@power
Active 7 hours, 19 minutes ago- Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
- Total Posts: 482
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I will admit that it is kinda concerning. . . Sadly, I don’t think we both can be right. 😕
I have known many, many Christians who testify. . .
A can say very much the same. I have known (or at least known of), many, many Christians who testify of receiving the Holy Spirit when they spoken in tongues. I’ve been to events where over a hundred (and once a thousand) people recieve the Spirit this way, and tens of thousands had already recieved it and where refilled.
How DO we tell who’s right? 😒 (Hopefully you, cause then I’m probably still good.)
I’m glad I won’t be the one sorting all this out at the end. 😅
I am not getting heated at you, I’m just realizing how confident I am. I hope that this makes sense somewhat.
Lol, no your totally fine! 🤣
I like knowing where other folks come from and what they believe. It’s a topic that we seemed to steer clear of, yet has so much to do with who we are and why we do what we do. Perhaps, its because its so personal and close that we’re a little hesitant to open up to people.
Thank you for being willing to share with me!
I agree that our call isn’t to speak in tongues, but to proclaim Jesus! Which by the way, I LOVE your view on who Jesus is! (That God loved and cared enough for me, that He came! He didn’t relegate the responsibilities to another deity!)
Maybe consider writing something short, on a topic you like and would have fun with, and perhap isn’t even “a book.”
For example, I like cats and spy adventures. I’m considering and planning on creating a “Stop the evil cats from world domination!” escape room (I’m thing on calling it Cat-astrophe. 😼) It still will require a lot of writing and storytelling, but in a different way.
Maybe consider writing an audio drama, history podcast, fictional newsletters/blogs, a song, etc.
What are your thoughts on how someone is saved? I’d like to hear your view. 🙂 (From your comment, I infer that you, like me, would say that being filled with Spirit is a necessity.)
To be clear, I’m just curious to know what y’all think and I have no intention of getting heated
I appreciate this! When things get heated. . . it makes me feel blah. 🤣
I will try my best with what little brains I have to expound upon the huge wonderful topic of the Holy Spirit.
First I want to touch on what’s not being filled with the Spirit.
In Acts 8 we see some awesome folks who truly want to know God. They believed Philip’s good news about Jesus, folks are delivered, healed, and baptised! There is GREAT joy in the city! . . . But, “the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them” (v. 16)
In Acts 10 and 11, there’s another amazing guy, Cornelius, who’s devotion and discipline would likely put any of ours to shame. He’s “a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.” (Acts 10:2) Personally, this sounds like a guy I would want in my church and as my friend. . . But the angel that God sent told him “‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’” (Acts 11:14-13)
In Acts 19 Paul comes across 12 disiples of John who Paul appenently assuming already believed in Jesus, because he asked “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Paul knows that people can believe and not have recieve the Spirit (the Samaritans). Johns disiples respond, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul decides to do some back tracking to figure out where he needs to start, so they can receive the Holy Ghost “And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.” (Acts 19:3-6) Once again, people can believe and be baptized, but not have received the Spirit.
So, that leads me to the question, “How does someone received the Spirit?” (Because I want IT!)
Well, first, its something we received. I can’t make God give it to me. Its his gift, and He has to be the one to give it. Thankfully He wants to! “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:10-13)
Peter said “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.” (Acts 2:38)
Once we do our part, repent, are baptized in Jesus name, and ask him for the Holy Spirit, its now on Him.
I’ve personally found that if I can get repentance out of the way (and truely be honest with God and surrender. . . Which I’ll be honest, isn’t very easy at time), then start praising him, after a bit I’ll start feeling his presence, and my tongue feels a little “funny”, but I’ll just keep thanking him, saying how awesome he is, etc, and. . . You may be surprised with what comes out. 😉
A couple things,
You don’t have to be at church, or have a preacher there (though it can help). Some of the most amazing encounters I’ve had with God, I was alone in my closet. (I’ve even heard of a person feeling God, going and locking themselves in a bathroom, and God filling them there. We have a guy in our churchs who received the Spirit in his living room with worship music playing.) Just respond whenever you feel God.
Begging God doesn’t help. I’ve gotten all upset at times at God (I needed Him and “He wasn’t listening to me”), and had to take a breather, then try talking to him again. On the day of Pentecostal, they where sitting when they received the Holy Spirit. I’ve found (but am still learning) that being relaxed and joyful tends to go a lot farther, the frustrated worried, amd upset. “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Isa 12:3) “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Heb 11:6)
Finally, don’t be discouraged if you don’t receive it the first time you ask (the Samaritans didn’t). Its a relationship, not a checklist. Continue trying to became better and better friends with God.
I kinda don’t want to write this, because I don’t want to put any doubt in your mind, but it took me around 6 months of truely seeking God before he filled me at the age of 12. . . But, it was and is the best thing I have ever expirienced. It satisfies, bring joy, and an almost crazy peace! I wouldn’t want to live without it (I have before, for at least a years, when I decided to do my own thing. It. was. miserable. But, once I finally got right with Him again. . . He’s been so SO kind to me!)
Yes, I agree! Definitely very visible!
Do you believe that there are different kinds of visual signs (besides love) that someone has received the Holy Spirit or just one?
I think that, since when we receive the Spirit, “you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father! The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Rom 8:15-16 ESV) and “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Mat 7:22-23 ESV) that prophesying, casting out devils, and doing mighty works isn’t the sign that someone has received the Spirit, since I don’t think God could say that he never knew someone who had been adopted as one of his children.
Personally, I think its praying in tongues (Not tongues and interpretation that’s only supposed to be done one by one, up to three, and someone interprets, but personal praying in tongues, like the group of Jews in Acts 2, all the room full of Gentiles, and 12 disciples of John.) I’ve gotten to work with kids, and. . . well, those who have prayed in tongues are just so much more sensitive and kind. To the point that, I’ve come across a kiddo (maybe 9 or 10) who, without any adult proding, was distraught just because he had been mean to another kid and he didn’t want to be bad anymore. . . From what I learned, neither of his parents cared what he did, so in the past he had just done whatever he wanted to.
Also, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
It’s a separate wonderful, glorious, and empowering part of the relationship!
WOW.
I love when people know the Word and use the Word to explain the Word. I agree in so many areas!
SO! 😁😁😁 I actually was doing some study yesterday on baptism, from a section I don’t believe you mentioned, and I thought was cool!!!
Colossians 2:11-12. When we strip away the prepositional phrases, we can see how the main verb and the (participle?) interact.
“In him also you were circumcised. . . having been buried with him in baptism”
This “circumcision”, isn’t like the circumcision given to Abraham, but is “made without hands” (God does it) and is the “putting off the body of the flesh“, (“uncircumcised flesh” that we are “dead in“)
Romans 8:13 ESV – “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
It makes sense that death of the old fleshly man and burial would be together.
Deuteronomy 21:22-23 ESV — “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance.
I thing you could also go somewhere with circumcision beimg a sign of the covenant relationship between Abraham and God (Gen 17:11)
So, yeah! Hopefully you don’t mind my geeking out! 😁
Don’t think I’ve bugged this person @lillian yet.
BZZZZZZZZZZ 🪰
@whoeverthekpmoderatersare
We can keep this one ( @quarterstaffgirl ), and you can return the others.
That Mongoose has offended Bilbo, thus I must have roasted mongoose tonight 😔
You can have the little stinker! 🤣😂🤣 (He has been on a bath strike for about 2 weeks. . . Though it feels like an eternity. 🙄 🦨👃💀)
I haven’t bought his royal lowness his chocolate milk (somebody was getting rather chunky 😏) and after a failed threat to have my head, he fell back on his usual plan B. (And I have made clothepins investors VERY happy. 📈😁)
No! Leave the mongoose be! We loves his lovely poetry!
Thx!
If you want, I will happily let you keep him for a while! (But, let me hop on Webull first. 😉)
Soooo. . . based off your name, have you “sparred” with a staff and therefore now its amazing amazingness? (Perhaps have had the bruises to prove it?)
First, I want to sincerely apologize for my dear brats brattiness. 🙄 (He’s now in his cage, so there shouldn’t be any more verbal vomit. . . at least for tonight.)
It’s indeed a please to make such an esteemed writer acquaintance. I have spent quiet a few hours enjoying your autobiography. If there is anything I can do for you in the future (including putting a muzzle an his lowness), you have just to ask. 🙂
Your humble servant,
Power
