The Oil of Anointing

Honey and Oil out of the Rock-

Not only does the Bible teach that God will provide us with water (the Holy Spirit) from the Spiritual Rock of Christ within us, but the Scriptures teach that He will give us honey and oil out of the Rock also.

“He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;”  (Deut. 32:13)

As we study the Word of God we find that honey is a symbol for knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and strength.

“My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.”  (Pro. 24:13-14)

Having the knowledge of God revealed to us, understanding what that knowledge means, and then having the wisdom to know how that knowledge is to be applied is as sweet to our soul as honey is to our taste.

The Bible teaches that it is also how our spiritual house is built and furnished.

“Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.  (Pro 24:3-4)

If knowledge is knowing the deeper things of God, then understanding is realizing what they mean, and wisdom is discerning how they apply to us and others.

There is only one source for all three:

“For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”  (Prov. 2:6)

No amount of Scripture memorization, expository studies of high-thinking theologians, or modern translations of the Bible can take the place of the Holy Spirit.

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”  (1Cor. 2:14)

Only the Lord Jesus Christ can take the written (Greek word Logos) Word of God, breathe upon it with the breath of the Holy Spirit, and change it into the revealed (Greek word Rhema) Word of God for our moment in time.

“And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?”  (Luke 24:32)

He does this through Christ (the Rock) in us, and honey out of the Rock, which is the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding revealed by the Holy Spirit.

“And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.”  (Rev. 10:10)

Having the knowledge that is contained in the Scriptures, understanding what that knowledge means, and having the wisdom to know how that knowledge applies to our lives or situations only becomes effectual when we have the strength to act upon it.

This is what being a Christian is all about. It is not just missing hell and going to Heaven. It is not just learning about God and keeping it all to ourselves. It is about effecting change; change in our lives and in others. Jesus told Peter, “When thou art converted (changed), strengthen the brethren.”

God has called, chosen, and saved each of us for a reason. He has a purpose for each of our lives.

It takes strength to change and bring about change.

It takes God’s strength.

We will find that strength in the honey out of the Rock.

The honey out of the Rock is symbolic of that strength.

There was a time in the Old Testament when King Saul foolishly commanded his armies to not eat any food until they had captured and defeated the fleeing Philistine army.

“And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.”  (1Sam. 14:24)

Saul’s son Jonathan had not heard his father’s commandment, and when they came upon a field that had honey in it, Jonathan ate a little of the honey, his eyes were lightened, and his strength returned.

“Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.”  (1Sam. 14:29)

No one else ate the honey, and the lack of food and strength caused disastrous results that day for God’s people.

When the Holy Spirit comes upon us, takes the Word of God, reveals it supernaturally to us as His will, and empowers or strengthens us to perform it, it is like honey out of the Rock.

When we have both the honey and the oil together, it is called the anointing.

“He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;”  (Deut. 32:13)

“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”  (1John 2:27)

The Bible tells us that it is the anointing that destroys the yoke.

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.”  (Isa. 10:27)

The word anointing in the New Testament comes from the Greek word chrisma which means “ an unguent or smearing as of oil, or figuratively a special endowment of the Holy Spirit.”

David refers to this soaking or smearing of the “oil of anointing” in the Old Testament,

“It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;”  (Psalm 133:2)

The Rock of “Christ in us” is the hope of God receiving glory in the earth today.

“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Col. 1:26-27)

It is not about us receiving glory, but it is about God receiving glory.

It is not about us but it is all about God.

When God fills us with the Holy Ghost it is similar to filling a glass so full of water that the water rises up and overflows, spilling down the sides and soaking everything it touches.

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”  (Psalm 23:5)

It is as if God takes everything that comes from the Rock of Christ in us, the water, the honey, and the oil, and He overflows us, saturates us, and soaks us in the wisdom and power of the Holy Ghost.

This is the anointing of the Holy Ghost that destroys the yoke.

When this is done, miracles can happen, bodies can be healed, devils will flee, prophecies can be given, the Word of God is manifested with power, and God is glorified.

Everything that is worldly, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life falls by the wayside, and the Kingdom of God is manifested in the earth for a moment of time.

When the anointing is manifested, it destroys the yokes of sin, addiction, greed, ignorance, and any other thing that will keep us and others from doing the will of God.

When the anointing is manifested, not only is the yoke broken and destroyed, but it is consumed by fire out of the Rock.

“For our God is a consuming fire.”  (Heb. 12:29)

Tomorrow- Fire out of the Rock

“How to Walk in the Joy of the Lord” by Raymond Candy just published and available for $2.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, and Lulu.com for the iPad, PC, and all other e-reading devices

The Power to Change

Waters to Swim In-

“And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.”  (Eze. 47:3)

“Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.”  (Eze. 47:4)

“Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.”  (Eze. 47:5)

As we look at the prophecy of Ezekiel concerning the river, we see that each depth must be reached first before we can go further. We cannot just jump out into the middle and receive the fullness of the river, the fullness of the anointing and power of God.

We must first be drawn by the Spirit, the waters to the ankles. (John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”)

We must be born again, the waters to the knees. (Romans 10: 9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”)

We must be filled with the Holy Ghost, the waters to the loins or the waist. (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?”)

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”  (Acts 2:1-2)

“And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”  (Acts 2:3-4)

There are those theologians who will say that at the point of salvation we receive all of the Holy Spirit that there is. That may be true. But if we rightly divide the Word of God, we can see that there are two distinct encounters with the Holy Ghost.

There is the point that we receive Him, and there is the point when we are filled with Him.

Those same theologians will say that no second experience with the Holy Spirit is necessary. However, Jesus knew that it was necessary to the point that he commanded His disciples not to begin their Great Commission until they had received it.

The early Church knew that this power from on high was so necessary that whenever they encountered believers who had not received it, they made sure that they were filled with the Holy Ghost also.

“Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:” (Acts 8:14-15)

“(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.”  (Acts 8:16-17)

We see this again in the Book of Acts when the Apostle Paul meets some believers who had not yet received the Holy Ghost,

“He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.”  (Act 19:2)

“And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”  (Acts 19:6)

These theologians might also say that this experience of being filled with the Holy Ghost was only for the early Church in order that it might be established. They believe that we do not need such signs and wonders today.

They base their belief on First Corinthians chapter 13 verses eight through ten,

“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”  (1Cor. 13:8-10)

They say that once the Bible was completed, then “that which is perfect” had come and the miraculous signs of the Holy Ghost were no longer needed or given by God. By not rightly dividing the Word of truth, they deny the power thereof.

“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”  (2Tim. 3:5)

One look at verse 12 and we realize that the perfection spoken of by the Apostle Paul is referring to the return of Christ when our bodies shall be changed like unto His glorious body, and as the Scripture says, “we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2)

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”  (1Cor. 13:12)

Once we have received the Lord and been “born again”, then God puts His Holy Spirit within us. When we ask the Lord to “baptize” us with the Holy Ghost, then God “immerses” us in Himself and we are “filled” with the Holy Ghost.

Now we are out in the water to our waist. The current of the river has control of our legs and is pulling us in the right direction. We are being led by the Spirit of God, but we are still standing on our feet.

Before we can have the faith to take the next step and launch out into the waters to swim in, to leap out into the full force of the current and the depth of the power of God, we need to realize the purpose of the river.

Why do we need to go out into the deep?

We need to go out into the deep so that we might receive the fullness of the Holy Ghost and His power. This is the power to be a faithful and powerful witness. This is the power to change and be conformed to the image of Christ.

The purpose of the power is so that we may be witnesses. Sometimes this may involve miracles, signs, and wonders. But more often than not it involves the demonstration of the power of a changed and holy life.

Jesus told Peter, “When thou art converted (changed), strengthen thy Brethren.” (Luke 22:32)

Peter, so fearful for his own life that he denied the Lord three times, was changed by the power of the Holy Ghost to the extent that when he was arrested and sentenced to die, he slept so soundly the night before his execution that the angel had to slap him on the side to wake him up before he could be delivered. (Acts 12:7)

The Apostle Peter wrote to the gentile women that had become Christians after already being married to unbelievers, that with their Godly lifestyle they could win their husbands to Christ without preaching to them. (1 Peter 3:2)

The purpose of the power is to change. The purpose for going out into the deepest part of the river of God is so that you will surrender your control completely to the Holy Spirit.

Your feet no longer touch the bottom. You are swept along whithersoever the current of the Spirit of God desires to take you.

John the Baptist said of Jesus, “He must increase but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

When we cast ourselves out into the deep, we are completely surrendering every part of ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit. We are holding nothing back. No sin, no habit, no personal desire, no preconceived notion or idea, nothing.

Only when we empty ourselves of ourselves do we become an empty vessel that He can fill for His glory.

“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”  (2Tim. 2:21)

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”  (2Cor. 4:7)

When we surrender every recess of our being to the power of the Holy Spirit for change, then every act we do in His name will come from a pure heart with pure intentions. Miracles, signs, and wonders will occur when needed and God, not ourselves, will receive the glory; and others, not ourselves will be helped.

When we make this decision for total surrender, then we are ready to leap out into the deep and the River in us will truly be “Christ in you, the hope of glory”.

Tomorrow- Honey and Oil out of the Rock

“How to Walk in the Joy of the Lord” by Raymond Candy just published and available for $2.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, and Lulu.com for the iPad, PC, and all other e-reading devices

“Rivers of Living Water”

Water from the Rock-

As we study the Word of God, we see that there are four miraculous things the Bible teaches are contained in the Rock throughout Scripture. If we have faith to believe, God will spiritually bring forth these four things from the Rock of Christ within us.

They are water, honey, oil, and fire.

These are all symbolic of four attributes of the Holy Spirit within us that God wants to manifest in our lives for His glory.

“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Col. 1:26-27)

We have already seen how God brought water out of the rock in the Old Testament and that rock was symbolic of the Rock that is Jesus Christ.

Jesus teaches us that the water which came forth from the Rock in the wilderness and became a life-saving river able to quench the thirst of over a million Israelites is symbolic of the river of the Holy Ghost that is within us.

“Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”  (John 4:13-14)

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”  (John 7:37-39)

David speaks of this river in the Psalms,

“There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.”  (Psalm 46:4)

The Apostle John saw this river in his vision of the city of New Jerusalem, and in the same way that Jesus is the Light of that city, the Holy Ghost is the life-giving River in its midst.

“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” (Rev. 22:1)

The Prophet Ezekiel prophesied of this river in greater detail, and through his prophecy we gain a greater understanding of Christ in us as the Rock and the River of the Holy Ghost flowing out of Him.

“And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.”  (Eze. 47:3)

“Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.”  (Eze. 47:4)

“Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.”  (Eze. 47:5)

The prophet talked of the river to the ankles. This is the initial touch of the Holy Spirit upon our lives. This is where the current begins to tug at our ankles and pull us in the direction of the flow. Jesus said that that no man would come to Him unless the Father draw him (John 6:44). Jesus said, “Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you.”  (John 15:16)

The prophet talked of the water to the knees. After Jesus rose from the grave, He appeared to the disciples, breathed on them, and said, “Receive Ye the Holy Ghost.”  (John 20:22) This is that born again experience that Jesus spoke of in the third chapter of the Gospel of John.

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”  (John 3:5-6)

We are in the water to our knees. The river has half of our legs, and we have the other half. The Holy Spirit is directing us one way, but we have the power to go the other. This is where many Christians find themselves today.

They have been born again and the Holy Spirit has come inside of them. They are like the disciples who Jesus breathed upon and said, “Receive Ye the Holy Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit is directing them to go one way but their common sense and will are directing them another, and sadly the common sense will usually win. This is why Jesus told the disciples to “tarry in Jerusalem.”

They had already received the Holy Spirit in them, now they needed to be endued with power. They needed to be filled with the Holy Ghost. They needed to come out into the river to the loins.

Tomorrow- Waters to the Loins and Water to Swim In

“How to Walk in the Joy of the Lord” by Raymond Candy just published and available for $2.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, and Lulu.com for the iPad, PC, and all other e-reading devices

“Upon this Rock I will Build my Church”

The Spiritual Rock of Christ-

Throughout the Word of God, the Bible refers to Jesus Christ with several different comparative names or descriptive titles to help us know and understand Him better.

The Bible tells us that He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Redeemer, and the Savior.

Jesus is the Messiah because He is the anointed and consecrated prince whom God promised through Daniel’s prophecy that He would send.

He is the Christ because He is the anointed fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy in the New Testament.

Jesus is the Redeemer because He is the kinsman who purchases back the lost possessions in the Old Testament and He is the fulfillment of the kinsman in the New Testament.

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”  (1Cor. 6:19-20)

He is the Savior because He is the One who sets free in the Old Testament and the Deliverer in the New Testament.

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”  (Mat. 1:21)

Jesus is also referred to as the Word of God, the Lamb of God, and the spiritual Rock.

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  (John 1:14)

“And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!”  (John 1:36)

“Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”  (Rev. 5:12)

“And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”  (1Cor. 10:4)

Although each of these names and references for Jesus gives us a description and a better understanding of His nature, abilities, and purpose, it is the description of Him as the spiritual Rock that helps us to better understand Him as “Christ in us, the hope of glory.”

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Col. 1:27)

What does it mean when the Bible says in First Corinthians that Jesus is that “spiritual Rock”?

Throughout the Word of God, the rock is symbolic of and references a place of safety and security.

“For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.”  (Psalm 27:5-6)

In the Old Testament, the Rock was a symbol of God because the Lord God Jehovah was the place of safety and security for the children of Israel.

“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”  (Deut. 32:4)

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is the Rock (1 Peter 2:8) and the revelation of Him is our place of safety and security.

“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  (Matt. 16:16-18)

Jesus had asked His Disciples, “Who do you think that I am?”

Simon (Peter) was the only one to answer Him and say, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

Jesus looked back at Peter, and using his given name Simon Barjona, said that he was blessed because God had revealed this unto him.

Then Jesus changed his name because of this revelation.

He said, “Thou art Peter (the Greek word pet’-ros meaning a piece of a rock or a little stone), and upon this rock (the Greek word pet’-ra meaning a mass of rock) I will build my church…”

If we rightly divide the Word of God, we see that Jesus did not tell Peter (the little stone) that He would build His church upon him, but Jesus told Peter that He would build His church upon the rock (the large mass of stone) which was the revelation that God had given him.

The revelation that,

“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

And as Jesus said, “…the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” 

When the Bible in First Corinthians chapter ten refers to Jesus as that “spiritual Rock that followed them”, it is referring to the two times in the Old Testament that Moses provided water out of the rock for the children of Israel in the wilderness.

“And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”  (1Cor. 10:4)

“Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”  (Exo. 17:6)

“Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.”  (Num. 20:8)

The first time that God gave them water out of the rock to drink, He told Moses to smite the rock with his staff. Moses did as God told him and water sprang out of the rock, enough water to satisfy the thirst of over a million people.

The second time God gave them water out of the rock, He told Moses to speak to the rock. Moses was angry with the people and being lifted up with pride, he struck the rock instead of obeying God and speaking to it.

He said, “Hear now ye rebels, must we fetch you water out of this rock?” and Moses struck the rock a second time. Although Moses had disobeyed Him, God in His mercy provided water out of the rock for His people.

God told Moses that because he disobeyed and did not sanctify the Lord in the eyes of the people, he could not go into the Promised Land.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.”  (Num. 20:12)

How did striking the rock the second time not sanctify the Lord in the eyes of the people? How could one seemingly insignificant act of disobedience erase a lifetime of obedience and keep Moses out of the Promised Land?

The Bible says that the things that happened in the Old Testament were examples for us who believe under the New Testament. The Bible says that these things were types and shadows of better things to come.

They are mysteries hidden by God for the Holy Spirit to reveal unto us as we study His word. This gives us a deeper understanding of Christ and causes faith to grow so that we might be conformed into His image.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”  (Rom. 8:28-29)

God was using the rock in the wilderness to provide a picture of Christ, stricken once (the cross) and forever after spoken to, never to be struck again.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”  (John 14:12-14)

Jesus was the preincarnate Christ that stood upon the rock as Moses struck it the first time and then followed them in the wilderness to be spoken to the second time.

Jesus Christ is that Spiritual Rock. By studying the Word of God to understand what the Bible says about that Rock, our faith will grow to better understand and believe the mystery of “Christ in us, the hope of glory.”

Tomorrow- Water from the Rock

“How to Walk in the Born Again Experience” by Raymond Candy just published and available for $2.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, the iBookstore for the iPad, and Lulu.com for the iPad, the PC, and all other tablets and e-reading devices

It’s Simply a Matter of Faith

Faith comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God-

Not long after accepting Christ and devoting my life to Him, God called me into full-time ministry.

After spending a few years in street ministry in the Dallas, Texas area, the Lord provided me and my family with a renovated school bus and we set out as home missionaries for our local Church.

Our ministry and mission was going throughout the southwest and north central area of Texas and conducting revival style services in nursing home facilities for the elderly and disabled.

I would play the guitar and sing with my four year old daughter, then I would preach and give an invitation, and afterwards my wife and I would pray and counsel individually with the residents.

Our message was primarily one of salvation and we were blessed to witness over 600 souls accept Jesus Christ and be saved.

During this time we attended many Pentecostal and charismatic churches in the various cities and towns that we were ministering in. We were able to hear different Pastors and Evangelists preach the Word of God as well as be invited to preach as a guest evangelist myself.

As we sat in the various congregations, we saw many respond to the messages that were preached, coming down to the altar to accept Christ and ask prayer for healing or to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

It was during these times that I witnessed something very troubling to my soul.

Although many who came down to the altar to receive the Holy Ghost were gloriously baptized speaking with other tongues, just as many seemed to struggle even after much prayer was made and they left the altar disappointed.

Since my experience had been so different, this was hard for me to understand at the time. However, God was about to show me the reason why many were having trouble and this would forever change my ministry and relationship with Jesus Christ.

After some time had passed and our mission work in the nursing homes had been completed, the Lord instructed me and my family to return home to Dallas and our home Church.

After returning home, I was introduced to a powerful evangelist by the name of Bro. Green who had begun ministering out of our home Church while we were away. He had a mighty anointing upon his life and preached with a fire that I had seldom seen.

Whenever he would preach, he would usually have a huge response to the altar call which he gave. Many would be moved by the Holy Spirit and come down to the altar seeking God.

He seemed to especially have an anointing for people who wanted to receive prayer for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It was at this time that I noticed something different in his ministry that I had not witnessed before in other ministries.

Whenever someone would come down and ask for prayer to receive the Holy Ghost, he would ask them a few questions and speak with them for a few moments before laying hands on them to pray.

Invariably, almost every person that he laid hands on and prayed for received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and spoke with other tongues just as on the day of Pentecost.

A day came when He asked me if I would like to go with him for a day of fasting and prayer at a Christian ministry’s retreat in East Texas. There was a cabin on the property at the top of a small mountain specifically for those wanting to get away and seek the Lord.

While we were there, I asked Bro. Green about the particular way that he would pray for people to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

He told me that he too had seen that in the Pentecostal denominational churches many followers were having trouble being baptized in the Holy Ghost. He told me that he had even seen people in the church resort to strange and unusual measures trying to help someone receive this experience from God.

He had seen people hold up the hands of someone seeking to be baptized while others shouted in their ears directions, rubbed their belly, patted their cheeks, or gave them strange noises to repeat over and over again.

Sometimes these exercises in futility would go on to the point of exhaustion and he knew that this was neither Scriptural nor the will of God. He had fasted and prayed asking the Lord why this was happening when God revealed to him the answer.

It was simply a matter of faith.

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” (Jas 1:6-7)

And how do we receive faith?

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17)

Bro. Green told me that the Lord revealed to him that although many were being drawn by the Holy Spirit to receive this blessing from God, their desire was not mixed with faith in order to receive it.

So that it might help to build faith in their heart, whenever anyone would respond to his preaching by coming down to the altar asking prayer for whatever the need was in their life, Bro. Green would share the Word of God with them concerning that particular need before he would lay hands on them and pray.

“Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” (1Tim. 5:22)

First, he would assure them of their salvation before praying in agreement for their request. One such exchange might go thusly,

“Good morning Brother. Before we pray, do you mind if I ask you a question? Have you been born again? You know the Bible says,

“…Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

“…Ye must be born again.” (John 3:7)

You know, to be born again all you have to do is believe and confess the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says,

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Rom. 10:9)

Now, the Bible also says that God cannot lie.

“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Num. 23:19)

If God cannot lie, and if you have believed and confessed, then you must be born again and saved. And if you are born again and saved, then Christ is your Savior and God is your Heavenly Father.

If God is your Heavenly Father, then the Bible says,

“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)

Now, we are going to pray, and your Heavenly Father is going to give you the Holy Spirit, He is going to baptize you with the Holy Ghost just like He did for the first disciples on the Day of Pentecost.

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts. 2:4)

Since God said that He would do it if we asked, and since God cannot lie, then if we ask, He must. Let’s pray.”

Invariably, when Bro. Green would share the Word of God with them and pray, then they would receive. I have also found this to be true.

When it comes to our needs, our only job is to first ask according to God’s will, and secondly have faith to believe and receive.

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” (1John 5:15)

“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)

And how do we know God’s will that we might have faith to believe?

By knowing and understanding the Word of God.

This same holds true in understanding the mysteries of Christ and receiving the deeper things of God.

Tomorrow- The Spiritual Rock of Christ

“How to Walk in the Born Again Experience” by Raymond Candy just published and available for $2.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, the iBookstore for the iPad, and Lulu.com for the iPad, the PC, and all other tablets and e-reading devices

My Baptism by Spirit and by Fire

Endued with Power from on High-

(To those who have read my testimony, please bear with me as I share it again for for those who have not and for the glory of God)

A few months after accepting Christ into my heart and being born again, a local minister who had a night-time radio broadcast began a teaching series on being baptized in the Holy Ghost.

I had begun listening to his program while I was driving and servicing my route as a newspaper contractor.

Each night for a week he had read and expounded from the Scriptures about receiving this miraculous experience from God. After work I would go home and read the Scriptures to study and see for myself the meaning and context of these Biblical passages.

I had decided that if it was a Scriptural gift from God and it was His will that I receive it, then I wanted to have it.

On that Friday night’s broadcast he shared the Scripture from the Book of Acts chapter two and verse 39 which says, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

I knew that God had called me, so that meant this promise was for me also, and then he said how to receive it. I turned the radio up louder and leaned close to listen as he said, “Just ask and believe.”

Luke chapter 11 and verse 13 declares, “…how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?”

You mean it was that simple? Just ask?

I believed that the words of Jesus were true, so I asked in prayer for Him to baptize me with the Holy Ghost.

After I had prayed, I didn’t feel any different and nothing unusual happened, but God’s Word said that if I believed, then I would receive. Acts chapter one verse eight says, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you…”

So I believed. I believed even though I didn’t feel or see anything. I believed because God said so.

I didn’t realize that the faith of the Son of God had come alive in my heart because of the Word of God that I had heard.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17)

I hadn’t realized that by believing I was fulfilling the Scripture found in Mark chapter 11 and verse 24,

“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)

God was about to show me in a very remarkable way the reality of His answer to my prayer.

Not many days later, on a cold winter’s night at approximately 3:00 in the morning, I was servicing my newspaper vending machine located in the front of a little convenience store just off a highway in old east Dallas, Texas.

As I was about to get back into my warm truck, I noticed smoke coming from an upstairs window at the back of an old flop-house motel. My heart went up into my throat as I drove around to the front of the motel and talked to the night clerk.

“Unless you have a boiler in the back upstairs and that’s steam coming out of the window, then you’ve got a room on fire,” I said. “We don’t have a boiler,” he replied. I shouted, “Then there’s a fire! Call 911 and I’ll start waking people up!”

I ran up the stairs to the area where I thought the smoke was coming from, and began knocking on doors and yelling “Fire!” when suddenly I heard a faint “Help” coming from one of the rooms.

I noticed smoke coming out from under the door and I tried to open it, but it was locked. I hit the door as hard as I could with my shoulder once, twice, and suddenly the door flew open. A billow of smoke rushed out of the room and into my face, driving me back to the balcony railing.

As I tried to see through the smoke, all I could see was a red glow coming from the back of the room and I heard what sounded like a whimper. I tried to go in but the smoke was too thick.

It was then that I remembered seeing a public service announcement about crawling on your stomach if you are ever in a room filled with smoke. I lay down, and sure enough, I could see clearly for about six inches off the floor.

I could make out the legs of the bed frame, and that was where the red glow was coming from. I crawled to the bed, and reaching up, I could feel someone’s leg. I pulled as hard as I could, and an elderly woman rolled off onto the floor, along with some empty liquor bottles.

I dragged her out onto the balcony as people began to come out of their rooms. Because of the cold, I crawled back into the room, reached up onto the bed, and felt for a blanket. I found one that was partially on fire, pulled it off the bed, took it back outside, beat out the fire that was on it, and covered her up.

As I knelt beside her, a crowd was beginning to gather on the balcony and the fire truck was pulling up. It was then that I first heard the voice of the Lord. “Lay your hand on her and pray.” the voice said.

I had never done anything like that in my life! The closest thing that I had ever seen to that was when I was little and I would listen to my Dad laugh and make fun of Oral Roberts praying for people on television.

Shaking, I lay my hand on her forehead in the same way as I had seen Oral Roberts do and began to pray out loud. I don’t even remember everything that I said. All I remember, I was rambling, asking God to heal her, and let her live, and let her be a testimony, and to know that God did it…

When suddenly, it felt like a bolt of electricity hit me in the back of my head, went down my arm, and through my hand. The woman began to shake as if she was being electrocuted, and then as suddenly as it began, it stopped.

The firemen and paramedics had made it up the stairs and I stepped back out of the way as they began to tend to her and hose down the fire in the room. I went down the stairs and out to my truck.

I was shaking and exhausted. I watched as they brought the woman down the stairs on a stretcher and put her in the ambulance that was parked in front of my truck. It was then that I heard someone say, “Hey Raymond, is that you?”

It was Terry, a fireman that worked part-time down at the newspaper.

“Are you the one that pulled her out of the room?” he asked. “Yeah” I replied, “How is she?”

“It doesn’t look good.” Terry said.

I thought, “This can’t be.”

I knew that God had done something through me while I was praying on that balcony. I walked to the back of the ambulance. The doors were open and they had a resuscitator over her face as one of the paramedics was slapping her.

“Come on lady, breathe.” said the paramedic who was slapping her face.

Her color was ashen gray and she appeared dead. I knew this couldn’t be, I had felt the power of God go through my arm and into her body. I had seen her reaction to it.

I closed my eyes and prayed, “Dear Lord, I know you touched her. Please let her live. Amen.”

The moment I said “Amen”, I opened my eyes as she opened hers and looked straight into mine. They slammed the doors of the ambulance and drove off with lights and sirens blaring.

I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I was so excited that I had to tell someone, so I stopped at the next pay phone and called the local Christian radio station that I had been listening to.

The DJ would often take prayer requests from listeners and share them in-between songs. After I had told him what happened, he asked me if I would go on the air and tell my story. He patched me in and I shared what God had just done.

The next morning, I stopped by the motel to service my newspaper machine, and the manager stopped me. “Are you the one that pulled the lady out of the burning room last night?” he asked.

I said, “Yes” and he replied, “What did you use to knock down the door? You didn’t just knock the door down, you pulled the whole metal door frame out of the brick wall.”

I knew that it had to have been the supernatural hand of God or an angel to exert that much force because my shoulder wasn’t even sore. I also knew from that moment on, God’s anointing was upon me and that my life would never be the same.

The Bible says that there are “gifts of the Spirit” that He gives to his children.

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;” (1Cor. 12:7-9)

“To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” (1Cor. 12:10-11)

Because I had heard the Word of God and believed it to be true, it had caused the faith of the Son of God to be manifested in my heart.

Because I had chosen to believe God’s promise was for me, He had baptized me with the Holy Ghost even though there was no evidence of it at the time.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1)

And because He had baptized me with the Holy Ghost then He was able to manifest the working of miracles through His Spirit in me when it was needed.

This great Biblical truth of hearing, believing, and receiving is a foundational principle of Christ through which we are allowed to behold the manifested glory of God in our lives.

There is found no greater evidence of this than when we begin to understand the mystery of “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Col. 1:27)

Tomorrow- Faith comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God

“How to Walk in the Born Again Experience” by Raymond Candy just published and available for $2.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, the iBookstore for the iPad, and Lulu.com for the iPad, the PC, and all other tablets and e-reading devices

“By the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of their Testimony” (Rev. 12:11)

It All Begins-

(Note: For those who have read my salvation experience before, please bear with me as I share it again for God’s glory)

The story of my salvation experience is not a typical “hear the Gospel, walk down the aisle, shake the preacher’s hand, pray the sinner’s prayer, and join the Church” type of story. It is a little more like a “Saul on the road to Damascus” type of story.

I was never really a religious person. Oh, I was polite and considerate enough. If a group of men were standing around, and the talk leaned toward church, or prayer, or God; I would nod my head knowingly, as if agreeing with what was being said, or as if I understood the conversation.

But I really didn’t.

I didn’t consider myself a bad person. My parents had occasionally sent me to church as a child. I had even been baptized, but only because I didn’t want my sister doing something that I wasn’t able to do.

I had grown up, gotten married, had a child, loved my family; even decided every New Year to try to do better, cuss less, maybe even start going to church or read the Bible. But every time I would start thinking about God, something strange would happen.

Terrible, wicked thoughts about God would come into my mind, and I certainly knew that was wrong, so I decided not to think about God at all. Little did I know how all that was about to change: my loving wife was praying for me.

I worked as an independent contractor for the Dallas Times Herald, distributing newspapers and servicing newspaper vending machines on the east side of Dallas, Texas in the good old USA.

On Saturdays, we would have to make two trips down to the newspaper: the first, to pick up an early Sunday edition and put them out for the Saturday night revelers, and then back to the newspaper to wait in line for the late edition that would come out about 2:00 AM Sunday morning.

It was during this waiting time that most of the men would stand around and talk or nap in their trucks.

On this particular night, as I was trying to catch a nap while waiting for the late edition, my best friend Calvin came running up to my truck window. I had noticed that he was late getting back from the early edition delivery.

“Raymond”, he said excitedly, “You’re not going to believe what happened to me tonight! I stopped by a tent revival meeting out on my route, and man, I got saved!”

“Great”, I said, trying not to sound too incredulous. “Good for you”, I thought as we talked for a few more minutes and he further explained the details of what had happened.

But something happened in Calvin from that night on. There was a peace about him and a joy that was not there before. His whole conversation changed.

He quit cussing, quit drinking, quit telling dirty jokes, and started listening to a Christian radio station instead of his rock-a-billy country music. I began thinking, “Maybe there’s something to this salvation thing after all.”

A week or so had gone by, and I continued to see the change in Calvin. Then one particular evening, after I had sat down in my favorite chair to relax a little before going to bed, I happened to pick up a magazine that belonged to my wife.

As I began to glance through it, I saw something that grabbed my attention.

It was an article on the Shroud of Turin, which many people believe to be the burial shroud of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

When a photograph of the shroud is taken, the negative reveals the distinct image of a man, which is not discernible in the regular photograph. The man appears to be lying in death, hands folded with eyes closed, and has the exact same wounds in the forehead, hands, feet, side and back as the Bible describes were inflicted upon Jesus.

Experts have debated for years over the authenticity of the shroud, but it wasn’t the shroud or necessarily the article that captured my attention. It was the face of the man in the picture.

It was evident that this individual had gone through excruciating pain and torture.

Yet this face had such nobility, peace, and regality about it. It was as if pain, sorrow, and even death could have no victory over him because he was of such royalty that he was above all of it.

I thought, “What if God really did have a Son, and this was Him? Could I really be looking at the face of the Son of God?”

I could not get that face out of my mind.

Over the next few days I asked around to see if anyone else that I knew had ever heard of the shroud, but no one had, and I put it to the back of my mind. But, there was just something about that face.

As time went by, I began to think about that article less and less, but God was orchestrating all of the things in my life that would bring me to a crossroads, a turning point, and a decision from which there could be no turning back.

I had just gone to bed one evening, and for some reason on that particular night I remember being extremely tired and discouraged, as if I had hit rock bottom and didn’t know why.

It wasn’t long until I was in a deep sleep and began to have a dream, a vision, or whatever else you might want to call it. All I know is that it was as real to me as the bed that I was lying on.

I was walking down a typical neighborhood street. It was a beautiful, sunny spring-like day. I could feel the warmth of the sun on my face, I could hear the birds singing, and there was not a cloud in the sky.

I could even hear what sounded like music coming from radios through the opened windows of the houses as I walked by.

Then suddenly, it began to slightly rain, like sprinkles on a sunny day.

However, as the raindrops hit my arm, they burned my skin like acid. I started rubbing the spots on my arm where the raindrops had landed, thinking “What in the world is going on?”

All of a sudden there was a rumbling noise louder than thunder, and a portion of the blue sky in front of me began to open and peel back from top to bottom, like a two handle scroll when it is opened up.

There stood Jesus, radiant in white, with the expanse behind Him in the opening pitch black.

In a mild, loving voice, He said, “Accept me or reject me now. This is your last chance.”

I fell to my knees and said, “Lord, I accept you. What must I do?”  He said, “Get your family, find a boat, and sit in it.” Then the opening rolled back together, and the sky was blue and clear as before.

I started to run home as fast as I could, and as I ran, I could hear the radios through the windows of the houses.

The announcer was saying that there was a problem with a cloud of acid rain, there was mass hysteria, and that some people had said that they had seen Jesus; but not to worry, everything was alright and under control.

I ran into my house, got my wife and daughter by the hands, and said “Hurry, come with me.”

We ran down the sidewalk, looking in between the houses, trying to find a boat that someone had parked there. We finally found one, crawled up inside it, and sat down.

As soon as we had sat down, it began to pour down rain. As the water fell upon us, we started to get drenched and soaked; but as the rain touched the ground and houses around us, everything began to burst into flames and be consumed by the fire.

I started to feel the heat, when suddenly I awoke drenched in sweat and out of breath. As I lay there panting, it seemed as if a small voice spoke in my ear.

“Go back to sleep, it was just a dream.” the voice said.

I lay there and thought, “What if it wasn’t just a dream? What if this really is my last chance?”

I crawled slowly out of the bed, so as not to wake up my wife, and knelt down on my knees. I didn’t know how to pray, so I just began to say what I felt from the bottom of my heart.

“Dear God”, I began, “I’m sorry for the way I’ve lived my life. I believe that this dream was from you, and that this really is my last chance.

I accept you now, and I want to change my life and live for you, but I don’t want this to be a game or something that I just try for a while, so no matter what it takes, or what it costs me, or what I have to give up, I’m going to live for you with all of my heart, and do whatever you tell me to do, and never go back. Amen.”

When I said “Amen”, it was as if someone had hit me with the proverbial “two-by-four” and a presence, a power came over me, and as I crawled back into bed, there was a peace and happiness inside of me that I never knew existed.

And something else, which I had never felt before; I felt clean from the inside out. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I had just been saved.

I bought a small paperback Bible and began to voraciously read the Word of God. My whole lifestyle changed. I even changed the radio station in my truck and began to listen to Christian programing through the night as I distributed my newspapers.

Everyone who comes to Christ and is born again has their own testimony of how God brought them to the place of accepting Christ. Not every story is the same, but every story is unique. This is my story.

It wasn’t long before I experienced another miraculous intervention by God which I later was to find out was not the norm for most new believers.

However, it was something that changed my life forever.

Tomorrow- A Baptism by Spirit and Fire

“How to Walk in the Born Again Experience” by Raymond Candy just published and available for $2.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, the iBookstore for the iPad, and Lulu.com for the iPad, the PC, and all other tablets and e-reading devices

The Life that will Endure the Fire

Walking in the Mind of Christ-

Having the mind of Christ begins with the attitude of humility and is completed when we have received the knowledge, understanding, and wisdom that belong to the Lord.

“Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”  (Prov. 24:3-4)

“For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”  (Prov. 2:6)

The Bible teaches us that we as individuals, as well as the church body as a whole, are a building built by God, the temple of the Holy Ghost.

“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”  (1Cor. 3:9-10)

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”  (1Cor. 3:11-13)

“If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”  (1Cor. 3:14-16)

When God allows us to have the mind of Christ and He reveals unto us the deeper things of God, He does it for a purpose.

First and foremost, He does it so that we might take these deeper revelations of God and apply them in our life. In other words, so that we can be:

“…built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”  (Eph. 2:20-22)

The things that we hear and accept, believe and stand upon, become building blocks that make up our life.

During our life as Christians, we will go through many things that will try and test us.

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”  (1Peter 4:12-13)

Those revelations which we have received through the Holy Spirit and from the mind of Christ are compared to building blocks made from “gold, silver, and precious stones”.

Upon the house that is built with these the fiery trial has no effect, but only purifies and refines them to make them stronger.

However, the ideas and philosophies of man and the world are compared to “wood, hay, and  stubble”. When these are mixed with the building blocks from God and used to build our temple, they will be consumed by the fiery trial and our building will “suffer loss”.

With the stakes so high, we cannot afford to settle for anything less than the revelations that come through the Holy Spirit and from the mind of Christ.

Although altruistic teachings and thoughts not based upon the Word of God may seem inspirational, moral, and idealistic, they are actually vain and idle words that will only lead to destruction.

“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”  (1Cor. 3:19-20)

“But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”  (2Tim. 2:16)

Only the written and revealed Word of God will endure and never fail.

Only that which is authored by God will last forever.

“Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever.”  (Psalm 119:160)

“For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”  (1Peter 1:24-25)

To build our life based upon the revealed Word of God and the mind of Christ is not all that God requires.

We are also called to be our “brother’s keeper”. (Gen. 4:9)

“When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”  (Ezek. 3:18)

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”  (2Tim. 2:24-26)

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”  (2Tim. 4:2)

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”  (2Tim. 2:2)

When we have decided to shun the vain babblings of the world and seek the wisdom from above,

When we have humbled ourselves before God and determined to settle for nothing less than the mind of Christ as revealed by the Holy Spirit,

When we have taken the revelations from God and applied them in our lives first and then humbly shared them with others second,

Then we have begun to walk in the mind of Christ and bring forth fruit that will remain.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:”  (Mat. 6:19)

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”  (Matt. 6:20)

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  (Matt. 6:21)

Tomorrow- By the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of their Testimony

“How to Walk with Christ in You the Hope of Glory” by Raymond Candy is available now for $2.99 at bn.com for the NOOK, amazon.com for the KINDLE, at the iBookstore for the iPad, and at Lulu.com for the PC and all other e-reading devices

Understanding the “Deeper Things” of God

The Wisdom of the Mind of Christ-

The mind of Christ is not only knowing the “deeper things” of God but understanding what they mean and how they apply.

“Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.  (Pro 24:3-4)

If knowledge is knowing the deeper things of God, then understanding is realizing their meaning and wisdom is discerning how they apply to us and others.

There is only one source for all three:

“For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”  (Prov. 2:6)

No amount of Scripture memorization, writings of great theologians, or modern translations of the Bible can take the place of the Holy Spirit.

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”  (1Cor. 2:14)

A very wise old Pastor once told me, “If the Holy Spirit can’t teach you the King James Version, then He can’t teach you any other version.”

The Apostle Paul was on the backside of a Syrian desert when the Lord supernaturally revealed unto Him the same truths that He had spent three years teaching the other disciples.

The Apostle John was imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos when the Holy Spirit revealed unto him The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul talks about a man who was “…caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”  (2Cor. 12:4)

The only way to have the mind of Christ and receive the deeper revelations of the things of God is to first seek after the Holy Spirit. And the only way to receive the Holy Spirit is to ask.

“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)

The revelation of the mind of Christ is sometimes manifested in the Church as a gift of the Holy Spirit so that the whole Body can receive edification.

“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;” (1Cor. 12:8)

“But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”  (1Cor. 12:11)

However, every individual who has been born again and received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is a candidate to have the manifestation of the Spirit and the mind of Christ; whether in the Church, during their personal time alone with God, or manifested in ministry to others.

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

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”  (1Cor. 12:7)

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  (2Tim. 2:15)

“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”  (1John 2:27)

How do we know when we have received the revelation knowledge, understanding, and wisdom that is from the Holy Spirit and of the mind of Christ?

First, our born again spirit will bear witness with His Spirit much as the babe leaped in the womb of Martha when she met Mary.

“For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.”  (Luke 1:44)

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” (Rom. 8:16)

Secondly, the wisdom from above will always bear the characteristics of the Holy Spirit.

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”  (James 3:17)

And thirdly, when we have the mind of Christ there is a boldness and an authority which we possess that is not our own. We know that we know that we know.

“The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.”  (Prov. 28:1)

“The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.”  (John 7:46)

“For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”  (Mat. 7:29)

There will be a clarity and understanding that was not possessed before.

It will seem as if the Word of God, its meaning, and its application will “open up” and can be declared with utmost and unwavering certainty.

“And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?”  (Luke 24:32)

We will know within our heart of hearts that we have heard from God and have the mind of Christ.

Tomorrow- Walking in the Mind of Christ

“How to Walk with Christ in You the Hope of Glory” by Raymond Candy is available now for $2.99 at bn.com for the NOOK, amazon.com for the KINDLE, at the iBookstore for the iPad, and at Lulu.com for the PC and all other e-reading devices

What is “Having the Mind of Christ”?

The First Step is Attitude-

What does it mean to “…have the mind of Christ”?

The word “have” in the Greek means to access, and the word “mind” in the Greek means the intellect or the understanding.

In other words, to say that we “have the mind of Christ” means that we are able to access the intellect or understanding that Christ has.

We have this access through the Holy Spirit.

“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” (1Cor. 2:11)

Jesus Christ said that He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (Col. 2:9)

The Bible says that He is the image of the invisible God. (Col. 1:15)

Jesus said, “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30) and Jesus said, “…he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

“For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.” (John 3:34)

Even though Christ is the fullness of the Godhead, even though He and the Father are one, even though He is the image of the invisible God and has the full measure of the Spirit, there are still even some things that the Father has not revealed to Him.

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” (Mark 13:32)

In the same way that there are still some things that the Father has not revealed to the Son, there are some things that the Son will not yet reveal unto us.

But those things that He will reveal, those things of which the Bible says “…Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man…” He will make us to know and understand completely “…by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”

This is done by us having (accessing) the mind of Christ.

But what exactly is the mind of Christ?

First of all, the mind of Christ is an attitude.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” (Phillip. 2:5)

The word for “mind” in this verse of Scripture is the Greek word meaning “to be mentally disposed” or “attitude”.

“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phillip. 2:6-8)

Before we can ever access the intellect or knowing of Christ, we must first have the attitude of Christ.

The Bible says,

“Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” (1Cor. 8:1)

The Bible teaches that having knowledge has the potential to make one proud, and that “…God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6)

Before God will reveal the “deep things” unto us, we must make a decision to do whatever is necessary to be humble before God and man.

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6)

“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” (1Peter 5:5)

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:10)

Being humble is not something that God will do for us. God will not make us humble, but He will help us to be humble when we “humble ourselves” and set our hearts to walk in humility.

It is not something that will happen automatically. Humility will only happen when we crucify the flesh daily and strive to walk in it, especially when the devil begins to tell us how “smart” we are as God begins to reveal His “deeper things” unto us.

Once we have set our heart to walk in humility and having knowledge does not “puff” us up or make us proud, then God will entrust to us the “deeper things”.

We will give God, and not ourselves, all the glory for the revelation of the knowledge of His Word.

Tomorrow- The Wisdom of the Mind of Christ

“How to Walk with Christ in You the Hope of Glory” by Raymond Candy is available now for $2.99 at bn.com for the NOOK, amazon.com for the KINDLE, at the iBookstore for the iPad, and at Lulu.com for the PC and all other e-reading devices