As Christians, we’re all very aware of our need for God’s help in everything we do. To deny that is unthinkable for a Christian.
But, do we really rely upon God in everything we do? I’m inclined to think that we tend to rely on God mostly to get us out of trouble, or to make us feel better when faced with difficult circumstances. True?
What is it to depend implicitly on God?
I think it’s a lot more than what most of us recognise.
I’m going to lay out for you, five key areas where the believer must possess an utter reliance and dependance in God the Holy Spirit (let’s never forget the divine order revealed to us in the Scriptures, that we pray to the Father, who because of what Christ has done, grants us the help of the Holy Spirit).
1. The Need for the Spirit in Prayer
I remember hearing a preacher once say, “Prayer is the most spiritual act one can engage in, and therefore it is the most difficult”.
If that’s true, and I believe it is, then how can we expect to pray in our own strength? Why is it we rarely — if ever — plead for the Holy Spirit to come and help us to pray before we begin to talk to the Father?
This was something I learned early on in my Christian life, that there’s a vast difference between saying our prayers, and real praying. If you don’t consider prayer to be akin to going to the gym, then it’s likely that you’ve never really prayed.
Real prayer, prayer that makes a difference, is an extremely exhausting and difficult act, and the reason we rarely get to the place where we are really ‘getting the ear of God’ so-to-speak, is because we don’t ask for the help of the Spirit.
We need the Holy Spirit to burden us, to guide us, and to strengthen us against the weakness of our flesh. We need Him to spiritually energise us so that we can begin to really pray. The old saints called it, “praying through”. Do we know anything of that?
2. The Need for the Spirit in Bible Study
Oh, what ignorance there is of the scriptures in this age! It’s the reason the God Channel exists, and rubbish self-help books line the shelves of Christian book stores!
Part of the ministry of the Spirit of God, is to “guide us into all truth”. That’s pretty fundamental. And yet, how often is there a real heart-cry from us, that the Spirit of God might come upon us and enlighten our minds to the word of God? Paul knew the importance of this, and that’s why he prayed,
“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him” Eph 1:17
We need the Spirit to give us understanding, and reveal to us more about God. That’s the thrust of the prayer there. But, we don’t see it. I mean, we see it in the sense that right now you’re in agreement with me, but we don’t really plead for such, do we?
The absolute trash that gets away with being termed ‘biblical’ these days, is surely an abomination to God. Men urging people to give to their ministries, because if you do God will bless you and give ten-fold in return. To use a biblical term, they’re nothing but ‘dogs’.
We’re living among a ‘generation of vipers’ as Jesus put it, and they deny the Resurrection, the Atonement, the Genesis account of Creation and the flood, etc, and they’re getting away with it because of the ignorance of the Bible. Oh dear Christian, plead for the Spirit to enlighten your mind to God’s truth, and not ‘notions’, yours or any others!
3. The Need for the Spirit in Witnessing
Ah, the Great Commission. What a command! “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…”. Did you ever think of the mammoth task that is?
Christ was well aware of how great a task he was setting before his people. Therefore, it’s not surprising to find that in almost every case where he gives the command to preach the gospel to the world, he also promises power.
Furthermore, this power was not to be assumed, it was one we must ask for. We are to ‘tarry’ and ‘wait’ for the promised power of the Spirit of God. We are to seek God for it earnestly, recognising our absolute powerlessness.
This is an area I’d love to expand upon some day. There is a severe misunderstanding of the Spirit of God in these days. Those in the Charismatic camp talk about the infilling of the Spirit in relation to ‘tongues’ or ‘healing’, and those in the Reformed camp think we ‘have’ the Spirit, and He’s with us all the time (without seeing the difference between the indwelling of the Spirit, and the infilling of the Spirit).
But, that’s not something I can elaborate on now. However, I emphasise that we desperately need the Spirit in order to witness effectively.
4. The Need for the Spirit in the Church
We’re living in a day of strategies and tactics, and it has unfortunately infiltrated the Church. Committees meet together discussing how to reach the youth, or how they can better minister to young families, or what activities they can organise for the elderly, etc. It’s tragic!
I’m not saying there is not a need to evaluate our society and how we can be more effective in our respective communities, but it has gone well beyond that.
Phrases like, “they won’t come in unless we…” or “we need to have…” or “we’re living in a different generation, so…” are ALL pathetic excuses which are designed to replace God’s revealed will.
We’re setting aside the power of the Spirit of God, and replacing Him with rock bands, and football, and free music lessons, and afternoon teas!
Don’t you see it? The apostolic cry was, “we will give ourselves to prayer, and the ministry of the Word”, but the work of the 21st century preacher is, ‘we will give ourselves to music, youth groups, and organising weekly home-study groups looking together at ‘The Purpose Driven Life”.
Where are the bishops giving themselves to prayer, and the ministry of the word? Where are the deacons who are “full of faith and the Holy Ghost”? Deacons are now full of ideas, and spirit of self-reliance!!
Let’s get back to God’s way! The Church is to be lead, and empowered by the Spirit. Its effectiveness is because it’s Spirit-filled, not due to it’s marketing ‘genius’.
5. The Need for the Spirit of God in the Home
A man who is not a Christian at home, is not a Christian anywhere. Christianity begins at home, and there’s nowhere more lacking in true Spirit-filled living than in the home. Those families which are still together, are largely hanging on by the thin thread of tolerance.
Men no longer plead to be filled with the love of God, so they may in turn love their wives with a love which is akin to Christ’s love for the Church, caring for her, labouring for the needs of his family, and leading them all to a greater knowledge of God. Woman no longer obey their husbands, in loving submission to the realisation that she needs his love and emotional strength.
When Paul comes to the subject of the home in Ephesians 5, he very wisely gives the command to “be filled with the Spirit”, and that’s what’s lacking, even in the best of families today. There’s no total dependance on the Spirit’s help.
Husbands, you need His help in every detail of your work, and provision for your home.
Wives, you need His help in every responsibility you have at home.
Paul says to the Philippians, “in everything by prayer”, is that your motto? Do you pray for the Spirit’s help and wisdom in making decisions and dealing with your collegues? Do you pray for His help in preparing the food, and in every phone call, and in every purchase you make? This is what’s needed.
Closing thoughts
I’m sure you’re seeing a pattern developing in this article. We need the Holy Spirit’s help in every area of our lives. But, more than that, I believe we need to not merely know that, but consciously ask for help as often as possible. Making it a habit to ask for His help in everything that faces us, even the most menial of tasks.
Seek him! Plead for him! Ask God to make you utterly dependent upon Him!
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Added Commentary
By kristarella
on 30.08.08
It’s true, and it’s good to be reminded to depend on the Spirit.
I guess I sit in the reformed camp. We do have the Spirit all of the time, without him we cannot truly say “Jesus is Lord” and I don’t think that we can really pray at all without him. I also don’t think that God only starts listening to our prayers when we get to some kind of holy, in-the-spirit, struggling point. God is faithful all the time.
I thought you were getting dangerously close to a charismatic idea of prayer until you condemned both charismatic and reformed. I guess you’ll have to enlighten us…
Where do you get the idea that we have to ask and wait for the spirit? If you’re referring to Luke 24:49, it would seem obvious to me that Jesus is speaking to the disciples and what he’s talking about was fulfilled in Acts 2.
Thanks for another thoughtful and faithful post (even if I don’t entirely agree with some of the specifics)!
By Davey Boyd
on 31.08.08
Can’t agree more Armen. How we need to yield ourselves to the sway and control of the Holy Spirit of God and what fruit unto God we would know.
I’m of the position that we have the indwelling of the Spirit when we get saved. But as we walk we need to ask/plead for the Spirit to fill us in order to empower our walk.
Have you ever thought - how do you know if you are “filled with the Spirit?” and Can you be conscious of His presence and activity?
The home has got to the be the first place where we live out our salvation.
By Jermayn
on 01.09.08
Agree with you Armen and I tend to think we treat God like a “Genie in a Bottle”…
Kristarella - We are like “leaky vessels” that need continually topping up with the spirit of God.
I also agree with your points that when we are saved, we are filled with the spirit of God and as we go in our Christian life and mature and become more Christ-like our spirit of God deepens etc
By kristarella
on 01.09.08
“We are like “leaky vessels” that need continually topping up with the spirit of God.”
I know that it can sometimes seem that way because of our sin, because of our failures. But do you know of anything in the bible that would suggest that?
What we experience is not always what’s true, possibly because of sin and because our emotions are fickle. Just because we don’t feel filled with the Spirit doesn’t mean that God has left us, because God is not bounded by our sin and failures.
By Armen
on 01.09.08
kristarella,
Hey sister! Yeah, you’re right in saying that God is faithful all the time, but in our prayers we tend to be like the youth who rings on the doorbell and then runs away before it’s answered. This is what I’m trying to discourage. I’m extremely interested in encouraging people to ‘wait on God’ as I believe it’s a lost ‘art’ to most of us. I think it’s Luke 17 where Christ tells of the widow and the unjust judge, and the lesson of importunity is taught very clearly. Indeed, the life of Christ was one of continual periods of prolonged intercession, and if it was necessary for Him to wait on God, how much more for us?
As for ‘waiting for the Spirit’, although Luke 24 in context to the disciples and refers to Acts 2, to say it’s not an exortation to us, is to chuck out most of the Bible, as contextually most teachings had others in view. The external experiences of Pentecost are not for today, but the power that came upon the disciples (which is all that really matters), is available to us today. If the anointing of the Spirit is not for us, then neither is the Great Commission. Never think of one without the other. You need the power in order to fulfill the promise. That’s what Jesus was teaching His disciples.
In your second comment, I think the words “grieve not the Holy Spirit” would suggest a ‘leaking’ if you want to put it that way.
Davey,
Yeah, I definitely believe we can be conscious of His presence and activity. The NT seems to be clear on that. I also believe that we know if/when we’re filled with the Spirit.
The early church was exhorted in Acts 6 to look out men who were full of faith, and the Holy Ghost. That clearly indicates higher level of spirituality than the regular Christian. It is therefore more than being ‘indwelt’ by the Spirit like every Christian is. These men were to be Spirit-filled.
Read Acts 8 carefully too, and you’ll see that when Philip went to Samaria, his preaching resulted in many being saved (indwelt with the Spirit), but later on Peter and John visit them to seek God that they might be filled with the Spirit.
Every man/woman in the Bible and Church history who has been filled with the Spirit, knew that they were so.
Jermayn,
The idea of ‘toping up’ is not one I’m totally convinced of yet. I’m not so sure if we can be what one might describe as ‘gradually’ filled. According to what I read in the NT, being filled seems more like an ‘act’ than a ‘process’. Sanctification is a process, but the filling of the Spirit isn’t to sanctify, it’s power to serve.
Great discussion guys.
By Jermayn
on 05.09.08
Hi what I mean by topping up is that we are human like kristarella mentioned. Our emotions, our sin, our feelings and life can get on us and wear us down.
Elijah battled depression just after one of his best ever ‘outreaches’ and yet he needed encouragement, rebuke and topping up by God to continue on.
Even Jesus needed encouragement and a top up of God just before his death/ sacrifice for us.
We are in a sinful world and we need God continually to help us, encourage us, rebuke us. The best way to do that is to go head down, bum up and seek God. Do not just talk all the time as you do not allow God to speak to you.
By Armen
on 05.09.08
Jermayn,
Yeah. We live in a sinful world, and we constantly need fresh revelations of God, His love, and His truth. To think that we can get through life without it, is like thinking we can live without air!
By Ruth
on 08.09.08
Really enjoyed reading this very special topic and also the input from others who have taken time out to read and reply. Being saved only over 6 years I don’t have a great knowledge of the Bible as yet. But it was quite early on when God revealed in word the need of the infilling or baptism of the Holy Spirit. I do believe that if we as God’s children TRUELY want to walk with him and do HIS will then he will bring us to this place in our christian walk.
I’m not the most oratary speaker, quite the opposite, and I have really known the wonderful help of the Holy Spirit in the most unexpected times and places when talking to others that God has brought cross my path. To the extent I just stand back in awe of how he has brought scripture out of my mouth. I’m not able to quote scripture and references at the tip of my tounge. I do know the truth of that verse; if you open your mouth, I’ll fill it. But I can’t do anything without getting before God to plead for that help. I know I’m so pathetic and would make a mess of everything (the way I did with my life before God saved me) that I wouldn’t even answer the phone without asking him to guide or take over the conversation. I baked scones for the first time the other night ( I’m 50) and I knew I probably would make a mess so I asked God to enable me to make them at least edible so that the food wouldn’t be wasted! He didn’t fail. they were pretty good. almost as good as my mum’s.
My husband and were discussing today how everywhere is grasping on knowledge, have conferences etc. but the need is to get into the book with the help of the Holy Spirit. believe God’s word. any how God Bless you Armen as you continue on in God’s work and may the others who contribute and discuss with you, know God’s richest blessing. sorry I’ve gone on to long, again.
By Armen
on 08.09.08
Ruth,
You might see yourself as “pathetic”, but I don’t know any preacher who is more blessed than me in who they have praying for them. When Paul talked about “your fellowship in the gospel” to the Philippians, I can say precisely the same concerning you. Your labours in prayer for me make you as much involved in what I do as I am.
As God is my witness, I believe I am one of the most blessed people in all the world, simply because I can call you “mum”.
By kristarella
on 15.09.08
Sorry for my slowness to reply to the comments here an on other posts. I guess I like to ponder what you guys say for a while.
Armen, I agree with you about the power of the Holy Spirit being needed for outreach, and, well, pretty much everything else. As you said that is available for us now, which is why the idea of waiting seems foreign to me. Not that things happen in our time, because God works in his own time, but that the disciples clearly had to wait for the Holy Spirit to come, but now he already dwells and works among us. Perhaps that is closer to what you mean, that he works in his own time and we should wait on him?
We certainly do need encouraging and refreshing. Praise be to God that he has mercy and does give us his spirit.
By kristarella
on 15.09.08
Ew, sorry, one of those sentences was very poor. Hope you can decipher it.
By Armen
on 16.09.08
kristarella,
It’s good to ponder before we respond. Admittedly, I am one who can be too quick to comment sometimes.
The waiting for the Spirit is necessary, not because He isn’t available, but because usually God needs to deal with certain things in our lives before He can meet with us in a ‘fuller’ way. Also, as you suggest, there is an element of waiting which is required because He is sovereign, and often we must exercise patience in waiting upon God. It won’t benefit us to think that we can request what we want from God, and get it in the blink of an eye. That would make us think that God serves our every desire, rather than we’re serving His desires.
Haven't you got anything to say?