Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Galatians chapter 3:
1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?
2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—
6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
Let us not be foolish and trust in the works of the flesh. There are many who started their walk in faith and then digressed to do works based on their fleshly understanding thus they no longer walk in faith. They have moved from revelation to tradition. What FATHER may have revealed 20 years ago may have only been intended for that particular time so we must not allow ourselves fall into a rut, failing to hear any of HIS fresh directives for our life.
As we mature, FATHER expects us to become more sensitive to HIS directives and walk according to what HIS Holy Spirit directs. As changing events occur, we must navigate accordingly and not count on old manna. As our understanding increases, we become equipped to walk according to a new set of directives which we were unable to follow in an immature state. We should mature into great faith and no longer waver when FATHER instructs us to take certain actions.
We must resist the tendency to convert revelation to rituals. FATHER told me to start praying for one hour before work every day beginning in the year 1990. I faithfully did so until HE told me at the beginning of the year 2000 that season was over. It is as important to hear HIM when HE directs us to stop as it is when HE directs us to begin. Both require faith in HIS Word. That ten year period was filled with major changes, upheavals, and challenges that required me to be fully equipped to handle them in an appropriate manner. That time of prayer was central to my preparation. FATHER allowed me to experience an 18 month journey into the “wilderness’ from March of 1995 to September of 1996. I had been prepared for such a time due to HIS directive to become a prayer warrior. During that 18 month period, I had to put my emotions in check virtually every morning lest I be moved by what I saw occurring in my life.
FATHER honored my faithfulness and delivered me many times during that ten year period. My faith was strong and I did not rely on fleshly works to deal with the challenges at hand. I share these personal events not to bring attention to myself but to encourage you that FATHER is more than willing to see you through similar challenges. You are not alone in times of suffering but know that many of us have endured similar tests and trials of our faith. The point is that we must purpose to hear the directives of Our Heavenly Father and not allow ourselves to count on man’s fleshly works of the law or any tradition to see us through such challenges. Faith comes by hearing HIM!