Demistifying Pentecost

This may sound like an oxymoron, but I think that there are many people who over mystify the work of the Holy Spirit and make following the Holy Spirit nearly impossible.

Here are a few guiding principals that I have been thinking about that will demystify pentecostal worship, practice and expression.

1. The bottom line is theology founded on the Scriptures. When a person has a question about an experience with the Holy Spirit, or lack of experience, there is always an answer in the Bible to their question. Theology answers questions. Also, theology guides faith and feelings. When you really believe or expect God to do something, it is easy to avoid confusion about what God is not doing, but you may be feeling. Our feelings must be guided by Biblical Theology and truth.

2. The ability to hear the small still voice of the Holy Spirit is the key to all of the Holy Spirit's work. Paul said that the Holy Spirit confirmed truth in his conscience (Romans 9:1). When we are convicted of sin the Holy Spirit convicts in our conscience. If we think a thought is from God we should test it with the theology of the Scriptures and some degree of reason and then, when we are sure by faith that it is God, we must act.

Let's apply these two ideas to some common Pentecostal practices or expressions. For instance speaking in tongues. How do you know what to say if the language that you are speaking is not known to you? You know by faith, through the direction of the Holy Spirit at that time, what you should say or pray in the Spirit. The same is true of ministry in the gifts of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides us in the use of the gifts moment by moment. Does God take control of your body and force you to pray in tongues or prophecy? No more than he forced your body to get up out of your seat and go to an altar and pray the sinners prayer. He worked in you and you responded.

People often come to me and tell me about their goose bumps, tingling feelings, a warm sensation, crying, and other physical feelings they may have when they are seeking the Lord. Is there a Biblical theology for any of these? No. So what do I do with these things. I realize that when the Holy Spirit speaks to me, or you, that it is an encounter with God. Often that encounter with God is very emotional and or strongly impressionable. When I get up to speak to a large crowd that I do not usually address, I get a dry mouth, shaky hand and knees, a burning in my chest or pit of my stomach. Is that the moving of the Holy Spirit, no, I am nervous. Now, when the Holy Spirit speaks to me, particularly something that I should address to people, I get nervous and also excited. Interestingly all the same physical feelings accompany the duty that I have at that moment to speak for God.

If you have what you think are physical experiences with the Holy Spirit know this, God works for a purpose. The holy Spirit is not an amusement park ride. If you have had a dream, some sensation or other experience you think is from God, you need to ask him what it means, what he was trying to teach or show you. Think of the pillar of fire and cloud in the desert with Israel in the Old Testament. Were those present for their entertainment and thrill? No. They were a constant message to them that God was guiding, powerful, and present with the camp. Likewise, at Jesus baptism, did the father speak from heaven to thrill those seeking the Lord by going out to see John baptizing? No. The father spoke a message to them, "This is my son..." It is also worth noting, that the Jews and Jesus' disciples did not spend any effort or time trying to get God to perform those miracles again in the future. The theology was in the messge, not the manifestation.

If you will attempt to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit he will give you what you need to hear from him. You will know it is God when it is confirmed by Scripture and Biblical theology. Then, you will very simply be able to follow with a strong confidence that what you are doing is God's will.

By the way, I think about 90%, maybe more, of knowing God's will is simply choosing not to sin, as the Holy Spirit helps us. Then, you are in God's will simply by default in many cases, because you are not engaged in actively stepping out of God's will.