Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
The Holy Spirit is described by Jesus as the Spirit of Truth, and The Comforter.
Jesus told His disciples what the role of the Holy Spirit would be.
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 I have said unto you. Jn. 14:26
... Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. Jn. 16:13
This
was the new way God had chosen to speak to His people. God was going
to speak directly to His people by His Spirit, by the Holy Spirit.
In
the Old Testament God spoke directly to the prophets by HIS Spirit.
But the Holy Spirit was not given to all people. They went to a prophet
to find out what God wanted them to do.
The New
Testament was going to be a different way. God was going to speak
directly to each of His people by His Spirit, by the Holy Spirit which
is the Spirit of Jesus.
Heb. 1:1 ... God, who at
sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets, 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the
worlds;
After Jesus arose, God gave His Spirit to the individuals who were the church, HIS chosen.
Eph. 1 ... salvation:in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
The Holy Spirit, according to Jesus (Mt. 15:26 & 16:13), does the following:
- HE teaches us all things
- HE reminds us of all Jesus has said to us in scripture and dreams
- HE guides us into all truth
- HE shows us things to come
Thus we have the wisdom of God in form of the HOLY Spirit given to dwell in us as HE brings thoughts to our minds.
And by the Spirit of God we can know the will of God in all things pertaining to this present life for the Spirit of God searches the heart of God and reveals to us the will of God.
I Cor. 2 ... 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Here is an example of the way the Holy Spirit showed me the will of God as I was dealing with a problem with a neighbor. She had misunderstood what was happening and blamed me for something and I was considering whether to write her a note and explain what had happened. She has been angry with me for about 8 years and when I tried before to speak with her she said she was not interested and slammed the receiver of the phone down. I have been unable to do anything about her anger. But again she misunderstands something and I was willing to try again to communicate with her. I prayed, asking God how HE wanted me to deal with her. Immediately the Holy Spirit reminded me of the following scripture which showed me exactly what God wanted me to do in this current matter.
Mt. 15 ... Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone:they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
When I read this scripture, I knew exactly what God wanted me to do concerning this neighbor who was unwilling to forgive: Let her alone. So I did not try to explain to her again.
This is one way the Holy Spirit shows us the will of God in current matters. HE reminds us of everything Jesus has said to us. He may remind us of a scripture as in this case. Or HE might remind us of a dream given by God.
Example of God giving me a dream to show me what to do in an issue pertaining to this life: After my mother died, my cousin wanted me to move to the city where she lives. God gave me a dream showing me this cousin's house and how I could not go out through her house. I would have to go out another way. I knew not to move to the city where my cousin lives. I ended up moving to another city 350 miles away from her.
When I was born again in 1975, I had no idea of how the Holy Spirit is used by God to lead us. Through the coming months and years, God taught me about the working of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the believer. It is very helpful to understand how God uses the Holy Spirit in our lives so we can make decisions in assurance that we are going in the way God wants us to go.
Part 1: The witness of the Holy Spirit
The first example of the giving of the Holy Spirit to the church was at Pentecost.
Acts
1 ...And, being assembled together with them, (HE, Jesus) commanded them that they
should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the
Father, which, saith HE , ye have heard of me. 5For John truly baptized
with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence... ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Some
people in churches try to witness without having the Spirit of God.
They even teach each other how to "witness". But when we have the
Spirit of God in us, we are a witness.
When you
throw a rock into a pond of water, ripples go in all directions. You do
not have to try to make this happen. It is a by-product of the rock
hitting the water.
When you have the Holy Spirit in
you, you do not have to try to witness. You are a witness. You are so
different as a result of having the Holy Spirit in you that you are
different from those who do not have HIS Spirit. You just stand out in
that crowd. Many people will hate you because you are different. Those
who are of God will recognize you because of HIS Spirit.
Here are two examples, one of the flesh trying to witness and the other of the Spirit of God witnessing.
After I was born again, I
went to a copy store to make copies of some papers. I was waiting to
copy the papers. An elderly man approached me and said, "Little lady ... you didn't park behind that green and gold car did you?" I replied, "No sir." He said, "That's a Baylor (Baptist University) car." I replied, "Okay ..."
Then he said, "You don't happen to be a Christian do you?" With that, I excitedly replied ... "Well yes ... as matter of fact I am!"
He then stopped smiling and began showing displeasure in his face and said to me, "OH HECK ... I just joined the witnessing class at First Baptist Church and you are the first person I chose to witness to."
He was disappointed that I am a Christian!
The second example, happened
to me after I was born again in 1975 ... I owned a business and was
flying to Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA) on a buying trip. Many of my
relatives lived in Albuquerque at that time. My cousin met me at the
plane.
Just as the plane landed, I heard these words from the Holy Spirit, "Be baptized."
When my cousin picked me up and we got into her car, I said, "Jeanne ... if you can arrange it at church I will be baptized this afternoon before I return to Dallas." She replied: "But you've already been baptized." "Yes," I said, "But I wasn't born again until now."
Jeanne
was a member of Church of Christ. They love to baptize in water. So
she arranged for me to be baptized that afternoon. Many of my relatives
(who were also Church of Christ) gathered at the church building.
Before being taken to the baptistry, the young minister said to me: "Would you like to say something?" I was greatly shocked for Church of Christ never allow woman to speak at the church. But I replied, "I guess so." And
I began speaking by the Holy Spirit. I noticed my uncle who was seated
in the congregation. He was crying. I also noticed a cousin. She was
shaking her head up and down and very excited as I spoke.
When I was baptized and the minister lowered me into the water, the Holy Spirit began teaching me. The Holy Spirit said to me, "This is like being buried with Christ."
As the minister raised me out of the water, the Holy Spirit said to me, "This is like being raised with Christ."
I didn't know Romans 6 at that time but that is exactly what Romans 6 teaches us. Know
ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism
into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory
of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
After
the baptism, I dressed and returned to the congregation area of the
church building and my uncle came to me. He was very excited. He said,
"I've never heard anything like that which you said today. Could you write that out for me and send it to me?" I
told him I thought I could. So when I returned to Dallas I wrote it
and sent it to him. I think my uncle was born again at the time he
heard what the Holy Spirit spoke through me before I was baptized that
day.
When the Holy Spirit is doing the work through us there is power.
Part 2: Work of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
When the Holy Spirit fell on the believers at Pentecost, and
when they began to speak in other tongues, these tongues were other
languages. The Holy Spirit spoke the gospel through these other tongues
so that people of other nations who witnessed this would be able to
hear what the apostles were saying in their own language that they might
understand what had happened.
Acts
2 ... And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with
one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as
of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were
sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire,
and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.
5And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men,
out of every nation under heaven. 6Now when this was noised abroad, the
multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man
heard them speak in his own language. 7And they were all amazed and
marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak
Galilaeans? 8And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we
were born?
And Peter explained what was happening for some thought those speaking in tongues were drunk.
Acts 2 ... Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem,
be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15For these are not
drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17And it shall
come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit
upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and
your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days
of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19And I will shew wonders in
heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and
vapour of smoke: 20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon
into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21And it
shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord
shall be saved. 22Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth,
a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs,
which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24Whom
God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was
not possible that he should be holden of it.
And Peter continued speaking many words telling of Jesus the promised savior ... The
power of God, the Holy Spirit, had fallen on Peter and others and by
this power of God, Peter was speaking to the people that day and telling
them the things of God. Remember Jesus had said to them to remain
in Jerusalem until they received "power" and this was the power ... the
Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit speaking through Peter. We can't do
these things of ourselves nor of our own reasoning. But when the Holy
Spirit comes upon us we receive power of God to speak the things of God.
Acts
2 ... Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and
said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what
shall we do? 38Then Peter said unto them, 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. 39For the promise is unto
you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as
the Lord our God shall call. 40And with many other words did he testify
and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same
day there were added unto them about three thousand souls...And the Lord
added to the church daily such as should be saved.
One working of the Holy Spirit is to convince men of their sins. Jesus said this to HIS disciples before the crucifixion: Nevertheless
I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I
go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I
will send him unto you. 8And when he is come, he will reprove the world
of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Jn. 16
That is what happened in Pentecost example.
When the Holy Spirit is doing the work there is power to change men. Without change we know man did the work himself and it was not of the Spirit of God.
Example of the Holy Spirit working:
I was baptized in water when I was 15 years old. But I was not born of
the Spirit of God until God spoke to me when I was 37 years old. God
spoke to me in the form of a thought. God said, "Joan... You know all these mistakes you've been making all these years? ... Those weren't mistakes ... Those were sin."
? SIN ? ... I was shocked! (My life changed instantly at this point)
The Spirit of God entered my life and that made all the
difference. I didn't speak in tongues. I didn't run around the room
with hands raised. I simply heard from God by His spirit and heard truth about
myself and was changed. And I was immediately excited. I had been
staying at the home of my best friend and her husband while I was
recovering from an operation. As I left the house that day and passed
Donna, I remarked, "Oh, by the way ... I don't think I was a Christian until now." I walked on out the door. Donna began shouting: "Wait ... Joanie ... come back ... what did you say?" I
told her what had happened to me and how God spoke to me and I believed
that now I was a Christian although I thought before this I was a
Christian but I didn't live like a Christian before this happened to me.
This is an example of real change ... Change by the Spirit of God speaking by the will of God ... That is the power!
Part 3: Misunderstandings about the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit does not take over the person and cause the person to do things.
The
Holy Spirit speaks to us to direct us in the ways of God in the
specific issues of this life. The Holy Spirit gives us a choice. We
often think of fleshly ways to deal with problems. When the Holy Spirit
reminds us of a scripture or a dream in the issue at hand HE shows us
the will of God in the matter so we can turn from the ideas of our own
mind and go in the way of God. This is the role of the Holy Spirit.
Some
church groups discount the Holy Spirit because they have a
misconception concerning what the Holy Spirit actually does. And some
church groups allow another spirit inside their church groups thinking
it is the Holy Spirit.
One time I visited a church group and
the pastor was speaking to the group. All of a sudden a woman in the
group jumped up with her arms in the air and began running in a circle
around the congregation shouting, "Praise God ... Praise God ... Praise God." The people in the group became excited and began laughing. They thought this was the Spirit of God overtaking the woman. I was horrified, knowing this was not the Spirit of God
but it was another spirit disrupting the gathering of the church and
exalting itself above God. Actually this was one of the antichrist
spirits.
How do I know? I Cor. 14:40, Paul speaks of what is to happen when we come together as the church. Paul says: Let all things be done decently and in order.
The
actions of this woman were out of order. She interrupted the pastor.
She took over. She broke up the Spirit of God in the congregation. I
Cor. 14:26 ... How is it then, brethren? when ye come together,
every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a
revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
To edify means to build up, to instruct, to strengthen
And Paul explains we do things "in order" in the church ... Let
the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 30If any
thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his
peace. 31For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all
may be comforted. 32And the spirits of the prophets are subject to
the prophets. 33For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as
in all churches of the saints. I Cor. 14
At
one time, there was a church called "holy rollers". They had some kind
of spirit take over their bodies and they would fall down and roll
around on the floor. Again, this was not the spirit of God. There
would be no edification in this for those looking at the situation. This
would not cause you to have faith in God. This was not the Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings information from God. The Holy Spirit
does not take over your body and cause you to do insane acts. The Holy
Spirit brings the word of God and thereby allows you to have a choice
between the way of the flesh and the way of God.
Part 4: So what does the Holy Spirit do?
4 things the Holy Spirit does in the believer ... (the role of the Holy Spirit)
- He teaches us all things (Jn. 14:26)
- He brings to our mind everything Jesus has said to us (Jn. 14:26)
- He guides us into all truth (Jn. 16:13)
- He shows us things to come (Jn. 16:13)
The
Holy Spirit is great power for HE searches the heart of God to show the
believer the will of God in the specific issues of this present life.
Paul explained: But
we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which
God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8Which none of the princes
of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have
crucified the Lord of glory. 9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things
which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10But God hath revealed
them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea,
the deep things of God. 11For what man knoweth the things of a man,
save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God
knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not
the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might
know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also
we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the
Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. I Cor. 2
Something can seem like a good thing, but is it really the way God wants you to go?
It is the Holy Spirit who searches the heart of God to find out the
thinking of God on the matter at hand. So when we think of something
that God might want us to do, we pray, asking God about this idea ...
then we wait until we are shown by God one way or another.
Satan
appears as an "angel of light" (II Cor. 11:14) with good ideas and good works which
would keep us busy and cost us a lot of money. So we have to be sure
the idea we have is from God.
A few months ago, I
considered writing a book. It would have been very
easy for me to do this by compiling many of the writings we have done on
Internet over the past year. But what does God want? That
was the important question. So I prayed about it, asking God what HE
wanted. After I prayed the Holy Spirit reminded me of the following
word which clearly showed me God's view. I heard this: "Copyright." I started laughing. And I knew the answer. NO ... when you publish a book, the publisher puts a copyright on the book to prohibit people from copying the book. The object of writing things of God is exactly opposite,
for you want people to have free access to the material and you are
delighted for people to copy materials you write and share these copies
with other people. Jesus said, freely ye have received, freely give. Mt. 10:8
By
this example, we see a situation that seemed like a good idea. But the
Holy Spirit searched the mind of God and showed me the will of God in
the issue by reminding me of that one word, "copyright".
This is the way the Holy Spirit works in us to give us an opportunity to go in the way of God in the issue at hand.
Part 5: Believe Not Every Spirit But Try the Spirits
The Holy Spirit speaks to us in the form of a thought ... but so do other spirits!
I Jn. 4:1 ... Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.
So we must present ideas to God in prayer and allow HIM to establish our thinking in the various issues. I try the ideas
brought to my mind by turning to God in prayer and by waiting on God to
persuade me. God is able to communicate with us and to confirm the
direction we are to take on this earth.
There is another way to try the spirits which I have done many times.
I Jn. 2 ...2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
I have often tried the spirit by simply asking that spirit "Do you confess Jesus Christ is come in the flesh" ... and I will hear either yes or no from that spirit in form of thought.
In
the past years, I have so many examples of individuals who started out
to do a work they thought was of God only to find they were unable to do
that work. Often they came to me thinking I could help them do the work. What I saw is this: The work was not of God. They never believed me and they kept trying to do the work but so far as I know none of them were ever able to do the work.
One
woman who came to me said she was sure God wanted her to start a home
Bible class. She bought a house in the neighborhood she could afford
and moved in. But she was so afraid of the neighbors she couldn't
start the class. Also she said she thought God wanted her to write a
book. She put some things on paper but no one would consider publishing
it. She didn't even have enough money to have the pages copied to
submit them to publisher and she had no real market for the book. All
this is nonsense.
At
the church I once attended, a young couple said God was sending them to
Israel to preach the gospel. He quit his secular job. They set out for
Israel. In a week, they had returned to church. They said it was
impossible in Israel and they did not speak the language. Again this is
nonsense and terribly harmful.
These are examples of following the wrong spirit.
Each time God has shown me to do something, the way to do the work has also been shown me.
In approximately 1980, what I believe to have been an angel of the Lord spoke to me in the night while I was sleeping. It was a voice like a trumpet and was so loud I jumped out of bed immediately. The words spoken were: "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS" ...
It seemed clear to me that KWJS would be call letters to either radio
or TV station. (It turned out to be radio station.) I said to God, "Are you telling me to go on radio. I wouldn't know how to do this. I'm a writer not a speaker." Immediately the gentle thought came, "Call the radio station manager." (Holy Spirit bringing way from God) First
thing that morning I called and spoke with the station manager and he
told me to make an audition tape 29 1/2 minutes long and send it to him
and if I fit their broadcast format he would offer me a contract. I
asked him how much this costs and he said it was $800 per month for 5
day week/30 min broadcast. I prayed, asking God how I should pay
for it. The thought came to write the people I knew and tell them what
happened. At the time, I knew fewer than 80 people. But I wrote
telling what happened. I did not ask for money. I just told them what
happened. I had the letter copied and mailed it. Within 24 hrs. more
than enough money had arrived to pay for the first month of broadcasts.
And I was on the air on radio within a week.
See how
important the working of the Holy Spirit is when we believe God has
shown us to do something. We do not know the will of God except by the revealing of the Holy Spirit.
There
is a man who lives across street from me. He is FBI agent (Federal
Bureau of Investigation). When he found out I am minister, he came to
me wanting help. He has written a book and can't get it published.
Someone at his church group prophesied over him that he would be
quitting FBI to devote full attention to his book and to lectures. I was horrified. His
wife was very disturbed because she felt he had damaged his reputation
with FBI by telling them about this book which had to do with US
Constitution and Bible. I did what I could to turn him from this
"folly". But I don't think he turned.
Beware of an angel of light ... seems like God but brings harm ... Paul speak of this as follows: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed
as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their
works. II Cor. 11
It can seem like goodness
and light only to be destruction. And often there is a terrible thing.
To quit a disastrous work seems like a lack of faith. But in reality
the work itself was not authored by God. This happens a lot.
Everything must be proven by prayer or by directly trying the spirit that brought the thought.
Also consider the following concerning that wisdom which is from God ... James
3:17 ... But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good
fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
And Jesus explained: Come
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly
in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Mt. 11
If
the plan is very hard to do and will bring great hardship upon you and
your family you have likely heard from the wrong spirit. Be very
careful about "good" works. Pray. Wait on God to confirm the
direction.
Jesus warned: Mt. 7 ... Not every one
that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will
say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Prov. 3 ... In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7Be not wise in thine own eyes.
Prov. 16:25 ... There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
So
many ministers contact me asking me to give them money to help pay for
their works. But there is no such example in the Bible of a minister
doing this. And I know many are led into good works by other spirits
and by ideas of man.
My experience with God for the
past 30+ years is when God authors a work HE also provides a way to do
the work without begging for money from other ministers or from other
people.
David said: I have been young, and now
am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging
bread. Psa. 17:15
Part 6: Examples of the working of the Holy Spirit
A
man in our church group, named John Rodgers, presented the following
example which shows the Holy Spirit. John had accumulated many objects
in his life of 70+ years and he was considering building another storage
building for his stuff. As he was thinking about this, he heard the
following (in form of thought) ... "Why don't you just get rid of the stuff?"
Every time I think of this wonderful example of the Holy Spirit I laugh.
Another
fun example of the Holy Spirit ... When my mother was still living I
would go get our food at the same place daily. It cost $5.30. I would
take out the five-dollar-bill and a quarter and nickle and leave my
purse in car with my mother. One day I could not find a quarter and
nickle in my purse. As I was searching through the change, I clearly
heard (in form of thought) , "Three dimes will work ..." I began laughing for I had plenty of dimes in purse!
Sometimes the way is blocked to us through habit and God will help us out showing us another way to go!
Another example:
I have a commode that is hard to flush. Each time I try to flush it I
have to hold the handle down for several seconds. It has become more
and more annoying to me.
I went into bath and it seemed it was taking even longer than usual to flush commode. I was mumbling, fussing at commode.
Then I heard: "Would you rather have an out-house?"
"NO!" ... I shouted!
The next day I called plumber. The commode is now fixed!
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I receive several invitations to go to various parts of the world and
speak to ministers and to church groups. And I always want to go. But
I believe God has shown me not to travel, although I travel daily all
over the world by the Internet writings we do daily. Still I want to go
physically when I am asked to go and frequently I am invited to go to
various countries. One invitation was especially appealing to me. I
really wanted to go speak to these ministers. But what does God want me to do? I
turned strongly to God in prayer. I asked HIM to give me something
that would strongly anchor me in what HE wanted me to do about this
subject. I just didn't feel I had a strong anchor to really show me
what God wanted. Almost immediately I heard the following words: "Remember the cat ..." I said, "Oh, yeah ... the cat!" (I have a Siamese cat.)
I
laughed! I was expecting a more lofty anchor ... I was expecting God
to give me a scripture to show me what to do ... But the cat is a very
real anchor! I knew God was confirming to me that I was to stay home
and do what I had been doing ... read the Bible and exhort the church
daily through writings! My flesh was kept in place in the real will of
God by the Holy Spirit after I committed the subject to God.
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In
the 70's, I owned a business in Dallas, TX (USA). A man called me from
Houston, TX (USA) and wanted to come talk to me about running a
business, because his wife had just started the same kind of business,
American Indian Arts. I begged this man not to come to see me telling
him I know nothing at all about business but he said I was the person
recommended to him by others and he wanted to talk with me about
marketing. He was graduate of Harvard University Business School. I
was horrified at the idea of having to talk with him. But he insisted.
The first thing he asked was about my marketing plan. I was praying
constantly as I spoke with him. I replied: "Well ... you see ... I
am a Christian ... So before I go out to buy the art objects I pray
asking God to have the Indians make the objects. Then when I get to the
reservations I pray, asking God to show me the objects to buy. Then
when I return home, I pray, asking God to send out the angels to get the
customers to come in and purchase the items, and everything sells." There was a long pause. Then he said, "Well ... that's a form of marketing." (No further questions and he left.)
To me, after I was born again, everything was dependent upon God. And it still is!
I
get frightened and even panicked but God always settles me by HIS
Spirit and puts me on the way HE wants me to go. All is done by HIS
Spirit.
When I was new Christian, a man sued me for a
million-dollars. It was so silly to me because I probably had only
$2000 to $3000 dollars at the time. Finally I realized judgment would
come against me unless I responded to this legal suit and I could end up losing my business. So I hired a
lawyer. But as months drug on, all the profit from sale of merchandise
in my business was going to pay legal fees. Finally, I knew I had to
put stop to this. I had prayed many times and a scripture was brought
to my attention (Holy Spirit). Isaiah 54:17 ... No weapon that is
formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise
against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the
servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the
LORD. I told lawyer this lawsuit was a weapon against me and if
the Bible is true it would not prosper since I am a Christian. So I
had decided to dismiss his law firm and go to court without human legal
counsel.
Lawyer was so shocked. He said, "Joan ...
you can't do this. You don't realize how evil these courts are. It
will only take another $10,000 to try your case." At that point I was shocked and replied, "10,000 ... Stop Gordon ... don't do anything else." I dismissed the attorney.
About
a week later, Gordon called me and told me they had decided to try my
case without further charge to me. But what is going on? One week it
was going to cost me $10,000 and the next week it was going to be free?
I told Gordon I would have to see. I prayed and God (by HIS Spirit)
reminded me of following scripture ... Gen. 14 ... And the king of
Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to
thyself. 22And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine
hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and
earth, 23That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and
that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I
have made Abram rich: By this I knew God was telling me to turn
down the "free" legal service, so I did that. Six days before the
trial the man dropped all charges against everyone. He had been suing
several people and his lawyer who called me to tell me of the dropping
of charges said this man "cut everyone loose". It was over. But it was
terrifying. And it went on for several months. God would remind me of
scripture to help me (again it was the Holy Spirit bringing these
scriptures to my attention). I recorded the scriptures on cassette tape
and played the tape each night. I would fall asleep to the scriptures
and when I awoke during the night I would start the recorder again.
This helped sustain me during the months of torment.
Part 7: Jesus says ...
I
can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is
just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father
which hath sent me. Jn. 5:30
Jesus heard from God. Jesus, the Son of God, the creator of all things, said HE could do nothing, except what HE heard from God.
The same is true for us today.
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. Jn. 6:63
Jesus speaks to us today by HIS Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth.
Until we hear what God has to say by HIS Spirit, we can do nothing.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8:14