But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you . . . (Acts 1:8).
Now when Simon say that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the Apostles hands, he offered them money . . . (Acts 8: 18).
And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit ( II Corinthians 3:18).
This last week, the lovely and gracious Helen and I had occasion to go to the Christian bookstore in Sioux City. While browsing the book shelves, I read a book title, "How to Tap into the Power of the Holy Spirit." I have read that phrase and heard it by radio and TV evangelists so much that it made me want to throw up. The book lost all credibility with me just in the title!
The Christian sensationalist preachers and teachers want you to believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is available on command. They are the modern-day simonists who seek to profit from the Holy Spirit's power by implying that the right technique will connect you to Holy Spirit's power--turn on the right switch and Holy Spirit's power is yours. Peter would tell them just as he told Simon, Your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for you heart is not right before God (Acts 8: 20-21).
The promise of God in his word is that when a person comes to faith in Christ and is baptized (Acts 2:38), not only would that person's sins be forgiven, but he would receive Holy Spirit as an indwelling presence. This presence of the Spirit needs no tapping into or turning on. It is simply a matter of relationship with God. If we are in Christ, we can expect Holy Spirit to be working in our lives changing us to become more and more like Christ.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
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