Spirit Care 101 Series

Video Transition: Movie from the trailer for Jesus Revolution

Spirit Care 101

Thesis: Spirit care is the discipline of allowing the Holy Spirit to shape us, mold us, teach us and help us to mature in our spiritual faith. So we in turn can help others come to Jesus and grow in Jesus.

Spiritual Care or Growth - is about us intentionally maturing our spirit, but we also need the help of Holy Spirit to grow and mature. It’s the Holy Spirit that is our teacher and guide in this wicked world we live in – did you hear that thought? - we as Christians need to learn from Him and follow His direction in our lives. If we do, we can turn around and help others! If we do not do this, we will never be able to help others or impact our world!

Scripture Text:

Key - Romans 15:1-4: 1We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Hebrews 6:1: “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God…”

Colossians 1:9-10: 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God…

Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit and told us why He was sending Him to us – The following are Jesus’ own words:

Key – section - John 14:15-31:

15“If you love Me, keep My commandments.

16And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—

17the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

18I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

19“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.

20At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

21He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

22Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”

23Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

24He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

25“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.

26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

27Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

28You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

29“And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.

30I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

31But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

What Jesus describes above I can honestly say I have experienced in my own life!

Illustration from my own life: The School of the Holy Spirit.