Rules of Prophecy

Prophecy is interpreted by rule. God does not change and His rules and laws are fixed.
Understanding the rules and applying them consistently helps not just understandingRevelation and the Word of God , but helps our relationship with God.
Revelation, because the prophetic book is largely unfulfilled is the one book that provides a deeper view of all other books.It s prophecies are written in context to the end.
It is the end of the love story that is the bible, but it is a happy ending.
Though some may think of the apocalypse as being a time of doom.For us it is the time of promised redemption.
Science on the other hand, creates rules for what it understands. Whenever science yields an optimistic result, it creates an applicable rule.
Therefore science can never justify itself as the bible does because making rules apply rather than applying rules, leads to ever changing rules and inconsistent applicaitons.Therefore, the scientific result is more questions than answers.
Everything proven by mankind can be disproven by mankind and any "cure" mankind creates based upon scientific rule, is temporary.
There are some profound and drastic courses of action being taken by science today and though some results hold fast for 5 years, 10,years, 50 years, or more, none of them have proven to last the ages.
Evolutionism and how the universe began or for lack of a better term, "the big bang theory" stretches the limits of the imagination even further.
Nothing is fundamentally sound in science. Nothing has been proven eternal.Don't misunderstand, He has given us brains and we have used those brains for great scientific achievement. However, it still remains that it is impossible to "create" life from energy and chemicals.
No species has evolved, there are no genetic roadmaps. A tyrannosaurus rex was always a tyrannosaurus rex. An ape was always an ape.
Today, with our own eyes, we clearly see nothing evolves. Birds are still birds. The trout in the streams are still trout and the only thing happening is decay. Species are becoming extinct, they are not evolving per the "survival of the fittest" theory.
Yes, nothing on earth lives one day beyond the measure of life the Lord has determined for it. Not one day less, not one day more.
Nothing, including the earth as we know it today.

Praying

PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT
by
John Bunyan
(1628-1688)
WRITTEN IN PRISON, 1662
This transcription and updates are copyright ©1998 by Tony Capoccia
"We do not know what we ought to pray for—the Spirit helps us in our weakness." (Romans 8:26)

"I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind" (1 Corinthians 14:15)
Prayer is a command of God, and is to be practiced both in public and in private; yes, such a command brings those that have the spirit of prayer, into great intimacy with God; and the prevailing prayer, will receive great things from God, both for the person that prayed, and for those that are prayed for. Prayer opens the heart of God, and is a means by which the empty soul is filled. By prayer the Christian can open his heart to God, as to a friend, and obtain fresh testimony of God’s friendship to him. My purpose today will be to show you the very heart of prayer, without which, all your lifting up, of hands, eyes, and voices, will be to no avail.
My outline will be as follows:
I. I will show you what true prayer is.
II. I will show you what it is to pray in the Spirit.
III. I will show what it is to pray with my spirit and with my mind.
IV. I will make application of what we have learned.
I. WHAT TRUE PRAYER IS
Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart and soul to God, through Christ, with the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has promised, or according to the Word, for the good of the church, with submission, in faith, to the will of God.
In this description are seven things that we need to consider:
1. Prayer is to be sincere.
Prayer is a sincere pouring out of the soul to God. Sincerity runs through all the graces of God in us, and influences all the actions of a Christian, or else our actions are not really from God. It is the same with prayer, as shown when David speaks about prayer, "I cried out to [the Lord] with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened [to my prayer]" (Psalm 66:17, 18). Part of the exercise of prayer is sincerity, without which God will not look upon it as prayer in its proper sense. God says in his Word, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). The lack of this sincerity made the Lord reject the prayers in Hosea 7:14, where he said, "They do not cry out to me from their hearts," that is, in sincerity, "but wail upon their beds." Their prayers were only a fake, a hypocritical show, only to be seen by men, and applauded by them.
And why must sincerity be one of the essential ingredients of prayer which is acceptable to God? Because sincerity causes the soul to open its heart to God, and to plainly tell him the situation, without rationalization; to clearly condemn itself, without deceit; to cry out to God as a friend, without flattery. Sincerity is the same no matter if you are praying alone in a closet, or before the face of the world. The sincere praying Christian does not know how to wear two masks, one before men, and another in the closet; rather it must have God, and be honest with him in prayer. God will not listen to lip service, for God looks at the heart, and listens only to prayer which is accompanied with sincerity.
2. Prayer is to make sense.
It is a sincere and rational pouring out of the heart or soul. It is not, as many take it to be, a few babbling, verbose, flattering expressions, but rather, a sensible utterance of the heart. Prayer has in it a reasonable understanding of different things; for example, sometimes the sense of sin, and sometimes an understanding of mercy received.
A. Sometimes it is an awareness of the need of mercy, because of the danger of sin.
Effective prayer bubbles out of the heart when it is overcome with grief and anguish. David experienced this, saying that he was "feeble and utterly crushed; groaning in anguish of heart, his heart was pounding, his strength failed him; even the light was gone from his eyes" (Psalm 38:8-10). The Lord heard Ephraim’s moaning (Jeremiah 31:18). Peter weeps bitterly (Matthew 26:75). Christ "offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears" (Hebrews 5:7). And all of this came from a sense of the justice of God, the guilt of sin, the pains of hell and God’s wrath. The Psalmist said, "The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD" (Psalm 116:4). In all these instances, and in hundreds more that might be named, you will see that prayer carried with it a reasonable understanding of the situation, and that coming from a sense of sin.
B. Sometimes in prayer, there is a sweet sense of mercy received; encouraging, comforting, strengthening, and instructive mercy,
Thus David pours out his soul, to bless, and praise, and admire the great God for his loving-kindness to such poor vile wretches. "Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalms 103:1-5). And we can see that sometimes the prayer of saints are turned into praise and thanksgiving, and yet they are still prayers. This is a mystery; God’s people pray with their praises, as it is written, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6). A conscious thanksgiving, for mercies received, is a mighty prayer in the sight of God; and it has a great influence on His actions.
A good sense of sin, and the wrath of God, with some encouragement from God to come to him, is a better prayer-book than that which is taken out of the Roman Catholic mass-book, which are nothing but the scraps and fragments of the inventions of some popes, monks, and who knows what else.
3. Prayer is to be an affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ.O! the heat, strength, life, vigor, and affection, that is in the right kind of prayer! "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God" (Psalm 42:1). "How I long for your precepts" (Psalm 119:40). "I long for your salvation" (Psalms 119:17). "My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." (Psalm 84:2) "My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times." (Psalm 119:20). Note in these verses that I just quoted how the Psalmist’s, "pants, yearns, and is consumed," for God and his Word. O what affection is revealed here in prayer!
Again, it is a pouring out of the heart and soul. There is in prayer a disclosure of a man’s inner self, an opening of the heart to God, an affectionate outpouring of the soul in requests, sighs, and groans. "All my longings lie open before you," said David, and "my sighing is not hidden from you" (Psalm 38:9)." And again, "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? These things I remember as I pour out my soul" (Psalm 42:2, 4). Note, "I pour out my soul." It is an expression signifying, that in prayer the very life and entire strength is poured out to God. And in another place, "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him" (Psalm 62:8). This is the kind of prayer to which the promise is made, for the delivering of a poor creature out of captivity and bondage. "But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy 4:29).
Again, it is a pouring out of the heart and soul TO GOD. This also shows the excellency of the spirit of prayer. It is the great and holy God that prayer is addressed to. "When can I go and meet with God?" And it argues, that the soul which prays in this manner, sees an emptiness in everything under heaven; that in God alone there is rest and satisfaction for the soul. "The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help" (1 Timothy 5:5). David said, "In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men. For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth" (Psalm 71:1-5).
Many speak to God with lots of empty words; but the right kind of prayer makes God his hope, rest, and his all in all. The right kind of prayer sees nothing more important, nor worth looking after, but God.
Again, it is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart and soul to God, THROUGH CHRIST. We must add that prayer must come through Christ, or else it is to be questioned, whether it really is a prayer, even though it may appear so lofty and eloquent.
Christ is the way through whom the soul has admittance to God the Father, and without Christ it is impossible that even one prayer request would be heard by our Heavenly Father (John 14:6). Jesus said, "I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (John 14:13, 14). This was Daniel’s way in praying for the people of God; he did it in the name of Christ. Listen, "Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary" (Daniel 9:17). Likewise, David prayed, "For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great" (Psalm 25:11).
But note this, it is not every one that makes mention of Christ’s name in prayer, that truly prays to God in the name of Christ. This coming to God through Christ is the hardest part of prayer. A man may be aware of his deeds, and sincerely desire mercy, and yet not be able to come to God through Christ. That man that comes to God by Christ, must first have a knowledge of Christ; "because anyone who comes to [Christ] must believe that he exists" (Hebrews 11:6). And so he that comes to God through Christ, must know Christ. Moses said to the Lord, "teach me your ways so I may know you" (Exodus 33:13).
4. Prayer is to be by the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit.
These things are so dependent on one another, that it is impossible that one could have an acceptable prayer, without all of these things working together; without these things, it is only a prayer that will be rejected by God. For without a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart to God, it is nothing but lip-service; and if it is not through Christ, then it falls far short of ever sounding acceptable in God’s ears. In the same way, if it is not prayed in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, then it is the same as the sons of Aaron, presenting an offering with unauthorized fire (Leviticus 10:1, 2). Any prayer which is not petitioned through the teaching and assistance of the Holy Spirit, cannot possibly be "according to the will of God (Romans 8:26, 27).
5. Prayer is to be for things that God has promised.
It is prayer when it is within the compass of God’s Word; and it is blasphemy, or at best vain babbling, when the petition is for things outside of God’s Holy Book. David, when he prayed, kept his eye on the Word of God, "I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word" (Psalm 119:25). And again, "My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word" (Psalm 119:28; see also 41, 42, 58, 65, 74, 81, 82, 107, 147, 154, 169, 170). And, "Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope" (Psalm 119:49). And surely the Holy Spirit does not immediately stir up the heart of the Christian without the Word of God, rather it is by, and with, and through the Word, by bringing it to the heart, and by opening the sinful heart, whereby the man is provoked to go to the Lord, and to tell him how it is with him, and also to plead, and supplicate, according to the Word.
So I say, as the Spirit is the helper and the governor of the soul, when it prays according to the will of God; so it is guided by and according to, the Word of God and his promise. Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ himself did not pray except in accordance with the Word, even though his life was at stake. He said, "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?" (Matthew 26:53, 54). In other words, Jesus was saying, "Were there only a word for it in the scripture, I would soon be out of the hands of my enemies, I would be helped by angels; but the scripture will not warrant this kind of praying, for that says otherwise. It is praying then according to the Word of God. The Spirit by the Word must direct, both in the manner, and the matter of prayer. "So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind (1 Corinthians 14:15). There is no understanding without the Word. For if they reject the word of the Lord, "what kind of wisdom do they have?" (Jeremiah 8:9)
6. Prayer is to be for the good of the church.
This means that the prayer must be for the honor to God, or Christ’s advancement, or his people’s benefit. For God, and Christ, and his people are so linked together that if the good of the one be prayed for, then the church, the glory of God, and advancement of Christ, must also be included. For as Christ is in the Father, so the saints are in Christ; and he that touches the saints, touches the apple of God’s eye. He that prays for the peace and good of the church, does, in fact, ask in that prayer that which Christ has purchased with his blood; and also that which the Father has given to him for paying that price. Now he that prays for this, must pray for abundance of grace for the church, for help against all its temptations; that God would let nothing be too difficult for it; and that all things might work together for its good, that God would keep them blameless and harmless, the sons of God, to his glory, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.
7. And prayer must submit to the will of God.
As Christ has taught us, prayer must say, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10); therefore the people of the Lord in humility are to lay themselves and their prayers, and all that they have, at the feet of their God, to be disposed of by him as he in his heavenly wisdom sees best. And never doubting that God will answer the desire of his people in a way that will be most advantageous for them and for his glory. Therefore when the saints pray with submission to the will of God, they are not to doubt or question God’s love and kindness to them. But because they are not always wise, and sometimes Satan may take advantage of them, so as to tempt them to pray for that which, if they had it, would neither be to God’s glory nor for his people’s good. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14, 15). For, as I said before, that petition that is not prayed in and through the Spirit, will not be answered, because it is outside the will of God. For only the Spirit knows the will of God, and therefore only he knows how to pray according to the will of God. "For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:11). But more of this later. Thus we have seen what prayer is.
II. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH MY SPIRIT
1. I will pray with my spirit.
There is no man nor church in the world that can come to God in prayer, but by the assistance of the Holy Spirit. "For through Christ we have access to the Father by one Spirit" (Ephesians 2:18). Therefore Paul said, "We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will" (Romans 8:26, 27). And because there is in this scripture a complete discovery of the spirit of prayer, and of man’s inability to pray without it; therefore I will in a few words comment on it.
"We." Consider the person speaking, Paul, an apostle, the extraordinary elder, the wise master-builder, he that was taken up into paradise (2 Cor 12:4). "We do not know what we ought to pray for." Surely everyone will admit, that Paul and his fellow apostles were able to have done any mighty work for God, yet, he says, "We do not know what we ought to pray for," without the help and the assistance of the Spirit. Should we pray for communion with God through Christ? Should we pray for faith, for justification by grace, and a truly sanctified heart? We do not know the answer to any of these things. "For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:11).
"We do not know what we ought to pray for." Paul said, we must pray as we ought; and this we cannot do by the skill, and cunning devices of men or angels. "We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit"; no, it must be "the Spirit HIMSELF" that helps us in our weakness; not the Spirit and man’s lusts. What man’s own brain may imagine and devise, is one thing, and what they are commanded, and ought to do, is another. Many ask and do not receive, because they ask with wrong motives; and so they never enjoy those things they pray for (James 4:3). While we are praying, God is searching the heart, examining our motives and spirit (1 John 5:14). "And he who searches our hearts knows," that is, approves only, what is agreeable to, "the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." (Romans 8:27) For he only hears that which is in accordance with his will, and nothing else. And it is only the Spirit that can teach us what to ask; only the Spirit is able to search every thing out, even the deep things of God.
Without the Holy Spirit, though we pray a thousand different prayers, yet we would be unable to know what to pray for, because we have a built-in weakness that makes us absolutely incapable of praying correctly. These weaknesses within us, although it is difficult to name them all, yet the following are eight key weaknesses which prevent effective praying.
Weakness #1 – Not having the Holy Spirit within us.
Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, man is so weak that he cannot think one right saving thought of God, of Christ, or of his blessed things; and therefore the Word of God declares about the man without the Spirit, "In all his thoughts there is no room for God" (Psalm 10:4); unless it is that they imagine God to be basically like one of them (Psalm 50:21). For "every inclination of the thoughts of [unsaved man’s] heart is only evil all the time" (Genesis 6:5; 8:21). Thus, since unbelievers are not able to correctly conceive who God is, the very God to whom they pray, the Christ through whom they pray, nor of the things for which they pray, as was shown before, then how will they be able to address themselves to God, without the help of the Holy Spirit?
The acceptable prayer to God must, in the outward expression, and as well in the inward intention, come from what the soul understands by the illumination of the Holy Spirit; otherwise the prayer is condemned as a vain abomination, because the heart and tongue do not agree, neither can they, unless the Spirit help us in our weakness (Mark 7; Proverbs 28:9; Isaiah 29:13). And David knew this full well, which caused him to cry out, "O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise" (Psalm 51:15). I suppose no one would doubt that David could speak and express himself as well as any one in our generation, as is clearly manifested by his words recorded in the Scriptures. Nevertheless when this good man, this prophet, comes to worship God, then the Lord must help him too, or he can do nothing. "O Lord, open my lips," and then "my mouth will declare your praise." He could not speak one proper word, unless the Spirit gives him the utterance. "The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for.
Weakness #2 – Not praying with the Spirit.
We may have the Holy Spirit within us, but if we do not pray with the Spirit, then we are senseless, hypocritical, and cold, and both we and our prayers are abominable to God (Matthew 23:14; Mark 12:40; Luke 18:11, 12; Isaiah 58:2, 3). It is not the quality of the voice, nor the apparent affection, and earnestness of him that prays, that means anything to God. For man, as man, is so full of all kinds of wickedness, that he cannot keep a word, or thought, much less a part of a prayer pure, and acceptable to God through Christ; and because of this the Pharisees, and their lengthy prayers, were rejected. There is no question that they expressed themselves with excellent words, and also said long prayers; but they did not have the Holy Spirit to help them, and therefore in their weakness they fell short of a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of their souls to God, through the strength of the Spirit.
Weakness #3 – Not being aware of our unconfessed sins.
No one but the Holy Spirit can clearly show a person their sins, and therefore cause them to have the proper attitude of prayer. Without an clear sense of the sin of our hearts then our prayers are nothing but "lip-service" to God. O the cursed hypocrisy that is in most hearts, and that accompanies many thousands of praying men and women today, and all because they lack a sense of their sin! But now the Spirit, will sweetly show the soul its sinful state, and exactly the areas where the sin exists, and what is likely to be the consquence of that sin if it remains unconfessed, and also that it is an intolerable condition. For it is the Spirit that effectually convinces men and women of their sin and misery, and therefore causes the soul to pray in a pure, discerning, and tender way to God according to his word (John 16:7-9).
Weakness #4 – Seeing our sins and being unable to pray.
Even if men and women are aware of their sins, yet without the help of the Holy Spirit they would not pray. For they would run away from God, with Cain and Judas, and utterly despair of mercy, were it not for the Spirit. When a man is aware of his sin, and God’s curse on it, then it is very difficult to persuade him to pray; for, his heart says, "It’s no use," it is in vain to seek God (Jeremiah 2:25; 18:12). I am so vile, so wretched, and so cursed, that I will never be forgiven! Now here comes the Spirit, and calms the soul, helping it to hold up its face to God, by letting into the heart some small sense of mercy to encourage it to go to God, and for that reason the Holy Spirit is called "the Counselor" (John 14:26).
Weakness #5 – Not knowing how to come to God—His way.
In order to pray we must be in the Spirit; for without that no man can know how to come to God the right way. Men may easily say they come to God through his Son: but without being in the Spirit, it is impossible to come to God the right way—his way. It is "the Spirit" that "searches all things, even the deep things of God" (1 Corinthians 2:10). It is the Spirit that must show us the way of coming to God, and also what there is in God that makes him desirable: Moses said, "Teach me your ways so I may know you" (Exodus 33:13).
Weakness #6 – Being unable to call God our "Father."
Without the Holy Spirit, though a man sees his misery, and also the way to come to God; yet he would never be able to claim a share in either God, Christ, or mercy, because God would not allow him. O how great a task it is, for a lost soul that becomes aware of his sin and the wrath of God, to say in faith, this one word, "Father!" I tell you, even the Christian finds difficulty in this very thing, it cannot say God is its Father. "O!" he says, "I dare not call him Father"; and therefore the Holy Spirit must be sent into the hearts of God’s people for this very reason, to cry "Father": for without the Spirit it would be too difficult for any man to knowingly and believingly call God his Father (Galatians 4:6).
When I say knowingly, I mean, knowing what it is to be a child of God, and to be born again. And when I say believingly, I mean, for the soul to believe, and that from experience, that the work of grace is completed in him. This is the right way to call God, our Father; and not as many do, by saying it in a babbling way, the Lord’s prayer (so called) from memory, just as it is written in the words of a book. No, here is the life of prayer, when with the Spirit, a man being made aware of his sin, and how to come to the Lord for mercy; comes in the strength of the Spirit, and cries out "Father." That one word spoken in faith, is better than a thousand prayers, as men call them, written and read, in a formal, cold, or lukewarm way. Many people think it is enough to teach themselves and their children to say the Lord’s prayer, the creed, and other sayings; when, in reality, God knows, they are senseless of themselves, their misery, or what it is to be brought to God through Christ! Oh, poor soul! Study your misery, and cry to God to show you your blindness and ignorance, before you get into the habit of calling God your Father, or teaching your children to do so. And know this, that to say God is your Father, without any work of grace in your souls, is to say you are Christians when you are not, therefore you lie to God.
You say, "Our Father"; God says, "You blasphemer!" You say I am "a true Christian"; God says, "You are a liar!" "You are of the synagogue of Satan, you who claim to be a Jew though you are not, you are a liar" (Revelation 3:9). "I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan" (Revelation 2:9). And the more the sinner hypocritically boasts of God being his Father, then so much greater is his sin. The Jews did this to Christ, in the 8th chapter of John, which made Christ, even in plain terms, to tell them of their doom, because of all their hypocritical pretences (John 8:41-45). And even today, prostitutes, thieves, drunkards, blasphemers, and liars; are considered by some to honest people because with their blasphemous throats, and hypocritical hearts, they will come to church, and say, "Our Father!" But because they obey the "traditions" of their religions saying the "Our Father" over and over, they are considered to be members in good-standing in their church, while God’s true children are, as it has always been, looked upon to be a troublesome, opposing, and dissident people (Ezra 4:12-16).
Weakness #7 – Being unable to keep our "heart" in our prayers.
Just as the heart must be lifted up by the Spirit in order to pray acceptable prayers to God , so also it the heart must be held up by the Spirit, if it is to continue to pray correctly. It is impossible that all the prayer-books, that men have made in the world, can lift up, keep up, or prepare the heart; for that is the work of the God himself. And truly here is the life of prayer, to keep the heart devoted to God while praying. We see in the Book of Exodus that it was very difficult for Moses to keep his hands lifted up to God in prayer; likewise, it is difficult to keep the heart in our prayers! (Exodus 17:12).
The lack of this heart in prayer is that which God complains of, when He says, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men" (Isaiah 29:13). And truly I can speak of my own experience; I can tell you the difficulty I have of praying to God as I should. For, when I go to pray, I find my heart hates to go to God, and when it is with him, it hates to stay with him. Many times I am forced in my prayers, first to beg God that he would take my heart, and set it on himself in Christ, and when it is there, that he would keep it there. Many times I do not know what to pray for, I am so blind, nor do I know how to pray, I am so ignorant, but praise God’s grace: the Holy Spirit can help us in our weakness in prayer (Psalm 86:11).
Weakness #8 – Praying without the help and strength of the Spirit.
It is impossible for the heart to pour itself out before God, with those groans and sighs that come from a truly praying heart, without the assistance of the Spirit. It is not the mouth that is the main thing to be looked at in prayer, rather one needs to look at the heart and see if is full of love and earnestness in prayer to God. There are times when the desires of a man’s heart are so great, that all the words, tears, and groans that can come from the heart, cannot be uttered by his mouth: It is then that "The Spirit helps us in our weakness—and intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" (Romans 8:26).
We must pray with the Spirit, or else our prayers will fail. Prayer is a mandate from God, that must continue with a soul so long as it is on this side of glory. But, as I said before, it is not possible for a man to turn his heart to God in prayer; likewise it is just as difficult to keep it there, without the assistance of the Spirit. Therefore, for a man to continually be in prayer with God, it must of necessity be with the Spirit.
III. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH MY SPIRIT, AND WITH MY MIND.
The apostle makes a clear distinction between praying with our spirit, and praying with our minds: therefore when he said, "I will pray with my spirit," he also adds, but I will also pray with my mind." This distinction was made because the Corinthians did not realize that it was their duty, when they spoke in tongues, to edify others and not to simply edify themselves. It appears that many of them had extraordinary gifts, one being the ability to speak in different known languages, but they focused on these mighty gifts, edifying themselves, rather than edifying the church; which caused Paul to write to them, to make them understand, that though extraordinary gifts were excellent, yet it was more important to edify the church. For, the apostle said, "If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind [and the minds of those listening] is unfruitful" (1 Corinthians 14:3, 4, 12, 19, 24, 25. Read the scope of the whole chapter). Therefore, "What shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind" (1 Corinthians 14:15).
It is necessary then that the mind should be involved in prayer, as well as the heart and mouth. That which is done with the mind, is done more effectually, sensibly, and heartily, than that which is done without it; which made the apostle pray for the Colossians, that God would fill them "with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Colossians 1:9). And for the Ephesians, that God would give them "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that [they] may know him better" (Ephesians 1:17). And also for the Philippians, that God would make their love abound "more and more in knowledge and depth of insight" (Philippians 1:9). A suitable understanding is good in everything a man undertakes, either secular or spiritual; and therefore it must be desired by all Christians that they would be a praying people. I will now show you what it is to pray with your mind.
In order for God to accept our prayers, there must be a spiritual understanding in all those who pray to God.
1. To pray with our minds, is to be guided by the Holy Spirit to pray with an understanding of the need of those things which the soul is to pray for.
Though a man is desperately in need for forgiveness of sin, and deliverance from the wrath to come, yet if he does not understand this, he will either not pray these things at all, or else be so cold and lukewarm when he asks for forgiveness and deliverance, that God will detest the attitude of his heart when he asks for them. Thus it was with the church of the Laodiceans, they wanted knowledge or spiritual understanding; yet they did not know that they were wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Because of their condition and all of their empty prayers, they were detestable to Christ, so much so that he threatens to spit them out of his mouth (Revelation 3:16, 17). Men who pray without their minds engaged may say the same words in prayer as others do; but there is a great difference in effectiveness of the prayers! The one speaking with his mind engaged brings understanding to his words, but the other person who prays without an understanding of what he is saying is only babbling words.
2. To pray with our minds will cause the heart of God to be ready and willing to give those things to the soul that it needs.
David prayed with his mind and therefore could surmise the very thoughts of God towards him (Psalm 40:5). And so it was with the Canaanite woman; by her faith and the understanding in her mind, she was able to discern, that although Christ was refusing her initial requests to help her demon-possessed daughter, there was a tenderness and willingness in his heart to save, which caused her to be vehement and earnest, yes, restless, until she received the mercy she needed for her daughter (Matthew 15:22-28).
A proper understanding in our minds, of the willingness of the heart of God to save sinners, will be the primary motive for the soul to seek after God, and to cry out for forgiveness. If a man should see a pearl worth thousands of dollars lying in a ditch, and yet did not understand the value of it, he would most likely pass it by: but if he knew in his mind its true value, then he would climb down into the filth of the ditch to acquire it. So it is with souls concerning the things of God: once a man understands their value, then his heart, and the very strength of his soul, will run after them, and he will never stop praying for them until he has them. The two blind men in the gospel, clearly knew that Jesus, who was going by them, was both willing and able to heal their blindness: therefore they cried out, and the more they were rebuked, the more they cried out (Matthew 20:29-31).
3. To pray with our minds allows us to clearly see God’s promises, which is a great encouragement to pray.
The enlightened understanding sees the magnitude of God’s promises and is therefore encouraged to pray. It is like men who make great promises to do such and such to all that will come and ask for them, it is great encouragement to those that know what promises are made, to come and ask for them.
4. To pray with our minds enables us to present to God suitable arguments to justify our requests.
Once our minds are enlightened by the Spirit, then the way is made for the soul to come to God with suitable arguments, sometimes in a way of reasoning with God, as Jacob did in the 32nd chapter of Genesis (Genesis 32:9). Sometimes in the way we verbally petition God, yet not always in a verbal way only, but even from the heart there is forced by the Spirit, through the mind, effective arguments that move the heart of God.
Our example is Ephraim who gets a clear understanding of his own sin towards the Lord, then he begins to express sorrow for his sins (Jeremiah 31:18-20). And in his expression of sorrow, he used various arguments with the Lord, that affected his heart, draws out forgiveness, and makes Ephraim pleasant in his eyes through Jesus Christ our Lord: God said, "I have surely heard Ephraim's moaning [to me] saying, ‘You disciplined me like an unruly calf, and I have been disciplined. Restore me, and I will return, because you are the LORD my God. After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth’ " (Jeremiah 31:19). These are Ephraim’s complaints and expressions of sorrow; at which the Lord breaks forth into these heart-melting expressions, saying, "‘Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him,’ declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 31:18-20).
5. To pray with our minds enables us to see our needs and therefore what type of prayer we should pray.
Praying with our mind enables us to be aware of the feelings, and pressures that lie heavy on our spirit, provoking us to groan out our request to the Lord. When David felt the "cords of death entangle [him], and the anguish of the grave coming upon [him]," he did not need a bishop dressed in a fancy robe to teach him to say, "O Lord, save me!" (Psalm 116:3, 4). Nor did he need to look into a book, to teach him a form of a prayer to pour out before God. It is the nature of the heart of sick men, in their pain and sickness, to express itself for comfort, by sorrowful groans and moanings to those who are near them. Thus it was with David, in Psalm 38:1-12. And thus, blessed be the Lord, it is with them that are endowed with the grace of God.
6. To pray with our minds will keep us praying continually.
It is necessary that there be an enlightened understanding in our minds for us to see the need to continue in prayer.
The people of God are not ignorant of the many schemes, tricks, and temptations the devil has to tempt a Christian, who is truly willing to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, yes, to tempt that very sincere soul to be weary of seeking the face of God, and to think that God is not willing to have mercy on such a person as he. "Yes," says Satan, "you may truly pray, but you will not prevail. You see your heart is hard, cold, dull, and fearful; you do not pray with the Spirit, you are not sincere in your prayers, your thoughts are running after other things, when you pretend to pray to God. Away with you, you hypocrite, go no further, it is vain to strive any longer!" Oh, if the soul is not praying with its mind, then it will soon cry out, "The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me" (Isaiah 49:14). Whereas, the soul that is praying with his mind and enlightened by the Spirit, will say, "I will seek the Lord, and wait; I will not stop, though the Lord remains silent, and does not speak one word of comfort" (Isa 40:27). The Lord loved Jacob dearly, and yet he made him wrestle before he gave him the blessing (Genesis 32:25-27). Apparent delays in our prayers being answered by God are not signs of his displeasure; he may hide his face from his dearest saints (Isaiah 8:17). He loves to keep his people praying, and to find them ever knocking at the gate of heaven; it may be, says the soul, that the Lord is testing me, or that he loves to hear me groan out my condition before him.
Oh, how many souls are there in the world, that truly fear the Lord, who, because they are not well informed in their minds, are often ready to give up hope, at almost every trick and temptation of Satan! The Lord pity them, and help them to "pray with their spirit, and also with their minds."
In my own life, when I have been in the agony of spirit, I have been strongly persuaded to stop praying, and to seek the Lord no longer; but being made to understand in my mind, what great sinners the Lord has had mercy on, and how great are his promises to sinners; and that it was not the well person, but the sick, not the righteous, but the sinner, not the full, but the empty, that he extended his grace and mercy to. This made me, through the assistance of his Holy Spirit, to cleave to him, to hang on him, and still to cry out, though for the present he did not answer.
Thus have I briefly showed you, FIRST, What prayer is; SECOND, What it is to pray with the Spirit; and THIRDLY, What it is to pray with my spirit, and also with my mind.
IV. Application of what we have learned.
I will now speak a word or two of application, and so conclude with, First, A word of wisdom; Second, A word of encouragement; Third, A word of rebuke.
Application #1 - A word of wisdom.
First be wise and know; that prayer is the duty of every one of the children of God, and carried on by the Spirit of Christ in the soul; so every one that prays to the Lord, needs to be very careful, and be sure to pray in his heart with a fear of God, as well as with hopes of the mercy of God through Jesus Christ.
Prayer is a command of God, in which a man draws very near to God; and therefore it especially calls for the assistance of the grace of God to help the soul to pray as is fitting for one that is in the very presence of the Almighty God. It is a shame for a man to behave irreverently before a king, but it is a sin to do so before God. And just as an earthly king is not pleased with an speech made up with inappropriate words and gestures, so God takes no pleasure in the sacrifice of fools (Ecclesiastes 5:1, 4). It is not long discourses, nor eloquent tongues, that are the things which are pleasing to the ears of the Lord; rather it is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, that is pleasing to the heavenly Majesty (Psalm 51:17; Isaiah 57:15). Therefore, be wise and know that there are four things that are obstructions to prayer, and even make void the requests of the creature:
First Obstruction to Prayer – When we cherish sin in our hearts.
"When men cherish sin in their hearts," at the time of their prayers before God, "then the Lord will not listen" to their prayer (Psalm 66:18). The Lord will not listen to the prayer when there is a secret love for that very thing which you with your deceitful lips ask for strength against. For this is the wickedness of man’s heart, that it will even love, and hold tightly to that which the mouth is praying against! And when we do this, then we become the same as those who honor God with their mouths, but whose hearts are far from him (Isaiah 29:13; Ezekiel 33:31).
Second Obstruction to Prayer - When we pray only to be heard by others.
When men pray with the sole purpose to be heard by others, so as to be considered someone very religious, then these prayers will fall far short of God’s approval, and will never be answered.
There are two sorts of men that pray this way:
(1.) Private chaplains, that thrust themselves into great men’s families, pretending the worship of God, when in truth their motive is their own stomachs; and are clearly pictured by Ahab’s prophets, and also Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men, who, though they pretended great devotion, yet their lusts and their stomachs were the great things aimed at by them in all their devotions.
(2.) Those that seek honor and applause for their eloquent terms, and seek more to tickle the ears and heads of their hearers than anything else. These are they that pray to be heard of men, and have received all their reward already (Matthew 6:5). These persons are easily discovered because:
(a.) They focus only on the eloquence of their expressions.
(b.) They look for commendation when they are done.
(c.) Their hearts either rise or fall according to their praise received.
(d.) The length of their prayer pleases them; and to make it long, they will vainly repeat things over and over (Matthew 6:7).
Third Obstruction to Prayer – When we pray for the wrong things.
A prayer that will not be accepted by God, is when men either pray for wrong things, or if for the right things, yet that the thing prayed for might be spent on their lusts. "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (James 4:2-4). When we pray for something contrary to God’s will then God will frustrate the petitions presented before him. Therefore, many pray for this and that, and yet do not receive it. God answers them only with silence; they have their words for their labor; and that is all.
Objection - But God hears some persons, though their hearts are not right with him, as he did Israel, in giving quails, though they spent them on their lusts (Psalm 106:14).
Answer - If he does, it is in judgment, not in mercy. Indeed, he gave them what they asked for, but they would have been better off without it, for he also "sent a wasting disease upon them." (Psalm 106:15). Woe be to that man that God answers in this manner.
Fourth Obstruction to Prayer – Not asking in the Name of Christ.
Another type of prayers that are not answered, are those that are made by men, and presented to God in their own persons, without asking in the name of Christ. It is true that God has ordained prayer, and promised to hear the prayers of men and women, yet not the prayer that fails to come through Christ. Jesus said "I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father" (John 14:13). The Apostle Paul said, "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17). Even though you may be devout, zealous, earnest and constant in prayer, yet it is only in Christ that you will be heard and accepted. But, I am sorry to say, that most men do not know what it means to come to God in the name of the Lord Jesus, which is because they live wicked, pray wicked, and also die wicked.
Application #2 - A word of encouragement.
I want to encourage the poor, tempted, and discouraged soul, to pray to God through Christ. Though all prayer that is acceptable to God must be in the Spirit—for only the Spirit makes intercession for us according to the will of God, (Rom 8:27)—yet because many poor souls may have the Holy Spirit working on them, and stirring them to cry out to the Lord for mercy, though through unbelief they do not, nor, for the present, cannot believe that they are the people of God, yet I encourage them to pray. Note carefully the following three encouragements to pray:
Encouragement #1 – God answers persistent prayers.
That scripture in Luke 11:8 is very encouraging to any poor soul that hungers after Christ Jesus. In verses 5-7, he speaks a parable of a man that went to his friend to borrow three loaves of bread, but because his friend was in bed he denied his request. Yet the man who needed the bread kept knocking, and finally his friend did arise and give him what he wanted, clearly signifying that though poor souls, through the weakness of their faith, cannot see that they are the friends of God, yet they should never stop asking, seeking, and knocking at God’s door for mercy. Note, what Christ said, "I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness," or persistence, "he will get up and give him as much as he needs" (Luke 11:8)
Poor heart! you feel that God will not pay attention to you, you are not his friend, but rather his enemy in your heart because of your wicked deeds (Colossians 1:21). And you claim that you can hear the Lord saying to you, "Don't bother me. I can't give you anything"; yet I say, continue knocking, crying, and moaning. I tell you, "though he will not get up and give you what you want because you are his friend, yet because of your boldness [in your persistence] he will get up and give you as much as you need." And truly, my own experience tells me, that there is nothing that prevails more with God than persistence.
Encouragement #2 – That God is sitting on a "Throne of Grace"
Another encouragement for a poor trembling soul is to consider the place, throne, or seat, on which the great God has placed himself to hear the petitions and prayers of poor creatures; and that is a "throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16). Which signifies that in these days of gospel grace, God has taken up his seat, his abiding-place, in mercy and forgiveness; and from there he listens to the sinner, and communes with him, as he said (Exodus 25:22),—speaking before his place of mercy—"I will meet with you." Often, poor troubled souls are very apt to entertain strange thoughts of God, and his attitude towards them: and suddenly they conclude that God will not care for them, when in fact, he is sitting on a throne of mercy, and has taken that place on purpose, so that he may hear and answer the prayers of poor creatures. If he had said, I will commune with you from my throne of judgment, then indeed you might have trembled and fled from the face of the great and glorious Majesty. But when he said he will hear and commune with souls from the throne of grace, this should encourage you, and cause you to hope, yes, to "approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that you may receive mercy and find grace to help you in your time of need" (Hebrews 4:16)
Encouragement #3 – God’s "Throne of Grace" is sprinked with the "Blood of Christ"
Just as there is a "Throne of Grace" from where God is willing to commune with poor sinners; so there is also next to his throne, Jesus Christ, who continually sprinkles it with his blood. Therefore it is called "the sprinkled blood" (Hebrews 12:24). When the high-priest under the law was to go into the Most Holy Place, where the seat of God’s mercy was, he could not go in "without blood" (Hebrews 9:7).
Why? Because, though God was on sitting on a seat of mercy, yet he was perfectly just as well as merciful. Now the blood was to stop justice from being poured out upon the persons needing the intercession of the high-priest, (as in Leviticus 16:13-17), to signify that all your unworthiness that you fear, should not hinder you from coming to God in Christ for mercy. You cry out that you are wicked, and therefore God will not listen to your prayers; it is true, if you delight in your wickedness, and come to God out of a mere pretence. But if from a sense of your wickedness you pour out your heart to God, desiring to be saved from the guilt, and cleansed from the filth, with all your heart; then do not fear, your wickedness will not cause the Lord to stop listening to you. The value of the blood of Christ which is sprinkled on the place of God’s mercy stops the course of justice, and opens a floodgate for the mercy of the Lord to be extended to you. You therefore have, the "confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us" (Hebrews 10:20).
Besides, Jesus is there, not only to sprinkle the place of mercy with his blood, but he speaks, and his blood speaks; and God has said, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you" (Exodus 12:13).
Be earnest and humble; go to the Father in the name of the Son, and tell him your case, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, and you will then feel the benefit of praying with your spirit and also with your mind.
Application #3 - A word of reproof
I sadly speak to you who never pray at all. You are not a Christian if you are not a praying person. The promise is that every one that is godly will pray (Psa 32:6). You then are a wicked miserable creature that does not pray. People that forget prayer, that do not call on the name of the Lord, they have a prayer prayed against them, Jeremiah prayed, "Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the peoples who do not call on your name" (Jeremiah 10:25).
O you that refuse to pour out your heart to God, you that go to bed like a dog, and rise like a hog, and forget to call upon God? What will you do when you will be damned in hell, because you could not find it in your heart to ask God for heaven? Who will grieve for your sorrow, since you did not think mercy was worth asking for? I tell you, the ravens, the dogs, and other animals, will rise up in judgment against you, for they, according to their kind, make signs, and a noise for something to refresh them when they need it; but you have not found it in your heart to ask for heaven, and now you must perish eternally in hell, because you would not pray.
Must the holy, harmless, and undefiled Spirit of grace, the very nature of God, the promise of Christ, the Counselor of his children, that without which no man can do any service acceptable to the Father—must this Holy Spirit, be taunted and mocked by you? If God sent Korah and his entire family headlong into hell for speaking against Moses and Aaron, do you think that you can mock the Spirit of Christ and escape unpunished? (Numbers 16; Hebrews 10:29). Did you never read what God did to Ananias and Sapphira for telling just one lie against the Holy Spirit? (Acts 5:1-8). Also, are you aware what happen to Simon Magus for undervaluing the Holy Spirit? (Acts 8:18-22). It is a fearful thing to defy the Spirit of grace (Compare Matthew 12:31, with Mark 3:28-30).
THE CONCLUSION
I will conclude this message with some words of advice to all God’s people:
1. Believe that if you seek to walk in a way pleasing to God, then you will meet with manytemptations from the evil one.
2. The first day that you enter into Christ’s congregation, watch out for the temptations.
3. When the temptations come, beg God to carry you through them.
4. Be suspicious of your own heart, that it does not deceive you into thinking that you are more holy than you are.
5. Beware of the flatteries of false brethren.
6. Walk continually in the Word—the life and power of truth.
7. Fix your eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
8. Watch out for the "little" sins.
9. Keep the promise of eternal life warm in your heart.
10. Renew your faith in the blood of Christ.
11. Honor those who are doing the blessed work of God in your generation.
12. Follow after and emulate the godly Christians of your generation.
Grace be with you. Amen.

THS. Who is The Holy Spirit



Written by Tore Johannessen
Wednesday, 21 September 2005
The Holy Spirit is not"the force" in Star Wars
First, it is important to know who the Holy Spirit is.The Holy Spirit is not like “The Force” in Star Wars. He is not an impersonal force floating around somewhere out there. Neither is he like a ghost or a mystical spirit.He is a person as real as I am, and you can talk to him just like you would talk to me.
There are two words used for the Holy Sprit in the Bible. One is Pnevma in Greek or Ruach in Hebrew. It means: Wind, air or spirit. This word is used when the word Spirit is mentioned in the Bible.But, when Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit to his disciples in John 14 and 16 he uses another name. He uses the word Parakaleõ which means: To call someone for help e.g. to get help to defend in a court, or a witness or a counselor. It has the same meaning as the Latin word advocatus, which means advocate, lawyer and spokesman. It also means a comforter. A paraklêtos is a person that gives encouragement and new courage to those who are faint-hearted.
Symbols of the Holy Spirit:Dove (Matt 3:16): It is the symbol of innocence and cleanliness. God’s spirit hovering over the waters Gen 1:2Fire: Cleansing, (John 16:13a) the presence of God. (Acts 2:3)God is a consuming fire (Heb 12:29)Wind: This explains some of how the Holy Spirit functions. You can’t control manipulate the wind or see the wind, but you can see the effects. When Jesus in John 3:8 explains some of the functions of the Holy Spirit to Nicodemus, he uses the word Pnevma, wind for the Holy Spirit.
John 3:8"The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
What Jesus explained about The Holy SpiritJesus further reveals who the Holy Sprit is in John 14:16-26 and John 16:7-15. I will use some of these scriptures to explain who the Holy Spirit is. I also encourage you to read the entire chapters from 13-17 to get the big picture of what Jesus is saying to the disciples before his crucifixion.
The Holy Spirit is a personAs stated, the Holy Spirit is a person. He can talk, he can listen and he is always there for us. When Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit in John 14:17 he used the word he, not it.This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. (NRSV)
One of the TrinityThe Holy Spirit has been from the beginning and he is part of the Trinity.Gen.1: 2 "and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.."Gen.1: 26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,
The Bible uses a plural form when he is taking about the creation.In the Great Commission in Matt 28:19 Jesus mentions the trinity. But we can also see it out from John 16:7 when he says that he will send the advocate, the Spirit.The Father, Son and The Holy Spirit are one. They have the same will and thoughts, but they have tree different tasks. Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father and speaks for us before God’s throne, and he is our righteousness. The Holy Spirit’s task is to stay on earth to help us, and to glorify the name of God. (John 16:13)The trinity is a mystery, and we can't fully understand it with our human minds. But one way to explain it is to compare it with a sunbeam. It is only one beam but it has tree different functions:
The invisible UV radiation as The Holy Spirit,
It gives heat and power like God
It gives light as Jesus the light of the world.
He is the spokesman, the Advocate and a comforter.As mentioned, Jesus called him, in John 16:7, the Parakaleõ, our comforter or Advocate.When we don’t know what we are going to say in different situations he will come and help us.Jesus says in Mark 13:1111 When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.This was a real encouragement for the disciples as we read in Acts, after the day of Pentecost, how the Holy Spirit helped Peter and the other Christians to speak boldly.
He is omnipresentJesus could only be at one place at one at one time, he was limited. That’s why Jesus said it was best for him to go away so that the Holy Spirit could come and be with you forever and at all times. (John 16:7)
Reveals the truthThe Holy Spirit will show us and guide us to the truth and reveal the unbelief in our life.16:8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11 about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
He is also the one that reveal the truth about who God is.16:16:When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Reveals the future.He will declare the things that are to come. John wrote in the book of Revelation about the truth on the condition of the seven Churches and on the vision of what was about to come.We also see this in the spiritual gifts in 1 Cor 12. Some of these gifts are to reveal the truth, now, like a word of knowledge and some are for the future, like prophesy.
Gives powerHe is also the one that gives power. I’ll go more into this in the next chapter.
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was limited. His strength was poured out only over kings, priests, prophets and some selected people. God could give and take away the Holy Spirit from peoples’ lives in the Old Testament.In Judges 16 we read about Samson losing his power, or the anointing, when his hair was cut off.In Psalm 51 we read about when David fell into sin with Bathsheba. He prays: Remove not the Holy Spirit from me.In the New Testament, on the day of Pentecost, God’s Spirit is poured over all flesh. And when you receive Jesus, The Holy Spirit moves in to your heart, and you can communicate with God. Not all believers were able to do that in the Old Testament.

How to study the bible

How to Study the Bible
As Christians we believe God speaks to us through the holy Scripture of the Bible. It is our duty, then, to do our best to understand what the Bible says to us. Since the Bible was written a long time ago, many of the cultural references and literary styles used are unfamiliar to us today. To truly understand the Bible, we need to understand the background of life and literature 2000 to 3000 years ago as the Bible was being written.
Bible Interpretation
There are four keywords to understanding any Bible passage - observation, interpretation, evaluation, and application.
Observation: What are the facts? What do the words mean? What comes before and after to put the passage in context? Who is speaking? And to whom?
Interpretation: What did the passage mean to the original audience two or three thousand years ago? Are we making the mistake of interpreting the passage through our own experiences rather than those of the original audience? Is the passage using literary techniques like allegory, hyperbole, metaphor or parable to make its point?
Evaluation: What does the passage mean to us today? Can it be applied directly today, or do we need to apply the underlying principle to conditions very different than when it was originally written?
Application: How should I apply what I learn from this passage to live a more godly life? Do I need to change my attitudes or actions as a result?
(Adapted from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
As an example, we can try using this method to understand Exodus 20:3-5.
Observation: Looking back to Exodus 19, we see that the Hebrew people had escaped from slavery in Egypt three months before and were traveling to the Promised Land. This is the first of the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. The passage forbids making or worshipping idols or worshipping any other gods. Idols are images or symbols of false gods that are worshipped. Most of the Hebrews' neighbors were pagans at that time in history, and idol worship and worship of multiple gods was very common.
Interpretation: When the ancient Hebrews got discouraged, they often lapsed into worshipping the idols and multiple gods of the pagan peoples they came in contact with instead of worshipping God. This Commandment said that, even in hard times, they must put their trust in God alone.
Evaluation: Paganism has virtually disappeared from Western culture today. So, does this Commandment mean anything to us? What are we tempted to substitute for God in our lives? Do we put our trust in wealth more than in God? Do we seek power over others instead of seeking God? Do we look for fulfillment in pleasure instead of in God? Many people believe these things are the idols and false gods of today's world.
Application: We may need to honestly and prayerfully examine our priorities to see if God is really more important to us than anything else in our lives.
The Observation and Interpretation steps are fairly objective, and Bible commentaries and other study materials are very helpful. The Evaluation and Application steps are very individual. It is in honestly and prayerfully considering these steps that we can deepen our understanding and faith.
Literary Forms of the Bible
It is helpful to understand the styles of writing used in the Bible, especially since some of those styles are no longer commonly used.
A parable is a simple story that helps us understand a spiritual or moral concept. Jesus was the master of the parable, and a large part of His teachings come to us in the form of the parables he told to his disciples and other people. The plain facts of a parable story are usually meaningless in themselves. It is by analogy or similarity with the story that we gain an understanding of the spiritual or moral lesson of the parable. In the Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4-8) Jesus tells a story about a man who sowed seed on a farm. Some of the seed fell on rocks or pathways or among thorns where it could not grow. Other seed fell on good ground where it produced a bountiful crop. However, the point of this story has nothing to do with farming techniques. As Jesus explained in Luke 8:11-15, the seed represents the Word of God, which is offered to all people. Like the seed that fell in bad places, the Word of God does not produce good results in people who reject it for one reason or another. But, like the seed that fell on good ground, the Word of God grows strong within people who are receptive and it bears good (spiritual) fruit.
A simile uses "like" or "as" to give us a mental picture of something by comparing it to something else. "As the deer pants for water, so I long for you, O God." (Psalms 42:1) and "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness." (Matthew 23:27) are examples of similes.
A metaphor is just a simile with the "like" or "as" left out. "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11) does not mean Jesus herds sheep. It is a metaphor meaning Jesus is our master and protector in the same way as a shepherd is master and protector of his sheep. "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14) does not mean we glow in the dark. It is a metaphor meaning our good example can show others the way to Christ like a lamp shows us the way in the dark.
Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration to make a point and is very common in the Bible. Examples include "Rivers of water run down from my eyes, Because men do not keep Your law." (Psalms 119:136) and "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25).
An Anthropomorphism attributes human characteristics or experiences to God. Examples include "The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His". (2 Chronicles 16:9), and "For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil. (1 Peter 3:12). These verses do not mean that God, who is Spirit, has eyes, ears and a face like us. Instead, they tell us that God is always seeking righteousness among us and opposing evil.
Irony is saying one thing but meaning the opposite. Paul's tongue-in-cheek praise of the vain false teachers in 1 Corinthians 4:8 is an example of irony in the Bible.
Apocalypse comes from a Greek word meaning "uncovering" or "revealing." Apocalyptic literature uses elaborate visions, powerful symbols and numbers to reveal heavenly secrets. The New Testament book of Revelation and parts of the Old Testament books of Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Zechariah are written in apocalyptic form.
Most of the apocalyptic works were written during times of severe persecution. The symbols were clearly understood by the initiated but not by the persecutors. In Revelation, "Babylon" is used as a code word for Rome and the Roman Empire (Revelation 14:8, 16:19, 17:5, 18:2, 10, 21). Hebrew letters were also used for numbers, and the beast whose number is 666 (Revelation 13:18) is often assumed to be a reference to the Roman emperor Nero because of the similarity of "Nero Caesar" and "666" when written in Hebrew.
Context
The Bible is not a collection of "one-liners." All verses must be interpreted in the context of the verses that come before and after them, the whole passage, the chapter, the book and even the whole Bible. It is the nature of language that it takes many sentences or even paragraphs to convey a complex concept. A single Bible verse or passage often tells us only one aspect of a topic. We must look at all the Bible passages on a particular topic to get the true picture. If we look at just one or a few verses, we can get an incomplete view or even a totally wrong view of the Bible's teachings.
Paul writes to the Thessalonians:
For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. (NIV, 1 Thessalonians 5:2)
Taken by itself, it would be difficult to even guess what this verse means; it could be interpreted many different ways. But in the context of 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 as well as Matthew 24:42-44, Mark 13:33-37 and Luke 12:40, it clearly means the second coming of Jesus will be sudden and unexpected.
John 3:16 is one of the best known and most loved verses in the Bible and is an excellent one-sentence summary of the Christian faith:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV, John 3:16)
Some people think this means that all we have to do is believe in Jesus as God's Son to assure our salvation. But in the context of John 3:16-21 as well as many other New Testament passages (e.g., Matthew 7:21-23, 25:31-46, Luke 10:25-37, John 14:21-23, Romans 2:6-10, Hebrews 10:26-31, James 2:20-24), it is clear that the word "believes" in John 3:16 also implies repentance and obedience to God's commandments.
Progressive Revelation
Around 1250 B.C., the Jews escaped from slavery in Egypt and spent 40 years wandering in the desert before coming to their new homeland. God gave the original Old Testament Law to Moses at that time. As the Jews developed a stable civilization, God sent numerous prophets to correct their errors and to refine their understanding of Him and His intentions for His chosen people. Finally, God sent His Son, Jesus, to accomplish His plan of salvation.
Jesus and His disciples radically reinterpreted the Old Testament Law; they brought a new era of the rule of love and spiritual truth instead of rule by law (Luke 10:25-28, John 1:16-17, 13:34-35, Romans 8:1-4, 1 Corinthians 9:20-21, Ephesians 2:14-18).
If we are looking for guidance on a topic, we must consider which Bible teaching reflects the most recent revelation from God. The Bible's teachings about retaliation and revenge are a good example of progressive revelation. First, at the time of Abraham, unlimited revenge for a wrong done was considered normal and proper (Genesis 34:1-2, 25-29). Later, the Law of Moses limited revenge to an equal injury for any injury done:
If anyone injures his neighbor, whatever he has done must be done to him: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured. (NIV, Leviticus 24:18-20)
Finally, when Jesus came, He said we should not take any revenge at all:
You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (NIV, Matthew 5:38-42)
Exegesis vs. Eisegesis
Exegesis means drawing out the true meaning of a Bible passage, and it should be the goal of all Bible study. It means understanding the meaning of all the words in a passage. It means putting the passage in the proper historical and textual context to determine what it meant to its original audience. Finally, it involves thought and prayer to determine how it applies to today's world and to our own lives.
Eisegesis means reading one's own ideas into interpretation of the Bible. We all have our own beliefs, world view and biases, and letting them influence our interpretation of the Bible is an ever-present danger! Sometimes we think we understand a passage and unintentionally read our own meaning into it without going through the steps required for proper exegesis. Emotionally charged topics like abortion, sex, salvation and church doctrine pose a great temptation to prove a point by quoting a verse out of context or quoting selected verses while ignoring other relevant passages. But we must let God speak to us through the Bible and not try to make it say what we would like to hear.
In some ways the Bible is like a jigsaw puzzle. We cannot discover its true meaning until we are able to put the pieces together the right way. Prayer, study, group discussions, knowledge of Bible history and an understanding of the life and literary styles of Biblical times are things that help us put that puzzle together.
Where to Start?
Logically, we should read the Old Testament first since it serves as the background for the New Testament, but the life and teachings of Jesus and His apostles are most important for Christians to understand. So, for understanding the most important lessons of the Bible, we recommend reading in this order:
Luke is possibly the most complete story of Jesus' life and teachings. Matthew and Mark are similar.
Matthew Chapters 5, 6 and 7 contain Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount - the heart of Jesus' ethical and moral teachings and the basis of Christian living.
John is a very different Gospel from Matthew, Mark and Luke. Its theological perspective gives us a view into the spiritual meanings of Jesus' life and ministry.
Genesis contains the earliest recorded history of the Jewish people and tells their beliefs about God and their relationship with Him. Christianity had its beginnings with the Jews, so our understanding of Christianity cannot be complete without an understanding of the roots of Judaism.
Exodus tells of the Jews' escape from captivity under the leadership of Moses. It contains the essence of the Jewish laws, including the Ten Commandments. Like Genesis, it serves as important background for Christianity.
Romans is the best summary of the teachings of the apostle Paul, the first and most influential interpreter of Jesus' life and works.
After reading these six books, you should know enough about the Bible to decide what to explore in greater depth.
Which Bible is Best?
Traditional English Bible translations, such as the King James Version, are revered for their majestic style, and their archaic English gives them an air of authority. Unfortunately, the English language has changed a lot since the KJV was last updated in 1769. Many KJV words and phrases, such as Lord of hosts, sabaoth, emerods and concupiscence, would not be meaningful to most people today. Worse, other KJV words, such as charity, trespass, cousin, profit, and remission, have different primary meanings today than they did in the KJV, and that could tend to mislead the reader.
For Bible study, we need a Bible that accurately conveys the meanings of the ancient Hebrew and Greek Bible manuscripts to the modern English reader. We recommend reading from a modern English translation in place of or in addition to the KJV. Here are some good choices for Bible study:
For Protestants
American editions: New Revised Standard Version; New International Version; New American Standard Bible; Revised Standard Version
British editions: Revised English Bible; New Revised Standard Version, Anglicized Edition
For Catholics
American editions: New American Bible; New Revised Standard Version, Catholic edition
British editions: The New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition, Anglicized Text; Revised English Bible with the Apocrypha
Bible Study Helps
The Bible was written a long time ago in a culture very different from the modern world, and it often seems confusing and contradictory. Good Bible study references are tremendously helpful for understanding the Bible as it was originally intended. The reference books below provide accurate and unbiased information.
William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible, Westminster Press, various dates. A series of 17 books that give historical background, interpretation and commentary on each section of each book of the New Testament. The First and Second Editions were published in the mid 1950s. The Revised Editions, edited by Rev. James Martin, were published in the mid 1970s.
Bruce Barton, et. al., Life Application New Testament Commentary, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2001. Verse-by-verse explanation of each book of the New Testament with emphasis on application to everyday life.
Dianne Bergant, ed., The Collegeville Bible Commentary - Old Testament, Liturgical Press, 1992. A collection of section-by-section explanations of each book of the Old Testament. Follows the Catholic arrangement of Old Testament books.
Robert J. Karris, ed., The Collegeville Bible Commentary - New Testament, Liturgical Press, 1992. A collection of section-by-section explanations of each book of the New Testament.
Herbert Lockyer, Sr., ed., Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1986. Commentary on people, places, things and doctrines of the Bible, arranged by topic. Includes references to relevant Bible passages.
I. Howard Marshall, ed., New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, Intervarsity Press, 1996. Commentary on people, places, things and doctrines of the Bible, arranged by topic. Includes references to relevant Bible passages.
James L. Mays, ed., Harper's Bible Commentary, Harper, 1988. Section-by-section commentary, interpretation and historical perspective on each book of the Bible from a scholarly viewpoint.
G.J. Wenham, et. al., New Bible Commentary, 21st Century Edition, Intervarsity Press, 1994. Section-by-section explanations of each book of the the Bible.