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About Jesus - Steve (Stephen) Sweetman A
Holy Spirit High? I recently met a young
man who was all excited about a church meeting he had attended.
"It was an exciting experience," he said.
The words "exciting experience" caught my attention
because they reminded me of my 1970's involvement in the Charismatic
Movement.
I do believe the
Charismatic Movement was divinely orchestrated, but like all historic
revivals, we messed it all up. Many
Charismatic Movement participants were excited about their meetings in
which they experienced what was often called the "Pentecostal
experience." I did get
their excitement, but far too many were running from one meeting to
another in search of what I suggest was the next spiritual high.
"Why get high on dope when you can get high on the Holy
Spirit," I used to hear. That
disturbed me back then as it does today.
The Book of Acts shows
us how to view any experience we have with the Holy Spirit.
It says nothing about us running far and wide in search of a
spiritual high. Acts 2 relates
how one hundred and twenty disciples of Jesus received the Holy Spirit
into their lives by means of a baptism, immersion, or a filling, all words
associated with this event. Yes,
it was exciting. Some
uneducated in matters of the Spirit thought the disciples were drunk (Acts
2:13) but Peter denied that (Acts 2:15).
This was no self-centered Holy Spirit high. It was purpose driven.
It accomplished God's will, which was to give birth to the New
Testament church that led a couple thousand people to salvation after
hearing Peter's Spirit-inspired message.
In Acts 4:8 we note that
Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit once again which provided him the
boldness to speak about Jesus to a hostile Jewish leadership.
Acts 6:3 and 4 tells us that seven Spirit-filled men were chosen to
manage food distribution among the poor.
Acts 7:55 states that Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit which
gave him the ability to stand firm in his faith as he was martyred.
Acts 10:44 recalls the Holy Spirit falling on certain Gentiles that
resulted in their salvation. On
and on it goes throughout Acts where we see these Holy Spirit experiences
were clearly purpose driven that accomplished God's will in the lives of
the Spirit filled. Historically speaking,
all revivals fade away, only to reappear in the pages of history books.
They fade for a variety of reasons, all due to our human frailties,
one being viewing revivals as spiritual highs.
God is not a spiritual pharmacist who hands out His Spirit to us so
we can experience the ecstatic joys of a spiritual high.
It's not just about us, but about us accomplishing God's will in
our lives.
Post
Script One of many dramatic
Holy Spirit experiences I have had lasted an hour and took place in
September, 1971. While alone
in my bedroom, playing my guitar and singing to Jesus, He gave me the gift
of praying in tongues, which I have used in His service ever since.
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