SOURCES of INFLUENCE Part V

Is = [Nt + E3(M)] (HS) +/- (Sw + Dt+/-p)

Is (Sources of Influence) LONG FORMULA

Is = [Nt(B) {G(Ch – Cd)} + (Ex + Ed + Env){Ms3}] (HSga^ps%) +/- (Swga* + Dt# +/-p)

SECTION 6-part II: ps%

ps% is simply the personal percentage of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us. It is measure of righteousness or holiness; it is a measure of the Spirit of God in us that can only be completely known by God, but discerned by spiritual humans. Even the demons and processed and some that practice sorcery can recognize the Holy Spirit within humans. And those led by the Spirit with the ‘gift of discerning of spirit (I Cor. 12:10)’ can not only recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit within humans, but many can know what types of spirits are present.

Generally, all Christians have a measure of conviction and discernment to know right and wrong (Gen. 4:7; Luke 12:57; 1 Cor. 5:3-) and faith, ‘for God is not a God of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33),’ but people can refuse to seek (Luke 11:9; Matt. 7:7) and receive from God and be ‘destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hos. 4:6),’ – these rebels ‘have clearly seen… what has been made by God and God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – and seeing we all are without excuse (Rom. 1:20).’ And ‘because of stubbornness and unrepentant hearts, many condemn themselves… storing up wrath for the day of God’s wrath (Romans 2; see also John 3:18-19).’

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God (John 3:16-21).”

SECTION 7: HSga^: Holy Spirit

HSga^ = the general attributes and working of the Holy Spirit; ^ = denotes the various and many individual fruits or types of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit

“There are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one (1 John 5:7).” There are many that with the Trinity want to make three Gods. It is a difficult thing for the human mind to understand the ‘Godhead (Col. 2:8).’ In Christ ‘dwells ALL the Fullness of the Godhead bodily.’ The Son of God, the Son of Man call ‘Father and Prince of Peace;’ yet He is not the Father God, but ‘it pleased the Father that in Christ should all fullness dwell (Col. 1:19);’ that is ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself (2 Cor. 5:19);’ thus Jesus is Emanuel.

The Holy Spirit is never refer to as ‘father’ or ‘prince;’ but ‘the Spirit of your Father (Matt. 10:20; Isa. 34:16; ‘My Spirit’ – Joel 2:28);’ the ‘promise (Acts 2:33; Eph. 1:13),’ and ‘Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 8:11).’ Did Christ raise Himself from the dead? No – the Father did. And the Spirit is most precious – but it is from the Father, part of the Father proceeding like rays of the Sun, everywhere for God is Spirit – and the Holy Spirit is the very same essence.

More importantly, in Heaven you will never find the angels, elders and holy creatures worshiping the arm of God, or the Holy Spirit; they clearly worshipping and saying, ‘to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever (Rev. 5:12).’ It is Father God and Jesus Christ our Lord – the Son of God that are worshipped; both in which is the Holy Spirit in all fullness and which is at their command – which is part and of the Father – Almighty God. And God commanded, ‘I am the Lord your God… you shall have no other gods…;’ and Moses declared, ‘The Lord our God, that Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… (Deut. 5:6; 6:4)’

Some say that John 16:13 reveals the Holy Spirit is a Person; it does not say that, only that ‘He will not speak on his own… (but) what He hears.’ The Holy Spirit is not capable of speaking in any manner outside of what God directs. Christ Jesus chooses to speak what the Father directs, but has freewill. Jesus said, ‘I did not speak on My own, but the Father …commanded Me what to say (John 12:49).’ He said, ‘the Son can do nothing of Himself (John 5:19).’ Of course Jesus could have, but choose not to and it is not in Christ nature or essence to act against the Father. Jesus was able to sin; yet He was obedient to the Father’s commands. He spoke is a Man and from God. The Holy Spirit never speaks or does in any way, but according the complete unaltered will of God. The Holy Spirit has no choice – it is the very essence of God – who is Spirit.

Note that the Apostles Creed, of the first Christian ‘creeds’ states, “I believe IN GOD the Father Almighty… and IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS only Son… conceived by THE HOLY SPIRIT… I believe in THE HOLY SPIRIT…” They did not see the Holy Spirit as a Person, but as an extension, force, procession and very Spirit of God. Later the Catholic Church in the Nicene Creed added, ‘in the Holy Spirit… who proceeds from the Father and the Son, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified…;’ but you will not find anyone in heaven worshiping the Holy Spirit in the scriptures; because a faithful does not separate or worship part of God or the hand of God, but all of God who is Spirit.

Lockyer and Strong

Lockyer, in All about the Holy Spirit states, “bearing in mind that He is named some 93 times in the New Testament, we realize His conspicuous place in this age of grace.” Technical because God is full of grace (Exodus 34:6; Luke 1:28), all ages or generations have been ages of grace. In the work Lockyer offers many different commentaries by various respected Christian men. He writes on ‘the Personality of the Spirit,’ stating ‘He is an essential part of a divine revelation… He is the direct agent between heaven and earth in this gospel age… He is the administrator of the church’s affairs… He is personal.”

Personality is better used than ‘person;’ and as to ‘administrator,’ Christ is well known to be the ‘Head of the Church.’ Lockyer goes on to say the ‘Paraclete’ is called ‘Spirit’ or ‘Ghost,’ the Old English word for ‘spirit;’ not because He is the only ‘Spirit’ in the Godhead. ‘God is Spirit (John 4:24)… Alexander Cruden… said, “The Holy Spirit is called Spirit, being, as it were, breathed, and proceeding from the Father and Son… stirring up spiritual motions in the hearts of believers, purifying and quickening; or because He is spiritual, invisible and incorporeal essence.”

The Holy Ghost, according to McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature (Vol. IV; 1887), is “the third person in the Trinity, proceeding from the Father and the Son, and equal with them in power and glory… rendered in the English version by ‘Holy Spirit.’ …The orthodox doctrine is that as Christ is God by an eternal filiation (Son to His Father), so the Holy Ghost is God by an eternal procession. He proceedeth from the Father and from the Son, ‘When the Comforter is come, whom I will send you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me (John 14:26)’.”

Continuing they say, “The Nicene Creed teaches, ‘And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified.’ The Athanasian Creed, ‘The Holy Ghost is of the Father and the Son together, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.’ The …Church of England says, ‘The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.’ The term spiration was introduced by the Latin Church to denote the manner of the procession. When our Lord imparted the Holy Ghost to His disciples, ‘He breathed on them, and said, ‘Receive you the Holy Ghost (John 20:22)’.”

The Eastern and Western Churches and various denominations still differ on the exact definition of the Holy Spirit and His nature of ‘proceeding;’ even whether He only proceeds from the Father or both from the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ.

General Attributes of the Holy Spirit

By examining the general attributes of God or His Holy Spirit, we can get an idea of how the Holy Spirit is a significant source of influence. First the Spirit of God must breathe on and in us to receive life (Gen. 2:7).’ Second, God and His Holy Spirit is not one attribute – love, mercy, grace, power, righteousness, etc., He has a myriad and limitless number of attributes beyond human reasoning and understanding.

Isaiah speaking of Christ said, “the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord (Isa. 11:2).” The Holy Spirit of God is also called and is the Spirit of: ‘truth (John 14:17; 16:13);’ ‘holiness (Rom. 1:4);’ ‘life… and adoption (Rom. 8:2, 15);’ ‘grace and supplication (Zech. 12:10);’ ‘glory (1Pet.4:14);’ ‘judgment and fire (Isa. 4:4);’ He is ‘the eternal Spirit (Heb. 9:14);’ ‘the Counsellor (John 15:26);’ ‘testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy (Rev. 19:10);’ and the Spirit speaks to the minds and souls of mankind (Rev. 2:11).

Working of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is a significant source of influence because to us it ‘teaches (John 14:26),’ ‘witnesses (John 15:26),’ ‘convicts (John 16:7),’ directs (Acts 8:29), and ‘guides’ and ‘intercedes (Rom. 8:14, 26).’ The Holy Spirit can regenerate our spirit (John 3:5-7) and perform miracles (Acts 8:39).’ The Holy Spirit is of God and God and thus Omnipresence, Omniscience and Omnipotent (Psalm 139:7-12; Isa. 40:13; I Cor. 2:10; Luke 1:35; 1 Peter 3:18). ‘Omni’ is Latin for ‘every’ or ‘all;’ ‘science’ comes from Latin ‘scientia’ meaning ‘knowledge.’ Thus, the Holy Spirit is everywhere, with all knowledge and all powerful or almighty; having unlimited power – only controlled or limited by the will of God.

When Paul said, ‘that I may impart to you some spiritual gift (Rom. 1:11),’ it was not given of Paul, but by the Holy Spirit – for it is ‘the manifestation of the Spirit… given through the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:7).’ And Paul even says that “no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 12:3).” This is because ‘by the Spirit of grace… God has given to each a measure of faith (Rom. 12:3);’ and that the flesh is carnal, inclined in sin, and weak; but the Spirit of God imparts life and truth (John 6:63; 1 John 5:7; Rom. 8:2).

The Holy Spirit is ‘the power of the Highest (Luke 1:35).’ It is the ‘inspiration of Scripture (2 Peter 1:21);’ and the force that sanctifies (2 Thes. 2:13);’ always ‘with’ God and the Son (Matt. 12:31; 28:19; Acts 5:3; 2 Cor. 13:14)’ because the Holy Spirit is of the same Spirit. The ‘Spirit searches all things… (1 Cor. 2:10).’ Thus, when the Lord God says, ‘I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to His ways… (Jer. 17:10),’ it is done by the working of the Holy Spirit.

Fruits and Types of the Spirit

Paul tells us some of the fruits and name types of the Spirit, saying “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy (blessed), peace, longsuffering, kindness (gentleness), goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (meekness), self-control (temperance) (Gal. 5:22-23).” The Holy Spirit has appeared as or been associated with: Water (John 7:37), a dove (Matt. 3:16), Oil (Luke 4:18; Rev. 1:20), Fire (Exo. 3:1; 13:21; 1Kings 18:38), a Seal (Eph. 1:13), a Pledge (Eph. 1:14), and Life (Job 33:4).

The Holy Spirit, if welcomed can be a great source of influence, even the difference in eternal life or eternal hell. The Holy Spirit can impart wisdom and knowledge and healing; also ‘inspiration (God breathed)’ and ‘revelation (God revealed).’ We can be ‘filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18).’

Free Will Choice

We have a free will and choice to seek God and His Spirit and receiving His Spirit we will ‘bear fruit;’ but ‘every branch (one) …that bears no fruit He cuts off… no branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the Vine. No one can bear fruit unless they remain in Christ Jesus (John 15).’ “You are ‘servants (slaves) to the one you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness (Rom. 6:16)… If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the children of God… joint-heirs with Christ… and the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God… (Romans 8).”

SECTION 8: Swga*

Sw = spirit of the world, Swga* = the general nature and workings of the spirit of the world, * = denotes the various and myriad of types of temptations, trespasses, and sins.

The apostle Paul taught the Corinthians and all Christians, “we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. These things we speak are not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches… the natural man does not receive (accept/believe/welcome) the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he (in that present state) know them, because they are spiritually discerned… but we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:12-16).”

See that there is the ‘spirit of the world.’ Clarke’s Commentary teaches that here Paul is saying “we preach Christ crucified. We have not therefore received the spirit of the world – of the Jewish teachers, who are all looking for a worldly kingdom and a worldly Messiah, and interpret all the scriptures… in a carnal and worldly sense.” Barnes’ Notes teaches that “all Christians …have received, not the spirit of this world, but the spirit which is of God. Not the spirit of this world – not the wisdom and knowledge which this world can give – not the learning and philosophy which were so much valued in Greece…”

Gill’s Exposition of the Bible concerning “not the spirit of the world, means either Satan, the god of the world, the spirit that is in it, and rules over it; or the sinful carnal disposition of the men of the world, which is a spirit of covetousness, uncleanness, pride, malice, and error; or rather the carnal wisdom of the world, which is common to worldly men…”

The spirit of the world has always been in the world since the fall of the Satan and his evil ones – fallen angels; and likewise since the fall of man in the Garden. Thus, every generation of mankind has been subjective to the spirit of the world. It is not simply the Jewish or Greek teachers and priests in error; it is in part of Satan, the god of this world and also the sinful carnality of mankind; it is the ‘powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil…’ and the ‘rulers’ and ‘authorities’ over their territories and domains; for example ‘the prince of Persia (Eph. 6:12; Dan. 10:13).’ The general spirit of the world or spirits influencing and in the world, includes ‘philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the principles of the world, and not after Christ (Col. 2:8).’ Likewise, it includes ‘deceiving spirits and teachings that come from demons (1 Tim. 4:1).’

See the distention between the world and the things of the world and the Holy Spirit and the things of God. Jesus distinguishes them saying to our Father in Heaven, “I am not asking that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth (John 17:15-16).’ These were among Christ last words and prayer during His crucifixion.

Note, we also are to pray to ‘our Father in Heaven’ to ‘deliver us from the evil one/evil (Matt. 6:13);’ and how are we ‘not of this world?’ We are to be like ‘pilgrims or strangers …living by faith (Heb. 11:13).’ Living according to the ways of the Spirit of the Lord and not the spirits of this world; and how sanctified? It is by the word and Spirit of God, even washed clean by the word and Spirit (Eph. 5:26; 1Cor. 6:11) ‘putting away evil (Isa. 1:16).’ And here Job, ‘the fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding (Job 28:28).’

The general spirit of this world (cosmos), of our universe and the millions or billions ungodly spirits in it, is a most serious and significant influence on our lives. It is also for this reason that Paul said, “though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ… (2 Cor. 10:3-5).”

The spirit of the world is most often simply taken for granted, and thus the path of the world is not discerned, but walked on by tradition or duress or subtle influence of the rulers of this present darkness. Paul says, think about what you are doing for eternity sake, and consider your ways and your path. Thus, Christ says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it… (Matt. 7:13, 14).”

SECTION 9: Dt#

Dt = the Demonic or evil spirits (demons) specific tempting, doctrines and works, # = numerous types of spirits.

Nearly all humans are only concerned about their immediate surroundings, and in those they typically see friends, family, job, sustainment needs (food, clothing, shelter – see Matt. 6:33), entertainments, and other such temporary and temporal things. And if they were to look up in the sky away from the city lights, they could see wonderful works of God, a great starry expanse. But they are stilling seeing with natural eyes.

The universe is filled with both physical and spiritual elements/matter – everywhere. There is no place you could go and be absent of either what we call ‘atoms,’ and what we call the ‘spirit.’ In the physical world, even though atoms and matter are everywhere, there are pieces or masses that are distinguished, such as stars, planets, moons, and even galaxies and orbits, etc. And in the spiritual realm, the spirit of God sees all and in that sense and the sense that God sustains all being of mankind and the universe – His spirit is everywhere – even in Hell, though obviously in a different attribute or disposition. And in the spiritual realm, there are different boundaries and positions and weights of effect – kind of like the effects of gravity.

For example, the scriptures in Daniel mention a battle over Persia by archangels. And there are different places that are more evil than others and in such effect humans in a different manner than say a more peaceful and holy place. The following is a rough humanly depiction of the spiritual atmospheres and realms; due to limitations they are presented in a linear fashion. “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit (1 Cor. 2:14).”

The Highest Heaven Throne Realm (Rev. 4:2)

The Third Heaven (2 Cor. 12:2)

(there is no demonic power or influence above here)

The Universe beyond the Earth’s Atmosphere

(Satan, principalities, powers, fallen archangels)

The Earth’s Atmosphere

(rulers of this world, powers, spiritual hosts – Eph. 6:12)

Nations, Countries, Regions

(rulers of this world, powers, demons, spiritual hosts of wickedness)

Cities, Towns, Villages

(powers, demons, spiritual hosts; over the city and down to the individual)

Communities, Tribes, Associations

Families, Associates

Individual

Now, we are instructed to ‘watch and pray so that we do not fall into temptation (Matt. 26:41);’ that ‘may have strength to escape all these things (Luke 21:36)’ that come against us; for Christ says, ‘the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Mark 14:38).’ This message is so important it is reported in the three of the four gospels. In this manner, Paul wrote, ‘though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the physical natural of the flesh. For the weapons of our (Christian) warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds (many which come only by pray and fasting and much faith – Matt.17:21; Mark 9:29), casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ… (2 Cor. 10:2-6).’

Spiritual way of the World

“The God of peace shall soon crush Satan… (Rom. 16:20),’ but until that time when the Lord Jesus will ‘destroy the Antichrist at His coming… (2 Thes. 2:4),’ our ‘adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking those who he may devour (1Pet. 5:7).’

‘The great dragon …that ancient serpent (in the Garden of Eden), who is called the devil and Satan, deceives the entire world… (Rev. 12:9).’ We must ‘resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings and trials are being experienced by our brethren throughout the world. And after we have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called us to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish us (1 Pet. 5:9-10).’

‘You were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of the world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience… passions of the flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind… (Eph. 2:2-).’

‘The schemes of the devil, for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities or principalities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places… put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day… (Eph. 6:10-).’

‘Narrow and difficult is the way that leads to eternal life and few find it… wide and easy is the way that leads to destruction and many go it (Matt. 7:13).’ Lord, ‘deliver us from the evil one.’ Matt. 6:13 And from ‘seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.’

The devil and his demons come against the word of God.
They come to kill, steal and destroy
They come and fill the world will false doctrines
They spread deception everywhere
They tempt all they can
They cause all manners of strife, anger, bitterness, war, etc.
They cause all manners of envy, jealousy, etc.
They offer pleasures and bring on cares and struggles
They overcome rulers with pride, deception and greed
They come against the mind and body to get to the soul
They seek to control the spirit of man, and thus the soul
We have a free will and choice and instructions

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SOURCES of INFLUENCE Part V

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