Needing some help...

[VerilyISayUntoU]

Hello all, i'm brand-spankin'-new to this forum and i'm really excited to meet people that I will hopefully be spend eternity with. I do have a big delema on my hands though and it would be great to get some feedback on how to deal with it. So...

I've been saved for about a year now, i've been involved with church since a young childhood but i've finally realized what being a christian is all about. I've recently moved to Louisiana and became involved in a completely different type of christianity. Until about two months ago I had no idea what the holy ghost was, nor of the existance. As a baptist, in my church in Texas, the holy ghost was not preached about. When I asked my father(a youth minister/preacher) what the deal was, he just told me that the comforter is only meantioned in small parts of the bible and others choose to spend more time focusing on those small parts of the bible and he had not been called by god to accept the holy ghost. I on the other hand, feel that I need the ideal fulfillment of the holy ghost. I hate the feeling of conviction when I make the conscious choice to do wrong, when in a understanding state of mind/ It's like I can't not sin. For example, smoking, lust, or gotcha21 are all things I cannot help but do. Before doing so, in the act of, and afterwards I feel ashamed but I can't help it. I'll debate for large amounts of time whether or not to do them, telling myself no, follow christ, allow jesus to work in you, everything, and still to no prevail. I have grown tremendously in my walk with jesus and changed many things, but I still feel angry when i'm so weak, I want the holy ghost but it wont come. I prayed to God and in church they told me to just speak in tongue... I assume because it's been hardwired into my brain that it's just a way for some. But I am open, I just don't feel the need to speak in tongue, nothing comes out of my mouth. It's not that i'm "too cute" for god, it's just the way I feel I am. My understanding of the bible is growing but it needs more work, I grasp concepts and relate to almost every sermon, and I spend much time praying and asking for relief. It seems like there's nothing more I can do! Anyone have any suggestions or helpful bible verses they can send my way? Thanks for any help and I have a feeling it's gonna be nice to be here...

[nChrist]

Hello VerilyISayUntoYou,

First, WELCOME!

I sincerely hope that you enjoy Christians Unite. I look forward to reading your posts and having fellowship with you.

There are some areas of disagreement about the working of the Holy Spirit in this day and age. However, there are some areas of almost total agreement about the workings of the Holy Spirit for every Christian today, and that's what I would like to address.

There is no argument for Christians that the Holy Spirit of GOD lives in our hearts as a guide and a comforter. In reality, our heart IS the temple of GOD the Holy Spirit, and this is only one reason why we are never the same again after accepting JESUS CHRIST as Lord and Saviour. A Christian's heart IS SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT as a pledge of the Promises of GOD for eternity and setting us aside as a possession of JESUS CHRIST - bought with HIS Blood - paid for in full - and delivered from the curse of sin and death because of our belief, trust, and faith in JESUS CHRIST.

YES - we do have an extra voice within us advising of good and bad, and we obviously should yield to this voice of GOD. We can also pray for guidance when we study the Holy Bible and gain additional understanding that is only possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. There are a host of things involving strength and understanding that are only possible with GOD the Father, GOD the Son, and GOD the Holy Spirit.

SO, we don't have to talk about tongues and other areas of contentions - rather there are many areas of great power that the Holy Spirit can have in our lives when we yield. Becoming stronger in the things of the LORD is just one excellent example. As we grow in strength and maturity in CHRIST, a host of other problems in our lives are impacted greatly. There is no disagreement at all that the Holy Spirit of GOD is a tremendous force of good that can and will impact our lives to the extent that we yield to the Will of GOD. I would not be talking about power to drink poisons, handle snakes,  our commanding miracles, and the other areas of contentions, rather I would be talking about the strength of CHRIST where HE gets all of the Glory. If we yield, strive, and pray for GOD'S help in our lives, it will be done according to HIS Will. Again, I would make a comparison between contentious items and non-contentious items. If we pray in the Will of GOD, we won't be asking for million dollar homes, 100 thousand dollar cars, and the things of this world. The opposite side of the coin would be HIS help in strengthening us, HIS help to avoid sin, HIS help to understand Bible studies, and the sure knowledge of the eternal riches in CHRIST that are not of this world.

I hope that some of this helps. In short, the Holy Spirit of GOD can be and should be a big portion of our everyday lives. There are obvious reasons why the Holy Spirit of GOD was sent to us as a comforter and guide. I must add that the areas that all Christians agree about are really the most important. I would also say with certainty that some people abuse the name of the Holy Spirit of GOD in connection with the things of the world and the things that glorify man - not GOD.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Ephesians 2:19-22 NASB  So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.