Seeking Jesus First - June 12, 2023

There are many excellent teachings in the earth on how to follow the Christian path. Which one is correct? Which denomination has the best handle on how to follow Christ?…

I am increasingly convinced that the “word of faith” teaching that I received while growing up is the best way for me to pursue God and the things of God. However, any teaching that is not rooted in loving intimacy with God through the ministry and indwelling of the Holy Spirit will eventually turn into just another “religious” way of talking and living.

So, whether you are Baptist, Methodist, Non-denominational, Catholic, Pentecostal, Episcopalian, Evangelical, Anglican, Apostolic, or any combination of these or none of these, without The True Teacher of God, Holy Spirit, we are all wandering in religious practices that have no power. You can’t have The Word without The Spirit and you can’t have Holy Spirit without The Word. Over-emphasizing one or the other leads to imbalance.

We must always remember that knowing God is experiencing God for ourselves. This seems to be the primary purpose for God making each of us a temple for Holy Spirit to dwell in. Holy Spirit manifests both The Father and Christ Jesus The Son to us and in us. We can receive no revelation from God without Holy Spirit who searches the deep things of God and reveals them to us.

We can not hear God’s voice without the hearing ear of The Holy Spirit. We can not see God’s face without the all-seeing eye of Holy Spirit. We can not experience God’s presence in our bodies without the ministry of Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is the great translator of God’s words and desires.

The Word tells us that the words of Jesus are spirit and life. So in order to receive His words, we must receive them by the spirit so they can produce life in us. Flesh and blood cannot receive spiritual things. They are received spiritually through faith in the inner man. Then they are spoken aloud and acted upon. This gives spiritual truth life in the natural realm.

Jesus taught us to pray. “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” This prayer makes it clear that God wants to manifest His will, (the way things are in heaven), on the earth.

Furthermore, Jesus said:

• “The kingdom of God is at hand.”
• “The kingdom of God is here.”
• Observation of rituals does not give you the kingdom of God.
• The kingdom of God is accessed from within you.

The Apostle Paul taught:

• “The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost”
• Those who pursue the works of the flesh cannot see, inherit, experience the kingdom of God.

By these teachings, we are led to believe:

• That the kingdom of God is spiritual.
• That the kingdom of God is accessed through the spirit.
• The kingdom of God is not limited to a spiritual manifestation.
• That the kingdom of God can be manifest in the earth.
• That right-standing with God is required to manifest peace and joy.
• That righteousness, peace and joy are received by faith and accessed through Holy Spirit.
• That the works of the flesh interfere with the manifestations of the kingdom of God and Holy Spirit.

For today’s Bible Study, see how many Scriptures you can find in the Bible that are referred to above. Dust off your concordance or just open your Bible program and copy and paste some words to find the references. There are at least fifteen possible references.