

Deuteronomy refers to one type of prophet as a “dreamer of dreams.” (Deuteronomy 13:1)

This is not to say that all dreams come from God. (Though it is likely that many dreams are from God, though we haven’t realized it.) You still need discernment in determining where the dream comes from and if it has meaning to reality.

Visions and Trances

There are different types of visions given in scripture.

Visions (Internal) – In general, a vision is similar to a day dream, though it does not come from your human mind. Instead, you see something play out in your head in the same way an intuitive word from God “bubbles up” from the soul.

Open Visions – Open visions are external. They play out in front of you like you are watching a tv screen. Rather than just being a daydream, it overlays reality so that you can see with spiritual eyes what is going on. One example is Elisha’s servant, who’s eyes were opened to see the angel armies supporting them from the mountaintops.

Similar to visions is a trance. According to Jamie Galloway of Global Awakening:

“A trance is when you completely lose consciousness of your physical surrounding because you are overcome by the Spirit of God. It seems you lose your logic and are overcome with what God is presenting to you as if it always was.”

We might say that a trance is when an open vision does not just play out in front of you. Instead, you are actually pulled into the vision completely, and therefore lost to reality around you. A person in a trance may seem fully awake and conscious, but in reality their mind is somewhere else. Again, this can be from the Spirit of God, or can also just be a fleshly preoccupation with some thought that has consumed the person.

Peter finds himself in a trance on his rooftop while praying in Acts 10:10.

Physical Sensations

Physical sensations often occur in relation to words of knowledge for healing. You might call it a God-given sympathy pain. It would be where you experience a sudden pain in your knee, where you should not be feeling pain. This could be God prompting you to ask the people around you if they have knee pain. It builds faith that He wants to heal.

In our ministry, we seek words of knowledge for healing in prayer, and then call them out to the whole crowd at our crusades and events. We have seen many people healed in this way.

Sometimes God can give you physical sensations leading to other things, like perhaps feeling something in your ring finger could be pointing you to ask questions about the persons marriage or if they are married.

Physical sensations can go along with intuitive hearing as they may just be a very direct way for God to initially get your attention.

Visitations

Visitations are when a heavenly being, whether an angel or even Jesus Himself shows up to you in person. Sometimes the visitor will have a message to speak to you. Other times they may use non-verbal communication to tell you what they were sent to say.

Angels are all around us. It shouldn’t be a surprise that sometimes they come just to see us. It is also worth noting that you won’t always know they are angels (Hebrews 13:2). Sometimes they will come to you in the form of a person and give you a word from God, or simply converse for a while or ask for charity, then leave without you knowing their true identity.

Inspired Speech

Inspired speech happens often in the public presentation of the gospel. It is when you open your mouth to say one thing, and something completely different than you planned comes out. Yet what does come out is more profound than what you meant to say or reveals some deep hidden truth. In a surprise to everyone, God speaks through your mouth. Inspired speech will always be helpful to the person or group of people you are ministering to, rather than condemning or judgmental.

Some of the greatest prophetic words I have heard or received have been inspired speech.

The Desire to Hear

There are many ways God can and does speak. The biggest question is, “Are we listening?” If you haven’t experienced any of these phenomena in your walk with the Lord, do not get discouraged. Instead, press in closer to Him and ask Him to help you hear His voice. He will!

If you want to learn more about these different ways God speaks, I discuss them in depth on The Christian Life Podcast. I encourage you to check it out, and subscribe if you want to hear more!

If you have experienced any of these things in your life, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

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May 28 2019

You Can Hear God’s Voice

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Gospel Leadership, Make Disciples, Spiritual Disciplines God speaks, Hearing God's Voice, how to practice discernment, Jesus, revelation, Revelatory Gifts, Truth, Words of Knowledge 0

One of the things I talk about on the blog, regularly, is listening to the Holy Spirit and hearing God speak. However, I probably take it for granted that everyone reading understands how to hear God’s voice, and live their lives with His presence and guidance in mind. Unfortunately, that is likely not the case.

In my 18 years of church experience, I have found there are three general ways people view how the Holy Spirit actively speaks to His people.

Cessationism

The first viewpoint is to deny that He still speaks. This is a form of theology called cessationism. It argues that the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit ended with the completion of the Bible. Since the Bible is held to be the “complete revelation” of God to man, cessationists do not believe that the Holy Spirit can add any more supernatural revelation beyond what the scriptures reveal. They do not believe He speaks, so they do not listen.

This is obviously not the position I take, though I have many friends who do. However, I will not make time in this writing to argue against this viewpoint. (Here is a great book that does so better than I can.) It will suffice to say that the main problem with this view is that the Bible itself is where we learn that the Holy Spirit speaks to His people, and how we are to hear and interpret His words.

Continuationism

The second view is that the Holy Spirit is still active and speaking to His people. In some form, this is the view of most modern Christians and ministries. Although the level at which God speaks is viewed differently – some believing that He speaks daily to all, others that He only gives special revelation at certain times – there is a value for His leading, and it is encouraged to listen and obey. This view is called “continuationism.” These people believe that He speaks, so they actively listen to Him.

Functional Cessationism

The third view, and the one I want to focus on in this post, is those who affirm with their mouths that the Holy Spirit speaks to His people, but their practice does not involve listening to Him. They functionally live and do ministry the same as the cessationists, even though they have better theology. They believe that He speaks, but do not listen.

Often, this is simply a lack of understanding of how to hear Him speaking, which is what we will address here. Sometimes, however, it is not a lack of understanding. Rather, it is a lack of priority for His direct leading and guiding. This cannot be corrected with a blog post. It must be corrected in the heart.

What I want to look at, today, are the spiritual gifts involving hearing the Spirit speak. Then, in my next post, I will discuss the various ways the Bible says we can hear His voice as believers.

THE REVELATION GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

There are three specific “revelatory” gifts listed in the New Testament. These are given by God for personal ministry within the church. Though all of these gifts are hearing God’s voice, and may function in some of the same ways, they seem to have different and distinct purposes for which they are used.

General Hearing

The first thing to be aware of is, though some gifts are clearly labeled, such as prophecy and words of knowledge, there is also a general expectation that ALL believers will hear God speaking. Jesus Himself said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

Jesus went on to say (John 16:12-15) that He had so much He still wanted to tell His people that it would have to wait, and would come through the Holy Spirit. It would be the Spirit’s job to speak to believers, teaching us God’s truth, and revealing everything Jesus still has to say. He would be the one to “declare” what God wants to say. God’s plan is that the Holy Spirit would be our guide in how we live our lives as believers.

Therefore, we must begin with an understanding that the Holy Spirit Himself is the first “gift” given to us, and the Bible expects Him to speak to all of us! (Here is a great book to get you started personally.) The rest of these gifts, are simply different methods He uses to do that in some circumstances.

Prophecy

While the Bible tells us that all believers should be hearing God’s voice for their own life and personal direction, the gift of prophecy is when you are hearing the voice of God on behalf of other people. This may be a revelation or insight into their life. It may give direction in a decision making process. It may be speaking to their destiny and calling in life.

The Bible tells us that the purpose of prophecy is to build people up, encourage them, and to console (1 Corinthians 14:3, ESV). No matter how a prophecy plays out, at a minimum, it must always lead people toward Jesus and His ways. It will agree with scripture, and will leave them feeling encouraged.

The Apostle Paul places the prophetic at the highest place among other spiritual gifts, telling the Corinthian church to “earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:1).

Words of Wisdom

A word of wisdom is one of the nine gifts of the Spirit Paul talks about in his letter to the Corinthians. It is not natural wisdom, rather, it is when the Holy Spirit speaks to you with specific instruction pertaining to a specific time and place.

This gift may come into use, for instance, whenever you are ministering to someone under deep stress due to some personal situation. As they seek guidance on how to handle things, we must do more than just give advice. This gift would be when the Holy Spirit speaks through us to tell the person exactly how to handle the situation, leading to peace and a good outcome.

A word of wisdom may also be God instructing you what to do in a ministry situation with another person. For instance, you could be ministering to someone who has many needs, and the Holy Spirit leads you to pray for them or speak to them in a different way than human reason would naturally lead you to.

Personally, this is a key gift in my life when I do pulpit ministry. Before a meeting, I wait for God to show me a mental picture of exactly what I am supposed to do and speak, and how I should pray or minister to the people. It is always more effective than when I simply come to the platform with a well crafted sermon I wrote myself.

Words of Knowledge

If words of wisdom tend toward God giving instructions, words of knowledge would simply be God revealing information. It is when you simply know something you should not otherwise know.

Perhaps you are ministering to someone who has not been forthcoming with the sinful root of their issue. In love, the Holy Spirit uses this gift to reveal the underlying problem to you so you can minister to them appropriately.

Words of knowledge also play prominently in my own pulpit ministry, especially in the area of healing. Sometimes God reveals to me that He wants to heal someone with a specific sickness, and when I call that sickness out and pray for them, there is a much higher percentage of healings of that issue, than when I just pray for the sick in love.

Not only do words of knowledge help you minister effectively, but they also build faith in the person receiving ministry. Hearing the word lets them know with certainty that God sees them in their situation and cares what is happening in their life.

Other instances of words of knowledge might be when God leads you to a certain place, or reveals a certain person to you that you need to minister to.

Remember, God will never reveal knowledge to us about something that He does not intend on working on. This is one of the ways we can “see what the Father is doing” and then follow His lead (see John 5:19).

Any time we receive a word of knowledge or word of wisdom, it should embolden us to speak, being confident that God wants to use us in those situations.

Conclusion

From all of these things, it is clear that the Bible expects us to be hearing God’s voice and to live by the Spirit’s leading. So the question is, do you? Have you taken time to seek God’s direct input in your daily life? Do you invite Him to use your mouth as His own in the lives of others? Have you desired spiritual gifts, especially prophecy?

In This Series

In this blog series we will look at:

Want to know more about this topic? I discuss this topic in depth on The Christian Life Podcast. I encourage you to check it out, and subscribe if it blesses you!

I would love to hear from you in the comments. Don’t forget to come back soon, in the next post, I share the many ways you can hear God speaking for your self. Don’t miss it.

Photo by Icons8 team on Unsplash

March 11 2019

The R.E.A.P. Method of Bible Study

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Gospel Leadership, Ministry Idolatry, Personal Discipleship, Practical Ministry, Spiritual Disciplines Bible Study, Holy Spirit 0

Do you struggle with daily Bible study? You know you should go beyond just reading a passage, or relying on a personal devotional, yet real Bible study seems like a lot of work. Not to mention the need of time and resources to get it done. How can anyone make it a daily practice?

I have recently stepped in as the interim pastor of one of Sozo Ministries’ village churches in Uganda. This has given me the opportunity to return to ongoing discipleship and mentoring of regular Christians. It is an enjoyable change from my normal mode of dealing mostly with leaders, and doing higher-level ministry trainings. Even still, the thing I cannot get past in either case is the need for Christians to be in the Word of God, daily, and applying the truths of scripture to their lives.

I want to share with you a simple method of Bible study that can be applied to your daily reading, no matter how much time you have to give. Whether you have ten minutes or two hours, this approach can be a great benefit. You won’t need to have a massive library of Bible commentaries; just a place to sit, read, and pray. This tool will help make the scriptures accessible to you, and it is called the ” R.E.A.P. Method.” It is not a method I developed. It is one I was taught a few years ago in my home church in Texas, who also learned it elsewhere. Despite not knowing its source, I will tell you that it is one of the simplest and most beneficial methods you can learn, to start studying the Bible on your own.

R – Read

The obvious first step in Bible study is to read a passage of scripture. It is completely up to you and the Holy Spirit where you need to focus your attention each day. If you aren’t sure where to begin, you cannot go wrong by beginning with one of the Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. There are also thousands of Bible readings plans available online, or possibly even in the back of the Bible you use each day. Don’t hesitate to find a reading plan that makes sense for you. Just don’t fall into the trap of shame and condemnation if you miss a day or two.

E – Examine

Anyone can read a passage of scripture. Only those committed to grow from it go further into Bible study! Once you have read the passage of scripture, the real work begins. You must now seek to understand what this scripture is trying to teach. Obviously, the world is full of resources that can help you go deeper and deeper into your understanding of any passage; however, if you are new to Bible study, that is not necessary.

The beauty of the Bible is that it was written by God for men to read and understand. It is therefore fairly straightforward in what it says. Still, God did not expect us, with the lingering presences of a sin nature drawing us back to untruths, to navigate the Bible alone. He has given us the Holy Spirit to “teach you all things…” (John 14:26). As you seek to understand the scripture, ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten your mind to understanding, and to reveal any hidden wisdom within the passage.

Now, as you examine the passage, you should learn to ask these questions about what you have read:

What does this passage teach about God?
What does this passage teach about mankind?
What does this passage teach about sin and salvation?
What does this passage teach about Jesus and the Holy Spirit?
What does this passage teach about new life in Christ?

In the beginning, you may only ask the first two questions about each passage, which will definitely grow your knowledge of truth. Still, as you grow in Bible study, always take your examination deeper with these kinds of probing questions.

A – Apply

Once you have spent time understanding the text, it is time to apply what you have learned to your own life. Remember, Bible study is not just a practice to gain knowledge. It should be connected to your own discipleship and your growth into the image of Christ!

The simplest way to apply what you have learned is to ask yourself, “Based on what I have read, what do I need to do or change in my own life?” Don’t forget to include the Holy Spirit’s guidance in answering. Once you have finished wrestling with this question, you have taken the first step in application. You now must commit to doing whatever the Holy Spirit and the scriptures are leading you to do. This is how the Word of God transforms you.

P – Pray

The final part of the process is to go back to God in prayer. Even though you have sought the Holy Spirit’s help in each step up to now, this step should pull everything you have done together and bring it back to Him for help living it out.

Begin by thanking God for what He has taught you. Walk through the process of repentance if there is an area of need. Ask for grace and strength to make the necessary changes in your life. Trust the Holy Spirit to help you as you begin to walk out what you have learned. Finally, ask Him to reveal to you someone in your own life who needs to hear what you have just learned. Seek an opportunity to share with someone else, what you have just been given.

That’s it. You have just successfully completed a real, authentic, personal Bible study! Not too bad, right? Now make it a part of your daily walk with the Lord! New levels of glory await (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Photo by Skyler Gerald on Unsplash

Category: Spiritual Disciplines

That is not, and cannot, be considered discipleship!

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The first part of this mandate is: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”

This leads to the second part of Jesus’ mandate: “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

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So what’s the point?

So what makes this different?

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So, what does all of this have to do with discipleship?

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Fasting In Antioch

Launched Into Destiny

Apostolic Assignment

Our Fasting Launches Others Into Their Destiny

Seek The Benefit of Others

Let’s Connect

Why Fast?

Jesus Expected His Disciples To Fast

Christians Fast For More of Jesus

Jesus Fasted

Benefit 1: Triumph Over Sin and the Devil

Facing Our Own Temptations

Fasting Defeats The Devil

Benefit 2: Empowerment By the Spirit of God

Receiving Our Own Upgrade

Getting Practical

Let’s Connect

1. Get Comfortable in the Secret Place

2. Dig Deep in the Word of God

3. Become Your Own Worship Leader

We Have Time To Engage

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Is the gift of tongues an earthly language that you never studied but God teaches you, or is it an unknown (non-earthly) language altogether?

What is the primary purpose of the gift of tongues?

Is speaking in tongues a sign of salvation? Do I have to speak in tongues to be saved?

Is tongues a sign that a person has the Holy Spirit? If I don’t speak in tongues does it mean I don’t have the Holy Spirit inside me?

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Is tongues the primary gift of the Holy Spirit?

Can anyone speak in tongues? Should all Christians speak in tongues?

If I don’t speak in tongues does it mean that I am not as spiritual as someone who does?

What does it sound like when you speak in tongues? How do I know it’s tongues and not just gibberish?

Do you know what you are saying?

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How do I pursue tongues (or other charismatic gifts)?

Keep a Listening Journal

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The Name Game

Treasure Hunting

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Ask God About The Person Next to You

Serve on a Ministry Team

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THE THREE VOICES IN YOUR HEAD

1. The Voice of Your Mind

2. The Voice of the Enemy

3. The Voice of God

GROWING IN DISCERNMENT

THREE STEPS TO PRACTICE DISCERNMENT IN HEARING GOD’S VOICE

1. Train Our Senses.

2. Reject the Devil’s Input

3. Obey the Voice of the Lord

Reading Scripture

Spirit to Spirit (or Intuitive Hearing)

Hearing the Audible Voice of God

Dreams

Visions and Trances

Physical Sensations

Visitations

Inspired Speech

The Desire to Hear

Cessationism

Continuationism

Functional Cessationism

THE REVELATION GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

General Hearing

Prophecy

Words of Wisdom

Words of Knowledge

Conclusion