Sermon: Soul Care and the role of the Holy Spirit
Thesis: The Holy Spirit takes an active role in the life of the spirit filled believer to help care for their soul. He does this in many ways and His names reflect how He works in the life of the church, the believer and the unbeliever.
Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit and He kept that promise in Acts 2 and that promise is still for today. His promise is to empower you and the church to do the work of the Kingdom this promise is still relevant today!
Quote: The Holy Spirit is not a doctrine to be studied; He is a person to be experienced in power (Randy Clark)
Scripture:
John 14:15-18:
15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—
17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
Colossians 1:9-14:
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Question: Why did Jesus send the Holy Spirit to fill these Christians?
Answer: So that they could “Be Christ Like” and “Do the work of the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Listen carefully the Holy Spirit was not just given to us to be Christ like but to also do the work of the Kingdom like Jesus did! Please hear this you cannot do the work of the Kingdom without the Holy Spirit’s empowerment!
Introduction:
As I have studied the Holy Spirit and observed the work of the Holy Spirit. I continue to be amazed at this 3rd person of the Trinity.
I really want us as a church to go deeper in our understanding of the work and the role of the Holy Spirit in our own soul care and in power to do the work of the Kingdom.
As I look at the church in the United States as a whole today we could say, “Something is missing in the church of America?” It seems to lack influence, power, relevancy and cultural impact.”
How many of you would agree with me on this observation? Show of hands?
T.S. - As we study these names of the Holy Spirit and highlight their significance - It is important for you to notice that if we eliminate the Holy Spirit from our lives and churches we will also eliminate all the following things the Holy Spirit is, and does for you and I. To get more information on the work and the role of the Holy Spirit see the handout for today from the ushers.
1. The Holy Spirit is the Author of Scripture and our link to Truth.
i. 2 Peter 1: 20-21: 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
i. Our author Peter – A key disciple of Jesus who lived with him for over 3 years tells us Scripture came not by the man or prophet writing it or speaking it but from the Holy Spirit.
1. The Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible!
2. Did you hear that?
3. The Bible was written over a period of roughly 2,000 years by 40 different authors from three continents, who wrote in three different languages.
ii. The Holy Spirit used them all.
i. This highlights what Jesus says about the Holy Spirit: He will guide you into truth.
ii. The Holy Spirit is the one who unveils truth/ No one else can! / He is the Spirit of Truth in this world:
1. John 14:17; 16:13 (see above)
2. Jesus in the above passages tells us that this is one of the roles of the Holy Spirit!
iii. 1 Corinthians 2:12-16:
1. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
iii. The Holy Spirit is from God – The Father sent the Son and the Son Jesus sent the Holy Spirit!
i. For what purpose? The Holy Spirit gives understanding with wisdom.
ii. He came to teach us the Words of God which explain spiritual truths to us in words we cannot understand.
iii. Without the Holy Spirit a man or woman on their own cannot understand spiritual truths – they cannot discern what is truth – as a matter of fact a person without the Holy Spirit will think truth is foolish, they will believe that spiritual truths are foolish.
1. Share about one young minister you know.
2. He cannot discern truth because he does not have the Holy Spirit.
3. He has theological training but no Spirit – he has head knowledge but no spiritual connection to truth.
4. He actually thinks what he is doing is of God when he is clearly has an anti-biblical stand on certain Scriptures.
iv. The Holy Spirit will help us attain the mind of Jesus Christ and assist us in follow His teachings and truths.
i. Key Point: No Holy Spirit no truth!
ii. I cannot emphasize this fact enough today – you have to have the Holy Spirit to have truth!
iii. Got answers states this about the Holy Spirit: “Jesus promised that, after the resurrection, the Holy Spirit would come to “guide you into all truth.” Because of the Spirit in our hearts, we are able to understand truth, especially in spiritual matters, in a way that non-Christians cannot. In fact, the truth the Spirit reveals to us is “foolishness” to them, and they cannot understand it. But we have the mind of Christ in the Person of His Spirit within us.”
1. Question: Do you think like Jesus?
2. Question: Are you able to discern what is right and wrong in this culture and society today?
3. Question: Does the Bible come alive to you when you read it?
a. Do the words jump off the page to you?
b. Do they take on life when you read them?
4. Question: If you answer no to these questions then maybe you need to ask the Lord to fill you with His Holy Spirit?
a. Maybe at one point you soul was filled and connected with the Lord but time has caused a disconnect with Him.
b. Then choose to be re-filled with His Spirit today!
c. 2 Timothy 3:16-17:
v. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
i. Scripture is “God-breathed” – the breath of God – the work and manifestation of the Holy Spirit teaches us, rebukes us, corrects us, and trains us to be in right standing with God.
1. This is the role and the work of the Holy Spirit today!
ii. It’s not – you can do and believe whatever you want and God will still bless you and allow you entrance to heaven. You have to be directed by the Holy Spirit!
1. You have to follow truth!
2. Repent when you sin!
3. Believe what is true and biblical!
vi. The Holy Spirit is the best Teacher!
i. Share your story of the school of the Holy Spirit!
1. The revelation of truth when I first got saved.
2. Urban Coalition and all the divine moments of spiritual teaching.
vii. John 14:26: But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
i. 1 Corinthians 2:13: This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
ii. Got answers and Logos states, “Jesus promised that the Spirit would teach His disciples “all things” and bring to their remembrance the things He said while He was with them. The writers of the New Testament were moved by the Spirit to remember and understand the instructions Jesus gave for the building and organizing of the Church, the doctrines regarding Himself, the directives for holy living, and the revelation of things to come.”
iii. His role and work is to lead you to truth – His – their truth – Yes! He will correct you even rebuke you – but it is all for your benefit so you have right standing with God. He wants to lead you to truth so you are blessed and not cursed.
1. It’s no different than what parents do to protect their children!
2. They do it because they love you – God does it through the Holy Spirit because He loves you.
viii. The Holy Spirit is the “Convicter” of Sin: (John 16:7-11)
i. Got Answer states, “The Spirit applies the truths of God to men’s own minds in order to convince them by fair and sufficient arguments that they are sinners. He does this through the conviction in our hearts that we are not worthy to stand before a holy God, that we need His righteousness, and that judgment is certain and will come to all men one day. Those who deny these truths rebel against the conviction of the Spirit.”
ii. Got answer states, “The Bible is inspired, literally “God-breathed,” by the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. The Spirit moved the authors of all 66 books to record exactly what He breathed into their hearts and minds. As a ship is moved through the water by wind in its sails, so the biblical writers were borne along by the Spirit’s impulse.”
iii. We too should be moved along the path of truth by the gentle blowing of the Holy Spirit in our life!
1. The Holy Spirit is to be our Guide:
a. John 16:13: But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
b. Got answers.com and Logos state, “Just as the Spirit guided the writers of Scripture to record truth, so does He promise to guide believers to know and understand that truth. God’s truth is “foolishness” to the world, because it is “spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Those who belong to Christ have the indwelling Spirit who guides us into all we need to know in regard to spiritual matters. Those who do not belong to Christ have no “interpreter” to guide them to know and understand God’s Word.”
iv. Francis Chan states, “One of the areas we desperately need to examine is how we think about and relate to the Holy Spirit. As I said previously, if you or I had never been to a church and had read only the Old and New Testaments, we would have significant expectations of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Think about it. Upon foretelling His death, Jesus comforts the disciples by telling them that “another Counselor” is coming (John 14:16 NIV). In John 16:7 He goes so far as to say it is to their advantage that He leave so the Counselor can come. And in Acts 1:4–5, after His death and resurrection, He tells His disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit. (The disciples obey because that’s what people do when someone rises from the dead and gives instructions.) Jesus’ disciples had no idea what or whom they were waiting for, or what it would be like. But they were expectant and trusting because Jesus had instructed them to wait for this good gift. Then in Acts 2, we see the fulfillment of this promise in a way that must have shocked the disciples.” Chan, Francis (2009-09-01). Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit (p. 30). David C Cook. Kindle Edition.
T.S. – Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to fill you with truth? Are you following truth – can you discern right from wrong by biblical standards? The ability to know truth only comes from the Holy Spirit! We need Him to be on God’s agenda and we need Him to counsel and comfort us as we go through the trials and tribulations of life.
2. The Holy Spirit as Comforter / Counselor / Advocate:
i. Isaiah 11:2: The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.
1. All these rested on Jesus and He sent them to us through the Holy Spirit!
2. John 14:16: And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.
ii. The Holy Spirit is our Counselor – the one who knows how to help us and direct us into making healthy soul choices and decisions in life.
iii. Counselors: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counselor_%28role_variant%29
1. Counselors are introspective, cooperative, directive, and attentive. They have a strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others. Counselors are gratified by helping others to develop and reach their potential.
2. The Holy Spirit does this for us as our counselor!
a. He helps internalize things in connection with our soul and spirit.
b. He helps us to see the wisdom in cooperating with the Spirit of God.
c. He will even direct our steps on a daily basis if we let Him.
d. The Holy Spirit was sent by Jesus to attend to your needs as a Christian both internally and externally.
3. Counselors often communicate in a personalized manner. They tend to be positive and kind when dealing with others. Counselors are good listeners and can sometimes detect a person's emotions or intentions even before the individual is aware of them. This ability to take in the emotional experiences of others, however, can lead Counselors to be hurt easily.
a. The Holy Spirit interacts with us personally.
b. He is positive in his interaction with us but He will tell us when we are going or doing the wrong thing.
c. The Holy Spirit knows what you are saying and looks within your heart.
iv. The Holy Spirit is a person and can be hurt:
i. Gary Tyra shares these personal qualities of the Holy Spirit:
1. The fact that the Holy Spirit is personal is seen from Scripture as Gary shares: He is compelling (Lk 2:27; 20:22), and inspiring (Mt 22:43; 1 Cor 12:3) and has an effect on people, they also seem to indicate that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force (as in Star Wars) but a divine person capable of possessing and producing such personal attributes as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, righteousness and hope (Lk 10:21; Rom 14:17; 15:13, 30; Gal 5:22-23; 1 Thess 1:6).
2. He also adds, The Holy Spirit is to be followed (Mt 4:1; Lk 4:1; Rom 8:14; Gal 5:18), fellowshiped with (2 Cor 13:14; Phil 2:1), lived by (Gal 5:16, 25), lived according to (Rom 8:4, 5, 13), kept in step with (Gal 5:25) and learned from (1 Cor 2:13). Unfortunately, they also specify that it is possible for the Spirit of God to be lied to (Acts 5:3), tested (Acts 5:9), resisted (Acts 7:51), grieved (Eph 4:30), rejected (1 Thess 4:8), quenched (1 Thess 5:19) and even insulted (Heb 10:29). Even more biblical passages convey the idea that the Holy Spirit bids our obedience or, to put it bluntly, can and should be cooperated with (Gal 3:3; 5:16-25; 6:8; Eph 4:3).
a. Gary Tyra. The Holy Spirit in Mission: Prophetic Speech and Action in Christian Witness (Kindle Locations 307-309). Kindle Edition.
ii. John 15:26: “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.”
1. The Counselor comes from the father to direct His children and tell us about Jesus!
2. How many people here want to learn more about Jesus?
a. Then you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit!
3. This is a main role of the Holy Spirit in our above text – To promote Jesus!
v. The Holy Spirit is the Witness – the key:
i. Romans 8:16-17: The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
ii. Hebrews 2:4: God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
iii. Hebrews 10: 12-16: 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”
1. Got Answers and Logos state: “The Spirit is called “witness” because He verifies and testifies to the fact that we are children of God, that Jesus and the disciples who performed miracles were sent by God, and that the books of the Bible are divinely inspired. Further, by giving the gifts of the Spirit to believers, He witnesses to us and the world that we belong to God.
iv. John 16:7: But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
1. Jesus returning to the Father was a good thing because in turn He and The Father sent the Holy Spirit – to you and me – to live in us – to teach, us guide us, empower us and the like.
2. The Holy Spirit is a good thing not a bad thing!
3. The Holy Spirit is part of the plan and the mission of God and we need Him in our lives and souls.
v. Got Answers and Logos states, “All three words are translations of the Greek parakletos, from which we get “Paraclete,” another name for the Spirit. When Jesus went away, His disciples were greatly distressed because they had lost His comforting presence. But He promised to send the Spirit to comfort, console, and guide those who belong to Christ. The Spirit also “bears witness” with our spirits that we belong to Him and thereby assures us of salvation.”
vi. This Greek word means to come along side of and to help and support!
1. Comforter: Princeton's WordNet definition.
a. sympathizer, sympathiser, comforter(noun)
b. commiserates with someone who has had misfortune
c. reliever, allayer, comforter(noun)
2. a person who reduces the intensity (e.g., of fears) and calms and pacifies
a. "a reliever of anxiety"; "an allayer of fears"
3. quilt, comforter, comfort, puff(noun)
a. bedding made of two layers of cloth filled with stuffing and stitched together
4. comforter, pacifier, baby's dummy, teething ring(noun)
a. device used for an infant to suck or bite on
vi. We all need a comforter – someone who understands us and can help relieve the stress and tension of life.
T.S. – Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to comfort us, and counsel us as we go through life on this fallen planet filled with evil and sin. He promises not to abandon us but be with us through the trials and tribulations that will come our way. This Holy Spirit is personal and this Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and of Jesus!
3. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God / the Lord / Christ:
i. Matthew 3:16: As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.
1. Jesus was filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit – how much more do we need the same today!
ii. 2 Corinthians 3:17: Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
1. If you are not free in your soul or life I wonder are you missing the connection to the Holy Spirit – have you pushed him out of your life or not allowed Him into your life.
iii. 1 Peter 1:11: Trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
1. The Holy Spirit is connected intertwined with Jesus and the Father – they are all one and when we receive the Spirit we receive the all that God has for us in this life – and for our souls.
2. We need the impact and the influence of God the Father/Jesus/and the Holy Spirit!
iv. Got Answers and Logos Bible Software state, “These names remind us that the Spirit of God is indeed part of the triune godhead and that He is just as much God as the Father and the Son. He is first revealed to us at the creation, when He was “hovering over the waters,” denoting His part in creation, along with that of Jesus who “made all things” (John 1:1-3). We see this same Trinity of God again at Jesus’ baptism, when the Spirit descends on Jesus and the voice of the Father is heard.”
T.S. – The Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity of God and He is a person who will live in us and in this mysterious entity is also God the Father and Jesus too. When you have the Holy Spirit you experience the completeness of God. To be filled with the Holy Spirit means all three dimensions of God are living in us and through us.
4. The Holy Spirit is our Deposit / Seal / Earnest Money:
i. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22: 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
1. The Holy Spirit is a fulfillment of Jesus promise in Acts 1 – it’s the deposit from him into your life to make you all you can be for the Kingdom!
ii. 2 Corinthians 5:5: 5 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
1. The Holy Spirit is our reassurance that God is who He says He is and Jesus is who He says He is. It’s our hope our anchor of the soul!
2. He speaks to us – guides us enables us to communicate with Jesus and the Father.
3. He is the link of assurance that Jesus is coming again to this world – he is our seal of approval – our stamp that says, “This one belongs to me – he is my child!”
iii. Ephesians 1:13-14: 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
1. Do you understand the importance of the Holy Spirit living in you? – It’s the seal of God on you!
2. The Infilling of the Holy Spirit is a stamp of approval from God that you are His – you are His Child!
3. Got Answers and Logos Bible Software state, “The Holy Spirit is God’s seal on His people, His claim on us as His very own. The gift of the Spirit to believers is a down payment on our heavenly inheritance, which Christ has promised us and secured for us at the cross. It is because the Spirit has sealed us that we are assured of our salvation. No one can break the seal of God.”
T.S. – The Holy Spirit and His supernatural qualities tell others that God’s approval is on us and working through us. When the Holy Spirit empowers us things happen and others see it and say “That must be a Godly person because God works through him or her.
5. The Holy Spirit is the Indweller of Believers:
i. Romans 8:9-11: 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
1. The Holy Spirit wants to live inside of you!
2. The Holy Spirit does not want to just hang out beside you – He wants to be in you!
3. That’s your choice – you choose if you want Him inside or not!
ii. Ephesians 2:21-22: 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
1. The Holy Spirit is the “Great I Am” and He wants to live inside your spirit, soul and body!
2. Do you understand how this is a big deal?
3. 1 Corinthians 6:19: 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
a. The Holy Spirit needs to be honored not neglected in our soul!
b. The Holy Spirit wants to reside in you but if there is darkness in your heart – then know this light and darkness will not dwell in the same place.
i. Got Answer and Logos Bible Software state, “The Holy Spirit resides in the hearts of God’s people, and that indwelling is the distinguishing characteristic of the regenerated person. From within believers, He directs, guides, comforts, and influences us, as well as producing in us the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). He provides the intimate connection between God and His children. All true believers in Christ have the Spirit residing in their hearts.”
c. Francis Chan states, “The church becomes irrelevant when it becomes purely a human creation. We are not all we were made to be when everything in our lives and churches can be explained apart from the work and presence of the Spirit of God.” Chan, Francis (2009-09-01). Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit (p. 18). David C Cook. Kindle Edition.
d. Francis Chan states, “And this is the question I just can’t get around: If it’s true that the Spirit of God dwells in us and that our bodies are the Holy Spirit’s temple, then shouldn’t there be a huge difference between the person who has the Spirit of God living inside of him or her and the person who does not? This may be a silly illustration, but if I told you I had an encounter with God where He entered my body and gave me a supernatural ability to play basketball, wouldn’t you expect to see an amazing improvement in my jump shot, my defense, and my speed on the court? After all, this is God we’re talking about. And if you saw no change in my athleticism, wouldn’t you question the validity of my “encounter”? Churchgoers all across the nation say the Holy Spirit has entered them. They claim that God has given them a supernatural ability to follow Christ, put their sin to death, and serve the church. Christians talk about being born again and say that they were dead but now have come to life. We have become hardened to those words, but they are powerful words that have significant meaning. Yet when those outside the church see no difference in our lives, they begin to question our integrity, our sanity, or even worse, our God. And can you blame them?” Chan, Francis (2009-09-01). Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit (pp. 32-33). David C Cook. Kindle Edition.
T.S. – When the Holy Spirit fills you up on the inside their will be a noticeable difference in your life and others will see it and acknowledge it. If others don’t see it maybe it’s because you don’t have it? The Holy Spirit wants to fill you and intercede for you so let him.
6. The Holy Spirit is our Intercessor:
i. Romans 8:26-27: 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
1. Have you ever asked someone to really pray for you? How did that make you feel knowing they did?
2. Do you understand the Holy Spirit – when He is in you intercedes for your soul and life. He knows what to say to God on your behalf. He knows what you need from God.
3. Got Answers and Logos Bible Software state, “One of the most encouraging and comforting aspects of the Holy Spirit is His ministry of intercession on behalf of those He inhabits. Because we often don’t know what or how to pray when we approach God, the Spirit intercedes and prays for us. He interprets our “groanings,” so that when we are oppressed and overwhelmed by trials and the cares of life, He comes alongside to lend assistance as He sustains us before the throne of grace.”
T.S. – Would it not be nice to know that you don’t have to have all the words to talk to God. That he has placed inside of you the Holy Spirit who prays on your behalf – He says to the Lord what needs to be said even when you don’t have the words yourself. Is that not amazing? Our next point directs us back to our soul – notice you don’t give yourself life ---The Spirit does! Do you want a meaningful and fulfilling life? Then let the Holy Spirit fill you up!
7. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Life:
i. Romans 8:2: 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
1. When the Holy Spirit indwells you inner being – your soul – you are set free from death and sin!
ii. Got Answers and Logos state, “The phrase “Spirit of life” means the Holy Spirit is the one who produces or gives life, not that He initiates salvation, but rather that He imparts newness of life. When we receive eternal life through Christ, the Spirit provides the spiritual food that is the sustenance of the spiritual life. Here again, we see the triune God at work. We are saved by the Father through the work of the Son, and that salvation is sustained by the Holy Spirit.”
iii. Francis Chan states, “However, I also believe that the Spirit is more obviously active in places where people are desperate for Him, humbled before Him, and not distracted by their pursuit of wealth or comforts (like we are). Chan, Francis (2009-09-01). Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit (p. 17). David C Cook. Kindle Edition.
iv. Life is a gift of the Holy Spirit!
The above points come from the following sources Recommended Resources: The Holy Spirit by Charles Ryrie and Logos Bible Software. Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/names-Holy-Spirit.html#ixzz3Q2HyPuaa
Power Point:
Without the Holy Spirit – With the Holy Spirit! Comparison Chart.
Power Point:
Zechariah 4:6: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”
Bill Bright on the Holy Spirit:
We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith. How did you become a Christian? By faith. "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast." "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him."
You receive Christ by faith. You live by faith. Everything you receive from God, from the moment of your spiritual birth until you die, is by faith. Do you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit? You can be filled right now, by faith.
You do not have to beg God to fill you with His Holy Spirit. You do not have to barter with Him by fasting or weeping or begging or pleading. For a long period of time, I fasted and cried out to God for His fullness. Then one day I discovered from the Scriptures that the "just shall live by faith." You do not earn God's fullness. You receive it by faith.
An Illustration of Faith
Let me illustrate. Suppose that you want to cash a check for a hundred dollars. Would you go to the bank where you have several thousand dollars on deposit, place the check on the counter, get down on your knees, and beg, "Oh, please, Miss Teller, cash my check?" No, that is not the way you cash a check. You simply go in faith, place the check on the counter, and you wait for the money which is already yours. Then you thank the teller and go on your way.
Millions of Christians are begging God, as I once did, for something which is readily available -- just waiting to be appropriated by faith. They are seeking some kind of emotional experience, not realizing that such an attitude on their part is an insult to God -- a denial of faith. But faith is the only way you can please God.
Though you are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith and faith alone, it is important to recognize that several factors contribute to preparing your heart for the filling of the Spirit. First, you must desire to live a life that will please the Lord. You have the promise of our Savior, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
Second, be willing to surrender your life totally and irrevocably to our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul admonishes in Romans 12:1, 2: "I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Third, confess every known sin which the Holy Spirit calls to your remembrance and experience the cleansing and forgiveness which God promises in 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
I call this process "Spiritual Breathing." Just as you exhale and inhale physically, so you also breathe spiritually. You exhale spiritually when you confess your sins.
The Command and the Promise
If you have wronged a brother or have taken that which is not rightfully yours, the Holy Spirit may lead you to make restitution to right your wrong. If so, obey Him, or you will miss His blessing. The blessings of the fullness of God's Spirit come only to those who willingly obey Him.
Jesus promised, "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
Again, you are not filled with the Holy Spirit because you desire to be filled nor because you confess your sins or present your body a living sacrifice -- you are filled by faith.
There are two very important words to remember.
The first is command. In Ephesians 5:18, God commands you to be filled: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." Not to be filled, controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit is disobedience.
The other word is promise -- a promise that makes the command possible: "This is the assurance we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us -- whatever we ask -- we know that we have what we asked of him."
Now, is it God's will for you to be filled and controlled by Him? Of course it is -- for it is His command! Then right now you can ask God to fill you -- not because you deserve to be filled, but on the basis of His promise.
If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit already dwells within you. When you purchase a mechanical item that runs on battery power, frequently the notice "Batteries Not Included" is printed on the box. The Holy Spirit -- your Source of power for living -- is "included" when you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Therefore, you do not need to invite Him to come into your life. He did this when you became a Christian, and Jesus promised that He will never leave you.
The moment you received Christ, the Holy Spirit not only came to indwell you, but He imparted to you spiritual life, causing you to be born anew as a child of God. The Holy Spirit also baptized you into the body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12:13, Paul explains, "We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body."
There is but one indwelling of the Holy Spirit, one rebirth of the Holy Spirit, and one baptism of the Holy Spirit -- all of which occur when you receive Christ.
Being Filled Happens Over and Over
Being filled with the Holy Spirit, however, is not a once-and-for-all experience. There are many fillings, as is made clear in Ephesians 5:18. In the Greek language in which this command was originally written, the meaning is clearer than that in most English translations. This command of God means to be constantly and continually filled, controlled and empowered with the Holy Spirit as a way of life.
I cannot control myself and be controlled by the Holy Spirit at the same time. Christ cannot be in control if I am on the throne. So I must abdicate. This involves faith. As an expression of my will, in prayer, I surrender the throne of my life to Him, and by faith I draw upon His resources to live a holy and fruitful life.
The command of Ephesians 5:18 is given to all believers to be filled, directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, continually, every day of our lives. And the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15 is made to all believers that, when we pray according to God's will, He hears and answers us. If you claim the fullness of God's Spirit in prayer, He will hear and answer you. He will fill you. And in the process, you will "inhale" spiritually.
Do not think that you have to have an emotional experience or that something dramatic must happen to you. How did you receive Christ? Was it because of some great emotional pressure brought to bear upon you? Your emotions may have been involved. But ultimately, you became a Christian, not because of your emotional experience, but because of your faith. For the Bible says, "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith."
The Holy Spirit is not given to you that you might have a great emotional experience, but that you might live a holy life and be a fruitful witness for Christ. So, whether or not you have an emotional experience is not the issue.
Conclusion:
After learning about the work of the Holy Spirit and the role of the Holy Spirit do you think God would have removed Him from the church today like some people teach and preach? We are in the church age as theologians tells us and we are still suppose to be like the Acts New Testament Church. In light of this thought do we not need the Holy Spirit as much today as they did back in the birth of the Church?
Power point slide:
Holy Spirit Come --- Point of slide: Can this be your prayer today? We need to know that the Holy Spirit is for us today – He is for you today!
What do we need to know from this message today?
We all need the Holy Spirit and His indwelling power! All of us!
Why do we need to know this?
We need to know that we cannot x the Holy Spirit out of the Church or our lives if we do then we become Spiritless churches and Spiritless Christians. This result is powerless churches and powerless Christians.
What do we need to do from hearing this message?
We need to be filled with the Spirit, like the apostles in Acts 2- We need to be empowered by the Spirit like the church in Acts was. We need to be guided by the Holy Spirit to truth in our world filled with deception.
Why do we need to do this?
We need to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us – live in us so that we have right standing in the presence of God! We need the Holy Spirit to “Be Christ Like” and we need the Holy Spirit “To do the work of the Kingdom of Heaven – to do the Holy Spirit stuff that changes people’s hearts and lives.”
Altar Call:
Prayer for people to be filled with the Holy Spirit – to see and experience the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
