Quote:
Originally Posted by aron
Question: why the high? Why does God give us the overwhelming experience? "His glory broke upon us when we saw Him in the church"...? Why does God use this experience? And how do we tell the real one from the counterfeit? How do we 'scan' the spirit in question?
Certainly there is the ecstasy presented. The day of Pentecost was a real phenomenon, shared by many, viewed by others, dutifully recorded by the careful scribe Luke. but why the ecstasy?
To answer that, as well as address the issue of "real vs. counterfeit", look at Paul's words: "Do not be drunk with wine, but be filled in Spirit". The "being filled in Spirit" is analogous to the physical "being drunk with wine"; both are euphoric experiences. Pain is gone, fear vanishes, worry and anxiety and resentments flee as if they never existed. A great sense of peace, well-being, joy, love, pervade the human "vessel".
Then, the bright cloud passes, and the initiate is left where they were, with nought but the memory. They begin to chase the high, just like a crack addict or a meth head. Looking for the next hit.
All well and good. That is arguably a characterization of the Christian journey. "Wait in Jerusalem" until the Spirit comes, then revel in ecstasy, then off to find the next high.
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I'm not so sure about the conclusion implied in your initial question.
Sure I got those highs too, actually power rushes up the back of my head. They were as good as any I had with drugs. Whew! that felt good! out of sight! and I'm completely straight!
After being saved, I never lived for the next high. They were just an incredible confirmation of how real Jesus was. He was a life giving spirit. And how!
I have met many Christians who never had the ecstasy. Some were so mental about the Lord, it was unbearable. The early disciples were not that way. Their Jesus was alive. They were witnesses of the resurrected Christ. They walked by the Spirit. Jesus was real to them. But I doubt if they lived for the next high.