Holy Spirit

Acts 1:8 - But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Not by talent, being refined or high education but by the power of the Holy Spirit will we burn before the world revealing the glory of God!

Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. – See Fruit of the Spirit

Acts 14:9 - This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, and Paul looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed. (By the Spirit, Paul discerned the state of this person.)

1 Corinthians 2: 9-14 – (Isaiah 64:4) But as it is written: "EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." (Prophecy that states these truth’s are made known by the Holy Spirit – not discovered by the natural senses but revealed to those who love Him. Eye, ear and heart/mind are the means by which we learn earthly things.) But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. (The Spirit illuminates this to us for our understanding. Science, philosophy, human reason are totally inadequate to find the truth of God). For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (The apostles didn’t use their own words but words formed / inspired directly from the Spirit’s wisdom). But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. *Spirit of the world is not a spirit that is received but is our carnal, unregenerate spirit. The carnal, natural man cannot understand love for the things of God; he lives for the passions of self.

1 Corinthians 6: 18,19 - Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. - Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

We are to glorify God w/our bodies (and our spirits)

We are to care for our bodies in a healthy and God fearing way.
We are to dress our body appropriately.
We are to be mindful of the actions we do w/our body.

Ephesians 4:23,24 - and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. *It is not by mere reason or psychology but by the supernatural movement of the Holy Spirit that our minds are renewed. He convicts us of sin, brings us to repentance and new life and empowers us to live it.

Ephesians 5:18-21 (Father, Son and Spirit)

Being drunk and high is living a life of excess (reckless waste of resources in the pursuit of pleasure) which carries serious consequences.
INSTEAD, choose to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Filled is “pleroo” and was used to describe the wind filling the sails of a ship. In this way the Spirit also provides the power to move us in His will as we submit to His desires with joy.
Beware of disordered desire. Surface desires point to much deeper longings. We are ultimately created to be in union with God. Trace surface desires to their foundation.
As seasoning permeates food to add flavor so the Spirit desires to permeate and flavor our lives.
Pleroo points to domination and control. Whatever fills us, controls us. Consider what fills us; anger, lust, pride, sorrow or the fruits of the Spirit? We must be self controlled and not allow emotion to overwhelm and control our reactions.
What is filling our hearts and minds? We are to be continually filled. This is the normal daily life of those in Christ. This is NOT only reserved for special spiritual experiences.

Making melody in our hearts – psalms, hymns, spiritual songs

Making melody (psallo) originally meant to pluck hair or tweak a carpenter string – not musical related. It is something we do.
Think of our heart as a storehouse. Our mindset plays a strong role in what thoughts & feelings put down deep roots in our lives. Holy and pure ones will build up a Spirit filled storehouse pouring forth praise and His expression in full!

If we are filled with the Spirit this is present (by His power):

Joy -- Thankfulness -- Submissiveness (Humility)
The Fear of the Lord

Unto God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ

Jesus makes it all possible. He is our intercessor, our Messiah. We come before the Father and offer thanksgiving & praise in Jesus name and righteousness. Our deepest joy is that we are now seen and known in Him. We are no longer seen only as our individual selves but as intertwined and joined in Jesus. We are His body.

Exodus 35:21 - Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD's offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.

A stirred heart and willing They loved God and desired His presence. They were grateful and had faith in His promises.

John 3:6 - That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. – The Holy Spirit, by the Word of God “re-creates” our dark and empty lives and we are born again.

John 14:16,17 - “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.

Another (allos) vs Another (heteros). In the Greek, two words are used for another. They both carry the idea of “different” but heteros means this other is altered or strange. In Galatians 1:6 Paul speaks of another (heteros) gospel which is not just another (allos) account but distorts the true gospel. Allos might be thought of as if you’re being sent to represent someone. You are not them but are coming in their “name, character and likeness” as if you were them.
Helper (parakletos) which means “called to one’s side.” The term was often used in a legal sense (in court) for someone that gives aid such as a legal assistant or advocate that is there to plead your case and comfort you. By Jesus saying, “…another Helper” He is saying this advocate will be to you what I have been to you.

John 14:26 - “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you. * True comfort strengthens us; builds us up so we may persevere through the trials of life. The Spirit stands beside us; we are not alone.

John 16:7-15

Jesus departed so the Helper would come.
The Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness & judgment
The Spirit is proof of the righteousness of Christ who died, resurrected and returned to the Father.
The Spirit is evidence that satan is defeated. The Spirit in us reigns in the earth as we witness to others so they may see their sin and need for salvation and righteousness through Christ Jesus.
The Spirit is our guide. He speaks what He hears from the Father & Son. The Spirit teaches and leads us to walk out the word.
The Spirit will reveal all the never ending truths and glories of Christ.
Verses 14,15: …He (Holy Spirit) will glorify Me, for He will take take from Mine and disclose (declare / show) it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine.

God has a storehouse of wealth and the Holy Spirit is the keeper. Make friends with the Keeper of the storehouse!
When we cease to glorify Jesus in the thoughts and actions of our lives, the Holy Spirit withdraws.

Eyes, ears and imagination = circumstances happening in the natural. We can only perceive in our spirit man. The mind picks up on what we discern in our spirit. We are to assess or take in a situation or circumstance with our natural senses and then switch our attention and focus in on how this is impacting our spirit (inner life).

Luke 8:46 - But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me." (Jesus knew the touch was different…it was a touch that originated from faith. Power had gone out of Him.)

Mark 2:8 - But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? (Jesus was clearly aware of their thoughts)

Matthew 3:16,17 - After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settling on Him, and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” * It’s the “lamb nature” that attracts the Holy Spirit (Purity, meekness, surrender)

2 Peter 1: 3-8 (Ask the Father to reveal His provision for a situation)

as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue (the wonders of His person), by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature,(being conformed to His image) having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

His power saves us and also energizes us to live it. His divine power is the source of holiness which then flows through the channel of our knowledge about Him and actually knowing and walking with Him. As this grows then we become increasingly like Him.

There are thousands of promises but consider these regarding a life of holiness:

Freedom from the dominion of sin (Romans 6:14)
His grace and strength (2 Cor 12:9)
Power to obey (Eph 3:20 and Philippians 4:13)
Submit to God, resist the devil (James 4:7)
Escape temptation (1 Cor 10:13)
Confess, be forgiven and cleansed (1 Jn 1:9)

Why should we discipline ourselves? So that Christ will have the absolute best of our lives! Failure to persevere leads to being: unfruitful, blind and forgetful.

When we are redeemed, salvation comes to our spirit man and we are made new. It is a different process for the soul which is made of our mind, our will, emotions / feelings. As we continue in the word, abiding in Christ, our soul is renewed and we become increasingly conformed to Him. Now, the Holy Spirit sits “in” our spirits, we are His dwelling place, and this is where He communicates with us. This is not by our thinking or reason but by a sense of quickening or instant knowing full of His rest and peace. Through this the will of God becomes our will.

Romans 5:5 - and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 8:2-6

The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin & death.
As we yield ourselves, seek Christ & walk in the Spirit the righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled.
Living w/ a primary focus on the material realm defines and establishes our mindset which is like a “living death”. Living by the Spirit frees us to have a mind set upon the fruits of the Spirit which fills our living with His life and peace.

How might I address (pray to) the Holy Spirit

You are God, You are Holy, Your presence fills me with joy.
I worship God & rejoice in Christ Jesus - IN YOU. Phil 3:3. * When relationship with the Holy Spirit is authentic, healthy and vibrant then true love, worship and adoration flow from that relationship towards the Father and Jesus. When we try to “produce” worship towards the Father & Son in another way it always falls flat.

1 Corinthians 12:7-13

Please prepare me to receive Your expression so that I may be a vessel of life.
May my capacity be enlarged to receive Your thoughts so that the roots of wisdom grow deep and remain steadfast.
I pray for direction and endurance in the renewing of my mind so that knowledge, when given, may be clearly known.
Holy Spirit, help me to understand how You give faith. May the soil of my life be rich, pure and full of nutrients to produce lasting spiritual fruit.
As You give, I rejoice in thinking of all the ways in which healing may flow to bring freedom, peace and health; healing that ushers us deep into Your love and cultivates Godly desire so that we may overflow with the sweetness of Your goodness.
Holy Spirit, I want to be empty of pride, cleansed of idols and free of any encumbrance that hinders Your expression. I welcome miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, tongues and any work as a result of Your presence in me so that all may know the glory of God!
It is by You, Holy Spirit, that I am baptized into the Body of Christ. Because of You, my internal thirst is satisfied. I am now bathed, made new and live in union with Jesus Christ.
Where there wasselfish ambition, idolatry, fornication and adultery there is nowfaith and love.
Where there waswordly pleasure there is nowGodly joy.
Where there wasfear and anxiousness there is now
Where there was instant gratification there is now long suffering and patience.
Where there wasout of control emotion and instability there is nowkindness, gentleness, stability and even temperance.
Where there was division and strife there is nowthe beauty of unity and life.

John 16:13-15

You lead and show me the way so that I may walk in truth.
You bring lightto dark areas of understanding and make things clear concerning the ongoing work of the Kingdom.
Your heart, words and character are in perfect unison with the Father and Son.
Living close to You produces worship in me. This is the natural, intended flow of praise. It is for You – for the Father – and for the Son. All in equal measure.

Thank you Holy Spirit for convicting me when I fall short. Thank you for helping and comforting me in times of need.