His Presence Still Speaks

By MIchael Westview

The God of Israel is the "image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15 NKJV). The Holy Spirit's presence verifies certain truths many need to understand and receive! These hidden, invisible characteristics speak His presence every day to those that know Him. Do you know Him?

The God of Israel is a God of order in His prese

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Sep 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781647733377

MIchael Westview

Michael Westview has written other books within the Christian genre to help in the equipping of the saints of the true church of Jesus Christ. From his unique perspective after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2016, Westview writes about his "valley experience" and the faith in Jesus Christ needed to overcome and win the challenges of each day (www.michaelwestview.com).

Book preview

Introduction

I would like to have a conversation with you—an important one.

Whether you have been a Christian for forty years or for four hours, I know this book will help and encourage you. You are more valuable than you think you are. Your spirit that lives forever is very valuable to the One who made you; you are your Creator’s treasure. Despite the victory at the cross, there still is a very real, invisible battle between the Creator of heaven and earth, the Lord God of the universe, the King of Israel, Jesus Christ, and the enemy, the devil (I realize it’s proper English to capitalize his name, but I will not), the rebellious angel that was kicked out of heaven to the earth along with one-third of God’s former prideful angels. Those fallen judged angels have now become demons. Since the enemy is not omnipresent or everywhere at the same time like Father God, the demons are the ones that cause the chaos and trouble for mankind that is seen throughout the earth under the devil’s managerial direction.

Jesus did die for our sins on the cross and did rise again, until He comes for His church as it is foretold by the Holy Scriptures. The enemy and his demons are on this earth trying, with their evil influence, to derail mankind’s awareness of the need of salvation. The enemy is hoping for mankind to not make a decision for Him, which is actually making a decision. The devil hates the Father in heaven because of his eviction to earth, so the focus of his hate is now on the mankind, whom the Father loves.

Humans need a God they can relate to, someone who understands their lives and their struggles. If humans were able to understand Him completely, He wouldn’t be God at all. The Father’s representative for humans to relate to (for His glory) is in the God-man of Jesus.

At first, in reading this book, it might appear as light reading; but to the contrary, the eighty articles are very relevant and meaningful discussions the Holy Spirit spoke to my spirit. If I give my opinion on something, the comments will prefaced; otherwise, it is what I heard Him say to me to write. Some articles are much deeper than others; in addition, there are some articles that are longer than others. It is my intention to have you read one article per week since there is a lot detail for each one. As you ponder and examine the eighty article topics within the middle section of the book, analyze why I would be directed to place certain titles under certain commandments. There is a deep encouragement or truth based upon the Scripture that is quoted within each article text. The Good News through Christ is that He trumps every lie and every slight trick of hand the enemy dishes out.

Over a six-month period, the Lord began sending me strong messages within my spirit of certain aspects of life that are confirmed just by the presence of the Holy Spirit within us.

This book is organized into three sections: (1) Background, (2) Articles, (3) Discussion. The background chapters are the foundational thoughts of how the book is presented. The articles are eighty individual topics the Lord put on my heart to discuss. They are divided within three categories ("In Relationship: God of Israel to a Person, a Person to Related Family, and Unrelated Person to Unrelated Person) while further subdivided within the individual commandments. Again, how the topics were distributed under certain commandments was His leading. Within the many, many pages of notes over those six months, they were titled, classified, and placed with some renamed and categorized within the book structure. Many chapter and section titles changed over time as the theme of the book was being revealed. The commandments are still and always will be relevant since it shows that we will always need the Savior—Jesus. His wisdom is so impressive that this project actually ministered to me in many ways.

The discussion section is the final narrative that ties up the concepts within the book and their application.

With respect, the $100,000 question of the day is, Why should you spend your time reading yet another book when there are so many on these topics? Good question. Answer: I will rely on the Holy Spirit to direct you. Period. Maybe you are to read this book, maybe not. His call. The Lord really shared some insights into some of the issues discussed. As far as my qualification goes to write about these eighty article points, I am the least likely to be chosen to do projects like this. However, something supernatural did happen to me years ago. Not all those supernatural events will be completely described in any my books—I’m allowed to only share so much. Remarkably, those events actually did qualify me to be used by Him to write this book and many others.

I do have a major health issue that would prohibit me from being in a public forum—Parkinson’s disease. I do shake quite a bit and also have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is for the glory of the Lord that He uses me with this debilitating disease—you will be reading a miracle. If any media is required for the books that are written, more than likely, there will be a spokesperson who is interviewed on my behalf.

My aim is to be obedient to what He wants me to write, not to please man. The point is that pride needs to be avoided at all costs in order for me to keep writing for Him with transparency: there must be humility; if not, I won’t hear Him at all. I am completely humbled, in fact, that He would choose me to write about His reality by using some very painful personal situations as a training ground in order to inform and share with others His message of love, redemption, and power.

This is my second book. The first book, Delayed by Deceit: The Unmasking of Spiritual Warfare, was finished in April of 2019 and is being edited within the near future. Please visit www.michaelwestview.com for more information.

This book as well as the first book are both a part of my testimony. To Jesus be all the glory!

The Lord has blessed me with the spiritual gift of the distinguishing of spirits (1 Corinthians 12:7–11). This is not hokey or magic if you are not familiar with this concept. The unseen spiritual side of life here on earth is really more real than what is seen. Each believer is given a spiritual gift when they got redeemed. It is this gift the Holy Spirit gave me when I got saved. Each member of the Body of Christ or the Church is given one or more spiritual gifts, depending upon how much of a contribution that individual is to make the world. This does not mean anyone is better than the other. There are many parts to the human body; likewise, there are many parts or function within the body or the church (1 Corinthians 12:12–27). With it being this way, each believer’s life is deemed important and valuable to Jesus and His Gospel.

Again I ask, Are you ready for a serious conversation? Would you like to be encouraged by the many confirmations about Him just by His presence being here with us? Well then, keep reading—His Holiness is in the details.

May He place His lampstand by this publication! May this book only glorify Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God of Israel.

All glory to Jesus, King of the universe. All wisdom is His!

Please note: Because of the current state of the world--with its many judgmental and false finger-pointing--the following must sadly be included:

Let’s not be ridiculous, *None* of this book or any other book with my name on it should be misconstrued as additional Scripture. The Bible and the saving grace of Jesus Christ is all you need for salvation.

I’m just a believer in Christ Jesus that has been compelled by the Holy Spirit to write glorifying and inspiring text based upon Him compelling and extrapolating my heart from my present and past experiences. I do not have nor will ever claim to have the exclusive on all the answers of life in Jesus--I am still constantly learning myself! I will quote information obtained from others in every work; otherwise, consider all other ideas an extrapolation from myself with the help from the Holy Spirit.

Event

On March 21, 2002, after my wife moved out of our house (because we were divorcing), something happened to me.

I have been saved since October 15, 1985, so at the time of the event, over seventeen years had passed. My understanding of the power of God or the supernatural was very low. I did grow up in a Christian family that did attend church regularly; there was just no growth and no father figure in my life.

I had never had any encounter with the Lord up to that point, so I was not expecting anything like what is described below.

During the previous few weeks before that late March evening in 2002, I was not aware the Spirit of God had been approaching me in the previous mornings with the loud clearing of my nose. I know that sounds silly. You see, ever since childhood, I have always had a breathing problem with my nose, so the clearing of this problem without any effort got my attention. With a loud audible noise, my nose would clear and then could breathe without any blockage. I didn’t understand what the Lord was preparing me for.

When I left the master bedroom upstairs because the dry heat was affecting my nose, I went to rest on the downstairs couch. I took my glasses off like normal and placed a very thick although see-through wool blanket over my head. While relaxing on the couch, all of a sudden, a loud, audible suction noise rang out in front of me. At that second, there was a physical presence in that room that gave my senses a feeling of panic. I knew I was not alone, and my mind began to race. A thought of maybe I was being robbed crossed my mind. Just then, the floor joist, which is around five feet away from the couch, which usually would make a creaking noise if someone stepped on it made the creaking noise.

A spirit being appeared before me. I still had my glasses off but was able to see through the yarn-like blanket. It is my personal perception: the being was an angel (since I felt peace as they drew closer). It appeared to have features like a male. He did not speak to me. Regardless, I know he wanted me to see him despite me being unable to move because of being so mortified. I did cry out to God in my mind that if the identity of this being was not from God and therefore from the enemy, it would go away. The glory that was coming from the being, not to mention the extreme peace, confirmed the angel was from the Most High God. I would like to be clear: this was not a near-death experience

The being came closer and started to wave his hands in a cross like motion over my chest—maybe I was being healed from a sickness? Looking back, he might have been confirming my spiritual gift of the discerning of spirits as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11. There were other motions the angel did that will not be described; those blessings justifies me more to write in His service—I’m only approved to share so much. At this time, my training started. I became open to hearing the Holy Spirit, thus the foundation of my calling and my ability to hear the Holy Spirit, resulting in writing. To get beyond the flesh and to hear what the Holy Spirit says, there must be humility, thus the training.

For the next five days alone in the house, fasting from food and water, I would be confronted with certain spiritual thorns. The Lord did confirm in many ways this encounter with the angel was from Him and that there was His grace and peace despite the pain of the thorns—this was to get my attention away from my physical body. In looking back, like I stated earlier, I now know this was training to understand His communication.

Most of the time, I kept thinking, Is this really happening to me?

One of these spiritual thorns was through the right side of my head. Although extremely painful at times, it helps me feel my disobedience or sin, in my interpretation. It feels like a sharp knife is being placed inside my head and slowly being removed, signifying the pain that sin causes. I try to pay attention to what I’m doing or thinking while the pain keeps occurring, so I won’t do that again. It was very debilitating, humbling, and embarrassing to actually feel this pain; it shows me how self-righteous I can be. In addition, because of this gift, I also can physically feel fiery darts being thrown from the devil when they hit the middle of my chest—this is how I know I’m being spiritually attacked. The Holy Spirit removes them after I pray in the spirit, and then relief comes shortly after.

Not long after the training ended, I was told by the Lord that my younger brother was going to die when he turned nineteen years old; he was thirteen at the time. For two years, I kept it hidden and didn’t say anything to anyone. But as the time got closer, around four years from his actual death, I informed my mother; and surprisingly, she sensed in her spirit that I was telling the truth and believed me. Four years later, my brother died in an auto accident on the nineteenth of November at the age of nineteen. I remember my mother saying she thought he was going to die in other ways; he actually did from a car accident.

As you read the book, if you know Jesus, I am confident the Holy Spirit will confirm that I am telling the truth. If you do not know Jesus, read the book. By the end of it, you will.

Section 1

Background

Chapter 1

His Presence Still Speaks

For I the Lord will speak, and whatever word I speak will be performed; It will no longer be delayed, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, declares the Lord God.

(Ezekiel 12:25 NKJV)

In these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

(Hebrews 1:2 NKJV)

The presence of the Holy Spirit confirms many truths—the foundation being that the Bible is the Word of God. His presence then infers the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the holiness of His blood and His salvation plan for mankind. This Great Deposit (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:14) was given to the church when she received Jesus as Savior and Lord while comforting and conforming within the sanctification process for us to be like Jesus, God’s Son. When the Father looks at the believer, He only sees Jesus by way of the Holy Spirit since He is Spirit.

The world today is looking for truth in so many incorrect places; it tries to find life in dead things. Many have given themselves over to unbelief because the concept of God cannot be completely understood. We people still want to have a say of the events in our lives. In reality, if the version of god the world refers to could be understood, then really that deity is no god at all. How can a god have the limited wisdom of mankind by being understood by that same mankind? It cannot. His presence confirms we are not in control—He is.

In the ancient days thousands of years ago, Father God communicated by certain prophets though different means. His audible voice was heard by Moses, who received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, as described in Exodus 19–20; he heard from God twice about the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments. God also spoke by voice to Abraham about being the father of many nations (Genesis 17:5); he believed God, and He counted it to him as righteousness (Romans 4:3). Father God spoke to Samuel the prophet with regard to David and his anointing to be king over Israel (1 Samuel 16). He told Samuel which son of Jesse the Bethlehemite was to be king. David, being the least considered by his family, was being considered first by God—one example of a handful of scripture demonstrating that the the last shall be first, and the first shall be last (Matthew 20:16). Today God still does speak audibly since I have only heard His voice twice in my life (He surprised me). I was blessed by it since I had some vital questions at the time. Mostly, He is heard from the impression in the believer’s spirit, the point being that He doesn’t change and still does communicate with the mankind that He loves.

He has impressed to me that scripture after scripture, there are many meanings behind an initial text. Within the Hebrew language, symbols like their alphabet are actually alphanumeric in detail; the language is full of hidden meanings. These deep meanings of the Jewish faith have occupied many people’s passions for thousands of years. It is with these intrinsic hidden deeper meanings of God’s Word that He showed me some deeper value within the Ten Commandments with regard to the eighty subject topics discussed in chapter 3 of this book. There is more than just the face value of the Ten Commandments. But of course, not to be taken out of context, these commandments still do exactly mean what they say not to do; there will not be any reckless conjecture on my part. It is with His power and glory that the words in this book are given and prayed over while using my spiritual gifts as previously described.

Our Father God will never change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). It is for our benefit that He doesn’t; how can a house stand with a shifting foundation? These nonnegotiable commandments are the guardrails of our spirits that save our very lives. The proper relationships among God, the commandments, and the people within our lives hold a special and unique perspective to the current state of the church and her surrounding culture.

If you are a child of God, how does He speak to you? The better question to ask would be, do you listen to Him when He does speak to you? Oh yes, if you have His Spirit, He does try to reach each of His children. If mankind, whom the Bible declares are evil, speaks to their children, how much more would Father God reach out to His children (Matthew 7:11)? He doesn’t want to have His creation looking for Him like in the game hide-and-seek. No, He wants a public relationship with each child—holy and wholly intentional.

It all boils down to this: do you believe He still speaks? If you don’t, you for sure will not hear Him. As the God who invented speech, He still speaks to His children. Hopefully they will listen and respond.

The Bread of His Presence

In Exodus 25:30, it mentions that His presence is like bread—the feeding of our spirits. The believer who claims His victory and abides with Him does and will sustain aggregate peace over life’s trials and tribulations. His blessings are incurable; they never cease for those who believe that He is able and willing to save and share His love. The guidance that He provides His children is one of the aspects of His glory. This deposit of the Holy Spirit is the guardian of the child of God and therefore protects us from the constant battle that surrounds us each and every day.

The real secret of His holy fortification within the believing mankind is the preparation for heaven. The evidence of this being the sanctification process the Holy Spirit starts as soon a person is saved. This sanctification process is a lifelong interaction with the Holy Spirit that slowly weans the individual off from interpreting their life by only their five senses; the person should be living life by the Spirit of God. During this process, which would be impossible apart from the Spirit of God within us, most Christians would agree that the characterization from the Lord that we do need constant guidance and encouragement daily like sheep is true. He longs for us to understand there is a hope and a future for those who believe—His Word gives the grace needed. This coming King declared and impressed on my spirit that we will be completely whole as in the Garden of Eden once more, walking in the cool of the day once again with Him (Genesis 3:8).

He knows the appointed times in our lives; He is the watchman on the wall. His presence speaks restoration through the constant action of Him being our advisor. The evidence of this authority is in changed lives.

His presence is not only the bread the feeds the spirit but the mustard seed of faith that explodes into a consuming fire, igniting and