by George Runyan | Jun 13, 2018 | Devotional, George Runyan
Ephesians 4:26-27 – Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.
Anger and unforgiveness are both hindrances to one’s ability to hear the Holy Spirit. Anger either is a result of unforgiveness or leads to unforgiveness. It is one of the greatest hindrances to a believer being able to hear clearly from the Spirit of God. Paul makes room for the human emotion of anger. God gets angry. Jesus expressed anger at the unbelieving religious leaders He encountered. He never gave way to His own emotions, but expressed His Father’s view of those hardened leaders.
Paul says, “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.” I call this “keeping short accounts.” Sin creeps in and settles in one’s heart if not dealt with quickly. Anger at another is one of the most common ways for this to happen.
Jesus addresses the issues of unforgiveness in Matthew 18:23-35. He shares the story of a king forgiving one of his servants a large debt he owed. That same servant did not forgive a fellow servant who owed him only a fraction of what he was forgiven. The wicked servant had his fellow servant thrown in jail until he paid the whole debt. When the king heard what had happened, he summoned that wicked servant. The king sentenced him to jail as the wicked servant had done to his fellow servant.
In Verse 35 it states, “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:35). Anger and unforgiveness gives the enemy access to our mind and heart. When the enemy begins to affect our emotions, we become dull of hearing the Spirit of God and we find ourselves being directed by our feelings and natural reasoning rather than by the Holy Spirit. We become our own authority in the affairs of our lives and the Holy Spirit loses His rightful place of control and guidance. The enemy has put many of God’s people into prison because of anger and unforgiveness that remains in their hearts.
The Lord wants to speak to us and lead us in the way of righteousness. Let Him reveal to you any anger and unforgiveness. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you each day to keep short accounts with others. Do not let the sun go down on any anger you may have.
by George Runyan | Jun 12, 2018 | Devotional, George Runyan
Matthew 16:15-17 – But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”
Peter was listening and the Spirit of God revealed to him this powerful truth that the other men had missed. Our natural mind is great for natural things, but is dull when it comes to spiritual understandings. Another way of expressing what Jesus told Peter is, Peter you did not learn this in Sabbath School, but from my Father. In Jesus’ day, even the teachers of God’s Law had missed that He was the long awaited Messiah. Only by the Spirit of God can one know eternal truth. The Lord is eager to speak if we are eager to listen.
Based on Peter’s confession, Jesus begins to share the greater purpose of God with His disciples. He must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things, and be killed. Peter, who had heard clearly from the Father, now pulls Jesus aside, and rebukes him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You” (Matthew 16:22). It is hard to imagine Peter saying “no and Lord” in the same sentence. Satan is always standing ready to deceive us, in order to prevent God’s truth from establishing our ways.
Jesus then rebuked Satan who had inspired Peter to resist the will of God and run interference with God’s eternal purpose in Christ. It is amazing that in such a short time, one moment Peter was in tune with God’s will and soon after, speaks for Satan. This illustrates how easy it is to let our rational mind take over, and let the enemy lead. What Peter said made perfect sense to him, but it was foolishness to God’s purpose.
In the next five devotions, we will discover five hindrances to our hearing the Spirit of the Lord. Ask the Father to help you hear His Spirit better. Ask Him to remove every hindrance. Ask to be protected from Satan and his subtle attempts to distract you from the will of God our Father.
Father, my prayer is that the Holy Spirit will have complete control in my life. Deliver me from all double-mindedness. Please keep me from ever saying no to You, my Lord.
by George Runyan | Jun 11, 2018 | Devotional, George Runyan
Judges 13:25 – The Spirit of the Lord began to stir him.
In Judges, chapter thirteen through chapter sixteen, we find the life story of Samson. Samson’s life began in a supernatural way. His mom was barren. The angel of the Lord visited her and told her that she would bare a son who would deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines. The angel of the Lord appeared a second time to both Monoah and his wife declaring again that the child would be a Nazirite from birth.
Samson grew up and the Lord blessed him. The Spirit of the Lord began to stir in Samson. When the Spirit of God begins to stir an individual it means that God is directing that one to fulfill the Lord’s purpose. Samson’s purpose in God was to deliver Israel from the enslavement imposed by the Philistines.
The twelve disciples were men that the Spirit of the Lord began to stir. They did not understand what was happening in their lives, but they followed Jesus and learned to obey Him. Throughout the book of Acts many were stirred to action by the Spirit of God. They not only received the Lord’s forgiveness and His promise of eternal life, but they were stirred to give up their lives for a much higher calling and purpose. They had only known their own natural rationale, but when the Spirit of God came upon them, they began to know God’s will and purpose.
Down through history we have numerous stories of those stirred by the Spirit of God to an uncompromising life of surrender to fulfilling an assignment given to them. We are presently living in historic times as the Spirit of the Lord is stirring the next generation of mighty men and women of God. I say historic because of the number of youth that the Lord is calling.
The same Holy Spirit is anointing today a generation of young people. They are operating in unusual amounts of power. They are appointed and anointed to carry out His purpose in the earth. They are being called from every nation to the kingdom of God. They look like average people, but they have the Spirit of the Lord resting upon them. The Spirit is doing great feats in order to accomplish the Lord’s bidding in the nations.
I have spoken of the young people, but it includes older ones as well that are young in spirit. The Spirit of God is joining the older generation with the younger to form a mighty nation that will be victorious in fulfilling the Lord’s desires. Samson, like many of us, had his failings, but the Lord has promised a “victorious church.”
Father, I pray that Your Spirit would stir me and thrust me forth into the battle. I pray for the power of Your Holy Spirit to rest upon me to fulfill every assignment You have appointed me to fulfill.
by George Runyan | Jun 11, 2018 | Devotional, George Runyan
Judges 11:35 – I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.
This is a very solemn portion of Scripture that contains the story of Jephthah’s tragic vow. He vowed to the Lord to sacrifice the first thing that came out of the doors of his house if the Lord gave him victory over the sons of Ammon. He did triumph over the sons of Ammon, for the Scripture says “The Lord gave them into his hand” (Judges 11:32).
Making a vow to the Lord is a serious matter. In today’s vernacular, we might call it a promise. In the emotion of the moment, perhaps because of a stirring message or a crisis situation one may promise the Lord things that have not fully been thought through. A rash promise is a sure way to bring grief into one’s life. The Lord takes our words very seriously.
The story of Jephthah is difficult for many of us to relate to. How could the Lord allow this? How could this man follow through with his rash vow? How could his daughter be so submissive to her father? There probably is no answer that will satisfy the rationale of the human mind. It is an answer that must be heard in one’s spirit.
The Spirit of the Lord must bring revelation to us over such deep questions. The Scripture is clear about the priority the Lord puts on “keeping one’s word.” Even the Lord has “magnified His Word according to His name” (Psalm 138:2). Your word is the most valuable possession you have. It establishes who you really are. If one cannot trust a person’s word, there is no real basis of trust.
Thank God for the cross of Christ that dealt with all our sins. Only Christ could truly fulfill God’s Word and make it possible for us to become keepers of our word. Through daily intimacy with the Holy Spirit and time spent in God’s Word we learn how to regulate our words and be kept from rash promises.
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
Lord, I ask You, as the Scriptures say “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3). I am weak, but Your Holy Spirit strengthens me and will keep my heart from evil.
by George Runyan | Jun 6, 2018 | Devotional, George Runyan
Judges 6:7 – Now it came about, when the sons of Israel cried to the Lord on account of Midian, that the Lord sent a prophet to the sons of Israel.
The prophet prophesied deliverance to the children of Israel. Gideon is the man that the Spirit of the Lord chose to deliver Israel. He did not look like a deliverer or sound like one either. When the angel of the Lord addressed Gideon, He said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior” (Judges 6:12). Gideon had “why” questions for the angel. Why has all this happened to us? Where are the miracles which our fathers told us about?
Again, we see when God’s people cried out to the Lord, the Lord responded. The Spirit of God raises up prophets to proclaim what is in God’s heart. In the New Testament, all of God’s people are called to be prophetic. Some are called into the office of Prophet. He also anoints those called to lead into the battles that face us. Leaders are developed to lead God’s people to fulfill God’s purpose. Both leaders and people work together in defeating God’s enemies and to establish righteousness in the land.
A leader is first called, but then must be forged. The story of Gideon is the story of how the Spirit of God called a farmer and formed him into a leader. Gideon became a judge of God’s people. The character of leadership is something that all of us should press toward. As a believer, one is automatically called to be a leader. It might be at work or school or in the neighborhood. God has called for His people to learn to lead in society. It is time for the people of God to arise and volunteer to take back territory the enemy has stolen.
As Gideon was visited by the angel of the Lord, he asked hard questions. He sought to prove what he was hearing. God wants us to prove Him. A key to being developed by the Spirit of God is to wait upon Him and test all that we hear so we can obey with true faith. The expression of true faith is found in obedience. Obedience must first be expressed by obeying God’s written word. Obedience requires studying and praying concerning the word of God preached by His servants. Obedience is expressed by becoming sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings in one’s life. This kind of obedience demonstrates a true faith toward God.
In the normal flow of life, the Spirit of the Lord will speak to us and call us to a place of influence in our sphere. When He does, ask the questions that are in your heart. Prove Him fully and then simply obey as Gideon did. Our God wants to show Himself mighty through His willing servants.
Father, speak to me and cause me to be an influence for righteousness in my sphere of influence. Help me to obey as Gideon obeyed and to prove you mighty through my life.
by George Runyan | Jun 5, 2018 | Devotional, George Runyan
Judges 5:31 – Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord; But let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.
This verse is taken from the song of Deborah which covers the whole fifth chapter. It is her song of victory after defeating the Canaanites. The enemy had created problems for the work force in Israel. The highways were deserted and travelers went by roundabout ways. Society was in turmoil without security for tomorrow. When God’s people are serving the Lord and His purpose there are “pleasantries.” But when God’s people choose to serve the gods of this world, the pleasantries cease.
At the time of this writing, our nation has forsaken the Spirit of the living God and we are hurting in many areas, just as Israel was at that time. The nations of the world that serve false gods of secular humanism have taken control. Many in the church seek after worldly ways to expand the church, but God’s Spirit is frustrating their efforts.
Deborah, a prophetess and a judge over Israel, received a word from the Lord that He was about to deliver the Canaanites into Israel’s hands. She gave that word to Barak who was told to take an army against Jabin’s army and that Israel would conquer the enemies of God. God’s Spirit is looking for those today, who will hear and obey God’s word. The world is in crisis and only the people of God can bring the deliverance that is needed. It will take those consecrated to the Lord’s will. Judges 5:2 sums up our thought in today’s devotion, “That the leaders led in Israel and the people volunteered.”
God is looking for those called to lead. He is seeking a people that will volunteer. It is time for the people of God to arise and take down the enemies of the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord is looking for the Deborah’s and the Barak’s of today. Read over Deborah’s song in Judges Chapter five and see if the Lord has things to say to you.
Oh Lord, my prayer is that all Your enemies will perish and that those who love You will be like the rising of the sun in its might. Father, strengthen me to be an example in my life of how to overcome the enemies of God. Cause me to be a volunteer wherever Your Holy Spirit leads me to serve in order to accomplish Your purposes in this season.
