Power of the Holy Spirit

When I saw this beautiful artwork by Krista Hamrick, I felt led to do a word study based on Romans 15:13:

ESV: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Amplified: May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.

NET Bible: Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Greek = “in the believing” or “as [you] believe,” with the object “him” supplied from the context.

NIV: May the God of hope fill you with great joy and peace so you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

NLT: I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Phillips: May the God of Hope fill you with joy and peace in your faith, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook may be radiant and alive.

Wuest: Now the God of the hope fill you with every joy and hope in the sphere of believing, resulting in your super-abounding in the sphere of the hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Young's Literal: and the God of the hope shall fill you with all joy and peace in the believing, for your abounding in the hope in power of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Ray Stedman writes: “What a magnificent verse! Whenever I am asked to give an autograph, I almost always include this verse in it. It is such a beautiful expression. Look how much you have got going for you. All the great words of the Christian faith appear here: hope, twice (once it is called "overflowing hope"); and joy, great joy; and peace, calmness and confidence; and trust, belief in a living God; and finally, the power of the Holy Spirit, the invisible force that can open doors and no man shuts them, and can shut and no man opens -- the power of God released among us.”

The God of Hope - The truths conveyed are that God is both the origin of hope and the object of our hope. God is the Source of hope and the Giver of hope. Stated another way, the great benefits (hope, joy, peace) Paul prays for the saints at Rome, cannot be possessed apart from God. In the same manner, believers today can possess them only as He gives them to us.

Pastor John Piper in discussing the name God of hope writes: ”Everything starts with God. If there is hope for joy that is deep and eternal it will be hope that is founded on God. Any other foundation will fail. God is, and God is a God of hope. This we must believe.”

Pastor Matthew Henry writes on the importance of God's names like the God of Hope: “It is good in prayer to fasten upon those names, titles, and attributes of God, which are most suitable to the errand we come upon, and will best serve to encourage our faith concerning it. Every word in the prayer should be a plea. Thus, should the cause be skillfully ordered, and the mouth filled with arguments. God is the God of hope. He is the foundation on which our hope is built, and he is the builder that doth himself raise it: he is both the object of our hope, and the author of it. That hope is but fancy, and will deceive us, which is not fastened upon God (as the goodness hoped for, and the truth hoped in), and which is not of his working in us.”

May...fill (pleroo) means literally to fill "to the brim.” Metaphorically, “pleroo” means to make complete in every particular, to pervade, to take possession of and ultimately to control. This is the same verb used by Paul to command the saints at Ephesus to be continually "filled with the Spirit." The idea is that what fills a person, exercises control over the person's affect, attitude and actions.

Pastor J B Phillips paraphrases this prayer: “May the God of Hope fill you with joy and peace in your faith, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook may be radiant and alive.

Abounding in hope ideally should be the description of every follower of Christ. Of all people, the Christian should be the one who manifests the inner strength (and Spirit) to look ahead with a contagious enthusiasm. God has given us hope, the absolute certainty of that God will do good to us in the future.

All joy and peace - "All" in Greek means all without exception. In other words Paul is praying not for a percentage, portion or fraction, but for all the joy and hope that God has promised to those who love Him! God is not a stingy grinch, but He is a gracious Giver and Paul desires that the saints at Rome (and you and I dear child of the Most High God) experience this supernatural joy and peace to the max!

Pastor Alexander Maclaren has a beautiful description of the joy given by the God of hope...”If I am living in an atmosphere of trust, then sorrow will never be absolute, nor have exclusive monopoly and possession of my spirit. But there will be the paradox, and the blessedness, of Christian experience, ‘as sorrowful yet always rejoicing.’ For the joy of the Christian life has its source far away beyond the swamps from which the sour drops of sorrow may trickle, and it is possible that, like the fabled fire that burned under water, the joy of the Lord may be bright in my heart, even when it is drenched in floods of calamity and distress.”

Joy (chara from chaíro = to rejoice) is one of Paul's great themes, with charas being used by him 21 times. The Christian life is to be a life of "JOY." It is founded on faith in Jesus, whose life on earth began as "good news of great joy for all people.” Joy is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well between himself and the Lord and is independent of whether circumstances are favorable or unfavorable. Joy is God’s gift to believers, a component of the fruit of the Spirit. Nehemiah declared, "The joy of the Lord is your strength.” So Paul prays that they would be filled with all joy, that inner gladness and deep seated pleasure which is independent of one's external circumstances. It is a depth of assurance and confidence that ignites a cheerful heart. It is a cheerful heart that leads to cheerful behavior.

Pastor John Piper writes: “The pathway that the Spirit cuts through the jungle of our anxieties into the clearing of joy is the pathway of faith. Luke says of Stephen in Acts 6:5, that he was “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,” and he says of Barnabas in Acts 11:24 that he was “a good man full of the Holy Spirit and of faith,” The two go together. If a person is filled with faith, he will be filled with the Spirit, the Spirit of joy and peace. The most important text in Paul’s writings to show this is Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Notice that it is in or by believing that we are filled with joy and peace. And it is by the Spirit that we abound in hope. When we put those two halves of the verse together, what we see is that through our faith (our believing) the Spirit fills us with his hope and thus with his joy and peace. And, of course since hope is such an essential part of being filled with joy by the Spirit, what we have to believe is that God is, as Paul says, the God of hope. We have to rivet our faith on all that he has done and said to give us hope.”

Pastor Jerry Bridges writes: “It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we experience the joy of salvation and are enabled to rejoice even in the midst of trials. The Holy Spirit uses His Word to create joy in our hearts. Romans 15 contains an interesting connection between God and the Scriptures. God is the Source. The Scriptures are the means. Every believer needs this divine encouragement because our opposition is relentless, and there are plenty of disappointments along the way. Sometimes we think we’ve turned the corner on a particular sin, only to discover a few days later that we’ve merely gone around the block and are dealing with it again. But there is hope in our battle with sin, and it lies in placing our dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit, our ever-present Helper.

Pastor Warren Wiersbe defines joy as "that inward peace and sufficiency that is not affected by outward circumstances. This "holy optimism" keeps him going in spite of difficulties."

Pastor Donald Campbell writes: “Joy (chara) is a deep and abiding inner rejoicing which was promised to those who abide in Christ. It does not depend on circumstances because it rests in God’s sovereign control of all things.”

Peace (eirene from verb eiro = binding or joining together what is broken or divided) means literally that which has been bound together. It is freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions. Peace in this verse is that inward state of quiet which is independent of circumstances and is that inner attitude which God's Spirit gives His people. Note that this peace is only possible after one has been justified by faith and experienced peace with God. In short peace with God must precede and is the basis for the peace of God.

In believing - The Greek literally reads "in the believing" or as Pastor Kenneth Wuest renders it "in the sphere of the act of habitually believing."

Believing (pisteuo from pistis; pistos; related study = obedience of faith) means to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of trust. To have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy or ability of something or someone. “Pisteuo” means to entrust oneself to an entity in complete confidence. “To believe in” also conveys the implication of total commitment to the one trusted. To be confident about or to be firmly persuaded as to something. “Pisteuo” is in the present tense which pictures this believing is one's practice or lifestyle.

Pastor Ray Stedman helps us understand how “all joy and peace” is related to the phrase “in believing” as he writes: “What we need is to believe what we read in Scripture, and believe what we pray--that is the answer. These other things are merely mechanics which make possible the believing, but believing is the real answer. It isn't Bible reading, or prayer or Christian fellowship that unlocks the power of the Holy Spirit. It is believing what you read or what you pray. When you believe that Jesus Christ indwells you, when you believe that He is all that you need, when you believe that He intends to act through you, then you can act! You discover that all that he is becomes visible through you and accomplishes all that needs to be done. The result is power and joy and peace, as Paul prays here. This is the way I learned to drive a car, didn't you? I believe that, when I get into a car, there is gas in tank (and usually I am right) and there is an engine under the hood, and I believe that these are fully adequate to take this car over any road I choose to drive it, and I believe that all of it was designed to be responsive when I turn on the key and step on the gas. So I do it, and it works. I don't get into a car, and say to myself: "I believe there is gas in the tank, I believe there is an engine under the hood, I believe that it will work," then get out and start pushing! No! I do it, I try it, I step out on it, and it works! That is exactly what Paul is talking about. The God of hope cannot fill us with joy and peace if we don't believe -- which means to act on what we know. But it is when we believe and act that the power of the Holy Spirit begins to work through us and causes us to abound in hope -- for all around us are the evidences that God is at work accomplishing His purposes in our lives.

May abound (perisseuo from perissos = abundant, exceeding some number, measure, rank or need, over and above - from peri = in sense of beyond) means to cause to superabound, to be superfluous, to overflow, to be in affluence, to excel or to be in abundance with the implication of being considerably more than what would be expected (and in the present context certainly far more than we deserve!) Notice also that “perisseuo” is in the present tense which pictures the saints as continually abounding in this great quality of Spirit empowered hope. “Perisseuo” carries the idea of exceeding the requirements or of overflowing and is pictured by a river which overflows its banks! It means to exceed a fixed number or measure and so to be more than enough. Thus, “perisseuo” was used to describe what was "left over" of the loaves after Jesus had fed the 5000! God's supply exceeded their need. When the God of hope supplies hope there is more than enough so that some is even "left over" so to speak!

Hope (elpis) in Scripture is not the world's definition of "I hope so.” Hope is defined as a desire for some future good with the expectation of obtaining it. Hope is confident expectancy. Hope is the looking forward to something with some reason for confidence respecting fulfillment. Hope as the world typically defines it is a desire for some future occurrence of which one is not assured of attaining. The ancient world did not generally regard hope as a virtue, but merely as a temporary illusion. Historians tell us that a great cloud of hopelessness covered the ancient world. Philosophies were empty; traditions were disappearing; religions were powerless to help men face either life or death. People longed to pierce the veil and get some message of hope from the other side, but there is none outside of Christ. Hope is a unique word in Scripture, where it indicates “confident expectation.” The person with hope has complete assurance about the future. And the overflow of the hope we have as we trust in God fills us with joy and peace.

Power (dunamis) refers to inherent power residing in something by virtue of its nature. Here the power Source is the Holy Spirit. In the context of Romans 15, we learn that the Holy Spirit's inherent enabling power is the means by which unity will be accomplished as He causes believers to abound in hope. The Holy Spirit supernaturally enables the stronger and weaker brothers to abound in hope and to see each other’s positions in a clearer (eternal) perspective which causes them to refuse to let their differences mar the unity that they have in Christ. Christ is our Hope and to paraphrase an old hymn, when we fix our eyes on Jesus "the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace" and the result will be true spiritual power to accept one another.

Pastor Arthur Pink has some wise words on the meaning and practical significance of the power of the Holy Spirit: “The Father is the Giver, but the Spirit is the Communicator of our graces. Though it is the Christian’s duty to be filled with joy and peace in believing and to abound in hope, yet it is only by the Spirit’s enablement such can be realized. Here, as everywhere in the Word, we find the kindred truths of our accountableness and dependency intimately connected. The joy, peace, and hope here are not carnal emotions or natural acquirements but spiritual graces, and therefore they must be divinely imparted. Even the promises of God will not produce these graces unless they be divinely applied to us. Note that it is not merely "through the operation" but "through the power" of the Holy Spirit, for there is much in us which opposes! Nor can these graces be increased or even maintained by us in our own strength—though they can be decreased by us, through grieving the Spirit. They are to be sought by prayer, by eyeing the promises, and by looking for the enablement of the Holy Spirit. That hope is but a vain fancy which is not fixed on God and inwrought by Him.”

Notice Paul’s words in Romans 15:13, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” The power of the Holy Spirit provides for us the things that human effort and human religion and human righteousness could never achieve. He is there to empower our living with a glorious sense of joy, peace, and hope that can carry us through the trials and hardships that are the inevitable by-products of life in a fallen world. The power we need is found in a Person Who has been sent by the Father to bring fullness to our lives. In a world that is in mad pursuit of happiness, we can have JOY by the power of the Holy Spirit. In a world that is crying out from the grief of constant conflict, we can have true PEACE. In a world that is filled with empty despair and a bleak future, we can have a bright HOPE. Why? Because the power of the Holy Spirit can equip us for life in a way that the world cannot grasp. His power can enable us to experience the things that the world craves and cannot secure, but are ours by the Spirit. This is the ABUNDANT LIFE Jesus spoke of (Jn 10:10) —a life that is full and rich and deep and lasting. A life that is lived by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Practical strategies for growing in God’s joy, peace, and abundant hope:
• Begin each morning by spending time in God’s presence, reading and meditating on His Word, praying, and singing. If you lack joy and peace and hope, ask God to fill you with these qualities for His glory.

• Memorize some of God’s wonderful promises that kindle joy, peace, and hope in your soul so that you can meditate on them throughout the day. Romans 15:13 and many other verses like them will help you to set your mind on the things above rather than on the problems that are getting you down. The Psalms are loaded with verses of trust in God in the midst of life-threatening situations.

• Immediately confess all grumbling as sin and instead deliberately think each day of things that you can thank God for. Begin by thanking Him each morning for sending His beloved Son to save you from your sins. Thank Him that you have His Word to guide and sustain you. Thank Him for all your blessings and even for your trials, which help you to grow.

• When you feel overwhelmed with despair or depression, talk to yourself: Tell yourself again and again to hope in God. The depressed psalmist did this repeatedly: “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence…Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God…Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God…Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.”

Have you ever been on an airplane as it flew through a thunderstorm? All around you, you see and hear the storm’s beating rain and the wind whipping against the cabin wall. Looks of worry and panic cloud passengers’ faces, and they wonder, When will we ever get to the other side of this storm? They long to see the sun, and even before the plane has landed, a few of them may have begun forming a line to get off. On such a turbulent flight we can dramatically experience the light and peace after a storm almost instantly. Peace replaces anxiety in just a moment as we break through a cloud and see the sun and its radiance just on the other side of the storm. As God’s children we do not need to wait until our personal storms have passed in order to see and experience the light and peace of the Son. The Word of God, his truth, not only sustains us in the storms of life but also opens our eyes to see the Son, the radiance of God’s glory, while we are soaring through them.

Heavenly Father, we do thank You for the peace and joy and righteousness that are gifts to us from Your Spirit at work in our hearts. Thank You for the liberty and freedom that you give us in these areas. We want to know Your will. We are willing to do Your will, and we will wait, in hope, for your truth to lead us in it. No matter what storms of life we may face, we will keep our eyes on the brightness of Your Son—the radiance of Your glory! In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Look Up—meditate on Romans 15:13 …pray to see what it reveals about the character of God.

Look In—as you meditate on Romans 15:13 …pray to see how you might apply it to your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries: "Because God is_________, I will_____________."

Look Out—as you meditate on Romans 15:13 ...pray to see how you might apply it to your relationship with others. Let the nature of God impact on every relationship, for your good, and for His glory.

filled to the brim

artwork by Cherry Ashen Fargo

When I first saw this beautiful work of art by Cherry Ashen Fargo, my eyes were riveted on the word, “trust,” and the symbolism of the lighthouse. The structure itself, rising tall in the sky, lifts our eyes to the heavens and God—a towering signpost to guide the way and warn of danger. The beacon, shining out over the roughest and stormiest of seas, is a symbol of salvation and direction, leading those in danger to safety and security, whether it be physical danger or spiritual and moral trials and tribulation.

Trusting God always draws my heart back to a study of God’s Word. Today, it is a word study on fills or fullness from the last two verses in Ephesians Chapter One.

Ephesians 1:22-23…

Amplified Bible: And He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church [a headship exercised throughout the church], which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all [for in that body lives the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and Who fills everything everywhere with Himself].

New Living Translation: God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is His body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with Himself.

Phillips: God has placed everything under the power of Christ and has set Him up as head of everything for the Church, for the Church is His body, and in that body lives fully the one who fills the whole wide universe.

Wuest: and all things He put in subjection under His feet, and Him He gave as Head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of Him Who is filling the all in all.

Young's Literal: and all things He did put under his feet, and did give him—head over all things to the assembly, which is his body, the fullness of Him who is filling the all in all.

Fills (pleroo) means to be completely filled (completed state—a net or a cup filled to the brim). It carries the idea of permeation, such as salt’s permeating meat in order to flavor preserve it. It also gives the idea of total control. The present tense means continuously fills. Pleroo means to be filled to the brim, to make complete in every particular, to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally, to flood, to diffuse throughout, to pervade, to take possession of and so to ultimately to control.

Pleroo is in the passive voice (subject receives the action—in this context the "divine passive") which points out the fact that as believers, we do not fill ourselves, but permit the Spirit of God to fill us (and control us). In other words, God discloses a knowledge of Himself. One cannot simply learn to know God. God is not like secular truths which may be learned. Divine truth must be revealed!

Pleroo also means to fulfill, to complete, to carry out to the full. Pleroo indicates more than just pouring water in a glass up the brim and has at least three shades of meaning that are helpful in illustrating the meaning. (1) Pleroo was often used of the wind billowing the sails of a ship and providing impetus to move the ship across the water. To be filled with the Spirit then to is to be moved along in our Christian life by God Himself, by the same dynamic by which the writers of Scripture were “moved by the Holy Spirit.” In the spiritual realm, this concept depicts the Holy Spirit providing the thrust to move the believer down the pathway of obedience. A Spirit-filled Christian is not motivated by his own desires or will to progress. Instead, he allows the Holy Spirit to carry him in the proper directions. Another helpful example of this first meaning is a small stick floating in a stream. Sometime in our lives most of us have tossed a stick into a creek and then run downstream to see the twig come floating by, propelled only by the force of the water. To be filled with the Spirit means to be carried along by the gracious pressure of the Holy Spirit. (2) Pleroo also conveys the idea of permeation as of salt’s permeating meat in order to flavor and preserve it.  God wants the Holy Spirit to permeate and flavor our lives so that when we’re around others they will know for certain that we possess the pervasive savor of the Spirit. (3) Plerooconveys the sense of domination or total control. It is used by the Gospel writers in various passages to indicate that people were dominated by a certain emotion.

Theologian Charles Spurgeon commenting on pleroo, says this involves an intimate, experiential type of knowledge, exhorting us to, “Let us try to know divine truth more and more intimately. You know a man, for you pass him in the streets with a nod; you know another man far better, for you lodge in the same house with him; you know him best of all when you have shared his trouble, partaken in his joy, and have, in fact, had fellowship with him by blending your two lives in one common stream of friendship. When you learn a spiritual truth endeavor to know it out and out; to know its foundation and up building; to know it by the application of the Spirit to your own soul so that you are filled with it.  You may have knowledge in the brain, but it may not run into your spirit, so as to penetrate, and permeate, and saturate your spirit, till you are filled therewith. Oh, to get the gospel into one’s entire nature, and to be like the water pots of Cana, filled up to the brim!”

Lord Jesus, develop in me a deep reverence of You that leads to life, wisdom, and greater intimacy with You. Open my heart to be teachable and to receive correction and discipline willingly. Grant that I would fear You and not my circumstances in the present or the what-ifs of the future. May I be so filled to the brim with Your love that faith would replace my fear. Many people have material goods and success, but they still search for something that is real and lasting. Thank You for joy that runs deep. Thank You for peace that only You can give. Help me not to take what I have been given for granted but to be filled to the brim with gratefulness. Restore my sense of wonder and awe as I look for You at every turn in my everyday walkaround life. Speak to my heart, and give me ears to hear. Open my spiritual eyes to see that You are working in the world around me. May I be filled to the brim with wonder and gratefulness at Your great deeds. Thank You for hearing my prayers . . . always! Even when my situation remains the same, grant me grace to trust You and to thank You for your listening ear and Your gracious help. Because of Your mercy, I will sing songs of thanksgiving to You. Because of Your help, may my heart be filled to the brim with joy! In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Look Up—meditate on Ephesians 1:22-23  …pray to see what it reveals about the character of God.

Look In—as you meditate on Ephesians 1:22-23 …pray to see how you might apply it to your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries: "Because God is_________, I will_____________."

Look Out—as you meditate on Ephesians 1:22-23...pray to see how you might apply it to your relationship with others. Let the nature of God impact on every relationship, for your good, and for His glory.


* If you liked this post, you’ll love this book – Name Above All Names Devotional: Focusing on 26 Alphabetical Names of Christ


Weekly LinkUps…

break our walls down...

artwork by Tamara Peterson

Tamara Peterson’s   https://www.etsy.com/shop/tpdesign/ beautiful and intriguing work of art inspired me to do a word study of Hebrews 4:16 while worshipping with the Jesus Culture hymn, Spirit Break Out …Spirit break out…break our walls down…Spirit break out…heaven come down… and the beautiful classic hymn, Before The Throne of God Above by Selah…Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea, A great high Priest whose Name is Love, Who ever lives and pleads for me...

Hebrews 4:16

NASB: Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need

Amplified: Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].

Barclay: Let us then confidently approach his throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help as need demands.

KJV: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

NLT: So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.

Phillips: Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with fullest confidence, that we may receive mercy for our failures and grace to help in the hour of need.

Wuest: Let us be coming therefore with boldness to the throne of grace, in order that we may procure mercy and find grace for seasonable help.

Young's Literal: Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.

Therefore—Because He was the perfect Man who never stumbled, He is now the perfect High Priest through Whom we can enter into the presence of the Most Holy God.

Let us draw near—one of the most incredibly gracious invitations the world has ever received! Drawing near to the throne of grace is a reflection of our faith or trust that at His throne we will obtain all that we need to live for Him and serve Him.

Pastor Philip E. Hughes writes: “In the Levitical system that had prevailed up till the time of Christ's advent, only the high priest was permitted to approach into the sanctuary of God's presence, and then only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, when he passed from sight into the holy of holies. The people, however, were excluded from the divine presence because of their sinfulness and prohibited from drawing near. But the atonement effected by Christ's sacrifice of himself on the cross opened the way that had previously been closed. This was dramatically symbolized by the rending of the temple curtain from top to bottom at the time of the crucifixion, indicating that through an act of divine grace access into the holiest place was now available to all the people of God. The reality corresponding to this symbolic event is pressed home by our author here. Sinners are no longer commanded to keep their distance in fear and trembling, but, on the contrary, are now invited to draw near, and to do so with confidence.”

Pastor Charles H. Spurgeon states: “It is clear from the connection of our text that the interposition of the Lord Jesus Christ is essential to acceptable prayer. As prayer will not be truly prayer without the Spirit of God, so it will not be prevailing prayer without the Son of God. He, the Great High Priest, must go within the veil for us; no, through His crucified person the veil must be entirely taken away. For, until then, we are shut out from the living God. This glorious God-man Mediator continually presents before His Father His one great sacrifice for sin. There will never be a repetition of it, and it will never need to be offered again, “for by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy” (Hebrews 10:14), that is, those who are set apart unto Himself. This one sacrifice He perpetually pleads before the throne, and our prayers therefore ascend to God with the merit of Christ’s atoning blood giving them acceptance with His Father. So they must have power with God, for they come before Him signed, as it were, with the name of His well-beloved Son. He lays His hand upon each petition, and so leaves the print of the nails upon it, and therefore it must prevail with God.”

Draw near (proserchomai from prós = facing + erchomai = come) means to come facing toward. To approach, come near, visit, figuratively to worship, draw near, go near to. The present tense is an exhortation to continually drawing near to Him in prayer, worship, devotion of heart and life. Because of Christ’s finished work on the Cross and His present mediation as our High Priest, believers can boldly approach God’s presence! You may want to read that again and then ponder the incredible privilege believers have in the New Covenant!

Pastor J. Vernon McGee explains our bold access in plain terms: “We can speak freely to the Lord Jesus Christ. I can tell Him things that I cannot tell you. He understands me. He knows my weaknesses, and I might just as well tell Him. I have learned to be very frank with Him. He is God, and I come to Him in worship and with reverence. But I am free to speak, because He is also a man. He is God, but He is a man, and I can come to Him with great freedom. I can tell Him what is on my heart. I can open my heart to Him. I suspect, therefore, that all these very pious and flowery prayers we make are not impressive to Him—especially when we are attempting to cover up what is in our hearts and lives. I wonder if the Lord doesn't tune us out when we do not come to Him with freedom and open our hearts to Him.”

Confidence (parrhesia/parresia from pás = all + rhesis = speech, act of speaking) is literally all speech or speaking all things and thereby conveys the idea of freedom to say all. The basic idea in the word is freedom of speech, when the word flowed freely. It is that attitude of openness that stems from freedom and lack of fear means in essence the freedom to say all. Ultimately this quality of confidence is that which is energized by the indwelling Spirit, emboldening Spirit-filled believers to openly declare with great conviction all that He births within. Parrhesia is confidence that speaks up and thus is outspoken confidence. It is a deep confidence that shows itself in bold, candid speech, by one being ready and willing to make their convictions known in public without fear of repercussions.

Pastor Warren W. Wiersbe writes: “When you are free to speak, then there is no fear and you have confidence. A believer can come with boldness (same word as "confidence") to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) with openness and freedom and not be afraid. We have this boldness because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we should not cast away our confidence, no matter what the circumstances might be. We should not have confidence in ourselves, because we are too prone to fail; but we should have confidence in Jesus Christ who never fails.”

Greek scholar Kenneth S. Wuest says: “Parrhesia is "freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech, free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance… free and bold speaking; speaking out every word. Its dominant idea is boldness, confidence, as opposed to fear, ambiguity, or reserve.”

Boldness—fearlessness in the face of danger, with daring or courage.

Confidence—means a state of mind or a manner marked by easy coolness and freedom from uncertainty, diffidence, or embarrassment…you can always be sure of God's loving welcome.

Theologian Adam Clarke writes: “Parrhesia modifying draw near means to do so "with freedom, confidence, liberty of speech, in opposition to the fear and trembling of the Jewish high priest. Here, nothing is to be feared, provided the heart be right with God, truly sincere, and trusting alone in the sacrificial blood. Parrhesia originally meant frankness, freedom in speaking or fearless candor but came to denote boldness, confidence or openness in action. Stresses faith in oneself and one’s powers without any suggestion of conceit or arrogance. Parrhesia originally referred to a manner of speaking that neither concealed nor omitted anything, and thus conveyed the meanings of frankness, plainness, or openness.

Throne of grace—To the lost sinner, God's throne is a throne of judgment, but to the believer, it is a throne of grace, to which he or she can come for help with all our burdens and needs.

Pastor Charles H. Spurgeon writes: “We have a Friend at court; our Bridegroom is on the throne. He who reigns in heaven loves us better than we love ourselves. Come, then, why should we hesitate, why should we delay our approach to His throne of mercy? What is it that we want at this moment? Let us ask for it. If it is a time of need, then we see clearly from this verse that it is a time when we are permitted and encouraged to pray. In prayer we come, not only to our Father’s feet, but we come also to the throne of the Great Monarch of the universe. The mercy seat is a throne, and we must not forget this. He is the most Holy of all kings.”

Throne (thronos) is a relatively large and elaborate seat upon which ruler sits on official occasions. Figuratively throne speaks of authority and power, while grace conveys the idea of sympathy and understanding, and our great High Priest Jesus Christ is the perfect embodiment of these traits. Jesus Christ fully God and fully Man, but a Man of infinite power on one hand and a Man with complete and utter sympathy toward mere men.

Grace (charis) is God's unmerited favor and is also His supernatural enablement and empowerment for initial salvation and for daily sanctification. Grace can transform any and every trial into triumph and every sorrow into joy. Grace always precedes and leads to peace.

Mercy (eleos) is the outward manifestation of pity, a compassion for one suffering which is so great that it moves the compassionate one to help. Mercy refers to the outward manifestation of pity and assumes need on the part of those who receive it and sufficient resources to meet the need on the part of those who show it.

Greek scholar Kenneth S. Wuest writes: “Eleos is God’s kindness and goodwill toward the miserable and afflicted, joined with a desire to relieve them. Grace meets man’s need in respect to his guilt and lost condition; mercy, with reference to his suffering as a result of that sin. One needs to distinguish between grace and mercy. Grace is shown to the undeserving, while mercy is compassion to the miserable. Grace is God’s solution to man’s sin. Mercy is God’s solution to man’s misery. Grace covers the sin, while mercy removes the pain. Grace forgives, while mercy restores. Grace gives us what we don’t deserve while mercy withholds what we do deserve.”

Find grace—Grace is there for the need but we must avail ourselves of His grace. We need mercy for the forgiveness of our sins and grace with which to meet and overcome our trials. He gives us the grace we need to face testing and temptation.

Help (boetheia is the noun derived from boetheo = to help from combination of boé = a cry, exclamation + theo = to run) draws an incredible word picture of one who upon hearing a cry for help, runs to give aid to assist. Boetheia describes the assistance offered to meet a need. The writer of Hebrews encourages saints writing "Let us therefore (term of conclusion) draw near with confidence (fearlessly, boldly) to the throne of grace, that we may (note he does not say so that we "might" but in fact that we will) receive mercy and may find grace to help (boetheia) in time of need." The Amplified version describes this "help" as "appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it." Jehovah runs to our cry for help with His mercy to cover the things we should not have done, and His grace to empower us to do what we should do but do not have the power to do, both arriving in the nick of time.

In time of need (eukairos from eu = good, well + kairos = time, opportune time) means seasonable, timely, opportune, favorable, at the right time, well timed. It is that time which is well suited for something. In context it means He gives help when you need it or timely help.

This passage of Hebrews contains one of the most vital truths in the New Testament concerning Christ and those who believe in Him. It also contains one of the greatest promises and invitations in the Bible: come boldly to the throne of grace and receive mercy and grace in our time of need. Why? Not because we’re good or we deserve it but because Jesus is in His place at the right hand of the Father and is our great High Priest. That’s why we have constant access to God’s grace; that’s why we can take all our needs and problems to Him in prayer—because He is right now at God’s throne beckoning us to come for the grace and mercy He is so ready to give! He isn’t oblivious to the reality of our humanness; in fact, He understands our weaknesses. There is help when we most need it, mercy and strength when we’re weak, sufficient grace for anything we will ever face—if only we will come to the throne of our gracious God, ask, and receive. Come to Him today!

Lord Jesus, thank You for facing the same temptations and problems we do and for fully understanding our weaknesses. Thank You for pouring out your life on the cross, for rising again and reigning at the right hand of the Father. Your throne is a place of grace for Your children, where we can receive Your mercy and help when we most need it. Spirit break out, break our walls down…in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Look up – Meditate on Hebrews 4:16. Pray to see what it reveals about the character of God.

Look in – Meditate on Hebrews 4:16. Pray to see how you might apply it to your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries: “Because God is ______________, I will ______________.”

Look out – Meditate on Hebrews 4:16. Pray to see how you might apply it to your relationships with others. Let the nature of God impact on every relationship, for your good, and for His glory.  

* If you liked this post you’ll love this book – Name Above All Names Devotional: Focusing on 26 Alphabetical Names of Christ

Weekly LinkUps…

the irresistible power of the Holy Spirit...

artwork by Tamara Peterson

This incredible artwork by Tamara Peterson inspired me to do a word study of 2 Peter 1:10 while worshipping with Darlene Zschech to the beautiful hymn, The Potter's Hand … You gently call me into Your presence, guiding me by Your Holy Spirit, Teach me dear Lord to live all of my life through Your eyes, I'm captured by Your holy calling, Set me apart, I know You're drawing me to Yourself, Lead me Lord I pray…Take me, Mold me, Use me, Fill me, I give my life to the Potter's hand, Call me, Guide me, Lead me, Walk beside me, I give my life to the Potter's hand...

2 Peter 1:10

NASB: Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble.

Amplified: Because of this, brethren, be all the more solicitous and eager to make sure (to ratify, to strengthen, to make steadfast) your calling and election; for if you do this, you will never stumble or fall.

Barclay: So, brothers, be the more eager to confirm your calling and your choice. For, if you do practice these virtues, you will never slip.

GWT: Therefore, brothers and sisters, use more effort to make God's calling and choosing of you secure. If you keep doing this, you will never fall away.

NLT: So, dear friends, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Doing this, you will never stumble or fall away.

Phillips: Set your minds, then, on endorsing by your conduct the fact that God has called and chosen you. If you go along the lines I have indicated above, there is no reason why you should stumble

Wuest: Wherefore, brethren, exert yourselves the more, and bend every effort to make for yourselves your divine call [into salvation] and your divine selection [for salvation] things that have been confirmed, for doing these things, you will never stumble.

Calling (klesis from kaleo = to call.  "Klesis" refers to the divine call by which Christians are introduced into the privileges of the gospel. God’s invitation (klesis) to man to accept the benefits of His salvation is what this calling is all about, particularly in the gospels. It is God’s first act in the application of redemption according to His eternal purpose (Romans 8:28). Klesis can also refer to a call unto Christian service or ministry. That the calling is to more than a Christian profession is clear from the experiences which Paul associates with it. No one can be a chosen one unless he is a called one. The initiative always comes from God. Klesis is an urgent invitation to someone to accept responsibilities for a particular task, implying a new relationship to the one who does the calling; the station in life or social role which one has. Klesis, a calling, always used in the New Testament of that calling the origin, nature, and destiny of which are heavenly (the idea of invitation being implied); it is used especially of God's invitation to man to accept the benefits of salvation.

Pastor Charles Spurgeon writes: "By the word "calling" in Scripture, we understand two things—one, the general call, which in the preaching of the gospel is given to every creature under heaven; the second call (that which is here intended) is the special call—which we call the effectual call, whereby God secretly, in the use of means, by the irresistible power of his Holy Spirit, calls out of mankind a certain number, whom he himself hath before elected, calling them from their sins to become righteous, from their death in trespasses and sins to become living spiritual men, and from their worldly pursuits to become the lovers of Jesus Christ."

Choosing (ekloge from eklegomai [eklego] in turn from ek = out + lego = select, choose, eklegomai meaning to choose or select for oneself, but not necessarily implying rejection of what is not chosen. In the passive sense ekloge refers to God's selection for a purpose or task. In other words it represents a special choice.

Greek scholar Kenneth S. Wuest states: "In God's foreknowledge and purpose, there is no insecurity, no uncertainty; but in our vision and apprehension of them as they exist in and for us, much, until they are pointed out. The exhortation is that the believer should make sure of the fact that he is saved by seeing to it that the Christian graces superabound in his life. There is no idea here of making sure that we retain our salvation but that we possess salvation."

Pastor J. Vernon McGee writes: "Give diligence to make your calling and election sure”—he means, of course, more sure. In other words, the security of the believer is objective; it is something that cannot be disturbed. However, your assurance can certainly be disturbed by the life you live. If your life is not lived in sincerity and truth, you are bound to lie on your bed at night and wonder if you really have been born again. While it is true that Christ has done everything necessary to save you and keep you saved, your Christian life to be meaningful is something that you have to work at. I have been married for a long time, and I never have to lie awake at night and wonder whether or not I am married; but to make my marriage meaningful, I have to work at it, and I have been working at it for a long, long time. Likewise in your Christian life, “make your calling and election more sure.” That is, let it become subjective in your own heart—to know that you are a child of God. “For if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” I have talked with many Christians who have gotten into sin. It is very interesting to me that I have never yet talked to one who had the assurance of his salvation before he got into sin. You see, the person who lacks assurance lacks a solid foundation under him."

David W. Folsom, author of the book Assets Unknown, estimates that there are over one trillion dollars worth of unclaimed property in the United States held in federal and state accounts, waiting to be claimed by the rightful owners. These assets include stocks and bonds, unclaimed pension and insurance benefits, and uncashed dividend checks. This staggering figure illustrates the “high cost of forgetting what you own.” As Christians we are “co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17); we can’t afford to lose sight of what God is holding in store for us."

Do you know people who have walked away from God’s calling on their lives? If you look only at outward appearances, you may be tempted to give up on them. But don’t write them off spiritually or distance yourself from them. Pray for them. Ask God to fill you with His love for them and to give you spiritual eyes that see them from His perspective. Believe that God is able to renew their hearts and save them. Ask the Holy Spirit to draw them back, and anticipate the day when they will turn away from disobedience and return to the arms of their Father. It is easy for all of us to have faulty ideas about God. If we base our view of God on the media’s opinions or on what liberal professors say about Him, we will have an incorrect picture. If our opinions about God are the result of pain left over from childhood or from our experience with an unloving or absent earthly father, we may see Him through a dark filter and not accept His love for us. But God revealed Himself in His Son. And His Word is His love letter to us, calling us to come home to His heart. Jesus declared who God is and showed God’s heart to us so that we would be drawn to Him and could know Him. His life, miracles, teaching, death, and resurrection have given a glorious revelation of the Father. Through His Word we can see the Father accurately in His splendor, love, grace, and light. To what life has God called you? Preaching or teaching God’s Word? Caring for young children? Serving God in the business world or taking the gospel to a foreign land? Whatever our calling, our best intentions and good deeds will accomplish nothing of eternal value apart from the irresistible power of the Holy Spirit. It’s when we die to our own abilities and surrender our work to God that He infuses our feeble efforts with His power. When we seek the Lord humbly in prayer, admit our inadequacy, and ask for His grace and sufficiency, He will divinely enable us to fulfill our calling. He and He alone can make us worthy of the life to which He has called us.

Heavenly Father, I praise You for revealing Yourself in Your Son Jesus. Wipe off the lens of my heart that I might see You accurately and love You more each day. Thank You for Your Word, which reveals Your love and Your calling for my life. Thank you for Jesus, who has made it possible for me to have clear vision with which to see You, Father. Thank You that my effectiveness in Your calling doesn’t depend on my abilities. In Your grace, impart Your irresistible Holy Spirit power to me so that I may live the life to which You have called me. Make me a vessel of Your glory so that those who see my works will look past me and be drawn to You. Thank You for always calling me to draw near to You. That is my desire, so I look to You to work within me Your irresistible Holy Spirit power and energy to rise morning by morning to meet with You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Look up – Meditate on 2 Peter 1:10. Pray to see what it reveals about the character of God.

Look in – Meditate on 2 Peter 1:10. Pray to see how you might apply it to your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries: “Because God is ______________, I will ______________.”

Look out – Meditate on 2 Peter 1:10. Pray to see how you might apply it to your relationships with others. Let the nature of God impact on every relationship, for your good, and for His glory.  

* If you liked this post you’ll love this book – Name Above All Names Devotional: Focusing on 26 Alphabetical Names of Christ

Weekly LinkUps…

fan the flame...

artwork by Tamara Peterson

I was so inspired by Tamara Peterson’s beautiful artwork, as well as her caption: God did not create us to be timid. He gave us a gift to light the world around us. How do you light your world? How do you spark creativity in those around us? Tamara’s wonderful gift of artistry inspired me while listening to Jesus Culture's Set A Fire... Set a fire down in my soul, that I can’t contain, that I can’t control, I want more of You God…I felt led to do a word study of 2 Timothy 1:6b-7:

NASB: kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you…for God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

Amplified: stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you…for God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

NLT: fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…for God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Living Bible: stir into flame the strength and boldness that is in you…for the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them.

Phillips: stir up that inner fire which God gave you…for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and love and a sound mind.

Wuest: keep constantly blazing the gift of God…for God did not give to us a spirit of fearfulness, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Young's Literal: stir up the gift of God…for God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Kindle afresh (anazopureo from ana = up, back or again + zoos = alive + pur = fire) means to keep in full flame. Stir up the fire. Add fresh fuel. Cause something to begin again, to reactivate or to cause to begin to be active again. The present tense conveys the sense of progressive, continuous action. Keep kindling the gift afresh or make it your aim to continually keep it at full flame.

Gift (charisma from charis = grace, English = "charismatic") means a gift of grace (the result of grace), an undeserved benefit. The suffix –ma, indicates the result of grace and refers to that which is freely and graciously given.

Spirit (pneuma from pnéo = to breathe) means a blowing (wind), a breathing (breath) and can refer to the seat of the inner spiritual life of man, capacity to know God.

Timidity (deilia from deilos = fearful, timid) means lack of mental or moral strength, timidity (lacking courage, self-confidence, boldness or determination), reticence (inclination to be silent or uncommunicative in speech), cowardice (lack of courage or resolution) or shameful fear that is generated by weak, selfish character. The picture is one who is in a state of fear because of a lack of courage or moral strength. Deilia is never used in a good sense, whereas another word for "fear" (phobos) can be used in either a good sense (fear of the Lord) or a bad sense.

Power (dunamis from dunamai = to be able, to have power) power especially achieving power. It refers to intrinsic power or inherent ability, the power or ability to carry out some function, the potential for functioning in some way (power, might, strength, ability, capability), the power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature. Dunamis is the root from which we derive the English word dynamic, (synonyms = energetic, functioning, live, operative, working) which describes that which is marked by usually continuous and productive activity or change. That which is dynamic is characterized by energy or forces that produce motion, as opposed to that which is static. Another English word dynamite, is derived from dunamis and since dunamis is used by Paul to describe the "power of God," some have suggested that the gospel is "God’s dynamite". This is misapplication of this English derivative in an attempt to try to picture the lifesaving power of the gospel. Dunamis does not refer to explosive power, as if the gospel will blow men to bits but as discussed above, it refers to intrinsic power. The gospel is dynamic, God’s dynamic, and so is powerful in the transformation of human lives.

Love (agape) describes the unconditional, unselfish, costly love that God is (1Jn 4:16) and which God shows (Jn 3:16) and which was "poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" at the time of our new birth (Ro 5:5). Agape love is produced in the heart of the yielded, surrendered saint by the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22) and has as its chief ingredient, self-sacrifice for the benefit of the one loved (Jn 3:16).

Discipline or "sound mind" (sophronismos from sophron in turn from sozo = save + phren = mind) so literally this word describes "a saved mind" or "a sound mind." Not only is such a mind secure and sound but it carries the additional idea that this mind is self-controlled, disciplined, and properly prioritized. Sophronismos describes sound-mindedness in action and the opposite mindset is one predisposed to excessive self-indulgence or lack of good sense. Sophronismos describes the individual marked by a sense of sobriety (temperance, moderation), sound judgment, exercise of prudence, moderation, prudence (prudence includes the ability to govern and discipline oneself, sagacity or shrewdness in the management of affairs, skill and good judgment in the use of resources, caution or circumspection as to danger or risk).

Pastor David Jeremiah writes: “We have been released from the spirit of fear by the Holy Spirit, who has placed us in the body of Christ. We have received the Spirit of adoption. This adoption provides for every believer release from the bondage that he once knew. The picture that Paul uses is the contrast between slavery and sonship. Slavery, with its fear and isolation, stands for our old lives before knowing Christ. We are told by the writer of Hebrews that Christ died that He might destroy the one who had the power of death and release those who were subject to a fear of death (Hebrews 2:14–15). The perfect love of God has cast out the fear to which we were once enslaved (2 Timothy 1:6b-7; 1 John 4:18). Anything that involves a believer in fear of bondage cannot possibly be the work of the Holy Spirit of God. It must come either from his own heart of unbelief or as a temptation of the evil one. Our sonship implies perfect spiritual liberty and the absence of all legal features which would bring us once more under the Law."

Have you ever found yourself in such a frightening situation that it pushed your “panic button”? Some people face that kind of fear because of a dreadful circumstance. Others may fear failure, rejection, illness, or death. Children often fear the dark and want their parents to hold their hand as they walk into a dark room. Whatever you fear, you don’t have to handle it alone by working harder, trying to control things, living in denial, or worst of all, backing away from God and His promises. God does not give us a spirit of fear. Challenges that seem beyond our abilities and make us feel inadequate aren’t intended to make us fear, but rather to drive us to our Lord Jesus Christ Whose grace is sufficient, so that we develop a God-confidence that cannot be shaken. As we honestly admit what we’re afraid of, our fear can actually draw us closer to the Lord than we ever thought possible. Reading God’s promises in the Bible gives us assurance that we are not alone in this fearful circumstance. God has promised to be with you in every situation and to never leave you or forsake you, so you can put your trust in Him. He is the source of our courage and security, as the Holy Spirit gives us His power, love, and a sound mind. He alone can turn our fear into faith.

Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your Word that promises Your presence with me, giving me Your resurrection power, Your agape love, and the sound mind of Christ. You have said that when I’m afraid, at the very point of my anxiety, I can put my trust in You and experience Your peace and protection. I am able to accomplish what You ask of me only through Your power. Thank You for Your Word because in it I learn that You are my sufficiency! May my confidence always be in Your finished work on the cross. No matter what dark and frightening circumstances I may face, help me to trust You and stir into flame the strength and boldness that Your Holy Spirit gives me every day. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

“It is not my ability, but my response to God’s ability, that counts.”—Corrie ten Boom

Look up – Meditate on 2 Timothy 1:6b-7. Pray to see what it reveals about the character of God.

Look in – Meditate on 2 Timothy 1:6b-7. Pray to see how you might apply it to your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries: “Because God is ______________, I will ______________.”

Look out – Meditate on 2 Timothy 1:6b-7. Pray to see how you might apply it to your relationships with others. Let the nature of God impact on every relationship, for your good, and for His glory.  

* If you liked this post you’ll love this book – Name Above All Names Devotional: Focusing on 26 Alphabetical Names of Christ

Weekly LinkUps…