In Need of a Re-filling?

[Abiding Now]

Originally Posted by houston

Simple stuff, people. When you put so much emotion into the service it will drain you "spiritually" which will affect you physically.

It's not virtue going out of you.

Alas! Houston is right!

[renee819]

Originally Posted by houston

Simple stuff, people. When you put so much emotion into the service it will drain you "spiritually" which will affect you physically.

It's not virtue going out of you.

If you are drained "Spiritually" then something has left you. Not that the Holy Ghost ever leaves. But you have imparted something to others.

It is not our virtue. It is virtue of the Holy Ghost. If it left Jesus, who "was filled without measure" why would we not think that virtue left us, when we ministered to others?

[votivesoul]

If I was shouting and dancing before the Lord for an hour, preaching at the top of my lungs for another hour, praying fervently for a third, and then singing all the way, home, BUT the Holy Spirit wasn't in it, then yes, I would be physically and mentally, and maybe emotionally only, exhausted.

That's just human activity, no different than playing a game of full court, full press basketball, no matter how spiritual I tried to make it.

That's not what I mean.

I think Aquila did a good job of explaining it better.

The Spirit is not just a commodity. It is not a material entity with measurable levels.

But there is a center of activity within It, with the Divine Mind of God in Christ at the helm.

Further, since there is a war within us, between the flesh and Spirit, since they lust against each other, whenever or however we might let the flesh win (through a conscious act and decision of the soul), while the Spirit may not be quantitatively less in terms of a material reality, it nonetheless, is not standing at the forefront of our being, and the power level of God we would normally have access to if we were walking and living and sowing (in)to the Spirit is not as great as it could and should be.

Ever hear a backslider witness?

No power.

Ever watched an habitually carnal person pray?

No power.

Ever hear a hypocrite try to prophesy or interpret a diverse tongue?

No power.

Virtue is power, and in these cases, it's missing.

Why?

Where did it go?

It didn't leak out like a slashed tire.

Simple, God withdrew one's access and removed from them the authority to wield His power. They are as limp as wet leaves.

Conversely, someone who is full of the Holy Spirit, and is ministering, has great access to God's power and He judiciously authorizes its use for His glory.

And afterward, the minister is likewise limp as wet leaves.

Consider all the symbolic language surrounding the Holy Spirit. These natural world terms (water, etc.) are designed to teach us a profound spiritual truth.

They may not be perfect metaphors, but they are all we have in our human language.

So forgive us, if we, in using our human language to try to convey the point, don't quite hit the mark in our explanation.

But that doesn't deny the validity of it all.

[votivesoul]

Spending time alone with the Lord is the best way to refresh oneself, which is why I believe the gospels record Jesus leaving the crowds to go into the desert or the mountains to pray after spending the day healing and ministering to the people.

You speak true words. Thank you for sharing them.

[Hoovie]

I tend to agree with Houston's comment. We might be "spiritually" drained but not "Spiritually" drained (drained emotionally but not drained of the Holy Spirit)

[houston]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

I tend to agree with Houston's comment. We might be "spiritually" drained but not "Spiritually" drained (drained emotionally but not drained of the Holy Spirit)

AMEN!!! Preach!!!

[votivesoul]

Emotional and spiritual are the same things?

[houston]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

Emotional and spiritual are the same things?

Pentecostals don't know the difference.

[renee819]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

Emotional and spiritual are the same things?

Votive, I think I have to disagree here. It can be both or one or the other.

You can speak in unknown tongues, which is Spiritual, and not feel any emotion.
It may be the same with Prophecy. I don't know, I've never prophesied.

Some are Spiritual and emotional. For instance, the love that comes from God, "spread abroad by the Holy Ghost" can be a decision and unemotional. But mostly love is emotional as well as Spiritual.

I had a vision once, while setting in church, there was no emotion attached to it.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by renee819

Votive, I think I have to disagree here. It can be both or one or the other.

You can speak in unknown tongues, which is Spiritual, and not feel any emotion.
It may be the same with Prophecy. I don't know, I've never prophesied.

Some are Spiritual and emotional. For instance, the love that comes from God, "spread abroad by the Holy Ghost" can be a decision and unemotional. But mostly love is emotional as well as Spiritual.

I had a vision once, while setting in church, there was no emotion attached to it.

That's my point. I asked it as a question.

I do not believe that emotional and spiritual are the same at all. I've seen plenty of people get emotional in church, including sinners. But when it comes time to be spiritual, i.e. respond to the Gospel, the door is quickly found.

I've also seen and been apart of meetings where no emotional displays were present, but they were highly spiritual and very edifying.