Yielding to the Spirit

It has been said that the person left to him or herself will self-destruct.  In order to maximize our potential, as God intended, we must give up our strong will NOT to be governed.  We are not mature until we are submitted spiritually. Thus, it is essential that we connect, commit and submit our flesh to three agents:  1) The human spirit that is within us, 2) the spirit of the authority that rests in or over those who outrank us in longevity, divinity, or position; and 3) the Holy Spirit whose nature is that of a Governor and Guide.

First, we should never underestimate the power of the human spirit to lead us in our decisions and choices.  It is the human spirit that emanates from its Source, God our Elohim.  It is the place were we experience the witness of truth, and of that is of God.  For example, the Apostle Paul indicated that "...Our spirit bears witness with His Spirit that we are the sons or offspring of God".  You are not your body, and your body is not really YOU.  It houses your soul and spirit.  Your spirit is the channel for spirit realm, and it is God's access to your entire being.  Many of us have covered with our souls--the realm of thoughts, feelings, emotions, rational thinking, and intellect.  This prevents the exchange of spiritual information from God's spirit to ours, His heart to ours, and from His mouth to our spiritual ears.  In your prayer time, ask God to pour Himself into your spirit, and to enlarge your soul's capacity to hold His mysteries so that your spirit is always exposed to God's voice and wisdom.  David prayed in Psalms 51:7. "Purge me with hyssop, wash me and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow."  Pray that God's Word, both spoken and written would divide asunder your soul and spirit, so that you are not governed by your thoughts and emotions, but by your spirit (who knows God).  "For as many as are LED by the Spirit, THEY are the sons (offspring of God).

Second, we must learn how to HONOR and SUBMIT to the authority that God  has placed on or in those who rule (in the family, workforce, educational system, church, and government, etc.).  We must honor those who are in front of us in age, spiritual and ecclesiastical rank, or position in business, family, government and community.  We must understand how God functions in these power structures (even if those serving in those structures do not properly represent God).  In my book, Enough is Enough, I discuss in detail, the Law of Honor, and how it is precisely this law that propels us forward in life, gives us access to the wisdom, favor, and anointing of those greater than us, and helps us to learn in months or days what it took them YEARS to learn and obtain.  We must understand that God has put HIMSELF in all things that He made, and when we honor rank and authority, God in turn, honors us.  Psalms 49:11-12, 20 attests. "Their inward though is, that their houses shall continue for ever; and their dwelling places to all generations;  they call their lands after their own names.  Nevertheless, man being in honour abidteh not: he is like the beat that perish...Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like a beast that perish".

Sounds like many preachers and businessmen today--they name their ministries and businesses after themselves, and live so lavishly as though their establishments will be here forever.  Let me explain these verses....a person who HAS honor (or who has obtained a position of honor) but does not understand the concept of honoring  authority him or herself is like a wild beast, who cannot tame his or her own beastly instincts.  Interestingly, those who are positions of authority often require honor, but they do not understand honor and hence cannot, or simply will not recognize and honor God in others.  There is even a danger in dishonoring YOURSELF because God is in you too.  Low self-esteem, lack of confidence in one's gift, succumbing to the spirit of rejection, procrastination, and making poor choices due to feelings of insecurity are all forms of self-dishonor!

We MUST submit to those in authority, whether natural, civic, church, or spiritual.  Understand this too--there are those who carry heavy spiritual rank in God who may not possess titles, big platforms, or great wealth.  However, when we refuse to submit to them, the result is frustration of our destiny, blockage of our health and wealth, and delay of many blessings.  Also not honoring a prophetic or apostolic gift in your country, family, organization, or local assembly is dishonoring the Spirit of God.  The result is that many nations, churches, and individuals do not reap the benefits of these prophetic or apostolic gifts whom God has graciously given them.  They rarely prosper, and if they do, they cannot seem to hold on to what they have gained.  We must learn to submit to the spirit of authority that God places upon those IN authority.  They are sent to help govern  us so that we can reach our destiny and expected end with as little angst and frustration as possible.

Third, we must learn to submit and obey the greatest Governor on earth--the Holy Spirit.  Dr. Myles Monroe referred to the Holy Spirit as "God EXTENDED to humanity". This is an excellent concept!  He also refers to the Holy Spirit as the "Governor".  Many of us, as foretasted, are led by our heads--not by our spirit and God's Spirit.  It is the Holy Spirit that 1) convicts people of their need to be cleansed from sin and unrighteousness, 2) that enables us to be spiritually reborn and brings us into God's presence and glorious nature, 3) leads us and guides us into all truth.  Because the Holy Spirit is a Governor, we must do things to keep ourselves in a position to be HEAR and OBEY the leading of the Spirit.  Many people have shipwrecked their lives, fallen victim to violence and crimes committed against them, or even met untimely deaths because the Governor prompted them NOT to go out, or go to a certain place.  Because they did not know it was God trying to save their lives, they over rode it and consequently suffered grave consequences.

Often, when a person is killed by accident, or for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, we lash out at God and question WHY GOD?  Could it be, that the Holy Spirit prompted them several times with distinct instructions, but they proceeded to go on with things anyway?  We listen to other people more than we listen to the Great Governor.  Has the Spirit ever prompted you to pray for a person, or to caution or advise them of something, but you made excuses for why you couldn't?  You felt the leading again, but you refused to do it or put it off for later--only to find out that the next day or so, something bad happened to them that could have been avoided if you had followed the leading of the Holy Spirit?  Certainly, if Jesus himself had to be filled with the Holy Ghost, and was led by it, we too must learn to hear, listen to, and obey the Governor!  You cannot even perceive, believe, and receive TRUTH without the leading of the Holy Spirit.

You may really love the Lord, but until you are being governed by Him, you will have many areas of darkness in your life (confusion, no answers, and ignorance of God's will).  Jesus said, "...But when he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide onto all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."  This Governor show us how to take our limited knowledge and apply it in larger ways to our lives.  He teaches us how to apply spiritual knowledge to all aspects of our lives--this is called WISDOM.  If you lack wisdom in any area of your life, relationships, ministry, etc., ask the Governor to download into your spirit HIS thoughts, HIS wisdom, HIS words, and HIS power so that you can act responsibly in any given situation, and cause yourself and others to prosper by your decisions.  God wants to lavish you with wisdom, insight, and goodness, but you must submit to the Holy Spirit....for again, as many as are led by the Spirit, they are the mature offspring of God.
Remember, a person left to him or herself will self-destruct. Be sensitive to and honor the human spirit, the spirit of authority in others who are greater than you, and the Holy Spirit, by which you are signed, sealed, and delivered.  #SeeYouAtTheTop

++S. JaNine Hyman, Th.D., Ph.D