Holy Spirit Revelation

When I was a young and impressionable new Christian just beginning my quest for truth and to know God and His word, I came across this wise statement from a respected minister and Pastor of a large movement in the 60’s who said “you can’t go beyond what you are taught”.

Many years of study and research later, I came to the realization that there also is no shame in not knowing what you don’t know. But there is a problem with refusing to consider truth that may be new to you and therefore uncomfortable for you to assimilate into your current knowledge base.

Once upon a time everyone believed the world was flat and that if you got in a boat and began to sail in one direction you would eventually fall off the earth.

(It wasn’t, and you wouldn’t)

Once upon a time all medical professionals believed that bloodletting was the way to cure diseases.

(It wasn’t, and they killed more patients than they helped)

Once upon a time men believed that flying was just for the birds.

(Until a couple of brothers named Wright dared to think differently)

Once upon a time each individual Christian trusted in the Holy Spirit to lead and guide them.

You heard that right.  There was no waiting for Sunday morning and a sermon to instruct them.  Each believer was able to receive direct instruction from the Holy Spirit.  When Jesus instructed His disciples in Acts 8 to wait for the Holy Spirit, which would give them the power to be witnesses to Him, He was indicating that all disciples from then and for all time would be filled with the Spirit in order to carry out the mission; to be witnesses to Him.  The mission hasn’t changed and neither has the method of revelation.

We are BLESSED to have the valuable reminder of the written revelations for us to study and learn from, but they are not a substitute for or in place of the direct inspired revelation available to us from the Holy Spirit.  Nowhere in scripture are we told that the written word REPLACES revelation, but that it is in addition to! (Romans 15:4)

Main stream churches have been teaching for CENTURIES that the only way to hear truth is through showing up on Sunday mornings to hear preaching.  

Just because something has been taught for a long time doesn’t make it the truth.  It just makes it a misrepresentation that hasn’t been corrected… yet. 

It’s time we correct this misreading of Paul’s words in Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

While it is entirely true that unbelievers need to hear the gospel, because they cannot receive direct revelation from the Holy Spirit as they have not yet been “born again”, this isn't true of Believers. Without the indwelling Spirit an unbeliever needs someone to “reveal the truth” to them through the foolishness of preaching. This is the true “work of the ministry”.  (See 2Corinthians 5:18-20)

But Believers do have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit!  God expects believers to hear Him and receive wisdom directly from His Spirit.   

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Jesus Himself clearly teaches that it was by revelation from the Holy Spirit that we would learn and grow in Him.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Paul taught the same in his letters to the gentile believers.

1 Corinthians 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Ephesians 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

During my continuing quest for truth, I spent time with a Presbyterian minister who insisted that God doesn’t talk to people.  The only Word of God is what is found in the Bible.

Yet the bible itself declares that if everything Jesus taught were to be written down the world could not contain all the books! (John 21:25)

And Paul, who had only the Old Testament to work from, might never have trusted and shared the GREATEST new revelation we ever received – GRACE

I’ve read the book of Colossians numerous times.  This very morning, God gave me a NEW REVELATION. See if you can spot it, too.

Colossians 1: 9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Paul would surely not pray for something that wasn’t possible! That they, having no “written word” to study as the New Testament didn’t exist yet and being gentiles, very likely didn’t possess the Jewish scrolls of the Old Testament, would be FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GODS WILL.

It can only be that Paul knew they, like himself and all believers, would have knowledge revealed to them by the Holy Spirit.  

We read exactly that here in Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

This leading by the Spirit is that which Jesus taught and we read in John 14, that the Spirit would teach us "all things".  Not some things, not a few things, but "all" things!

So why are so many not hearing direct revelation from the Holy Spirit? Because we are not being taught!

The bible clearly teaches that God never changes, but that He is always changing US. If history teaches us anything at all it is that what worked well in the past isn’t necessarily the best way forward.

There is no shame in not knowing what you don’t know.  But now you know. 

We will find answers in Gods written word, ABSOLUTELY.  

But we will hear from Him as long as we make sure we are not too busy to listen!  He still speaks, He has always spoken and He will continue to speak.

2Timothy 2:15 Study to show yourself approved unto God a workman who needs not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.

The revealed, written word of God gives us a foundation, instruction and guidelines to keep us from going off in any which direction.  

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

The Word of God works hand in hand with revelation when the believer is listening to and being led by the Holy Spirit, Who will give wisdom and knowledge for specific situations.

What do YOU find the most difficult about.....

Two ears sometimes doesn't seem
enough anymore to HEAR all that's
going on in our world!

LISTENING....

This world has certainly gotten very noisy hasn't it?   Radio brought conversations and entertainment into our worlds without people needing to actually be present.  After that television brought the whole world into our homes.  With all the newest technology, we're being "talked to" even when no one is opening their mouth! Through text and email and social media status updates, it seems everyone has a voice and is trying to make it heard regularly and loudly.  It all competes fiercely for our attention.

Does God have a voice?  In all the noise you are listening to are you giving an ear to hear the Creator talk to you?  I don't mean through someone else or even something else.  I am asking if you are listening for God Almighty's voice?

God speaks to us regularly. Take a look in the Bible.  There He is, talking, talking, TALKING!  And then He tells us clearly that He is the SAME yesterday, today and forever.  He does not change.  Therefore, He has not stopped talking to His people.  The competition for attention has certainly intensified, requiring laser focus on the vital question; Are we listening?

When the Prophet Elijah had carried out Gods instructions and was now sought by the King of Israel and his lovely bride Queen Jezebel so they could put him to death, he went off to a quiet place by himself where he could seek counsel from God.  Read all of I Kings 19 for a full picture, for our purposes, I will summarize.

He sat under a juniper tree and began to pray.  God heard and sent an Angel to minister to him.  Then he made a request of the Lord, to hear what God would say.

I Kings 19: 12  And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a STILL SMALL VOICE.

That's God.  So big, so powerful, so confident that He doesn't need to arrive in flashy style.  He comes quietly, certainly, surely and speaks into our hearts answers to the situations and concerns of our lives.  He still speaks to His people. When we quiet all the competing noises we'll hear Him.  Psalm 46:10  BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

What do YOU find the most difficult about LISTENING FOR THE LORDS VOICE?
For me, it's letting go of the fear I'll miss something happening in "my world" and staying in that still place long enough to hear the only voice I truly need to listen to.

OBEDIENCE......

In our Fellowship Gathering this past week, we explored the difficulty many of us struggle with in being obedient to the simple and straight forward things God has told us to do.  We agreed that His commands were actually very beneficial to us and that obeying them ALWAYS turned out for our good!  We talked about several situations where people in the examples shown in the Bible had their excuses for NOT obeying and the end results, which were never preferable to Gods intended results.

After reviewing all the reasons and excuses, we realized that however you choose to word it, it all really came down to one word.  One word adequately describes every excuse and reasoning for failing to obey in spite of recognizing the benefit to ourselves to do so.

PRIDE.

Of the 5 stories we examined closely, the best example, we felt, was found in the story of Naaman.  Let's take a look together at II Kings 5: 1-14

1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a leper.

2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.

3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.

5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.

6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.

7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man does send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.

8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore have you rent your clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.

9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean.

11 But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

13 And his servants came near, and spoke unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, wouldn't you have done it? how much rather then, when he said to you, Wash, and be clean?

14 Then he went down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Naaman thought he was quite a big deal, a very important man of some stature among the people.  Needing healing, he was sure the Prophet would treat him a certain way and make a big spectacle of healing him.  PRIDE almost cost him the healing.  PRIDE would have kept him from obeying the simple command he'd been given, even though he knew that obeying it would benefit him!

We looked at the story in Galatians 2 when Peter, in fearful PRIDE stopped dining with the Gentiles because he didn't want his fellow Jews to think badly of him.  We looked at Jonah who pridefully attempted to avoid God because he didn't think the Ninevites deserved to be forgiven and given a second chance!  We looked at the fearful spies of Israel in Numbers 13 who in their foolish PRIDE decided they knew better than God what could and could not be done in a situation.

We agreed the BENEFITS far outweighed any reason for disobedience.  A quick reading of Deuteronomy 28: 1-14 made clear that obedience to Gods commands carried a great deal of benefit and blessing.

What do YOU find the most difficult about obeying Gods commands?

Is it that you are uncertain of what they are?  I would encourage you to set aside time in your daily routine to shut off the competing voices, quiet your own heart, get still before the Lord, and begin digesting the spiritual food that will truly benefit you in every single area of life.  READ GODS WORD!  Some will sink deep into your heart and begin to bring about change that will amaze you.  Some will speak to you immediately of answers and solutions to situations you are facing.  Some will wait quietly in the background until you have need of it, but ALL of it will benefit you in more ways than I can describe or I even know.

Read Psalm 46 in its entirety.  You will be pleasantly surprised to discover.....

Beginning January 1, 2014 Turn the Tide Ministries begins at the beginning once more on a two year reading schedule that will walk you through the entire Bible.  SUBSCRIBE RIGHT NOW so you receive the updates, schedules and Sunday Sermons delivered to your email inbox to read and savor at your convenience.

THEME FOR 2014:  DO IT NOW!