19 October 2014
Ministry of the Word (MOW):
True Spirituality (TS).
Improving our Spiritual Understanding.
Theme: God is a Spirit.
Memory Verse:
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth ( John 4:24).
Beloved,
There is much confusion in the world today about God. Who is God to you? What is your understanding of God? How much do you KNOW God? These are vital questions every true believer should sincerely answer. Even in the church today, God is perceived differently by believers.
The Bible says God is a Spirit, as per our memory verse above. We know from the word of God that man is also a spirit, with a soul ( mind), housed in a body (1 Thess 5:23). Even in the old Testament, the word of God says we are gods (Psalm 82:6). While God has made the angels spirit beings, His ministers are made FLAME of FIRE( Heb 1:7). To qualify as a minister of God, a man must be richly RECONNECTED to God in Christ Jesus.
We know from the word of God that Satan and his agents (demons) are also entirely spirit beings, who rebelled against God in heaven, and were cast down to the earth ( Revelation 12:7-9). Without spiritual understanding , the human spirit can easily be connected or linked to the satanic spirit or forces, with adverse consequences. Satan and his cohorts are extremely wicked spirits. Their only purpose is to kill, steal and to destroy ( John 10:10a). This is why a true child of God must be spiritually alert, watchful and not be DISTRACTED.
The relevant questions are: What is a spirit? If man is a spirit, where is the “spirit man” located? Is man’s spirit located somewhere in the body or in the mind (soul)? You may never have a universally acceptable answers or explanations to these questions. ” Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).
The English word “spirit” is from the Latin word, “spiritus”, meaning”breath”. The modern use of the word “spirit”, has many differing meanings and connotation. The “spirit man” is the vital, living, inner power, driving force that gives life to the individual. This was given to man by God from the beginning, and does not belong to man. Indeed, when man dies, the spirit returns to God:
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it (Ecl 12:7).
This writer is convinced that in heaven, on earth, and underneath the earth, God is the most powerful Spirit. Every other spirit is His creation. He is the only Spirit that is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent. No other spirit is present everywhere at all times. He created all things but He Himself was never created. In the very beginning He created man in his exact image:
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them “(Genesis 1:27). Having formed man, God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). Unfortunately, this DIVINE nature was LOST when man DISOBEYED God, hence ran from God without being pursued (Genesis 3:10).
There are many people who find it difficult to believe God and hold this truth. Examples are the atheists and the agnostics. There are many who believe in God, but have a distorted view of Him. Nevertheless, nothing can go against the truth. The Bible warns us NOT to believe every spirit:
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world ” (1 John 4:1). Jesus Himself told us not all those who call Him Lord, are genuine:
“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” ( Matthew 7:21).
SEPARATION FROM GOD
Our sins (disobedience to the word of God) separate us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2).
THE NATURE of GOD
The divine nature of God include: Truth, Purity, Holiness, Righteousness, Humility, Faith, Integrity, Love etc. God does not compromise on these divine attributes. For example, without FAITH, it is impossible to please God ( Hebrews 11:6).
Everything about God is supernatural. Unfortunately, even within the body of Christ ( the church), many try to find God with their natural senses, mind or intellect. We can only communicate and interact with God spiritually. He guides and leads those who have been reconnected to Him. This is the basis for sonship. The word of God says:
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14).
If you are a true child of God, and you meet another person claiming to be a child of God, but lying, cheating, being deceitful, being dishonest, lacking in integrity etc, please, do NOT befriend such person. Indeed, run away from him or her. These traits separate us from God ( Isaiah 59:1-2). The Holy Spirit is truthful, sincere, faithful, honest, humble, gentle, loving etc.
HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM
Due to the grace and mercy of God (Romans 9:15), provision has been made for every man to spiritually RECONNECT to God in Christ Jesus. Only faith in Christ Jesus can provide this reconnection ( Acts 4:12). Jesus is the embodiment of the Holy Spirit of God. He is the Lord. Yes, the Lord is that Spirit (2 Cor 3:17).
He is the embodiment of the truth. He is “the way, the truth, and the life ( John 14:6). He empowers true believers with the Holy Spirit ( Acts 1:8), to work in His Vineyard, so that they will be able to empower others. As divine as Jesus was before his birth, He himself needed to be empowered by the Holy Spirit ( Acts 10:38).
Here are some of what have been said about about the importance of the spirit:
Jesus:
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” ( John 6:63).
King Solomon:
“The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?” ( Prov 18:14).
Victor Frankl (1973), a well known psychotherapist: “Man lives in three dimensions: the somatic, the mental, and spiritual. The spiritual dimension cannot be ignored, for it is what makes us human”.
Ellison, ( 1983), a well known researcher in the field of spirituality and health argues that spirituality: “enables and motivates us to search for meaning and purpose in life. It is the spirit which synthesize the total personality and provides some sense of energising direction and order. The spiritual dimension does not exist in isolation from the psyche and the soma. It affects and is affected by our physical state, feelings, thoughts and relationships”.
Unfortunately, many people, out of ignorance ( Hosea 4:6), rely on others to tell them what God is saying. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit can only communicate with our spirits. If you are truly RECONNECTED to God in Christ Jesus by His grace, you do NOT need another person to tell you if a particular pastor, evangelist, prophet etc is a true man of God or not. All you need to do is LEARN to go on your knees and ENQUIRY of Him, and He will tell you. He can never lie to you because, He is not a man that He should lie( Number 23:19). The Holy Spirit does not speak of himself but what he hears from the Word (John 16:13). The word of God says woe is he that put his trust in man ( Jerimiah 17:5).
If I may ask a reader of the message, what is your most important source of information? Is it from God or from man?
To grow spiritually increasingly requires daily meditation in the word of God.
Prayer: There is a reader of this message, receive the grace to RELATE to God in spirit and in truth in Jesus mighty name. Amen.
Yours in the Vineyard of Jesus Christ. Bro Ben Bassey, Iyobosa, & the MOW family.
Spiritual Counselling Helpline:
+447404624293. Dr Ben Bassey is a psychiatrist & a spiritual counsellor, who ministers to people regularly through the MOW, the spiritual arm of AHF.
To further enrich yourself with spiritual materials and health information, please visit: www.ministryoftheword.
In the Ministry Of the Word (MOW)-Acts 6:4, we primarily encourage and empower believers to be rich in the words of God: “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom” (Col 3:16). The entrance of the WORD is the true source of LIGHT in a dark world(Ps 119:130). We also encourage believers to speak to one another “in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs(Eph 5:19). We encourage everyone to “seek first the kingdom of God his righteousness”..Matt 6:33). We stress that: Righteousness exalts a person (Prov 14:34). We emphasize that pure Christianity is about True Spirituality in Christ Jesus. We emphasize that the POWER in the blood of Jesus has set us FREE from all forms of bondage, ignorance, disease and that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2Cor 3:17). Jesus Christ is the Word of God (John 1:1; Rev 19:13). We emphasise that Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6). The words of God are spirit & are Life(John 6:63). We allow the Scriptures to answer all questions. We avoid the dilution, misinterpretation or deliberate corruption of the words of God. We create the awareness that Jesus has made all true believers kings and priests unto God and his Father(Rev 1:6). In addition, aside from soul winning, as a spiritual body, we also empower unbelievers with knowledge using the principles of our Lord Jesus Christ with the understanding that when they witness the power of the living God, they will be compelled to believe and exalt His holy name (Psalm 46:10).
One major objective of MOW is to increasingly improve everyone’s spiritual understanding! Spiritual ignorance is a major cause of human destruction(Hosea 4:6). Indeed, many children of God have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge (Isa 5:13). Indeed, “through knowledge shall the just be delivered” (Prov 11:9). We are established by the righteousness in the word of God (Isa 54:14).
Please note that the MOW is an initiative and the spiritual arm of Abasi Health Foundation (AHF). AHF is a registered NGO in Nigeria , with the primary objective of empowering all groups of people to optimize their health. It is aimed at encouraging everyone to have increasing awareness of three broad levels of health: Physical, Mental and Spiritual. May God give you the grace of increasing understanding in Jesus Name. Amen. Websites: http//www.ministryoftheword.
All scriptures are taken from KJV, unless if otherwise specified. Please, indicate if you would like your Email removed from the spirituality group list.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8).
Ben Bassey, Psychiatrist & Spiritual Health Counsellor. Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil 2:11). Sent from my iPhone