The Holy Spirit - An Encounter with the Spirit of God

Title: The Holy Spirit – An Encounter With the Spirit of God

Scripture: “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 1:8

The greatest desire we should have as Christians is an encounter with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit does not want to be a puzzle or riddle than needs to be solved. He desires to reveal Himself to us and to be known by us. When we begin to see the Holy Spirit as a Person, and not merely an experience, we will have a much unique perspective on living in the fullness of the Spirit or being baptized in the Holy Spirit. On the Day of Pentecost, we read in Acts 2, Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. Sometimes people confuse the sights and sounds of the Spirit’s arrival with the Holy Spirit Himself.

He is Omnipresent, which means that He is in every place at the same time. The psalmist asked in Psalms 139:7 -8 “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.”

Spiritual gifts: The source is the Holy Spirit – a special grace of God given to His children

THE Holy Spirit is Wisdom. He totally understands everything.Isa. 40:13 -14 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding.

The Holy Spirit enables the believer to overcome our sinful desires. The bibles says in Galatians 5:16-18, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”
He empowers believers to act boldly to accomplish God’s purpose.
He gives evidence of His presence and working by producing good fruit in believer’s lives. The bible says, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith (Galatians 5:22-23)

The blessings of the Holy Spirit

HE REGENERATES
1. Saving one through the washing of regeneration (baptism) – Titus 3:4-7
2. Causing one to be reborn, in conjunction with the Word – 1 Peter 1:22-23

HE SANCTIFIES
1. A process begun when washed and justified – 1Co 6:11
2. A process that continues with the aid of the Word – Actz 20:32; Ep 6:17

HE INDWELLS
1. He will give life to our mortal bodies – Romans 8:11
2. motivate us to live holy lives – 1Cor. 6:18-20

HE EMPOWERS
1. That we might put to death the deeds of the flesh – Romans 8:12-13
2. Serving as God’s instrumental agent whereby He strengthens us – Ep 3:16,20

HE INTERCEDES
1. In times of weakness, when we do not know how to pray – Romans 8:26
2. Making intercession for the saints of God – Romans 8:27

HE SEALS
1. A seal marking us as belonging to God – Ep 1:13; 4:3
2. “It is our conviction that when a person obeys the gospel he is given the Holy Spirit. In this way, God seals the person. In effect God says, ‘This person belongs to me; let everyone take note.” – Ferrell Jenkins, The Finger of God, p.19

The entire life of the believer is to be lived ‘by the Spirit’, under His guidance and direction, by His aid and help and power. If a man so lives, he will not yield to the sinful desires of the flesh.

Prayer Points