God's Power

[mistertee49]

Here ae some principles how God's power works in us:

First, the Holy Spirit will never work contrary to the Father's will.

Second, the Holy Spirit never works where sin and unbelief are present.

Third, the Holy Spirit never works where God's name is not honored.

Fourth, the Holy Spirit will always choose to work through the local churches.

Fifth, the Holy Spirit's work in the church is always God-sized (beyond all we can ask or think.)

And sixth, when the Holy Spirit works in the church, it always brings honor and glory to God.

 

[ej]

I disagree with points 2, 3 and 4

Where did you get this list from anyway, or is it your interpretation that God's power only affects those who believe and attend a local church???

Am I being naive, am I missing something?

Didn't Jesus socialise with non-believers? Are you suggesting that the Holy Spirit did not work through Jesus?

 

[mistertee49]

This is all referring to the church as a body of believers. If the church is not the body and Christ the head, the church will not function properly in these respects. I took these from the book, Experiencing God Together. Maybe you should read it!

 

[ej]

Maybe I should... it seems to contradict Christianity as most of us know it! Who is the author? I'll buy a copy and read it - I love to take on board other opinions, and I wonder whether perhaps your quote is interpreted out of context, hence its apparent hypocrisy

Thanks
Emma

 

[mistertee49]

The author is Henry T. Blackaby. The chapter is talking about The Spirit Empowers. Sorry I brought this up. Hope you buy the first one Experiencing God and then the second one Experiencing God Together. They are both very good reading books with good knowledge. We are not going to agree about everything.

 

[Bruno]

What the second point seems to make is that those who have the Holy Spirit are without sin.

 

[OpenBook]

IMHO

I think the second point is accurate, because if you have knowledge of sin in your life but do not change, than the Spirits work is hampered.

I Beleive that the spirit is trying to make you aware of your sin, Sin that is still holding you back from experiencing God to the fullest.

Therefore the Spirit needs to work in you before He can work through you.

Does that make sense?

OB

 

[The Midge]

QUOTE=mistertee49 Here ae some principles how God's power works in us:

First, the Holy Spirit will never work contrary to the Father's will.
I'll buy that. They are part of the same God Head after all.

Second, the Holy Spirit never works where sin and unbelief are present.
I gues nothing much will happen at an out-reach event then.

Third, the Holy Spirit never works where God's name is not honored.
What happens when sinners are convicted? Who does that?

Fourth, the Holy Spirit will always choose to work through the local churches.
I hope that missionaries are not on their own. Conferences are are a no go area for the Holy Spirit then? Itinerant preachers may as well stay at home.

Fifth, the Holy Spirit's work in the church is always God-sized (beyond all we can ask or think.)
Speculation: The Holy Spirit may be doing the spiritual equivalent of mucking out the stables most of the time. I'm not sure what this statement means. I dare say God is always working His eternal plan out and every intervention He makes furthers that plan.

And sixth, when the Holy Spirit works in the church, it always brings honor and glory to God.
I don't think the Holy Spirit ever stops working in a church. Sometimes it is less obvious or taken for granted. I dare say this sounds like the Holy Spirits purpose.

 

[JohnR7]

Second, the Holy Spirit never works where sin and unbelief are present.
I gues nothing much will happen at an out-reach event then.

Nothing is going to happen if people are not willing to give up their sin and their unbelief. Without faith you can not please God.

Third, the Holy Spirit never works where God's name is not honored.
What happens when sinners are convicted? Who does that?

When people are converted, they are converted from disgrace to grace, from dishonor to honoring God. It is the Holy Spirit that does the work, so when we lead people to God, we need to help them to receive the Holy Spirit and all that God has for them.

Fourth, the Holy Spirit will always choose to work through the local churches.
I hope that missionaries are not on their own. Conferences are are a no go area for the Holy Spirit then? Itinerant preachers may as well stay at home.

Missionaries need to work though the local churches. It is the local churches who give a witness and a testimony for God. The early christians went out into the world to establish local churches. Now we are sent to strengthen those churches. So the people in the area they are in, can see that they represent God.