Question on the The Holy Spirit

[whiteflag]

Since my email for RedemptionSong is currently unavailable and that means I can't finish setting her up, I'll just have to keep posting as whiteflag for now.

What is the theologically correct description of the role The Holy Spirit plays in our lives? What does it do? What if anything does it definitely not do? Are there any Holy Spirit related heresies? What are the common errors about its role etc...

Although I am a long term believer, I have only recently begun to try and tap the power of The Holy Spirit in my life so I'm not really sure of what I'm doing yet.

Hope you can help.

whiteflag

 

[Lise]

The Holy Spirit is the active force of God. It isn't a person but is a powerful force that God causes to emanate from himself to accomplish his holy will. (Psalm 104:30; 2 Peter 1:21; Acts 4:31)
If you don't mind I would like to answer your questions and provide you with more information tomorrow (actually later today since it's almost 3 am here and I've got to try to get some sleep.)

 

[Spiral_Staircase]

The Holy Spirit is the active force of God. It isn't a person but is a powerful force...

fyi, whiteflag, this view is an unorthodox view. The orthodox (with a small "o") christian view of the Trinity is that the Holy Spirit is a person. However, you may be interested in people's individual interpretations more than orthodoxy.

 

[Spiral_Staircase]

a couple things: The Holy Spirit gives us words to say (Luke 12:12), is a counselor (literally "advocate", John 14:26), teaches us and reminds us of what Jesus said (John 14:26), is the source of prophecy (2 Peter 1:21).

 

[KingPin]

"In the name of the Father and His wife, the Spirit"

CS Lewis used to talk about how we pray TO the Father, BY the Spirit, THROUGH Jesus interceding on our behalf. He viewed prayer as an excellent example of Christian life supporting the doctring of the Trinity.

Try to think of the Holy Spirit as she was referred to earlier... the Counselor, the Comforter, but also as a guide. The Holy Spirit is like your conscience (maybe IS your conscience) telling you that choice A is better than B, or that you should give money to that homeless man, or that you shouldn't support a certain film or band, or that you should call a person and ask them out for coffee, whatever.

I would suggest just listening, and praying that your hearing would improve, so you'd notice those little tugs in your mind and heart when making decisions and living your life.

 

[whiteflag]

ok so far I'm not seeing anything that I am thinking or doing wrong. Which is great news.

Now I am sure that I am not just imagining the increased activity of the Spirit latelyin my life which btw just so happened to coincide with my final full acceptance of the reality The Trinity after ten years or so of waffling

First I started writing like crazy which has now led to me creating a website geared for those who are struggling with doubts. (Cuz I have been there!)

I have also begun conquering long term problems which I had given up as hopeless based on its counsel.

and I just realized today that it is really getting to be hard for me to hang on to negative thoughts about other people almost as if as The Spirit gets stronger in my life, I am getting less and less tolerant of thinking bad of other people. And believe me, I was a person who had a lot of trouble with this. Now, somehow its getting better much faster than I thought was possible.

Personally I think that this is the best thing of all thats happened to me lately. I always hated that I was like that but I never seemed to be able to make any progress against it. It seems like ten years of believing but at the same time spinning my wheels are finally over and now I am suddenly getting somewhere. Now I can strongly disagree with people without confusing their ideas with who they are as people. Does that make sense? I just don't stay angry at people anymore. I don't want to hold grudges anymore either and I feel the old ones are dying away like flies.

And lastly, I have sorted out what I want to do with my life and I finally have the confidence to commit to it. I want to go to seminary and become a counselor or a teacher. I have ruled out being the head of a church as not for me but I definitely feel called to be where people are in crisis.

So thats my testimony to The Spirit. It is real because I know myself and what is happpening in my life definitely ain't due to me!

It feels so good to say all this. Thanks be to God!

 

[whiteflag]

Kingpin,

Its really neat that you mentioned listening as being really important in dealing with The Spirit. That is exactly what has been working for me. I had this epiphany if you will, that I that I didnt stop and listen enough to what God had to say to me. My only trouble has been worrying that I was just imagining things. But I just can't deny the evidence of my experience any longer.

Thank you to everyone who answered because you all helped me today to decide to trust what my instincts have been telling me for months now.



Would anyone like to add their own testimony?