Holy Spirit Fills Valley
Dr. Lalith Mendis
Page 2 Help of the Spirit comes when He is allowed to search our heart. In this search He makes known to us the hindrances present in our heart and removes the high places and fills the low places in our heart structure that obstruct His work and flow of grace. “He makes the way of the Lord & the way for the Lord” to work on our behalf. When we allow the way of the Lord to be made in us, His power, goodness & His Highness come to our aid. When we allow the way of the Lord to be made in us, thru us he can make the way in others, as we pray. If not we can correctly pray mind prayers which have no beneficial effect. In fact some prayers condemn. Filling our valley, flattening our mound (of obstinacy), straightening our crooked place and smoothening our rough place are all the roadworks of the Holy Sprit inviting the grace & glory of God to work in us, thru us, for us. Holy Spirit hovered (brood) over the primordial creation like a hatching hen over her chicks. Gen 1:2. But it was in process of formation, for the Spirit of God moved upon the waters, ????? (breath) denotes wind and spirit, like p?e???a from p?e´? . Ruach Elohim is not a breath of wind caused by God ( Theodoret , etc.), for the verb does not suit this meaning, but the creative Spirit of God, the principle of all life ( Psa_33:6 ; Psa_104:30 ), which worked upon the formless, lifeless mass, separating, quickening, and preparing the living forms, which were called into being by the creative words that followed. ??? in the Piel is applied to the hovering and brooding of a bird over its young, to warm them, and develop their vital powers ( Deu_32:11 ). In such a way as this the Spirit of God moved upon the deep, which had received at its creation the germs of all life, to fill them with vital energy by His breath of life. This Holy Spirit returns in the NT as the Dove. Matt 3:16 . When Adam fell into sin, they took cover from the Spirit of the Lord God & hid. This hiding veil thickened with time with sin & excuses, pride & prejudice, sense & nonsense of knowledge puffing man up to resist God. Yet the decree of judgement was not pronounced. God came as usual as a gentle breeze with light of the day. This symbolism will change to fire after God pronounced judgement. Rebellion was already on. Adam did not confess but excused himself and accused woman. Woman accused serpent. By Gen 3:24 the presence of God became a flaming sword of fire barring access & fellowship. Fire said Ia m am there. Take guard. Thus far & no further. I am there yet providing but at a distance. Much of the OT symbolism of the Holy Spirit was fire. Cloud over Israelites said mercy, fire over them by night said, beware . This would change when the Messiah came and the Holy Spirit was reintroduced as the brooding, hovering cooing Dove Luk 13:34 Jerusalem ! Jerusalem ! the one killing the prophets, and stoning those having been sent to her; how often I desired to gather your children in the way a hen gathers her brood under the wings, and you did not desire it .
By Dr. Lalith Mendis
Apostolic-Sceptre.org
Page 3 How Do We Fill Our Valley? Valley is the low place in our life that prevents the grace of God flowing beyond it. As much as a high place unsubmitted to grace may stop the flow of grace, so does the low places in our life. We may call such a place a Marah. Massa Meribah was the high place of Moses that cost him entry to the Promised Land after many years of faithful ministry. At that time he acted like God and said, “You Moreh, must I give you water”. It was not Moses who gave water. God gave the water. Anyone in leadership must take care of this attitude. Our gift belongs to those who need help by it. Benefactors in any realm are given endowment & beneficence by the Highest One that we may benefit others. Our gift belongs to those who are served by it. We can serve in sacred or secular service only by what God gave us. Take care - we may fill our low place by affection we receive from others. We may in fact give love in order to get love. We may fill our low place with the achievements of our children. We may fill our low place by human love we crave and get by doing kind things by our own goodness and their response is consumed by our love deficit. Our Love Deficit can be permanently filled only by Christ. He alone can heal the broken heart. What is filling your love deficit right now? Take stock, you are filling your valley with wood, hay stubble. Again we shall be disappointed – valley will remain depressed. Pressure will expose the depression. Let's do it right this season. Let the Holy Spirit fellowship with us in our infirmity. When we disciple people we draw them to Christ. This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit in us, for us & thru us. Joh 16:13-15 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come. (14) He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you. (15) All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you. If we are unhealed and have a love deficit we will draw people to ourselves. For a season we feel loved & filled. We have not pointed the person to Christ. They depend on us. We like it so to be. Very soon both parties get disappointed. Let Christ fill the low place in our life. It is necessary that we appreciate each other, however Christ alone have to give us our worth & significance. Strangely, when we have a valley, we may even say, “no one can be trusted. Jesus alone can help me”. We are asked to trust Jesus and fellowship, give & receive from our “life laid down” relationships. This si why we are in relational groups. Sunday service provides for God celebration. Groups provide for life celebration with true friends. If not we have to regularly change our friends, because the “last best friend” failed our expectation. Remember there is always a gap between expectation & experience. Only Christ is all sufficient. It is His wisdom that He sets the lonely in a family that we may receive, learn & give agape. When we see our friend lacking, let's help him fill that area. We all have lack that needs help. This is the fellowship of the Holy Spirit in us for ourselves & thru us for others. We are getting there. I am agape in process . Do not give up.
By Dr. Lalith Mendis
Apostolic-Sceptre.org
Page 4
Gift & Beneficence I expect my gift in life (talent, ability) to earn for me much & to take me to great heights. The experience of the man who expects my gift to help him or serve him is not that good. The would be beneficiary may be my child, my spouse, patient, client, student, customer, colleague or junior. Should be benefactor lives for himself and for his advancement and not to satiate the need or discomfort of the man at the need end. There is a wide breach between the gift expectation & experience. Conflicts arise in this gap. Even regarding spiritual gifts & ministry we may use the gift for our satisfaction when God gave the gift that we may serve others. Of course we have legitimate God given joy & fulfillment when we use our gift for Him to serve others. We need to take care that we do not lavish the gift on ourselves for our glory or our desire. Cause & Cost Agreement strengthens – disagreement weakens. This is why darkness has advanced and light is slow to advance. Christians have not agreed that they are under another Command for a heavenly cause. David asked, “Is there not a cause?” Surely there is a cost too. 1 Sam 17:29. Causeless curse shall not alight. Costless cause shall not prevail. Psa 5:8 Lead me, O Jehovah, in Your righteousness, because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face. Make Your Way straight before my face – is the needed prayer. His Way + my face make the advance for His kingdom. Yet many believers have their way before their face. That we loose sight of His way & other lesser affinities cloud & crowd my face is the problem. His Way + my face = God advance My way + my face = I struggle Remember that in agreement we open gates of heaven & shut the gates of hades. Matt 18:16-18. Agree to obey all the word of God you know. Obedience opens gates of heaven & shuts the gates of hades. Disobedience shuts heaven & opens hades. This is true for children, health & finances. When choosing a marriage partner, remember that the partner must enhance your call. Never enter relationships that will diminish your heavenly call & life's harvest from God the Father. You are His purchased property. We have to give an account to the Lord about the harvest of our life in every season. Please do not live your days causally. Every day's 24 hours of Time is God's investment in our life. He will ask what did you do? Here is the agreement I ask from whom I disciple . This is how we lived. Discipleship is a growing relationship in Christ where Christ forms the head of the triangle.
By Dr. Lalith Mendis
Apostolic-Sceptre.org
Page 5 Personal & Family • Daily family prayer, daily Bible reading, daily devotional time • Prayerfully plan your children's future – never compromise on their marriage • Never miss tithes Gal 6:6 • In job change or promotion insure that you will not compromise on your time & ensure financial morality • Never miss Sunday – even if children or you are sick; church is the place of healing. • Confess to spouse quickly when you feel financially or sexually vulnerable • Do not miss spiritual commitments giving priority to work or pleasure. • Even when obliging relatives do not reduce on your call from the Lord • Decide what you need to share with your Discipling Senior – any weakness or misunderstanding, in this we learn the fellowship of the Holy Spirit and help each other to walk in the light Ministry Training • Every week or biweekly cell with your friend or relative or neighbour to bring them to Christ & disciple further. This is the yoke of Jesus We share together Matt 11;28-30 • Do your utmost not to miss Saturday. Report your absence because you consider spiritual equipping more important than work training • Remember you are walking together in a group – in essentials unity, in all things charity
By Dr. Lalith Mendis
Apostolic-Sceptre.org