More from Charles' Stanley's book on the Spirit-filled life

Over the last two weeks, I have read Charles Stanley's The Wonderful Spirit-Filled Life. Over these last days of 2009, I will use this blog to share some of the actual comments from the book.

"I am troubled on behalf of those who have prayed a salvation prayer in the past but have reached the conclusion that Christianity just doesn't work. I am equally concerned about the believers who have not yet given up, but their lives are characterized by defeat and discontentment. I am concerned about men and women who are simply going through the motions - going to church, reading their Bibles, saying prayers, confessing their sins. (page 5)

I believe there are two primary reasons so many Christians have failed to take advantage of the help afforded by the Helper. First of all, many preachers neither model the Spirit-filled life nor teach on it. What comes from the pulpit week after week is, "Do the best you can, and remember, God understands." How tragic! No wonder so many churches are powerless and dead. (page 10)

On the other hand, men and women who are walking in the Spirit don't waste their time arguing over who is going to chair this committee or what color to paint the children's department. They are too busy exercising their gifts for the common good of the church. Spirit-filled believers are given to prayer. Pastors who are filled with the Spirit don't simply use the pulpit to entertain and comfort their people. They equip and challenge their congregation to do the work of the ministry. (page 10)

The other reason so many believers miss out of the Spirit-filled life concerns their early days as Christians. Generally, when people are born again, an excitement about their newfound life manifests itself by way of a whole lot of activity. (page 10-11)

Well, all of this is fine except for one small detail. The energy source of all their activity is usually their own human strength - which, of course, is being fueled by the genuine joy that accompanies salvation or restoration. The problem is that they usually assume that what they are experiencing will last forever. If no one instructs them on how to walk in the Spirit, they will continue in their own strength - doing the best they can, which for a while is really pretty good. Eventually however, they run out of steam. (page 10)