We Need Him More and More
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the critical need for the Holy Spirit in church leadership over reliance on human methods and abilities.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the critical need for the Holy Spirit's guidance in Christian leadership, arguing that many are relying too much on human abilities rather than the divine wisdom and counsel that the Holy Spirit provides. He stresses that the presence of God is essential in our lives and ministries, and that true illumination comes from the Spirit, not from human talents or strategies. Tozer calls for a deeper reverence for God and a recognition of our dependence on the Holy Spirit, urging believers to seek His anointing and wisdom above all else.
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But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. --John 14:26
I have reason to suspect that many people are trying to give leadership in Christian churches today without ever having yielded to the wise and effective leading of the Holy Spirit. He truly is the Spirit of wisdom, understanding and counsel. He alone can bring the gracious presence of the living God into our lives and ministries.
You may think it out of place for me to say so, but in our churches today we are leaning too heavily upon human talents and educated abilities. We forget that the illumination of the Holy Spirit of God is a necessity, not only in our ministerial preparation, but in the administrative and leadership functions of our churches.
We need an enduement of the Spirit of God! We sorely need more of His wisdom, His counsel, His power, His knowledge. We need to reverence and fear the Almighty God. If we knew the full provision and the spiritual anointing that Jesus promised through the Holy Spirit, we would be far less dependent on so many other things.... I have said it before, and I say it now: We need the Holy Spirit more and more, and we need human helps less and less! Jesus Is Victor!, 48.
"Lord, we're drowning in human helps, modern methods, business principles, and growth strategies. But in all too many cases I fear that we are indeed lacking the enduement of the Spirit of God. Send us to our knees, Lord, that we might be reminded that we need Him more and more. Amen."
Sermon Outline
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I
- The Role of the Holy Spirit in Leadership
- The Need for Divine Wisdom
- The Importance of Spiritual Guidance
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II
- The Dangers of Relying on Human Abilities
- The Necessity of the Holy Spirit's Illumination
- The Call for Spiritual Anointing
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III
- Reverence for God
- The Promise of Jesus Regarding the Holy Spirit
- The Shift from Human Helps to Spiritual Dependence
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IV
- The Call to Prayer and Humility
- The Need for More of the Holy Spirit
- The Impact on Church Leadership
Key Quotes
“We need the Holy Spirit more and more, and we need human helps less and less!” — A.W. Tozer
“Lord, we're drowning in human helps, modern methods, business principles, and growth strategies.” — A.W. Tozer
“Send us to our knees, Lord, that we might be reminded that we need Him more and more.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Prioritize prayer and seek the Holy Spirit's guidance in all church activities.
- Recognize the limitations of human abilities and turn to God for wisdom and strength.
- Encourage a culture of dependence on the Holy Spirit within the church community.