THE SPRIT IN YOU

I was chatting with a dear friend last night. It was a great discussion. I love talking about church and what the Lord is doing in the earth. Sadly, though, I hear over and over again about people who have been hurt and are being hurt and taken advantage of by the church. So this morning during my watch, I felt compelled by the Lord to write about our conversations.
It seems we have made it full circle. As in times past, the church -- the religious organizations -- are putting yokes upon people that they themselves cannot carry. They point out sin and say if you are children of God you cannot do those things. They say if you do those things you are not truly saved. Nowhere in the Word of God does it say that you are saved by your works. It does say that if you call on the name of “JESUS,” you will be saved. The word also says no man can come to the Father unless the Holy Spirit draws him. I see people trying to negotiate salvation with the unsaved in the same manner that a salesman uses to close the deal. No one wins in those situations. I am not saying not to witness but I am saying people need to have discernment. The Lord says to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. Speak the Word of truth, the rhema word -- the spoken word of the Lord -- and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.
My friend asked if I had a favorite pastor? I do not have a favorite pastor. I do not look to man. Man will fail you. The Lord will not. Too many times people put their trust in a set (head) man and when he falls -- and at some point everyone falls -- those who have set a man or woman up as their god will be scattered. No man is perfect. Focus on the Lord and Him alone. I look to the Lord. I understand the gifting of God is upon man and He works through man. He chooses the vessel, not us. I receive what the Lord has for me from everyone with whom I come in contact. As ministers, we allow God to flow through us to touch and minister to His children. We are here to help people hear the voice of God and to walk with the Lord, not to be God for others. We are to help people take one more step closer to the Lord and to walk in the freedom for which He died on the cross.
I am marked by Him to give good news to the poor. He has sent me to make well those who are broken-hearted; to say that the prisoners will be let go, that the blind will see, and to make the wounded free from their chains.
Too often people are so worried about what God is doing in others lives that they miss what God wants to do in theirs. They are so busy in other peoples’ affairs that they miss out on what God is doing or wants to do in and through them. If you correct your walk with the Lord and press into Him and live right according to the Spirit’s leading in you and stay continually connected to the Lord through the means He has for you, you will bear fruit.
I hear people all the time trying to do some good work. Before I will help a cause, I first ask the Lord if the motive is pure and if He wants me to support it. If you ask Him, he will reveal the answer to you in due time. Just because it is a good thing does not mean it is something in which you should get involved. If it is not of the Lord and He is not leading you to help, don’t. This is one of the hardest things to comprehend because we want to help. Remember that Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil, which the Lord has commanded them not to do.
Satan is always trying to get our minds off what it truly of the Lord. Take Haiti for example. The government jumped all over it to get our attention off what they are doing. It never fails -- Americans want to help everyone so much we would rather help someone else before we help ourselves. So we are always wounded. If you really want to help Haiti, pray and seek the Lord for His will in Haiti.
I am a member of internet social networks. Everyone is always posting about supporting this cause and that cause. They also post “conditional” statuses such as “if you are a Christian,” “if you know someone who,” etc. We must remember that anytime we see the word “if,” it is conditional. Conditions are manipulative and manipulation is witchcraft in the eyes of the Lord.
The Lord also reminded me that as long as the Spirit is in a person, it does not matter whether a Bible is in a classroom or the Ten Commandments are written on the wall of a building because the Lord has already written His Word on that person’s heart. The Lord told me that we need to quit getting caught up in all the works of the devil that lead us astray on rabbit chases after things that don’t matter. He said, “If parents would teach their children about me at home they will take me to school, because I will be in them. Oh, yeah they don’t even know me and they want the schools to teach their children something that is their response ability to do.” Then He said, “By the way. I WILL TEACH THEM MYSELF IF NO ONE WILL GO FOR ME! I WILL COME TO THEM FACE TO FACE. MY WILL WILL BE DONE ON EARTH FOR I AM WHO I AM. I WILL DO WHAT IS PLEASING IN MY SIGHT,” says the Lord. “WATCH AND SEE THAT I AM GOOD.”
So we need to quit concentrating on the things of this world and put our attention on the One who is and who is to come. Press into the Lord and see that He is good. Do not depend on another for your personal walk. You cannot blame someone else when you are standing before the Lord and say, “But Lord, I didn’t follow you because someone made me mad, or hurt me, or offended me, or they hurt my poor little feelings. So I didn’t follow you.” It’s time to be accountable for your actions. Take a stand!