Power of the Holy Spirit

The Power of the Holy Spirit. It is impossible for anyone to experience a victorious Christian life or fulfill their God-given purpose in life without the direction and empowering of the Holy Spirit. Example: Peter was cowardly and often very ignorant before being filled with the Holy Spirit. After being filled there was a complete transformation (Before: Jn.18:17, 25-27; After: Acts 2: all especially v.41). Many Christians live life in their own power for their own purposes. Many ministries are conducted in the same way. It is vital we allow the Holy Spirit His place. It is impossible to be in tune with God, without the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 2:6-16). A life without the Holy Spirit’s power will be void of God’s Character and power (Gal.5:22 - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control). Who is the Holy Spirit and what does He do? He is not an impersonal force, a mystical feeling, a spooky ghost, a hijacking tyrant or an unbridled lunatic. He is God, part of the Trinity.Verses: 2Cor. 3:3 and 17. He indwells every Christian as a guarantee of their salvation. Verses: 2Cor.5:5, Eph.1:13. He empowers us and directs us, as we allow. Every Christian has the Holy Spirit in their life but not all Christians allow the Holy Spirit to lead them – empowering and directing them. Everything He does is done to glorify Christ (Jn.16:14). Here are a few things the Holy Spirit does: He intercedes for us (Rom.8:26), He convicts us of sin and draws us to Christ (Jn. 16:8), Gives us access to God through spiritual rebirth (Titus 3:5, Jn.3:3-8) and a Spirit of Sonship (Rom.8:15), He sanctifies and renews us (Rom.5:16, Titus 3:5), He encourages, comforts and helps us when we are weak (Jn.14:6, Rom.8:26 - Parakletos - “one who comes along side!”), He guides us (Rom.8:14), He leads us into all Truth (Jn.16:13), He teaches and reminds us (Jn.14:26), He illuminates God’s Word to us (1 Cor.2:12), He enables us to obey God (Ez.36:27, a specific example - Ez.2:1-2), He empowers, energizes and strengthens us (Eph.3:16, Col.1:29), He specifically empowers us to witness (Acts 1:8), He Ministers through us (1 Cor.12:7), He gives each of us different gifts, talents and abilities as He desires (1 Cor.12:11; Obedience is the issue!), How are you supposed to find out where you’re gifted? 1 Tim.4:14 - do not neglect those gifts (Parable of the talents - Mt.25:14-30), He is transforming us, making us more like Jesus (2 Cor.3:18) and He produces God’s fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) in us (Gal.5:22-23). If you’re doing (or trying to do) any of that on your own, you will come up short! Baptized, Indwealt and Filled - what’s the difference? Baptism (A placement into God’s family): Mt.3:11, Mk.1:8, Lk.3:16, Jn.1:33, Acts 1:5, 11:16 - Jesus will Baptize with the Holy Spirit. Observed in 3 places - Acts 2:38- Jerusalem, Acts 8:16 - Samaria, Acts 10:44-47 - Ends of the earth - the Gentiles. Remember 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. Acts 10:47, 11:17-18 - God proved to the Jewish Believers these were their brothers. Defined in 1 Cor.12:13 - For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and