Programme: School of The Spirit (SOS)
Date: Thursday, 26th January 2023
Transcript Summary
1. Our deepest heart cry or desire should be to make sure that we do that which pleases the Lord because this is what is most important. There are a whole lot of things we could do that are lawful, or that the Lord permits. However, what is most important in the heart of God is that which is lawful to Him, which we are to walk according to. This quest may not be in one’s heart when one is younger because there are many things or veils that get a youth preoccupied. The strength a man has in the days of his youth can be a veil that will not enable him to see what is most important to the Lord.
2. It is commonly said that the end justifies the means, but that is false. The truth is that the justification is the process we give ourselves to and if we are not justified, we will get to the wrong destination. There is a way to get to God and if we do not go through the true road, we will be ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 3:7). The essence of coming to the knowledge of the truth is to make a man free from sin and iniquity; it is to make a man free from the laws that are operational in the fallen man.
3. To be filled with the Holy Ghost is the blessing of the Pentecost. To operate in the gifts of the Holy Ghost is part of the blessing of the Pentecost but one may not have experienced the ministry of the Comforter. Receiving the ministry of the Comforter is tied to obedience to the word. The ministry of the Comforter brings us into a transaction or fellowship and it is in this fellowship that our souls are built. One may perform exploits but may not have been brought into this fellowship.
4. It is not an easy thing to win a soul or to turn men unto righteousness. One may perform exploits but may be unable to obey. Obedience is the only thing that changes our souls. One can be sent and may not see the commandments of the Lord. It is the commandments that we see and keep (or obey) that will bring about the change of our souls, for we cannot change without doing commandments. When a man keeps the commandments of the Lord, it firstly will open him up to the ministry of the Comforter.
5. Many believers are not aware of the ministry of the Comforter, though they are filled with the Holy Ghost. The coming of another Comforter is a ministry that is initiated as a result of obedience. The ministry of the Comforter is meant to abide with us; it is something we should carry with us all the time. One who has received this Comforter has Him and has been admitted into that order of fellowship.
6. “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21). This manifestation is the Lord making Himself known to one who has obeyed His commandments. This is a higher level of commandment that calls for a higher level of obedience which brings one into a higher fellowship. This is another level of comforting; it is the fellowship of the Father and the Son and what commends this fellowship is an obedience.
7. There is a specific obedience which must be made known to us, and as we keep it, we will be qualified for the manifestation of the Lord. Manifestation here is the Lord bringing an aspect of Himself to us. Without the manifestation of the Lord to us in this manner, we cannot hold Him. We can have knowledge/revelation but we may not hold the Lord without this manifestation, and then can not be admitted into the last realm of fellowship.
8. Our Lord Jesus did not become a Son because He was born in a manger or because it was prophesied, rather, it was because He obeyed (Heb. 5:8). While our Lord Jesus was here on earth, He was not just preaching all around, rather, He was obeying commandments (John 14:31). Jesus knew the prescribed obedience that He had to do in order to come into certain allocations in the spirit that were prepared for Him. There are certain allocations in the spirit prepared for us that we may not come into if we do not fulfill their requirements.
9. “And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” (1 John 4:21). Teachings are meant to gather our souls to a place where we can receive commandments. There are certain instructions or commandments we cannot receive until we have been taught. This is because if we are given those commandments to obey without being taught, we will not see it. Revelation removes veils from our souls so that we can see commandments. When we are able to see commandments, it is expected of us to keep them.
10. When we come into a higher level of fellowship, we must be shown again how to love our brethren better than we previously did. There is a way we take care of things that belong to us, but we should be able to take care of things that belong to our brethren much more. We should return things we borrow from our brethren much better than we received it. As we do so, we are training our hearts to be admitted into fellowship. The Godhead want to dwell in us and want us to be in perfect peace with our brethren.
11. Whenever God requires us to do a thing in a certain way, it is so that we can escape the adversary. At every level of fellowship, there is an arrangement of Satan for us not to keep the commandments there because he knows that if we keep those commandments, he will lose his hold over our lives at that level. Satan does not want us to perfect charity because once we do, we will usher in the perfect love which casts our fear (1 John 4:18).