George H. Warnock — Pneumatology
b3 — Feed My Sheep
The Holy Spirit as “Another Advocate”
Warnock articulates in chapter 2 his central pneumatological thesis: the Holy Spirit dwelling in the Body of Christ is truly everything Jesus was in the flesh, but now universalized throughout his entire body.
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7)
Warnock paraphrases Jesus’ words: “I speak the Truth; it is for your benefit that I am going away… You will lack nothing by reason of My departure, because the Holy Spirit abiding within you, will be to you EVERYTHING THAT I WAS WHEN I WALKED BY YOUR SIDE.” (ch. 2)
The Spirit is called “Another Advocate”:
“Jesus would go away, but Another Advocate would come in His stead, and HE THE HOLY SPIRIT WOULD BE TO YOU AND I IN THE EARTH EVERYTHING THAT JESUS WAS WHEN HE WAS HERE… THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE!” (ch. 2)
Interpretation: Warnock connects the coming of the Spirit directly to John 14:6 — the Spirit is not merely an aid, but the presence of the glorified Christ himself, universally distributed in his body.
In chapter 4 Warnock repeats this foundation:
“The Holy Spirit is called ‘Another Advocate’ …for Jesus is the One who sits enthroned in the heavens as a glorified Man; while He, the Holy Spirit, is the One who abides in the Body of Christ in the earth.” (ch. 4)
In chapter 7 the same foundational statement serves as the conclusion of the entire booklet:
“He is here in the earth, dwelling in His Body, to be to you and I EVERYTHING THAT JESUS WAS WHEN HE WAS HERE.” (ch. 7)
The Spirit Speaks Only What He Hears from the Son
Warnock explains in chapter 2 how the Spirit functions, based on John 16:7-15:
“The Spirit of God would not speak ‘FROM’ Himself… He would speak only what He heard from the Son… He would reveal what was yet to come… He would glorify Christ in all things… He would take the things that pertained to Christ, and manifest the same to you and me.” (ch. 2, ref. John 16:7-15)
In chapter 4 Warnock cites John 16:13 as the norm for all ministry in the church:
“He shall not speak FROM HIMSELF, but whatsoever He shall hear that shall He speak.” (ch. 4, John 16:13)
Warnock draws a critical implication for the church:
“When is the Church of Jesus Christ going to come to the solemn realization that we have virtually made it impossible for the Holy Spirit to fulfill the purpose for which He came into the earth: to speak only the Words of Christ, and to do only His works?” (ch. 4)
“It is not enough that God has seen fit to record it in the Scriptures… the important thing is this: ‘Am I hearing what the SPIRIT IS SAYING to the churches, this very moment?‘” (ch. 4)
Interpretation: The sovereignty of the Spirit over the ministry of the Word is for Warnock not merely a pneumatological principle, but the central pastoral-ecclesial appeal of this work.
The Body as Temple of the Holy Spirit
In chapter 4, Warnock sets the indwelling of the Spirit in sharp contrast to an instrumental use of the Spirit:
“How long will it be ere we recognize that WE ARE THE TEMPLE of the Holy Spirit? How long shall we seek to USE Him, rather than be USED of Him to do His work?” (ch. 4)
“How long are we going to ask Him to anoint our words, and confirm our doctrines, rather than recognizing that we have no right to our teachings… and that we are to speak ONLY what He is speaking?” (ch. 4)
Warnock states the consequence of the indwelling radically:
“But if He comes to abide in the TEMPLE THAT I AM, then I have no choice in the matter. He must possess me through and through… because He is UNDER OBLIGATION to do nothing, to say nothing, as ‘from Himself’… but only what proceeds from the glorified Son of God in the heavens.” (ch. 4)
The Spirit as Sovereign Lord of the Church
In chapter 6, Warnock describes the Holy Spirit as the sovereign Architect of the church, who simply disregards human efforts made outside of him:
“The Spirit of God who is Sovereign Lord of the Church and Vicar of Christ on earth, simply ignores the efforts of men, and moves right on to perform exactly what the Son in Heaven has purposed.” (ch. 6)
“The Holy Spirit is in the earth to be to the Church of Christ EVERYTHING that Jesus was when He was here, and to establish in the earth what the Son has decreed in the heavens.” (ch. 6)
“The Holy Spirit is dwelling in His Body as the living Presence of Christ Himself — not just to influence His servants with certain gracious impulses that will inspire them to fulfill the Word of God, but that He is indeed the SOVEREIGN LORD OF THE CHURCH.” (ch. 6)
Warnock states the ultimate goal of the Spirit:
“In His Divine ultimate, all God wants in the earth is a people BORN of the Spirit, FILLED with the Spirit, and WALKING in the Spirit.” (ch. 6)
The Spirit and the Will of God
In chapter 2, Warnock makes a strong statement about the Spirit and prayer:
“If the nation does not repent and submit to God, and God has decreed judgment against the land because of the sin and iniquity that abound, no amount of prayer will prevail anything, because the Spirit of God knows the mind of God and will not allow you to pray effectually in the Spirit contrary to the will of God.” (ch. 2)
Baptism in the Spirit and Gifts of the Spirit — Restoration
In chapter 4, Warnock describes the historical line of restoration of foundational truths, including the baptism in the Spirit and the gifts:
“And so the baptism of the Holy Spirit becomes very personal and individual also… and men and women began to experience Pentecost, with its accompanying power and glory. Again, the Church was shaken… and nations were shaken, as God restored Pentecost to His people.” (ch. 4)
“And of laying on of hands… God brought it forth in might and in power, and God confirmed the truth of it to hungry hearts. And again the Church was shaken, and the earth was shaken, as God restored His gifts and ministries to hungry hearts.” (ch. 4)
Warnock explicitly names the gifts as received foundation:
“Everything we now have from God… justification by faith, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit in their various out-workings…” (ch. 4)
Interpretation: Warnock positions the baptism in the Spirit and the gifts as restored foundational realities, not optional extras — a characteristic Latter Rain position that he also represents in b1 (The Feast of Tabernacles).
Person of the Spirit — the Spirit of Jesus
In chapter 4, Warnock provides a concise but clear Trinitarian placement of the Holy Spirit:
“The Holy Spirit is therefore the Spirit of Jesus. (See Acts 16:7, RSV.) He is the Spirit of God’s Son (Gal. 4:6). And as He comes to take up His habitation in the Temple not made with hands, He bears the same relationship to the Son on the throne, that the Son does to the Father.” (ch. 4)
“We are ‘joined unto the Lord,’ and are therefore ‘ONE SPIRIT’ with Him (1Cor. 6:17). He, the Spirit of God, being the life of the Body of Christ, makes this kind of relationship possible.” (ch. 4)
Work of the Spirit in Sanctification — the Character of Christ
In chapter 7, Warnock characterizes the sanctifying work of the Spirit not as gift-impartation alone, but as formation of character into the image of Christ:
“It is the office work of the Holy Spirit in the earth to establish in the Body of Christ the nature, and the character, as well as the authority… of Him who sits on the throne.” (ch. 7)
“It is the work of the Holy Spirit not only to impart unto His people the POWER of God, but ‘ALL THINGS’ that pertain to the exalted Christ… His very nature, and character, and life.” (ch. 7)
With the supporting text from John 16:14:
“He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (ch. 7, John 16:14)
Walking in the Spirit — the Canaan Life
In chapter 6, Warnock describes the “Canaan life” as life in continual union with the Spirit:
“In the Land we come into a prepared place… there is nothing in this realm that we can do by our own efforts. It is entirely the work of the Spirit; and because we are in union with the Spirit we are in union with the Son… doing only as He is doing… speaking only as He is speaking… thinking only as He is thinking.” (ch. 5–6)