The Un(known) Spirit
Spiritual food with Jess – February 7, 2026
Lately, I’ve been noticing that a lot of churches talk about God’s love and how accepting He is, and neglect to speak on the real stuff like fearing God, actually repenting, forgiving people, and dealing with spiritual battles/bondage.
Don’t get me wrong, God is love, no question (1 John 4:8). But the Bible shows us that love, holiness, repentance, and respect for God all go together. Scripture connects love with obedience and reverence, not comfort alone (John 14:15; Hebrews 12:28–29; Proverbs 9:10). If we selectively ignore the scripturesthat challenge us to walk by faith, Church can feel comfy and nice, like a big bubble of love, but it won’t really change anyone or set people free.
A lot of preaching today focuses on love but doesn’t really teach people to take God seriously or turn from the stuff that keeps them shackled. Real love isn’t just soft and easy; it pushes people to grow, obey God, and break free from sin (John 8:36). If churches don’t teach repentance, people can leave feeling good but still trapped.
Repentance isn’t about shaming people; it’s about fixing things and getting back on track with God. The Bible shows over and over that repentance comes before real healing, freedom, and connection with God (Acts 3:19; 2 Corinthians 7:10). Ignore it, and people stay stuck in the same problems.
Think about Jesus and the Pharisees. Those guys knew the Bible, followed the rules, and ran the religion scene, but they didn’t have the real spiritual power Jesus had. Jesus healed, cast out demons, and spoke with authority because He was led by the Spirit, not just religious rules (Luke 4:18; Luke 4:36; Acts 10:38).
The Pharisees felt threatened by Jesus not just because of what He said, but because of the power and authority He carried. He exposed that being religious isn’t the same as being spiritually alive. Knowing Scripture alone isn’t enough if it doesn’t lead you to Him (John 5:39–40; 2 Timothy 3:5).
Anyone can teach from a book if they study enough. But being led by the Spirit is a whole different thing. It means letting go of control and trusting God to move (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:25). And that can make people uncomfortable, especially in churches that value order and predictability.
Spirit-led people shake things up because they follow God, not systems. That made the religious leaders nervous in Jesus’ day, and it still does now. The Bible even says outright that people resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). When control is threatened, the Spirit is often sidelined (John 11:47–48).
Just like the Pharisees pushed back on Jesus, some churches today feel threatened by people who are genuinely Spirit-led. Instead of encouraging them, they sometimes ignore or shut down that kind of move. So the church talks about the Spirit, but avoids the deeper work God wants to do.
Even churches that claim to follow the Spirit often dodge topics like demons, bondage, repentance, and unforgiveness. But that’s exactly what Jesus dealt with. He confronted evil, called people to turn back to God, and connected forgiveness with real freedom (Mark 1:34; Luke 11:20; Matthew 6:14–15).
When a church prioritises “comfort” over “conviction,” it essentially offers a theology of hollow Grace, if you dare to even call it that. If you have grace without truth, you have unclocked indulgence. (anything goes). You need the truth of your condition to appreciate the grace of your position.
The difference between legal standing and actual liberation.
Theologically, being “saved” gives you a new identity, but sanctification – the process of actually becoming free from the power of sin is a daily battle. Many people have the “get out of jail free” card but are still sitting inside the cell with the door wide open.
Avoiding these topics usually comes from fear, fear of discomfort, fear of people’s opinions, fear of losing control. But silence doesn’t bring freedom. If the root of the struggle isn’t dealt with, people stay bound even if they attend church every week (Ephesians 6:12; 2 Corinthians 2:10–11).
Real spirituality isn’t about quoting verses or following rules. It’s about a living, active relationship with God. That means being led by the Spirit, respecting God, repenting, forgiving, and facing the dark stuff head on. A church that really wants to be Spirit led has to be ready to deal with the whole truth, even the parts that are uncomfortable or messy.
The goal isn’t to bash the church. It’s to want more deeper, real faith that looks like Jesus: full of life, authority, and freedom.
My heart longs for a Book of Acts kind of faith ♡ Where the Word is preached with authority, the Spirit moves with power, and lives are truly set free from chains.
My prayer is that my heart never grows so familiar that it forgets how to tremble. If i discerned my own heart right now I would find myself in tears.
I pray this same hunger and passion reside in your heart as well.