Relying
on the
Holy Spirit

Experience the
Joy–Filled Walk with
God Under the
Anointing of the Holy
Spirit

CHARLES

STANLEY

THOMAS NELSON PUBLISHERS

Nashville • Atlanta • London • Vancouver

Copyright 1996 by Charles Stanley

All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers, and distributed in Canada by Word Communications, Ltd., Richmond, British Columbia.

The Bible version used in this publication is THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.

ISBN 0–7852–7260–7

Contents

Introduction: The Spirit–Filled Life Is for Every Believer

1. Why We Need the Holy Spirit in Our Lives

2. Who Exactly Is the Holy Spirit?

3. Relying on the Holy Spirit’s Power in Us

4. Relying on the Holy Spirit’s Abiding Presence

5. Relying on the Holy Spirit in Prayer

6. Avoiding Sin Against the Holy Spirit

7. Relying on the Holy Spirit to Reproduce Christ’s Character in Us

8. Relying on the Holy Spirit for Spiritual Gifts

9. Relying on the Holy Spirit to Make Our Ministries Effective

10. Relying on the Holy Spirit for Daily Guidance

Epilogue: My Final Word to You

INTRODUCTION

The Spirit–Filled Life Is for Every Believer

The Spirit–filled life. In all likelihood, these words evoke one of three responses in you:

You may say, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” If that’s your response, you aren’t alone. Many people don’t know much about the Holy Spirit, and they know less about how He works in the life of every Christian.

You may say, “Oh, I’m not sure I want anything to do with the Holy Spirit. Everything I’ve heard about the Holy Spirit seems divisive or too emotional for me.” If that’s your response, I have encouragement for you. If you are a genuine born–again Christian, you have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, whether you have acknowledged Him or not. Furthermore, He is not divisive or invasive. People may be, but He is not.

You may say, “Oh, yes! The Spirit–filled life is the most wonderful life a person can know. I wouldn’t trade the Spirit–filled life for all the riches in the world or for any other experience or state of being!” If that’s your response, I say “amen”—so be it. The Spirit–filled life is the only way for a Christian to experience all that God has for a person to be, say, and do. It is life to the fullest, the true abundant life that Jesus promised. (See John 10:10.)

The Spirit–filled life is not based on emotions, although you are likely to feel various emotions as the Spirit works in you and through you to produce the character of Christ Jesus and to replicate the ministry of Christ Jesus in your life and the world.

The Spirit–filled life is also not something that a person can study from afar. The Spirit–filled life is experienced. It is lived out by real people in real life ...