In Bible College, we had a class called Pneumatology. It was a study of the Holy Spirit, the pneuma — the breath, the wind, the Spirit of God. We studied about the work of the Holy Spirit.
If we don't rely on the Holy Spirit's power to live our Christian lives, God will still love us. If we are Christians, we'll share heaven with our Father — we are His children saved by His grace.
No one can make you use pneumatic tools; it just makes things easier, by using the additional power that's available. If a person wants to continue using a lug wrench, it's OK, it's just harder. Likewise, no one can make us depend on the Holy Spirit's power, but we will be missing out on an additional power that is available to us. As the great prophet Zechariah told us, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6)
The apostle Paul said, "And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." (1 Corinthians 2:4) We shouldn't just minister in our own strength and abilities. Some of us used to rely on the Holy Spirit but now have become too self-sufficient. Paul reminds us, "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:3)
Most of us don't have any problem relying on pneumatic tools to service our cars. They help us do our work more efficiently. Let's rely on the Holy Spirit, pneuma, in service of our Lord.
When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. ... Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT)
