Chapter 5

The Word of God

            How is our destiny intertwined with the Word of God? Without it, we won’t know what our destiny is - how we are supposed to be living. We need to read the Bible daily to see how our lives are supposed to be. It isn’t called the Word of God for nothing. It is God speaking to us … into our very lives. In the last chapter, we looked at the Holy Spirit intervening in our lives. He needs something to activate His power in us. That something is the Word. Without it we have no direction; no GPS to guide us. The Spirit uses the Word to keep us on the right path and to show us what our destiny is.

           

            Speak the Word with boldness:

           

Acts 4:31

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

            The Holy Spirit combines with the Word to bring about boldness in Christians’ lives. It’s like sticking the fire of the Spirit to the gun powder of the Word. When you do, there is an explosion. This explosion caries us into the world to preach the Gospel to unbelievers and unbelieving believers (they are born again, but they don’t believe in what the Word says). They gathered together; they prayed; the place was shaken; they were filled; they spoke the Word with boldness. This is what we should be doing today. If you look at the places where it says someone was filled with the Spirit, afterwards words came out of their mouths. Normally it’s only the first two things that happen in churches. People gather together and they pray. The people in Acts couldn’t have spoken the Word with boldness if they hadn’t know what the Word said.

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

            "You believe in Me; believe also in My Word. My Word is what will make you an overcomer in this world. The world does not care what happens to you. It is only interested in itself. You are what has to make My Word active in this world; for it will never come to know Me apart from you. You are to activate it in this world for the world to know Me. You are to speak forth what I tell you to speak. Then you will see many great miracles happen in your life as you activate My Word. It is like many of the products you buy. It is not good by Itself. You must activate it for It to operate the way It is supposed to. Trust in My Word as you activate It in your lives. Then you will see My power operating in your lives and in My Kingdom.”

            53. I will be filled continually with the Spirit and will know and speak the Word of God with boldness wherever I go.

Merry Christmas! I hope you have a really great one with friends and family. The following is without comment. Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee call Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was very perplexed at the statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." Mary said to the angel, "how can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel answered and said to her, "the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you and for that reason the Holy child shall be called the Son of God." ... Bethlehem ... and she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. ... shepherds in the fields keeping watch ... an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them ... behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior who is Christ the Lord. ... A baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. ... A multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with him He is pleased." ... they found the baby lying in the manger. ... they made known the statement which had been told them about the Child. ... Many treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. May God richly bless you and your family. May He bring the blessings of heaven upon your household. May you always prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers. May you find your future in His word. And again – merry Christmas!

            Manifestation for the common good:

1 Corinthians 12:7, 11

7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

           

            Notice that it says to each one is given the manifestation (or expression) of the Spirit for the common good. We’re all supposed to be manifesting or expressing the Holy Spirit. Most Christians are not doing that. Some are actually manifesting what seems like the exact opposite spirit. Usually it’s just the flesh.

            Do you want to get more out of church? Then allow the Holy Spirit to express Himself through you in the church … whether in a service or in some other way during the week. You don’t have to be a preacher to be manifesting the Spirit. What is the purpose of this expressing of the Spirit? It’s not to lift you up so everyone says, “Oooo. Look at him/her.” It’s for the common good. If it’s not bringing good to the church community, it’s not the Spirit being manifested.

            You don’t have to get good enough for this manifestation to happen. If that were true, there wouldn’t be any manifestation at all. Also, you don’t get to choose which manifestation you have. The Spirit chooses and does the work. He knows what’s best. One person may want to pray for the sick and see them healed. That’s a good thing to want. But if you get tunnel vision and are only looking for that manifestation to occur in your life, you may miss out on something even better for you and for the Church. Allow Him to choose and to manifest Himself.

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

            "You have Me residing in you, My children because you have My Spirit residing in you. He will show you the way to live your lives and to walk in My Kingdom and power. He will show you the way to manifest My presence and My power in your lives. He will show you how to minister to one another and to those in the world. He will manifest My power and My gifts that I have given unto you. They are to be used to help your fellow believers and to bring others into the Kingdom. You will not be alone; for He will show you the way to walk in My power in My Spirit.”          

            52. I will allow the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself in me in the way He desires so that I may bring good to my fellow believers.

            The Holy Spirit in us and in our lives is our destiny. This is what God had in mind all along. He wasn’t some afterthought. He is the real deal. When I allow Him to operate freely in my life, I will show forth to others what God has in store for His believers and will bless those around me.

Anointing:

1 John 2:20

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.

            The anointing oil of the Holy Spirit has flowed over our lives. His anointing dwells within us. This anointing will direct our lives, if we let it. It will guide us when we have a decision to make. If we go in the direction God wants us to go, the anointing will bring peace within. If we don’t, there will be a “tightening” within, and we’ll know that we shouldn’t do whatever it was that we were about to do. When we sense this anointing within, we can know that we know we are saved!

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

            "My Spirit has come upon you to anoint you with power. It is the power to accomplish My will in the earth. My will is to bring all into the Kingdom who will truly follow Me. You are My ambassadors to the world to bring them into the Kingdom. When they see My power residing upon you, they will want what you have. They will come unto you and say, “How can we know the Living God? How can we come into His Kingdom?” You will show them the way; for that is why I have chosen you. You will know the way to bring this about  because of My Spirit which is in you; and He shall direct your paths as you allow Him to have control over your lives.”

            51. I have the anointing of the Holy Spirit within and I know that God indwells me. I also know by His anointing when I am in God’s will.

Manifestation for the common good:

1 Corinthians 12:7, 11

7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

           

            Notice that it says to each one is given the manifestation (or expression) of the Spirit for the common good. We’re all supposed to be manifesting or expressing the Holy Spirit. Most Christians are not doing that. Some are actually manifesting what seems like the exact opposite spirit. Usually it’s just the flesh.

            Do you want to get more out of church? Then allow the Holy Spirit to express Himself through you in the church … whether in a service or in some other way during the week. You don’t have to be a preacher to be manifesting the Spirit. What is the purpose of this expressing of the Spirit? It’s not to lift you up so everyone says, “Oooo. Look at him/her.” It’s for the common good. If it’s not bringing good to the church community, it’s not the Spirit being manifested.

            You don’t have to get good enough for this manifestation to happen. If that were true, there wouldn’t be any manifestation at all. Also, you don’t get to choose which manifestation you have. The Spirit chooses and does the work. He knows what’s best. One person may want to pray for the sick and see them healed. That’s a good thing to want. But if you get tunnel vision and are only looking for that manifestation to occur in your life, you may miss out on something even better for you and for the Church. Allow Him to choose and to manifest Himself.

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

            "You have Me residing in you, My children because you have My Spirit residing in you. He will show you the way to live your lives and to walk in My Kingdom and power. He will show you the way to manifest My presence and My power in your lives. He will show you how to minister to one another and to those in the world. He will manifest My power and My gifts that I have given unto you. They are to be used to help your fellow believers and to bring others into the Kingdom. You will not be alone; for He will show you the way to walk in My power in My Spirit.”         

            52. I will allow the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself in me in the way He desires so that I may bring good to my fellow believers.

            The Holy Spirit in us and in our lives is our destiny. This is what God had in mind all along. He wasn’t some afterthought. He is the real deal. When I allow Him to operate freely in my life, I will show forth to others what God has in store for His believers and will bless those around me.