Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 34 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and four amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has published two books - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles which he has compiled into books in PDF form.

Part 7: Body, Soul, and Spirit: The Salvation of the Soul

This is the seventh article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. I sometimes use other names for this ministry, such as Personal Prayer Ministry and Biblical Healing and Deliverance. The adjective "wonderful" is used because Jesus is the "wonderful Counselor" of Isaiah 9:6. This ministry attempts to make room for Jesus to personally counsel people by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit, with the human ministers acting as facilitators. This makes it different from most counseling. It is highly effective at teaching the recipient how to hear the voice of the Spirit and to receive his life giving words.

 

Here is a most amazing and thought provoking verse.

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:14 (ESV)

If you read my previous two articles, you probably deduced that, if there are past and future aspects to our salvation, there must be a present component to salvation, too. The verse above confirms this by referring to what Christ accomplished once for all in the past, our justification, to the ongoing work of God in the present, which many call sanctification or transformation.

We “are being sanctified” on a daily basis, which basically means we are being set apart to God and his purposes. This involves a transformation of our character to become more and more like Christ. This is accomplished inside us as we cooperate with God’s Spirit by faith. The goal of this transformation is obedience to God and his Word.

In other words, our spirits (the innermost part of our being where we intuitively connect with God) already have been made perfect once and for all, but we are also in the process of our souls (mind, will, and emotions) being made more and more like Jesus on a day-to-day, moment-by-moment basis.

Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God — what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NET1)

 

The Soul

The soul consists of the mind, will and emotions, what we call personality. Our daily battle against sin and the sin nature (the “flesh” or “old man”) is waged mostly in the mind. If the mind engages with temptation and the will caves to it, usually the body joins in to commit sin. Likewise the desires of the natural body, which are often amoral in nature, test the mind and will to see if we will be faithful to God or not.

We are tested every day to see if we will trust in the power of Christ’s finished work and the promises of God and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. God is teaching us to lean upon his daily provision of grace to see us through.

For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NET1)

The God who justified us at Calvary, when we were still enemies and helpless to save ourselves (Romans 5:8-11 NLT), also gives us daily grace to live for Him. The God who will raise us from the dead, when we will be powerless to raise ourselves, is also the one who daily pours out on us the benefits of grace through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

We have little problem understanding that we could not deliver ourselves from the condemnation of sin. We also easily grasp that dead people are powerless to raise themselves from the dead, but it is usually not as clear to us that we are powerless to transform ourselves on a daily basis.

This accounts for the plethora of self-help books on the market. We think we can save ourselves, if we just try a little harder or learn some important key to success, but we cannot. Every part of our salvation depends on God; nevertheless, we always have a part to play, especially in our daily transformation. God will not do for us what he assigned to us, but he comes alongside to help us do it. (Romans 8:26)

Learning to cooperate with God’s Spirit in the transformation process is called “walking in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)

It is done by faith. If you want to read more about this amazing process, click here for a more in depth series of articles entitled, Living Free in the Spirit.

Conclusion

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)

Unless we understand the three-fold nature of salvation, many scriptures will be confusing to us. God wants us to correctly handle God’s Word, and part of that involves determining whether the text refers to the spirit, soul, or body. Additionally, unless we understand that our spirits really do love God and want to serve Him, we may falsely believe that the “real me” is our “old man,” which can be translated, “the flesh” – the part of us still linked to fallen humanity through the unresurrected body, which is hostile to God and His ways. For us to experience true freedom, we must come to the realization that the “real me” is the recreated spirit man inside us. (Romans 7:16-25)

There is a huge conflict between our spirits and our “flesh” that we experience most every day.

For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want. Galatians 5:17 (NET1)

As a reminder, if we go back to the Genesis 2:7, the verse which describes the creation of man, we see that our souls are formed by the combination of spirit and body. I have shown that the spirit is made perfect through the new birth and the body still waits for perfection through the resurrection. Therefore, as I understand it, we have a built in conflict in our souls. We have the spirit, which is part of the new creation, joined with the body, which is still part of the old creation. How could there not be a conflict? Paul uses the term “flesh” because I believe he wanted to make a link to the mortal imperfect bodies in which we still live. Our bodies are not evil, just imperfect and still affected by sin’s curse via Adam. (This is proved by the fact that people who are truly saved still die physical deaths.) The combination of the imperfect body from the old creation with the perfect spirit of the new creation creates an inner conflict between the new nature and the old “sin nature.”

It is crucial that we are able to distinguish and identify with the new creation part of us rather than with the impostor called “the flesh,” which is derived from the old creation and still tries to rule us.

Paul makes it clear that through Christ’s death and resurrection the flesh’s power has been rendered ineffective. It no longer has the right to dominate us.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- Romans 6:6 (NIV) 

For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Romans 6:14 (NIV)

From where then do we derive our true identity? Is it from the sin nature or the new nature? Paul answered that question decisively.

But if I do what I don’t want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But now it is no longer me doing it, but sin that lives in me. 18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but I do the very evil I do not want! 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me. Romans 7:16-20 (NET1)

The devil seeks to hound and condemn us for the sins we have committed and continue to commit and the for evil desires that often still war in our souls. He continually tells us that we are “no good,” but Christ does not condemn us because he already took away our condemnation on the cross. (John 5:24 and Romans 8:1) The new birth makes us new creations in Christ.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (ESV)

In the midst of our struggles with temptation and sin (the flesh), some of us may even begin to question whether or not we are genuinely saved. How could a true disciple have such evil desires and do such wicked things? If we are deceived by such thinking and lapse into unbelief regarding the efficacy of Christ’s finished work and the Spirit’s ongoing work, the basis for our experiencing by faith the victory over the power of bondage through Christ’s finished work is removed.

We must see ourselves as God sees us – a finished product, complete in Christ, delivered from condemnation, free from sin’s power to rule us, victorious over our enemies, and able to walk in the Spirit.

Paul wrote:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2 (ESV)

We must believe what the Bible says about us even if our current experience does not yet line up. Freedom from condemnation liberates us to live by faith in the finished work of Christ, which opens the door to the Holy Spirit’s daily transformation process.

God’s Word alone is the foundation for faith, not our experience or what we logically derive from our experiences. This is vital if we are to live out the freedom that is ours in Christ. Who we really are is who we are in Christ.

God wants us to base our current faith walk with God on what Christ has done in the past and what he has promised to do in the future.

Paul wrote:

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. Romans 5:1-2 (NET1)

We stand in faith by grace today because of what Christ finished long ago. Likewise, our motivation to press forward in obedience to God is also rooted in the future. Because we have a sure hope of resurrection, we have a strong motivation to live a holy life.

Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever it is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.  3 And everyone who has this hope focused on him purifies himself, just as Jesus is pure. 1 John 3:2-3 (NET1)

In summary then, understanding and believing the doctrine of body, soul and spirit is vital to our experiencing true freedom in Christ. God’s truth sets us free.

Go back to Part 6.

Read the next article – Part 8: Inside Out Truth

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Part 6: Body, Soul, and Spirit: The Salvation of the Body

This is the sixth article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. I sometimes use other names for this ministry, such as Personal Prayer Ministry and Biblical Healing and Deliverance. The adjective "wonderful" is used because Jesus is the "wonderful Counselor" of Isaiah 9:6. This ministry attempts to make room for Jesus to personally counsel people by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit, with the human ministers acting as facilitators. This makes it different from most counseling. It is highly effective at teaching the recipient how to hear the voice of the Spirit and to receive his life giving words.

 

 

Picking up where I stopped in my previous article on the salvation of the Spirit, Paul wrote:

For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23  but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24  Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:22-25 (NASB)

The “inner man” to which Paul refers above is the spirit, which is in union with God’s Spirit and which always delights in God and wants to do His will. (I covered how God saves this part of our being in my previous article in this series.) However, as I previously mentioned, we are not merely a spirit.

We have bodies which still await a salvation which will not be completed until the resurrection of the dead, which obviously is in the future. The resurrection of the body is the future part of our salvation.

When our spirits are born again, resulting in our justification or being made right with God, our bodies remain unchanged. They remain linked to the old order of things, the sin cursed world that must eventually perish. Our bodies, which we continue to inhabit after our justification, are subject to aging, sickness, and death. This requires us believe for and experience God’s healing power and depend on Jesus’ promise of resurrection. Our Lord specifically promised all who trust in him that he will raise us from the dead.

"This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40  "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." John 6:39-40 (NASB)

Regarding our future resurrection, Paul says that we are “saved in hope”.

Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance. Romans 8:23-25 (NET1)

The “firstfruits of the Spirit” refers to our justification and the resultant union with God’s Spirit, Who indwells every believer.

We groan inwardly because our justified made-perfect spirits still must live in mortal subject-to-sin-and-temptation bodies, at least for the present.

God has chosen to wait until Christ’s return to complete the salvation of our bodies. When Paul refers to our being saved “in hope,” he does not mean that our resurrection is in doubt. The Greek word for “hope” means “confident expectation”. In other words, we persevere by faith with an eager expectation that God is going to resurrect us from the dead, just as Jesus promised. Hope can be thought of as stretched out faith.

Although the salvation of the body is still in the future, it is not in doubt.

In fact, from God’s perspective, which is outside of the constriction of what we know as time, our resurrection is already accomplished, as is revealed in the following passage.

...because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:29-30 (NET1)

All of the verbs in the above passage are in the Greek aorist tense, which means they describe once for all completed action. Our glorification, which will one day take place in the future at the resurrection, is already a past tense event for God! Jesus meant it when He declared, “It is finished,” but from our time-bound perspective the salvation of the body is in the future.

The principle that we can extract to aid us in the ministry of helping people experience Christ’s freedom is that we must separate justification, the past salvation of the spirit, from glorification, the future resurrection of the body. Otherwise, we might become confused, thinking that our justification is not real, since we still struggle in areas the Bible calls the “flesh.” Our struggles with the flesh are related to our justified spirits being linked to yet to be redeemed or resurrected bodies, creating a tension between “flesh” and “spirit.”

So I tell you, live the way the Spirit♦ leads you. Then you will not do the evil things your sinful self [the flesh] wants. 17 The sinful self wants what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against the sinful self. They are always fighting against each other, so that you don't do what you really want to do. 18 But if you let the Spirit lead you, you are not under law. Galatians 5:16-18 (ETRV)

I have “left you hanging” a bit by ending here. If you wish to find out how the salvation of the body and spirit connect with regard to the soul, click here to read my next article. If you wish to go deeper in learning about some confusing Bible terms such as “the flesh” and the “old man,” click here to read an article in my “Living Free in the Spirit” series.

Go back to Part 5: The Salvation of the Spirit.

Read Part 7: The Salvation of the Soul

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Overcoming Bitterness and Wrong Motives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For many people, several obstacles may need to be overcome before receiving the baptism in the Spirit. My previous article in this series illustrated how to deal with past occult involvement. This article looks at how to overcome bitterness and other wrong motives.

 

 

Bitterness

Nothing undercuts our life of grace and faith more than bitterness. When we hold onto past or present offenses against God and others, we imprison ourselves and block the riches of God’s blessings from having free flow in our lives. The only way any of us can stand before God is because Abba Father forgave our sins based on Jesus’ taking the rap for us by paying the ultimate penalty of death. When we refuse to forgive others, in effect we reject what God did for us, showing that we believe that our standard of righteousness is even higher than God’s. He may be able to forgive, but we cannot. This is the height of pride and deception, and grieves God’s heart.

When we nurse offenses, we are bound in a prison of our own making until we liberate ourselves by choosing to forgive those who have hurt us.

Jesus taught that when we refuse to forgive, God will turn us over to “tormentors,” so that we can learn to forgive. In his parable of the unforgiving servant, Jesus said:

"Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33  'Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?' 34  "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35  "My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." Matthew 18:32-35 (NASB)

Once we suffer a while, hopefully we will decide that holding onto our bitterness is not worth the price.

I have found that when we are bitter we have a difficult time receiving anything from God. We usually cannot hear his voice because our hearts are hard.

Hardness of heart is the scariest thing that happen to anyone, and bitterness is a sure sign that we have that condition. Only tenderhearted people can forgive and receive from God.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32  Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32 (NASB)

If we harbor bitterness of any kind, it is paramount that we release those who have offended us, so that we can be free to receive all that God has given to us.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anyone we need to forgive. If anyone comes to mind, we should say out loud that we release them from owing us anything and ask God to wash us clean from all traces of unforgiveness. We let go of the debt. Now they are accountable only to God and we are free. If appropriate, we may need to meet with them later to reconcile.

To learn more about forgiveness – what it is and is not – click here.

Wrong Motives

The last obstacle we may need to overcome has to do with wrong motives, such as ambition, pride, and the love of money. James wrote the following warning.

You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. James 4:3 (NASB)

God blesses us with the baptism in the Spirit to equip and empower us to be his witnesses. If we are seeking this gift for a less than honorable reason, he may withhold this amazing blessing for our own good until we repent.

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19  saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20  But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21  You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Acts 8:18-21 (ESV)

I have occasionally encountered people with issues that God insisted they get right before receiving the baptism in the Spirit, but it is not the norm.

If the Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart that you need to get something right with him, however, please listen and do what he says.

Conclusion

Now that we have identified some of the major obstacles to receiving God’s blessings, we have a responsibility to use our knowledge and do whatever we need to do in order to remove them. If we do our part, God will certainly do his. He desires to bless us beyond our comprehension. We must not allow anything to interfere!

The next article will show exactly how to receive the baptism in the Spirit. Are you ready? Are you hungry? Good. God will not disappoint you.

 

Want to know more? I have written a book on this very topic, which is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more.
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Part 5: Body, Soul, and Spirit: The Salvation of the Spirit

This is the fifth article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. I sometimes use other names for this ministry, such as Personal Prayer Ministry and Biblical Healing and Deliverance. The adjective "wonderful" is used because Jesus is the "wonderful Counselor" of Isaiah 9:6. This ministry attempts to make room for Jesus to personally counsel people by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit, with the human ministers acting as facilitators. This makes it different from most counseling. It is highly effective at teaching the recipient how to hear the voice of the Spirit and to receive his life giving words.

 

 

God created Adam in a most amazing and instructive way. The Bible says:

The Lord God formed the man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 (NET1)

The word for “breath” in Hebrew and Greek also means “wind” or “spirit” in both languages. When God breathed the spirit of life into the inert body an amazing thing happened. The union of spirit and body produced a living being or, literally, a “soul”. The New Testament confirms this tripartite composition of humans.

Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NET1)

Some theologians think that there is practically no difference between spirit and soul, limiting mankind to two parts, but Paul used three distinct words. The writer of Hebrews also distinguished between soul and spirit.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NET1)

Though it is difficult for us to determine where the dividing line separating spirit and soul begins and ends, we must make the distinction if we are going to understand not only how God made us but also how he saved, saves, and will save us.

God made us in His image and has clearly revealed Himself in the Scriptures to be a Trinity – three persons in one being. This is a mystery that is impossible for us to completely comprehend at this point, but one that must be accepted, if we want to know the God of the Bible as He has revealed Himself to us. It should not be surprising to us then that we are also a trinity of a different sort. I am one person made up of a body, a soul and a spirit.

As you may have guessed, this is not mere esoteric theology. There are practical reasons we need to understand that we are tripartite beings. God’s great salvation in Christ covers every part of our being. I will show why this is important in the following paragraphs and articles. This article focuses on the spirit.

Salvation of the Spirit

The first, and arguably the most important, aspect of our salvation is associated with the spirit. It is specific to the spirit and was accomplished by Christ in the historical past, once and for all time. It is a finished work to which nothing can be added or subtracted. Through the new birth this salvation becomes part of my personal history and experience. It makes me completely righteous in God’s eyes forever. The Bible calls this justification.

But when this priest had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 where he is now waiting until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy. Hebrews 10:12-14 (NET1)

I am condensing a large amount of theology into a few sentences, but this article is an overview. I encourage you to take time to explore each concept. (Here is a more detailed article on the subject of justification, in case you want to go deeper.)

Speaking of the new birth, Jesus taught us:

What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6 (NET1)

When we become followers of Christ through trusting in the finished work of Christ and by declaring allegiance to the risen Lord, our spirits are reborn. Jesus, the second Adam, is a life giving spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45) The spirit is the innermost part of our being, the part that is capable of connecting directly with God. It is the hidden part of a person where intuition dwells and which is capable of knowing God through revelation. It is the place where our spirits are united with God’s Spirit in the mystery of the new birth.

But the one united with the Lord is one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NET1)

God wanted to make known to them the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27 (NET1)

Through justification, our spirits are made completely righteous. It is the one area of our being that is already completely saved.

This is what some people call “past salvation”. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” as he hung upon the cross, he saw things through God’s eyes. God is outside of and not bound by time. He rightly sees our salvation as already completed; although, to us, who are bound by time to a great extent, we are still very much in process. It is important, however, for us to grasp that our spirits are already saved. Otherwise, many scripture verses will not make sense to us.

For example, take Romans, Chapter Seven, when Paul states:

For I delight in the law of God in my inner being. 23 But I see a different law in my members waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. Romans 7:22-25 (NET1)

Why is this important? When John wrote that we can know that we have eternal life (1 John 5:13), he meant that our right standing before God is a “done deal.” It is based on the finished work of Christ.

We do not have to “do” anything to gain or maintain a right relationship with God. Jesus earned it for us. This should produce a deep rest in our hearts. It transforms our service to God from being an attempt to gain his favor into a service motivated by gratitude and love.

If we are convinced from the Word of God that Jesus already made us right with God, we will have great confidence when we approach God in prayer seeking his help, healing, and deliverance. We have permanent access to God’s presence and his unlimited resources because we are beloved children.

For through him [Christ] we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:18 (ESV) 

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)

Go back to Part 4.

Read Part 6: The Salvation of the Body

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How Do We Know What God Is Telling Us?

One of the greatest promises recorded in the Bible is Jesus’ clear assertion that his sheep will hear and recognize his voice.

"But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3  "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4  "When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5  "A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." John 10:2-5 (NASB)

Every born again follower of Christ has the ability to “hear God.”

This article will show you some of the ways God communicates with his people. It also covers the prerequisite heart attitudes for being able to discern God’s voice. If you are a person who wants to follow God but has struggled with knowing his voice, this should help you.

The first point I want to make is that God is perfectly able to communicate to us everything we need to know at precisely the right time.

Generally, God is always speaking. If we are not hearing him, the problem almost always lies on our side. Granted, sometimes God chooses to be silent, which is a profound way he communicates. God is not a vending machine ready to dispense “words” to us at our bidding. Instead, he is worthy to be pursued and waited upon. It is brings him honor when we seek him and simply listen. We don’t have to hear anything. We honor him by listening.

God communicates in a variety of ways. Some of us have been receiving messages from God for a long time, but we may have learned or decided to discount them and pay no attention, doubting they are real. Once we learn how God speaks, it enables us to accurately discern his voice and have confidence in what we hear. Note: When I use “hear” and “voice,” I do not necessarily mean that we hear with our ears an audible voice. That is rare. Rather, we hear in our hearts, in our spirits. It is a real hearing, but different from using the physical sense of hearing. We hear in a variety of ways.

Prerequisites for Hearing God

The greatest requirement, perhaps the only requirement, for being able to understand what God is communicating to us is to have a proper heart attitude toward him and other people. The scariest threat to each one of us is what the Bible calls a “hardened” heart.

FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.' Matthew 13:15 (NASB)

A hardened heart is one that is closed to God. It does not have the ability to perceive the nudgings and whisperings of God’s Spirit nor his conviction regarding sin.

Jesus is more than willing to deliver us from this condition, but we must come to him in humility, repentance, and the fear of the Lord. These are three prerequisites for our being able to readily hear what God is saying.

These are qualities found in those who have surrendered their lives to our Lord Jesus.

Perhaps the greatest reason people’s hearts become hard is our refusal to acknowledge, honor, and worship God. Paul graphically illustrated what happens to those who make this choice.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19  because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Romans 1:18-21 (NASB)

One of the most telltale signs of having such a darkened heart condition, even among professed Christians, is murmuring and complaining about our circumstances and lot in life.

One of God’s most important attributes is his sovereign power and rule over all things he created. Even though he does not originate evil, whenever we encounter difficulties, tests, or even terrible things, it has to be acknowledged that God allows it. This is a huge snare for many. They would rather accuse God of evil and injustice than surrender to his loving sovereignty.

One of the most important verses in the Bible is the following.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NASB)

When we stop fighting and begin worshiping God in the midst of our most trying circumstances, we will be able to hear God’s voice on a whole new level.

We praise him not because we like what is going on or because we think it is a good thing. We worship him because we know that he will convert every single thing in our lives into something good. If you want to add a beautiful finishing touch to your praise, ask God to work your circumstances in such a way that will bring him glory. That is a prayer centered in God’s will and will surely be answered. To summarize, if you want to hear God in a greater way, stop complaining. Start worshiping and declaring that you believe God is sovereignly working all things together for our good and his glory.

Another huge hindrance to being able to know what God is communicating is when we harbor resentment and bitterness.

I have found that, until we forgive, we will usually hear nothing at all from him. If you want to hear God clearly, ask the Holy Spirit to show you if you need to forgive anyone. To forgive, biblically speaking, means to release from a debt. When we forgive, we tell ourselves, God, and perhaps the other person that he or she no longer owes us anything at all. They are “off the hook” as far as we are concerned. They still have to reckon with God. Leave justice to him. Clear your heart of every offense and prepare yourself to hear God’s voice, for you surely will!

How God Communicates with Us

God is a Spirit and communicates via the Holy Spirit.

The ways of God are different from ours. If we are expecting God to only communicate as another human being does, we may be disappointed and miss what he is telling us. Humans are unique beings. We have bodies, souls, and spirits (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

God made us to be able to interface in the natural world and the spiritual one.

When Adam and Eve sinned, it severely damaged our connection to the spiritual world which God inhabits. When we surrender to Christ’s lordship, the Holy Spirit unites with our spirits (1 Corinthians 6:17), reestablishing communication lines with God. In fact, it is much better than that. In the Old Testament, God spoke externally, from afar. Now he speaks from within us.

The Bible says we have the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16), which means we are able to think his thoughts.

This does not mean that all our thoughts are from God, but many are. In other words, quite often God communicates seamlessly with his people. If we are expecting an external voice to speak to us, we may miss God altogether. In fact, such expectations are Old Covenant in nature. Now Christ lives inside each of us.

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27 (ESV)

There are four main vehicles that the Holy Spirit uses to communicate with us: the scriptures, the inner voice or prompting of the Spirit, other people, and circumstances. Often he uses all four in harmony. Let’s examine each.

The Scriptures

The Bible is the gold standard for God’s will. If what we think is God’s voice does not agree with the clear teachings of Scripture, we should reject it.

The only caveat is that sometimes our understanding of the Bible is defective, as when Peter was told by the Spirit to violate his religious tradition to go to the Gentile Cornelius’ house. We can rest assured that the Spirit will never instruct us to violate God’s moral law, however.

If we accept the Bible as authoritative, the next challenge is how to properly interpret it. Although Scripture clearly speaks to many issues and situations, it does not cover everything we will face in life. Generally, we can depend on the broad outlines shown in the Bible. When it come to what job to take, we may have a choice between working for a company that has integrity and one that does not. Generally speaking, the Bible indicates that we should choose the former. But what about when the Bible does not specifically address our situation? There have been many times in my life when this has been the case; nevertheless, God spoke to me clearly from the scriptures. While reading the Bible, specific verses seemed to “jump” off the pages. I had an inner conviction that the Holy Spirit spoke directly to me, that the verses I read were specifically for me in my situation. We cannot make this happen. I do not advise simply opening the Bible and putting your finger on a random verse, trusting that it will be a specific word for you; although God can even do that.

Ask God to speak to you as you read the Bible. Be alert to the Holy Spirit showing special things to you. This is called revelation. Jesus promised us that the Spirit will do this for us.

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. John 16:13 (NASB)

Some call this receiving a “rhema” word from God. The logos is the written word, but rhema is when God makes the Bible come alive personally for us and our situation. I have had this happen many times. God is no respecter of persons. He will do it for you, too.

The Inner Voice or Prompting of the Spirit

The rhema word of God can be considered an inner prompting of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit also communicates messages that are not strictly Scripture, but will never violate or contradict Scripture. God’s Spirit communicates via what we might call an inner voice, dreams, visions, and the gifts of the Spirit, as listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. Once again, we cannot manufacture these communications. Our responsibility is to listen alertly in expectation that God will speak. I will not go into more detail about this at this time, but, if you are interested, you can read more about it in my book, Promise of the Father, which goes into greater detail about the baptism and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

This kind of communication is very real, but sadly many followers of Christ are almost totally ignorant and out of touch with this tremendous way God shows us things. I have heard clear words, not audible, but extremely clear from the Holy Spirit. I do not know how I knew it was God’s Spirit. We just know by the Spirit.

As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. 1 John 2:27 (NASB)

Intuition is a function of the Spirit. It is how Jesus knew things outside the realm of human senses and reasoning.

The same Holy Spirit indwells and empowers us. God’s gifts are very much alive and well. The Spirit will open our hearts and minds to him if we seek him.

Because what we hear from the Spirit is often very subjective and open to interpretation, it is crucial that we submit what we hear to the Bible’s teachings and to other mature believers who can help us judge what we heard. If you neglect or reject this safeguard, you may go off the path right into a ditch. If God speaks to us, other mature believers will almost always be able to corroborate or correct us on the matter. This is one reason why it is so important to be in a local church under trusted oversight and have strong peer relationships with other mature believers.

Other People

As just mentioned, God uses others to speak into our lives. This can be in the form of teaching and preaching, counseling, or casual conversation.

Leadership in the local church has a profound responsibility to speak into the lives of the people it oversees.

Paul wrote Timothy the following.

preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 (NASB)

We should pay close attention to what our leaders tell us. They are given to us by God to watch over, protect, guide, and feed God’s people. No godly leader wants to direct the small details of your life or lord over your faith and walk with God. Instead, good leaders help their people grow to spiritual maturity and learn how to hear and follow God for themselves, just as a proper parent does for his or her child. Nevertheless, sometimes our parents and leaders must speak very directly to us in the form of a command, and we should follow their warnings and counsel, as long as it agrees with the Bible and does not violate our consciences.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17 (NASB)

In addition, we have a responsibility to speak into the lives of the other people in our local church and to those we are discipling.

Every person has this responsibility. God makes us all competent counselors, as long as we are feeding on the Word of God, listening to the Spirit, and are properly related in a local church.

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5  Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6  who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 (NASB)

God wants to speak through his people when we gather as disciples, too. Each of us is able to be used by God’s Spirit to encourage, comfort, and build up our brothers and sisters.

What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 1 Corinthians 14:26 (NASB)

To summarize, listen for God to speak to you through other people, but never allow this method to preempt your responsibility to hear God speak through the scriptures and by the inner voice of the Spirit. Generally, what others tell us should confirm or warn against what we think God is showing us through the first two methods. One obvious exception is when we are following a sinful course of action. In that case, we are not listening to God or his Word and need to be rebuked.

Circumstances

God often uses circumstances as a way to direct our paths, but being directed this way requires a lot of maturity and discernment. We dare not simply “go with the flow” of our circumstances. Sometimes God wants us to push against adversity by faith. At other times God uses circumstances to correct our course.

Circumstances always have to be interpreted by the Word of God, the Spirit’s voice, and often with the help of other counselors.

If our circumstances are difficult, we may improperly read them as an evidence of God’s being unhappy with us. Conversely, if things are going well from our perspective, we may falsely assume that God is well pleased with us. God blesses those who are not obedient quite often and allows his beloved children to endure suffering and hardship at times. In fact, God uses suffering to shape Christ’s character in us.

Wisdom always asks God to help us interpret our circumstances. God will be sure to help us understand, if we seek him and are open to input from trusted brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Conclusion

It is our responsibility and privilege to contend for what God has given to us, just as Israel contended for the promised land.God’s goal is for us to become so attuned to the Spirit that we more perfectly represent Christ and his kingdom. As Jesus did, we can grow to a maturity when it is possible for us to tell others what we hear God speaking (John 8:28) and do what we see him doing (John 5:19). What a life!

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Creator, Sustainer, End

The other day I was thinking about someone I have tried to help over the years. I gave this person things of value that I never saw him use. I suppose he sold or gave them away. I thought to myself that I don’t want to give him anything else because he did not appreciate my gift. He “squandered” something valuable to me that I was willing to share. Immediately a thought entered my mind, probably from the Holy Spirit.

God gives all people the most precious thing we know – life, and most of us don’t appreciate it and squander it. We think we will never die. We imagine we are accountable to no one for how we live. We do our own thing with this thing called life, and then it’s over.

The Bible says that Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the first and last, and the beginning and the end. (Revelation 22:13) This means that God gave us life (created us), sustains our lives each moment, and one day will call us to return our lives back to him, stand before him in judgment, and receive from him our final reward and eternal habitation.

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, 3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, 4 and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— 5 they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— 6 before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity. Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 (ESV)

Because of sin, death entered God’s fabulous creation. It was the natural / supernatural consequence of disconnecting ourselves from Life’s Source, our Creator / Sustainer.

The dying process weans us away from the glamour of this world. As we age and die, the things that formerly brought joy and meaning to our existence fade. God wants us to become more and more enamored with eternal things. He wants to finally become our main and only focus, as he should be. Death, in this respect, is a blessing. It is a gateway into eternity and manifest presence of God. It is the goal of life to stand before God and enjoy his love and person forevermore!

Because of sin, death became part of the human condition and will be our last experience as physical pre-resurrected beings.

Solomon said that it is better to consider death than go to a party! 

A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. 2  It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. 3  Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. 4  The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. Ecclesiastes 7:1-4 (ESV)

Most people put off thinking about death and the hereafter as long as possible, but this is actually quite foolish. Eternity looms in front of us. It may get here sooner than we think, and it lasts a long, long forever. My cousin’s husband just died unexpectedly. He was relatively young, apparently in great health, full of life, and expecting to live much longer. But now his appointment with death and the hereafter has been finalized. He is right now in his eternity. No more second chances. No more opportunities to squander. The first part of his existence is complete. Now he will enjoy or endure the eternal consequences.  He was a follower of Christ; so, he is experiencing joy inexpressible right now. But what about us? How will we fare when our appointment comes calling?

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV)

God wants us to consider and be thankful for the gift of life. He wants us to be grateful and appreciate his sustaining our lives each day. With each breath we take, we are experiencing God’s grace. And when it is time to turn these lives back in to God, he wants us to do so freely and eagerly, knowing that what lies ahead far surpasses anything we have yet experienced. If we lose our lives, we will gain them!

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 16:24-25 (ESV)

God wants us to hold onto life with an open hand, not a clenched fist. For us to do this, we must be like Jesus, who at the point of death said: “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) I am told that this was part of a children’s prayer said at bedtime each night. How poignant! As a little child, we should entrust our dying and death into God’s hands, our Keeper and Shepherd, our Creator, Sustainer, and Final Destination.

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Prayer when Facing Death

Unless we die suddenly and unexpectedly, this is a prayer we will all need to pray someday. Perhaps you know someone right now who could use encouragement and strength as he or she faces death. Whether this is for you, the reader, or someone you care about, please take these words to heart.

Death is the final enemy, the last struggle, and the threshold into a greater reality. Jesus promised us that, if we believe in him, we will actually never die! Dying is not death.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 (ESV)

Martha, Lazarus’ sister, responded to Jesus that she believed, but she was only thinking of the distant future, which is what most of us do. We postpone the inevitable as long as we can, missing out on the glorious reality that Jesus is the Resurrection right now! Eternal life is right now and will never end! Physical death ends the body and soul life we have known and loved, but our spirits will seamlessly transition immediately into God’s presence, and one day our bodies will also be resurrected!

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2  In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4  And you know the way to where I am going.” 5  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:1-6 (ESV)

Physical death will bring us to the point of our greatest weakness, when we will have to rely 100% on our Savior and his promises. Either he is truly the Lord of life and death, or we are in big trouble. But the Bible clearly teaches us that God is sovereignly and ultimately in charge of our lives while we are breathing oxygen and our physical deaths, as well as our transition into his manifest presence. The problem is that we, in a similar way as Martha above, have doubts lurking in our hearts. We believe, but not as surely and strongly as we should. This is where we need the help of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said that the Spirit lives inside and through us and will never, ever leave or forsake us. Most assuredly he will not bail on us when we are facing and experiencing physical death.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17  even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 18  “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:16-18 (ESV)

Many people fear being abandoned at death. The popular concept of ghosts is that they are disembodied spirits wandering hopelessly in a kind of tormented limbo-like existence. Jesus made it clear that no such thing will ever happen to us. One can only imagine what “ghosts” really are, but most likely they are demonic spirits posing as ghosts to deceive and enslave gullible humans.

Believers are joined to the Spirit of God by an indissoluble fusion – spirit to spirit.

But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (ESV)

This amazing union with God through the Spirit is a most precious secret of the New Covenant. It is what makes us children of God. It is why we have eternal life. It is the reason we are able to fellowship and communicate with our God. In fact, the Bible tells us that even while we are still living in these physical bodies, we are actually seated right now in the heavens in the spirit with Christ.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV)

When our bodies die, our spirits will instantly be in heaven, which is where we are right now joined to Christ.

I know this is probably taxing your brain. Don’t try to figure this out. Simply believe. You are right now in heaven in Christ. His Spirit is joined to your spirit. You and I are one with our God. He lives in us and through us, and we in him. This will never change. It is true whether our physical bodies are alive or if they temporarily die. (Don’t forget we will be resurrected!)

Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20  In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. John 14:19-20 (ESV)

The question is, do we really believe this? Is it settled in our hearts?

Death is an enemy. It is not part of God’s original design. It brings the first part of our existence as a human being to an end, but it is a conquered enemy that has lost its sting because our Lord rose from the dead and is the Resurrection living inside of us.

We all have the promise that Jesus will personally raise us from the dead.

And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40  For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:39-40 (ESV)

Paul was granted the amazing experience of going to heaven while he was still living in his physical body. (2 Corinthians 12:2-4) What he saw there convinced him that death is not to be feared. He wrote that death is actually gain.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22  If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23  I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. Philippians 1:21-23 (ESV)

Paul experienced no ambivalence regarding death. He was eager to pass through the portal of physical death into God’s glorious presence.

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7  for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8  Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (ESV)

God wants to work in us a similar desire to pass into the heavenly realms. No, we are not in hurry to leave behind our loved ones and what we know, but we can have a genuine joyful expectation of what lies ahead on the other side of physical death. Jesus certainly lived (and died) that way. He was earnestly yearning to return to his Father and the heavenly glory that he had left behind.

You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. John 14:28 (ESV)

Perhaps our greatest challenge is that we haven’t yet glimpsed what is on the other side. This is where we need help from the Holy Spirit, who is able to give us revelation about the hidden things of God.

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10  these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (ESV)

The prayer that follows asks the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the glorious realities of eternal life in God’s presence that will continue from now to eternity. Physical death is merely a “bump in the road,” a gateway into glory, the door into an eternity spent with God!

Prayer

Lord, I am facing death and really need your help. Thank you for being patient with me. You know my struggles to truly believe. You struggled yourself in the Garden of Gethsemane, but you maintained your confidence in your heavenly Father and your determination to bring glory to him through life and death. That is what I want, too. Holy Spirit, you are the one called alongside to help me. Thank you that you will never abandon me. You will walk this walk with me and through me. I ask you now to strengthen me in my inner being, in my spirit, with your strength and power. (Ephesians 3:14-19) I ask you to reveal to me personally what I need to know from your word and through opening my spiritual understanding, so that I can gloriously, peacefully, joyfully, and lovingly pass through death into your manifest presence. Into your hands I commit my spirit. You gave me life, have sustained me all my days on earth, and will continue to be my Life and Source for eternity. Jesus, I believe you will be there for me when I take my last breath. You will welcome me into my new heavenly home, introduce me to your Abba, and reveal to me your fabulous glory! Help me to look forward to this as I should. Help me to be an example to all those who know me and observe my life. I want my death to bring glory to your name. I want to show others how to trust you in death; so that, when their time comes, they will be helped by remembering how you helped me. Glorify yourself through my life and through my death. I surrender to your will and care. In life and death I am more than a conqueror through you! Amen.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 (ESV)
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Prayer for Wisdom

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,  10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.  11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,  12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.  13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,  14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.  Colossians 1:9-14 (ESV)

Life comes at us and requires that we make decisions that many times are beyond our ability to know what to do. This is by God’s design. It has been that way since the creation so that we can learn to rely on God instead of our own minds and ability to reason.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.  7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.  Proverbs 3:5-7 (ESV)

God has given us an amazing ability to reflect, analyze, and synthesize, but not to always be able to foresee the consequences of our actions or what is coming in the future. These limitations require us to seek the Lord and ask for His wisdom, which He is most willing to impart to us. James wrote:

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 (ESV)

With this in mind, we should pray daily for an impartation of divine wisdom for what the day may hold for us. Below is a sample prayer. You can customize it to fit your situation and personality.

Prayer

Father, I acknowledge that I am dependent upon You and Your wisdom. I thank you that You created me this way so that I can learn to draw near to You each day and receive Your abundant supply. I ask you for wisdom and insight for this day. Help me to know what to do in every situation. Help me not to rely on my own understanding alone. Rather, let me judge and decide by what the Holy Spirit shows me. Thank You in advance for giving me all that I need. Amen!

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Prayer when Life Is Painful and We Do Not Understand

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:26-28 (ESV) 

Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

Insight

When life becomes exceedingly painful, our minds often cannot comprehend the reasons behind our circumstances. There is a time for us to cease to rely on our own understanding a lean upon the Lord from the heart.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NASB)

God is sovereign over all creation, time, and circumstances. We can safely rely on him to protect us in every situation and be with us in all circumstances. King David learned that God was with him in “the valley of the shadow of death,” which gave him confidence to “fear no evil.”

When our hearts and minds are overwhelmed with sorrow, fear, confusion, or anger, we can take a “leap of faith” based on the truth of God’s Word by thanking God for our present situation and asking him to work things out for his glory. This is not to say that the situation is good, in itself, but that our good God will work things for our good.

When we proclaim this truth aloud with thanksgiving, it breaks chains of fear and doubt. In addition, we can ask God to not only work things out for our good, but also for his glory. When we pray like this, we cannot help but pray according to his will, and he will surely hear and answer our prayers. The person who prays like this will become an overcomer.

I believe that the devotional prayer language in “tongues” is available to us today. 1 Corinthians 14 teaches us that when we pray in tongues (in the spirit) we pray in a real language under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and give thanks well; despite not understanding what we are saying. But God does understand.

Romans 8:26 tells us that the Spirit “helps” us, which literally means “takes hold with us against” our infirmities and weaknesses. When we pray in the spirit, the Holy Spirit prays through us, and in partnership with us, prayers that exactly conform to God’s will.

If you wish to learn more, please read my book, Promise of the Father, which is all about the baptism and gifts of the Spirit. My first book, Seeing God's Smile (When Life Is Difficult) can also help you understand how to cope with the painful and confusing events of life. Simply click on the "Book" tab on the menu at the top of the page.

Prayer

Lord, I do not understand why you have allowed these circumstance into my life. (Be specific.) However, I believe that you are Lord of every area of my life and over all creation. I believe your promise that you are working all my circumstances for my good, even though it cannot see how right now. I ask you to glorify yourself through my life and situation. Let my attitude be an example to others and a glory to you. Thank you, Lord, for making me an overcomer. Thank you, Lord, for giving me faith and strength to endure. I thank you in advance for answering my prayer. (If God begins to reveal to you his will in your situation, begin to proclaim that prophetically by faith. Doing so can be part of the process of being set free.) Amen.

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Prayer for Victory

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And he gave them right standing with himself, and he promised them his glory. 31 What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? 36 (Even the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. 39 Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:28-39 (NLT)

Insight

When things look bleak or scary to us, it is vital that we remind ourselves that God is still in control and has given us overwhelming victory. We can face the worst that life can bring at us with peace if we have faith. Here is a way to personalize the above passage and convert it into a prayer.

Prayer

Abba Father, I praise you and believe that you are working all things, ALL THINGS, for good in my life because I love you and am called according to your purpose. I surrender myself once more to your will and plan for my life. May I bring you glory and pleasure by trusting and praising you at all times. Praise you, Father, because you chose me before you created the world, and you appointed me to be transformed into the image of your Son, which you are accomplishing each day. Thank you, Father, that you made me a part of your family, and you reconciled me to yourself and gave me a right standing before you through the right standing of your Son, and you have appointed me to share in Jesus’ glory.

Father, I ask you to give me a greater revelation of your greatness and glory; so that, I can believe with all my heart that you are far greater than everything that may come against me in this life. Since you are for me, no one of any significance can ever successfully come against me. Help me to truly believe that you love me so much that you will not withhold any good thing from me. Your generosity was proved at the cross. You are generous to the utmost! Thank you, Father, that you defend me against every condemning voice and against every enemy that would try to bring me down in defeat. Instead you have made me into an overwhelming conqueror through Jesus. Thank you that I will never be separated from your magnificent love. Let my faith rise to the level of your promises; so that, I can experience everything Jesus won for me. Amen!

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4 (ESV)
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