Apprentice2Jesus

Ramblings of a Confessing Pentecostal

Archive for the category “Holy Spirit”

27 Jan 2012

Demons and Authority

In Mark 1 there is the story of Jesus casting out the demon in the synagogue. While we focus on the power encounter, Mark focuses on the authority. Twice in the same story he mentions the authority of Jesus to teach.

22 The people were amazed by his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, not like the legal experts.

27 Everyone was shaken and questioned among themselves, “What’s this? A new teaching with authority! (Mark 1: 22,27, CEB)

When we walking in the authority of the Kingdom, the enemy recognizes it. Jesus never went hunting for a power encounter. Power encounters found him.

The apostles never went hunting for power encounters. So it is with us.

When we are walking in the authority of the Kingdom, our priority is Matt. 6:33. Whatever happens after that is something we are truly prepared for. We need not worry or fear. The tools have been given.

When the people of God show up and are walking in authority, just know that sometimes that means the spiritual waters stir. Don’t seek it out specifically. And don’t shy away from it when those waters stir.

Posted in Common English Bible, Holy Spirit, Prayer, Spiritual Formation and tagged , , | Leave a Comment
25 Jan 2012
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The Leading of the Spirit

12 At once the Spirit forced Jesus out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among the wild animals, and the angels took care of him. (Mark 1:12-13, CEB)

The Spirit did not lead very softly. The same Greek word for “force” is the same word used to talk about Jesus casting out demons.

We may not always understand that “force.” I have met many who do, and the stories they tell are amazing. When there is a compelling of the Spirit they know it.

One missionary I knew was under the direction of the Spirit to go to a village hostile to the gospel for several days. Every day he went they would physically harass him in some way. He would often come home bloody. The next day the Spirit would compel him to return to that village and stay at the task.

In so many ways we are just too soft in our culture. It is so hard to rise up and sense a compelling Spirit leading us into hard areas to go through something so necessary. Jesus was “forced” into a wilderness experience that empowered him for ministry.

Where are those areas in our own lives where the Spirit is truly compelling us… driving us… to move into a whole new realm of spiritual depth and insight?

Posted in Common English Bible, Holy Spirit, Spiritual Formation, Spiritual hunger and tagged , , ,
11 Dec 2011

A Little Dab Won’t Do Ya

There was an old hair product for men called Brylcreem. The slogan was “a little will do ya.”

When it comes to the anointing of the Spirit, too often we are too careful. As Pentecostals, we talk about the “anointing,” but it’s often equated with a little dab of anointing oil. When it comes to the anointing of the Spirit, a little dab WON’T do ya!

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25 Sep 2011

Being Truly Spirit-Filled

One of my main thoughts from my message from Philippians 2 today:

As a Pentecostal believing in the power of the Spirit, I will confess that all too often it is easy to see the true “power” of the Spirit in the manifestation gifts like healing, deliverance, prophetic words, etc.

What we need to start seeing is the FULLNESS of the Spirit and that surrendering our egos to serve the margins of society so that the gospel to come to EVERYONE is just as Spirit-filled. We need just as much of the anointing of the Spirit to do THAT as we do to see healing flow into broken bodies. 

 

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15 Aug 2011

The Rage of the Prophets

I am off for a few days of vacation with family. Our attempt is to do as little as possible, which may be aided by a couple of days of storms.

As I enter into a very short period of “rest,” my reading for the week will actually be JEREMIAH. What a combination!

In this time of rest I am reminded of a stirring of the Spirit I have sensed all summer long. As we approach the tenth anniversary of 9/11 I have a greater sense of urgency in my spirit that a radical shift is happening for the Church again. It is something I believe the Church in America largely ignored after 9/11. The sense of urgency in my own heart is even stronger this time, though I don’t know exactly why.

But I do know this: It’s not about “America coming back to God”. It’s about the Church being the Church… finally. Regardless of political games, regardless of who is in political power, regardless of whatever else this culture is doing, the Church is failing to be the Church. Subversive. Powerful. Light.

And I turn to Jeremiah, the rage of the prophets, to hear once again. Walter Brueggemann helped me with this. He refers to them more as “poets.” But the pictures of the Old Testament are meant to show us the disruptive power of God. He is just not who we think he is at times! (The gospels certainly show us that, too, but the prophets paint much more vivid pictures!)

So, in my “rest”, I am out to have the disruptive power of the prophet stir me once again. I fell down on the job last time (ten years ago). I have a sense in my spirit I do not want to fall down on this again!

Posted in Holy Spirit, Prayer, Spiritual hunger and tagged , | Leave a Comment
14 Jul 2011
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The Boldness to Believe

My morning reading has taken me into the Deuterocanonical books (what we would call the Apocrypha). These are fascinating stories! It’s been a while since I’ve journeyed through these books, so I am doing so this summer with some extra time. I am also using the Common English Bible in the process. The language is very fresh and readable.

In the Book of Judith, Israel being attacked. Holofernes has led an Assyrian army against the land and laid siege to the cities. The will of the people has wilted. Water is running out, food is gone.

A godly woman named Judith steps into the gap. There is one verse that really popped out, especially in the CEB:

“Listen to me. I’m going to do something that will be remembered for generations to come.” (Judith 8:32, CEB)

What boldness! (And at the time she didn’t know WHAT that bold thing would be! She just knew something had to happen!)

There is a boldness in her spirit that leaps off the page. It’s a boldness that the Spirit brings to his people. Even if we don’t know WHAT the action will be, something can rise up in us and say, “HEY! Let’s do something for God here!”

As the people of God, we need that brashness again. “Look! I’m going to do something here that you’ll be talking about for a long time!”

“Yeah? Like what?”

“I HAVE NO IDEA RIGHT NOW! BUT IT WILL BE GOOD!”

Can we stand in faith, hearing the voice of the Spirit in desperate times, and make such a claim in a time like this?

 

Posted in Bible Study, Holy Spirit, Spiritual hunger and tagged ,
28 May 2011

The Promise of the Spirit

This weekend I am beginning a short series on the Holy Spirit. As Pentecostals, we are sometimes better demonstrating than teaching on this subject. It needs to be both.

There is more that is stirring. What the Spirit is stirring will need to be spoken more “in house” (meaning more TO the Body of Christ) than “out here” (meaning broadcasting it all over the web and take tremendous chances of being violently misunderstood). Of course, misunderstanding within the Body is always a high possibility as well!

I want to leave this challenge, though. The power of the Spirit is not just about the miraculous. (But I want to be clear: it IS about the miraculous). It’s just beyond that as well. It is living out the principles of the Kingdom of God in a increasingly hostile world. It will be something that will call us, as American Christians, to tougher choices in the days ahead. That is the stirring that is going on in my heart.

Posted in Church, Church Life, Culture, Discipleship/Spiritual Formation, Holy Spirit and tagged , | Leave a Comment
23 May 2011
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The Lesson of the Controlled Burn

Last week when I arrived at the retreat center for my silent prayer retreat the staff let me know they would be doing a controlled burn in the meadow near my cabin. It saved me from panicking when I saw the smoke a few hours later. Being a guy, I had to walk over to see what was happening.

The crews set intentional small fires in certain areas to burn off undergrowth. The spots they picked actually went up to mature trees and some saplings. After the burn was over I walked over to see what was left. The mature trees were fine as they stood in the midst of blackened ground. I was amazed that even the saplings were fine. The charred areas were clearly defined. The crews had perfectly controlled the burn, then made sure the fires were completely out before they left.

As I walked through that area the Spirit spoke to my heart.

“Silence and solitude is like a controlled burn. I can bring you to this place and work on you. The junk in your life can be burned off if you let me. If you don’t allow this junk to be burned off, then the fire that burns later will burn out of control and even what is living may not survive.”

It was a powerful visual for me. If I allowed the Spirit to mold me and shape me, it was a controlled burn. There are just things that need re-adjusting in my life from time to time. If I don’t get rid of junk, it piles up. The Spirit can pull me aside in prayer and deal with that junk, OR I can let it build up and allow a wildfire to start. It’s up to me.

I am thankful for the controlled burn.

I am also thankful for the gentle rain that fell on the retreat center the day I left. It was another reminder of another work of the Spirit in my life. Growth can happen when the Spirit is allowed to plow the field.

Posted in Holy Spirit, Prayer, Solitude, Spiritual Formation and tagged ,
06 May 2011

The Weariness and the Whining

Numbers 11

The parallels to our own attitudes is astounding. We just can’t be happy.

Israel was being delivered from Egypt and were standing at the edge of the Promised Land. So, they go to complaining. They can’t take the hardship anymore. They dream of the great food back in Egypt! (Culture shock has set in. When we’re out of our own country, we miss things we never missed before!)

God is angry. Moses is angry. It’s a tough day.

The people aren’t the only ones griping. Moses really lets a tirade loose as well. The weariness of leadership has beat him down to this point.

“Do me a favor and spare me this misery!” (Num. 11:15, NLT)

It is at this point that God promises help. Not just someone to take notes or organization the file drawer. Seventy men who would lead. Seventy men would would have the same Spirit Moses had from God.

There are times of refreshing we need as spiritual leaders. The day gets long. Things just get tough because we are tired. The Lord sends amazing people along to help with the load. But in all of it, we still need HIS touch, HIS Spirit.

He is mighty to save. He is mighty to deliver. He will carry us through.

“Has my arm lost its power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!” (Num. 11:23, NLT)

Posted in Bible Study, Church Life, Culture, Discipleship/Spiritual Formation, Holy Spirit, Ministry | Leave a Comment
06 Apr 2011
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No Grave Wins

All of the texts for Sunday speak to resurrection power. Ezekiel 37 is the Spirit bringing life into a place where death has ruled for a long time. John 11 is the Spirit bringing life where death has gripped Lazarus for a few days. Romans 8 is the power of the Spirit breathing new life into our dead souls.

This thought has come to me in all of this: When Jesus speaks (and I am thinking here of Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus) NO GRAVE WINS.

 

Posted in Holy Spirit, Lent and tagged ,

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