The Holy Spirit

S P E C I A L H O LY S P I R I T I S S U E

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LIFE IN THE SPIRIT

2013

UNDERSTANDING THE

HOLY SPIRIT WHAT MOST CHRISTIANS DON’T KNOW ABOUT HIS CHARACTER, FRUIT, GIFTS, POWER AND MORE

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T.D. JAKES: WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING

C O N T E N T S

SPECIAL HOLY SPIRIT ISSUE 33 THINGS THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES

HOW TO PRODUCE DIVINE FRUIT Jesus’

What Scripture says about the Spirit of God’s divine actions »

call to abide in Him reveals the keys to yielding the fruit of the Spirit By Fuchsia Pickett »

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? Knowing the Trinity’s third Person starts with recognizing Him as just that—a Person who wants to be intimately known | By Clive Calver »

THE CODE OF THE DOVE AND THE HOLY SPIRIT Why is the Spirit represented with a dove? The answer could unlock one of the deep mysteries of our Divine Helper. | By Perry Stone »

WHEN THE DOVE FLIES: Perry Stone reveals the mystery behind the dove and the Holy Spirit

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NO GIFT STANDS ALONE Why it’s important to identify your spiritual gifts and exercise them within the church | By Ron Phillips »

10 REASONS FOR SPEAKING IN TONGUES Explaining the Holy Spirit’s most misunderstood gift | By Bill Hamon »

SENT BY THE SPIRIT

A PARALLEL CREATION

Ten keys to sharing your faith with supernatural power By Chris Overstreet »

Surprising dovetails between creation and the flood | By Perry Stone »

SUPERNATURAL MYTH-BUSTERS

RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT The truth about the baptism in the Holy Spirit that most believers don’t know | By Robert Morris »

Debunking the 10 most common myths about living supernaturally in the Spirit By Michele Perry »

Charisma (ISSN #0895-156X) is published monthly by Strang Media Group, 600 Rinehart Road, Lake Mary, FL 32746. Nothing that appears in Charisma may be reprinted without permission.

COLUMNS

C O N T E N T S

YOARS TRULY God is calling the church back to the basics—including a true understanding of the Holy Spirit | By Marcus Yoars » THE STRANG REPORT Why we must do more than just remember Pentecost By Steve Strang » STRAIGHT TALK The anointing of the Holy Spirit is meant for you— but you have to be ready for it | By Joyce Meyer » WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING God is giving His people an opportunity to multiply as never before | By T.D. Jakes » FIRE IN MY BONES Lessons we can learn from Pope Francis about walking in the Holy Spirit’s power By J. Lee Grady » Click to contact Charisma

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SPEAKING TRUTH: Robert Morris explains the truth about the baptism in the Holy Spirit that most believers don’t know

Yoars Truly

BY MARCUS YOARS

BACK TO SCHOOL: HOLY SPIRIT 101

God is calling the church back to the basics of our faith—including a true understanding of His Spirit

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rs. Sunday. Mr. Newman. Mrs. Kuhn. Mr. Ewing. These were some of the outstanding teachers who shaped my life. Their words and actions in the classroom planted seeds that still bear fruit today. I doubt they’ll ever know how much of an imprint they left on me. You likely have similar teachers to credit—those who had a profound impact in steering your life in a certain direction. Even if we’d rather forget our school years, there’s usually a teacher or two we’ll always remember because of what they said or did

SEAN ROBERTS

to help guide us along. Teachers hold one of the most important positions on the planet. They guide, counsel, explain, show, encourage, reprove, help, correct, empower … the list goes on. Though other factors certainly play a role, students tend to succeed or fail based upon how good their teacher is. That’s why every summer, long before the first bell rings to usher in a new school year, parents across the nation jockey to get their kids in with the best teachers possible. They know the lifelong effect a great teacher—or a lousy

one—can have on their child. So what if you had the chance to receive one-on-one tutoring from the greatest teacher on the planet? Better yet, what if you could call on that teacher anytime, anywhere, with any question? Jesus was the greatest teacher to ever walk the earth. Yet He said that after He left, the Father would send “another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:16). Later, Jesus explained that “when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (16:13). To top it off, this Counselor would help us do even

greater works than what Jesus did (14:12). That’s some teacher! If you’re a believer, you’ve already been given the awesome gift of the Holy Spirit, the Teacher like no other. Yet tragically a huge segment of the church never raises their hand to ask Him a question. Some sit in the classroom of life doubting if He’s relevant enough today or even necessary anymore, while others would prefer to act as if He didn’t exist. Because you’re reading this magazine, I doubt you’re in any of those classes. But it’s possible to look like a tongue-talking charismatic and still not truly know the Holy Spirit. That’s because not only is the Holy Spirit easily the most misunderstood Person of the Trinity, people continue to have many foundational misconceptions about Him. Here are four

fundamental lessons that many Christians either missed or need to re-learn: 1) He is not an “it.” An “it” doesn’t whisper, sing, speak, cry, convict, dance, hover, burn, wash,

What if you had the chance to be tutored by the greatest teacher on the planet? free, anoint, empower, quicken, reveal, teach, lead, supply, strengthen, enable, move, comfort … and a million other things the Holy Spirit does. Like the Father and the Son, God’s Spirit is a person. As long as we see Him

as an “it,” we’ll fail to know Him as He desires. 2) He always glorifies Jesus. This is where many Spirit-filled believers get derailed, because often the unspoken rule is that the goofier we act, the more the Holy Spirit must be moving in us. Want a full-proof test to know if something is truly of the Spirit? Ask if Jesus is being glorified. The Holy Spirit never stops pointing toward Christ. His No. 1 delight, passion and purpose is to bring Jesus glory. Just as the Father glorified Jesus in heaven, the Spirit glorifies Jesus now on earth (John 16:14-15). 3) He doesn’t show up in part. When my sons, who are 7 and 3, encounter God, they’re not experiencing a kid-sized portion of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit who works in me works in them.

John 3:34 is clear that God “gives the Spirit without measure” (NASB). Let’s stop acting like He comes in varying degrees. 4) He wants to help you. The word for Holy Spirit in John 14-16 (parakletos) means “Comforter” or “Counselor.” He was sent to

lead you to truth, to guide you on your journey. He wants you to succeed by God’s standards. Why not ask Him for help? This issue of Charisma is entirely dedicated to exploring the many facets of the Holy Spirit—His character, baptism, fruit, gifts, etc.

We can only scratch the surface with these teachings, but I hope you’ll use them as a launching pad for the Holy Spirit to teach you more about Himself as only the great Teacher can do.

MARCUS YOARS is the editor of Charisma. Check out his blog at marcusyoars.com or connect with him via Twitter @marcusyoars or facebook.com/marcusyoars.

The Strang Report

BY STEVE STRANG

THE REAL POWER BEHIND PENTECOST

Why we must do more than just remember the day of Pentecost

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his issue on the Holy Spirit embodies what Charisma is all about. Sure, we cover many things about the church, Christianity and the culture. But at our core, it’s all about the Spirit. Sadly, many Spirit-filled churches, in an effort to be “seeker sensitive,” no longer invite people to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. That’s why it was refreshing when I attended a recent Perry Stone conference in Deland, Fla., to hear him minister the baptism in the Holy Spirit to more than 100 people. Perry says he does this in at least one service during his

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prophetic conferences and, almost without exception, 100 to 300 will receive it—with most of the people coming from non-charismatic churches! “God says He’ll pour out His Spirit on all flesh,” Perry told me. “People are ready to receive. All they need is an atmosphere to receive.” Perry believes too many pastors fear the unction of the Holy Spirit will turn off people in the church, yet just the opposite is true: People are hungry for God’s power. “It’s as if the pastors don’t trust Him to do His work,” Perry

said, “or even that He knows what He’s doing.” Jack Hayford makes a similar point when speaking of the seekersensitive movement, where the emphasis is on making sure corporate worship services appeal to visitors. If you’re looking for church growth, Hayford says, look no further than the day of Pentecost, when 3,000 were added to the church at one time! If you watched the powerful TV miniseries The Bible (which we wrote about in our March issue), you were likely as amazed as I was at how powerfully it portrayed

the day of Pentecost. Though the series’ producers took some literary license (there was wind but no tongues of fire), it stuck close to the biblical account, and the power and anointing of a modern Pentecostal service was there. It certainly didn’t seem like just acting! This was the first time I’d seen an attempt to portray Pentecost on television or film. That doesn’t surprise me, however, since the church in general pays little respect to Pentecost today. Though Pentecostals remain the largest segment of the evangelical church, we’ve neglected many of the fundamental aspects of being Spirit-filled that began with Pentecost. Because of this, a handful of leaders and organizations in recent years have urged churches around the world to set aside

Pentecost Sunday to highlight the Holy Spirit. This issue intentionally coincides with Pentecost Sunday, which this year falls on May 19. And as you’ll see, we do more than just highlight the Holy Spirit—we

Many pastors fear the unction of the Holy Spirit will turn off people, yet the opposite is true. tackle everything from receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit, to who the Holy Spirit is, to being empowered to be witnesses ... and more. In our nearly 38 years, we’ve never done a more extensive issue

about the Holy Spirit. You’ll especially want to read an excerpt we’ve included from Perry’s new book, The Code of the Holy Spirit. Jentezen Franklin, Perry’s longtime friend, says this may be Perry’s most important book ever. (Franklin says all his children received the baptism in the Holy Spirit under Perry’s ministry.) It’s an issue you can share with friends who have questions or are seeking the Holy Spirit. Get the digital version at charismadigital.com and share it through social media. We’re posting articles, teachings and other resources about the Holy Spirit daily on our social media outlets, including my public Facebook page (facebook.com/stephenestrang). We’re also partnering with Billy Wilson’s Empowered21 movement to get the word out about Pentecost

Sunday. Go to charismamag.com or get our Charisma News app (charismamobile.com) to learn more—including how you can download an Empowered21 course on the Holy Spirit for free. It doesn’t take long for missionaries in rough areas of the world to discover that they can’t

minister effectively without the Holy Spirit’s power. This includes those from denominations that downplay or even oppose the work of the Spirit. That’s because those missionaries can’t confront the powers of darkness without the infilling and power of the Holy Spirit.

We think of America as a Christian nation, yet the powers of darkness are such in our own land that like those missionaries, we can confront them only with the power and infilling of the precious Holy Spirit. We need another Pentecost today!

STEVE STRANG is the founder and publisher of Charisma. Follow him on Twitter at @sstrang or Facebook (stephenestrang).

33 Things the Holy Spirit Does Though many Christians overlook the importance of the Holy Spirit, Scripture is clear about not only His vital role, but also His divine actions. Here are 33 of the countless things the Spirit of God continues to do today.

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1 He helps us (Rom. 8:26) 2 He guides us (John 16:13) 3 He teaches us (John 14:26)

13 He

prophesies through us (2 Pet. 1:21)

14 He bears witness to the truth (Rom. 9:1)

15 He brings joy (1 Thess. 1:6) 16 He brings freedom (2 Cor. 3:17) 17 He helps us to obey (1 Pet. 1:22) 18 He calls for Jesus’ return (Rev.

24 He gives gifts (1 Cor. 12:8-10) 25 He leads us (Rom. 8:14) 26 He convicts (John 16:8) 27 He sanctifies us (2 Thess. 2:13) 28 He empowers us (Acts 1:8) 29 He unites us (Eph. 4:3-4)

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4 He speaks (Rev. 2:7) 5 He reveals (1 Cor. 2:10) 6 He instructs (Acts 8:29) 7 He testifies of Jesus (John 15:26) 8 He comforts us (Acts 9:31) 9 He calls us (Acts 13:2) 10 He fills us (Acts 4:31) 11 He strengthens us (Eph. 3:16) 12 He prays for us (Rom. 8:26)

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19 He transforms us (2 Cor. 3:18) 20 He lives in us (1 Cor. 3:16) 21 He frees us (Rom. 8:2) 22 He renews us (Titus 3:5) 23 He produces fruit in us (Gal. 5:22-23)

30 He seals us (Eph. 1:13) 31 He gives us access to the Father (Eph. 2:18)

32 He enables us to wait (Gal. 5:5) 33 He casts out demons (Matt. 12:28)

WhoIsThisHoIy Spirit? Knowing the Trinity’s third Person starts with recognizing Him as just that—a Person who wants to be intimately known BY

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CA LV E R

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s a relatively young Watch Reinhard Bonnke use Acts 2 to refute bad teachings about the Christian, I began to Holy Spirit wonder why so many other Christians seemed to know more of the indwelling love of Jesus than I did. Why did their lives display the fruits of His grace and demonstrate His power at work within them in ways that seemed sorely lacking in my life? I became deeply troubled at the poverty of my spiritual walk with God. So much of what I knew was mere information about God without much of a direct relationship with Him. My heart longed to have an experience like that described by Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle, who spoke of what it meant to know God “other than by hearsay.” It was also hard for me to fathom how some Christians God would do great things in their lives; others seemed could be so different from others. Some overflowed with content to make survival their primary objective. love and compassion for their neighbors, while others In all of this, the biggest struggle I faced as a young cloistered themselves away from the world, apparently Christian was determining what I believed about the fearful of contamination. Some seemed to exude a deep Person and work of the Holy Spirit. I began to encounter sense of inner joy, but others looked as if they had just Christians for whom this Person was a vibrant reality received a death sentence rather than the blessing of in their lives—a Person to know and to love, not some eternal life. Some were on fire with expectancy that vague, generic “force.”

I eventually came to see that all my concerns about my faith and the faith of others had to do with answering this central question about the Person of the Holy Spirit.

Discovering the Spirit If we want to discover who the Holy Spirit really is, then individual human experience is not the right place to start. When God intended to reveal His nature, will and identity to humankind, He determined to do so supremely in His Son. When He wanted to record His activities with the inhabitants of this planet, He chose to do so in a divinely inspired Book. And so, if we want to know what the Spirit of God is like and how He operates within the lives of the people of God, then it is to the pages of the Bible that we must first turn. Throughout the pages of the Bible, it is assumed that the Holy Spirit is no more and no less than God Himself. He is called “the Spirit of the Lord” (1 Kin. 18:12, NIV) and “the Spirit of Jesus” (Acts 16:7). In Luke 11:13, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the gift of the Father. Paul announced that “the Lord is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17). When Peter rebuked Ananias for attempted deception, he boldly announced, “You have lied to the Holy Spirit ... You have not lied just to human beings but to God” (Acts 5:3-4). On the occasion that Jesus spoke about the unforgivable sin, He described it as blaspheming, which means speaking against or rejecting not the Father or even Jesus Himself but rather the

Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31-32). It is because the Holy Spirit is God that Scripture describes Him as possessing all the essential characteristics that are the sole privilege of God Himself. He is: » Holy. God cannot deny His own character; therefore, in the same way that God is completely pure and totally unblemished, so must be the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). » Eternal. If God were limited by time and space, He could not, by definition, be God. The Creator can neither be limited by His creation, nor can He die or face extinction. To be God, He must always have been God and must inhabit eternity. When Scripture says that the Holy Spirit is eternal (always was and always will be), then it is affirming that He is God (Heb. 9:14). » Omnipotent. The Holy Spirit is all-powerful, an attribute that is the sole province of God Himself (Luke 1:35-37). » Omnipresent. The Holy Spirit exists everywhere simultaneously. There is no place in heaven, on earth or anywhere else in the universe that is not inhabited by the Holy Spirit (Ps. 139:7). » Omniscient. The Holy Spirit knows everything there is to know (1 Cor. 2:10-11). These supreme qualities of the Holy Spirit are neatly summarized in Isaiah’s prophecy of the anticipated Messiah: “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit

of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord” (Is. 11:2). God is personal. He neither rules nor communicates by remote control, and He possesses personality. So it is with the Holy Spirit. It would be wrong to view this third Clive Calver

The Spirit is no mere arm or leg of God. He’s a Person in His own right and exists as part of the Godhead. Person of the Trinity as an indefinably nebulous force. He is not an “it”! To reinforce this point, the apostle John referred to the Holy Spirit by using a masculine pronoun (ekeinos, “He”) with a neutral noun (pneuma, “Spirit”). This may seem like bad grammar to us, but it is superb theology. He does this to show that the Holy Spirit is a “He,” not an “it.” (See John 14:26; 15:26; 16:8-14.) The Holy Spirit is the “breath” or “wind” of God (Is.

40:7). In this sense, it might be easy to picture the Holy Spirit as something broad and vague. Yet this phrase in Scripture often brings into grammatical play a definite article; instead of “a breath” or “a wind,” He is called “the Spirit” or “the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit’s personhood is also affirmed in that He can be grieved, He comes upon individuals at particular times, He is the means by which God fills His people, and He can even be withdrawn from people under exceptional circumstances (Eph. 4:30; Judg. 14:6; 2 Kin. 2:9; Ex. 35:31; Mic. 3:8; Ps. 51:11). The Holy Spirit is no mere arm or leg of God. He is a Person in His own right and exists as part of the Godhead. He is not remote but actually dwells in God’s people and is therefore personal to each one of us.

The Personality of the Holy Spirit Let us take this one step further. The vivid imagination of George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, conceived of a vast “force” that could empower us and be used for either good or evil. This force was personal, in that it was available for use by the human personality, but it lacked personhood in itself. That is precisely how the Holy Spirit differs. He is not here for us to use, but we are here for Him to use to bring glory to Jesus through our lives. Furthermore, He possesses a unique personality. The three basic characteristics of personality are the capacities for feeling,

knowing and doing—and you may be surprised to learn that the Holy Spirit is actively engaged in all three! Scripture affirms that: » He feels (Eph. 4:30). » He knows (John 14:26). » He does things (John 16:8-11). While the Holy Spirit is like us in that He has a personality, He is also unlike us in that He is holy. The Greek

Because most Christians find it difficult to visualize and personalize the Holy Spirit, they often overlook the amount of work in which the Holy Spirit is engaged. He is very busy indeed! word used to describe this reality is hagios, the root meaning of which is “different.” In this sense, the Holy Spirit can never be as we are, and yet by the grace and mercy of God, the Holy Spirit dwells in unclean human beings. The very title Holy Spirit indicates this Spirit is different from us because He is, in fact, divine. In the book of Revelation, the apostle John begins his letter to the seven churches in an unusual way, with a greeting that places God the Father first, God the Spirit second and God the Son third (Rev. 1:4-5). While this

order might seem unusual to us, the phraseology gives the standard implication that these three are inextricably intertwined and always co-equal. Furthermore, Jesus revealed this supreme mystery of the Christian faith when He declared the name in which His followers should be baptized. The word used by Jesus for name is singular, indicating there is only one God, but this name is also tri-personal because each one of us is baptized in “the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).

God in Action Because most Christians find it difficult to visualize and personalize the Holy Spirit, they often overlook the amount of work in which the Holy Spirit is engaged. He is very busy indeed! The Holy Spirit definitely understands the concept of multitasking, for while He is the corporate Holy Spirit of the universal church, He is also the One who dwells in the life of every individual believer (1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 8:9-11). The Holy Spirit is always busy. He works within us to bring about the conviction of sin, the recognition of the need for righteousness and an awareness of impending judgment long before we come to the point of conversion and surrender our life to Jesus Christ (John 16:8). We may not have realized it, but quietly and invisibly the Holy Spirit was already at work in our lives, preparing us to be confronted with the reality of Jesus Christ.

In the New Testament accounts of the conversions of Zacchaeus, Cornelius and the Ethiopian eunuch to whom Philip witnessed of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit was actively at work preparing the ground for their moments of truth. In the case of the Ethiopian eunuch, the Holy Spirit even called Philip away from a revival and into the desert to explain the Scriptures to the eunuch at just the right time. When we come to Christ, the Holy Spirit makes His home in our lives. He is the giver of new life, and He becomes the seal and evidence of our salvation (John 3:5; 2 Cor. 1:22; Titus 3:5; Rom. 8:9-11). It is the Holy Spirit who then takes on the raw material of a new convert’s heart and begins the often lengthy process of transforming it into the image of the Lord Jesus. This whole idea of an indwelling Holy Spirit who

inhabits the life of every believer introduced to the world a concept unknown in other major religions. For the first time, God was not just “out there somewhere,” but He could be intimately known, loved and served. Christianity offers not a religion about God but rather a relationship with Him. This is what creates that vibrant, loving, compassionate and fruit-bearing existence in the life of all believers. 3 CLIVE CALVER is senior pastor of Walnut Hill Community Church, a network of five charismatic evangelical churches serving more than 3,500 people in western Connecticut. He previously served as president of World Relief, general director of the Evangelical Alliance of the United Kingdom, program director of Billy Graham’s Mission England and national director of Youth for Christ in Britain.

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WHY DID GOD CHOOSE TO REPRESENT HIS SPIRIT WITH A DOVE? THE ANSWER— AND ITS MULTILAYERED APPLICATIONS—CAN UNLOCK ONE OF THE DEEP MYSTERIES OF OUR DIVINE HELPER.

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CODE OF THE DOVE AND THE

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n biblical theology, we often consider a concept known as the law of first mention. It teaches that when a person, animal, color, metal or number is first mentioned in Scripture, it often sets the theme of that particular item throughout Scripture. This is why the serpent that appeared in Genesis 3 as the tempter of Eve became the symbol of Satan or sin throughout the Bible—even in the Apocalypse, where the seven-headed dragon that gets hurled down is also referred to as a seven-headed serpent (Rev. 12:3-9). It’s why the symbol of a lamb, based on the Passover narrative in Exodus 12, in the New Testament becomes the symbol of Christ, who is identified as the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29) and referred to as such 26 out of 27 times in the book of Revelation. Another significant symbol is the dove, the gentle creature that represents the Holy Spirit. By applying the law of first mention, we can unlock many revelations about the Holy Spirit and His ministry to us who belong to Christ.

The First Appearance In the law of first mention, the dove is one of the two birds mentioned in the story of Noah’s flood, which begins in Genesis 6. More than likely you’re familiar with Moses’ account of righteous Noah and his three sons who built a floating zoo and rode out a universal deluge.

As the waters began to slowly recede, Noah sent two birds out of the ark: a raven and a dove. Not only are these two birds totally opposite in nature, color and eating habits, but also there is prophetic insight encoded within the story. First, the differences. Noah sent a raven from the window in the ark, and the raven flew back and forth until the waters were dried up, never to be seen again.

By applying the law of first mention, we can unlock many revelations about the Holy Spirit and His ministry to us who belong to Christ. He later sent a dove, but the dove returned to the ark after finding no place to rest its feet (Gen. 8:7-9). What’s worth noting here is that a raven will eat carrion (the bodies of animals killed by other animals), but a dove will not. It has been said ravens will often follow packs of wolves to gain access to the meat the wolves tear apart. But when the dove went forth from the ark, it returned because doves will not rest on a carcass or eat decaying flesh, as 99 percent of their diet is seeds. Eventually the dove brought an olive leaf back to the

ark (v. 11). This is unique because the olive became a sacred fruit for the priestly ministry. Crushed olives produced olive oil, and the first pressing of oil was used in the temple menorah. Olive oil was also used in the ceremonial anointing of kings, priests and prophets (Ex. 30:25, 31). The olive leaf in the mouth of the dove speaks to us that out of the crises and storms of life, the Holy Spirit will bring us an olive branch, today’s universal symbol of peace, in the midst of our conflict.

who are lost. The dove is a gentle creature and never retaliates against its enemies, while believers are told to turn the other cheek, to pray for our enemies and those who spitefully use us (Matt. 5:39-44) and to never retaliate. When the young of a dove are attacked, the dove will not attack but instead will cry out in distress. This concept is also seen in the words of Romans 8, as Paul wrote that when a believer does not know how to

Jesus and the Dove

The dove is a gentle creature and never retaliates against its enemies, while believers are told to turn the other cheek, to pray for our enemies and those who spitefully use us.

At age 30, Christ was baptized at the Jordan River by his cousin, John. We read: “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him” (Matt. 3:16). This account of the Holy Spirit descending as a dove upon Jesus was so important that it is mentioned in all four Gospels (Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32). I believe one of the reasons the Holy Spirit assumed the form of a dove is because a dove has characteristics similar to those of the Holy Spirit. Doves are commonly white in color, and white in the Scripture represents purity or righteousness (Rev. 19:8). A dove expresses its affection by stroking its young and cooing in a soft tone. Spiritually, the Holy Spirit causes believers to be caring and loving for one another and even for those

pray, the Holy Spirit will make intercession for her with groanings (vv. 26-28). The parallels between a dove and the Holy Spirit continue when we understand that a dove can easily be spooked by strange noises. It is said that a dove will return to the same spot a couple of times when hearing a strange noise but will not return a third time to the same location. Similarly, God said to Noah, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever” (Gen. 6:3). The Holy Spirit can be vexed, grieved and even blasphemed (Eph.

4:30; Mark 3:29). When the Holy Spirit is purposely offended, He can eventually depart from a person, as He did with King Saul (1 Sam. 16:14). It is also interesting to note that when most birds hover in the air, their wing tips point toward the back, in

Just as the oil descended upon the heads of priests, the Holy Spirit manifested as a dove at Christ’s baptism and descended upon His head. the direction of their tail feathers. On a dove, however, the wing tips point toward the head. This is unique when we consider how the anointing oil was poured upon the heads of the kings and priests in Israel. The oil was poured from one ear, across the front of the head, to the other ear. It was poured in the form of a Hebrew letter kuf, whose shape is similar to a dove’s wings when it is hovering and its wings are opened. Just as the oil descended upon the heads of priests, the Holy Spirit manifested as a dove at Christ’s baptism and descended upon His head. Years ago, the great evangelist Leonard Ravenhill noted that there are nine main feathers on the left and right wings of the dove. He pointed out that there are

also nine gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:7-10) and nine fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). There are also five main tail feathers on a dove, which can represent the fivefold ministry gifts of apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists and teachers (Eph. 4:11). The tail feathers of a dove are like the rudder of a ship—they assist in balance and direction in flight, just as the fivefold ministry gifts in the church bring balance to the body of Christ.

A Code in the Covering Returning to the story of Noah, the ark was prepared with a special upper window. This window is mentioned twice in the flood narrative—once before and once after, when the waters were settling—and two different Hebrew words are used and translated “window.” Before the flood, the window is called tsohar, a word meaning “light or illumination.” This was a literal window in the ark where light could stream in from the outside world and allow Noah to see out. This window was not glass but would have been an opening on the top level of the ark, most likely protected by wooden coverings. After the flood, Noah opened the same window. However, the Hebrew word used in this instance is challown, which refers to the covering over the window rather than the window itself. The challown would have been made of wood and been designed to keep the rain out. When Noah opened the window, the light and illumination

THE “END-TIME FLOODS” Three floods will unleash the fullness of time Rain and water were central features in the flood story of Noah, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is compared to rain being poured out (Joel 2:28-29). But did you know three types of floods will mark the end times, according to Scripture? » The future Antichrist will arise when “the transgressors have reached their fullness” (Dan. 8:23). » The end “shall be with a flood,” and terrible wars will be a sign of the time of the end (Dan. 9:26). » A flood of spiritual knowledge of God’s glory will cover the earth “as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14).

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poured into a dim ark, and the dove had an opening to flow in and out. Studying this many years ago, I realized the ark was a picture of safety and security in a time of distress and trouble. This man-made window not only kept the rain from getting in, but it also prevented or withheld the dove from being free to get out and fly. I can’t help but compare this to some churches that place man-made barriers inside the congregation to protect the people but which often lead to man-made control, such as when the rain of the Holy Spirit is falling in locations other than their church and the leadership “closes the window” to prevent anyone from seeing or experiencing these outpourings. These barriers prevent the Dove, the Holy Spirit, from having free access to the face of the waters where new life will soon burst in the light of the Son of God. There are so many spiritual hindrances, including the traditions of men, that can stop the flow of the Spirit. We must remove denominational coverings that have separated the outpouring on the outside from the people on the inside. Spiritual veils must melt from the eyes of our understanding, and this is accomplished through deeper illumination and understanding of the Word. According to Paul, when these spiritual veils are removed, then the Spirit is free to work, and “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17).

Time to Free the Dove You’ll remember that in the New Testament, men served as money-changers at the temple. This is because the Roman government was in charge of the currency, but only Hebrew coins were permissible to pay the temple tax—thus the need for money-changers who set up tables in the court of the Gentiles and exchanged the Roman coins for local coins. Those attending worship from other nations often brought with them coins affixed with the faces of men, gods or animals, which also were exchanged before entering the temple. These exchanges provided oil, salt, wine and animals for the various sacrifices—all purchasable for a price. Money-changing had become a very profitable business, as the exchange rates went as high as 300 percent. And on the particular day Christ entered the temple, He would have first passed by the court of the Gentiles, where the tables of the money-changers were set. While passing by, Christ would also have observed doves being kept and sold in the area. According to Leviticus 12:5-6, the doves were a special offering after a woman gave birth to a child, and the offering was for purification. At the moment He saw all this activity, Christ set His heart on purifying the temple compound, and He began overturning the tables of the money-changers and those who sold doves: “Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the

money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer,” but you have made it a “den of thieves” ’ ” (Matt. 21:12-13). We can assume that when the fragile wooden cages of the doves struck the floor, they broke, and suddenly the doves were loosed and began to fly. Imagine those freed white birds seen by casual observers from any high hill, such as the Mount of Olives. In my mind, I see many individuals who needed healing or a miracle watching the commotion from afar. As they came to the temple to see—or perhaps were carried there by others—notice what occurred next: “Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them” (v. 14). When the house of God is cleansed from selfish, greedy and carnal leaders and the church no longer sits in its seat and attempts to control the movement of the Dove, releasing Him instead within the body of Christ for ministry, then we see sinners converted, the depressed released, the sick cured and the people rejoice.

An Anointing of the Mouth Out of the flood waters, the dove returned to the ark with an olive leaf in its mouth. Of the hundreds of possible tree leaves to reappear after the earth was covered with water, the dove found the leaf of a tree created by God to produce olives. When crushed, the olives from the olive trees produce thick yellow oil, which we’ve noted

When a rabbi in Jerusalem told Perry Stone that, according to Jewish tradition, speaking in tongues was something the high priest did in the holy of holies, Stone set out to discover lesserknown details and insights concerning the Holy Spirit. The result of that journey is his latest revelation-packed book, The Code of the Holy Spirit, available online or in bookstores across the nation.

was used to anoint the national and spiritual leaders of Israel. This is the leaf that came back in the mouth of the dove. The anointing of the Holy Spirit is not a cloud, a fire or even a dove, but rather a divine presence whose authority is released through the mouth—through preaching, teaching, singing and prophetic utterances flowing like oil from the lips of those upon whom the Spirit has rested. The prophet Zechariah described two olive trees on the left and right side of the menorah whose olive branches are like pipes pouring out golden oil. They are identified as the two anointed ones standing by the Lord (Zech. 4:11-14). Thus, the dove represents the Holy Spirit and the olive leaf the anointing that flows through the spoken word He gives. He is still like unto a dove! 3 PERRY STONE is the best-selling author of numerous books, including How to Interpret Dreams and Visions and The Code of the Holy Spirit, from which this article is adapted. He directs one of America’s fastest-growing ministries, the Voice of Evangelism, and lives in Cleveland, Tenn., with his wife, Pam, and their two children.

A PARALLEL CREATION Surprising dovetails between creation and the flood

Many end-time signs are encoded in the days of Noah, just as Christ reminded His followers: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man” (Luke 17:26). Often overlooked, however, are the parallels between the original creation account and the new creation established after the flood. Take note of these similarities and see that the flood was actually a re-creation of God’s original plan. During the first act of creation, “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2, KJV). At the re-creation after the flood, “The ark went upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 7:18). In Eden, God blessed the first couple and commanded them to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth (Gen. 1:28). After the flood, “God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply,

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and fill the earth’ ” (Gen. 9:1, NKJV). In the original creation act, “God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind” (Gen. 1:25). In the Noah account, we read God instructing him, “Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing” (Gen. 8:17). God’s plan for mankind was for him to “have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing” (Gen 1:26). God gave a similar promise to Noah after the flood: “The fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea” (Gen. 9:2).

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RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT THE TRUTH ABOUT THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT MOST BELIEVERS DON’T KNOW

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any people think Jesus’ Watch as Robert Morris explains the difference between the Holy final words of instruction Spirit baptizing us in Jesus and Jesus baptizing us in the Holy Spirit to His disciples are found in the final two verses of the book of Matthew, when He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations ... teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). However, these words were not the last Jesus spoke to His disciples. His final word of instruction to His followers was not “go.” It was “wait.” We find this command recorded in the final chapter of Luke and again in Acts 1: “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, empowerment of the Holy Spirit, nothing would happen. ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with He was telling them, “Don’t try to do anything I’ve water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not instructed and called you to do until you’ve received this many days from now’ ” (Acts 1:4-5, emphasis added). additional baptism. You’ll only be striving in your own Jesus’ final instruction was to wait. Wait for what? natural ability, and nothing of lasting spiritual value will The promise. What promise? The baptism in the Holy be accomplished. Wait! Wait for what I promised you—a Spirit. Helper.” Jesus told His disciples to “wait” before they “go” If you’ve been born again, the Holy Spirit baptized change the world. He knew if they went without the you into Jesus at the moment you were saved. But let

me ask you: Have you asked Jesus to baptize you in the Holy Spirit? If not, in whose power are you attempting to live the Christian life?

The Three Baptisms Many Christians are unfamiliar with the baptism in the Holy Spirit. In fact, most believers only know about water baptism. We can easily deal with this baptism because the Bible depicts it clearly—take John the Baptist’s activity in the Jordan River, for example. If you attend a church that practices water baptism, you see it with your own eyes all the time. Still, the Bible mentions two baptisms you can’t see with your physical eyes; you can only see the aftereffects of them in a person’s life. Let’s explore all three to understand the differences. 1) Baptism of the Holy Spirit. You probably already know about this baptism, but you might know it by a different name: salvation. First Corinthians 12:13 says, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free.” Who is doing the baptizing in this verse? The Holy Spirit. When you and I experienced salvation, we were both baptized into the same body—the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the agent who did the baptizing. This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but it’s not the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

2) Water baptism. If we are obedient to the commands of Scripture, we choose to experience a second baptism, this one in water. This type of baptism is what Jesus had in mind when He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). This baptism symbolizes our new life in Christ. 3) Baptism in the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist refers to Jesus, saying, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John’s statement here is one of just a handful of statements or accounts present in all four Gospels—you can find the other three versions of this verse in Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16 and John 1:33. You’ll also find accounts of the death and resurrection of Jesus in all four Gospels, as these events are obviously central to the gospel story and explain vital truths believers need to understand. I believe it’s significant that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is in all four as well. Scripture clearly shows us Jesus is the one who performs this baptism, immersing us in the Holy Spirit. Yet because this baptism has been harmfully misrepresented, countless Christians avoid it. How could Jesus baptizing us in the Holy Spirit possibly be a bad

thing, though—especially when it’s so plainly present in the Bible?

Peter’s Pentecost Sermon This promise of the baptism in the Holy Spirit came powerfully to the disciples in Acts 2. Peter delivers a sermon immediately after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. In response to Peter’s preaching, a number of his Jewish listeners fall under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:37 tells us, “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ ” “What shall we do?” That’s a pretty broad question. How does Peter respond? “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call’ ” (vv. 38-39). Notice that in the active verbs in these verses, Peter outlines three baptisms. He says: 1) Repent. This is the vital primary step in the baptism of salvation. 2) Be baptized. Peter urges his listeners to follow Jesus’ example by submitting themselves to water baptism.

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3) Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the third baptism. As Peter indicates here, the Holy Spirit will not force Himself upon anyone. He must be “received.” From here on out, the third baptism continually follows the first two as an essential, critical part of the Christian life.

Great Joy in Samaria For example, in Acts 8 we find the evangelist Philip preaching and teaching in Samaria. After a revival breaks out, many people are healed, delivered from demonic oppression and saved. Then, verse 12 tells us, “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.” Two of the three baptisms are found in this verse. “They believed” means the people received the baptism of salvation. Then they were baptized in water—that’s two. What about the third baptism—immersion in the Holy Spirit? Let’s keep reading: “Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (vv. 14-16). Notice what this passage doesn’t say. It doesn’t tell

us that when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John, who gave these new believers the right hand of Christian fellowship because they had everything they needed. In the early years of my Christian walk, this is precisely what I was taught. I was told that once I was saved and waterbaptized, I had everything I needed Robert Morris

Without receiving the Holy Spirit, I was living a powerless, defeated life of minimal effectiveness. to live the Christian life. Of course now I know that without receiving the Holy Spirit, I was living a powerless and defeated life of minimal effectiveness in God’s kingdom. Peter and John didn’t dare do that kind of disservice to the new believers of Samaria. They were happy these folks had received the first two baptisms. But the first

thing the disciples asked was whether or not the new believers had received the third one. When the answer came back no, the apostles immediately addressed the situation: “They laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit” (v. 17). Only then were these new Christians fully equipped to be all God called them to be. I’ve heard people argue that the baptism in the Holy Spirit only occurred on the day of Pentecost, yet these events in Samaria occurred months or even years after those of Acts 2—and this isn’t the last time we see people experiencing three baptisms in the Scriptures, either.

The Pattern Continues in Ephesus Many years after the Pentecost outpouring, we hear about the apostle Paul’s ministry in Ephesus, recorded in Acts 19: “And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit’ ” (vv. 1-2, emphasis added). Interestingly, the people Paul encountered were “disciples” who already “believed,” meaning they were followers of Jesus Christ. Now notice Paul’s question: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Paul doesn’t seem to have any doubt in his mind that

someone can come to saving faith in Jesus Christ yet not receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit. In other words, Paul knows that a person can be baptized by the Holy Spirit into Christ (salvation) yet not be baptized by Jesus into the Holy Spirit. By the way, I love the response of the believers: “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” Maybe these people went to the same church I attended as a boy! Someone told them enough about Jesus so they could be saved, but they hadn’t even heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul found this so puzzling that he decided to check and make sure these people were actually saved: “And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ ” (v. 3). When they said, “Into John’s baptism,” Paul explained what they were missing: “Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after Him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied” (vv. 4-6). Notice what happens when the Ephesian believers receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit: they spoke with tongues and prophesied. We see this pattern again and again throughout the book of Acts.

Three Witnesses in Heaven and on Earth Now let’s look at 1 John 5:7: “There are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.” Of course, “the Word” is a reference to Jesus. But do you believe what this verse says—that the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit “are one”? In other words, do you believe in the Trinity? I suspect you do. This verse says that these three all “bear witness in heaven.” Of course, we aren’t in heaven right now. We’re on earth. So who or what is bearing witness here on earth? The next verse tells us: “And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one” (v. 8). Here we have the three baptisms in reverse order! The three “witnesses” on earth are the Holy Spirit baptism, water baptism and salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. Each one of these baptisms represents a distinct work of grace God wants to do in our hearts and lives. Salvation is a miraculous work of grace upon the heart. Water baptism is a work of grace in and upon the heart of man. And a believer’s baptism in the Holy Spirit releases within us the supernatural empowerment to do all that God calls us to do. As we’ve seen, Jesus commanded His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the promised Holy Spirit came.

Why? Because in Jesus’ own words, they would be clothed in heavenly power (Luke 24:49), receive empowerment to be witnesses for Him all over the world (Acts 1:8) and do even greater things than He had done (John 14:12). Let me condense and summarize these three “witnesses” in a personal way. When I was saved, I became a new person. When I was baptized in water, the old person was cut off. And when I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, I received the power to walk in the new. That third baptism makes a huge difference! For years, I tried to live in victory, power and purity. However, I experienced little but failure and frustration. After I received that third baptism, everything changed. The wonderful intimacy with the Holy Spirit that I began to enjoy became so precious to me that I would shrink back at the thought of doing anything that would grieve Him. Because God’s Word was now alive to me in new ways, I suddenly found Scriptures coming to mind at critical times of need or temptation. That sense of anointing I had frequently experienced in the pulpit quickly came to be a part of my daily life—at the grocery store, on the golf course and, most important, inside the walls of my home.

What About You? I want you to ask yourself an important question: “Have I experienced only two baptisms?”

Have you ever experienced an immersion in the Holy Spirit that brought supernatural power and help into your life? Jesus wants to baptize you with power from on high. Why in the world would anyone say “Thanks, but no thanks” to that? Many Christians are living lives of defeat, frustration and failure, as I did before I opened my heart and mind to this third baptism. I’ve tried living without the Holy Spirit’s power, but I wouldn’t go back to that way of living for all the money in the world. It’s too wonderful to have God the Holy Spirit as a best friend. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). That’s the biblical truth that can transform your life. Will you pray and receive the Holy Spirit today? 3 ROBERT MORRIS is founding senior pastor of Gateway Church, a multi-campus, evangelistic, Spirit-empowered church in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. He is featured on the weekly television program The Blessed Life, broadcast to approximately 90 million homes in the United States and more than 200 countries around the world. He is the best-selling author of 11 books including The Blessed Life, From Dream to Destiny and The God I Never Knew. Robert and his wife, Debbie, have been married 32 years and are blessed with one daughter, two sons and three grandchildren. You can follow Robert on Twitter @PsRobertMorris.

Straight Talk

BY JOYCE MEYER

DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH POWER IN YOUR LIFE?

The anointing of the Holy Spirit is meant for you—but you have to be ready for it

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here’s nothing more valuable than God’s presence in our lives. That presence is often equated with the Holy Spirit’s anointing, which increases our desire to completely and promptly obey God. Because the more we love, trust and obey God, the stronger His anointing will be in our lives. Now, God’s love for you is perfect, complete and unconditional. He couldn’t love you any more than He does right now, and His love for you never changes. But we can grow in our love for Him.

And as this love grows, it causes more of the anointing of the Holy Spirit to work in and through us. The Anointing Abides in You Jesus Christ is the Anointed One, so when we are born again, His anointing abides in us. The word anoint means “to smear or rub all over.” It’s wonderful to think about how in Christ, we are “rubbed in and smeared all over” with the Holy Spirit. First John 2:27 says, “But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which

you received from Him abides [permanently] in you” (AMP). Notice how this Scripture says the anointing abides permanently—it won’t go away. I also like that word unction— it’s like having Holy Spirit “umph!” or power to do what God is calling us to do. When we follow the anointing, we make wise decisions. Pay the Price to Have More Power In one way, the anointing is a free gift from God that comes by His grace and mercy. But in

another way, there is a price to pay for it. While the anointing abides in us through our salvation, it can’t come through our lives until we are broken before God. That’s when the oil of the Holy Spirit in us is poured out and can be a benefit to others. So what is it that needs to be broken in us? Things such as rebellion, stubbornness, pride and a spirit that’s independent from God are a few areas of disobedience that can keep the anointing from working through us. You see, the vehicle that carries the anointing is the soul— our mind, will and emotions. And when we are led by our natural, carnal or fleshly impulses, we aren’t being led by the Holy Spirit. We need to protect the anointing.

It’s Not Just for Spiritual Things We need to understand that we dare not do anything without God’s anointing and that there’s an anointing for everything we need to do. It’s not just for ministers or for spiritual areas of life.

The anointing is what enables and equips us to do what God asks us to do. The anointing is what enables and equips us to do what God asks us to do. You have an anointing to be a parent, spouse or business person. Whatever you are gifted to do, you have an anointing for it. It’s

amazing when God uses someone to do something that they don’t have the ability to do on their own. That’s the power of the anointing! Jesus Is Our Example Philippians 2:10 says, “(At) the name of Jesus every knee ... (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” He is God, and He is all-powerful! Yet He is also our example in humility. Verses 5-8 in this same chapter tell us we are to have the same attitude He demonstrated. Although He is one with God, Jesus stripped Himself of all privileges and became a servant. He humbled Himself and was obedient even to death on the cross. Power is connected to obedience, which means the anointing is released when we get rid

of our selfish, self-centered, independent attitudes and humble ourselves before God. As you

choose to be radically obedient to God, you will have the same power that raised Christ from the

dead working in you—and you’ll be amazed by the anointing of the Holy Spirit in your life!

JOYCE MEYER is a New York Times best-selling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has authored nearly 100 books, including her latest, Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits. She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. To read past columns in Charisma by Joyce, visit charismamag.com/meyer.

How to Produce Divine Fruit BY

Jesus explicitly described what happens when His disciples fail to bear fruit. But in calling us to abide in Him—like branches to a vine—He also revealed the keys to yielding the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

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t might surprise you to learn that receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit doesn’t automatically result in the fruit of the Spirit being formed in our lives. One who has yielded his life more fully to the Holy Spirit in receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit will obviously have the divine enabling to develop more fruit, much fruit and fruit that remains. But how much fruit we bear has to do with how closely we abide in Christ. Because fruit-bearing is a direct result of abiding in Christ, this means there are deeply spiritual and fruitful Christians who have never displayed evidence of having received the Pentecostal experience of Holy Spirit baptism. On the other hand, it is sadly true that there are Spirit-baptized Christians who have not developed the fruit of the Spirit to any degree in their lives through consciously abiding in Christ. Both cases prove the reality that fruitfulness is not a result of receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit but is a result of abiding in Christ. It remains, then, that the key to the quantity and quality of fruitfulness in our lives is abiding in Christ, the Vine, in obedience to His commands. Let’s explore this abiding principle together.

We Bear Fruit by Abiding Perry Brewster makes this observation regarding fruit-bearing Christians in his book Pentecostal Doctrine: “Our likeness to Christ is definitely not something applied from without, as a cosmetic transformation produced

by a formula of some religious make-up department. It is a genuine likeness produced by an intimate relationship with Him. Christ’s own analogy of the vine and the branches upholds this (John 15:1). The branches are not merely vinelike; they are a part of the vine. Likewise the fruit does not merely resemble grapes, but possesses their inherent structure and taste.”

Because fruit-bearing is a direct result of abiding in Christ, this means there are deeply spiritual and fruitful Christians who have never displayed evidence of having received the Pentecostal experience of Holy Spirit baptism. Fruitfulness is the principal purpose for the existence of a tree. Jesus taught His disciples that fruitfulness was His purpose for them as well. He told them, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain” (John 15:16). In this great teaching, Jesus called Himself “the true vine” and His Father “the vinedresser” (v. 1). He called the disciples “branches” (v. 5) and told them to abide in Him so they could bring forth fruit (v. 4). He warned them, “Every branch in Me

that does not bear fruit He [the Father] takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (v. 2). Jesus cursed the fig tree because it did not bring forth fruit, and in the morning the disciples found the tree had died (Matt. 21:18-20). Does He not have the right to expect to find fruit on His tree of life in His garden? Thus, fruitfulness is a result of a relationship that is carefully cultivated. Jesus taught His disciples they could only be fruitful by learning to abide in Him.

just like the gifts are: by the Holy Spirit. But then I realized it is not the Spirit Himself who bears the fruit but the Christ-life within us that produces the fruit of godly character in us. The Holy Spirit produces the Christ-life in us as we obey Him, causing the holiness and divine nature of our Lord Jesus to be manifest through us. The fruit of the Spirit, then, is the true character of the Christian life that replaces the self-life, or old man, as the Scriptures label our sin nature. It is the fruit of the Tree of Life, Christ, who lives in the garden of our spirits.

The Role of the Holy Spirit It is no accident that the Word calls the third Person of the Godhead the Holy Spirit. Holiness characterizes His divine nature. One of the supreme mandates of the Holy Spirit is to impart the holiness of God to us, to change us from glory to glory, giving us His divine nature and His character. As the Spirit works in each believer, He develops within us His character, which is identified by the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 describes this fruit as “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Ephesians 5:9 says the “fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.” And Romans 6:22 says, “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” I used to think the fruit of the Spirit was produced

Fruit Can Be Seen The more one abides in Christ—and is therefore filled with the Holy Spirit—the greater the manifestation of the Spirit’s fruit in that person’s life and work. Only when a believer is full of the Holy Spirit, continually yielding to Him, can he exhibit the full fruition of Christian virtues. When Christ is formed in the believer through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, true Christlike character will be as natural a result as pears growing on a pear tree. The fruit of the Spirit is produced automatically when we are yielded to the Holy Spirit and walking in obedience to Him. Spirit-filled men and women can be distinguished by their fruit in the same way that a carnal person can be identified by fleshly works. If we are abiding in Christ, the

fruit of the Spirit will be manifest in our lives; it cannot be hidden. So also are the works of the flesh manifest in one who is not abiding in Christ. A carnal person is one who is not governed by the indwelling Spirit of God. This egocentric, self-centered life manifests the works of the flesh, while a Christ-centered life will manifest the fruit of the Spirit.

Works of the Flesh vs. Fruit of the Spirit The principle of fruit-bearing is literally a life principle. Life develops from a life source; it cannot be manufactured. Fruit is not made; it grows as the requirements of the life principle are met. Therefore, fruit is born in our lives as we are connected to our life source, which is Christ. In contrast, the works of the flesh as described in the Scriptures are a negative result of human effort without the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:19-23 describes the striking contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. The early 20th-century Methodist minister Samuel Chadwick referred to this passage in his book The Way to Pentecost: “Work belongs to the workshop; fruit belongs to the garden. One comes from the ingenuity of the factory; the other is the silent growth of an abounding life. The factory operates with dead stuff; the garden cultivates a living force to their appointed end. Works are always in the realm of dead things. Every building

is built out of dead material ... Fruit does not come of man’s labor. It requires his diligence, but it is neither his invention nor his product. He does not make the flowers. No skill of his brings the golden harvest of the fields or the lush fruit of the trees. When man has done all he can do, then God begins and life proceeds. Fruit is God’s work. The phrase ‘fruit of the Spirit’ assigns the graces of the Christian character to their proper source. They are not of man’s producing.” The Scriptures clearly teach the life principle involved in bearing fruit. The flesh can produce nothing but evil works, while the Holy Spirit produces Christ-life fruit. The former requires self-effort and results in death; the latter requires obedience to the Holy Spirit and produces life and peace.

Not Our Work Suppose we were to ask a branch on a grapevine, “How do you grow luscious fruit?” If the branch could talk, it probably would say, “I don’t know. I don’t grow any of it; I just bear it. If you cut me away from this vine, I will just wither away and become useless.” Just as without the vine the branch can produce nothing, so it is in our Christian lives. If we strain to work to produce the fruit of the Spirit ourselves, we will find ourselves fruitless and frustrated. But if we abide in Christ, maintaining a close, obedient, dependent relationship with Him, the Holy Spirit can work in us,

creating and producing the fruit of the Spirit. This doesn’t mean we instantly become mature, bearing all the fruit of the Spirit fully and immediately. Even after fruit appears on the tree, it takes time— during which the elements of wind and rain and even storms bring the fruit to maturity. This desired maturity is impossible without our continually abiding in the Vine.

Producing Fruit How, then, does the Holy Spirit work in our lives to produce the fruit of a Christ-life character? Allow me to highlight at least five ways. 1) Through God’s Word. The psalmist described the “blessed man” as a tree planted by the river of water that yields its fruit in its season (Ps. 1:3). He declares of this fruitful life that “his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (v. 2). The place we give the Word of God in our lives will determine our degree of fruitfulness. For example, I knew a woman who was a faithful reader of the Word, and her life evidenced it by the fruit she was bearing. But for some reason she neglected her study of the Word for three or four days, and she began to be irritable and impatient. Her little 4-yearold daughter observed her mother’s reactions for a day and then said to her, “Mother, why don’t you get into the Word?” That 4-year-old understood this principle of

abiding in the Word better than most of us. As we learn to abide in the true Vine, His life flows into us, producing the fruit of the Spirit to the Father’s glory and to the blessing of others. 2) Through meditation. David doesn’t say this blessed man simply reads the Word. He meditates on it as well. The word selah, found throughout the Psalms, means “to meditate, to stop and think about what has been said.” A word picture of selah is the cow chewing her cud after eating to assimilate all she has swallowed. As we read and meditate on the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit can convince us of sin that needs to be purged and can direct us to God’s standard of holiness and righteousness for our lives. Apart from applying the Word of God, there can be no lasting spiritual growth and no fruit-bearing in our lives. 3) Through spiritual disciplines. Jesus said that abiding in Him was a prerequisite for bearing fruit; therefore we need to give ourselves to spiritual disciplines in our lives that will help cultivate this abiding relationship. These disciplines include not only giving ourselves to searching the Word of God, but also hearing the Word via anointed preaching, as well as spending much time in prayer and worship in the Spirit. These help us feed our inner man on Christ’s life and help grace us in our relationship with Him. Fellowship with other believers is

also an important spiritual discipline because it allows us to commune with Christ and to participate in His life indirectly through each other. 4) Through obedience. Obedience is almost an obsolete word in Christendom. We hear much about faith but so little about obedience. But Jesus said, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love” (John 15:10). The secret to abiding in Christ is to believe in our spirits, obey in our souls and yield our flesh to the power of the Holy Spirit. This abiding obedience involves every aspect of our person. Obedience brings maturity and develops the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. 5) Through pruning. If we do not abide in Christ, we cannot bear fruit and, according to Jesus’ teaching, such believers will be cast away (v. 6). If a branch does bear fruit, the requirement made of the fruitless branch is that it endure pruning. Listen again to Jesus’ words: “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He [the Father] takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (v. 2). Leaves and foliage can be very beautiful. In the spring I can look out in the yard and the trees are verdant, luscious and lively. However, it is only by pruning that such foliage continues to flourish. The primary purpose of pruning a branch is to remove the wood that produced fruit in the last season in order to force the vine to grow

new wood that will produce new fruit in this new season. God does not perpetuate the old; He prunes to force new growth. If we have experienced some pruning in our lives, it is not because God is mad at us or that there is necessarily sin in our lives. It is that the Father is pleased we are bearing fruit, and He knows that to increase the quality and quantity of that fruit, we need to be pruned.

Abiding in the Vine If abiding is the primary condition God sets before us to bear the fruit of the Spirit, then why do we seek to be fruitful in other ways? Why is it that the simplicity of God’s way is always the way that seems so difficult for the flesh? It is, according to the Scriptures, because our spirits and our flesh are at war. Our flesh opposes the desire of the Holy Spirit to make us holy because it does not want to die. Yet as we cultivate a fruitful relationship in Christ by spending time reading and meditating on God’s Word and in prayer, the Holy Spirit continually reveals truth to us. Then, as we walk in obedience to that truth instead of obeying our fleshly desires, the Holy Spirit transforms us and we begin to bring forth His fruit by the power of the Spirit. Every believer must have an unbroken relationship with Christ sustained by obedience. In unwavering faith in what Christ has done, we must acknowledge Him

as the Vine and His Father as the “Husbandman,” the divine Pruner. God has preordained, foreordained and predestined us to bear fruit. As we consciously and continuously fellowship—abide—with our Lord, we will become fruitbearing trees. Let us therefore be diligent to yield to the Holy Spirit, obey His commands and walk in His will so we may be fruitful. 3

FUCHSIA PICKETT, who passed away in 2004, was miraculously healed of a genetic, life-threatening disease in 1959, was baptized in the Holy Spirit and began to minister the Word of God worldwide. Known for her remarkable insight into Scripture, she was a Methodist professor and pastor for more than 50 years. She also wrote the bestselling book The Next Move of God, as well as other classic works such as Receiving Divine Revelation and Stones of Remembrance.

GIF T STANDS NO

ALONE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT ONLY THE GIFT TO EVERY BELIEVER, HE’S ALSO THE BESTOWER OF MANY SPIRITUAL GIFTS. HERE’S WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY THOSE GIFTS AND EXERCISE THEM WITHIN THE BODY OF BELIEVERS. B Y R O N P H I L L I P S

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young man in my last church cut off three of his fingers while cutting a piece of paneling in a van customizing shop. As he was being rushed to the hospital, he was asked, “Where are the fingers?” A man rushed back to the shop with a bowl of ice, grabbed the three digits and then rushed them to Birmingham in the ambulance along with the young man. Nineteen hours of microsurgery reattached those fingers to the young man’s hand. Had they been left in the sawdust of that shop, the fingers would have been useless. They were only good to him if they were attached to his body. It’s the same way when it comes to our attachment to the body of Christ, both globally and locally. We are members of the body—whether a finger, an ear, an eye or a spleen—and we need the rest of the body in order to live. We cannot make it on our own. What’s more, being a member of the body of Christ means we have a unique gifting the rest of the body needs too. We need one another and the giftings of the Spirit we each bring to the thriving of the body. Let’s explore why.

The Singular Gift

Ron Phillips shares how to understand and activate your

First, it’s important to understand spiritual gifts the difference between the “gift” of the Spirit and the “gifts” of the Spirit. Much confusion abounds in many churches because of a failure to understand the difference. The gift of the Spirit to the church was given after the ascension and glorification of our Savior. (See John 7:39.) The Holy Spirit had been in the world before then, but now He had come to live in the hearts of His people in a new and special way. He came to dwell permanently within us (John 14:16-17, 26). In Acts 2:38, the sinner is commanded to repent, after which we are told the gift of the Holy Spirit is given. The word is singular here: gift. In Acts 10:45, this the Spirit is God’s controlling presence in our lives. He gift is discovered to be given to non-Jews also. will fill only what we yield to Him. This means we may The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to every believer have the Spirit and yet not be filled with Him. at the moment of conversion. In that moment, you are The Multiple Gifts baptized by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 12:13). This Now, all of this so far has to do with the gift—singular means that you are immersed in the Spirit and He in —of the Spirit. He comes into our lives to save us, susyou. tain us and strengthen us. But the Holy Spirit is also Once we are saved and have the indwelling Spirit, the bestower of gifts—plural—to the believer (1 Cor. 12; then we may be filled with the Holy Spirit. The filling of

Rom. 12). These spiritual gifts are endowments of power from God given so that we might fulfill the calling of God on our lives. To understand the importance of these spiritual gifts, we must first understand the church as the body of Christ. Paul describes and compares the unity and diversity of the human body to the church body in explaining the purpose of spiritual gifts. Through this metaphor, we learn three important truths: 1) They are divine gifts. The gifts of the Spirit come from the same source. In 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, we see the source as the triune God. Verse 11 sets forth the fact that these gifts are sovereignly bestowed. God not only gives the gifts, but He also decides who gets which gifts. Verse 18 supports this by declaring that God sets the members into the church as it pleases Him. Spiritual gifts are not natural talents or abilities that you are born with—those are your natural gifts. Rather, spiritual gifts are the supernatural gifts of God. 2) They are different gifts. The New International Version’s translation of 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 uses the word different three times. In the verses that follow, three categories of gifts are listed: motivational gifts, ministry gifts and manifestation gifts. The important thing to note is that different gifts are given to different people. The symbolism of the body holds true here. Every member of the body is different. Paul uses the foot, the

hand, the ear, the eye and the nose as examples. How ridiculous it would be if we were all one foot, eye, ear, hand or nose! A body is made up of different members, and God has so designed the human body that each member is necessary for it to function properly. Each church, then, has different members with different gifts. When will we learn that we are not all alike and that it is in that diversity—both in our spiritual and social abilities and strengths—that we are best able to function as the body of Christ? Most church problems come because we are intolerant of others who have a different motivation than we do. Many quit the church because they can’t respond to the differences of others. But we must learn that all should not be alike. God made us and gifted us differently on purpose. 3) They are dependent gifts. Christ’s body is unified but not uniform, and the value of a member is in its attachment to the body. First Corinthians 12:25-26 describes this dependence we ought to have on each other. Suppose my stomach sends a signal to my brain of hunger. My feet carry me to the place where my eyes and nose tell me there is food. My hand grasps a fork and a knife when I see that steak. My hand carries a piece of that steak not to my ear or foot or eye, but to that convenient opening in the middle of my face called the mouth. There, enamel grinders called teeth chew

THE GIFT LIST 25 gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Scripture Most Christians are familiar with the nine gifts of the Spirit that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 12:4-10. But did you know there are many more? Though the exact number is debatable, here are at least 25 spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit gave to the early church—and continues to give today. 1) Word of wisdom (1 Cor. 12:8; Luke 6:9) 2) Word of knowledge (1 Cor. 12:8; Luke 18:22) 3) Faith (1 Cor. 12:9; Acts 3:6) 4) Gifts of healing (1 Cor. 12:9, 28; Acts 28:1-10) 5) Working of miracles (1 Cor. 12:10; Acts 6:8) 6) Prophecy (1 Cor. 12:10; 1 Thess. 5:20-21; Eph. 4:11) 7) Discerning of spirits (1 Cor. 12:10; Luke 8:29) 8) Tongues (1 Cor. 12:10; Acts 19:6) 9) Interpretation of tongues (1 Cor. 12:10; 14:13-33) 10) Helping (1 Cor. 12:28) 11) Administration (1 Cor. 12:28; Acts 6:2-3) 12) Ministry/service (Rom. 12:7; 2 Tim. 1:16-18) 13) Teaching (Rom. 12:7; Eph. 4:11-14)

14) Encouragement (Rom. 12:8; Heb. 10:24-25) 15) Giving (Rom. 12:8; 1 Cor. 13:3; Acts 4:32-35) 16) Leadership (Rom. 12:8; Acts 13:12) 17) Mercy (Rom. 12:8; Luke 5:12-13) 18) Apostleship (Eph. 4:11) 19) Evangelism (Eph. 4:11; 2 Tim. 4:5) 20) Pastoral guidance (Eph. 4:11) 21) Grace (Rom. 12:6; Eph. 3:7; 4:7; 1 Pet. 4:10-11) 22) Willingness to face martyrdom (1 Cor. 13:3) 23) Intercession (Rom. 8:26-27) 24) Hospitality (1 Pet. 4:9) 25) Celibacy (1 Cor. 7:8)

the food and keep me from choking to death. Glands provide liquid so the food can be conveyed safely to my stomach, where the bloodstream will carry the food’s nutrients to the rest of my body. Just as the body cares for itself, so church members are to care for one another, hurt with one another and rejoice with one another. We are the body of Christ, and He is our head. We must move as He directs us. We are

not to be divided but unified.

Dangers Associated With the Gifts When it comes to the church and its exercise of the Holy Spirit’s gifts, I see some interesting but dangerous trends in our day. Let me list them for you and explain. They are: 1) The neglect of spiritual gifts. God has provided

gifts so His church will grow, yet very few churches operate on the basis of God’s gifting. This neglect is one cause of the anemic growth of the Western church. 2) The fear of spiritual gifts. Some are afraid of the gifts, especially the manifested gifts such as tongues, healing and miracles. This fear is rooted in control issues. Certainly excesses can be dealt with in love, but the church must not fear the graces of the Holy Spirit. 3) The clustering of like gifts. Many churches have incomplete ministries because they have attracted those with like gifts. For instance, a pastor with a strong teaching gift attracts others with the teaching gift. You can end up with a group of well-fed, well-studied teachers while other ministries go neglected. While we’re on the subject of like gifts gravitating toward like gifts, you may need to hear the following: It may be time for you to share your gifts with the greater body of Christ. If you are constantly complaining of not being “fed,” you may actually be a teacher who needs to be teaching. Babies need to be fed, but mature Christians should be feeding themselves and others. 4) The lack of balance in the body of Christ. Suppose my hands suddenly grabbed a pencil and wrote my eye a note and said, “I am cutting myself off. I am tired of you sitting up there in the head.” Why, it would mean

a crippling of the body and the death of the hand, just like in the example of what could have happened to the young man from my church. Instead, we must learn some practical facts about the body of Christ. In summary, these facts are: » One part cannot function as the whole (1 Cor. 12:14). » The task of one cannot be given to another (vv. 15-17). » There are no self-made members (vv. 18-20). » All members are to be directed by the head, which is Christ (Col. 1:18). That is why you, as a Christian, need to be in a local body of the church. You need to be exercising your gift to the glory of God and the benefit of believers. I encourage you to get and stay connected to your local body today. 3 RON PHILLIPS is senior pastor of Abba’s House in Chattanooga, Tenn. His weekly television and daily radio programs are broadcast worldwide and available on the Internet. He is a sought-after speaker and the author of numerous books, including the four-part Foundations on the Holy Spirit, Our Invisible Allies and his latest, A GodSized Future.

10Reasons

for Speaking in Tongues

Most Christians—charismatics included— don’t understand the true benefits of speaking in tongues, nor why this gift is so valuable. Here are 10 reasons to prove why we need this wonderful gift. BY

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The manifestation that came with the gift of the Holy Spirit was speaking in tongues. It wasn’t the wind, fire, noise or feeling of God’s presence that was evidence of the gift being received but a spirit language—believers began speaking languages of the Spirit they didn’t understand. It was God’s plan for the gift to function as a spirit language for His children (Acts 2:4, 11; 1 Cor. 14:2).

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Jesus commanded us to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus commissioned the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the promise of the Father, He didn’t say, “Do this if you feel led to do so, or if it fits in your doctrinal or denominational beliefs, or if you have the time, or if you are so inclined, or if you feel comfortable about it.” No! Jesus commanded them to wait until they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Since Jesus put such importance on their receiving this gift, that’s more than enough reason for every Christian to seek God until they receive it too (Acts 1:4; 5:32; John 14:16-17; Eph. 5:18).

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The Scriptures exhort us to be filled with the Spirit and to pray in the new tongues of our spirit language. Our spirit language enables us to live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, be led of the Spirit, have the fruit of the Spirit, manifest the gifts of the Spirit and go from glory to glory until we are transformed into His same image (Gal. 5:22-25; Rom. 8:14; 1 Cor. 12:7-11; 14:15; Eph. 5:18; Acts 19:2; 2 Cor. 3:18).

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A spirit language is the greatest gift the Holy Spirit can give a believer. Jesus is the greatest gift God could give for the redemption of the world, and the Holy Spirit is the greatest gift Jesus could give to His church. Of all the resources in heaven and the eternal universe, nothing is more valuable, beneficial or important for the Holy Spirit to give the individual child of God than her own spirit language (1 Cor. 12:31; 14:4).

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Praying in tongues builds and increases our faith. Faith is the medium of exchange for all heavenly things, just as money is the medium of exchange for all earthly things. A major way to increase our faith is to pray in the tongues of our spirit language (Rom. 12:6; Jude 1:20; Mark 9:23; Matt. 9:29).

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Our spirit language enables us to have spirit-to-Spirit communication with God. Humans are spirit beings clothed with flesh-and-bone bodies. While man’s sin deadened the spirit, Jesus brings the spirit back to life by imparting His everlasting life into us. The Holy Spirit gives us a spirit language so we can communicate directly with God (John 4:24; 1 Cor. 15:45; Gen. 2:7; Rom. 5:12; John 3:3-5, 16).

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Praying in tongues activates the fruit of the Spirit. It’s vital and beneficial to have each of the spiritual attributes become active and mature in us. Praying in tongues helps us fulfill God’s predestined purpose for us to be conformed to the image of His Son (Gal. 5:22-23; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 Cor. 13:1-13; Rom. 8:29).

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Praying in our spirit language is the main way we fulfill the scriptural admonition to “pray without ceasing.” Christians can pray in tongues at any time. If we are in a place where it isn’t convenient or wise to speak out loud in tongues, we can pray with our inner man without making an audible sound (Eph. 6:18; 1 Thess. 5:17; Matt. 26:41; Luke 18:1; 21:36; 1 Cor. 14:15).

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The Holy Spirit directs our spirit language to pray in accordance with the will of God. Probably the only time we can be assured that we are praying 100 percent in the will of God is when we are praying in our spirit language. God always answers requests that are made in alignment with His will (Rom. 8:27; 1 John 5:14-15). Praying in tongues quiets the mind. When Dr. Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist, compared brain scans of Christians praying in tongues with Buddhist monks chanting and Catholic nuns praying, the study showed the frontal lobes— the brain’s control center—went quiet in the brains of Christians talking in tongues, proving that speaking in tongues isn’t a function of the natural brain but an operation of the spirit (1 Cor. 14:2, 14). 3

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Adapted from Seventy Reasons for Speaking in Tongues by BILL HAMON (Destiny Image). Reproduced by permission of Destiny Image.

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What the Spirit Is Saying

BY T.D. JAKES

THE CHURCH’S NEW NORMAL

God is giving His people an extraordinary opportunity to multiply as never before

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esounding in my ears as I write this column is a voice unmistakable. A tone indescribable. An equation of logic piercing the incredible. An intellect exploring the unreachable. An impartation of the revolutional and revelational. It is for “he who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15), and I believe it is what the Holy Spirit is saying to you, His church. I hear in my spirit the frictional creaking and oppositional groaning of a door long shut now opening, and it cries out a profound message:

You are bigger than the world you live in, and God is swinging wide an opportunity that will move you into a large place! But this place will require you to realize a new normal because it won’t necessarily appear large to your old way of thinking. I have seen it to be a place that’s far bigger than you are and poses a life that is bigger still. In fact, it’s so far beyond your normal range of thought that it’s the “extra” beyond your “ordinary”—and it is extraordinary! Like the oil from the widow’s

cruse that should have stopped yet never failed, it’s a place where the miraculous realm of the Holy Spirit buoys you beyond your possible into the unthinkable. God is multiplying your life just as He took up the few fish and loaves to bless, break and feed the multitude. Your part in this expansive move of God is to grow into it! Just as Isaac became too big for the world he lived in (Gen. 26), he went to dig out an even larger “something” from the dirt-smothered “nothing” of a collapsed past— and it wasn’t easy. He would dig

a well, then fight for it. Then he’d dig another well and fight for it. In fact, as he reopened all those covered wells that once belonged to his father, it’s like a curtain went up on his own reality show! Even with the shimmering success stories of mentors and motivators and, yes, even preachers, do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by defeat? Well, you’re in good company because much like you, Isaac had to fight through the everyday grind of constant opposition. Yet the Word says he did not give up but dug down into what appeared to be a dry and forsaken land and struck a rich vein of water in the wealthy place of God’s providence. And even when his enemies tried to steal that first gush of promise, Isaac did

not give up but stretched out his strength to dig once more: “And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not,

God is multiplying your life just as He took up the few fish and loaves to bless, break and feed the multitude. for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake. ... And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac’s servants came, and told

him ... We have found water” (Gen. 26:24, 32, KJV). So it is for you and me. What at one time seemed an unprofitable or delusional venture may now be the very wealthy place God is giving us to dig into once more! Yes, it will require a bigger expression of you. And yes, its fullness can only be realized through the spiritual range of what lies within you, for it is “not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 4:6). But if you dig down into the enlarged revelation He is now opening up in you, God’s multiplied blessing will flow without fail. Now is the time to fully occupy this exponential opportunity. Dig down through supposed old failures, and step up into a new success. Dust off those forgotten

gifts and buried dreams. Shovel off the weight of what has been, and refuse to carry any heaviness except His glory. Declutter your

life by clearing out everything that doesn’t look like God to discover the treasure of His purpose in you. And by all means necessary,

be aware of His voice in your inner ear from day to day: “For I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed.”

T.D. JAKES is a charismatic leader, visionary, provocative thinker and entrepreneur who serves as senior pastor of the Potter’s House, a global humanitarian organization and 30,000-member church located in Dallas.

10 KEYS TO SHARING YOUR FAITH WITH SUPERNATURAL POWER

Sent by the Spirit BY

© I S TO C K P H OTO / C H R I S G R A M LY; V I K _ Y

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ave you ever started a project but didn’t know where to begin? When my wife, Stefanie, and I were first married, we bought a coffee table from Ikea. I opened the box, and the table was completely in pieces. I had no idea where to begin. I needed instructions to point me in the right direction. In the same way, we can set out to share our faith, knowing it’s what we are called to do, but have no idea where to start. The key is to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. When your motivation in life is to love God and others, you will discover that supernatural expressions of His love become a natural part of daily life. Here, then, are 10 keys to activate you into a lifestyle of demonstrating God’s love and power. If you will prayerfully put these keys into action, by the grace of God your life will be transformed from the inside out and you will bring the supernatural into the lives of others.

Key #1: Start With Identity Years ago, I weighed around 375 pounds. It was really hard for me to love and talk to others because my identity was so wrapped up in being overweight and rejected. I was very insecure and struggled with loving and accepting myself. After I gave my life to the Lord, I noticed my identity

Chris Overstreet, Bethel Church’s outreach pastor, gives principles to developing a lifestyle of the miraculous

slowly changing from someone who was rejected and insecure to a new believer and follower of Christ Jesus. However, my disempowering beliefs about myself stunted me in my spiritual growth with the Lord. Then I attended a service in which a man shared prophetic words from the Lord, and the word he shared with me shook the core of who I was and my beliefs about myself.

He spoke about how God saw me and loved me, and I realized the devil was not my biggest enemy, like many people had tried to convince me. Rather, I had become my biggest enemy through selfhatred and criticism. If I chose to hold on to my past mistakes and rejection as my identity, then I would not be able to fully receive what Christ accomChris Overstreet

Ask the Holy Spirit to begin to mentor you and teach you how to effectively share your testimony with others. plished for me on the cross. Not only that, but I would also sabotage what God wanted to do in me and through me in the future. I chose to trade my rejection for my new identity as a child of God—a person who is loved by God and created to love others. I already knew God wanted me to love Him, but that day He began to show me that loving and valuing who He created me to be would

TRACEY HEDGE

empower me to love others. The truth is, if you are having a hard time stepping out in the power of the Holy Spirit to love others, it might be because you have an identity problem—because your identity is distorted from the truth of who God says you are. There is something great about your life. You were born with purpose, and that purpose will manifest through your God-given identity as one of His children. Take time today to ask God how He sees you. Ask Him if you are believing a lie that is clouding your identity as a child of God. Ask Him to reveal to you the truth about your identity and to empower you to start to love yourself first so that you can start to love others around you.

Key #2: Partner With the Greatest Evangelist The Holy Spirit is the greatest evangelist of all time. Over the years, as I have shared the simple gospel message with people, I have personally witnessed over and over how the Holy Spirit begins to work alongside me to testify about Jesus and His saving grace. One of the best ways to begin the work of evangelism in partnership with the Holy Spirit is simply to ask for His help. Ask the Holy Spirit to begin to mentor you and teach you how to effectively share your testimony with others. Look for opportunities every day to communicate the love of God with power.

Key #3: Know Who Is With You An important key to seeing God’s love and power demonstrated through you is having an awareness of His presence. Throughout your day, focus on growing your awareness of the Spirit of God. He is always with you, but He also wants to “rest on” you as He did Jesus (Matt. 3:16, ESV). Practice turning your heart’s affection toward the Holy Spirit. You can do this in a number of ways, such as praying in the Spirit or taking time to reflect on His goodness or His character. As you do this, you will find that when you are with friends and family, the atmosphere changes into one of faith because you are aware of the Spirit of God with you. All things are possible—especially the supernatural—when you know this to be true.

Key #4: Be Aware of Opportunities As you start your day, ask the Holy Spirit to show you the opportunities He has for you to demonstrate His love and power that day. Then expect something to happen. Don’t be in a hurry as you go about your business, but be in a prayerful place of peace so you can be aware of the opportunities He wants to present to you and how He wants to work through you. If you put this concept into practice, you will be amazed at the number of opportunities you have every day to love others and demonstrate God’s power. Look

for people who the Holy Spirit presents to you whom you do not know. This is one of the ways God wants to use you to impact others with His love and power. Take a step of love and approach them, trusting that the Holy Spirit will give you the right words to share.

Key #5: Give Encouragement One of the most powerful yet simple things you can do is to look for someone to encourage. We live in a world that is starving for encouragement. Decide today to go out of your way to give someone an encouraging word. When I do this, I like to give words of affirmation to people I don’t already know. I don’t use heavy Christian language that people outside the faith might not understand. Rather, I talk in a way anyone can understand. I start the conversation by introducing myself, and then I often say, “I just want to encourage you today.” Then I share with them like I would a friend. In that moment, my goal is to be an encourager, not a preacher. In all my years of doing this, I have rarely had someone say, “I don’t want your encouragement.” Most people usually thank me and say it means a lot to them. Looking to encourage people is a great step toward demonstrating God’s love and power to others while being an unassuming opportunity for the Holy Spirit to penetrate the heart of another.

Key #6: Heal the Sick Look around you for someone who needs healing in his or her body, and pray for that person. The Bible says believers will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover (Mark 16:18). If you see others in pain or who need healing in their body, you can politely introduce yourself to them, ask their name and then ask if you can pray for healing. Ask permission before touching them if you’re going to lay your hands on them. Then, after you’ve prayed, find out if there is any difference in their condition. Don’t be afraid to pray twice if they’ll let you! It’s fun to see people receive a miracle right there on the spot. But also keep in mind the difference between a healing and a miracle. A miracle is an instantaneous change in someone’s condition, while a healing can be a progressive work of God that happens over time. No matter what, it is impossible to pray and not have God at work.

Key #7: Look to Love in New Ways Another way to grow in seeing God’s love and power on display is to look for opportunities to love someone who is not in your pattern of everyday life. For example, I make a point to feed the poor in our community and to help people who are hurting. When I first began doing this, the miracles of people’s hearts being healed by love were outstanding. I thought to myself many times, “Wow! A meal and a hug caused

that man or woman to break down and cry as they gave God thanks.” If you want to see the Holy Spirit move through you, put yourself in situations outside your comfort zone. Look to love others in new ways. There are people all around you in need of God’s love, and taking a step outside your daily routine is a great way to see His love touch others.

Key #8: Cultivate Gratitude A thankful heart is a supernatural heart. Learn to have a continual heart of thanksgiving, as this cultivates a heart that seeks the impossible becoming possible. Not only does a thankful heart empower us with greater compassion to reach out to others, but practicing gratitude is also an act of spiritual warfare. Remaining thankful on a daily basis empowers you to stay on the cutting edge of what God wants to do in and through you. Through thankfulness, you are reminded of what God has done and is doing in the moment, but you are also given the faith to see what He wants to do in the future. Thanksgiving is a choice you can make each day that makes room in your heart for God to do the impossible.

Key #9: Dream Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You”

(NKJV). The word mind in this verse means “creative imagination,” and the peace that comes to such a mind is shalom, which implies health, happiness and well-being. When I discovered that God’s peace empowers me to dream, it revolutionized my life. I imagined seeing the sick healed and people coming to Jesus. I would dream about it daily. In my heart, I felt the emotions of stepping out to love others. Daydreaming activated my faith. I was convinced God was going to use me like He said He would in His Word. What I saw in my heart and mind began to shape my belief system. Expecting something to happen empowered me to take a step of faith and begin to pray for people more. Start to dream with God about demonstrating His love and power to others, and see what begins to change in your life too.

Key #10: Risk In order to go where you’ve never been before, it might require doing something you’ve never done before. This means taking a risk. When I was in Youth With a Mission in 1999, I heard people share stories about how God would lead them and guide them when stepping out to share His love. I told the Lord, “I want to hear Your voice speak to me like

that.” After praying, I felt led to go to a certain location in the city to meet people and share God’s love with them. I told some friends, and we headed out to that location. The problem was, I couldn’t find the location, and I didn’t see anyone. I was devastated, to say the least, but my friends encouraged me by saying I hadn’t failed because most people wouldn’t have even tried. They told me God loved my heart for taking a risk. I learned that if my heart is poised to serve and love the Lord, I can never fail because love never fails. In the same way, you might be invited to take risks in order to share the love of God with others. How you sense the Holy Spirit leading you might not make sense, and His directions might call you outside your comfort zone. Remember that the results you see aren’t the measuring stick for success, but rather your faithfulness in saying yes is what matters to God. Be brave, and be willing to step out in faith. You were born to partner with the Holy Spirit through demonstrating His love and power to others. Sharing your faith as you follow His leading can become natural, while God’s love opens the door to the supernatural. Choose today to make the supernatural a lifestyle. 3 CHRIS OVERSTREET serves as outreach pastor at Bethel Church and Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding, Calif.

SUPERNATURAL MYTH-BUSTERS DEBUNKING THE 10 MOST COMMON MYTHS ABOUT WALKING IN THE SUPERNATURAL

© ISTOCKPHOTO/ENJOYNZ

BY

M I C H E L E

P E R RY

O

ne of the greatest hindrances to growing in new understandings in our journey with the Holy Spirit can be the way we receive a message contrary to our current understanding. Often we immediately search the Scriptures to find out whether it is false. But that is the scientific method, not the kingdom method. Jesus tells us to receive the message with great eagerness and to search the Scriptures to see whether that message is true. When we assume falsehood out of a fear of being deceived, we open ourselves inadvertently to interpreting the Scriptures through a spirit of fear and not the leading of the Holy Spirit. A premise based on a spirit of fear is simply a wrong premise in God’s kingdom. Yet unfortunately, that’s the basis on which many of us start when it comes to walking in the supernatural ways of the Holy Spirit. As a result, we end up standing on a myth rather than God’s truth. One definition of a myth is “a widely held but false belief or idea.” There are many of these floating around about the supernatural life in current-day Christendom. You can’t journey too far without bumping into at least one of them. Let’s take a look at the 10 biggest myths concerning walking in the supernatural. They are in no particular order—and yes, I have at one time or another in my

Michele Perry shares her miraculous testimony as a missionary in South Sudan

journey fallen into and/or butted against every single one of them.

Myth 1: Impressive gifts prove character. I once attended a meeting with a visiting speaker who had a reputation for moving with great supernatural power and seeing many people get healed. I went to the meeting eager to receive all that God had.

As worship began, I felt an expectation rising in the room. But there was something else I couldn’t put my finger on. Something felt off. Still very new to corporate meetings such as this, I checked my reservation and shelved it till later. The enigmatic speaker got up and started a 30-minute offering preamble. My spirit began to churn. It seemed so manipulative. The service went downhill from there. People did get healed in the ministry time,

and my friends wanted to go down to the front for prayer. But because of some of the things I was sensing, I wanted to go nowhere near whatever was operating. Something felt wrong, but I didn’t have the understanding to go with what I was picking up. It turned out that even with people getting healed and God honoring people’s faith and hunger in these meetings, this speaker had a lot of blatant Michele Perry issues in his life that came out later regularly sees the Spirit’s publicly. My heart felt saddened by it supernatural all. In the first place, spiritual manipupower while ministering lation—what I sensed was happening to Sudanese during that 30-minute offering prechildren amble—is basically witchcraft. And in the second place, as a friend in those days used to say, “Gifts can take you where your character can’t keep you.” Gifts are given, but character is cultivated. It’s easy to be impressed by someone’s supernatural gifting. I celebrate the gifts of others, but I refuse to be impressed by anything or anyone but Jesus.

Myth 2: Don’t judge. “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matt. 7:1). How many times have we heard this Scripture phrase

quoted? The problem is that it’s usually quoted entirely out of context with little to no understanding of what true, godly judgment is. I spent years beating myself up for the things I saw, thinking I was being judgmental and harsh, attempting to shut down the very thing God was trying to grow me in: discernment. If we are going to walk in the supernatural reality we are created for, we need to understand what God says about discernment and godly judgment. The full passage in Matthew says this: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (vv. 1-5). When we read this passage in context, we can see it isn’t saying don’t judge; rather, it’s dealing with the context of judgment and the heart attitude behind it. An outof-context “Don’t judge” can put so much fear in us that we shut down the very function of discernment God wants to mature in us and, in effect, shroud our ability to see in the supernatural realm. The pitfall in discernment isn’t often what we see but what we do with what we see.

Myth 3: “I could never hear God as you do.” Have you noticed how utterly uncreative the enemy of our souls is when it comes to lying to us about our supernatural destinies? Lies have power only when we keep them in the darkness. But when we bring them into the light of God’s love, choosing to believe the truth, they rapidly fall apart in front of our eyes. I am privileged to travel the world roughly one-third of the time to share about my journey. I have had many people come up and tell me they could never hear God as I do. That makes me sad because it isn’t true. What I walk in is available to anyone. How I walk it out and what it looks like might be unique to me, but the realm of revelation and intimacy I walk in is what Jesus died to open for all of us.

Myth 4: “If I embrace the supernatural side of God’s kingdom, I might get a demon.” The demonic world would love to keep the body of Christ disconnected from her head and immobilized by fear about everything in the supernatural world. But again, any premise based on a spirit of fear is a wrong premise in the kingdom. When we seek the kingdom of God and more of the Holy Spirit out of a place of intimacy and relationship with Jesus, we need not fear getting sidetracked by the

demonic. If you go after supernatural experiences or power outside of relationship with Jesus, on the other hand, you most definitely will engage with the demonic world. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). It is inside of who Jesus is that we find our access to the supernatural destiny for which we were created. It’s all about relationship with Him.

Myth 5: Interaction with the angelic is dangerous. Regular, everyday interaction with the angelic realm is 100 percent legal and normal in the kingdom of God. Hebrews 1:13-14 says, “But to which of the angels has He ever said: ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool’? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” If you are in Jesus, you are included in “those who will inherit salvation” to whom the angels are sent. The Bible never says for believers not to talk to angels or interact with them. Rather, it warns us not to worship them. The Scriptures are filled with angelic visitations and interactions. Early church history is packed with encounters with the angelic. It’s clear from the book of Acts that the early church understood how to partner with the full provision of the supernatural realm for the purposes of God in the earth.

Myth 6: Miracles are only for places like Africa. One dusty morning where I live, we loaded up our black four-ton truck we affectionately call Midnight Glory and piled in children, visitors and sound equipment. We headed out several miles into the bush. When we stopped, our vehicle spilled us out into a small village market. One village elder we met was losing his eyesight. My kids and I gathered around him and began to pray, commanding his eyes to open and function properly. We stopped for him to test it out. A beaming smile spread across his face. He could see perfectly. I tell stories like this of God faithfully bringing His kingdom when I travel and often I hear, “Yes, that’s awesome, but you live in Africa.” So God works in Africa but nowhere else? That is not what you believe, is it? Somehow the enemy has suckerpunched the church in many areas into believing that the realm of the supernatural is primarily for missionaries in the bush of far-flung nations. I have seen food multiply. I have been transrelocated (like Philip in the book of Acts). I have seen healings in America as well as in Africa and Asia. And I can just as easily step into the realm of God’s kingdom in Europe or the U.S. as I can in Uganda or Uzbekistan. God is not bound by geography. If we allow Him to transform us by the making new of our mind-sets—literally

changing the way we think and understand our world so that we are surrendered to Him—then the supernatural life we are created for will begin opening up all around us, regardless of our address.

Myth 7: The supernatural is always extraordinary. I spent the last months of my teenage years somewhere in the rainy-season mud of rural Bangladesh. I was thousands of miles from anything remotely familiar, deposited as a wide-eyed teenager four miles past the middle of nowhere. I was utterly convinced that I had found the ends of the earth. It was my first introduction to the raw truth that burns deeply: Miles do not a missionary make. All my flaws and weaknesses and need for grace were only magnified there. They hadn’t miraculously disappeared somewhere over the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. At first I failed desperately. Each dawn came with new lessons in loving more deeply than language and laying down my right even to have an opinion. It was a beautiful, excruciating season of growth. I needed to learn that sometimes the supernatural comes in very ordinary ways. One evening a knock came at my door as shadows stretched long across the floor. I was in my room longing for something, anything, familiar. It was our sweet Saroti—a little, round woman who

served far more than our meals and cooked far more than food. She loved me. She slipped into my room bearing biscuits and spiced tea. Her smile lit up the dim corners. I began to learn through her that evening that some of God’s greatest gifts are quiet surprises. Supernatural moments aren’t always the most extraordinary ones. Some days they are wrapped in simplicity, hidden in swaddling clothes and born in unexpected places. We just have to have eyes to see them.

Myth 8: A supernatural gifting means you’re supposed to be in vocational ministry. We are not all called to vocational ministry. Our gifts will indeed make room for us, but just because someone can move in healing or see prophetically doesn’t necessarily mean he or she is called to exercise these gifts in the sphere of ministry as a full-time occupation. There seems to be a default button in some parts of the church that says the highest aspiration in the Christian life is to be in full-time vocational ministry. Jesus talked about this in a roundabout way. It’s one of the most sobering things He ever said: “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice

lawlessness!’ ” (Matt. 7:22-23). This passage was not directed at the unbelieving world but at those who were believers—even those who were walking in some awesome giftings. Hmmm. You mean gifts are not proof of being on the right track? Supernatural gifts do not earn brownie points or impress God. It is about relationship and intimacy with Him, not performing for Him. We are all in full-time ministry, no matter what our vocation is. One of the most prophetic people I know happens to be a businessman. I celebrate the gifts and callings of others, but I desire just one thing: to walk fully in the mandate of heaven over my life and none other.

Myth 9: “If I can get just one more impartation ... ” I love impartation. I believe in it with all my heart. If God is moving powerfully in a place, I’ll fly across continents to receive what He is pouring out. Impartation is awesome, right, good and holy, and I am not downplaying it in any way. I honor the dynamics of it and regularly seek to place myself in positions to receive more from heaven. But sometimes a sneaky thought tries ever so hard to creep into my thought patterns: If I can just get one more impartation, I will have what I need. I know this is a myth because I have had to deal with it in my own journey. And I know by experience that if I fall into its clutches, it can send me on an endless

merry-go-round of chasing meeting after meeting, only to leave disappointed. Some things in the kingdom can be imparted, but many, many must be cultivated. And there are two things that I know I absolutely cannot in any way successfully impart: 1) I cannot give away what I do not have or impart that which is not a part of me, and 2) I cannot impart to you my secret history with God.

Supernatural gifts do not earn brownie points or impress God. It is about relationship and intimacy with Him, not performing for Him. If I can’t give these things to someone else, then no one else can give them to me. That means I have to go after them and pursue them for myself. The question, dear reader, is how much do you want? How hungry are you? Sometimes Papa wants us to walk in what He has given, even while we eagerly set our desire for more of Him.

Myth 10: Bigger is always better. Bells, whistles and tap-dancing angels. Who could resist those, right? Oh, we do live in a culture of

comparison, don’t we? Bigger is always better. I’ve fallen so often into the trap of thinking that the big, amazing ways God comes are somehow more important than the quiet, small ways. But that isn’t so at all. There’s nothing wrong with desiring deeper levels of experience with Jesus. That’s called hunger. We need to be hungry. It’s what propels us onward in our journeys with Him. The problem comes when we start comparing notes and measuring ourselves by others. Having bells, whistles and tap-dancing angels in my supernatural experiences doesn’t make me mature, more anointed or more loved. Likewise, your level of maturity isn’t necessarily synonymous with the level or types of supernatural experiences you’ve had. It’s what you do with them that counts.

In closing, remember that John 16:13 says, “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” When we lean into God’s Spirit of truth, He will show us if there is something that doesn’t line up with His Word, ways or character. He is more concerned than we are with our getting it right! 3 MICHELE PERRY is an author, artist and photographer, as well as the founding national field coordinator for Iris Ministries in South Sudan. She also is the author of two books, Love Has a Face and An Invitation to the Supernatural Life (Chosen, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2012), from which this article was adapted. Used by permission.

Fire in My Bones

BY J. LEE GRADY

STAY HUMBLE IF YOU WANT THE SPIRIT’S POWER

We charismatics could learn something from the simple ministry style of Pope Francis ’m not Catholic, and I’ve never understood Catholics’ preoccupation with Vatican politics. But I was watching the Vatican closely in March when Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina became the 266th pope and immediately won international respect. Why is this man so popular? Because he’s humble. He cooks for himself. He chose to live in a small apartment in Buenos Aires instead of the archbishop’s palace. When he was the leader of Argentina’s Catholics, he took el micro—the city bus—to get around. He rode the bus again

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after his election in Rome. He even slipped out after his election to worship with the regular people—without security guards or the popemobile! And Bergoglio, who goes by the name Pope Francis, reportedly asked his Argentinian colleagues to skip his inauguration in Rome and give the money they would have spent on airfare to the poor. Have you noticed a contrast between Pope Francis’ simple lifestyle and the sickening excess that is still on display in some Pentecostal/charismatic ministries? I’ve pulled a lot of my hair

out watching our embarrassing charismatic sideshows over the past few years. I think it’s time we hold up a sign that says: “NO MORE!” No more bodyguards. We have evangelists who send a small squadron of muscular thugs to “scout” the lobby of a hotel before they arrive. This is extremely odd when you realize that most people lingering in said lobby have never even heard of these guys! I understand that big churches sometimes need security. But I don’t trust a man of God who claims he needs a bodyguard in church.

Get down on the people’s level if you want to minister to them. No more $10,000-per-night hotel rooms. I know of a traveling preacher who booked a pricey hotel suite with a private pool so he could rest on his way home from an international trip. We could build an orphanage with the money this man wasted. (P.S. I know a Hampton Inn where you can get a nice, king-sized bed for $89 a night—and the rate includes a hot breakfast.) No more private jets. We have egomaniac ministers who insist on flying in private jets to speaking engagements, claiming that preachers who fly commercial aircraft have no faith. These same ministers will hand you a fuel bill for $25,000. That’s sick when you consider that Jesus rode a donkey when He was presented as the

Messiah to Jerusalem. (Note to Rev. Bighead: You are not the president, and you do not need Air Force One.)

We need leaders today who reject lavish excess. No more charlatans. We have slimy TV preachers who beg for dollars during telethons, pocket a large percentage of the take and then use some of the funds to install marble floors in their fourcar garages. That’s worse than when medieval priests sold papal indulgences to buy relatives out of purgatory. No more limousines. Ministers don’t have to drive clunker

cars. But we have a problem when a visiting preacher refuses to be picked up at the airport in a church van, or when the pastor of a 100-member church insists he must ride in a neon yellow Ferrari. Maybe he should learn from Pope Francis—and take the bus until his ego shrinks to a normal size. When the new pope was elected, an Argentinian newspaper called him “Tsunami Bergoglio” because they expect him to reform the stuffy, bureaucratic Vatican. Bergoglio is reportedly very open to evangelicals, and he began his tenure with a sermon calling Catholics back to a simple focus on Christ. We need the same drastic reforms on our side of the evangelical/Catholic divide. We need Pentecostal and charismatic leaders who shun the palace, reject lavish

excess and return to the basics of true gospel ministry. This issue of Charisma is a celebration of the Holy Spirit. We need His power in the church today like

never before. But if we really want the fullness of the Spirit’s presence and anointing, we have to be humble. God opposes pride. Pompous

religious display, ego-driven greed and Pentecostal popemobiles have no place in a Spiritfilled movement. Let the reformation begin.

J. LEE GRADY was editor of Charisma for 11 years. He now serves as contributing editor while devoting more time to ministry. You can find him on Twitter at @leegrady or online at themordecaiproject.org. His newest book is Fearless Daughters of the Bible.

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