Wayne in Maine wrote:I have always been impressed by the fact that the church, immediately after being filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, was "of one heart and of one mind".
I believe God's Spirit will speak, on a matter for the assembly, with one voice to everyone who really is filled with His Spirit. I do not believe God is schizophrenic; I find it easier to believe that fewer of us are filled with the Holy Spirit than we would like to believe or that some of us are not listening to (or are rejecting) the Holy Spirit's voice or that that God is, for His own purposes, being quiet.
We have too little fear at our not hearing God speak with one voice - it should terrify any church.
Yes, quite interesting of the 2 areas mentioned resulting from Holy Spirit filling. 1) boldness to share the Gospel 2) an eternal perspective on their earthly stuff.
Acts 4:31-32 "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common."
Regarding if we are filled with the Spirit, as I read this text, not as this early church responded to being filled.
I have often wondered about the Holy Spirit's work today -
1) have we so grieved the Spirit in saying He says this or that when He is not the one speaking
2) have we quenched the fire of the Spirit in our lives to not even be concerned about the lost
3) are we so misunderstanding the Spirit's workings from emotional experiences
4) are we living at such a fast pace that we can't shut out the world to hear the Spirit (that still small voice saying)
5) all of the above or is God, at this point in time not speaking as you say for His purposes.
I tend to agree that few of us are living in the realm of on-going Spirit fillings/control even though it is commanded. Here is another text on what a Spirit filled person is like - Ephesians 5:17-21
"Therefore, be ye not unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."
I, for one, am not reflecting a Spirit filled person but there was a short period in my late teens when I did experience these attitudes and ways of living and I recall my Christian brothers asking what I had. Having that taste of what is possible as an abundant living relationship with God I will never forget that time and wonder what happened although I suspect various things got and are are still getting in the way of this 'walking in the Spirit'.
As for your last statement about being terrified of God not speaking with one voice in the church, I think many replaced that with a voting concept believing the majority in a congregation are Spirit lead. Yet I think strong personalities can be swaying the voting more that the Spirit. I prefer to trust a small group of elders that must all agree to stand a better chance that the Spirit is truly behind decisions.
Anyway, thanks for the input. Hope more will share their thoughts on this.