So now we know that true spirituality is not just connecting or following a spirit, but having the very spirit of the one you follow within you. With God this is possible, but it is impossible for this to happen with any other spirit being. Thus to follow any spirit being, other than the Creator, is to have a lower spiritual life and we then fall prey to worshiping the creation rather than the creator.

Here, at this juncture, we find that the Creator – God, continues His creation within us and we are born again, literally meaning “procreated” again. How does that happen? You see at the moment of salvation God, being light, sends His Spirit as seed - the Greek word here is “sperma” and the seed of Light impregnates us. At that moment a mystery occurs, we are changed, regenerated, and transformed from followers of darkness to children of light. Subsequently, we like a child, begin to grow and mature spiritually and in doing so we radiate increasing light that comes from the Creator who is light.

Moses had this radiance when he came down the mountain after meeting with God. You might say he had the original “aura” - though Adam and Eve were probably cloaked in the same light until they fell. Today there are a lot of dark and deceiving imitations that manifest from a different source - the power of the soul - still these do not negate the original. Anyway, this radiant life has nothing to do with our age or the number of years we have been saved … it has to do with our desire to “know the Light.”

Darkness has no substance, it is not created, it is merely the absence of light. Light has substance, volume, density, and mass, as well as weight, and speed. Darkness has none of these attributes. Darkness is subject to light. As light increases or decreases, darkness becomes more or less evident. As one of you aptly wrote, “Darkness cannot create more darkness.”

I also like what another one of you wrote, “Spirituality is not something you put your hope in, it is a result of knowing Him who is Spirit.” Very good! You see this is the third step to True, Pure, Spirituality. It is called “communion” or fellowship of the Spirit. This raises a question, is it easier to commune with that which is external to you or that which is internal or within you?

To follow any created spirit is to lean on external communication. Only through the Spirit of God can one commune internally at such a realistic level that we might think it comes from an external source and in a way it does, but it is actually God communicating through His Spirit within us. It is impossible to know anyone that we do not commune with. We may know about them, but we do not “Know” them. This is the reason why Jesus said that the “Kingdom is within you.” True, Prue Spirituality spreads internally, within us, before it ever touches those we come near.

This term “know” is not synonymous with the meaning of being informed about some one. It means, “intimately knowing.” It means deep, reproductive, intimacy – like Abraham “knowing” Sarah and she conceived Isaac. Knowing God always produces fruit.

The first purpose for the Spirit of the One, True, Pure God being within us then is to further communion or “knowing” God who is light; in whom there is not even the smallest shred of darkness.

When we know the light, we walk in the light, and become recognized as a bearer of His light. It is here, in this womb of the Spirit that we learn “spirit to spirit” communication with the Light. But, that is for next time.

So we now see the first three steps to True, Pure, Spirituality – Connection, Ingesting or infilling, and knowing or communion. There are more.

Blessings,
John Paul

There is “dark spirituality” and it is a result of the continual following of a dark spirit being. To become dark, a person must leave the presence of the One God who is True, Pure Spirit and also True, Pure, Light. When the fallen spirit beings left the presence of God, they lost the Pure Light they were covered with and their light became dark. Thus to follow a pseudo spirit is to follow pseudo or dark light. Pseudo spirituality will produce dark spiritual fruit. Those who follow these spirit beings will live a darkened spiritual life. Thus Jesus said, “If the light that is within you is dark, how great is that darkness” … but, I’m getting ahead of myself.

That which is created cannot create. The best it can do is imitate, emulate, or counterfeit, but not create. There is One Creator – who is True, Pure, Spirit - God. With this understanding, we comprehend that a created spirit cannot place pure spirit within a human being. Why? You cannot place that which you do not have into another being.

To understand this we must remember that God is True, Pure, Uncreated Spirit. It is His very Spirit that He places inside of those who believe on Him through Jesus the Messiah (Christ). It is part of God’s Omnipresence as Deity. Thus God’s Holy Spirit can be both in us and not leave God’s throne. Satan, as a created, yet fallen, and deteriorating spiritual being is not omnipotent. He cannot place His spirit within another being and be present elsewhere. Another way of stating this is that he cannot be in anyone and in India at the same time. He is not Deity; he is a created spirit being and has limited abilities.

Here comes the tricky part - that which is created as a spiritual being, and is deteriorating, can influence, possess or capture a willing participant. In doing so, the created spiritual being (Satan/demons) emulates and counterfeits the action of the Holy Spirit in the Believer’s life. So Satan can have one of his minions influence, possess, or oppress a human being, a follower of him. But, neither Satan nor his minion can be present in or near someone and in another place at the same time.

Why would one accept the entrance of a demonic minion into their life? The answer rudimentarily goes back to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. All the fruit on that tree was not evil; there was “good” fruit on there as well. However, the writer in Proverbs tells us there is a way that seems “good” or right to a man, but the end there of is death. We too often mistake ‘good” for God. It is the Holy Spirit, sent from God that leads us into all truth and helps us see the error of that which appears as being good.

Know this, the deterioration of those dark spirit beings does not stop. It continues and as they deteriorate, so will the person who follows them, accepts them, and worse yet – seeks them out. So the trail leads from darkness to gross darkness, and eventually to outer-darkness.

But, enough of darkness for right now, in my next posting I’ll write more on Steps to True Spirituality

Blessings,

John Paul

As I have previously written, the journey to True Spirituality must begin by first connecting to that which is True and Pure Spirit. After this connection is established, then one must be “in-filled” with the Spirit that comes from the One, True, Pure Spirit - God. It is this infilling that germinates in or enlivens our spirit and begins communicating at the deepest levels with the One, True, Pure Spirit. It is this communication that allows our spirit to mature and grow within us as we are taught by this Pure or Holy Spirit about living a spiritual life.

However, before I go further on this road to True Spirituality, I need to address some of your comments about what happens to one who follows another form of spirit, or a spirit that is a created being. Can they be truly spiritual?

All created spiritual beings have a choice, therefore they have a soul and thus a will. The One True, Pure Spirit - God, has never created any “Zombie-esk” spiritual beings that have no choice but to love and follow Him. However, there are spirits who, after their creation, deteriorated by not following the One who is True, and Pure and I might add, was never created, and has eternally been self-sustaining. Deteriorating spirits are often called “fallen” and they have lost their spiritual light. Some say these fallen spirit beings were once angels, others believe they were once other heavenly creatures. To define them here is not my intent.

To follow or be taught by a created, and deteriorating spirit is at best “pseudo spiritual“ and disingenuous. Most dictionaries define the word “follow” as being tantamount to admiration, thus to admire or walk with a created spiritual being, especially a deteriorating one will make it impossible to live a vibrant true spiritual life. The spiritual level of one who follows the Uncreated, Self-sustaining Holy Spirit – which is the very Spirit of the One, True, Pure, God is far superior to pseudo spirituality. We know it is impossible for the creator to create something greater than Himself, because to be created defies the definition of being uncreated.

Therefore, the uncreated Creator is greater than His creation, and thus spiritual life with the Holy Spirit must be significantly higher and superior to a pseudo spiritual life from following a created, and deteriorating spiritual being. And in so stating it becomes clear that to serve, worship, admire, follow, any dark created spirit cannot make one Truly Spiritual nor enlightened.

I hope this makes you think outside the box a little because the ramifications are enormous. I’ll write more on this in my next posting.

Blessings,
John Paul

Wow - great responses to this topic! So, to sum up my last posting,
in order to be truly, purely, spiritual one has to connect to the
original source, God. Anything less than the original is less than
spiritual. Remember, the soul has attributes, which are mind, will,
and emotion. Therefore, by sheer will power we can discipline
ourselves to have “controlled” responses - that is not spiritual,
though to some it might appear as such. Knowledge is not spiritual
though again it might appear to be, and the same can be said for
emotions or passion.

Now for the second phase of true Spirituality. To be truly spiritual
not only does one have to connect to the original source, God - we
have to ingest the actual Spirit of the source. This is why Adam and
Eve had to eat of the Tree of Life to have eternal life, not just
look at it. That fruit from that tree represents the Holy Spirit.
It is the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Truth, that raised
Christ from the dead and gave Him life. The “in-filling” of the
Spirit is what is depicted by eating of the fruit of the Tree of
Life. After man fell, and until Jesus, prophets were the only ones
who had this privilege and the Spirit of God would enter them and
they would speak for Him to the people. However, because of what
Jesus has done, all of us who believe in Him now have that opportunity.

This is what Jesus meant
when He said, “The Spirit of Truth …. He dwells with you and will
be in you” (John 14:17). It is important to recognize the difference
between “with us” and “in us.”

It is the entering, ingesting, or in-dwelling, of the seed of the
Holy Spirit that actually starts the growth of true Spirituality in
our lives.

Here is an essential truth concerning spirituality in the world.
Jesus said in the same verse, the world cannot be filled with
this Spirit, because they can neither recognize Him nor know Him.
Thus, how can one be spiritual if they are not filled with the true,
pure Spirit and do not even recognize or know that which is “True
Spirit.” In essence, they try to replicate spirit, but true
Spirituality can only be birthed from the True Spirit. It is this “in-
filling” that gives us the deepest connection to God. This
connection then allows His presence to so fill us that we radiate His
presence to all we come near.

I’ll leave you with those thoughts and I’ll write more on this in my next
posting.
Blessings,
John Paul

I know the question I asked was a huge topic. Perhaps it is best to narrow our quest to know spirituality to the basics - which to many may not be so basic.

True Spirituality is confusing to many. The reason for this is that we tend to judge what is spiritual or not by various outward signs we see in others. We see someone who is calm and we may think they are spiritual. The same is true for anyone who might have a metaphysical approach to life or talk of unseen influences and we assume that they are spiritual. Lately there is a plethora of self-help guru’s of many differing beliefs that are touted as spiritual leaders. All of these may have knowledge and with self discipline they may appear to have a certain spirituality, but knowledge is not always truth, and self discipline is just that - discipline, which I’ll address later.

Knowledge changes with more knowledge, Spirit is constant and Eternal.

True Spirituality cannot be achieved without being connected to the Spiritual source or He who is pure SPIRIT. To connect to a created spiritual being, is to connect to a lesser spiritual side, and therefore at best have limited spirituality - or none. God is true Spirit, we are not. One might say we are in a tripartite conflict with ourselves. Regardless of our religious conviction, our spirit, soul, and body war against each other. Darkness wants our soul to rule and in doing so we follow darkness. God wants our spirit to rule and in doing so follow Him who is pure light.

Why is that important? Because if one does not believe in, and serve the pure, true, source of Spirit - God then they will be drawn toward that which is darkness and soul - not that which is spirit. This will always result in one being lead by soul rather than spirit. Thus by definition, the one who follows soul cannot follow spirit or be fully spiritual.

It is in the following of the Source of Spirit that one becomes spiritual. Now back to self discipline. Self discipline may be used by either the soul or the spirit to accomplish the intention of either, thus one can have self discipline and still be soulish.

This battle between the soul and the spirit is the age old battle depicted in the Garden of Eden. The soul, depicted by the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, has three parts - Mind, Will, and Emotions. The Spirit, depicted by the Tree of Life, has three parts - Wisdom, Communion, and Conscience.

All the modern guru’s espouse knowledge as being the way to spirituality, but that is eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They tell us that by the gaining of certain knowledge we can become spiritual and like God. But how can that be if God is spirit? No matter how high we climb on that tree it will never become the Tree of Life. The wrong tree will never become the right tree. We have to change the perception of spirituality if the church is to have distinct relevance to a lost world.

We cannot follow that which is soulish and proclaim that we are spiritual. Even the world smells the stench of that line of thinking.

I’ll write more on True Spirituality in my next blog.

In today’s culture there is a crescendo in the use of the term “spirituality.” So what is spirituality? Is the Dali Lama, Marianne Williamson, Anthony Robins, Wayne Dyer, or even Opra spiritual? Do we have the ability to become spiritual on our own? What are the qualities of a spiritual person?

Write me, I’d like to hear from you and read what you think, and then I’ll tell you what I think.

I want to take liberty and turn the focus of my blog today to a little different topic than my previous blogs. I just returned from Tegucigalpa, Honduras where I met with Robert and Amy Coello and Joseph Francisco Cordoba, the pastor of the Bridge Church there. They are a part of the Association of Bridge Churches which the Lord has led me to found and oversee. I love this land and its people. Honduras is full of paradoxes. Poverty and technology seem to collide here. The lush green mountains of the coast lands stand in contrast to the dry arid land found in the center.

The people love democracy, but it’s leader is trying to rush it toward communism. Many of those in the mountains leave the misery of poverty to find riches in the cities - only to find a different kind of poverty. The frustration caused by this jump starts a slow hardening process deep within them. Combine this with a low grade anger seething just below the surface and you have the perfect climate for the gang activity that flourishes here. It is sad that such wonderful people are caused to flounder. The city can do harsh things to a person. But, if darkness was the youth so do we - there is Heaven’s purpose to be gained in this generation that is driven to hard things from poverty, boredom, and a longing to find something that will give them a better life.

What am I doing about this? We are looking not only to have Bridge churches here, but to start a Bridge Training Center, and aid the people in this land where anything grows. Stick a stick in the ground and it will soon become a tree. My heart aches to see this people see a form of Christianity that can transform their lives. Perhaps the Lord will allow us to see a whole generation grow for the glory of the Lord. At least we are sticking a stick in the ground.

Sincerely,
John Paul Jackson

One cannot make “right choices” from “wrong places.” When we step into a job, church, town, state or even a nation where God has not sent us we lose something. Perhaps it is just a little loss of God’s hedge of protection. One might say God’s greatest blessings can be found where He want us to be. Perhaps we lose a little of our decision making ability, because we do not have the fullness of His insight with us. Perhaps we simply fail to recognize forces that might come against us, because we are a little less spiritually intuitive.

The answer? Godly sorrow and repentance. God will take you where He wants, you just have to say yes and go - when He says and not overreact. What if one has a history of wrong choices? Then there are two things to remember: First, Godly sorrow and repentance erases the past. Second, do not take the past with you into the future! Leave it there. God wants to be able to start all over with you. Let Him.

2008 will be the year of the “best of times and the worst of times.” For those who do not take the past with them it will become the best of times. For those who live in the past, and take it with them it could be the worst of times. Give the Lord your future, you could be a Gideon.

Join me the best of times with the Lord.

What happen to you last year? I am not asking, did you have a car wreck, or change your hair color.  I mean, in the grand scope of things, “What happened?”  Many that I talk to, especially those in ministry say it was a year of difficult decisions, or frustration. Much of that frustration, when traced back to the root source is actually driven by discontent.  Discontent with where they were, what was happening, or what they were doing.  Nothing seemed to produce the satisfaction anticipated for the effort expended. Discontent mounts, so decisions are made because things just were not right, something needed to change! Then frustration ensues, as you can’t decide what to decide. Perhaps you decided, but did not know how to do what you decided to do. Ugh! Greater discontent!

My friend Bob Jones says 2007 was the year of discontent. I say that is too light of a term - it was the “Trial of Discontent.” It was a year of trial or test and God was using discontent as the line of demarcation to see who would act, speak, prophesy, or move before He did. Discontent causes us to look elsewhere for fulfillment and it seemingly seizes control of our soul (mind, will, emotions). When discontent hits us, we cannot think, or perceive the way we used to. You see discontent can be a driving force and only those who have God’s agenda can overcome their own – it is one of the great prophetic tests. Discontent is a trial and many have been found, to use an Old Testament term, “wanting.” They spoke too soon, acted too soon, and/or prophesied too soon. Those choices always lead to pain.

What Bob and I have found is that God protects us where He has us. 2007 was, in God’s eyes, a year of protection in the time of our discontent.  Many left that protection. When we are driven by discontent, we will always find pain.

Sure, to stay until God sends us is not always a picnic. Joseph ended up in prison by doing this. But, God meant it for good and that is the point. Do not run from that which God means for your good. It is what makes great leaders great!

The antidote to discontent is contentment. One great leader, the Apostle Paul, once wrote, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.” Philippians 4:11-12

May it be so with you. Be a sent one.

Sincerely,
John Paul Jackson

Travel is a part of my life and my calling. I am usually in four to six nations a year and dozens of cities and towns. I meet a lot of spiritually gifted people. I hear numerous remarkable testimonies of God’s never ending power. I see God’s hand in various and sundry ways. I have hoped, trusted, and depended on some of those “walking gifts of God” only to have them fail to honor their promise. It has cost me a lot not only in terms of finances, but in emotional duress, and often I have been left with buckets full of diminished hope. I know - we are to keep our eyes on God and not man, but that is too easily said and very difficult to live. It is hard to not look at the world when you live in it.

Over the years, I have learned to recognize earthly traits of deeper spirituality. When I see these traits, I know the depth of the spirit within the person who stands before me. I have learned to take the time to watch gifted people and here are few of the things I’ve learned.

* How a man/woman responds to their spouse when it is inconvenient, is how they will respond to God (and you) when what He asks them to do something that is not convenient.
* How a parent treats their children will be how they will treat those who follow them.
* A person’s work habits will become their ministry habits.
* How a person talks about others to you, will be how will they talk about you to others.
* The degree a person talks about themselves, is the degree they will not defend you.
* The degree a person become angry for not getting credit for something they did, is equal to the depth of pride in their life.
* How a man/woman does the menial tasks of life tells the depth of their humility.
* Humility is the watermark of a great leader. Anyone can lead, but great leaders have humility.

I have found that God is looking for people who will be content to raise the dead and take out the trash and not think any differently about themselves. Perhaps that is the reason we see so many superficially gifted people.

Sincerely,
John Paul Jackson