How did the Holy Spirit draw you to Christ?

[Dave L]

How about a short version for the sake of this thread?:)

read only as much as you like.

 

[lforrest]

As is common to all carnal creatures, our first experience of God and or desire for Him for most of us was inherently selfish. I wanna be saved. I wanna go to heaven. I wanna freedom from dope. I don't wanna go to hell. Or jail . I don't wanna lose my spouse. Or my kids. My job. I don't wanna be broke. Or lonely. Or sick. Our guilty. Or any or all of the above.
But yeah, over time we grow out of those selfish motives, and we, or at least we ought to, mature to such a state of mind and heart that our only motivation for knowing Christ and the Father is to serve them, and our fellow man in ways that glorify and honour Him always. Just as Jesus served His Father in such a way that benefited mankind through dying to self and living to glorify God.

Even so how many serve God because it makes them happy to do so? Or because they want to be blessed? How is that not selfish? How many truely give expecting nothing in return, even from God?

 

[Helen]

Wow, some excellent posts here. Love this thread. :)

I just looked thought it but cannot find mine...I was sure I wrote here.. but can't see it.

I was married at 19 had two children quickly.
Dave gambled and drank...so it did not go well at all.
I left him twice in those early days , because of the drinking...
Like @Taken , I can't remember a time when I wasn't conscious of God.
But , I had no assurance and still wanted to run my own life....

But at 22 I remember washing diapers in the sink ( no machine back then...not a vacuum or even a fridge)...I was crying into the water...
My first real prayer was..." I am miserable and fed up with life...God I cannot go through my life unsure of the ending....I want to KNOW that I will end up with You and happy."
Ha! What a prayer! ...all about me,...
I had no fear of hell at all, but I did fear at not being where God was. ie...living to old age, dying and then...nothing.
I had no consciousness of sin either. I just knew that "with God = happiness "

My dad was a preacher , so he put me in touch with a Holiness Pastor.
Long story short...he visited me , I came to the Lord ...and Dave got saved 6 weeks later in our living room.
We were with him in the old Holiness mission for ten years. He was a lovely old teacher....full of faith....

So much has happened in the 54 yrs since...many hills and valleys ..but God led us faithfully these many years...

When we'd been saved ten years we thought that we knew everything Ha!
We were so wise at 32.... Dream-on...
"His ways are passed finding out..."....depth after depth , revelation on revelation...and will be so unto the very end. Whatever we 'think that we know' is only just scratching the surface of God Himself....
\0/ \0/ \0/

Praise the Lord...

 

[Nancy]

He spoke to me through the mouth of another person by a question. This was unplanned and unexpected. The voice reverberated through my consciousness, I was at a crossroad and I instinctively knew that whatever answer that came out of my mouth would determine the path I would walk. I said, without giving it thought, 'I want to be with Jesus when he comes' Five minutes prior I was the argumentative smart ass not allowing myself to be cornered.

No sooner were the words out of my mouth than a peace flooded my whole being. It was a peace that I have not experienced since.
From that day my life did a 180 degree turn. A turn that I attribute to the power of God. My values were changed, my habits were changed, my interests were changed, my thoughts were changed. I was nearly twenty years old when this happened. The journey had taken a dramatic turn or I could say, the journey started.

Wonderful! Yes! My habits were turned on their head also, lo

I can never remember NOT believing....
However I can remember NOT having a relationship with Christ Jesus.

I tried reading the Bible...didn't make sense to me.
I tried a few Churches...bored me.
I tried Sunday school...a verse highlighted, then most of the discussion appeared to be more like visiting time.

One day something sparked my interest in US Law, and I started studying the Laws. They were just as confusing as scripture.
So, I .... (we) as it was a venture shared between my spouse and myself....decided to Learn HOW to Learn.

And then for several years went back to studying the Law.
During a discussion one day, my spouse and I were talking about embarrassment, probably also edging on shame....of not having put our skills of LEARNING, toward Scripture....and a new venture was decided.

We got out the 3 inch thick Family Bible, bought many other Bibles, got our stash of blank legal tablets, dedicated a table to Bible Reading, studying, making notes, organizing, and began a new quest of daily and long hours dedicated to the Word of God.

Life happens; kids, jobs, obligations, projects, etc. So, the long hours of daily study have lessened....however a True and lasting Daily relationship was formed between the Lord, my spouse and myself, and that remains constant.

God Bless,
Taken

Awesome journey Taken. That is TRUE seeking.
I love that the Creator wants a personal relationship with us. No two people are the same...just like snowflakes and fingerprints and faces. Even nature...find a pumpkin that is exactly like another pumpkin, or a flower, so on and so forth ♥

 

[Nancy]

I realize now I wasn't looking for God Himself...just for God to help me fulfill my own dreams. That's where I come from.

But over time God has weaned my from all things other than His glory. This is by no means my first choice...well...now it is! :)

For reals!!

 

[Nancy]

Wow, some excellent posts here. Love this thread. :)

I just looked thought it but cannot find mine...I was sure I wrote here.. but can't see it.

I was married at 19 had two children quickly.
Dave gambled and drank...so it did not go well at all.
I left him twice in those early days , because of the drinking...
Like @Taken , I can't remember a time when I wasn't conscious of God.
But , I had no assurance and still wanted to run my own life....

But at 22 I remember washing diapers in the sink ( no machine back then...not a vacuum or even a fridge)...I was crying into the water...
My first real prayer was..." I am miserable and fed up with life...God I cannot go through my life unsure of the ending....I want to KNOW that I will end up with You and happy."
Ha! What a prayer! ...all about me,...
I had no fear of hell at all, but I did fear at not being where God was. ie...living to old age, dying and then...nothing.
I had no consciousness of sin either. I just knew that "with God = happiness "

My dad was a preacher , so he put me in touch with a Holiness Pastor.
Long story short...he visited me , I came to the Lord ...and Dave got saved 6 weeks later in our living room.
We were with him in the old Holiness mission for ten years. He was a lovely old teacher....full of faith....

So much has happened in the 54 yrs since...many hills and valleys ..but God led us faithfully these many years...

When we'd been saved ten years we thought that we knew everything Ha!
We were so wise at 32.... Dream-on...
"His ways are passed finding out..."....depth after depth , revelation on revelation...and will be so unto the very end. Whatever we 'think that we know' is only just scratching the surface of God Himself....
\0/ \0/ \0/

Praise the Lord...

Good stuff! And, yes, how deep are His ways ♥

 

[Nancy]

How about a short version for the sake of this thread?:)

It's okay, my thread was only asking for how the Holy Spirit initially drew you and, not so much a testimony. But, I am enjoying them here none the less!! ♥

 

[Nancy]

As is common to all carnal creatures, our first experience of God and or desire for Him for most of us was inherently selfish. I wanna be saved. I wanna go to heaven. I wanna freedom from dope. I don't wanna go to hell. Or jail . I don't wanna lose my spouse. Or my kids. My job. I don't wanna be broke. Or lonely. Or sick. Our guilty. Or any or all of the above.
But yeah, over time we grow out of those selfish motives, and we, or at least we ought to, mature to such a state of mind and heart that our only motivation for knowing Christ and the Father is to serve them, and our fellow man in ways that glorify and honour Him always. Just as Jesus served His Father in such a way that benefited mankind through dying to self and living to glorify God.

Spot on post @brakelite
Should we not be praying daily that we grow in desire for His will always and first in our lives? I sometimes think some are afraid to pray for the hard things like, humility and long-suffering, lol...but IMHO-there is no other way to grow in Him. ♥

 

[Helen]

It's okay, my thread was only asking for how the Holy Spirit initially drew you and, not so much a testimony. But, I am enjoying them here none the less!! ♥

So, how would you seperate the two experiences ? :)

 

[lforrest]

I was convicted of my sins by the Holy Spirit, I felt guilty.

 

[Helen]

It's okay, my thread was only asking for how the Holy Spirit initially drew you and, not so much a testimony. But, I am enjoying them here none the less!! ♥

I didn’t really know anything about the Holy Spirit until 4 yrs after I was saved.
An old missionary lady gave me a book by Watchman Nee called “Sit ,Walk, Stand..”
That was my first introduction.

 

[Nancy]

So, how would you seperate the two experiences ? :)

Basically, in a word, lol. Examples: Love, fear, revelation of Truth. :) ♥

 

[Nancy]

I didn’t really know anything about the Holy Spirit until 4 yrs after I was saved.
An old missionary lady gave me a book by Watchman Nee called “Sit ,Walk, Stand..”
That was my first introduction.

Would you refer this book?

 

[Helen]

Would you refer this book?

Hahaha! That was in 1968 .....I have no idea what the book was about now...it’s been too long.
But I liked his writings...we cut our teeth on him. ;)

 

[Episkopos]

Hahaha! That was in 1968 .....I have no idea what the book was about now...it’s been too long.
But I liked his writings...we cut our teeth on him. ;)

It's about the book of Ephesians. I too read a lot of Watchman Nee many moons ago. I would suggest...."The Normal Christian Life"

A book called "The Spiritual Man" is a little dry....but very good and standard fare among deep seekers.

 

[Helen]

It's about the book of Ephesians. I too read a lot of Watchman Nee many moons ago. I would suggest...."The Normal Christian Life"

A book called "The Spiritual Man" is a little dry....but very good and standard fare among deep seekers.

Good memory...most of our books had to be left behind in England when we emigrated.

I do still have the 'Normal Christian life.' excellent.
I found the 'Latent Power of the Soul' very challenging.
Once we have read it we can see more clearly the difference between believers who move in the Spirit and those who are still function from the soul realm.

The Spiritual Man comes in three volumes if I remember rightly?
All good but as you say...more like teaching text books.

A good tool in growing us up. :)

 

[Taken]

Wonderful! Yes! My habits were turned on their head also, lo

Awesome journey Taken. That is TRUE seeking.
I love that the Creator wants a personal relationship with us. No two people are the same...just like snowflakes and fingerprints and faces. Even nature...find a pumpkin that is exactly like another pumpkin, or a flower, so on and so forth ♥

Thanks Nancy.

Despite the corruption the journey with THEE Teacher, family, friends is out of this world!!

God Bless,
Taken

 

[Nancy]

Thanks Nancy.

Despite the corruption the journey with THEE Teacher, family, friends is out of this world!!

God Bless,
Taken

For sure it IS out of this world, lol. Just the contrast alone between the corruption of this world and His light is striking!

 

[Taken]

For sure it IS out of this world, lol. Just the contrast alone between the corruption of this world and His light is striking!

Awesome for sure.

God Bless,
Taken

 

[Nancy]

It's about the book of Ephesians. I too read a lot of Watchman Nee many moons ago. I would suggest...."The Normal Christian Life"

A book called "The Spiritual Man" is a little dry....but very good and standard fare among deep seekers.

I have recently read John Stott's "Basic Christianity". I found it to be allot like C.S.Lewis's "Mere Christianity" only, a bit easier reading.