Our second responsibility is known as the Great Commission, which Jesus gave to His followers and is found at the end of each of the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Notice that I said every Believer, not just prophets, apostles, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. So often, we assume that the work of the Gospel is for what is known as the “five-fold ministry,” described in Ephesians 4:11, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,” While it is true that the Lord gave these ministry gifts for the benefit of the church, it is not true that they are the only ones responsible for the message of the Gospel. Every Believer is responsible and empowered to share the Gospel or “Good News.” 

Too often, as Christians, we think, “Let the pastor do it,” when, in fact, the Lord is calling you to rise up and be His ministers of truth, light, and life. Jesus told his followers in Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Those who heard the message at that time knew Jesus in the flesh and had faith in Him and His words because of their relationship with Him. Today, we have a relationship with the resurrected Jesus by His Spirit, and we know that He is alive and has a plan for our lives. It is no different today than it was when Jesus walked the earth; the issue is faith! Will you believe?

Faith is central to our salvation, our relationship with the Lord, and our God-given destiny. So, what do we mean when we talk about faith? Is faith natural or supernatural? Let’s take a look at the difference between the two.

Natural Faith – Dictionary

1. Allegiance to duty or a person: loyalty, fidelity to one’s promises, sincerity of intentions.
2. Belief and trust in and loyalty to God, belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion, and firm belief in something for which there is no proof of complete trust.
3. Something that is believed with strong conviction, a system of religious beliefs. 

The kind of faith described here is based upon understanding, sometimes called intellectual assent. You agree that something is true, but are you willing to trust your life to that truth? For example, it is easier to fight for a principle than it is to live by that principle. I remember someone saying that most people are “legends in their own minds!” In other words, they picture themselves as strong and courageous in their imagination, but when it comes to action, they fail to live up to the truth. In the second part of Daniel 11:32 it says, “but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” You see, a strong Christian is one who knows the truth and does the truth. That’s faith in action

Spiritual Faith – Bible

Hebrews 11:1 States that “faith is the substance (guarantee) of things hoped for and the evidence (convincing proof) of things not seen (invisible).” There is a sense of certainty when we speak of faith in this sense. It is seeing the invisible.

1. Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse”
2. Colossians 1:15, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”
3. Timothy 1:17, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
4. Hebrews 11:27, “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.”

Spiritual faith means that we believe what God has said in His Word, the Bible, and confirmed by His Holy Spirit. It is a knowing in our hearts that God is true and will never leave or forsake us or break His promises. 

The Apostle Paul gives us an illustration of this kind of spiritual faith when he describes the faith of Abraham in Romans 4:19-22, “And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.” From these verses, we see that Abraham did not look at the natural facts of his old age but could see the invisible workings of an all-powerful God.

The key to true spiritual faith is 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” It’s a simple statement, but so profound. It means that we don’t need evidence first to believe; we believe, and then the evidence of our faith appears. 

Christian faith relies upon the Word of God—Jesus; the power of God—the Holy Spirit; and the love of God—the Father. This is our faith position.

• Not faith in faith, but faith in Him. 
• Our faith is relational. Oswald Chambers said, “We blunder when we tell people they must believe certain things about Jesus Christ; a man cannot believe until he knows him, then belief is spontaneous and natural.”

You see, we don’t need more understanding; we need more trust and reliance upon Him! Hear what the scriptures says in Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

The human mind cannot understand God’s mind. No matter how brilliant a mind is, it cannot come close to God’s mind. The good news is that everything the Lord feels we need to know He graciously gives us. Deuteronomy 29:29 says the following, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Remember that God is not influenced by how we think He should work; His plan is always better than yours.

Faith is our position as Christians, having done all we stand!

Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 6:34 that we will experience troubles in this life, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” However, at the same time, Jesus makes it clear that He has overcome the world’s troubles. John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” We can trust the Lord because He always keeps His promises and that becomes apparent when we learn to walk by faith and not by sight.

Ephesians 6:13, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” 

In other words, troubles, trials, and tribulations will fall on us, but we are called to stand in faith; when we do, we are not responsible for the results—God is, and He will give us the victory! The Lord does not create life’s problems, but He will use them to perfect our faith. Because faith is not simply an idea it is an action. The evidence of faith is found in the action or deed.

Your faith must be tested.

“If your faith has not been tested, how can you trust in your faith? Are we “legends in our own minds,” or do we truly “walk by faith and not by sight?” 

I believe the following accurately explains how God takes everyday situations to develop our faith:

1. If you ask for Patience, God will allow Trials to develop your endurance
2. If you ask for Strength, God will allow Difficulties to make you strong
3. If you ask for Wisdom, God will provide Problems for you to solve
4. If you ask for Prosperity, God provides you Wisdom and Strength to work
5. If you ask for Courage, God will allow Perils to overcome
6. If you ask for Love, God will provide Troubled People to help
7. If you ask for Favor, God will give you Opportunities

You may not get everything you Want, but you will get everything you Need because our God is a faithful God.

You may ask, “What do I do when doubt or fear enter my mind?” Let’s go to the Bible. You may recall the time that Jesus healed a demon-possessed child in Mark 9. Listen to what Jesus said and the response of the child’s father. Mark 9:23-24, “Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Faith is the doorway to seeing God work, and there will be times when we can release faith in a situation. However, if we are honest, there may also be times when doubts enter our hearts. That is when we must be open with the Lord, confess our unbelief, and ask Him to help us overcome that unbelief. Doubt, fear, and unbelief are the enemies of genuine faith in the Lord because they prevent us from action, and action is the evidence of faith.

If we want to strengthen our faith in God we must be in the Word of God, the Bible. Because faith comes from hearing the Word of God. We must also be careful who we associate with. Friends, co-workers, and sometimes even family can be a negative influence if they are not strong Believers in Jesus Christ. Of course, it is impossible to avoid every negative person because we are in the world, but the Bible says we are not of the world. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” So, to the greatest extent possible, we must try to surround ourselves with people with righteous attitudes and behavior. 

Finally, remember what Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” If you let the Lord guide your actions, you will walk in His blessings.

Holy Spirit Guidance Through Messengers 

At times, God the Holy Spirit uses messengers to convey guidance and direction to our path. God’s purposes and plans are not always clear to us. His strategies are often beyond our ability to comprehend. Therefore, God uses the Holy Spirit to send messages to us through His messengers. Some of the messengers He uses are angels, prophets, and other Believers.

Angels

Angelology, the study of angels, is beyond the scope of this message. However, we will look at angels as it applies to receiving guidance from the Lord.

Strong’s Dictionary defines it as to mean to bring tidings or communications; a messenger, especially an “angel”; by implication, a pastor; a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God. What is important to understand is that Angels are not human beings who have passed away. Angels are created beings by the Lord. 

The world has portrayed angels in very strange and fanciful ways. Nevertheless, angels are real beings, created by God with great power and authority. We are never to worship angels, as is the practice of some. 

God has used angels in many ways throughout biblical history. He continues to use them today. God has used angels to safeguard us, defend us, direct us, and, at times, protect us from evil that may befall us.

God has created the angels to minister to Himself, as well as to minister to those of us who have inherited salvation through Jesus Christ. “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:14). 

Here are a few examples of angels that have been sent to minister to believers:

1. An angel releases Peter from prison. “But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out…” (Acts 5:19).
2. An angel directs Phillip to the Ethiopian eunuch. “Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, ‘Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza…’” (Acts 8:26).
3. An angel directs Cornelius to get Peter. “About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, ‘Cornelius!…’” (Acts 10:3).
4. Peter is released from prison again by an angel. “Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, ‘Arise quickly!’ And his chains fell off his hands” (Acts 12:7).
5. Paul, about to be shipwrecked, is assured by an angel. “For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve” (Acts 27:23).

From these few examples, among many in Scripture, we see that God frequently uses angels or messengers to accomplish His purposes.

Prophets 

In the simplest terms, the role of the prophet is to hear from God and speak for God. The prophet was also required to speak what was on God’s heart to the government, community and the Church. 

In the Old Testament, prophets were the ones who anointed kings. Accounts of Old Testament prophets such as Eli, Samuel, Nathan, Elijah and Elisha are well known. Many of the Old Testament books were written by minor and major prophets. The New Testament references many Old Testament prophets. However, New Testament prophets seem less common than in Old Testament times. Only three individuals are recognized as prophets in New Testament times:

1. Jesus: “So the multitudes said, ‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee’” (Matt 21:11).
2. John the Baptist: “For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28).
3. The prophet Agabus: “And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea” (Acts 21:10).

Why are there fewer references to the office of the prophet in the New Testament? Perhaps the reason is because the Holy Spirit operates differently today than in Old Testament times.

As stated previously, in Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit was “on” or “with” a person. Today, the Holy Spirit lives “within” the believer! God’s Spirit now speaks directly to the spirit of a believer. This new and living way has been opened to us by Jesus Christ and His completed work at the cross of Calvary (Heb 10:20).

The Prophetic Today

While the role of the office of the prophet may be limited today, the role of the prophetic has not been limited in any way. There are nine gifts of the Holy Spirit, as described in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. Three of those gifts have to do with the prophetic. In verse 10, the gift of prophecy is listed. The gift of tongues, when combined with the interpretation of tongues, is considered to be prophecy also. “I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification” (1Cor 14:5 emphasis added). There are two other spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, and they are the gifts of “word of knowledge” and “word of wisdom.” Since both of these are revealed by the Lord, they can also be thought of as prophetic because they are also spoken.

The prophetic (what God is saying) is such an important part of the life of the Church today. Therefore, it is essential that those who are called to move in the prophetic learn how to be good stewards of the gift of the prophetic in general. 

The prophetic has both a Holy Spirit component and a human component. The Holy Spirit is never wrong or inaccurate. However, the human part or component is subject to error. 

Let us examine the three parts of the gift of the prophetic word:

1. Revelation. The prophetic begins when God speaks revelation, and a person receives that revelation. The revelation is spiritually discerned – heard or seen.
2. Interpretation. The second phase of the prophetic is the interpretation of what is spiritually seen or heard. This requires a human interpretation of the revelation – our understanding of what is heard or seen. It is obvious that human error may occur at this point. This is because our interpretation is often subject to human limitations of our understanding.
3. Application. The final step is the application – what we are to do in response to what is heard or seen. This is the action that one takes based on the interpretation of the revelation. Since this is limited to a human understanding of what should be done in response to the word, the application can also be subject to error.

Since two of the steps of prophecy – the interpretation and the application – are subject to human error, you might wonder: Is prophecy safe? The answer is yes – when you apply a very important principle: Prophecy should confirm what you already know to be true. In other words, a valid prophetic word today will act as a confirmation of what God has already revealed to you. Prophecy should build you up in your faith concerning what has already been revealed. 

Of course, a valid prophetic word will also never disagree with what has already been revealed in the Bible, the written Word of God. 

A Lesson in Application

A clear example of the three steps or parts in a prophetic word – revelation, interpretation, and application – is found in. A prophet by the name of Agabus comes to meet with the Apostle Paul. Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Agabus brings forth a prophetic word by demonstration in verse 11: “When he [Agabus] had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, ‘Thus says the Holy Spirit, “So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”’ Apparently, Agabus had a vision of what was going to happen to Paul, and Agabus acted out what he saw: Paul being bound and handed over to the Gentiles. 

Agabus had a genuine revelation from the Holy Spirit. Agabus interprets the revelation correctly, describing with actions what will happen to Paul. In verse 12, we read that those who are present try to discourage Paul from going to Jerusalem. Their application of the prophecy is to discourage Paul from going to Jerusalem, but Paul, with confidence and assurance, states, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (v.13).

The revelation was correct. The interpretation was correct. But the application by those who heard the word was not correct. Paul’s companions did not want Paul to be arrested and turned over to the opposition leaders. However, Paul knew that his capture and arrest were part of his destiny because the Holy Spirit had already revealed what was ahead for him. Paul says, “And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:22-24).

The Agabus’ prophecy confirmed what the Holy Spirit had revealed to Paul prior to his encounter with Agabus. When the emotions of the prophecy’s application caused others to possibly miss God’s plan, Paul was steadfast in his decision to go to Jerusalem. Paul already knew what God had told him to do because it was revealed to him first. Agabus simply confirmed it.

As the Apostle Peter was approaching the end of his life, he wrote about the importance of prophets and prophecy and the danger of false prophets. Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:19-21, ”And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

Two important points to make with these verses: First, note the phrase “prophetic word confirmed.” The prophetic always confirms what is known or should be known. Second, note that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, is the true source of all genuine prophecy. Jesus says so in the following verses in the Gospel of John: John 14:17, John 15:26, John 16:13.

Believers Prophecy

As a final point, let me say that there are those who are in the office of prophets, and then there are Believers who will get a word of prophecy for a person or a situation. These Christians don’t operate in the office of the prophet but will manifest the gift of prophecy as revealed in 

1 Corinthians 12:7-11, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”

God loves you so much that He will get His message to you through angels, prophets, and other believers. 

Clear Direction

There are times when God may use several ways to communicate with us to assure us that it is the Holy Spirit directing our paths. Remember that Satan is a lying spirit who wants to deceive us and lead us away from God. I have heard the following illustration: 

“A certain harbor can be reached only by sailing up a narrow channel between dangerous rocks and shoals. Over the years, many ships have been wrecked, and navigation is hazardous. To guide the ships safely into port, three lights have been mounted on three huge poles in the harbor. When the three lights are perfectly lined up and seen as one, the ship can safely proceed up the narrow channel. If the pilot can see two or three lights, he knows he has gotten off course and is in danger.

“God has also provided three beacons to guide us. The same rules of navigation apply… the three lights must be lined up before it is safe for us to proceed. The three harbor lights of guidance are:

1. The Word of God (objective standard);
2. The Holy Spirit (subjective witness);
3. Circumstances (divine providence).

“Together, they assure us that the directions we have received are from God and will lead us safely along His way.”

Of course, it is also important to note that circumstances are not always a reliable indicator of God’s will. They can, at times, cause us to doubt. God may require us to move in faith, even when natural circumstances seem to oppose His direction. If this seems to be the case, then we must have an even clearer and stronger sense of the accuracy of both the Word of God and the Holy Spirit’s leading in spite of the circumstances. Just look at the obstacles Abraham and Moses faced in the Old Testament, then there is the Apostle Paul in the New Testament and all he had to endure.

Confidence Before God

Now, let’s begin to examine the six ways that God speaks to and guides us.

1. Holy Spirit Guidance Through Conviction

Holy Spirit conviction means that our conscience is being provoked into judging the rightness or wrongness of an action. The dictionary defines conscience as having “an internal sense of what is right and wrong that governs somebody’s thoughts and actions, urging him or her to do right rather than wrong”.

As Christians, we understand the “internal sense” to go beyond just our conscience. We have within us the work of the Holy Spirit. “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God” (1John 3:20,21).

The Need for Conviction

In John 16:8-11, God reveals the primary work of the Holy Spirit. (The Holy Spirit is not limited to the three actions described in this passage, as we learn when reading beyond verse 11.) The three primary works of the Holy Spirit are to reveal sin, righteousness, and judgment. “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8).

Then John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, goes on to explain in greater detail these three primary functions: “of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (vs.9-11). The greatest sin is to not believe in Jesus and what He did for us. Jesus is the righteousness for those who put their trust in Him, and they will also go to the Father. Judgment because the world systems are under the influence of the Devil.

The Holy Spirit always convicts of sin because He is holy (Rom 1:4)! God never tempts us with evil. He does not perpetrate evil or sin as a means of fulfilling His purpose (Jas 1:13). While it is true that God can take that which was meant for evil by others and turn it into good (Rom 8:28), He Himself does not perpetrate evil or sin. As Believers and leaders of Christ, this means that we must not perpetrate evil motivations or actions but instead live above reproach in every area of life (1 Tim 3:1-13).

When Jesus says in John 16:9 that the Holy Spirit convicts “of sin, because they do not believe in Me”, we need to make one thing very clear: It is not just belief in the Person of Jesus, but also belief in what Jesus has said and done for us at the Cross. There are many who would say they believe in Jesus, and yet they do not obey Him (Matt 21:28-32; Jas 1:21-25, 2:14-26). Well, if one does not obey Jesus, one really does not believe that Jesus is God! 

It is possible to “harden your heart” to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and become insensitive to sin. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph 4:30). Those who fall to the place where they become insensitive to the Holy Spirit are no longer convicted of their sin (Eph 4:17-24; 1Tim 4:2). 

Scriptural examples of the convicting power of the Holy Spirit:

1. Peter makes an arrogant statement that he is willing to die for Jesus (Matt 26:31-35). Jesus prophesies that Peter will deny Him three times before the rooster crows that day. The prophecy comes to pass. After the third denial of Christ by Peter, the Scripture states, “Then he began to curse and swear, saying, ‘I do not know the Man!’ Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ So, he went out and wept bitterly” (Matt 26:74,75).
   
2. Jesus appears to His disciples after the resurrection, but Thomas is not present. Because Thomas has not seen with his own eyes, he does not believe that Jesus has appeared to the other disciples. Later, Jesus appears to Thomas. Under conviction, Thomas proclaims, “…My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
   
3. Peter preaches the Gospel message, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, to the Jews in Jerusalem. This produces such conviction that about 3,000 come to know the Lord Jesus. “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2:37).
   
4. Saul (Paul) of Tarsus is on his way to Damascus to continue his persecution of Christians. During that trip, he has an encounter with the risen Jesus Christ that turns his world upside down. “And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads’. So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’” (Acts 9:5,6).

2. Holy Spirit Guidance Through the Bible

The Bible is truly the Word of God, and all of it is given by the inspiration of God (2 Tim 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:19-21). It is like no other book. It is a spiritual book designed by God to be a source of life, inspiration, instruction, encouragement, correction, direction, and guidance for His children. Someone once described the Bible as a personal love letter from God to us. God and His heart for mankind are both revealed throughout the Scriptures. For those who do not know God, through Jesus Christ, it is an invitation to know Him. For those who walk with Jesus, the Word of God is our strength and assurance that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Rhema And Logos

It is interesting to note that the Bible refers to itself as the Word. The word “Word” in the New Testament is derived from two Greek words: logos and rhema. Logos is the written word or an expression of thought, while rhema is the spoken word or a word uttered in speech or writing. Both words are used throughout the New Testament.

The word rhema is significant because it applies to a single scripture or scriptural principle that the Holy Spirit brings to the mind in our time of need. It is as if the Scripture passage is “speaking” to us to answer a question or provide direction or guidance.

Hence, Scripture itself tells us that it is alive and sharper than any two-edged sword, able to discern thoughts of the mind and motives of the heart. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb 4:12).

God speaks to us so clearly through the Bible. God speaks in general principles for life (logos) as well as to specific circumstances in life (rhema).

It is important to remember that we must read the logos (written) word daily. It is from this daily reading that God will give us His rhema (spoken) word.

The Bible as Light

The Word of God is light. Illumination of the Word, as we have discussed earlier, is by the Holy Spirit. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119:105). Illumination means that the truth of Scripture becomes personal and real to us. “…that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2Pet 1:20,21).

The Bible As A Mirror Into Your Soul

The Bible reveals the truth about us. We may be able to deceive others. We may even be able to deceive ourselves. Yet there is power in the Word of God to reveal the truth about our lives. The Word of God is compared to a mirror, which reflects back to us where our lives need to be changed (Jas 1:23-25).

This illumination is a work of the Holy Spirit—not to discourage or condemn us but to bring us into the light that transforms. God cannot bless what He does not approve of; He is a Holy God! His desire for us, when He reveals painful truths about our lives, is to bring us into paths of righteousness so that we might receive the full blessing of God. 

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2Cor 3:18). 

Of course, just knowing the truth is not the same as knowing and doing the truth. We are called to be doers of the Word. By doing the Word of God, we build a solid foundation for our lives. “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (Jas 1:23-25).

As the Bible says in Matthew 6:33, our priority must be to seek the kingdom of God through Jesus and His righteousness. Then, the spirit of God will provide all that we need for our spirit, soul, and body. 

Keep on seeking Him!

The Body

Our physical body communicates with the physical realm or the physical world we live in. The body uses the five senses: hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, and touching. Through these senses, we communicate with the physical realm. Our hearing responds to sound waves that fall within specific frequencies. We hear loud sounds, soft sounds, and low—and high-pitched sounds. Our vision allows us to discern shapes, shades, colors, and movement. Our taste buds detect sweet, sour, and bitter flavors. Our nose distinguishes odors, from the pleasant scent of flowers to the smell of rotting eggs. Finally, our sense of touch allows us to distinguish cold, heat, pain, and pleasure. 

Now, the body itself doesn’t evaluate the source, danger, or pleasure of the stimuli. The body simply alerts the brain, which is part of the soul, to be aware of the stimuli; then the brain reacts. Since we live in the world, God has given us the ability to detect and react to the world we live in.

The Soul

Notice that the body is not responsible for interpreting or evaluating the meaning of all the stimuli. All the body knows is, “That hurts!” or “It is sweet!” or “That is loud!” 

The soul is where all the stimuli that the body experiences are put into context. That is, the soul assigns meaning to the stimuli. For instance, the soul “learns” that the sound of a gunshot means danger and reacts accordingly by telling the body to run or hide. This learning process in life shapes our emotions (feelings), our will (the ability to choose), and our intellect (intelligence).

Our personality is shaped by our soul. Just as the soul interacts with the physical world through the body, the soul also interacts with other souls or people through the body as well.

To sum up so far: The body interacts or communicates with the physical world. The soul also interacts with the physical world. More importantly, the soul can interact with the souls of others. In other words, the soul of one person “communicates” with the soul of another person with the words and responses of everyone. Relationships are built on this type of “soul” communication.

It is worth noting that when the Bible uses the word “flesh” in reference to a person, it can refer to one of two things. It may refer to the body alone, or it may refer to the union of the body and soul. “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt 26:41). The Scriptures often use the term flesh to distinguish between the carnal person and the spiritual person. A carnal person is one who is immature and/or influenced more by the things of the world than by the things of Spirit (1Cor 3:1-4).

The Spirit

If the body communicates with the physical world, and the soul communicates with the “soul” world, with what or with whom does the spirit communicate? The answer is obvious, isn’t it? The spirit of man has the potential to communicate with the spiritual realm. 

If we carefully study 1 Corinthians 2:9-16, it should become evident that God has given us, as believers, the ability to do what was not possible before Jesus Christ and the Cross of Calvary:  to see, hear, and comprehend spiritual things on an individual level. We have been given the “mind of Christ” (v.16). Verse 12 states, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”

When we communicate with the physical world, we use our senses and interpret them with our minds. It is a body-and-soul experience. If we read something, we use our sight (body) and perceive the meaning of what is read (mind or soul). When someone speaks to us, we hear with our ears (body) and understand with our mind (soul.) 

Now in the spiritual realm, a similar operation takes place. The spiritual can operate through the body (the five senses), through the mind (impressions, thoughts, images), or directly through our spirit. The fact that God may use our body or soul to communicate with us from His Spirit makes the communication no less spiritual (1Cor 14:2). 

Sometimes we try to mystify or “spiritualize” the ability to communicate in the spirit. Spiritual communication was never meant to be unique or special to only certain individuals. Spiritual communication with God was meant to be normal Christianity!

An unfortunate mistake that many individuals make is to associate “how one feels” with spirituality. How you feel is a reaction of the body or mind, but not necessarily of the spirit. For example: Jesus desired to have his disciples keep watch while He was in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. The disciples kept falling asleep. Jesus says, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt 26:41). Notice that Jesus says that the spirit is willing, but the flesh (mind and body) is weak or tired. You see, your spirit never tires or becomes weary. Your spirit never is distracted, or unwilling to do those things it was designed to do. It was designed to communicate with the spiritual realm, God.

The Word of God the Bible Is Spiritual

Most of us would not like to admit that sometimes we find ourselves bored, distracted, disinterested, or too tired to read or study the Word of God. We might go through the motions but often feel guilty and condemned for not being more eager to seek the Lord in the Word. 

The truth is that while we may not seem to be benefiting in our minds and intellect, our spirit is never tired, bored, or distracted. When we study the Bible, we are feeding our minds, yes – but more importantly, we are feeding our spirits. Remember, the spirit does not depend upon the emotions or clarity of the mind. 

For example, have you ever had the experience of having the knowledge of a Scripture verse while at the same time being unaware of where or how you learned it? It could have been while reading the Bible or hearing a sermon or message when the mind was not paying attention, but our spirit was hungry for the Word! 

The discipline of spending time reading the Word of God cannot be over-emphasized and should not be connected to how you feel. The Bible is food to the spirit! The study and devotional time we spend in the Word of God should be a time we eagerly seek, for the sake of our spirit as well as for the mind. The spirit is always willing; it is the flesh that may be weak. Therefore, the spirit always benefits from the Word of God, even when the flesh seems unwilling. That is not to say that reading the Scriptures does not benefit the mind. For it is clear from the Word that our minds must be renewed. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom 12:2; see also Ephesians 5:26).

We must be careful at this point. Many fall into the error of thinking that they can change only through intellectual knowledge of the Word. Many try to live by the standards of the Bible through self-discipline and outward behavior. However, God seeks a change of heart, a change of our inner nature. That can be accomplished only by the Holy Spirit. 

The Bible has the power to show us God’s expectations or standards. At the same time, it shows us how helpless we are in our own strength alone to fulfill the standards of the Word of God. We are unable in our natural strength to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus. Yet we have the supernatural ability, through the Holy Spirit, to accomplish what is impossible in our own strength!

On the one hand, the Bible reveals everything about us. We may hide our secret thoughts and motives from other people. But nothing is hidden before God. His Word reveals that truth to us: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:12,13).

The Bible also reveals God’s expectation that we would conform to the image of His Son – in other words, that we would be like Jesus. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom 8:28, 29).

Finally, the Bible reveals how God will do this work. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil 2:12,13). It is the Lord Himself who wills or gives you both the desire and the ability to do, or the empowerment to fulfill His good pleasure. His “good pleasure” consists of the plans and purposes for your life. This is God’s grace or favor.

As we have established earlier, it is God’s intent that we be led by the Holy Spirit. That means that He is directing our paths. I have heard it said, “When you walk with God, you get to where He is going.” That rather obvious statement is true, isn’t it? 

Just as we can be assured that God has plans, purposes, and pursuits for us to walk in, we can also be sure that God speaks to or communicates with us. One reason that God speaks to us is to guide us in lifed. 

In the next several messages, I will look at six ways in which we often receive guidance from God.