Servias Ministries Blog

When we walk in Holiness, we will walk in faith because we hear GOD’S Voice!

FATHER’S Voice is intimate and personal to each of us individually.  HIS Words are multifaceted and ministers to our spirit in accordance with what is needed at the time.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 10:

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word (G4487 rhēma) of God.

In other Words, faith, then, is birthed in a heart that responds to God’s anointed Utterance of the Anointed One.

There are two Greek words that are translated “WORD”: G4487 rhēma and G3056 logos.

The Beloved Disciple wrote by The Holy Spirit in John chapter 1:

1 In the beginning was the Word (G3056 logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

4 In Him was Life, and the Life was the light of men.

5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Logos is the mind, total counsel, and reason of GOD.

David recorded by THE SPIRIT in Psalm chapter 119:

89 Forever, O LORD, Your Word is settled in Heaven.

In other Words, standing firm in the heavens and fastened to eternity is the Word of God.  FATHER’S Word is concise and totally reliable.  It expresses FATHER’S Divine Intent.  HIS Word’s preciseness is reflected in the heavens.  Scientists are able to precisely calculate astronomical events only because of the reliability of GOD’S Word when HE established the heavens.  All of the natural laws were established by HIS precise Word, you can count on it!  It can’t be changed.  This is also true of HIS Spoken Word to each of us.

The Logos Word is summed up in the Person of Jesus Christ as John wrote in the above passage.  There is no variance in Jesus Christ, so if there is an issue, it is with you and me.  Jesus is the total purpose, counsel, and Mind of GOD.

Jesus spoke in John chapter 14:

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The Words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father Who dwells in Me does the works.

11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

Jesus heard HIS FATHER’S Voice and precisely carried out The Word as directed.  HE served FATHER’S Divine Intent with no variance whatsoever.  As we walk in Holiness, we will do the same… not my will but Your Will be done!

In order to do FATHER’S Will, we must clearly hear HIS Voice.

When we are walking in Holiness and operating in our calling, we will act immediately and without hesitation!

Once Saul’s heart was transformed and as he received the Baptism of The Holy Spirit, he did not delay in walking out his calling!  He was more than willing to confront his former supporters.

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 9:

20  Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

This is the only one of two times in the Book of Acts that the phrase “Son of GOD” is used to describe Jesus.  Philip used this same phrase in Acts 8:37. Sonship relates to full and complete obedience to Our Heavenly Father.

21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this Name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”

22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

We should not be surprised when an enemy of Christ is converted.  Saul’s power increased greatly as he became more and more proficient in proving that Jesus was the anointed Messiah. Saul remained there for several days with the disciples, even though it agitated the Jews of Damascus.

Saul declared that Jesus was The Son of GOD!  Thus, Truth was resisted by the Jews who knew their power would evaporate once the people heard such a Truth!  Saul went from a hero of the Jews to an archenemy of the Jews in less than a week.

23 Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him.

24 But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him.

25 Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.

26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out.

29 And he spoke boldly in the Name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.

30 When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the Fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

As we speak boldly and declare The Name of THE LORD, we will be confronted by the adversary and his minions.  Jesus was confronted by the Jews in like manner during His earthly ministry.

Jesus spoke in John chapter 8:

37  “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My Word has no place in you.

38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.“

39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.

40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the Truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.

41 You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father-God.”

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would Love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.

43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My Word.

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the Truth, because there is no Truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

45 But because I tell the Truth, you do not believe Me.

46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the Truth, why do you not believe Me?

47 He who is of God hears God’s Words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

As we walk in Holiness, we will confront the father of lies head on just as Jesus did, just as Paul did.  Let us walk in full assurance, immediately, and without hesitation.

When we are walking in Holiness, we will not be reluctant to confront sin!

Holiness will confront relativism.  Relativism is the doctrine that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute.  Holiness will not endorse the attitude of “It’s none of my business that this person sins.”  Society now looks the other way when a woman has an abortion, or when someone practices or supports LGBTQ.  Society has allowed immoral acts to be supported rather than stand up to what is absolute in the Sight of GOD.

In the study of Genetics, XX is the female chromosome and XY in the male chromosome.  You cannot alter this Truth no matter how you try.

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 8:

9  But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.”

11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.

People were taken in by Simon the sorcerer and assumed he had power from GOD.

12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.

13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

Philip preached The Word with miracles and signs following, a sign of true Holiness.  The people were baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ but were yet to be baptized in The Holy Spirit… two separate baptisms.

14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.

17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

It is important to understand the difference between these two baptisms.  Money won’t buy the baptism of The Holy Spirit as Simon found out.

18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,

19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!

21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.

22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

24 Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”

25 So when they had testified and preached the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the Gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

Peter had no issue in confronting Simon’s wickedness and was not moved by Simon’s money.  We are not to look the other way when sin confronts us, neither are we to passively endorse sin by our silence.  Jesus confronted sin head on, and we should be no different.  Truth is absolute!

Walking in Holiness is possible even if you were formally an enemy of Christ and His true church!

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit what Stephen endured by the hands of the political powers in Acts chapter 7:

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;

58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Saul was complicit in the stoning of Stephen, the first martyr of the New Testament. Tradition tells us that Saul was born the same year that Jesus was born.  He was born in Asia Minor and studied under Gamaliel (Acts 5) who was the leading theologian of the day.  Saul of Tarsus studied for seven years and became an expert in the Old Testament as well as the Rabbinic interpretations of the Old Testament.

In chapter 8:

1  Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

One would think that such an enemy of Christ would be destined for hellfire.  What was the result of Saul’s persecution of the early church?  The Gospel was spread about:

4  Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the Word.

5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.

6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

8 And there was great joy in that city.

The plan of the adversary backfired.  Instead of snuffing out the church through persecution, the Word spread, and the church grew throughout the regions.

Saul was fully committed to eliminating the early church.

Luke continued in Chapter 9:

1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from Heaven.

4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a Voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

What happened when Saul confronted Holiness?  He fell to the ground and was overtaken with fear and trembling.

6] So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.

8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

When being confronted with one walking in Holiness, even the staunchest enemy can be converted to Christ.  We must keep this in mind as we pursue Holiness.  The best way to deal with an enemy is to convert him or her to Christ.

Walking in Holiness will necessitate you to confront evil head on!

Justice requires confrontation with the wicked, lawless, and unrighteous.

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit what Stephen spoke to the political powers in Acts chapter 7:

44  “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen,

45 which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David,

46 who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built Him a house.

48 “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:

49 ‘Heaven is My Throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the LORD, Or what is the place of My rest?

50 Has My Hand not made all these things?’

Stephen reminds the Israelites in charge of the earthly tabernacle who is truly in charge of Heaven and earth.

51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

Being fully led by The Holy Spirit, Stephen did not hold back the Truth!

52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,

53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”

54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

In other words, they were overtaken with violent rage filling their souls.

55 But Stephen, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into Heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the Right Hand of God,

56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the Right Hand of God!”

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;

58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stephen sacrificed his own self-interest on behalf of the true church.  He exposed the hearts of those who were in political control.  He was a martyr for Christ.

John recorded what he heard and saw by The Holy Spirit in Revelation chapter 6:

9  When Jesus opened the fifth seal, I saw under the Altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held.

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, Holy and True, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Stephen’s blood was held under the altar awaiting the full judgment of THE LORD.  He boldly spoke the True Word and gave his testimony that had signs and wonders following.  He was willing to give himself for the good of many.