The Holy Spirit THE HOLY SPIRIT USES US
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Rom. 8:14.
Which is more important--to try to get more of the power of the Holy Spirit or to try to let the Holy Spirit get more of us? In heathen religions, getting power is apparently the goal. A witch doctor is the one who has obtained most of the power of the heathen gods, and in that way he has more power over the other people in his village. But God does not operate in that way. The secret of the greatest power with God is to allow Him to have the absolute power with us. The more fully we are under His absolute sway, the more constantly we depend upon Him, the more He is able to work in our lives.
This is the unique Christian approach to religion. Christianity is not for the purpose of getting power over others, as the heathen do. To allow the Holy Spirit to gain control of us and have power over us is to come to the point of subordination and surrender. This brings humility. If you can think of the Holy Spirit, with all His might and all His love and all His mercy, as one of the great members of the Godhead, condescending to come and dwell in us, that in itself is a humbling thought and might keep us from the dangers of becoming drunk with power.
Satan always uses the power that he has to force those under his control to do his biddings. There is no freedom in being controlled by the power of the devil. His primary purpose is to keep all people under his control and bondage forever. One of the hallmarks of false religions is their lack of freedom of conscience. At Satan's directions, the most cruel persecutions have come as a result of trying to force the minds of others to conform. But the Holy Spirit's control is never of this variety. The Holy Spirit, as an integral part of the Godhead, shares the respect that all of the Godhead have for man's power of choice. Man is free at any time to choose to leave the Spirit's control, and it is only as man man continues to choose that control that the power of the Holy Spirit is manifested in his life.
God is not interested in a forced loyalty or obedience. God knows that love cannot ever be forced, but is only awakened by love. It is as we respond to the love of the Holy Spirit, as He seeks to draw us, that we know the peace and freedom that comes from being controlled by God.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Rom. 8:14.
Which is more important--to try to get more of the power of the Holy Spirit or to try to let the Holy Spirit get more of us? In heathen religions, getting power is apparently the goal. A witch doctor is the one who has obtained most of the power of the heathen gods, and in that way he has more power over the other people in his village. But God does not operate in that way. The secret of the greatest power with God is to allow Him to have the absolute power with us. The more fully we are under His absolute sway, the more constantly we depend upon Him, the more He is able to work in our lives.
This is the unique Christian approach to religion. Christianity is not for the purpose of getting power over others, as the heathen do. To allow the Holy Spirit to gain control of us and have power over us is to come to the point of subordination and surrender. This brings humility. If you can think of the Holy Spirit, with all His might and all His love and all His mercy, as one of the great members of the Godhead, condescending to come and dwell in us, that in itself is a humbling thought and might keep us from the dangers of becoming drunk with power.
Satan always uses the power that he has to force those under his control to do his biddings. There is no freedom in being controlled by the power of the devil. His primary purpose is to keep all people under his control and bondage forever. One of the hallmarks of false religions is their lack of freedom of conscience. At Satan's directions, the most cruel persecutions have come as a result of trying to force the minds of others to conform. But the Holy Spirit's control is never of this variety. The Holy Spirit, as an integral part of the Godhead, shares the respect that all of the Godhead have for man's power of choice. Man is free at any time to choose to leave the Spirit's control, and it is only as man man continues to choose that control that the power of the Holy Spirit is manifested in his life.
God is not interested in a forced loyalty or obedience. God knows that love cannot ever be forced, but is only awakened by love. It is as we respond to the love of the Holy Spirit, as He seeks to draw us, that we know the peace and freedom that comes from being controlled by God.
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