Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Most in church groups have heard of the Holy Spirit but few Christians really understand what the Holy Spirit does.
First, what the Holy Spirit does not do … The Holy Spirit never takes over the human body and makes the human do crazy things as some church groups have thought.
I once visited a non-denomination church group. The pastor was teaching the Sunday school class when all of a sudden a woman jumped up and screamed “Praise the Lord” and threw her hands into the air above her head and began running in circles around the church group.
People began laughing and became excited. They apparently thought this was the Holy Spirit in this woman causing her to do this.
I was horrified!
The Holy Spirit would never do such a thing. For this would be out of order. And the apostle Paul instructed the following for the gathering of the church.
I Cor. 14 … When we come together in the church … Let all things be done unto edifying.
… 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
“Edify” means: to instruct that one would grow spiritually
At one time, there was a church group called “Holy Rollers” in USA … They rolled about on the floor when the “spirit” took over. This “spirit” was not the Spirit of God but another spirit.
Some church groups practice an act which they call "slain in the spirit". The person goes forward in a line similar to a prayer line. Minister comes up and puts hands on head of person. The person learns to completely release body and fall backward. (person knows there will be someone behind him to catch him) Person thinks this to show himself to be somehow "godly" and seems to him and other to be a work of God by the spirit.
But no example of this act in Bible. Also no real fruit from God as a result of this act. This is incorrect doctrine.
What does the Holy Spirit do in the believer according to the Bible?
I Cor. 2 … 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Jesus tells us 4 things the Holy Spirit does:
- HE teaches us all things (Jn. 14:26)
- HE reminds us of all Jesus has said (Jn. 14:26)
- He guides us into all truth (Jn. 16:13)
- He shows us things to come (Jn. 16:13)
Jesus calls the Holy Spirit … “The Comforter” … “The Spirit of Truth” …
The Holy Spirit lives inside each believer and brings to our minds thoughts, ideas, to show us the way of God as we live on this present earth.
When idea comes giving us a way to do something, why is it so strange to some people to think that to be from God? Are they so prideful in themselves that they was to lift themselves up more and cause other people to praise them for their wisdom? Why not given glory to God for HIS wisdom which HE gave to us?
The Holy Spirit reminds us of scriptures to show us the way of God in specific trials of this life and also comforts us in truth from God as we deal with various difficulties.
The Holy Spirit presents to us God’s way of escape for us in temptations and trials.
The Holy Spirit carries truth from God to our minds to fight the ways of our own flesh and the ideas brought by devils.
We overcome through God by faith by HIS Spirit.
And without the Spirit of God we are none of HIS. (Romans 8)
Many Christians fail to even recognize the Holy Spirit when HE brings thoughts to their minds. They just assume they thought of this themselves and often they are puffed up in themselves thinking “they” did this by their own cleverness.
But when we really understand that wisdom was from God carried to our minds by the Holy Spirit, we have a strong weapon for fighting pride, for if God did this, how can we be proud in ourselves?
Therefore we give glory to God when we understand the Holy Spirit did these things for us and gave us wisdom from God in the matter at hand and when we share what HE did with others.