Good Morning Sisters and Brother in Christ,
Philemon 1:6, inspired by the Holy Spirit and written by Paul, states:
Philemon 1:6
That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Paul writes that in his prayers for Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and to the church in Philemon’s house, he asks for what is written in Philemon 1:6. Let’s examine the verse.
“Communication” in the King James Version is the Greek word, “Koinonia,” meaning “fellowship.” Specifically, “fellowship” means “partnership, contributory help, participation, sharing in, distribution, and communion.” So, we might say “communication” is an act, or acts, of fellowship whereby we partner with someone through prayer, through financial offerings, through physical help, etc.
“Faith” is the Greek word, “Pistis,” which means “faith,” or “faithfulness.” Faith is always a gift from God and never something that can be produced by people. In short, “faith” for the Believer is “God’s divine persuasion” – and therefore distinct from human belief (confidence) yet involving it. The Lord continuously births faith in the yielded Believer so they can know what He prefers, i.e. the persuasion of His will (1 Jn 5:4).”
“Effectual” is the Greek word, “Energes,” which means “at work, active, effective, energized, full of energy.”
If we examine what we have so far, Paul has prayed “that the fellowship of Philemon, and the others mentioned, becomes energized, full of energy, and effective through the gift of God’s faith in them. Remember faith is a fruit of the Spirit, which is in you, as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23.
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
It’s important to note the unsaved have the fruit of the spirit of disobedience in them (Ephesians 2:2). Believers can have the fruit of the Spirit manifest in their souls and then their flesh if they seek to do so. To do so means you have to study or hear the Word of God over and over until it becomes God’s faith in you (Romans 10:17). If a Believer doesn’t study and confess the Word of God over and over, God’s faith will not increase in you. Think of studying, meditating, and confessing the Word of God over and over, to help overcome some mountain in your life or for some desire you may have of God, as being like an LED power strip. The more time you spend in study, meditation, and confession, the fuller the LED indicator is on the power strip of faith in your life. We’re told this in Ephesians 3:20.
Ephesians 3:20
Now unto Him [God] that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Notice God is ONLY able to do as much as you can believe for in your life – “according to the power that worketh IN us.” Also, notice the challenge the Holy Spirit gives us as Believers in this verse: “that is able to do exceeding abundantly ABOVE all that we ask or think….” God is challenging us to expand our horizons, our borders of imagining according to His Holy Word. Our wonderful Father is saying whatever you can possibly imagine, no matter how big, doesn’t begin to come close to what I can do. SO IMAGINE AND CONFESS BIG, BIG THINGS. How exciting for us!
Now, how do we, as Believers, enable God’s faith to grow in us until we are all powerful as God intended – as Ephesians 3:20 indicates? The second half of Philemon 1:6 tells us: “by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.”
“Acknowledging” is the Greek word, “Epignosis,” which means “recognition, knowledge gained through first-hand relationship, a precise and correct knowledge.”
“Good thing” is the Greek word, “Agathos” which means “good, intrinsically good, good in nature, benefit, good things.”
“In us” is the Greek word, “en” which means “properly, in (inside, within); (figuratively) “in the realm (sphere) of,” as in the condition (state) in which something operates from the inside (within).”
“In” relating to “in Christ” is the Greek word, “eis” which means “to or into, which indicates the point reached or entered.”
The Holy Spirit has taught us through Paul that God’s faith can grow stronger in us by “recognizing all the benefits and good things we have in us by having entered Christ.” And, we should have experienced some or all of them. Immediately this brings Psalm 103:1-5 to mind.
Psalm 103:1-5
1 (A Psalm of David.) Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
In Psalm 103, David is doing exactly what Paul is speaking of in Philemon 1:6 – acknowledging the benefits and good things. I speak this over and over. Powerful, supernatural Words of Life.
As written about in previous emails, when we received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we received MUCH MORE than eternal life. We received all authority and power given to Jesus. I know, this blows most Believer’s minds. Religion has been so heavily steeped into us that we have trouble believing what Jesus Himself said and is written in the Scriptures. Well, if you can’t believe it, you’ll never be able to achieve God’s assignment for you – and everyone has one or more for their lifetime. Ignorance will not be a defense when we’re commanded “to study” in II Timothy 2:15.
The “MUCH MORE” we received is the authority and power, the anointing, to operate in the Kingdom of God and get the same results Jesus did while He walked this earth. When the Holy Spirit states through Paul, “that the communication of thy faith…,” the Holy Spirit is instructing us we are to be operating and distributing to others according to the supernatural Kingdom of God (government of God, the laws of God). We should be operating in supernatural health with supernatural finances and supernatural possessions to help spread the supernatural Gospel of Jesus Christ and accompany the spread of the supernatural Gospel of Jesus Christ with supernatural signs and wonders. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT JESUS DID through the Holy Spirit in Him.
John 14:12
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me [Jesus], the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Jesus is going to His Father so He can send back the Holy Spirit to indwell us and give us the ability to do the works Jesus did and greater works (not that we are more powerful than Jesus. We’ll be able to do things Jesus didn’t come to do at the time He was here such as building orphanages, building churches, creating businesses, building Christian schools, creating ministries, etc.).
John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 16:13
Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.
So, the question we have for ourselves is this: is the communication of God’s faith in us effective? Are we growing daily in our study, meditation, and confession of The Word of Truth and starting to do, or doing, the things Jesus did? Are we living in divine health, divine prosperity, divine deliverance, and divine protection – the fruits of righteousness? Are we using the fruits of righteousness to help other Sisters and Brothers in Christ, ministries, the poor, the orphans, the widows, and any others God directs you to help? Don’t be condemned if you’re not there yet. But God does see your heart. And He knows if you’re truly making the effort. Your effort, or lack of it, will justify or condemn you (Matthew 12:37).
Let me encourage you to pick up your Bible and read it. If you’re not reading your Bible, that’s a shame and an offense to Jesus Christ and to our Father, God. There’s nothing wrong with reading books about the Bible written by Godly women and men, but God instructed you in II Timothy 2:15 “to study and rightly divide His Word.” Most Believers today are like lemmings, just following the crowd of the world. And they’ll only reap worldly results in all areas of their life. There will be nothing supernatural in that which they reap because they’ve sowed nothing supernatural.
In closing, if you want supernatural results, you had better plant supernatural Seed. And there is only ONE PLACE you can get the Seed – from The Word of God. Let’s purpose in our hearts and through our words and actions to have effective faith which is able to communicate – give, pray for, help, speak, distribute, fellowship – all the good and perfect gifts of God (James 1:17) to all mankind – in abundance. We’ve been called to do this in Genesis 12:2-3.
In the love of Jesus Christ,
Larry