Jesus was saying that when people are in prayer asking God for the Holy Spirit, the context of that Scripture, then they can trust and not fear. There are people in the revival movement, some of the leaders too, who are not seeking the Holy Spirit, they are seeking manifestations, signs and wonders. They want shaking, quaking, gold dust, angel feathers, visits to Heaven, gemstones or anything cool and seemingly supernatural none of which are among the gifts or fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes in the course of ministry and the pursuit of our relationship with the Lord, some of these kinds of experiences happen. We don't seek them or try to make them happen - they just do and we count ourselves blessed.
This is actually a good post, Jamadan. I agree!
Sin is a choice.
Let me repeat that:
Sin is a choice. So many people are living in fear of situations where the choice to sin is taken away from us by deceiving spirits, or through possession etc. However, our freedom in Christ prevents the Devil from taking our choice to sin away!
My spiritual experiences could lead me either of two directions. I CAN talk to spirits, regardless of who they are. But it takes a choice on my part to "tune in" (like adjusting a radio dial) to whichever type of spirits I wish to communicate with. I could talk to dead people, angels, demons, or nature spirits here on Earth. Using my prophet skills, I could even speak on behalf of the dead; but that is a line I have never wanted to cross because that would make me into a medium.
[shudder]
What I would rather do is use my talents for the furtherance of the Kingdom.
Spiritual experience (even the secular type) is real, and there is help to be had from some of these things. Things can be resolved between folks and their dead relatives, which does "good" in helping them move on in life. Connecting with pagan gods, I have also seen "good" things come from them!
Yet nothing compares to what God has to offer!
The Spirit of God is so much sweeter, and so much more gentler when it comes to healing our inner wounds, and providing for our needs. He takes care of our needs as a Father, rather than whatever other situation we can arrange with other spirits and other gods.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good."
I think that the popularity of secular spiritual experience comes because there are no Christian experiences to be had. Church after church has run in fear from the mistakes that have been made, leaving everything spiritual in the hands of alternative spirituality. But essentially,
we have God. And we can either hide Him behind a wall of rejection for all spiritual experience, or we can reject those who have had them and make them feel like they have to seek out other gods and other religions if they want answers to what they've gone through.
Or, we can roll up our sleeves and get to work. Seeking God for answers on what is of Him and what is not; teaching people how to live a life of godliness even with spiritual experiences happening in their lives.