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| Many well-intentioned people mock the work of the Holy Spirit. |
Beware of This
Slippery Talk That Offends Holy Spirit
The key is to find the biblical balance: "The true saints of God, who have clear
heads, and pure, warm hearts, have in all generations had to walk between the
two extremes of cold formality on the one side, and wild, ranting fanaticism on
the other. Dead formality and the false fire of fanaticism are both Satan's
counterfeits, and he does not care into which extreme the soul plunges" (George D. Watson).
Watson masterfully describes how God's Spirit
can be suppressed or misrepresented. To clarify, the Holy Spirit is not some
weird, mystical force. He is part of the triune nature of God.
The Bible says that the Spirit intercedes,
leads, guides, teaches and more (Rom. 8:26; Acts 8:29; John
16:13).
He enables and empowers us to hunger and
thirst for righteousness, and to boldly live for Christ. God's Word becomes
living and active in the life of the believer who is continually filled with
the Holy Spirit. Charles Spurgeon adds, "What
can a hammer do without the hand that grasps it, and what can we do without the
Spirit of God?"
I was disheartened a couple of years ago when
I attended a conference about the Holy Spirit in Southern California. Men I
look up to were trivializing and mocking deep spiritual experiences that
authors such as E.M. Bounds often write about.
E.M. Bounds, who was born in 1835, began his
three-hour prayer routine at 4 a.m. To him, prayer was not a short prelude, but
an empowering priority.
Edward Payson, who ministered during the
Second Great Awakening, was said to have worn grooves into his hardwood floor
as a result of prayer.
It was said of John Hyde who left for the
mission field in 1892 that he would stay on his face before God until the
answer came.
It was not uncommon for the great Scottish
preacher, John Welch, who died in 1622, to spend four to six hours in prayer.
John Fletcher, one of the leaders of the
Methodist movement, stained the walls of his room with the breath of his
prayers until his death in 1785.
Why mock these types of experiences? Is it
because most have never experienced the overwhelming power and presence of the
Spirit? Should we not pursue the deeper life? After all, "When faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live" (E.M. Bounds).
I wish more men and women sought God with all
their heart. America might actually experience revival.
By age 28, my
life was filled with what the world offered, but I was
empty inside. I was at a turning point. I could choose to
turn fully to God and stop "playing church" or continue to reject
Him. By God's grace, the prodigal came home. I repented and put my complete
trust in Christ.
Although far from perfect, God radically
transformed and redirected my life through the power of the Holy Spirit. He can
do the same for you. Acts 1:8 identifies this experience: "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And
you shall be My witnesses."
The power of the Holy Spirit is like dynamite
that ignites a hunger for God so intense that every aspect of life is
changed—we become bold, not passive; stable, not fanatical; and committed, not
wavering.
Within the months that followed, I truly
experienced the infilling of the Spirit that is seen throughout the Scriptures
(e.g., a transformed life resulting in a love for God and His Word). From this
experience came books, articles, speaking engagements and, ultimately, a
church.
I, like many Christians, tend to be
"safely" conservative when considering the power of the Holy Spirit;
however, Scripture clearly supports the miraculous work of the Spirit today.
I'm open but
cautious. We need sound doctrine and the power of
the Holy Spirit. It's possible to be
"Bible-taught," but not "Spirit-led"—straight as a gun
barrel theologically, but just as empty.
The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor. 3:6).
Don't get me wrong, theological and
expositional teachings are essential to Christian living, but how often are
theology students encouraged to fast and pray as well as study?
How often are they taught brokenness and
repentance in addition to translating the Greek language? How often are they
taught the surrendered life?
We can sometimes be more concerned about a
master's degree than a degree from the Master.
The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures and
empowered Jesus and the apostles. We are desperately remiss if we fail to
recognize His vital role in our lives.
I agree with Leonard Ravenhill, "We need to close every church in the
land for one Sunday and cease listening to a man so we can hear the groan of
the Spirit which we in our lush pews have forgotten."
Related Posts:
What is Anointing Of The Holy Spirit?
http://puricarefiles.blogspot.com/2016/05/holy-spirit-anointing-oil-is-also.html
The truth about the baptism in the Holy Spirit that most believers don't know.
feeling
empty?
Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of
Westside Christian Fellowship in Lancaster, California, just North of Los
Angeles. He just released his 7th book, Desperate for More of God.
Shane's sermons, articles, books and radio program can all be found at wcfav.org, Follow him on Facebook.
Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside
Christian Fellowship in Lancaster, California, just North of Los Angeles. He
recently released his seventh book,Desperate for More of God at shaneidleman.com. Shane's sermons,
articles, books, and radio program can all be found at wcfav.org. Follow him on Facebook at:facebook.com/confusedchurch.
3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get
to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice
clearly! Go deeper!
Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today
magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion
and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.
http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/59822-beware-of-this-slippery-talk-that-offends-holy-spirit
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