Are you a "hearer" or a "believer"?

I have still many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them or to take them upon you or to grasp them now. ~John 16:12 (AMP)

While Jesus was still with His disciples, He told them there were still “many things” He wanted to share with them.  But He knew His disciples were not in a position to understand those truths, much less accept and receive them to implement them into their lives.  There are still a lot of things Jesus wants to convey to us as well and He does it through His Word and His Spirit living in us.  When we read God’s word, Jesus speaks to us.  John 1:1 tells us “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” (NIV)  Again, in John 1:14, the Lord tells us “So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” (NLT)  Jesus is the Word of God and He has sent to us the Holy Spirit to convey His truth.  It’s the Spirit of God that transfers the Word of God from our head to our heart.  Then and only then are we able to understand, accept and receive from God.  That is the difference between someone who only hears the word and someone who actually believes the word.  It’s the Holy Spirit!  He is our difference maker.  He is the one that enables us to live in Christ and for Christ.  He teaches us to live godly and pure lives.  He encourages us to humble ourselves and trust in God’s word. 

If you are a believer, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you are going to “hunger and thirst after righteousness”.  You are a new creation, and you don’t want to run after the same things the world is running after.  You want to do those things that are good and pleasing to God.  You want to be holy because you have been made righteous.  You have made all the mistakes you can stomach, and you are humble enough to say you really don’t know as much as you thought you did.  You are a changed person.  Have you been changed?  Has the Word of God moved from your head to your heart?  If so, you are in a position to make a difference in this world.  Jesus said in Matthew 16:19 “I will give you the keys to the kingdom from heaven. Whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven.” (ISV)  We don’t have to stumble around getting over-religious with this scripture.  God says He has put His Spirit in you to walk in truth and victory.  You have the ability to say no to wrong and yes to right and every time you do, you are using the keys Jesus gave you to unlock doors to operate in God’s kingdom.   God has sown His message, and the enemy has sown His.  It’s up to us to decide God’s word will be the one that reigns in our hearts!

Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night. ~Revelation 12:10 (NLT)

What has changed in your heart and life since you decided to follow Jesus?

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