One evidence that we have matured is to find out that we are not anymore dictated by the course of this world as much as we are by the Holy Spirit. There are many reasons why a Christian is supposed to be guided by an internal source rather than by external circumstances that violate volition and clear mandate from the Scriptures. More than a

The Holy Spirit filled believers to the brim so that they were overwhelmed with joy and fire to proclaim God's message to the world

philosopher or a scientist, to be a Christian does mean you must be a thinker. Faith does not preclude reasoning, rather, both reasons and external evidence in the natural world is interpreted by the internal faith of the person based on His Word living in him. This is why we are to eat the Word of God more than our daily meals three times a day! Those who forget to eat from the Word of God will find out that they are the most compromising of all Christians or are abiding in death already.

These become empty waters, alive but walking dead and their rot only makes the church all the more look repulsive outside the fellowship ring. These listen a lot but do not keep the Word and as soon as they go out of the building or the church premises, so soon they bury the Word in their beds and lick up the boots of this world. Others listen a little more and do still a little more, these are passive followers, they do not want to take risk and find the Lord on top of the Mountain or deep in the caves of solitude like Moses or Elijah did. They are satisfied to be good enough Christians. No wonder we find that the church is no longer advancing and the most prolific and widespread religion at this time is not Christianity anymore but Islam. Where have all those heritage of passionate pray-ers gone? Where have all those committed disciples toiled? Where is the fruit of their labors? Or better yet, why have we not entered into their labors?

How can we reclaim our heritage? How can we help advance the cause of heaven? Many renewal movements have come and gone in the church scene but few remained with steely resolve to help clear the way and remove the weeds that has so entangled the church today. The shaking that is currently upon the world is a grace of God, if you will, because these shakings are being allowed by the Lord to purify and cleanse His Bride of whom He is coming for without spot or wrinkle. Because the description of Paul is clear, that Jesus will come for a Bride without spot and wrinkle, there is a necessity of cleansing and period of wallowing in the water to bath and ceremonially cleanse and beautify her. In the ancient times, the bride of a king is given a period of time to cleanse, purify and beautify her such as the case for Esther, who was taken into the king’s palace for cosmetics and food and a rigid discipline of beautification for about a year before being presented to the king, “six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women…” (Esther 2:12).

In Ephesians 5:25-27, it is written that Jesus is likened to a husband who loved the church and gave Himself up for her, “so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” One method to remain clean as we are told here is to be washed by the Word and just as Esther was anointed with oil of myrrh for six months and with spices and cosmetics for another six months before being presented to the king, spending our time daily in the Word of God and year round is a sure way to be lifted up into the presence of the King of Kings. If Jesus, Who is the very Word of God has to spend time and memorize the Word of God, how much more should we?

Whether you are a practicing teacher, scientist, worker, businessman or pastor or priest, it does not matter, everyone is called to study the Word of God and to see to it that we are approved. We all must be diligent to present ourselves approved to God as a “workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). And in the King James Version, this is more accurately translated us, to “study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The approved workman of God, of whom Paul is a foremost example is one who studies the Word. Does this mean we should not even eat if we cannot read the Word? For some this may be the case, and they may even need to sacrifice all their living just to get into the Word; the persecuted church could be the most powerful church on earth today because of her resolve to remain close to the Lord in spite of the injustice and unfair treatment she is receiving. No wonder then that the Spirit of Glory is in their midst doing countless signs and wonders. To be a successful messenger today, it is inevitable to be grounded in prayer and the Word. If we want to have Jesus in our message, if we want to have Jesus in our meetings and in our writings, then we must find Him in the Word, we must fellowship with Him in prayer and study.

Only the fool thinks that the greatest treasure lying dusted in many library shelves is useless. But we do this often, as long as we keep on deliberately forgetting to meditate on the Word, we also keep on delaying His Kingdom to come on earth. For such Kingdom to exist on earth, it must first touch and burn the earthly soil within our hearts and His throne set-up within the dominions of our hearts. If the thrones and dominions in our hearts are not ruled by Him, how can this inner Kingdom manifest in the natural? Then we find it really hard that such Kingdom will come on earth through ordinary vessels who have been conquered and overcome by the King of Kings.

The greatest call is simply yielding ourselves to the King and allowing Him to conquer us in all areas, then we find that indeed He has made us His abode where He dwells and His presence forever enshrined within us. This manifests through the aroma of fruit of the Holy Spirit growing and increasing in our lives. Is the King of glory reigning in your life today? Then you must ask, where is the fruit of it, in gentle lips, in quiet and meek spirit, in humility, goodness, peace, joy, love and true discernment. Are you abiding in living hope? Or you have forgotten your first love and went awhoring in the world at large? Now is the time to return to your King, now is the time to return to your first love. Now is the time to be filled with the Holy Spirit, now dictates the urgency and the need of the moment for us to take action on what otherwise could be a catastrophic failure. “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Ephesians 5:15-21).

The actual manifestation of being filled with the Holy Spirit is to speak in Psalms, sing hymns and songs, give thanks to the Lord and being submitted to one another. The person who abides in the Word and prays continually is closer to fulfilling these things, not for the sake of discipline but out of passion for the Lord. He who is in love will do everything for His loved one which is why we are commanded to love God with all that we are in mind, heart, soul and body. If we don’t, the reverse is also true; we will walk like fools, wasting time and resources that are otherwise invested in things that shall bear for eternity. Therefore as the New Year comes in nearer, let us seek to firm up our footing by resolving to be filled with the Holy Spirit every day of our lives.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,

who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV)