The Holy Spirit Book: The Importance of Spiritual Power

The Holy Spirit Book: The Importance of Spiritual Power
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

As believers, we are not to fill up our lives at the gas pump of “regular living.” We cannot live a Kingdom life on low octane human fuel. Instead, God wants us to fill up our lives at the source of “supernatural living.” That source, that Life, is the Holy Spirit.

Because spiritual power only comes from a supernatural source, it cannot come from a natural or human source. It is not found in personal influence, in personal success, in personal achievements, in personal wealth, nor in personal education. Kingdom work can only be done in a Kingdom way, and the way God does all His work is through the Holy Spirit.

“This is the word of the LORD of Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6

Only the Holy Spirit can make it possible for us to experience the life God has called us to live. IN fact, God has not given us the option to “get by” on the regular gasoline of our own resources. God does not tell us to do the best we can (even if we do ping a lot), and He does not tell us to mix fuels. God tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit alone.

Empowerment by the Holy Spirit is available to every believer. This empowering is essential for holy living and for spiritual service. Jesus spoke about this when He met with His disciples after His resurrection and before He ascended to the right hand of the Father. (Acts 1:4-8)

None of us should push on in our own strength or try running until we are out of gas and end up parked by the side of the road with an empty tank. We not only need to be filled with the Spirit, but we also need to keep on being filled. His filling is abundant and freely given, and He is more than able to keep us full as we partake of His abundance, moment by moment, and day by day.

#theholyspiritbook #roylessin #spiritualpower

©2023, 2017 Roy Lessin, “The Holy Spirit Book”. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Standing Firm: Part 4, A Triumphant Proclamation

Standing Firm: Part 4, A Triumphant Proclamation
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

 

Lord, the battle is Yours.
You are the final word in every conflict, and conquer every foe. You can deliver with many or with few, flatten a walled stronghold or break the fetters off those who are bound.

You are almighty, no one is stronger; You sit upon heaven’s throne, no one is higher; You know all things, no one is wiser. You know exactly what to do—when You move no one can stop You; when You speak no one can silence You.

 
I am covered in Your mercies, clothed in Your righteousness, dressed in Your armor. I gird myself with Your truth, and abide under the shelter of Your wings.

You are my dwelling place, I am at rest;
You are my hiding place, I am secure;
You are my fortress, I am safe;
You are my tower, I am sheltered;
You are my shield, I am protected.

Thank You, Mighty God, that the battle, the weapons, the strategy and the victory are all Yours—You are the One who will raise up a standard against the enemy when he comes in like a flood; You will not allow any weapon that is formed against me to prosper; You will put the enemy to flight—I proclaim it and believe it to be so in the name of Him who is seated at Your right hand—the One who triumphed over sin, death, and the powers of darkness—the One whose blood redeems, whose stripes heal, whose grace sustains, whose hands uphold, and whose love never fails—the King of kings, the name above all names, Jesus Christ the Lord!

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:12-13 NKJV).

#standingfirm #atriumphantproclamation #meetinginthemeadow #roylessin

©2023 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

My Monday Prayer: Receive His Benediction

My Monday Prayer: Receive His Benediction
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

 

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20–21 NKJV).

May you receive from the Lord Jesus Christ, who is mighty and abundant in you, every blessing, every kindness, and every provision of life to be abundantly joyful, exceedingly peaceful, extremely hopeful, and overwhelmingly grateful for His abounding grace and favor toward you.

#mymondayprayer #benediction #roylessin #aplaceathistable #meetinginthemeadow

©2023 Roy Lessin, A Place at His Table, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

The Holy Spirit Book: Recognizing the Voice of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit Book: Recognizing the Voice of the Holy Spirit -Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow When the Holy Spirit speaks, He will speak to us with words and in ways that we will understand. If He wants us to know something, we will know it. If He wants us to go somewhere, He will show us how to get there. If He wants us to do something, He will equip us to do it, in His strength! Because each member of the Trinity is a divine person, each One has a voice and is a communicator. God the Father has a voice, and He speaks. (Genesis 24:7) Jesus Christ has a voice, and He speaks. (John 10:27) The Holy Spirit has a voice, and He speaks. (Revelation 2:29) Each person of the Trinity communicates with each other, and They communicate with us. “All that belongs to the Father is Mine; this is why I said, “The Spirit will tell you whatever He receives from Me.” John 16:15 The voice of the Lord in our lives is like the sound of no other voice. When we learn to recognize His voice, it will be as familiar as our own mother’s voice. Jesus said that when He speaks to His sheep, the sheep recognize His voice and follow Him, because they will not follow the voice of a stranger. Because God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are good communicators, we need to be good listeners. The voice of the Holy Spirit in our lives is an inner voice. His voice is closer and more intimate than any audible human voice, for He speaks to us in the deepest part of our beings. “The person who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.” 1 Corinthians 6:17 We need to be wise and discerning as we listen for God’s voice. There are many voices trying to get our attention. The voice of the enemy tries to deceive us to follow his voice, the voice of the world tries to pressure us to follow its demands, and the voice of others tries to persuade us to follow their point of view. Our desire and prayer should focus on pleasing the Lord in our responses and not hardening our hearts when we hear His voice (Hebrews 3:15). Here are several important truths to help us hear and identify God’s voice in our lives. WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS TO US, He is clear and specific. (Acts 11:12) WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS TO US, His voice will most often be a still small voice that is calm and gently in tone. He will often nudge us or prompt us. (1 Kings 19:12) WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS TO US, it will be in agreement with Christ’s heart, will, and ways, and will be consistent with God’s divine nature and character. (John 19:4-5) WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS TO US, we will have peace and we will walk in peace as we obey. (Psalm 85:8) WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS TO US, He will always be in agreement with the Truth of God’s Word. (John 16:13) WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS TO US, we need to be good listeners who desire to obey. (1 Samuel 3:7-10) God will speak to us through the Scriptures, through His Son, and through the witness of the Holy Spirit. We also discover in the Scriptures that God can speak to us through circumstances, through dreams and visions, through the voice of His people, through spiritual gifts, or through His angelic messengers. The question we should be asking is not whether God speaks to us, but whether or not we are good listeners and are willing to do His will from the heart once He reveals it to us. #theholyspiritbook #roylessin #recognizingthevoiceoftheholyspirit

©2023, 2017 Roy Lessin, The Holy Spirit Book, Meeting in the Meadow. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

The Holy Spirit Book: Author Reflections

The Holy Spirit Book: Author Reflections
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

In the final chapter of the book, Roy shares with readers some personal moments from his own life that tell how, as a lifelong student of the school of the Holy Spirit, he began to hear His voice and learn His ways. The following is a condensed excerpt from a personal story he calls, “The River.”

After co-founding DaySpring Cards and writing greeting cards for sixteen years, I came to a place where I felt I had nothing left to give. Darkness and despair settled over me. Eventually I stepped out of the creative division of DaySpring and seriously considered leaving the company.

It was in that dark time that the Holy Spirit brought a new light of hope to my heart. He strengthened my faith and began to rebuild my courage to move on. I was asked to write a premium devotional book. For years I had desired to write a devotional book for DaySpring, but the greeting card demands never allowed me to do it. God was truly granting me a desire of my heart.

During the time I wrote my first devotional, God was resurrecting something creatively within me that I knew had died. He opened up my understanding to something that changed my entire outlook on the creative process. What God showed me was a beautiful, clear, wide, flowing river. The headwaters of the river began at the heart of God. The river was His Holy Spirit. “This is My creative river.” He said. “It is an eternal river, for everything about Me is eternal. I am the Creator and My creativity is eternal.”

My heart immediately responded to what God was showing me. That day, by faith, I stepped into God’s creative river.

When I stepped in, there were new things I discovered. One was that the river immediately touched me. It washed, cleansed, refreshed and renewed me.

The second thing I discovered was the vastness of the river. There was plenty of room for me to move about, and there was also an abundance of water for others. There was enough creative room for all who would come.

A third thing I discovered was that the things God was sending downstream to touch my life were not meant for me alone. Each thing was meant to move downstream to touch the lives of others.

A final thing I discovered was that there was no striving in the river, only a flow. I didn’t have to try and make things happen. The flow was God’s, not mine.

I knew that He alone was the source of all I did. This realization freed me from pressure, stress, and burnout. My experience in God’s river moved me to a new level of creativity, joy, and rest in the work that God had given me to do.

#theholyspiritbook #theholyspirit #authorreflections #roylessin #roylessinreflections 

© 2023, 2017 Roy Lessin, “The Holy Spirit Book”. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

The Holy Spirit Book: Expectations

The Holy Spirit Book: Expectations
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

“The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him now knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:17

Receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit does not mean that you have arrived at a place of perfection or instant spiritual maturity. It is not the end of something, but rather the beginning of a deeper and richer walk with God.

Once you have received the gift of baptism with the Holy Spirit you may think, “Now what?”

While this experience does have a starting point in your life, it does not have an ending point. God promises to complete the good work that He began in you throughout your life by bringing you to a place of spiritual maturity in your walk of faith and obedience.

You can expect a personal experience.

When we read through the Book of Acts we find that the experiences of those who receive the baptism and filling with the Holy Spirit were not always the same. There is no rule that your experience must be identical to someone else’s in order to be genuine. We do not need to seek the same circumstances or the same manifestations of the baptism with the Holy Spirit that others have had. *Each believers experience will be uniquely different.*

The important thing is to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit by faith. The experience you have with the Holy Spirit, the spiritual gifts He gives you, and how He chooses to manifest Himself in your life will be personal to you and according to His will.

Many people have had different experiences after receiving the baptism and filling with the Holy Spirit. These people had different temperaments and personalities, many had different church backgrounds, some immediately experienced a manifestation of a certain spiritual gift, others experienced a manifestation of certain spiritual gifts months or years later, some became very quiet and filled with peace, some were set free of certain fears, and some were set free from certain bondages, yet they all had one thing in common--their experience was *real*.

#theholyspiritbook #theholyspirit #roylessin #expectations #expectationsoftheholyspirit

© 2023, 2017 Roy Lessin, “The Holy Spirit Book”. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Standing Firm, Part 3

Standing Firm, Part 3
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

 

“May I hear about you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).

 

As God’s child, here are ten truths your faith can stand firmly upon:

1. You can stand firm because God will keep you from falling. (Jude 1:24)
2. You can stand firm because Jesus and His words are your foundation. (Matthew 7:24)
3. You can stand firm because not one attribute of God’s love is momentary, or insufficient in any need you face. (Jeremiah 31:3)
4. You can stand firm because hardship, difficulty, or tribulation cannot cancel God’s grace toward you. (2 Corinthians 9:8)
5. You can stand firm because the Lord’s strength in you never weakens. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
6. You can stand firm because He is worthy! (Revelation 5:9)
7. You can stand firm because God is your caring Father. (1 Peter 5:7)
8. You can stand firm because the Gospel of Jesus Christ is still the only hope of the world. (Romans 1:16)
9. You can stand firm because the greatest joy of your heart is found in pleasing Him. (Colossians 1:10)
10. You can stand firm because God your Father, Jesus your Lord, the Holy Spirit your Comforter, Heaven’s Angels, and your brothers and sisters in Christ are on your side. (Romans 8:31)

#standingfirm #standfirm #roylessin #devotional #meetinginthemeadow #scripturaltruths 

©2023 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

My Monday Prayer: There Is…

My Monday Prayer: There Is…
-Roy Lessin and Marina Bromley

 

There Is...
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2 NLT).

 

For the journey there is guidance:
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye
(Psalm 32:8 NKJV).

For the walk there is endurance:
May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:5 NLT).

For the task there is strength:
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Ephesians 6:10 NKJV).

My Monday Prayer
-Marina Bromley

My Lord, God, You are powerful and mighty. You know which way my road will go this week, and You alone will direct my steps. Your Word is a light and lamp to my feet and path, and I need it as I journey this week in whatever lies ahead for me. I trust You with my life, and the lives of those I love and care about. May You be at work in us as we prepare to face our giants in life. We need you to prepare us for the journey ahead, giving us Your endurance and strength for whatever battles we face. We believe You will go ahead of us, preparing the way and making it straight. Increase our faith! Help me to trust Your direction, and lean into You, and not try to do it on my own strength. You want to help me, and I need You to help me. You are my everything, and I live to bring Your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.

#prayer #mymondayprayer #godprovides #godgives #meetinginthemeadow #roylessin #marinabromley #aplaceathistable #devotion #devotional

©2023 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Adapted from A Place at His Table, by Roy Lessin. Prayer and Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

The Holy Spirit Book: A Prayer, The Promise of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit Book: A Prayer, The Promise of the Holy Spirit
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

LORD, with a heart washed clean through the blood of JESUS, I come to you to be baptized and filled with the HOLY SPIRIT. I present myself fully to You, as a yielded vessel, to obey and glorify You. Use me as it pleases You.

I come to You unconditionally. I come to You thirsty. I come to drink. I come by faith, trusting in Your promise to baptize and fill me with the HOLY SPIRIT. Thank You for Your promise and for the gift of the HOLY SPIRIT.

JESUS, I ask You to baptize and fill me now with the HOLY SPIRIT in this moment. By faith and with gratitude, I receive Your gift. HOLY SPIRIT, I drink of You.

JESUS, thank You for baptizing me with the HOLY SPIRIT. HOLY SPIRIT, thank You for filling me with Your presence, and for coming upon me with Your power.

Amen.

© 2017, 2023 Roy Lessin, The Holy Spirit Book. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

#theholyspiritbook #aprayer #prayer #prayerontheholyspirit #royelessin

Standing Firm, Part 2

Standing Firm, Part 2
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).

Stand Firm: In the Lord! In the Word! In faith! In love! Steadfast upon His unshakable, unsinkable foundation. Consistently, confidently, courageously! Fearlessly, firmly, faithfully. Compassionately, without compromise. Not passively, indifferently, half-heartedly. Not weak-kneed, uncertain, timid. Solid. Secure. Strong in patience, in purpose, in prayer. Persevering. Persistent. Staying the course. Completing the assignment. Full of hope, trust, mercy. Committed! All-in, all the time. With a kingdom perspective. In truth, in righteousness, in humility, for the greatest good, until Jesus comes!

#standingfirm #standfirm #devotional #encouragement #difficulttimes #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2023 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

My Monday Prayer, Clean Hands and a Pure Heart

My Monday Prayer, Clean Hands and a Pure Heart
-Roy Lessin and Marina Bromley

Clean Hands and a Pure Heart
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

 

Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. Psalm 24:3–5 NLT

 

Psalm 24:3–5 speaks about clean hands and a pure heart. Our hands will be clean as we allow God to work through us, and our hearts will be pure as we allow God to work within us:

Clean hands impact our actions; a pure heart impacts our attitudes.
Clean hands will be seen by others; a pure heart will be seen by God.
Clean hands will do right things; a pure heart will do them for the right reasons.

My Monday Prayer
-Marina Bromley

My Sweetest Heavenly Father, You have created me to bring You glory; You have chosen me to follow You and live with You forever; You celebrate each time I choose to obey You and walk in Your ways; You cherish the relationship I have with You...thank You so much!

As I continue to learn to walk in Your ways, please change my hands and heart to bring You glory and point people to You daily. Make me more like You! May my attitude and motivation be to please You, not people. Bring me to a place of quiet humility where I may sit with You and hear your heart beat for those that You love. I am yours, and I desire that all You have called by name will choose today as their day of salvation. May Your will be done, dear Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen.

#mymondayprayer #cleanhandspureheart #cleanhands #pureheart #meetinginthemeadow #roylessin #marinabromley 

©2023 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow from A Place at His Table. Prayer and photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

The Holy Spirit Book: Receiving the Fullness of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit Book: Receiving the Fullness of the Holy Spirit
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

“As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, O God.” Psalm 42:1 NLT Spiritual thirst is longing after God. It is a need within us that we must have God and no substitute. Just like our body needs water and must drink, so our spirit needs God’s presence and we must drink of His Spirit. A thirsty person is not passive or indifferent about his need for water. A thirsty person does not need to analyze water, study water, or debate water – the need of a thirsty person is to drink water. Are you spiritually thirsty? If you are, then Jesus promises to give you drink. No one needs to be spiritually dehydrated or die of spiritual thirst. This is Jesus’ promise. Come to Him, the One who will baptize you and fill you with the Holy Spirit. He has promised to satisfy your thirst and place within you the river of the Holy Spirit that will never run dry. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6 NKJV Receiving the baptism and filling with the Holy Spirit is not difficult. FIRST, prepare you heart to receive: Confess and forsake all sin. (Proverbs 28:13) Give yourself fully to the Lord. (Romans 12:1) Set your heart on obedience. (Acts 5:32) NOW, receive the baptism and filling with the Holy Spirit by faith. (Galatians 3:14) You receive God’s gifts, not by striving, but by trusting; not by working, but by believing; not through fret, but through faith. Receiving the baptism and filling with the Holy Spirit is as simple as drinking water. If you are thirsty, drink. ASK Jesus now to baptize and fill you with the promised Holy Spirit. © 2017, 2023 Roy Lessin, The Holy Spirit Book. All rights reserved, used with permission.

 

 

APPLICATION: Why does God command us to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Are you thirsty for the fullness of the Holy Spirit? Are you ready to drink of the Spirit by faith? Write your own prayer to receive the baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit. Pray that prayer, asking Jesus to baptize and fill you with the Holy Spirit. Receive the Spirit now by faith. Record the date and share what Jesus has done for you.

#theholyspiritbook #theholyspirit #receivingthefulness #roylessin