God supplies all our needs:

Philippians 4:19

19     And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

     

            Once more … God will provide for each and every one your needs, not just a small number of them. It’s also according to His treasures in Heaven. Are you getting the picture yet? It’s not His wish that you suffer in life. He wants you to have an abundance. The Old Testament talks about it too. He wanted the Jews to have the power to get wealth so that He might establish His covenant in all the earth. How much more today! He wants us to have a great quantity so that the people of the world will want to come to Him. We are to show forth His glory in the earth that He might establish His New Covenant in all the earth.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Have you any need? Do you think that I am not interested in your concerns? Do you think that I was not aware ahead of time that you would have those needs? I have provided in advance to meet those needs. You have only to locate and use the key for those provisions to be made available to you. Ask of Me, and I will tell you what you need to do or say in order to obtain My blessings. My blessings are not little. They are abundant in My Son. He did not die to barely meet your needs, but to abundantly supply them.”

            74. God will supply all my needs, not just some. How much - according to His riches in glory. That’s than I can conceive of. It’s not based on my merits. It’s through Jesus. He knows exactly what and how much I need. There’s no need to worry that He will run out.

Abundance for every good deed:                     

2 Corinthians 9:8

8     And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;

     

            God makes His grace abound to us. That way we have more than a sufficient amount for everything. Yes, it is to meet our requests, but more than that. It is so that we too can have plenty for every good deed that we would wish to do. Abundance from Him … abundance to others. That’s God’s plan. We’re not to be like the Dead Sea … water flowing in, but not flowing out. As we are blessed, we are to bless others of His Kingdom.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I have abundant grace stored up for you. All you need to do is to appropriate it. I am not trying to hide My blessings from you so that you cannot see them. I have made them available for you eternally. There is nothing that I would withhold from you. Whatever good thing that you would desire to do, I will provide all My grace that is necessary. You will not come up short in anything that you want to do for My name’s sake.”

            73. God makes all His grace abounding grace, not “ just enough so that I can barely make it ...a supply of grace that is enough to take care of all my needs and then some. Why? So that I may have an abundance to complete all the good deeds that I wish.

Abounding in riches:

Romans 10:12-13

12     For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;

     13     for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

     

            Not just enough to meet my needs … He is abounding in riches for all who call upon Him. He is no respecter of persons. He doesn’t bless just some extraordinary group of super saints. His blessings are for every one of His children. These blessings are not just for salvation, either, as verse 13 talks about, but for every facet of our lives. But you must call on Him. He’s not going to supply you abundantly unless you do. It is His will to meet your every need lavishly.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I have many things for you, My children. There is nothing that I have that is not available to you. It is not just barely enough to exist. It is an abundance. My riches are stored up for you when you store up your treasures in Heaven. I don’t have just a little for you. I do not know how to give just a little. I only know how to give abundantly. The little comes when you do not ask or you ask in the wrong way. I only want the best for you. You cannot out do Me. But you must call on Me to be your provider … not just in an emergency, but even when things are looking good, you need to call on Me and trust in Me to make ample provision for you in your daily life.”

            72. When I am in need, all I need to do is call upon Him. He is abounding in riches for me … not just enough to get by on and not always just for someone else. He is abounding in riches … for me! 

All that the Father has is ours:

Luke 15:31

31     “And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.

     

            Look what the Prodigal son got … a ring on his finger, best robe, and fatted calf. How much more will the Father give those who have never failed to obey His commands! He told the older brother that all He had was his. Even if you’re a Prodigal, you get the best. Wow! You can’t lose. The Father has the finest for you. Don’t lament what you don’t have. Ask. The older brother never did. You have not because you do not ask.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I have many things in My Kingdom and all of them are good. All of them are available to you, if you choose to believe in My Word and to partake of them. If you will only believe, all that I have is yours. Follow Me and My words and I will bless you abundantly. Trust in Me to do it for you; for I truly love you.”

            71. All that the Father has is mine! That means I am lacking nothing. There is nothing that I could ever possibly need that He can’t fulfill for me because all belongs to Him.

Came to give us an abundant life:

John 10:10

10     “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

     

            This verse tells us who the one that does us evil is. It is not God! He is not a thief. He wants us to have an abundant life … not a just-barely-get-along life. That is why Jesus came. It wasn’t just to bring us into eternal life and then desert us to take care of ourselves. He came to give us a spilling over abundant life. Some people think God puts sickness on them to teach them something. While you can learn something during an illness and can learn to trust Him more, He didn’t put it on you. If you are willing and obedient, He said you would eat the good of the land. Perhaps you haven’t been willing or obedient. If so, then repent, ask His forgiveness, and get on with His abundant life. He teaches us by His Spirit through His Word. He doesn’t need to use sickness or calamity to teach us if we’re willing to follow His guidelines.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My Son did not come just so you could barely get along. He came that you might have an abundant, victorious life. He came to bless you so that you could accomplish many things for Me. The enemy wants you defeated and to feel worthless. He knows that if you do, you won’t be able to accomplish much for My Kingdom. Also, people will not want to belong to My Kingdom if they see there is little or no benefit from belonging. You are to lead the way to My life by example. When people see how well I have blessed you, they will want to become a part of My Kingdom. Anything that brings you down or makes you feel unwanted or unloved is not from Me. I have loved you with an everlasting love. Love does not desire harm to come to its loved ones. It desires only good. That is what I want for you.”

            70. Jesus didn’t come so that I could live on barely-get-along-street. He came that I might have an abundant life. This is an overflowing, never-ending, able to give to others kind of life. This is the kind of life I will experience.

By His wounds (stripes), we were healed:

1 Peter 2:24

24     and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

    

            What a brilliant plan, the cross! Not only do we gain eternal life, but also we can walk in the righteousness of God in this life and experience healing for our bodies as well. Now some people say this verse is only talking about salvation. Well, I won’t argue with them. However, when one is born again, we don’t say his spirit was healed. We talk about him being an entirely new creation, not just getting fixed up. Why not take all Jesus bought for us? Notice it says that we were – past tense – healed, not going to be. It was over and done with at the cross. We just need to learn how to experience this healing in our lives in the here and now.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Yes, I do want you to walk in My righteousness, and My Son did pay the price for that. He also paid the price for your physical healing. When you are in pain or sickness, it is harder for you to walk in My righteousness. You can do more for Me and through Me when you are in good health. You will live longer and be able to do more for Me and My Kingdom. Do not turn your back on what My Son purchased for you at great price. Do not let anyone talk you out of it. It is yours for the asking.”

            69. By the stripes of Jesus Christ, not only am I dead to sin and alive to righteousness, but also every one of my sicknesses, hurts, and pains have been healed. Through all that He suffered, I gained benefit in my life. I do not have to live with my illnesses. The healing was bought and paid for at Calvary.

Healing:

            Took our infirmities and diseases:

Matthew 8:17

17     This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.”

            Jesus took our infirmities so that we don’t have to bear them. He also carried away our diseases. Remember … He never does a half-way job. He took them all … every one of them so that we could have healing in our lifetimes. We don’t have to earn the healing. We do have to ask in faith believing, but it is for all of us. It’s not just for the super-spiritual, or those with great faith. Of course, most of us don’t walk in this blessing here on earth. Let’s not get all in a tizzy about why we don’t. Let’s continue to believe He will do what He says. It is His will to heal us. We just need to make the right connection. Persist in His word and in prayer. He will lead you into what you need to do to appropriate this superb gift.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Do you think that I only care about your spiritual well-being? No, I also care about you physically. I want you to walk in My divine health. For when you do, you honor Me and show forth what I desire for My people. You will also feel like doing more things when you are not weighed down by diseases and infirmities. You will have more money to put into the lives of other believers and yourself. You will not feel like you are being weighed down by afflictions and cares of your own and of your family. You will walk in My divine health. My Son paid the price for your healing, so take advantage of it. It wasn’t just for those that He ministered to, but also for those of My children today who have a physical need.”

            68. Every one of my infirmities or diseases, present or future, was taken upon Himself by Jesus. I don’t have to worry that there is something that’s not covered under His medical plan!

Made us alive together with Christ:

Ephesians 2:5

5     even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

     

Colossians 2:13-14

13     When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

     14     having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

     

            Before Jesus came into our lives, we were dead in our sins. We had no hope for the present or the future. But when we did ask Him to come in, we began experiencing the life He provided for us two thousand years before. We didn’t have to earn anything. There was a certificate of debt against us … an impossible IOU. Only Jesus was able to not violate any of the commands of God. When He was nailed to the tree, the certificate of debt was also nailed with Him. Like the song says, “I owed a debt I could not pay … He paid a debt He did not owe.” Hallelujah! The IOU has been paid.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Once you were dead. You were dead in your sins and were slaves of the devil. But now you are victorious in Christ Jesus. When you believed in Him, you were made alive to Me. You were dead to all My ways, but now you are alive forevermore. You cannot walk in unbelief and expect to be victorious, but you shall reign in life as you trust Me to do in you what I said I would do. There is nothing that you have done in the past that can be held against you once you are Mine. You cannot be accused by the enemy of those things that you once delighted in. But now, you are free from those things and are victorious in Me.”

            67. Even before I knew Christ, He made me alive in Him. I didn’t have to do anything to earn it. He forgave all my transgressions and canceled out the certificate of debt that I owed and could never pay.

Dead or Alive:

            Rendered powerless him who had the power of death:                    

Hebrews 2:14-15

14     Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

     15     and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

     

            Before Jesus came, man had no assurance in what the future held after death. What would it be like? Would it be oblivion? Or would it be some fantastic, but very much worldly place? With no certainty about what was to come, man was filled with fear about the hereafter … that is, if there was one. Jesus went through the same possibility for fear. He shared in our flesh. He had the potential of dying at any time. He had to have faith in His Father that no matter what it seemed like, His Father was going to be there to “catch” Him. He had to believe that the Father would raise Him from the dead. We should have the same confidence. We should believe that one day the Father will raise us from the dead also. Hallelujah!

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You have heard Me say it before that you are over-comers. You have no need to fear the devil. He cannot do you any harm as you walk in My Word. I will show you how to be victorious in all areas of your life. You cannot fail. You will be victorious over him. He once dominated you, but now he has been rendered powerless. He is a toothless lion, but only if you trust in Me. He devours those that let him; but you do not have anything to fear of him for you shall be victorious over him in all things.”

            66. The devil has been rendered powerless and has no power over me. Therefore, I have been set free and have nothing to fear from him or death.

            

Answered Prayer:

            Ask according to His will:

John 16:23-24

23     “In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.

     24     “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

     

1 John 5:14-15

14     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.

  

            These two Scriptures together are breathtaking! If we ask in Jesus’ name for anything that is according to the Father’s will, it’s ours! You can take it to the bank. Of course, we must determine what His will is. The best way to do that is to continually read and reflect upon His Word. You can’t know His will without knowing His Word. Then we have the legal authority to speak on His behalf in any situation … for ourselves and for others. It is like a legal document that gives us the power of attorney to act in His name. When we abide by the document, we just speak the Word, and it is ours. This, of course, is not a license to get just any old thing that we want no matter whether it’s good for us or not with disregard of its effect on others. It’s according to His will, which is always good, acceptable, and perfect.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children, I would not tell you to ask Me for something if I were not going to give it to you. As you stay in My Word and in My Spirit, you will not ask Me anything amiss. You can be sure that I will hear you, and that I will answer your prayers. I will do what I said I would do for you. Ask Me! I want to supply your every need so that you may live victoriously. You will be a shining light unto Me that will draw others to Me. When you realize the power that is in your prayers, you will not hesitate to ask miracles of Me with confidence. For I will do for you whatever it takes to make you succeed in the midst of a perverse generation.”

            65. As I read His Word daily, I will come to know what His will is for my life. I can then ask in Jesus’ name for anything according to His will. I can then be certain that I will receive whatever I have asked for.

Greater is He who is in us:

1 John 4:4

4     You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

     

            Have overcome them … not - maybe will overcome them. This is actually the Greek perfect tense. It means that it happened in the past, and has effects in the present of the one saying or writing the word. When Jesus died on the cross, that is when we overcame. His action two thousand years ago, affects my life today. Because He who is living inside is greater than all, then we can always overcome whatever comes against us. We overcome, because He overcame. Surely it was perfect!

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You have heard Me that you are over-comers. My Son, who won the victory at the cross, is inside you. He cannot fail. He will always be victorious. He it is who is inside you and will be victorious in you if you will only believe. He will take you over the top because He knows how to be victorious. You shall reign in life when you allow Him to have His way. He always reigns victoriously and will bring about victory in your life as you let Him.”

            64. Because He is in me, I have overcome all those against me. That’s because He who is in me is greater than anyone who is in the world. I am an overcomer!

Results in Your Life

  

            Having a relationship with the Father and the Son as your destiny is a glorious thing. But what about our every day life? Is there a destiny to how all that we’ve seen up until this time shapes our lives? What can we confidently anticipate happening as a consequence of our being Christians? How will our lives be altered or shaped as a matter of course?

Overcoming:

            Overcomes the world:

1 John 5:4-5

4     For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

     5     Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

     

            Are you born of God? Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God? Then you overcome the world! The world and its system are very powerful in the lives of people. They work insidiously (the last three letters give you a clue as to what that word means) to affect everyone on earth. “You deserve it … now! It doesn’t matter what it takes, or whom it hurts. Only you matter.” The great I. That’s what did in Satan. He wanted to be like the Most High. He wanted to rule the Universe. While man knows he can’t rule the Universe, he tries to rule his own little universe around himself. Sure, we get tired of everyone telling us what to do. But we can’t stoop to trying to run things ourselves with disregard for how it affects others. Through our faith in Jesus and what He accomplished for us, we can rise above the world’s ways. We can overcome the world.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children … you have been told by the devil that you are nothing, and you have believed him. Know this – that you have been chosen by Me, not to be run over by him at his will, but to be overcomers in all areas of your life. You are the head and not the tail; you are above and not beneath. You are the ones to achieve all that I have planned for you, and you cannot do that without being overcomers. You shall not fail as long as you trust Me to provide all that you need. You shall achieve great exploits in Me. You shall be the victorious ones. You shall not fail because I cannot fail.”

            63. I have been born of God. Therefore, I overcome the world through my faith. I am no longer a loser, but a winner. I shall have victory because I have believed that Jesus is the Son of God.

       So we see the importance of the Word in bringing about our destiny. We need it for direction and to provide the Spirit with material to work with. We don’t always have a “word from Heaven” to direct us. We need the written Word to help us to go on the right path. Even when we do get a “divine direction”, we should make sure it agrees with the Word. God will never disagree with Himself. His word spoken to you through someone else or through your spirit will always agree with His written Word. If not, watch out.

Builds you up and gives you the inheritance:

Acts 20:32

32     “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

     

            This is what His Word can do for us. It can build us up daily. Of course, it can do nothing if we don’t read and ponder it. We have to permit God to put it into action in our lives. This verse also says that it gives us our inheritance … not the “in the sky, when we die” inheritance, but the “on the earth, while we live” inheritance. Our inheritance begins now, but only as we allow His living Word to work in our lives.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My Word is for your edification. It will build you up, not tear you down. It has life in it to perform My will. It only brings beneficial things to your life. It never brings you down, only up. If you will obey My Word, you will see new life in you. It will never cease to grow in you and to bring you into your inheritance. You can trust it because you can trust Me. I will never do anything harmful to you, and it will never do anything harmful to you. It will only bring about blessing, never a curse.”

            62. His Word builds me up every day, as I read and obey it. I can then experience my inheritance in this life.

Word is living:

Hebrews 4:12

12     For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

     

            Here is a different reference to God’s Word being alive. Not only is it alive, but it is also full of life. It’s not just surviving. It’s doing something. It’s examining what’s proceeding out of our hearts. Is it something from our spirits, or is it from our souls? It’s impossible for us to tell on our own. We need this living Word to enable us to distinguish which it comes from. Back then when this was written, it would have been nearly impossible to tell where the bone left off, and the marrow began. That’s the way we are without the Word to “slice” those thoughts into their core pieces, so that we can know from where they come … our souls or our spirits. If we don’t continue to read and meditate upon His Word, we won’t have any ammunition for the Spirit of God to use to reveal to us the origination of the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Do not think that My Word is an inanimate object. It came from Me. I breathed on it, and it came into existence. It has My life in it, and it will accomplish what I intend for it to do. It will work in your life to show you the right way to go. It works inside you to bring about My will in your life. It will show you which of your thoughts are My thoughts, and which are those of the flesh. You can trust My Word to do what I have intended it to do. It will dwell deeply inside of you to bring about My will in your life. It is able to distinguish between what My Spirit tells you and what your soul tells you. It will never fail because I never fail. When I say something, it always comes to pass.”

            61. As I read God’s Word and allow Him to have His way in my life, that living Word can discern what is from my spirit, and that which is from my soul. I can rest assured that which is from my spirit is from God and is the best thing for me to do. 

The Word of God

  

            At this time we’ll look at the Word of God. Jesus was called the Word in the Gospel of John. Here, though, we’re considering the written Word. Of course, we mean the Bible. It is the Bible that gives substance for the Holy Spirit to work on in our lives. He uses it to bring us into conformity with Jesus. Someone once said that without the Spirit you’ll dry up, and without the Word you’ll blow up. You need both working in your life. If you only study the Word absent the Spirit, you won’t have anything to help put force behind the Word. It will be relatively useless. And if you only go after the things of the Spirit without the Word to bring stability, you can get off into error or at the very least not have any productivity in becoming like the Son.

            Imperishable seed:

1 Peter 1:23

23     for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

     

James 1:21

21     Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

     

            When we were born of the Spirit of God, it came about as the result of our hearing the living Word of God concerning our need for salvation. When we responded favorably to that seed (Word) which we heard, we were born again. This seed is not like any other seeds which we may have planted in the ground. Those seeds could perish under many different conditions. The seed by which we were born from above will never perish. This means that its “fruit” that grows is also imperishable. This Word produces a “fruit” astonishing … the salvation of our souls. This salvation is not just a one shot get to Heaven salvation. It includes a lifetime work in our soul area to bring us closer to the image of Jesus Christ. In order for this imperishable, living Word to bring us closest to that image, we need to “help” it by putting aside all filthiness and what remains of wickedness from before our coming to Him. This prepares the “ground” of our heart for the seed to grow to its fullest.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "What I have given you is so precious. It is My life through My Word. My Word will never fail. It is imperishable. All else may fade away, but My Word will never fade away. It will always come to pass in due season. You can count on My Word to do in you what I said it would do. It will never fail. You can accept it or reject it, but it will do the work that I have chosen for it to do as you allow it to do in your life. Count it as precious, for it is so. Hold it fast, for it will never let you down.”

            60. I have been born again of an imperishable seed … the living Word of God. It began its work at rebirth and continually works to make my soul into what God has planned for me.          

How can anyone attempt to live as God intended without relying on the Holy Spirit? He is involved in everything we do for God. God knew we needed Him. That’s why Jesus rose from the dead so that we might walk in newness of life through His Spirit. If He had just died for our sins, we would have had forgiveness; but without Him rising from the dead and giving us the Holy Spirit, we couldn’t begin to become what God intended. We were destined to have the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Receive power:

Acts 1:8

8     but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

            The Holy Spirit didn’t come upon us just to give us goose bumps. He came to empower us to be witnesses for Jesus wherever we may go in the world. It was a statement of fact … we shall be witnesses. We shall go into the world, and we shall be witnesses for Him. We are no longer powerless wimps. We have the power that created the universe living inside of us. Just imagine what we can do to bring people to Jesus!

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I did not choose you to be weak and ineffective. I chose you to be powerful in Me. When My Spirit comes upon you, you should walk forth in My power. You should no longer be afraid of what man can do to you for you have all My power residing within you. I gave you this power so that when others see your life, they will see what I desire for My children, and will want what you have. You will be a witness for Me wherever you go throughout the world. You shall show forth My strength in time of weakness. This is the work of My Spirit in your life. That is what He was given to you for.”

            59. The Holy Spirit has come upon me, and so I have received the power from above. This power enables me to be a witness for God wherever I go in this world.

Fruit of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22-23

22     But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

     23     gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

     

            Since the Holy Spirit is residing inside of us, He will bear fruit as long as we let Him. This fruit will make our lives with each other even more pleasant. If we have this love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control functioning in our lives we will have a much better relationship with each other. We will be looking out for each other and wanting what’s good for our friends and relatives. We won’t be so self-centered. It’s not that we will have a few of these things. We should be exhibiting all of them. It’s not a group of different kinds of fruit. It’s one fruit that has many different “flavors”. As we grow in the Spirit, we will see all of these manifesting themselves more and more in our lives.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "When you have My Spirit operating in your life, you will have My fruit blossoming in your life. Whatever you do will come from My Spirit and will show forth My fruit. You will have no need of anything when He is in control of your life. My love will shine forth from you to others. You will experience My joy in the midst of sorrows. You will be patient even when your very fiber wants to act. You will not simply do deeds of kindness; you will be kindness itself when it comes to others. You will be true to Me and to others. You will never turn against us. You will be gentle even when you used to be harsh. You will be in complete control of everything that you do. You will not yield to the ways of the flesh. You will be strong and show forth My fruit in your everyday life.”

            58. The Holy Spirit in me will bring forth His good fruit in my life as I allow Him free access.

With us forever:

John 14:15-17

15     “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

     16     “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;

     17     that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

     

            The disciples were troubled because Jesus said He was going away. They would never see Him again. Also, they wouldn’t have Him to rely on to get them out of whatever situation they were in. Jesus told them not to be anxious. He was sending someone just like Himself to be their Helper. Even better, this Helper would be inside each one of them. While Jesus was on the earth, He could only be in one place at a time. This way He could be any place on earth with each one of them to help in time of need. The same is true for us. He is inside each one of us to help us whenever we need Him. The world cannot receive Him. In fact, they usually don’t even believe He exists; or else, they make Him out to be something totally different. They say He’s in everyone or in everything including the trees.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Just like I will always be with you, so will My Spirit be with you forever. He will guide you into all truth. He doesn’t speak on His own behalf, but He speaks words from Me. He will show you what to do and what to say. He will be with you always to comfort and to guide you.”

            57. Even though I don’t have Jesus physically with me, I do have another Helper just like Him in me… the Holy Spirit. He will be with me forever.

Work of the Holy Spirit:

            Intercedes for us:

Romans 8:26-27

26     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.

     

            Not only have we seen that Jesus intercedes for us, we have here that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us as well. And He does so according to the will of God. That means that we can be confident that it will come to pass. That’s because according to I John 5, if we ask anything according to God’s will, we know we have whatever we ask. That’s why when we pray in the Spirit, we can be certain we are praying the best prayer possible and that it will be answered.    

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My Spirit speaks for Me, and He speaks for you. Whatever you have need of, He will make request for you. Even before you are aware of your need, He will make intercession for you. He will give you words to speak as you pray for yourself and for others. He will guide you in your speaking to others and to Me. I will always grant His prayers. When you pray according to what He speaks, I will always grant your requests.”

            56. Not only does Jesus intercede for me, so does the Holy Spirit in me. When He does, I need not worry …the prayer will be according to God’s will.

Reveals:

            Teaches and discloses what is to come:

1 John 2:27

27     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.

     

John 14:26

26     “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

     

John 16:13

13     “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.

     

            We don’t have to feel like we’re all alone with no help in this world. The Holy Spirit will Himself teach us everything that we need to be familiar with. He uses the Word mostly to teach us, but He also will drop ideas into our minds about what we should do in certain circumstances. In a moment of trial, He can bring Scriptures we’ve memorized to mind to help in the conflict. He even brings some that we have read but never sat down and committed to memory. He is always listening to the Father, and what He hears that concerns us, He will disclose that to us.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You need not fear that you will be left stranded. I will always be with you. I will guide you into all the truth through My Spirit who indwells you. You will be led into all the truth. There is nothing that will be hidden from you. You can know My peace and joy in your life. You need not fear the future. I will bring you into all My glory as you trust in Me to disclose to you what you need to know. Ask and I will tell you great and mighty things which you do not know. You will come to know them through My Spirit. I am jealous over you with My special love. I do not want you bowing down to others. I want to be your only love.”

            55. Because of the Holy Spirit living inside of me, I know that if I let Him, He will show me exactly what I need to do in my life. He will teach me all that I need to know about God’s will in my life.

Bears witness with our spirit:

1 John 5:10-12

10     The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son.

     11     And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

     12     He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

Romans 8:16-17

16     The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,

     17     and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

     

            Since we believe in Jesus, we have the evidence of our salvation Himself living inside us. He bears witness with our spirit that we have eternal life. For different people, the experience is diverse. Some actually at one time or another feel something inside them, while others never seem to feel anything. After I asked Jesus to come in and take control of my life, I went to a college basketball game. It felt like there was a hollow rubber ball surrounding my heart. It was like I could feel the arrows of the devil bouncing off the rubber ball. While I have sensed the presence of the Holy Spirit many times since then, it has never been that dramatic. Don’t be upset if you haven’t felt anything. If you have dedicated your life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit is dwelling inside of you. It is a guarantee of God. As the verse says, if you have the Son, you have the life … forever.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are Mine. My Spirit within you tells you that you are Mine. No one can take you away from Me. No one is strong enough to harm you when you are in My hand. You know that you are Mine, and I am yours by My Spirit indwelling you. Trust in that knowing within you. You are My child, and I long to be with you daily.”

            54. I know that I am God’s because His Spirit who indwells me bears testimony to my spirit that I am a child of God.

A pledge (engagement ring):

2 Corinthians 1:22

22     who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

     

Ephesians 1:13-14

13     In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

     14     who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

     

            First we heard the Word about our need for salvation. This brought about a belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. After we believed in Jesus, the Father Himself sealed us with the Holy Spirit. The Greek denotes that He took a special interest in this sealing. It wasn’t just some rubber-stamping. The Holy Spirit was given as God’s pledge that He would fully redeem us. This was just the down payment. In Modern Greek, the word translated pledge is used for an engagement ring. The Holy Spirit is God’s engagement ring to us! If He is the engagement ring, what will the wedding band be?

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I have promised you many things. As a token of My pledge, I have given you My Spirit. I have sealed you with My signet ring through His indwelling you. You are My own special prize, and I long to visit with you. Do not take it lightly that I have done this. I have sealed you not only to protect you but also to stake My claim to you. When anyone sees My seal, he knows that you are Mine and that no one should attempt to harm you.”

            53. The Holy Spirit of promise was given in my heart as an engagement ring. The Father, Himself, took a special interest in sealing me as His special possession!

Indwelling:

            God desires His Spirit in us:

James 4:5

5     Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”?

     

            The Holy Spirit was with the disciples while Jesus was alive on earth. After He rose from the dead, He came to have His home inside them. We have that same Spirit making His residence inside of us. He’s not just visiting … He’s a permanent guest. God desires to commune with us through his Spirit indwelling us.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I desire to speak to you within your spirit. My Spirit talks to yours communicating My will and purpose for your life. He speaks with Me continually on your behalf. He will show you what you are to do and to say. You can talk with Me day by day through Him. I greatly desire that to happen. You are Mine, and He will unite us through your own spirit.”

            52. God has placed His Spirit inside me to dwell, and He greatly desires that Spirit.

Today, we Americans celebrate our Independence. People gave their lives for our freedom. As Christians, we should celebrate our Independence every day. Someone, Jesus Christ, gave His life for our freedom. Just as Americans can choose to live like they are not free, so we Christians can also choose to live like we are not free.  That doesn't mean we Christians are free to do anything we want; the same as Americans are not free to do anything they want. Let's use our freedom to choose to do what God wants.

Rivers of living water:

John 7:38

38     “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

     

            Since we believe in Jesus, from our deepest recesses will surge rivers of living water. Living water was that which flowed. It wasn’t some pond where the waters just sat there. Water came in, and water flowed out. That’s the way it is to be with us. The water of the Holy Spirit flows into us, and should flow out of us to help those around us.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "From within you come forth My blessings through My Spirit. He will flow outward from your innermost being. He will abound in your life and will minister to those around you. He is like a river, not a tiny stream. He will build in strength and power within you as He flows out of you. He will become a raging river in the lives of others as you let Him.”

            51. I have believed in Jesus, and therefore from my innermost being will flow rivers of living water.

Water metaphor:

            Regeneration and renewing:

Titus 3:5-7

5     He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

     6     whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

     7     so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

            This underlines the fact that our salvation doesn’t depend on what we’ve done to earn it. It also doesn’t depend on our becoming good enough. It’s completely based on His mercy and grace. We were washed clean when we were regenerated by the Holy Spirit. It wasn’t just a drop or two. He was poured out upon us abundantly. We have all of the Holy Spirit that we will ever need. Through all this we were made heirs of an incredible inheritance.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "It is through My Spirit that you were brought into fellowship with Me. He it is who made you acceptable unto Me through the blood of My Son. My Spirit applies that blood to your heart and brings you into oneness with Me. He will cleanse you and make you whole as you allow Him to do. Trust in His work in you to bring it about. I delighted so much in you that I purposed to give Him to you that you might know His presence for all eternity.”

            50. I didn’t have to work for my salvation, doing deeds of righteousness. It was through His mercy and grace that I experienced the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit

  

            This chapter is about our destiny in regards to the Holy Spirit. We are going to see how His labor in our lives assists us in becoming what God purposed for His children. We could not approach God without Him, and we can’t survive in this world without His helping us every instant of the day and night.

At Work in Salvation:

            Gift:

            Gift for the called:

Acts 2:38-39

38     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.”

     

            Here is the formula for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Since you have repented and been baptized (remember our assumptions), then you have received Him. There are instances, though, in the Bible in which people received the Holy Spirit without being baptized; Cornelius and family being the most prominent. Also notice that this is a gift. You didn’t have to earn it; didn’t have to get good enough; and didn’t have to understand all about it. In verse 39 it says that this is a promise. The Holy Spirit is a promise from the Father. God always keeps His promises. It also says it wasn’t just for the first Church … it’s for as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself. That means YOU!

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I have chosen to give My children My Spirit. He is all that I am. When He indwells you, you will experience My life in you. He is for all who turn to Me, not just for a few special chosen ones. He also will be with you for all eternity. I have promised Him to all My children, and they can enjoy His presence throughout their lives.”

            49. God has called me to Himself; I have repented; been baptized; and I have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. I didn’t have to earn it. He was a gift to me.

            Jesus … that one word sums up the entire thing. Without Him, we would be nothing as the song says. With Him, we are more than conquerors. We are destined for all this because of what He did. We are now His brothers and sisters. We share the same Father. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus … there’s just something about that Name.

With us always:

Matthew 28:20

20     teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Hebrews 13:5

5     Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

     

            Many of you have been abandoned by a parent, a spouse, a friend, or even a pastor. You don’t have to fear that Jesus will turn His back on you. He is unable to desert anyone. He will be with you everlastingly. If you need Him, He will always be there for you. He cannot fail you like someone else has failed you. He will never discard you. You will always be accepted in the Beloved.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I will never leave My children alone. They do not ever have to worry or fear that I will turn My back on them. I have chosen them forever. I am intimately acquainted with every aspect of their lives, and I want them to enjoy all that I have chosen for them on earth. When they trust in Me, they will know My joy and My provision. Eternal life is not just a very long life, but one filled with joy and blessings abundantly.”

            48. I can trust God to always be with me. He will never desert me nor forsake me. I will never be alone again.

You can do all things:

Philippians 4:13

13     I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

     

            Remember that we talked about this in the opening. This doesn’t mean that we are guaranteed to do all things, but that we have the capacity to do them through Jesus who will strengthen us. We have the potential to do all things. We don’t have to do them in our own might. We can do them, if we let Him employ His approach.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "There is nothing that could ever come upon you that you cannot handle through Me. I have supplied all that you will ever need to do what I have called you to do. You are not weak in Me. You are strong in the power of My Spirit. He will guide you and supply you with all you will ever need to accomplish My goals for your life. Apart from Me you can do nothing, but in My strength, you can do all things.”

            47. I can do all things through Christ. That means that there is nothing that comes to me that I cannot do. I will never fail as long as I entrust myself to Him and His strength.

No one snatches out of His hand:

John 10:27-29

27     “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.

     

            We will follow our Shepherd, because we recognize His voice, and because He knows us by name. Some people say that you can’t hear God. This says that we not only can hear Him, we can distinguish when it is His voice and when it is another’s voice. This also says that we know we have eternal life, and that we will never perish. This is another verse that gives us assurance that God didn’t choose us just for a lifetime. He chose us eternally. No one can steal us out of Jesus’ hand, because no one is powerful enough to seize us out of the Father’s hand. We don’t have to fear that someone will keep us from making it to the end.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children are special unto Me. I did not choose them just to have them depart from Me after a short time. I chose them forever. There is no one nor any thing powerful enough to snatch them out of My hand. I will hold on to them as long as they will let Me. They need not fear that I will ever reject them, nor that anyone can keep them from knowing My love forever.”

            46. I can rest assured that I am safe in Jesus’ hand. The Father will see to that. I have eternal life and will never perish.