Greetings friends, glad to have you visit again! My Pastor, Pastor Jeff Baker, asked me to share some more of my experiences that aided my journey... I hope you enjoy
One of the obstacles or the brick walls of making a real and effective change is the element of fear. How many of us have been stalled, thwarted or imprisoned by fear?
As I continue to write concerning my journey from Oneness to Trinitarian, I’d like to examine the element of fear that was present in my journey.
Why was I afraid? Well as I stated in my teaching on the Trinity… in Session 2 – as a Oneness Pentecostal I was always taught that anyone outside of Oneness Pentecostalism was a non Christian, and that my friend is not limited to non-believers, such as the heathen or the pagan, it is inclusive of ALL including Trinitarian Christians.
That’s right, consider the hero’s past… Men such as: Martin Luther, Charles Finney or Billy Graham… LOST! LOST! LOST! Scary stuff right?
Therefore to consider that the doctrine of the Trinity may be truth. Wow, that was … well it was scary. I was risking my salvation! How was I going to overcome this deposit of influence in my life, look past the foreboding feeling that life was going to fall apart? How was I going to look at the Bible in a clear manner not influenced by the stifling fear forced upon me?
Well perhaps the Holy Spirit could help?
One such avenue was a spiritual experience… Let’s talk about a particular scenario that occurred in my life:
Joyce Meyer
You may or may not like Joyce Meyer… However, she is an excellent communicator, and she unknowingly played a role in the transformation of my wife and me. My wife listens to her all the time, and she did during the Oneness Pentecostal years as well.
That was a problem for me!
During those times, I was so frustrated with my wife who was listening to that… that… short haired, make up wearing, Trinitarian! I mean what was wrong with my wife, How could she?
While Gina would watch Joyce Meyer, I would leave the room! The problem was in that tiny little house we lived in, even though I parked myself staunchly in the kitchen,(voicing my opposition) I could hear Joyce! How irritating! What was more irritating than that? Well, the fact that I liked what she was saying… (Shhhhhhh – don’t tell!) She was ministering to me! Slowly I moved from listening in the kitchen, to the door way of the kitchen… then after some time I started standing in the living room (after all as long as I was not sitting and watching, somehow I had not fully given approval, nor had I non-verbally consented to the validity of Joyce Meyer being saved and (gulp) anointed!)
Then one day the unthinkable happened…
I watched SITTING down!!
I even attended a Joyce Meyer conference… A defining moment! There I was face to face with truth… Truth in the form of the Holy Spirit… I wept at that conference… I mean I really wept… in fact the sweet woman next to me offered me a couple dozen tissues… and I needed them. The presence of God was so strong, and I had been so… self righteous, so wrong, and guess what, I was busted.
The Holy Spirit was working on me, bringing change…
Let me speak to you for a moment, you who fear change, yet feel the pull of God. What is God saying to you, how is He speaking to your heart?
We should never undervalue the potential of the Holy Spirit to pull us and lead us in the direction He wants us to go…
(John 16:13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
In regards to being afraid – we need to listen to the words of Paul in
(Romans 8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
(Romans 8:15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
(Romans 8:16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Hear that? We do not have a SPIRIT OF FEAR!!! But instead we have the Holy Spirit, and just as He was guiding me from the Oneness movement to Trinitarianism, so He has the power and authority to guide you, also, to wherever He wants you to go!
Do you trust the Holy Spirit?
How is He leading you even now?
Is it scary?
It very well may be, new things, and changes often are. But we can trust the Lord… We can in spite of the fear we may feel forge ahead, knowing that He who has begun a good work in us, will complete it!
(Philippians 1:6) Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
I want to talk more about the power to change and the fears and emotions that can be associated with that, while chronicling some of the events and emotions I experienced.
God used that which seemed most offensive, actually offensive to religion and traditions of men, to soften my heart.
How is God dealing with you?
Are you certain you’re following the Holy Spirit, or simply following personal preference and tradition?
Let God lead you, listen to His Spirit…
If you'd like to more theologically on the Trinity, and it's relation to the Oneness doctrine - please view the "Trinity Sermon Notes" on this site, under the "Featured Studies" heading, just to the right - Thanks and God Bless
