9 November 2021

THE THERAPY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

By John Ollis

I am sure I have mentioned before that I love Church History, particularly in the context of God restoring TRUTH to the Church, that had been slowly and sadly lost. We know the Church was born on the Day of Pentecost, not long after Jesus ascended back to the Father, and the Holy Spirit was poured out on the 120 who were gathered in the “Upper Room”. Jesus had promised in Acts 1:5 NKJV He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” The 120 came out of the upper room, and just as Jesus had said they had all been baptized (filled) with the Holy Spirit and everyone of 120 were speaking in unknown languages as the Holy Spirit moved upon them.

Basically there was one Christian church around the world, for many hundreds of years until there was an East and West split which produced the Eastern Orthodox churches.

These two major Churches R.C. & E.O. continued on for some more hundreds of years, moving further and further away from New testament truth until God raised up many men including such ministries as John Calvin and Martin Luther who with many others became known as “The great Reformers” who were mightily used by God to enable the Church to return to N.T, truth.

It was not many years later that The Holy Spirit also highlighted Water Baptism (by immersion) which was never emphasized by the earlier Reformers.

Another truth that that also was not emphasized was the Baptism of the Holy Spirit or Second Blessing. Primarily this teaching did not really include the Gifts of the Holy Spirit or speaking in tongues. Thus the Holiness Movement was born. John Wesley and early Methodism were very involved in this area. So the emphasis on a second Blessing called the Baptism in the Holy Spirit was very clear in the minds of Believers in the 19th century.

So in hindsight it is not surprising that there came a fresh movement of the Holy Spirit around the turn into the 20th century that also as well as being Baptised (filled) with the Holy Spirit promoted the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially the 9 recorded in 1 Cor. 12:8-10 NKJV for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. And that every believer can and should have a personal “prayer language”. This became known as the Pentecostal Movement, which has circled the world like no other Church Movement. Sadly, then (and maybe still) there were over emphases and extremes, then in the 70’s the Charismatic Movement was born, that mightily impacted the traditional churches both Catholic and Protestant.

In both the Pentecostal Movement and the Charismatic Movement much emphasis often was placed on “speaking in tongues”, as a “sign” so sadly in many places the emphasis was on Believers joining the “Tongues Club” (as I call it,) and consequently the attitude often developed if you didn’t speak in tongues you were a 2nd class Christian.

In many Pentecostal/Charismatic circles there was no or little emphasis and encouragement for Believers to daily use their “prayer language”.

This is a very brief overview of Church History from a particular aspect, I have done this for a purpose, to now highlight another way God has made available to us, to contend with the stresses and challenges of life.

In my blog this morning I talked about the worry and stress that a Believer can experience, and in these last 2 years of Covid-19 there has developed much mental health problems because of this pandemic. I shared this morning, how we as part of our Inheritance as a Believer God has provided us with many keys, tools and weapons to help us deal with all these mind attacks that can come either from within, or from the evil one.

I want to recommend to you another Biblical (I believe) way to deal with these mind attacks and mental health concerns, and that is PRAY IN TONGUES, IN THANKSGIVING, IN PRAISE, IN WORSHIP AND IN INTERCESSION AND PETITION (FOR YOURTSELF).

Paul tells us in Rom. 8: 26-27 NKJV Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

I want to suggest to you, that spend some time PRAYING IN TONGUES DAILY, this can be a time of “spiritual therapy” to you, as the peace and presence and power of the Holy Spirit ministers to you.

Let this teaching challenge and encourage you, and let me know the results in your life please ?