Author: steps2successwithspiritualsolutions

It takes faith, trust, courage, and perseverance to serve God in today's unstable world. Yet, we are never alone. Pray every day and pray often. Study the Bible. The Scriptures are a Love Letter from God to those who accept Jesus as their personal Savior. You will receive comfort, knowledge, and wisdom from the Holy Spirit. "I have loved you with an everlasting love." Jeremiah 31:3. Be blessed in Jesus' name. Amen.

Question: “Do I [Really] Need the Holy Spirit?”

“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 have said to you.” (John 14:26)

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (John 16:13)

The mystery of the Holy Spirit has many Christians confused. Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as “He,” which means the Holy Spirit is a living deity, the third person of the Trinity [God, the Father, Jesus, God the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit]. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit and we have evidence in Acts chapter 2.

Why are we confused about the Holy Spirit? In the Garden of Eden, Eve was deceived by Satan because she desired to possess God’s knowledge. The creation [humanity] has the innate desire to possess omniscience [all-knowing], which only belongs to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Have you secretly desired to know your future? Just enough to understand how your current situation will turn out. You are not alone. Yet, the desire to be god-like disrupts the peaceful life that Jesus promises us.

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord.
‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.'” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Worldview: What is truth? The age-old question is now answered, “The truth is what I believe it to be.”

In John chapters 14 and 16, Jesus explained why we need the Holy Spirit. There is only one way to be assured that we know the truth. Always “Pray for the Anointing of the Holy Spirit Before You Study!”

Christian view: We listen to speakers, pastors, ministers, and others based on credible reputations. But frequently, in their sermons, a bait and switch technique is used. They read the Scripture, but then they interject their interpretation. Most speakers realize that many believers do not study the Bible. Tip: Does the speaker pray and ask for the anointing of the Holy Spirit before delivering their sermon?

Fact Check: “A survey from 2021 found that 11 percent of Americans read the Bible daily. Trends in reading habits over four years showed that the majority of Americans never read the Bible, however in 2021 this number dropped to 29 percent of respondents.” https://www.statista.com/statistics/299433/bible-readership-in-the-usa

The Function of the Holy Spirit When We Study:

  • “He will teach you all things”
  • “And bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you”
  • “He will guide you into all the truth”
  • “He will declare to you the things that are to come.”

Pentecost: Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:3-4).

Verse 4: “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues.”

Fact Check: “And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?'” (Acts 2:5-8).

Suppose you never prayed for the Holy Spirit because, from popular belief, the anointing of the Holy Spirit causes one to speak in an unknown tongue [a heavenly language]. In that case, you can be assured that the word tongue means a known language.

Clarification: “‘9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.’ 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘Whatever could this mean?'” (Acts 2:9-12).

The Main Issue with the Human Mind

“Others mocking said, ‘They are full of new wine.'” (Acts 2:13). We attempt to create an explanation or strategy when faced with God’s infinite wisdom in our finite minds. And because we fail to pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we accept false teachings and a mixture of Biblical truth with the error of human interpretation of the Scriptures. Or we are part of the statistics that do not study the Bible.

Jesus promised us a Helper. Yes, the Holy Spirit has other functions, but our focus is on knowing that the biblical concepts we believe are the truth from God. We are blessed that our Heavenly Father has provided spiritual guidance so none will fall astray.

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.” (2 Peter 2:1).

Prayer: God, we thank you for protecting us by sending the Holy Spirit to teach, lead, and provide discernment of Your truth. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

The Loving Jealous God

“For you must not worship any other god. For the Lord, Whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” (Exodus 34:14)

Jealous: Definitions
1. feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages. “Monica’s husband grew jealous of her successful career.”

2. feeling or showing suspicion of someone’s unfaithfulness in a relationship. “Jealous people fabricate supposed imaginings of their partner cheating.”

3. fiercely protective or vigilant of one’s rights or possessions. “Howard does not allow guests to enter the living room that is decorated in white and gold.”

The definition of jealous always describes unhealthy behavior. Yet, God describes Himself as “a jealous God.” Jealousy is an intense harmful response, yet, God used “Jealous” as a gatekeeper adjective that humanity could understand. Why was the warning necessary?

The emancipated Israelites were given divine laws [boundaries] to ensure that they would not involve themselves in the worship of pagan [manmade] gods. Once they were free from the Egyptians, they secretly worshipped statutes and participated in paganistic rituals. “Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:7).

What was the root cause of their desire to become involved in pagan rituals? Seeking and enjoying Pleasure!

“Pagan rituals can serve a number of purposes, they are ‘performed to celebrate the seasons, honour the deities, attune with nature, attain self-realisation, induct participants into the mysteries, and for magical and healing purposes'” (Hume, 1998).

Worship of idol statutes seems absurd, yet, we are involved in idol worship at a greater level than the Israelites.

  • Relationships [Unequally yoked]
  • Prosperity [Worldly possessions]
  • Social Media [Wasted Time]
  • Entertainment and Sports Idols [Emulating their lifestyles]
  • Mystical Religions [Yoga, Crystals, Anxiety Rings]

How do believers in the Most-High God get themselves into the predicament of idol-worship?

Root Cause: “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

Root Cause: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6).

Root Cause: “Jesus answered, ‘You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.'” (Matthew 22:29).

God lovingly created us to worship Him through obedience. Without the diligent study of the Scriptures and praying for the anointing, discernment, and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we willingly fall into temptation. Sadly, we end up in the same predicament as unbelievers.

Still, another group of “believers” study the Scriptures but decide to live according to their hearts’ desires. They say “Lord, Lord” but are in agreement with the unbelievers who view God’s laws as “a list of can’t do anything.”

God’s jealousy is for the protection of the righteous!

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Dedicated worshippers who love God with all of their hearts, souls, and minds are grateful for the commands that keep us in the safekeeping of our Heavenly Father.

God’s jealousy as our Father provides us with the perfect [godly] husband, wife, and material provisions and prepares us for eternal life with Him.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17).

Yes, I love that we are loved, protected, and given perfect gifts by a “Jealous [Heavenly Father] God!”

Prayer: God, we thank you that You are Jealous. Our hearts are filled with gratitude that we belong to You, and Your ways and thoughts are higher than ours. Please forgive us for our intentional disobedience. We love You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.