Look Who’s Talking
As a disciple of Christ you should be experiencing, on some level, the Spirit prompting you and speaking to you. Usually this is done through scripture as Jesus said would occur in John chapters 14-16. In conjunction, this is when doubt surfaces. Doubt that he ‘speaks’ at all. When doubt surfaces, our human nature is to retreat to our last comfortable position, even if we hate it. This is why women will go from one abusing person to another or men will marry a wife just like their guilt-tripping mom. I want to encourage you to look past this doubt-zone and start being led by the Spirit. This is the prevailing theme in the New Testament and therefore, interwoven through every passage.
Timothy is instructed by Paul in 1 Timothy 4.1-5 that in the end times there will be seducing spirits. The word “seducing” from the Greek word (planos) means “tramp-like imposters”. These seducing spirits are described as acting and talking as if the Holy Spirit has empowered them. They are imposters; hypocrites by nature. It says they speak lies (pseudo logos) in their hypocrisy because their conscience (spirit) is seared over with a hot iron. Notice the lower case s; meaning either men with spirits are demonic in nature, as when Judas was called a “devil” in John 20. The discussion of multiple “spirits” is prolific the New Testament.
Where did Paul and Timothy get this information? The Holy Spirit. In verse one, Paul leads the text by stating that the Holy Spirt (capital “s”) has revealed this truth. After all, He is the Spirit of Truth (John 16). He revealed it ahead of time and spoke it to a believer. This has immediate application — If we only wait until we are in trouble to then ask for help and understanding, then we are missing the point. He wants a constant conversation. He wants to give us a heads up on things and reveal truth to us all the time; sometimes even ahead of time. He is by nature a preparer. The Bible states in 2 Corinthians 10.4— (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Do you really think you will win by positive thinking or taking a pill? It is a spiritual war. Every believer MUST focus on that truth! Every battle in this life has spiritual undertones or is a spiritual battle itself. We must therefore fight with spiritual weapons. Without those spiritual weapons and without a war-like awareness about you, we will not be able to do the next verse (2 Corinthians 10.5— Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;)
How did the Holy Spirit reveal it exactly? It would do us good to look into a Greek study of these two terms: Speaketh and Expressly. Speaketh — (lego) — to relate by discourse as in to speak by ‘laying out’ bare. At the time, the Greeks would use it as: “breaking silence.” A closely related term in Greek is ‘logos’ where we get the word ‘word’ or revelation. In text, the “th” ending also concludes a continual action. In other words, “The Holy Spirit has been saying or has been trying to say.” The word Expressly (rhetos)— means in stated terms, or distinct.
From what we just defined— He is speaking by way of discourse in distinctly stated terms.
Notice the hypocrisy:
- The Holy Spirit — speaketh expressly — lego rhetos
- The Hypocrite spirit — speaking lies — pseudo logos
- ‘lego’ and ‘logos’ are from the same lineage word — to speak information or revelation.
You are in a real pickle believer! The spirits of this world are competing against the Holy Spirit for your soul (mind will and emotions). They WILL win if you allow your spirit (consciousness) to be seared over. Because in so doing, you won’t feel or hear the Holy Spirit like you once did.
Let us seek Him today. Let us take time to ask the Holy Spirit to forgive us for not listening and worse, not obeying. Let us ask Him to return our spiritual ears once again and be “led of the Spirit” afresh.