How do you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit? How do you strengthen your spiritual gifts? How do you start or grow in ministry? What does one have to do in order to have a more effective prayer life, become a bolder witness, or overcome sin? The answer to all of these questions really comes down to one thing: spiritual growth. When you grow spiritually, everything about you changes and improves.
Today’s social media mobs will cry aloud anytime you declare the truth. If you want to see demons manifest, just post something that’s Biblically undeniable yet unpopular in today’s culture. They’ll use guilt to try to make you feel bad for speaking truth. They’ll use intimidation to try to make you feel afraid to speak the truth. They’ll use confusion to make you second guess the truth. This is why boldness is needed now more than ever.
When a soul is saved, the heart and mind are transformed. When the heart and mind are transformed, character is transformed. When character is transformed, behavior is transformed. Change the individual, and you change the family. Change the family, and you change society. Change society, and you change the world.
Bitterness seeks revenge. Forgiveness seeks reconciliation. Bitterness lives in the past. Forgiveness frees you to dream about the future. Bitterness says, “Because they owe me.” Forgiveness says, Because I owe God.” Bitterness pushes guilt. Forgiveness lifts burdens. Bitterness seeks to prove a point. Forgiveness let’s it go. Bitterness accuses. Forgiveness covers.
Believer, please hear me - and preachers especially. If in this hour we take the focus off of Jesus, we will sink. Our futures will sink. Our ministries will sink. We will sink. Don’t allow the winds and waves of chaos to steal your focus. Jesus must remain your focus. When Jesus remains your focus, several things happen.
I love the way the Scripture words that: “…as many as touched him were made whole.” And the wonderful reality is that Jesus still heals. Nowhere in all of Scripture does it teach that Jesus has stopped working miracles. Everything Jesus was anointed to do while here on the earth, the Holy Spirit continues to do for and through us.
Another unique quality about the Holy Spirit school is our Word and Spirit approach to learning and growing spiritually. You will see, hear, and feel the difference. The power of the Holy Spirit meets grounded, Biblical, balanced teaching in each e-course. We cover deeply spiritual topics in a practical way.
So don’t let the enemy keep you from gathering. He is a defeated foe. Don’t allow governments to keep you from gathering. Many fellow believers have given their lives in times of tyranny. Don’t allow bitterness to keep you from gathering. There is healing in connectivity. Don’t allow apathy to keep you from gathering. Keep your spiritual fire burning. Don’t allow self-reliance to keep you from gathering. We all need each other.
But when a clear line is crossed, we must be willing to respectfully resist. As much as is possible, work together with governing authorities. But if their hands become so heavy that we cannot move, if their demands become so unreasonable that we cannot practice all of God’s commands, then it is time for action. And, believer, it is time for action.
But remember, we still don’t know whether or not the pharisees had already committed it or were merely coming close to committing it. The Biblical text implies a very deep-rooted form of sin. You can’t commit this sin on accident, yet we should still tread carefully. After all, I don’t want to inspire ease where Jesus sought to inspire fear.
