Clear Direction

There are times when God may use several ways to communicate with us to assure us that it is the Holy Spirit directing our paths. Remember that Satan is a lying spirit who wants to deceive us and lead us away from God. I have heard the following illustration: 

“A certain harbor can be reached only by sailing up a narrow channel between dangerous rocks and shoals. Over the years, many ships have been wrecked, and navigation is hazardous. To guide the ships safely into port, three lights have been mounted on three huge poles in the harbor. When the three lights are perfectly lined up and seen as one, the ship can safely proceed up the narrow channel. If the pilot can see two or three lights, he knows he has gotten off course and is in danger.

“God has also provided three beacons to guide us. The same rules of navigation apply… the three lights must be lined up before it is safe for us to proceed. The three harbor lights of guidance are:

1. The Word of God (objective standard);
2. The Holy Spirit (subjective witness);
3. Circumstances (divine providence).

“Together, they assure us that the directions we have received are from God and will lead us safely along His way.”

Of course, it is also important to note that circumstances are not always a reliable indicator of God’s will. They can, at times, cause us to doubt. God may require us to move in faith, even when natural circumstances seem to oppose His direction. If this seems to be the case, then we must have an even clearer and stronger sense of the accuracy of both the Word of God and the Holy Spirit’s leading in spite of the circumstances. Just look at the obstacles Abraham and Moses faced in the Old Testament, then there is the Apostle Paul in the New Testament and all he had to endure.

Confidence Before God

Now, let’s begin to examine the six ways that God speaks to and guides us.

1. Holy Spirit Guidance Through Conviction

Holy Spirit conviction means that our conscience is being provoked into judging the rightness or wrongness of an action. The dictionary defines conscience as having “an internal sense of what is right and wrong that governs somebody’s thoughts and actions, urging him or her to do right rather than wrong”.

As Christians, we understand the “internal sense” to go beyond just our conscience. We have within us the work of the Holy Spirit. “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God” (1John 3:20,21).

The Need for Conviction

In John 16:8-11, God reveals the primary work of the Holy Spirit. (The Holy Spirit is not limited to the three actions described in this passage, as we learn when reading beyond verse 11.) The three primary works of the Holy Spirit are to reveal sin, righteousness, and judgment. “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8).

Then John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, goes on to explain in greater detail these three primary functions: “of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (vs.9-11). The greatest sin is to not believe in Jesus and what He did for us. Jesus is the righteousness for those who put their trust in Him, and they will also go to the Father. Judgment because the world systems are under the influence of the Devil.

The Holy Spirit always convicts of sin because He is holy (Rom 1:4)! God never tempts us with evil. He does not perpetrate evil or sin as a means of fulfilling His purpose (Jas 1:13). While it is true that God can take that which was meant for evil by others and turn it into good (Rom 8:28), He Himself does not perpetrate evil or sin. As Believers and leaders of Christ, this means that we must not perpetrate evil motivations or actions but instead live above reproach in every area of life (1 Tim 3:1-13).

When Jesus says in John 16:9 that the Holy Spirit convicts “of sin, because they do not believe in Me”, we need to make one thing very clear: It is not just belief in the Person of Jesus, but also belief in what Jesus has said and done for us at the Cross. There are many who would say they believe in Jesus, and yet they do not obey Him (Matt 21:28-32; Jas 1:21-25, 2:14-26). Well, if one does not obey Jesus, one really does not believe that Jesus is God! 

It is possible to “harden your heart” to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and become insensitive to sin. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph 4:30). Those who fall to the place where they become insensitive to the Holy Spirit are no longer convicted of their sin (Eph 4:17-24; 1Tim 4:2). 

Scriptural examples of the convicting power of the Holy Spirit:

1. Peter makes an arrogant statement that he is willing to die for Jesus (Matt 26:31-35). Jesus prophesies that Peter will deny Him three times before the rooster crows that day. The prophecy comes to pass. After the third denial of Christ by Peter, the Scripture states, “Then he began to curse and swear, saying, ‘I do not know the Man!’ Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ So, he went out and wept bitterly” (Matt 26:74,75).
   
2. Jesus appears to His disciples after the resurrection, but Thomas is not present. Because Thomas has not seen with his own eyes, he does not believe that Jesus has appeared to the other disciples. Later, Jesus appears to Thomas. Under conviction, Thomas proclaims, “…My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
   
3. Peter preaches the Gospel message, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, to the Jews in Jerusalem. This produces such conviction that about 3,000 come to know the Lord Jesus. “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2:37).
   
4. Saul (Paul) of Tarsus is on his way to Damascus to continue his persecution of Christians. During that trip, he has an encounter with the risen Jesus Christ that turns his world upside down. “And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads’. So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’” (Acts 9:5,6).

2. Holy Spirit Guidance Through the Bible

The Bible is truly the Word of God, and all of it is given by the inspiration of God (2 Tim 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:19-21). It is like no other book. It is a spiritual book designed by God to be a source of life, inspiration, instruction, encouragement, correction, direction, and guidance for His children. Someone once described the Bible as a personal love letter from God to us. God and His heart for mankind are both revealed throughout the Scriptures. For those who do not know God, through Jesus Christ, it is an invitation to know Him. For those who walk with Jesus, the Word of God is our strength and assurance that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Rhema And Logos

It is interesting to note that the Bible refers to itself as the Word. The word “Word” in the New Testament is derived from two Greek words: logos and rhema. Logos is the written word or an expression of thought, while rhema is the spoken word or a word uttered in speech or writing. Both words are used throughout the New Testament.

The word rhema is significant because it applies to a single scripture or scriptural principle that the Holy Spirit brings to the mind in our time of need. It is as if the Scripture passage is “speaking” to us to answer a question or provide direction or guidance.

Hence, Scripture itself tells us that it is alive and sharper than any two-edged sword, able to discern thoughts of the mind and motives of the heart. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb 4:12).

God speaks to us so clearly through the Bible. God speaks in general principles for life (logos) as well as to specific circumstances in life (rhema).

It is important to remember that we must read the logos (written) word daily. It is from this daily reading that God will give us His rhema (spoken) word.

The Bible as Light

The Word of God is light. Illumination of the Word, as we have discussed earlier, is by the Holy Spirit. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119:105). Illumination means that the truth of Scripture becomes personal and real to us. “…that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2Pet 1:20,21).

The Bible As A Mirror Into Your Soul

The Bible reveals the truth about us. We may be able to deceive others. We may even be able to deceive ourselves. Yet there is power in the Word of God to reveal the truth about our lives. The Word of God is compared to a mirror, which reflects back to us where our lives need to be changed (Jas 1:23-25).

This illumination is a work of the Holy Spirit—not to discourage or condemn us but to bring us into the light that transforms. God cannot bless what He does not approve of; He is a Holy God! His desire for us, when He reveals painful truths about our lives, is to bring us into paths of righteousness so that we might receive the full blessing of God. 

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2Cor 3:18). 

Of course, just knowing the truth is not the same as knowing and doing the truth. We are called to be doers of the Word. By doing the Word of God, we build a solid foundation for our lives. “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (Jas 1:23-25).

As the Bible says in Matthew 6:33, our priority must be to seek the kingdom of God through Jesus and His righteousness. Then, the spirit of God will provide all that we need for our spirit, soul, and body. 

Keep on seeking Him!

The Body

Our physical body communicates with the physical realm or the physical world we live in. The body uses the five senses: hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, and touching. Through these senses, we communicate with the physical realm. Our hearing responds to sound waves that fall within specific frequencies. We hear loud sounds, soft sounds, and low—and high-pitched sounds. Our vision allows us to discern shapes, shades, colors, and movement. Our taste buds detect sweet, sour, and bitter flavors. Our nose distinguishes odors, from the pleasant scent of flowers to the smell of rotting eggs. Finally, our sense of touch allows us to distinguish cold, heat, pain, and pleasure. 

Now, the body itself doesn’t evaluate the source, danger, or pleasure of the stimuli. The body simply alerts the brain, which is part of the soul, to be aware of the stimuli; then the brain reacts. Since we live in the world, God has given us the ability to detect and react to the world we live in.

The Soul

Notice that the body is not responsible for interpreting or evaluating the meaning of all the stimuli. All the body knows is, “That hurts!” or “It is sweet!” or “That is loud!” 

The soul is where all the stimuli that the body experiences are put into context. That is, the soul assigns meaning to the stimuli. For instance, the soul “learns” that the sound of a gunshot means danger and reacts accordingly by telling the body to run or hide. This learning process in life shapes our emotions (feelings), our will (the ability to choose), and our intellect (intelligence).

Our personality is shaped by our soul. Just as the soul interacts with the physical world through the body, the soul also interacts with other souls or people through the body as well.

To sum up so far: The body interacts or communicates with the physical world. The soul also interacts with the physical world. More importantly, the soul can interact with the souls of others. In other words, the soul of one person “communicates” with the soul of another person with the words and responses of everyone. Relationships are built on this type of “soul” communication.

It is worth noting that when the Bible uses the word “flesh” in reference to a person, it can refer to one of two things. It may refer to the body alone, or it may refer to the union of the body and soul. “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt 26:41). The Scriptures often use the term flesh to distinguish between the carnal person and the spiritual person. A carnal person is one who is immature and/or influenced more by the things of the world than by the things of Spirit (1Cor 3:1-4).

The Spirit

If the body communicates with the physical world, and the soul communicates with the “soul” world, with what or with whom does the spirit communicate? The answer is obvious, isn’t it? The spirit of man has the potential to communicate with the spiritual realm. 

If we carefully study 1 Corinthians 2:9-16, it should become evident that God has given us, as believers, the ability to do what was not possible before Jesus Christ and the Cross of Calvary:  to see, hear, and comprehend spiritual things on an individual level. We have been given the “mind of Christ” (v.16). Verse 12 states, “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.”

When we communicate with the physical world, we use our senses and interpret them with our minds. It is a body-and-soul experience. If we read something, we use our sight (body) and perceive the meaning of what is read (mind or soul). When someone speaks to us, we hear with our ears (body) and understand with our mind (soul.) 

Now in the spiritual realm, a similar operation takes place. The spiritual can operate through the body (the five senses), through the mind (impressions, thoughts, images), or directly through our spirit. The fact that God may use our body or soul to communicate with us from His Spirit makes the communication no less spiritual (1Cor 14:2). 

Sometimes we try to mystify or “spiritualize” the ability to communicate in the spirit. Spiritual communication was never meant to be unique or special to only certain individuals. Spiritual communication with God was meant to be normal Christianity!

An unfortunate mistake that many individuals make is to associate “how one feels” with spirituality. How you feel is a reaction of the body or mind, but not necessarily of the spirit. For example: Jesus desired to have his disciples keep watch while He was in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. The disciples kept falling asleep. Jesus says, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt 26:41). Notice that Jesus says that the spirit is willing, but the flesh (mind and body) is weak or tired. You see, your spirit never tires or becomes weary. Your spirit never is distracted, or unwilling to do those things it was designed to do. It was designed to communicate with the spiritual realm, God.

The Word of God the Bible Is Spiritual

Most of us would not like to admit that sometimes we find ourselves bored, distracted, disinterested, or too tired to read or study the Word of God. We might go through the motions but often feel guilty and condemned for not being more eager to seek the Lord in the Word. 

The truth is that while we may not seem to be benefiting in our minds and intellect, our spirit is never tired, bored, or distracted. When we study the Bible, we are feeding our minds, yes – but more importantly, we are feeding our spirits. Remember, the spirit does not depend upon the emotions or clarity of the mind. 

For example, have you ever had the experience of having the knowledge of a Scripture verse while at the same time being unaware of where or how you learned it? It could have been while reading the Bible or hearing a sermon or message when the mind was not paying attention, but our spirit was hungry for the Word! 

The discipline of spending time reading the Word of God cannot be over-emphasized and should not be connected to how you feel. The Bible is food to the spirit! The study and devotional time we spend in the Word of God should be a time we eagerly seek, for the sake of our spirit as well as for the mind. The spirit is always willing; it is the flesh that may be weak. Therefore, the spirit always benefits from the Word of God, even when the flesh seems unwilling. That is not to say that reading the Scriptures does not benefit the mind. For it is clear from the Word that our minds must be renewed. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom 12:2; see also Ephesians 5:26).

We must be careful at this point. Many fall into the error of thinking that they can change only through intellectual knowledge of the Word. Many try to live by the standards of the Bible through self-discipline and outward behavior. However, God seeks a change of heart, a change of our inner nature. That can be accomplished only by the Holy Spirit. 

The Bible has the power to show us God’s expectations or standards. At the same time, it shows us how helpless we are in our own strength alone to fulfill the standards of the Word of God. We are unable in our natural strength to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus. Yet we have the supernatural ability, through the Holy Spirit, to accomplish what is impossible in our own strength!

On the one hand, the Bible reveals everything about us. We may hide our secret thoughts and motives from other people. But nothing is hidden before God. His Word reveals that truth to us: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:12,13).

The Bible also reveals God’s expectation that we would conform to the image of His Son – in other words, that we would be like Jesus. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom 8:28, 29).

Finally, the Bible reveals how God will do this work. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil 2:12,13). It is the Lord Himself who wills or gives you both the desire and the ability to do, or the empowerment to fulfill His good pleasure. His “good pleasure” consists of the plans and purposes for your life. This is God’s grace or favor.

As we have established earlier, it is God’s intent that we be led by the Holy Spirit. That means that He is directing our paths. I have heard it said, “When you walk with God, you get to where He is going.” That rather obvious statement is true, isn’t it? 

Just as we can be assured that God has plans, purposes, and pursuits for us to walk in, we can also be sure that God speaks to or communicates with us. One reason that God speaks to us is to guide us in lifed. 

In the next several messages, I will look at six ways in which we often receive guidance from God. 

It is amazing that some miss the fact that we are instructed throughout the Bible, Old Testament, and New to trust and rely on the Spirit of God. For example, in the Old Testament:

• Zechariah 4:6, “So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.”

Zerubbabel led the first wave of Jews returning to Judah after the Babylonians’ exile. His task was to rebuild Jerusalem, a seemingly impossible task. However, God reminded Zerubbabel that it was not by natural strength or ability but by the limitless power of the Spirit of God! Nothing is impossible with God!

Then the Apostle Paul says in the New Testament, Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” These two verses speak to the Spirit of God living in the Believer and not to the individual’s natural abilities, talents, or strengths. 

Again, we see in 2 Peter 1:3-4 that the Lord has given us everything we need to live life righteously and fulfill His plans for our lives. “3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Those great and precious promises are fulfilled as we learn to walk in the Spirit and not in the natural abilities of the flesh.

The Twofold Work of the Holy Spirit.

When we accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, we agreed to allow Him to lead us in two areas of life. The first is to shape our character, and the second is to fulfill His assignment in the Body of Christ, the church.

When we decided to receive Jesus into our hearts and minds, we also received the gift of salvation. What this means is that “heaven is ours.” Jesus promised that He would prepare a place for us and that He would return for us. John 14:1, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 

That is wonderful news for the future; however, Jesus also promises us heaven now in, Luke 17:20-21, “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” As I said before, the Kingdom of God on earth is available to us for two purposes. The first is to become like Jesus in character and behavior. The second is to make Jesus known to those who are lost.

The Work of the Holy Spirit in our Personal Lives.

While we understand that we are forgiven and made clean before God, 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” We still must be transformed by the renewing of our minds, Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” This renewing of the mind is a process whereby we replace old habits and ways of thinking and believing and replace them with the truth of His Word, the New Covenant of the Bible. 

Before Jesus ascended to the Father, He promised that the Father would send us a “Helper,” John 14:15-18, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” Clearly, Jesus promised that He would not leave us alone. 

The Holy Spirit lives in us, and the character of the Spirit is the character we must learn to walk in. This character of the Holy Spirit is spelled out in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” These traits or characteristics are how we demonstrate Christ in us! You have heard the expression, “they shall know we are Christians by our love.” This expression is based upon Jesus’ words in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

When we accepted Jesus as Lord, we agreed to become more like Jesus in character as well as in power and authority. 

• Ephesians 4:21-24, “if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
• Romans 8:29, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Body of Christ, the Church.

The Lord has provided gifts to expand the Kingdom of God on earth. These gifts and abilities are available to empower the body of born-again Believers, otherwise known as the church, to do the work of the ministry or assignment. When the Christian uses these gifts it is referred to as the “Anointing.” This anointing is truly the work of the Holy Spirit and should not be confused with natural talent, abilities, eloquence, or personality. I always like to remind myself of a definition my friend, Dr. Frank Parrish of World MAP, coined. “Anointing is none other than the Person and presence of the Holy Spirit, bringing with Him the necessary power, authority and gifts to fulfill the Father’s will in a given moment of ministry or assignment.” We should not diminish the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives in fulfilling God’s purpose.

We often think that we need education, persuasiveness of speech, and charismatic personality to represent Jesus; while all those things can be helpful, all we really need is the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul mentions this in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are unique skills and abilities given by the Holy Spirit to faithful followers of Christ to serve God for the common benefit of his people, the church. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to us because of the Helper that Jesus promised that the Father would send to us. Jesus knew that we would need help learning how to become more like Him and fulfilling the Great Commission. The Great Commission is that charge given to all Believers to proclaim the Good News. These gifts and abilities are found in the following places in the scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12:1-9 and 27-31, Romans 12:3-8, Ephesians 4:11-16 and 1 Peter 4:10-11.

Listen to what Jesus said in Mark 16:15-18, “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Take note of verse 17, “And these signs will follow those who believe…” Can you see that signs and wonders are not just for our benefit but also for the benefit of the unbelievers? Some come to Christ through the Gospel message alone, and some are drawn to the Gospel because of the signs of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” Since nothing is impossible with God, He will use any means to draw people to Jesus.

If you are born-again, you must have the Holy Spirit living in you. Your salvation was a surrender to Jesus. You acknowledged that you are a sinner forgiven by faith in the grace provided by the blood of Jesus. In a similar way, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a surrender to the Spirit of God, acknowledging that the Holy Spirit lives in you and you have received the gifts of the Spirit. Just as salvation is a grace gift and must be received to be effective, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a grace gift that must be received to be effective.

When you are born-again, you know it because of the peace and assurance that the Lord gives you to know that you are saved. When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you know it because you will speak in new tongues and move in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. However, all these things require learning how to be led or directed by the Holy Spirit. Learning to hear or discern the voice of the Spirit is the key to an overcoming life in the service of our King, King Jesus. Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”

Before we look at the words Jesus, Lord, and Savior, we must agree that they only have meaning through faith. In other words, it is not about simply knowing about these terms but requires knowing, believing, and living accordingly. Remember Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV), “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Sometimes, we learn scripture verses like Hebrews 11:1 and don’t take the time to really understand what it means. Let’s take the time now. 

Faith

The first part of the verse is “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for.” As Believers, we hope for what the scriptures promise. We know the scriptures are “God-breathed,” which means that the scriptures are not the words of man but the words of God, and God cannot lie; He keeps His promises. A term I want to introduce is mental assent. Mental assent means we believe or agree something to be true, but it doesn’t change or transform us. 

While taking an evangelism course, I remember an example of the difference between mental assent and true faith. The teacher pulled a chair into the center of the room and asked, “Do you believe this chair will hold you up?” and everyone answered, “Yes!” the teacher said, “That is mental assent.” Then he went on to say that when you sit in the chair, that is true faith or trust. You see, believing something is true is mental assent; actually using or doing it is trust! Mental assent alone doesn’t change our behavior or our actions; true faith does. So, faith starts with mental assent, but something else is required to complete faith, and that is trust. 

The second part of the verse is “the evidence of things not seen.” This is the hard part of faith, and this is where faith turns into sight, seeing the invisible, the spiritual. When faith becomes sight, then you can trust. Mental ascent + trust = true faith; God is moved by true faith! True faith not only believes but also trusts God to fulfill His promises. This kind of faith requires action, such as becoming doers of the Word of God. True faith transforms!

Genuine faith means that we trust in Jesus, His ability to save, and His ability to transform us into the person the Lord created us to be.

Faith in Jesus

Our faith and trust must be in Jesus and Him alone. He alone went to the cross and paid for our sins, adopted us into the family of God, and gave us Heaven. Your denomination didn’t do it, your local church didn’t do it, your pastor didn’t do it, and trying to be good won’t do it. All these things I mentioned are the tools God uses to bring the Gospel, but only faith in Jesus can save us. Listen to what Jesus said to the disciple Thomas when he asked how we can know the way. Jesus said in John 14:6 (NKJV), “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” There is no other way to Father God except through faith in Jesus Christ. Take a moment with me to examine this verse more closely.

• I am the way.

There are many in the world who would try to convince us that there are many ways to God. However, Acts 4:12 states, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” The context of this verse is, of course, Jesus. 

Then Jesus speaks about himself in John 10:1-4 (NKJV). “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”

Jesus makes it clear that He is the only way to the Father, and those who would follow Him would live an abundant life. John 10:9-10 (NKJV), “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

• I am the truth.

Remember, we believe in a triune God, which means we believe in one God in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This means the three share the same attributes or character. In John 14:16-18 Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit, which He will send. “16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

As a born-again Believer, the Holy Spirit comes to make His home in you, and His wisdom and power are available to you. Now, I don’t know about you, but I really need a helper in my life because I know that I can’t be all that God wants me to be without His help.

Again, Jesus speaks of the Spirit of Truth in John 16:13 (NKJV): “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”

• I am the life.

Jesus gives life in two ways. The first is eternal life with God; the second is finding purpose and meaning in this life. 

Without a doubt, having eternal life is the most important 1 John 5:10-13 (NKJV), “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” So, this truth of eternal life in Jesus is apparent to those who have “eyes to see and ears to hear and a mind to comprehend.

I heard someone say that the two most important events in life are when you are born and second when you find out why! When Jesus becomes our Savior, it is for a purpose, and we spend our lives finding and fulfilling our purpose in God. Walking in our God-given purpose is where we find the love, joy, and peace that He promises. Romans 8:28 (NKJV), “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

• No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus makes it very clear that there is only one way to salvation and relationship with God the Father, and that is through accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord. 

Faith in Jesus as Savior 

Getting back to the rest of the phrase, “Jesus, my Lord and Savior.” I’m going to look at the word Savior before the word Lord. Faith in Jesus as Savior means that Jesus has done all the work. It is a work of grace. Salvation is Jesus’ work. No person can add or subtract from it.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV): “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.” “For by grace” means that it is a gift of God, and like all gifts, the gift must be accepted. God’s grace can’t be earned or deserved; it is freely given and must be freely accepted. 

Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 10:8-13 (NKJV), “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Confidence in your salvation should bring a new perspective on this life. Knowing that you are forgiven and accepted by the Lord changes how you see yourself and what you see as important in life. Knowing that Heaven is yours also changes how you see your life today. As the Apostle Paul said, we run the race; the race is difficult, but we know that we will cross the finish line one day, and Heaven will be ours. Seeing Jesus face to face is our ultimate goal.

Faith in Jesus as Lord

Jesus as Savior is His work, but Jesus as Lord is our work. The word Lord means king or master, and when we use that word, it means that we will obey the Lord. A Christian is defined as one who follows the teaching of Jesus Christ. Following the teachings of Jesus means obedience to what he has called us to. Jesus has called us to a life of righteousness, a life filled with love, peace, and joy; unconditional love for one another, to be at peace with everyone where it is possible, and to know the joy of being loved by God. Our value in life is based upon what God says about us rather than what others around us say, and the Lord says as followers, we are precious in God’s sight.

All these things I’ve mentioned are based upon our obedience to the word of God. Our actions are the evidence of what we believe. Jesus says, if you love me, then obey my commandments. It is not enough to be a hearer of the word; we are called to be hearers and doers of the word. This is where many have missed the wisdom of God because they have given mental assent to the truths of the Bible but have not applied those truths to their lives.

The Apostle James makes it very clear that faith without works is dead. True faith is more than just knowing the truth; it is knowing the truth and applying the truth. Listen to what James says in the following verses.

James 2:14-20 (NKJV),14: “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?”

Being a doer of the Word is the evidence that we truly believe; it gives life to our faith. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:26