Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations in this publication are taken from the New American Standard Bible (nasb), The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission. (www.lockman.org). Verses marked niv are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (niv ) Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Verses marked msg are taken from The Message. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Verses marked wms are taken from the Williams New Testament in the Language of the People. Copyright 1995, Charlotte Williams Sprawls. All rights reserved. Verses marked tlb are taken from The Living Bible. Copyright 1971, used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189, all rights reserved. Verses marked amp are taken from The Amplified Bible, Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Used by permission. (www.lockman.org) Verses marked nlt are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved. Verses marked gnb are taken from The Bible In Today s English Version published by American Bible Society 1966, 1971, 1976. All rights reserved. Verses marked cev are taken from the Contemporary English Version published by American Bible Society 1995. All rights reserved. Verses marked ncv are taken from the New Century Version. Copyright 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Verises marked phillips are taken from The Phillips Translation by J.B. Phillips 1959, 1960 printed in Great Britain by Cox & Wyman Ltd., Reading for the publishers Geoffrey Bles Ltd. Verses marked kjv are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Quiet Time Ministries has made every effort to trace the ownership of all poems and quotes. In the event of a question arising from the use of a poem or quote, we regret any error made and will be pleased to make the necessary correction in future editions of this book. Cover by Quiet Time Ministries. Cover photo from Photos.com Run Before The Wind Truths From Acts to Enjoy Life in the Spirit Copyright 2008 by Catherine Martin Published by Quiet Time Ministries Palm Desert, California 92255 www.quiettime.org ISBN-13: 978-0-9766886-0-0 Second Edition published by Quiet Time Ministries 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 / LSI / 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
J Contents j Introduction... 11 Introduction Week Viewer Guide... 17 week 1: Life in the Spirit John 10:10 Day 1: The Promise of Life... 21 Day 2: The Promise of the Spirit... 25 Day 3: The Secret of the Promise... 29 Day 4: Good News Promised on a Sad Day... 33 Day 5: Waiting for the Promise... 37 Days 6 and 7: Devotional Reading by A.B. Simpson... 41 Week One Viewer Guide... 43 week 2: Power in the Spirit Acts 1:8 Day 1: The Power of the Spirit... 47 Day 2: The Person of the Spirit... 51 Day 3: The Experience of the Spirit... 55 Day 4: The Testimony of the Spirit... 59 Day 5: The Influence of the Spirit... 63 Days 6 and 7: Devotional Reading by Andrew Murray... 67 Week Two Viewer Guide... 69 week 3: Filled with the Spirit Ephesians 5:18 Day 1: The Day of Pentecost... 73 Day 2: Fulfillment of the Promise... 77 Day 3: Jesus Continues His Ministry... 81 Day 4: Power in Earthen Vessels... 85 Day 5: Boldness in the Spirit... 89
Days 6 and 7: Devotional Reading by Andrew Murray... 93 Week Three Viewer Guide... 95 week 4: Strengthened by the Spirit Philippians 4:13 Day 1: Strength in Service... 99 Day 2: Strength in Suffering... 103 Day 3: Strength from Above... 107 Day 4: Strength in the Shadow... 111 Day 5: Strength for Every Need... 115 Days 6 and 7: Devotional Reading by A.W. Tozer... 119 Week Four Viewer Guide... 121 week 5: Moved by the Spirit 2 Peter 1:21 Day 1: Philip... 125 Day 2: Paul... 129 Day 3: Peter... 133 Day 4: Barnabas... 137 Day 5: The Early Church... 141 Days 6 and 7: Devotional Reading by Reverend Hubert Brooks... 145 Week Five Viewer Guide... 147 week 6: Led by the Spirit Romans 8:14 Day 1: He Sends You... 151 Day 2: He Finds Hungry Hearts... 155 Day 3: He Spreads the Word... 159 Day 4: He Encourages the Church... 163 Day 5: He Gives You a Ministry... 167 Days 6 and 7: Devotional Reading by William Newell... 171 Week Six Viewer Guide... 173
week 7: Set Free by the Spirit 2 Corinthians 3:17 Day 1: Free to Pass It On... 177 Day 2: Free to Say Yes to God s No... 181 Day 3: Free to Focus with Purpose... 185 Day 4: Free to Influence the World... 189 Day 5: Free to Finish the Course... 193 Days 6 and 7: Devotional Reading by F.B. Meyer... 197 Week Seven Viewer Guide... 199 week 8: Encouragement in the Spirit Acts 9:31 Day 1: Encouraged to Minister... 203 Day 2: Encouraged in Suffering... 207 Day 3: Encouraged to Speak for the Lord... 211 Day 4: Encouraged to Brave the Storm... 215 Day 5: Encouraged to Answer the Call from Christ... 219 Days 6 and 7: Devotional Reading from Streams in the Desert... 223 Week Eight Viewer Guide... 225 appendix Leader s Guide and Discussion Questions... 231 Event Timeline in the Life of Paul... 249 Books on Acts and the Holy Spirit... 249 Notes.................................................... 251 Acknowledgments... 255 Journal and Prayer Pages... 257
J Week One Life In the spirit John 10:10 Abounding life is just the fullness of life in Christ, made possible by His death and resurrection, and made actual by the indwelling and infilling of the Holy Spirit. 1 Rev. W. Graham Scroggie
J Day 1 j The Promise Of Life I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. Jesus in John 10:10 Prepare Your Heart Have you ever asked, What is the meaning of life? Why am I here? What s it all about? According to the writer of Ecclesiastes, God has set eternity in your heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11). What that means is that you are designed to ask such questions and have a concern about your life. And what answers have you discovered to such profound and life-changing questions? In your search, have you considered what a man named Jesus said two thousand years ago? He said to those in His audience, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me (John 14:6). C.S. Lewis, author of Mere Christianity, corresponded with poignant words to Sheldon Vanauken, a seeker of truth. In his letters to Vanauken, he wrote of his own searching heart, My own position at the threshold of Christianity was exactly the opposite of yours. You wish it were true; I strongly hoped it was not. At least, that was my conscious wish It is only Christianity which compels a high brow like me to partake But I think you are already in the meshes of the net! The Holy Spirit is after you. I doubt if you ll get away! God used the letters of C.S. Lewis to profoundly influence Vanauken. He made a conscious decision to trust in Christ and wrote to Lewis about his commitment. Lewis responded: Dear Vanauken, My prayers are answered... Blessings on you and a hundred thousand welcomes. Make use of me in any way you please: and let us pray for each other always. Yours, C.S. Lewis. As you think about life, how would you define it? How would you answer the question, What is life all about? Ask God to speak to your heart today as you explore what Jesus had to say about life. Write a prayer expressing all that is on your heart. 21
J Week One j Read and Study God s Word 1. One day Jesus was talking to His disciples and also to some of the religious Jews in the audience known as the Pharisees. He shared some very important truths about Himself. Read John 10:7-10 and write out everything you learn about Jesus. 2. Read John 10:7-10 and think about how Jesus is describing life for those who are saved (John 10:9). Write out everything you notice about life as Jesus describes it. 3. The Greek word translated life is zoe and means a real and genuine life, a life devoted to God. It is the life that is truly life a life that is really worthwhile. Look at the following verses and write out everything you learn about life and about the Holy Spirit: John 3:14-17 John 5:39-40 John 6:63 22
J Life in the Spirit j John 7:37-39 Romans 8:11 Galatians 2:20 Galatians 6:8 1 John 5:11-13 Adore God in Prayer Talk with God today about your life. Ask Him to give you real and abundant life. Yield Yourself to God God is the fount of life, and Christ is the life of God for men. Christ s life is the true source of life for the souls and bodies of His children. This life He imparts to us through the Holy Spirit, who becomes to the soul that is united to Him, the medium and the channel of vital union and communion with Christ, our Living Head. It is thus that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, because He imparts to us the life of Jesus. 2 A.B. Simpson in Walking In The Spirit 23
J Week One j Enjoy His Presence Do you know the abundant and overflowing life promised by Jesus? If you have never entered into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, then that is the first step in the great adventure of knowing God. He invites you to come to Him and receive Him as your Savior and Lord. To do that, you may pray to Him with words similar to this: Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I invite You now to come into my life, forgive my sins, and make me the person You want me to be. Amen. Jesus speaks of abundant life because He intends for you to have it for yourself. That is what this book is all about engaging in real life life in the Spirit. And when you do, you will run before the wind. And oh what an adventure it will be. Close your time today with the Lord by writing a prayer to Him, expressing all that is on your heart. Rest in His Love But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:11). 24
Viewer Guide J week one j The Promise Of The Holy Spirit You have just completed the first week of study in Run Before The Wind. Today we are going to share together the magnificent promise of the Holy Spirit. I want you to see why the Holy Spirit is so important in your life. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever (John 14:16). Why the Holy Spirit is a Promise Worth Waiting for: 1. The Holy Spirit is God s to you in answer to Jesus for you. 2. The Holy Spirit is Helper. 3. He clothes you with. 4. You have everything you. How God s Ways and Thoughts are Different than Ours: 43
J Week One j How We Can Be a Champion of Waiting on the Lord 1. in the Lord. Psalm 37:3 2. in His Word. Psalm 130:5 3. Cultivate. Psalm 37:3 J Video messages are available on DVDs or as Downloadable M4V Video. Audio messages are available on Audio CDs or as Downloadable MP3 Audio. Visit the Quiet Time Ministries Online Store at www.quiettime.org. 44