WCTLC

The Holy Spirit is your light for bringing the life and ministry of Jesus into your life and ministry.

Be Able To Tell Who’s Real

Those people who have closed their eyes to Jesus’ light and are making permanent decisions against His truth don’t make changes. They may say all the right things and do all kinds of religious deeds, but they do not stop sinning. They will not repent of the sins they have and are committing. It is our job to recognize them and not involve them in God’s work. No matter how rich, powerful, or popular they are, we are to reject them and their offers.

Mat 3:4-10 (NIV) John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

The Holy Spirit Is Showing You What Is Wrong With Your Generation

Mat 16:1-4 (NIV) The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested Him by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven. He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.

We have to let Jesus show us when people are asking questions for learning or for argument. Some people argue with us but are sincere, others ask us questions but are testing us. What we have to find out is whether or not our answer will help them change or just give them more ammunition to fight us with. If we are in a group and we have some whose minds are made up and those who really want to know, we can use the questions of the opposition to help answer concerns of those who really want to know.

Humility, An Attitude Of Jesus, Will Protect You From Flattery

Mat 22:15-17 (NIV) Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap Him in His words. They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know You are a man of integrity and that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because You pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is Your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

Mat 22:18 (NIV) But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap Me? Show Me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought Him a denarius, and He asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then He said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.

Jesus will give you the right answers, at the right time, to the right people. That is why you need His life and ministry doing your life and ministry WITH you and THROUGH you.

The Holy Spirit Will Teach You Jesus’ Doctrines

Mat 22:23-28 (NIV) That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. Finally, the woman died. Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

Mat 22:29-33 (NIV) Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead--have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

This is why we desire, study, pray, believe, and take faith-action. We are to be ready to give these types of answers to these enemies of God. We give them these answers so those who are sincere will hear the answers and be healed. We won’t be able to change the workers of Satan; but we will change those who are listening on the sidelines. The people in the crowds need to hear the answers so they can see the error of these false leaders.

Jesus’ Words Will Teach You What Is Important

Mat 22:34-36 (NIV) Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Mat 22:37-40 (NIV) Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Mat 22:41-46 (NIV) While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Christ ? Whose Son is He?” “The Son of David,” they replied. He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls Him ‘Lord’? For he says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.” If then David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be his Son?” No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask Him any more questions.

Jesus uses these opportunities to teach the sincere because He knows they are listening to the discussions. He isn’t trying to say things that would convince the opposition; He is saying things that will heal the sincere. He really isn’t talking to the opposition at all. That would be a waste of time. They are not going to change. These answers only make them more angry. But, He is doing a great ministry in the lives of the sincere. He is shining light into the darkness the opposition have created in the hearts of the sincere.