Wild-Eyed Fanatics
We must not let the excesses of a few fanatics cause us to shy away from the valuable truth and experience that the Holy Spirit brings.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the importance of not quenching the Holy Spirit and warns against dismissing the ministry of the Spirit due to the excesses of a few fanatical Christians. He uses the analogy of hanging a dead crow to illustrate how Satan uses the actions of wild-eyed fanatics to deter believers from embracing the truth about the Holy Spirit. Tozer urges the congregation to test all things and hold fast to what is good, encouraging them to seek the genuine work of the Spirit without fear of misrepresentation. He concludes with a prayer for protection from shying away from the valuable truths of the Holy Spirit.
Text
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. --1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
This is a crude illustration, but let me tell you what we did after planting a field of corn when I was a young fellow in Pennsylvania. To save the field of corn from the crows, we would shoot an old crow and hang him by his heels in the middle of the field. This was supposed to scare off all of the crows for miles around. The crows would hold a conference and say, "Look, there is a field of corn but don't go near it. I saw a dead crow over there!"
That's the kind of conference that Satan calls, and that is exactly what he has done. He has taken some fanatical, weird, wild-eyed Christians who do things that they shouldn't, and he has stationed them in the middle of God's cornfield, and warns, "Now, don't you go near that doctrine about the Holy Spirit because if you do, you will act just like these wild-eyed fanatics." The Counselor, 63.
"Keep us, Lord, from shying away from such valuable truth and experience as the ministry of the Holy Spirit because of the excesses of a few fanatics. We lose too much, and we can't afford the loss. Amen."
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Not Quenching the Spirit
- The Bible warns against quenching the Spirit
- The consequences of quenching the Spirit
Key Quotes
“That's the kind of conference that Satan calls, and that is exactly what he has done. He has taken some fanatical, weird, wild-eyed Christians who do things that they shouldn't, and he has stationed them in the middle of God's cornfield, and warns, 'Now, don't you go near that doctrine about the Holy Spirit because if you do, you will act just like these wild-eyed fanatics.'” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must be careful not to let the actions of a few fanatics cause us to resist the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
- We must be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and not let fear or doubt hold us back.
- We must seek to understand and experience the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives.