Back when we were in the Disciples of Christ, we were beginning to feel the drawing of the Spirit in our lives. We were with a denomination that didn’t believe in the active operation of the Holy Spirit so we didn’t really understand it.
I told Ella that I would like to find a church to pastor that was light charismatic. Charismatic to me was more of a style than a substance, so we wanted to pastor a church that lifted their hands when they sang and who sang contemporary songs and such, but who were not (to our minds) wackos. They were happy and excited.
When the Holy Spirit came into contact with us and we were baptized in the Spirit, we realized how foolish that was. One cannot be “light charismatic”. You are either working under the moving of the Spirit or you are not.
I have known churches that have trumpeted on their webpages the proud fact that they were non-charismatic. What they mean is that they are standard and aren’t Pentecostal.
But many times, what it means is that the Spirit is not alive in their services. In fact, the one thing they are best at, when it comes to the Spirit of God, is quenching the Spirit, or putting out the Spirit’s fire (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
You cannot be light charismatic. In the same way, you cannot be a light Christian.
Jesus said, He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. (Matthew 12:29-31).
You either are a Christian or not. You either have the Spirit of God within you or you don’t.
You may not speak with tongues, or heal people, or prophecy, but if you are living as God would have you live, you have the Spirit of God within you. Being baptized in the Spirit is not the same as having the Spirit within you. You get the Spirit when you believe in God (Acts 2:38).
Take your Christianity seriously and live for him. Show his Spirit in your lives.
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