Jim Cymbala is the pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle in New
York. A couple of years ago I read his book Fresh Wind Fresh Fire which is
about how his church got its start. Spirit Rising is about how to keep a church
alive.
The premise behind Spirit Rising is how to get more Holy Spirit
in your life. There are numerous stories about the workings of the Holy Spirit,
as well as plenty of scripture to remind us why we should want the Holy Spirit
in our lives.
I really enjoyed this book, because it reminded me of the
fact that there have been times in my life when I had more Holy Spirit than in
previous months. It served as a jumping off point for my relationship with the
Spirit. And as Cymbala makes clear over and over again, if this is something
that you want to experience and increase in your life, you’re just going to
have to do it. He makes it clear that if you want the Holy Spirit in your life
you need to ask God for His Spirit, pray for it, read scripture, and then wait.
My favorite part of Spirit Rising is probably when Cymbala
relays stories about the Spirit falling like the dew of heaven. The idea of
waiting on the Lord is one of those disciplines that not only have we lost as a
culture, but it is also low on the list of priorities of reclaiming. Cymbala
reminds us that this should not be.
If you are looking for a reminder of the power of the Holy Spirit
today, I would recommend this book. If you are new to the faith or have never
experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, I’d also recommend it.
This is an invitation to a life on fire for God.
I received a copy of this book from Zondervan for the
purpose of reviewing. I was not compensated for my opinions.
Sounds good, I'll have to watch for it to go on sale.
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