Stand In Awe - Hillsong Live

He Awakens My Spirit

“The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary:  He wakens morning by morning, He wakens my ear to hear as the learned.  The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.”  Isaiah 50:4-5

“He wakens morning by morning.”  To be “awakened” means that I am lifted above the limitation of my natural sense perception and understanding, into the realm of the supernatural.

When He awakens my spirit, my inner being is alerted – becoming sensitive to His presence.  Today, this may require a wind strong enough to knock me off my feet, but tomorrow, I will be a little more sensitive and it will not require as much.  And finally, it will take just a little breeze and I will hear, because I have cultivated, or developed the ability to hear.

The Spirit of Prophecy

“…The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”  Revelation 19:10

This “testimony” which the Lord desires to express is “imparted” within us through our times of communion with Him, as we “wait upon Him.”  As he quickens us, His “testimony” (that which He desires to say through us) becomes the ‘spirit of prophecy’ within us.

The “spirit of prophecy” goes beyond the prophetic gifts in function and purpose.  The “gift of prophecy” is an enabling that functions through our being yielded.  The “spirit of prophecy” flows out through our relationship to the Lord, which enables Him to speak through us.

This abiding prophetic anointing is the result of time spent in the presence of the Lord.  As we spend time with Him, we become increasingly more like Him and begin to understand His thoughts and desires – our lives becoming the expression of His life.  We will then have the right word, at the right time, to be given in the right place, to the right person.

What We Have Become

We tend to measure our spiritual attainment with the “blessings,” or the “giftings” that we have been given.  However, these are only the beginning.  We must go beyond these (what we do), to a change in our nature (what we have become).  Therefore, by divine arrangement, the Lord will place us in situations where there is no available means of satisfaction (wilderness), that a higher purpose might be accomplished.

Because the Lord is more interested in what we have become than in what we are doing, there are “divine delays” that we must face in the outworking of our spiritual development.

Especially at this present time, there is a call to come “higher.”  If we desire to go beyond the level of our present spiritual experience, and “apprehend” the higher calling and purpose of our Lord, we will be taken through a difficult time of testing and proving in order to become a part of the “corporate” Jesus (He is the head, we are the body)

God of All Comfort

There are many Christians who have been unintentionally hurt by a minister, or by another Christian.  These hurting Christians drawback, refusing to again expose their need, and consequently become spiritually crippled.  If they had the understanding that there was a higher “purpose” in this, then the negative consequences could be avoided and their fellowship among Christians enhanced.

“But He knows the way that I take: when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”  Job 23:10

Thus, it is important for us to understand a spiritual principle that applies to the present workings of the Lord, so we will know how to better respond to the difficult situations in which we find ourselves.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28

There is a present need for “overcomers” - those who have risen above a hurt or misunderstanding, and did not become bitter or vindictive.  As a result, these overcomers have become compassionate and understanding, and have a desire to bring healing to those who have been wounded, and as a result have withdrawn from fellowship with the Body of Christ.

If you are burdened to minister in this area of critical need, you must be willing to subject your life to circumstances, or to dealings which are beyond that which is required for your own spiritual discipline and walk.  This is necessary so you will be able to compassionately relate to the trials of those who are wounded or deeply hurt, and then, understand how to help them.

When I made Jesus the “Lord” of my life, I gave Him the right to deal with me as He chooses for whatever purpose He may have.  Over the many years that I have known the Lord, I have learned that many times He has used this submission of my life to Him in order to prepare me to minister to another.

The circumstances that He takes us through for this purpose are usually apart from, and completely different than any need that we may have within our own life experience.  However, these experiences will “qualify” us to become an instrument in His hand to help and encourage others.

“Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”  II Corinthians 1:3-4 NET Bible

We are to “comfort those who are hurting with the comfort with which we ourselves have been comforted.”   This means that when we experience a similar circumstance, we are enabled to help others, because of the help that we ourselves have received from the Lord.

Take My Life - Chris Tomlin

Love Relationship

I am convinced that whatever God does to advance His purpose on the earth is born out of a worshiping people.

When the woman at the well asked Jesus questions about worship, He responded,

 “’The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth;
for the Father is seeking such to worship Him’” (John 4:23)

It was the woman’s question and Jesus’ answer that led me to seek God and search the Scriptures in order to understand what Jesus meant by worship in “spirit and truth.” God seeks worshipers who will cultivate a love relationship with Him. He values our relationship with Him more than anything we can or will ever do for Him. We can show Him that we value it as well by laying hold of our primary calling to enjoy and worship Him.

Arise - Paul Baloche

The Spirit of The Overcomer

7 ways God’s Spirit works in a Christian’s life

 

The Holy Spirit is the one who brings us to Christian maturity and true holiness. As we learn to yield in obedience to Him, our lives become victorious and we can reign in life, as God intended for us to.
With respect to the areas of authority that affect our lives as believers, the Holy Spirit operates in the following seven “Offices.” The first four reveal His work in creating the life of God in us; the other three reveal the power He gives us as He governs our lives and develops Jesus’ character in us.

1. Spirit of Life. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. ... And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Rom. 8:2, 10, NKJV). The Holy Spirit makes us alive to God by creating the life of Jesus in us. He births the Word of God in us, baptizes us into the body of Christ, seals us, works resurrection power in and through us, and bears witness with our spirits that we are children of God.

2. Spirit of Truth. “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). We cannot know God without knowing the Spirit of truth. He inspires, reveals and corrects. He speaks expressly (preaches), speaks mysteries (prophesies), searches, counsels and instructs. He also demonstrates the Word, brings things to our remembrance, convicts, makes God’s promises alive to us, renews the spirit of our mind and shows us things to come.

3. Spirit of Adoption. “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Rom. 8:15). In Bible culture, adoption did not refer to people receiving an infant into their home to raise as their child. Adoption was recognition of mature sonship (see Gal. 4:1-2). The declaration of adoption took place at maturity; it signified heirship and throneship, rulership and joint ownership. It had nothing to do with “babyship,” as we understand adoption in our Western culture.

4. Spirit of Holiness. “Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was ... declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:3-4). The Holy Spirit brings judgment, fire and burning into our lives. He searches out and condemns sin, destroying all the impurities of the soul and spirit (see Is. 10:16-18). Yet He deals with us gently, according to His nature, and gives us grace to walk in His holiness. He also imparts His righteousness into our hearts so holiness becomes a way of life for us.

5. Spirit of Grace. “Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has ... insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Heb. 10:29). The Holy Spirit is the one who gives us the divine enabling to do all the Scriptures required of us, to obey God fully. We need divine grace to be able to give up bad habits, return good for evil and turn the other cheek. We need the Spirit of grace to help us in the mundane things of daily life, and not just the hard situations and difficult relationships.

6. Spirit of Supplication. “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication” (Zech. 12:10). Supplication means “an entreaty, a humble earnest prayer in worship, a petition.” In its broadest meaning, the word embraces the entire realm of prayer. The Holy Spirit comes to establish us in a prayer relationship with God so we can commune freely with Him.

7. Spirit of Glory. “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Pet. 4:14). We don’t often hear the word glory in conversation. In the Bible, it implies more than God’s disclosure of who He is; it implies an expression of God’s active presence among His people, showing us Himself by His actions in our world. When God’s glory is unveiled and recognized, all those things in which human beings take pride fade to nothingness.
 

Mercy Reigns - Elevation Worship

Which Tree ?

Our spirit is recreated through a “new birth” in which these spiritual senses are restored and begin to develop.  It is very important that we spend quality time “waiting upon the Lord” in order to develop our ability to “sense” (spirit), or “feel” (soul) His presence, and “hear” His voice, deep within us.

These spiritual senses are further developed and matured through our obedience to a process of “testing,” which is designed to draw us up into a higher realm of spiritual awareness, understanding, and experience.

As the Lord tested Adam by placing the tree of “life” and the tree of the “knowledge” of good and evil in the “midst” of the garden, we also must face a process in which we are tested to determine the outworking of the Lord's purpose for us.  Therefore, these two “trees” are placed in the pattern of each of our lives.  The tree of life (spirit) represents our utter dependence upon, and trust in, the outworking of His purpose and provision for us.  The tree of the knowledge of good and evil (soul) represents our desire to be independent and choose for ourselves what is right or wrong.

Therefore, we must make a choice concerning these opposite pulls upon our being.  We can choose to satisfy our soulish, sensual desires, as expressed in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; or we can choose the higher realm of spirituality, as expressed in the tree of life (over-comer).

It's A New Day....Let It Shine...Passion 2013

The School of Christ

There are two planes, or realms in which the redeemed may live.  The first is the carnal, flesh realm.  The second is the heavenly, Spirit realm.  Since we were born into the natural earth plane, our tendencies are toward that plane.  A great transformation is necessary if we are to live and operate on the Spirit plane.  The name of this process is “crucifixion.”

This crucifixion is a death and burial process, as described in Romans, chapter 6, which is the destruction of sin.  There is also to be a facing of the cross of Christ in our daily walk.  Herein is the “process” by which the Lord recreates our character, which frees us from the natural realm, and lifts us into the Spirit realm.  In these processes, He frees us from our strengths and weaknesses, the spots and blemishes of our nature, and gives us a heavenly character.
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If we desire to become an “overcomer,” becoming a part of the Bride of Christ, we must enter the school of the Holy Spirit and come under His teachings, dealings, and control.  Here, under the light of the Holy Spirit, we will face ourselves in thorough examination.  No one can see in any other way his faults and earthward tendencies.  With fan, refiner’s fire, fuller’s soap, chastening, these are the Lord’s methods in dealing with these.

“But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appears? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver….”  Malachi 3:2-3

“Whose fan is in His hand, and he will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”  Matthew 3:12

“…My son, despise not you the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of Him: For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”  Hebrews 12:5-6

There is need of these crucifying processes in each of our lives.  When we see our need, we should earnestly present ourselves to the Lord, to be entered as being His disciple, in “The School of Christ,” of which the Holy Spirit is Principal and Teacher.

If we are careful to listen, the Holy Spirit will show us how to apply the cross to all carnal tendencies, going deeper and deeper, until one after another, they are eliminated.  At first it will be painful and hard to bear, but if we persevere, we will begin to glory in the cross.

All our carnal attitudes and ways will be transformed into the attitudes of Jesus Christ, and we will experience the great joy and delight of living untrammeled in the Spirit realm.  Our liberty and attainment will be boundless, as all barriers are swept away.

Then, along with the Apostle Paul, we will be able to testify:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

THE River of God Must Flow

The river flows through people. The word I had was this: " Be open-open up. Don't tell God how to do it,
stop telling Him what He can do and what he can't do. We do this by the attitude of our heart.
Don't tell Him who He can use and who He can't use. He can use whom He wants.                                                  

Don't let your religious mindsets prevent you from receiving all the things that God is doing and is about to do.

You will be hearing things in your spirit that you have never heard before.

Often if God doesn't do it your way- you write it off. Well "be open" We do this by the attitude of our heart.

But you know, God is not asking what you think about it -He isn't asking your opinion nor your permission.

He is going to open the gates if you are willing - if you want the river to flow. Be open - open the gates of your mind and let the religious mindsets fall - they  are like walls that prevent you from letting in the water of LIFE and power and joy.

What if you had a city and you built walls to keep the enemy out - but in the process of trying to keep the enemy out you found you were keeping out your best and closest ally?

The city is your mind and walls are those religious concepts and some of the things you are so convinced about. The Holy Spirit is our best friend and He wants to come into the city and knock down some of those walls so that the goodness of God can come in and flood your mind.

So that truth can come in and set you free!

The Spirit of Truth

“However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. For He
shall not speak of Himself, but whatever He hears, He shall speak. And he will announce to
you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will receive of Mine, and will announce it to
you.” John 16:13-14

The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus by making known to us that right now He is living to make
intercession for us, that we might walk in newness of life. As we touch His life the Spirit
of intercession is released within as a birthing to bring forth the Body of Christ as being
matured and prepared for the Lords end time purposes.. The light is getting brighter on the horizon.
We are being stirred to get ready for something that will be new in our worship,
prayer, and in our personal relationships with The Lord.
This greatly increased sense of His presence will take on different forms than those which we have
been accustomed to, in the past. We will find ourselves in the atmosphere of His presence to bring
us to a level of commitment and enablement far above anything we have known.

Hallelujah - Hillsong

The True Nature

The true nature of Christian perfection is first, a fullness of self-denial.

 “For if you live after the flesh, you will die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you will live.”  Romans 8:13

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:16

The highest expression of spiritual life is not regeneration, sanctification, perfection, victory over sin, or power. It is instead the denying of the flesh (Our self life), which is both the aim and the way of spiritual life.

This is not the flesh putting down the flesh by austerities, fasting, and man-made denials.  It is through the Spirit, taking up the cross that the Lord puts upon us, and then joyfully walking that path - enduring that which is our divinely appointed lot.

Perfect self-denial in the Spirit, ends in perfect victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil.

To Be Like You - Hillsong

God in every circumstance...

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Except we, in some measure, come to understand God’s ways of working, we may find ourselves involved in that which is at cross-purposes with Him. He may be trying to crucify us through a certain individual, but all we see is someone trying to do us wrong. God may be applying the chastening rod, but we interpret it as someone wrongly abusing us.

Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

If we can recognize God at work refining us, we will find ourselves in His School of Preparation, without our being aware that we have entered the process of our preparation. We must come into a practical relationship with the Holy Spirit as our director and teacher. Each individual will be in a class by himself, and receive the lessons specifically fitted to the crucifixion of his will, heart, and carnal nature. These deal inwardly, backward in correction concerning incidents of the past, and forward in preparation toward the intended position and work to occupy us in “that day.”

Mal 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

Jesus, the Master builder, is at hand, diligently working with fullers soap, refiners fire, winnowing fan, trying circumstances, and unreasonable people. He will bring to bear all these, and many other crucifying, chastening, and correcting people and trying things, which are exactly suited to our individual processing.

The only safe way is to face them all as being a test, in which we are to overcome. See no man. Rather, see it as being appointed of the Lord. The Lord will formulate conditions, and set in our path persons adapted to reach and correct our every crooked, or warped tendency. We must accept and understand the fact that it is the Lord at work. An almost endless variety of incidents, and people, may gather about us. The purpose of all is that He may be revealed in us as we properly respond to the many dealings by repentance and faith. If we will remain steadfast and faithful, after we come through it all, we will have been prepared for His Kingdom purposes.

 “…a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Masters use, and prepared unto every good work.” II Timothy 2:21

 

 

 

The Bride of Christ

Jesus Christ is taking from among the Church a “Bride” to Himself.  This is a great condescension.  For the Christ to take upon Himself the nature and form of man was certainly very humbling.  But to take a Bride company from among men and then live through eternity with this Bride, in close association and fellowship, is beyond the comprehension of finite creatures.

A common teaching is that all classes of believers, regardless of their lack in attainment, will be part of the “Bride of Christ.”  His Kingdom is altogether different and apart from the earth realm in which man is found.  How entirely unreasonable then, to suppose that Jesus Christ would consider and accept as His Bride, immature Christians, who have never sighted, entered, or operated in this higher spiritual plane.  The conduct of affairs in His Kingdom will be on this high Spirit plane.

We cannot sow in the realm of the natural and reap in the realm of the Spiritual. 
“Like begets like” is an inherent law.  “Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” (Matthew 7:16)

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are true words of God.”  Revelation 19:7-9 NAS

“His bride has made herself ready.”  The Lord is seeking out and qualifying a Bride.  A clear vision and a practical understanding of the state and experience which is the divine standard for this calling is essential, if one is to enter this high calling.  We must know and attain to God’s requirements.

Our redemption is a free gift "whosoever will". It is a matter certain as is our home in heaven.

In order to become His Bride, we must awake and overcome lest we find ourselves to have fallen short of His calling.

The Threshold

We have crossed the threshold of the “Day of the Lord.”  Mighty upheavals are at hand, as  it is the close of the Gentile era.  The entire structure of man-made governments, businesses, and religions, are ready for judgment by Almighty God Himself. The God of Heaven is setting up His Kingdom, an unending and indestructible order.  Its princes and rulers are prophetic overcomers.  They are presently, like Moses, in the backside of the desert; or like Joseph, in prison; or like David, in the wilderness; or like Daniel, in heathen dissolute courts; or like Paul, in Arabia. They are living stones that are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. These are hidden in the “School of Christ,” presently being tested and tried, and by fire, purified.  They will come forth at the appointed time as sanctified vessels, prepared for the Master’s use.

All I Need is You - Kim Walker

                                                                                                                                     "All I Need Is You"

Left my fear by the side of the road
Hear You speak
Won't let go
Fall to my knees as I lift my hands to pray

Got every reason to be here again
Father's love that draws me in
And all my eyes wanna see is a glimpse of You

All I need is You
All I need is You Lord
Is You Lord

One more day and it's not the same
Your Spirit calls my heart to sing
Drawn to the voice of my Savior once again
Where would my soul be without Your Son
Gave His life to save the earth
Rest in the thought that You're watching over me

All I need is You
All I need is You Lord
Is You Lord

You hold the universe
You hold everyone on earth
You hold the universe
You hold
You hold

Obey

As we obey the Lord, the result of our obedience will produce within us “grace” in the form of “enabling strength,” which will make it yet easier for us to obey.  If we disobey, it becomes easier for us to again disobey, as we become “hardened,” and progressively it becomes more difficult to hear His voice or His convicting presence.
Our obeying the Lord and receiving His blessing does not mean that we will never again have a problem.  After experiencing a time of remarkable blessings and provisions, things may get worse.  The Lord will test us to see if we are capable of rightly handling what we have received, and if He might trust us with more.
We were told that we are to “be” a witness.  In the original, this word “witness” can be translated “martyr.”  As we die to our self-life, the life of Jesus will be seen through our lives, and others will receive comfort, strength, and healing.
And also, we will have entered into the “depths” of a personal relationship with Jesus, as we have rightly heard and responded to the “deep” eternal desire that is within Him.
This is the result of what we have become, not what we are doing.

The Way Up is Down

Although Jesus had twelve disciples, only three, Peter, James, and John, were taken by Him into a high mountain apart, where He was transfigured before them (Matthew 17:1‑2).  These saw His visible Glory while Moses and Elijah talked with Him.  They received an understanding that could never have been imparted to them in any other way.
Today, there is this same call to come up into the “mount” to view the stirrings, movings, and interventions of our Lord, with a clarity and perspective that is not available to those who rest below in safety and comfort.
Few are willing to ascend the mountain with Him and then, abide there; for, “vision always has a price.”  John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).  In other words, “The way up is down.”  This paradox applies to those who would come up into the mountain top, in communion with Him alone, in the higher realms of His presence and purposes.

Unending Love ... Hillsong

Come Apart

The Lord is seeking those who are willing “to come apart” and “ascend” the mountain of vision to be with Him.

“But know that the Lord has set apart him that is godly for Himself….”  Psalm 4:3

There is much that yet remains hidden, which the Lord desires to reveal to those who intimately desire Him, and are willing to come apart to spend quality time with Him - alone.

 “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”  Ephesians 1:18

 To these “set apart” ones, He is saying,

 “…Come up here, and I will show you things which must be hereafter.”  Revelation 4:1

 It is the Lord’s desire that we become one to whom the “mysteries of the Kingdom” will be revealed.

 “…It is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”  Matthew 13:11

 Our coming into this realm of “spiritual vision” requires being “separated” from all that is seemingly good, in order to be brought to the best.  Therefore, many weights (acceptable things not born of the spirit) must be laid aside, that we might ascend into this “set apart place” of unhindered union with Jesus, in the outworking of His end-time purposes.

 “…Rise up, My love, My fair one, and come away ...look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon….”  Song of Solomon 2:10, 4:8

 For those responding to this call into the higher realm of spiritual vision and insight, there is a priceless reward.

 “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:14

WORDS Hawk Nelson

Eternal Things

All of us are affected by the worldly environment that surrounds us.  As a result of this, we develop varying amounts of sensitivity to “earthy things.”  When we became “born again,” we received the capacity to know and respond to “eternal things.”  Through the working of the Holy Spirit within us, we began to understand that we are a new creation, and that we have entered a new and higher realm of life.  We learned that the purpose of the Lord is not to build up the temporal, but rather to introduce us to the eternal.

Names of God

Harmony of Heaven

In heaven, there is a “harmony” that flows upward to the Lord sitting upon His throne, and fills heaven.  As we worship in pure harmony – “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord,” we are lifted into the flow of this heavenly harmony, and into the presence of our Lord.  It is as if we have gone through the “sound barrier” of all that is earthly, to partake of that which is eternal. When a group of committed Christians, who have never been together before in a Gospel meeting, worship the Lord in a flow of harmony with the expression of pure adoration, a casual observer might think that they had been worshipping together for years. This flow of worship is not the result of any ability that they might have, but rather, it is due to their submission and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.  They have been “lifted” from the expression of the earthly, into the eternal flow of the harmony of heaven.

 

Hillsong LIVE ... One Desire