The Quiet Life

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to "make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need." (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). I would ask the question, how do we obey Jesus' command to go and preach the Gospel to all nations, which sometimes creates conflict as the light hits the darkness, yet at the same time make it our ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to our own business?

To live a quiet life and attend to our own business seems to imply that we stay out of other people's business and enjoy life with our own like-minded family and friends. Paul wrote to Timothy to pray "for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity." (1 Timothy 2:2). So it seems a life of peace and tranquility is what we should aim for. However, does this mean that we never share our faith with those who don't believe in Jesus? Does this mean we compromise and allow others to invade our quiet life with their beliefs in order to try and "keep peace?" Does peace mean the absence of conflict?

Jesus said He did not come to send peace, but a sword. This would imply some kind of conflict.

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's enemies will be the members of his household." (Matthew 10:34-36).

If our enemies live right in our midst, even in our own home at times, then how do we lead a tranquil and quiet life? How are we at peace with turmoil in our midst? Consider David's song in Psalm 131:

O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; 

Nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me.

Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; 

like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me.

O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever

When it's too much for us, we quiet our soul. Just as a child rests once he has been fully taken care of, we compose and quiet our soul within us. The Lord takes care of us, provides for us, protects us and nurtures us so we grow and learn to rest in Him. We come to the point where we know how to quiet our own soul, because we trust in Him. He has been faithful to us. We're not proud and haughty, but maintain a humble, restful faith in the Lord. This enables us to quiet our soul.

When we know we don't have the solution to things that are beyond our control, rather than becoming anxious and troubled, angry or frustrated, we trust in the Lord with simple, child-like faith. When Paul told Timothy to pray for those in authority so they could live a quiet and tranquil life, he went on to say, "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus..." (1 Timothy 2:3-5). God desires for everyone--kings and citizens alike--to come to the knowledge of truth, and for people to be able to preach the message of Jesus Christ and live according to it, in peace. We pray for all those in authority so this will be possible. If there is conflict going on around us--things too difficult for us to resolve--we quiet our souls within and rest in Him, and we pray.

There is a peace we have within, which comes from a right relationship with God. When we have this peace, it doesn't matter what is going on around us--we are at peace because we trust in Him. However, there are those who do not have peace within them because they are not right with God. They will try and control the environment around them in order to get peace, but this outward peace doesn't fully satisfy like the inward peace with God does.

Until Jesus comes, there will always be those among us who don't believe. We rely on the governing authorities to keep the peace--the outward peace--for now. While praying for those in authority to know what to do to keep the peace, we should aim to live among people in such a way that will, hopefully, show them how to have peace within their heart through faith in Jesus Christ.

When Paul spoke to the Thessalonians, and said to make it their ambition to live a quiet life, tend to their own business, and work with their own hands, he said to do it so that they could behave properly towards "outsiders," and not have any need. What is this proper behavior towards outsiders? We see an example in what Paul said to the church at Ephesus, which was for those who used to steal not to steal anymore but to work with their own hands that which is good, so that they will have something to share with one who has need. (Ephesians 4:28). We also see Paul saying to the Romans, "if possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." (Romans 12:18).

So it seems that we are to aim for a quiet and peaceable life, work to provide for our needs and the needs of our own family, while praying for those in authority and living peaceably with those around us when possible. By tending to our own business we not only have our own needs met, but we have something to offer others who are in need. Even though we absolutely don't compromise our faith with the "outsiders" in our midst, we still love them, attempt to live peaceably with them, show them how they too can have peace within, and when possible, give to those in need. Let's pray for those in authority to maintain the peace in our land, and let's pray for opportunities to reach others with the Gospel of peace, so they may have peace within. One day Jesus will come and get it all straightened out. In the meantime, we can live the quiet life as we put our own soul in a place of rest and peace in Him.

No Longer Content with a Crippled Life

1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 

2 And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. 

3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. 

4 But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!”

5 And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 

6 But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” 

7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. 

8 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 

9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 

10 and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 3:1-10

Have you been in a troubling situation for a long time? This man was crippled from his mother's womb. All he knew was to be carried to the temple gate every day so he could beg for money. This had gone on his whole life. He couldn't take care of himself, and had to rely on the generosity of others. He went to a place where people would be compassionate. He went to the people of God, where he could find mercy. They would give money so he could stay alive, and maybe even enjoy some comforts while remaining in his crippled situation. The people of God gave to him, and probably felt good about it, and he benefited as well from their giving. This was his life and he, and everyone else, was used to it.

This man was not expecting to receive anything other than alms to make his life easier. He wasn't even looking at people while he begged. If he said anything at all he may have just spoke generally to everyone who passed by. He didn't expect Peter and John to give him anything special because when they passed by, Peter said, "Look at us!" He hadn't made eye contact with them until Peter said that. Yet even then, when he did look at them, he was still just expecting to receive alms. He didn't see what was coming. He didn't see that they could offer him a way out of his crippled life. He was expecting life to go on as usual, not a miraculous change that would turn his whole life upside down--or right side up.

Peter said he wasn't going to give him silver and gold. He wasn't going to give him something that would just make him more comfortable as a cripple. He was not going to speak anything that would enable him to continue in that mentality, that lifestyle, outside the temple and away from his true purpose in life. He was going to give him something that would pull him up out of his lame life and turn him into a productive person in the community. One who could give to others and contribute to society--not one who felt hopeless, useless and a burden on others. God is in the restoration business!

Peter gave him what he had to give, "In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene--walk!" He pulled him up by the right hand and immediately he was able to walk. God interrupted his life. He broke the cycle of crippledness in this man's thinking, as well as his body. The man entered the temple with Peter and John walking, leaping and praising God. This caused the people to be filled with wonder and amazement. God was glorified in this man's healing, and that was just the beginning of his new life.

Are you in a situation where you know you need help beyond yourself just to survive? You don't have it within yourself to even get by in life? Have you gone to the people of God looking for help? Maybe they offer prayer, gifts, time or whatever they can give to help you be more comfortable in your current situation. You appreciate that, of course, and that may have become "normal" for you. You go to the people of God for help and prayer and it works for a time. However, God is calling you up to a higher level. He is able to do more than just make you more comfortable in your crippledness. He is able to pull you up out of it so you are crippled no more!

Look up. Look to Him. Look beyond what the people of God can do, and look to what He can do through them. Look expecting. Look with hope. I hear bones popping back into place! Rise up out of your crippledness and walk in the Name of Jesus!

"Father God, come invade our lives. Interrupt our living. We no longer want that which will just sustain us in our crippled situation. We look to You Lord, not expecting to receive that which will just make us better able to tolerate a lame life, but we look to You with expectancy to pull us up out of our crippledness, so we may enter into the fullness of You. So we may walk and leap and praise You, fulfilling our destiny!"

What to do when you have hopeless faith or faithless hope!

Follow this train of thought with me...

If answered prayer requires faith, and faith is the assurance of things hoped for, then we need hope to get answers to prayer. So, how do we get hope?

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Hope comes by being filled with joy and peace, in believing. Believing what? The promises of God--His words to us. So we can summarize that answered prayer begins with an attitude of joy and peace concerning the promises of God to you.

Let's look at this in more detail... Answered prayer requires faith. When the blind men came to Jesus asking for mercy, He asked them if they believed He was able to do this. They said yes, and when He touched their eyes He said, "It shall be done to you according to your faith" and their eyes were opened. (Matthew 9:27-30). Faith was required on their part in order for them to be healed of their blindness.

A father brought his boy to the disciples to cast a demon out of his son and the disciples couldn't do it. When Jesus got there, He said to the man, "All things are possible to him who believes." The man said, "I do believe; help my unbelief." (Mark 9:23-24). Jesus then cast the demon out. When His disciples asked Him why they couldn't do it, He said "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." (Matthew 17:20). Even though Jesus also said, this kind of demon only goes out by prayer and fasting, He specifically states that the reason they couldn't do it was not because of that, but because of their lack of faith. Faith was required for this boy to be delivered from the demon. The disciples didn't have the faith, but Jesus did.

There are other instances where Jesus responded to the faith of people, resulting in miracles.

• Matthew 8:10, 13: Of the Centurion who came to Jesus seeking healing for his servant, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.....Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed." The servant was healed at that very moment.

• Mark 2:5: Regarding the paralytic let down through the roof by his friends we read, "And Jesus seeing their faith..." Not only did he immediately get healed, but his sins were forgiven as well.

• Matthew 9:22: To the woman with the hemorrhage for twelve years, He said, "Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well." She was made well at once.

• Matthew 15:28: To the Canaanite woman seeking help for her daughter, He said, "O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish." Her daughter was healed at once.

Most of us probably realize we need faith to get miraculous healings and such in our lives, but we don't often recognize the importance of hope. We might wish, but not with true hope. We fall short by not clearly defining what we are hoping for. Hope is the details of our desire--healing, provision, protection, etc. Hope is the specific word that gives life to our faith.

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for. 

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Throughout the 11th chapter of Hebrews we read the stories of those who had great faith. The evidence of their faith is the results they received. Things like Noah building the ark, Abraham leaving his home town and going to the Promised Land, Sarah conceiving a child, and many more--Abel, Enoch, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses etc... The thing that gives substance to faith is what the person is hoping for. There are specific things listed in this chapter that define what exactly their faith produced. The things hoped for are specific things, they are the "things not seen" that we mix our faith with.

James wrote that "faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself." (James 2:17). Faith requires something to fill it so it can take shape. Kind of like a balloon--hope is like the air in the balloon and faith is the balloon itself. The air (hope) without the balloon (faith) won't result in anything visible, and the balloon (faith) without the air (hope) won't come to life and take the shape it is supposed to.

If you have a problem going on in your life, you don't just need faith to get your answer, you also need hope. You need hope to see the end result you desire, and your faith works with that hope to bring it to pass. We know that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17), but how do we get hope?

Hope comes from being filled with all joy and peace.

Once again the Bible says, 

"Now may the God of peace fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

The God of peace fills you with all joy and peace, in believing, so that you may abound in hope! Go to the God of peace and ask Him to fill you with all joy and peace. He has already given you His Word which is full of words of promises--words of hope. If you are filled with His Spirit, you have joy and peace in you as fruit of the Spirit. Cultivate this fruit! Meditate on His Word so that "in believing" you will abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit!

There is a cycle here we need to understand. You could call it a miracle cloud. Being filled with joy and peace causes your hope to abound. Your hope continues to grow as you stay filled with joy and peace. Your hope grows stronger and gives shape to your faith. At this point where your hope unites with faith, there is a shift in reality. There is a shift in the spiritual realm and the quantum field that surrounds you. Like the woman who said, "If I can just touch the hem of His garment, I will be made whole," your hope--regarding a specific promise or word--gives life to faith. (Matthew 9:21). When you inject patience into all of it, then you understand that these things are happening outside the realm of time. God is outside the realm of time. You can remain in joy and peace because your focus is not on "when." Patience is like the knot in the balloon which enables you to stay filled with joy and peace. Your patience maintains the joy and peace, which produces more hope, which gives life to faith, to which you add patience, and the cycle continues. This is a miracle cloud--the place where miracles happen!

We get disappointed when we go looking for hope in all the wrong places. We look to our family, our friends, our pastor, or anyone other than the God of peace. He is the source of the joy and peace that creates hope--true hope--which His Word is full of. Prophetic words spoken to us bring the joy and peace that fills us with hope. The Word of God, written or spoken, gives us promises--gives us hope!

Make this your profession of faith concerning the biggest need you have today:

"The God of hope has given me great promises that fill me with joy and peace. I will keep my mind on His words of promise to stay continually filled with joy and peace. This joy and peace causes me to abound in hope.

This hope grows, inflating my faith, giving substance to it. This faith is the assurance that the unseen things I hope for are a reality.

With patience, I trust the Lord for the proper timing of all things, knowing the reality exists in the eternal realm. I maintain patience and stay filled with joy and peace continually, remembering His words of promise, which strengthens my hope--inflates my faith--and renews my patience, so I can remain filled with joy and peace at all times."

The Canaan Wars

"Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to test Israel by them (that is, all who had not experienced any of the wars of Canaan; only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, those who had not experienced it formerly). These nations are: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. They were for testing Israel, to find out if they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers through Moses.” Judges 3:1-4

The Lord left these nations in the land of Canaan--the Promised Land--to test Israel, specifically to test "all who had not experienced any of the wars of Canaan." He had a purpose in doing so. He wanted the next generations of the sons of Israel to be taught war. The Lord wanted each generation to be taught war. In addition, each generation was tested to find out if they would obey the commandments of the Lord. So we see two things the Lord used these enemies of Israel for:

• To teach war to the generations who had not experienced it
• To test the people to see if they would obey the Lord

Apparently the Lord thought knowing how to war was an important skill. It’s important enough to Him that He wants each generation to experience it for themselves. It wasn’t enough for them to hear about it, they had to maintain this skill of fighting for their land--the Promised Land--where they could freely worship God according to how He had commanded them. God wanted Israel to have the freedom to live by the Law of Moses, and to recognize that freedom was worth fighting for.

Today, we in America are in the midst of a Canaan War of our own. This generation needs to learn to war--to fight--for the land the Lord has given us. This generation hasn’t had to fight for the freedoms we’ve enjoyed since our founding. They’ve been taken for granted, and even questioned as to whether they are something to hang on to. As this generation fights their own “Canaan War” they will learn that religious freedom is something worth fighting for. The land the Lord has given us is worth the war.

What land has the Lord given us? The land is religious freedom. America was founded so people would have freedom to worship God as they choose. To be able to pursue what they feel is their God-given call, and not have a government dictate how they are to live. Our founders recognized the need for a government, for things like defense and economy, but realized that the people must be free to worship God and pursue His call without governmental interference. The Constitution of the United States was written in such a way to protect our religious freedom and to explain how it can be kept in place. This is part of the Canaan War this generation is to fight.

As Christians, not only must we be sure to teach our children the Word of God and the ways of the Lord, we also need to teach our children to war for the land, so they will be skilled warriors as adults and be able to win the war against those who try and take our freedom--our land. Our constitution is a weapon we use in this fight.

The Canaan Wars test the people to prove whether or not they will keep the commandments of the Lord. Will they walk in His ways? Will they seek Him in all their paths? Will they choose the Lord even when it’s not easy? Will they fight for the land He has given, believing that He has given us this land? The young people of this country cannot live off the coattails of their parents (or grandparents) faith. They will need to prove that they themselves will seek the Lord and walk in His ways.

Parents, whatever we have done wrong to not nurture our children’s faith, we need to ask the Lord’s forgiveness. However, we must also recognize where we have gone wrong in not teaching our children to war for the land. If you still have young children at home, their faith in the Lord, love of the Lord, and instruction in His ways needs to become a top priority. This is to include warfare for the land. As parents and grandparents, we must get into the War Room ourselves and pray for our children and grand-children. If you don’t have any children of your own, pray for someone else’s. This generation is going through war and tests and we must pray! And we must teach.

Let us learn from our mistake of not remaining sober and alert to the enemy's devices in trying to take our land from us. We can no longer assume that those in authority are watching out for our best interests. In whatever way we personally have neglected to maintain the land the Lord has given us, we need to ask for forgiveness and start on the right path.

In the education of children, whether at home, church, or school, let us seek to impart a desire for them to fight for the land, and teach them how. Let us teach our children the ways of the Lord, to seek Him early--at a young age--and diligently, while He may still be found in this country.

The Parrésia Anointing

On July 4, 2015 I posted a blog called God's Freedom of Speech Definition. (Read it here). It is about Peter and John being arrested for preaching in the Name of Jesus. It's taken from Acts 4 & 5. I discuss the word parrésia which is used to describe the confidence of Peter and John that the authorities saw, as well as the confidence they prayed for so they could continue to speak the word. Parrésia is also used to describe the boldness they continued to preach with after this happened. As I explain in the blog, parrésia means freedom of speech and confidence. When reading these Scriptures, you can replace the words confidence and boldness with "freedom of speech" to get a better understanding.

I bring this up again because there is more we need to see about this type of freedom of speech that God gave them, and will give to us if we ask for it as they did. There are three different levels to this kind of free speech.

1. The freedom to speak freely without harassment or persecution. 
This type of freedom of speech is what we have enjoyed in America for so long, up until recently. We've had the freedom to say what we want and others have the freedom to disagree with us. We have not had to fear being persecuted or arrested for speaking of Jesus or preaching in His Name.

2. The courage to speak freely even if there is persecution or consequence.
This is the kind of boldness I typically thought of when reading about Peter and John's arrest in Acts 4. This is the kind of courage that some American Christians are starting to have to display because of persecution and laws that are attacking our freedom of speech. This is the kind of courage a true believer must have in order to stay loyal to the Lord during times of opposition. The early church displayed this type of courage, many of them to the point of death.

3. The power-filled, anointed speech that brings light and freedom to blinded minds.
This is the kind of speech that not only reaches the ears of the deceived because the speaker had the boldness to speak, but these are words that carry the power to penetrate into the brain of the person bringing light, understanding, freedom and faith to the hearer! This is where we see God backing the words we speak with power. We see this displayed throughout the book of Acts and described here:

...After it (the Word) was spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. Hebrews 2:3-4

So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed. Mark 16:19-20 

Words are more than sound waves that hit an eardrum. Sound waves continue through the ear and into the brain where they are decoded so the hearer understands what the speaker meant. God-anointed words have the power to eradicate the darkness of deception that blinds the minds of unbelievers so they can see the truth and believe!

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."  2 Corinthians 4:3-4

The minds of the unbelieving are blinded by darkness. They don't see the light of the gospel. They don't see the glory of the Lord. They don't see that He is the image of God Himself. We need to have the courage of level two described above, but also the power of level three. We need to speak the Word of God with the anointing of His Spirit so His Light can penetrate the darkened minds.

The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130 NKJV

So how do we get this level three kind of God-anointed words? We first display level two courage, but look at what Peter and John also did. After they were threatened by the authorities they went to their own people and they all prayed.

"And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence (parrésia), while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. (parrésia). (Acts 4:29-31).

They gathered with their people and prayed for parrésia. When they did the whole place shook and they were filled with the Spirit. We know that they were already filled with the Spirit, but they received a fresh, or greater anointing of the Spirit. Rather than backing down and giving in to the dark threats of the authorities, they responded by asking the Lord for more parrésia so they could speak His word while the Lord healed and displayed signs and wonders. This kind of parrésia anointing on our words brings the light and power of God into the earth in such a way that the works of God are demonstrated and God is glorified!

If you grieve over a loss of the level one kind of freedom of speech, make a decision to speak the Word courageously. Pray for this parrésia anointing and for the Lord to display signs and wonders through His Name. Remember, the light shines brighter in the darkness. There may be a stronger conflict, but light overcomes the darkness!

Keys to Speaking Powerful, Creative Words

"The Lord heard the voice of Elijah,

and the life of the child returned to him and he revived."

1 Kings 17:22

Don't we all want God to hear our voice in such a way that miracles like this one--a child being raised from the dead--happen when we pray? What Christian would not want to speak life-giving words, the kinds of words that create miracles and bring the realm of the Spirit into this physical realm? Can we speak creative words of healing and miracles? Is this possible today? Does God still respond to the voices of people in such a way as this? To answer that, let's look back to the beginning. God created the physical world we live in by speaking it into existence.

"Then God said, "Let there be light; and there was light."

Genesis 1:3

God spoke words, which are sound vibrations. But words are not just meaningless sounds. There was intent behind the sound vibrations (words) that God spoke. There was a thought, an image, a vision, an idea, or whatever you want to call it, it was an expected result to the words He spoke. He intended to create the earth. It was an intentional act. He knew what He was doing. He was speaking for the purpose of creating.

The earth didn't just respond in a random way to random sound vibrations--it did exactly what God told it to do. Words come from breath. So where does breath come from? Breath is Spirit. The Words that God breathed out released the thoughts and intent of the Spirit--His Spirit--resulting in the creation of the earth as we know it. The breath of these words were the substance of His Spirit. When these words were breathed/spoken they were the very expressions of the ideas of the Spirit of God being sent out to accomplish the task.

Let's back up a bit and look again at Genesis 1:3 in relation to verses 1-2.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The earth was formless, and void,

and darkness was over the surface of the deep,

and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

"Then God said, "Let there be light; and there was light."

Here is the order of events:

There was nothing.

The Spirit of God moved over the nothing.

God spoke light.

Light became.

Born within the Spirit of God was the idea, the plan and the purpose of what He was about to create. It was formed within Him first. Then He spoke--breathed words--and it moved from the spiritual realm of thought and idea into the physical matter of existence that we see today. His Spirit is the breath that makes up the words as well as the intent of what they are to accomplish.

"So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

It will not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:11

Words that create life will not just be meaningless sound vibrations, they will be words which come from the Spirit of God--the breath of God. When we pray, are we looking to breathe out words from the Spirit of God or just speak meaningless sound vibrations? Do our words have intent? Do they have purpose? Are they from God, because His words do not return to Him empty! If we want them to go out and actually accomplish something these are things we need to consider.

"Thus Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fail."

1 Samuel 3:19

None of Samuel's words failed. The Lord Himself did not let any of his words fail. That means when they came out of Samuel's mouth, they went and accomplished what they were sent out to do. Have you ever felt that your words went out of your mouth and just fell to the ground, not accomplishing what they were meant to do? (Anyone with kids could say yes here). This is frustrating if you are trying to speak words of life and healing, yet a good thing if you are angry and cursing! Imagine if every word you spoke went out and actually did what you were telling them to do. This could be a blessing, but it could also be quite dangerous.

"Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven
and consume them?"

But He turned and rebuked them, and said,

"You do not know what kind of spirit you are of;

for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them..."

Luke 9:55-56

Thank God James and John asked Jesus first before they just called fire down from heaven to consume those Samaritans who did not receive Him! Their words would have destroyed, when Jesus was sent to save. We must look for His intent when we speak.

Back to our opening verse where Elijah raised the widow's son from the dead, after he did so she said to him,

"Now I know that you are a man of God

and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth."

1 Kings 17:24  

The word of the Lord in Elijah's mouth was truth. In some people's mouth, the word is not truth. How can that be? How can a person speak the word of the Lord and not have it be truth? Because the truth is both the Word of God and the Spirit of God combined. Jesus said:

"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth." John 17:17

and

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth,..." John 14:17

The Word of God is truth and the Spirit of God is truth. Both of them are truth. Truth is not just facts. It is more than that. It is not just quoting Scripture either. It is words spoken by the Spirit of God, in agreement with the Word of God. The character or fruit of the Spirit needs to so fully saturate our hearts that everything we speak carries His anointing. Love is the evidence of maturity in the Spirit. (See 1 Corinthians 3:1-3).

The Apostle Paul wrote that we are to grow into maturity and not be led astray by deceitful doctrines. He said,

"but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ," Ephesians 4:15

We're told to speak the truth in love. I question whether speaking the truth without love is still the truth. Because God is love. His Spirit is truth. His words are truth. They must all mesh together. Once again, truth is not simply spouting off facts. For example, let's say my husband Tim does the dishes and keeps leaving dirt on the cups. I let it go a time or two, but after a while I say something. If I say something in a spirit of criticism, anger, resentment, arrogance or any ungodly character of spirit, I may be speaking facts, but since it is not in love, is it still the truth? It's not what the Word of God says about him. It's not in character with the Spirit of God, so is it truth? I will need to be concerned about the condition of my heart, not whether he gets it right and does what I want with the dishes. If I attack him with my words I am not moving in a spirit of love, or truth.

Let's get back to the question of whether or not we can speak creative words of healing and miracles today. There are two things we need to consider. The measure of the Spirit and the consistency of our words.

The Measure of the Spirit

God gives the Spirit without measure. (John 3:34). How do we get filled with the Holy Spirit today?

1. Jesus appeared to His disciples after He rose from the dead and sent them out as the Father had sent Him. then He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:19-22)

2. He told them to wait in Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from on high. They did and the Holy Spirit fell on them and filled them. (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4-5, 2:1-4)

3. The Apostle Paul told the church to "not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ." (Ephesians 5:18-21)

Here we see the Spirit was received by His disciples when Jesus breathed on them/spoke to them. They were filled to overflowing when they waited on Him together, and they were told to remain filled with the Spirit through praise and thanksgiving. These are ways to receive and maintain a filling of the Spirit.

Jesus spoke of being filled to overflowing. He said, regarding those who believe in Him, that out of their belly will flow rivers of living water--speaking of the Spirit of God. (John 7:37-39). So not only do you need to be filled, but filled to overflowing. There is a filling of the Spirit within you and for you, and there is an overflowing of the Spirit to benefit others.

The Consistency of our Words

The second thing we need to consider regarding whether we can speak words of creative miracles and healing today, is the consistency of our words. Consistency in the sense of being constant and faithful to only speak words of life. Not consistency in the sense of the thickness of a substance like cake batter. However, it's kind of a play on words because if you are consistent to only speak words of life then the consistency--or intensity--of the power of your words will also increase. Think of 100 proof alcohol, which is more powerful--or intense--than 60 proof. If you want the intensity or power of your words to increase, then you will need to be consistent in speaking life, not death.

"from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.

My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.

Does a fountain send out from the same opening

both fresh and bitter water?"

James 3:10-11

If we cannot be trusted to speak blessing and life with our words, then our words will not be backed with much power of the Spirit. This is a protection for us and those around us. Do you want to be able to speak powerful words of life? Words that bring deliverance and healing? This is one thing to keep in mind--keeping the words of your mouth consistently life-giving.

If we back up a couple verses, we see right before this James says:

"But no one can tame the tongue;

it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.

With it we bless our Lord and Father,

and with it we curse men,

who have been made in the likeness of God."

James 3:8-9

If we want our tongue tamed, we must grow in the fruit of the Spirit. We must desire and embrace the character of the Holy Spirit as our own character. Jesus said "the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." (Matthew 12:34). What is in our heart is evidenced by what comes out of our mouth.

When you are faced with situations where you want to complain, gossip, curse etc. this is a golden opportunity for you to prove consistency with your words! Don't fail this test! Realize the importance of what is going on here. God is trying to increase the intensity/authority of your words so you can speak life to others! Once this happens, you can say as the Apostle Paul did:

"and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom,

but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men,

but on the power of God."

1 Corinthians 2:4-5

Lines in the Sand--Mercy and Judgment

2 Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” 6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. 7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. 10 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.” John 8:2-11

Only You know, Lord where the lines of mercy and judgment should be drawn. We must have boundaries, or we will have complete lawlessness. We must have mercy or we will become hardened in our hearts.

Your mercy does not allow for unjust acts towards the innocent or the righteous to go unaccounted for. Yet Your judgment doesn't mean that You never forgive intentional acts of sin. There is a balance that is just, fair and right. You know the balance. You know the hearts of men. You judge rightly every time.

Your judgment, when it gets in the heart of man, will cause them to forgive. Your mercy, in the heart of a man, will cause him to judge righteously. We need both.

Show us Your heart. Teach us Your ways. May we fully understand and properly balance Your Word which says:

"For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment." James 2:13

and...

12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves. 1 Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? 1 Corinthians 5:12-6:3