star wars - Why did Han Solo say "That's not how the force works"?

A certain interaction between Han Solo and Finn has really been bothering me lately. While infiltrating Star Killer Base, just before they go in to rescue Rey, Finn reveals to Han that he doesn't actually know how to lower the shields like he had promised. Han is obviously upset by this, and the dialog is as follows:

Han Solo: People are counting on us. The galaxy is counting on us.

Finn: Solo, we'll figure it out. We'll use the Force.

Han Solo: That's not how the Force works!

My problem is that this is exactly how the Force works, and Han Solo knows it! In fact, for the majority of the original films, it is hypothesized that Han uses the Force (whether he realizes it or not) in situations exactly like this. And in The Force Awakens, we learn that Han does believe in the Force, and he must understand that the Force has been with him in most, if not all, of his past adventures, including his most recent escape from the Guavian Death Gangs.

For the sake of clarity, let me specify that I am not saying that Han actively uses the Force, like a Jedi would. Rather, I am saying that the Force is with him, and he is using it for "good luck".

So why would Han say this? He has knows that the Force does, in fact, work like that.

Answer

Finn has just told Han that he doesn't actually know how to lower the shields. When Finn says "We'll use the Force" he's suggesting that the Force will somehow give them the knowledge required to shut down the shields, or that it will enable them to shut down the shield without needing to know how to do it. This is despite the fact that neither of them are trained Force users.

You are right in that Han does have a lot of indirect experience of the Force, having associated with powerful Force users like Luke. Therefore, unlike Finn, he knows that the Force can't be used to conjure knowledge or skills out of thin air - hence his exclamation "That's not how the Force works!".

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