Monday, June 17, 2013

Isaiah 11:2c

Copyright Ó 2013 J. Neely
Isaiah 11:2cues

2 And the spirit [ruwach] of the LORD [Yahovah] shall rest [nuwach] upon him, the spirit [ruwach] of wisdom [chokmah] and understanding, [biynah] the spirit [ruwach] of counsel [`etsah] and might, [gabuwrah] the spirit [ruwach] of knowledge [da`ath] and of the fear [yir'ah] of the LORD; [Yahovah] KJV-Interlinear

2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. NASB

Only believers in Jesus Christ have an opportunity to have a relationship with God through Christ.

Only believers who are in fellowship have a functioning spiritual environment in which to have a spiritual life.

Prior to ones conception, ones biological life is a potential. Conception may or may not occur. The human egg has to be fertilized before biological life can begin.

Prior to birth, ones human life is a potential. You have to have human life imputed into your soul before you become a living human being. God determines the creation and timing of your human life.

Prior to ones salvation, your life with God is a potential. You have to believe in Christ before you become saved.

Prior to growing up spiritually, your spiritual growth is a potential, you have to live inside of Gods class room (fellowship) before the spiritual growth process can be effective in your life.

Prior to ones spiritual growth, your spiritual life is a potential. You have to be willing to listen and willing to learn before you can begin to grow.

That is where we are in today's study.

The second of the seven spirits is the spirit of knowledge, or the beginning of wisdom, is the word, 'chokmah.' This means perception. You have to have an open mind and be willing to listen before this component of the spiritual life takes effect. Positive volition is involved and you have to want to learn before you can begin to learn.

In the spiritual life this is one of the biggest barriers which prevents spiritual growth in most people. They not only do not want to learn in accordance with Gods teaching plan, but they are mostly indifferent toward anything which does not give them what they want immediately.

Instant gratification is one of the most difficult barriers you have to overcome before you can advance in your spiritual life.

Too many people expect temporal results from their spiritual relationship with God. They have no other means of measuring their spiritual life. We say a prayer and we expect an answer - and a good answer at that. If we don't get what we want, then our attitude is that, 'All this Bible stuff doesn't work.' So we move on to something else, which really is nothing else. We just lose interest in the Bible and our study of it.

The Bible will not give you the secret for a new rocket fuel, nor the plans for a new kitchen appliance. All we get from the Bible are the stories of Adam and David and all of the begets, and Elijah calling down lightning, and Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus and so forth. Sprinkle in a few prophecies and a few applicable proverbs and that is really the content of what the Bible has to teach, to the carnal person.  That is all they see.

At least on the surface it would seem that way to those who are not really interested.

The spiritual life is a supernatural life, not an academic life. God sets out a plan for spiritual growth and God expects us to follow His instructions exactly. If we do then what happens?

We believe in Christ and we are saved. We did not feel anything. Our hair color did not change. We did not grow an inch taller, or become better at sports. Nothing appeared to have happened, but God tells us that we are now saved. So we believe it. He sets the rules and we merely follow them.

We commit sins in our life. We confess them to God the Father. We did not feel anything. Our hair did not change colors. We did not grow an inch taller, nor did we get better in sports, but God tells us that we are now in a state of perfection which we call fellowship, and in that state we have an open line with God. So we believe it. He sets the rules which we follow.

We study Adam and Eve and David and read what Paul wrote. We did not feel anything. Our hair color did not change. We did not grow an inch taller, or become better at sports. Nothing appeared to have happened, but God tells us that while in fellowship and while we studied the Bible, He, by using the Holy Spirit who was in control of our soul, taught us doctrine, and began the spiritual building process within our soul. We believe it.

Spiritual growth is a supernatural process, not an academic process. Any unbeliever, even Satan, can read the Bible and learn it forwards and backwards. But it will do them absolutely no good. They lack a spiritual life. They lack a human spirit. They lack the communication mechanisms that the Holy Spirit provides. They do not follow Gods rules, and therefore they do not get the spiritual benefits from the Bible.

Gods house, Gods rules. We have to follow them or we cannot expect any of the advantages of a relationship with God.

The spirit of learning or as it is called here, of knowledge (wisdom) begins with our positive volition. It is our initial perception of that which we study. We have to want it, and we have to pursue a daily learning or study process in order to learn it. You cannot know what you do not learn. You cannot learn what you do not pursue in study. You do not study unless you want to. And most folks do not pursue anything unless they see some immediate benefit to them.

God makes all those benefits clear and available to everyone when they are open minded, but to those who allow their sin nature to rule them, then seeing past their own immediate desires and wants and needs is difficult.

The first spirit, fellowship.  Do you remember how it is obtained?  Confession.
The second spirit, knowledge.  Do you remember this function?  Perception by means of a daily study.