Draw Me Nearer . . . Nearer, Part 3

Today from Chuck's window when you have Christ you have the spirit you have the spirit you have the anointing you know something that cannot be taught you complex that directs you discernment if you will. You have an inner awareness you have a six cents it is something that the whirling does not have, because he doesn't have the spirit back. And here's another question. Have you become a depth sensing the Spirit's presence in your daily activities today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll continues his teachings is called flying closer to the flame in this portion of our study were attempting to strip away old habits in order to cultivate a meaningful friendship with God one that's deeply personal. In the event that you missed our last program. Chuck begins with some helpful highlights. We just read from Ephesians be filled with the spirit you are saying we want spirit filled man to do this and so they chose Stephen please observe immediately. It says all man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit is again full of faith and also a man in the spirit was carrying out his dynamic we might paraphrase. He was, he was moving through life.

Obviously with the hand of God upon him. There was something about Steven and these other six names for us in verse five they brought these men before the apostles and after praying they left, they laid their hands on them. God honored this Stephen, full of grace and full of power. Verse eight tells us performing these remarkable things among the people, but verse nine there is a sudden obstacle with that little particle, but but some man from what was called the synagogue of the breed man, including both Cyrene and Zend Alexandria and some from Cilicia and Asia rose up and argued with Stephen this is the beginning of what led to the stoning of Stephen's they are secretly induced man to say we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God that was alive course but they got people to say that they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes and they came upon him, and dragged him away and brought him before the Sanhedrin.

This was the Jewish Supreme Court. The Council and they and they put forward false witnesses who said this man incessantly speaks against this holy place any speaks against the law for we have heard him say that there's Nazarene Jesus will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.

Notice how they're twisting the truth in their their their building a case against him based on this is the sinking sands of the above lies, false information that the 15 verse don't just run onto the next chapter 15 verse fixing their gaze on Stephen all who were sitting on the Council saw his face like the face of an angel and standing there with a face like an angel. He begins the history of the precise delivers it with precision precision timing and comes right to the point of their guilt in the death of Christ.

They can't stand it.

You knew they couldn't. He knew his hours were numbered. I'm going to the end of chapter 7 verse 54 when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and they begin gnashing their teeth that it they were livid and being full of the Holy Spirit. Why would Luke suddenly add that because that was the dynamic of this power. That was the dynamic of his invincibility. He was able to stand firm and I I'm I'm rather convinced that his voice didn't even tremble full of the spirit. He gazed intently into heaven, and he saw the glory of God that I know must've been light he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God in and he said, behold, I see heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. He told them what he saw because they couldn't see it. I wonder if those filled with the Spirit at certain moments of crisis in their lives see things no one else can see.

Just wondering. And they cried with a loud voice that heard enough and they cover their ears and they rushed upon him with one ample, we cannot stand another word from this man and when they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him, and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul that's that's later going to be Paul the apostle here he is unsaved, agreeing with their active violence as he hated Christians falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this sin against having said this, he fell asleep very emotionless.

It was almost as if his being filled provided.

The man was some kind of special anointing anointing the word is found only three times in the New Testament, and all three times in the same little letter. In fact the same chapter. First John chapter 2. Good for you turn first John two we learned last time. First Corinthians 2 that we have received the Spirit who is from God to listen to this, we have the receive the Spirit who is from God that we might verse 12 know the things that are freely given to us by God, 13, that we might speak the thoughts, given to us by God, comparing spiritual thoughts with spiritual words and number three that we might appraise all things appraise sift discern that part of the filling, I think so filled with the spirit. I am given a discernment that filters incidentals from essentials that filters truth from error. I'm given this inner filtering system. First Corinthians you read for yourself to 12 1314 1516 right along in their it talks about the spirit of God giving us that discernment. I think it's part of the filling, the capacity that's there within you to pray for it, it's there need to apprehend it appropriate better word now first read the first John chapter 2. This is a letter clearly written to believers called throughout the book, children, little children, we are seen by John is little children, perhaps because of his age. John's writing about 9596 A.D. he's an old man is on the island of Patmos. He's finishing his life not yet written the book of Revelation, but soon will. This is the apostle John, not John the baptizer. The apostle John, who walk with Jesus was banished to a Patmos to die. Tradition tells us to try to kill them, and they couldn't. So they got rid of them out of suspicion. We don't know if that's true, but tradition.

The legend says that so John is now living on Patmos alone with his thoughts with his Lord and writing under the inspiration of the spirit of God about the anointing don't be afraid of the anointing he mentions it in the book.

I remember years ago reading of it and thinking, oh, I don't want to touch that, and I wonder now why did want to touch it, freedom sounds spooky possible a lot of people who said they had the anointing of the did weird thing you know they see faces of Jesus and an enchilada or cloud formation that says you know, go preach is a great Greek word for that is hogwash. That's not the anointing.

That's a person who uses a biblical word to explain the nonbiblical and unjustifiable act will be afraid of biblical words just put on your discerning Keep thinking keep being filled with the spirit that gives you discernment. Now look at what he says. First John 220 but you have an anointing from the holy one, and you all know the earlier renderings. That is the earlier of the other versions of the Bible and put that weight, but they all at the end. You know all sounded like when you have an anointing you have all knowledge, I think, rather the original text suggests that all is the subject you all know switch for everyone, little children, you have an anointing and all of you.

Therefore have a knowledge something connected to something linking, anointing, and knowing I'm figured it all out yet, but it's good comes up each time that's first time anointing appears verse 27 includes the next two times and never again and asked for you, the anointing which you received from him abides in you and you have no need for anyone to teach you, but as his anointing. There is the third and last time as his anointing teaches you about all things and is true it is not a lie just as it has taught you, you will abide in him. I've been writing on it. I give you a whole chapter on anointing at explain it go into it and first John would have six chapters 5, but I'm not writing it, and so were left to deal with what's here.

Let's see what's here. First of all, what is it mean charisma is the word CHR I asked him a that's the illiterate. That's the word I will configure the word.

That's the Greek word in an English CHR I guess inmate charisma, charisma, think of the word ointment and you will not be far from it.

Charisma in ancient days was an oily ointment. It was like a thick oil Kings were anointed with Christmas thou dost anoint my head with oil my cup runs over member David said that Psalm 23 priests were anointed when they were inducted into the office so this ointment.

This anoint met this anointing happens once you have the anointing you were never told to pray for the anointing. Unlike what summer teaching now or that his first special view, it says you all know we all have in this great reservoir of provision. The anointing we have whatever it represents whatever it is we have it, you have verse 20. So we have, how long does it last verse 27, it abides in you switch permanent. It will leave this anointing. What does it provide.

It provides knowledge. The word is ordo OID a unlike Gano's goal, which is an experiential knowledge giving illustrations comes to my mind and my home is electricity. I know that boy.I know it intellectually. If I get a hairpin and I go to Woonsocket I give no scope electricity I experience the electricity that's in my in my house there you go. It's an experiential model that is not the word. Something about the Holy Spirit gives me an innate knowledge as part of the anointing you have that anointing is in this intriguing stuff you have an inner awareness you have a six cents it is something that the whirling does not have, because he doesn't have the spirit.

When you have Christ you have the spirit and when you have the spirit you have the anointing you know something that cannot be taught, and cannot be learned. He says that 27 is not a lie.

You have an inner compass that directs you discernment if you will awareness, but let me give you in question form some observations that intrigued us. Here's a course? Just asking. Not making anything fixed in your mind or mind just asking. With this anointing, explain what we commonly call intuition. Are we giving credit to intuition that belongs to Holy Spirit, probably so. We talk about a woman's intuition and women have a spiritual sensitivity that normally men do not have and I think that the the female believer has. That's that sense and is more actively engaged in her life. Your lives. You women we men want that we long for that. We times and be that I will I will will be interviewing someone for a position in my wife will say to me.

I don't think he's the one all look at his record is impeccable. Look at his resume. I don't think is the one sums wrong will come on honey yogurt my break time, giving them a break. I just don't think is one of you know that I just know woman's intuition and you know what she's right. I just hate that sometimes it's amazing to me know really that's an admirable thing. I just wish I wish I had that inactive form is much as some of you have that I think is the work of the spirit thing is the anointing link is the spirit of God. If we are full of the spirit as Stephen was. Can we envision things others cannot. Just asking. Can you envision things that I cannot envision or can I you cannot since the Spirit searches all things, couldn't he give us insight and discernment that transcend human ability, learning and training. Yes, he does see exciting part of walking with as he does that. One of those who oppose us, find themselves unable to withstand. Yes, like with Stephen what I call the supernatural sense of invincibility. The times I've experienced it and I loved it because without any credit to myself. I have had this sense of absolute confidence and I'll stand absolutely alone, like Patrick Henry. It's a matter of life and death and there's no crowd that's going to turn me away from that position. That's what I mean, that the part of the anointing I'm opening a door asking you to look in and let's just get kicked sideways in your mind and twist up some awfully good theology.

Let me give you a word of caution.

Balance is always preferred to extreme keep your balance in all things. The Scripture word for it is moderation stay reasonable Christian friend don't go home and start praying for some visions. You don't. You would never that's not slipshod biblical keep a level head.

Don't get weird don't start writing me about UFOs in the middle of the night.

Don't start setting dates on Jesus return don't play with snakes and scorpions. Don't leave your solid roots and Orthodox theology for a lot of strange experiences don't start attending meetings where legs are lengthened and teeth are filled.

That's why it isn't of God that is not the anointing.

The anointing is a knowledge you know something you sent something it is an inner protection.

It's an awareness. It's a strengthening it's a it's a glory to God and let me also add because this concerns me as much is anything about opening a door like this. It's a risk I'm willing to take, but I must warn us stay with the Scriptures go as far in your investigation of biblical truth as you possibly can and don't get a field into experiences. If you do will place as much as much confidence in your experience as you do in your work in the word of God and you will be a watch, and you won't be able to find your way back. I have pastor friends who did that and today when I talked with them. I find that they do not believe that the Bible is God's final word. He still giving his word and how do I know where his word is coming from. Well, he has to tell me one theologian said this very well. The issue of biblical inspiration and authority lies close to the heart of Christian theology. It is the continental divide running through the center of its landscape. The distinctive mark of theology in our day is its dreadful ambiguity, the chaos of American theology can be traced back today to its roots in the rejection of biblical infallibility.

Preaching is not the act of unfolding our personal convictions. It is the duty of informing men and women of all that God has spoken to move off from the pages of Scripture is to enter into the wastelands of our own subjectivity is not do that final suggestion and on through final suggestion I want to suggest there is much more to the spirits work within us, than you and I have ever known or dared to experience. There is much more to the spirits work within us, more than you, and I've ever known or dared to experience. Do not be deceived.

Stay with the truth. And if I can return to the earlier word picture fly closer to the flame you will get burned. Don't be afraid can revolutionize your prayer life. Your word of witness your self-image, meanness, your confidence in God.

It can give you strength in the midst of sickness it can give you confidence even on your way to death. I cannot promise you 100% healing all the time but I can tell you there will be a piece that accompanied the sickness like you've never know part of the anointing Lord how grateful we are how grateful we are for this will of yours for this word of yours help us in the midst of the search to be kept from error and while doing that. Lord, protect us as we fly closer to the flame take away the fear give us a holy boldness and faith. Stop us when we tend to run afraid of such new truths. Is this help us come closer and listen better, and may we discover in the process.

Sweetness of relationship and depth of intimacy with you never know all for your glory and the Savior's dear name, and with Chuck Swindoll's closing prayer, we conclude a message that started on the previous program called draw me nearer and nearer. This is message number six in the 14 part series titled flying closer to the flame. This is insight for living. To learn more about this ministry, we invite you to visit us online@insideworld.org the resources we offer, along with his daily program are made possible through the voluntary contributions of people like you and when you give your gift is channeled directly toward providing Chuck's Bible teaching for others so that they can benefit just as you have.

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When Chuck Swindoll describes what he calls those unidentified inner promptings Thursday on insight for living.

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