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First, a little history. I had no noteworthy supernatural experience or emotional response when I got saved, unlike many. I just knew I needed to get right with God. I think the lack of such an experience laid the groundwork for years of intellectual pursuit of the faith. I fell in with the Baptists, which actually was good for me since I tend to be analytical, and the Baptists have a long history of theological scholarship. I learned a lot about the faith as a Baptist.
The more conservative denominations like the one I was a part of tend to minimize the Holy Spirit. Almost like “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Scriptures.” Now that I’m on the outside looking in, this is somewhat puzzling. There is a lot of teaching about the Holy Spirit in the Bible, but you would not know this if you attend a conservative church.
But that was fine with me. Until one day the Jehovah’s Witnesses knocked on my door, and they became the first to challenge what I believed. It would be easy to dismiss the Witnesses, but they motivated for me to dive deeply into the Scriptures. The Witnesses have thrived by providing their “real truth.” It can easily lure a person in, even people who have been Christians for years or decades.
Of course, it isn’t particularly hard to refute the Witnesses if you have truly spent time in the Word, but I soon discovered that it isn’t doctrine, logic, or effective debate that turns hearts. I spent many a long meeting with my theological opponents with no change. They did not waver from their belief despite being confronted with the truth, and this was inexplicable. I thought when people heard the truth they would simply accept it!
But back then, I was convinced I knew everything about the faith I needed to know. And it’s human nature for people tend to hang out with like minds. As long as I remained in the “cloistered” environment of the denomination, I was pretty much untouched as far as differing perspectives. In these circumstances one can easily believe that there is only one way to interpret doctrine, and that everyone that disagrees with your interpretation is heretical.
I am now convinced that this attitude has created much God dishonoring division in the faith. People of faith can legitimately have a different perspective, yet still be Christian. There are some out there who have made it their life’s work to dissect the doctrine of other Christians in the most severe and heavy-handed of ways. It’s almost as if they think that the more perfect their doctrine is, the happier God will be with them.
We are not saved by honing our doctrine. Of course we must stand for the truth, but I think it’s an unhealthy obsession to patrol the internet looking for doctrinal violators. And that’s what some people do. It seems that’s all they do. It isn’t healthy or edifying.
Anyway. I want to contrast two ideas. The first is the idea that you can learn everything you need about God by study and intellectual pursuit. The second idea is that nothing you know about God comes except that He reveals it to you. These are not mutually exclusive ideas. Even the most conservative Christian will acknowledge that the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, and it is He who opens our understanding as we study and rightly divide the Word. And clearly God reveals Himself, for He could easily hide His existence and we would know nothing of Him.
This means He has revealed Himself, and we can come to know of Him.
Therefore, the debate is not whether or not God is revelatory in the present day. The debate is the degree to which He does speak. Whether or not you consider yourself a “cessationist,” you do believe that God is actively engaged in the hearts and minds of men, enlightening, clarifying, revealing, and communicating with humans on this planet. It’s that you simply draw the line in a different place.
Previously I was very much oriented to the rational side, but more and more I am disposed to include the experiential end of the continuum. After all, God wants us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. That is the total man, with nothing left out. Every part of us, the physical, the emotional, the rational, the spiritual, our entire being is called to love Him.
The Psalmist asks, “Why are you downcast, O my soul?” Psalm 42:5. Clearly the Psalmist is speaking to an aspect of his being, commanding it in a sense to praise God. We are multi-dimensional creatures, and thus cannot restrict ourselves to what we can intellectually figure out. That is not the way we are made.
Continuing with my story. My early faith in the Baptist church provided the intellectual and doctrinal clarity to think deeply about things, and the continuing exposure to the spiritual/experiential has built upon that foundation into a living and real faith, a faith that might give pause to my Baptist brethren. Yet I am persuaded that we must go further into faith realms to comprehend the mind of Christ.
Years later when my wife and I moved to Bozeman, we set about to find a new church. The local Baptist church was a liberal Baptist denomination, which meant we were forced to turn to other denominations. It surprised us to discover that as we searched we found a delightful mix of fantastic people doing good things. People filled with faith who were wonderful, upstanding men and women of faith.
And they weren’t Baptists. That shocked me. Indeed, many of the churches we visited had a variety of people worshiping side by side. It didn’t seem to matter that some were Calvinists, or some believed in sprinkling, or that some believed the rapture was after the tribulation. What was important is that they all agreed that Jesus alone is Lord, and that His death and resurrection made it possible for us to come to the Father and receive His life.
We eventually settled in what we thought was a pretty conservative church. The pastor was an older man who loved to preach on the power of prayer. I had never heard such preaching, and at that point even believed that prayer wasn’t a way to change things. God didn’t do stuff simply because people prayed. But I remember that there was life in that church, something that was foreign to me. It was tangible. This church was the first place that I wept during worship, and I didn’t even know why.
Fast forward a few years. A couple of nice young Latter Day Saints ladies knocked on my door, wanting to tell me the truth. We spent quite some time on my doorstep. Maybe I had become a little wiser over the years. I didn’t argue doctrine. Instead of seeing them as intellectual adversaries I saw them with compassion. We talked on common elements between our faiths, which I’m told is a technique they use. But instead of letting it remain there, I asked them if they knew how much the Father loved them. Did they understand how truly precious they were to the Him, and how they could please Him simply by accepting His son as Savior? They seemed puzzled, and said they did things for their church in order to please God. They work hard for God, and then hope it’s enough.
We talked a while longer, and I noticed that one of the young ladies was acting differently. Eventually we said goodbye, and I watched them as they walked away. About half way up my driveway one young lady fell to her knees, weeping. The other gal tried to console her, and instantly I knew that the Father had touched her with His love. I never saw them again.
The next formative event in my life was when I played trombone in the horn section of a conglomerated worship band formed for a series of events called “valley praise.” The idea was to join churches together to worship God. It was a marvelous series of events. We had a large kickin’ band, with a dozen horns, several guitars, and many singers. We did nothing but praise and worship music for two hours.
One of the worship leaders was an associate pastor at the local Assemblies of God. I was on guard because I knew that A.G.s believed in spiritual gifts like speaking in tongues, and I believed these things had ceased after the death of the Apostles. But I was disarmed by this fellow, because he wasn’t a kook, he was fun, humorous, intelligent, passionate, and desired above all else to genuinely know and worship God. In spite of myself I really liked him, and came to respect him.
So I was surprised to discover that there were people who believed differently than me that were not stupid or evil, they were not deceived, they were not cultists bent on destroying peoples’ faith.
Sometime after this the church we attended had a blow-up. The assistant pastor, who had been in charge of leading worship, had been appointed to succeed the older pastor who had been preaching on the power of prayer. As it turns out, the new pastor subsequently experienced a life-changing event along with a number of leaders in the church. It seems a spiritual awakening of sorts had occurred. Charismatics would call it being baptized by the Holy Spirit.
What happened was a large group from several churches had gone to Toronto to attend some meetings at the Vineyard church there, which was experiencing, shall we say, an outpouring. I didn’t know it at the time, but the blow up was tied to this event. We didn’t know how it all played out. Still don’t. However, I knew and respected every one of these folks as mature people of faith, not given to being swayed by the winds of doctrine.
The new pastor was one of them. We liked this man and were sad to see him leave (or actually, be forced out of) the church as a result of what happened to him and others in Toronto. He hadn’t even preached about this stuff, he hadn’t even mentioned from the pulpit that he had gone to Toronto, let alone anything about what had happened there.
Eventually we learned that he was considering starting a new church. We met with him and his wife and liked what we heard. We started attending the small planning meetings. At one of these meetings they played a video tape of a Toronto meeting. It was nothing like anything I’d ever seen. People were fervently worshiping, lifting their hands, shouting and dancing, and even falling down to the ground.
I was offended and greatly troubled. I went to my Bible and began the task of refuting what I saw on that video. But I found no help at all. My Bible talked about all these things that I didn’t believe!
Dancing: 2Sa. 6:16: “As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.”
Lifting hands: Ps. 141:2 “May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.”
Falling down: Da. 8:17 “As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.” 18 While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground.”
Shouting: Ps. 118:15 “Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous.”These Scriptures chronicled everything I saw on the video. I could not automatically deem them unholy or evil, because there were obvious cases of these things in the Bible that were God-glorifying. But I wouldn’t accept it. My doctrine didn’t allow it, because God didn’t do these things in our day. People who did these things were deceived, possessed, or fleshly. That was that. But I was conflicted, because I knew these people were not like my caricature. Again, they were people that I knew and respected.
So I took on a clinical detachment regarding these issues in order to avoid cognitive dissonance, yet decided to join up with the new church and play keyboard in the band because I knew it was where God was leading me. The pastor was an excellent musician and gifted worship leader, so worship took center stage in the fledgling gathering. It eventually developed into a worship like none I’d ever experienced. We weren’t whipping up emotions, or manipulating people, or lulling them into a suggestible state with repetition. No, we were singing worship songs and hymns that were full of correct doctrine and beautiful melodies, and things started happening.
I’ve written elsewhere about worship, so I won’t recount those thoughts here. But I will say that worship is a primary calling for Christians, a powerful vehicle to change hearts, churches, and communities. People who seek God will find Him. And churches who seek God will find God.
So we worshiped and sought God and prayed and worshiped some more. And, we found God. How do I know? The church grew, people got saved, they gave up their addictions, they went into the ministry, they wrote powerful songs of worship, they made a difference in the Kingdom. There is no better evidence than the fruit of a transformed life. “By their fruit you shall know them.”
We have now finally arrived at the purpose of this presentation. Those who seek God will find Him. That’s it. God rewards the seeker, He honors the one who hungers and thirst for righteousness by giving Himself. Lk. 11:11-13 says,
Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (emphasis added)
It’s interesting that Jesus compares the good things an earthly father will do for his children to what our heavenly Father will do for His. And He characterizes it as giving more of the Holy Spirit to those who ask. That is described as a good thing! The Holy Spirit is the supernatural presence of God who lives inside us. 1Co. 6:19 says,
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
The Holy Spirit is a person, not an “it.”
- He can be angered: Mi. 2:7 Should it be said, O house of Jacob: “Is the Spirit of the LORD angry?”
- He can be blasphemed: Mk. 3:29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.
- He can be grieved: Ep. 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
- He can be lied to: Ac. 5:3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?”
- He can be tested: Ac. 5:9 Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
- He witnesses things: Ac. 5:32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.
- He can be resisted: Ac. 7:51 You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!
- The Holy Spirit is the one who brings us to the truth: My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. 1 Cor 2:4-5
- The Holy Spirit is one of the ways God shows His love for us: the Ro. 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Remember the phrase I used earlier? “Baptized with the Holy Spirit?” Mt. 3:11:
I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
This sounds to me like something that will happen to us, something that must happen. A good thing. The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to us: Ac. 2:38
Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'
It seems clear that there’s some sort of measure of fullness of the Holy Spirit that goes beyond getting saved:
Ro. 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Ep. 5:18: Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is apportioned according to God’s purposes.
Ep. 4:4-7 There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
There is so much Scripture about the Holy Spirit that it embarrassed me that I could not see this stuff before. Really, what does the cessationist do with the Holy Spirit? He’s part of the Godhead, He’s one of the Trinity, we were marked with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession — to the praise of his glory.” Ep. 1:13-14 We cannot continue to ignore Him!
He ministers to us, teaches us truth, fills us, he empowers us and protects us.
Jn. 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Ac. 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Ac. 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
He’s a gift given to us to show we belong to Him, and a necessary part of salvation.
Acts 10:47 Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.
Acts 19:2-4 ’Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ They answered, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ So Paul asked, ‘Then what baptism did you receive?’ ‘John’s baptism,’ they replied. Paul said, ‘John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.’
The Holy Spirit imparts spiritual characteristics in us: Ro. 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit…
He manifests in us in different ways according to the purposes of the Father:
He manifests in us in different ways according to the purposes of the Father:
1Co. 12:5-13: There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.There is a warning in Mt. 12:32. It is a matter of some debate among theologians as to who it applies to and under what circumstances. I really don’t know myself, but I don’t want to find myself in this position: Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. We must honor and worship the Holy Spirit for he is God. We are taught to seek more of Him, as we saw above. He’s important! He’s worth knowing!
Here are more Scriptures about the Holy Spirit’s ministry. He’s very active and at work in us in a multitude of ways. It’s time to acknowledge Him and give Him the due He deserves. Let the weight and power of Scripture speak to you as to the proper place of the Holy Spirit in your life.
1Th. 1:5 …because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
Tit. 3:5-6 …he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior…
He. 2:3-4 …how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
He. 10:15 -17 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." [Jer. 31:33] Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” [Jer. 31:34]
2Pe. 1:21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Jude 20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
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