The most difficult topic to teach is to teach how to listen to the Holy Spirit. A few students may find it effortless like drinking water or even mere breathing. But most students just do not seem to get anywhere. This has been the experience of the watchman as a ‘teacher’. Yesterday he stumbled upon his ‘old’ blog on how he started his personal journey in the Holy Spirit. It was hilarious. He just could not remember those earlier days of apprenticeship. But the outcome is worth all the foolish stumbling along, because of his analytical mind as opposed to the spiritual mind being led by the Holy Spirit (as a son of God should). He now marvels at the patience and long-suffering of the Lord who did not give up on him.
The watchman was merely demonstrating what he does normally: sitting on the floor before the Lord and learning from the Lord. But the class could not get it. Even his translator started looking at the time and pushed her hand phone to him pointing to the time when it reached 3pm! He observed that people were struggling to stay awake and/or figure out what it all meant to be a “New Creation” ( a topic which the Lord prompted him to read with them today).
Sitting there before the Lord, reading the Bible verses as led by the Spirit of Christ, focusing on Yeshua, listening to what the Holy Spirit had to say, all these were exactly the practical activities of learning to follow the Holy Spirit. But after he finished the session, the translator told him that it was all theory and no practical so they all felt sleepy and exhausted. It had been a long and tiring day for them as they had to listen to a long and hard sermon before the afternoon class. They also had a heavy curry lunch.Indeed by the time he let them leave everyone was relieved.
The watchman could have gone on for hours. But there was no more ‘student’ or ‘apprentice’. He had a long day too. On the previous two nights he had only a few hours of sleep. Today he also sat through the morning worship and sermon with them. The only difference was that he skipped lunch, which has become a comfortable habit. He felt fresh and wide awake. The word of God spoke clearly and brought marvelous light into his being. They were reading a lot of verses about the light of God.
The practical part of “listening to the Holy Spirit” was actually the waiting upon the Lord, reading Bible verses and listening to what the Lord say. In his case today, the room was of course filled with sounds of toddlers at the same time. he could understand how the class must have ‘suffered’. But this is how one can be trained. In the end times no one can expect a quiet and peaceful ideal environment. At any time, emergency and crisis could emerge and one just has to ask and hear the Lord speaks. The quietness and stillness must come from inside and not otherwise.
Jesus commended Mary who sat at His feet and did exactly the same practical listening to Jesus talking. She did not do anything else. But she listened to everything that Jesus said to the disciples. When the time came for Jesus to go to the cross, she actually knew and believed he meant what he had said to them! (None of the other disciples believed or even heard such important predictions from Jesus. None was ready. Only Mary came to Jesus to say farewell by offering Him her best and most valued gift, anointing Him for the crucifixion and subsequent burial). If she had not spent all her time focusing and listening to Him, she would have missed the most memorable historical moment of being the one who performed the last service to the Lord while He was on earth as a human.
Hebrews 12:16 described Esau as ‘godless’. He gave up his inheritance rights as the oldest son for a single meal (some lentil stew). He focused on his body needs. He gave more priority to his physical needs than spiritual needs. Materially he did not lose anything as his brother Jacob had to leave home shortly to escape being killed by him. Jacob later acquired great material wealth working for his father in law (with God’s blessing) and not through inheritance from his physical father Isaac. However, Jacob who became Israel became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel (many nations) thus inheriting the promises that God gave to his grandfather, Abraham. God called Himself “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Ex.3:6). What a great honor and privilege! As a young man Jacob spent a lot time in the tent with his parents and listened to their teachings about the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac. He listened and he believed. He valued the double blessing from heaven for the firstborn.
Living as a ‘new creation’ means living by the Spirit. He must be born of the Spirit and walks by the Spirit. He lives as a spiritual man (as opposed to being carnal/of the flesh). If he follows the Holy Spirit, he will not be constrained by his physical, mental or emotional needs or wants. The symptoms of his body do not frighten him. His mind or feeling cannot dictate to him when to be at ease and when to be uncomfortable. He will live a supernatural lifestyle.
The watchman has practiced this lifestyle for sometime now. Looking back, when he first started he really had a hard time. He had no mentor. He could not ask or learn by following the example of someone he could see often. However he attended half-yearly seminars conducted by senior supernatural living practitioners during which he witnessed the long hours they stood on the stage and read verses after verses. They went on without lunch. They had less than five hours of rest/s/sleep a day and could go on for days. They even went through long fast (40 days) before the seminar. Supernatural living could be done by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Coming back to the subject on how to teach this new lifestyle, the watchman has no other clue except to carry on asking the Lord, seeking his answer, obeying His word.
When he looked at the page his Bible happened to display now, he read: “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace.” (Malachi 4:1a) Indeed the day has been unusually hot and seems like a furnace burning.
“But for you who revere My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” (Malachi 4:2a)
