The Process Of Inspiration
Concerning the verbal inspiration of the Bible, Paul Enns writes:
Peter . . . acknowledges his belief in verbal inspiration inasmuch as it was the Holy Spirit who guided the writers of Scripture in their selection of words. This truth could be illustrated by a man who goes to the department store in a shopping center. Because he is in a hurry to get to the second floor he walks up the escalator. Although he is walking, the escalator is carrying him along, bringing him to the second floor.
Mr. Enns concludes:
Similarly, although the writers of Scripture penned the words according to their educational abilities and their own distinctive styles, the Holy Spirit was carrying them along, ensuring the accuracy of all they were writing.
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NKJV).
"And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:19-21, NKJV).
Pray in the Name and Power of Christ
"A person cannot always speak in the name of another; cannot do it at all unless he has received an authorization so to do. Then he stands as that person’s deputy; stands in his place; speaks in his name. I am sure that nine out of ten of the prayers of Christians are not offered in the name of Christ, and could not be. It would be a sin against Christ for such prayers to be supposed to be the prayers of Christ. ... But when we talk of the Spirit of God, and we dare ask in the name and use the seal of Christ, to set his signature at the bottom of our petition, then, brethren, depend upon it. Christ will do it." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Several times a week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt steps to the podium to relay to an awaiting press pool the mind and intentions of the president, Donald J. Trump. She does so as all of her predecessors have done. For example: Jen Psaki and Karine Jean-Pierre, on behalf of President Joe Biden; Dana Perino and Ari Fleisher on behalf of President George W. Bush; George Stephanopoulos on behalf of President Bill Clinton; Jim Brady on behalf of Ronald Reagan; Jody Powell on behalf of Presdient Jimmy Carter; and so on.
When they speak from that podium, they dare not speak their own mind. They are conveying policy, they are conveying presidential action, they are conveying administrative intent. To speak their own mind, heart, or opinion would be to misprepresent the office of the presidency, and would be a gross violation of their calling and position.
Likewise, when we pray in the name of Jesus, we are proclaiming that we are praying on His behalf of His authority.
But are we?!
- - Authorization Requirement: Speaking or acting for another requires authorization. This authorization allows one to represent the other person. As believers, we are "authorized" to speak in Jesus' name, in so much as we do not speak amiss. "If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" (John 14:14, ESV).
- - Praying "In the Name of Christ": Many Christian prayers are not offered "in the name of Christ". Praying in Jesus' name signifies approaching God based on Christ's merit, not one's own, and seeking to please Him and glorify the Father. "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13, ESV).
- - Misunderstanding "In Jesus' Name": Adding "in Jesus' name" at the end of a prayer does not guarantee praying with Christ's authority. It signifies aligning prayers with Christ's character and intentions.
- - Authentic Prayer: To pray in Jesus' name requires understanding Him, His actions, and His promises. It means acknowledging reliance on Him for access to God and praying according to God's will. "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us" (1 John 5:14, ESV).
- - Caution: Prayers not aligned with Christ's will or character are considered a sin against Him and should expect no response or fulfillment. "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures" (James 4:3, NKJV).
Prayers in Jesus' name should be shaped as Christ might offer them and submitted to God's will.
Just as the presidential press secretaries are bound by duty and postion to speak soley in line with the mind and intentions of the president, so must we be quite certain to not overstep the bounds of our own position.
To pray in Jesus' name, we must know the mind of God AND the heart of God, and aptly allign ourselves to it! Only then, when we speak in alignment "with the Spirit of God, and we dare ask in the name and use the seal of Christ, to set his signature at the bottom of our petition, can we depend upon it. Christ will do it."
"If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you" (John 15:7, NIV).
Playing Blind
Jasen Bracy always wanted to play football, but retinal cancer he developed as a toddler took his eyesight by the time he was age 7. How could he play a fast-paced contact sport like football if he couldn't see?
This was the question before him. Yet young Jasen would not be dissauded. As he got older, he began calling around to different youth leagues to see if there were any teams that would take a chance on a kid who was sold out to following and relying on the guidance and direction of others to make his dreams come true. He found just such a team in the Modesto Raiders.
"The way he was on the phone, I just said, 'Come on we'll figure it out,'" coach David Nichols told CBS News.
Jasen started out as a running back, but soon advanced to ... wait for it ... quarterback!
"It's all memory," Jasen said. "It's all about having trust in the player, the receiver and the team. I have to trust them 100%.
Upworthy reports:
Bracy's teammates guide him into position on the field and his dad coaches him from the sidelines using a walkie-talkie that transmits to his helmet. "After the play starts, I may tell him, 'Hey, run to your right, let's get upfield,' or 'Watch out, somebody's coming to hit you,'" Bracy Sr. said.
All that trust, all that deep leaning into guidance and direction seems to have paid off. Not long after, Bracy led the Raiders to a 33-6 win.
You do not need to be sighted to walk in the ways of the Lord. It is not our eyes, but the "eyes of our hearts" that we need opened. When we trust in His Word, His will, and his ways, our path will always be clear. His eye and His mighty hand will guide us! As He says in His word, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you" (Psalms 32:8, ESV).
Commit to the Lord's guidance, and commit His Word to your memory. Follow Jasen's example, "It's all about memory ... It's all about having trust ... [You] have to trust [Him] 100%."
"The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand" (Psalms 37: 23-24, ESV).
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV).