Mentoring Men for the Master

DANGEROUS AND OFTEN DAMNABLE ERRORS CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT

  1. A Ghost – In 1611 ghost meant spirit, but a ghost today is a very bad critter hovering over a grave yard or haunted house.
  2. A good feeling – emotionally
  3. A good feeling – Physically – Ex. Tingle up the spine
  4. Loud and noisy – Sometimes He is.  Illus.  Fire fell at 16th Church in 1955.  But more often a “still small voice.”  Illus. Prayer meeting in Trinity Methodist church when a “holy hush” came over us until I could not speak for a time, turning to my dear friend Roy Putnam and said, “Please pray for me,” and he replied, “I can’t afford to, I must pray for myself.”
  5. Speaking through vocal chords – Never has He spoken to me through the English language.  Illus.  Spoke to  Brother Hankins in English in 1967 and he was overwhelmed.  He said, “ BB should pastor FBC in Fort Smith>’
  6. That  He can be used and manipulated – The only predictable thing that the Holy Spirit is that He is unpredictable, except He always glorifies Jesus, not Himself, and speaks in accord with the Bible.
  7. That you “get the Holy Spirit.”  Ex. I was saved years ago but just “got the Holy Ghost.” Wrong.  Acts 19:2; Romans 8:9b.
  8. That you can be saved without the Holy Spirit.  Wrong.  John 3:5; Romans 8:9b; 1 Cor. 6:19-20.
  9. That you can live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit.  Illus:  Galatians made this mistake (Gal. 3:1).
  10. Separating the Holy Spirit from Jesus (John 14:18).
  11. That you can do anything spiritually without the Holy Spirit.  Illus:  During the days of His flesh, Jesus said to His followers “Without me you all can do nothing.” (John 15:5).  But when Jesus ascended to heaven, He commissioned the Holy Spirit to carry on His work in His place.  So today we can truthfully say “Without the Holy Spirit, you can do nothing.”
  12. 12 things you cannot do without the Holy Spirit:
  • Be saved – John 3:5
  • Know you are saved – Romans 8:16
  • Understand the Bible – 1 Cor. 2:14
  • Pray – Romans 8:26
  • Worship – John 4:24
  • Witness – Acts 1:8
  • Bear godly fruit – Gal. 5:22-23
  • Have hope and joy – Romans 15:13
  • Overcome sin and the flesh – Romans 8:13
  • Have boldness – Acts 4:31
  • Preach or teach – 1 Cor. 2:3-4
  • Possess real joy – Acts 2:47

That the Holy Spirit operates in a vacuum – Expound John 16:7-11 – see special paper on this.

The Holy Spirit spoke through the mouth of an ass.  When Balaam the proprietor hit his donkey  for laying down, the donkey said, “What have I done to make you strike me three times.” (Num. 22:28)