“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.” Hebrews 4:9
This is very hard to do because we all have a desire to get on with life and be productive people. Waiting seems like you are wasting away your life.
Waiting is the plan of God for all believers. There will be seasons of waiting as you walk with God. Moses tended sheep for forty years before He was ready to begin God’s ministry.
Waiting is a call from God to cease from your works (or striving) and enter into His rest.
Waiting builds patience and trust in the efficacy of God.
The reality of God is that it is not by might nor by strength but by My Spirit.
Waiting is a time to pray, read the Word and live out the values of Christ.
Praise God for His greatness and glory even when you feel you like you have been left behind.
Waiting creates spiritual maturity as you listen to the voice of God and walk by faith.
Waiting is God’s way to demonstrate loudly He is in control and has power and dominion over the heavens and earth.
The act of salvation does not cease while you are waiting. The Holy Spirit is alive and at work. You hear the voice of God and can draw upon His attributes.
Waiting is resting in God like He rested after six days of creating the world and every living being.
Waiting precedes the release of the goodness of God.
This is the promise to all who are in a waiting season with God.
I would have lost heart unless I had believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
The goal for a Christ follower is to have unyielding faith and confidence in Jesus while you wait upon Him.
“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11
The word from God today is the term gradient which refers to an upward ascent. This analogy is in reference to the power that raised Jesus from death back to life and resides in all believers.
If you are a believer you are baptized into the death of Jesus and filled with the resurrected power of Christ. This is your hope for life and upward calling from God.
The miracle of salvation is your life changes from a finite condition (birth and death) to an infinite condition with no ending.
Salvation comes by hearing and accepting Jesus by faith. Your life is transformed into the character of God and you live by faith not by what you see with your eyes.
The gradient is how you navigate through life. Call upon Jesus and the Holy Spirit will fill you with the resurrected attributes of strength, wisdom, joy and protection.
Salvation is designed so you can have abundant and vibrant life on earth while living in closeness with God.
Salvation does not relate to time; it is the resurrected power of Christ at work in your life at this very moment.
My resurrected power is how you can reach heaven and accomplish all the challenges in your life. I live so you can live!
“He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.” Proverbs 26:17
The word from God today is to let the sleeping dogs lie. Walk in the light of Christ and have nothing to do with darkness.
This is a very deep and penetrating admonition about the passion of God over this spiritual precept. The word is to separate yourself from the world.
We live in the world but we are not of the world. God is looking at you as a ”set apart” member of the Body of Christ. We must all be filled with the renown, praise and glory of God.
Flee from darkness and do not condone or have sympathy for those living in darkness.
You cannot allow the darkness to leak into your life even in a small way and expect to be filled with the fullness of God.
Your body is the temple of God and we must honor Him with all of our thoughts, words, and actions.
The Holy Spirit is now doing a work of convicting and cleansing in the Body of Christ. Do not stand in His way or take His actions lightly.
This attitude of God has never seemed as important as now. In the past you could kind of slip by through the mercy of God. This is no longer the case. God is on a mission and we have to take Him seriously or face the consequences.
The autotomy of Christ is to live free of the bondage of sin and be a powerful witness for Him.
Jesus is telling me at this very moment He wants you to live life to the fullest under the authority of the Holy Spirit!
“You shall know them by their fruits” Matthew 7:16
The title for this narrative and the Bible verse above was spoken to me last night by the Holy Spirit.
God told me that many believers are being led astray by the leaders in the Body of Christ. They tend to operate with impure motives and a desire to satisfy their own needs.
The test to evaluate the heart and integrity of a leader is to ask yourself this question; “Does your pastor or teacher point you to the Living Christ or promote himself or a local church entity.
The teacher in the Body of Christ should be helping believers to come to the stature of the fullness of Christ and never be looking to get something back to benefit self.
The role of a leader is to prepare a believer to be a powerful witness for Jesus. He should never attempt to control or confine believers in a religious organization. The gospel is built on sending believers out to do the work of God.
Jesus had this to say about the religious leaders during His ministry. He told them you can search the scriptures endlessly looking for eternal life but they testify of Me.
This is about seducing believers into a system of laws and works. It is replacing the Spirit of God with religion.
The false impression about religion is that God only works through a church and if you do not belong or participate you are outside of the purview of God.
Religion blocks your vision of the global nature of God.
Religion restricts the fullness of God from entering your life.
The Holy Spirit integrates the words of Jesus into your motives and actions. He teaches you the priorities of God and how to worship Jesus in Spirit and Truth.
The priority is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and your needs and goals follow in a secondary position. This priority can never be in a reverse order. It is always God first!
As a believer, we submit to the teachings of Jesus and live under the authority of the Holy Spirit.
The goal for a believer is to build a direct and embracing relationship with the Living Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Seek out a church which honors God and is void of religion. Remember, the church is a filling station and not your permanent home!
There is complete freedom in Christ. You are not bound by laws or regulations!
Your final destiny is assured and salvation becomes a method of living closely with God every day of your life.
God changes from a distant biblical figure to the Living Christ.
You discover how to walk with Him and live in His presence.
Your life with God is defined by sin. God is perfect and you are imperfect with an inner condition to live for self. The purpose of God is to transform you into the character of Jesus. This is a lifelong process and causes pain and suffering at times.
Salvation is building your life on the rock of Jesus. There is no other way.
Salvation is giving up your freedom to live for Jesus.
The spiritual principle which is difficult for most people to grasp deals with self sufficiency. “There is a way that seems right to a man but its end is destruction.” You do not have the innate ability to make good decisions and live a life pleasing to God. You are doomed to failure.
The value of Jesus is He offers to fill you with His life. This gives you access to His strength, joy, wisdom and protection.
The cost of salvation is to lay down your life for Jesus. This decision will activate God to seal you with the Holy Spirit. He is the life of Jesus and your entry way to the kingdom of Heaven.
You will be able to walk in oneness with the Living Christ every moment of your life.
Salvation is your safety net and hope for the future. You must seek out the will of God for your life above all else.
The starting point is confessing your sins and asking God to cover you with the blood of Jesus. Be open to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and obedient to the voice of God.
God is not looking for your works; He wants your unyielding faith in His promises even in the most dire of circumstances.
Some thoughts from God during last night:
I am your flotation device that will keep you from sinking into the abyss of sin.
Dueling with God is a lost cause. You cannot win. This is because He has power and dominion over all things.
“You shall have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3
The Holy Spirit spoke this admonition to me last night. At times, we all engage in other gods and make Jesus a lower priority in our lives. This is the biggest reason believers lapse away from the presence of God. You and I have to face this conflict every day of our lives.
These precious words from God about fleeing from other gods are contradictory to the ways of the world and human behavior.
God is very jealous and does not want to share you with other gods.
The other gods might be compulsive behaviors, immorality, seeking riches and a luxury life, work pursuits or just the pleasures of life.
The human condition to live for self is in direct conflict with the most important principle of God. We are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
When you violate this spiritual command from God you open the door to misery and destruction.
Jesus must come first in your life. Your goal should be to vigorously seek His will for your life.
Jesus wants to create a perfect balance in your life. The order of priorities are God, family, work and pleasure.
You cannot accomplish this goal through your own efforts. Your fleshly desires are too intense and will cause you to fall out of balance with God.
Here is a suggestion to help you identify these other gods. Examine your life by asking yourself this question; ”Do you spend your time, money or pursuits in an inordinate fashion?”
Most importantly, the Holy Spirit desires to keep you on track with God. He knows you better then you know yourself.
He lives in you and is the life of Jesus. Commit your works each day to God and invite the Holy Spirit to have authority over your life.
Listen to the voice of God with an open heart and seek the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus will set you free from the law of sin and death. This is your safety net living in the world.
Walk with God yielding to the Holy Spirit and He will keep you in the perfect pathway of Jesus.
“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11
The Body of Christ is fractured and in a state of disarray.
This has been caused by leaders who have failed to build doctrine on the foundation of Christ.
Why the Body of Christ is broken?
There are many reasons but the root cause is over disputing the words of Jesus.
Satan has infiltrated Christianity and worked through the leadership to create false or very liberal interpretations of scripture. The goal of Satan is to fracture the Body of Christ and weaken the teachings of Jesus. And, he has been very successful.
The leaders in the Body of Christ whitewash the truths of God to justify their own motives. They manipulate scripture to support the purposes of religion.
In the mind of God, there are no denominations, divisions or different interpretations of scripture.
This sectarianism has been created by human divisiveness and manipulation to support a specific point of view.
There should be no conjecture or deviations of doctrine in the Body of Christ. We all build on the bedrock of Jesus united in the values and teaching of Christ.
The divisiveness in the Body of Christ will probably never end until Jesus comes back to unite His church. In the meantime, the people of Christ should respect the views of others whether they agree or disagree with doctrine. You can avoid conflict by finding a church aligned with the teachings of Jesus.
Jesus is based on relationship!
Christianity has established preset rules and boundaries for a relationship with God. The leaders mostly reject the importance of a personal relationship built on hearing the voice of God. It is impossible to have an authentic relationship with God if you are not in contact with the voice of God.
The purpose of a New Testament church.
The New Testament Church is a filling station for believers. You assemble to praise God, sing hymns and spiritual songs, pray, and to be filled with the truths of Christ. The church should have an open door policy and never attempt to control or confine believers. The purpose is to equip and send believers out into the world to proclaim the gospel.
There is a strong movement to dispel the importance of the Holy Spirit. This is because the Holy Spirit exposes corruption and false teaching. The reality of God comes to those who live under the authority and teaching of the Holy Spirit.
God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
God is the Creator of the heavens and earth. Jesus, the Son of God, has power and dominion over all things, and the Holy Spirit speaks for God and is our connection to the Living Christ. There are no other gods.
Salvation is an everlasting gift from God for all those who elect to live by faith in Christ.
Jesus is the only way a human being can be redeemed by God. You must confess your sins, seek repentance and ask Jesus to cover you with His blood.
You must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. The miracle of salvation is to be baptized with Water and Spirit and become transformed into a new creature in Christ Jesus.
The Christ follower is sealed with the Holy Spirit. He is the life of Christ and teaches you the reality of salvation.
We are designed by God to walk in oneness with Jesus under the authority of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus has one voice. He speaks through the Holy Spirit to bring glory to God and unify the Body of Christ.
“But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for the just shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11
Last night God told me one of His most important concerns for the Body of Christ is the encroachment of legalism and the wavering effect of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.
Jesus told me “You cannot get right with Me through laws. They will bring a curse upon you and lead you into bondage.”
The Holy Spirit also told me Jesus died to set you free and He does not want you to suffocate under the rules of religion.
Salvation is a gift of God that comes to you by faith and through the Spirit of God touching your soul.
Legalism is the worship of Jesus through doing works and keeping laws. It is an attempt to please God through your self efforts and complying with laws. Legalism wants to control you and take away your freedom in Christ.
Jesus died on the Cross to abolish all the laws governing a relationship with Him.
There is no obligation on the part of Jesus to bless you because of your works or efforts to adhere to the laws of God.
The Ten Commandments represent the precious heart of God concerning your conduct as a believer but no one can keep these commands from God.
As mere mortals, you and I are weak and helpless and cannot match up to the standards of God. This is why God created a perfect plan enabling you to live with Him through Christ Crucified.
God’s design is for you to live with Jesus by faith anchored to the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said the work of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.
The Holy Spirit will give you the freedom to live a life pleasing to God without the drudgery of the laws and the requirements of religion.
“I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6
Jesus spoke to me today about dissipation which is self indulgence. This is what keeps most people from coming to Jesus or depriving believers of the fullness of God.
God told me His purpose is to set you free from the bondage of sin and draw you into oneness with Him. Jesus has no desire to lead you into religion. It will corrupt your soul and prevent you from experiencing the freedom and simplicity of God.
The door is wide open to Jesus. There is no condemnation or discrimination in the heart of Jesus.
You can have an endearing and vibrant relationship with Jesus beginning today.
How do you come to Jesus?
Come to Jesus as a sinner and an incomplete person.
Come to Jesus with a decision to live for Him above all else.
Come to Jesus with trembling fear and respect for His greatness and glory.
Come to Jesus by faith not by what you see with your eyes.
Make a decision for Jesus because He keeps His promises. Deal with Jesus on His Word not through your emotions. They will betray you.
Come to Jesus confessing your sins and seeking forgiveness through the blood of Christ.
Come to Jesus with a willing heart to give up your freedom and right to yourself.
Come to Jesus with a sincere desire to find His will for your life. Make Jesus the centerpiece of your life.
Come to Jesus for the gift of salvation which begins at the moment you decide for Him.
Come to Jesus to be sealed with the Holy Spirit which is the life of Christ.
Come to Jesus to hear His voice and walk closely with Him anchored to the Holy Spirit.
Come to Jesus to be filled with His supernatural attributes of strength, love, joy, wisdom and protection.
Come to Jesus because He desires to give you an abundant life filled with His goodness.
Come to Jesus with a conviction to be obedient to His voice. When He speaks comply without compromise.
Come to Jesus because He can do for you what you never can do for yourself.
Hal Hollister Ministry 