Category: The Gospel

God’s Coming Judgment upon the Wicked Is Part of the Good News

 

 

 

 

Isaiah wrote that the Holy Spirit was upon him to…

...proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God... Isaiah 61:2 (NASB)

Jesus quoted this passage when he launched his public ministry. (Luke 4:18) His first coming was to provide the means for God to extend forgiveness and favor to all who will accept him. Jesus also acknowledged that his second coming will be a day of vengeance against God’s enemies.

Both the extended time of favor and the cataclysmic day of judgment are part of the gospel message.

God’s nature requires the imposition of his justice upon the affairs of this world. Whereas mankind may be content to “let things go” and never require offenders to “pay the piper,” God is not that way. God will not be mocked. All of us will reap what we sow. (Galatians 6:7) The Bible clearly states that the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)

If there were no accounting to God for injustice, there would be no good news at all.

The Bible teaches us that since the wages of sin must be paid and each of us must die, because all of us have sinned. The Good News is that Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God, was willing to pay that debt for us. If we put our faith and allegiance in him, our debt to God is cancelled and we are made right with him. But what about those who refuse God’s generous offer? The certainty of God’s wrath awaits them.

Many of us Christians are so attuned to God’s great mercy that we are uncomfortable with scriptures that declare that God will judge his enemies.

Psalm 2, a messianic psalm, warns the people of earth to beware the day of God’s wrath.

Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession.9  You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.’” Psalm 2:8-9 (NLT)

Revelation also speaks of this day.

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12  His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13  He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14  And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15  From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16 (NASB)

Those clothed in fine linen are understood to be his redeemed people. (Revelation 19:8)

Isaiah also gives more detail about the coming day of vengeance.

For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come. 5  I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me salvation, and my wrath upheld me. 6  I trampled down the peoples in my anger; I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.” Isaiah 63:4-6 (ESV)

This passage prophetically conflates the first and second comings of our Lord. The first coming, which includes the time following leading up to the second coming, is the year of redemption or favor. This will be followed by the day of vengeance at the second coming. God will judge the wicked.

The wicked do everything in their power to deny this coming judgment.

First of all, they deny God’s existence, thinking that they can effectively remove him and his justice by wishing it away. Secondly, they do everything they can to keep his justice from falling on the wicked here on earth in this life. Murderers are punished for a while then released upon the populace again, thus violating God’s clear command to put them to death. (Genesis 9:6) Paul wrote about these days, when he said that…

Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:32 (ESV)

Thirdly, they pass laws that seek to subvert God’s justice by making sin legal in man’s eyes. A clear example of this is legalized abortion, the killing of an innocent life in the womb or even after birth.

If God does not punish those who do evil, then there is no justice. If there is no justice, God is not just. If God is not just, all hope is lost, and we live in an evil capricious world ruled by whomever achieves power. But there is an omnipotent God who is just and who will execute judgment. He will reward those who declare allegiance to him and punish evil doers.

He will render to each one according to his works: 7  to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8  but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9  There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10  but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11  For God shows no partiality. Romans 2:6-11 (ESV)

Therefore, the gospel is not only the announcement that God offers pardon to all of us who rebel against his authority and who repent and turn to Christ: it is also the promise that those who will not turn to him will encounter his wrath.

The goodness of God leads us to repentance and the threat of his wrath warns us to turn from evil. God is both kind (merciful) and severe (just). (Romans 11:22) We are in the time of his mercy, the year of his favor, but that time is quickly coming to an end. We do well to try to persuade as many as possible to turn to God before it is too late.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, forgive me for rebelling against your rule. I acknowledge my sin and ask for forgiveness. Thank you that you give me eternal life and a right standing with Father God. Holy Spirit, come into my life. Change me from the inside out to be more like Jesus. Empower me to share this good news with others. Help me to faithfully follow you for the rest of my days. Amen.

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Chapter 72: The Gospel Opens Blind Eyes

When John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he were indeed the Messiah, Jesus gave this somewhat cryptic reply.

…“Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” 23 And he added, “God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.”  Luke 7:22–23 (NLT)

Jesus wanted John to know that he was fulfilling what the prophets said about the Messiah.

Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.” 5 And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. 6 The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland.  Isaiah 35:4–6 (NLT)

The people expected the Messiah to liberate them from Roman tyranny, but when it became apparent that Jesus was not going to do that, some, as did John, doubted. But the purpose of our Lord’s first coming was to set people free from sin, sickness, death, demonization, and the devil’s iron rule.

Opening naturally blind eyes was important to those who were healed, but it was more than anything else a metaphor for the deeper work of God in the human heart.

Sin blinds us to God’s existence and glory and to the Messiah’s identity.

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.  2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLT)

Without the inner work of the Holy Spirit, we are not able to discern who Jesus is.

When Jesus healed the blind man in the ninth chapter of John’s gospel, he was able to see spiritually as well us naturally. The Pharisees had never been physically blind, but they could not see spiritually.

When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” 37 “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” 38 “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus. 39 Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”  John 9:35–39 (NLT)

When Jesus asked his disciples to tell him who they believed him to be, Peter immediately responded that he was the Messiah King of Israel. Jesus declared:

…“Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 16: 17 (NASB95)

Jesus knew that those who believed in him could only do so with God’s help. This is why he said at another time:

For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. 45 As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.  John 6:44–45 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit must remove our blindness if we are to recognize Jesus, but we have a part to play as well. When the gospel is preached, God’s drawing power is released. It is our responsibility to respond to that message by coming to Jesus by faith.

This means we open our hearts to him in whatever capacity we are able. He said in another place that he stands at the door of our hearts and knocks. (Revelation 3:20) Those who open the door of their hearts will experience his coming into their lives.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  Matthew 11:28–30 (NLT)

In my own case, when I heard the gospel, I did not immediately believe but was open to its being true. If only I knew for sure! I did what I could. I prayed to Jesus, not knowing if he were real. I asked him into my heart, if he were there, and requested that he reveal himself to me so that I could believe. It is amazing that God is so gracious with us that he would answer such a prayer! Imagine God’s being asked by a blind, disobedient creature to reveal whether he is real! There is so much evidence all around us that clearly demonstrates God’s existence and power, but we are blind to it because of sin.

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.  Romans 1:20 (NLT)

But God is merciful to us and responds when his creatures reach out to him in our pitiful condition. He knows what sin did to us and moves mightily in our lives if we move toward him.

This is clearly seen in the parable of the prodigal son. The father ran to meet him at the first sign of his coming home. That is our God!

When we come to Jesus, the Holy Spirit removes the blindness from our eyes. He opens our deaf ears and heals our hardened hearts, enabling us to see and believe.

But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.  2 Corinthians 3:16–18 (NLT)

This happened to those two disciples who were walking together after Jesus’ crucifixion making their way to Emmaus. The risen Jesus, in a form which they did not immediately recognize, came alongside them and began to dialogue with them. The things Jesus said about the Messiah’s need to suffer and later be glorified made their hearts burn within them, but they still did not recognize him. It was not until they invited him into their home to break bread with him that their eyes were opened to see him as the risen Lord!

but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!  Luke 24:29–31 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit works inside us to draw us to Christ. When we hear the good news about him, we are able to respond and draw near to Christ in our hearts.

He comes to us, and we must open the door. (Revelation 3:20) If we do this, it is proof that the Spirit is at work in our lives. If we come to him in this way, he will receive us.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 “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 6:37–40 (NASB95)

If we pursue Jesus, God will not reject us. He receives everyone who comes to him. If we seek him, we will find him! Once we come to our Lord in this way, he removes the veil of blindness from our spiritual eyes, enabling us to properly behold him.

Seeing Christ by revelation imparts eternal life to us as we come to know him. We are born again when Christ is revealed to us.

This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 (NASB95) —

“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”  Matthew 11:27 (NLT)

Right after saying this, is when Jesus issued his invitation for us to come to him. If we come to him, he will open our eyes, ears, and hearts to know God. It is by spending time in his presence that this can deepen. We do this when we pray, worship, and read and meditate in the Word of God. As we learn to “wait on God,” he will show us more and more about himself. If we seek him, we will find him.

Paul pursued knowing God with all his heart.

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ  Philippians 3:8 (NLT)

Sadly, many of us are so afraid of God that we deliberately keep our distance from him. We talk about him, but we don’t want to be alone with him. The thought of being face to face with the Creator of the universe can be daunting, unless we understand that Jesus opened the way for us to approach God. Some of us may be afraid of what he may tell us or ask us to do. This all boils down to our having little knowledge of his immense love, which produces this lack of trust. John said that this is because we fear his judging us.

And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.  1 John 4:17–18 (NLT)

Because Jesus took our condemnation upon himself, we need not fear that God will judge us for our sins. We can come boldly into his presence.

By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.  Hebrews 10:20–22 (NLT)

Jesus came to relieve us of all our fears. He revealed the Father’s heart by laying down his life for us. He told us that he is gentle and humble of heart, making him easily approachable. The Holy Spirit works inside people to deliver us from these fears and help us to believe that we can indeed approach God. The moment we do, he runs to meet us and welcomes us home!

So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.  Luke 15:20 (NLT)
Prayer

Heavenly Father, I have run from you long enough. I have been blind to your love. I open my heart to you and your Son Jesus. Jesus, I invite you into my life as Lord and Savior. I give you myself and thank you for revealing yourself to me. Open my spiritual eyes and ears. Make my heart brand new. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Holy Spirit fill me to overflowing. Amen.

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Gospel in a Minute: Jesus Is Alive and Communicates with Us

Gospel in a Minute

Because Jesus actually rose from the dead, he is alive and communicates with us. The Star Wars series of movies presents its version of god in a Buddhist way as an impersonal force that includes both good and evil. That is not the God of the Bible.

The Bible reveals that God is a Person who is good and loving and who communicates with people.

The Bible records the history of God’s interactions with men and women in which he clearly communicated with them through direct words, visions, angelic visitations, prophets, the scriptures, and last, but certainly not least, by his indwelling Holy Spirit.

The eternal Logos became a human named Jesus who lived for some thirty-three years, interacting with his family, friends, neighbors, disciples, and even his enemies. He spoke as no one else had. (John 7:46) His personality and spirit magnetically drew those whose hearts were open to God, but repelled those who were hardened. When he met people, he often called them by name, as with his disciples and Zacheus. When Mary Magdalene searched for his body after the crucifixion, he appeared to her in a risen bodily form she did not immediately recognize until he spoke her name, “Mary.” Instantly she knew him and was overjoyed, running to tell the other disciples that he was indeed risen from the dead. Because Jesus is alive, he is still able to communicate with his disciples. Later, after his ascension into heaven, he appeared and spoke personally to the apostle Paul, bringing about his dramatic conversion.

He also visited me some fifty-three years ago. I was a seeker, who was not at all convinced in the truth of the resurrection, but I wanted to know. After I observed someone I loved and respected, now my wife, transform from being a standard Roman Catholic to becoming a “born again” follower of Christ, I asked the Lord, if he were real, to come into my life and reveal himself to me, too. That is just what he did.

Paul said that if we turn to the Lord, he will remove the veil that hides Christ’s identity from our eyes. (2 Corinthians 3:16)

Because I opened myself to him, the risen and living Jesus communicated with me via his Holy Spirit that he is indeed who the Bible says he is. I am not sure how he did it, but I sensed his presence so strongly that I was instantly transformed inside and filled with joy. My life was changed, moving me from doubt to faith in an instant. I now know that he is truly alive, and knowing and believing that gave me eternal life, too.

I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT)

You, too, can know the risen Lord. He is no respecter of persons. Anyone who comes to him will be received by him. He will not turn you away. (John 6:37) Will this be your day? Will you open your heart to the risen Lord and ask him into your life as I did some 53 years ago? Will you ask him to reveal himself to you so that you too can believe and be saved?

Prayer

Jesus, I want to know you. I ask you to come into my life and reveal yourself to me so that I can believe and be saved. I want to be forgiven for my many sins and experience what it is like to be in right standing with my Creator. I want to experience your love and life and be with you forever. I give myself to you. Amen.

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Have You Been Born Again?

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to Jesus, we cannot enter the kingdom of God unless we are born again.

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. John 3:5 (NLT)

Many commentators understand that Jesus’ phrase “being born of water” refers to our natural birth. Those who are only born physically only have ordinary human understanding. We remain blind and insufficient to comprehend the things of the Spirit of God.

We must be born again to become aware of God’s kingdom.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3 (NLT)

It is only after the “wind” of the Spirit blows upon us and causes our spirits to come alive that we are able to see and experience the realities of God’s kingdom. The Hebrew and Greek words for “spirit” also can mean breath and wind.

The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 (NLT)

God breathed upon Adam imparting spirit to his lifeless body causing him to become a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)

The Holy Spirit “blows” or “breathes” upon us when we are born again, reconnecting our dead spirits to God from whom we receive his never ending life.

After experiencing this divine wind or breath from God, our eyes are opened to the things of God. We see who Jesus is more clearly. We begin to grasp some of the beauties and glories of God. It is not uncommon for people to say that everything seemed new and different after being born again. It certainly was for me.

The new birth is the gateway into the path of a lifelong journey of learning to follow Christ.

This new birth is not anything that we can accomplish on our own. It comes from God in a most mysterious way. Jesus said that we cannot explain how it happens any more than we can control the wind. We cannot make it happen for ourselves or anyone else. We can only lead them to God with whom that heavenly transaction must take place. It is out of our hands; yet we can make ourselves available. Jesus said that if we seek God, we will find him. If the Spirit is nudging you to seek God, by all means obey, as King David did.

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8 (NLT)

Jesus promised that he will not turn away anyone who seeks him.

However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. John 6:37 (NLT)

Those who are merely born the natural way will die twice. The first death is the natural end to physical life that we must all experience. The second death is the lake of fire, God’s punishment for those who rebel against him.

Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14–15 (NLT)

Those who are born twice, naturally and from heaven, will only die once. We escape the fiery wrath of God when we put our faith and loyalty in Jesus, who paid the price for our sins already and promised that we will never come into judgment again.

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. John 3:16–18 (NLT)

If you are not sure if you have been born again, it is a good chance that you have not.

If what I have written in this article seems foreign to your experience, it means that God has so much more for you if you will seek him with all your heart. Don’t let the day go by without inviting Jesus into your life and receiving all he has to give. In exchange he asks for all that you are. It’s called the New Covenant, the great exchange in which we give him ourselves, complete with our sin and guilt, and receive all that he is, including his right standing with God the Father and eternal life!

Prayer

Jesus, I don’t think I have been born again. You said we cannot enter your kingdom without this happening. You also said you will never reject anyone who comes to you. I come to you now. I want this new birth. I want to have my spiritual eyes opened to see your kingdom. I want to be part of the family of God. I ask you to come into my life and forgive all my sins. I give you myself and acknowledge that you are my Lord. Come, Holy Spirit, do your unseen work inside of me. Amen.

If you prayed this sincerely, hold on to your hat! God is going to do something amazing in your life. Wait for it. It is on the way.

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Has Jesus Called You?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus personally calls every disciple, just as he called Philip.

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” John 1:43 (NLT)

In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul wrote these encouraging words.

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. Romans 8:29–30 (NLT)

Christianity is not a religion devised by men as a way to reach God. It is a relationship initiated by God who came looking for us. God knows each of us by name and has personally called us to belong to his family.

I recently attended a funeral of a dear friend at which a song was played that touched the hearts of many there. The chorus was repeated over and over again: “God is watching us from a distance.” It seemed to bring comfort to those present, probably because it is nice to consider that God cares, but its theology was poor. If God is watching us from a distance, it is because we don’t know him.

God is not distant. He is very much present in the lives of those he called.

One of the most recurrent phrases in the Bible is God’s telling us, “I am with you.” One the titles given to our Lord by the angel who appeared to Mary was Immanuel, which means God with us.

“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” Matthew 1:23 (NASB95)

But God is not with everyone. He remains at a distance from those who do not acknowledge him. He does not know them in a saving way at all. Jesus uttered these sobering words about the last judgment when he will separate those who know him from those who do not.

But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ Matthew 7:23 (NLT)

How do we move from the “not known” into the group with whom God dwells and knows by name? We must be called by God and then respond to that call. Those who respond prove that they are among the chosen. Jesus said that many are called, but few are chosen.

Many hear the gospel message, but few respond by asking Jesus to be their Lord and Savior.

Have you heard the Lord calling you to become his follower, or are you content to know him from a distance, which amounts to not knowing him at all?

Prayer

Jesus, I want to be among those who know you and are known by you. I feel the tug of the Holy Spirit upon my heart; so, I come to you now, asking you to come into my life and reveal yourself to me. Open the eyes of my heart that I might see you for who you truly are. I want to be your follower. I want to hear you call my name, just as Philip did. Forgive my sins and send your Holy Spirit to live inside of me. Thank you that you said you will never turn away anyone who comes to you. Amen.

Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never send away. John 6:37 (NET)
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Revelation Goes Both Ways

 

 

 

 

 

Revelation not only opens our eyes to Jesus’ true identity but also gives us the amazing realization that God knows who we are, too. Many people believe they are insignificant blips on God’s radar. They think he is much too busy governing the universe to take any notice of them and their unremarkable daily routine.

When we are confronted with the astounding revelation that God knows us intimately and cares about even the smallest details in our lives, it has a life-changing effect.

When Jesus met Nathanael, he told that man things about himself that only God would know, which moved him from skepticism to faith.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” John 1:47–49 (NASB95)

I have a friend whose wife had just gotten a terrible diagnosis and prognosis regarding cancer. He heard God say, “I know about this.” He told me that when he heard the Lord say that, his faith in a good outcome went through the roof. In fact, God completely healed her of stage four cancer afterward. Knowing that God knows us and our situation is transformative.

When Jesus met Peter, he let him know that God knew all about him, too.

One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter). John 1:40–42 (NASB95)

When Jesus spoke prophetically to Peter, it was not some “parlor trick” designed to awe him into being a disciple. God does not do things that way. The words Jesus told Peter were important at the moment and would be in the future. By changing his name, Jesus altered his destiny. He would become a rock of faith eventually, which was important for him to know later. When God tells us who we are, it supersedes every other thing ever told us.

Only God has the right to tell us who we are because only he truly knows us.

When the Holy Spirit reveals Christ’s identity to us, it not only transforms us through what is called the new birth, but it also marks us as one of God’s chosen ones.. When Peter confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, this is what Jesus told him.

And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:17–19 (NASB95)

Jesus looked for those who would respond in faith to his message and identity. He knew that his heavenly Father had chosen certain ones to belong to him. When our Lord saw faith spring forth in a person, he recognized them to be part of that group his Father gave to him.

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. John 10:27–29 (NASB95)

Revelation therefore reveals Christ to us and shows who we are, too.

Any blind person who came to Jesus requesting that his eyes be opened received what he requested. Should we think God would do any less for us? If you have yet to see Jesus in a way that opens your eyes to his true identity and makes you want to worship and serve him, you can ask the Lord to open your spiritual eyes. That is what I did over fifty years ago. God revealed Jesus to me in a life transforming way. He will do the same for you.

Prayer

Jesus, I want to know you as John the Baptist and Peter did. I ask you to open the eyes of my understanding so that I can truly see Jesus. Holy Spirit, come into my life and change me on the inside, Make me a follower of Jesus. I surrender my life to you. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer and meant it, God will surely do his part to open your spiritually blind eyes. Please let me know when this happens for you.

For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:40 (NLT)

 

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There Are Two Kinds of People

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are only two kinds of people in the world – those who acknowledge and love God and those who refuse to do so.

The essence of sin is when we try to live independently from God. We try to create for ourselves a world without God. This is what the media does continually in its many movies and TV shows. The actors generally portray life without any reference to God at all. This is a fantasy with enormous consequences.

Ayn Rand said that we can ignore reality but we cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.

John Chapter One makes an insightful comment about this condition of mankind in general that wants nothing to do with God.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:10–13 (NASB95)

Before Jesus was born to a virgin to fulfill an ancient prophecy, he existed as the eternal Logos, or Word of God, through whom everything that exists was created. He was and is the source of life, and everything that lives owes its existence and sustenance to him. But Adam and Eve made a fateful choice to turn their backs on their Creator which implanted in the human soul an antipathy toward God. Their descendants, which include us, are born into this world with a default condition called a hardened heart that produces spiritual blindness and deafness.

In spite of there being abundant evidence of the Creator all around us, we refuse to recognize or honor him. Instead we live with an inborn hostility toward God.

Why would God care about such rebellious inhabitants of the world that had been so beautiful in every way when he first created it? It is quite impossible to fathom the depths of love that motivated our Creator to send his only Son to come into this world as a human and give away his life to provide forgiveness for our sins and reconciliation to God.

When the Creator in human form arrived on the planet, only a very few recognized and honored him. The same is true today. Those who through revelation from God see him for who he is and surrender their hearts and lives to him will receive eternal life. Those who refuse him remain in a perilous condition of spiritual blindness and are hurtling toward an eternity without God, which is called hell. There will be no one in hell who did not choose to go there. Those who opt to live without God here on earth will be sentenced to do so forever. The big difference will be that before going there they will finally understand the truth. There is a God who made it possible for us to know and love him and to live forever in the joy of his presence. This understanding will no doubt make hell unbearable, a continual gnawing at the soul.

The choice is ours, an eternity of joy or one of painful regret.

Perhaps you are like I was. I did not know God, but I wanted to know him if he were really there. I asked this supposed God to come into my life and reveal himself to me, if he were real. Amazingly, he did just that. That happened over fifty years ago, and I have never regretted becoming a follower of Christ. There is nothing more important than knowing, loving, and serving God. Ask yourself to which group of people do I belong? If you are still among those who are trying to live without any reference to your Creator, isn’t it time to turn this ship around? Here is a sample prayer you can use right now.

Prayer

God, I have tried to live without you long enough. Forgive me for being a rebellious sinner. I come to you now, Jesus, and ask you to come into my life and reveal yourself to me. I want to know you. I want to be forgiven. I want to be in right relationship with Father God. I want the Holy Spirit to live inside me. I want to know what it is like to experience the joy of your presence and the kind of peace that passes understanding. I give you my life in return. I choose to live the rest of my days for you. Amen.

Here is a verse from the Bible with which you are no doubt familiar. Think about its significance for you now that you have asked Jesus into your life.

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NLT)
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How to Receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

It does little good to know all about a subject and never personally experience it. It is one thing to generally believe that God’s promises are real and true and quite another to personally receive one. Many believe that God heals, but fewer have received a supernatural healing. Many, even the devil, believe that Jesus died to save sinners, but fewer receive that salvation personally by faith.

If we keep truth at arm’s length and make it purely objective, we may be able to safely distance ourselves from the costs associated with obedience, but we will also rob ourselves of the joy of receiving something from God.

Faith is like breathing. It must be “inhaled” or received and “exhaled” or acted upon. God wants us to believe his promises are true, receive them for ourselves, and then act out our faith. For example, when Jesus told the centurion that his servant had been healed, that man believed Jesus’ words and acted appropriately by returning home.

And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.  Matthew 8:13 (NASB95) —

What we do after saying that we believe reveals whether we were just spouting empty words or truly believed in our hearts.

To receive the baptism in the Spirit requires that we accept the truth of God’s Word, receive his promise by faith, and act as if we believe he gave it to us.

Can I Be Sure This Promise Is for Me Today?

In the first sermon recorded after the initial outpouring of the Spirit, the apostle Peter made it clear that the baptism in the Spirit is for all God’s children for all time.

Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39  "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." Acts 2:38-39 (NASB)

A contextual reading of this section of Acts makes it plain that the “promise” means the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Peter explained what their speaking in tongues meant: it evidenced the outpouring or baptism in the Spirit, which was prophesied by Joel and later promised by John the Baptist and Jesus himself. Peter made it clear that God makes the baptism in the Spirit available to every person who would ever come to Christ – those present with Peter, their children, the Gentiles (those “far off”), and everyone else throughout time who will respond to the Gospel (“as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself”).

Jesus also made it clear that every child of God can receive this gift. It is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the Holy Spirit when we ask him.

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" Luke 11:13 (NASB)

Jesus died as the Lamb of God to provide us with forgiveness and reconciliation to the Father. He rose and ascended to heaven to become the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit and pour out the Spirit upon his church. Because of this, we can be sure this amazing gift is for us.

Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.  Acts 2:33 (NASB95)

If we believe what is written above is true, we are faced with a decision. Will I receive this promise for myself by faith or not?

Will I value what Jesus died to give me or remain fearful or indifferent? I hope each of us will treasure and pursue what cost our Lord so much to provide for us!

Steps to Receive

Since the baptism in the Spirit is received by faith, we must be convinced that God has given it to us, receive it, and act as if we believe he has. That is how faith works. Paul asked the Galatian church the following telling question.

This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:2 (NASB)

The answer of course is that we must receive all of God’s promises by faith. We can never earn them. Here are four easy steps to receive the baptism in the Spirit.

  1. Believe that God will do what he says.

If we grasp that God has provided all believers with the privilege of receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the next step is for us to believe that God is always faithful to his promises.

God’s complete trustworthiness is the foundation of all faith.

This is a simple concept; yet many people get hung up at this point. They may think, maybe it is not for me? God will bless everyone else, but not me. Such thinking is sinful unbelief from which we must repent. Cast that lie away and start believing God.

God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Numbers 23:19 (NASB)
  1. Ask and receive with simple faith as a child.
"For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. 11  "Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12  "Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? 13  "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" Luke 11:10-13 (NASB)

Children do not suspect devious motives in the giver or concoct complicated reasons a promise might not come true. When an adult makes a promise, a child expects it to happen. To God, we are all little children. We may have been disappointed many times by people who did not keep their promises to us, but God is not like that. If as a child we experienced adults lying to us and failing to follow through on their word, we must not let those memories and any attached lies about God to block us from trusting our heavenly Father.

As a child, believe, ask, and receive.

If something in our minds whispers that this is not going to happen for me, repent of that unbelief.

...You do not have because you do not ask. James 4:2 (NASB)

If I extend my hand to offer someone a hundred-dollar bill, what will that person need to do? Would it be enough to say thank you without making any effort to come forward to receive it? If we want the money, we will act. Similarly, we receive the baptism in the Spirit by asking the Lord to baptize us and then by actively receiving.

Faith receives before it sees any outward visible evidence. Faith depends on the promises and character of God alone. It knows that God will keep his word and that his promises are true.

Faith does not doubt. It does not struggle with wondering if God will keep his end of the deal. It receives and moves on, just as when the Roman Centurion believed Jesus healed his servant and returned home. (Luke 7:10)

  1. Give thanks.

After receiving a gift, grateful people say, “Thank you.” After we ask for and receive the baptism in the Spirit by faith, we should begin to thank and praise God.

Thanksgiving demonstrates faith.

The opposite is either silent passivity or doubtful complaining. Some people refuse to believe before seeing because they are afraid of getting their hopes up, only to be let down. Should we only praise God after he “comes through” for us or when we grasp that he is always faithful to his promises and will surely do what he said? Real faith acts before it ever sees the confirmation or fulfillment of what it believes because it is convinced that God is true.

The kind of praise and worship that gives God the most honor is what comes from people who exalt God’s faithfulness before they ever see the fulfillment of what was promised.

Faith knows and overflows. Only faith filled (faithful) people give thanks. Let’s show our faith by our praise.

  1. Speak in tongues.

Speaking in tongues is a supernatural overflow of the Spirit. Our mouths speak out of the abundance of the Spirit’s filling of our hearts. The sure evidence of the baptism in the Spirit is speaking in tongues. At this point the one wishing to experience this confirming gift should take a step of faith and begin speaking, trusting that the Holy Spirit will give the words.

Who Baptizes Us?

The Bible teaches us that baptizing people in the Holy Spirit is the personal ministry of Jesus. John the Baptist announced this ministry to the world.

As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  Matthew 3:11 (NASB95)

Our Lord often uses the agency of people laying hands on us to accomplish this baptism because Jesus desires for us to share in his ministry. The apostles often laid hands on individuals prior to their receiving this baptism.

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.  Acts 8:14–17 (NASB95)

At other times, the Spirit fell upon people without human agency, such as at Pentecost and when Peter preached to Cornelius.

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered,  Acts 10:44–46 (NASB95)
Prayer to Receive the Baptism in the Spirit

Jesus, I believe you died and rose again to save me and baptize me in the Spirit. You said that if we ask, you will certainly give us this wonderful promise. I ask you right now to baptize me in the Spirit and fill me to overflowing. I receive this promise by faith and give you thanks for your faithfulness to keep your promises. Holy Spirit, fill me up. Help me now to pray in tongues. I will open my mouth to speak with the expectation that you will give me the words. Amen.

Prayer to Minister the Baptism in the Spirit

Jesus, I believe you died and rose again to save us and baptize us in the Spirit. You said that if we ask, you will certainly give us this wonderful promise. I ask you right now to baptize all those present in the Spirit and fill them to overflowing. We receive this promise by faith and give you thanks for your faithfulness to keep your promises. Holy Spirit, fill them up. Help them now to pray in tongues. Let them open their mouths to speak with the expectation that you will give them the words. Amen.

Questions for Further Study and Discussion
  • Do you have any questions?
  • Are you ready to receive?

 

If you want to know more about the baptism and the gifts of the Spirit, consider reading Pastor Pete's comprehensive book, Promise of the Father.
Promise of the Father

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How Do I Speak in Tongues?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Good News

The good news is that speaking in tongues is one of the easiest things we will ever do, once we get beyond some apparent difficulties.

Like everything else we do spiritually, speaking in tongues is done by faith and is a matter of choice.

We are not overpowered by the Holy Spirit and lose control of our voice. Many people fear that this is what may happen to them and close themselves off from the experience. Maybe you have seen or heard stories of people doing “crazy” things under the influence of the Spirit, such as running, doing cartwheels, pew hopping, laughing, and falling to the ground. King David experienced tremendous joy and danced before the Lord and all the people, for which his own wife criticized him. She berated his reducing himself to the status of a “commoner” by his public display of joy in the Lord. His response may become ours if we get beyond the fear of being embarrassed.

Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!...  2 Samuel 6:22 a (NLT) —

Following the Lord and surrendering ourselves to the Spirit invites us to stop caring about the opinions of critics. Our one concern should be what the Lord thinks.

Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. Galatians 1:10 (NLT) —

Much of what we do in church settings is learned behavior. We see others behaving in a certain way that seems “holy” or “spiritual” and imitate it. At other times, we are genuinely impacted by the Holy Spirit to do something unexpected or unplanned. Regardless, the important point is that in every situation we all have control over our actions, except in those rare cases when the Spirit of God truly overwhelms us.

Remember that people who prophesy [or speak in tongues] are in control of their spirit and can take turns. 33  For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people. 1 Corinthians 14:32-33 (NLT) 

God wants us to surrender ourselves to the Spirit and let go of any fears we have of losing control or doing something evil. He wants us to have childlike faith that expects God to bless us with good things when we yield ourselves to him.

“Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 “Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? 13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”  Luke 11:11–13 (NASB95) —
The Bad News

The “bad” news is that speaking in tongues requires us to operate in a realm with which many of us are unfamiliar, that of the Spirit. In this we must depend on the Holy Spirit to give us the ability to speak in tongues while choosing not to use our natural minds to govern our speaking. To the uninitiated, speaking in tongues seems foreign until we experience it. Then it becomes a most (super) natural thing to do.

If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. 1 Corinthians 14:14 (NET1)

It may seem foolish to say what sounds like gibberish because it does not come from reasoned thinking or from our own logical language rules. Instead, we speak words that simply “come” to us as the Spirit gives them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Acts 2:4 (NASB)

Speaking words from the Spirit which are incomprehensible to us seems foolish to those who rely mainly on the human mind to navigate life. But to those who have learned or are learning to lean on the Spirit more and more, it is most natural and fulfilling. Interestingly, although the mind does not form the words, it is active in other ways. When I am praying or speaking in tongues, my mind is often filled with thoughts from God. Often I receive important revelations from Scripture or whole teachings in a flash. At other times, God reveals things to me through visions or prophetic insight. Speaking in tongues does not make our minds go blank. Instead, it frees our minds to receive from the Spirit as our mouths speak unimpeded by logical constraint.

Even though we make the choice to speak in tongues, the Spirit gives us the words and the ability.

This participation with the Spirit of God is supposed to be how we live all the time, but, unfortunately, many of us have never learned the art of “walking” in step with the Spirit in practical ways. Speaking in tongues is a great place for us to begin. It requires us to lean on God instead of our own understanding.

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) 

Speaking in tongues requires us to make a breakthrough into relying on the Spirit instead of our own minds.

This is the essence of what it means to repent. Adam and Eve opted to rely on their own thinking instead of simply believing and trusting God.

As God transforms us to be more and more like Jesus, he expects us to learn to operate as Jesus did in the realm of the Spirit.

Speaking in Tongues Is as Easy as Walking on Water

Okay, maybe you were just beginning to think, “I’ve got this,” but now you are thinking, “Why on earth are you comparing speaking in tongues to something impossible? Are you trying to discourage me completely?” Quite the opposite.

Walking on water requires divine enabling just as does speaking in tongues.

Most of us know the story of when Peter walked on water. Imagine having Peter’s audacity!

Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29  And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:28-29 (NASB)

Walking on water would not be difficult, if the Lord enabled us. All Peter had to do was to get out of the boat and take some steps. God did the hard part by supporting his weight with his divine power. Peter did not have to keep himself above water. All he had to do was exercise his faith and take some steps.

It took great faith for Peter to believe in the unseen power of God to do something unnatural and strange, which is a lot like speaking in tongues.

Peter did not walk on water by passively sitting in the boat waiting for Jesus to overcome his doubts and make his uncooperative legs and feet start walking. Peter had to make a choice to get out of the safety of the boat and launch out upon the water.

We must make the choice to leave behind the comfortable place of speaking in our known language and launch ourselves into speaking from the Spirit without even knowing what we are going to say ahead of time.

The Holy Spirit does not commandeer our tongues to make us speak. We cannot passively speak in tongues, but if we choose to “get out of the boat,” so to speak, God will do the rest. He will give us the words, just as he supported Peter’s act of faith.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:4 (ESV)

They began to speak, but the Holy Spirit gave the words.

The words will come as we make the choice to speak. It’s always a matter of choice, a matter of our will.

What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 1 Corinthians 14:15 (ESV)

Paul made the choice to speak and sing in tongues. Whenever I speak in tongues, it is always according to my own volition, and the Holy Spirit always supplies the words. I know he will do it; so, I have faith to begin to speak.

Speaking in tongues boils down to making a choice and taking action based on faith.

If we do not have faith, we will not make the choice. If we do have the faith, speaking in tongues is simple because God does the hard part. He gives the words.

Speaking in Tongues Is Always Okay for Us to Do

Many people object to the idea that we can speak in tongues whenever we want, thinking that it requires a special “anointing” of the Spirit every time. It is true that the Spirit distributes the gifts according to his will. (Hebrews 2:4) I cannot heal people whenever I might choose without any reliance on the prompting of the Spirit. Yet, I usually choose to pray for people to be healed any time I am asked, knowing that the power to answer that prayer lies outside of my simply willing it to happen. My role is to pray to Jesus the healer. At other times I may feel “led” by the Spirit to pray for someone. The same is true for me regarding the gift of prophecy. I cannot simply decide that today I am going to prophecy twelve times. Instead, I listen to the Spirit and prophesy when and if he directs me. (Hopefully I am listening!) There have been times when I was able prophesy over everyone for whom I prayed. At other times, for whatever reason, I had nothing. Speaking in tongues is different, however.

Speaking in tongues can be broken into two categories: the Spirit-prompted gift of tongues, which is spoken aloud in a meeting and requires an interpretation, and the often very personal devotional prayer language, which is completely under our jurisdiction.

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, Ephesians 6:18 (NASB)

The phrase “pray in the Spirit” refers to praying in tongues. I get this by comparing the same phrase in First Corinthians.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15  What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 (NASB)

Praying with the Spirit is contrasted to praying in a known language. Since we are commanded to pray “always” in the Spirit, it is a standing command from God. We can and should do it whenever we like and as often as we like. In fact, we should do it more and more, just as Paul did.

I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; 19  however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue. 1 Corinthians 14:18-19 (NASB)

Speaking in tongues aloud in a church gathering should be specifically directed by the Spirit and followed by an interpretation, but praying in the Spirit, quietly as appropriate, is always encouraged.

But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately. 1 Corinthians 14:28 (NLT)

God told us to pray in tongues “always,” whenever we like. So, it’s always okay to do so, if we do it properly without disrupting God’s order in a meeting.

I compare speaking in tongues to turning on the faucet. Water always comes out because the line is under pressure. The Holy Spirit is always “on” inside us, waiting for us to turn on the tap by choosing to open our mouths.

Conclusion

I hope by now every one of your misgivings or objections has been answered. Perhaps now you wish to receive the baptism in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. The next lesson will give you simple steps to receive. When you get to step four, speaking in tongues, you will have a choice to make. You can simply wait on God to give you the words, which may come to you immediately or over time. I know of cases when people did not get their prayer language immediately, but later it came unexpectedly. The second option is the one I recommend. After asking Jesus to baptize you in the Spirit, be like Peter. Get out of the boat. Open your mouth and start speaking whatever words the Spirit gives you.

I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. Psalm 81:10 (ESV)

But what if, despite everything, you simply don’t have any words from the Spirit? Are we to conclude that this amazing gift is not for us? After all, according to Paul, all do not speak in tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:30) But what do we do with another of Paul’s verses where he says the following?

Now I want you all to speak in tongues... 1 Corinthians 14:5a (ESV)

It is true that all do not speak in tongues, but God wants us all to do so.

Likewise, all may prophesy one by one, according to 1 Corinthians 14:31, but all do not because many do not care if they do or do not. This is a violation of Paul’s exhortation to all of us.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:39–40 (NLT) —

I encourage you to keep at it until you break through every barrier of unbelief and fear. You will never regret it. Remember: your mind is not going to help you. Simply let the words flow out of your spirit, where you are joined to God’s Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:17) Let the river flow! Once you begin, you will never want to stop. It is a fabulous gift from God.

"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" 39  But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:38-39 (NASB)

 

Questions for Further Study and Discussion

  • Does the comparison of walking on water to speaking in tongues make sense?
  • Can you believe that God will give you the words if you begin to speak in an unknown language?

 

 

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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What’s So Great about Speaking in Tongues?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since speaking in tongues is the most common evidence of the baptism in the Spirit and because Paul wrote that he wanted everyone to speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:5, where the verb is present-active-indicative and is most naturally translated “want” instead of “wish” – another example of translator’s bias in my opinion), the question arises, “What’s so great about speaking in tongues?”

First of all, exactly what is speaking in tongues? Paul wrote to the church in Corinth to inform them about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He began by telling them that there is no benefit from being ignorant or misinformed.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware [ignorant]. 1 Corinthians 12:1 (NASB)

The devil loves ignorance because it gives him a vacuum to fill with his lies to block people from receiving God’s blessings

Fear and misinformation are two of our greatest enemies.

Critics of the gifts of the Spirit usually cite examples of their misuse. Abuse of spiritual gifts is certainly problematic, but it is not as bad as having a critical and judgmental spirit. It is fairly easy to see what is wrong with people, but love enables us to see beyond our failures and foibles so that our potential can be released.

We would never eliminate automobiles because a few people misuse them, sometimes causing great harm. Neither should we shut down spiritual gifts to prevent their possible misuse.

Solomon, in his wisdom, taught that wherever you have work being accomplished, there will be a certain level of messiness.

Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.  Proverbs 14:4 (NLT) —

Graveyards are neat, orderly, and very quiet. Churches are not meant to be. When we assemble, God wants his Spirit to have sway over the congregation. He allows us all to participate.

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 (NASB95) — 

For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted;  1 Corinthians 14:31 (NASB95) — 

Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. 40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.  1 Corinthians 14:39–40 (NASB95) —

Doing church this way is asking for a certain level of messiness, as people step out in faith to try to follow the Spirit’s leadership. There is a learning curve in becoming adept at using spiritual gifts. If we are not allowed to try, fail, try again, and succeed, we may never grow.

People usually fear the unknown. Most people know very little about the gifts of the Spirit in general and even less about speaking in tongues. That is a primary reason why some people fear, berate, or ignore God’s gift. When Jesus cast the “legion” of demons out of the previously oppressed man, the locals were so scared of the power and authority over demons that Jesus demonstrated, rather than inviting him into their city to set more people free, they asked him to leave. When it comes to the gifts of the Spirit, out of fear and ignorance many people choose to have nothing to do with them, thereby cutting themselves off from a blessing.

There are many benefits that come from speaking in tongues. Paul mentions them in his First Letter to the Corinthians, a church that was notorious for its extraordinary use and misuse of gifts. Those saints were sometimes out of order and immature in how they operated in them, which Paul corrected, but he never discouraged them from using the gifts.

Paul knew that the tremendous benefits coming from spiritual gifts outweigh the potential hazards.

Speaking in tongues has been denigrated by some as the least of the gifts, which is often used as an excuse to ignore and even disparage it. That is most unwise.

How can any gift from God be thought to be less than wonderful and essential?

Jesus died to provide us with God’s grace gifts. We dare not devalue his death and resurrection by spurning what he offers to us in love. We dare not relegate speaking in tongues to any status less than extraordinary, wonderful, and much to be desired. Here are some of the most important benefits.

Undoing Babel

Unity is required for any group to cohere and function properly. Without it, things unravel. With it, nothing is impossible. God commands a blessing when there is godly unity among his children. (Psalm 133:1-3)

There is such a thing as ungodly unity, too. In Genesis 11, sinful rebellious people determined to make a great name for themselves at Babel instead of glorifying and worshiping their Creator God.

Recognizing the seriousness of this threat to his benevolent intention for mankind, the Lord confused their languages, which disrupted their unity and stopped their work, which resulted in people scattering throughout the earth into separate language groups. (Genesis 11:6-8)

Since then, that part of humanity that resists God’s authority and rule continues its quest to unify and make itself great apart from God, which is what drives the push toward globalism. In the Last Days, Scripture indicates that God will allow a final unified effort to throw off God’s rule and authority under the leadership of a lawless person called the antichrist who will delude the world through lying signs and wonders into worshiping him and the devil. This spirit has been in the world for a long time providing numerous expressions of the antichrist spirit in tyrannical murderous leaders, but it seems that God will allow one last great example, whom Jesus will destroy. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12)

This satanically unified world government will be sinful mankind’s last stand against the kingdom of God and will precede the Second Coming of the true Ruler and Unifier, Jesus the Messiah King.

At Babel, God temporarily thwarted man’s sinful self-glorifying unification efforts, but through Christ he is building his own unified kingdom which will crush Satan. (Daniel 7:14)

On the first New Covenant Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave Christ’s disciples a new heavenly language that all those present understood, even though they were from many different nations and language groups.

Speaking in tongues reversed what happened at Babel. The Gospel was understood that day by way of a supernatural gift of language that brought unity out of discord, confusion, and rebellion and people into the kingdom of God.

Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6  And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. 7  They were amazed and astonished, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8  "And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Acts 2:5-8 (NASB) 

Every time a Spirit-filled believer speaks in tongues, the confusion of Babel is once again undone. God uses speaking in tongues to unify and empower those who are devoted to him and his kingdom. Speaking in tongues is so important that the devil has resisted its being received and practiced for centuries. That alerts us to the importance of the gift.

A Language from the Holy Spirit

Although every spiritual gift surpasses our intellectual comprehension, speaking in tongues uniquely does.

No one knows exactly how a person is healed by faith or how miracles happen. We simply believe and receive, while the Spirit does the “heavy lifting.” When it comes to speaking in tongues, Paul tells us that the mind is “unfruitful,” that is, it does not run the show at all.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 1 Corinthians 14:14 (NASB)

Brain scans of people praying in tongues show that their frontal lobes associated with speech go quiet. Instead, other areas of the brain are activated which seem to receive understanding and revelation from God more easily. (https://www.clintbyars.com/blog/2020/8/3/tongues-rewires-your-brain)

If we have an inherent fear of being “out of control,” we may throw up a roadblock here. We may fear that we will do something “crazy” or evil, if our minds take a back seat. This is a misunderstanding, however. We do not “blank out” or lose control in any way when we speak in tongues. When we cede control of our speech to the Holy Spirit, we can take it back whenever we wish.

This is the only gift that is firmly under the control of our will in the sense that we are free to activate and deactivate its use any time we wish.

…I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.  1 Corinthians 14:15 (NASB95) —

If we compared speaking in tongues to dancing, we would say the Spirit is leading and we are following.

Anyone looking at a dancing couple sees unity of action. The leader and follower are both making choices and acting as independent beings, but the follower is not trying to run the show. That is how it is with the gifts of the Spirit with a unique difference being that the Spirit is unseen. We dance with an invisible partner.

In the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve decided to rely on their own understanding rather than trust in God. Except for those who are born again, this has been the case with mankind ever since and is called sin. Even God’s children struggle with surrender to God in some areas. Learning to walk in step with the Holy Spirit is a large part of our spiritual journey of discipleship. (Galatians 5:25)

The gifts of the Spirit are an invitation for us to relinquish our demand to be in control and completely understand everything.

We learn to trust God to be in charge. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NASB)

If our minds are only comfortable running things, we may never be able to accept some of the things of God, least of all the gift of tongues.

Speaking in tongues comes directly from the spirit, bypassing the human mind, which is the perfect antidote for our sinful spiritual pride and independence problem.

The Bible teaches us that those who speak in tongues speak in a real language, just not one they understand.

For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. 1 Corinthians 14:2 (NASB)

However, the Spirit of God understands perfectly.

Praying in the Spirit is not gibberish. Rather, God gives us words that come directly from him with no issues of impure motivation or poor understanding of his will.

 Speaking in tongues builds us up spiritually.

We can only give away what we have received. If we are not built up and strong in God’s grace, we will have nothing positive to give away to others.

We minister out of the overflow of God’s grace in our own lives. Speaking in tongues allows us to recharge our spiritual batteries, so to speak.

One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. 1 Corinthians 14:4 (NASB)

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21  keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. Jude 1:20-21 (NASB)

According to this verse, speaking in tongues builds our faith and keeps us in God’s love. It helps us abide in Christ.

Speaking in tongues helps us to praise God effectively.

When we speak in tongues, we can be sure that we only speak words that glorify God and edify us.

We also know that these words are effective in praising God. Rather than fear that we may say something wrong in tongues, we should trust God as little children and believe what the Scriptures say.

What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. 16  Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17  For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. 1 Corinthians 14:15-17 (NASB)

The main point I want to make here is that, when we speak in tongues, we give thanks well.

The gift of tongues exercised during a church meeting is not the same as the private prayer language we are instructed to put into use each day. During church meetings, we are to speak in ways to build others up. When we are alone, we can and should pray in tongues to build ourselves up and praise God effectively.

I like to pray in tongues more than in English. I often start in tongues and alternate back and forth. When I was a new believer, I would sometimes feel constrained or limited in my praise to God. It was as if there was a “lid” on my praise. I wanted to express more, but English did not suffice. But when I was baptized in the Spirit and received the personal prayer language of tongues, I never again felt this limitation.

We can pray and sing in the Spirit to God, perfectly expressing worship to the Lord in words that come directly from him.

When we pray in tongues, we pray according to God’s will.

The Bible tells us that when we pray in alignment with God’s will, he hears our prayers and answers them.

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 John 5:14-15 (NASB)  

When we are asked to pray for people or situations, we often do not know what God’s specific will is. This is when praying in tongues is extremely useful.

When we pray in the Spirit, we can be sure that we pray exactly in agreement with God’s will, since the words come directly from the Spirit.

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27  and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27 (NASB)

I have seen the Lord do some amazing things when praying for people in tongues, including physical and emotional healing and deliverance from demonic oppression. What an amazingly important gift! We cannot properly estimate the value of being able to pray in alignment with God’s will.

Praying in tongues teaches us to trust God.

Since praying in the Spirit does not engage the human intellect, it is counterintuitive to those who have trained themselves to depend mainly on the mind. Faith resides in the heart, in the spirit, and not in the intellect. Obeying God by faith requires us to go beyond the limitations of our intellection and comprehension.

Our minds are wonderful, but they were never meant to replace dependence upon God’s Spirit.

Our minds really cannot keep up with the Spirit or fully comprehend faith, but we can choose to come into alignment. Adam and Eve made the choice to jettison God and his wisdom to gain control over their own decisions and know the difference between good and evil for themselves.

Faith requires us to take our human understanding off the throne and put God back where he belongs.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5 (NASB95) —

Praying in tongues is an exercise in trusting God. It teaches us to rely on the Spirit, listen to his voice, and operate by faith instead of by “sight.”

Praying in tongues opens the door to the other gifts of the Spirit and evangelism.

Speaking in tongues could be called a “gateway” gift because it assists us to learn the ways of the Spirit.

When we take the plunge into allowing the Spirit to speak through us by faith, it opens our hearts to letting the Spirit move in and through us in other ways, too.

I find that when I pray in tongues, God often gives me “words of knowledge,” visions, prophecies, and other insights into how to minister to people. I liken this to tuning into God’s communication frequency, as we formerly did with analog radios. When we turned the tuning dial, the station became clearer as we approached its exact frequency.

When we pray in tongues, we open ourselves to God in the Spirit and can hear him more clearly.

All the gifts are essential if we are going to fish for people the way Jesus did. As we read through the gospels and watch how Jesus interacted with people, we see that most of the time he operated in the gifts of the Spirit. The Spirit was “upon” him to preach, heal, deliver, and whatever else he saw the Father doing. (Luke 4:18)

The Spirit will also be upon us to equip and empower us to minister to people.

Speaking in tongues helps us to transition from being intellectually driven people to being Spirit-led followers of Christ and fishers of men.

 

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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