Lesson 9
THE SPIRITUAL REALM AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
In Uganda I experienced the power of God in a new way when I saw, with my own eyes, the Holy Spirit moving in healing power. 300 people were healed within 2 minutes.
What had I seen the Lord do that day?
I hid my face in my arms as I suddenly saw the spirit realm far more real than the material realm. I saw that sicknesses and healings were controlled more from the spirit realm than the material earthly realm. I realized sickness was sent from the spiritual realm of evil and healing was sent, via the spiritual realm, through Jesus by His victory that He gained by dying on the Cross and rising in total and complete victory over every sin, sickness and demonic power in the spirit realm.
This experience made me realize that everything in the material earthly realm has a life span. This life span is controlled by time. Everything on earth is temporary - wood rots, steel rusts, fabrics decay, even our bodies have to die, just like those of all the animals, fish, plants and insects. Everything on earth is controlled by a time span. The earth rotates on its axis, revolving around the sun, giving days, months and years. This gives us day and night. Day and night give us our time span.
The Lord lives outside the span of time. To Him a thousand years are but a day. He lives in the spiritual realm outside the span of time.
When a person prays, he reaches above the time controlled limits of his own earthly realm into the eternal, spiritual, supernatural realm of God’s Holy and Heavenly presence. In God’s presence we find His peace, joy, and the covering of His great love for us.
Ephesians 1:3 says:‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.’ (NRSV)
This is talking about spiritual blessings in the heavenly places, not physical blessings in the earthly places where we are living. Without Christ, Man seeks the physical pleasures in the earthly realm, but in Christ through prayer we can be blessed with much higher spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Job 32: 7-8:‘I said let days speak and many years teach wisdom, but it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty that makes him understand.’ (NRSV)
The earthly physical realm is likened to a smaller racing wheel of time. The heavenly realm is likened to a large slow moving wheel of the universe.
In prayer it is possible to rise up above the racing wheel of one’s own life and enter the still, quiet, timeless realm of God’s Heavenly presence. Here you can hear the Lord speak to you. Here He will teach you to walk in the Spirit, to be led by His Spirit while on earth.
I had to go to Pakistan during a difficult time, but because the Lord spoke to me and led me by His Spirit, I was able to go. At the airport He said to me, “I have called you and I will not forsake you.” This word gave me the courage to go.
Zechariah 4: 6:‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts.’ (NRSV)
Romans 8: 2-6 explains this more: ‘For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.’
So we have free choice to choose how we should live and the fruits of our decision will show in our lives.
Always check the fruits of any organization or system before getting involved in it. The fruits will show what lies behind it, good or evil.
The chart will help to distinguish between the fruits of the Holy Spirit and those of evil. You will see these fruits influencing our lives on earth. All the above are fruits of the Spirit, below are the fruits of evil. Either, the fruits of the Holy Spirit or the fruits of evil, will show through a person's life, depending on the way they have chosen to live.
What is within us will show through our lives. If evil is within, a negative fruit of anger, hate, envy, or pride may show forth through our physical lives. If the Holy Spirit is within, then peace, joy, and love will show through our lives. Negative fruits showing through our lives can lead to sickness or other bondages, whereas the fruits of the Holy Spirit can lead to health, freedom, joy and peace.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are also given from the spiritual realm as God has made them available to us. There are nine gifts:
3 vocal gifts – tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy
3 wisdom gifts – knowledge, discernment of spirits, wisdom
3 practical gifts – faith, healing and working of miracles
None of these gifts are of the earthly realm, they are all spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit operating from the heavenly spiritual realm, but affecting the physical realm.
Jesus had authority and power over the natural realm by walking on water, calming the storm, turning water into wine and feeding 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fishes. He worked miracles over creation. He also cast out demons and healed the sick. He raised the dead. Jesus also had knowledge, discernment of spirits and great wisdom.
Once Jesus ascended into Heaven He poured out His Holy Spirit upon those in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost, and from that time on the disciples moved in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which were given to them to reach the world.
Down through the ages many great men of God have also moved in all the gifts of the Holy Spirit and these same gifts are available for us today.
It is up to us. We can stay in the earthly realm within the laws of nature. Or we can rise up in prayer to where Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, above all rule and authority and above every name that is named. In His name you can live above the laws of nature in the higher realm of the supernatural in Christ Jesus.
We were driving through the bush veldt of Northern Ghana at night. I was watching out for any wild animals from the bus when suddenly I saw something horrendous. As tall as a tree, swirling red dust was moving slowly, and a dreadful sense of evil came from it. I began to pray in tongues. It was a figure with the arms outstretched, but it was the folds of dust moving at walking pace that scared me, as it was impossible for dust to move like that naturally. “Look at that!” I said to Rev. David Botchway beside me. “Oh that, that is a dust demon, a fallen angel. The locals call them gods and often consult them on various matters. You must not walk in such lonely dark forests at night. They can attack you.” “But I have never seen or heard of such a thing!” I spluttered. “The fallen angels seek out the dark and lonely places,” he replied. “They are not often seen.”
Fallen angels,’ I thought, ‘as big as the trees, about 15 feet tall. Angels of God are also that big, but I’ve never seen an angel of God, yet I’ve just seen this!!’
Fallen angels!? Thrown out of heaven for their sin!? Fallen Man! All because Adam and Eve traded the lovely pre-Fall world and ourselves in exchange for the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Through this we are fallen men and women, just like that fallen angel, walking through the swirling red dust, still alive, fallen from God’s grace and heavenly beauty to now walk in darkness and filth, loneliness and rejection. Then I saw more clearly the power of the Cross and what Jesus has done for us to save us from eternal darkness and give us a second chance for eternal life with Him.
We have to preach this Gospel. We must not deprive people of eternal life through our own laziness, lack of commitment, or lack of caring. We can help in some way to spread this Gospel if not by going ourselves, or we can support those who do go.
I challenge you seriously. We all have to stand before God one day. What have we done about the last thing Jesus told us to do before He ascended into Heaven? It is up to us if we don’t go or help others to go. No one else will.
Matthew 28: 18-20:‘And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.’
Mark 16: 15-18:‘And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."’
Luke 24: 44-49:‘Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."’
Serving the Lord does cost, but Jesus went all the way to the Cross for us. I know that I have to do my utmost for Him, for this is the reality of life.
Let us wake up the churches to reality and do what Christ has commanded us to do. Each one of us is called, each one of us has our special part in it, no matter how big or how small, God does not judge by size, but by the heart. Nor does it matter where the area of service is. It can be right on the very street or area where we live, for not all of us are able to go to the ends of the earth.
There are still many places in this world not yet reached with the Gospel and these are the rural villages in isolated areas and to this mission I have pledged myself to God for the rest of my life.
Some Questions to Think About
What is the difference between the worldly realm and spiritual realm?
How does the spiritual realm affect the worldly realm?
Why are the gifts of the Holy Spirit so important?
Why is obeying the commandment to 'go, make disciples of all nations' so important?