What does having the Holy Spirit mean? - Page 6

Felicity · #51 03-09-2007, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mizpeh

Repentance made a HUGE change in my life. My mind was completely changed. I didn't want to do the sinful things I had been doing. I stopped taking the Lord's name in vain. I stopped going to bars, etc. I started reading the Bible. I told everyone I knew about Jesus. I prayed. I was a different person just because of repentance. My mind was turned around and I wasn't the same. Praise the Lord!

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbpew

This is a hugely important consideration that I believe is a DIRECT answer to Felcity's question. The work of repentance in a person's life can accomplish so much without being born of the Spirit.

This has been my understanding of why my friends who are "good baptists" know that their life changed with they confessed their faith in Jesus as Lord and saviour. It was changed! Any turnabout from pursuit of secular wisdom to pursuit of Godly wisdom would be seen from the perspective of this life as transforming. NOT a new birth --conception, maybe, but not birth.

What you're not getting is that repentance in and of itself doesn'/cannot change a life. Doesn't change a person from being dead in sin to being alive in Christ. Only the Spirit of God can do that.

I can repent and confess all I want ... and say "I'm sorry" till the cows come home.

That in itself doesn't cause a person's mind and heart to turn to God, doesn't given them a thirst for righteousness or to please God, doesn't given them a hunger for the Word of God, doesn't in itself free them from filthy habits, carnal mindsets, sinful desire, or other bondages that being unregenerate represent.

Only the Spirit of God can change a man's heart and understanding and will and desire to be in line with the will and desires of God. Only the spirit of God can bring about that kind of change. And this kind of change happens usually before Holy Ghost infilling with the initial sign of speaking in tongues.

What brings a person to a point of genuine repentance IS the Holy Ghost! What brings a man to genuine faith and belief and trust in God .... "fiducial" faith ........ is the Holy Ghost. A man can't come to Christ on his own. It's impossible according to Scripture. It has to be the drawing and working of the Holy Ghost in his life. This is what Scripture teaches.

Felicity · #52 03-17-2007, 03:10 PM

*bump*

MrsMcD · #53 03-17-2007, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felicity

What you're not getting is that repentance in and of itself doesn'/cannot change a life. Doesn't change a person from being dead in sin to being alive in Christ. Only the Spirit of God can do that.

I can repent and confess all I want ... and say "I'm sorry" till the cows come home.

That in itself doesn't cause a person's mind and heart to turn to God, doesn't given them a thirst for righteousness or to please God, doesn't given them a hunger for the Word of God, doesn't in itself free them from filthy habits, carnal mindsets, sinful desire, or other bondages that being unregenerate represent.

Only the Spirit of God can change a man's heart and understanding and will and desire to be in line with the will and desires of God. Only the spirit of God can bring about that kind of change. And this kind of change happens usually before Holy Ghost infilling with the initial sign of speaking in tongues.

What brings a person to a point of genuine repentance IS the Holy Ghost! What brings a man to genuine faith and belief and trust in God .... "fiducial" faith ........ is the Holy Ghost. A man can't come to Christ on his own. It's impossible according to Scripture. It has to be the drawing and working of the Holy Ghost in his life. This is what Scripture teaches.

Do you believe the Holy Ghost is only given to us by speaking in tongues?

mizpeh · #54 03-17-2007, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felicity

What you're not getting is that repentance in and of itself doesn'/cannot change a life. Doesn't change a person from being dead in sin to being alive in Christ. Only the Spirit of God can do that.

I can repent and confess all I want ... and say "I'm sorry" till the cows come home.

That in itself doesn't cause a person's mind and heart to turn to God, doesn't given them a thirst for righteousness or to please God, doesn't given them a hunger for the Word of God, doesn't in itself free them from filthy habits, carnal mindsets, sinful desire, or other bondages that being unregenerate represent.

Only the Spirit of God can change a man's heart and understanding and will and desire to be in line with the will and desires of God. Only the spirit of God can bring about that kind of change. And this kind of change happens usually before Holy Ghost infilling with the initial sign of speaking in tongues.

What brings a person to a point of genuine repentance IS the Holy Ghost! What brings a man to genuine faith and belief and trust in God .... "fiducial" faith ........ is the Holy Ghost. A man can't come to Christ on his own. It's impossible according to Scripture. It has to be the drawing and working of the Holy Ghost in his life. This is what Scripture teaches.

I don't think I said I came to Christ on my own. God was dealing with my heart months before I repented. I didn't tell the WHOLE story.

I know from the Bible that it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. Repentance IS a change of mind. I would have to disagree with your first paragraph. Repentance through the leading of the Spirit turned me around completely. All of the changes wrought in my life when I first came to God, I believe resulted from repentance. A repentance that God's grace granted me. I didn't receive the Spirit until I spoke in tongues a couple of months later. The work of salvation is of the Spirit, all of it. From faith to confession to repentance to the new birth. We are saved by the grace of God through faith. True repentance totally turned my life around.

I agree completely with your last two paragraphs. A person who was later to be a good friend witnessed to me and I started reading the Bible at the gospels. I repented while reading the gospel of Matthew. I know it was the Spirit of God dealing with my heart through his word. God gets all the glory from me for what He has done in my life. I'm sorry if that didn't come across in my post.

Felicity · #55 03-17-2007, 04:35 PM

Repentance didn't turn your life around.

The Spirit of God changing you did that. You repented because of the Holy Ghost working in you.

Barb · #56 03-17-2007, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felicity

Repentance didn't turn your life around.

The Spirit of God changing you did that. You repented because of the Holy Ghost working in you.

I believe this, but have a question and I don't mean it to sound elementary...IYO, is there a difference between having the Holy Ghost working in you/drawing you and being Spirit filled?!

Felicity · #57 03-17-2007, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barb

I believe this, but have a question and I don't mean it to sound elementary...IYO, is there a difference between having the Holy Ghost working in you/drawing you and being Spirit filled?!

I've made the point so many times that there are different operations/works of the Holy Ghost in our lives.

I was regenerated by the Spirit of God i.e. born again before I ever spoke in tongues. That experience came much later as it does with many people who serve God for many years before they're Baptized with the Spirit.

The disciples walked with Jesus, had His anointing on their lives, exercised spiritual authority and power a good while before they spoke in tongues.

Barb · #58 03-17-2007, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felicity

I've made the point so many times that there are different operations/works of the Holy Ghost in our lives.

I was regenerated by the Spirit of God i.e. born again before I ever spoke in tongues. That experience came much later as it does with many people who serve God for many years before they're Baptized with the Spirit.

The disciples walked with Jesus, had His anointing on their lives, exercised spiritual authority and power a good while before they spoke in tongues.

And I believe this...