Don't take the long way around

   The way some people approach obtaining the blessings of God is the long way around. Israel demonstrated this well. They went in circles for forty years, headed for the promised land but they took the long way around.  What should have taken them two weeks took them forty years.  Imagine me, living in Kentucky going to New York by way of Florida.  Oh, I'll get there but that is the long way around.  The long way may not seem like the wrong way, but it is wasteful.  Having, by nature been an observer,  I have observed a lot of people wanting God's blessings take the long way around.  What they want is right, it is theirs, they can have it, but they take a long route to get there.  That is one of the ploys of devilish religion.  It will point you to the wrong way if it can, but failing at that, point you to the long way.  Going the long way delays victory and as well encourages failure and surrender.

   Examples: People claim eternal life and then spend a life waiting on it.  Long way round!  Eternal life is the Spirit. People want the grace of God and do flip-flops to find it.  Long way.  It is in the Holy Ghost.  He is the Spirit of Grace.  People want signs and wonders and do all sorts of things to obtain them. Long way!  They are in the overflow of the Holy Spirit.  People want the love of God and go to great measures to obtain or earn.  Long way!  The love of God is shed abroad by the Holy Ghost.  People want to walk in the Kingdom of God and some even await heaven so they can finally be in the Kingdom.  Long way!   The Kingdom of God is in the Holy Ghost.  People want great faith and develop all sorts of formulas designed to produce greater faith.  Long way!  Faith is to be based upon the demonstrations and power of the Holy Ghost. People want to hear God and work hard to do so.  Long way!  The Holy Ghost communes with us the will of God.  He is the voice of God to us.   People want to know Jesus as Lord and study hard to do so. Long way round!  Only by the Spirit can we call Jesus Lord.  People shout and sing over their rich inheritance God has given them, but yet they wait until heaven to enjoy. Long way around!  The Holy Ghost is the "earnest", down payment, security deposit, beginning of that inheritance.  We don't have to wait for heaven to enjoy our inheritance.  Need I go on?  These are all wonderful things we seek, but all are found in the Holy Ghost according to the Bible. He is the short way.

   Stop taking the long way round!   The Bible says that in order to not be "unwise" concerning the will of God we need to "be ye ever being filled and stimulated with the Holy Ghost" (Amp. Vs.).   And, most wonderfully so, God gave us a picture of what that looks like when it happens.  You are filled with the music of praise.  That is the short way around.  All the promises of God are indeed yes and amen to those who are in Christ but the short way is grab hold of the Holy Ghost who Jesus clearly said would come, upon His departure, to tell us about Jesus, to show us what is ours and make it a reality.  The Holy Ghost moves those promises from the realm of words to the realm of experience and fulfillment.  When we are not filled with the Spirit, the other side of this coin is that you are "unwise" concerning the will of God, so chances are you will keep taking the long way to victory.

   Oh, if you want, go ahead and take the long route but as for me, I want to get into the things of God the express way. It's the free way!  It's the short cut!  It's the fast lane!   "Baptize me Jesus, again and again, in that which you died to give me - Holy Ghost rivers of living water".  Don't put your faith in your religious formulas. That is the long way.  Don't put you faith in your faith.  Put your faith in God.  That is the short way.