Holy Spirit

Blog for Podcast #23 (The Daily Tug of War)

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Intro

Welcome again to another Bible Study with me Dreamwalker1960

Discussion

In the last few weeks I have been a bit rough in my messaging. I do not deny or regret this. As I stated the evidence is stacking up which points to the return of Jesus Christ and that the turmoil that will occur during the Tribulation. I have been led to Galatians 5 and the exhortation to allow yourself to be led by the Holy Ghost. This is how you allow yourself to turn away from the life within the lukewarm to retuning to be a fruitful part of the Holy Vine, which is Jesus Christ.  So let us start to look into these verses.

Verses 16-17 – So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

First and foremost we see here that our humanity is at conflict with that which is holy. Even after being filed with the Holy Ghost. This once again confirms that we have an active part in our relationship with God in our salvation. But let us break this verses down even further as we look first into the KJV and then into the Greek.

Verse 16 – This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Walk – G4043 – peripateo – to tread all around, i.e. walk at large (especially as proof of ability): figuratively to live, deport oneself, follow (as a companion or votary) [Strong’s]

  1. Deport – to behave or conduct (oneself) in a specified way
  2. Votary – a person who has made a promise to serve a particular religion or god

Ye shall not – G3364 – ou me – a double negative strengthening the denial: not at all

Fulfil – G5055 – teleo – to end, i.e. complete, execute, conclude, discharge (a debt) [Strong’s]

The lust – G1939 – epithymia – a longing (especially for what is forbidden) [Strong’s]

Of the flesh – G4561 – sarx – flesh (as striped of the skin), i.e. (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul [spirit], or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred), or (by Implication) human nature (with its frailties [physical or moral] and passions) or (specially) a human being (as such)

This is my version of this verse:

I say to those that have promised themselves to the Holy Spirit. You shall not allow yourselves to enter into your human longings of that which is forbidden.

Verse 17 – For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Lusteth – G1937 – epithymeo – to set the heart upon, i.e. long for (rightfully or otherwise) [Strong’s]

Contrary – G480 – antikeimai – to lie opposite. i.e. be adverse (figuratively repugnant) to [Strong’s]

  1. Repugnant – Extremely distasteful; unacceptable

This verse shows the internal conflict that we all experience daily. Fortifying that we are to strive toward that which is holy over the wants and desires of our human nature. It also shows that we do have a corrupt body even after being filled with the Holy Spirit. This results in the need to be ever aware of our own weaknesses. To struggle through these lust and desires by turning our eyes toward the one who died upon the cross for us. So we would not have to suffer like He did but for all eternity in the pit of fire.

Verse 18 – But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the Law of Moses.

Now let’s see what the KJV and the Greek says for this verse.

“But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”

Ye be led – G71 – ago – properly to lead, by implication to bring drive (reflexively) go (specifically) pass (time) or (figuratively) induce

a)      Induce – to persuade someone to do something

My version: If you are led by the Holy Ghost you are not under the law given to Moses.

In the next verses we are shown the rotten fruit that is born when you allow our corruptible to be our master:

Verse 19 – When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,

So let’s look at each of these sins that we can still fall into if we do not allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit.

Due to time restrictions I will not go into full detail of these sins. However, you can read the full breakdown at dreamwalker1960.com for the blog of this podcast #23.

We will use the KJV for this list:

1)       Adultery – G3430 – moicheia – sex between a married man or a woman that is not who they are married to.

2)    * Fornication – G4202 – porneia – harlotry (including adultery and incest) figuratively idolatry – sex between people not married to each other.

a)      Harlotry – prostitution

3)       Uncleanness – G167 –akatharsia – impurity (the quality) physically or morally

a)      Impurity – impure – containing something unclean, ritually unclean

b)      Unclean – morally wrong

4)    * Lasciviousness – G766 – aselgeia – licentiousness (sometimes including other vices)

a)      Licentiousness – Behavior that is sexual, in a way that is uncontrolled and socially unacceptable

The list continues in verse 20

“Idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,”

We will still go through the KJV of this list:

5)      Idolatry – G1495 – eidololatrria – image worship (literally or figuratively)

6)      Witchcraft – G5331 – pharmakeia – medication (pharmacy) that is (by extension) magic (literal or figurative) sorcery

a)      Sorcery – a type of magic in which spirits, especially evil ones, are used to make things happen

7)       Hatred – G2189 – echthra – hostility, by implication a reason for opposition, enmity)

a)      Enmity – a feeling of hate

8)    * Variance – G2054 – eris – of uncertain affinity, a quarrel that is (by implication) wrangling: contention debate strife

a)      Wrangling – wrangle – an argument, especially one that continues for a long time

9)    * Emulation – G2205 – zelos – properly heat that is (figuratively) zeal (in favorable sense ardor, in unfavorable one jealousy as of a husband [figuratively of God] or an enemy malice)

10)   Wrath – G2372 – thumos – passion (as if breathing hard)

11)  * Strife – G2052 – eritheia – properly intrigue that is (by implication) faction

a)      Faction – a group within a large group, especially one with slightly different ideas from the main group

12)   Seditions – G1370 – dichostasia – disunion that is (figuratively) dissension

a)      Dissension – arguments and disagreement, especially in an organization, group, political party

13)   Heresies – G139 – hairesis – properly a choice that is (specifically) a party or (abstractly) disunion

the list continues into verse 21

“envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

14) * Envyings – G5355 – phthonos – ill will (as detraction) that is jealousy (spite)

a)      Spite – a desire to hurt, annoy, or offend someone

15)   Murders – G5408 – phonos – (to slay)

16)   Drunkenness – G3178 – methe – an intoxicant that is (by implication) intoxication

17)    Revellings – G2970 – komos – a carousal (as if a letting loose)

The implication here, when joined with verse 16, is that we are still able to fall into these sins one again and we should diligently turn away from them. For as is made clear at the conclusion of this verse is that those that do these sins will not make it into heaven.

I must also note a trend that I have noted throughout the books of the New Testament that do list sins showing various other sins. This is due to different sins affecting the different cities to which these individual letters were sent to.

People have used the fact that these sins are not all exactly the same sins as those shown in other books within the Bible. So they use this as to say there is a flaw in the message within the Bible. That is not the case, as I noted a bit ago. Each group is being addressed for their particular sins that are afflicting these servants of God in each of these locations throughout the region between and including Israel and Rome.

What is the important take away from this list of sin aren’t the sins. But what is being asked for all of us that have the Holy Spirit within us. It is to know and realize that we are still vulnerable to sin as long as we live within this earthly realm. So when we find ourselves lacking in self-control and stumble over sins like those listed here and elsewhere in the Bible. Is that we strive to note that we are slipping and do our best with the help of God through prayer that we stop indulging in any and all things that are considered sinful in the eyes of God.

I reiterate that it is made clear as to why we are to seek to have the self-control to end sin. For those that live in sin will not be welcome in Heaven.

As prove of this we are given a list of the fruits of the Holy Ghost:

Verses 22 – 23 -But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Again we are exhorted to live in the Holy Spirit whose fruit we just read about. If we do not see these more in our lives than we see the sins. Then we need to do some self-reflection.

This chapter ends adding three more sins. These are those sins as shown in the KJV:

Desirous of vain glory, provoking one another and being envious of one another.

*Desirous of vain glory – G2755 – kenodoxos – self-conceited

  1. Self-conceited – having an excessive sense of one’s own importance, abilities, and value

*Provoking – G4292 – prolaleomai – to call forth to oneself (challenge), i.e. (by implication) to irritate

  1. Irritate – to make someone angry or annoyed

*Envying – G5354 – phthoneo – to be jealous of

Now these last three sins that are shown are very telling when you look out into the world we now live in. Many people have an attitude of self-importance. Many are jealous of what others have and so they seek after it, to the point of irritation or worse. That is something we all must individually think upon and even pray upon in many cases.

However, let us end today’s message with what that is within us if we are filled with the Holy Ghost.

Love not only for our fellow Christians but for all of humanity. Happiness with what we have and who is in our lives. Peace in our hearts, which results in no anger towards others. Patience to not allow ourselves to become angry or envious, but to approach those that are this way in a way that disarms them and opens their hearts to the Truth. Kindness to those in need of comfort. Goodness in every aspect of our lives. Faithfulness not only to God but to those that we ask to apart of our lives. Which allows us to be gentle to all. And above all is the ability to have control over our own bodies and not be tempted by or into sin.

God Bless

  • *- indicates I went into detail with these definitions in the podcast

The call to Biblical freedom and moderation on living

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In Galatians 5 we find Paul teaching unto to Gentile Church of several issues they have encounters. One the need or not the need to be circumcised. On that Paul states it was not a requirement and held further that since it came from the Old Testament law you are held to that law if they made it necessary to do it.
Paul does re-emphasis what I like to call the true second command since I feel there has been twelve but people do not wish to acknowledge this even though Christ Himself spoke of this as the greatest commandments. Anyway the second was to treat the neighbor as you would treat yourself. In the Golden Rule model: Do unto other as you would have others do unto you.
Would you degrade or belittle yourself?
Then why do you do so to others?
This goes against God when people do this and is seen as higher than the original Ten Commandments.
What is to follow is the section I have been draw to talk about though:
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
This first part is quite insightful when you really get into it.
First off he beseeches the reader and listener of this letter to walk in the Spirit. This being the Holy Spirit. To allow those partaking of the word to become aware of the difference between that which is the Spirit and thus inspired by God and which is the corrupt and carnal nature of humanity itself. Since all the New Testament were letters sent out to churches of believes in the first century after Christ’s crucifixion we must realize that those hearing and reading this message are Christians being attacked not only by others wishing to degrade and besmirch them, but from the temptations of base human nature. The human nature being seen in the word “flesh.”
It clearly states that when walking in the Holy Spirit it is complete opposite of human desires. He makes it clear that when following the Spirit it allows us to overcome the lusts and you “cannot do the things that ye would.”
In the next verse it round out the give elements of the overall discussion before it:
Galatians 5: 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Then Paul goes into detail on what is seen when living in the flesh:
Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
So from the flesh, our human nature, these sins come from. So let’s break each one down so there is no doubt what these sins are and what they equate to in today’s world. Some will be straight forward while others will not be. Hopefully shedding light on the more confusing ones will help people out. In addition others sins are listed in Mark (7:20-23) and Corinthians (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
NOTE: I was once asked why different sins listed and not the same are every time in the different books of the New Testament. At that time I did have an answer. Now I do. It is due to which sins were the most prevalent for these communities to which these letters and gospel were covering. Mark the Jewish community, Galatians to Galatia, Corinthians for the city of Corinth. Each having their own group of major sins which plagued them.
Adultery – moicheia – sex between a married person and someone who is not that person’s wife or husband
Fornication –porneia – harlotry, whoredom (including adultery and incest) consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other this would include also pornography.
Uncleanness – akatharsia – impurity (the quality), physically or morally, not innocent and good: morally pure
Lasciviousness – aselgeia – wantonness, lewdness (outrageous conduct, conduct shocking to public decency, a wanton violence)
Idolatry – eidololatreia – image-worship, worship or service of an image (an image is not limited to a statue, but sports and celebrities)
Witchcraft – pharmakeia – magic, sorcery, enchantment
Hatred – echthra – hostility; by implication, a reason for opposition:–enmity, hostility, alienation
Variance – eris – contention, debate, strife, wrangling
Emulations – zelos – fervent mind, indignation, jealousy, eagerness, zeal, enthusiasm, rivalry
Wrath – thumos – fierceness, indignation, an outburst of passion
Strife – eritheia – (the seeking of followers and adherents by means of gifts, the seeking of followers, hence) ambition, rivalry, self-seeking; a feud, faction
Seditions – dichostsis – division, dissension, standing apart
Heresies – hairesis – a self-chosen opinion, a religious or philosophical sect, discord or contention
Envyings – phthonos – envy, a grudge, spite
Murders – phonos – murder, slaughter, killing
Drunkenness – methe – deep drinking
Revellings – ko`mos – a feasting, reveling, carousal
So now as Paul continued, we look and see what the living of the Holy Spirit should appear to be.
Galatians 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Can’t add to this.

Never assume

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Too many this days live off assumptions, but what are they assuming?
They are assuming what the Bible teaches. They go to church once a week think they are good with God the rest of the week because they made an assumption about the man or women before them was correctly teaching them the Bible.
Prime evidence that this is true of a video where a young man stood at the front of a church and knelt down and proposed to this boyfriend and the entire congregation cheered. This event is opposite the teaching of the Bible. In fact the building 100% stopped being a church that day. It just became a social club for sinners. Why? Because their leader told them it is ok to live in sin.
The Bible teaches to love the sinner, but hate the sin, but there is a next step as well. Tell the sinner they are sinning in the love you have for them. For because you love them you wish for them to join you in the eternal life to come. However, this will be impossible since they have embraced the sin over God.
The Bible states clear to love God with all your heart, mind and soul. When you love God that much, God becomes the first think you think of when you get up to the last think you think of when you go to sleep. You live the Bible 24/7/365.
You stumble and fall into your own sins, and sorrow, grief, fear, anguish and anger assaults you. For you have failed Jesus once again. You beg and plead His forgiveness and it is given. That is the life of a Christian.
When these two young men “marry” they will have chosen their sin fully over God. For the Bible plainly states that they are living in sin. The Bible clearly states you cannot be of the world, which is sin, and to be one with God. If fact it states those that are the friends of the world are the enemies of God. Not that God is their enemy, but that they have chosen freely to be His enemy.
In love we should be weeping tears of sadness and anguish because these two men as well as the entire congregation have chosen the pit of fire, but because they assume they are not fully aware that they have done so.
To not assume, you, yourself MUST read the Bible. Understand that it may have been penned by men, but they were given the word through the Holy Spirit. That is why the Bible being thousands of year old is the only document to have survived so long in tacked and 98% unchanged.
Can you get that: THOUSANDS of YEARS, UNCHANGED, and supported by what extremely few historical records survived.
The Bible is so pure and so accurate and so complete is due to one simple fact: GOD IS REAL AND UNCHANGING.
Only humans change. So those that say the Bible accepts sin changed, not the Bible. Read it yourself and see.

The Holy Ghost

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I still remember the day I was bathed in the Holy Spirit. It is something I will never forget. I have felt that touch a few times since but none was as filling or rewarding as that first time. It is then that I knew without a doubt that God was real. It is then without a doubt that I knew Jesus was real and still alive yet in a different plain of reality know as Heaven with His Father. It is then that I knew Elijah and Enoch were real and still alive. Still awaiting their time that is to come that they are to be the witness against all that will be left alive after the last Christian dies halfway through the Tribulation that is to come.
It is due to this filling that I have not fallen away from God. It is due to its presence within my life that I have returned to the path that Jesus set before me to follow. A life where I know I must stay true to the Bible as it is written that tells us all is black and white and there is nothing but death for those that insist upon staying within the grey (Rev. 3: 15-16). A filling that tells me there will be those that were once children of God but have fallen away (2 Peter 2:18-22).
I know that the tingling sensation I felt that day was enough to lead me into a true discovery of the Bible. To know that I must read, must study it. Not in new version written by men of recent times but of those other men filled with the Holy Spirit themselves. Knowing that having this common sharing of this holy touch from the trinity of God placed me spiritually beside them. No longer parted by centuries of this corrupt world but brought together by a common link. A holy link tight directly to God though His Son the Lord Jesus Christ my friend and Lord.
Does this make me better than anyone else? By all means no, but what it does do is cause me to be fiery in my speech to cause those that read my words to think, to wonder and yes even desire to experience the same joy and satisfaction that has been bestowed upon me through this blessed out pouring of God’s eternal love. I beg of you to seek it out. Read the Bible, go to church and do not fall for the propaganda from those that deny there is a God. For they are not only lying to you but mostly to themselves, and for many it is to be a costly lie that will haunt them forever.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: trials

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Trials come to all. It is what we are told will happen within the Bible. Some will be by God Himself. Testing our mind and our spirit. Challenging us to think, overcome, and if that does not work turn to His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
I have been going through one of these trials for about a month now. It is now time to put it into typed words what it is like to be going through this time of stress and hopefully growth in my faith.
From outward appearances the outcome seem to be bright, and bless by God. From within the struggle even though I do see the outward manifestation that is to come I still must make it through the dark tunnel to the light that awaits upon the other side of it.
It is not important the details of the trial before me, but it is one that in the long run will strengthen and hopefully allow my family to bond and to join as one. Through this trial I have seen the change within me from the man I was before my year of Job and the man I am today. I am actually doing things I only, maybe, thought of doing a few years ago. Now I know when the burden is more than I can carry on my own so I seek support from my soon to be wife and if that is still not enough we join together in pray. Turning over to God and allowing Him to lead us down the road He see that is best for us to go down. Should I go to pray first? I cannot answer that without thinking: “where is the growth?” A parent wishes his child to learn to stand upon their own two feet and not lean upon the parent anymore but to prove themselves to be adults. This I think is how God wishes us to grow as well. To stand upon our own two feet for as long as we can, but I must add that He wishes us to know when it is time to turn to Him and His Son and to seek their guidance and comfort.
It is hard to explain how to “know” which is the correct road, but I will say this. I can tell when it is me making the choice and when it is God directing me. I can sense within me that it is Him influencing me through the Holy Spirit, for I can tell it is coming not from within me, but from an external force that is guiding me down the right road.
It is important that people that call themselves “Christian” come to learn the difference, for when they do not, more times than not they listen to themselves more then they listen to God. As a result we have the society we now live within. A society full of pseudo-Christians, otherwise known as “hypocrites,” that cater to the latest whim and fad of “faith” being taught to them by those that have no real concept of God themselves. This is the thing that Jesus had to deal with when He walked the earth over two thousand years ago and had to deal with the leaders of the Jewish faith that would later crucify Him. They did not know because they did not listen God that Jesus was His Son, but on the third day when He rose from the dead all learned that He was truly the Son of God. Many today, even those that “lead” churches live like they are Pharisees.
A true believe in God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ is to have the knowledge within oneself that God is not “in” you. True the Holy Spirit can fill you, for I have felt the pouring of the Holy Spirit into me, but I also know that the spiritual world and the real world are two different places. God, His Son and the Holy Ghost can and have gone between these two realms. We cannot at this time, but we are promised that we will when we loss the corrupted with the uncorrupted. It is from the spiritual place that we receive direction from God, which is beyond this temporal form we now live in. When can learn the difference through trials of your faith, much like the one I am now going through. You learn how to grow in your believe in God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Pouring

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It was a hot summer night in Memphis TN. It was June and the non-denominational church called the Rock was having a Revival. I was there alone, for my first wife did not wish to attend. So, I left her and my two sons at home.
I forget the message that night, but during it the most amazing event happened to me that it is something that I will never forget. During a part of the service as I stood praying and singing, I suddenly felt a tingling come upon me. It started at the very tip of me head and proceeded to grow throughout my body. As if a liquid of pure joy was being poured into me. I felt it cover me slowly from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. It is a feeling I have never encounter ever again, for I know it was not necessary to feel it.
The rest of the service was a blur from that moment on as the tingle continued throughout the rest of the service. I knew I had gone up to the dais and kneeled down and prayed. I knew the revival finally ended, and the tingle remained. I returned to my car and began to drive home and still the tingle continued as I shouted and praised God as I drove home hitting my head two or three times as I lifted from the driver set “leaping” for joy at receiving the bless and love of God in the form of His Holy Spirit.