We are going to be studying the doctrine of the Baptism of the Spirit in our Sunday School class in a couple of weeks. So I have been digging into the Word today (we had a snow day so I took a few hours) :-D
I ended up studying the laying on of hands, giving and authority. The Lord amazed me when I realized the simple (not much meditated upon before by me) truth that the hands have everything to do with giving and recieving. And that those in authority have responsibility and privelege of recieving from God and then giving what has been given.
Hand: to signify the agency of (a source); adv. Near (at hand); To apprehend (grab) Hand off or Hand over. To put or place.
Give: to grant, assign, distribute. To impart, or pass on. Hmm, the Christian life is all about passing on the gift...
Authority: the right to excercise power; the power to rule or govern; power of one whose will and commands are to be obeyed.
Notice that Moses and Jesus always went to God to be instructed and filled before they went out to minister. Moses to the mountain or tent. Jesus to the mountain, hillside or garden.
Of course the biggest and best ever gift of all was given to us by the hand of God. He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with Him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 This gift we must recieve before we have anything to give. (without Him we can do nothing)
Numbers 27:23 Then he laid his hands on (Joshua) and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed Moses. This signifies that the gift (authority and leadership) that had been given to Moses was imparted to Joshua through the laying on of his hands.
Acts 19:6 When Paul placed his hands on them the Holy spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Again, the Spirit was imparted by the laying on of hands. The gift was given by the one who was filled. Several other locations give account of this throughout scripture. Acts 8:18; Acts 13:3; 1 Tim 1:6; 1 Tim 4:14.
Continually I see that those in authority are giving the gift through the laying on of hands. All authority begins with God. He gave it to Moses who in turn imparted it to Joshua. He gave it to Jesus who then imparts it to His servants who impart it to other servants and so on...
Remember Elisha asking for a double portion of Elijah's spirit? Remember Luke 11:9-13 talking about how much more will our Father in Heaven give you the Holy Spirit when you ask? We need to be asking!! Fill us Lord, we want more of you!!
Noticably, the gift of a mighty outpouring of the Spirit came when there were Spirit-filled believers together, praying, sometimes fasting, and UNIFIED. It resulted in God being glorified and many being healed, saved and sent out. No wonder the enemy works so hard to get us in discord and jealousy and competition!! He hinders us from having the power to do the work of God.
"United we stand, divided we fall"-I don't know where that is from, but how true!! O Lord, I pray that we may be one as You are One!! (John 17)Help us to continually come to the Spring of Living Water. Fill us and pour us out that you will be glorified and exalted by our offering of ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to you! (Romans 12:1,2) Use our hands to bless others, to impart your gifts. We stand amazed at your Power and your Glory!! Give us more understanding of our authority in Christ and our weapons of warfare that are mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds! Thank you for choosing us to be vessels of this amazing power that is at work within us. That mighty power that raised Christ from the dead! Thank you that you love to show yourself strong on behalf of your people!! Halleluiah!
Showing posts with label Praises. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Praises. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord
Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. Psalm 33:1
Did you ever notice that everything that is growing and alive is reaching toward heaven? Maybe you never thought about it, but if you drive around the upper midwest in the winter, there isn't alot to see along the interstate except trees with no leaves and unending fields. When I looked at the trees, and then the dead weeds laying down and going back into the earth, it struck me that everything growing praises the Lord while everything dying goes back into the earth.
Seeing the trees reach toward the sky, I reflected on raised hands. Many times in scripture God's people raised their hands toward heaven as a gesture of dependence. "We need you, Daddy!!" When I was first saved, I asked my mom about raising hands, she said it is like a little child wanting to be picked up. I could relate to that. I was inhibited and afraid to do it until I saw a clip from a concert on TV and all the girls in the front rows were raising their hands. The Lord spoke to me and impressed upon me that if they could do that towards a mere man, how could I do any less for my Savior? I have been raising my hands ever since.
One of the Hebrew words for praise in the Psalms is Yadah, which is praising with hands raised.
Raising of hands is a universal sign of surrender. Gen 29:35 is the first time in scripture that Yadah is used. Leah began to extend and recieve all her love from the Lord at the time of Judah's birth. It is extravagant praise with all our emotions.
Intresting to note that when asked, a chiropractor stated the benefits of raising hands are opening of the diaphram to increase oxygen (freedom) and loosens up a stiff neck. Hmmm... Lets all Yadah the Lord!!
Did you ever notice that everything that is growing and alive is reaching toward heaven? Maybe you never thought about it, but if you drive around the upper midwest in the winter, there isn't alot to see along the interstate except trees with no leaves and unending fields. When I looked at the trees, and then the dead weeds laying down and going back into the earth, it struck me that everything growing praises the Lord while everything dying goes back into the earth.
Seeing the trees reach toward the sky, I reflected on raised hands. Many times in scripture God's people raised their hands toward heaven as a gesture of dependence. "We need you, Daddy!!" When I was first saved, I asked my mom about raising hands, she said it is like a little child wanting to be picked up. I could relate to that. I was inhibited and afraid to do it until I saw a clip from a concert on TV and all the girls in the front rows were raising their hands. The Lord spoke to me and impressed upon me that if they could do that towards a mere man, how could I do any less for my Savior? I have been raising my hands ever since.
One of the Hebrew words for praise in the Psalms is Yadah, which is praising with hands raised.
Raising of hands is a universal sign of surrender. Gen 29:35 is the first time in scripture that Yadah is used. Leah began to extend and recieve all her love from the Lord at the time of Judah's birth. It is extravagant praise with all our emotions.
Intresting to note that when asked, a chiropractor stated the benefits of raising hands are opening of the diaphram to increase oxygen (freedom) and loosens up a stiff neck. Hmmm... Lets all Yadah the Lord!!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Prayer Power
The Lord has been teaching me so much about prayer for the past hmmmm...19 years (since He became my Lord) but lately He is answering in such profound ways and so soon after I pray that my soul wells up with halleluiahs. I must proclaim His glorious goodness once again.
Sunday my sis called me with overwhelming circumstances happening in her family, in tears and in need of prayer. I prayed over her and with her, pouring over her the Word of God with the authority of Jesus, and (as reported to me over the next couple of days) the load was lifted, the light dawned and freedom from the oppression that threatens to overwhelm us in difficult circumstances was secured. What a blessing that God causes us to need each other to pray.These experiences not only free us, but they bond us together. They also build our faith-our greatest treasure.
Yesterday, as my husband was finishing a job that has been very trying (he supervised the building of a bank) He was under deadlines for inspections, and had already had a few setbacks, with pressure to finish timely closing in, he called me to pray. He had an hour job on the roof that needed to be done in 5 minutes. They had extra guys, but I know it was our Mighty God that I called upon that made it happen...as the next call came, I was informed of the success of the inspection..Ah-hah, Ah-hah. The Lord of hosts moved on our behalf once again.
Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
Oh, how He cares.
PS...if you only knew how many exclaimation points I had to erase since they are not allowed.
Sunday my sis called me with overwhelming circumstances happening in her family, in tears and in need of prayer. I prayed over her and with her, pouring over her the Word of God with the authority of Jesus, and (as reported to me over the next couple of days) the load was lifted, the light dawned and freedom from the oppression that threatens to overwhelm us in difficult circumstances was secured. What a blessing that God causes us to need each other to pray.These experiences not only free us, but they bond us together. They also build our faith-our greatest treasure.
Yesterday, as my husband was finishing a job that has been very trying (he supervised the building of a bank) He was under deadlines for inspections, and had already had a few setbacks, with pressure to finish timely closing in, he called me to pray. He had an hour job on the roof that needed to be done in 5 minutes. They had extra guys, but I know it was our Mighty God that I called upon that made it happen...as the next call came, I was informed of the success of the inspection..Ah-hah, Ah-hah. The Lord of hosts moved on our behalf once again.
Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
Oh, how He cares.
PS...if you only knew how many exclaimation points I had to erase since they are not allowed.
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