Celia Rose Okhuysen
(USA)
Since posting END TIME DREAMS INDEX – REVISED, http://www.etpv.org/2005/etdi-rev.html at END TIME PROPHETIC VISION, http://www.etpv.org/ on September 18, 2005, I have discerned Holy Spirit occasionally prompting, urging and stirring me to compose a prayer similar to a form of prayer that I have prayed to Him, and to release it to the Church of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. (See PERSONAL TESTIMONY)
Holy Spirit’s PRESSING CALL for me to do so is upon me NOW. Therefore with passion in my heart for the Lord’s Church to be reconciled to intimacy with Holy Spirit such as I have with Him daily, I hasten to convey, teach and pass on a similar prayer to the Saints of God that Holy Spirit desires to hear and receive from Her.
Blessed Holy Spirit:
I embrace You with all my heart and spirit, and seek intimacy and holiness with You. I sanctify and surrender myself, my spirit, soul, heart, mind, will, integrity, tongue, faith, willingness to serve, [ministry - where applicable], and the course of my life to Your control. Lord Jesus sent You to me to be my Helper, Comforter, Counselor, Teacher and Guide to lead and keep me in His paths of holiness, humility, obedience, faithfulness, service, and righteousness. Reveal Yourself to me, and increasingly liberate Yourself within my spirit and my heart according to Your will so that You may flow and operate through me as You empower and enable me to serve and glorify my Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus and You with all faithfulness in my heart.
Help me to discern Your flow within me, and Your operating in my life. Daily keep me in Your holy counsel and firm embrace. Help me to know when You are calling me to do Your will and perform Your commands. Help me to speak Your counsel through the Word of God.
Help me to listen to You with my heart and my spirit, and not with my mind and intellect. Show me and teach me how I may walk in intimacy and holiness with You. Make known unto me what Your call is upon me to serve and glorify God, Lord Jesus, and You. I choose to walk with You in my spirit, and not in my flesh. I desire to grow in intimacy with You. Always quicken me whenever pride, sin and self-righteousness begin to enter and arise within my heart and my spirit for I chose to walk humbly before You in obedience and brokenness.
I ask that You impart Your will, peace, holiness, lovingkindness, joy, boldness, strength, counsel, wisdom, humility, discernment, understanding, and revelation knowledge, as well as an understanding, merciful, wise and compassionate heart to me. Help me to pray as You would have me to pray from my heart and not with my mind. Help me to immerse myself in prayer to my Father and Lord Jesus. Help me in reading, studying and understanding the Word so that I may grow in wisdom and intimacy with You. Help me to spiritually mature and give witness and testimony of Lord Jesus to the world, and to perform His Word for His glory. Help me to retain the Word deep in my heart so that I may live a life of humility, integrity, service and holiness.
I praise You, worship You, honor You, glorify You, exalt You, magnify You, trust in You, serve You, wait upon You, obey You, follow You and rest in Your comforting love and peace. I love You with all my heart Beloved Holy Spirit, I bless You, and I thank You for convicting me of my sinfulness through the Word of God, and guiding me to the Cross of Jesus Christ through Whose death I have inherited the gift of eternal life.
I pray that all I ask of You be done for the glory of God, for the glory of Lord Jesus, and for Your own glory. Amen.
The above prayer is a model form that can be used to help the praying Saint of God approach and begin to draw him or herself into an intimate way of addressing Holy Spirit as desired. He or she can begin to express him or herself to Him at different times through humble and intimate expressions that arise from the heart and not from the mind.
How soon one can sense and discern a growing intimacy with Holy Spirit will depend to what extent and in-depth one is immersed (submerged) in prayer and the reading and study of the Word with one’s heart and spirit, and not with the mind and analytical in-depth study of how Holy Spirit operates for one’s glory. He is not to be thought of or be understood as a RESOURCE or a HELPING TOOL - A THING.
HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD (Acts 5:1-4), THE THIRD PERSON OF THE HOLY TRINITY. He is Sovereign. He was SENT to be IN CONTROL of the Lord’s Church. He is here in the Church as a Representative of Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, to PERFORM and OPERATE in the Church on earth in place of Lord Jesus. (John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26; 16:7, 13,14) In other words, Holy Spirit is to speak to Her, to TEACH Her, speak through Her, and operate in the Church as Lord Jesus would be doing if He were here in Her midst today. Holy Spirit is to be IN CONTROL at all times just as Lord Jesus would be. She is not to be an orphan. (John 14:18)
LORD JESUS IS HERE WITH US IN THE WORD THROUGH HOLY SPIRIT. (John 1:14; 16:13-15) HOLY SPIRIT CONCEIVED JESUS CHRIST (Luke 1:31,35) AND INSPIRED (BROUGHT FORTH - GAVE BIRTH TO) THE WORD OF GOD (2Timothy 3:16). Study this very carefully, and understand Who Holy Spirit is.
THE SPIRIT IS LIFE! (Romans 8:10)
“IT IS THE SPIRIT WHO GIVES LIFE.” (John 6:63)
HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD! (Acts 5:3,4)
If Lord Jesus had to spend THIRTY YEARS waiting for Holy Spirit to be imparted to Him from God the Father WHILE HE SPENT TIME GROWING AND MATURING IN HIS SPIRIT THROUGH PRAYER, READING AND STUDYING THE SCRIPTURES, why should not the Saint of God also NEED to be spending time spiritually growing and maturing in prayer and study of the Word to testify and perform as Lord Jesus did AFTER He received the Baptism with the Holy Spirit and HIS ANOINTING through John the Baptist? - (Matthew 3:13-17; 12:18)
The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is necessary so that He can then liberate Himself within that baptized Saint to begin HIS ministry within and through him or her as He releases and empowers His call - ANOINTING - upon the Saint FOR SERVICE in the Church according to His will and not according to the FLESH.
HOLY SPIRIT ALONE CALLS THE SAINTS TO WHICHEVER OFFICE AND GIFT HE IMPARTS ACCORDING TO HIS WILL FOR SERVICE. The Saint of God does not “PICK AND CHOOSE” the Office or Gift (Ephesians 4:11-14 - 1Corinthians 12:1-11,28) with which he or she would like to serve the Body of Christ. (It is not scriptural.) He yearns for the Saint of God to desire Him for intimacy with a heart of brokenness and humility, and not just only for His impartations. The Saint of God is to desire and seek after the Anointer, and not after the anointing; the Giver and not the Office or the Gift: THE HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF and not a status position.
After Pentecost to the present time, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit was and continues to be carried out by laying-on of hands (Acts 8:14-17; 9:17 - Ephesians 5:18) by those Saints that then had, or presently have been baptized with the Holy Spirit. A non-baptized-with-the-Holy-Spirit Saint cannot operate thusly without evidence. In the Bible, the evidence of being baptized in the Holy Spirit is followed by speaking in tongues. - (Acts 2:1-4; 8:17; 19:6)
After the Saint is baptized with the Holy Spirit, the evidence of speaking in tongues occurs at that moment. HOWEVER, there are instances where such is not the case, and tongues will follow shortly. Speaking in tongues (1Cor. 14:1-25) is a prayer language: “He makes intercession for us according to the will of God. (See and study Romans 8:26,27). Praying ALWAYS with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. (Ephesians 6:18) Praying in tongues is not a spiritual status symbol nor to be “displayed.” Again, the Saint’s prayer language is to be exercised continuously: “Praying ALWAYS … in the Spirit.”
Today, the Saint of God does not have to wait such a lengthy time for the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. The Church ALREADY has Holy Spirit indwelling Her (John 14:17) through Christ Jesus. Holy Spirit now needs to be liberated for impartations by Lord Jesus, Himself, FOR MINISTRY IN THE CHURCH, through His Spirit-filled servants’ laying-on of hands. Thereafter, all that the baptized Saint has to do is to reject the world and its distractions and pleasures, and DEDICATE AND SANCTIFY HIM OR HERSELF TO PRAYER AND TO LORD JESUS - THE WORD - where he or she can then begin to establish intimacy with Holy Spirit through the Word. That’s when Holy Spirit begins to impart HIS CALLING and begins ministering through that baptized Saint.
Lord Jesus and Holy Spirit - THE ANNOINTER/S - speak to the Church and reveal themselves to Her through the Word, and through the intimacy that She should be having with THE ANOINTED WORD! JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and THE WORD WAS GOD. … And THE WORD BECAME FLESH and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten [Son] of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1, 14).
He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called THE WORD OF GOD (Revelation 19:13).
THE Saint of God must be IMMERSED IN THE WORD (SUBMERGED IN THE LIVING WATERS) FOR INTIMACY WITH HER LORD AND WITH HOLY SPIRIT. There are no shortcuts to walking with Lord Jesus, walking in the Holy Spirit, and operating in the anointing of the Spirit of God. ¾ NO SHORTCUTS!
Where there is no desire for Holy Spirit IN Lord Jesus, THE WORD, there will be no intimate revelation of Himself to the Saints, and no anointing for service in the Church.
Intimacy with Holy Spirit in the Church of Jesus Christ of Nazareth was “LOST” somewhere along the way and has remained lacking to this day. I found and regained intimacy with Holy Spirit through a DEDICATED and SANCTIFIED commitment to reading and studying the Word of God. Holy Spirit authored / inspired / anointed the Word (2Timothy 3:16,17), (just as He anointed Lord Jesus - Mat. 3:16 - Acts 10:38), and through my in-depth study of the Word He saw my spiritual hunger and spiritual need. It was while I would be in the Word that Holy Spirit unified Himself with my heart and my spirit, and began to reveal Himself to me in amazing ways. He ignited my hungry spirit and heart with the flaming Word of God, and then imparted revelation knowledge, spiritual growth, and spiritual maturity to me. I in turn burned with a passionate desire to live for Lord Jesus and perform His Word for His glory.
I began addressing Him in the first person - Holy Spirit - and HE THEN BEGAN SPEAKING TO ME, ENLIGHTENING ME AND GUIDING ME <THROUGH THE WORD> with strong discernment, urgings, stirrings and strong promptings to my spirit.
IT WAS WHILE I WOULD BE IN THE WORD THAT HIS CALL - ANOINTING - GREW, STRENGTHENED, EMPOWERED AND INFLAMMED MY HEART AND MY SPIRIT, and I have been in and shall forever remain in His control. His anointing REIGNS in my heart, my spirit and my life for the glory of God alone.
When Lord Jesus poured out Holy Spirit to His Church on Pentecost Day, a continuity of His unceasing love and power was to continue. Holy Spirit WAS TO HAVE OPERATED with power and authority in the Church of Jesus Christ of Nazareth throughout the ages. Control by Holy Spirit’s UNQUENCHED FLOWING POWER, His anointing (calling), His teaching, and His UNRESTRICTED OPERATION WAS TO HAVE taught, enlightened, led, comforted, helped, strengthened, matured, emboldened and empowered the Lord’s Church through the Word of God:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM. But God has revealed them to us [the Church] THROUGH HIS SPIRIT. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so NO ONE KNOWS THE THINGS OF GOD EXCEPT THE SPIRIT OF GOD. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which THE HOLY SPIRIT TEACHES [in the Word of God], comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” (1Corinthians 2:9-13)
Holy Spirit was sent to help and empower the Church while She sought after and waited upon Him. Meanwhile, Lord Jesus has continued to reign in Glory, desiring to nourish His Body, the Church, through the Word as She hungers for Him. She was to remain surrendered to Holy Spirit’s eternal and intimate embrace as He held the Church immersed (submerged) in Lord Jesus through prayer and in the Word. Painfully, however, strong evidence has proved otherwise throughout the Church age.
When and where was Holy Spirit restricted - quenched - neglected by the Church? Why was the Baptism with the Holy Spirit in the Church neglected or even rejected? WHY? It is scriptural. JESUS WAS BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT! (“The Spirit of the Lord is UPON ME.” - Luke 4:18,19 - Acts 4:27; 10:38) What happened? Answer: the FLESH stepped in and took over in the Church.
Intimacy with Father God, with Lord Jesus and with Holy Spirit has been shamefully, neglectfully and grievously missing in the Church. The Church has not kept and exalted Almighty God, Jesus Christ AND Holy Spirit as sovereign and foremost IN HER DAILY LIFE. She has been limping along on crutches made out of man’s doctrine with a limited measure of God’s doctrine. In Her malnourished and anemic state, She has been leaning on the FLESH for teaching, counsel, and support.
WHERE IS CONVICTION? Through the Word of God.
WHERE ARE THE SAINTS OF GOD? Sleeping in the pews.
The global Church of Jesus Christ has lived a life lacking in faithfulness, obedience and humility to Her Lord and Savior - a life of stunted spiritual growth and neglected spiritual maturity thereby hurting, grieving and offending Her Savior and Her Lord. She has been playing Church every Sunday and mid-week. Her only true form of prayer is a weak and childish utterance of “gimme, gimme, gimme” (give me, give me, give me). These are carnal babes (1Cor. 3:1-3 - 1Peter 2:1,2) who have had no heart for the Lord nor commitment to His Word. They are fruits without flavor that have been “tickled in their ears” by laborers in the FLESH: “wolves” and “hirelings” in the pulpits and through other various media. And let’s not forget the “imposters / pretenders” strutting around in the Church.
Personal concerns, cares of the world, compromised living while INTIMATELY yoked with ungodly lost souls, carnal traditions and worldly standards, worldly interests and entertainments, and protocols of the world have taken priority in the life of the Church. These distractions have beckoned and drawn Her into a spiritual lukewarm (Revelation 3:15,16) stupor as well as a careless and sometimes reckless state of existence. She has not kept vigilance over Her CALL to be “a light in the world” and “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13-16), nor over Her Blood-Bought salvation, Her spirit, Her soul, Her heart, Her mind and Her spiritual walk through daily prayer and persevering study of the Word. She has been feeding Herself on feel good, prosperity minded, sugar coated preaching and teaching by UNCALLED “ministers” and “teachers” who have “ministered” in the Church of Jesus Christ of Nazareth through their self appointments. These imposter-Saints have made THEIR self appointed “callings” careers in the FLESH.
And what do the Saints of God know? Fellowships and fellowship dinners, family gatherings and games, ticket sales, bazaars, outings, tours, cruises, etc., in obedience to the Scripture that encourages the Church to “assemble themselves together” (Hebrews 10:25). Fine. But what about obedience to the rest of the scriptures about going out into the whole world and be an OPEN and BOLD witness of Jesus Christ to the world - to be the WALKING AND TALKING BIBLE that no one reads! Where is this CONSISTENT teaching with fervor and admonition being taught? The Christian - follower of Jesus Christ - should be zealous over the lost souls he or she ministers to, how many lost souls he or she is sharing the Word with, and HOW MANY SOULS HE OR SHE IS LEADING TO THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST just as he or she was ministered to and was led to the Cross for his or her Blood-Bought salvation. And how was that done? THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD! And that’s where She is failing miserably and shaming Lord Jesus and Herself through Her neglect of STUDY of Scripture. She is to be doing what Lord Jesus HIMSELF did and set as an example to Her. He not only PRAYED, but He STUDIED the scriptures, KNEW the scriptures, TAUGHT the scriptures, LIVED the scriptures, WALKED in the scriptures and PERFORMED the scriptures. His example was for EVERY Christian, and not for the same handful of faithful and dedicated Saints that serve their Savior on a consistent basis.
WHERE IS DEDICATED SERVICE TO LORD JESUS IN THE CHURCH? No, not on Church property, but OUT IN THE DYING WORLD that is perishing and on its way to hell – those for whom Lord Jesus died? WHERE IS GRATITUDE TO THE LORD FOR WHAT HE DID FOR HIS CHURCH? WHERE IS HUMILITY? WHERE IS OBEDIENCE? WHERE IS FAITHFULNESS?
Question: WHEN WILL THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH FLUSH OUT THESE IMPOSTERS THAT HAVE HELD HER ON A TIGHT LEASH WITH “FLESH” DOCTRINES AND TEACHINGS?
Answer: WHEN, AND ONLY WHEN, SHE WAKES UP AND IMMERSES (SUBMERGES) HERSELF IN THE WORD, KNOWS THE WORD BECAUSE OF HER PASSION DRIVEN INTIMACY WITH HER LORD, AND CALLS THESE IMPOSTERS INTO ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH HOLY SPIRIT TEACHING AND REVELATION FROM THE WORD.
Otherwise, the “status quo” in today’s Church of Jesus Christ of Nazareth will continue to be one of ongoing deception. She will continue in Her famished, anemic, malnourished and fleeced state WHILE BOTH LORD JESUS AND HOLY SPIRIT CONTINUE TO GRIEVE, GRIEVE, GRIEVE.
And let’s not forget the adversary, THE DEVIL that continues to walk about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1Peter 5:8) through his “wolves” and “hirelings” in the Church.
Over the ages and today, a consistent small number of true faithful, committed and dedicated Saints of God throughout the world have carried, and continue to carry, these babes’ neglected call and spiritual responsibility. Through their prayers, their dedicated and unselfish service to God, this small number’s loving obedience, their humility, their faithfulness and their sanctification to Lord Jesus have carried and continue to carry the flaming torch of the Word to a lost and sinful dying world. They have kept the love, grace and mercy of God, His gift of eternal life and the Word alive while shinning brightly before veiled and darkened sinful hearts of men, to the point of giving up their lives through much suffering and martyrdom while the babes in the Church have, and still continue to play Church.
The TOSSING of the babes’ tithes and offerings into the Offering Plate, or mailing in their offerings and donations, has been enough commitment in their “spiritual walk” before Lord Jesus whom they don’t lift up before the world so that He can draw all men to Himself. (John 12:32) They remain lazy and tongue-tied. All they have heard and learned in the Church is tithing, offerings and donations ad nauseam, and rarely hearing with the same fervor about unfaithfulness, disobedience, sin, unforgiveness, pride, repentance, humility, brokenness, faithfulness, serving and glorifying God, PRAYER, WALKING IN THE SPIRIT, READING, STUDYING AND LIVING THE WORD, witnessing Lord Jesus to family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, fellow employees, the dying world, etc., Why? Because the controlling FLESH in the Church is not living nor walking in the Word, nor walking or operating in the Spirit THEMSELVES!
And let’s not forget half of all the television airtime that is spent on selling books, CDs, products, items, concert tours here, cruises there, charter tours all over the globe, etc. Compare the television time spent on “ministry” to the television time spent on selling with pleas for air time financial support that are endless, and for what? Money, money, money and let’s keep it all in the Family! And then there are all those requested offerings for Church projects, beautifications, sound systems, improved facilities, and on and on and on!
JESUS IS COMING,
LOOK BUSY!
AND WHERE IS HOLY SPIRIT IN THE MIDST OF THIS CIRCUS? Quenched and grieving - (1Thessalonians 5:19 - Ephesians 4:30) while the FLESH is getting away with its works!
Be not deceived, GOD IS NOT MOCKED; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his FLESH will of the FLESH reap corruption, but he who sows to the SPIRIT will of the SPIRIT reap everlasting life (Galatians 6:7,8).
“MY PEOPLE [Saints of God] ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE [of the Word]. Because you have rejected [compromised; sugar coated] knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest [pastor, minister] for Me; because you have forgotten [laid aside] the law [the Word] of your God, I also will forget [spiritual famine of the Word of] your children [congregation]. The more they increased [in pride; unfaithfulness; mockery; disobedience; self-righteousness], the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame. They eat [neglect; cover] up the sin of My people: they set their heart on their iniquity [sin]. And it shall be: like people [Saints], like priest [pastors, ministers]. So I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their deeds. For they shall eat, but not have enough; they shall commit harlotry [unfaithfulness; yoked with the world], but not increase; because they have ceased obeying the Lord” (Hosea 4:6-10).
Jesus Christ has already suffered in the place of all sinners in the world to give them eternal life (John 3:16-19) so that they would not have to suffer the wrath of God (1Thess. 5:9) and be eternally lost in hell. All that remains to be done in the Church by these babes is to give the world the same testimony of God’s love and gift of eternal life by which they were Blood-Word saved, to exalt the King of Glory, and to give ALL honor and ALL glory to God and His Sacrificial Lamb who died for the sins of the world. But what do these babes know? Attitudes of prosperity entitlements.
The prayer life of the Church is shameful and weak, and Her neglect of Her lifeline in and through the Word of God is thin and almost in shreds. She does not know how to spend quality time alone DAILY with Her Savior in prayer by worshipping, praising, honoring, exalting, glorifying, magnifying, hungering for intimacy with Him in the Word, cherishing Him, surrender to His control, and blessing Him as She pours out Her love for Him and Her gratitude from the depths of Her heart. She is too committed to Her personal concerns such as careers, amusements, entertainments, travel, sports, movies, etc., etc., etc.
When Her status quo (existing state) is calm, there is no intimate and passionate desire for fellowship and intimacy with Her Father and Her Savior, let alone thanksgiving and heartfelt gratitude for all of God’s blessings. However, as soon as her secure status quo becomes threatened, causing alarm and panic, questions immediately arise: “Where is the Lord when I need Him?” or “Father, what happened? Why did YOU allow this or that to happen?” However, the reverse questions should be: “How faithful have I been to my Father and to my Lord? How committed have I been to fellowshipping intimately with Lord Jesus in prayer and in the Word daily? How close am I walking with Him? Is there sin and unforgiveness in my heart? How have I been seeking after Holy Spirit’s revelation of Himself to me through prayer and the Word, and His will for my daily life? How committed am I to glorifying God with my life with all humility, obedience to His Word and faithfulness for all He has given to and done for me on the Cross?” How intimately are these babes walking with their Savior and Lord? Are they seeking for Holy Spirit’s control of their daily spiritual walk while here in this worldly realm? Obviously not since they have no conception of Whom He is, and Who He should be in their lives.
The Spirit of God is jealous for the Church of Lord Jesus and covets Her. She is His deep and loving concern. Holy Spirit was SENT by Her Lord to take care of Her, to teach Her the Word, to counsel Her, to anoint Her, to equip Her for service to Her Lord, to guide Her, to help Her in Her spiritual needs, to comfort Her, and to strengthen and empower Her through Her journey in this world.
While the Church is present on earth, SHE IS NOT TO BE A LONE RANGER, UNHOLY (Hebrews 12:14 - 1Peter 1:15,16), SELF INDULGENT, PROUD, FLAMBOYANT, DISOBEDIENT, UNFAITHFUL, DECEITFUL, REBELLIOUS, SELF-RIGHTEOUS AND IMMORAL THROUGH CARNALITY AND PORNOGRAPHY. (James 1:13-16 - Study vs. 16, BRETHREN – Saints of God! The doctrine of ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED is a lie out of hell.) HOWEVER! SHE IS TO BE A FLAMING TORCH OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND NOT SMOLDERING EMBERS. Because of the Word, the Church is to be a convicting firebrand that is continuously ignited through the reading, studying and teaching of the Word throughout the world (Matthew 24:14) so that She shines as a bright flame in this dark decaying and hopeless dying world of sin and perdition while leading sinners to the Cross of Jesus Christ. Her ZEAL and BOLDNESS for WITNESSING is to come from Her surrender to HOLY SPIRIT’S CONTROL so that He can then flow and operate through Her as She lifts up Her Savior before the whole world so that Lord Jesus - THE WORD - can then draw all men unto Himself.
Holy Spirit has not been “in the Driver’s Seat.” He’s been kept hostage while “buckled up and gagged” in the backseat FAR TOO LONG in the Church. He longs for Her to stop quenching and hindering Him, and restore Him to His rightful position in the Church of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. There is so much recapturing He YEARNS and WAITS to do. Yet, the Church continues to neglect Him, and straddles the fence with one foot in the Church and one foot in the world without Him.
RESTORATION IN THE CHURCH
The time for restoration in the Church has come, a time for Her to make right WHAT HAS BEEN A GRIEVOUS WRONG FAR TOO LONG - a time for renewal and refreshing with a sound of a rushing mighty wind - the pouring out of God’s Spirit in the Church ANEW so that God’s Saints can prophesy, see visions, and dream dreams as outlined in Acts 2:2,17 - a time for Holy Spirit to be restored to His rightful place in the Church so that He can reveal Himself to the Saints of God as they seek Him in prayer and in the Word of God - a time for intimacy to be entered into with Her Helper (NKJV) - Comforter (KJV). (John 14:16,17,26; 15:26; 16:7,13,14).
· CORRECTION: Restoration of Holy Spirit’s full authority in the Church.
· CLARITY: Cast out all confusion of who is who and who does what in the Church.
· HEALING: So much pain and confusion through self-righteous attitudes and offensive comments as well as slander and taking sides because of doctrinal differences due to total neglect of reading, STUDYING, knowing and being doers of the Word has rooted bitterness and even unforgiveness in the Church of Jesus Christ. The sin of hypocrisy by the uncalled FLESH has hindered growth of holiness, spiritual growth and spiritual maturity, integrity, serving, and humility in the hearts of many Saints, thereby quenching, grieving and hindering the free flow of God’s Holy Spirit in the Church. The VERY PRESENCE of pride, coldness and indifference in many hearts of the Saints toward Holy Spirit, holiness, love, humility, forgiveness, obedience to the Word of God, and integrity before God leaves Lord Jesus grieving over the behavior and lack of spiritual maturity in His Body. Yet She wanders throughout the world unmindful of her calling to abide in Her Savior and that His Words abide in Her (John 15:4-8). Also, the Body of Christ remains fragmented through denominational doctrines that Lord Jesus never instituted.
· CLEANSING: Purge the Body of Christ of all the “wolves” and “hirelings” that have kept the Church inoculated with false and deceptive doctrines far too long. Yes, Beloved Saints of God, Satan also attends Church regularly. He doesn’t miss one service. Holy Spirit has been kept “gagged” while Satan continues to keep his doctrines and teachings flowing freely and abounding in the Church of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
· HUMBLING: Acknowledgement to the Church by imposter Saints – the FLESH - of their self-appointed calls that have offended and grieved Lord Jesus while sinning against God’s Holy Spirit, and robbing and hindering Him of HIS EMPOWERMENT AND IMPARTATIONS, and HIS proper flow and operation in the Body of Christ. Pride is a sin (Proverbs 16:18).
The time IS NOW to ask Holy Spirit to take HIS RIGHTFUL POSITION OF AUTHORITY in the House of God - the Church of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD’S SPIRIT
JESUS CHRIST S-E-N-T HOLY SPIRIT TO HIS CHURCH
HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN QUENCHED, GRIEVED AND HINDERED
REPENTANCE BEFORE THE HOLY TRINITY IS TO BE NOW
PERSONAL TESTIMONY
For thirty-two years this Saint of God has learned what she speaks of after humbly seeking to serve God for His Glory, and then praying with a humble heart for Lord Jesus to show her how to serve and glorify Him. She continued to read her Dake Annotated Reference Bible through which she has studied, studied, studied so-o-o many Scripture references and retained much in her heart. I also used several other Commentary and Annotated Bibles. As I kept immersing myself in the Word DAILY (swimming in Living Waters), I began to speak to Holy Spirit about what He was saying and teaching me in this or that particular scripture since I had clear understanding that all Scripture was inspired by the Spirit of God. Holy Spirit authored and anointed the Word of God through the Old and New Testament Saints. - (2Timothy 3:16,17; 2:15)
The more I addressed Him, the more He began to give me understanding after understanding after understanding about this or that scripture with awesome after awesome after awesome revelation knowledge. The more I kept pursuing His teaching the more He kept increasing my spiritual understanding. The more I talked to Him and walked in Him, the deeper I began to bond with Him. And the more I bonded with Him IN AND THROUGH THE WORD (Ephesians 6:17) the more He has drawn me closer, and has continued to reveal Himself to me.
Nowhere in Scripture is the Church of Jesus Christ of Nazareth taught to either pray or talk to Holy Spirit. However, this has never discouraged me from speaking or talking to the THIRD PERSON of the Holy Trinity (1John 5:7). Lord Jesus declared:
“I will pray [ask] the Father, and He will give you ANOTHER Helper, that He may abide with you forever…” (John 14:16,26)
“…but you know Him, for He dwells WITH YOU and will be IN YOU.” (John 14:17)
Note the word “ANOTHER” above! When Lord Jesus was here, out of loving compassion He HELPED the spiritual blind to see, and the spiritual deaf to hear. He was the FIRST HELPER. He was here as God-Man – in the flesh. He was visible to everyone. He talked to people and people talked with Him.
When Holy Spirit arrived on Pentecost Day, SENT from God through Lord Jesus to His Church, He arrived as the SECOND (ANOTHER) HELPER. If Lord Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, walked with and talked to His disciples then, why cannot Holy Spirit, the Third Person, “flow” and “talk” to the Church in His own revealing ways today? AND WHY CANNOT THE CHURCH TALK AND PRAY TO HIM IN RESPONSE? Where in Scripture is it forbidden?
While the Church is NOT TAUGHT in Scripture to talk and pray to Holy Spirit, NEITHER is She DISCOURAGED in Scripture from talking and praying to Holy Spirit. In other words, IT IS NEITHER SCRIPTURAL NOR UNSCRIPTURAL. I have searched Scripture for confirmation and have not found teaching to talk and pray to Holy Spirit, NOR have I found teaching to NOT talk and pray to Holy Spirit. (Reader, search the scriptures YOURSELF!)
If Holy Spirit dwells WITH the Church, and is IN the Church, (John 14:17) is He mute? NOT ACCORDING TO THE BOOK OF ACTS! Is the Church commanded NOT to address Holy Spirit in one form or another in the Word WHICH HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF AUTHORED AND INSPIRED? Is She therefore supposed to remain mute toward Him? Book, Chapter and Verse, please.
While the Church spiritually has Lord Jesus in Her heart and life through the Word but still continues TALKING and PRAYING to and WALKING with Him, why should the Church not be doing likewise with Holy Spirit Whom Lord Jesus SENT to be here with Her in His place? Where is the Scripture that prohibits the Church from doing so? IS IT ANY WONDER THAT THERE IS NO KNOWLEDGE OR UNDERSTANDING OF, SEEKING AFTER, NOR INTIMACY WITH OR TOTAL SURRENDER TO HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS CONTROL? Does this explain why She daily wavers in Her Christian life and spiritual walk while drunk with excessive intoxicating worldliness (Ephesians 5:18) that quenches, grieves and hinders Holy Spirit? (1Thessalonians 5:19 - Ephesians 4:30)
And so, with no fear or nervousness, I stepped out in BOLDNESS and simply began praying to Him as well as talking to Him while I would be in the Word. And what has come upon me can only be described as stunning, exciting, wonderful, joyful and supernatural. As a humbling result I have a deep peace in my heart (my spiritual compass), great joy, and His cherished presence in my spirit and in my life. I live for God and His Word alone.
The presence and anointing of Holy Spirit became a “supernatural move and flow” that began a BOLD move within my spirit. As I began addressing Him in a personal and intimate way, He quickened me to understand that I was to approach Him on a spiritual level for spiritual service. I was to carry all my personal cares, personal concerns and personal requests to Father God and to Lord Jesus. Holy Spirit impressed this clear distinction to my heart, my spirit and my understanding. (I cannot say that this applies to every Saint of God, or if this was just a personal word to me.)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a SOUND MIND (2Timothy 1:7).
For God is not the author of confusion but of peace… (1Corinthians 14:33).
“If you abide in Me [the Word], and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7).
Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:1-4). I talk and pray to God. I walk with God. I walk in God. I serve God. I obey God. I obey God’s Word. I OBEY GOD’S VOICE. - (Jeremiah 7:23)
Although Holy Spirit has never audibly spoken to me, I began discerning His “quickening” to communicate with me daily through the Word as well as through THOUGHTS, strong promptings, urgings, leadings, or throbbing in my spirit. I would always ask Him as I STILL DO if He was or is speaking. I soon learned, and knew that I knew, what I was to either say, or declare, or write or perform what I received from Him in my spirit.
It took a strong dedicated effort on my part to learn how to be sensitive to His calling or leading. It took a while, but He knew my hunger for intimacy with Him, and He began to reveal Himself to me with strong discernment. I had no one to turn to about this, nor did I seek spiritual counsel and advice anywhere. I arrived at my spiritual intimacy with Holy Spirit strictly by HIS favor because of my heart’s desire for Him and Him alone - not for an Office or a Gift. He has kept me in His zeal, peace, wisdom, counsel, boldness and strength WHILE I HAVE REMAINED SURRENDERED AND SANCTIFIED TO HIM IN THE WORD AND IN PRAYER. Yet all along Lord Jesus continues to overflow my spirit, heart and soul with His faithful love and joy of my salvation through His Word while nourishing and strengthening me.
Saints of God, when I talk to Holy Spirit, it is always pertaining to all things spiritual, and only spiritual. He functions in and through me in a spiritual framework, and not a physical one, and I remain faithful to His call upon me as a prophetess of God in the Church of Jesus Christ of Nazareth for the glory of God alone.
In closing, I encourage the Church of Lord Jesus to continue working out her salvation with fear (reverence) and trembling (vigilance) for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without murmuring and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world… (Philippians 2:12-15) for soon the FAITHFUL-FOUND Church will “arise and shine for Her Light will have arrived, and the glory of Her Lord shall be risen upon Her!” (Isaiah 60:1)
…but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the UPWARD CALL [the Rapture] of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13,14).
Finally, [Saints of God], whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are noble, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8,9).
To Almighty God, to Savior and TRIUMPHANT Jesus Christ, and to Blessed Holy Spirit be all glory, all honor and all praise from everlasting to everlasting without end. Amen.
[NOTE: I regret that due to my husband's weakening illness that continues to worsen, I am not able to spend time on the computer any more. (We are both in our seventies.) I carry a full time schedule, and am unable to do any e-mails nor answer phone calls. When Holy Spirit calls me to post HIS word to the Church, then I will spend time at the computer. I request that you refrain from asking Bill Somers, host of this Web site, for any means of contacting me. (He, too, has a busy schedule.) Please forgive me. Thank you for your inquiry about getting in touch with me. God bless you. --- Celia R. Okhuysen]
BOOKS: (Only information to be found on the Web as of July 2008.)
THE SPIRIT HIMSELF - Ralph M. Riggs - (Paperback - Hardback)
Publisher: Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, MO
LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT - Dick & Don Hillis – (Paperback – July 1984)
http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/memorial/Hillis/intro.htm
http://www.onechallenge.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=33
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT - Michael Green - (Paperback – 350 pages - $16.99)
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Revised Edition, May 15, 2004
ISBN – 10: 0802827675
ISBN – 13: 978-0802827678
MY PREVIOUS POSTS:
ORACLES
http://www.etpv.org/1996-97/oracles.html
I AM IN CONTROL - III
http://www.etpv.org/2004/control.html
END TIME DREAMS INDEX - REVISED
http://www.etpv.org/2005/etdi-rev.html
FILTHY RAGS
http://www.etpv.org/2007/frags.html
POST DATE: July 2008