Are You Truly Engaging Holy Spirit When You Worship and Pray? - KATHERINE RUONALA CHARISMA MAGAZINE SPIRTLED WOMAN

But then I realized I was singing, "I love You," with my mouth but not with my heart. (Flickr/D Coetzee)

Are You Truly Engaging Holy Spirit When You Worship and Pray?

8/6/2017 KATHERINE RUONALA  CHARISMA MAGAZINE  SPIRTLED WOMAN

Years ago, when I was a backup singer on a worship team, I would be concentrating so much on singing the right part that I would sometimes forget I was meant to be worshipping. It's easy for a music teacher and a perfectionist to get focused on harmonies and pitch. One day I was singing away and heard the Holy Spirit say, "Who are you singing to?"

"You, Lord," I answered. But then I realized I was singing, "I love You," with my mouth but not with my heart. I absolutely loved Him in my heart, so that wasn't the problem, but I was having a conversation with Him without being conscious of what I was saying. I made a decision at that moment never to do that again. I told the Lord I never wanted to sing another worship song without being aware of to whom I was singing, the sincerity of my words, and the reality of His presence.

Imagine what that would be like with my husband. "Um, yeah, you're awesome, Tom," as I look around and occupy myself with other things. "Really great ... I appreciate you so much," while I yawn and check my e-mail. That's a bit strange, isn't it? It doesn't demonstrate sincerity or a desire for connection. That's what happens when we think we are worshipping but don't focus on God. I think that especially happens with the Holy Spirit, who can sometimes seem like the mysterious, forgotten member of the Trinity. The Father and Son can seem easier to relate to. We have natural fathers and sons in this world, so the concepts of God the Father and God the Son make sense to us. But what about the Holy Spirit? He loves our attention too, and He very often doesn't receive it.

I don't want to grieve the Holy Spirit in any way. I know He doesn't take offense easily; that's a wonderful thing about God. "God is love," and love is not easily offended (1 John 4:8; 1 Cor. 13:5). The Holy Spirit is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Even when I have at times drifted from truth, He remained constant and kind. He is patient and understanding. He doesn't withdraw His love. We can worship by faith, believing that as we come to worship, He is always so happy to be engaging with us. Because Jesus has made us clean and pure by His blood, we can always approach the throne of grace.

I want my relationship with the Holy Spirit to be about much more than coexisting. I don't want to just mentally acknowledge His presence. I want deep, close companionship; the fullness of His power and love; His guidance and direction; His comfort and counsel; and so much more. I want to know and be deeply, passionately in love with the One who knows and is deeply, passionately in love with me. I want to do life with Him to fulfill every inch of my destiny and see His kingdom come on earth just as it is in heaven.

Do you feel the same way? You wouldn't be reading this if you didn't want these things too. This is what your heart was made for and what you've been longing for. The wonderful news is that the Holy Spirit wants to help you with everything. He wants to partner with you even more than you want to partner with Him. He wants your destiny in Him to be thoroughly, gloriously fulfilled.

The Holy Spirit wants to speak to your heart. He wants to encourage you, and He wants to refresh you. He wants to supernaturally expand your capacity to receive His love and demonstrate it to others. He wants you to move in His power. He wants to take you higher and higher into absolute, overwhelming joy. There is fullness of joy in His presence, and that's where you get to stand—you and Him together. A life surrendered to Him will change the world forever. Are you ready?

Adapted from Life With the Holy Spirit by Katherine Ruonala, copyright 2017, published by Charisma House-Charisma Media/Charisma House Book Group. If you are hungry for true fellowship with God, are eager to experience His power and want to work with Him in ministering to others, then this book is for you. It will help you know the One Jesus sent to comfort, teach, fill, empower and guide you to fulfill God's purpose, while experiencing the delight and benefits of having a meaningful relationship with Him. To order your copy click on this link.

Prayer Power for the Week of Aug. 6, 2017

This week, take some time to "pray in the Holy Spirit" so that you can immediately connect with the heart of God and His priorities for you, your loved ones, the nation and the world. Continue to pray for those in authority over us and ask the Lord to surround them with wise counsel and give them wisdom as they make decisions affecting us and the entire world. Remember those who have suffered loss through recent natural disasters, crime and/or terrorism. Ask the Lord to show you what you can do to help. Continue to pray for worldwide revival, those serving the people in our communities and nation, and our allies. Read: 1 Cor. 13:5; 1 John 4:8.

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3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Click here to draw closer to God!

Prophetic Dream: The Key to Overcoming Sin is His Presence - Ron Cantor Messiah's Mandate

Prophetic Dream: The Key to Overcoming Sin is His Presence

Ron Cantor —  June 24, 2017 

Iwas lying down, just resting and suddenly I had vision or a dream or maybe drevision. I was walking along Israel’s main highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv with someone whom I did not know. He told me that the newest lane, the outside lane—actually the shoulder—would soon fall into the ground because of sinkholes or erosion of the land. I was walking as far outside as one could get while still being on the shoulder. I felt a pull, like a magnetic force, pulling me off the road and into the brown grass.

Then I realized it was a vision.

Interpretation

The road is our life. The area off the road—dead grass—is sin, temptation, addiction, etc. If the road was going to fall into the ground on the side, why was I walking there? I should, at least, have moved to the other side of my companion, if not hugged the center of the highway.

The warning and encouragement is to not walk too close to the flame, lest you get burned. Or as Solomon rhetorically asked, “Can a man scoop fire into his lap without burning his clothes?” (Prov. 6:27) The words the Lord spoke to Cain come to mind:

“If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Gen. 4:7)

The key to ruling over sin is not merely resisting. Notice I said merely. Yes, resisting sin is part of it. James does tell us to resist the devil and he will flee. (James 4:7) (Ironically the same chapter and verse as the Genesis passage.) However, resisting is not enough.

In His Presence

If sin is represented by the area off the road, then the opposite of sin must be in the center of the road. Yeshua lives in the center. His presence is in the center. The key to overcoming sin or “ruling over” sin is spending time with Yeshua. There is no sin in His presence. There is life, love, forgiveness, joy unspeakable and a peace that passes all understanding. It is hard to give into temptation, much less sin, when we are in His presence.

I once remarked to a repentance preacher, “Holiness is not the absence of sin, but the presence of God.” The key to overcoming lust is not found in human effort, but in our desire for God. When we are hungry for God, we will not be hungry for sin.

How ‘Bout Them Apples

I remember when I started eating healthy. For snacks, instead of cake or a candy bar, I was told to eat an apple. I rarely ate fruit. I didn’t want an apple. But amazingly, after a few days of eating apples, I began to crave apples. In the same way, if you give yourself to seeking God, hungering after Him, you will find your appetite for sin decreases and your need for His presence increases.

Angels

And when we overcome sin, we can expect His presence. Many have taught about how Yeshua overcame temptation in Matthew 4—three times Yeshua fights off the enemy—but I have rarely heard anyone comment on what happened next. After He resists the enemy, something special takes place: “Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.” (Matt. 4:11)

When we overcome sin, we can expect angels to come and minister to us. You can be sure of this: God loves you and wants to help you in your struggle. It starts with strengthening that relationship with Him. Build up a hunger for healthy God and don’t give in to destructive sin. And though you can’t see them, angels are ministering to you.

We have to stop walking so close to the edge and get closer to Yeshua. When someone asks, “What is the least I can do and still get into heaven,” they are missing the point. That is like having 50-yardline seats at the Super Bowl, but hiding in the bathroom. Yes, you are there, but you are missing the best part. God is fun. God is joy. God is victory and life and love.

In the World, not Of the World

“But if I separate myself from the world to be with Yeshua, what good will I be?” Good question. Walking far from the edge doesn’t mean that we don’t have contact with sinners. Hello. Look at Yeshua. He walked so close to the Father—to the point that He said that He could only do what He sees His Father doing (Jn. 5:19)—and yet, He spent His time with prostitutes and tax collectors.

You can walk far from the edge and yet be right in the midst of those who need Yeshua. In fact, that is where we are to live. Just as Yeshua intimated—we are to be in the world, but not of the world.

“I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14-16)

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God is doing an amazing work at Tiferet Yeshua in Tel Aviv—a Hebrew-speaking congregation dedicated to reaching Israelis with Yeshua’s message. We are hungrier than ever before for a move of God. Stand with us in prayer and support as we share the bread of life to our people here in Israel.

Click here: Donate to Tiferet Yeshua in Tel Aviv, Israel