If we want the Word of God to have authority in our life,
there is only one way - obey it.
If we want the Holy Spirit to have authority in our life,
there is only one way - Obey Him.
If we always obey impulses of fear or doubt or resentment,
what will have authority over our minds?
Fear, and doubt and resentment.
Tom Marshall
Part 4 of 6 New Beginnings – The Passover
But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God,
for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them,
because they are spiritually appraised.
But he who is spiritual appraises all things,
yet he himself is appraised by no one.
1 Corinthians 2:14-15 NASB
When we come to know the Lord our eyes are opened to the truth of His kingdom. The things of the natural world that have so long preoccupied our thoughts give way to the true reality of the spiritual truth. To those who do not know the ways of the Holy Spirit this kind of thinking is irrational. The Apostle Paul was well aware of this when he wrote to the Corinthian church above.
The Lord is continually with us because His Holy Spirit dwells within us.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”
1 Corinthians 6:19 NASB
When the eyes of our hearts are open to His presence we clearly see Him in our every circumstance. The power of the Lord becomes apparent in our lives in an even more focused way, and He works through us to perform His will. This testimony of the Lord has always been apparent to those who have seen the power of His presence demonstrated.
When Elisha and his servant were confronted by an entire army, his servant was panicked by the circumstance while Elisha sat quietly. Then Elisha prayed that God would spiritually open his servant’s eyes and he beheld a huge company of angels that outnumbered the army.
“Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city.
And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"
So he answered, "Do not fear,
for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, I pray,
open his eyes that he may see "
And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw;
and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire
all around Elisha.
When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said,
"Strike this people with blindness, I pray."
So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.”
2 Kings 6:15-18 NASB
Saul of Tarsus spent years of his life hunting down Christians to persecute and kill them. One of those victimized was Steven.
“When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him;
and the witnesses laid aside their robes
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
They went on stoning Stephen
as he called on the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’
Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice,
‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’
Having said this, he fell asleep.”
Acts 7:58-60 NASB
This encounter with the truth, and the power of the Spirit in Timothy, was instrumental in the then unconverted Saul’s conversion. Jesus was so real to him, Steven wasn’t even distracted by the stones that were taking his life. The Lord used this experience to prepare him to carry the Gospel message around the then known world.
These fruits, are seen throughout the Apostle Paul’s writings after his eyes were opened to the truth through the Spirit of God:
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened,
so that you will know what is the (B)hope of His (C)calling, what are (D)the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead
and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion,
and every name that is named, not only in this age
but also in the one to come.
And He put all things in subjection under His feet,
and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Ephesians 1:18-23 NASB
Paul saw the reality of Christ on His throne, and saw the truth that all things are subject to Him.
When our own eyes are open to this reality, the cares of this world will always give way to the truth and priorities of His Spirit.
End Part 4
30fkj
there is only one way - obey it.
If we want the Holy Spirit to have authority in our life,
there is only one way - Obey Him.
If we always obey impulses of fear or doubt or resentment,
what will have authority over our minds?
Fear, and doubt and resentment.
Tom Marshall
Part 4 of 6 New Beginnings – The Passover
But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God,
for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them,
because they are spiritually appraised.
But he who is spiritual appraises all things,
yet he himself is appraised by no one.
1 Corinthians 2:14-15 NASB
When we come to know the Lord our eyes are opened to the truth of His kingdom. The things of the natural world that have so long preoccupied our thoughts give way to the true reality of the spiritual truth. To those who do not know the ways of the Holy Spirit this kind of thinking is irrational. The Apostle Paul was well aware of this when he wrote to the Corinthian church above.
The Lord is continually with us because His Holy Spirit dwells within us.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”
1 Corinthians 6:19 NASB
When the eyes of our hearts are open to His presence we clearly see Him in our every circumstance. The power of the Lord becomes apparent in our lives in an even more focused way, and He works through us to perform His will. This testimony of the Lord has always been apparent to those who have seen the power of His presence demonstrated.
When Elisha and his servant were confronted by an entire army, his servant was panicked by the circumstance while Elisha sat quietly. Then Elisha prayed that God would spiritually open his servant’s eyes and he beheld a huge company of angels that outnumbered the army.
“Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city.
And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"
So he answered, "Do not fear,
for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, I pray,
open his eyes that he may see "
And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw;
and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire
all around Elisha.
When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said,
"Strike this people with blindness, I pray."
So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.”
2 Kings 6:15-18 NASB
Saul of Tarsus spent years of his life hunting down Christians to persecute and kill them. One of those victimized was Steven.
“When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him;
and the witnesses laid aside their robes
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
They went on stoning Stephen
as he called on the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’
Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice,
‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’
Having said this, he fell asleep.”
Acts 7:58-60 NASB
This encounter with the truth, and the power of the Spirit in Timothy, was instrumental in the then unconverted Saul’s conversion. Jesus was so real to him, Steven wasn’t even distracted by the stones that were taking his life. The Lord used this experience to prepare him to carry the Gospel message around the then known world.
These fruits, are seen throughout the Apostle Paul’s writings after his eyes were opened to the truth through the Spirit of God:
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened,
so that you will know what is the (B)hope of His (C)calling, what are (D)the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead
and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion,
and every name that is named, not only in this age
but also in the one to come.
And He put all things in subjection under His feet,
and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Ephesians 1:18-23 NASB
Paul saw the reality of Christ on His throne, and saw the truth that all things are subject to Him.
When our own eyes are open to this reality, the cares of this world will always give way to the truth and priorities of His Spirit.
End Part 4
30fkj
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