Not a 'Voiceless' Realm

Up until the time they met Paul of Tarsus, the Corinthians had been idol worshippers. They probably had a more accurate “worldview” than 21st Century western culture proposes; at least it included an unseen spiritual world. However, Paul was about to introduce them to something quite different.

As he approaches the topic in his first letter to the Corinthians (chapter 12), Paul first announces that he does not want them to be ignorant of spiritual gifts. Following which, he reminds them of something they already know: that in life, up until this time, they had been idol worshippers; however, they had become completely familiar with dumb idols; that is, their spiritual world was passive, not interactive – there was no voice.

As Psalm 115:4-8 tells us, they have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes, but they do not see; ears, but they do not hear ... and so on.

Having mentioned the “voicelessness” of the spirit realm as they had known it, Paul, about to introduce to them the interactive realm of the Holy Spirit, first warns them: (from the original Living Bible) But now you are meeting people who claim to speak messages from the Spirit of God. How can you know they are really inspired by God or whether they are fakes? Here is the test: no one speaking by the power of the Spirit of God can curse Jesus, and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” and really mean it, unless the Holy Spirit is helping him.

What we learn is that God wants to bring us into the interactive realm of the Holy Spirit. This is normal Christianity. This was Jesus’ normal world, in constant interaction with the heavenly realm, doing nothing of himself, but what he saw the Father doing (John 5:19). It’s a realm of speaking, seeing, hearing, sensing, touching, and going (taken from Psalm 115 – the opposite of dumb idols who can’t speak, see, hear, smell, handle or walk)

Paul then lists for them nine examples that show that we’re no longer in a voiceless spirit realm, but a wonderfully interactive space where …
the wisdom of God comes rushing in when perplexing decisions and situations are being faced (the word of wisdom)
things only God could know about us are revealed in order to release a faith in us that He is in control and is poised to breakthrough for us (the word of knowledge)
when a miracle needs to be unlocked for us, faith of the kind that unlocks miracles is released (faith by the same Spirit)
healing can be accessed for all kinds of disease and aliment, the pain, debilitation and waste of sickness powerfully overcome (gifts of healing)
when a nothing but the power of God invading a human life will turn an adverse tide, God himself works with dunamis (the working of miracles)
God speaks to people in New Zealand in 2010; all kinds of people hearing from God through all kinds of people (prophecy)
complete clarity concerning who’s who and what’s what in the unseen heavenly realm, so that all that is good and Godly can touch people (discerning of spirits)
and God communicating his love to people, even by giving someone a language supernaturally with which to be his life-giving voice (different kinds of tongues)
and foreign languages being interpreted supernaturally, so that there’s not a person on the planet to whom God cannot speak intimately and powerfully (interpretation of tongues)

The reason why God brings us out of a passive, voiceless realm (even if it’s ‘Christian’) and brings us into an interactive realm of hearing and seeing and sensing and speaking and touching and going where demonstrates himself authentically and intimately and uniquely to every human life is found in the 12th verse of 1st Corinthians 12. It’s because the body is connected to the head! It’s not just hanging passively at the neck: singing inspiring songs, listening to good sermons, doing it’s bit to help … NO! The body is as alive as the head – a living, breathing, expression of the head - Jesus is Christ is the head and the Church is Christ the body.

This Church that’s been ushered into the realm of the Spirit is present in every nation to be a dynamic reproduction of a unique three and a half years of human history. The history of a man whom Acts 10:38 records God anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Others called Jesus ‘the Son of God’; he called himself ‘the Son of Man’. He didn’t come to show us what God could do, he came to show us what man could do. And man being Christ is what all creation is longing to see revealed.

So Paul, this great apostle, writes to a local church and says: Now concerning spiritual gifts … I do not want you to be ignorant.

All the gifts of the Spirit function out of a hearing relationship with God; in face more than that, a conversational relationship with God. We certainly want to hear in order to prophecy or share a word of knowledge: and we hear by word and picture impressions, by thoughts, by scripture coming to us, etc. But we also must hear what to do to minister healing or deliverance in any particular situation.

Psalm 139:1-18 is a like a love letter (try to read it in Kenneth Taylor’s ‘Living Bible’) – it’s Jesus letting us know that he’s living-out an inseparable life with us – he is constantly thinking about us: he is continually aware of every building we enter, every room where in, every person with whom we’re doing business, every road we travel on, the vehicle we’re in, the people in the car with us, the plans we’re making, the fun we enjoy, the sadness’s we encounter, the decisions we must make, the music we love listening to, our favourite TV shows . . .
And all the time, placing his hand of blessing on my head.

I have met many a believer who would not like the thought of such a continual presence in all they are doing . . . but that’s because they discount the enormity of the grace of God toward them; the grace that stoops, that forgives; love in which there is mercy without judgement.

We read of Brother Lawrence (the Monastery cook) in a book titled “The Practice of the Presence of God”. I was struck by a wonderful idea: according to Psalm 139, God has been practicing the presence of David (please insert your own name) for a long time – Jesus lives in the reality of his union with me: I am in him and he is in me – nothing hinders his awareness or enjoyment of this reality.

As a young man, working each day in a kitchen, Brother Lawrence, discovered the simple art of conducting his life in a continual interaction with God. The thing that I found most helpful from his testimony was that the practical key to practicing the presence of God was keeping a conversation going with God through the day.

I learned that gently talking to the Lord, rather than just thinking, brings a far greater awareness of the nearness of Jesus … and the release of joy that accompanies that.

A few quotes from “The Practice of the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence

Brother Lawrence insisted that it is necessary to always be aware of God’s presence by talking with him throughout each day. To think that you must abandon conversation with him in order to deal with the world is erroneous.

In the beginning, Brother Lawrence declared that a little effort was needed to form the habit of continuously conversing with God, telling him everything that was happening. But after a little careful practice, God’s love refreshed him, and it became quite easy.

When any outside business unnecessarily diverted him from his communication with God, a little reminder came from the Lord which took possession of his soul, flooding it with the image of God. This sometimes set him in fire to the point that he felt a great impulse to shout praises, to sing, and to dance before the Lord with joy.

I know a young pastor who carries with him a letter from his doctor, written especially for the benefit of places like airport security – it explains that Mr Dunn is perfectly healthy and sound but is prone to having profound religious experiences of joy.

“During your meals or during any daily duty, lift up your heart to him. You don’t have to pray out loud; he’s nearer than you can imagine. These conversations can be so loving and gentle, and anyone can have them.

I thought about the current evangelism model pioneered by Kevin Dedmon, called ‘Treasure Hunting’. It involves going into public places armed with picture impressions of people, and words of knowledge, encouragements or healing prayer for them. I began to visualise a continual conversation with God having a similar effect wherever we go – whether a planned ‘Treasure Hunt’ initiative or not. I even could see part of my conversation with God including, “You do realise how freaky I find this Jesus, don’t you?”

Since you believe that God is always with you, no, matter what you may be doing, why shouldn’t you stop for awhile to adore him, to praise him, to petition him, to offer him your heart, and to thank him? Stop for a few moments to enjoy him.

In the beginning of this practice, it would not be wrong to offer short phrases that are inspired by love, such as “Lord, I am all yours,” “God of love, I love you with all my heart,” or “Lord, use me according to your will.”

Although this exercise may be difficult ay first to maintain, it has marvelous effects on the soul when faithfully practiced. It draws the graces of the Lord down in abundance and shows the soul how to see God’s presence everywhere with a pure and loving vision.

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Not a

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