Insights from Pastor Nicky Raiborde
When was the last time someone came up to you to tell you they're better than you? Or that they could do a better job than you? Did you ever wonder what was wrong with them?
During one of the sessions at the School of Prophetic Ministry, Pastor Nicky Raiborde shared with the students how our heart’s condition affects the way we minister, and what it means to have a healed heart.
In his early years of ministry, he encountered people who would put him down or discourage him as they strived to lift themselves up. “The danger of this, especially in the church, is that when we allow the pursuit of performance to dominate, and we allow arrogance and other things to creep into our hearts, then there is no longer purity in the way we minister to others. It’s filtered through our negative experiences, and when we don’t get healed from it, it will be mixed into everything that comes out of our life,” he said.
“If we don’t allow the Word and the Spirit to constantly refresh and renew us, those filters will keep us from processing pure revelation accurately and we misdirect or hurt people.”
Unity Of Heart
Psalm 86:1 says, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.” The word ‘unite’ indicates a togetherness; it does not go in two directions. The Message translation says, “put me together”, and we all know we need God to put us together. He is talking about unity of the heart; that the affections of our heart and the our mind would be in sync.
2 Timothy 1:7 says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.” The antidote for a healthy spirit is for us to receive the love of God, cultivate a sound mind and keep our body healthy. An evil spirit affects our body, and only the power of the Holy Spirit can deliver us. Pastor Nicky believes that there are two key areas that be dealt with:
1. A Religious Spirit
This concerns mindsets which affect the soul area. The antidote is cultivating a sound mind. A religious spirit uses Scriptures in an unhealthy manner – to protect the self and to keep from being vulnerable or authentic enough to acknowledge one’s weakness. It is rooted and infected in the soul area where our offences, wounds and disappointments begin. And if not properly processed, these offences will affect the spirit. Religious activities become substitutes for the power of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God in the believer’s life. (2 Tim 3:5)
On the other hand, a sound mind is one that has been renewed by the Holy Spirit. It is self-controlled, discerning, focused, and orderly.
2. An Orphan Spirit
This concerns heart attitudes. The antidote is receiving the love of the Father. Without a proper, intimate relationship with the Father, we will struggle like orphans in the area of our abilities, identities, provision, acceptance and security. We will strive and compete, yet feel empty, anxious and lost.
Referring to an extract from Jack Frost’s book, Slavery to Sonship, Pastor Nicky highlighted differences between an orphan and a son’s outlook.
How many of us struggle with an orphan spirit or a religious spirit? Will we allow God’s love to transform our hearts and heal us from within? Read about how we can keep our hearts healthy in part two this article.