RELATIONSHIP WITH
GOD & HOLY SPIRIT
I'm glad you're interested in the Holy Spirit,
because it's impossible to follow God unless we are led by the Spirit.
DON'T FORGET THE HOLY SPIRIT!
The Holy Spirit's role is essential in helping believers understand who and
what it means to walk in the Spirit's power, not their own power.
If we try to live the Christian life on our own, we will just fall away!
Your Relationship And Holy Spirit
Have You Recently come to Christ as Savior?
If so, it is essential for you to start your Christian life right. Now that you have a new life, you need to grow; for growth is as important as birth. What a tragedy it would be if a tiny baby were to remain small all of his life. But it would be equally tragic if you had been born again but never would grow spiritually. This step of the Holy Spirit is not a magical formula. But this step is derived from God's Word and have been successfully practiced by Christians for generations.
If you take this step on depending on the Holy Spirit on the road to heaven, you’ll find the journey to be a challenge and a blessing. But more than that, your first steps will not be your last. God bless you as you step out for Him.
The Holy Spirit was given to live inside those who believe in Jesus, in order to produce God's character in the life of a new Christian. In a way that we cannot do on our own, the Holy Spirit will build into our lives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Rather than trying to be loving, patient, kind, God asks us to rely on Him to produce these qualities in our lives. Thus Christians are told to walk in the Spirit. And the Holy Spirit empowers Christians to perform ministerial duties that promote spiritual growth among Christians.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
While there is a degree of divine mystery to the nature of the Holy Spirit, He definitely is not a bundle of warm feelings or good memories. Neither is He a vague cosmic force.
In this step, you will see biblical evidence proving that the Holy Spirit is a real person who loves and cares for you. You will also discover why He came and how He can make a difference in your life.
The Holy Spirit is a person, the third person of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is not a vague, ethereal shadow, nor an impersonal force. He is a equal in every way with the Father and the Son. All the divine attributes ascribed to the Father and the Son are equally ascribed to the Holy Spirit. He is addressed by several titles in the Bible-Spirit of God, Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit. We have one God in three Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever 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." John 14:16-17
When you invited Jesus Christ into your life, he entered your life and will be with you forever through the Holy Spirit living in you. You will never be alone! You may not always feel or act new. But, in God’s eyes, you are totally new!
Key Question:
What will the Spirit do for you?
Read 1 Corinthians 2:9-12
However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him — these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us."
Key Question:
Ask yourself again what will the Spirit do for you?
To free you from sin’s power. Read Galatians 5:16
"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."
Important:
The lure of life’s pleasures and old habits will tug at you. Your own hormones and desires will crave to be filled.
To transform you into the likeness of Christ. Read 2 Corinthians 3:18
"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
God’s awesome plan is to change you to become more like Jesus Christ in your character. Jesus Spirit living in you has begun this change, and he will continue his work throughout your life. Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
The Holy Spirit has taken upon Himself a variety of ministries. Jesus taught that HE would:
a) Bring conviction of Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment - John 16:8
b) Take Jesus' place as a Comforter, Guide, Advocate, Teacher - John 16:7-15
c) Endue with Power from heaven to make the believers into dynamic witnesses - Acts 1:8
HIS basic work is to make Christ more real to the believer and to teach us divine truth lived and taught by Jesus. Jesus foretold that the Holy Spirit would not only be with us but indwell us. “... For He lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:17. We become the Temples of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19.
This experience happens the moment a person invites Jesus Christ into their heart.
1. THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT - produces fruit in you and through you.
Is this something you desire for your life?
Read Galatians 5:22-23
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law."
1. The Fruits of the Spirit is the outworking of the nature of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. These are the qualities that most adequately display the work and presence of God in the Christians life. These qualities of Jesus’ character will grow in your life.
"Your New Power Source - God's Spirit"
Make them part of your life as you grow in Christ. Find and read the verses listed beside each truth. Write observations of what you see and how you feel about the truth in your notebook or Bible.
You are made alive. Ephesians 2:1-5, Colossians 2:13-14
You are a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17
You can understand God’s Word. John 16:13-15, 1 Corinthians 2:9-12
You are freed from sin’s power. Read Galatians 5:16, Romans 6:11-14
You are being transformed into Jesus’ likeness. 2 Corinthians 3:18, Galatians 5:22-2
Key Question:
Which of these qualities would you like the Spirit to begin developing in your life?
The Holy Spirit also performs a function for non-Christians as well. He convicts people's hearts of God's truth concerning how sinful we are -- needing God's forgiveness; how righteous Jesus is -- He died in our place, for our sins; and God's eventual judgment of the world and those who do not know Him. The Holy Spirit tugs on our hearts and minds, asking us to repent and turn to God for forgiveness and a new life.
1. The Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) is the outworking of the nature of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. These are the qualities that most adequately display the work and presence of God in the Christians life.
The Spirit-Filled Life of Faith
Faith is how you received Christ and his Holy Spirit giving you new life. Faith is how you turn your life over to the Spirit and trust him on a daily basis. The Spirit-filled life is trusting God to produce in you the fruitful life he promised.
You must by faith yield to the Holy Spirit to control your life, recognizing your tendencies to be self-centered and then desire for Christ’s life to grow in you and overcome those selfish tendencies.
The Holy Spirit is a greater power than your old nature. Choosing to listen to the Spirit and follow his leading will always be the right choice!
There are specifically 2 words that describe the working of the Holy Spirit.
1. THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT (we have discussed above).
IMPORTANT:
This experience of the Fruits of the Spirit working in our lives happens the moment a person invites Jesus Christ into their heart.
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IMPORTANT:
HOWEVER, ANOTHER EXPERIENCE is also for those that believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord of their lives. John the Baptist foretold that, “I baptize you with water but He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Mark 1:8.
2. THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT and THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The fulfillment of this prophecy happened on the day of Pentecost as described in Acts 2:4. "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." The Holy Spirit is the gift of our Heavenly Father and is given to us to give us power
The Gifts of the Spirit are special endowments of Divine power or revelation that are granted to fulfill a specific task at a certain time. The believer becomes the willing channel for the manifestation of the gifts which he may not fully understand but which demonstrates that God has intervened in a certain situation.
The individual may not always understand the meaning of what is happening, however, he is able to take control, himself, at any time. 1 Corinthians 14:32
We want to emphasize that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit should be sought as an experience apart from Salvation.
Such an experience allows the Holy Spirit to work within the believer to demonstrate HIS presence through such expressions as tongues in worship, tongues in song and tongues for personal benefit. Be advised that our final intention ought to be to glorify God not simply to be blessed.
Worship the Lord for who you know HIM to be and allow the Holy Spirit to express HIMSELF by means of your voice. What occurs may not appear to be very rational, but believe that the Holy Spirit prays with us for our needs, with HIS audible expressions which may be interpreted as groaning's or irrational sounds. Romans 8:26
We are told to, ‘... be filled with the Spirit.’ Ephesians 5:18 Literally this passage conveys the thought that we should be filled continually as in be being filled. The idea is that the experience is designed not to be a one time occasion but rather a continuing experience.
At the same time, we want to emphasize that HE blesses people with a joy and peace beyond compare of any earthly experience, as any who has received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, will tell you. The Holy Spirit is a Gentleman... that is GENTLE in all HIS actions. He will not force HIMSELF upon anyone although HE has the Power to do as HE pleases.
There is a respect that HE has for the free will, and choice of man and by the Grace and Mercy of God, many times, HE willingly submits to our decisions. Suffice to say, yielding our lives to HIM brings us great blessing. There is a divine paradox that applies to that kind of experience that is, "in giving ourselves completely to HIM, we lose nothing."
God’s awesome plan is to transform your life into something beautiful and Christ-like. Sadly, not every believer experiences the power to live this life as God intended. Some are unaware of the treasure of the Holy Spirit living inside them. Others choose to ignore the Spirit’s work in their lives and follow their own desires instead.
Living by the Spirit is a choice.
What is the choice given?
The word “filled” means to be directed and controlled. Just as any sports player freely chooses to let their coach direct then so they can do their best to win the game, we must choose to yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s direction in our lives.
Consider praying this prayer of faith:
“Dear Lord, I want you to change my life from being self-centered into one that is Christ centered. I no longer desire to follow my sinful thoughts and actions. I give you, Holy Spirit, control of my thoughts, attitudes, words, and behavior today. Fill me with yourself and show me how to live a life that pleases Christ.”
MY TESTIMONY
Over the years I have heard and seen wonderful unique testimonies of people receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. To encourage others, my personal testimony is after I accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, I had prayed and had folks pray for me to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Looking back I was focusing so much receiving, that I forgot the real reason for asking.
Then about a year later all alone by myself one night, I was praying worshipping and praising our Lord. I forgot about everything else and just got lost in worshipping and loving God and was not thinking of receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. That is when I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit when my human words were not enough to glorify what Jesus has done. That night will always be special to me.
That experience was over 45 years ago, and it continues today, and I would highly recommend having your heart right before God and get lost in His Love first. Everyone's experience is different, but ultimately the focus should be on Jesus and His love for you and your love for Him, not just receiving the baptism Holy Spirit.
The Spirit-filled life is one of adventure with Christ.
Are you ready for the adventure?
When you think of what God has done for you — and how much your God loves you — is there any other choice?
The Holy Spirit is the gift of our Heavenly Father and is given to us to give us power and authority to become witnesses of Jesus Christ.
Read Acts 1:8
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
What else does the Spirit equip you to do?
MORE ON THE BAPTISM OF HOLY SPIRIT HERE
NEXT STEP 6 - TO BE A WITNESS AND SHARING GOSPEL WITH OTHERS.
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