The Great Exchange: Trading Our Plan for God’s Plan
Scripture: John 20:19-23, 1 Corinthians 2:11
In John 20:19-23 Jesus said, “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week,
when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus
came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When He had said this,
He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the
Lord. So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’
And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are
retained.’” In this passage Jesus meets the disciples and imparts the Holy Spirit to them. The
Greek word translated “retain” is krat-eh-o, the Greek word for dominion.
Pray for this Dominion in the fourth and highest level of God’s power. So not only
does the Holy Spirit begin with doo-nam-is but He takes us all the way through the
spectrum of levels of power into dominion that either forgives or retains sin, which is
the foundation for judgment.
Tongues was given so we can access the fullness of Christ. Some of the things of the
Spirit are just beyond our ability to comprehend. Tongues takes us into places where
we have to have the wisdom of God to walk there.
Forgiving or retaining sin is one of those areas. When we forgive sin versus when we
retain sin is one thing that only the Holy Spirit can lead us into. The Spirit can show
us through Scripture, “If you forgive the sins of any…they are forgiven them.”
It takes the Holy Spirit to lead us to a passage of Scripture that will explain when we
forgive and when we retain.
Many situations require the wisdom of God and the path to that wisdom is the same –
it is tongues! Even when we see a Scriptural principle, we have to know whether or
not it applies and at times we have to discern the condition of a person’s heart.
Only the Spirit knows that. Press into Him.
There is a supernatural exchange that takes place as we pray in other tongues.
Look at what Romans 8:27,28 says:
And he [the Holy Spirit] that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of
the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of
God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.