Discussion Topic
Basic Terms: Holy Spirit
Posted on 11/20/08, 11:02 am
John 15:16-18
Jesus said "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-The Sprit of truth. The world cannot acept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans: I will come to you."
Jesus said these words on the night of his betrayal. He had just told his disciples that he would be betrayed, arrested and killed. They were understandably upset at this turn of events. He is talking about the Holy Spirit, also referred to as the Spirit of Truth of the Comforter.
If you ask 5 different people about the Holy Spirit you will get five similar yet somewhat different answers. At one end you will have people who will tell you that the work of the Holy Spirit was completed when The Bible was completed. At the other end there are people who say that since God created everyone, the spirit is in everyone, believer and non-believer alike. I disagree with both of these, so you get my beliefs about the Holy Spirit, backed up by the Bible.
The Holy Spirit is the third part of a concept that is called the Trinity. It basically says that God is made up of three parts, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is one God, three expressions. Difficult concept, Right?
OK, lets take it down to terms we all can understand. There's a lady in a library writing a Bible study. That's me. My mind is telling me about the knowledge that I want to impart to you. My hands are getting the letters into the computer. And my spirit is making decisions, guiding me as to what to include in this study, what to save for later. In this case I think it is the Holy Spirit that is guiding me, but we will get to that later.
On a much grander scale, that is the is how God works. God the Father I view as the knowledge, the mind of God. Jesus was the hands of God. He came down and lived as one of us, in a physical form so that he would truly understand all that we experience. He also did this without sin so that he could be the perfect sacrifice, giving us the gift of eternal life. The Holy Spirit is the little piece of God that lives in us, to help and guide us.
The Holy Spirit was there from the very beginning. It is a part ot God. If you read the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was there inspiring the writers, telling the prophets what to prophesy, causing miracles and at times hardening the hearts of the enemies so that they would do what God wanted them to do in spite of themselves. While Jesus was alive, there are many references about the Spirit of God coming upon Jesus, making itself known to us through Jesus. After Jesus' death and resurrection, the Spirit came into the disciples and believers, allowing them to do miracles, even to speak in languages that they never knew so that every one could hear the news that God loved them and that we could be right with God.
The Holy Spirit works in us today. In Romans 8:26 and 27 the Bible says "In the same way,m 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. 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."
Have you ever had a time when things were so bad and you were so confused that you couldn't even put into words what was wrong? Maybe even you don't know what is wrong, it just feels like everything is wrong? Through the Spirit going to God for us (interceding) God knows what we feel and what we need and can start to work it out for us. That is powerful yet internal stuff!
Everybody experiences the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Have you ever had an experience where you knew you were in danger, acted to avoid that danger and then found out that you were right? You really could have been hurt? Or the feeling that something is wrong, went to check and yes, there was something wrong? I believe that is the prompting of the Hoiy Spirit also.
If you work with the Spirit, it will take you to places that you never dreamed that you would be, doing things, good things that you never dreamed that you could do. If you asked me six months ago that I would become a Bible teacher on the internet, I would have laughed in your face! I couldn't reliably access my own e-mail at that point, I didn't have the training, I didn't know what I was doing...The reasons that couldn't happen are endless. I am in the library writing a Bible study on the Holy Spirit now, and I am still not sure what I'm doing with a computer 50% of the time. I am sure of why I am doing it, to serve God. The Holy Spirit and my faith is what allows me to do it.
OK what if you tell me that the Holy Spirit told you to go out and slash your neighbor's tires for example. I would call you a liar, because the Holy Spirit would never tell you to do something like that. If the Spirit of God lives in you, you don't even WANT to do something like that. If you are leading a life guided by the Holy Spirit, it looks a certain way. They talk about the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
The Holy Spirit is the daily evidence of God working in us through our faith in Jesus as our savior. It is a wonderful gift free for all Christians, just free for the taking. I hope that this has increased your knowledge and opened your heart for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
Jesus said "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-The Sprit of truth. The world cannot acept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans: I will come to you."
Jesus said these words on the night of his betrayal. He had just told his disciples that he would be betrayed, arrested and killed. They were understandably upset at this turn of events. He is talking about the Holy Spirit, also referred to as the Spirit of Truth of the Comforter.
If you ask 5 different people about the Holy Spirit you will get five similar yet somewhat different answers. At one end you will have people who will tell you that the work of the Holy Spirit was completed when The Bible was completed. At the other end there are people who say that since God created everyone, the spirit is in everyone, believer and non-believer alike. I disagree with both of these, so you get my beliefs about the Holy Spirit, backed up by the Bible.
The Holy Spirit is the third part of a concept that is called the Trinity. It basically says that God is made up of three parts, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is one God, three expressions. Difficult concept, Right?
OK, lets take it down to terms we all can understand. There's a lady in a library writing a Bible study. That's me. My mind is telling me about the knowledge that I want to impart to you. My hands are getting the letters into the computer. And my spirit is making decisions, guiding me as to what to include in this study, what to save for later. In this case I think it is the Holy Spirit that is guiding me, but we will get to that later.
On a much grander scale, that is the is how God works. God the Father I view as the knowledge, the mind of God. Jesus was the hands of God. He came down and lived as one of us, in a physical form so that he would truly understand all that we experience. He also did this without sin so that he could be the perfect sacrifice, giving us the gift of eternal life. The Holy Spirit is the little piece of God that lives in us, to help and guide us.
The Holy Spirit was there from the very beginning. It is a part ot God. If you read the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was there inspiring the writers, telling the prophets what to prophesy, causing miracles and at times hardening the hearts of the enemies so that they would do what God wanted them to do in spite of themselves. While Jesus was alive, there are many references about the Spirit of God coming upon Jesus, making itself known to us through Jesus. After Jesus' death and resurrection, the Spirit came into the disciples and believers, allowing them to do miracles, even to speak in languages that they never knew so that every one could hear the news that God loved them and that we could be right with God.
The Holy Spirit works in us today. In Romans 8:26 and 27 the Bible says "In the same way,m 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. 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."
Have you ever had a time when things were so bad and you were so confused that you couldn't even put into words what was wrong? Maybe even you don't know what is wrong, it just feels like everything is wrong? Through the Spirit going to God for us (interceding) God knows what we feel and what we need and can start to work it out for us. That is powerful yet internal stuff!
Everybody experiences the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Have you ever had an experience where you knew you were in danger, acted to avoid that danger and then found out that you were right? You really could have been hurt? Or the feeling that something is wrong, went to check and yes, there was something wrong? I believe that is the prompting of the Hoiy Spirit also.
If you work with the Spirit, it will take you to places that you never dreamed that you would be, doing things, good things that you never dreamed that you could do. If you asked me six months ago that I would become a Bible teacher on the internet, I would have laughed in your face! I couldn't reliably access my own e-mail at that point, I didn't have the training, I didn't know what I was doing...The reasons that couldn't happen are endless. I am in the library writing a Bible study on the Holy Spirit now, and I am still not sure what I'm doing with a computer 50% of the time. I am sure of why I am doing it, to serve God. The Holy Spirit and my faith is what allows me to do it.
OK what if you tell me that the Holy Spirit told you to go out and slash your neighbor's tires for example. I would call you a liar, because the Holy Spirit would never tell you to do something like that. If the Spirit of God lives in you, you don't even WANT to do something like that. If you are leading a life guided by the Holy Spirit, it looks a certain way. They talk about the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
The Holy Spirit is the daily evidence of God working in us through our faith in Jesus as our savior. It is a wonderful gift free for all Christians, just free for the taking. I hope that this has increased your knowledge and opened your heart for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
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Reply #1 11/20/08 3:52pm
I believe if we had a heart to heart talk with God everyday, and really paid attention in our time with Him, then God would talk back to us everyday. We have to get into a place to do that, and we have to be willing to hear from God. Your right the Holy Spirit is our comforter, and it's our job to accept and receive Him. It's very hard to get into a place of wanting to do it everyday, but God can speak to us everyday and be with us if we pratice it enough and let Him to work through us, and we respond to what He says. It's a hard task, but it can be done through His help. -
Reply #2 11/20/08 11:43pm
Diane, that was such a wonderful explanation that you've given to us. I like to think of the Holy Spirit as my conscience. It's that little "oh oh" feeling in the bottom of my stomach that something is wrong and I shouldn't do it. It's also that really good feeling I get inside when I know deep in my heart that something is the right thing to do. When I'm doubt I just ask God to help me see the right thing and I pray over it. It may not be the answer I'd like, but at least I know that what I'm doing is the right thing to do. In so many situations I ask the simple question, "What would Jesus Do?"
Thanks for such wonderful insight.
MaryAnn
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Reply #3 11/22/08 1:03am
Thanks for the wonderful lesson. -
Reply #4 11/24/08 8:36am
Diane, this bible study is wonderful! The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is for those who accept Jesus Christ into their life, the Holy Spirit is given as a comforter. He guides us into all truth, & abides with us forever. -
Reply #5 12/29/08 10:48am
The Holy Spirit. This "guy" is the most disputed or unknown person of the bible. Some feel that He went away after the the apostles passed along the power to one other person. Others say that He left when the bible was finished. I challenge anyone to find those ideas in the bible! The Holy Spirit is what convicts us of sin. If you look it can even be said it was the father of Jesus. The holy Spirit came over Mary and she then became with child. I feel the bible is clear that if we deny the existance of the Holy Spirit we are doomed. -
Reply #6 01/01/09 1:25am
I love the lesson, so uplifting. God gives us what we need to hear, thank you.
"We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 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."
Thank you God that when we can't get the words out, you know our heart and the Spirit intercedes on our behalf, according to what God's will is. -
Reply #7 03/19/09 11:39pm
The Holy Spirit is a powerful force of the Trinity. When we have the Holy Spirit, it's powerful enough to change lives. It's the greatest gift that has been given to a believer since the sacrificial gift God gave us through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is a guarantee of salvation and it shall NEVER be lost.
I'm so thankful to what the Holy Spirit has done in my life. It has kept me out of trouble many times and has given me the power to help others and be a blessing to others so God gets the ultimate glory. He blesses us with this Spirit so we can be a blessing to others.
In the ministry God gave me to Peru, He has shown me the blessing that He gives me so others can be blessed. It's God that deserves the glory, not me. I'm just an instrument that is used by God. The Holy Spirit directs my life and in everything that I do. So, I thank God very much for this Spirit.
God bless us with allowing the Holy Spirit to direct us in our daily lives!
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