Kingdom Warriors

 Isaiah 11:1,2 -  ?And there shall come forth a Shoot out of the stock of Jesse [David's father], and a Branch out of his roots shall grow and bear fruit.  And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him--the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord.?

This passage identifies the seven Spirits that make up the Personality of the Holy Spirit?

1.       The Spirit of the Lord

2.       The Spirit of Wisdom

3.       The Spirit of Understanding

4.       The Spirit of Counsel

5.       The Spirit of Might

6.       The Spirit of Knowledge

7.       The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord

All of these are Ingredients  of the Personality of the Holy Spirit.

They work together to give you the POWER TO GET RESULTS!

They all aid in bringing about TOTAL-LIFE  VICTORY!

1.       THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD

The Spirit of the Lord signifies ?Ownership?. We belong to Him. He owns us by His Spirit. He is the Spirit of Adoption. (Rom.8:14,15)

 ?I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).?

(John 10:10).

And who ministers this Abundant Life to us?   The Holy Spirit!

The Lord Jesus said, ?It is the Spirit who gives life [He is the Life-giver]; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever [there is no profit in it]. The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life? (John 6:63).

When the Spirit of the Lord comes, He brings life- breaking the power of canceled sin and death.

Whatever has died in you can live again just by His touch!

And He brings not just endless life, but better life right now.

Paul says, ?For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death? (Romans 8:2).

Are you experiencing all the life the Holy Spirit has for you?

We must learn to live in the present.   Most people spend fifty-eight minutes each hour either living in the past, regretting for lost joys, or feeling shame for things badly done (both utterly useless and weakening); or living the future which we either long for or dread.   The only way to live is to accept each minute as an unrepeatable miracle, which is exactly what it is- a miracle that will not be repeated.?

The Spirit of the Lord is waiting just now to heal your past, guarantee your future, and liberate you to experience abundant life right now.

Now let?s continue to look at and study  the 6 other Ingredients (3 couplets?)

2.      THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING (Isaiah 11:2)

WISDOM is nothing more than living with skill.

It goes beyond intellectual knowledge to include the ability to apply the knowledge of God?s Word in our daily life. It involves using knowledge in the right way or the proper application of Knowledge.

It involves applying God?s truth to human experience.

Properly mastered, it can lead to a happy and successful life.

This skillful living manifested itself in the life of the Lord Jesus even from His childhood.

As a child, Jesus was ?filled with wisdom; and the grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of God was upon Him.? and ?increased in wisdom (in broad and full understanding) and in stature and years, and in favor with God and man.? (Luke 2:40,52)

Wisdom was also evident in His preaching: ?And on the Sabbath He began to teach in the synagogue; and many who listened to Him were utterly astonished, saying, Where did this Man acquire all this? What is the wisdom [the broad and full intelligence which has been] given to Him? What mighty works and exhibitions of power are wrought by His hands?? (Mark 6:2)

They marveled at the Wisdom of His words, and at the practical skill His words imparted.

Notice the connection they made between the wisdom of His teaching and His mighty works.

Wisdom is about actions as well as words.

And because Godly wisdom is so rare, the wisdom of Jesus? actions baffled and angered those without this wisdom.

The Lord Jesus recounted the words of His critics: ?The Son of Man came eating and drinking [with others], and they say, Behold, a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and [especially wicked] sinners! Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by what she does (her deeds) and by her children.? (Matthew 11:19)

And the mighty, Spirit-led growth of the church, growing in very continent and country, every village and community and country bears ample testimony to the Master?s strategy.   ?Yet wisdom is vindicated (shown to be true and divine) by all her children [by their life, character, and deeds].? (Luke 7:35)

In other words, wisdom is proven by the right actions of those who practice it.

UNDERSTANDINGis the same as having discernment in wisdom.

It is not about the accumulation of facts.

The idea here is that the person with understanding has the insight to choose with skill between the options that come his way.

?Bin [the Hebrew word for ?understanding? in Isaiah 11] is the power of judgment and perspective insight and is demonstrated in the use of knowledge.?

This type of perception comes from the Holy Spirit, but not automatically.

Proverbs, known as ?the book of wisdom?, puts it this way: ?MY SON, if you will receive my words and treasure up my commandments within you, Making your ear attentive to skillful and godly Wisdom and inclining and directing your heart and mind to understanding [applying all your powers to the quest for it]; Yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, If you seek [Wisdom] as for silver and search for skillful and godly Wisdom as for hidden treasures, Then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of [our omniscient] God.   For the Lord gives skillful and godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.? (Proverbs 2:1-6)

Since this understanding comes from God alone, the wicked are infamous for their lack of ability to perceive the wisdom of the Lord: ?The [consistently] righteous man knows and cares for the rights of the poor, but the wicked man has no interest in such knowledge.? (Proverbs 29:7)

What an incredible comfort these words are for the righteous!

There are many choices, alternatives, and options in the world.

Sometimes it seems impossible to choose between them.

Thanks be to God that, through the Holy Spirit, we can have wisdom (skill in living life), and understanding (discernment to choose between the alternatives we face).

3.       THE SPIRIT OF COUNSEL AND MIGHT

In the second of the three couplets, Isaiah describes and emphasized the Holy Spirit as ?the Spirit of counsel and might? (Isaiah 11:2).

Here he is prophesying again about the coming of the Lord Jesus.

It is the counsel and might of the Holy Spirit in the mystery of the Trinity that allows the Lord Jesus to be called ?Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God? (Isaiah 9:6).  

The attributes of the Holy Spirit would characterize the Messiah.

Because of His wisdom, understanding, counsel, and knowledge He is the Wonderful Counselor.

The Holy Spirit also delights to counsel us.

He is not only able, but He really wants to help you.

Quit trying to figure it out all by yourself and let the Holy Spirit counsel you!

The Spirit of MIGHT?

Might is the an inherent Strength to accomplish or Perform. It is literally the Ability to do the Impossible.

So, Not only does He give us guidance, but He imparts the strength and energy to carry out His plans.

Remember, the Lord Jesus said, ?But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you? (Acts 1:8).

?The Spirit of Might? is God?s Ability on you to do what only He can do.  Strength and Power are components of might, but Might goes far beyond them to give victory over the seemingly impossible. Might is in God?s hand.

It is there you will find the strength to to accomplish the impossibilities that face you.

Read EPHESIANS 3:14-16.

Paul was praying that the Ephesians would be strengthened with the Ability to accomplish anything.

He was praying for them to have the spirit of MIGHT. (Also look at Eph.6:10 and Col.1:9-11)

There is no doubt about it?God?s MIGHT?His strength to accomplish the impossible?is in His Anointing!

4.       THE SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD

The third and final couplet in Isaiah 11:2 describes the Holy Spirit as ?the SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE and of the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord.?

He not only is that Spirit, He also imparts ?knowledge and the fear of the Lord? to us.

The word knowledge here refers to the knowledge we gain through our senses, both about how the world works and about God?s moral law.

Thus, the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to look at the world and perceive His handiwork and purposes in it.

The Bible declares that ?For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification]? (Romans 1:20).

When we are in tune with the leading of the Holy Spirit, we gain a fuller understanding of the world around us, and every day can be packed with awe and wonder.

Not only does He bring knowledge, the Holy Spirit also brings ?the FEAR OF THE LORD?.

This is so important to understand.

Solomon, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said, ?The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline.? (Proverbs 1:7)

Fear God and you will not need to fear the devil!

You?ll be aware of His Power and act accordingly as the archangel Michael did (see Jude 8 & 9), but you will not fear the devil for ?He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world? (1 John 4:4)

The ?Fear of the Lord? doesn?t mean being afraid, it means understanding Him and respecting Him.