The Word and the Spirit
Dearly beloved of God, there is no truth outside of the Word of God. The light of God’s Word is the truth.
God instructs us to hold fast the form of sound words in believing and love which is in Christ Jesus. Those sound words are the gospel of God concerning Jesus Christ our Lord.
The first century Church lost this doctrine before the end of that century. How did this happen?
First, they turned away from the messenger who delivered the revelation of the mystery of God concerning Jesus Christ. Next, they erred concerning the truth, and then they resisted the truth. One step remained.
II Timothy 4:2- 4
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables.
Dearly beloved of God, outside of the revelation God has given us in His Word it is impossible to have spiritual understanding.
We cannot go by experiences, whether mine, yours, or someone else’s. Experiences vary from one person to the next, but the Word of God lives and abides forever. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Some people say that since God gave the gift of holy spirit we no longer need the Word of God. If that is so, why did God give us the revelation of the New Testament and the Church epistles after He gave the gift of holy spirit? The revelation we just read in Timothy was given many years after the giving of the spirit on Pentecost.
God gave us His Word and He gave us His spirit; they do not work at cross purposes, but in concert with one another. God’s Word reveals His Will, and it instructs us how to walk in the complete reality we received in the new birth.
The gospel of God is the power of God unto salvation; it is the wisdom of God revealed for our believing.
The spirit from the One True and Living God does not possess people, or use them as channels. If it did I am sure no one would ever sin once they were born again, but this is not the case, is it?
God works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure, but He is limited by our willingness to listen to Him and obey His voice. He works within the boundary of our free will. He works with those who will listen to Him and believe what He says. The spirit does nor run on auto pilot.
The manifestation of the spirit is given to each person who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, and it was given for profit. The one and the same spirit energizes all nine manifestations, distributing to each person individually even as he wills.
If you want to walk with the power of the nine manifestations, speak in tongues much in your personal prayer life. When you speak in tongues you are speaking directly to God your Father.
To speak in tongues you believe to speak the words forth as the Spirit gives them to you.
Inside the Church in a worship service, speak in tongues and interpret, and bring forth words of prophecy for the edification of those present.
When you interpret and prophesy you have to believe to start speaking and speak until the message is complete without adding to it or stopping prematurely. God supplies the words as you speak, so you must listen to Him.
If we do not listen to the Word of God and believe it, or listen to Him when we are operating the worship manifestations, how will we know His voice if we were to receive revelation?
Dearly beloved of God, without believing it is impossible to please God. It is impossible to please Him while rejecting His Word. His Word is instruction in righteousness. God gave us His spirit so that we might know the things that are freely given to us by Him.
Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, dearly beloved. God’s Word and His spirit are both profitable to us.