Is it real or is it...........?

I read one writer recently who said, “Today in so many Christian circles I fear if the Holy Spirit left, most of what we do would continue.” 

I have wondered this often in 10 years of ministry.  The church has more finances, people, and meeting places than the church in the New Testament, but yet we have less power, much less power.  Now I realize that I am making a hugely unfair blanket statement, and that there are Protestant Bible believing churches that God’s Spirit is moving in a mighty way.  However, for the most part our churches are lacking in that power. 

So then the question is why?  We know God is the same God that He has always been, because He is eternal.  We know Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  We know that He promised us that He had to leave so that His Spirit could come along side us.  Obviously then the problem doesn’t lie with God, therefore it must lie with us.

¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; (John 14:16)

 Of course we know who the “Comforter” is, the Holy Spirit (παράκλητος [parakletos /par·ak·lay·tos/]), and then in verse 17 of John referred to as “Spirit” of truth (πνεῦμα [pneuma /pnyoo·mah/]).  The first reference refers to the Spirit as someone who “comes along side of”, and the second refers to “a movement of air” or to put it simply “a movement”.  I get that, I understand that.  When you think of the Spirit working we understand Him as “moving” or a spiritual “movement”.

Finally getting to my point, this is that the church of today has tried to replicate the movement of God through emotions.   Think about it this way; when you are in a service and the Spirit is moving you feel Him, you just know it is Him.  The Spirit moving is like a breath of fresh air rushing through your body and the congregation.  Churches today have tried to replicate that through toying with our emotions.  They sing a song to try to pull on our heart strings, some may use a sad story or illustration, or do whatever it takes to force a movement.

Don’t misunderstand me.  I firmly believe God’s Spirit can use a song, an illustration, and a good sermon, but it has to come naturally through Him and not us forcing the movement.

 

Chris