Richard Dawson, 9 September 2014

If you’re worried about not having had the ‘right’ experience in regard to the Holy Spirit… don’t be! There is very little that can be said to be a normative experience of the Spirit in the New Testament. The disciples were first breathed on by Jesus and seemingly received the Spirit without any particular manifestation. They then heard a great wind and saw tongues of fire among them and resting on each one. This lead them to cry out in praise to God in a ‘tongue’ or language they didn’t understand. The gentile believers in Caesarea burst into tongues as well whereas the Corinthian believers who had been baptised into John’s Name didn’t receive the Baptism of the Spirit till they were prayed for and had hands laid upon them. Some speak, others don’t. Sometimes there is a feeling; sometimes there is a vision, sometimes there is a noise. There is little that can be said to be ‘normal.’ Having said this, however, we cannot just ignore the injunction to be ‘filled with the Spirit.’ This is, certainly, normative in the New Testament even if the experience of it is variable. The Church begins with an outpouring of the Spirit. It continues with a series of Holy Spirit actions and throughout, the Spirit is active in the giving of spiritual gifts and Words (prophecy) which are considered central to the church’s life. Indeed, Paul will say ‘Be filled and go on being filled with the
Spirit.” The key then is not to focus on the experience but to seek the Person of the Holy Spirit and all that God would have for us through the Spirit’s work. This was, and is, the normal thing to do in the Christian life.