The Holy Spirit Empowers Us

Ephesians 3:16– that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man

I am terrible when it comes to building things requiring tools to assemble.  Throw in the curve ball of no instructions for a DIY project and I might as well quit before I get started.  You could say I am hammer, screwdriver, saw, etc. challenged.  But even in my pitiful state of tool ineptness, I recognize the benefits of a power tool over a standard hand tool.  For example, on the rare occasion I am forced to use a screwdriver, I will always opt for the power of an electric drill.  Why? Because I can complete the job far more quickly, efficiently, and impress my wife by using the power drill.


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The Holy Spirit Guides Us

Before the Holy Spirit came to indwell servants of Christ, a system of lots was used to determine God’s will in many situations.  In fact, just before the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), the disciples chose someone to replace Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Christ.  They used the system of casting lots to make the choice (Acts 1:23-26).
 
After the day of Pentecost, a distinct difference exists in the way followers of Christ operated to make choices.  When a decision was made by some to send Paul and Barnabas out to declare the gospel, the Holy Spirit directed them specifically to do so; He spoke to them (Acts 13:2).  And when Paul and Barnabas, in turn, traveled to Cyprus they were “sent out by the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:4).

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The Holy Spirit Intercedes for Us

Are you currently experiencing a situation in life so painful and distracting, you simply do not know how to pray?  Perhaps a severe health issue, a financial crisis, family problems, job uncertainty, or a combination of the above?  The great and comforting truth of scripture is, when you and I do not know how to pray, the Holy Spirit does it for us.  He intercedes on our behalf!

Romans 8:26, 27 – Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.


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The Holy Spirit Illuminates God’s Truth

Imagine you are entering a dark room.  You can see the vague outline of furniture; a table here and a lamp there.  It could be the most beautiful room full of Victorian furniture, impeccably decorated walls, and priceless artwork, but without the lights on, you can only see odd shapes and outlines.  You cannot truly enjoy or appreciate the beauty without light to illuminate it for you!  God’s truth is like that room.  Mankind knows it’s there, but understanding it and applying it requires the light to be turned on.

1 Corinthians 2:10-13 – But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. 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.


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The Holy Spirit Indwells Us

As discussed in our previous post, the Holy Spirit is God and His activity in the life of a believer is critical to our spiritual fulfillment.  In the next several posts, we will look at how He is important to our lives each and every day.

Today we focus on the spiritual truth, He indwells us. Romans 8:9 says, “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.”  When we accept Christ as Savior and make Him Lord over our life (Romans 10:9, 10), the Holy Spirit takes up residence inside of us.  He is God’s seal upon our lives declaring to the world and assuring us, we belong to Him (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13).

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