Chapter 1


Introduction To Inspiration

By
The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Raphael Okechukwu Nweze


Why A Study Of Inspiration Is Important         
  1. Many of the youths do not know how to succeed in life.

  2. People do not know what they are.

  3. Churches preach about God, but people do not know how to find God.

  4. People do not know how to worship God in spirit and in truth.

  5. So many wrong beliefs and practices are being presented to the public.

  6. The undeveloped nations often ask why is it that developed nations prosper far more that the undeveloped nations. The answer is inspiration.

  7. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.

  8. It is good to be a believer. But, it is a disgrace to be an ignorant believer. Inspiration helps a person to know, even without being taught.

  9. Inspiration makes people knowledgeable and wise.

  10. Inspiration brings out the potentials in people and makes their skills functional.

MEANING OF INSPIRATION
         Inspiration is the light of knowledge from God, which comes with enlightenment, conviction, empowerment and encouragement. Also, it embodies and imparts understanding, foresight, insight, counsel, contentment, joyfulness and gladness, skill, strength and power.
         Inspiration is any of the following:
  1. The light of knowledge, which radiates from the heart of God to the hearts of mankind, even so to the hearts of Angels. The same is true of all created things which have souls.

  2. A spiritual light, which embody meaning, knowledge, understanding and wisdom.

  3. The receipt of the Holy Spirit for a task or purpose.

  4. A prompting to do something, especially when the thing done is extraordinary.

  5. A strong urge to do or say something.

  6. An idea, which leads to new development, improvement, solution or creation. Therefore, it is a realization of a possibility.

  7. A useful, meaningful and convincing information which necessitates appropriate action.

  8. A feeling which translates into truth or action.

  9. A divine text message, which comes into the mind as a mobile message (spiritual message).

  10. The bedrock of prophecy (the spirit of prophecy), for none can accurately prophesy without the Holy Spirit.

DESCRIPTION OF INSPIRATION DIFFERENT TERMS USED FOR INSPIRATION
         The ordinary man may call it inspiration; the scientists call it idea; the Pentecostal call it anointing; the prophets call it revelation; the engineers call it innovations; the progressive call it vision; and so on. The various terms used in referring to it prove the reality and the universality of inspiration.
         A number of inspirations is called: inspirations, promptings of inspiration, flashes of illumination, stream of ideas, sparks of possibilities, seeds of realities, useful hints or the biblical mustard seeds.

TYPES OF INSPIRATION
         There are several types of inspiration.
  1. Prompting: the occurrence of an idea, a solution or a possibility to the mind.

  2. Constant urge: achievers have a constant urge to do something. The urge persists until they start doing what is being urged for. Some people become disturbed or feel discomfort if they do not heed the urge. Once they start complying with the urge, joy and satisfaction become theirs.

  3. Imperceptible guidance: in this type, the person who is doing something does not know that he is being guided to a particular goal. For example, when Saul was searching for his father’s donkeys, he did not know that God planned the search, to make him king of Israel (1 Samuel 9 and 10).

  4. Strong desire: it can be in the form of a strong desire to do something. Such a desire can arise when God wants somebody to accomplish something.

  5. Habitual Inspiration: the human body, soul, spirit, is made up of intelligent cells or spiritons. (A spiriton is the smallest and indivisible part of the spirit). These intelligent particles become tuned to a person’s habit. As such, they can prompt a person to do something, even when the person has no intention of doing so. This tendency is what makes addicts to keep on taking drugs or alcoholic. The Bible indicates the reality of habitual inspiration. “Train up a child the way he should go, and when he grows up, he will not depart from it”.

  6. Prophecy: This is possible through visions, dreams, oracles, trances, casting of lot, etc. It is true that some people do not believe in prophecy. Yet, the ability to make accurate predictions is now a standard measure of knowledgeability, understanding and mastery in the sciences and indeed in all spheres of life. Prophecy shall become all the more important and relevant in our life, day by day.

SCOPE OF INSPIRATION
         Direct Inspiration: inspiration is direct if it is received by the person concerned. That is, the message received by a person concerns himself. For example, messages received by Joseph when he was still a boy were direct messages about himself.
         Indirect Inspiration: indirect inspiration refers to a message given to a person through another person. For example, the messages delivered to Saul when he was looking for his father’s donkey were indirect messages. They were delivered to him through Prophet Samuel.
         Personal Inspiration: an inspiration is personal if it is meant for a particular person.
         Public Inspiration: a public inspiration is an inspiration that is meant for the general public. The messages sent to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation, received by Apostle John, are public inspirations.
         Group Inspiration: inspiration becomes a group inspiration if it is targeted at a particular group.
         Specific Inspiration: a specific inspiration is meant to solve one particular problem. It may be used several times, but each time it is used, it provides the same solution.
         Generic Inspiration: inspiration is generic if it is applicable to different situations, events, problems or cases.

SOURCES OF INSPIRATION
         Divine Inspiration: an inspiration is divine if it is a message from God. God herein comprise God Almighty, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Angels and the Heavenly Beings.
         Evil Inspiration: a message is called evil inspiration if it is not a message from God. It could be a message from the Devil, demons, idols and such other ungodly beings.

CHANNELS OF INSPIRATION
         The channels of inspiration include insight, foresight, motivation, role models, exposure, challenges, visions, dreams, oracles, trances, casting of lot, etc.

CLARITY OF INSPIRATION
         Daylight Inspiration: this is an inspiration that is very clear. It is does not require interpretation before its meaning can be understood.
         Coded Inspiration: the parables given by Jesus Christ were coded inspirations. Jesus had to explain them before the public could understand their meanings. Likewise, the dream of Nebuchadnezzar was a coded message, which his wise men could not interpret.

POSITIVITY OF INSPIRATION
         Constructive Inspiration: a constructive inspiration is intended to produce good results, which could be progress, improvement, solution, answer, etc.
         Destructive Inspiration: inspiration is classified as destructive if it is intended to produce bad results, which could be retrogression, difficulties, hardship, failure, etc.
         Note: one inspiration may serve several purposes at the same time. Such an inspiration may belong to different categories of inspiration. For example, the tongues of fire received by the disciples were first a group inspiration. It then became a public inspiration when the disciples spoke in languages understandable to different nations present.