Balancing the Holy Spirit and the Word of Truth

To be in right standing with God, a true believer must have a balance of the Holy Spirit and the Word of truth. There cannot be one without the other. The scripture says, “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 4:23.

No believer can operate in the Spirit without having knowledge of the Word. The scripture reads, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). False prophets teach and preach false doctrine so if the believer does not know the Word, they can fall prey to false prophets and spirits.

The word operates as truth; “. . . thy word is truth” (John 17:17). And no one can operate solely in the Word and not have understanding of the Spirit. That would fulfill the scripture that talks about men “having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof,” (2 Timothy 3:5). Many theological teachers of the Word fall into this category. They are profound in bible history and bible terminology, but they do not truly believe in or practice the power of the Spirit.

Once a person is born again through water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Ghost, they need the Word of truth to grow and to learn God’s will. Getting blessings from God, casting out devils, paying tithes, attending church, singing, shouting, and dancing in the Spirit does not complete a successful walk in Christ: the believer must know, believe, and proclaim the truth, which is the Word. The Word of God does not stop at being a tool for self-correction in righteousness, it also gives the believer a moral base to stand on and the understanding of God’s will for their life and for humanity. 

The believer must know that the Word of God is for his or her own good and not take the Word for granted. It is not a guide to get wealth and other material goods, as a tool of deception on unbelievers, or as a weapon of abuse in the hands of a dogmatic preacher to bring souls under his control. It helps the believer to know the will of God for their life, and then as a channel for helping others discover the goodness of God and His gift of salvation. If used correctly, the Word of God can exalt a believer, or group of believers, to a height that overcomes any hurdles of the world, including the lies, lust, temptations, and pleasures of this life, all things that Satan uses to separate believers from God.

The Word helps the believer to be molded into the image of Jesus Christ: a desire to be righteous according to the standard of God’s righteousness, not self-righteousness: to seek the heavenly powers of good, and not evil, and to use those powers to bring others into the faith. Worship of God enables a believer to realize things as they are in reality and not as the illusions of the world portray them to be, and to accept that truth even in the time of doubt. The believer will know the truth and uphold it in the face of persecution by millions of others, and in the face of mockery and contempt by those who use deception. The believer must speak the truth when pain may be the result, yet speak it in love and hope of salvation, not as a cloak of maliciousness.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.“ Hebrews 4:12.

A true worshiper of God never compromises the truth for a portion of this world’s wealth, glory, or status, (like thousands of preachers are doing today, and have done throughout history). A true worshiper knows the standard of God and lifts it up against the devil. True worshipers accept the necessary things of life with great contentment; and rejoice in the joy, peace, and love that they receive of the Lord each day through the Word. They are constantly learning new things about the kingdom of God and they learn to love their brethren, their neighbors and what it means to love their enemies. If a so-called believer hates anyone, they have no understanding of God’s Word or His will. Instead, they always have hope for those that are lost and blind to the deceptions of Satan that they will someday know the goodness of God.

The world seeks absolute truth and many scholars have claimed that there is nothing absolute, that all theories and ideas are open ended and without concrete answers, (and they are positive about this). But this proves that they do not know God. The Word of God is truth and concrete. The theories, concepts, and ideas are undisputable. For example, divorce followed by remarriage is unacceptable to Jesus thus is an undisputable biblical theory. No one should marry after having divorced a spouse, according to the Bible. Many will refute this by quoting the scripture in St. Matthew 19:9, which reads, “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.” 

They say that people can remarry after divorce if fornication is the cause; however, a person must ask him or herself, how can one commit fornication if they are married? The scripture says “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband” (1 Cor. 7:2). If a person marries to avoid fornication, how can they commit fornication during marriage? If a spouse has an affair while married, this is adultery. 

However, the above concept is a mystery and, in the mystery, resides the truth, a final answer. The Bible never, ever, contradicts itself, the problem is that scholars refuse to acknowledge the truth. No one has accepted the answer to the mystery of marriage because if it revealed itself in truth, which would be absolute, tradition and indifference would prevent anyone from accepting the truth. The truth of this parable is in the Word and the Spirit will reveal it to those who seek the truth.

The plan of the devil is to sidetrack anyone he can, as long as he can, from knowing the truth and from living godly. His greatest weapon is the believer’s lack of knowledge of the Word and truth of God. Money, women (or men) in the form of promiscuity, fame, fortune, and prestige among the world are also the weaknesses of many. Known as the lust of the world, any pleasurable or flesh-satisfying fixation is an enemy to the believer. If the believer does not know what the Word says about any of the above, the devil will use either of the above evil spirits in the person of loved ones and friends who carry these spirits to distract the believer. These trials try the believer but they can endure the trials in ways they would not have if they had not known God. Solutions to these type problems are miraculously solved by God through the Word and Spirit, and the believer gains greater wisdom of life and spiritual warfare. 

The devil often manifests himself in everyday conversations and interactions through people, such as family members, friends, fellow believers, and what is worst, preachers who preach the Word. Satan, can overtake a preacher’s will and deceive that preacher into fulfilling his purpose. Believers often neglect to acknowledge this fact. The majority of false prophets, preachers, and teachers, are in the church every Sunday. Paul warned the believers in many churches about these false brethren.

"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (2 Cor. 11:13-15). If Satan can deceive the preacher, then all doctrine that spills from the preacher’s lips will trickle down and infect the church like a bad virus. Therefore, the devil attacks the leaders of the people so he can destroy the people themselves. 

What captures the attention of an anointed man of God? Fame and glory of the world is the price many preachers pay but at the cost of thousands of lives. Another of the devises Satan uses against the leaders of God is tradition. More preachers today have been trained by older preachers who themselves were deceived, and never really knew or accepted the truth, or never even sought out the entire truth on any subject. They pass down church doctrines and creeds to each generation, and because the church building has stood that many years, the leaders suppose the method is working and prefer not to change.

The only sure-proof way believers can secure a successful Christian life and future with God is to read the Word for their own benefit. Because Satan goes after the leaders so they can infect the followers, a believer should be sure to know the Lord intimately as a defense against a preacher taken captive by the devil. The believer can attend a church for years and love the pastor and the pastor could be walking closely with God and teaching correctly, but he is always subject to attack. If the pastor is not attentive to the Word and will of God, he is prime suspect for the deception of the devil. Yet, if the believer knows God intimately, knows the will and words of God for every occasion, they will overcome the infection and be delivered from evil. It is important to read the Word and pray in the Spirit. Most preachers are chosen men of God, but if the believer does not know the Word and will of God, how would they know if the preacher has not compromised their, and the believer’s soul, for an offering of the devil?

False spirits also attack believers. The scripture reads, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). The way false spirits work is they come to the mind of the believer and leaves an impression or speak to the mind as the Spirit of God does. False spirits prey upon the believer’s lust mostly. If the believer has impure thoughts and lust for the things of the world, the devil will set those things before them “…but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” James 1:14. 

Even when a believer is seeking something from God, or waiting on an answer from Him, the illusions of Satan manipulate the actions of the world to seem as though God is answering. The devil will send false people to the believer as a sign, or will lead the believer to a scripture in the Bible that directs them to what they want, acting upon the believer’s lust. False spirits will come upon a believer during a church prayer service or a church uprising, when the entire congregation is up, moving, and praising in the Spirit and power of the Holy Ghost. They come off other people and enter into innocent bystanders. False spirits come in many different forms and fashions, and have the power of illusion to make the believer think that it is God. A defense against the false spirit is exactly what the scripture above says, “try the spirits whether they are of God” meaning, use the Spirit of God against the false spirit. 

If the spirit is in line with the Word and will of God, then it is God; however, the believer must know what the Word and will of God is. The will of God uphold the things written in the Word; any concepts or promises that promote the heavenly realm, not the earthly realm or things of the world. The believer must discern the difference between what the world offers and what God offers. The scripture reads, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Whatever God offers from above are the things of God. Any spirit that possesses heavenly qualities and descends on a believer confirming the Word and upholding His will is of God, but any spirit that appeals to the lust of the believer is not of God. However, even though a spirit comes with the Word does not always mean it is of God, but it must also uphold God’s will, one without the other would be suspect. 

For instance, if a spirit comes on a believer and says that “the love of money is the root of all evil” and another spirit comes to the believer and quotes another scripture that says, "money answers all things" (Ecclesiastes 10:19) which spirit is true? Both scriptures come from the Bible but the believer must search within the scriptures’ meaning for the will of God if they want the answer. Which spirit should the believer obey? What is the will of God? Many spirits come from the world’s theologies to confuse the believer. In fact, many of the world’s theories have confused church leaders on many biblical subjects. Believers do not know what to believe anymore. 

If the spirit or teaching does not agree with the concepts of the Bible and the will of God, then it is not an absolute doctrine nor the Spirit of God. If a believer is not showing the most basic will of God, which is love toward his brethren, and enemies, or teaching and living the truths of the Word of God, then they are walking in a deceptive spirit. If the believer does not see the purpose of God as they walk the walk of faith, then they walk in the illusion of idolatry. The Spirit and the Word must agree as one. “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” 1 John 5:7.