are you afraid of the HOLY SPIRIT

[johnson1942]

i find most here put the Holy Spirit in a safe place and never ever consider the power of a christian over this world and in prayer with the infilling of the Holy Spirit. i hear the words emotion along with the words Holy Spirit. is joy with out emotion? move on christians, stop being feel good christian to each other and stop spinning your wheels and being stuck in the mud. lets get real in Christ, nothing is ever really done for Christ with that state of mind. anybody else out there understand what i am saying. stay behind and be like the people sitting at the gates of a city yelling to the sky and throwing dust in the air or move on and do Gods work as the Holy Spirit gives it to you when he wants. when some one mentions the Holy Spirit and emotions again, im going to sit down a cry and never ever read anything off this site again. stop being a feel good site and move on.

[Hogtamer]

The Spirit is my helper, guide, comforter. He leads me to prayer and makes those prayers complete when I am unable. He is the guarantor of my eternal inheritance through Christ and my peace. He directs my praise, affirms my faith, casts out fear when it threatens to overcome. He guards my heart, helps me to discern truth from error. He teaches the fear of God and is the perfect expression of God the Father in peace, hope, joy and love. He renews my strength so that I may be conformed to the image of Christ. He interprets the Word as the full equal of God the Father and Christ the Son. I can neither explain Him, touch Him nor see Him, but feel His presence as surely as I feel the wind on my face. These things I know only by the grace of God, the truth of His Word and by the Spirit of Truth. May He bless you today, in Jesus' name I ask.

[Boaz]

The Spirit is my helper, guide, comforter. He leads me to prayer and makes those prayers complete when I am unable. He is the guarantor of my eternal inheritance through Christ and my peace. He directs my praise, affirms my faith, casts out fear when it threatens to overcome. He guards my heart, helps me to discern truth from error. He teaches the fear of God and is the perfect expression of God the Father in peace, hope, joy and love. He renews my strength so that I may be conformed to the image of Christ. He interprets the Word as the full equal of God the Father and Christ the Son. I can neither explain Him, touch Him nor see Him, but feel His presence as surely as I feel the wind on my face. These things I know only by the grace of God, the truth of His Word and by the Spirit of Truth. May He bless you today, in Jesus' name I ask.

You said it all Hogtamer . Thank you .

[Preacher Jim]

Well stated hog tamer with out his daily guidance how many times I would fail.

[johnson1942]

what about the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of the gifts of the Spirit or the evidence of speaking in a non known tongues?

[Blackwater]

I think I understand at least the basics of your complaint, Johnson, and indeed, you have a very good point. Most of us today are so harried in our usual jobs, that when we leave our work, we're typically tired, and largely washed out emotionally. Thus, we tend to take up the "easy answers" that the world provided for us, instead of really thinking about and practicing our Faith. In bygone days, folks worked very long hours, but few worked at the harried pace many of us do these days. And that harried pace takes its toll on our bodies, minds and spirits. It's as inevitable as night following day. And therein, I think, lies much of, or at the very least, a significant portion, of our problems in doing what we believe in these days. Add to that the tendency toward "group think" that we can "thank" the liberals for, at least largely, and .... you get a lot of very "human" foibles coming out in great measure - TOO great a measure for a world like ours to long endure!

Being a Christian is a many faceted thing, and in a day and time like ours, when folks are heavily influenced and encouraged to accept "group think" as the way to go, it's really sort of amazing that we've retained as much of our faith as we have! At least that's the "surface level" view of things. Get down below the surface, though, which many don't have the will or "time" for these days, and it's quite evident that this is something that is NOT helping our world advance, or even to maintain itself like previous generations have maintained it for us.

If and when Armageddon comes, any and everything that has caused us to neglect the really serious things, like our faith and our immortal souls, will instantly become clear to us, I believe. And I think recognizing them at that late date will be part of the price paid by those who've consistently neglected the crucial matters in their lives, chief among which, is our own souls and their destiny.

As to those other things you mention, I'm not entirely sure I understand what you mean. I've been to charismatic services, and enjoyed them greatly. A better and more loving group would be VERY difficult to find. But I've never done more than kneel to pray at one. Not all of us receive these gifts. Personally, I probably wouldn't know what to do with them, really. But that's just me. I have lived long enough to know that each of us is given great gifts, but not all the same gifts, and I will NEVER deny one's gifts because I simply wasn't given that gift. I can't even profess to understand it. But I surely can observe, and at least hope to learn.

Christ Himself said, "Many will come in my name, and say 'yea, yea,' but they do not know me." I think I have an inkling of what He meant in that. He gave SO much for us! And yet, we often balk at doing much of ANYTING for Him! What a willful and sorry lot we can be sometimes! Many want to "think well" of themselves today, but that's not what Christ advised. He advised us to constantly evaluate what we were doing, and if we can find a fault, to correct it, and keep doing better. God made the grass and all the animals to grow at steady rates. I think the bulk of us were made in the same manner, and it takes us time and experience to recognize our own faults. Add in the current view that we should just look away and let them be, and .... well, it's a wonder Christianity can survive in an atmosphere like we have today. And I suspect it's going to get worse with time. I'm glad I'm old, and probably won't live to see that. But your point is well taken. I love the way you challenge the "status quo" that's so heavily influenced by some of the tenets of PC theology of the day!

[johnson1942]

pentacost did not stop at pentacost, it is still with us. if anyone wants to have real power as a christian instead of spinning there wheels, seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit. its a whole new world after that. the gifts of the Spirit and all that goes with it are tools and not to be worshiped but they are tools non the less. the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the door to the tool room and the tools in it. there has to be one christian out there who wants to move on and not be afraid of the filling of the Holy Spirit. i know what it was like to be a christian before the infilling of the Holy Spirit and i know what it is after the infilling. some one for sure will say Love is more important but that is just hiding behind that bible verse. i will tell you the real definition of love so it is understandable to every one. LOVE IS CONCERN FOR SOME ONE AND THEN ACTING UPON THAT CONCERN, EMOTION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. and it is much easier to act upon that concern with a tool box in your hand and with the power of the Holy Spirit also, than spinning your wheel with the feel good stuff and saying i understand brother. people dont need understanding, they need results. the Holy Spirit can get results. they dont need a thousands prayers, they need one good Holy Spirit prayer.

[Char-Gar]

No, I am not afraid of the Holy Spirit.

[mozeppa]

i wonder how many here ask for the protection by angels from evil?

[johnson1942]

please do it in the name of the Lord jesus Christ, they are not to addressed directly as they are servants as we are. however you brought up a very very very good point. angles can help us but ask God and his Son to send them, dont talk to them directly. i son and daughter when they were very young and happy and playing together in peace and joy their gardian angel become visable and was with them. she sang to them come let us adore him, Christ the Lord. my youngest son received the baptism of the Holy Spirit at 4 years old when he gave his heart to jesus. he would sit on the deck a talk for 1/2 hour to the two cat in tongues and the funny thing is they would sit and listen and never move from him. he tells me at 17 he does it when ever he wants now and still talks to God that way. ask God freely for angels to protect you , just dont talk directly to them. ive only seen two good angle in my life time but ive seen dozens from the other side when i was praying about there bad works and deeds. they get mad and leave and then show them selves to me. one was a angle of light, that is a false angel who is not hard to look at and pretends to be on Gods side. she looked at me with the most sarcastic face i have ever seen then turned and went away. she will be thrown into the lake of fire along with the rest and wont look like that then.

[tinhorn97062]

To echo Char-Gar, I'm also not afraid of the Holy Spirit. And to echo Blackwater, I too have been to many charismatic meetings and enjoyed them greatly. I've also been to many Baptist services that blessed me immensely, and even received truth from a Catholic priest at a quinciera party. Some of those along the way professed to be filled with the Holy Ghost, and others not. But nonetheless, each and every one was USED by the Spirit of God, and they certainly heard from Him and ministered as He willed.

Ive had an idea for quite some time, that many folks have developed a bad taste in their mouths for anything related to "Pentecost", or "Charismatic", or "the Holy Ghost"...because of the antics of some. And it's sad.

To speak directly to your post, it seems like you're chiding folks here. What's wrong with emotions? Didn't God give us emotions? Who are you to say that folks here are NOT doing any works for Christ? Is it because there's no reports of people "falling out", or "dancing in the spirit", etc? Maybe we all need to spend a little more time sweeping our own front porch, and less time worrying about what the neighbor's porch looks like.

[Wayne Smith]

I believe we give Satan too much credit. The Catholics see the enemy in three parts - the world, the flesh, and the devil. I think they are right. If the world and the flesh will do the job for him, Satan doesn't have to get involved. Remember - only 1/3 of the angels fell with him, God has 2/3rds of them. God is Omnipotent, God is all knowing, God is completely competent, the enemy is none of these things. The enemy has to guess the future, God knows it, makes it happen. Satan has to conserve his forces, God is Omnipotent. Satan is fighting a loosing fight, Christ has already won!

No, I'm not afraid of the Holy Spirit, I rely on Him daily. He speaks through me at times. He is all sufficient.

[GhostHawk]

Not afraid here, the Holy Spirit is my constant guide. Believe it or not it reads these posts through my eyes. At times it takes over my fingers. Inspired, well that is one way to put it.

I do tend to proofread before posting, but I do that no matter who is in control.

Often as I read I get "knowing" about someone. I'll use Ken in Iowa as an example.

I read his request for prayer, and before I had even loaded the thread I knew that God was with Ken, and that everything was going to be all right.

Obviously that colored my reply. And yes I did ask for more healing, more protection, for Ken in his time of trial.

So far the Holy Spirit has not been wrong yet.

Some threads some of you might have noticed I am conspicuous by my absence.
Mostly it is just a quiet "move along, nothing you can do here" Sometimes it is a "this is going to end badly"

Afraid, no, not even a little bit. The Holy Spirit knows that I would rather leave this world this night rather than screw this up. We have a very good, solid relationship.

One thing I do have to mention. When it is all on the line, when you absolutely must win. Who do you choose to do what must be done? Do you pick the best and the brightest of those available? Or you you choose the black sheep that has screwed up so many times in this life that I have lost count?

I am not a preacher, I am not a bible scholar, and I am no ones example of how it should be done. I am a believer, and I do what I can do, and I do it to the very best of my ability. And I try as often as I can to wake people up. To make them see that it is time for Repentance and Revival. That it is time to prepare spiritually.

I also know that the Lord has a job for me to do yet here on this world. Even though I know not what it might be. He has invested years and decades of help and support to get me here. He reached out and touched my life and called me back to his flock. And I came, and I come. And I try to follow his will. And I listen to that still small voice in the back of my head. The one that I can not tell if it is me, or the Holy Spirit.

Except that the Spirit thinks differently than I. Has different concerns, has knowledge I do not have. I could be crazy.

But I don't think I am. And the Spirit whispers "Your not crazy William Thomas. Weird perhaps."

I don't know anything, not in a provable way, except this.

I believe Father. I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And his only son our Lord Jesus the Christ, conceived by the Holy Spirit. Born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. After 3 days he ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almighty. He will come again to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe, and I have heard the Spirit tell me that my name was written in the book of life. And I know that I am not worthy.

But, every day is a new day, every day is a chance to grow, to learn, to live, to love, to do better. And some days I fail, and I stumble and I fall.

How do you tell someone, someone who is yearning, yet is not convinced?

I know not. What I do know is this, that still small voice that is not sound, but closer to thought. Has never urged me to do what I know is wrong. Has never encouraged me to think of myself first. Has never promised me anything other than those promises Jesus has made.

Good enough for me. I believe. But I believed BEFORE I heard the Holy Spirit.

You have to take that leap of faith first.

I'd sooner be afraid of my mother than the Holy Spirit.

[johnson1942]

im not chiding anyone. im a realist. i i do not expect many to get what im trying to get across. it is impossible to understand what i have said or trying to reach unless your seeking the baptism of the Holy Spirit or already have it. most dont want it as they have been too long hearing negative doctrine about it. spinning the christian wheels, there is a lot of that. i was also just wanted to see what this form is all about. i was hoping for more than a feel good form. what kind of trend there is here? i was seeking to maybe reach one person to move on in Christ. im trying to find out if im in the wrong church here. im finding that i see the core of this form, it is not pentacostal and im the fish in the wrong tank. im used to getting things done and expecting real results. thanks for giving me the real picture of this form.

[Bzcraig]

The Spirit is my helper, guide, comforter. He leads me to prayer and makes those prayers complete when I am unable. He is the guarantor of my eternal inheritance through Christ and my peace. He directs my praise, affirms my faith, casts out fear when it threatens to overcome. He guards my heart, helps me to discern truth from error. He teaches the fear of God and is the perfect expression of God the Father in peace, hope, joy and love. He renews my strength so that I may be conformed to the image of Christ. He interprets the Word as the full equal of God the Father and Christ the Son. I can neither explain Him, touch Him nor see Him, but feel His presence as surely as I feel the wind on my face. These things I know only by the grace of God, the truth of His Word and by the Spirit of Truth. May He bless you today, in Jesus' name I ask.

Excellent brother, excellent!

[Boaz]

im not chiding anyone. im a realist. i i do not expect many to get what im trying to get across. it is impossible to understand what i have said or trying to reach unless your seeking the baptism of the Holy Spirit or already have it. most dont want it as they have been too long hearing negative doctrine about it. spinning the christian wheels, there is a lot of that. i was also just wanted to see what this form is all about. i was hoping for more than a feel good form. what kind of trend there is here? i was seeking to maybe reach one person to move on in Christ. im trying to find out if im in the wrong church here. im finding that i see the core of this form, it is not pentacostal and im the fish in the wrong tank. im used to getting things done and expecting real results. thanks for giving me the real picture of this form.


This place is not a church . That's the amazing thing about it . We belonging to different denominations gather voluntarily to pray for each other , seek fellowship through the common bond of our faith . The Holy Sprit has led many here ...he led me here .

We are all on the same road . We are moving down that road each at a different pace . Some may pass another but encouragement is given in the passing . At times we stop on the road to talk , to give or receive confirmation . At a point we may sit down on the side of the road to rest , gain strength and watch others as they push on , leading the way . The Holy Sprit guides us .

[Jeffrey]

My parents were heavily into their church. So much so that when I was a teen, they had music ministry, prayer meetings, bible study, ad nauseum then mass on Sunday. Where was the time, attention, and energy my five sisters and I needed? See the above. You want to get heavily into your faith? Good for you. It makes you happy? Good for you. Just don't put so much energy into it that you neglect your family. To those that read this and want to pray for me: go right ahead. But know this, I have found as much comfort and strength in my non Judeau Christian faith as you do in yours that is.

[Pine Baron]

Okay, I've read this post over a few times, puzzled over the OP and been inspired by some the responses. Please reference the linked article. And NO I'm not "afraid" of the Holy Spirit. Go in Peace.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1994/september12/4ta035.html?share=

[johnson1942]

boy did you read into what i posted wrong, your way way off base and what you posted has nothing to do what i posted. sorry you had a bad experience. you dont have to worry our family is not what you experienced. im just talking about a deeper experience and more power when you pray and being more affective for God.

[pmer]

To me the Holy Spirit is a manifestation of God and that requires that I fear the Holy Spirit as I fear God. Because as the song says 1+1+1=1. If I'm not "afraid" of the Holy Spirit then I'm apt to think I'm equal to the Holy Spirit and that just is not the case. This is eastern thinking meets Christianity. When the Word says "fear" God, it's closer to the modern word "respect"

One time in prayer I had a feeling of not being alone. It was something I did not pursue or ask for but it was in a trying time for me. Let me say when both worlds are near to the moment that you are in "respect" is much more fitting than "not afraid". It took me a week to talk about it because I didn't know what happened until I started searching for other instances of that occurrence.

Jesus was saying not to blasphemy the Holy Spirit because He was working with the power of the Holy Spirit, not His own power. He was leading by example. He was letting the love of God work through Him.

[tinhorn97062]

"Move on in Christ"- again, who are you to say people here are not moving on in Christ? You assume that only a Holy Spirit baptized person would understand what you're trying to get across...I am, and I have no clue what you're trying to get across.

*sigh*

"More power when you pray" and "being more effective for God" are not solely dependant on being baptized in the Holy Spirit. RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER is what gets it done. Do you want to be really effective for God? Then die to self. Want to have more power when you pray? Then allow the love of God to motivate those prayers.

I see a lot of denominations represented in this chapel, and it's amazing to me that the typical denominational warfare doesn't flare up. That's because people are allowing the love of God to motivate them and the Spirit of God to lead them.

[Blackwater]

I guess I'm one of the ones who doesn't quite "get" what you're saying, Johnson. I HAVE had experience with an old preacher who had little education, healing my wife's grandad once. He was in a hospital room, bleeding internally, and the doc called the family in and told them he wasn't likely to see the morning light. Their preacher at the time, in their tiny little community church, showed up, and was told that the problem was internal bleeding that they just couldn't get stopped, and transfusions wouldn't deal with. He nodded, solemn faced, and took my FIL aside and talked to him, and then, my FIL told the nurse attending that he wanted the preacher to go inside for a few minutes. He stayed in there for maybe 10 or 12 minutes. When he came out, he said Doc, my wife's grandad, would be OK in the morning. And indeed, that's just exactly how it went, too! The preacher had been taught by another old preacer, that reading a certain passage in the Bible could stop bleeding. And it certainly did in this case, too! How all that works, I confess I do not really understand. But I saw it, and there was nothing special done except the preacher's prayer that night. And Doc lived a number of years longer.

It is my opinion, and that's all it is, that not all of us are prepared to receive some of the special gifts that God can bestow on the majority of us. Why that is, I'm not sure. I also know that I began finding answers to long asked questions when I quit pursuing the answers, and just let them come to me! Why does it work that way? I have no explanation. I just have faith that it does what it does, because I've seen it, and that instance is not the only time I've seen it. It was surely humbling, and totally convincing, as were some other occasions.

But why some get certain gifts that most do not is, for me at least, the Lord's prerogative, and I am far too humble to think I can discern the Mind of God, so .... I just try to observe all I can, take it in and process it, and let it influence me to the good, if it can. The rest, I simply leave up to the Lord. I ask, and many times, have been told "no." But I stay humble, and accept that when it happens, because I know His judgment is so far superior to mine, that if He doesn't want to give me what I ask for, I simply have faith that He has good reason for that.

I'm a simple guy who's seeking more knowledge and light. And I've found it amazing how answers to our questions and requests often come to us. Maybe we have to be prepared to receive some of them? I know I was awfully diligent in pursuing answers for a very long time, without finding answers, and when I quit pursuing, they began to come to me, as if by "osmosis" or something. This, I think, is a simple Gift from God. Why does He do what He does? I'm far too humble to pretend to understand His mind! But I sure do relish every gift He's given me. And I've been truly blessed in many, many, many ways. How could anyone like me be anything BUT humble?

So what you're talking about, Johnson, is above my present "pay grade" and I take it all in and store it, in hopes one day, I'll be given the gift of understanding it. I simply do not at present, but can neither deny it at all. Thanks for the post, and some good commentary as well. This is one of the things that often breaks out into dissension and name-calling, and I'm proud of the folks here that it's been kept very clean. I've been so awed by some of the things that I've seen in my time here, that I could never deny things other obviously devout folks sometimes tell me. I will likely never really "understand" God fully. I doubt any of us can. But He HAS given us a whole lot to work with and go on in conducting ourselves righteously, and that's all we really need, in this realm. The rest, I suspect, will be revealed to all of us eventually, but not in this world. What a wondrous day that will be!

[johnson1942]

to be honest tinhorn, dont worry about it, im not reaching out to you, your not interested or care. so you have no basis to even make any educated comments about what im talking about. this is not ment for you.