I believe in the Holy Spirit. I believe that the Holy Spirit can arrive in power. I have seen these things with my own eyes, and I believe people receive gifts and power of the Spirit when they pray for them, and as God chooses.
For most of us cannot handle great power: we are not mature enough for great responsibility.
Good morning from Auckland Waterfront. Front has moved through but @BreakfastSam reckons more rain on the way later. pic.twitter.com/zawlNthAfF
— Chris Chang (@ChrisChang_nz) August 19, 2014
But I do think we have made too much of this passage, and argued that there are two tiers of believers. There are not: I have seen people do powerful things and become apostate.
For power and charisma is not the mark of holiness. You judge people by what is happening to those around them.
And God is sovereign. He will not be bribed, not will he be manipulated. We can try to subvert his kingdom and his church by the dark arts of politics and the committee, but that is immaterial. For the spirit lands where it chooses, and most frequently the outsider, the poor, the powerless are the people God uses to correct his church.
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
(Acts 8:14-25 ESV)
The gall of bitterness is poison for the church. It is the seed of jealousy. We should hope for good — and when our brother or sister succeeds in something, we should celebrate. There is enough pain in this world already.
And we are different. We do not have to be jealous of another’s giftedness, nor pull them down.
Simon (probably Magus) wanted power: he wanted the spiritual. He was prepared to give up much for this power, including his soul. He was not the first who let jealousy consume him: wondering why that drunk, this slut, that lazy git is now filled with the Spirit and joyfully reforming their lives while he struggles.
But we do not know what goes on inside the head of another. (This is a mercy: I have enough trouble with my own thoughts, let alone another’s).
The Pentecostalists tend to forget that whatever gifts, whatever talents we have, are of no use unless spent. Unless used for others. They are not for the hoarding.
Let neither bitterness consume you nor a false sense of spiritual poverty cause you to hoard. God has promised to give us the means to cope. Perhaps you need to ask the management of heaven for help: the management of this world is against you, always has been, always will be.
For this world is bitter. The lack joy. Do not be them, and do not be like them.
