Concerned that the Holy Spirit is a neglected or misunderstood topic for many Christians, Lola Stradford Richey seeks to provide help in Understanding the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit Made Easy. Her study of the Holy Spirit’s role in the Old and New Testaments, and the Spirit’s work in purifying, maturing, guiding, and empowering Christians, is designed to aid those craving more of God’s presence and power in their everyday lives.
Richey is thorough in her research and attention to details, clearly outlining the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Bullet-point lists are scattered throughout, and Scriptures dominate the manuscript, representing a gold mine of data for Bible students. She provides definitions of theological vocabulary and Christian jargon, such as “sanctification” and “omnipresence,” which might not be familiar to all readers.
The absence of a Table of Contents, however, creates difficulty in navigating through the book, and Charismatic Christians will notice the neglect of the Holy Spirit’s role in miracles and other supernatural events. In addition, Richey doesn’t provide examples of how to put her instructions into practice. For instance, readers are told to be “mindful and avoid confusing their personal feelings with the Holy Spirit’s guidance,” but are not told how to be mindful. Missing are the stories and illustrations that would make Richey’s content come to life in a practical way.
For this reason, The Holy Spirit: Activating God’s Power in Your Life by Billy Graham would be more valuable for most Christians seeking to understand the Holy Spirit. Still, although this book lacks the “how to” explanations, pastors and Bible teachers may find it a handy reference tool for their libraries, as it is rich in Bible references relating to the attributes and ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
