I ain't afraid of no Ghost! Or am I?

I have been reading a book called Forgotten God by Francis Chan.  It doesn't imply that God is missing, although that is what I thought when I picked it up.  But it talks about this person, the Holy Ghost (or Spirit)!  He explains how we are missing out on the Holy Spirit being active in the church.  Francis spends alot of time developing the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers and the believer of the NT times.  Then he goes on to define the Holy Spirit.  He continues to develop the theology of the Holy Spirit and then...I get to Chapter 4.  And then...I get to page 84.  Here is what he says:

Right now I want you to take a break from reading and some some time asking yourself why you want the Holy Spirit.  Is it for power?  Is it for your own betterment and purposes?  Or is it because you want to experience all that God has for you?  Is it because you love the church and desire to be a better servant to your sisters and brothers?

So I stopped.  I said, "Okay.  I am going to stop reading and really ponder what Francis is writing."  So I stopped at the very first sentence.  Here is some of what I recall my thoughts were: 

• Lord, work in me and straighten me out give me Your Spirit.
• With Your Spirit, I can do all things!
• Father, bring the Holy Spirit to Your church, so I can see it grow.
• Holy Spirit, work with in this situation to resolve the feelings I have.

Did you notice a trend?  Did you notice what I was asking this Holy Spirit, this "Ghost" to do.  First, let me say, I do believe in the Holy Spirit.  Totally.  But what I was asking for were selfish things.  Look at the two statements after the first sentence.  Yes....some of what I asked was for power for me.  I asked for ability.  I asked for the future to be seen by me.  I asked the Spirit to work within me and another person.  Those things I mentioned are "spiritual" for the most part.  We ask that from God and they are not necessarily "bad things".  We have all said things like that.  But what got me, what convicted me, and what I hope will convict you is that last two sentences:  Or is it because you want to experience all that God has for you? Is it because you love the church and desire to be a better servant to your sisters and brothers?

I don't believe what I asked was for either of those things.  My heart was dislocated from God's Spirit.  My heart was only asking for a partial grasp of the Spirit instead of the fullness and "sold out" life that listens to the Spirit.  Where is your relationship with the Holy Spirit?  Are you afraid what He can do for you?  Have you said, "I ain't afraid of no Ghost!", but in reality you truly are?  Take advantage of what the Spirit of God wants to do in your life.  He wants to take it up a notch.  Because He is God and there is no other.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Acts 2:4 (NIV)

Click on this video to introduce you to Forgotten God.