Hi everyone, thank you for visiting my blog. I hope that what I share with you today blesses every single one of you. The things I share are meant to inspire, motivate, and encourage you. I believe everything in scripture is meant to teach us a deeper spiritual lesson. A lesson which is meant to help us all become better people. This deeper teaching is something that can only be revealed to us by the Father, and is revealed to us when we ask him. So we encourage everyone to never stop seeking, never stop learning, and most importantly never stop asking the Father to guide you.
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Mat 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
The Spirit giveth life
Today I am going to write about what it means when the scriptures say: “It is the spirit that giveth life”. This is a very important verse, that opens the door to understanding the true nature of God. God is good, always has been, always will be, and he loves every single one of us. But often we look at him with eyes of fear, because we do not truly understand him. When we begin to understand the meaning of: “the Spirit is what giveth life” the shackles of fear, doubt, and lack of understanding begin to fall.
2Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
The Fear of the Lord
When I first gave my life to God, I was consumed with fear. I was afraid of God because I believed that If I sinned again (even by accident) that I would be rejected, and that he would not forgive me. But what I did not know then, was that fear comes from not understanding what things mean. When we do not understand our mind struggles to digest what is being received. It causes confusion in our thoughts (even though we might not recognize it)which triggers us to be afraid. Fear comes from a lack of understanding (lack of knowledge). In the book of Hosea we are told: “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge”. (Hosea 4:6)
Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
When we do not understand something, how do we overcome this? By seeking and learning so that that we can gain the knowledge needed. As I mentioned before, when I first gave my life to the Lord, I was consumed with fear. But as I continued studying and asking the Father to teach me, I began to see things more clearly (I began to understand). When the Lord reveals his truth to you (gives you understanding), you are no longer afraid because the truth sets you free.
John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
All these things are done in Parables
When Jesus walked on the Earth, he would speak to the people only in parables. No one understood him not even his own disciples. After everyone would leave his disciples would humble themselves and ask him for the meaning behind the parables. Jesus would then speak clearly to them and reveal to them the meaning of his parables.
Mar 4:10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
Mar 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Mat 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
What is a parable? According to the Oxford dictionary it is “a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson”.
A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson? A good example of this can be found in a popular kid’s story that many of us have heard when we were kids. The Little Engine that Could (by Watty Piper).
This story is about a big engine that breaks down and a little engine who is sent to pull the big engine over a mountain. As the little engine pulled he kept telling himself: “I think i can, I think I can, I think I can”. If you remember 2nd Corinthians 3:6 tells us that it is the spirit that giveth life and not the letter(because the letter killeth). What does this mean? When we look at this story of “The Little Engine That Could”. We can see that the spirit of the story is about believing in yourself, being positive, being optimistic(“I think i can, I think I can, I think I can”). But the letter of this story is about a little engine pulling a bigger engine over the mountain. If our eyes can not see past the letter of this story(the literal interpretation), we would not be able to see the true lesson being given.
Mar 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Mar 4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
Jesus told his disciples “unto you it is given to know the mystery”. But to those that were without (without the willingness to let go of what they think they know, so that they can begin to learn the truth) that “all these things are done in parables”. Jesus said “they may see, and not perceive”. What does this mean? If we use the story of “the little engine” as an example. It would mean that if we read that story (or if we heard it) we would see the letter of that story, but we would not be able to see the true meaning behind that story. Our eyes would not be able to see the truth.
What is it that prevents us from seeing the truth; From being able to see the true spiritual lesson behind the scriptures? What veils us from the truth is ourselves (our ego). When Jesus walked on the Earth, the Pharisees (the religious leaders of the time) did not recognize Christ as their messiah. This is because the Pharisees were not open to letting go of the things that they had been taught. Their egos prevented them from being open to the idea that they might be wrong; that the things they believe could be wrong.
When we are not open to the possibility of being wrong, and we believe that we already know all that there is to know. We become unteachable. We veil ourselves from being able to see the truth. But if we repent (means to turn away) from this, and turn to Christ the veil is removed.
2Co 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
2Co 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
Another thing when Jesus said, “all these in parables.” I believe he meant everything in scripture, plus more(a topic for another day). Some people will disagree and say, “no, only the parables he spoke were parables.” But I believe that is incorrect. We all agree that the scriptures are the word of God. If the scriptures are the word of God, why wouldn’t everything be a parable?
Psa 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
In Spirit and in Truth
When Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Galilee, they stopped at a well in Samaria. “His disciples had gone away unto the city to buy meat” (John 4:8). Jesus waited at the well, and as he waited a Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water.
In a future post I will I explain in greater detail the meaning of what I believe this story is teaching us. But today I want to specifically focus on something that Jesus told the Samaritan woman during their conversation. The woman was sharing with Jesus what her beliefs were; what she had been taught.
John 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
What Jesus responded to her with, was something with a very important lesson for us all. He shared something that we often do not truly understand. He told her that she does not know what she worship.
John 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Why do I believe that this is a very important lesson? Because when Jesus told the Samaritan woman this, he was actually talking to every single one of us.
1Co 10:11 These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down as a warning for us in whom the culmination of the ages has been attained.
The woman at the well represents all of us believers. She came to Jacob’s well to fetch water. Water in scripture has many meanings (depending on the situation), but in this story, it represents “the teaching”. This woman is symbolic of all of us seeking the truth, but she is symbolic of all of us when we still do not understand the meaning behind the teaching. She is a picture of Jesus’ disciples going away to the city(a place outside of the temple) to try and buy meat (looking for teachings).
She was fetching from Jacob’s well. Jacob is the second son of Isaac, who got his name changed to “Israel” when he overcame his struggles (when he wrestled with the angel of the Lord). But because she called him Jacob, it means he is symbolic of the second day (this is before he becomes Israel). The second day is symbolic of the second chapter in our lives. It is the day that we begin looking for the truth, but on the second day, we still do not understand the truth. Israel is symbolic of the third day when the Lord begins to reveal his truth to us.
[The following is something that was revealed to a writer (and youtuber) known as Jacob Israel during his personal studies. Check out his blog for other great insights]. When Jesus was 12 years old, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feasts of the Lord. Afterward, Joseph and Mary left and went a whole day not realizing that Christ was missing. On the second day they turned around and went looking for him among their peers (their brethren, the children of Israel), but they did not find him until the third day. Jesus responded to them “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49)
This story is a picture of all of us. When we are still of the world (the first day), we do not realize that Christ is missing from our lives. When we finally realize how much we need the Lord in our lives, we repent (turn around)and we go looking for him among our peers, fellow believers, the church (the second day). But we do not find Christ, until the third day in the Temple of God. Jesus looks at us and tells us: “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”. (1Cor3:16 know ye not that ye are the temple of God). [That was a revelation (paraphrased here) given to Jacob Israel ]
When the Samaritan woman went looking for water, it was a picture of all of us on the second day looking for the Lord, but still not understanding his truth. If we keep drinking from that well (religious well)we will never understand (we will continue to thirst). If we deny ourselves (let go of the things we think we know) and turn to Christ we find him, and the waters he give will quench our thirst (it will give us understanding).
John 4:13 Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will become thirsty again.
John 4:14 But whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never become thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become a well of water for him, springing up to eternal life.”
Jesus told the woman, “ye do not know what ye worship”. He was basically telling her that she was not understanding the truth. Jesus tells her: “The hour is coming and NOW IS when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth“.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
What does all of this mean? It means that it is the spirit that gives life. In other words the spirit of the story. The meaning behind the letter; beyond the face value of the letter (think of “The Little Engine that Could”). When we are still like the woman at the well fetching water from the wrong well, we are not able to see the true meaning behind the scriptures.
My Words are Spirit and Life
Jesus told the Samaritan woman: “God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and in truth“. This is something I did not truly understand at the beginning of my walk, but I thought I did.
The reason I did not understand this, is because I did not understand what the word spirit actually meant. In the book of John (Chapter 6), Jesus tells us: “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life”. What does this mean?
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
In Hebrew the word spirit is spelled “רוּח” and it is pronounced Ruach (roo’-akh). This word is the key to understanding. Words in Hebrew many times have multiple meanings. The word ruach in Hebrew has four different meanings. According to the Brown-Driver-Briggs Dictionary (Strongs #H7307) those four meanings are: wind, breath, mind, and spirit. This means that the word spirit can have more than one meaning.
We often think that the word spirit refers to a supernatural being. But would that make sense when Jesus said, “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life“? Did supernatural beings come out of his mouth? I personally do not believe that he was speaking supernatural beings. I believe he was saying that his words are “understanding” and that they are life. The reason why I believe this is because of the third meaning of the word ruach: “Mind.”
The word mind in this scenario represents our thought process. When Jesus spoke these words, he was telling us that his words will makes our minds think(process) and it will give us an understanding that leads to life.
When we begin to understand the truth. The fears, the doubts, and our negative thoughts begin to fall aways. We are no longer shackled to the lies we once believed, and hearts are filled with; Love, peace, and Joy.
Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
So when we are reading the scriptures, if what we are reading is causing us to be afraid. It means that we still do not understand what we are reading. When this happens we need to be patient and ask the Father to help us understand, and just keep studying. We might not understand what we are reading at the moment, but there will be a day when it all will make sense. Remember God has not given us the spirit of fear.
John 13:7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
So when the scriptures say that it is the spirit that giveth life. It means that it is the understanding of the scriptures that leads to life. Jesus said “I am the truth, the way and the life” (John 14:6).
When we begin to understand, it is because we have been given a new mindset. A new understanding that leads to life. This new mind in scripture is also referred to as “the crown of glory” that will never fade. Incase, you are wondering this crown of glory is the mind of Christ
1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
I hope what I shared with you today blesses your hearts. The things I share are things that I believe to be true. It is ok if you disagree with the things I share. I am human, so I could be wrong. But I believe in my heart that these are the things that the Father is teaching me. The Lord has given me so much peace, and has helped me to overcome my fears. I am thankful for everything the Lord has done for me.
I love you all very much, and I want to encourage everyone to never stop seeking and never stop learning.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
God bless you all!
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