Page 45 - Overcoming Addiction

manifestation of the Spirit of Christ. This teaching is taken from examples in
Scripture of some men receiving the Spirit who had these things occur.

Acts 19:6
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on
them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.

Speaking in tongues is a manifestation of the Spirit, as is prophesying, but
not all men and women experience these things, nor were they ever stated by
Christ or His apostles to be a test of having received the Spirit. In another place
the apostle states that the indwelling Spirit does not produce these manifestations
in all people.

I Corinthians 12:28-30
And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third
teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations,
various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not
prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of
miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not
speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?

These are all rhetorical questions that the apostle is asking. The implied
answer in each instance is “No!” If all men and women spoke in tongues
immediately upon receiving the Spirit, then Paul could not have asked this
question.
We have read that the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are
children of God. Perhaps you are unsure of this witness, however. There are a
number of reasons why you may be uncertain, even if you have received the Spirit
of Christ. You may be walking in sin. Sin separates us from God, and makes it
difficult to hear His voice. You may have been disturbed by false teaching, and
have unrealistic expectations of what happens when Believers receive the Spirit.
As mentioned before, some a believe a Christian will never sin, nor even be
tempted to do so. Others declare that speaking in tongues always accompanies the
receiving of the Spirit.
Many ministers fall into the ditch on the opposite side of the road as they tell
people that all they need to do is pray a sinner’s prayer and confess Christ and
believe they have been born again of the Spirit. Such teaching is ill informed.
I have found that it is not prudent to try to convince people that they have
received the Spirit, any more than it is prudent to badger a man or woman to say a
sinner’s prayer. We are told that it is the Spirit that draws men to God, and it is
also the Spirit that testifies to us that we are His children.
Now, don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying that I do not believe in
evangelism. If that were true I would not be writing this book. As Christians we
are instructed to be led of the Spirit in all of our actions and words. We must allow
the Spirit to direct us to those whom He has prepared to hear the good news of
salvation in Christ. Yahshua Himself urged His disciples to use discernment in
their ministry.