Category: Holy Spirit

Categories
Faith Holy Spirit Peace

Accentuating God’s Peace

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27 (ESV) The Holy Spirit lives in you to accentuate the experience of God’s peace. Happiness is based on happenstance. If the circumstances are just right, then happiness can result. Happiness is conditional and is rooted in the condition of the circumstances surrounding you. Peace is not connected to circumstances. Whether you are on the mountaintop or in the valley, God’s peace can be experienced completely and perpetually by the Holy Spirit living inside of you. When you come to realize that living in a fallen world and occupying a fallen planet generates unfavorable conditions at times, then you are positioned for the experience of God’s peace. The Holy Spirit accentuates the reality of God’s peace in your life regardless of your circumstances. In your darkest moments, you can know the peace of God on an intimate level because the Holy Spirit accentuates the presence of God’s peace in your life. His peace will sustain you when nothing else can. The peace God gives will help you triumph through seasons of tribulation and turbulence. God’s peace will catapult you through the storms of life and advance you through adversity. Trials will become the megaphone of God’s peace in that you will come to know the peace of God in the midst of your desperation. The Holy Spirit living inside of you will enable you to encounter God’s peace personally. Are you in need of the peace God provides? Have you been in a season of uncertainty or riding the wave of anxiety? Rest in the peace God provides through the indwelling Holy Spirit. You are inhabited by the One who accentuates the peace of God. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

Categories
God's Will Holy Spirit Illumination

Illuminating God’s Will

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:13-14 (ESV) The Holy Spirit lives in you to illuminate the path of God’s will. God loves you and has a plan for your life. God’s plan is for you to respond to His offer of salvation, to grow spiritually, to be spirit-filled, and to be a soul winner. The Holy Spirit lives in you to empower you to know and do God’s will. The Holy Spirit empowers you to be on mission with God so that you can continue the ministry of Jesus. What is it like to be guided into all truth? Who qualifies for such a task? God has created you to come into a personal relationship with Him through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. God redeems you and takes up permanent residence within you by the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. Your life matters to God and the direction of your life has immediate and eternal implications. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, moves in to serve as your personal guide to ensure that you stay on the path of truth. God’s will includes your awareness of His plan and your response of obedience to His plan. You cannot fulfill God’s will without the Holy Spirit living inside of you? The Holy Spirit illuminates the path God wants you to take. The Holy Spirit clarifies God’s will so that you can  bring glory to God through a life of obedience. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

Categories
Counselor Holy Spirit Truth

Validating Truth

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26 (ESV) The Holy Spirit lives in you to validate the truth of God’s word. Life in our fast-paced culture can get noisy at times and you can miss the voice of Truth. Having the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, living inside of you means that His activity includes empowering you to decipher the difference between truth and falsehood. God’s word is a lamp unto your feet and a light for your path (Ps. 119:105). The Holy Spirit validates the truth of God’s word so that you can walk in step with God’s will. As a child of the Living God, you have a resident Teacher living inside of you to teach you all things. The Holy Spirit gives you wisdom and insight and illuminates God’s word and God’s will. He reminds you of the teachings of Christ and the perfect example Christ set for you to follow in His steps. Are there areas of your life where you struggle to know God’s truth? Do you combat relational challenges with difficult people and simply need to know the truth behind the challenges? Satan is a master of deception and seeks to pollute your mind with falsehood and to fertilize your mind with lies. The Holy Spirit living in you will bring clarity to the truth of God’s word. He will validate the truth that you need to live a life of surrender and obedience. The Counselor will clarify the truth of your circumstances and will empower you to experience relational harmony with others and with God. Spend some time praying for a heightened sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s validating work in your life today. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

Categories
Counselor Guidance Holy Spirit

Resident Counselor

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.“ John 14:16-17 (ESV) Have you ever needed counseling? A counselor helps you unpack your current reality to bring clarity to your condition. The process doesn’t stop there. A counselor helps you navigate the terrain of life to get you to a healthy place where your personal health is vibrant, your relationships are solid, and your view of the future is bright. Sometimes you simply need someone to talk to who will understand your pain and patiently walk with you to a new level of living. The disciples were blessed to have Jesus visibly with them. After announcing His departure, Jesus promised to give them another Counselor. Of course, Jesus was speaking of the person of the Holy Spirit who comes to live inside of us at the moment of our conversion. He is the Spirit of truth who becomes our resident Counselor. Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us (Rom. 8:34) and the Holy Spirit is living inside of us interceding for us in accordance with God’s will (Rom 8:26-27). We are blessed to have the ministry of unbroken intercession as a result of our possession. The Holy Spirit puts Christ in us and puts us in Christ. Get to know the resident Counselor living inside of you! He is your constant Companion! Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Salvation

Drawing You to Himself

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:44 (ESV) Salvation is an event followed by an ongoing process. What happens before the event of salvation? Our Heavenly Father draws people to Himself. God is always at work pursuing us with His redeeming love. No one can come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ unless the Father draws that individual into the relationship. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin and convinces individuals of their need for a Savior. Sin separates us from God and our only hope is for divine intervention. The bad news is that we deserve to be eternally separated from God. The Good News is that we don’t have to go to hell, we can go to heaven. The Good News is that we don’t have to live as an enemy of God, we can become a friend of God by being reconciled to Him by receiving His gift of eternal life. Think about the people in your life right now. Is there anyone who has not experienced the event of salvation? Pray that God will continue to draw them to Himself by the convicting and convincing work of the Holy Spirit. Pray that they will be responsive to the redemptive activity of God. Join God in His redemptive activity by praying for their salvation. Consider inviting them to church. Make deposits in their life through being a godly influence and by sharing the Good News of Jesus with them. Provide them with a Bible if they don’t have one. Give them a devotional book that has blessed your life. Email them or text them Bible verses that have encouraged you in your journey with God. God is drawing them to Himself. Pray for their receptivity to His activity! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Sin Nature Temptation

Living in Two Worlds

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Gal. 5:16-17 (ESV) Every believer is living in two worlds: the world of the Spirit or the world of the sinful nature. Light and darkness abound. They are in conflict with each other. As a result, the believer has to combat the gravitational pull of the sinful nature. At salvation, a believer receives the Holy Spirit and is made fit for heaven. However, the believer retains the sinful nature and must daily crucify the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Have you been combating the cravings of the flesh? Have you noticed that your sinful nature is addicted to sin? However, you must daily crucify the flesh. “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Gal. 5:24 ESV). In Christ, you must starve the flesh. Whatever you feed grows and whatever you starve dies. Feed the Spirit living in you and starve the cravings of your sinful nature. Do not be a slave to sin. Choose to be a slave to righteousness. Pray with me: Father, thank You for redeeming me from my sin. You have rescued me from this body of death. You have brought me out of the kingdom of darkness and placed me in the kingdom of Light. Help me to crucify the sinful nature and to live by the Spirit. Enable me to live the Christ-centered life in the power of Your Holy Spirit. Help me to finish strong for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Salvation Soulwinning

No Greater Task

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4 (ESV) God empowers us for participation in His redemptive activity. We cannot operate in God’s kingdom economy without God’s kingdom resources. God’s agenda can only be fulfilled by God’s enabling. Without God’s power, we cannot fulfill God’s mission. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit indwelt the believers and enabled them to speak forth the Gospel. Everyone heard the Good News in their own heart language. This miraculous communication of the Gospel was God’s demonstration that the Gospel is for everyone! What is your spiritual story? How did you come to know Christ personally? What has your life been like since being filled with the Holy Spirit? What does God’s Word say about how a person can be saved? If you have experienced the Gospel firsthand, then you are now ready to witness to Christ’s saving power. You are now ready to share your faith with others. Read Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9-10, and 10:13. God has reconciled you to Himself so that you can join God in reconciling others to Himself. Build bridges to those who don’t know Jesus so that they can have the saving relationship that you enjoy in Christ. There’s no greater task on planet earth! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Power Soulwinning

Infused with Power

“And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.” Acts 4:33 (ESV) How is resurrection power evidenced in your life? The apostles demonstrated resurrection power as they testified of the bodily resurrection of the Lord. They combated immense opposition to share the gospel. They were willing to risk everything for the sake of witnessing to the reality of the resurrected Lord. As they gave witness of the Lord’s resurrection, the grace of God was upon them. Could it be that God reserves His resurrection power for the most important task? Is it possible that God unleashes His resurrection power when you join Him in His redemptive activity? When you testify of His redeeming love, God releases His power in you to accomplish His task of spreading the fragrance of Christ. When you enter the spiritual battlefield for the souls of men, women, boys, and girls, God empowers you for the mission. Are you attempting anything that requires resurrection power? Are you living on mission with God to the extent that you are desperate for His divine enabling? God has given you everything you need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). As you share the gospel, remember that it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). There’s no need to be ashamed. Operate in the resurrection power God provides. Allow God to take you places you have never been in your love relationship with Him. Trust God to give you the boldness and the courage to confront the culture and to present the wonderful saving news of Jesus. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Pentecost Priesthood of the Believer

Filled with the Spirit

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:4 (ESV) God accomplishes the extraordinary through ordinary people just like you. He gives you everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Fulfilling God’s purposes requires God’s power. You cannot accomplish God’s will without being filled with His Spirit. He equips you to do His work His way. The hundred and twenty believers were all filled with the Holy Spirit and communicated the gospel in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Gathered in Jerusalem from diverse cultures for Pentecost, the crowd came together in bewilderment. Each person heard the believers speaking in his own language. Was the miracle in the speaking or in the hearing? There’s no need to debate that issue. The miracle was that God chose to communicate the gospel to everyone. God broke down the ethnic barriers and removed the obstacles to communication so that everyone could hear the saving news of Jesus in his own heart language. The Holy Spirit was at work in both the senders and the receivers of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The believers were filled with the Spirit to participate in God’s redemptive activity. The Holy Spirit took up permanent residence in each of them to enable them to continue the ministry of the Jesus. If you are a child of God, you are filled with the Holy Spirit to join God in His redemptive activity. Be sensitive to opportunities God places before you today to make Jesus known. Everyday is Pentecost for the fully devoted follower of Christ. You have the capacity and the responsibility to share God’s redemption story with every unsaved person on the earth. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Prayer Unity

Unified in Prayer

“‘And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.’” Luke 24:49 (ESV) Just before ascending to heaven, Jesus instructed the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they received what His Father had promised. Jesus affirmed that they would be clothed with power from on high. Upon arrival in the Upper Room, the hundred and twenty believers joined constantly together in prayer (Acts 1:14). They were unified in prayer awaiting the arrival of the Holy Spirit. How long did they have to wait? Ten days! That would be considered a long prayer meeting. Why did Jesus wait ten days to send the Promised Holy Spirit? Perhaps the hundred and twenty believers needed ten days to purge their lives from sin, selfishness, and strained relationships. Maybe the believers had to extend and receive forgiveness. It is possible that the Lord wanted to give them time to adjust their lives to His agenda. Unified prayer honors the Lord. If you want to see God at work in your life and around you, begin to join other believers in unified prayer. Passionately pursue God in prayer and allow Him to reveal unconfessed sin in your life. Allow God to illuminate the level of your spiritual devotion and the reality of your sensitivity to His activity. Invite God to search your heart and to reveal anything in your life that does not bring Him pleasure. Praying in unity with other believers moves the heart of God. You will form a special bond with those you pray with and enjoy the fellowship God produces. Make room in your life for unified prayer. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Prayer Spiritual Warfare

Standing Firm in the Faith

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13 (ESV) Spiritual warfare is a reality in the life God has for you. Get on your toes and be aware, be alert, and be armed. The devil is real. This is not a time to embrace spiritual apathy or lethargy. This is not a time to retreat. Choose to live in the opposition readiness mode. God has given you everything you need to march victoriously in this life. God has equipped you to overcome the enemy! “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” Eph. 6:18 (ESV) Get on your knees and pray. Praying is like flying; when you stop you drop! Nothing will keep you standing like kneeling before the Lord. Prayer is your lifeline. Prayer is your communication connection to the Commander-in-Chief. Stay close and clean. Strive for unbroken fellowship with God. “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Tim. 6:12 (ESV) Get on your feet and fight. Move from the posture of kneeling in prayer to that of standing to your feet to face the enemy. The armor of God will protect you. God has armed you for battle. Stand firm! Fight the good fight! You may lose some battles, but as a child of the King, you win the war! Satan has been defeated! Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. The spiritual warfare requires spiritual power that God provides to you by the Holy Spirit living in you. You are the walking tabernacle of the Presence of God. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Security Trinity

Authentically Sealed

“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV) If you believe, you will receive. At the moment of conversion, you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is an instantaneous experience, not a subsequent event. The indwelling presence of Christ, the Holy Spirit, comes to live inside of you. Having believed on the gospel of Jesus Christ, you were marked in Christ with the seal of the Holy Spirit. The seal speaks of authenticity. The seal speaks of identification. You belong to God. You are His creation. You became His child and were adopted into His family when you placed your faith in Jesus alone for salvation. You were marked with a seal. That seal is the Person of the Holy Spirit. Did you notice the Trinity in these two verses? God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are expressed in verses thirteen and fourteen. Look closely and you will see “Christ” and then “Holy Spirit” and then “God” which form the Trinity, which means three in one. God created you. Jesus redeemed you. The Holy Spirit inhabits you. Your conversion is the real deal which has been sealed. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Discernment Holy Spirit Sensitivity

Spiritual Discernment

“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV) Watching a 3-D movie without 3-D glasses can be very frustrating. The images on the screen appear blurry and create discomfort as you try to fixate on the images that just don’t seem to come into focus. Once you place the 3-D glasses in place, everything becomes clear and you begin to enjoy the full effects of the three dimensional experience. It’s rather entertaining to join others in trying to reach out to touch the objects that seem to come off of the screen into the air just before your face. Without the Spirit, trying to discern the activity of God is impossible. Life will appear blurry and the movement of God’s Spirit will be difficult to detect. Living the abundant Christian life mandates viewing life through the lens of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual perception comes through appropriating the spiritual lens provided to us by God through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. When you became a child of God, you instantaneously became the temple of the Holy Spirit. He moved in to take up permanent residence in your life. Your body is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. He lives in you to illuminate God’s Word and to validate God’s will. As you come to know God better, you will learn how to detect and respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. You will begin to see what others miss because you will be viewing life through the lens of the Holy Spirit. What others deem as foolish, you will deem as the clear activity of God in 3-D, namely, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Provision Holy Spirit Revelation

Divine Assistance

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.” Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV) God is a God of revelation. He unveils that which was once hidden. God passionately reveals His truth so that we can know Him and serve Him and fulfill His plan. His revelation is progressive in that God chose to reveal His general revelation through nature (Rom. 1:20) and His special revelation by Jesus (John 1:14). God became like us so that we can become like Him. Our God is a God who speaks. He desires to communicate His love to His creation. Henry Blackaby, in his study, Experiencing God, taught us that God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways. The Holy Spirit enables the believer to understand and apply God’s Word. “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26 (NIV) Notice how the Holy Spirit is identified as a Teacher and a Reminder. God, through the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom to appropriate His Word in our daily living. The Holy Spirit teaches us God’s Word and reminds us of what God has spoken. As you read God’s Word, ask God to give you the Spirit of wisdom so that you may know Him better. Are you growing in your knowing? Have you placed your faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Faith Holy Spirit Peace

Accentuating God’s Peace

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 (NIV) The Holy Spirit lives in you to accentuate the experience of God’s peace. Happiness is based on happenstance. If the circumstances are just right, then happiness can result. Happiness is conditional and is rooted in the condition of the circumstances surrounding you. Peace is not connected to circumstances. Whether you are on the mountaintop or in the valley, God’s peace can be experienced completely and perpetually by the Holy Spirit living inside of you. When you come to realize that living in a fallen world and occupying a fallen planet generates unfavorable conditions at times, then you are positioned for the experience of God’s peace. The Holy Spirit accentuates the reality of God’s peace in your life regardless of your circumstances. In your darkest moments, you can know the peace of God on an intimate level because the Holy Spirit accentuates the presence of God’s peace in your life. His peace will sustain you when nothing else can. The peace God gives will help you triumph through seasons of tribulation and turbulence. God’s peace will catapult you through the storms of life and advance you through adversity. Trials will become the megaphone of God’s peace in that you will come to know the peace of God in the midst of your desperation. The Holy Spirit living inside of you will enable you to encounter God’s peace personally. Are you in need of the peace God provides? Have you been in a season of uncertainty or riding the wave of anxiety? Rest in the peace God provides through the indwelling Holy Spirit. You are inhabited by the One who accentuates the peace of God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Will Holy Spirit Illumination

Illuminating God’s Will

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.” John 16:13-14 (NIV) The Holy Spirit lives in you to illuminate the path of God’s will. God loves you and has a plan for your life. God’s plan is for you to respond to His offer of salvation, to grow spiritually, to be spirit-filled, and to be a soul winner. The Holy Spirit lives in you to empower you to know and do God’s will. The Holy Spirit empowers you to be on mission with God so that you can continue the ministry of Jesus. What is it like to be guided into all truth? Who qualifies for such a task? God has created you to come into a personal relationship with Him through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. God redeems you and takes up permanent residence within you by the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. Your life matters to God and the direction of your life has immediate and eternal implications. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, moves in to serve as your personal guide to ensure that you stay on the path of truth. God’s will includes your awareness of His plan and your response of obedience to His plan. You cannot fulfill God’s will without the Holy Spirit living inside of you? The Holy Spirit illuminates the path God wants you to take. The Holy Spirit clarifies God’s will so that you can  bring glory to God through a life of obedience. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Counselor Holy Spirit Truth

Validating Truth

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26 (NIV) The Holy Spirit lives in you to validate the truth of God’s word. Life in our fast-paced culture can get noisy at times and you can miss the voice of Truth. Having the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, living inside of you means that His activity includes empowering you to decipher the difference between truth and falsehood. God’s word is a lamp unto your feet and a light for your path (Ps. 119:105). The Holy Spirit validates the truth of God’s word so that you can walk in step with God’s will. As a child of the Living God, you have a resident Teacher living inside of you to teach you all things. The Holy Spirit gives you wisdom and insight and illuminates God’s word and God’s will. He reminds you of the teachings of Christ and the perfect example Christ set for you to follow in His steps. Are there areas of your life where you struggle to know God’s truth? Do you combat relational challenges with difficult people and simply need to know the truth behind the challenges? Satan is a master of deception and seeks to pollute your mind with falsehood and to fertilize your mind with lies. The Holy Spirit living in you will bring clarity to the truth of God’s word. He will validate the truth that you need to live a life of surrender and obedience. The Counselor will clarify the truth of your circumstances and will empower you to experience relational harmony with others and with God. Spend some time praying for a heightened sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s validating work in your life today. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Counselor Guidance Holy Spirit

Resident Counselor

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17 (NIV) Have you ever needed counseling? A counselor helps you unpack your current reality to bring clarity to your condition. The process doesn’t stop there. A counselor helps you navigate the terrain of life to get you to a healthy place where your personal health is vibrant, your relationships are solid, and your view of the future is bright. Sometimes you simply need someone to talk to who will understand your pain and patiently walk with you to a new level of living. The disciples were blessed to have Jesus visibly with them. After announcing His departure, Jesus promised to give them another Counselor. Of course, Jesus was speaking of the person of the Holy Spirit who comes to live inside of us at the moment of our conversion. He is the Spirit of truth who becomes our resident Counselor. Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us (Rom. 8:34) and the Holy Spirit is living inside of us interceding for us in accordance with God’s will (Rom 8:26-27). We are blessed to have the ministry of unbroken intercession as a result of our possession. The Holy Spirit puts Christ in us and puts us in Christ. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Cor 5:17 “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Col. 1:27 Get to know the resident Counselor living inside of you! He is your constant Companion! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Golden Lampstand Holy Spirit Prayer Tabernacle

Tabernacle Prayer: Golden Lampstand

“Make a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms shall be of one piece with it…Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” Exodus 25:31, 37-40 (NIV) Have you ever driven through a neighborhood in December to behold the captivating path of luminaries? It is so moving to capture the sight of the streets outlined with paper bags illuminated with candles flickering in the night. The Golden Lampstand illuminated the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. It provided light to the table of the Bread of the Presence and the Altar of Burning Incense. The lampstand had seven oil lamps that provided light for the priest to serve. A candle consumes itself whereas an oil lamp consumes the oil. Jesus has positioned us to be His light in this dark world. The Holy Spirit is the oil that fuels our gracious illumination. You have been saved by the grace of God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a luminary for the Lord. Is your neighborhood a brighter place because of your influence? Is your school or workplace different as a result of the light of Jesus shining through your life? Jesus has made you the light of the world. Don’t hide His light. Allow His light to shine through you today in the interactions you embrace as well as the interruptions you face. Is the light of Jesus shining through you? You are a luminary for the Lord. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Prayer Romans

Keeps on Aligning

“And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” Romans 8:27 (NIV) Your body is a house of prayer. When you became a follower of Jesus Christ, you were adopted into God’s family and your body became the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Indwelling Holy Spirit intercedes for you in alignment with God’s will. As a child of God, you can affirm that Someone is always praying in you and for you. The Holy Spirit keeps on praying and keeps on aligning your prayers with the purposes of God. God created you for His glory and He searches your heart. “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD” (Psalm 139:1-4 NIV). God knows you intimately and He intimately knows the Mind of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings your needs before God. Sometimes you don’t know what to pray and sometimes you may pray about something unwisely. The Holy Spirit edits your prayers and brings them into alignment with God’s plan. Thank God for the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who intercedes to bring the purposes of God to fruition. You are not designed by God to continue the ministry of Jesus on the earth in your own strength. God has chosen to take up residence inside of you through the Person of the Holy Spirit. Your constant Companion is the loving and interceding Holy Spirit. You are never alone. Keep joining the sacred communication known as prayer. Be thankful for the intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit living inside you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Prayer Romans

Keeps on Filling in the Gaps

“We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Romans 8:26b (NIV) Several summers I had the privilege of serving as a chaperone for some of the fifth grade boys for our annual preteen camp. One of the highlights was free time. All the third, fourth, and fifth graders got to enjoy the zip line, the swimming pool, the water slide, the train, dodge-ball, paddle-boats, and the most amazing go-carts. Once the gate opened for my crew to get into the go-cart action, a few of my guys couldn’t reach the gas pedal. Fortunately, the attendant came to the rescue by inserting a cushion between the rider and the rear portion of the seat. The cushion filled in the gap and enabled each of my guys to enjoy the fun on the track. Then of course, I got to race them! When it comes to prayer, we experience a gap between our being finite and God being infinite. Because of our finiteness and fallibility we cannot perceive fully what God would desire. Therefore, we do not fully grasp what is appropriate in prayer. We are weak in that we do not know what to pray for, since the totality of God’s will is somewhat hidden from us. The Spirit fills this lack through the ministry of intercession. Our deficiency is compensated by His sufficiency. When we don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in ways that are beyond our human comprehension. The gap created by our humanity is filled by the intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit. He keeps on filling in the gap for us. When you pray, the Holy Spirit edits your prayers to bring your petitions before our Holy God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Prayer Romans

Keeps on Helping

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” Romans 8:26a (NIV) Have you ever wondered what to say when you don’t know what to pray? Here’s some wonderful news from God’s Word. The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We are finite and have limitations that keep us from always knowing what to pray. The Spirit keeps on helping you carry the load. Living in a fallen world creates stress and distress and discouragement. You need outside help. You need the assistance the Holy Spirit provides. In this life, you combat the weaknesses found in the human condition and you combat the perpetual susceptibility to sin. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17 (NIV) The Person of the Holy Spirit living inside of you is your Counselor. The Spirit of Truth lives in you and empowers you to live in victory and enables you to overcome adversity. He is your Comforter. When you are unsure of the path God wants you to take, the Holy Spirit living in you, illuminates the path. When you are hurting and feeling down, the Holy Spirit comforts you. He is your constant Companion. You are never alone. You are never without help and without hope. The Spirit of Truth equips you to operate in the center of God’s will. He helps you carry the load produced during this earthly existence. Where do you feel weak? Where do you need the Spirit’s help right now? Yield fully to the Spirit’s control. Enjoy the journey God has for you by submitting to the work of the Holy Spirit living in you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Dependency Holy Spirit Romans

Divine Assistance

“For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13 (NIV) Have you noticed the two roads available to you? One road aligns with your sinful nature and seeks to gratify the desires resident within that nature, yet produces spiritual death. The other road available to you is less traveled and is supernatural. Access to this road is granted by the Spirit and produces life. You cannot fulfill God’s plan without God’s power. The sinful nature must be put to death in order for you to experience the life God has for you. Jesus won the victory over sin on the cross. As John Phillips wrote, “In order to enjoy this victory, the believer must cooperate with God and determine that by God’s grace sin shall not be sovereign.” God has provided everything needed for a life of victory. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” 2 Pt 1:3-4 (NIV) As a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit living in you. He is in you! Does He have all of you? A hallmark of His habitation is divine assistance. The Holy Spirit has you completely when you choose to depend on His power to deliberately choose to crucify the cravings of the sinful nature. Scottish Theologian David Brown remarked, “If you don’t kill sin, sin will kill you.” Fully yielded to the Spirit, you can put to death the misdeeds of the body. By the Spirit, you can live a life of victory! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Romans Sinful Nature

Does He Have You?

“Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.” Romans 8:12 (NIV) Think back to the moment of your conversion. Where were you and how did you come to know Jesus personally? In that moment, a divine transaction took place that changed your forever. In that moment you received the Holy Spirit and you received ALL of Him. Yes! He is in you! Since the moment of your conversion, you have been on a journey of growing as a follower of Jesus Christ. You have been in the process of giving Him ALL of you. In other words, you ALWAYS have ALL of Him, but He may not ALWAYS have ALL of you. So the question is, “Does He have you?” One hallmark of His habitation is decisive action. If you are fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit living inside of you, then you will take decisive action when it comes to the cravings of the sinful nature. In Christ, you are no longer obligated to be loyal to the sinful nature. Surrendered to the Spirit’s control, you choose to not live according to the sinful nature. When a believer starts living according to the sinful nature it immediately produces spiritual death. You cannot be married to Christ and court the cravings of the sinful nature without experiencing spiritual death. You don’t lose your salvation, but you fracture your faith, fetter your fruit, and forfeit your fellowship with God. Your intimacy with the Lord will be devastatingly diminished if you succumb to the desires of the flesh. How do you know when the Holy Spirit has you? He has you when you deliberately choose to NOT live according to the sinful nature. Take decisive action! As Dr. Adrian Rogers said, “Don’t give the devil a club to hit you with.” Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Holy Spirit Sinful Nature Victory

Superbowl Strategy

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” Gal 5:16-17 (NIV) The Superbowl is an exciting time for many people. Two teams have  navigated the terrain of intense opposition and obstacles to attain such an envied opportunity to feature their talents on the world stage of competition. Competition is normal in the life of the child of God. There is a perpetual battle in the life of every believer that demands focus and attention. The playing field features two teams, namely, good and evil. Incessant confrontation exists between light and darkness, Spirit and flesh, and God and the devil. Every child of God has to choose to operate in the light, walk in the Spirit, and obey God’s Word. The competing forces of evil seek to keep every believer from moving the football of faith down the field to the end zone of victory. How will you respond to the desires of the sinful nature which are in direct opposition to the Spirit living in you? What will you do with the conflict within? Choose to live by the Spirit and you will not gratify nor satisfy the cravings of the sinful nature. Learn to live in victory over sin by walking in the Spirit. Give the Holy Spirit complete control of your life and your longings. Yield to His leadership. You are a trophy of God’s grace. Jesus has already declared your victory over sin, death, and hell. You play for the winning team! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Discernment Holy Spirit Sensitivity

Spiritual Discernment

“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor 2:14 (NIV) Watching a 3-D movie without 3-D glasses can be very frustrating. The images on the screen appear blurry and create discomfort as you try to fixate on the images that just don’t seem to come into focus. Once you place the 3-D glasses in place, everything becomes clear and you begin to enjoy the full effects of the three dimensional experience. It’s rather entertaining to join others in trying to reach out to touch the objects that seem to come off of the screen into the air just before your face. Without the Spirit, trying to discern the activity of God is impossible. Life will appear blurry and the movement of God’s Spirit will be difficult to detect. Living the abundant Christian life mandates viewing life through the lens of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual perception comes through appropriating the spiritual lens provided to us by God through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. When you became a child of God, you instantaneously became the temple of the Holy Spirit. He moved in to take up permanent residence in your life. Your body is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. He lives in you to illuminate God’s Word and to validate God’s will. As you come to know God better, you will learn how to detect and respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. You will begin to see what others miss because you will be viewing life through the lens of the Holy Spirit. What others deem as foolish, you will deem as the clear activity of God in 3-D, namely, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Provision Holy Spirit Revelation

Divine Assistance

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.” Heb 1:1-2 (NIV) God is a God of revelation. He unveils that which was once hidden. God passionately reveals His truth so that we can know Him and serve Him and fulfill His plan. His revelation is progressive in that God chose to reveal His general revelation through nature (Rom 1:20) and His special revelation by Jesus (John 1:14). God became like us so that we can become like Him. Our God is a God who speaks. He desires to communicate His love to His creation. Henry Blackaby, in his study, Experiencing God, taught us that God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways. The Holy Spirit enables the believer to understand and apply God’s Word. “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26 (NIV) Notice how the Holy Spirit is identified as a Teacher and a Reminder. God, through the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom to appropriate His Word in our daily living. The Holy Spirit teaches us God’s Word and reminds us of what God has spoken. As you read God’s Word, ask God to give you the Spirit of wisdom so that you may know Him better. Are you growing in your knowing? Have you placed your faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Faith Holy Spirit Peace

Accentuating God’s Peace

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 (NIV) The Holy Spirit lives in you to accentuate the experience of God’s peace. Happiness is based on happenstance. If the circumstances are just right, then happiness can result. Happiness is conditional and is rooted in the condition of the circumstances surrounding you. Peace is not connected to circumstances. Whether you are on the mountaintop or in the valley, God’s peace can be experienced completely and perpetually by the Holy Spirit living inside of you. When you come to realize that living in a fallen world and occupying a fallen planet generates unfavorable conditions at times, then you are positioned for the experience of God’s peace. The Holy Spirit accentuates the reality of God’s peace in your life regardless of your circumstances. In your darkest moments, you can know the peace of God on an intimate level because the Holy Spirit accentuates the presence of God’s peace in your life. His peace will sustain you when nothing else can. The peace God gives will help you triumph through seasons of tribulation and turbulence. God’s peace will catapult you through the storms of life and advance you through adversity. Trials will become the megaphone of God’s peace in that you will come to know the peace of God in the midst of your desperation. The Holy Spirit living inside of you will enable you to encounter God’s peace personally. Are you in need of the peace God provides? Have you been in a season of uncertainty or riding the wave of anxiety? Rest in the peace God provides through the indwelling Holy Spirit. You are inhabited by the One who accentuates the peace of God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Will Holy Spirit Illumination

Illuminating God’s Will

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.” John 16:13-14 (NIV) The Holy Spirit lives in you to illuminate the path of God’s will. God loves you and has a plan for your life. God’s plan is for you to respond to His offer of salvation, to grow spiritually, to be spirit-filled, and to be a soul winner. The Holy Spirit lives in you to empower you to know and do God’s will. The Holy Spirit empowers you to be on mission with God so that you can continue the ministry of Jesus. What is it like to be guided into all truth? Who qualifies for such a task? God has created you to come into a personal relationship with Him through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. God redeems you and takes up permanent residence within you by the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. Your life matters to God and the direction of your life has immediate and eternal implications. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, moves in to serve as your personal guide to ensure that you stay on the path of truth. God’s will includes your awareness of His plan and your response of obedience to His plan. You cannot fulfill God’s will without the Holy Spirit living inside of you? The Holy Spirit illuminates the path God wants you to take. The Holy Spirit clarifies God’s will so that you can  bring glory to God through a life of obedience. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Counselor Holy Spirit Truth

Validating Truth

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26 (NIV) The Holy Spirit lives in you to validate the truth of God’s word. Life in our fast-paced culture can get noisy at times and you can miss the voice of Truth. Having the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, living inside of you means that His activity includes empowering you to decipher the difference between truth and falsehood. God’s word is a lamp unto your feet and a light for your path (Psalm 119:105). The Holy Spirit validates the truth of God’s word so that you can walk in step with God’s will. As a child of the Living God, you have a resident Teacher living inside of you to teach you all things. The Holy Spirit gives you wisdom and insight and illuminates God’s word and God’s will. He reminds you of the teachings of Christ and the perfect example Christ set for you to follow in His steps. Are there areas of your life where you struggle to know God’s truth? Do you combat relational challenges with difficult people and simply need to know the truth behind the challenges? Satan is a master of deception and seeks to pollute your mind with falsehood and to fertilize your mind with lies. The Holy Spirit living in you will bring clarity to the truth of God’s word. He will validate the truth that you need to live a life of surrender and obedience. The Counselor will clarify the truth of your circumstances and will empower you to experience relational harmony with others and with God. Spend some time praying for a heightened sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s validating work in your life today. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell