If someone grabbed a bag of flour and said, “I’m going to sprinkle this white powder all over your food, and you are going to fall asleep for a long time”, you’d probably think they were foolish. If someone said, “This is anthrax that I’m sprinkling on your food, and you are going to fall asleep for a long time”, you’d run out of the house as soon as possible in fear. The difference is obvious: anthrax is a threat, and flour is not.
When the devil encounters Christians that are not walking in the promises of God, he probably thinks they are foolish, and he would be right. Many Christians are powerless. Jesus told the disciples to wait and they would “receive power” when the Holy Spirit came upon them. Jesus was talking about the promise of the Holy Spirit that was made for all believers.
The Holy Spirit brings POWER. He convicts the soul, and draws us closer to the Father. A Christian who is walking in the Spirit, and living by the Spirit, is a dangerous Christian. Dangerous to the devil, and to his world.
So the next time you do something right, and you are attacked, don’t be discouraged. Rejoice when you do the will of the Father! Be glad that it makes the devil angry! His time is short, and he knows it!
This is false.
The Holy Spirit is not power. And it is WRONG to label HIM as an “It”. The result of the outpowering of the Holy Spirit is power.
Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit of as a Person, Who can be grieved, quenched, blasphemed against, Who can speak, groan…etc.
I’m shocked to see this post from you
Sidharth
Comment Submitted: June 20th, 2008 at 1:27 am
Sid - I don’t think it is that far fetched to say that the Holy Spirit is power, but in light of your spiritual sensitivity I have changed the sentence to say “The Holy Spirit brings power”.
There’s really no fruit in splitting hairs over semantics. Obviously I know the Holy Spirit is not an “it”, but even if I didn’t… why not teach me in love rather than belittling me?
Comment Submitted: June 20th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Dear Justin,
You being a person who is walking in the Spirit, should be sensitive about how you address the Spirit. There’s nothing wrong in saying “the Holy Spirit is the power of heaven”, but that phrase took on a new meaning when you followed it by an “it”, which you have corrected now. If there is any topic I’m touchy about, its the Holy Spirit. My purpose was not to be-little you, if that’s what my response conveyed.
I have developed this attitude after seeing the heart of Appa to the Spirit. How sensitive He is that in the Book of Isaiah He speaks of how the Israelites grieved the good Holy Spirit….
And then you see Jesus’ sensitivity to the Spirit so much so that He pronounced blasphemers of the Spirit as eternally separated from Abba….. then we have Paul who also was sensitive about the Spirit and His feelings that he said, “Do not grieve Him…”, “Do not quench Him….”.
You’re loved bro. =)
Sid
Comment Submitted: June 21st, 2008 at 3:59 am
Lesson learned! You are right…
Comment Submitted: June 21st, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Shalom from Jerusalem,
Couldn’t sleep- almost 3AM, and happened upon your blog- great stuff. I’m so hungry for more of The LORD (Adonai as we say in Hebrew) God. Thanks for your encouragement out there.
Who and where are you?
Blessings from The Holy City,
reuel
Comment Submitted: June 28th, 2008 at 6:56 pm