Author: Hal Hollister Ministry

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded (pleasing yourself) is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6

This spiritual truth is an excellent method to judge your walk with God. Do you live to please yourself or live according to the Spirit of God? Where are your thoughts coming from during the day?

What most people cannot understand is the Spirit wants to enrich your life and satisfy all your needs. You don’t have to waste your thoughts and energy on trying to please yourself.

The Spirit of God wants you to come into oneness with Him and allow Him to guide your thoughts and actions throughout your day. This is how you live with God and experience His reality.

I spent most of my life in the field of marketing. This profession is filled with many details, timelines, and priorities. I would start off each day with prayer and commit all my works to God. I knew in my heart God was my best friend and would help me meet all the challenges of life.

I was amazed to see how the Spirit of God organized my work, gave me creativity and insight, and helped me to be successful. He would fill me with His thoughts to help me have a productive day.

I learned very quickly that I would never think of entering my office and starting up my computer without seeking God out ahead for wisdom and strength.

He is a living God and wants to be your helper in all aspects of life. God wants to guide you into safe paths and prevent you from walking into unsafe mine fields or making costly mistakes. His ways are perfect and He wants the very best for you!

If you rely on your own mind and follow your natural passions, this will lead to misery, suffering, and death. The mind not linked to the Spirit cannot please God! You are living and acting opposed to God!

Walking with God through His Spirit will bring life and peace!

Thought for the day: “Lean not to your own understanding. Living apart from My Spirit will bring heartache and failure. I want to be a vibrant and active partner in your life. Set your mind on Me and I will show you the abundant life.”

 

“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63

In the Hebrew language God is also referred to as Yahweh, the most Holy God. Yahweh, the Father of Jesus, is the first and last God. There is no other God. Jesus, the Son of God, is our advocate and pathway to Yahweh.

Jesus said that the words I speak to you are Spirit and Life. This is spoken in the present tense. You and I have to be one with the Spirit and hear the words from God today. They will convict you and draw you into the perfect path of God. You will learn the reality of God through His words.

Yahweh can not be found through a scholarly approach or through religion. And if you are living in your natural state and unattached to the Spirit, it is virtually impossible to hear the words of God.

Jesus said that you must worship God in Spirit and Truth. It is the Holy Spirit that brings the words of God to you and they are life changing and eternal. You experience the presence of almighty God through His words. They can be trusted and will never fail you.

Come to God through His Spirit and be still and listen for His voice. You have the mind of Christ and He wants to direct your pathway. He is a living God!

Thought for the day: “Come into My presence by faith and learn from Me. I will share My thoughts with you and teach you about Myself.”

In Hebrew almighty God is often referred to as El Shaddi. He is the first and last God and He created the heavens and earth and every living creature. You can be personally touched and anointed by our everlasting God! He embodies eternal life and desires to share Himself with you.

The question is how much of your life are you willing to give up to receive the fullness of His holy and precious life. The more you let go and allow God to crucify your natural life, the more of Him you will receive.

This is about a heart desire to love God and be obedient to His voice. You can’t impress God with your works or religious activities. You have to make a genuine decision to live for God by faith and make Him the centerpiece of your life.

The life of God is the Holy Spirit dwelling inside you. To receive the fullness of His Spirit you have to ask each day for the forgiveness of sins and to be covered by the blood of Jesus. You also have to seek God out for correction and guidance in your life. Most importantly, you have to wake up each day to live for God.

The Holy Spirit can manifest Himself to you in many different forms. He can touch and anoint you with the fire of God. Literally, you can experience His fire flowing through your body. This is just an inkling of His power and glory but it is an awesome and uplifting experience.

He can also show Himself to you through signs and wonders. You can have dreams and visions, mountain top adventures in the transfigured life, and visits from angels.

The Book of Acts did not stop with the life of the apostles. It is alive today and fully available to you. The caution is to seek out God not signs and wonders. You and I have to wake up each day and commit our works to El Shaddi. Your serious devotion and trust in God will bring His glory and power into your life.

When you meet El Shaddi, the Living God, your life will never be the same. You will witness the radiant glory and power of God and stand in awe of our great God!

How much of God do you want?

Thought for the day: “I want to share My life with you. Come to Me with a sincere and open heart and I will show you My wonders.”

 

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

God does not think like you and your ways are not God’s ways. So what you think may be the best course of action because it is logical and seems like the right thing to do, may not be God’s will for you at all.

God knows you better than you know yourself. He understands your personality and your strengths and weakness. He wants to direct your path in His ways.

You do not see the invisible working of evil around you and how Satan intends to steal, kill, and destroy. God wants to protect you from the ploys and attacks of Satan. And God is omniscient and knows every detail of your future and the world stage and desires to keep you on course with Him.

As a believer, you have the mind of Christ and He desires to fill you with wisdom and guidance. However, you have to commit your works each day to God and ask Him to infuse your mind with His thoughts and counsel. This includes family and friends, work, your decision making, and your prayer life.

Take everything before the Lord and inquire of Him for wisdom. For example, you have an important decision to make and are not sure what to do. Take it to God and wait on Him for an answer. This is now no longer a burden to you because you have deferred to God and removed yourself from taking action. This an expression of your genuine faith in God and it now becomes God’s responsibility to provide you with wisdom and perfect decision making.

This method of living with God is how you can avoid conforming to worldly thinking and be transformed by the renewing of your mind to find the good, acceptable, perfect will of God.

You are now acting in the role of a doer of the Word!

Thought for the day:  “I see all things and have power and authority over every detail in your life. I want to be your Keeper. Come to Me for your every need. I will never let you down or disappoint you. My Words are Truth and Life.”

“Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan.” Joshua 3:11

Joshua was ready to lead the Israelites across the Jordan River and claim the promises of God.

God told Joshua they were to follow the ark of the covenant as they crossed over the Jordan River into the Promised Land. All the people were to walk behind the ark of the covenant.

There is a powerful truth in this living story. You must wait on God and allow Him to go before you to claim His promises. If you try to go ahead of God you will fail.

Whether you are seeking a new job, planning to start a family, pursuing an education or a new direction in life, you must wait on God and make certain you are in His perfect will and timing. The ark of the covenant must always go before you. This will bring you victory!

Walking with God is not by might nor by strength but by His Spirit. Joshua was successful in leading his people into the Promised Land and conquering all their enemies. He was in oneness with God and obedient to His leading.

Timing is everything with God! You cannot jump start God. Moses waited 40 years for the calling of God.

God keeps His promises but you and I become impatient and lose faith when we see no evidence or proof of God at work.

We get tired of waiting for God and sometimes take matters into our own hands. If you step out on your own, this will cause striving, headaches, and failure.

If God is in your endeavors, you will be successful! He is the first and last God. There is no other God.

Thought for the day: “Apart from Me you can do nothing!”

 

 

 

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

The proud takes ownership over their successes and worldly possessions. They tend to boast of what they have and their achievements. They believe success comes from their natural skills and talents.

Pride is placing yourself above God and will lead to trouble. You are denying God and putting your faith in self.

The spiritual man understands that every good thing in life comes from God and he praises God for everything in his life. He boasts of the goodness of God. He believes in his heart that God is the source of everything in his life.

Humility is a gift from God. You see the power and glory of the Living God and you fall on your knees over His wonder and greatness. You understand He is the author of life and you are just a passing vapor trail.

There is no reason to be proud when you recognize God can shake the earth, turn the sun into darkness, walk on water, and raise people from the dead. Your destiny begins and ends with God!

Pray for humility and a deeper understanding of God. Ask God to help you live by this truth “In Him we live and move and have our being”!

Thought for the day:

“Acknowledge Me in all your ways. I am the author of life and all things come through Me.”

God has been speaking to me about the soul.

The definition of the soul is “the spiritual part of a human being, regarded as immortal”.

The soul is really the essence of an individual’s spiritual being. Your soul is an indication of your spiritual health.

Your soul thirsts for God and desires to be filled with Him through praise, prayer, and His Word.

Your soul needs the refreshing touch of the hand of God. Come to God with an open heart and a willing spirit!

Your soul finds rest in God. He is your salvation and strength in life.

Your soul waits patiently for God. He is your hope for life.

God is the guardian of your soul. He desires to preserve you and keep you in His sanctuary.

God will satisfy your thirsty soul with His Living Water. Come into His presence and seek oneness with God. He will fill your cup with Himself.

Your soul is the essence of your spiritual life. If your soul is empty or lacking in the fullness of God, you cannot be a light for Him.

Seek out God for a healthy and vibrant soul! It is a matter of life and death!

Thought for the day: “Your soul sings out for Me. I alone can fill and refresh your soul with My abiding life.”

 

 

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!” Isaiah 30:18

Many times I have confronted God and asked Him where is your justice in my life? Why have you abandoned me?

The answer from God is He is a God of justice and mercy and blessed are those who wait for Him.

God loves justice and does not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever! However, what you think is justice is not necessarily the ways of God. You can’t evaluate the justice of God because He works behind the scenes!

I have a family member whose wife battled cancer for many years and eventually died. The husband told me this was the best thing that ever happened in his life. He saw life from a godly perspective and realized what was really important to him.

Sometimes God will impoverish your life (make you poor) to bring you to your knees. He will take away your riches and opportunity, cause you to become weak, or give you a sense of being empty or depleted. This is is done to show you He is God and He is your only lifeline to an abundant life.

God’s methods can seem harsh and cruel at times but you have to believe God is perfect and knows what He is doing. You have to learn patience, wait on God and have faith that you will see the goodness of God in the land of the living.

One of the most difficult things in my life is to resist judging God when I see injustice. However, God keeps reminding me that I am not God and my judgments are impaired by my emotions and not understanding the deeper purposes of God.

Jesus told a parable about an unfair judge and a widow that was tormented by an adversary. He concluded by stating “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly”.

You cannot control God or sit in the judgment seat. All you can do is cry out from your heart and plead for justice and mercy from God. Your faith in God is your only hope for victory!

Thought for the day: “I look at your life through microscopic eyes and I know everything about you. I want to perfect you into becoming My witness to the world. Don’t judge Me by the difficulties in your life. Judge Me by My Word! I will make right the wrong in your life. I am a God of justice.”

 

 

 

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5

In this world the quality of meekness is difficult to find. You live in a culture of “every man for himself” with the attitude the aggressors are the victors.

The quality of a meek person is humility and a quiet inner spirit. A meek person does not need to boast about his importance or promote himself in any way.

He understands and respects the fear of the Lord and wants to walk in the ways of the Lord. He can be meek because of the character of God.

Jesus turned the world upside down with His teachings. He said the meek shall inherit the earth not the aggressive or boastful. He promoted the belief of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.

You cannot get the quality of meekness without experiencing the Living God. When you come face to face with God you will see Him for who He really is and you will see the insignificance and hopelessness of living for self.

The fear of the Lord will draw you to God with a desire to live for Him. Seek first the kingdom of God with all your heart through prayer, praise, and filling yourself with the Word of God.

Most people are blinded to the truth that when you give yourself up to God you don’t lose anything of value. You gain a whole new life and inherit the goodness of the earth. He reigns so you can have a rich and prosperous life!

Thought for the day: “I am a gentle and meek God and want the very best for you. Come to Me with a willing spirit and a humble heart and I will teach you My ways. I live so you can live!”

“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.” Genesis 32:28

This is an amazing story of God interacting with Jacob who was returning to his homeland and was terrified that Esau, his brother, would kill him and his family.

When Jacob stopped to set up camp he was met by angels and he exclaimed “This is God’s camp”. 

Jacob sent a peace offering of his livestock ahead to Esau hoping this would help make for a peaceful reunion with his brother.

 Jacob also sent his family and all his possessions ahead and stayed in his camp. During the night, God came in the form of a man and they wrestled all night. Jacob would not let go of the man so he dislocated Jacob’s hip.

The man told Jacob it is now morning and he must leave. Jacob told the man he would not release him until he blessed him. The man would not reveal his name to Jacob but he blessed him and gave him the name Israel.

 Jacob knew this man was of God and he was determined to hold on to Him for protection. It wasn’t really necessary for Jacob to wrestle with the man. He just needed to trust that God (the man) was with Him and that no weapon formed against him would prosper.

Jacob lost sight of the everlasting covenant God had made with him in the past and was reacting in fear and doubt.

The highlight in this story is Jacob knew his only hope for survival was God and he was determined to cling to God.

God made his point by dislocating Jacob’s hip. He was reinforcing the spiritual principle “that it is not by might nor by strength but by the Spirit of God”.

Jacob fought with God by not understanding His ways and this lead him down a difficult path filled with conflict. He also fought with his family over the ownership of his birthright and blessing from Issac. Jacob prevailed because God became his sanctuary and turned defeat into victory.

It doesn’t really do any good to wrestle with God to try and get your way. You can’t change God’s mind! You can only rest under His canopy and cling to Him. Jacob won because of God. It was not of his doing.

Come before God with faith in His mighty and powerful name. Stay anchored to God and His promises and He will fight your battles for you!

The post script to this story is Jacob and Esau had a heartfelt and joyful reunion. God is good!

Thought for the day: “Your life will be difficult when you have conflict with Me or live in doubt. Accept Me for who I am and I will fight your battles for you and you will see My glory and power. There is no one like Me.”