Yet, my words have often fallen on deaf ears.
I have experienced the same thing. IMO we are to plant seeds of truth and it's the Holy Spirit's job to convict and people's job to listen to the Holy Spirit.
I believe that we have entered end times where Satan wants to take as many people away from God as possible. All this done by men who think they are a god. Be strong in the Lord tougher times are coming. Matt 24:21 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
I hear you loud and clear. My 'take' on this, which probably isn't your view, is that planting the seed is one thing, but the Holy Spirit part depends on another and being 'filled' with that spirit. When that happens, there is a prescient knowledge that those 'seeds' that were planted, are going to be fulfilled. I have had this happen to me, in which the Spirit entered me and I had complete confidence the results were met. Next year, when I did the very same thing thinking the confidence from last year would repeat, I had instead a hollow and empty feeling. I actually don't know how to explain it, but what 'clicked' before with a congruent sense of confidence and purpose was not there the next year.
but what 'clicked' before with a congruent sense of confidence and purpose was not there the next year.
I have experienced the same thing. I think humans mix up feelings with faith.
" I think humans mix up feelings with faith."
Very true. The entry point of faith is through cognition (i.e. thinking; rational) and conative (i.e. sensory; volition) criteria. I've always said 'feelings' are often without moral guidance (cognitive) and is like a rudderless ship. If one looks at why the bible has men leading the church, it has a lot to do with this topic. When one is filled with the Holy Spirit, it is cognition and conation that is extraordinarily affected. The feeling part is a by product of this. Faith is the prerequisite.
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