Inspiration

By Linda Mihalic

Inspiration is the act of drawing air into the lungs; the inhaling of air…the infusion of ideas into the mind by the Holy Spirit; the conveying into the minds of men, ideas, notices or monitions by extraordinary or supernatural influence; or the communication of the divine will to the understanding by suggestions or impressions on the mind, which leave no room to doubt the reality of their supernatural origin.—Webster’s American Dictionary, 1828
  Inspiration is an inspiring agent or influence, the quality or state of being inspired; something that is inspired; the act of drawing in, specifically the drawing of air into the lungs; a divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify him or her to receive and communicate sacred revelation, the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions, the act of influencing or suggesting opinions—Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2024

“The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”—Genesis 2:7

Oh what a difference 200 years makes in a single definition! The Holy Spirit has been demoted to an inspiring agent. Yet let us not forget that our antecedents were divinely planned and executed: God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion…. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.Genesis 1:26,27 God the One propagated the IDEA of mankind when He differentiated a portion of His Substance to be God as the Many souls of the human race: “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”—Genesis 2:7
  The breath of life is the Holy Breath, the Ruach Elohim, the same Holy Spirit spoken of by Elihu in the Book of Job: There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty gives him understanding.—Job 32:8. The truth embodied in this scripture is profound: The Holy Spirit is the carrier wave of understanding in the unverse, freely available to all created beings, who may appropriate that gift with every breath they inhale according to their earned degree of comprehension. Breathe deeply!
  Inspiration is an absolute and an abstract principle rooted in the Holy Breath, a law of being and of doing, a Via Christa Degree, and a faculty. You are inspired by the Holy Breath of God under the law of being. Your desire to do is inspired through the power of the Holy Breath in you, so you may become an inspiration to others. Inspiration, with Justice and Religion, forms the second lesser trinity of Via Christa Degrees, whose keynote is Giving. Give lavishly of the gifts God has given you!

Edna Lister on Inspiration

When you pour out inspiration, life and love, God’s talent scouts will be there to sign you on.—Edna Lister, Prosperity, December 2, 1933.

When you devote your attention to being the servant of all the Power of God, you are inspired to do the right thing at the right time and to be the right thing to all men.—Edna Lister, Undated Papers, 1934.

The five talents of the parable (Matthew 25:14-30) represent five physical senses: Inspiration, perception, apperception, intuition, illumination.—Edna Lister, Faithfulness, November 25, 1934.

Breath is the heavenly essence of inspiration. To breathe is to be moved by inspiration, so breathe deeply.—Edna Lister, The High Call, January 2, 1935.

Inspiration is breathing the Breath of Life, and when you do, you are inspired.—Edna Lister, Heavenly Manna, July 8, 1940.

Desire begins with aspiration, moves to inspiration, and leads to illumination.—Edna Lister, The Yoke of Love, December 7, 1941.

Aspiration and inspiration come under instinct, and even an animal looks up (aspiration), listens and smells the air (inspiration). The creature is self-conscious and operates under instinctive desire, imagination and will. Man awakens and aspires to something higher than self, to inspiration of spirit.—Edna Lister, November 13, 1947.

You can’t ascend without breathing the inspiration of the Almighty. Deep breathing synchronizes the nerves of the lungs and heart as one. When your vision is high, you breathe deeply.—Edna Lister, The Seven Churches, December 13, 1949.

Your breathing and inspiration of God’s Breath of Life measures your nearness to the One God, who is your Source of Life.—Edna Lister, The Chalice of Love, April 23, 1950.

From the time you begin to lift, you breathe inspiration, the pure spiritual Breath of God.—Edna Lister, October 20, 1950.

When conscience begins to awaken the first inspiration, then aspiration begins the soul’s long travail of ascension.—Edna Lister, The First Days, June 17, 1951.

You must be inspired before you can make a change.—Edna Lister, July 30, 1951.

“Inspiration is the Holy Breath quickening your mind.”—Edna Lister

Your first inspiration to achieve a goal beyond self invokes Light from your Oversoul star. You must abundantly encourage that inspiration to fan your flame of desire into aspiration to rise from creature to creator.—Edna Lister, Ye Are Gods, November 30, 1952.

The more often you ascend in consciousness for inspiration, the more new brain cells you open.—Edna Lister, October 19, 1953.

Soul confidence shines from you as Light, and inspires the world.—Edna Lister, I Arise, June 20, 1954.

Inspiration opens the eye of the mind, moving you into a higher state of consciousness, but first you must lift and free your consciousness from the grasp of the little self.
  To inspire is to draw in the Holy Breath and to appropriate the Life of God. The all-conquering path upward from lowest to highest, creature to creator, moves from inspiration through knowing into full comprehension.—Edna Lister, Inspiration, June 24, 1956.

There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty gives him understanding.—Job 32:8. Spirit directs, controls the body, which is your vehicle, and gives you God’s inspiration.—Edna Lister, Your Attitude Toward Man, December 9, 1956.

Ascension is being fully inspired at your highest point in consciousness.—Edna Lister, As God Sees Me, June 8, 1958.

When your actions become dull and no longer inspired, you have hit a plateau. Ask for more light to move through, and lift the crystallized spot that makes the dull indifference.—Edna Lister, July 24, 1958.

Inspiration includes both learning and teaching. Ignorance is darkness and knowledge is Light. If you don’t learn, you live in the darkness of ignorance. When you do learn, you live in the Light. Inspiration opens the door of the inner life to the unfolding embodied soul. The unfolding soul, the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy of Holies and the Shekinah Glory all symbolize divine inspiration.—Edna Lister, The 33 Degrees of Soul Conquering, October 20, 1959.

Many people contemplate their navel center and end up in confusion. You receive no inspiration from the solar plexus.—Edna Lister, February 4, 1960.

Soul speaks though your individual superconscious mind to motivate and inspire you.—Edna Lister, June 25, 1963.

New Testament on Inspiration

All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.—Matthew 21:22

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.—Matthew 24:35.

Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.—Luke 1:45

The Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour [of your need] what ye ought to say.—Luke 12:12

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.—Luke 12:32

If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.—Luke 17:6

The kingdom of God cometh not with observation…the kingdom of God is within you.—Luke 17:20-21

[You] ought always to pray, and not to faint.—Luke 18:1

The true Light…lighteth every man that cometh into the world.—John 1:9

I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.—John 12:32

I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.—John 14:16-17.

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshiped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.—Acts 17:24-25

If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another—1 John 1:7

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.—Ephesians 3:17-19

Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.—1 Peter 1:13

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.—2 Timothy 3:16-17

Aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.—1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Old Testament on Inspiration

The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts.—Proverbs 20:27

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.—Ecclesiastes 12:7

There is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.—Job 32:8