Alive in the Spirit: Experiencing the Presence and Power of God

by A.W. Tozer

Dynamic, Never-Before-Published Work on the Holy Spirit from A.W. Tozer
What does it mean to have the Holy Spirit in our lives? Many look to extraordinary experiences and manifestations as evidence of the Spirit. But what happens when the event is over? How can we experience the Holy Spirit in the ordinary, everyday world? How can we be filled with the Spirit?
In this material taken from Tozer's sermons, he answers these questions and explores life in the Spirit from a balanced perspective. The church needs the gifts of the Spirit--all of them--or it will never be what God intends it to be. But this has to happen in wisdom and humility.
Many people talk about being filled with the Holy Spirit, but very few accept the conditions for being filled. Tozer lays down the requirements for the Holy Spirit to come into our lives and transform us into Spirit-filled people. Though every Christian has the Holy Spirit, not every Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit. He explains the difference and how it could change the evangelical church of today.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Non Fiction, Spirituality, Theology, Religion, Christian Living

192 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2016

About the author

Aiden Wilson Tozer was an American evangelical pastor, speaker, writer, and editor. After coming to Christ at the age of seventeen, Tozer found his way into the Christian & Missionary Alliance denomination where he served for over forty years. In 1950, he was appointed by the denomination's General Council to be the editor of "The Alliance Witness" (now "Alliance Life").

Born into poverty in western Pennsylvania in 1897, Tozer died in May 1963 a self-educated man who had taught himself what he missed in high school and college due to his home situation. Though he wrote many books, two of them, "The Pursuit of God" and "The Knowledge of the Holy" are widely considered to be classics.

A.W. Tozer and his wife, Ada Cecelia Pfautz, had seven children, six boys and one girl.

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the introduction: The subject of this book, Alive in the Spirit, is a very crucial theme for the day in which we live. No other subject could be as controversial as dealing with the Holy Spirit.

If you've read my blog for any length of time--in the past four to five years that is--you'll have picked up on the fact that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE A.W. Tozer. I don't always agree 100% with him theologically. In fact, sometimes we are on opposing sides, disagreeing not just a little, but, a lot. But when all is said and done, I love him. I love him because he's a kindred spirit of sorts. He loved God. He loved the Bible. He believed that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He believed that this good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ, changes EVERYTHING. He believed that Christians should pursue holiness and seek God always, always, always. Needing--wanting--MORE. He believed that we should never ever be content with where we are spiritually. We should desire God above all else. God's way, always. Our will should be brought into line with HIS will, and not the other way around!

So Alive in the Spirit is a book about the Holy Spirit. It opens with a chapter or two focusing on Tozer's conversion and testimony. This is unusual. He usually is so focused on the Word of God, and the truths of God, that he doesn't devote much time--if any--to stories from his personal life. But an exception is made in this one. For the Holy Spirit has to be experienced.

I share the table of contents with you.

My Experience With The Holy Spirit
My Perception of the Holy Spirit
My Warning to the Church
My Awareness of the Holy Spirit
The Threefold Foundation for Trusting the Holy Spirit
The Penetrating Voice of the Holy Spirit
The Dissimilarity The Holy Spirit Emphasizes
The Vitality of the Holy Spirit in the Church
A Portrait of the Spirit Filled Church
The Harmony of the Spirit Filled Church
The Holy Spirit: An Uncomfortable Presence
The Holy Spirit At Work in the Church
Standing in the Power of the Spirit-Filled Life
The Fruit of the Spirit Sustains the Church
Spiritual Gifts: The Function of the Local Church
The Gifts of the Spirit Are Essential to the Church Today
Our Personal Pursuit of the Holy Spirit
My Daily Walk with the Holy Spirit

It goes without saying--almost--that I recommend this one. I do. I would agree with Tozer that the Spirit is the neglected person of the Trinity. I would agree with Tozer that believers are missing out by not pursuing fellowship--a relationship. We are to walk with the Spirit, by the Spirit, in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit's job is NOT done after conversion, or the new birth. In fact, it's just beginning. The Spirit is not done with us this side of eternity. Count on that. This little book is PACKED with spiritual truths that could change the way you live.

Favorite quotes from the introduction:

The authority of the Holy Spirit must begin with the individual Christian and then flow over into the local congregation. The local church comprises individual Christians, and as those individual Christians go, so goes the local church. This was Tozer’s passion and it is shown here in this book. He bemoans the fact that the evangelical church has been so divided that it has lost its influence in the culture. Instead of the church influencing the culture, culture is not only influencing the church, it is taking over the church. Tozer declares that what we find in the world we also find in the local church. This ought not to be so.

It takes all the Bible to make the whole Bible.

Tozer is very careful not to attack individuals or even denominations, but he does attack errors of doctrine. As a man of God called to do the work of God, he felt an obligation to speak out against the spiritual errors of his day. The thing that is most amazing to me is that the sermons forming the basis of this book were preached in the late 1950s and early 1960s. I have to remind myself that Dr. Tozer died in 1963.

The problem Tozer had with entertainment is that it always promotes a person. Even though that person may mention Jesus or God and claim to be a Christian, the focus is really not on God but on the person and the performance. The same should be true of us today. Worship is critical, and for Tozer, worship could not be man-induced. Worship that does not start with the Holy Spirit is not true worship. Tozer suggests that our worship services today are man-centered and man-promoted as a result of neglecting the authority of the Holy Spirit in our congregations. As such, they cannot exalt Jesus Christ.

From the book:

Theology is simply the study of God, and I treasure nothing more in my life than the study of God. Sometimes, our study of God is merely technical and not personal. But if it is biblical truth, it has personal application to everyday living. We must do more than just believe the truth; we must allow the truth to transform us radically into new creatures in Christ.

Until my dying day, I want to surrender each day to the Holy Spirit to do that work in me that He wants to do. I will never dictate to the Holy Spirit or demand that He do this or that for me. Every day of my life, I want to surrender myself to Him and allow Him to set the agenda of my day.

God is not so much interested in coming into our world as He is in bringing us into His.

I am disturbed by the evangelical churches’ pulling aspects of the world into the church that are absolutely contrary to the Holy Spirit. Whatever is the latest trend out in the world soon finds its way into the church. I wonder how our Lord, who suffered on the cross for us, thinks about the levity that has come into our churches? If the only way we can get people is if we entertain them, the only way we can keep people is if we continue entertaining them with the newest and most popular form of entertainment.

My advice is to periodically take the time to go through these creeds. I am not sure what reading these does for you, but it is like a chicken dinner to my soul.

We are living in a lost world. By that I mean the inhabitants of the world are lost, not dramatically or poetically, but really and individually. But there is nothing poetic about being lost, as there is nothing poetic about having cancer. The worst part about our lostness is that it is inside of us. I am speaking of people born in the world who know trouble with the world and its lostness. A man lost in the forest knows he is lost and may find his way out. However, a man lost in the forest with amnesia who cannot remember his name or where he belongs is lost with a lostness that is not only external but also internal. Human beings are lost with an internal lostness making them insensible to the fact that they are lost. Or at least they scarcely know they are lost. It is a fact as real as gravity or mathematics or any other fact. The fact is the world is lost. But it is also a fact that though lost, it is not forsaken.

Nobody can repent until he knows the depth of his own sin, and nobody can know the depth of his own sin unless the Holy Spirit shows it to him.

The Holy Spirit is not just a doctrine we ascribe to. The Holy Spirit is not just part of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is the One who is to come into our life and the life of our congregations and bring the power and authority of God himself. For the Holy Spirit to work in my life, I need to surrender all authority and all power to Him. For the Holy Spirit to work in our church life today, we need to surrender absolutely to the Holy Spirit.

When we deal with God, we must deal with Him on His terms, not ours.

The singing portion of church services—which some call worship—has spun out of control today. Our singing is on par with the world and the concerts the world puts on. As such, it fails to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who think singing a hymn is entertainment surely will not be happy in a Spirit-filled church. I have had people tell me that singing a hymn is a form of entertainment. If it is, I will sing no more hymns as long as I live. However, I know differently.

A false prophet who does not know Jehovah has no right to call anyone to Mount Carmel. Elijah was able to give them something better, and remember that is when the four hundred prophets of Baal were put to confusion and everybody cried, “Jehovah, he is God; Jehovah, he is God” (1 Kings 18:39 asv). The emphasis was not upon the destruction of Baal, but upon the discovery of Jehovah. No man has a right to break another man’s idol unless he has a true God. No man has any right to stand against something evil unless he has something good to put in its place. No person has any right to criticize someone who is going the wrong way unless they are going the right way themselves and are willing to witness to that.

We cannot walk together unless we can agree on which way we are walking. We cannot walk with the Holy Ghost unless we agree to walk the way He walks and go in the direction He is going. In order to walk together, we have to agree on the direction but also the destination.

No matter how much I know today, tomorrow will bring me something new about God, and I am anxious to discover the newness of God in my life every day. God’s mercies are new every day, and discovering the newness of God’s mercies is the great joy of my daily walk with God.

[Samuel Holbură · Rating 5 out of 5]

Există mai multă bucurie vindecătoare în cinci minute de închinare adevărată, decât în cinci nopți la rând de distracție.
A. W. Tozer

[Karena Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just listened to this book because I do not have a physical copy yet. Respectfully, I kept wanting to say “pop off” because so much of it was good. I’ve been thinking a lot about the Holy Spirit within the Church recently and this book gave me a lot of helpful insights. I will be getting the book and reading again because highlighting and taking notes would be helpful.

[Dominic Duran · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kingdom of God is not a matter of religious activity but “being in the Spirit” [Romans 14:17]. May we continually ask the Triune God to cultivate a desire, determination, and desperation to live daily in the Spirit of God.

Fellowship with the Spirit:
* “The Holy Spirit is not just doctrine, although doctrine is good and wonderful. I have gone beyond doctrine into the fellowship of the Holy Spirit and have personal experience to back it up. Doctrine explains who the Holy Spirit is. The next step is to fellowship with and experience the Holy Spirit in ways that cannot be explained in human terms… He woos me unto himself. He invites me into His presence. He desires for me to know as much about Him as I am capable of processing at the time. And what a wonderful life it has been.”
* “People will acknowledge Him as a person, but then do not go the next step and experience the intimacy of the Holy Spirit as a person. There has to be an intimacy, an experience between two personalities. Namely, the personality of the Holy Spirit and my personality or your personality must come together in fellowship. The most important thing in the world is that the blessed Holy Spirit is now among us and in us. The Holy Spirit has a personality, individuality, intelligence, love, and memory. The Holy Spirit can communicate with you, He can love you, and He can be grieved and quenched when you ignore Him. I am afraid that because we do not know Him experientially, we have grieved the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit can love, He can also be grieved. And I believe that is the status of the evangelical church today. We have grieved the Holy Spirit because we do not know Him as a person.”
* “What is lacking in many churches and Christians today is this sense of the actual presence of God. Yes, we believe in God. Yes, we trust Him as our Savior. But for some reason it does not go further than that for many. We need to get back to the apostolic mindset that only the Holy Spirit can bring into our lives and realize that God is not only with us, He is in us and manifesting himself to us.”

Surrender to the Spirit:
* “We cannot walk with the Holy Ghost unless we agree to walk the way He walks and go in the direction and destination he is going.”
* “When we come into a church setting we must leave behind our wills and intentions. Unless there is a real surrender to the Holy Spirit, we are facing some serious problems. We have become a culture of Christians trying to do God's work apart from the endowment of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We acknowledge Him in our creeds but rarely in our work and in our lives.”

Other:
* “The man who has the joy of the Lord in his heart cannot be defeated. Joy is something you cannot create. It comes from the Holy Spirit.”
* “When the Holy Spirit comes, remember this: you will have the power to do everything God calls you to do.”

[Krista Kimball · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something underlined in every chapter. Lots to think about.

[Katharine Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really sure how to rate this book, there were some bits that I found really helpful and felt I could read each year, but some bits I had some reservations about

[A.C. Cuddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is the Holy Spirit active in your life? Many people look to extraordinary experiences as evidence of the Holy Spirit. But what happens when the experience ends? How can we be filled with the Spirit every day in the ordinary things we do?

Many talk about being filled with the Holy Spirit, but few accept God’s conditions. Tozer lays down these requirements in his trademark bold and wise way. Though every Christian has the Spirit, not every Christian is filled with the Spirit. Knowing the difference will change your life.

As with all of his writing, Alive in the Spirit: Experiencing the Presence and Power of God by A.W. Tozer does not disappoint. I will admit that I have read, though not studied a lot by Tozer; this is my loss which must be rectified.

This book is bold in his telling of the biblical truths about Holy Spirit in our lives, and in the life of our churches today. From our personal experience with Holy Spirit and becoming aware of his presence in our daily life, not just our Sunday life, we learn the truth of Him. That while every Christian is filled with Holy Spirit, so few of us truly know Him and allow Him into our lives minute-by-minute and day-by-day. This book gives a glimpse of what a Spirit led life can be.

I especially appreciated Tozer’s take on the Spirit led church as detailed in Chapter 9 – A Portrait of a Spirit Filled Church. “Many congregations are simply “man-filled”: guided, directed, and empowered by men.” Today, many churches limit the person of Holy Spirit into the sanctuaries. A Spirit led church is a church of unity with Spirit, under the authority of Spirit for the exaltation of Jesus Christ and in harmony of the Gifts of Holy Spirit.

I truly enjoyed, though sometimes convicted by, this book. Read and embrace what it says. Don’t just skim it and relegate it to the shelf. Read it and study it. You will be blessed.

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the Bethany House Blogger Review Program, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

*Reviews of this book were posted at the following locations:
Amazon, Christian Book, Deeper Shopping, Goodreads, and to be featured on my blog at http://titus3.wordpress.com

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Holy Spirit is not just a doctrine we ascribe to. The Holy Spirit is not just part of the trinity. The Holy Spirit is the One who is to come into our life, and the life of our congregations and bring the power and authority of God himself.


So convicting so challenging. That is AW Tozer in his teaching and reading. That is why we must at least read one of his books. I was challenged by this study on many levels. What the Holy Spirit is and what the purpose of the Holy Spirit is to the disciple of Christ. One of his most powerful statements A denomination does not unite us. If these things are the uniting factor, then we have failed to understand what being one in Christ is all about This is what makes the work of the Holy Spirit so universal but also so rare. Universal in the sense that anyone and any church can experience the work of the Holy Spirit when we surrender to the authority of God. Rare because surrendering is not our nature and many times we try this on our own effort and merit. The mystery of the Holy Spirit is that is the one that provides for you the ability to surrender. In my own experience and walk, it is when I empty myself of my desires and wants that I can be filled with the Holy Spirit and even begin to the surrender to the work. That is the main purpose of this study is to teach what surrendering looks like.

The enemy of the Holy Spirit is the wooing of the world. In his own words..."The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Anytime a Christian is killed, two more come in his place. So they quit trying to kill them and set about wooing them. When they stopped trying to kill them and began to woo them they won.

Much to contemplate and chew on this one. I highly recommend.

A Special Thank You to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is ones persons journey to salvation and filling with the HOLY SPIRIIT. It is the authors view of what the HOLY SPIRIT is according to what the Scriptures say in His view and thoughts, and stories. The author goes into how they were brought to their knees and had the HOLY SPIRIT fill their lives and direct it every second and how it has saved their life every moment of it since. They showed how The HOLY SPIRIT moves in their ministry, he talks about how it even brought mystics into his life and several other effects onto his life. The HOLY SPIRIT moves in and your whole life is changed and in a good way but in this book this author writes about some weird stuff - off the hand stuff and things you just do not care about or do not need to know or it is like the author was writing to write - he was rambling but then there were writings in the book that was good, and made sense, but you had to continue to read for that. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Christian should read/listen to this book. It was written before I was born, but it reads as if Tozer was living in our modern time. What was just starting in his time is full force now. Everything he said resonates truth. If you want a deeper, meaningful, personal relationship with Jesus Christ, read this book and let Him change you. I recommend this to anyone, not just new Christians. I’m just starting to delve into the older sermons and books and this was just amazing. I would put this book up there with Pilgrim’s Progress, a classic that should be on everyone’s shelf and savored more than once. I rarely reread books, but this will be one of those exceptions. Please comment with suggestions of authors similar to Tozer.

[Annette Riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough expository on living a life in and with the Holy Spirit

A W Tozer expounds quite well on living a life in step with the Holy Spirit and the Word. His coverage of the fruits of the Holy Spirit was good, however, I was looking for more from him on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which he mentioned, but didn't expound upon as much as he did the fruits.
Daily living is thoroughly covered I thought, and the relationship to the Holy Spirit also thoroughly covered. Living with the fruits and gifts individually is touched upon also.
A very good read on the Holy Spirit!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've noticed I'm a sucker when it comes to Tozer books. His writing always comes with a bite. It's quick, to the point, no frills or sugar coating, which I need most of the time! This book was no different. I feel like the Holy Spirit is often overlooked. When I noticed I was overlooking Him, I made a point to try to learn as much as possible about Him, how to relate, how to worship & basically how to talk to Him. This book supplied me with all of the answers I was looking for! I just wish I would've read it when I first began to take my walk with the Lord seriously.

[Lucy Texel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy A.W. Tozer quite a bit. I gave this book only 2 stars because, in my opinion, much of the writing was spent on analyzing the problems with the modern church in the United States. While I agree with Tozer's assessments I was reading the book to get insight in to, as the title suggests, experiencing the presence and power of God. There were some chapters and parts of chapters that I found helpful and enlightening but his ongoing critique of modern Christianity I found detracted from learning about being alive in the Spirit.

[Bradley Somers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading and studying through various scriptures and books on God the Holy Spirit after Easter and heading towards the traditional day of Pentecost. Tozer’s book is such a practical and clear-eyed approach for the Christian and for the church. It is amazing the very challenge’s he called out to the church more than 50 years ago are still the key challenges for the church today. My heart is challenged to pray more fervently, listen more intently, obey more quickly, and delight more deeply in the Holy Spirits work.

[Debbie Kensinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read. So relevant. I’ve read it twice over the years and keep it close to me in order to share it’s message. Tozer’s words truly bring peace and a greater awareness of the joy of allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our lives daily. “If what we do on Sunday morning is completely contrary to our attitude and practice the rest of the week, perhaps what we are doing Sunday morning is hypocritical. How is it possible for us to be one way one day and completely the opposite the next?”

[Joe Peet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Blessed Read

Rush to get this book, then set aside a small amount of time every day to read one chapter. Never read more than one chapter a day, you may need several day to read and re-read a section. Pray as you read and pray that you are open to be blessed by the revelations the Holy Spirit will provide. Be Blessed and be a Blessing.

[Alex Whigham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this read, was recommended by a friend studying ministry. Lots of valuable insights on how to deepen you connection to the Holy Spirit, it really inspired me to work on my own connection to the Holy Spirit and start listening to what it has to say. The book does a good job of interweaving certain themes through out the whole book which gives a nice polished feel to the book.

[Brandon Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want a primer on living by the Holy Spirit, check this one out. It's not Tozer's most eloquently written book, but still good. I suppose that's to be expected given it's a compiled and edited book from various teachings/sermons.

[RC Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can two people walk together.... (Amos 3:3). That would depend on whether they are both in agreement with where they are going, the way they are going, and who they want to travel with. Tozer gives you a little something to think about regarding your walk with the Holy Spirit.

[Robert Conder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I strongly recommend this book. It is easy to read and understand. I plan to reread it and to refer back to it as I continue to study God’s Word and to grow in my faith. It could easily be used in small groups.

[Megan Caillouet · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars // A great resource for those who are beginning their Christian walk and want to know more about the Holy Spirit. Tozer’s work is still relevant to today’s culture and calls out the church hypocrisy that still persists.

[Connie Backus-yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart desired many things spoken of in this book.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chapters 17 & 18 are alone worth the read!

[Marin Piqoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

[Jayne Subwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Silvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to grow deeper in the Spirit this is a great read. James L Snyder compiled and edited the works of AW Tozer and this book is really introspective. Definitely worth the read as we desire to grow in Him.

[Eric Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very important and needed polemic for the church today in our dependence on media, structures, organization, music, etc. We obviously need the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit for only He can accomplish in our midst the work of God.

The chapters, however, are a bit uneven as to their impact…unlike Tozer’s book, Knowledge of the Holy. He is a bit too polemical and didactic in this volume for my taste. Nevertheless some of the chapters that urge us to seek the Spirit, to walk in the Spirit, to listen to the Spirit are helpful.

[Hannah Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anything by this man is worth reading. Tozer speaks in a very humble and direct way about his understanding of the Holy Spirit, but he invites us all to search the scriptures to find answers for ourselves. He simply gives as much understanding as the Holy Spirit has imparted to him, admitting that there is always so much more to learn from the mighty God of the universe. This book is exclusively focused on the person of the Holy Spirit, as the title implies, and filled with truth simply explained from the Word of God and Tozer’s experiences. The reader will find Tozer to be very balanced and kind, though he can be extremely pointed about a Christian’s responsibility to God. He asks questions about whether the individual or church is truly being led by the Holy Spirit. How can you know? The Holy Spirit seems to be the least understood of the Trinity and the most feared. Reading this book will answer many questions and dispel many erroneous doubts and fears. Any person from any denomination needs to read this book and pray about the questions Tozer raises. The author seems to prefer to be a small stepping stone of guidance, while God remains the focus and ultimate provider of direction and wisdom through His Holy Spirit.

[Deanna Wiseburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alive in the Spirit: Experiencing the Presence and Power of God is a never before published book on the teachings of A.W. Tozer concerning the Holy Spirit. This book focuses on the individual life of the believer. Not the corporate church. The thing is that the church can only go as far as individuals are willing to go. Our lives are only as surrendered to the Spirit as we choose to be.

I wasn't all that fond of how the book was compiled. There are places where it jumps around to me from one sermon or topic to another. The language of Tozer is very simplistic and at times I wish he would have gone deeper in some areas. The thing that struck me as powerful was the fact that Tozer died in 1963. This book speaks to our current situation in the church today. It was a powerful thing to realize that all He said then is still a problem now.

This book spoke to me in so many areas that it will be hard to put it into words. The things that touched my heart may not speak to your heart. Tozer talks about how once we are filled with the Spirit that we lose control. Tozer also explains that at times we try to take control back and the personal struggle that exists.

Tozer attempts to talk about all the aspects that come with being filled with and surrendered to the Spirit in our lives. He tries to explain what being Spirit-filled should look like in your life and the conditions that come with that. Such as we can't really be filled with the Spirit if we refuse to come under the authority of the Spirit. I highly recommend that if you want to know more about the role of the Holy Spirit that you give it a read.

As much as I didn't love the style of the writing I can't deny that the words spoke to my heart and it is a book that I will likely read again and again.

**I received a free copy from Bethany House Blogger Review Program in exchange for an honest review of the book.

[Dee Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alive in the Spirit by A.W. Tozer is perhaps the most personal collection of Tozer’s teachings. This material has never been published before. It is a book directed to the individual and the indwelling/baptism of the Holy Spirit. The book assumes that the reader is already a born again Christian, and understandably so as the material is derived from sermons that focus on the work of the Holy Spirit after conversion. If you are not familiar with the Christian faith, you may want to read Tozer’s Total Commitment to Christ or The Pursuit of God first.

That said, this is an important book for those seeking a deeper relationship with God. Tozer’s testimony and personal experiences with the Person of the Holy Spirit inspire reflection and application. You will learn the Holy Spirit’s part in the Trinity, recognize His work and value in your life.

One of my favorite chapters is “Chapter 6 The Penetrating Voice of the Holy Spirit”. But here a modern apologist may stand apart from Tozer who states on page 67 that faith is “Not a matter of reason at all.” I, an apologist wanna-be, would say faith, which is not blind at all, is the most reasonable thing in the world. But that apologist would agree that “Our faith does not rest upon nor depend upon historical evidence, but upon the invisible presence witnessing to the inner life and our response to that voice.” (pg 66)

“Chapter 11 The Holy Spirit: An Uncomfortable Presence” is also notable. I appreciate that Tozer never sugar coats a relationship with God. This chapter points out those things in our character that would be challenged by a life submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Dr. James L. Snyder, the award winning author and pastor who compiled and edited the book, states in the introduction that this is not a book “to be read in one sitting.” I heartily agree. This is a book to digest slowly, meditating and making applications as the Lord leads. Application questions follow each chapter to guide you. This book is a keeper; repetitive readings would be beneficial.

If I have any criticisms it may be the few times that seem to make references to Tozer writing the book as in Chapter 1 on page 14 where it says, “Later on I will devote a chapter...” It was confusing to me as I thought these chapters were compiled from sermons, and it created a break in my concentration. Hardly reason to put down the book, however.

I highly recommend Alive in the Spirit to those wishing to take the next step after conversion. I also think it would make a great study for small groups.

I received my copy of the book free from Bethany House.