Permission to Access (PTA), by Dr. Fred Hodge

You will make the decision whether or not to pray each day. You will make the decision whether or not to read your Bible each day. You will make the decision whether or not to turn away from that sin you are being tempted with each day. This one thing I do know: if you choose the path of obedience to God, God will pour out His blessings upon you. Isaiah 1:19-20 states: "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."1

Just before the LORD took Joshua home, Joshua challenged the Israelites to make the choice--to serve or not to serve the true and living God. Joshua states in Joshua 24:15: "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but, as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."2 

Joshua goes on to tell the Israelites this: "If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then He will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good" (Joshua 24:20)3. 

What Joshua said to the Israelites is this: make up your minds and decide whether or not you are going to serve the true God or a false god. All I know is this, whatever you decide to do, my family and I are going to serve the true and living God. Joshua was somewhat disappointed in the Israelites because even though they had seen the many miracles God had performed for them during their wilderness experience, they still chose the path of disobedience. They, of all people, had no excuse not to trust and serve the true and living God. 

There is another gift God gives to us. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit. We are told in John 14:16 and 26: "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you...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 and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."4

As you already know, a gift is something that is given to you without any conditions attached to it whatsoever. You have the choice to accept that gift or to reject that gift. Likewise, you have the choice to accept or not to accept the help of the Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit in your life will give you strength to overcome any adversity you might face. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit will bring all things to your remembrance to aid you in making righteous decisions.

The Holy Spirit has two operations: He baptizes you into the body of Christ the moment you ask Jesus to be your Saviour, and the second operation comes after salvation when you ask the Lord to fill you with the Holy Spirit to empower you to be a witness for Christ according to Acts 1:8. The Holy Spirit will not force Himself on you but waits for the invitation to become your partner in the earth. It is up to you to receive the Holy Spirit as a gift to optimize and maximize your life.

Here are some attributes of the Holy Spirit that are very beneficial to the believer:

1. He is a Teacher. I Corinthians 2:13-14: "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."5 Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot understand the things of God because they are spiritually discerned. When we receive the person of the Holy Spirit to dwell in us He becomes our teacher and guide concerning spiritual things. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit was sent for this very purpose, and that is, to help us understand the things of God while we are on this Christian journey. 

2. He is a Comforter. Acts 9:31: "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied."6 The person of the Holy Spirit is our assurance from God that no matter what situation we find ourselves in He is always with us. He is our source of comfort, strength, and boldness to obey God. The Holy Spirit is the power that works in us and through us to accomplish the perfect will of God for our lives.

3. The Holy Spirit is available today. Acts 8:15: "Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost."7 In another place the scripture records the promise of the gift to many generations to come. Look at Acts 2:38-39: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."8

The Holy Spirit is here to help you, but He will not force Himself upon you; you must open up your heart and ask Him to come in and help you to live the Christian life.

The old patriarchs knew and worked godly principles, which helped them overcome the adversities of life and lay hold of the promises spoken by God. They knew that in order to get a miracle, there must be an access point--a channel, for the supernatural to work. And it is no different with us modern-day believers--for God to perform a supernatural work in our lives,  there must be a channel through which He can operate.

What is a channel? Webster's dictionary defines a channel as: a course or passage through which something may move or be directed; a route of communication or access. A channel is something you possess that God may use as an access point in your life. He uses this access point to work the supernatural in your life. Because God created all things, He must also set in place a channel whereby we can experience His miraculous power.

We can experience God's miraculous power through the following access points: the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the power of His Word, the force of faith, the power of praise, the principle of obedience, the power of the Blood, and the Name of Jesus Christ.