Does the Holy Spirit tell people things in their thoughts?

RC would be appalled. Ancient heresies roll around and resurface constantly. This time it’s Mysticism.

Some Christians have gotten in trouble by assuming that the more subjective workings of the Spirit are as definite and certain as the objective work of the Spirit in Scripture.

What exactly are the Bible texts that explain this subjective working?

We need to be careful that we do not limit what the Holy Spirit can do when God doesn’t give us those particular limits. In Acts, for example, we see instances that fulfill Jesus’ words: “You don’t need to worry about what to say. The Holy Spirit is going provide it to you” (Mark 13:11; Matt. 10:19–20). That was in Apostolic times, but there are amazing testimonies of what the Spirit has done throughout history and how He has illumined people through the truth of His Word, grounded in His Word, and never contrary to His Word.

It seems to me that they have this backwards. We need to be careful about saying God does things that he hasn’t revealed to us that he does. And I can imagine that these testimonies ARE pretty amazing, but the real question is if they are Biblical.

The question I have is — is the call the the ministry or to a particular ministry (e.g., missionary to Brazil, say) actually the work of the Spirit in one’s life? We have examples of the Spirit directing Paul directly, but what about this subjective call?

is the call the the ministry or to a particular ministry (e.g., missionary to Brazil, say) actually the work of the Spirit in one’s life?

God does not “call men to the ministry,” churches do, using the criteria laid out in His Word. We should not expect to experience the revelations that Paul or the other Apostles did.

[AndyE] The question I have is — is the call the the ministry or to a particular ministry (e.g., missionary to Brazil, say) actually the work of the Spirit in one’s life? We have examples of the Spirit directing Paul directly, but what about this subjective call?

The Bible says the Holy Spirit gifts a man for pastoral ministry and places a man in pastoral ministry (Acts 13:2; 20:28; 1 Cor. 12; Rom. 12). I take this to mean that the Holy Spirit also gives the man a desire for pastoral ministry (1 Tim 3:1). However, it is the church’s role to examine the man’s motives, gifting, and qualifications and to determine whether to affirm him to the office of elder (Acts 13:3; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; 5:22; Tit. 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 5:1-4).

[T Howard]

The Bible says the Holy Spirit gifts a man for pastoral ministry and places a man in pastoral ministry (Acts 13:2; 20:28; 1 Cor. 12; Rom. 12). I take this to mean that the Holy Spirit also gives the man a desire for pastoral ministry (1 Tim 3:1). However, it is the church’s role to examine the man’s motives, gifting, and qualifications and to determine whether to affirm him to the office of elder (Acts 13:3; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; 5:22; Tit. 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 5:1-4).

[AndyE]

Quote:Some Christians have gotten in trouble by assuming that the more subjective workings of the Spirit are as definite and certain as the objective work of the Spirit in Scripture.

What exactly are the Bible texts that explain this subjective working?

Quote:We need to be careful that we do not limit what the Holy Spirit can do when God doesn’t give us those particular limits. In Acts, for example, we see instances that fulfill Jesus’ words: “You don’t need to worry about what to say. The Holy Spirit is going provide it to you” (Mark 13:11; Matt. 10:19–20). That was in Apostolic times, but there are amazing testimonies of what the Spirit has done throughout history and how He has illumined people through the truth of His Word, grounded in His Word, and never contrary to His Word.

It seems to me that they have this backwards. We need to be careful about saying God does things that he hasn’t revealed to us that he does. And I can imagine that these testimonies ARE pretty amazing, but the real question is if they are Biblical.

Acts 1:8 says “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” It seems to me that “power” from the Holy Spirit is a rather subjective working of the Spirit. In the early church, it allowed the witnesses to speak in tongues. That is a specifically revealed outworking of the Spirit’s power. I personally don’t think that speaking in tongues is for today, but is there an explicit verse which says it would be stopping?

While I am very much against the subject of the title above, I strongly hold to the call to the ministry: https://drreluctant.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/the-call-to-the-ministry-a…

In fact, I believe that the lack of focus on the “call” is a big reason our churches are full of false shepherds. I recommend Spurgeon’s chapter in this in his Lectures to My Students.