" Then He told them, ' These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you-that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.' Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.'"- Luke 24:44-45
That is exactly what He continues to do for us through the Holy Spirit today. He opens our minds so we can understand His word, and be able to comprehend the message He wants us to receive and be a witness to. A good witness needs to be able to know what he heard and saw and be able to articulate it clearly to others. God wants to open our minds so we can receive His word, take in into us, and then give it out to others.
It is truly something incredible when people hear God's word and understand it; only then are we able to apply it to our lives and that is what it is for. There is a verse in Nehemiah that I absolutely love. It is during a time of revival when the Israelites have rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and are rededicating their lives to worshiping God.
" So the Levites quieted all the people saying, ' Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.' And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them."- Nehemiah 8:11-12
It brings great joy when we understand the words declared to us. God wants us to understand the words declared to us, because that is when they have the power to change how we live. He speaks to use in many different ways-sometimes unusual or even mysterious. However, when we are studying His word and utterly confused, if we lack wisdom, we can ask for it and it will be given to us if we ask for it in faith. ( James 1:5-8)
The word is simple and clear. " The essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus." - Revelation 19:10
We've got to listen to the true prophetic words because they are giving us a clear witness- to encourage, to convict, to strengthen, to destroy- whatever needs to be accomplished in that season. When the Holy Spirit is communicating with us the Word comes alive and we are able to see it's personal relevance to us and our situations. It's what happened when Jesus was talking with the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus. They had been discussing all the events that had happened with Jesus in His ministry and leading up to His death, and now the "rumor" the women were spreading about His being alive. Between the two of them, they couldn't make any sense out of it all. They were arguing over the facts and possibilities, but getting no where. They didn't understand how it all worked together, what it meant, or if what Jesus had said and done was even true. Then Someone comes along to join them in the middle of their chat, and asks them what they are arguing about. Sometimes the Holy Spirit comes up along side us as we're busy trying to make sense of things by ourselves, and He joins in on the conversation.
So they tell Him what's been going on, thinking He must be a clueless person who lives under some rock. The things, " concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who was a Prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him. But we were hoping that He was the One who was about to redeem Israel. Now, it's the third day since these things have happened. Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, and when they didn't find His body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn't see Him."- Luke 24:20-24
It's quite a story! You can feel the men's confusion and astonishment oozing out as they share it. They don't know what to believe! Something is definitely afoot, but what is it exactly? What is the meaning of all this?!
Then the Man replies, " How unwise and slow you are to believe in your hearts all that the prophets have spoken! Didn't the Messiah have to suffer these things and enter into His glory?' Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures."
Everything that happened to Him was a part of the Plan. A great deal of it had been prophesied. It was there to be read, to be studied, to be understood- but it couldn't be until He interpreted it for them. He said He came to make the blind see, and the deaf hear. Physically, yes, and spiritually.
Jesus continues with the two disciples and joins them for dinner. When He blessed bread and broke it, "their eyes were opened" and they suddenly recognized Him, then He disappeared from their sight.
" So they said to each other, ' Weren't our hearts ablaze within us while He was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scripture to us?" - Luke 24:32
When the Holy Spirit explains the Word to us, it sets our hearts burning. Burning with the understanding of what is true and how it applies to our lives now; burning with conviction, wonder, and faith. Burning with holy fire. We need to have Jesus open our minds and interpret His word clearly as He did for those two disciples. Then we will not muddle in arguments and confusion of our own making but be able to, " humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your soul."- James 1:21
That is exactly what He continues to do for us through the Holy Spirit today. He opens our minds so we can understand His word, and be able to comprehend the message He wants us to receive and be a witness to. A good witness needs to be able to know what he heard and saw and be able to articulate it clearly to others. God wants to open our minds so we can receive His word, take in into us, and then give it out to others.
It is truly something incredible when people hear God's word and understand it; only then are we able to apply it to our lives and that is what it is for. There is a verse in Nehemiah that I absolutely love. It is during a time of revival when the Israelites have rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and are rededicating their lives to worshiping God.
" So the Levites quieted all the people saying, ' Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.' And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them."- Nehemiah 8:11-12
It brings great joy when we understand the words declared to us. God wants us to understand the words declared to us, because that is when they have the power to change how we live. He speaks to use in many different ways-sometimes unusual or even mysterious. However, when we are studying His word and utterly confused, if we lack wisdom, we can ask for it and it will be given to us if we ask for it in faith. ( James 1:5-8)
The word is simple and clear. " The essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus." - Revelation 19:10
We've got to listen to the true prophetic words because they are giving us a clear witness- to encourage, to convict, to strengthen, to destroy- whatever needs to be accomplished in that season. When the Holy Spirit is communicating with us the Word comes alive and we are able to see it's personal relevance to us and our situations. It's what happened when Jesus was talking with the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus. They had been discussing all the events that had happened with Jesus in His ministry and leading up to His death, and now the "rumor" the women were spreading about His being alive. Between the two of them, they couldn't make any sense out of it all. They were arguing over the facts and possibilities, but getting no where. They didn't understand how it all worked together, what it meant, or if what Jesus had said and done was even true. Then Someone comes along to join them in the middle of their chat, and asks them what they are arguing about. Sometimes the Holy Spirit comes up along side us as we're busy trying to make sense of things by ourselves, and He joins in on the conversation.
So they tell Him what's been going on, thinking He must be a clueless person who lives under some rock. The things, " concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who was a Prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him. But we were hoping that He was the One who was about to redeem Israel. Now, it's the third day since these things have happened. Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, and when they didn't find His body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn't see Him."- Luke 24:20-24
It's quite a story! You can feel the men's confusion and astonishment oozing out as they share it. They don't know what to believe! Something is definitely afoot, but what is it exactly? What is the meaning of all this?!
Then the Man replies, " How unwise and slow you are to believe in your hearts all that the prophets have spoken! Didn't the Messiah have to suffer these things and enter into His glory?' Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures."
Everything that happened to Him was a part of the Plan. A great deal of it had been prophesied. It was there to be read, to be studied, to be understood- but it couldn't be until He interpreted it for them. He said He came to make the blind see, and the deaf hear. Physically, yes, and spiritually.
Jesus continues with the two disciples and joins them for dinner. When He blessed bread and broke it, "their eyes were opened" and they suddenly recognized Him, then He disappeared from their sight.
" So they said to each other, ' Weren't our hearts ablaze within us while He was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scripture to us?" - Luke 24:32
When the Holy Spirit explains the Word to us, it sets our hearts burning. Burning with the understanding of what is true and how it applies to our lives now; burning with conviction, wonder, and faith. Burning with holy fire. We need to have Jesus open our minds and interpret His word clearly as He did for those two disciples. Then we will not muddle in arguments and confusion of our own making but be able to, " humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your soul."- James 1:21