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Life in the Spirit
Hendrickson presents two classic works on the Holy Spirit by A. W. Tozer, together in one volume for the first time. A superb addition to the best-selling Hendrickson Christian Classics series, Life in the Spirit combines Tozer's How to Be Filled with the Spirit and The Straight Talk About the Holy Spirit from a Twentieth Century Prophet. In Tozer's own words, How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit "was made available to the Christian public with the prayer that it may lead thirsty believers to the fountain of living waters." Since its publication, hundreds of thousands of copies of this practical yet deeply devotional guide have been sold. How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit will refresh and open the reader to the filling of the Holy Spirit. In The Counselor, Tozer speaks to the current conflict and confusion about the Holy Spirit from a balanced, biblical perspective-not academic, but practical. Tozer promises that the Holy Spirit "is willing-yes, willing-to do for us all that Jesus would do if He were here on earth." The chapters of this book were originally preached as sermons at Southside Alliance Church in Chicago. Whether spoken or written, Tozer's words were designed to "promote personal heart religion" among God's people.
172 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2009
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152 people want to read
About the author
A.W. Tozer
664 books2,103 followersAiden 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 5, 2023
Incredibly challenging, thought provoking, and pushed me in to deep prayer and conversation with the Lord.
Note: This is two books brought together in to one book. The original two books were compilations of sermons on the person, the Holy Spirit. Because of the nature of the book, it can be a tad repetitive but honestly, the repetition was welcomed by me as it allowed me to meditate even further on the challenging (as in challenging my flesh) words I was reading.
Highly recommend.
Note: This is two books brought together in to one book. The original two books were compilations of sermons on the person, the Holy Spirit. Because of the nature of the book, it can be a tad repetitive but honestly, the repetition was welcomed by me as it allowed me to meditate even further on the challenging (as in challenging my flesh) words I was reading.
Highly recommend.
June 29, 2011
This book combines two works written by Tozer in the 1950s and 60s. While the language reflects its--or rather its author's age, the book is a valuable tool for exploring the nature and acessability of the third person of the Christian Trinity. Contrary to the title, Tozer would agree that being filled with the Holy Spirit is not so mechanical a proposition as following a recipe, but he lays out a scirpturally-based discussion of who the Holy Spirit is, why one would want to make his acquaintance, and how one seeks him.
Better than a lot of contemporary works with suffer by an overload of self-referential material by/about the author.
Better than a lot of contemporary works with suffer by an overload of self-referential material by/about the author.
April 17, 2012
I really liked this book. Mostly, I would say it was because I love Tozer's style. He's passionate, to the point, but he know just when he needs to linger on a point and he does it fantastically.
Combining 2 of Tozer's works on the Holy Spirit, this book is his passionate plea for the Church to rise out of its mediocrity and embrace the fullness of the Holy Spirit as a driving force in the lives of our churches. In the books he gives specifics about how to be filled, without resorting to something like the 5 steps. He is also specific about why he believes that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is subsequent to and separate from salvation. It is an interesting argument and although I don't subscribe to it, it was eye opening for me to read it and see his perspective.
I'm not thoroughly convinced that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is something separate and subsequent from salvation but I am convinced that I do need, and the Church needs, more of the Holy Spirit of Jesus in my (our) life. More holiness, more power, more abundant life! I want all He has for me!
Combining 2 of Tozer's works on the Holy Spirit, this book is his passionate plea for the Church to rise out of its mediocrity and embrace the fullness of the Holy Spirit as a driving force in the lives of our churches. In the books he gives specifics about how to be filled, without resorting to something like the 5 steps. He is also specific about why he believes that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is subsequent to and separate from salvation. It is an interesting argument and although I don't subscribe to it, it was eye opening for me to read it and see his perspective.
I'm not thoroughly convinced that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is something separate and subsequent from salvation but I am convinced that I do need, and the Church needs, more of the Holy Spirit of Jesus in my (our) life. More holiness, more power, more abundant life! I want all He has for me!
February 28, 2022
Some great content and some I disagree with as well. Great emphasis son the importance of the Spirit in life.
“There is an unseen deity present, a knowing, feeling personality, and he is individual leader from the Father and the Son, so that if you were to be suddenly transferred to heaven itself you wouldn’t be any closer to God than you are now, for God is already here.”
Notes that science cannot investigate the divine, and that the Holy Spirit is outside the flesh or human sense, but is a person: Jesus.
If you could increase the attendance or your church until there is no more room, if you could provide everything they have in churches that men want and love as value, and her you didn’t have the Holy Spirit, you might as well have nothing at all. -A.W. Tozer
Only major point of disagreement is when you receive the Spirit.. Tozer argues that receiving the Spirit is a separate experience from conversion, and that not all Christians have the Holy Spirit.
Overall, decent read. 3/5 stars it is.
“There is an unseen deity present, a knowing, feeling personality, and he is individual leader from the Father and the Son, so that if you were to be suddenly transferred to heaven itself you wouldn’t be any closer to God than you are now, for God is already here.”
Notes that science cannot investigate the divine, and that the Holy Spirit is outside the flesh or human sense, but is a person: Jesus.
If you could increase the attendance or your church until there is no more room, if you could provide everything they have in churches that men want and love as value, and her you didn’t have the Holy Spirit, you might as well have nothing at all. -A.W. Tozer
Only major point of disagreement is when you receive the Spirit.. Tozer argues that receiving the Spirit is a separate experience from conversion, and that not all Christians have the Holy Spirit.
Overall, decent read. 3/5 stars it is.
April 1, 2021
Challenged me in my thinking about the Holy Spirit. Encouraged me to dig back into the word (and especially the Book of Acts) and consider the role of the Holy Spirit in the church. We need to be totally surrendered to God so that the Spirit can enter into our lives with power -- not gradually, but all at once.
May 4, 2025
Outside of the Bible, I’ve yet to read another author who writes with more spiritual fervor and pointed exhortation than Tozer. As intellectual and theological as he can be, the man is Spirit-taught, and this is evident in his words.
“Life in the Spirit” is a collection of two books: “How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit” and “The Counselor”. This book challenged me as to what the Spirit-filled life is supposed to look like, as evidenced by the early church and the subsequent saints of old.
A message for the sleepy Western church that routinely relies on programs, entertainment, and other pragmatic delicacies, Tozer makes the case that the church does not need more clever methodologies to try to win the world. It will fail. He makes the charge that the church needs a visitation of the Living God, an outpouring of power from on high.
As much as this was a message for me personally, the rest of the American church would greatly benefit to let the words of this book sink deep…
“Life in the Spirit” is a collection of two books: “How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit” and “The Counselor”. This book challenged me as to what the Spirit-filled life is supposed to look like, as evidenced by the early church and the subsequent saints of old.
A message for the sleepy Western church that routinely relies on programs, entertainment, and other pragmatic delicacies, Tozer makes the case that the church does not need more clever methodologies to try to win the world. It will fail. He makes the charge that the church needs a visitation of the Living God, an outpouring of power from on high.
As much as this was a message for me personally, the rest of the American church would greatly benefit to let the words of this book sink deep…
June 7, 2023
Tozer had a lot of great points and it was easy to read. I just wish he had written it backwards… I didn’t understand his basic viewpoint or theology on the Holy Spirit until close to the end of the book.
November 26, 2018
This book has so much depth it’s just remarkable. It is a MUST read if you want to know how to life a spirit filled life and also create a spirit filled church. Live a life in the spirit.
December 22, 2019
This book is a collection of sermons, not written in prose. I don't particularly care for the format, but the content is classic Tozer.
August 31, 2020
Excellent in terms of content, but occasionally hard to follow. Definitely not an easy read, but worth the study.
August 5, 2025
I would have loved to hear this man preach.
June 26, 2014
I liked almost everything that Tozer wrote about the power of the Spirit and how wonderful He truly is, but the one thing that I believe Mr. Tozer and I disagree upon which left a bad taste in my mouth was the way that we receive the Holy Spirit. His belief is that Christians have a small portion of Him when we are first converted but that we must clean our lives up to receive the Holy Spirit. My point of disagreement comes with the fact that there is no way to clean out lives up without the Holy Spirit who cleanses and sanctifies us.
There were also a few verses that were cited but taken out of context.
These two points don't disqualify the book though. It was a good book about the power of the Holy Spirit, just keep your bible close to you and remember that it has the last say.
There were also a few verses that were cited but taken out of context.
These two points don't disqualify the book though. It was a good book about the power of the Holy Spirit, just keep your bible close to you and remember that it has the last say.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews