Empowering Your Life With The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit - Empowering Your Life

This weeks topic is going to be the Holy Spirit. I am amazed that after years as a Christian how little I knew about this most important aspect of Christianity and hope to enlighten you regarding the Powerful Influence the Spirit can have on your life.

History

We first hear of the Holy Spirit in Genesis 1:2 and we are told that it was present at the time of creation. We find the Holy Spirit active in a number of different ways in the Old Testament. It empowered people to certain acts often those of strength or insight. (It still helps us in those ways.) See messengers of Saul in 1 Sam 19:20, Gideon in Jud.6:34, elders of Isreal in Num 11:25, We also see those such as David fearing the Holy Spirit’s leaving Ps.51:11. We can see that the Holy Spirit often appeared to be utilized for a specific task and then departed upon completion- Num11:25, Amos.

Gift of our Lord

Of the many profound and wonderful things Jesus had to tell and show us during his brief stay on this earth it is undoubtedly his gift of the Holy Spirit that is the most advantageous in our lives.

He noted that although he would be going away that he would "pray the Father" for the gift of the Holy Spirit to minister to us in his place. Like a loving family member leaving his children for an extended period Jesus was concerned for our well being and bestowed on mankind this most precious gift to assist us in so many ways. It is indeed Jesus’s suricate and a most powerful ally in our lives. A piece of the Lord that remains in all believers (and works behind the scenes even in non believers-Jn16:8-11) and keeps us ever close to him and watched over. Surely you have noted the change in the Apostles after Christ left them, a change that enabled them to be strong founders of the early Christian Church here on this earth. It was surely Jesus’s gift on Pentecost of the Holy Spirit that so empowered them and it may empower us if we but ask.

What is the Holy Spirit ?

We know it is a He. - Jn. 14:16

We know the Holy Spirit makes decisions and gives us Gifts - 1 Cor. 12:11

We know He feels love and Grief -Rom 15:30 and Eph. 4:30

We also know He

Speaks- Rev 2:7

Intercedes - Rom 8:26

Teaches - Jn. 14:26

Leads - Rom. 8;14

Appoints - Acts 20:28

Empowers - Acts 1:8

and is an equal part of the Trinity - God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

additionally -

His name is equal with God and Jesus Mt. 28:19 and 2 Cor. 13:14

He is called Lord -2 Cor. 3:17-18

The Apostle Peter tells us the Holy Spirit is God - Acts 5:3-4

The Holy Spirit gives life -Jn 6:63

He is a helper given by the Father to abide in us -Jn 14:16-17

He gives power and enables us to witness - Acts 1:8

It enables us to speak the word of God with boldness - Acts 4:31

If we do not have the Spirit we are not His - Rom 8:9

If we live by the Spirit we will put to death the deeds of the body and

we will live as the Sons of God - Rom 8:13-14

The Spirit helps in our weaknesses as the spirit makes intercession for us - Rom 8:26

Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in us - 1 Cor. 6:19

The Spirit is from God so that we might know the things that have been

freely given to us by God - 1 Cor 2:12

Manifestation of the Spirit is given to each for the profit of all - 1 Cor.12:7

We are made perfect by the flesh from having received the Holy Spirit - Gal 3:3

Walking in the Spirit will enable us to not fulfill the lust of the flesh -Gal 5:16

The Fruit of the Spirit is -love, joy, peace, long suffering,kindness,goodness,faithfulness, gentleness and self control. All things that we may prosper in if we walk in the spirit. -Gal 5:22-23

Living by the Spirit enables us to keep in step with it. Gal 5:25

We are to be filled with the Spirit. -Eph 5:18

We need pray in the Spirit Eph 6:18

We know the Lord abides in us through the Holy Spirit He has given us. 1 Jn 3:24

We know the Spirit who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. 1 Jn. 4:4

It was the power of the Holy Spirit that rose Jesus from the dead in his tomb -Mt.28, Rom 1:4,Eph. 1:19-20