From the category archives:

The Holy Spirit

Hindrances to Your Prayer Closet

by Pastor Dennis

Hindrances to Your Prayer Closet

The Bible says to examine ourselves to see if we be of the faith. With this statement in mind, we should also examine our prayer lives to see if there are things that may be stopping us from spending quality time with the Lord. Everything that we do that keeps us from time with the Lord may not be sin, however, these things may consume our time and keep us from our prayer closets either totally or where we will spend very little time with the Lord.

There are many activities in this life that are required for those that have a family. Some of these activities include: Taking care of a family but going to a nine to five job and maintaining a home. These activities are very important but should not stand in the way of our spending time with the Lord in prayer.

Samuel Chadwick once said: The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.

A Christian in order to be successful and at peace with himself must seek the Lord in prayer. The things of this world have such a powerful pull on most people and even believer’s that go to church every Sunday. There is a race to see who can buy the next newest car or to have the nicest clothes, phone, house etc. There is nothing wrong with having nice things. Nonetheless, when this desire takes precedence over our seeking the Lord in prayer they will become hindrances to your relationship with the Lord.

 

2 Timothy 2:4:No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

There has to be a time of separation from the ways of the world and come apart with the Lord for a fresh outlook and a fresh vision for our spiritual lives.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:21: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Questions that you might want to ponder:

Is there someone or something in this life that means more to you than Jesus Christ?
Is there anything in this life that you possess that you just cannot or refuse to live without?
Are you more interested in the things of this world than the things of God?
If Jesus came to take you today would you be ready to meet Him?
There are questions that we need to ask ourselves in examination of our spiritual lives and relationship with the Lord.

Yes, this world offers things that are good and in some cases it is not a sin to participate. We commit sin when we permit the things of this world to pull us away from prayer and our relationship with Jesus. When we do this we could be placing an “idol” above the Lord.

Let’s worship and serve the Creator above His Creation and avoid

Hindrances to Your Prayer Closet

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The Christian Mind Warfare

by Pastor Dennis

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

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The Flesh can be a snare in a Christian’s Life

by Pastor Dennis

The Bible says that we must “put off “the works of the flesh”.

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore put off the works of darkness, (Romans 13:13)

The Bible also talks about a person being ignorant to Satan’s devices. We as Christians have the Word of God as our guide and we “should not be ignorant of Satan’s devices”.

2 Cor 2:11: Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

The Word of God speaks of two types of Lives. The first type is the Natural Life or Bios. Bios makes reference to our natural and earthly life here on this earth. The Bible also referes to Zoe which refers to the resurrection or eternal life that Jesus us when we commit our lives to him.

John 14:6: Jesus said: I am the way the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

The Word of God also talks about three types of people:

The Natural person

  • He is unsaved
  • Has the adamic nature
  • Cannot discern spiritual things and does not want to hear them
  • Everything about the natural man is opposed to the ways of God

The Carnal person

  • Lives a life of the world
  • Jesus is Saviour but not Lord
  • Not interested in spiritual or eternal things
  • Not interested in serving the Lord

2 Cor 10:4-5: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

“For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envy ing, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” 1 Cor 3:3

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Jesus the Baptizer in the Holy Ghost

by Pastor Dennis

The Supernatural Gift of the Holy Spirit, promised to us in the Bible, is special from all of the manifestations of the Holy Ghost. Jesus said: “But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. He shall teach you all things! And bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever He have said unto you,” (Jn. 14:26). Christians need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit for the purpose of serving the Lord. We must be endued with power to witness, “(Lk. 24:9; Acts 1:8). Jesus speaks of the Holy Ghost in the following chapters: (Jn. 14:15-17; 14:26; 15:26,27; 16:5-11,12-15).

There are conditions that must be met in order to receive the Holy Spirit Baptism:

  • The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for believers only
  • There must be repentence and acceptance of Jesus in the Heart and Life
  • There must be a thirsting for the Lord
  • We should ask the Lord for the Baptism (though not required)
  • We drink the just like living water (signifies receiving by our wills)
  • The Holy Spirit wants us to yield to Him “Believe, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38).

What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit gives us the power to lift up Jesus and not be embarrassed about it. The power to proclaim that Jesus is Lord under the power of the Holy Spirit. Luke 24:49 says this is the power to be a witness. Jesus says: “Be endued with power from on high . . . to witness, (Lk.24:49; Acts 1:8). We receive the supernatural power of God to be witnesses for Him.

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The Person of the Holy Spirit

by Pastor Dennis

Jesus said: “But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. He shall teach you all things! And bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever He have said unto you,” (Jn. 14:26). The highlight of the teaching of the Holy Spirit is shown in (Jn. 14-16). These few chapters show the “paraclete sayings” (Jn.14:15-17; 14:26; 15:26,27; 16:5-11,12-15). When we read these chapters and verses we see that by the use of masculine pronouns and adjectives that we should view the Holy Spirit as a male, personal being. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and is shown in the Word as the One that shows us who Jesus Christ is.

The Holy Spirit’s Functions

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity or Godhead. He functions to teach, guide us into truth, cause us to remember the Word of God, to bear witness, and show us things to come, and to glorify Christ. (John 14-16). The Holy Spirit remembers the teachings of Jesus which may not be fully recognized by the believer and will bring them as a fresh understanding and revelation to the reader. These teachings in the Bible become not only revelation knowledge but also truth to the heart and mind of the believer. The Holy Spirit also plays a major part in the witnessing ministry. He acts as to convict and convince the hearer of their sin lives and opens them up to receive Jesus Christ as the personal Saviour. The Holy Spirit also proclaims the judgment that has been issued to Satan (John 16:8-11).

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