LIVN By Faith Part 2 - Get Directions - Stuck Using Faith Principles Without the Spirit of Faith
Last summer my family and I drove across the country. It was one of those trips we will never forget, full of wonder and funny moments! Setting out on our journey we plotted out our course using google maps and just in case, a backup paper map to navigate our way. We decided to take a northern route across the country on the way there and a southern route back. Our trip there went smooth, however, on our way home we hit a snag. The navigation app took us through a little town in Mississippi where we were supposed to cross a bridge over the Mississippi river, but when we got there the bridge was gone! We found ourselves stuck on the wrong side of the largest river in the U.S. To top it off we were out of cell phone range and could not use our app to navigate another route.
I am so thankful for the Holy Spirt! He led us using the paper map, to a new route through a cute little town that time forgot, to the interstate and back on track. Praise God we are never out of Holy Ghost range! More times than I can count He has led me through, around, and over plans the enemy has set for me and my family. ‘Rauch ha Kodesh’ the Holy Spirit truly is my best friend. We talk all day long from major life altering situations to what milk should I buy. There is none that I am closer to than He.
Being a Christian and living by faith, is all about relationship, continually listening to the Holy Spirit so we know where to go and how to get there. You can’t have a successful faith walk without being led and you can’t have faith unless you have the quickened, anointed Word to stand on. Remember from our last letter when we talked about Peter walking on the water? If he had not heard Jesus say to HIM, “Come!” Peter would have sunk straight away, there would have been nothing for him to stand on, no power. NO Word=No Power
John 2:5 (NKJV)
5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
This is one of the most important statements in the bible! Whatever HE says to YOU DO it! There is so much wisdom and light in this don’t think you know it already. Without hearing from God there is absolutely NO power to do the thing. Just because you think it’s a good idea, you have a need, or you’ve seen someone else do it, does not mean He is telling you to do it that way. You’ve got to talk to Him for yourself to seek direction. “Whatever He tells YOU”.
Pharaoh is an excellent example of this. Remember when he attempted to cross the Red Sea after the Israelites, what happened? The sea crashed in on top of the Egyptians killing them. Why didn’t it work for them? They stepped out believing that they could cross on dry ground just as the Israelites did, that’s a faith principal. “Faith without action is dead. God is no respecter of persons…” Why didn’t it work for the Egyptians?
Exodus 14:26-29 (NKJV)
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” 27 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained. 29 But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
They had different directions to follow, Pharaoh’s was “Let my people go!” Moses’ was cross over. This is huge! So many Christians have missed it here! They see what they want, they’ve seen others do it, they use faith ‘principals’ to go after it, and they fail. This is more like faith in MY faith, using faith principals, without the Spirit of faith.
Someone might say, "Pharaoh was acting against God’s people but I am a born again, Spirit filled child of God. I don’t need to ask God for specifics." You’d be wrong! Trying to use faith contrary to what God said is rebellion. Satan tried using faith principals to get what he wanted; it didn’t turn out so well for him
Luke 4:3-4 New King James Version (NKJV)
3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”
Why didn’t Jesus just turn those stones into bread? He was very hungry, so there was a need. What’s the harm in a little demonstration of power? Maybe that would shut the devil up. Jesus COULD NOT turn those stones into bread even if He tried. WHAT?! Unless the Father told Him to do it there was no power to do so. Remember No Word=No Power.
What did Jesus say? He said things like, “ Man does not live on bread alone abut by every word of God. I can of my own self do nothing, I only say and do what the I hear and see the Father say and do.” If Jesus had to humble himself to ask and listen, you can bet you need to. Don’t just assume you know.
Why did Smith Wigglesworth see so many miracles in his ministry? He had trained his ear to hear what the Spirit was saying. For example, two sick people with the same disease would come up for healing. One God would say anoint with oil, but the other God would say punch them in the stomach. They both got healed. What would have happened if he had anointed them both with oil or punched them both in the stomach? God told Joshua to march around Jericho, He told David to attack. Just because it was done one way before doesn’t mean it will always be the direction the next time.
Presumption is causing too many faith failures. It looks like faith, might even talk like faith but again it is just the principals not the Spirit. If we want to be sucessful we have to listen and do. This is the very definition of humility.
We all will face obstacles that seem impassable, much like the Mississippi River seemed to us that day. But the Holy Spirit knows the way around, through, and over whatever is coming against us. He doesn’t lose reception, forget an important piece of information, or ever steer you wrong. In this life we will have to walk by faith every day, and the Holy Spirit is ready and excited to give you directions to the most amazing adventure you’ll ever have so you can Live In Victory right Now!
