While this book probably won't totally blow you away, it will make enough of an impression that it could change your whole life - so it is worth the read. When I first read this book, I thought it was probably just written for Charismatics and Pentacostals. I didn't think I would like it. But being a Reformed/Conservative/Presbyterian/Calvinist, I wanted a life changing book, and I think God the Holy Spirit speaks to me through this book.
The book covers why the Holy Spirit and Charistmatics have a bad name and explains away a lot of anti-Holy Spirit teachings that conservatives have grown up with. The best part of the book is that it explains the benefits of becoming FRIENDS WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. We should know God The Holy Spirit. Not Just God and Jesus. It is through God the Holy Spirit that God the father and son are able to change us. This is how we will know God's will, becoming stronger, kinder, more loving - through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I just finished the chapter on the Holy Spirit in John MacArthur's Fundamentals of Faith and this book supports the same teaching that it is GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT that gave Jesus and the Apostles all their power - the power to preach, do miracles, etc. After studying up on the Holy Spirit and reading these two books, I now feel like the Holy Spirit is THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE TRINITY in our daily lives today. In Christianity, He is so neglected, but in truth, HE IS THE ONE THAT CHANGES YOUR SINNER LIFE INTO A CHRISTIAN GODLY LIFE. Without the Holy Spirit, how will we overcome all our problems? How will we preach if we don't have the power of the Holy Spirit?
5 stars because: Morris teaches that tongues and miracles are still relevant today and not done away with after the apostles like some conservative's teach. Morris has a good case and I'm going to have to re-research my position here. But he uses scripture fairly well to back up his belief and he does a pretty good job at that. So even if I don't agree 100% with his ideas, at least he's done a good job backing them up and this makes me go back to the drawing board and re-research my view to see who really is interpreting the bible correctly.
I'm not sure I trust the last chapters 16-19 of this book - focused on tongues. Morris comes from a Charismatic perspective and some of his writing comes across as "selling" tongues to me. Is this a name-it-claim-it prosperity gospel teacher? I will have to YouTube Morris and find out more about him. I would want to know if Morris is another Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Andrew Wommack, Creflo Dollar, etc.
The natural inclination for a conservative Christian is to agree with the reviewer, "I'm not sure the Holy Spirit really works this way" but I must say, even being an ultra conservative Christian, I know a friend who gets "promptings" that truly must be the Holy Spirit because they've proven accurate and guided my friend even though this friend is not Charismatic. The Holy Spirit is real and can and does talk to us.
Disclaimer: Borrowed this book from my sister, who received this from the publisher free of charge in exchange for this review. Honest review, as I am not required to give a positive review. I am normally a harsh reviewer, so you can trust that this book is worth reading.
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