Common Misunderstandings and the Work of the Holy Spirit

How truly easy it is to be deceived. Being led by sensations rather than truth is so easy. Allowing our senses to determine our walk with Christ is a huge mistake. We are allowed to experience horrific things- mentally, spiritually, physically and all our senses will scream out we don't deserve to be treated this way. It is our will with God's will that must overlook our senses and believe when we have NO reason by all outward appearances to believe that all things WILL work together for good, if we love God.

Rom_8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

'The Work of the Holy Spirit

Those believers are numberless who have plunged into passivity and enslavement because of not understanding the work of the Holy Spirit.

What follows are some of the most common misunderstandings.

1. Obey the Holy Spirit.

 Believers think Acts 5.32 suggests that they must obey the Holy Spirit—“the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

(Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. )

But they fail, according to the command given in the Bible, to test all the spirits to see if they are of truth or of error (1 John 4.1,6 ).

(1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 

1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.)

They instead accept as being the Holy Spirit every spirit which comes to them. They think this obedience must be highly pleasing to God. What they do not know is that the Scripture here does not teach us to obey the Holy Spirit but to obey God the Father through the Spirit.

In verse 29 of Acts 5 the Apostles when under questioning by the council replied that they “must obey God.”

(Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.)

Should anyone make God the Spirit his object of obedience and forget God the Father he tends to obey the spirit in him or around him instead of obeying through the Holy Spirit the Father Who is in heaven.

This will set him on the road to passivity and in addition provide the evil spirits the chance for counterfeit. Overstepping the bounds of the Word of God ushers in countless perils!'  Excerpt 'The Spiritual Man- Watchman Nee

More tomorrow continuing with common misunderstandings and the Work of the Holy Spirit.

All by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!