How to TAKE CAPTIVE Thoughts (Noémas—Mindsets, Ideologies)
Notice what the Bible exhorts us to do:
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Christ is the living Word of God who is the truth (John 1:1 & 14:6). So we are to “take captive” thoughts and make sure that they comply with the truth. ‘Truth’ is alétheia (ah-LAY-thee-ah) in the Greek, which means “reality” or “the way it really is.” So we are to take “thoughts” and make sure that they conform to reality. If they don’t comply with the truth then they are ‘weeds’ of unreality and should be purged from the soil of your heart.
The word ‘thought’ in this passage is noéma in the Greek (NOH-ay-mah). While noéma can refer to thoughts, good or bad, it can also refer to a person’s perspective—mindset, attitude or ideology—which is the result of indoctrination, good or bad. Indoctrination is naturally determined by the doctrine—the teaching or instruction—to which you are regularly exposed.
For instance, if you sit under a secular humanist professor long enough and don’t counteract those teachings with the truth of the rightly-divided Word of God (or the truth period) you’ll naturally develop a secular humanist ideology. You’ll then start to live out of this mindset, to one degree or another. The doctrine or teaching you’re exposed to on a regular basis determines your indoctrination, which is your mindset, good or bad. Such a mindset is a noéma.
The Greek word for “doctrine” is didaskalia (did-as-ka-LEE-ah). It means teaching or instruction and can be good or bad depending on how true it is. The Bible speaks of sound doctrine (1 Timothy 4:3 & 4:6) and bad doctrine:
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings (didaskalia) of demons,
1 Timothy 4:1 (ESV)
Obviously the teachings of demons aren’t good because demons are evil spirits.
The point is that a person’s mindset or ideology — noéma — is determined by the teachings to which he or she is regularly exposed. Noémas formulate over the course of time as a person is fed information. The longer it takes for a noéma to develop the more imbedded it is in the individual’s psyche.
It is through negative noémas that the enemy “blinds the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light” (2 Corinthians 4:4). The devil has control of their minds—through demonic noémas—and the truth cannot penetrate this indoctrination.
To help you visualize this, I went to the Facebook page of a Christian friend I hadn’t seen for three decades and was surprised by his cover pic. It was a skull with a red dragon wrapped around its head. No doubt he chose this pic because he thought it looked ‘cool,’ but it’s actually an excellent illustration of how the enemy blinds people’s minds: The red dragon represents the devil and he has control of the person’s mind, which is depicted as a skull and symbolizing death, the natural result of satan’s misleading.
Notice how 2 Corinthians 10:5 (quoted above) says we are to “take captive” thoughts and mindsets. The Greek word for ‘take captive’ literally means to “take captive as a prisoner and interrogate; to subjugate and bring under control.” The Bible is saying that we should take any perspective we have and honestly & thoroughly examine it, making sure it conforms to reality (the way it really is) rather than unreality (the way it really isn’t). If we discover that the mindset does not comply with reality then we need to throw it out.
This can apply to any doctrine—teaching—you were taught during your formative years as a believer. Just because you were indoctrinated by a particular teaching in a relatively sound sect by a respected pastor doesn’t make the doctrine true. So you need to “interrogate” it in light of reality. Does it comply with the rightly-divided Word of truth and the Spirit of truth (John 17:17 & 16:13)? If not, it needs to be thrown out in favor of whatever the truth is, which is reality.
Of course, this applies to secular indoctrination as well, such as the godless humanism that’s commonly taught at our secular colleges and universities. Generally speaking, the professors thereof teach that the idea of an intelligent Creator is absurd and thus life is meaningless and you’re just an accident. There’s nothing special about human beings, they say, and we’re basically just animals. And, when ya die, that’s it.
The consequences of this kind of brainwashing are devastating—it produces moral rot and an attitude of no respect for life, including one’s own; it encourages living with a temporal perspective (noéma) rather than an eternal one (noéma). Such a hedonistic philosophy can be summed up as: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32).
One example of secular indoctrination is homosexuality. While homosexuality was still a crime in much of the USA as of the new millennium, that’s all changed. Now homosexuality is taught to be innate and healthy in our secular culture and people are encouraged to experiment with it and embrace it as a legitimate alternative lifestyle. Our secular mentors in the mainstream media are increasingly active homosexuals, like Ellen DeGeneres, Rachel Maddow and Anderson Cooper.
Take the first two, for instance (DeGeneres and Maddow): Parents allow their children to sit under them where they’re exposed to their smooth “gay” propaganda and then wonder why some of their offspring eventually embrace the homosexual lifestyle. Notable people who publicly “come out” are commended by celebrities and governing officials alike. Those who refuse to approve of homosexuality, by contrast, are considered evil bigots and punished severely, socially speaking. The truth about homosexuality, however, is that it’s a damning sin and those who unrepentantly practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God. “Do not be deceived,” the Bible warns (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
A believer struggling with this kind of worldly indoctrination or same-sex attraction can take this noémas (mindset) captive and interrogate it in light of the truth of Scripture and the leading of the Spirit of truth. Since these kinds of noémas don’t comply with the truth they need to be purged out of one’s mindset in favor of reality.
As you do this with every thought/impulse/attitude/mindset you purge your heart of falsity and unreality. This is “being made new in the attitude of your mind” (Ephesians 4:22-24).
One last thing, “taking captive” thoughts or mindsets does not refer to taking captive someone else’s thoughts since we don’t have authority over another person’s will. The only way we can help someone else’s thought life & beliefs is by teaching the rightly-divided truths of God’s Word and praying for the person, not to mention setting a good example.
This article was edited from Chapter 17 of ANGELS, which is available for a special low price here (345 pages).
Or pick up the eBook version for just $2.99!
Related Topics:
What Are the Sources of Truth (Reality)?
Hermeneutics — Proper Bible Interpretation
Demonic Spirits — How to Deflect Them
SANCTIFICATION: Spirit, Mind & Body
Your Thoughts Run Your Life! (video)
How to Renew Your Mind (video)
Spirituality — How to be Spirit-Controlled Rather than Flesh-Ruled
Understanding the Religion of LIEberalism
Berean Spirit — What is it? How Do You Cultivate It?
Does the Bible Support “Innocent Until Proven Guilty”?
The revolutionary idea of “innocent until proven guilty” can be observed in God’s Law for Israel in regards to six “cities of refuge” being established for this very cause (Deuteronomy 19, Numbers 35:6-34 & Joshua 20).
To explain, these cities served as sanctuaries for those guilty of involuntary manslaughter — an unintentional killing of another person — to protect them from revenge by family members or loved ones, referred to as “the avenger of blood” in the text, which technically refers to the kinsman-redeemer, i.e. the nearest male blood relative of the one who had perished.
Here’s how this judicial process worked: If an Israelite killed another person, accidentally or otherwise, they could find immediate asylum in a city of refuge where they would await trial while living & working under the watchful eyes of the Levites. A murder conviction had to be based on more than one witness (Deuteronomy 19:15) and the judges involved were charged with investigating the case in detail, including the thorough cross-examination of witnesses and their testimonies (Deuteronomy 19:18).
The six cities of refuge were located throughout Israel with three on either side of the Jordan River, which made them accessible to any Israelite charged with possible murder. You can get a map visual from several images here.
Hebrews found guilty of murder were turned over to the avenger of blood for just execution (Deuteronomy 19:11-13). However, those determined to be innocent were guaranteed protection in the city of refuge where they would stay until at least the death of the high priest (Numbers 35:25). If they left the city before this they obviously were not assured protection.
Spiritual Application of Cities of Refuge for New Covenant Believers
The Bible stresses that the LORD is a strong, fortified tower in which the righteous can run to and be safe (Proverbs 18:10). Of course no one is righteous in themselves (Romans 3:10), but we can acquire righteousness — in-right-standing with God — through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22). In other words, any sinner can find a “city of Refuge” in Christ (Colossians 1:21-23 & John 3:16, 3:36).
For fascinating details on this figurative application, see this article.
Related Topics:
REDEMPTION — God’s Plan of Liberation for Humanity & Creation
Is Christianity a “Relationship with God”?
Religion and Christianity — What’s the Difference?
Christianity — Does it Weaken People or Empower?
Law (Torah) — New Testament Believers are NOT Under the Law
Absolute Pacifism (Unbiblical) vs. Limited Pacifism (Biblical)
What Form of GOVERNMENT Is Best?
What Form of GOVERNMENT Is Best?
The righteous laws of human governments and corresponding enforcement of those laws are God-ordained for the purpose of punishing criminals, including the right to execute when appropriate (Romans 13:1-6). In other words, the LORD uses flawed human governments in general as an instrument to bring order to societies in this fallen world since they protect innocent citizens from the consequences of sinful human tendencies. You can read more about this here.
Unfortunately, governments can become corrupt and do more harm than good for its citizens, not to mention other nations. How can noble citizens prevent their government from becoming corrupt? Obviously they have to be involved in the political process on one level or another otherwise evil people will take the reins.
The question we want to answer in this article is, what is the best kind of government in God’s eyes and why? What’s the Bible say? Let’s start with…
The Most Prominent Form of Government
William Federer informs in his excellent book Who is the King in America? that the most “popular” or reoccurring form of government in human history is the kingship in which what the ruler says goes. Different cultures use different names for such an authoritarian ruler — king, queen, pharaoh, lord, caesar, sultan, kaizer, emperor, maharaji, khan, dictator, etc. — but they all come down to one person calling the shots for a country of people. Even tribes have their chiefs. (When the words ‘king’ or ‘kingship’ are used throughout the rest of this article they’re referring to this type of government).
Federer points out the facts of life in such an authoritarian rule:
- If you’re a friend of the king you’re more equal than other citizens.
- If you’re not a friend you’re less equal.
- If you’re an enemy you’re either a slave or dead.
A king is essentially a glorified gang leader and the gang leader naturally demands loyalty.
The best case scenario in a kingship of course is to have a good ruler. The problem with this is that the ruler will eventually perish and someone else will take over. What happens when the new person lacks the nobility of the former ruler? A good example from the Bible is the righteous kings of Judah, such as Jehoshaphat, Jotham, Hezekiah and Josiah. Judah was blessed under the noble leadership of these kings; unfortunately, all of their sons were ignoble, destructive authorities and the nation suffered accordingly.
Another problem with a kingship is: Even if you have a good king or queen, what if he/she goes bad, as was the case with Saul, Solomon, Joash, Amaziah and Uzziah, as well as Jehu in the northern kingdom?
Here’s the general top-down hierarchy in this form of government:
- Ruler
- Govt officials (including religious ones)
- Soldiers
- Scribes
- Merchants
- Artisans
- Farmers/ranchers
- Prisoners/slaves
This model is the default setting for government throughout human history. Interestingly, it wasn’t originally God’s will for Israel to be a human kingship. The LORD had in mind a bottom-up model with a decidedly spiritual kingship…
The Hebrew Republic and the Pilgrims Who Came to America
The first nation of millions of people to have no king in the history of the world was the Hebrews after they escaped slavery in Egypt. For 400 years they had no human king. Instead, the LORD was their spiritual King and they had noble human representatives, like Moses, Joshua or Deborah, with the priests teaching the Law and the people being accountable to God based on conscience.
While technically a theocracy, it was a republic from a purely natural perspective. This was the beginning of the concept of equality in regards to a nation of millions with the Law supporting the concept of no respecter of person, rich or poor. Ideally, everyone was to be treated the same and by the same standard.
The Hebrew Republic was God’s original plan for the Israelites, but eventually the people wanted to be like all the nations around them (1 Samuel 8:19-20), so the LORD reluctantly gave them their first king, which was Saul, who started out good, but became corrupt.
The Pilgrims were members of the Puritan sect of the Church of England, known as Separatists because they considered their congregations separate from the English state church (as opposed to the non-separatist Puritans). They fled tyranny in Europe on the Mayflower and used the Hebrew theocratic Republic as a model for government when they arrived in Provincetown Harbor & Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620 (they were heading for the Colony of Virginia, but a storm blew them off course).
- The Pilgrims in America focused on the model of pre-King Saul Israel, which was the Hebrew Republic.
- Across the Atlantic, the King of England, James I, preferred the Israel of King Saul-onward.
King James naturally favored the Saul-onward model due to the idea of “the divine right of kings” in which Kings have subjects who are subject to the king’s will. Case closed. This is in contrast to a theocratic democracy or republic that the Pilgrims had in mind based on the pre-Saul Hebrew Republic. Speaking of which…
Democracies and Republics
While a king rules absolute in a kingship, the people rule in a democracy (the Greek word dēmos means ‘the people’ and kratia means ‘rule’). The Athenian democracy in 508–507 BC is considered the first large-scale democracy in human history.
In a republic the people rule as well, except that they appoint representatives to do the political work, which frees-up the people to raise families and conduct the business of their livelihoods (the Latin res refers to an ‘entity concerning’ and publicus means ‘the public’).
Countries today that are called ‘democracies’ are actually republics since the people of the various regions elect representatives to go to the capital cities and carry out the political duties. America is a good example.
Anarchy, Republics and Kingships/Communism
The two extremes in human government are no government and total government.
- With no government there’s anarchy wherein the person or gang of people that is the strongest reigns. The “strongest” typically have the most physical prowess, manpower or superior weapons.
- With total government you have a leader who reigns supreme, which is a kingship or dictatorship. However, forms of Marxism, like Communism, also fit this category because the State becomes the supreme leader; instead of one person calling the shots, a ruling class of people do so. Some ‘kings’ are merely puppets controlled by a group of elites behind-the-scenes.
- The middle ground of these two extremes is the people-ruling republic.
In both anarchy and kingship/Marxism the leaders rule by fear: Do what they say or they’ll captivate you or execute you. In essence, the State becomes “god” because it is through the State that the citizens get their rights and they are accountable to the State. Needless to say, the saying “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” becomes relevant.
Obviously the best option of the three possibilities is the “middle ground,” the people-ruling republic. In this form of government the individual gets his/her rights from the Creator and is ultimately accountable to their Maker. The citizens’ political leaders are merely representatives and often have term limits.
Republics Can Become Corrupt
Unfortunately, we live in a fallen world and so even a republic can become corrupt if the people don’t maintain a modicum of virtue; that is, a communal sense of nobility or honor. When the people of a community have virtue there’s little need for police. However, if the people become depraved, lawlessness results and they’ll choose corrupt representatives, which naturally results in a corrupt or ineffectual government.
Consider how America was challenged by two flooding disasters in 2005 — flooding in five Midwestern states, which caused the governors of Ohio and Indiana to declare states of emergency, and the flooding of New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina. In the Midwest the people came together and helped each other through the crisis while in The Big Easy a dog-eat-dog scenario emerged marked by heinous criminal acts.
What can explain the diametrically opposed responses to the same kind of natural calamity in the same country? Simple: In the Midwest the communities had a spirit of virtue and goodwill whereas inner city New Orleans had developed a dangerous, depraved spirit. I’m not saying there weren’t any good people there (even Sodom had a handful of noble souls), just that the widespread atrocious acts speak for themselves.
The Hebrew Republic of the first 400 years after escaping slavery in Egypt didn’t always work but, when it did, it was because the community had virtue, which was fueled by the Mosaic Law advocated by a noble national representative, like Moses or Joshua, not to mention the service of the priests. What is ‘virture’ based on in such a scenario? The citizens embrace three basic truths:
- The Almighty sees everything.
- God insists on honesty & fairness and repentance when moral error occurs.
- Everyone is ultimately accountable to their Creator.
If a populace embraces this perspective it naturally creates societal order because the people are policed by their God-fearing conscience above law officers. This explains why the Pilgrims who came to America based their government on the brilliant Hebrew Republic and the United States was originally “one nation under God.”
Unfortunately, during Israel’s time of the “judges” — who were divinely-appointed leaders that delivered Israel from hostile neighboring nations — Israel fell into times of moral anarchy in which “everyone did as they saw fit” (Judges 17:6 & 21:25).
This illustrates why fallen people desperately need new spiritual ‘software’ and the corresponding redemption if any republic is to be successful in the long term, which is what the message of Christ and resulting spiritual regeneration is all about (2 Timothy 1:10 & Titus 3:5). And this explains…
Why the American Colonies Were So Successful
After the Pilgrims set up their New England colony in 1620, towns started springing up across the landscape, all Judeo-Christian republics. A group of people with their pastor would found a location, a town, and the church facility would service both spiritual gatherings and political meetings, aka the townhouse.
One good example is Puritan ministers Thomas Hooker and Samuel Stone who led a group of about 100 people to establish the settlement of Hartford, Connecticut, in 1636. Hooker also founded Windsor and is unsurprisingly considered to be the “founding father” of Connecticut. Meanwhile theologian Roger Williams founded Providence, Rhode Island, in 1636 wherein he established the first Baptist church in America.
These ministers & their people were naturally involved in the politics of their settlements. The word politics comes from the Greek polis, which means ‘city.’ Politics is simply the business of the city. On a national level, it’s the business of the nation.
These communities in the New World were very successful and naturally attracted increasing people from Europe who understandably grew weary with governmental tyranny and religious oppression, not to mention they desired land to farm or ranch. Whole congregations with their pastors migrated to the colonies and pioneered settlements.
In the 1700s up to the Revolutionary War a wave of 450,000 immigrants arrived mostly from Germany, Ireland, and Scotland, including throngs of Pietist Lutherans from Deutschland. Thus the population of the American colonies skyrocketed and the independent nation of the U.S.A. was born in 1776 with the Declaration of Independence.
As noted, the Puritan immigrants of the 1600s were very involved in the governance (politics) of their communities in America wherein practically everyone was a believer. Hooker, for instance, delivered his most famous sermon in 1638 on governmental power in Hartford wherein he declared “The foundation of authority is laid firstly in the free consent of the people.”
This was revolutionary in the 17th century when Europe was controlled by monarchs and oligarchs and the common people had precious little say in the running of their governments. It’s no wonder that Hooker was dubbed “the father of American democracy.”
Harvard University, incidentally, was established in 1636 by the Massachusetts Bay Colony and named after its initial benefactor, a Puritan minister. What would America’s wise, devout ancestors think of the gross Leftist propaganda and perversion that is spewed out of this once-great institution today?
Is Being Involved in Politics “Unholy”?
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut of 1639 is considered to be the first written constitution in history and thus Connecticut was nicknamed “the Constitution State.” Unlike the Mayflower Compact, this agreement made no mention of the British monarch and it became the blueprint for the American colonies and the U.S. Constitution. The document is profoundly Christian-oriented with the eleven orders prefaced by the statement “to maintain and preserve the liberty and purity of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus which we now profess, as also, the discipline of the Churches.”
This is in contrast to the Pietist Lutheran immigrants of the 1700s, who felt that believers should focus on God’s Kingdom, the Church, and not be involved with “man’s kingdom” because it was somehow unholy. The obvious problem with this outlook, of course, is that it discourages believers from being active in the governance of their communities and encourages the less devout to take the reigns of politics.
This is a recipe for disaster since — if every believer did this — it would guarantee a society governed by unbelievers or, at best, nominal “believers.” In other words, it takes control away from noble believers to determine how they should be governed. Imagine, today, giving all governmental power over to loony Leftwingers who ludicrously believe there are hundreds of genders, that homosexuality is natural & healthy, that mentally ill males should be legally permitted to use the women’s restroom and that practicing the truths of the Bible is bigoted and hateful.
You’ve no doubt noticed that this is increasingly happening in America and other Western nations with the radical Left gaining more and more power through propaganda in schools, universities, media and art, as well as brazen voting fraud and taking control of key political positions.
This leaves two possibilities for believers:
- Government can get dirty so don’t get involved because you’ll get dirty (and, after all, God wants you to be holy).
- Government can indeed get dirty so make sure you’re involved to help clean it up.
The latter option is just common sense, particularly if you want to leave your children — physical children or spiritual children — a nation that’s noble and free; a nation where the Word of God is freely spread without hinderance, including truths that (supposedly tolerant) LIEberals don’t like and desperately want to suppress.
God’s Very Nature is FREEDOM
Our LORD naturally prefers a form of government that provides the most freedom for citizens because liberty is core to God’s very nature:
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Thus in the Scriptures you’ll find several statements like this:
Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.
The Lord does whatever pleases him,
in the heavens and on the earth,
in the seas and all their depths.
In other words, God functions in a state of total freedom and therefore does whatever he wants. Guess what? People, male and female, are created in God’s image and likeness and so have this same desire. We intrinsically hate captivity and the restraints thereof. We want freedom!
The problem of course is that humans have a flesh or sinful nature which corrupts their desires. Thankfully, the LORD has provided a way for us to “escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4); it’s called “participating in the divine nature” otherwise known as walking in the spirit (Galatians 5:16). When you learn to “put on the new self” you’ll be spirit-controlled rather than flesh-ruled (Ephesians 4:22-24) and, hence, your desires will be righteous rather than corrupt. (You can learn more about living by the spirit here or see this video).
Think about it, if believers “escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” by walking in the spirit, the community in question will have virtue — a spirit of goodness — which is the opposite of lawlessness. And this is one of the reasons the American settlements were so successful in the 1600s, attracting throngs of freedom-seeking people in the 1700s, the vast majority of them being believers and, often, pastors & their congregations.
While all forms of government in a fallen world are flawed and have shortcomings, the republic model — often called ‘democratic’ — is the best for individual liberty and opportunity. People tend to flourish in republics whereas they languish in the gross restraints of communist countries or dictatorships, which explains why folks naturally try to escape communistic states and dictatorships in preference for the freedom-loving republics and not vice versa. For instance, have you ever heard of anyone trying to go through the Iron Curtain to a Communistic nation in order to escape freedom in the West? Obviously not. The concept is laughable.
In republics the Word of God is freely spread and believers gather & worship at liberty whereas in communistic states or corrupt dictatorships/kingships believers have to meet secretly and, if they’re caught, they’re fined, imprisoned or worse.
The Purpose of the American Constitution & Bill of Rights
America today is increasingly devolving into a one-party state in which the Federal government has become a monster with an installed (not elected) Resident of the White House ruling through executive orders and mandates. I’m of course referring to OBiden.
The American Constitution is the supreme law of the United States and its primary purpose is to prevent one-person rule, which is glaring in its opening statement:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
The Constitution is a legal document that says what it says and doesn’t say what it doesn’t say, yet it’s also a “living document” in that it can be altered if appropriate and these additions are called amendments. There are currently 27 amendments with the first 10 referred to as the Bill of Rights, which put handcuffs on the Federal government to prevent it from becoming an oppressive monster.
Frederick Muhlenberg from Pennsylvania was the first Speaker of the House of Representatives and the first signer of the Bill of Rights in 1789, which was passed into law in 1791 after being ratified by 11 states. His brother also signed it. Their father happened to be the founder of the Lutheran Church in America and Frederick went on to become a minister, as did his sibling.
The future first Speaker of the House pastored several assemblies in Pennsylvania and one in New York City from 1770-1779, which is when he decided to enter politics, and with good reason: He was pastoring in the Big Apple when the intimidating Redcoats arrived at the onset of the Revolution and Frederick was compelled to go back to Pennsylvania.
Why do I bring up Muhlenberg? Because he & his brother were ministers in the Pietist Lutheran sect and therefore originally supported the idea of believers not being involved in governing “man’s kingdom” since politics can get dirty and God wants his people to be holy. However, as they matured their experiences convinced them that believers must get involved for reasons already noted.
These two men signed the First Amendment, which states:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
This is where the idea of “separation of Church and state” hails from, but this amendment certainly doesn’t suggest that believers can’t or shouldn’t be involved in the politics of their towns, cities, states or nation! There are two clauses to this amendment:
- The Establishment Clause: All this means is that the government is prohibited from establishing a state sect of religion and tyrannize the people accordingly, like Spain did with Catholicism.
- The Exercise Clause: This just means that citizens are free to exercise their spiritual beliefs as they see fit. It’s their God-given right.
The point is that two pastors signed this amendment into law along with other members of Congress. As such, they certainly wouldn’t prohibit ministers & believers in general from serving the people in politics! If that were the case, then everyone involved in government would have to be atheists, which the Bible plainly calls fools (Psalm 14:1, 53:1 & 10:4).
Related Topics:
Understanding Christ’s LORDSHIP in the Believer’s Life
Absolute Pacifism (Unbiblical) vs. Limited Pacifism (Biblical)
Understanding “the Right” and “the Left” from a Biblical Perspective
Understanding the Religion of LIEberalism
What Scripture Passages Disprove Calvinism?
The Seven FREEDOMS — Take Hold of ‘Em!
What Does It Mean to “TAKE UP YOUR CROSS DAILY”?
Let’s read the passage in question:
22And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
23Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”
Luke 9:22-25
The Lord first informs his disciples the grim reality of his ultimate mission on Earth — to die for humanity as a substitutionary sacrifice, which of course opened the door to reconciliation with God and eternal life (Romans 5:10 & John 3:16). He then switches to what is expected of his disciples: To deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow him. To “deny yourself” means to deny the flesh or sinful nature, which you can read about here. It also includes throwing off any “weights” that hinder your service in the Lord (Hebrews 12:1), which you can read about here.
Christ’s instruction to “take up their cross daily” was no doubt startling to his followers since “taking up a cross” literally meant facing the humiliation and horrible pain of Roman crucifixion wherein the condemned were usually required to literally carry their cross to the place of execution (and the corresponding hole in the ground where the pole fit).
The difference between the Messiah and condemned criminals of the Roman Empire was that Yeshua laid down his life voluntarily (John 10:15). He asks us to do likewise in a figurative sense: To commit our lives wholeheartedly to the LORD, accepting any humiliation, ridicule and hardship that this eventually brings.
Since starting this ministry in late 2011, for instance, I’ve had to face humiliation and ridicule from arrogant people & slanderers and even lose relationships. These types of challenges are plainly chronicled in the Scriptures:
3Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us,
for we have endured no end of contempt.
4We have endured no end
of ridicule from the arrogant,
of contempt from the proud.
Psalm 123:3-4
29“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Mark 10:29-31
Carol & I have also had to sacrifice certain luxuries, which I won’t go into, but nothing we’ve experienced compares even slightly to the myriad challenges that Paul had to face in service of God’s Kingdom, as detailed in 2 Corinthians 11:16-33.
This is what it means to take up your cross daily and follow the Lord. Keep in mind, however, that God deals with people according to the light they have and this naturally corresponds to the individual’s stage of spiritual growth and calling. If you’re a half-pint, live up to being a half-pint; if you’re a gallon, live up to being a gallon; if you’re a two-ton tank, live up to being a two-ton tank.
Related Topics:
Deny Yourself or Love Yourself — Which is It? (Both)
How to keep BALANCED in every area of Life
Spirituality — How to be Spirit-Controlled Rather than Flesh-Ruled
Spiritual Warfare — Do You know What You’re Fighting For?
Altars & Altar Calls and how they’re Relevant
Spiritual Growth — The Four Stages
Should Pastors Schedule Other FIVEFOLD MINISTERS at Services?
Pastors of local fellowships should make sure the flock under their care (1 Peter 5:1-4) is regularly exposed to the other fivefold offices, which are detailed in this passage:
11So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
Ephesians 4:11-14
The service of the five ministry gifts — apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher — enable believers to be fully equipped for service (ministry) in God’s Kingdom, which includes building them up and helping them mature spiritually. Hence pastors should schedule such ministers from time to time.
I was part of a great fellowship in my area from 1986-1996, Carol too (my wife), and the pastor always made sure to schedule other fivefold ministers to serve the congregation. Doing this makes for balanced believers rather than off-kilter ones. Why is this important? Because believers who are unbalanced and immature can do more harm than good for God’s kingdom.
Unfortunately, some pastors ignore the other offices in the body of Christ for one reason or another (apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers) and so believers in these kinds of assemblies are going to have to venture outside their local assembly to feed from these gifts for their own spiritual welfare.
For instance, when I was attending the aforementioned fellowship in my youth I supplemented my spiritual diet with books and tapes by other fivefold ministers, like Hal Lindsey, who’s a teacher in the body of Christ. (Sure, he’s not right on every jot and tittle, but who is? In his areas of expertise he’s exceptional. As they say, “eat the meat and spit out the bones” à la 1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Sometimes the issue for pastors not enlisting the services of other ministers is lack of funds to pay them for teaching/preaching, but there are usually quality fivefold ministers available who will do the work of the ministry without a price tag, keeping in mind that there is no perfect minister or ministry in this fallen world. Yet this doesn’t mean they aren’t skilled ministers who can bless God’s flock.
For important details on the fivefold ministry gifts…
You can purchase the print book here for only $7.38 (175 pages)
Or get the Kindle eBook here for only 99¢
Related Topics:
What’s the Difference between TEACHING and PREACHING?
Who Should You Receive from—Official Ministers or Independent Ones?
Official Prophets (Ministers) and Independent Prophets (Ministers)
Should You “Obey” Your Pastor?
Ministerial Pitfalls and Abuses
Legalism — Understanding its Many Forms
Religion and Christianity — What’s the Difference?
INTIMACY WITH GOD and Its Benefits
At its heart, Christianity is about reconciliation with the Creator and therefore relationship with God. The word ‘intimacy’ is usually associated with sex, but what about intimacy with the LORD?
Intimacy just means closeness or warm familiarity and there are different kinds of closeness. For instance, when a man hires a prostitute, they obviously have physical intimacy, but not mental/spiritual intimacy. Job spoke of his friendship with God that he enjoyed in his abode (Job 29:4); he was talking about the intimate communion they had (under an inferior covenant to ours), which explains why the LORD literally boasted of Job in Heaven (Job 1:8 & 2:3). Moses likewise had a close friendship with God (Exodus 33:11 & Numbers 12:8).
How do you get close to any person? Spend time with them and honestly communicate, right? As you make a priority of coming near to that person, that person will naturally draw near to you (assuming your intentions are noble). It’s the same thing with the LORD (James 4:8). So, prayer (communion) is key, including praying in the spirit (Ephesians 6:18), but so is soaking yourself with God’s Word and meditation, aka chewing on the Word and the corresponding reflection. The Almighty will speak to you through the Holy Scriptures as you grow in the Word.
Getting quiet with your Creator will enable you to “hear” the Spirit’s “still, small voice,” aka “gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:11-12). Of course God can speak to us in other ways as well, like through a person or dreams.
The fact that we get close to the LORD through 1. cultivating a personal relationship and 2. growing in God’s Word reveals the distinction of…
- The person of God
- The principles of God’s Kingdom
I encourage developing in both areas equally, as elucidated in this video:
Interestingly, “to know someone” in the Bible is an idiom for having sexual intercourse with him/her (Genesis 4:1). Spiritually speaking, believers are the “bride” of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5:22–33 & Revelation 21:2), which bespeaks of a loving relationship with an element of passion, even romance.
In the Old Testament, when the Hebrews foolishly turned to idols, the LORD accused them of adultery, even prostituting themselves to other “gods” (e.g. Jeremiah 2:20 & Hosea 2:2). This lover’s kind of passion can also be seen in the New Testament:
4Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
James 4:4-5 (NKJV)
Lastly, consider this:
Seclusion is necessary for intimacy;
intimacy is necessary for conception;
conception is necessary for increase;
increase is necessary for
pleasure.
By “conception” I’m referring to the birth of an idea or mission/purpose in any area of your life. You conceive as a result of spending time alone with your Creator (Matthew 6:6). Christ regularly practiced this when he was on Earth (Mark 1:35, Luke 6:12-13, Matthew 14:23 & Luke 22:39-41).
Meanwhile increase only manifests when you put your corresponding plan into motion. It means not being lazy; it means getting off your butt. This takes discipline. Remember, God is your “helper,” not your do-everything-for-you-so-you-don’t-have-to-do-anything-at-all-er (Hebrews 13:6 & Psalm 121:2).
As you progress in your assignment you will experience the “increase” thereof, which naturally produces pleasure. This can be observed in the Lord’s statement:
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”
Christ’s “food” — his sustenance that gave him energy and fed motivation — was to carry forth the assignments the LORD gave him and complete those works. Getting tight with God, discerning God’s will and then carrying out the corresponding assignments is awesome! It creates exciting momentum. This video provides scriptural details on how to do this.
Take Joshua, Moses’ aide: Joshua would often venture into the Tent of Meeting with Moses to experience the presence of the Most High. When Moses departed, Joshua would stay in God’s presence (Exodus 33:11). It’s important sometimes to just be still and know that the LORD is God (Psalm 46:10), which cultivates a “peace that transcends understanding” (Philippians 4:6-7).
What was Joshua’s “conception” and “increase” as a result of this intimacy with the LORD? None other than leading the Hebrews into the Promised Land of Israel to conquer it (Numbers 27:23 & Joshua 1). While this was a challenging undertaking, it was also his “pleasure” to fulfill it. And that’s why we’re here talking about Joshua almost 3500 years later!
Related Topics:
Is Christianity a “Relationship with God”?
Praise & Worship—What’s the Difference? Why are they Important?
Spiritual Growth is Like Climbing a Mountain
Spiritual Growth — The Four Stages
Hermeneutics—Proper Bible Interpretation
Altars & Altar Calls and how they’re Relevant
What Can We Learn From JOB’S “FRIENDS”?
In the first two chapters of the book of Job we observe Job being hailed by God as a blameless, upright man with “no one on earth like him” (Job 1:8). Satan responds by arguing that Job was devout simply because God blessed him. In other words, he was “in it” solely for the blessings. Thus the LORD allows the devil to attack Job in which the man winds up losing all his children, his great wealth, his numerous employees except for four and even his health as his entire body is afflicted with painful boils (Job 1-2).
Job’s three friends — Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar — hear about his extraordinary troubles and come to sympathize with him and comfort him. The main body of this unique book of the Bible consists of Job dialoguing back-in-forth with these three “friends” (although quite a bit of what Job says is directed at the Almighty).
No less than 9 chapters are devoted to the verbiage of these three individuals and 15 when you include the fourth friend, a young guy named Elihu. This is in comparison to 20 chapters for Job. The question is, what can we learn from these four men in these numerous chapters wherein they seemingly “minister” to the suffering Job?
Here are a few insights…
Be Careful NOT to Make Rash Judgments and Accuse Accordingly
I have no doubt that the initial intention of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar was to comfort their agonizing friend — Elihu too — but they quickly fell into myopic judgments and accusations of great sin. The problem with making erroneous judgments based on limited information and then voicing the conclusions is that it’s a form of slander, which naturally poisons the minds of listeners against a person who’s not guilty of the things said. Keep in mind that satan is the false accuser of brothers & sisters in Christ (Revelation 12:10) and, in fact, the Greek word for ‘devil’ literally means “slanderer” or “false accuser” (which you can observe here). In other words, any one who practices false accusation is acting like satan!
Do you want to be like satan? Obviously not. Then please resist making rash judgments & the corresponding fallacious accusations about things in which you have limited knowledge.
This is the main reason the LORD was angry with Job’s friends (Job 42:7). They didn’t have access to what went down in the spiritual realm before Job’s great trial, so they arrogantly assumed Job committed some heinous sin, which brought about his terrible losses and sufferings (Job 15:5, 22:5 & 22:10). The problem with this is that it wasn’t true, not even remotely! In truth, Job was the most blameless, upright man of the face of the Earth at the time and God literally boasted of him in Heaven (Job 1:8)! Even more, his righteousness is what attracted the great satanic attack.
Speaking of which, for anyone who thinks Job opened the door to his satanic attacks through fear, see this article.
Be Careful NOT to Cite General Principles as Absolutes
The bulk of what the four friends say to Job is true, as far as general principles go (similar to the sayings in the book of Proverbs), and this explains why Paul quoted Eliphaz in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 3:19). Yet general principles aren’t always true. For instance, consider Eliphaz’ statement:
7“Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?
Where were the upright ever destroyed?
8As I have observed, those who plow evil
and those who sow trouble reap it.
Job 4:7-8
To sin means to “miss the mark” by failing morally and so the practice of sin naturally brings negative results to which there are consequences (Numbers 32:23, Romans 6:23 & James 1:15). This is a general truth. A person who “plows evil” will reap trouble if s/he doesn’t repent (and, even then, there are often natural consequences to sin even though God forgives the penitent, like after committing sexual immorality or a crime). However, it’s not absolutely true that the innocent never perish prematurely and the upright are never destroyed.
Some bad things that happen are simply accidents in a fallen world (Luke 13:1-5) while other misfortunes are the result of contact with a person who chooses to sin, such as being the victim of a criminal. Also, some sufferings are actually the consequence of practicing truth and living a godly life (Matthew 13:21 & 2 Timothy 3:12). For example, righteous Stephen was stoned to death after being slandered by false witnesses (Acts 6:8-7:59) and of course the sinless Christ was unjustly executed (Hebrews 4:15 & 1 Peter 3:18).
The simplistic theology of Job’s friends boiled down to: God blesses the godly and punishes the ungodly. They had no category for what was happening to Job and erred due to their ignorance.
Be Compassionate When Someone Is Suffering
To be compassionate means to have sympathetic understanding toward those who are suffering in some way. Rather than sympathize with Job and console him, the three friends wasted no time in designating him as their opponent in a big theological debate. Focused on winning, they pounded away at Job’s perceived flaws with their pride being at stake; young Elihu wasn’t much different.
Related Topics:
TEMPTATION, TRIALS and TESTS — What’s the Diff?
Spiritual Warfare — Do You know What You’re Fighting For?
Spiritual Development — The Four Stages
Spiritual Growth is Like Climbing a Mountain
Spirituality — How to be Spirit-Controlled Rather than Flesh-Ruled
TEMPTATION, TRIALS and TESTS — What’s the Diff?
Let’s define each…
Temptation is due to the cravings of one’s flesh or sinful nature, which is the satanic nature (James 1:14).
Trials are separate from temptations, although you can of course undergo a temptation during a trial. For instance, Christ experienced hunger during his 40-day fast in the desert and so his flesh no doubt tempted him to break it (Matthew 4:1-4).
Tests are related to one type of trial. To explain, there are three kinds of trials:
- Self-Inflicted Trial (SIT)
- Discipline-Intended Trial (DIT)
- Maturity-Intended Trial (MIT).
God’s tests for any believer only apply to the third type, a Maturity-Intended Trial, aka an MIT. Here’s an explanation of each:
- SITs are obvious; they’re the result of one’s own folly, like being injured due to reckless driving and the resulting wreck or suffering physically due to a junk food diet. In both cases the person’s travails are not due to some satanic plot, but simply his/her foolish choices. The answer to SITs is simply learning wisdom.
- A DIT means the curse is hitting you due to disobedience, whether a sin of commission or a sin of omission. If this is the case, immediately ’fess up and God will dismiss the charge (1 John 1:8-9); then take up your spiritual weapons and fight the good fight of faith until the curse departs (Ephesians 6:10-18 & 1 Timothy 6:12).
- An MIT means that the curse is striking you for righteousness’ sake and the LORD is allowing the enemy to assault you in order to test your character and, once your character is proven, turn the negative situation around to your good (Romans 8:28). That’s the genius of MITs: God takes something in which the enemy intends to destroy you with—or, at least, hinder you—and ultimately turns it around to your good, making you “strong, firm and steadfast” “after you have suffered for a little while” (1 Peter 5:8-10). Of course, this is providing you fulfill your role by fighting the good fight of faith and enduring. (Remember: the LORD is your “helper,” not your do-everything-for-you-so-you-don’t-have-to-do-anything-at-all-er). This is precisely what happened with Joseph (Genesis 50:20).
However, not every one of God’s tests involves a curse striking you. The LORD could simply give you a challenging instruction to see whether or not you obey it, like God’s instruction for Abraham to sacrifice his child Isaac, which was a type of Father God sacrificing the Son for the sins of the world (Genesis 22:1-18 & John 3:16).
As for persecutions, they’re simply the result of putting God’s Word into practice and living a godly life (Matthew 13:21 & 2 Timothy 3:12). This naturally draws satanic attack because the believer automatically becomes a threat to the kingdom of darkness. Since practicing the truth and walking in godliness relates to growing spiritually, and therefore spiritual maturity, persecutions for righteousness’ sake would fall under the category of MITs.
For important details on these things, see this article:
Related Topics:
Spiritual Warfare — The Basics
Spiritual Development — The Four Stages
Spiritual Growth is Like Climbing a Mountain
Spirituality — How to be Spirit-Controlled Rather than Flesh-Ruled
SPIRITUAL REBIRTH: Is Being “Born Again” Biblical?
It amazes me when I come across believers, especially ministers, who play down or write-off spiritual regeneration as core to the Christian experience. Let’s start with the fact that the doctrine of baptisms is the third doctrine of Christianity, according to Hebrews 6:1-2, and the very first baptism that a believer experiences is spiritual baptism, which is the baptism into Christ.
Notice what Scripture says about this baptism:
26So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Galatians 3:26-27
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
This baptism is not water baptism, but rather refers to being spiritually born-again through Jesus Christ.
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit
Water baptism isn’t as important as the baptism into Christ since water baptism is merely the symbolic testimony of what has already taken place spiritually through the baptism into Christ. What’s more important, the inward baptism or the outward baptism that represents it?
The reason the baptism into Christ is a foundational doctrine of Christianity is because it’s impossible to be a Christian apart from this new spiritual birth. If someone says they’re a believer, but aren’t spiritually regenerated then they’re a Christian in name only and aren’t genuinely saved.
Notice that this spiritual rebirth is by the Holy Spirit, which was also corroborated by the Lord:
3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. ”
4“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”
While the Holy Spirit gives spiritual rebirth, it’s through the imperishable seed of the Word of God, which is Christ (John 1:1-2):
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
Although ‘seed’ in the Greek here is spora, it’s a different Greek word in this verse:
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.
Those who are “born of God” cannot “go on sinning” in the sense of practicing sin as an unrepentant lifestyle. We know this is the proper interpretation because other verses plainly point out that all believers miss it from time to time, but are expected to “keep with repentance” by ‘fessing up and receiving God’s forgiveness (Matthew 3:8 & 1 John 1:8-9).
Notice the reference to “God’s seed.” All genuine believers are born of the imperishable seed of Christ through spiritual rebirth. The difference between this verse and 1 Peter 1:23 (above) is that the Greek word for ‘seed’ is sperma, the Greek word for sperm. In other words, believers are born-again spiritually via the imperishable sperm of Jesus Christ!
Here are some additional verses for those who require further evidence of spiritual rebirth in the Scriptures:
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
12Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
It is through spiritual regeneration by the Holy Spirit through the seed (sperm) of Christ that believers become children of God and are thus “new creations.”
Needless to say, if you come across any minister or group that says people don’t have to be spiritually reborn to be a Christian they should be rejected as false teachers. As Christ said about the false teachers of his day:
“Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
Related Topics:
The Six Basic Doctrines of Christianity
The Fall of Man (Humanity) and Slavery to Satan
REDEMPTION — God’s Plan of Liberation for Humanity & Creation
How to Keep Yourself BLAMELESS (while Not Being SINLESS)
Human Nature — Spirit, Mind & Body
What Is the Doctrine THE LAYING ON OF HANDS?
The laying on of hands is the fourth basic doctrine of Christianity, as detailed here:
1Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2instructions about on baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
Hebrews 6:1-2
This doctrine refers to the transference of four things through physical contact:
- Blessing,
- Anointing and consecration for service, i.e. ministry,
- The baptism of the Holy Spirit,
- Healing or deliverance.
Healing or deliverance includes physical, mental and spiritual healing/deliverance, not just physical.
To illustrate how important this often neglected doctrine is, allow me to share a personal story…
Around 1992 I was a growing believer (since turning to the Lord in March, 1984, at the age of 20). I found myself in a spiritual malaise. No, I wasn’t in sin, but I felt a darkness enveloping me. I was able to function and go to work, etc. but there was a pall of depression over me wherein I had lost my peace and joy. Prayer and Bible reading at home wasn’t breaking the malaise so I went to a night service at my local assembly, hoping for deliverance. The Praise & Worship was great as usual as was the ministry of the Word, not to mention the fellowship.
Yet, as I walked down the hallway to depart the service the malaise was still upon me. That’s when I ran into an associate pastor and we exchanged pleasantries. Being somewhat desperate, I told him about the malaise I was experiencing and he wasted no time in taking me to a nearby room in which he said a simple prayer and then touched my abdomen with his finger. I discerned power flowing from his fingertip into my torso and then throughout the rest of my body, every limb. The dark malaise was absolutely gone and I walked out of the facility healed and blessed.
The point is that praise & worship didn’t deliver me in this situation, neither did the ministry of the Word nor fellowship. I received deliverance solely through the ministry of the laying on of hands.
For anyone who doesn’t believe such holy power is biblical, keep reading, particularly the fourth section below, Healing and Spiritual Deliverance.
Now let’s look at each of the four purposes of the laying on of hands:
Blessing (or General Prayer)
Christ placed his hands on children and blessed them (Mark 10:13,16 & Matthew 19:13,15). To ‘bless’ someone means “to speak positive words that have a productive impact.” The official priestly prayer supports this definition (Numbers 6:22-27) and you can find these types of prayer/blessings all over the Bible, e.g. Romans 15:13 and Colossians 1:9-12.
Blessing or prayer in this manner is so important because words “have the power of life and death” (Proverbs 18:21). Whether people know it or not, our words bring life or death, blessing or cursing. Proverbs 12:18 reinforces this: “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Needless to say, the idea that “words can never hurt me” is a lie.
Kids and youths are especially vulnerable to “reckless words” or verbal abuse, particularly from authority figures in their lives (Colossians 3:21). Adults who continually berate, belittle and call children names are speaking a prophecy of death and destruction over them (!).
Blessing, by contrast, is a prophecy of life, which is why the Lord laid his hands on children and blessed them.
Words are powerful by themselves and adding the dimension of touch magnifies their impact.
Anointing/Separation for Ministry
Hands are to be lain on those called of God to special service. Biblical examples include the Levites (Numbers 8:10-11), Joshua, (Numbers 27:18-23), Stephen & six others (Acts 6:1-6) and Saul & Barnabas (Acts 13:2-3).
Obviously the people who qualify for such a rite of passage should already be full of faith, God’s Word and the Spirit, as was the case with Joshua and Steven in the aforementioned examples. The laying on of hands simply provides a stronger anointing to fulfill their God-given assignment.
Paul instructed his young protégé, Timothy, to not be “hasty in the laying on of hands” (1 Timothy 5:22) because potential ministers must be tested for character and faithfulness and there’s no test like the test of time. Those who hastily confirm untested ministers share responsibility for the damage they eventually do to people and will have to give account to the Lord at the Judgment Seat (2 Corinthians 5:10).
The Holy Spirit Baptism
Hands are to be laid on believers to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is evidenced by speaking in tongues (Acts 19:1-7).
While this powerful gift is typically received this way—i.e. through someone who has it—a believer can also receive it simply through faith in God’s Word (Luke 11:9-13). In other words, believers don’t absolutely need a human conduit for the gift to be transferred. We’ll look at this more in the next section.
For details on the Holy Spirit baptism and glossolalia see this article.
Healing and Spiritual Deliverance
Christ said that believers “will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well” (Mark 16:17-18).
The book of Acts says “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and… he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him” (Acts 10:38). We see evidence of this throughout the Gospels. A few good examples of the Holy Ghost power available to believers for ministry to those in need include:
One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.
and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”
Here are some other examples plus important additional info:
- The Lord laid hands on sick people and healed them or exorcized demons from them (Luke 4:40-41).
- A woman who was subject to bleeding for twelve years heard about Jesus’ anointing to heal and therefore had faith to receive healing from him (Mark 5:25-34). When the woman touched his cloak the Messiah sensed “power had gone out from him” (verse 30).
- Christ had an anointing to heal, but his ministry was very limited in his hometown because of the people’s lack of faith due to a “spirit of familiarity”—meaning they were so familiar with Jesus during his first three decades that they couldn’t acknowledge his divine anointing and receive from it (Mark 6:1-6). This example reveals that receiving a healing is a matter of faith in regards to the person praying (i.e. the human conduit of God’s power), as well as the recipient of the healing, which shows that receiving a healing via a human conduit involves a combination of faith. Needless to say, there’s power in agreement (Matthew 18:20 & Leviticus 26:8).
- People with the greatest faith, however, do not require hands to be laid on them for healing or deliverance. This type of faith accepts the LORD at His Word, like the centurion from Matthew 8:5-10,13. In other words, they don’t require a human conduit to receive healing or deliverance from God, which you can get details on in this video. As noted earlier, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit can be received this way (Luke 11:13).
Important Points on Transmitting the Anointing, aka God’s Holy Power
Here are several things to keep in mind when you lay hands on people to bless, pray, heal or deliver:
- Only make physical contact when you are ready to release your faith, as can be observed with Paul in Acts 28:8.
- While praying over someone, you will sense your faith reaching its peak; that’s when you should make contact.
- Children may freak out a bit when you lay hands on them because the anointing—God’s power (Luke 5:17, 6:19 & 8:46)—is new to them, but don’t let it derail you. Be at peace and keep ministering in faith, as led of the Holy Spirit.
- God’s anointing is like electricity flowing through you and your hand is the conductor for this power like an electricity cable.
- When you experience the anointing you’ll naturally get excited, which is great; just be careful not to absorb it through excessive shouting, laughing and leaping; rather channel it to those who need it. In short, don’t waste the anointing—get your hands on someone!
- Since your words and hands are the primary vehicles in which the Spirit transmits the anointing to others don’t waste words or motions. Watch your words and actions and be careful not to do anything that will drain or lose the anointing, including grieving the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30).
- Put your words and motions in a direct line and use them to bring healing or deliverance to those in need. It’s akin to using a rifle: You aim it at the appropriate target in order to hit it. Wasting words and motions will cause you to miss the target.
- If you want God’s power to operate strongly in your life, as was the case with The Christ (Acts 10:38), you must discipline yourself to spend time with the LORD. In other words, saturate yourself with God through praise, worship, the Word and prayer. You can’t run around gabbing and doing frivolous things—watching TV, playing golf or computer games, etc.—right before a ministry engagement and expect the anointing to be strong when you minister.
- The anointing flows out of your inmost being like rivers of living water out of the very core of your soul/spirit (John 7:37-39). As such, you must protect the anointing so that it’ll be there when you need it.
- You can’t give something if you don’t have it and therefore you can’t expect the anointing to flow out of you if you haven’t prepared yourself beforehand to operate in God’s power. You must never allow people or things to rob you of your worship/Word/prayer time, particularly before you’re scheduled to minister. Turn off your phone.
Many Christians unfortunately don’t know much about the laying on of hands. This article reveals its importance.
Related Topics:
The Six Basic Doctrines of Christianity
Can the Power/Anointing of God Rest on an Object?
Slain in the Spirit—Is it Biblical?
WORDS have the Power of Life and Death
Dunamis (Dynamite) POWER — Is Within YOU!