The Person and the Power Podcast

Some of the latest statistics show a disturbing and very un-Biblical understanding of spiritual gifts among those who identify themselves as born-again Christians. If we have any hope of serving in the Kingdom of God in our “spiritual sweet spot,” then we must have a deeper and greater grasp of the Holy Spirit, our spiritual gifts, and how we should be using them. Learn more about The Joshua Cente...

Like so much of what the Holy Spirit does, unfortunately, spiritual gifts have been a source of consternation, confusion, and chaos for the Church over the years. But when we fully embrace the truth and power of the gift or gifts that He alone has given us to use for the Kingdom, it’s a beautiful thing. In fact, it becomes our “spiritual sweet spot” when we finally surrender to the Holy Spirit and...

From the booklet Prayers to the Holy Spirit: “May you come to experience the Holy Spirit more personally and grasp more perfectly who He is and what He means for your life.” In order to experience the grace of Jesus and the love of the Father, we must cultivate a deep and profound relationship with the Person living within us: the Holy Spirit! “O Holy Spirit, I want to know You more and love You m...

From the very beginning, we see the Spirit of God deeply involved in the work of creation. Here in this passage of Scripture, we see the psalmist ask the Lord to send His Spirit to “renew” or “re-create” the face of the earth. As the breath of God, it is good and right to pray to the Holy Spirit, asking Him to come and renew and refresh the hearts of the faithful. Learn more about The Joshua Cente...

If there ever is a passage to fully embrace CIE (Context Is Everything), it might be right here in the third chapter of John’s Gospel. Jesus is talking about the Kingdom of God to Nicodemus as He uses the language and imagery of being “born again.” Unfortunately and unwisely, we have used the phrase “born of water” to imply water baptism and have thus opened up a decisive and unnecessary can of wo...

A true and authentic experience with the Holy Spirit can never be just about emotions and goosebumps. It must include the two-punch formula of Acts 1:8. Yes, we will receive power – the first punch. But that power is never about us. The second punch? Becoming a bold witness to Jesus Christ in all the world. Ask, Seek, and Knock in prayer to experience the Holy Spirit and be prepared to be His...

As we learn to Ask, Seek, and Knock even more effectively and efficiently in our prayer lives, it is incumbent that we understand more keenly the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. And as our prayer lives become more vibrant and more Kingdom-focused, then it is a no-brainer that we will experience the Holy Spirit more and more. Go ahead; ask to experience the Holy Spirit, and be prepared for th...

Some may remember Paul Harvey, the iconic radio announcer whose famous “The Rest of the Story” broadcast aired for more than 50 years. Those five words were near the end of every episode, and they always signaled some unexpected turn in the story that he had been sharing. Today’s podcast could almost qualify for a “rest of the story” moment as the exhortation to ask, seek, and knock in prayer is a...

Most of us Christians know this phrase all too well: “Ask, seek, and knock.” We also know what follows: “Given, found, and opened.” But in our familiarity with this passage of Scripture, have we missed the actual context? Could it be that the secret to our prayer lives might be a supernatural connection with the charging power of the Holy Spirit? Learn more about The Joshua Center at TheJoshuaCent...

Israel and locusts have had a long history together. But even here in Joel’s prophecy about judgment, there is hope and restoration for those to turn to the Lord. And the greatest promise found in this chapter is the prophecy of Pentecost! Even as locusts prepare to devour the land, the Lord promises a pouring of His Spirit for all those who repent. Learn more about The Joshua Center at TheJoshuaC...

It’s easy to do… With hundreds of distractions always vying for our time and energy, it’s easy to get our priorities out of order. That was certainly the case for Judah and the restoration of the Temple. The Lord appointed Haggai to take the people to task and take a spiritual inventory of their lives. Praise God that the same Holy Spirit who did that for the people then is the very same Spirit wh...

This prophecy surrounding Jerusalem’s future is amazing and mysterious. As many have opinions, none of us can know for certain how this will play out in the final days. But this one thing we can be certain: the same Spirit who will pour out grace on the inhabitants of Jerusalem on that day so that they will have the desire to cry out to Jesus is the same Holy Spirit who gives us grace today to cal...

It’s the day after Thanksgiving 2024. We may still be in our “turkey coma” or looking forward to leftovers. We may be braving Black Friday shopping or turning our attention to Christmas by cutting down the family tree. Wherever this day finds us, it seems like a good day to be reminded of this truth: being thankful is an expected fruit of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Learn more about Th...

The Jewish people were just coming back from 70 years of their Babylonian exile. They were charged with rebuilding the Temple, among other things. They needed encouragement. In steps Zechariah with a word from the Lord and a vision. It won’t be in human might and power that anything of the Kingdom will be accomplished, but only by God’s Spirit. The Spirit is always good for a never-ending flow of...

If one carries the title of “leader” in any way, there is a great expectation that comes with that. For God, that expectation is even higher. That is why the leaders of Israel - both politically and spiritually - were under such assault by the prophet Micah. If we want the heartbeat of God, then we must care about justice and doing the right thing for the people we say we lead. Learn more about Th...

Perhaps the most infamous quote of all of these letters to the churches of Revelation is found in the letter to Ephesus: “You’ve lost your first love.” The indictment is clear, but the reason is not. But when we study the history of this city and read Acts 19, the shroud of mystery lifts, and we begin to get a peek into what may have caused this critical loss of love. Be careful when the business...

Let’s play a game. Start naming things that we as Christians are supposed to be known for. How many did you have? Do you know when it’s not a game? When we as Christians are not representing the character of Christ well. And that happens when we “invite” Jesus OUT of our fellowship. Open the door; let Him back in. Let’s learn the lessons from the church of Laodicea! Learn more about The Joshua Cen...

Philadelphia teaches us the importance of perseverance and enduring suffering for the glory of God, a concept that seems to be lost to the Church of today. We are promised suffering in this world (John 16:33, 2 Timothy 3:12). Both Paul and Peter speak to how “good” our suffering is for our Christian character (Romans 5:3-5, 1 Peter 5:10). And James even tells us to count our sufferings as joy (Jam...

An ancient city that was huge in reputation and prestige… and yet God’s people were called to repent. A church that thought it was fully awake and alive… and yet was so very dead. A people of God that had great influence... and yet rubbed shoulders with the world. What might the church in Sardis have in common with an Old Testament valley of dry bones? Let’s find out. Learn more about The Joshua C...

We’ve heard the term “hard-hearted” before. From a rubble pile of clay pots in Thyatira, to Satan’s throne in Pergamum, to a martyr’s faithful last words in Smyrna, may we be ever so diligent to learn from the Seven Letters to the Seven Churches of Revelation. And may we be found without criticism by our Lord Jesus! Learn more about The Joshua Center at TheJoshuaCenter.org .

We’ve heard the term “hard-hearted” before. Even Jesus called the religious leaders of His day people with “stiff necks and hard hearts.” According to Ezekiel, the only way to truly have a “soft heart” is to receive a “new Spirit.” Praise God that that’s exactly what He wants to do in each one of us! Learn more about The Joshua Center at TheJoshuaCenter.org .

Yes, we as fallible people have misused and misrepresented God throughout history. Yes, we as broken and fleshly Christians have abused both the Person and the Power of the Holy Spirit. But we are still called to trust the goodness and purity of His Spirit, despite any and all damage that we have done. The exhortation is clear:  God is a supernatural God, and we are to trust His supernatural...

Did you know we have permission from God to be hard-headed?! Indeed we do, as we are called by God to do the work of His Kingdom. We are also called, like Ezekiel, to be “watchmen” for God’s people. And while it can be “sweet as honey,” the task of the watchman is serious and daunting. Only by the Spirit of God can we answer that call! Learn more about The Joshua Center at TheJoshuaCenter.org .

Israel was confronted by the prophet Jeremiah with two sins: They had forsaken the source of their spiritual strength, the fountain of living water, and they had dug for themselves cracked and broken cisterns that caused their water to turn stagnant. Unfortunately, we as Christians need to learn the lesson from Jeremiah: we need to stop digging and start flowing. How? By trusting the Holy Spirit o...

One of the more consistent themes of the Old Testament prophets is that of deliverance. In this incredible passage of Isaiah, the Holy Spirit inspired the prophet to speak of every level of deliverance: from the immediate enemy, the Edomites; from our sinful and oppressed state, by way of the Messiah; and from our earthly exile from the very presence of God, by way of the return of the One wearing...