Tag: Holy Spirit

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Principles From Joshua: #3 — Protection Comes in the Counsel of God

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As we continue to look at principles found in the book of Joshua, we have already seen that God has big visions for each one of us. We have discussed the fact that boldness to fulfill that vision is found in God’s presence. We have also looked at the fact that God will bless us when we stay obedient to His direction and commands. Today, however, we will take a look at the dangers that arise when we become overconfident in our callings, and wander away from daily trust in His guidance. What we must learn is that there is protection that comes in the counsel of God.

The Background

In Joshua chapter 8, we find that the Israelite’s conquest of the promised land is on a roll. They have come into the land with power. They have taken down the great city of Jericho, and after dealing with the sin of Achan, God has delivered Ai into their hands. Joshua has built an altar to the Lord at Mt. Ebal to worship and celebrate. 

All of this has put a fear into the surrounding tribes, who know they will soon be the targets of Israel’s army. The Bible says, they “gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel” (Joshua 9:2).

There is one city, however, that decides to take a different approach to the Israelite invasion. The people of Gibeon, knowing they cannot win against Joshua, instead put together an elaborate plan of deception, to enact a peace treaty with Israel.

The Bible says that the Gibeonites, “acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us” (Joshua 9:4-6).

They faked them out! 

And Joshua bought it! Rather than recognizing that these people were playing them for fools, the people of Israel looked at their clothing and provisions; fully believed the story these people were telling, and signed the peace treaty with them.

How could such a trick work against God’s people? How could Joshua, the one who took Moses’ place as the prophetic leader of the nation, be fooled? The Bible tells us: “So the men (of Israel) took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them” (Joshua 9:14-15).

In fact, the next verse says it takes 3 days for Joshua and the Israelites to learn the truth, that these people were their neighbors in the promised land. When it is discovered that Gibeon’s inhabitants were one of the people groups meant to be chased out, the people of Israel are not happy with their leaders.

Joshua, in a story I find humorous, goes to the Gibeonites and asks them, “why would you lie to us like this?” The answer? “Well, we knew you would kill us, and we wanted to live.”

Joshua does keep the agreement with them and allows them to live, but because of their deception, the Gibeonites are turned into servants for the Israelite people.

The Principle Made Clear

Joshua’s failures were not because he was a foolish leader. It came, in fact, because he had been a great leader up to this point. The people had been on a roll! Joshua simply assumed the momentum of claiming their inheritance in the land could not be stopped. He assumed God’s blessing and protection over the nation, so he didn’t take time to ask for God’s wisdom in his moment-by-moment decision-making.

While it is true that God was continually present with Joshua, just as He had promised in chapter 1, it is also true that Joshua’s presence was missing in the relationship with God. He didn’t seek God’s wisdom and counsel, and it led to bad decisions. He compromised on God’s commands to drive the people out. This invited further moral compromise in the nation of Israel, as they would now dwell closely with the pagan inhabitants.

Protection Comes in the Counsel of God

Job says, “With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding” (Job 12:13). The psalmist declares, “The counsel of the LORD stands forever…” (Psalm 33:11) All throughout the Bible, we are reminded to rely on the counsel of God. 

Jesus Himself was to be called “Wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 9:6). And Isaiah calls the Holy Spirit, “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might…” (Isaiah 11:2).

Our Wisdom Will Fail Us

Despite the fact that He promises to be with us and guide us always, too often we act just like Joshua, and coast through life’s decision-making processes on our own. We assume that we have accurate information and sufficient wisdom to move forward ourselves. Yet, the truth is, that all of us, at one time or another, end up regretting decisions that we felt the most confident about.

Maybe a too-good-to-miss financial opportunity, turned out to be a scam or a bust. Perhaps the person we sought to give us love, ended up leaving us hurt. Situations get out of control. Money is lost. Business ventures collapse. Relationships are jeopardized.

None of those things happen because we plan for them. They happen because even with the best information available, we cannot predict the future. We cannot see inside the hearts of men. And we are unable to direct outcomes simply with good intentions.

God’s Wisdom Never Fails

When we know nothing, God knows it all. God is omniscient. He can give us the best counsel, because He knows the future. He can guide our relationships, because He knows the hearts of men. The Lord can lead us to success in every venture, if we will first lay them out for His guidance and stamp of approval.

The difficult thing is remembering that we are not called to live the Christian life on our own. It takes humility to come before the Lord, every day and in every decision, to get His counsel on the matter. Humility itself means recognizing our limitations, and depending fully on God to sustain us. This is why the New Testament writers, James and Peter, both tell us to humble ourselves before the Lord, so that He may exalt us (James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6).

God Wants To Instruct Our Lives

What we take away from this principle is that, for the Christian, there is an inherent danger to living life on our own. Our protection comes in the counsel of God. We must not neglect it. Even if we are living our wildest dreams, and just like Joshua in the land, it seems the momentum will carry us forward, we must learn to pause, and seek God’s counsel. We must trust Him more than we trust ourselves. Then, we must follow His advise at all times, because our protection in life and ministry comes in the counsel of God.

So What Is Your Takeaway?

What about you? Have you experienced hardships because you neglected to seek the Lord? How have you learned to trust Him, and seek His wisdom daily? What will keep you closer to Him today, as you move forward in your life and calling?

As always, if you are enjoying what you are reading on my blog, I would also be honored if you would subscribe to my weekly email, below. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for regular blog updates, and other ongoing #ChristianLife and #GospelLeadership advice!

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Principles From Joshua: #1 – Boldness Comes In the Presence of the Lord

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If you are in ministry, I am sure you know that the visions God gives for the ministry are usually much bigger than the personal abilities of the ones He calls to complete it. This is normal. God’s plans will always be far greater than our own. If we are left to ourselves, we ought to be completely incapable of accomplishing them. The truth is, however, that too many people in the ministry find themselves living small lives and not accomplishing the visions God has given because their inadequacies and self-consciousness overwhelm them and paralyze them with fear. There has to be a secret to changing this. Well, it actually isn’t a secret at all. As we spend the next few posts looking at principles from the book of Joshua, today we will see that “boldness comes in the presence of the Lord.”

A Little Background

The book of Joshua begins with the death of Moses. The Exodus period and forty years of wandering in the wilderness is complete. Now it is time for the people of Israel to come into the land of their promise. It is at this point that Joshua, who had been the assistant to Moses for many years, as well as one of the original spies going into the land, is called by God into ministry leadership. 

The Lord said to Joshua, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses” (Joshua 1:2-3).

So Joshua is the new Moses. He is the head of the nation of Israel, and will now lead them into their inheritance.

There’s Still Something Missing

Filling the shoes of Moses was a big task. This man had led Israel for decades, and did so with many unusual talents. Moses spoke to Pharaoh with authority. He called down plagues on Egypt. He parted the Red Sea, brought water from a rock, and stood face-to-face with God, receiving the law, when all the people trembled and sought other idols. Moses was graced with supernatural wisdom in dealing with the people, and continually received revelation on where the people should go or what they should do.

Moses led Israel, not by his own strengths and abilities, but by walking daily in the presence of the Lord. That was the promise God made to him at the burning bush encounter! 

“Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ He said, “But I will be with you…” (Exodus 3:11-12).

Now, after years of the supernatural taking place, Joshua is called to take over for Moses? Joshua is called to lead the people into an even more dangerous place, conquering kingdoms and claiming the promised land? How is he supposed to do that? Who wouldn’t be afraid?

In the midst of this calling is where God’s promise comes to Joshua, just as it had to Moses. “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you” (Joshua 1:5).

The Fear-Breaking Presence

Moses was afraid of Pharaoh and the people of Israel when God called him to lead the people from Egypt. It was only on the promise of God’s abiding presence that he agreed to go. Over and over again, in his life, he brings this promise back to the Lord. In Exodus 33:15-16, Moses essentially tells the Lord, “If Your presence is going to leave me, then kill me now. I’m not doing this without You.” He knew that his fears were justified, if the overcoming power of God was not at work in and through him.

In Joshua, it is now this same fear-breaking presence of God that comes upon him. Immediately after making the promise to be with him, God expects Joshua’s outlook and expectation to change.

“Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them” (Joshua 1:5-6).

Joshua’s strength and ability to fulfill the vision the Lord gives him is directly tied to the presence of God in his life. Boldness comes in the presence of the Lord!

It Bears Repeating

God continues speaking to Joshua concerning the mission ahead of him. He gives an overview of the inheritance at stake. He then directs Joshua to keep righteousness according to the law of Moses as a priority. This would be a sign of his being “strong and courageous” (see Joshua 1:7-8).

Then, once again, so there is no misunderstanding, God makes clear the source of this boldness. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

From this point forward, throughout the book of Joshua, we see the presence of God at work, enabling Joshua to do everything God directed him to do. The Lord parted the waters so they cross the Jordan river on dry ground, the same way their ancestors crossed the Red Sea. Joshua is continually directed by the voice of the Lord in where to move, where to rest, how to build, and who to attack.

Over and over again, the miraculous is at work in Joshua’s life. Just think about the wall falling at Jericho as an example.

What About Us?

For those of us in the church, this principle is unchanged. While circumstances have changed in the details: how God saves His people, who is called to ministry, how we are called to serve, etc. What remains the same is that the task is much greater than we are. God is calling us to take the Gospel to every dark corner of the earth. That is scary! He is calling us to disciple entire nations. That is beyond any of our skillsets! 

The only way we are able to do everything He asks of us, and fulfill the visions He gives, is to find our boldness in His presence. It is the same for the church as it was for Joshua and Moses! Our boldness comes in the presence of the Lord. The New Testament spells all of this out for us.

The Promise Is Made

In Jesus’ final day on earth, right before He ascended to Heaven, He reiterated the promise to His disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

This isn’t the first time He told them that His presence would be with them, even if not physically. In John 14:12, He told them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” 

They were dismayed at His announcement that He was leaving, but in John 16:7, He again promises His presence to lead them and guide them in the work. “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

In Luke’s recollection of Jesus’ final commissioning, He writes that Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Once again, His presence is tied with the strength and courage to fulfill the work God has called us to do in the earth!

So What Do We Do?

If it isn’t obvious already, we, too, must find our boldness in the presence of the Lord.

He has called you, as a believer, to do the work of saving the lost and expanding His Kingdom in the world. This task is bigger than you are capable of doing. The natural tendency is to be overwhelmed by the size of the mission and to shrink back in fear.

We cannot!

Just like Moses; just like Joshua, and just like the first apostles, we must learn to depend on God’s presence to give us courage. We must listen to His voice for the wisdom of what to do and how to go about it. 

“God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). We cannot let fear of failure, nor the size of the task ahead of us pull us down. It is true that everything is against us. We are fighting against bigger and more powerful enemies than Joshua did, and our enemy is actively seeking our destruction (see John 10:10). It is true that we are sometimes lacking in our knowledge and education. It is true that our finances run short. It is true that the size of our teams helping us complete the work are too small.

Yet it is still true that none of those things matter, because we have the presence and power of the Lord working on our behalf.

So what do we do?

  • We seek His presence, daily.
  • We listen for the voice of God. (See my blog series on hearing His voice, here.)
  • We await His instructions and wisdom to do the work.
  • We look for opportunities for Him to demonstrate His power.
  • We lay down our fear and find rest in the confidence that He is with us.

This is the principle we learn from Joshua, which has been demonstrated in every generation of believers in history! “Our Boldness Comes In the Presence of the Lord.”

Time to Take Action

So what about you? Do you live in fear of the calling on your life? Are you overwhelmed because God’s vision is too big for you to pull off alone? How can you seek His presence today to begin to turn things around? How does your prayer life need to change? Where do you need to seek wisdom and boldness to move forward? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

If you are enjoying what you are reading on my blog, I would also be honored if you would subscribe to my weekly email, below. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for regular blog updates, and other ongoing #ChristianLife and #GospelLeadership advice!

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How to Keep a Scripture Journal – Part 1

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As an apostolic leader in the church, one thing that really bothers me about too many Christians – at least the part of the church that I know – is that it seems there is such a low value for reading the Bible and making regular study a priority. Now, of course, no one says they don’t value the Bible. Yet in practice, a majority of professing Christians do not read it daily, and many do not read it at all. Something has to change. In a previous post, I have shared a simple method for Bible study. Today, I want to present another idea to you, to help you grow in the word. I want to show you how to keep a scripture journal to keep a record of your Bible reading over time.

In this first of two posts, I am simply going to talk about the logistics of disciplining yourself in Bible study and prayer, and then in part two, I will show you how to format your scripture journal.

Getting a Journal.

Although needing a journal is obvious to this post, the type of journal you will use is something to consider. Are you the type of person who is fine with a plain spiral notebook? Great! Maybe you are a bit more trendy and would be more comfortable with a nice leather, or decorative journal. Or maybe a classic style is better and you would prefer a moleskin for this purpose. Obviously you have almost infinite possibilities to choose from, but the journal itself needs to be something you are comfortable with.

If you are more high tech, you may just keep a file on your computer to act as your journal, or even utilize an online journaling system like Day One (no affiliation). If you do go online, though, I wouldn’t make it a public one. Your time with God needs to be personal, and you might not be willing to put everything in there if you don’t control who will see it.

Getting a Bible Reading Plan.

Before you mind runs to a “through the bible in a year” program, let me say that it doesn’t have to be so formal. It might be. However, for beginners, sometimes simpler is better.

Although it doesn’t matter which plan you use, the point is, you do need a plan. You may plan to read through one book of the Bible at a time. I think that is a great idea. In fact, for new believers I disciple, I recommend beginning with the Gospel of John, then the book of Acts. The shorter epistles, such as Philippians, Galatians, and Ephesians are awesome to get you started, too! (I wouldn’t recommend Leviticus or Revelation until you are firmly in the habit of Bible study, but that’s just me.)

Another option is to find a simple reading plan online, or in the appendix of you Bible. Those are great, too! Websites like ESVOnline and BibleGateway are full or free reading plans. It is up to you, but do have a plan. Otherwise, you end up flipping through pages of the Bible reading random passages, and will usually end up getting nowhere.

My usual plan is simply to select a book and read 1-3 chapters each morning, depending on the day. This has worked for me for a long while, and I continue to get new insights every day. Right now, however, I have been reading using the “Read Scripture” app concurrently with my 9 year old daughter. It can be used to go through the Bible in a year, and has great embedded videos to teach you the themes of each book and passage.

Whatever your plan is, make sure it is attainable. Don’t over do yourself. That will lead to discouragement and giving up. This needs to be a time to relax and commune with God. Not a time to stress because it is too much to handle.

Scheduling a Time.

Before you can say it, let me say it for you. You are way too busy today to spend time reading the Bible and praying. (BTW, if you haven’t already, check out my blog series on dealing with busyness: part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.)

The fact is, we are all busy. But busyness is not an excuse to not spend time with God. In fact, just the opposite is true. The busier you are, the more time you need to spend with God if you want to maintain spiritual sanity. 

What I cannot tell you is when, in your busy schedule, you should put this. In reality, it may mean waking up a half hour earlier, or going to bed an hour later. It may mean spending your lunch break at work alone in silence with the Lord, instead of mingling with co-workers. The truth is, though, we all find time to surf the web, tweet to our friends, and check our facebook feed. I mean, you have found the time to read this, right now. If it is something we want to do, we will find the time to do it.

When I was single and didn’t have kids, and worked a second job, my best Bible time was right before bed. I would spend the mornings being very task-oriented for ministry before going to work until 9pm. The easiest thing for me was to get home from work. Watch a little T.V. or something to wind down, take a hot shower, then grab my Bible and journal and climb into bed for some relaxed time with the Lord.

Now that I am married and have children, that is impossible. My evenings are even more hectic than my days. Instead, I discipline myself to wake up every morning before my kids do, make my coffee, and get into my quiet place with the Lord.

My reading usually takes about 20 minutes, including looking up a few key words or something in a study tool, then I will spend another 20-30 minutes in prayer to ask the Holy Spirit to apply the truth of what I’m reading, and to guide me through the day. 

Finding a Place.

The last question I will offer in this post is, “Where?” Again, this is a question I cannot answer for you. It looks different for everyone.

When I was a single guy, with no kids of my own to deal with, I could shut myself in my room and not have to worry about other people distracting me. I would never have dreamed of meeting with God in an office at a desk.

Now, I have a wife and three kids, netflix and pets. I am glad to have an office and a desk! It is where I can go, and shut the door, and meet with the Lord privately. At times, though, my office is as big of a distraction as my kids. Especially when there are piles of work waiting for me. Fortunately, my house also has a great balcony, overlooking Mount Wanale in Uganda. If the weather is nice, I can take my bible and coffee there and enjoy a sunrise with the Lord, in the sounds of nature.

My point is, you need to find a place that you can be alone with the Lord, and free from distraction. Now, this may be a quiet room at home, or it may be at your local coffee shop with the headphones in. No matter where it is, though, it needs to be a place you can train your mind to know that, “this is where I go to meet with God.”

Think about it. When you walk into the office, you mind knows it’s time to work. When you walk into the kitchen, you mind knows it’s time to cook and/or eat. We train our minds spatially. This needs to be a space that your mind will know that it is time to meet with God. For you, a bedroom may be a great place for intimacy with the Lord. It may also be a place your mind is trained to only go to for sleep. That would make it the worst option for you. You may need to try a few different places to find a good fit, but just like scheduling this in, finding a place to do it will help discipline yourself to do this.

So get a journal. Ask the Lord “what” you should read. Decide “when” and “where,” and then check out part 2, where I will give you the practical side of keeping a scripture journal.

If you are enjoying what you are reading on my blog, I would be honored if you would subscribe to my weekly email, below. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for blog updates!

(This post was originally published January 21, 2010. It has been revised and edited for reposting.)

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

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Five Supernatural Works of the Holy Spirit

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On my blog, I have written much about the Holy Spirit, hearing His voice, and some of His gifts. He is one of my favorite topics. However, I have never spent much time writing generally about who He is or what He does. I want to change that. In asking the question, “What does the Holy Spirit do?,” I want to look at 5 works of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.

After all, as followers of Christ, we should expect His Spirit to work in our lives! The Holy Spirit is God. He is one with the Father and the Son (Jesus). Yet, He is “God inside you.” He is always present. Once a person is saved, it is the Holy Spirit who comes to live with them; to help them and guide them in the Christian life. 

He brings conviction of sin and reveals righteousness.

Jesus said in John16:8 that“ when (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment…”  I love that the Bible does not just say that He convicts believers of sin and righteousness. It is the Holy Spirit of God who empowers human conscience to recognize right and wrong, and to feel guilt and shame when we do bad things.

This revelation of sin and righteousness is part of the ‘common grace’ God bestows on the world. It is what allows non-believers in governing roles to set up just systems of laws. This grace is what keeps communities civilized, and working for the common good. It allows restraint of our sinful nature, even when we do not believe in Him.

More than that, it is the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin and righteousness at work in people’s lives that first draw them to the offer of salvation in Jesus Christ. Unless a person is aware of the separation between themselves and their creator, caused by sin, they will never seek a way to overcome the gap.

As Jesus said in John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”

He is the one who gives us new life in Jesus. 

In a conversation with a religious leader of Israel, Jesus was explaining how a person enters the Kingdom of God. In John 3:3-6 He says, “‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus (the religious leader) said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’” 

We know that Jesus died for our sins, in order to allow us to be born again. Yet He tells us that it is through the work of the Holy Spirit that we are brought into God’s kingdom and family.

When a person puts their faith in Jesus, we often say things like “Jesus came into my heart.” That statement isn’t actually true, however. Jesus is seated in heaven at the right hand of God. It is the Holy Spirit who comes in and lives inside of us, mingling with our own Spirit, from the moment we believe in Christ. The Bible calls this being “sealed by the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13). 

As we will see shortly, this is just the first step of the Holy Spirit’s activity in our lives as believers. There is so much more to come!

He makes us holy (or “sanctifies” us).

In 1 Corinthians 6:11, the Apostle Paul tells us, “ but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”  It is not enough simply to be saved from sins and justified before the Father. We must be washed clean, and sanctified, which means “to be made holy.”

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, that when the Holy Spirit comes into our lives and mingles with our own spirits, that He does a work to make us like Him. In fact, the command on the believer’s life is, “Be holy as I AM holy” (see 1 Peter 1:16).

As a student of history, I love reading about the great revivals of the past. What strikes me as very interesting in this study, however, is that most of the most powerful revivals did not start with miracles, healings, and supernatural wonders. They started with a conviction of sin and a great calling out to God to make us holy! The first Great Awakening in America was the international spread of what was first called The Holiness Revival in the U.K. The Welsh Revival, which preceded Azusa Street, began when a youth group confessed sin and called out to be made Holy.

This pursuit of holiness attracts the activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and into our communities. Again, it shouldn’t surprise us that the Holiness movement, marked by a pursuit of “complete sanctification” in the Holy Spirt preceded the Pentecostal movement, marked by the pursuit of power.

God wants to clean us up and make us like Himself, before He wants to send us out as witnesses and examples to the world. In Him there is power and authority to resist temptation and put sin to death in ourselves. While we may never achieve perfection on this side of eternity, when we put our trust in the Holy Spirit’s activity in our lives, we will definitely get closer to His perfect holiness, the longer we walk in Him. 

He teaches us. 

One of the more incredible things that Jesus said to His disciples is in John16:12-13: He said“ I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” 

I believe that the Bible is the final authority and revelation of God. It is to be trusted above all other revelatory “words.” Yet Jesus clearly says there is still more to be told to us, and that we should expect the Holy Spirit to speak to us.

As I have already written extensively on the subject of hearing God speaking to us, I will not say much here. (You can find those articles here, here, here, and here.)

However, we cannot neglect the fact that the Holy Spirit is not impersonal. He lives in us and wants to interact with us in relationship. We must listen to His teaching and wisdom for our lives!

He empowers us with gifts for His service. 

One of the last things Jesus spoke to His disciples before He left was concerning the Holy Spirit’s work. In Acts 1:8 He says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…” This filling of the Holy Spirit with power has historically been called “the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” This is very different than our being sealed with the Holy Spirit at the point of salvation. This is now an overtaking of our lives for service to the Kingdom of God.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit releases us to walk in the love of Christ for everyone we meet. As the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:14, “the love of Christ controls us.” Being activated in that love, His power then comes to work releasing the Kingdom of God in power, signs and wonders.

Once a person is baptized in the Holy Spirit, they will begin to develop supernatural gifts, such as prophecy, healing, miracles, speaking in tongues, and many more. You can read about these gift in depth in 1 Corinthians 12-14, but please take note of the emphasis on love that Paul makes as He explains their use.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is secondary to salvation. This is why in the book of Acts, the question is asked multiple times of new believers, “did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?” (For examples, see Acts8:14-17 and Acts 19:2.) Often, the answer was no, so the mature believers would lay hands on them and pray for them to be filled.

The truth is that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is for all believers, just as the rest of His works we have discussed in this post.

To wrap up, let me just say this to you, my dear reader. The Holy Spirit is still alive and active in the world. If you have never felt a conviction of your sin, or put your faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, I would encourage you to say a simple prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to you. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

If you have been born again, but have never found freedom from your sin and temptations, then spend some time in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to give you power to overcome the sin in your life. Out loud, confess your sins to Him and take authority in the name of Jesus to rebuke those temptations in your life. He will empower you to find the victory.

If you have never heard the voice of God, then right now find a quiet space and simply ask Him to speak to you. If you need guidance in how to listen for Him, you can check out my other posts on that subject.

Finally, if you have never received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and His supernatural power to be a witness for Christ, you should begin praying for God to fill you with the Holy Spirit and release those gifts to you. If you struggle with this, then find another believer how is baptized in the Spirit, and simply ask them to lay hands on you and pray for you to receive.

All of these things are for you! We must simply ask

As Jesus said in Luke11:14, “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!” 

If you are enjoying what you are reading on my blog, I would be honored if you would subscribe to my weekly email, below. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for blog updates!

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5 Ways to Practice Hearing God’s Voice

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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.

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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.

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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 Kenya 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.

If you are enjoying what you are reading on my blog, I would be honored if you would subscribe to my weekly email, below. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for blog updates!

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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2019. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by N. on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

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How to Practice Discernment in Hearing God’s Voice

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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?

If you are being helped by this content, then I’d be honored if you would subscribe. I will send you a weekly email with all new Christian life and Gospel leadership insights, every Sunday. Social media users, you can also follow along on Facebook and Instagram!

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



© Anthony Scott Ingram 2019. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Rayan Almuslem on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

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Video: Preserving the Harvest – Discipleship Part 2

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This is part 2 of 3 in a series of teachings I did recently in Mbale, Uganda at the Ecclesiastical Excellences Summit; the first annual high-level ministry leadership seminar by Living Water Ministries of Uganda. The theme for the summit was “Soul Harvest” and I spent my time discussing “The Preservation of the Harvest.” In this teaching I share on the topic, “Creating a Discipleship Strategy.”

If you would like the handout given to those attending the event, you can find it here. Download

(You can find Part 1 – Why Discipleship Matters – here.)

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Maturity in Christ: The Goal of Discipleship

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(This is Part 5 in our series on Discipleship. Click here for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.)

If you examine global Christianity with a focus on finances, it is impressive how much the church spends every year, doing outreaches and events in the name of “soul-winning.” Millions, maybe billions, of dollars are spent every year on community outreaches, crusades, and various other evangelistic efforts. And it works. Millions of people, every year, pray a prayer of salvation, in hopes of having an eternity in paradise when they die. Yet all too often, that is where the church’s outreach ends.

As we have discussed already in this discipleship series, the Great Commission calls us not just to make converts, but to make disciples. The sad reality is, however, that too many churches make big plans with big budgets for getting people saved, but have a much lower priority in helping the people become Christ-like. Discipleship has a much lower priority, than winning converts.

Even worse is the fact that we now have multiple generations of believers in the church who are caught in a terrible cycle where, because they were not discipled themselves, they do not know how to make disciples of others. We have churches full of Christian converts who live in immaturity, making more converts who also continue to live in immaturity.

The Goal of Discipleship is that People would Become Like Christ.

Discipleship is the process of leaving who we were before salvation, and becoming who we are called to become in Christ (see Ephesians 2:10). It is a leaving behind of the old man; a putting to death to our sinful nature, in the process of conforming to the image of Jesus, who is the perfect image of God and man (see Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:5; and Romans 8:29).

If we have any plans in ministry, short of seeing people being transformed into Christlikeness, then we have completely missed the goal of discipleship, and need to reanalyze our motives. To be sure, it is a great thing to want to see hundreds or thousands of people get saved, yet that is not the finish line. Maturity in Christ is.

To use a football analogy, when trying to get someone saved, it is like playing the game on defense. Your only desire is to get possession of the ball before the other team can score (or in this case, to get the person saved before they die and go to hell).

When a person gets converted to Christianity, that is like the ball being intercepted and now rather than playing defense, you switch to playing offense. The strategy changes when you get the ball, but you still haven’t scored. You still have work to do to get the ball to the goal, which in this case, means taking the new convert from the point of salvation and leading them to maturity in Christ. Salvation is simply taking possession of the “ball,” but getting to maturity in Christ is the actual goal line.

So how do we know when a believer reaches maturity in Christ?

The Clearest Mark of Maturity is the Ability to Make More Disciples.

As with any living thing, the most recognizable mark of maturity is the ability to reproduce. When a human child grows up, they go through puberty and transition from adolescence to adulthood. It is a process, and takes time, and they undergo many changes along the way. They begin to look different. They begin to act different. They even begin to sound different. Yet the process isn’t complete until they can successfully procreate. Beforehand, they could not reproduce even if they tried, but after the maturing of their bodies, it becomes a natural part of life. 

The same is true spiritually! We are born again, then go through the process of transformation and spiritual growth, and then naturally, we will begin to lead others into the new birth and discipleship process as well!

Also, just as in the natural world, when we reproduce, we will replicate whatever is in our DNA. Cows give birth to cows. Birds give birth to birds. People give birth to people. So naturally, disciples should give birth to disciples. Disciple-making should be in the DNA of every believer. 

Maturity in the Body Means Everyone is a Disciple-Maker

The goal of discipleship is that as a believer grows in Christ, he or she will not only begin to live their lives by Christ’s example, but will begin reaching out and discipling others as well. As Ephesians 4 tells us: “we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” – that is maturity – and “when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” The body of Christ builds up the body of Christ.

Earlier in the same passage, Paul tells us that it is the job of spiritual leadership – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers – to equip every believer for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12).

It is time that we understand that we must be equipping every believer to become disciple-makers, walking in maturity, and pulling other people out of darkness and up to the standard of Christ, as well. His image in mankind is the goal, and any target less than that, falls short of the high calling of God.

As we continue in this series on discipleship, the next post will begin to look at practical steps in forming a discipleship strategy for yourself and for your ministry. Stay tuned…

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4 Vital Prayers for Discipleship

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(This is Part 3 in our series on Discipleship. Click here for Part 1, Part 2.)

As we saw in our last post, the Holy Spirit is the Chief Disciple-Maker. He calls, convicts, saves and sanctifies the believer. With all of that resting on His work, it seems there is little left for human action in the process of discipleship. Biblically, however, that is not the case. God clearly puts the job of making disciples on the church; on every believer, not just the leadership.

Since the Holy Spirit has the primary role in disciple-making, and we too are a vital part of the process, then it should become obvious that our first step in making disciples is to make sure and do so in partnership with the Spirit! For this reason, prayer is the most vital step in our own disciple-making efforts.

With this is mind, here are four prayers we should all be praying for discipleship:

Pray for Fruitfulness

Jesus very clearly taught us that the fields are ripe for harvest, and that we are to pray for Him to send more workers into the fields (Matthew 9:37-38). Once again, however, as we discussed in our first blog of this series, the call to the harvest field goes beyond “soul-winning.” We cannot just pick the ripe fruit, and leave it laying in the field. We must obey the fullness of the great commission by making disciples of every person the Lord gives us. Therefore, the first thing we must be praying for is our own efforts to be fruitful.

We do this by asking the Lord for clear instructions on what He is already doing in the world around us. God is already working. Likewise, every person we meet has a divine encounter with Jesus waiting for them. As we pray for fruitfulness and give the Lord the opportunity to use us, it will be through us that the Holy Spirit releases those experiences to people. We should be seeking to be the hands, feet, heart, and mouth of Jesus to those around us, most especially those the Holy Spirit reveals to us are ready.

More so, we must realize that every interaction we have with the believers in our life is an opportunity for growth, both in us and in them. We must be praying that our fellowship will be a fruitful time for sanctification, “as iron sharpens iron” (Proverbs 27:17). When we become intentional about praying for fruitfulness in every relationship, in every conversation, in every meal or cup of coffee, we will see our level of discipleship rising.

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Pray for Wisdom

Most of us fear “discipleship.” It is a big, scary word, that requires something of us to build up others, and yet we don’t know what it is, exactly, that we are supposed to do. Even the most experienced disciple-makers run into this challenge because every person is different and has different life-experience and expectations. The good news is that the Holy Spirit knows exactly how to transform the lives of all men back to the image of Jesus, and wants to empower us to do so.

We have such a great promise in scripture that in our serving the Lord and others, we are not left to figure it out on our own. James writes:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

James 1:5, English Standard Version

Make it a priority to be praying for supernatural wisdom and divine revelation for every discipleship encounter. Even as the conversation moves along, make sure you are listening to the Holy Spirit and asking for wisdom relevant to the things being discussed and how they impact the person’s life. You do not need to be a professional counselor. You simply need to be in tune with the voice of your Father for guidance.

Pray for Receptivity

Up to now, we have been praying for our own ability and effort in the discipleship process, but we also must be praying directly for the ones we are discipling. Most especially, we must pray that they will hear the truth God wants to reveal to them and make life-changing applications according to His will.

Now, this is not praying that they will listen to us and do what we say. It is praying that they will hear the voice of the Holy Spirit through our time together, and do what He says. Even when we are not perfect in getting the point across, the Holy Spirit is more than capable of filling in the gaps where we are lacking. Just as Paul writes:

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

1 Corinthians 2:12-13, English Standard Version

We must pray for the person to have an open heart, sincerely desiring growth in the Lord, and their ability to receive the truth. We must pray for a willingness to be vulnerable to the process, and to repent where necessary. We must pray for their active attempts to apply the life-giving truth the Holy Spirit is wanting to share with them. These things are their active participation with the discipleship process, and without it, growth will be stalled and our efforts useless.

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Pray for Impartation

Finally, we must realize that for true discipleship to take place, we must be engaging more than just the mental life of the believer. We must pray for God to give an impartation to the person spiritually, which releases righteousness into them as their new identity in Christ, and enables them to stand as a new creature in this world.

Paul said:

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. 

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, English Standard Version

This means that the evidence of true discipleship does show up when it is demonstrated in the person’s mental understanding of a truth, but it is even more evident when there is a demonstrative experience of life-changing power that bears tangible fruit in their life.

The scripture is full of examples of impartation, where a mature, Spirit-filled and Spirit-led believer lays hands on and prays over the one being discipled, and in a release of God’s power, the one being discipled is supernaturally transformed in some way. This may be being filled with the Holy Spirit for the first time or being “baptized by fire” for cleansing and holiness. It may be the reception of new gifts of the Spirit or another kind of supernatural release. The point is, it goes beyond human ability, as it comes directly from God.

Paul reminds us that the Kingdom of God is not only in talk, but in power (1 Corinthians 4:20). We, therefore, should pray for and expect the power of God to show up in our discipleship efforts. We are not only teachers, but we are the conduit through which the Holy Spirit can touch the person. 

The truth is, without impartation we are simply filling the new believer’s with head-knowledge, instead of raising them up as supernatural Children of God, endowed with “every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3). We must pray for divine impartation to come.

(Click here to continue to Discipleship Part 4.)

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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2019. All Rights Reserved.

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The Holy Spirit and Discipleship

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(This is Part 2 in our series on Discipleship. Click here for Part 1.)

In part one of this discipleship series, I shared why discipleship matters, and must be a priority for us in order to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus. We need to feel the weight of Jesus’ command, and change our priority from just “soul-winning” to “disciple-making.”

While not removing that responsibility from believers as those who received the Great Commission, what I want to look at now is the fact that it is the Holy Spirit – not us – who is the chief disciple-maker. Without His direct involvement in both the life of the individual being disciples, and in us as the disciplers, we will never finish the work.

The Bible says,

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 

1 Corinthians 2:12–14; English Standard Version

With that in mind, I want to look at just a few of the things the Holy Spirit does in the process of discipleship.

The Holy Spirit Regenerates

It is the Holy Spirit is the one who gives new life in Jesus. Without His influence at the moment of hearing the Gospel, no one would accept to turn and follow Christ as Lord and Savior. 

Jesus said,

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me…

John 6:44–45; English Standard Version

This obviously does not mean that everyone who is born again hears an audible voice from heaven leading them to get saved. Yes just as supernaturally, God the Father draws people to Jesus through the influence and leading of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit Convicts of Sin, Leading to Repentance

From the initial decision to get saved, the Holy Spirit begins the process of redirecting a person’s life out of their sinful activities of the old man through the conviction of sin. 

Jesus said,

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 

John 16:7–8; English Standard Version

As the Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin and righteousness on a person, the natural response is repentance – a changing of the mind, leading to a changing of actions.

Early conviction in a new believer will be of the “big” sins in their life. For me, this was my teenage alcohol addictions, testing of various drugs, and sexual promiscuity. However, once the big sins are removed, the Holy Spirit will continue to root out more and more from the believer, helping them conform to the image of Christ.

As Martin Luther said in his Ninety-Five Theses which he nailed to the doors of the church at Wittenburg,

 “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said ‘Repent,’ He intended that the entire life of believers should be repentance.”

Repentance isn’t only for new believers, but as a disciple stays tuned to the Holy Spirit, seeking to have a clean heart before the Lord, the Spirit will always open up new areas of false belief, negative attitudes, and unrighteous deeds.

The Holy Spirit Sanctifies

If I were to walk through all of the scriptures concerning the work of the Holy Spirit, it would be obvious that His role is to fully renew us according to the image of Christ in a process called sanctification. He is the one who draws us to Christ in the beginning. He causes us to be born again (John 3:5-8); and He continues this work within us until we are perfected in Christ for eternity. Of course, that does not happen this side of eternity, but the goal is to get as close as possible before then!

The Holy Spirit’s active work in the life of believer’s after salvation has historically been viewed in two general categories. The Pentecostal Revival in the early 1900’s revived the power gifts of the Holy Spirit – such as prophecy, healing, and tongues – which had long been neglected by the church after the rationalist worldview took hold post middle ages, and has become a strong focus in the church on the work of the Spirit. However, a few hundred years before the Pentecostal Revival, there was another great movement of God called “The Holiness Revival” in Europe (this became the Second Great Awakening when it moved to the U.S.). 

Under leaders like John Wesley and George Whitfield, people were encouraged and sought a powerful, personal encounter with the Holy Spirit which they called “full sanctification.” This was a tangible experience with the Spirit that inevitably led to a higher desire for holiness in the person, and a complete rejection of sin and self. We now refer to this experience as “being baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit.” Nevertheless, before this experience was viewed as an impartation of power, it was viewed as an impartation of holiness. I contend that we should be pursuing both.

This impartation of holiness makes sense to the character of the Holy Spirit. If He is active in your life, He will inevitably seek to make you like He is. We have the choice to surrender to His transforming power and be made holy, or we may willfully refuse His power, continue in sin, and ultimately “grieve Him” (Ephesians 4:30), suppressing His sanctifying work in us.

As I stated before, this work of the Holy Spirit should continue in every believer, becoming more like Christ, until we enter eternity and gain our complete transformation into Christ’s image.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are… Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure… No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God…

1 John 1-3, 9-10; English Standard Version

It should be evident – and trusted! – that the process of discipleship depends on the Holy Spirit’s working in the life of every believer. It is not initiated, nor completed by man. It is wholly upon Him. However, that doesn’t change the fact that we are also called to partner with Him in the process of discipleship in the world. That is what we discuss in the next post.

Photo by Stephen Hocking on Unsplash

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