What Are You Preparing For? by Brother Curtis Hansen

         Christians know the aspects and results of the Holy Ghost but many don't know how to harness the power. When man was created in the second chapter of Genesis, the first assignment given to him from God was work. If you are imbued with power, you grow fruits of the spirit in your life. What you don't know is a hinderance. If you read scripture, the spirit will lead you to all truth. It will be at his own pace. Work is a gift and not a punishment. Work is meant to be enjoyed. Line up your life with the scripture. In church, everyone wants prayer, nobody wants to learn.

        To paraphrase Hosea 4:6; my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because they reject knowledge. The hinderances in your life are ever present but they lie in wait.

        Do you know how to create presence? Who is the church for? It isn't for the saved nor unsaved, but it is for God. Why are we here? It's for the presence. Speaking in tongues is the language that is an example of power and a way to create a presence. Holiness is a way to create a presence. If you create a presence, it should be a safety net. The presence of the holy spirit is power.

        The subject of this message is what are you preparing for? Let's turn to the book of Galatians chapter 5 verse 16.

        16 This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

        17 For the flesh lusteth against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

        Flesh is lustful. Your spirit is fighting your flesh. There's never going to be agreement between them. Let's read verse 18.

        18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

        19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

        20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

        21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

        Paul presents the works of the flesh in verses 19-21. If you see any of these things within someone, protect yourself. Verse 19 are works of the sexual nature. Verse 20 are works of the spiritual nature. Verse 21 are signs of the social. It's good to watch and be aware not only in others but within us as well.

        The fight we are engaged in is not physical. How are you killing or containing your flesh? If we aren't fighting flesh and blood. We are fighting the works of the flesh in verses 19-21. What are you preparing for? Some prepare for applause and some for success. If you aren't prepared for the fight, you could take a major loss.

        Private preparation leads to public victories. Look at David in 1 Samuel 17:34-36. he fought a lion and a bear while tending his father's flock of sheep. David fought these two beasts before confronting Goliath the Philistine.

        There's a difference between confidence and arrogance. David is confident. Why? He had preparation. Arrogance is confidence minus the preparation or power. Confidence is studying, remembrance, and preparation. Arrogance is ignorance, forgetfulness, and rash actions in emotion. 

        What are the tools to build confidence? First there is prayer. Why? The bible commands it. Second is reading and studying the scripture. The third tool is fasting. Prayer is communication and right mindset. Fasting is created to quiet your flesh. Reading is digging deeper in what God's word is. These tools train you toward verses 22-24 of Galatians 5. Confidence is formed from experience. Train for godliness. Are you training your spirit? How are you doing it? When you hear the word fight, what do you think of? Not every fight is worth your anointing. You have an anointing and a calling in your life.

        Why do we fight? It's to advance the kingdom. Don't wait for a crisis to learn how to pray. Don't operate in reaction and emotion. Don't wait for temptation until you have discipline.