For months, the Holy Spirit has been urging me, reminding me that He is not to be referred to as the Holy "ghost". Every time I hear that term, my spirit within me bristles. I grew up in a Pentecostal church and the term Holy ghost was often used and many still use the two terms interchangeably. I always did. It didn't seem like a "big deal" and either name got the point across. But, as they say, "Once seen, can't be unseen." I now see the difference between the Spirit and a ghost. My husband has always said that if you allow someone to name you, you allow them to define you (who you are). I see his point. My husband will never be a "Bill", but William suits who he is.
Using the word "ghost" has caused generations of people to have the wrong image of who the Holy Spirit is and what He does. Ghost sounds "spooky" and the images of what a ghost does in movies taints our understanding of the Holy Spirit. Here is the definition of ghost: a disembodied soul; especially the soul of a dead person believed to be an inhabitant of the unseen world or to appear to the living in bodily likeness. Also, an apparition of a dead person that is believed to appear or become manifest to the living.
Does that definition sound anything like the Holy Spirit Jesus spoke of here?: “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:15-17
These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. John 14:25-26 (This is also why we must be full of God's Word)
Hearing the term ghost used has caused people to label any odd behavior in the church as being done by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our helper and is not going to cause a person to act out, jerk around or run the church. That is an emotional response to what they are feeling. Here, I am not talking about speaking in tongues as spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12: There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
I'm sure there are those who will argue with me, but before you react, read the scriptures I will put in this article and see if anything shown reflects the behavior, and sometimes the "show", we see in church that is labeled as the Holy Spirit "showing up and showing out".
God is not in the entertainment business. Nothing done is for our entertainment.
Everything He does is for His glory. Everything has a purpose and that is ultimately for the maturing of His people to create disciples.
The church may not want to admit it, but we've got it wrong. I would say that my spiritual heritage is Pentecostal...3rd generation Pentecostal. My grandparents were Pentecostal in the early part of the 20th century...A lot of history there. My mother once told me this about the Holy Spirit: People react differently when they feel the Holy Spirit. Some run the aisles, some jump pews, some holler and make a lot of noise. But Mom's dear friend would sit in the pew, silently crying. That's because of her emotional makeup. The Holy Spirit isn't doing it, but it is our response to feeling His presence more strongly than usual, when we are distracted by other things. When we "tune into" the Holy Spirit, we feel His presence more strongly.
Now then, why do we sometimes refer to the Holy Spirit as the "Governor" in the Kingdom? A governor is: one that exercises authority especially over an area or group; an official elected or appointed to act as ruler, chief executive over a territory. But did you know that a governor is also: an attachment to a machine (such as a gasoline engine) for automatic control or limitation of speed...a regulator. Any of those descriptions fit what the Holy Spirit will do in our lives if we will submit to His guidance. The Kingdom of God is within us and it is governed by the Holy Spirit living in us. He is our Helper and our Guide.
The Holy Spirit is the third in the Trinity! He was never a "disembodied soul". He is the Spirit of the Living God! Jesus had to go back to the Father so we could have the Holy Spirit living within us and we would do "greater things than Jesus." Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. John 16:7
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! John 14:12-14
The Holy Spirit wants you to know who He is and how He works. He wants you tuned in to all He will show you and all He can do through you. To do that, you need to truly know Him. Then you won't be fooled by any poor imitations. The only way to know the Holy Spirit is to read what God's Word says about Him and to get tuned into His voice and His guidance.
Please take some time and "digest" these scriptures. Study for yourself and you will get a revelation of the Holy Spirit in your life.
Then He said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things.
“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” Luke 24:44-49
These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.
But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you His Spirit, and all of you know the truth. So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist.
1 John 2:19-22
On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. Acts 2:1-4
Be a Kingdom light shining in the darkness,
Deborah Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
Using the word "ghost" has caused generations of people to have the wrong image of who the Holy Spirit is and what He does. Ghost sounds "spooky" and the images of what a ghost does in movies taints our understanding of the Holy Spirit. Here is the definition of ghost: a disembodied soul; especially the soul of a dead person believed to be an inhabitant of the unseen world or to appear to the living in bodily likeness. Also, an apparition of a dead person that is believed to appear or become manifest to the living.
Does that definition sound anything like the Holy Spirit Jesus spoke of here?: “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:15-17
These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. John 14:25-26 (This is also why we must be full of God's Word)
Hearing the term ghost used has caused people to label any odd behavior in the church as being done by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our helper and is not going to cause a person to act out, jerk around or run the church. That is an emotional response to what they are feeling. Here, I am not talking about speaking in tongues as spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12: There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
I'm sure there are those who will argue with me, but before you react, read the scriptures I will put in this article and see if anything shown reflects the behavior, and sometimes the "show", we see in church that is labeled as the Holy Spirit "showing up and showing out".
God is not in the entertainment business. Nothing done is for our entertainment.
Everything He does is for His glory. Everything has a purpose and that is ultimately for the maturing of His people to create disciples.
The church may not want to admit it, but we've got it wrong. I would say that my spiritual heritage is Pentecostal...3rd generation Pentecostal. My grandparents were Pentecostal in the early part of the 20th century...A lot of history there. My mother once told me this about the Holy Spirit: People react differently when they feel the Holy Spirit. Some run the aisles, some jump pews, some holler and make a lot of noise. But Mom's dear friend would sit in the pew, silently crying. That's because of her emotional makeup. The Holy Spirit isn't doing it, but it is our response to feeling His presence more strongly than usual, when we are distracted by other things. When we "tune into" the Holy Spirit, we feel His presence more strongly.
Now then, why do we sometimes refer to the Holy Spirit as the "Governor" in the Kingdom? A governor is: one that exercises authority especially over an area or group; an official elected or appointed to act as ruler, chief executive over a territory. But did you know that a governor is also: an attachment to a machine (such as a gasoline engine) for automatic control or limitation of speed...a regulator. Any of those descriptions fit what the Holy Spirit will do in our lives if we will submit to His guidance. The Kingdom of God is within us and it is governed by the Holy Spirit living in us. He is our Helper and our Guide.
The Holy Spirit is the third in the Trinity! He was never a "disembodied soul". He is the Spirit of the Living God! Jesus had to go back to the Father so we could have the Holy Spirit living within us and we would do "greater things than Jesus." Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. John 16:7
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! John 14:12-14
The Holy Spirit wants you to know who He is and how He works. He wants you tuned in to all He will show you and all He can do through you. To do that, you need to truly know Him. Then you won't be fooled by any poor imitations. The only way to know the Holy Spirit is to read what God's Word says about Him and to get tuned into His voice and His guidance.
Please take some time and "digest" these scriptures. Study for yourself and you will get a revelation of the Holy Spirit in your life.
Then He said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things.
“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” Luke 24:44-49
These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.
But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you His Spirit, and all of you know the truth. So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist.
1 John 2:19-22
On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. Acts 2:1-4
Be a Kingdom light shining in the darkness,
Deborah Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
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