New Horizons (Part 1 of 2)

As we prayed with His Tribe in a conference room in the City Rescue Mission last Thursday, Philip asked Jesus, "Jesus, show us where we are going."

Immediately in my spirit I saw myself on a boat, next to Jesus, looking out over the bow. His finger was pointed out in front at the dark blue horizon.

Not long after that I also just saw a glimpse of a baby.

Then, not two minutes passed and Shane (His Tribe's leader) prayed, "Jesus, you're bringing new horizons. New horizons and new life."

Prayer ended quickly after that, and in the calm stillness that comes after a great prayer, I heard (physically) a baby in its mother's arms crying as they passed by the door to the room. 

This theme was definitely for many people in many ways. Quite a few new believers were being baptized in a church service following our small prayer time, for example.

But, as you could imagine, due to the imagery the Lord was giving me in the spirit and how it correlated with what was being prayed aloud, I felt the Lord had some of that ready to give to me personally.

And it's obvious. The next day, amid the everyday, expected 'Christian Inspirational' books at Borders, I found one lonely copy of Good Morning, Holy Spirit by Benny Hinn. Here would be a good time for you to read the post previous to this one. I'd been hearing about this book from friends, curriculum, stories and sermons from Bethel Church in Redding, California (a church with a heart and fruit that we as Norman Community Church are following after and contending for as our own), that it was a really good book to understanding the 'mysterious' Third Person of the Trinity.

Along with the fruit and movement happening among some of my close friends in Fort Collins, Colorado, the revelation the Lord has been giving me through this book has been paradigm-shifting... offering the 'new horizon and new life.'

And here's why:

We believe in the Trinity. The Triune God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But understanding who the Holy Spirit is will change your life. It's been changing mine this whole year, and after beginning this book this weekend, there is a face to the One I've been interacting with. He is the precious, lovely Holy Spirit. A Person of His own, just like Jesus and the Father. All three are equal. All three are God. All three function separately and simultaneously in unison as One.

I loved this imagery:

I tell you to turn on the light. You turn on the light. But what makes the light turn on? Electricity.

God said 'Let there be light.' (Genesis 1:1-2) Jesus did it. (John 1:1) The Holy Spirit made it happen. He was the 'electricity.'

God speaks to us. Jesus does the talking. The Holy Spirit delivers the message.

The Holy Sprit is our Comforter. Our Teacher. Our Counselor. Our Helper.

The following stolen from here.

The Holy Spirit is a Person

with a personality. 

referred to in personal terms : John 15:26, John 16:7-8, John 16:13-14

acting as a person acts

    speaking : 1 Timothy 4:1

    loving : Romans 15:30

    teaching : John 14:26

    interceding : Romans 8:26

The Holy Spirit is Deity

    eternal : Hebrews 9:14

    omnipresent : Psalm 139:7-10

    omniscient, knows all things, the 'deep things of God' : 1 Corinthians 2:10-11

    taught the apostles 'all things' : John 14:26, John 16:12-13

    involved in Creation : Genesis 1:2, Job 33:4, Psalm 104:30

    intimately associated with the Father and the Son : Matt. 28:19, 1 Cor 12:4-6, 2 Cor 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2

Some Old Testament passages attributed to YHWH as the speaker are applied to the Spirit in the New Testament : Isaiah 6:8 to Acts 28:25 and Exodus 16:7 to Hebrews 3:7-9