The Holy Spirit

What the Holy Spirit does in our lives

Study 2

How many times is the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Bible?
Here's the answer:
The word Holy Spirit
3xs Old Testament
90xs New Testament (41xs in Acts)

Spirit (with capital S)
73xs Old Testament
222 New Testament

This week's study will focus on what the Holy Spirit does in our lives.
There is so much that I decided to do this in two studies not just this one.

Lets start in:

Acts 8:26-29 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. 27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."

We see the Holy Spirit directing Philip to overtake the chariot of the eunuch. So the Spirit directs us just as God and Jesus does.

We also see this in:

Acts 10:19-20 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 "Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them."

Acts 11:12 "Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.

Acts 11:28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.

The Holy Spirit not only directs us, but will show us future events just also as God and Jesus does.

Acts 16:7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.

Here we see the Spirit directs our path, He can also stop or hinder us from going the wrong way.
We see this in also:

Acts 21:4 And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.

Some times the Spirit will use someone else to keep us from going the wrong way, taking the wrong path or walking into danger. Continuing the warning in:

Acts 21:10-11 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.11 When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' "

Turn to:

Romans 8:8-11(NLT) 8 That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.) 10 Since Christ lives within you, even though your body will die because of sin, your spirit is alive because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ from the dead, he will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit living within you.

The Spirit, and not the flesh lead us as believers, if the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Sometimes the excuse people use not to except Jesus is, "There are so many rules, things I can't do any more. Christians are boring. There not allowed to have fun."
Yes there are rules, but we have rules here on earth that man has made, like you can't drive over 65 MPH on the freeway. These rules are for our own safety, just as God's rules are for our own safety.
But Christians are not good because of the rules; we are good because the Holy Spirit in us, changes us. We are lead by the Holy Spirit!
It's not that we can't go out and party and get drunk, it's just that we don't want to.

We also see in verse 11 that the Spirit gives life.
Do you remember the example I gave the last study with the glass and the water?
The glass is a hard material with no purpose when it is empty, so are we without Jesus.
But fill the glass with water, and every one who's thirsty wants that glass of water. So it is with believers. People see a difference in us and they want it, they just don't know what it is unless we offer it to them.

Rom. 8:26-27 (TLB) And in the same way-- by our faith-- the Holy Spirit helps us with our daily problems and in our praying. For we don't even know what we should pray for nor how to pray as we should, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with such feeling that it cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows, of course, what the Spirit is saying as he pleads for us in harmony with God's own will.

The Spirit helps in our weaknesses, in our praying, and intercedes (prays) for us.
We will go over prayer later in the weeks to come. But I want you to notice that it says, "For we don't even know what we should pray for nor how to pray"
I love to pray, I pray as much as I can everyday. But there are times when I don't want to pray, but I do anyway, and as I do they become some of the best time with the Lord. Why? Because I'm honest with GOD, not trying to impress HIM with my words or pray like someone else.
We should always be like that when we pray. Be honest with GOD, He knows the truth anyway, and you wont shock HIM.
Don't try to pray like others. Talk to GOD as you would your own dad. That's all prayer is, talking to GOD.

Jesus said Matt 6:7 (NLT) "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again.

And don't pray to anyone, or anything other then GOD. No saint, god, statue or spirit can save you or even help you. Only Jesus can save and help you!

I Cor. 2:10-11 (TLB) But we know about these things because God has sent his Spirit to tell us, and his Spirit searches out and shows us all of God's deepest secrets.
No one can really know what anyone else is thinking or what he is really like except that person himself. And no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit.

Gods Spirit shows us the things of God. When you read the Bible as a believer, The Holy Spirit make GOD'S words come alive and exciting.

I Cor. 6:9-11 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

We were all sinners (and we still do sin), but we have been justified, washed in the name of the Lord Jesus, by the Spirit.

I Cor. 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

No one who has the Spirit can curse Jesus, or those who don't have the Holy Spirit can say that Jesus is Lord.
But you know what? If you haven't asked Jesus into your life and you think, "I will never bow down to HIM" you are 100% incorrect.

Phil 2:11 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I would suggest that you do it now.

Eph. 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

Don't be filled or over come with false highs from drugs or alcohol, have the real thing, the Holy Spirit; I guarantee, no hang over.

Mat 3:11 "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit

Rom. 15:19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

By the power of the Spirit we can work mighty signs & wonders. We will go over signs and wonders later when we talk about the gifts of the Spirit.

Also:

1 Cor 2:4 (NLT) And my message and my preaching were very plain. I did not use wise and persuasive speeches, but the Holy Spirit was powerful among you.

And

Micah 3:8 (NLT) But as for me, I am filled with power and the Spirit of the LORD. I am filled with justice and might, fearlessly pointing out Israel's sin and rebellion.

The Holy Spirit gives power

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."

The definition of power in the original Hebrew is dunamis (doo'-nam-is); specially, miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself):

Acts 8:9-22 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the great power of God." 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, "Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 "You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 "Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

Don't seek the Holy Spirit for your own personal gain, (see I Cor. 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:)
We will see in our next study that the Spirit distributes the gifts for the edifying of the church, not you.
Once again don't look for a weird experience. If you prayed last week for the Holy Spirit to fill you to over flowing and nothing happened, great, don't worry about it. Jesus said in

Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

If you asked for the Holy Spirit, then you have the Holy Spirit. Just wait on the Lord and don't expect an experience that someone else had. You will notice a difference in your walk with the Lord, and your witness.

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Who is the
Holy Spirit?

What the
Holy Spirit does
in our lives.

What the
Holy Spirit
does in
our lives
(part II)

Prayer

Prayer
(part II)

Intro to
the gifts of
the
Holy Spirit.

Intro to
the gifts
of the
Holy Spirit
(part II)

Intro to
the gifts
of the
Holy Spirit
(part III)

Intro to
the gifts
of the
Holy Spirit
(part IV)

Word of
Wisdom
& Word of
Knowledge.

Faith