·
Apart from the
empowerment of the Holy Spirit we are only good religious people who try to do
right in the world. (Chapter 7).
“Religion
idolizes concepts and avoids personal experience. It works to get us to worship
past accomplishments at the expense of any present activity of God in our life.”
The Holy Spirit and His works in our lives are the spirit of Christ and we are
called to live out of a place of that empowerment. Religion is the anti-christ
spirit because it seeks to separate the empowerment from knowledge which is
safe and known. I was struck by this
concept: If I am to remove the Holy Spirit and His works from my life would my
life still function? The answer is Yes. I know this chapter was discussing it
at the level of the Church, but what about in our own personal lives. I want to
get to a place that without the Holy Spirit
my life does not function. When our
churches become routine and follow formulas it is called religion, but what is
it called when our lives become routine and we follow formulas (worship, read
my bible, go to church…) and yet Christ and His empowerment are not integrated
into our daily lives. It is easy to point a finger at the church and say, “you
have it all wrong” but can we model it in our lives first? After all we make up
the church.
·
God is bigger
than what is written in scripture and the Holy Spirit is there to guide us on
the wildest of adventures if we allow Him. (Chapter 8)
The Bible is
full irreconcilable differences that we have a hard time getting our minds
around. Ideas such as God being loving but hating Esau or despising Able’s offering. “Yet this uncomfortable
tension is designed to keep us honest and truly dependent on the Holy Spirit
for understanding who God is and what He is saying to us through His book. “ I
believe the same is true today and does not only apply to scripture. People
often make the argument that miracles and wonders that are not listed in Bible
cannot happen or when they do are not of God. However, Jesus told us that we
would do greater things than He did so in my opinion that is a license for
ANYTHING to happen. We need the Holy Spirit to help guide us and keep us honest
and dependent in bringing these “greater” things to earth.
·
Doing the works
of the Father (God) always start with His presence. (Chapter 9)
Jesus, even from
a young age understood that he was only to do what He saw His father doing. That
required listening and tuning His heart to the heart of His Father. We are
called to do the same. People often wonder why they don’t see miracles or the
supernatural in their lives, but have
they put in the groundwork and taught themselves how to love His presence, hear
His voice and OBEY? I love how Bill Johnson points out, “His presence
always reveals His heart.” It is a great reminder that there is personal
sacrifice, discipline and devotion that is required to walk in the supernatural
as a lifestyle. Good old fashioned prayer, study, reading about it in history
and then actually laying on hands and doing it. I like the final practical
application that we don’t often include, association. “If you want to be a
giant killer, hang around other giant killers. It rubs off.” I want it to rub
off on me.
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