Yahuwah tells us in the Proverbs that Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).

Yet this phrase, “wisdom of the wise” is included in one of the apostle Paul’s warnings:

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. (1Corinthians 1:19)

In this verse, the apostle Paul is warning the Believers to guard against  the wisdom of this world, as we see in the next verse (1Cornithians 1:20).  The wisdom of this world  is a wisdom that is very subtle and very crafty!  The wisdom of this world  is attractive, appealing, cultivated, sophisticated, and captivating; we have all been taken in by this wisdom at various times in our lives.

The wisdom of this world  has unlimited appeal to it!  There is a glitz and a sparkle to it. Or, at times, there is a softness and sweetness to it.  Sometimes it appears magical and mysterious; sometimes it is somber and intelligent.  There are many facets to this captivating jewel of the ever-changing, ever-appealing “wisdom of this world.”

Paul continues to expose the problem with the wisdom of the world — it does not know Yahuwah: “the world by wisdom knew not God” (1Corinthians 1:21).

The wisdom of this world  has nothing to offer concerning the Maker of the universe. The wisdom of this world is darkness and cannot understand the Light of Yahuwah!  The wisdom of this world is blinded to the wisdom of the Heavenly Father, and can offer no help, in word or deed, to achieve the Truth of our Creator. The wisdom of this world is not  from above, for it is earthly, sensual, demonic (James 3:15).

In today’s society, there is much of the wisdom of the world  by way of audio and visual stimulus. It is no wonder that in the last days, perilous times shall come. Multitudes are ever learning, and yet are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2Timothy 3:7).

What can we do? What is the solution? How can we guard ourselves from so much of the wisdom of the world  that bombards us? How can we be delivered from this crafty, subtle wisdom of the wise—the deceptive wisdom of the world? Let’s consider two basic keys to have in our ‘spiritual pocket’ that can help us guard against this deception.

Two Basic Keys

First Key:

As Believers in Yahushua Messiah, we must begin to cultivate an unshakable love of the Truth (2Thessalonians 2:10). And the Truth we must love is the Word of Yahuwah, as Yahushua declares of His Father’s Word:  thy word is truth (John 17:17).

We must love the truth more than our own pleasure. We must love the truth more than our own wisdom or the world’s wisdom.  We must love the truth more than our own insights and understandings. We must love the truth enough to learn the Word of Yahuwah, and then to adjust our life to be in agreement with His Word.

When we have an unshakable love of the truth then we will begin to easily recognize the difference between the crafty, subtle wisdom of this world, and the wisdom that is from above. The wisdom from above is from Yahuwah, and it is pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy (James 3:17).

When we have a genuine love of the truth, our heart’s desire will be to declare as King David did: “I have chosen the way of truth!” (Psalms 119:30). And we will diligently seek for Father’s Grace, His enablement, so that we might not deviate from that path!

But this is a spiritual battle! Loving the truth requires a firm commitment to Yahuwah and to His Way! The wiles of the devil can ensnare us at every turn, unless we have put on the whole armor of our Mighty One, Yahuwah Elohim (Ephesians 6:11). Oh, how often I have needed this armor daily, in my walk with Messiah!

This armor is extremely essential, but for now let’s proceed to the second basic key.

Second Key:

We must say, as did King David, this two-part prayer:

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalms 51:10)

First Part: Asking Father for a clean heart  is another way of approaching 1John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The cleansing process is to be on-going with Yahuwah’s children, among those who yearn to honor and please Father each and every day.  Our frequent prayer for a clean heart helps us to grow more and more sensitive to the little spots and blemishes that tarnish the Light of the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and guidance.

Second Part: Ask Father to “renew a right spirit within me!”  This prayer is vital!  This prayer takes courage and honesty, because so many times it happens that we do not have a right spirit!

If we are in the habit of asking Father to ‘renew a right spirit within me,’ then we will be sensitive to ‘a wrong spirit.’ A wrong spirit is an argumentative spirit, a proud spirit, a demanding spirit, a self-righteous spirit, a covetous spirit, a rebellious spirit, a religious spirit, and can include a myriad of other ‘wrong spirits.’

We must yearn to be delivered of any ‘wrong spirit’ and seek Father to renew a ‘right spirit’ within us. When we are of a ‘right spirit’ then we can easily love others, easily forgive others, and easily serve others. Being of a ‘right spirit’ keeps us in harmony with the “spirit of Messiah” who is living within us, as we are walking side-by-side with Him, and as we are yoked  to Him.

The Beginning of Wisdom

As we follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth (Revelation 14:4), we grow in our desire to know, and behave, with the wisdom that comes from Yahuwah and His Word, which far surpasses the wisdom of this world. Let us now recall where Father’s wisdom begins:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

According to this Scripture passage, Father’s wisdom begins  when we have a genuine, reverent fear of Yahuwah. This is not a fear of man, but a fear that comes from knowing who He is, and from the commitment to walk in obedience to His Word. Only those who fear Him, who tremble  at His Word (Isaiah 66:2,5), will have the beginning of His wisdom. Only His wisdom can demolish the traps and snares that worldly  wisdom offers.

May each one of us be sensitive to the crafty, subtle worldly  wisdom that bombards our senses daily. May we pray fervently for Father’s help and enabling grace to turn away our eyes and ears from every wicked thing of this world. May we earnestly pursue Father’s Truth, and His wisdom!

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Related Articles:

• For further insight see Derek Prince’s teaching: Protection From Deception – Four Safeguards

• A companion post is Words of Wise Men are Heard in Quiet

• Another companion post is Thy Torah is My Delight

]]> http://coldwaterstoathirstysoul.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/the-wisdom-of-the-wise/feed/ 0 goodnewsfromadistantland T.RowlandsonInnInt http://coldwaterstoathirstysoul.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/unite-my-heart-to-fear-your-name/ http://coldwaterstoathirstysoul.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/unite-my-heart-to-fear-your-name/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:43:52 +0000 goodnewsfromadistantland http://coldwaterstoathirstysoul.wordpress.com/?p=1741 ]]> King David prayed for a united heart  to fear the Name of Yahuwah.  When we have a united heart  for Yahuwah we are able to maintain a ‘steady course,’  just as a sailor maintains his course, no matter the wind direction.  The sailor must hold tightly to his course, in order to arrive at the desired destination. In the same way, one with a united heart is able to ‘hold steady’ as he walks along his path with Yahuwah.

A united heart  is an honorable characteristic, when focused on truth and righteousness.  Those who have such a focus and determination are often admired and respected.

All of us have spurts of a united heart whenever we are focused on a project that is truly delightful, as well as challenging, to us.  Our attention is focused and consumed on the details of accomplishing the endeavor.  Our eyes are on the goal and we will not deviate from the goal until it is completed.

If we can have such a united heart  for the natural things that challenge us and consume us, then wouldn’t it be possible to have such a heart for Yahuwah?  Of course it would!

So what does it take to have this ‘united heart’  to fear the name of Yahuwah?  If we truly desire such a valuable possession, we must first ask for it, as King David did:

Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.  (Psalm 86:11)

We must ask  Father for a united heart.  We must ask Him for a heart that is turned toward Him with undistracted devotion.  Such a prayer is a serious thing, a sobering thing.  Such a prayer, if sincere, will mean that we will do what we can ‘in the natural’  to have a united heart, and we will trust Father to reward our efforts. 

As we saw in First the Natural, Then the Spiritual, when we do what we can to obey and honor Father, then the spiritual fruit will come forth.  (Quick reminder: doing what we can, in the natural, requires Father’s enabling grace!  Oh how true it is that without Yahushua, we can do nothing (John 15:5)!)

What We Are After

Undistracted devotion for Father and His Truth is what we are after.  As the apostle Paul put it, we need to press, pursue, seek after the prize of the high calling of God in Messiah Yahushua  (Philippians 3:14).  That reveals the focus  of a united heart for Yahuwah.

A united heart for Yahuwah is not something we can acquire by running down to the little corner market and picking up a package of “United Heart.”  No, a united heart is a treasure to be gained with prayer and patience, with determined endurance for learning Father’s Word, learning the leading of His Holy Spirit, and then, doing what it takes to put our life in order, to making sure our life ‘lines up’ with Father’s Words.

Two Characteristics

I’ve noticed two characteristics of those who have acquired a united heart, a heart of undivided devotion.

First, though it may seem over-familiar and trite to say this, I’ll say it anyway — those who have a united heart  for Yahuwah are confident in His love!  They are quick to remember that Father (who is rich in mercy) has a ‘great love’ for each one of His children (Ephesians 2:4)!

Father’s love for you is beyond awesome — it is like no other!  He has chosen you to be His own special possession, and in His sight you are precious (1Peter 2:4)!  If you are not confident in Father’s love for you, in Yahushua’s love for you, then work at changing that insecurity.  Ask Father to reveal His love for you, again and again, until you have no doubts.  Ask Him to open your eyes and your understanding to know His great love for you.

The earth is full of the goodness of Yahuwah!  He gave us His Son, who laid down His life for us!  What amazing love that is!  Yahuwah calls us out of darkness into His marvelous light!  He preserves our souls!  He delivers us out of the hand of the wicked!  He hears our cries and brings us out of danger!  He sets our feet upon a rock and establishes our goings!  He hides us in the secret of His presence!  What amazing and awesome love that is!!  (Psalm 33:5.  1John 3:16.  1Peter 2:9.  Psalm 97:10.  Psalm 40:1,2.  Psalm 31:20.)

Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!  (Psalm 31:19)

Second, those who have a united heart  for Yahuwah seem to be quick to remember to look at the things which are not seen!!  This is truly a faith action!  We must ask Father’s help to remember to look to the things which are not seen, that are eternal!  When we are keeping our eyes, our focus, on the unseen, eternal realm, then we are learning to walk by faith, and not by sight (2Corinthians 5:7).

The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, renews our strength in the ‘inward man’ while we are looking at the things which are not seen.  With our focus in the right direction, it is then that the struggles and the afflictions we experience are working  for us  in the spiritual, eternal realm.  They are working  for us   an exceeding and eternal weight of glory!  (2Corinthians 4:16-18)

If we are looking at the things which are seen, then we will be like Peter when he stepped out of the boat (Matthew 14:25-31).  At first, Peter’s eyes were fixed on Yahushua, and Peter was confident of the Saviour’s love and protection.  Peter was looking in the right direction — at first!

But then, Peter began to look at the wind and the waves crashing around him.  When he did that, he began to sink.  We too will sink, we’ll tremble, if we look down, or look at the things around us, at the things which are seen.

Keeping our eyes on the unseen realm, where the great cloud of witnesses is cheering us on (Hebrews 12:1), helps us to maintain that united heart, the ‘steady course.’  We must hold on tightly to earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven (2Corinthians 5:2).  Such a desire is a key ingredient for having a ‘united heart.’

We walk by faith, and not by sight, knowing and believing that Father IS, and that He is a rewarder of them who diligently seek Him  (Hebrews 11:6).

Look Unto Yahuwah and Be Saved

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.  (Isaiah 45:22)

Looking to Yahuwah alone, as our only hope, our only salvation and deliverance, is learning to walk by faith.  Then our heart is becoming united in trusting Him, in honoring Him, in loving Him.  Father delights in loving us abundantly by guiding us and bringing us into His heavenly kingdom, by showing Himself strong on our behalf:

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.  (2Chronicles 16:9)

The above Scripture teaches us that Father is looking too!  He is looking earnestly for those who have a complete and full heart turned toward Him.  He is looking for a united heart, a heart of undivided devoted to following Yahuwah.  He is waiting patiently for the precious fruit of a ‘united heart’ that yearns to please Father in every way (James 5:7).

Dear Reader, prayer for a united heart  is a cry that Yahuwah is looking for.  It is the heart’s cry of one who desires to love Him completely!  When Father finds one of His children with such a heart, then Father reveals His awesome love (once again) by showing Himself strong on their behalf!

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*A companion post is Thy Torah is My Delight

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I have the impression that walking with Father is supposed to be — ought to be — a very intimate “knock-you-off-your-feet” kind of experience.

My idea of being in a relationship with the Living God is that it ought to be something that is constantly growing in awesome, rousing knowledge and awareness.  I often imagine that it ought to be something that is constantly amazing us, WOW-ing us, and WOO-ing us.

Maybe this impression comes from John 10:10, or from Romans 6:4:

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  (John 10:10)

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  (Romans 6:4)

If Yahushua came to give us life — that we might have life more abundantly — then shouldn’t we have a “Wow!” kind of life?  Shouldn’t we have a newness of life  that is regularly making us say, “Wow!”

I confess – I don’t think I have the “Wow”  kind of life, unless I’ve grown accustomed to Father’s presence, and to His loving answers to my prayers.  Maybe I take it for granted too much that Father is listening to me, and ordering my steps, and is causing me to will and to do of His good pleasure  (Philippians 2:13).

If that is the case, then I would say I do have life more abundantly!   I do have a “Wow!” kind of life, and I need to remember all the wondrous ways that Father shows Himself strong on my behalf!

However, I long for more “Wow!”-ness.  The wooing  is always there, but the WOW!  Well, that’s not as often as I would like.

The One Recurring Theme

I have read a few biographies of great men and women of faith.  Their stories seem to indicate that the secret to an abundant, ‘Wow!’ kind of life begins with sacrifice — lots of sacrifice.

Reading the stories of these people reveals the growth of their relationship with Father.  The one recurring theme in these life-stories is their on-going sacrificial life — “the way of the cross.”

Over and over again, these people yield to a ‘Dying to Self,’ so that Messiah can transform them and bring forth His  Life within them.  Every time they yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit’s guidance and fulfill a seemingly small, sacrificial obedience, they receive a great peace, and an assurance of Father’s guidance.

Some of these ‘great’ people tell of a sweet (almost fragrant) river of joy that comes to them when they walk in “the way of the cross.”  I’m too, am looking for that sweet fragrant river of joy (selfish me).  But, the secret to experiencing this joy is a certain kind of sacrifice — a Dying to SELF.

Ouch!  Sacrifice — Gulp!!

Dying to self is a painful experience, as I’ve discovered.  However, it is the secret to a victorious life, an abundant life, a newness of life.  Dying to self is a day-by-day, sometimes moment-by-moment, process of yielding our will to Father’s will, and saying: “… not I, but Messiah”  (Galatians 2:20).

“Our will must be broken.  We must be broken.  We must do His will, not ours.  To have a broken will is the beginning of revival.  It is a painful thing.  It makes us humble.  But it is the only way.”
– Roy Hession, “The Way of the Cross”

The Hungry Soul

Rees Howells, the intercessor, is an excellent example of walking in “the way of the cross.”  He said that the transformation for him was slow and bitter.  Yet, he learned the truth of this verse: 

“to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.“  (Proverbs 27:7)

Perhaps the sweetness referred to in this verse is a part of that “river of joy” I’m looking for.  Perhaps that “river of joy” is actually the river of peace that Isaiah talks about in Isaiah 48:18:

O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:  (Isaiah 48:18)

The “hungry soul” wants to hearken to (to hear and obey) Father’s commandments, no matter how bitter!  As the above verse shows us, being a do-er of Yahuwah’s commandments (James 1:22) results in having a peace ‘like a river.’ 

Doing, obeying, the Word of Yahuwah, brings us the peace we long for, the joy we’re searching for.  To find this peace and joy means learning the Word of Yahuwah and learning to deny ‘self,’  and say “not my will, but Your Will, Father.”

Obeying the Word of Yahuwah, following the leading of the Holy Spirit, are keys to walking in newness of life.  However, these keys begin with sacrifice — dying to self.  Dying to self is a bitter thing, if  you are not hungrying for Yahuwah and His ways.  The hungry soul  gladly takes the bitter thing, trusting Father’s goodness.  They will know the sweetness of obedience and a peace beyond understanding.

If a Believer desires the “Wow!” kind of life, desires to walk in newness of life, then the secret is seen in this verse:

… let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Yahushua   (Luke 9:23).

Bitter-Sweet

To walk humbly with our Heavenly Father is a mysterious kind of bitter-sweet ‘Wow!-ness.’   It is to deny ourselves, learning to take up our cross, and learning to say, “Not my will, but Yours, Father!”

Trust Father’s mercy and grace, and yield to His ever-wooing nudges to do His will!  Ask Him to help you to deny yourself, to help you to do what is pleasing in His sight. 

Whenever we do His will, we will come to find that every bitter thing is sweet, and that we will  walk in the newness of life, the life of Messiah who dwells within us!

—

*A companion post is Blessed Are They Which Do Hunger

*Another companion post is The Holy Spirit Will Guide You Into All Truth

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Life certainly changes for all who become Born-Again Believers in Messiah Yahushua, the Son of Yahuwah Elohim.  When we are “in Messiah,” we become new creations:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (‘creation’): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  (2Corinthians 5:17)

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you…. ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  (John 15:16,19)

All things become new  for us the moment we become Born-Again.  We are chosen out of the world,  and now, our life changes dramatically.  We have become Disciples, followers of the King of Kings, the Master of Masters.  Therefore, just as He is not of this world, so also we are not of this world.

The first ‘new’ thing that happens as a new creation is our repentance.  We change our minds, and our actions, about many things.  Now, as new creations born of the Spirit, we begin producing “fruits worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:8), as spoken by John the Baptist.

Formerly We Were in Darkness

For ye were sometimes (‘formerly’) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable(‘pleasing’) unto the Lord.   (Ephesians 5:8-10)

Formerly, when we were in spiritual darkness, we thought of many things as agreeable and acceptable, but now we understand how ugly and dark sin really is. Formerly, we thought of many things in the world as attractive and desirable, but now we know better.

Formerly, because we were carnal — that is, because we were not subject to the Torah (Romans 8:7) — we lived by our ‘natural’ understanding.  We ridiculed precious things of the Holy Spirit, and did not receive them.  We received not the things of the Holy Spirit, which appeared ‘foolish’ to us, and so we scorned them (1Corinthians 2:14).

Formerly, we arrogantly ridiculed and scorned Believers in Yahushua, but now we are ashamed of our treatment of our fellow Brothers and Sisters in Messiah.  What we used to think of as enjoyable, now seems repulsive to us.

Now we see things differently.  We have changed our minds and our behavior. We have moved from walking in darkness, to walking in a new and living way.  That is repentance.

Our initial repentance is fairly drastic when we first become a Born-Again Believer.  There is much that needs changing the moment our spiritual eyes become opened, and we begin to see that we are no longer of this world (John 17:14-16).  Little by little, and sometimes with great strides, the old things pass away, and all things become new for us.

A Way-of-Life

Repentance is a way-of-life, not a one-time-event.  We do not simply repent of a few things at first, and then think that nothing more is needed.

No, for those who are truly His Disciples, those who are Lovers of Master Yahushua Messiah,  repentance is an on-going way-of-life.  It is through our daily feeding upon His word, and by our growing in the grace and knowledge of our Saviour Yahushua, that we understand our need to maintain  a repentant heart — repenting of things that grieve Father.  In this way, the Holy Spirit is changing us, from one level of glory to another:

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2Corinthians 3:18)

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

Father has begun a good work in each one of us, and He intends to complete the work He started. We need only cooperate with Him, by His enabling grace, and maintain  a willingness to be humble and be obedient to His Word.

Transformed

When we are changed from glory to glory, we are in a process  that is progressive — changing from being spiritual ‘babes,’ to growing up to maturity — unto the stature of the fullness of Messiah (Ephesians 4:13).  We become transformed, or transfigured — or as the Greek word indicates in Romans 12:1-2, literally ‘metamorphosed,’ or changed from one life-form to another.

Like a caterpillar that metamorphoses into a butterfly, in the same way, we are changed from the earthly to the heavenly.

Change — that could almost be our middle name!  Changing from glory to glory is the way-of-life for all Believers who are growing and maturing in Messiah.

The changes Father is working in us is according to His purpose — to conform each one of us into the same image and likeness of His Son! (Romans 8:29)

Many changes that Father desires in us may appear crazy in the eyes of the world.  The world sees us and screams, “How can you do that?  Why would you forsake that?!?”  “You’ve worked so hard, for so long, and now you’re giving that up?!?  Why?!?  What a waste!!”

However, as His Disciples, our hearts and minds are more and more focused on the things that are not seen (2Corinthians 4:18), focused on humbling of ‘self,’  emptying ourselves of all that is of ‘self’ (Philippians 2:5-8), focused on the great cloud of witnesses, and focused on running with patience the race set before us (Hebrews 12:1).  We are focused on loving and pleasing Father  first and foremost in all our endeavors (2Corinthians 5:9).

The Prize

We have set our eyes on The Lamb of God, the One who loved us and gave Himself for us.  He gave His all for us — can we do any less for Him?

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, … I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.(Philippians  3:8-14)

We are as the apostle Paul, who counted all his gains, all the glories he achieved in this world, as dung.  Paul was educated, learned, cultivated, talented, articulate, unique.  He was a ‘Prize’ in the world’s estimation of success.  Yet, he changed!

Paul became consumed with the heavenly ‘prize.’  He became consumed with the pursuit of Messiah: “That I may win Messiah!”

That is our pursuit as well — to know our precious Saviour, and to follow Him, with surrendered hearts.

We are changing.  We, who are no longer of this world, are changing into His image, day by day, from glory to glory.

—

*A companion post is Words of Wise Men Are Heard In Quiet

Enduring trials is basically LONG — suffering and persevering through troubles, struggles, hassles, burdens, afflictions, pains, grief, discouragements, and/or injustices.  All of us have our share of these kind of things.

Enduring trials is a common expectation when walking with Yahuwah.  As children of Yahuwah, we are told to put on a heart of longsuffering and endurance for one another and to be forgiving of one another (Colossians 3:12,13).  The apostle Paul exhorts us to endure hardness, as a good soldier of Yahushua Messiah  (2Timothy 2:3).

Learning to endure is part of growing up and maturing.  However, there are lots of times when I don’t even know I’m “enduring a trial”  until I’m half-way through the trial.  As “Christian” in The Pilgrim’s Progress, I’m heedless to what is going on, and I tumble down into the “Slough of Despond.”

The word ‘despond’ rightly describes how many of us react in a trial.  We struggle to endure and be an “overcomer,” but we become discouraged by various obstacles and we end up in despair.

Whatever kind of trial we are enduring, if we’re honest, feeling despair and defeated happens to many of us.  The apostle Paul is an example of someone who had plenty of troubles and he despaired even of life:

For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: (2Corinthians 1:8)

Paul was pressed out of measure, above strength.  In other words, he was utterly burdened.  I feel utterly burdened too, at times.  My burdens are not anywhere near as heavy as Paul’s, but nonetheless, they are my burdens, and for me, they are heavy.

Yet, Paul gives us the lesson that he learned in the midst of his troubles:

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:   (2Corinthians 1:9)

Father wants us to learn to trust Him and HIS help in the midst of our trials, rather than trusting in ‘self.’  All of us naturally trust in our own strength, our own abilities.  But, Father desires that we learn to trust in Him with all our heart.  Father desires that we remember to wait patiently for Him for He will incline His ear unto His children and He will hear our prayers (Psalm 40:1).

Patiently trusting Yahuwah is what we want, however being troubled and cast down is not unusual for those of us who are frail and weak earthen vessels.  Many times, we are at a loss as to what to do in the midst of trials.

So What Do We Do

So what do we do, when we are burdened beyond our strength?  How do we endure when we are utterly burden?  What do you  do?  What do I  do?

One thing I try to do is ‘quietly’ endure.  At least, I try to be quiet  while enduring.  If I’m quiet then this helps me to be patient.  My quietness then helps me remember to pray.  Talking to Father when facing a trial is my “anchor in the storm!”

Remembering to pray is crucial!  If I forget to humble myself and forget to cry out for Father’s help, then I sink lower into the “Slough of Despond.”  It is my quietness in the midst of the trial that is my way of being patient.  My quiet patience helps me to be mindful to pray and remember Father’s many promises of help in my time of trouble: “In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me” (Psalm 86:7).

There are so many Scriptures that we need to “store-up” in our hearts so that when we are burdened and enduring a trial, then Father’s Word will be a comfort to us.

Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. (James 5:10,11)

This passage says, “Behold, we count them happy (blessed) which endure.”  That is an offer of hope!  That is “A-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel!”  There is the hope for A Blessing, when the enduring is complete!  Now I like that!  That helps me to endure patiently, and to walk by faith!

Let’s also remember someone else who endured:

… After he (Abraham) had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. (Hebrews 6:15)

The Patriarch Abraham, also known as faithful Abraham (Galatians 3:9), is a most encouraging example of enduring through trials.  He endured his trials — patiently!  And he was rewarded for his patient enduring, for he obtained the promise!  (Romans 9:9 and Acts 13:32, 32)

Just as faithful Abraham patiently endured his trials and was rewarded, we also can expect to be rewarded for patiently enduring our trials.  The apostle James tells us “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation (trials)” (James 1:12).

Furthermore, the apostle Paul reminds us that our “light afflictions” are only for a moment:

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;   While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are  temporal; but the things which are not seen are  eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

“For a moment!”  With Father’s help and enabling grace, I can endure “for a moment.”  Especially so, since this verse tells us that our trials are working  for us  an exceeding and eternal weight of glory — as long as  we keep our eyes on the unseen realm.

When the grace of God comes to a man he can do all things; but when it leaves him, for a season, he becomes poor and weak— abandoned, as it were, to affliction. Yet, in this condition he should not become dejected or despair. On the contrary, he should calmly await the will of God and bear whatever befalls him in praise of Jesus Christ— for after winter comes summer, after night comes the day, and after the storm, a great calm.   –Thomas a Kempis

When trials and struggles come — and for sure they do come — that is the “red-flag” signal for prayer!!  Prayer for help!!  Prayer for help to lean completely on Father, His many promises, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit!! Pray for His grace to be humble and to tell Him I need Him.  “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself” (Psalm 37:7).

Little by little, I’m learning through my trials and struggles to be praying for patience and for quiet endurance.  “Happy are they which endure!”  May we all remember that our weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning (Psalm 30:5).

Help us, Abba Father, to be of good courage.  Strengthen our hearts to patiently endure as faithful Abraham.

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*A companion post is More Precious Than Gold

· For further study see Derek Prince’s teaching: Defense Against Discouragement

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Receiving the Holy Spirit is referred to in Scriptures as a ‘Gift’  (Acts 2 38) and as a ‘Promise’  (Acts 2:33).  Receiving the Holy Spirit is also referred to as the ‘Baptism with the Holy Spirit’  (Acts 11:16).

When a Believer receives the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, the result is that there is a dramatic change in that person.  Spirit-Baptized Believers finally understand what it means to be endued (clothed) with power from on high.  As I said previously, when I received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, my sister said I had changed “like night and day.”  That was so true!  One consuming desire filled me — I was suddenly filled with determination, devotion, and love for Yahushua Messiah and the Word of Yahuwah.

In Part 1 of this study, we looked at Scripture related to this subject of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  In this Part 2, I’d first like to share the testimonies of a few people who have received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Meta Bonnke

First, let’s see what happened to Reinhard Bonnke’s mother, Meta Bonnke, when she was Baptized in the Holy Spirit, when Reinhard was a boy of ten years old:

Once Mother had relaxed in bed that night, the false religious pressures she had felt at church melted away.  Her self-consciousness and disappointment vanished.  She reflected the words of Jesus in Luke 11:13, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

At the church meeting, she had asked God for His Holy Spirit, but had been so pressured and distraught by her concerns that she had not been able to see the gift she had been freely given.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit was not an experience acquired by religious diligence.  It was not so much about seeking as it was about receiving.  It was a gift made available by a loving heavenly Father, and it was simply hers for the asking.  Her faith to receive had been all mixed up with her own expectations, and those of my father, and those of the congregation.

Yet, that night in bed, suddenly Mother felt herself falling into the loving arms of her Lord.  Flooded with waves of divine love, another language began to pour from her mouth like a fountain.  She wept and praised God and spoke in tongues for hours, completely exhilarated by the experience.

The following evening, when I saw Mother coming home, I ran to meet her.  The closer I got, the more astonished I became.  My mother was glowing.  Her eyes sparkled.  Her step was like the step of a young girl.  She ran to me and swept me up in her arms, and it was not even my birthday.  I could feel the love pouring from her like I had never felt it.  It made me want to laugh and cry.  Something had radically changed my mother.  (From Reinhard Bonnke, “Living a Life of Fire,” Chapter 9, page 81)

Reinhard Bonnke

Now let’s see how Reinhard Bonnke described what happened to him when he received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit:

The first day of the rest of my life happened in 1951, the day I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  I was still eleven years old.  A special guest speaker came to Gluckstadt from Finland.  His name was Pastor Arthur Kukula, and he was well known for leading people in receiving this gift.

As Arthur Kukula spoke, my faith leapt up and shouted “yes” within me.  The words of Scripture seemed to come alive to me.  Suddenly the entire experience was no longer about me.  It was about God and His great love for me.  When Arthur invited those seeking the Holy Spirit to kneel and pray I did so immediately.  No sooner had I reached my knees than I was overwhelmed with an incredible sensation.  No one needed to lay hands on me.  I received the gift of speaking in tongues spontaneously and burst out in a heavenly language.

How can I describe it?  Let me say first of all that there are many who have experienced the Spirit baptism in a quieter and less dramatic fashion.  What follows is not a “how to” receive.  It is a description of how it happened to me.

It seemed to come from beyond me and from within me at the same time.  My mind began to receive a stream of pure light and love from the very throne of God.  It flowed over me and went straight through me at once.  This was far more than a mere bolt of electricity.  It was as if every cell in my body was being saved, healed, and invigorated by a surge of divine power.  The word love is inadequate to describe it because that word has been so abused and misused.  Yet that is what the power and Spirit of God is — His pure, selfless agape love poured into us.

The heavenly tongue cascading from my lips was the outer expression of something flowing within me that was too wonderful for normal language.  Some blessings from God are beyond intellect.  Spirit baptism is one of them.  People who limit God to mere human rationality will never know this power and this ecstasy.

Under the experience of Holy Spirit baptism The Helper became fully alive to me.  The reality of the Spirit’s presence sprang up in me like a fountain that became almost unbearably wonderful.  Suddenly love made it easy to believe.  Nothing could separate me from the source of this love.  I was lost in loving God and being loved by Him.

At the age of eleven, the Spirit baptism began to lead me on an adventure of faith that has not ended.  I literally took off like a rocket ship, and no one could stop me.  I continue to be empowered by it to this very day.  (From  Reinhard Bonnke, “Living A Life of Fire,” Chapter 10,  page 91)

Derek Prince

Now let’s look at this brief description by Derek Prince, as he describes his Spirit-Baptism experience:

In 1941 in the middle of the night I had a powerful, life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ in a barrack room of the British Army, which was the New Birth.  About a week later, in the same barrack room, I spoke for the first time in an unknown tongue.  Then — quite unexpectedly — I went on to speak out the “interpretation” in beautiful, poetic English. It was an outline of God’s plan for my life and ministry, which has been fulfilled — stage by stage — up to the present time (more than 55 years).  (From Derek Prince, “The Gifts of the Holy Spirit”)

Charles Finney

Charles Finney, an 18th century evangelist and preacher from New England, describes his Baptism in the Holy Spirit in this way:

To the honour of God alone I will say a little of my own experience in this matter. I was powerfully converted on the morning of the 10th of October.  In the evening of the same day, and on the morning of the following day, I received overwhelming baptisms of the Holy Ghost, that went through me, as it seemed to me, body and soul. I immediately found myself endued with such power from on high that a few words dropped here and there to individuals were the means of their immediate conversion. My words seemed to fasten like barbed arrows in the souls of men. Oftentimes a word spoken by me would fasten conviction, and often result in almost immediate conversion.  I could fill a volume with the history of my own experience and observation with respect to this power from on high.

Sometimes I would find myself, in a great measure, empty of this power, finding that I made no saving impression.  I would then set apart a day for private fasting and prayer, fearing that this power had departed from me, and would inquire anxiously after the reason of this apparent emptiness. After humbling myself, and crying out for help, the power would return upon me with all its freshness. This has been the experience of my life.  (From Charles Finney, “Power From On High,” Chapter two)

Dwight L. Moody

Dwight L. Moody, an American evangelist and publisher in the late 1800’s, gave this description of when the Holy Spirit came upon him:

I was crying all the time that God would fill me with His Spirit.  Well, one day, in the city of New York — oh, what a day!  I cannot describe it, I seldom refer to it; it is almost too sacred an experience to name.  Paul had an experience of which he never spoke for fourteen years.  I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand.

I went preaching again.  The sermons were not different; I did not present any new truths; and yet hundreds were converted.  I would not now be placed back where I was before that blessed experience if you should give me all the world — it would be as the small dust of the balance.  (From W.R.Moody, “The Life of Dwight L. Moody,”  page 149)

Watchman Nee

Many are asking whether or not the Holy Spirit has come upon them. Here is what Watchman Nee says about this:

You may ask,
“How shall I know that the Holy Spirit is come upon me?”  I cannot tell how you will know, but you will know!  No description has been given us of the personal sensations and emotions of the disciples at Pentecost.  We do not know exactly how they felt, but we do know that their feelings and behaviour were somewhat abnormal, because people seeing them said they were intoxicated.

When the Holy Spirit falls upon God’s people there will be some things which the world cannot account for.  There will be supernatural accompaniments of some kind, though it be no more than an overwhelming sense of the Divine Presence.  We cannot and we must not stipulate what particular form such outward expressions will take in any given case, but one thing is sure — that each one upon whom the Spirit of God falls will know it!  (From Watchman Nee, “The Normal Christian Life,” Chapter 8)

After the Baptism in the Holy Spirit there is a greater, overwhelming desire, to please our Abba Father.  A newly Spirit-Baptized Believer often becomes confident and assured for the first time of being a beloved child in the family of Yahuwah Elohim.

Spirit-Baptized Believers deeply yearn to walk in obedience and holiness.  The Word of Yahuwah becomes more alive and powerful to a newly Spirit-Baptized Believer.  Additionally, there is a greater sense of grief within the Spirit-Baptized Believer whenever they fail to follow the leading of Yahuwah’s Word and the Holy Spirit.  Yet, such Believers also rise up in renewed forgiveness and determination to magnify Yahuwah in all they do.

The Book of Acts

Now, let’s look at a brief explanation made by Charles Finney about the book of Acts and his insight on the purpose for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit:

They (the apostles and brethren of the early church) received a powerful baptism of the Holy Ghost, a vast increase of divine illumination.  This baptism imparted a great diversity of gifts that were used for the accomplishment of their work.  It manifestly included the following things:

The power of a holy life.  The power of a self sacrificing life. (The manifestation of these must have had great influence with those to whom they proclaimed the gospel.)  The power of a cross bearing life.  The power of great meekness, which this baptism enabled them everywhere to exhibit.  The power of a loving enthusiasm in proclaiming the gospel.  The power of teaching.  The power of a loving and living faith.  The gift of tongues.  An increase of power to work miracles.  The gift of inspiration, or the revelation of many truths before unrecognized by them.  The power of moral courage to proclaim the gospel and do the bidding of Christ, whatever it cost them.

This power was not the power of inspiration….  It was not the power of human learning and culture….  It was not the power of human eloquence….  It was God speaking in and through them.  It was a power from on high— God in them, making a saving impression upon those to whom they spoke.  This power to savingly impress abode with and upon them.  It was, doubtless, the great and main thing promised by Christ….

When Christians today will humble themselves, and consecrate their all afresh to Christ, and ask for this power, they will often receive such a baptism that they will be instrumental in converting more souls in one day than in all their lifetime before.  While Christians remain humble enough to retain this power, the work of conversion will go on.  (From Charles Finney, “Power From On High,”  Chapter two)

Conclusion

Let me return to my original question, asked in Acts 19:2.

“Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed?”

This is an extremely important question for all  Believers in Messiah Yahushua to consider!

Again I say, Yahushua Messiah exhorts all  His disciples, in every age, to wait for the promise  of the Father.  Yahushua wants each one  of His disciples to wait for this Promise until we receive this Baptism in the Holy Spirit!

Yahushua wants to baptize His disciples in the Holy Spirit because He knows that we all  need to be “endued (clothed) with power from on high”  (Luke 24:49).  We need this life-changing, clothing with power from on high, to fulfill His commission to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”  (Mark 16:15).

As we have seen in the above testimonies, when we receive the Holy Spirit, we experience a dramatic change.   Only then can we truly understand what it means to be endued (clothed) with power from on high.

All these testimonies show forth the supernatural results of being Baptized in the Holy Spirit.  Such results do not occur naturally.

Dear Reader, do you wish you had a greater determination to obey the Word of Yahuwah?  Do you wish you had a fervent resolve to follow Yahushua Messiah more fully?  Do you secretly envy someone who seems to hunger after Yahuwah all the time?  Do you wish your heart burned hotter for Yahuwah’s Word, and that you would speak boldly on behalf of our Saviour?

Father promises to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him (Luke 11:13).  If we approach Abba Father with true and sincere honesty, humility, and repentance, then He is faithful and eager to give His Holy Spirit to them that ask Him.

However, let me give a word of caution.  The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not a frivolous matter.  It is nothing to be flippant about in any way.  May none of us be Simon in Acts chapter 8:9-24:

And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.  (Acts 8:18,19) 

Next we see that the apostle Peter rebuked Simon very sharply.

But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.  For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.  (Acts 8:20-23)

We must maintain a pure heart before our Abba Father, and be as sincere as a little child in our relationship with Yahuwah.  Our heart must be of a right spirit, or we will receive nothing.  May all of us always be blameless and harmless, as sincere children of Yahuwah, without rebuke, in the midst of this crooked and perverse world, shining and holding forth the word of life (Philippians 2:15,16).

True and sincere honesty, true and sincere repentance, true and sincere humility —  these are the qualities that please Father.  He loves each one of His children, and He has told us that “whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight“  (1John 3:22).

Oh the love of Father!  His love is so abundant!  His love is so refreshing!  So life-changing!

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Related Articles

• Have You Received the Holy Spirit Since You Believed  (Part 1)

• The Holy Spirit Will Guide You Into All Truth

• The Cloud by Day, Fire by Night: The Holy Spirit Shekinah Glory Has Moved Again!

• For further study on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit see Derek Prince’s excellent teaching Two Wonderful Results

• For further study on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit see Robert L’s exceptional teaching Baptism of the Holy Spirit

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In this short writing, we will look briefly at who the Holy Spirit is, and why it is important that we receive the Holy Spirit for ourselves, in a personal way. We will also see what Scripture tells us about the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of the Living God

According to the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit can come upon a person, can fill a person, and can dwell in a person. This is quite amazing since the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the living God, the Comforter, the Helper, the Spirit of Truth – the Spirit of the LORD (Yahuwah) Himself!

The Holy Spirit is the very presence of Yahuwah on the earth. When we receive this Gift of the Holy Spirit, we are receiving the Spirit of Yahuwah Elohim, the Mighty One of Israel.

Father has promised to guide His children by His Holy Spirit. This is amazing — that we can have the Spirit of the living God dwelling within us to guide us and to lead us!

How can we, who are Believers in Yahushua, receive His Holy Spirit? Notice this Scripture verse:

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13)

According to Yahushua, we need only ask Father for this most precious Gift of His presence!   The question to ask ourselves is the question the Apostle Paul asked certain disciples:

“Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed?” (Acts 19:2a)

This is a very important, foundational question for Believers in Messiah Yahushua!

What does it mean to ‘receive’ the Holy Spirit?

The phrase, “Receiving the Holy Spirit” is referred to in Scriptures as a “Gift” (Acts 2:38) and as a “Promise” (Acts 2:33). Receiving the Holy Spirit is also referred to as the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” (Acts 11:16).

The subject of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a very essential subject. Many scholars have written lengthy discussions about this subject. Though I’ve learned much about this subject, here I will touch on only a few points.

First, let’s see who the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is for.

For Yahuwah’s Children

Before I proceed, I need to clarify that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is for Yahuwah’s children — that is, it is for those who have been Born-Again. It is for those who have experienced the New Birth, as the Apostle Peter said:

Being born again (literal Greek: Having been born again), not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. (1Peter 1:23)

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:16-17)

Here we see that the Holy Spirit is not for those in the world. The world cannot receive the Holy Spirit. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is only for those who have been Born Again.

If a person is not yet Born-Again, it will be very difficult to discern the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. To be Born Again is to be born of the Spirit (John 3:5-8), and the ‘natural’ man cannot discern the things of the Spirit (1Cor 2:14).

Being ‘Born-Again’ is to be Born of the Spirit, whereby Yahushua Messiah is ‘birthed’ within us, and He begins to live and grow within our inner being.

Being born of the Spirit is to become a ‘new’ creation — a new person in Messiah Yahushua — and truly, all things become new for that person (2Cor 5:17). Sometimes being ‘Born-Again’ is referred to as a “regeneration.”

If you do not know for sure that you have been Born-Again, then see How Do I Receive God’s Forgiveness for My Sins? For further insight, visit The Bridge and The Four Spiritual Laws.

Let’s now look further at what is said in Scripture about the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Let’s start with John the Baptist.

John the Baptist

First, let’s ask, “Who was John the Baptist?” Yahushua Messiah gave John the Baptist a very unique and amazing description:

“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist” (Matt 11:11 and Luke 7:28)

With an introduction like that, I’d say that whatever John the Baptist said must have been very important! So let’s look at a particular statement that John the Baptist made regarding the Baptism in the Holy Spirit:

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. (Matthew 3:11)

I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. (Mark 1:8)

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. (Luke 3:16)

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. (John 1:33)

As we see in these Scriptures, John the Baptist declared that Yahushua Messiah was coming to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. This statement is highly significant! Yahushua the Messiah baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire, just as John the Baptist declared.

Let’s look further at what Yahushua Messiah said.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

Notice what Yahushua Messiah said regarding this Baptism in the Holy Spirit:

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

And, being assembled together with them, he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but “wait for the promise of the Father, which,” saith he, “ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”…”But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me….” (Acts 1:4,5,8)

Here in these Scriptures we see that right before Yahushua left the disciples and ascended into heaven, He equated being baptized with the Holy Spirit with receiving “the promise of the Father.”  He commanded His disciples to wait for this promise, when the Holy Spirit would come upon them, and they would receive power from on high.

Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. (Acts 2:33)

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. (Eph 1:13)

These verses show us that the Apostle Peter also referred to the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as receiving “the promise of the Holy Ghost.”  The Apostle Paul referred to it as being “sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.”

These verses clearly reveal the heart of our Heavenly Father. That is, to be Baptized in the Holy Spirit is a fulfillment of a promise made by Father to His children. It is not based on anything we do!

The promise is based on Yahuwah’s love for His children, His Word of promise to His children, and the glorification, the exaltation, of His Son, Yahushua Messiah, who is now seated at the right hand of the Father. It is a gift from Abba Father, and it is not merited by anything we do.

This Promise is so wonderful and is such a loving Gift of Abba Father to His children! I would like to say much about this Promise. There is much that could be said! Studying about this Promise, and what it means, builds and strengthens our faith. It is worth a post of its own. However, at this time, my heart’s desire is to show forth some testimonies of the results of receiving this Promise — the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  When we look at the results, we begin to understand Yahuwah’s purpose for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Some Results of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

What are the results of receiving this Promise of the Gift of the Holy Spirit, the promised Baptism in the Holy Spirit? I would like to talk about what happens after being Baptized in the Holy Spirit. The results are astonishing!

Here are at least ten references in the Scriptures where The Promise of the Holy Spirit, or the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is mentioned:

…the Promise of my Father upon you (Luke 24:49)

…this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive (John 7:38,39)

…the Holy Spirit is come upon you (Acts 1:8)

…they were all filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:4)

…I will pour out of my spirit (Acts 2:16)

…a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost (Acts 6:5)

…they received the Holy Ghost (Act 8:17-19)

…be filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 9:17-20)

…the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word (Acts 10:44-47)

…the Holy Ghost came on them (Acts 19:1-7)

All these phrases are referring to this one event — that of receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Notice that each one of these phrases includes a description of the outcome, or result, of this event. The result is always described as receiving something supernatural.

Let’s look at some of these supernatural outcomes:

…ye (shall) be endued (clothed) with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

…out of his belly (his inner most being) shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38,39)

…ye shall receive power… ye shall be witnesses unto me….” (Acts 1:8)

…began to speak with other tongues (Acts 2:4)

…your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams (Acts 2:16)

…full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people (Acts 6:5)

…Give me also this power (Acts 8:17-19)

…immediately there fell from his eyes… scales: …he received sight …. And straightway he preached Christ…. (Acts 9:17-20)

…they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God (Acts 10:44-47)

…they spake with tongues, and prophesied (Acts 19:1-7)

In the above Scriptures, we see something quite unique — some of the amazing results of receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. In all these results, we see manifestations of the supernatural. For example, we see prophesying, visions, and dreams; being endued with (clothed with) power from on high; speaking with other tongues, great wonders, miracles, and power, and receiving of sight. There is also a new-found ability to proclaim, and to understand the Word of Yahuwah.

Let’s look in more detail at some of the changes the Holy Spirit makes within the Believer.

A Great Change

The results of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit are always supernatural in nature. This Baptism always produces a great change in a Believer! Through this Baptism, a Believer receives the Holy Spirit in a totally different, and separate experience from the New Birth.

Through the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, a Believer enters into a new level of life — whereby the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit begin to be evident in some particular way. These spiritual gifts as described in 1Corinthians 12, 13, and 14 begin to be become evident.

One or more of these gifts of the Holy Spirit begin to operate in some distinct and noticeable measure in those Believers who have been Baptized in the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, Believers who have not yet received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit will continue to speculate as to what their ‘spiritual gifts’ are. Furthermore, those who have not yet received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit are often lacking in spiritual discernment and confidence. This is not intended to belittle Believers in any way–but is a simple statement of fact.

When you receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, the result is that there is a dramatic change in you! You finally understand what it means to be endued (clothed) with power from on high. When I received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, my sister said I had changed “like night and day.” That was so true! One consuming desire filled me — I was suddenly filled with determination, devotion, and love for Yahushua Messiah and the Word of Yahuwah, the Mighty One of Israel.

This is the heart of what I’m wanting to say today. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is awesome, amazing, vital, and so very necessary for each and every Believer! And it is for now! The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is for Yahuwah’s children NOW.

Power From on High

Is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit a necessity for all Believers? Notice what Derek Prince has said:

“If we study the New Testament with an open mind, we are compelled to acknowledge that the whole life and experience of the early Christians was permeated in every part by the supernatural. Supernatural experiences were not something incidental or additional. They were an integral part of their entire lives as Christians.”

Yes, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is vital for all Believers!  Yahushua Messiah exhorts all His disciples, in every age, to wait for the promise of the Father. Yahushua wants each one of His disciples to wait for this Promise until we receive this Baptism in the Holy Spirit!

Yahushua is at the right hand of the Father, and He wants to baptize His disciples with this gift of the Holy Spirit from Father. Why? Because He knows that we need to be “endued (clothed) with power from on high,” as He has told us in (Luke 24:49). As Believers, we need this life-changing clothing with power from on high, in order to fulfill His commission to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a valuable and necessary gift for the children of Yahuwah. Receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a necessary key to fulfilling the plans that Father has for each one of us!

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2:10)

As we see in the above verse, Father has ordained good works for us to walk in and fulfill! Receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is the gracious and awesome gift offered to us by Father, for our enablement to do these works, for His glory.

If you are not sure you have received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, then Father has even given us a very simple direction for receiving the Holy Spirit:

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13)

In Luke 11:13, we are told that Father desires to give the Holy Spirit to His children — to them that ask him.  They can ask Him anytime.  Just as an earthly father eagerly grants his little child’s request, who runs to him asking for a gift, so our heavenly Father is eager to give us good gifts!

Once you, as a Believer receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, there is often a greater assurance and a firm conviction within your own heart that you are a beloved child of Yahuwah Elohim. The Holy Spirit bears witness within your spirit (Romans 8:16) that you are  a child of Father Yahuwah Elohim, the Holy One of Israel.

…Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (1John 4:13)

When we receive the Holy Spirit Baptism, then we know, without a doubt, that we dwell in Him and He in us!

This assurance is good news — great news, for all of Yahuwah’s children — and especially for those who desire all  that Father Yahuwah wants to give them!

For further insight on Father’s purposes for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit,

Continue to Part 2 – Have You Received the Holy Spirit Since You Believed? – Part 2

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Related Articles

• The Holy Spirit Will Guide You Into All Truth

• The Cloud by Day, Fire by Night: The Holy Spirit Shekinah Glory Has Moved Again!

• For further study on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit see Derek Prince’s excellent teaching Two Wonderful Results

• For further study on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit see Robert L’s exceptional teaching Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Messiah Humbled Himself

First, Messiah humbled Himself by becoming obedient. 

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  (Philippians 2:5-8 NASB)

This is one of my favorite Scripture passages.  It gives us a clear picture of the great love and honor Yahushua has for His Father!  He, who existed in the form of God, came to this earth in the likeness of men to be a servant, and He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to His Father’s will.

If Yahushua Messiah came to fulfill His Father’s will, and do always those things that please His Father (John 8:29), then how much more  shall we?  If we are Born-Again Believers then we will seek to follow in the steps of our Saviour, and have the same mind and attitude as Yahushua did — to empty ourselves, become as a servant, and be humble by becoming obedient to Father.

What happened as a result of Yahushua’s humility?  Messiah Yahushua has been exalted to the right hand of Yahuwah Elohim, and Father has given Him a name that is above every name.  In the spiritual realm, the name of Yahushua Messiah is more honorable, more noble, more magnificent than any king or ruler that has ever lived.

Yet, if Yahushua Messiah were to walk into the banqueting hall of any nation’s official stately dinner, would there be an immediate, “Let’s all rise to our feet and give honor to Messiah” reaction among the dinner guests?  Probably not.  Messiah is not of this world.  Look at what Messiah has told us:

I (Yahushua) have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  (John 17:14,15,16)

Yahushua Messiah is not of this world.  In the same way, the Spirit of Messiah living in us is not of this world, and so it should be no surprise that the world hates us also.  Yahushua Messiah is not of this world — nor are His disciples.  For this reason, Yahushua, the highly exalted One (Philippians 2:9), is praying for His disciples.

Scripture tell us that Yahushua is at the right hand of God, making intercession for us (Romans 8:34). Interceding for His disciples has been Yahushua’s main occupation since He was exalted to Father’s right hand. This highly exalted One continues as the humble servant by interceding, praying for His disciples.  Not only has Yahushua humbled Himself (and has now been exalted), but He is now an Intercessor.

The Intercessor — The One Who Prays For Others

Have you ever met a brother or a sister who is an intercessor?  An intercessor is one who prays on behalf of another, asking Father for His promises to be fulfilled in the lives of His children — children who have been, or will be, Born-Again spiritually — those in whom Messiah has been birthed.

The intercessors I have met or have read about always seem to be very humble people.  These people are following in the steps of our loving Saviour.  Just as Yahushua, they are being humble, obedient servants.  They pray for Yahuwah’s children, asking for His protection, for His guidance, for the grace to fulfill the plans and purposes He has for His children.

It takes a true servant’s heart to be an intercessor.  It is the servant’s heart that is the greatest expression of the nature of Yahushua, for He has told us, “I am among you as he that serveth”  (Luke 22:27).

He Took upon Him the Form of a Servant

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. (Matt 12:17,18)

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.”  (Matt 11:29)

“I am among you as he that serveth.”  (Luke 22:27)

He made himself of no reputation (He emptied Himself), and took upon him the form of a servant.  (Philippians 2:7)

These Scriptures describe the servant’s heart—meek and lowly, serving among others, no ambition for position or recognition.  Is that true of you and me?  Have we truly “emptied” ourselves, and humbled ourselves, for the sake of being among others as a servant, as Yahushua did?

After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel….  I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.  (John 13:5,15)

The apostle John told us what Yahushua said after washing the disciples feet.  Yahushua exhorted His disciples, “Do as I have done.”  That is, we are exhorted to follow His example and be as a servant to those among us, so that we too may say, “I am among you as he that serveth.”

Walk as He Walked

This next Scripture tells us that Yahushua’s life is for our example to follow in every way:

He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.  (1John 2:6)

Having a servant’s heart is key  to walking as Yahushua walked.  Being as a servant is truly the pattern, the example He gave us.  He was not in any way ashamed to serve others.

He was humble enough to hold children in His lap, even in the presence of teaching His disciples.  He was humble enough to do the menial task of washing His disciples feet.  He was humble enough to spend hours in prayer for Father’s children.  He was humble enough to spend time with the poor, with the needy, with the sick.  He was humble enough to be obedient  to His Father in every way, for He did not seek His own will, but the will of the Father, as we are told in John 5:30.

Empty Ourselves

How can we mortal Believers walk as He walked? He has told us how, and He has given us His enabling Grace to accomplish all He has told us.

He made himself of no reputation (He emptied Himself), and took upon him the form of a servant.  (Philippians 2:7)

When we can truly empty ourselves of ‘self’ and have a genuine heart attitude of seeking Father’s will, rather than our own, then we will begin to walk as He walked!

What does it mean to empty ourselves of ‘self?’ Within each of us is the ‘old man’ that continually wants to exercise predominance. “What I want,” “what I know,” “what I think,” “what I feel,” “what I like,” “what I want to do,” are all in opposition to Father’s will. The “I” of self-will, the old man within us all, must be crucified, and allowed to die. This is exactly what the apostle Paul meant when he said,

“… I die daily.” (1Corinthians 15:31b)

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” (Galatians 5:24)

It is when we have died to ‘self’ that we can say with Yahushua, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). This is the crying prayer of one desiring a servant’s heart.  Without this kind of prayer, none of us could accomplish this ‘emptying’ of  ‘self.’  Father loves to answer such prayers with His enabling Grace!  He offers this gift to us in every step of our growth in Him (Ephesians 2:8).

A Servant’s Heart

There is a joy and a freedom in being yielded to Father with a true servant’s heart.  A servant’s heart has no agenda other than to follow Father’s will and fulfill Father’s wishes.  A Believer with a true servant’s heart will love to be among others as one who serves.

How can we acquire a true servant’s heart?  We begin by seeking Father in prayer daily.  Make prayer a number one priority.  Ask Father’s help and grace to pray and to seek Him and to study His Word.  Begin too by doing little actions of serving others.

Practice doing things for others— serving those you are among.  Practice serving others by doing things for others that you wouldn’t “normally” do.  That is fulfilling Philippians 2:3:

 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves (Php 2:3).

To regard others as better than ourselves— that is the lowliness of mind that cultivates a servant’s heart.  We are not to serve others as “menpleasers,” but to serve others, by truly regarding them as better than ourselves.  In this way we empty ourselves, and lay down our own agenda, our reputation, our rights.

“If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be unknown, and considered as nothing.  To think of oneself as nothing, and always to think well and highly of others, is the best and most perfect wisdom.” — Thomas, à Kempis

Yahushua emptied Himself.  He humbled Himself by becoming obedient.  He became a true servant, and therefore God also hath highly exalted him (Philippians 2:8-9).

Father has highly exalted His Son, Yahushua Messiah, and there, by Father’s side, Yahushua continues to humbly serve by interceding for His disciples.  He ever liveth to make intercession for them  (Heb 7:25).

What a worthy and honorable Saviour we have!  What a worthy and honorable example He is for us!

His example is for us to follow!

May our prayer be as this song reminds us Make Me A Servant.

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*A companion post is The Key to Gaining Understanding

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“When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth.” (John 15:26)

The Holy Spirit is “The Comforter.”  This precious, most-valuable gift, the Holy Spirit, is a personal Guide, Helper, and Comforter.  “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth“  (John 16:13).  His mission as our personal Guide is to guide us into all truth.

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?  (Luke 11:13)

As we see in the above verse, Father is more than willing— He wants to give— He wants to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him.  What love and mercy it is for Father to want to give The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, to them that ask Him!

The Holy Spirit is A Person–Not an It

This Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, is the very presence of Yahuwah on the earth, and is to be cherished and loved.  Just as we love and cherish those who are dear and near to us, we are to love and cherish this personal Guide and Comforter.  Just as we are careful and sensitive to do everything we can to not hurt or disappoint those we love and cherish, so also we are to be very careful and sensitive to do everything we can to not hurt or disappoint our Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God.  (1Cor 2:12)

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  (Rom 8:14)

The Scripture tells us, when we receive this gift of the Holy Spirit, we are receiving the Spirit which is of Yahuwah Elohim.  Father has promised to guide His children, to guide us by His Spirit— by His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth.  This is amazing!  We can have the Spirit of the living God, His Holy Spirit, dwelling within us to guide us and to lead us, if we will only ask Father for this most precious gift of His presence!

Once we have received this personal Guide, then how can we know the guidance of the Holy Spirit?

In my experience I have learned three essential facts about this personal Guide.  There are more facts, but let me share these three.

First:  The Holy Spirit’s mission, as our personal Guide, is to guide us into all truth.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.  (John 16:13)

The Spirit of Truth, as the Holy Spirit is called, comes to us to guide us into all truth.

The Holy Spirit is a very personal and intimate Guide.  As our personal Guide, the Holy Spirit knows each one of us better than we know ourselves.  Therefore He knows intimately how to guide us.  However, we can help Him guide us, or we can hinder His guidance.

If we want the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and since He wants to guide us into all truth,  then we need to cultivate a love for the truth.

… they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (2 Thess 2:10,11)

The above verse is a very significant verse in the lives of those who wish to follow Yahuwah!  For Yahuwah to guide us into all truth, we must begin with an essential, gut-level conviction— a love of the truth!   As we see in this Scripture, there is a warning of what happens to those who do not have a love of the truth—strong delusion!

However, when we have a firm love of the truth, then we are saved, delivered, or even rescued out of many difficult, perhaps even agonizing situations.  And most importantly, we are delivered from delusion.

Loving the truth means a loyal, firm conviction to the truth  no matter the cost, no matter the pain.  Loving the truth must be supreme in everything we do!  Loving the truth also means we will have a great love for Yahuwah’s Word.

Since the Holy Spirit’s mission is to lead us into all truth, then He will always guide us according to, and in agreement with, the Word of Yahuwah.  Yahushua confirmed to us where we will find the truth when He said:

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.  (John 17:17)

The Word of Yahuwah is truth!  The Holy Spirit will always guide us to Yahuwah’s Word and by Yahuwah’s Word.  When we have a love for the truth, then we will love the Word of Yahuwah passionately, and will seek for understanding “according to thy word” (Psalm 119:169) as King David did.

King David also declared the truth of Yahuwah’s Word many times.

Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.  (Psalm 119:142)
Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.  (Psalm 119:151)
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever.  (Psalm 119:160)

Loving the truth is to love Yahuwah’s Word, which is true from the beginning!  All of the Word of Yahuwah, from Genesis to Revelation, is faithful and true forever and ever.  We can trust the Word of the Mighty One of Israel, Who is abundant in mercy AND truth, because He is Yahuwah Elohim of truth.  His truth endures throughout all generations because He has promised “For I am the LORD, I change not”  (Malachi 3:6).

As we saw in Thy Torah Is My Delight, King David loved the Word of Yahuwah with a passion!  Psalm 119 is evidence of David’s love for Yah’s Word— and  it is evidence of his love for the truth.  “I have chosen the way of truth“  (Psalm 119:30a).

As we are walking through the path of this pilgrimage of life, it is the Word of Yahuwah that is as our “map.”  If we will love the truth, then Yahuwah has lovingly provided us with a “map”— His Word!  Father has also lovingly provided us with a personal Guide— the Holy Spirit!

It is this love of the truth  that is the first step to knowing the guidance of our personal Guide, the Holy Spirit, for He is the Spirit of Truth.

Second:  Guiding us into all truth includes recognizing the truth about ourselves.

We must love the truth to the point of being totally honest to ourselves and about ourselves.  We must love the truth to the point of honestly recognizing who we are and what kind of person we are.

The Holy Spirit knows each one of us intimately.  He knows our successes and our strengths.  He knows our failures, our pain, and our weaknesses.  He knows our fears and our hopes.  He knows the genuine, actual, nothing-hidden truth about us.  He is  the Spirit of Truth.

If we are to be guided into all truth, then loving the truth is an on-going process of recognizing the truth within ourselves.  This is not always easy because many of us have a tendency to over-look or deny what is true about ourselves.  Many of us have a tendency to tell ourselves things that makes us feel good.  If we do not love the truth, then we can be easily fooled by our own thoughts and estimations about ourselves.

LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?  He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.  (Psalms 15:12)

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.  (Psalms 51:6)

As we see in the two Scriptures above, King David knew very well that we must embrace the truth deep within ourselves.  Within the depths of our inner most being we need to love the truth, to acknowledge it and accept it.  It is a choice to walk the road of maturity to learn to speak the truth to ourselves  in our own heart.

Often it happens that speaking the truth in our own heart means recognizing our own sinful ways and repenting.  King David did not shrink from acknowledging the truth deep within his own heart when he was confronted by the prophet Nathan.  Psalm 51 is his complete acknowledgment and acceptance of guilt and repentance.

Third: He will Test of Our Love For the Truth

… for the righteous God trieth (tests) the hearts and reins (mind). (Psalms 7:9)

If we will love the truth, then the Holy Spirit wants us to cultivate the habit of speaking the truth in the depths of our own heart, in the intimacy of our own thoughts.  When we are confronted with truth about ourselves or any other issue, the test of our love for the truth  is in the hidden, inward part of our being— our reasoning!

The question is — Will we reason ourselves away from the truth — or toward the truth?

What do our reasoning skills lean toward?  Do we side with the Holy Spirit who is seeking to guide us into all truth?  Do we hinder or do we help the Holy Spirit”s guidance for us?

Truth can be painful at times because it can be a form of chastisement to us.  Yet, if we will choose the way of truth  in the hidden part of our heart— our reasoning within ourselves — then that choice will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11).  If we will choose to love the truth  in the inner depths of our hearts, then step-by-step, we will be delivered from delusions, and come to the knowledge of the truth.

The Holy Spirit desires to cleanse us and purify us— cleanse us of selfishness or pridefulness or hatred.  The Holy Spirit is working within us continuously, seeking to purify us— purify us of wrong motives or false behavior or of neglect of our duties.

Are we listening to The Spirit of Truth urging us into the way of truth?  It is the little, inner, hidden things that we are being tested on — the little, hidden things that, so often we overlook or ignore or reason away.  Such things may seem little but this is part of the intimate ways of the Holy Spirit — He desires for us to speak the truth to ourselves in the inward parts — our hearts.

It is this speaking the truth in our heart  that is a most important step to knowing the guidance of our personal Guide, the Holy Spirit, for He is the Spirit of Truth.

Father’s Gifts

If you are among those who choose to devote themselves completely to honor Yahuwah as their Abba Father, and to fear Yahuwah as their loving Master, then you will be totally grateful for Father’s gifts.

Oh the goodness of Father!  To give His children such wonderful gifts — the gift of His precious Word, which is as our “map,” and the gift of His precious Holy Spirit, who is our personal Guide— to guide Yah’s children into all truth!

Such good news is worthy of a HalleluYAH shout!

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Related Articles

•  Have You Received the Holy Spirit Since You Believed?  (Part 1)

•   Thy Torah Is My Delight

• For further study, see  The Torah Hidden In the New Testament

Over and over, the writer of Psalm 119 declares an overwhelming love for God’s Word.

Many of us can say, “O I love ice cream!”  Or we can say, “O I love my children!”  Or…  “O I love my wife/my husband!”   Or…  “O I love my dog/my cat!”   But how many of us can say to Yahuwah, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day”  (Psalm 119:97).

Psalm 119 is commonly believed to be written by King David, for the instruction of his son Solomon.  This psalm reveals an obvious love for Yahuwah’s Word — a love which King David must have wanted to transfer to his son.

This psalm is full of an unusual passion and a fervent affection for the importance of loving and keeping Yahuwah’s Word.  There are ten words used in Psalm 119 to express the many facets of Yah’s Word:

1.    Testimonies
2.    Ways
3.    Commandments
4.    Law
5.    Word
6.    Statutes
7.    Truth
8.    Judgments
9.    Righteousness
10.  Precepts

Each one of these words is a separate study of its own.  Each of these words describes a vast depth and richness of the Word of Yahuwah.

King David knew of the great riches of Yahuwah’s Word.  Because of this, he wanted to share his love for Yah’s Word with others, and especially with his son Solomon.

O How I Love!

Let’s consider some of the expressions of love for Yahuwah’s Word found in Psalm 119:

· I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.  Psalm 119:16
· Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.  Psalm 119:24
· And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.  Psalm 119:47
· I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.  Psalm 119:174
· Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.  Psalm 119:35
· O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.  Psalm 119:97
· I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.  Psalm 119:163
· My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.  Psalm 119:167

These eight verses alone would be worthy of further study and memorization.

Many of us could admit to delighting in various activities — but to admit we delight in the path of Yahuwah’s Commandments, or that we love Yahuwah’s Law — now that would be a very different confession to hear someone say.  Yet this, and many other such confessions, were common for King David.

The English word “law” in this psalm is the Hebrew word “torah” which means, “the instructions, teachings, and guidelines of the Father.”  So, in other words, we could say of verse 97,  O how love I the instructions, teachings, and guidelines of the Father!  It is my meditation all the day.

King David loved the Word of Yahuwah with a passion!  Do we have such a passion for Yah’s Word?  King David wanted Yahuwah to instruct, teach, and guide him in every way possible.  King David cried out, “O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!” (Psalm 119:5)  That verse has a plea that carries a deep yearning within it.  This is the kind of yearning that we need!  This is the kind of yearning that Father is looking for when the Scripture says:

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (complete) toward him.  (2Chron 16:9a)

Father is looking for a heart that is completely and fully committed to loving and obeying Him.  He is looking for children whose hearts ache and burn to honor Yahuwah as Father, children whose hearts tremble in fear of Yahuwah as their loving Master (Malachi 1:6).

Tremble in Fear

King David said “My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments  (Psalm 119:120).  King David, though a king himself, greatly loved Yahuwah, yet he also trembled in fear of Yahuwah, the King of kings.

Do we have that same kind of fear — to tremble for fear of Yahuwah?  This is a healthy thing for Yahuwah’s children!  Some people have a healthy fear of those in authority.  Such people know they ought to speak very carefully and respectfully when in the presence of authorities.  This is a proper fear, because authorities are to be respected and honored greatly.  For there is no power (authority) but of God: the powers (authorities) that be are ordained of God  (Rom 13:1b).

We need to tremble for fear of Yahuwah, Who is our most supreme authority — to reverence Father and honor Him in every way, trembling at His every Word, praying for the kind of heart King David had! 

For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. (Isaiah 66:2)

Father tells us in the above verse that He looks for those who are poor (humble), contrite (broken), and those who tremble at His Word!  That is to be our attitude — of reverence, awe, and humility toward Who Father is and the Words He speaks!

King David was such a man!  He wanted the Word of Yahuwah as his guide and as his direction in every level of his life, as Psalm 119 reveals.  His devotion to Yahuwah’s Word was pure.  He wanted nothing more, nothing less.

King David had a heart that recognized Yahuwah’s Word as his most intimate comfort and companion, as well as his most supreme authority.  His passion for Yahuwah’s Word gave King David a very unique and distinct honor from Yahuwah:

… He (Yahuwah) raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also He gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.  (Act 13:22)

King David was a man after Yahuwah’s own heart!  What does that mean?  King David certainly had his flaws and made his mistakes, just like the rest of us!  Yet, King David had a passion and a great love for Yahuwah and for the Word of Yahuwah that has surpassed multitudes!  King David’s heart yearned, panted, and was overwhelmed with desire for keeping the Word of Yahuwah.

Psalm 119 is a fitting testimony to the love and passion King David had for the Word of Yahuwah.  Psalm 119 reveals the heart that Yahuwah loves!  It reveals the heart that made King David a man after Yahuwah’s own heart!

King David’s Secret

King David has revealed to us his secret! In Psalm 119 is the secret to the key of receiving Yahuwah’s testimony as being a man after God’s own heart — to passionately love, honor, and obey the Word of Yahuwah.

Those who will, one day, hear those precious words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant  (Matt 25:21a),  are those who choose to follow and obey Father’s Word fervently!  These will choose to devote themselves completely to honor Yahuwah as their Abba Father, and will fear Yahuwah as their loving Master.

Those who will be called a man after God’s own heart will choose to make Yahuwah’s Word supreme and operating in their hearts and lives.  They will become vigilant to know, and to learn Yahuwah’s Words — so that they will recognize and shun man’s own words, and man’s own traditions.  For it is man’s own words, and man’s own traditions that can cause the commandments of God to be of no effect  in our lives (Matt 15:6).

The heart that is after God’s own heart says,

“Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight!”  (Psalm 119:35)

May we delight in Yah’s Word, tremble at His Word, and receive Yah’s Word as it truly is — as cool waters to our thirsty souls!

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*A companion post is Blessed Are They Which Do Hunger

*For further study see  Our Greatest Hindrance: The Doctrines and Commandments of Men

*For more study see  The Torah Hidden In the New Testament

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