Author: Phil Rehberg

holy spirit dove stained glass

Ten Dangers Of Experiences Of The Holy Spirit – Part 2

Posted on by

Do you ever face these temptations when you are trying to let the Spirit guide you or when you are having experiences of the Holy Spirit? Keeping ourselves open to the Spirit is essential to a complete Christian life, but it comes with temptations that can gradually derail us. This continues a list of temptations of experiences of the Holy Spirit that individuals and churches experience, which we began last week. We hope this list of dangers of experiences of the Holy Spirit will help you to avoid pitfalls in your own personal life as well as in your church. When we combine openness to the Spirit with wisdom we give God much permission to change our lives. Which dangers of experiences of the Holy Spirit have you personally observed or fallen into? True Happiness Is Found In God’s Presence – Weekly Words Of EncouragementNovember 3, 2025We Are Rejected By Our Continue Reading →

weekly words of encouragement

Keys To Overcoming Temptation – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

Posted on by

“[God] is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy” (Jude 1:24, NIV). Sometimes when we are weak and faced with temptation it feels like we are going to fail. But God really does provide keys to overcoming temptation. The first thing we can do is refocus our hearts on Jesus; in other words, practice “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Heb. 12:2). Then we can focus on walking in the Spirit. We can redirect our mind to God’s Spirit inside us and let him become the influence in the moment. Finally, we can choose to live from our new self, the part of us that desires to be close to God. These three sources of power are keys to overcoming temptation. If we practice them, we can look forward to the next age when we will appear before Continue Reading →

holy spirit dove stained glass

Ten Dangers Of Experiences Of The Holy Spirit – Part 1

Posted on by

The Holy Spirit has brought many renewals to individuals and to his church over the centuries, bringing needed refreshment and invigoration to the people of God. During experiences of the Holy Spirit usually there is a strong sense of his presence and believers find themselves experiencing God in ways they never had before. And God may give an individual believer thrilling experiences of the Holy Spirit, including his presence and love, even though there is no church-wide renewal. This continues today. If we want to preserve the benefits God gives in renewal we will be wise to watch out for common dangers of renewals, whether it is individual renewal or community renewal. Here are 10 dangers of experiences of the Holy Spirit we need to watch out for today: If you have been part of a renewal with experiences of the Holy Spirit, did you notice any of these dangers Continue Reading →

weekly words of encouragement

The Hope Of Joyful Eternal Life – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

Posted on by

“Having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs, having the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7, NIV). When we believed God announced an important verdict: we are now adopted as children of God. We did not earn it; it was by his grace. This legal declaration means that we are also heirs of our Father, just as an adopted child on earth becomes a legal heir of their parents. One big difference is that our Father will never die and will never give up his “possessions”; rather, he gives his inheritance when we die, and he has infinite possessions to bequeath. And what do we inherit? Eternal life. That is, we inherit from him a participation in his joyful eternal life. We inherit his bliss, his love, his harmony, his freedom from corruption, his freedom to always choose good, his glory (1 Cor. 15:43), and his image (1Cor. Continue Reading →

anxiety

What Jesus Says About Anxiety

Posted on by

In 1985 19% of college freshman reported being overwhelmed by all they had to do; in 2016 it was 41%! Anxiety has become a huge social-psychological issue. “Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States. Over 40 million adults in the U.S. (19.1%) have an anxiety disorder.” It affects approximately 25% of adolescents . Mental health providers report that for youth anxiety is often linked to fear of failure, perfectionism, comparisons to others (often through social media), or difficult neighborhood environments. So, let’s look at what Jesus says about anxiety. We all feel anxiety some of the time and some of us feel it much of the time. Anxiety is an issue in every place and time. But the Kingdom of God that Jesus announced was a place where one could become free of anxiety. He taught us the foundation of overcoming anxiety in Matthew chapter 6, Continue Reading →