Live by the Spirit

All Christians believe in the Holy Spirit’s existence. However, there are many contradicting views and interpretations of His work. Some try to interpret Bible passages about the Holy Spirit through their own experiences. They read the Bible and think, “From my personal experiences, this is what these words must mean!” However, basing the Holy’s Spirit’s work on one person’s experiences limits their view of the Holy Spirit’s full potential. Others try to interpret the Bible passages about the Holy Spirit through their observation of other people’s mistakes. They say, “In the past, I have seen people who follow the Holy Spirit create a lot of problems in the church!” These people have a negative view of the Holy Spirit, which leads them to misinterpret His work. Still, others have created their own theological frameworks to understand the work of the Holy Spirit. However, the numerous Bible passages regarding the Holy Spirit should not be interpreted through a single theology. Let the Bible form the theology; do not let theology interpret the Bible.

While all Christians believe in the Holy Spirit, their understanding of the identity and the work of the Holy Spirit are not always based on the teachings of the Bible. It is crucial to have a biblical understanding of the person, the baptism, the filling, the ministry, the fruit, the gifts, the healing, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Without having an accurate doctrine of the Holy Spirit that is based on the Bible, it is impossible to live a Spirit-led life.