Category: Church

This is the way walk in it..

Isaiah 30: 21 says “Your ears shall hear a word behind you saying “This is the way walk in it”. Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left”.

If you are looking for direction in your life and seeking the path that God wants you to take or a new door is opening up to you then take encouragement from the promise in these verses.  

God will direct your way.

This could be your season for stepping into the new things of God. 

It may be paths that you or no-one else has travelled before, areas which you have never ventured into, things you or nobody else has ever done but take comfort that God will make it clear that you are on the right path.   

God will direct you to move forward into new things.   

Don’t look back at the old or try to do things in the same way but with boldness step into the new.   

This may be a season for God to show you how to do things in a different way.  Don’t worry or be anxious that you don’t know what’s up ahead – trust God.    If you are walking where God wants you to walk then you are going in the right direction.

You may face discouragement – people may think you are crazy even to attempt something new but God will give you the vision and you will hear His still small voice saying “This is the way walk in it“.   

You will know that it is God speaking to you.   

I encourage you to be bold in faith today as you hear Him speak to you.  

Take hold of the opportunity or opportunities which God is bringing your way.

I sense this may be a season for some that God will completely turn things on their head.  God will flip things upside down but you will emerge unscathed.    Allow God to be in the driving seat.

I pray God will increase your vision in these days.  To stir in you a new vision, a bigger vision and to break new ground for Him.  

To see new things and create new opportunities for the gospel to be preached and people to be reached with the good news of Jesus Christ.

I felt prompted to share this post again today. I hope it is a blessing and encouragement to someone reading.

Blessings,

 

Refreshing Company

I’m fortunate still to be away this week having a refreshing break in the beautiful hills and valleys of Wales. Truly beautiful part of this world and our Father’s creation.

I’ve been able to keep up with my reading and enjoyed Alan’s post on refreshment which comes from reading our precious bibles. Praise God.

It inspired me to share a post from last year on refreshing company. I don’t know about you but I know some people who are “drainers”. I come away from time with them feeling emotionally drained. They’ve sucked everything out of me.

Paul talked about another type of people “Refreshers”. I hope you have plenty of those in your life too. Perhaps you are one of them 😀.

“I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition”.
1 Corinthians 16:17-18

These bible verses really inspired me today. Oh how blessed we are to have people like a Stephanus, Fortunatus and Achaicus in our lives and in the body of Christ. People who refresh us.

These type of Christian believers are commended by Paul. They must have been a great source of encouragement and Godly wisdom to the early church.

We all need times of refreshing. One of those ways of refreshing is also through other believers, just as Paul and the Corinthians were refreshed by the visit of these 3 men.

As Paul says, such people deserve recognition.

Can I encourage us all to take some time to think about the people who are the refreshing company in our lives. They make us happy when we see them. They give and impart good things. Positive people.

Let’s thank God for them. They are a blessing.

Let’s also make a point of thanking them. It’s good to let such people know that we value them.

Finally, let’s all try to be the “refreshing” company we enjoy so people are happy to see and hear from us. We can be that source of refreshment to others.

Let’s be “Refreshers”.

Have a blessed day friends.

Atrophy

A friend used this word “atrophy” in an email to me this week. It immediately got my attention as it’s such an unusual word. It reminded me of this post from early 2020 so I wanted to share it again today.

Atrophy means the partial or complete wasting away of part of a physical body.   

A sense of shrinking and weakness in body mass and muscle tone.   An entire limb can become atrophied and withered and incapable of movement.    

There are several things which can cause Atrophy in a body but these ones caught my attention:

  1. Disuse/Lack of Exercise -When muscles are not used or you are immobile for long periods of time then Atrophy can set in.    We are called into active service in Christ Jesus and to pick up our cross and follow Him.   We are called to give and serve others, to exercise the giftings which God gives us through the Holy Spirit.   To serve others and be a blessing to them.   To show God’s love in action.   There are plenty of opportunities to serve within the body of Christ and the communities we live in.   If we are not using and exercising the talents & gifts which God has given us then they will wither.   We are called to be a voice crying in the wilderness “Prepare the way of the Lord”.   We are called to be light in the darkness.  God is rallying his church and the trumpet is sounding – wake up and start to work for the Lord because the day is short.   The good news is that this sort of Atrophy can be cured by exercise unless it is too severe.   It is never too late to start working for the Lord – He will always make a way.  Trust in the Lord and do good.
  2. Poor Nourishment – if we do not feed our physical bodies properly then they will suffer.  Muscles will lose mass and our bodies will start to shut down if no nourishment is given.   Similarly, the body of Christ will suffer if it is not feeding on the Word of God and in fellowship with Christ – the bread of life.    The challenge is -What are we feeding on?  If we feed on worldly rubbish or false teachings and doctrines then we will suffer.    We need a diet of God’s word and His truths.
  3. Mutations -these are things that should not be part of the body and they cause damage – they attack it from within.  In a spiritual sense I believe that Atrophy in the body of Christ is caused by sinful, immoral & selfish behaviour – there is no fruit of the Spirit.   It is like a disease which spreads from within.  The bible teaches us how a root of bitterness is such a thing – it causes much damage to others.   Jealousy, gossip, unforgiveness and such things should not be within the body of Christ.   Wolves in sheep’s clothing do not belong in the body of Christ and will certainly cause damage.  The bible warns us against them and their works.  Jesus says we will know them by their fruits.
  4. Poor Circulation – If we do not have the living Christ, the life & power of the Holy Spirit and God’s love flowing through us then we will have poor circulation.  If we are not in unity with one another then there will be a blockage in God’s love and blessings being manifested throughout the body of Christ.   Those parts of the body which are not flowing in the Spirit of God will not prosper – their growth will be stunted.   We need to connect into God’s amazing power and for the life giving blood of Jesus to pump through us.

I pray that we, the body of Christ, will not suffer Atrophy but will be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  

That we will put off lethargy and sin which can so easily ensnare us and will rise in service of the King of Kings & Lord of Lords. 

That we will put our hands to the plough and not look back and we will run the race of faith with patience and endurance.   

Let us not be weary in doing good for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart – Galatians 6:9.  

Let us rise up like the Eagle and run and not faint.

Let us leap for Joy in service of our King.

Blessings in Jesus. Amen 🙏

sunset beach people sunrise
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False Anointings and Manifestations

I want to re-share this post today which is from a word that the Lord gave me in August 2020. I believe that it is still a warning the Lord wants us to hear especially in these days and in times ahead. Please read, pray, weigh and test.

You will hear a rumour or a word that “The Lord is there ” – Jehovah Shammah”  but the Lord says do not be fooled.

This morning the Lord impressed this word to me:

The Lord says that in the past many have run after the manifestations of who they believed was the Holy Spirit, because of a deep hunger to meet the Lord and encounter His presence, but these have often been false manifestations and have led people into the wrong things and opened up a door in their lives to the enemy by accepting a false anointing or a false spirit to oppress them.

The Lord says that you don’t have to run after manifestations of His glory. The glory of the Lord is coming to you. 

Wait patiently for the Lord he says – He will come.  He will not disappoint you.

The Lord says that He has already warned us in His Word not to run after such manifestations or people that claim to be Him.  He says not to do it -for if you do then you will be deceived.

As the lightning streaked across the sky as it did in the storms that roared across this nation in the night and which all could see clearly in the sky, then so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.

Do not be deceived.  Do not go running after false manifestations of the Holy Spirit and the Lord’s glory. 

You will know the awesome presence of the Lord for He is Holy and where He is – is Holy.  

You will not be able to stand in His presence.  Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.   He is Lord and there is no other.

The Lord does things according to His Word (the Bible).   He does not act outside of His Word. 

Keep the Word of God close to your heart.  Feed on the Word of God.  Be guided by the Word and do not be deceived for many false prophecies and false words are circulating at the moment.

Many false prophets and leaders are rising up in this hour to lead His people astray.  Do not be deceived says the Lord.   Say true to His Word – Put your trust in God and do not be deceived.   God is faithful and He is true.  He will sustain you and protect you at these times.

Watchmen – Take your place on the city walls.  Arise and look out at the horizons. 

What do you see?    Warn the body of Christ.  Sound the alarm.  You need to watch in these days ahead says the Lord.  

There is an acceleration now occurring and things will happen fast.  There is a suddenly approaching – Look & Wait. 

Sound the alarm when the time comes and warn the body of Christ.

I am reminded of these scriptures from Matthew 24:

24 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives,( the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming( and of the end of the age?

4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.(5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.( You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted( and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 0 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets( will appear and deceive many people.

12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom( will be preached in the whole world(as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

15 “So when you see standing in the holy place(‘the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop( go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 0 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equalled again.

22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.  For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders( to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning( that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days

“‘the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
    and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’[

 

30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven,with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it[ is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.  35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

The Day and Hour Unknown

36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,but only the Father.(37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,(up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.( 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.(43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant,(whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

blue body of water with orange thunder
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Royal Robes

Morning everyone, today’s post is a picture which my friend, Heather shared with me recently. She was in church and it was during the worship time, she saw this picture.

The scene was the back stage of a theatre in the dressing rooms. There are rails of costumes, the actors arrive – take off their own clothes and put on their allotted costume.

Some are important ones of high ranking for the prestigious parts, some are more lowly maybe servants or downbeats.

As they dress in their roles and get made up they go out to play their part on stage.

The Lord said to me look over there! and I saw a rail of royal robes all the very same and very regal.

These are the robes for the Saints, the set apart ones, who know My name.

As I got closer there was all the names on them and there was no difference between any of them.

The Lord said take yours and put it on and go out to your stage (the world) and do your part.

You don’t have to return your robe – it’s yours.

It’s a royal seal of who we are in this world.

1 Peter 2 v 9 “you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the Praises of Him who called you out of darkness into wonderful light”

Thank you Lord this is our inheritance for us who believe. We are dressed in royal robes to be Ambassadors for Christ.

What an honour. Amen

Joseph – Hero of the Faith (4)

Today we consider Joseph’s character and what it was about Joseph which made him different from his brothers and a man after God’s heart.

Joseph was an example of long suffering and patience. It was 20/22 long years until the fulfillment of the prophetic dreams which God gave to Joseph. What must Joseph have been thinking throughout that time, especially when everything happening to him was the complete opposite of his dreams. He was a slave and imprisoned. The lowest of the low in status. Joseph showed incredible long suffering and patience throughout his ordeal. How did he keep going.

Joseph didn’t have the benefit at the start of seeing the big picture and how the story panned out. God chose to give Joseph two dreams when he was a young man – the sheaves of wheat bowing to his sheave of wheat and the 11 stars, sun and moon bowing down to him so Joseph knew only in part that he was destined for greatness from the interpretation of the dreams.

There are no examples in Joseph’s story of the Lord speaking directly to Joseph, giving him direct revelation, no burning bush experience or records of any angelic visitations to Joseph.

However, there are two verses (Genesis 39:2 & 21) which speak volumes and where it specifically says that “God was with Joseph”.

Those verses can be life changing when we take hold of them. The assurance of knowing God is with you.

That is what enabled Joseph to keep going and endure. Joseph knew and had confidence that God was with him. If God is for us who can be against us. Oh the confidence that must have inspired in Joseph to know that God was with him. That God had not forgotten or forsaken him even though his circumstances would suggest it. We must be careful not to harden our hearts towards God when we are going through difficult times, when can’t see the whole plan and we see only in part. Keeping our faith and trusting that God will never leave us or forsake us.

God still speaks today through dreams, visions, prophecies and we can make the mistake of thinking they are “now” words for this present time or the immediate future. We have to learn to submit the timing to God. The fulfilment may actually be for years in the future. We need to practice patience while we wait.

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.“ Habakkuk 2:3

Don’t give up on your vision – is it time to revive something God gave you years ago? Have you given up on it? Don’t get discouraged – wait for it – if God has promised it – it will happen.

Joseph learnt patience from the things he endured. The Spirit of God was in him as the Egyptians recognised.

Patience and long suffering are not popular concepts in this current worldly culture of instant gratification. Dare I say it – They are not popular in the church either. They are Godly characteristics though which we are to pursue as the fruit of the Holy Spirit which the Lord wants us to bear.

Let this be our prayer today:

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:9-14

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
James 1:2-4

It takes time to grow

In At The Deep End – #TestimonyTuesday

A wonderful testimony from Andy today. It will encourage you to step out in faith and exercise the gift of God within you. Have a blessed day.

I knew that I had a teaching gift long before I knew anything (really) about the Bible. I accidentally volunteered to lead a Bible study group once, …

In At The Deep End – #TestimonyTuesday

Plumb line

If you search for the definition of a biblical plumb-line then the reference to the book of Amos will often come up.

“Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said: “Behold, I am setting a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore.” Amos 7:7-8

Amos pleaded with God to relent his judgment and, in their place, God places a plumb line.

A plumb line is a weight suspended from a string used as a vertical reference line to ensure a structure is centered and straight.

It’s the same with our Christian faith. Jesus who is the truth must be the cornerstone of our faith so that we build on our faith correctly. It’s the Jesus revealed in the bible (not a Jesus of our own imagining), the gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus preached (not a false gospel) and His commandments which we live out.

Deception means we are no longer centred in God’s truth. As followers of Jesus Christ we are to guard against deception. Jesus himself warned us against being deceived particularly in the time before He returns.

It can be easy to get carried away as “charismatic” believers particularly when we belong to a Spirit filled church and it is so important that the Spirit and the Word are in harmony with the right emphasis on both.

The Word of God is our plumb line and any teaching, tongue and interpretation, prophecy or revelation that does not line up with the word of God is false. It may not all be false but test, weigh and discard the false.

The apostle Paul teaches us that the enemy has strategies against us and one is deception. He loves to lead us astray and cause confusion. Any moves of the Spirit need to be discerned to make sure it is the Holy Spirit and not the wrong spirit at work. It is vital to be rooted in God’s Word and filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth.

It’s a really good exercise to ask yourself and write down what you believe about Jesus and what the gospel is. If you had to explain to someone who didn’t know Jesus or had never heard the gospel. What you believe and wrote- Does it pass the plumb line test of God’s word. If it does then we are building on a correct foundation and we are centred but if not we have to dismantle the wrong beliefs and re build. We have to re-centre ourselves in truth.

The belt of truth and our sword is such an essential part of our armour for defence and discernment of truth. Every piece of armour would not fit together or be effective without the belt or sword but we can rush or just neglect that part of our preparation. It takes discipline to read and study the bible, to pray but I encourage you to do it daily and to ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in truth.

The Lord showed me a picture once of a plumb line and the effect of deception. At the start it only takes a tiny bit of deception to lead you away from the truth but the more you follow that wrong idea or false teaching the further and further you eventually end up away from the truth.

If you draw a straight vertical line on a piece of paper you will see what I mean. Draw the plumb-line and then draw another line from the bottom at a slight initial angle away from the line and see how far the line deviates away from the plumb line as you draw.

The thing with deception is how subtle it is. Be on your guard against it. Deception is so close to the truth that we can readily accept it as the truth because it sounds right but when you hold it up to the Word of God you will see the error. Satan knows the Word of God too. He quoted it to Jesus when he tempted him but Jesus knew that satan had twisted it’s true purpose and used the word of God in response correctly.

Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to help us. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth who will lead and guide us into all truth. That is why the Word and being filled with the Spirit are so essential to the believer and our walk of faith.

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is discernment and I encourage you to pray and ask and seek this gift. When you operate in the gift of discernment you get that sense in your spirit that something is just not right. People refer to gut feelings and it can be like that. I have heard false tongues and just knew in my spirit that it was false and not the Holy Spirit. You hear an interpretation and again it just doesn’t sit right. That is the Holy Spirit helping you to discern the truth. When you talk to other believers they will often have discerned the same.

Have a blessed day.

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22

Mockery

Morning all. A slightly different post today but something the Lord has been laying on my heart recently and bringing wisdom about which might speak to and help you too.

The dictionary describes a mocker as someone who jeers or mocks or treats something or someone with contempt. It is unkind and can be cruel.

Have you encountered mockery and in particular the spirit of mockery in church life. This spirit will often attack you through others especially if you are stepping out into new ministry or new things of God. It will try and hinder you and belittle you through mockery. It doesn’t want you discovering your true identity in Christ and your gifting. It certainly doesn’t want you to step up into ministry and leadership. It will attack your sense of worth and identity. It wants to keep you in your place. It will seek to humiliate you.

As if that wasn’t bad enough it often brings strife along with it to cause more trouble as it stirs up disunity and dissension amongst believers especially when it comes to proposals for change and new things.

The Lord gave me these bible verses:

Proverbs 22:10 says “Drive out the mocker and out goes strife. Quarrels and insults are ended”

We need to deal with that mocking spirit when we discern it is operating within our fellowships in Jesus’ name. Bind it and drive the spirit out together with strife from our midsts in the authority of Jesus’ name. It’s not the person or persons you need to get into a confrontation with. Deal with the spirit. Once the spirit is dealt with and it’s influence broken then pray the Lord through the conviction of the Holy Spirit will bring people to repentance and restore and heal.

We will encounter mockery from the world because of our faith. That we can bear through Christ but there is to be no place in the body of Christ for mockery or strife. We are not to devour each other in that way.

Have a blessed day my friends.

Praying in the Spirit

Morning all, today’s prayer post is about praying in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit.

It is biblical to pray in the Spirit and we are encouraged as believers to pray in the Spirit.

 Ephesians 6:18 says “praying always with all prayers and supplications in the Spirit being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”

Jude 7:20 “But you beloved building yourselves up on your most holy faith praying in the Holy Spirit”

What is praying “in the Spirit”?

We pray in the Spirit when:

We allow our prayers to be inspired and directed by the Holy Spirit within us i.e. we are willing to submit our agenda to God and let the Holy Spirit lead us. This is not stepping aside and abdicating responsibility in our prayer lives but being willing to be obedient to how the Holy Spirit wants to lead us and direct our prayers.

It is working together with the Holy Spirit – our spirit and the Holy Spirit in communion in our prayers to God the Father.

We use the gifts of the Holy Spirit in prayer; i.e. speaking or singing in tongues, interpretation of tongues, words of wisdom, knowledge, discernment etc. these giftings of the Holy Spirit help us to pray effectively.

BUT as the Apostle Paul taught us, when we pray in tongues, we should always seek to pray with our understanding too so that we can interpret what the Holy Spirit is directing within us. i.e. we have revelation of the will of God as we pray.

1 Corinthians 14:13 “For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind“.

Speaking in Tongues

Tongues is a spiritual language which is not learned but is inspired by the Holy Spirit within us – it can be a heavenly language or an earthly language previously unknown to the speaker.

Acts 2:4  “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them“.

Paul spoke often of the gift of tongues and its proper use. The gift is to be exercised in an orderly way as the Spirit leads. The Holy Spirit does not operate in confusion or in a disorderly way. It is not right or proper if a believer abuses the gift of tongues and causes upset nor is it right or beneficial for believers to set themselves against or forbid this precious gift.

1Corinthians  14:39 “Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way“.

Speaking in Tongues will help you by refreshing you spiritually, inspiring your prayers, worship & praise of God.

1 Corinthians 14:4 “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself”

Acts 2:11 “we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

Interpretation of Tongues – When you pray in tongues ask the Holy Spirit to give you the interpretation of what you are praying so you understand what it is you are asking the Lord for or God is revealing about a situation. I don’t receive a literal word for word interpretation but a sense of what the Holy Spirit is saying and directing within me when I pray.

When a public tongue is given it is my experience in exercising the gift of interpretation, that the Holy Spirit gives me the first couple of words or a picture first and overall impression of the interpretation – I then have to step out in faith and allow the Holy Spirit to express through me the interpretation for those present. I can only describe it when I have exercised the gift of interpretation as an “unction” inside which wells up and has to be released.

Why should we pray in the Spirit

The Holy Spirit directs our prayers and reveals the will of God. If we don’t know how to pray about a situation then the Holy Spirit shows us. Some situations seem overwhelming to us but this is where we can have confidence that the Holy Spirit will show us how and what to pray.

Romans 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 “ Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He makes intercession for the Saints according to the will of God”

SO:

According to this Bible verse-When we pray the Holy Spirit prays with us and makes our prayers effective because our prayers are then according to the will of God. This is why in prayer we should learn to wait on God and be patient to allow the Holy Spirit to direct our prayers. We should not presume immediately that we know how to pray about a specific situation.

Psalm 62:5 “My soul wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him”.

The Holy Spirit gives spiritual wisdom and revelation.

1CO 2:10. “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. v 14 “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned”

i.e. the Holy Spirit brings revelation to our spirit man/woman within us. We humans are flesh, soul and spirit. Spirit communes with spirit. The Holy Spirit within us reveals things to our spirit man/woman as we pray. Praying in the Spirit.

You may have heard people ask God in prayer to give them “keys” to situations so that breakthrough will come. God reveals the things which are hidden particularly, in the spiritual realm, so that we can then pray directly into the situation using the “keys” which the Holy Spirit reveals through the gifts of knowledge, discernment or wisdom.

How does the Holy Spirit bring revelation to us?

The Holy Spirit can bring revelation to us in dreams, pictures, visions, impressions on your spirit,  scripture verses which are brought to mind, the still small voice of God speaking to us which we hear in our spirit, tongues & interpretations, prophetic words. We have mentioned already the gifts of words of knowledge, wisdom and discernment.

So there are many ways in which the Holy Spirit speaks and many examples are given in scripture of the Holy Spirit working in dreams, visions, prophetic words.

The Holy Spirit also gives power to us and our prayers – particularly in spiritual matters/warfare and when we fast and pray.

Jesus said:  “But you will receive power (dunamis) when the Holy Spirit comes on you” Acts 1:88

We should seek to be continually filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus received the Holy Spirit when he was baptized by John the Baptist. The Holy Spirit came upon Him like a dove.  The Holy Spirit then led Jesus into the wilderness where He fasted and prayed for 40 days then scripture says that Jesus:   “returned in the power of the Spirit and his fame went out abroad” Luke 14:4

We receive and are sealed with the Holy Spirit when we become Christians but I believe we are to seek and receive the full baptism of the Holy Spirit as the early believers did in Acts.

Starting to pray in the Spirit

Acknowledge, welcome and receive the Holy Spirit. 

Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit and pour out His Holy Spirit upon you.

The Holy Spirit can be received “by the laying on of hands” Acts 8:17 “and when Paul had laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke with tongues and prophesied” Acts 19:6.

There are also examples in scripture of the Holy Spirit falling upon people as they waited and sought God.  e.g.  the early church waiting for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the upper room and later in Acts 11:15. Peter witnessed to the following “And as I began to speak the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning”.

Actively seek and pursue the gifts of the Holy Spirit and for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to be released through you for the benefit of others.

 1 Corinthians 14:1 “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy“.

It is important to seek the spiritual gifts for the right reasons. They are given to build up the church.  

God is more interested in you developing your character (follow the way of love) first and foremost and becoming more like Jesus than your spiritual gifts. Don’t fall in the trap of thinking one person is more spiritual because they exercise giftings. We are vessels only of the Holy Spirit. It is the fruit of the Spirit which is key and which shows our maturity in Christ Jesus.

 Test everything:

People often ask how they know it is the Holy Spirit bringing revelation and working in them.  If the word or revelation testifies of and brings glory to Christ then it is of God. It must line up with Scripture.

1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God”

1Co 14:29 “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.”

1Th 5:19 “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good.”

In my experience praying in the Spirit will always:

 GLORIFY THE FATHER THROUGH THE SON (John 14:13)

BE ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL (John 5 14:15)

BE BASED UPON GOD’S CHARACTER, WAYS & WORD (John 15:7)

Dear friends, don’t let fear or previous experiences hold you back. Please don’t quench the Spirit but allow the Holy Spirit to fill you and lead you as you pray.