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Sunday, January 26, 2014

Daily Devotional January 26 - Nine stages of spiritual growth - stage 7 (inspired) - 2 Peter 1:21

"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved (inspired) by the Holy Ghost."  2 Peter 1:21

 
Before I discuss this stage of spiritual development, I want you to think for a moment about what inspired means to you. 

 
If you are a musician, inspired means being given a song that you feel came from outside of yourself, or in some cases from deep within, a song that was beyond your self.
 If you are a pastor, being inspired means receiving revelation from God that you can put into words and share with others. An inspired pastor can move and challenge the hearer and impart what God has revealed.

 
As a writer, to be inspired means that you penned something that you couldn't even dream of on your own.
 As an entrepreneur, inspired might be the way you feel when you start a new venture.

As an inventor, inspired is that moment when you think you will develop something that has never been developed before.
 As a homemaker, inspired is that moment when you can see beyond the mundane routine of things and see the future in it. It's that moment when you realize the long term effects of the every day motions.
 Inspiration comes to all of us at different times, from different perspectives and personally gift-wrapped just for us.  What inspires you might not inspire me. Would you agree with that? Does it seem to you that when you are inspired, it is special and personal - and that when you are inspired it is exactly what you want to see or to do or to be.
  • Inspiration is spiritual and God uses inspiration to help us make sense of it all.
  • Inspiration is to lift us up and give us hope and a reason.
Inspiration as used in the old testament is from the Hebrew word n'shamah, nesh-aw-maw, which means, a puff of wind, a vital breath. Kindle, prompt, provoke, excite, encourage, embolden, lift, move, impel and stimulate.

Inspiration in the New Testament is the word theopneustos, (theh-op-yoo-stos), divinely breathed in of God. This word inspiration comes from the root word Theos, (God).

Think about this, When God would appear as an angel of light in old testament times, that encounter with God was called a theophony, (the physical manifestation of the LORD) and this word inspiration (theh-op-yoo-stos) is the internal manifestation of God within.
 Inspiration is divine intervention in the lives of men, women and children for the purpose of exciting the individual to reach higher and think further than ever before - but, while it serves the individual, as to enhancing their life, broadening their horizons, lifting their spirit and giving them extraordinary reason and hope - it also serves the whole of mankind at the same time, in that inspiration is used by God to bring about the days and the times in accordance with His perfect foreknowledge, (fulfillment of prophesy).

God inspires mankind for the purpose of bringing mankind through life's journey, by God breathing into man what God wants accomplished for this hour, this day, this millennium, and man receives this direction as inspiration, thereby accomplishing the will of God for the season of life as it is written in the scriptures.

I see inspired as God breathed direction, available as God so sees fit.

God is no respecter of persons and God sends His inspiration to the whole world to move them, to provoke them, to inspire them, but inspired as pertains to a stage of spiritual growth is that point in time when what you are inspired to do is what God has prophesied that you would do.  God trusts you to inspire you to do something that doesn't just benefit yourself.  Your love and devotion to God has transferred into helping and benefitting God's people.  You get the point of it all; to be inspired by God to do something wonderful for man.
  • To see God through nature - how many roses have inspired the eye of the beholder?
  • To see God through the stars - how many people have looked up to the stars and been inspired?
  • To see God through the humble acts of another - every time we see someone give of themselves in a selfless act of compassion, we are inspired to seek a deeper walk.
  • To see God through the love of another - sometimes we are looking for some noticeable spiritual experience when the simplicity of love for the brethren is God at work.
  • To see God through a smile - Why are we always looking for something unfamiliar when we think of something great and wonderful from God. The deepest things of God are clearly seen, the invisible things of God are revealed in the inner man by the Spirit of God, and sometimes a smile is (God at work).
God has designed the whole universe to be an ever-present inspiration, to provoke us to come to know Him and fulfill His plan for the ages.

God inspires everyone, in that everything that God created has within it inspiration, but the inspiration as a stage of spiritual development is when the divine nature of God is more than a brief encounter with an (outside of) or (deep inner source). Inspiration as it relates to the seventh stage of spiritual growth is when we are moved by God's breath, God's Word, God's Spirit. We are moved and we know we are moved and we are desirous of being moved and we know we will be moved as it pleases God to work in us and through us.

When we are inspired by God as it relates to this stage of spiritual development, God weaves His plan with our life as a weaver weaves a seamless shawl.
God inspires those whom He empowers.

I was concerned that this study would be more of a teaching lesson until I got to this part - The impartation part. Are you ready to receive a fresh Word for you that moves you?

If you read a word that moves you - If you are inspired or moved, please don't hesitate - don't doubt.  Allow God to have the pre-eminence. You are here by divine appointment, so if God speaks to your heart - make up your mind to do what you are inspired to do, and you will be fulfilling God's plan for your life - while enjoying the calling in your life.

Today will you allow God to inspire you?


  • It could be that God will inspire you to make a decision that you have been putting off.
  • It could be that God will inspire you to take charge of something in your life that has been running amuck.
  • It could be that God will inspire you to reach higher than ever before - to start a new venture - to start a new relationship - to start a new ministry in your life - to start tithing - to start spending quantity time with your kids.
  • It could be that God will inspire you take a new look at your spouse.
  • It could be that God will inspire you to live holy - to take a second look at the way you live out our daily life.
  • It could be that God will inspire you to do something that you have never done before - something daring or something that you put off because you didn't think you would ever have time to complete it, but now you are inspired - and what would have taken ten years can be cut down to two years, because you are empowered by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
  • It could be that God will inspire you to work on that invention you were thinking about and to take it to the next level.
  • It could be travel or adventure or rest in the tropics that God inspires in you.
Whatever it is, let go and let God. Let God fill you with good things, good dreams that come true, good times and good hope for the future.

Life was not meant to be a series of disappointments, tragedies and uncontrolled circumstances - but the people of God have found it easier to whine and complain about their circumstances than to move on the inspired Word of God and turn things around. You are blessed and God has an abundance of everything, spiritual and material for you.

But I have seen the body of Christ try everything except to receive the Word of God unconditionally and to live under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
  • God inspires you as a puff of wind.
  • God inspires you as a vital breath to your soul.
  • God inspires you as a kindling fire to get you burning with passion for something again.
  • God inspires you by prompting you to take a second look at your situation and realize you can win with the wind of God's breath under your sails.
  • God inspires you as a provocation to not put off what you can do to get closer to His perfect will in your life.
  • God inspires you by exciting you with direction.
  • God inspires you through the encouragement of another. Can you be a person of encouragement?
  • God inspires you and makes you bold.
  • God inspires you and lifts you up.
Are you ready for a fresh breath of God on your life - open up to Him right now and let God inspire you and take you higher than ever before.

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