FOUNDATIONS: THE HOLY SPIRIT Lesson #4 Intro. We re concluding our study on the Holy Spirit. John 14:16 (NKJV) And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever 1. The Holy Spirit has been given to help us a. He helps us love, He teaches us, He anoints us, He helps us live the Christian life Tonight we re going to close by looking at another way He helps us I. THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US The Holy Spirit is God and no one will ever be able to know all there is to know about Him; He s simply too big for us to understand all 1 Corinthians 13:9 (AMP) For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect). Even the Apostle Paul admitted he didn t know or understand it all My purpose in teaching this series hasn t been to reveal everything there is to know about the Holy Spirit; He s far too big a subject! But my goal is to help us see that God s desire is for us to experience Him on a deeper level This is why the Holy Spirit has come John 20:19-22 (NKJV) 19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 1
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. ex. This was the first time Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection. The Holy Spirit comes inside them as Jesus breaths on them in fulfillment of His earlier promise. John 14:16-18 (NKJV) 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In Luke s Gospel He describes this same first meeting with Jesus and His disciples and tells them to wait in Jerusalem until the power of the Holy Spirit comes upon them Luke 24:49 (NKJV) Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." Jesus appears to them, breaths on them and says, Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20:22) And then in Luke He tells them to wait in Jerusalem until they are empowered from on high. The promise of power from on high was a promise of more of the Holy Spirit A. THE PROMISE OF MORE HAS BECOME KNOWN AS THE Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV) 4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 2
Jesus had already breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit. But now He is telling them there was going to be more! They were going to be baptized ( submerged or covered over ) with Him again, Luke 24:49 (NKJV) Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." The word endued here means to put on or sink into like a garment, to wear The Holy Spirit came to clothe us or cover us with power! After Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples waited in Jerusalem and on the day of Pentecost the power fell and they received more! Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV) 1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:16-18 (NKJV) 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. I believe the foremost evidence of our receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is power Acts 1:8 (NKJV) 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." 3
The word power used here is from the Greek word dynamis pronounced doo-nam-is ; we get our word dynamite from it Dynamis means ability, might, miracle, power, strength II. THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US SUPERNATURAL We re going to look at areas where the Holy Spirit gives ability A. HE GIVES US THE ABILITY TO 1. After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit the disciples were empowered with Acts 4:13 (NLT) The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. ex. Before the Holy Spirit fell these guys were timid and afraid; sitting behind locked doors. After Acts 2 and their experience with being filled with the Spirit they went out boldly preaching Jesus. Acts 4:19-20 (NKJV) 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." The Holy Spirit will give us the boldness to be a witness Philemon 1:6 (NKJV) that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit abides or lives inside us to help us share our faith B. THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US ABILITY THROUGH 4
1. He gives us the power to Hebrews 2:4 (NKJV) God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will. Every one of us here has the ability to pray for miracles of healing, physical and emotional, if we ll just believe in the power of the Holy Spirit in us C. ONE OF THE PROMINENT GIFTS OR ABILITIES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS 1. The experience of speaking in other tongues in the Acts 2:4 (NKJV) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. a. It s important to note that they spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance b. In other words it was them speaking what the Spirit gave them to say Acts 10:44-46 (NKJV) 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Acts 19:1-6 (NKJV) 1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." 3 And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they 5
said, "Into John's baptism." 4 Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Speaking in tongues was a common experience in the early church D. HOW DOES SPEAKING IN OTHER TONGUES 1. There is a benefit to the 1 Corinthians 14:26 (NKJV) 26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. a. Paul was correcting an imbalance in the Corinthian church ex. If you read 1Cor. 14 it implies when these believers came to church it was chaotic. Some people were shouting in tongues, some were prophesying, and others were singing. This was all going on at the same time and it caused confusion. b. Paul wrote to bring order into disorder 1 Corinthians 14:39-40 (NKJV) 39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order. c. From what Paul wrote in 1Cor. 14 the primary use of tongues during a church service will be for the purpose of interpretation (a prophetic message from God) 6
d. He says when the message is interpreted so that all can understand the word God is bringing, all the church is edified or built up 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 (NKJV) 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 2. The of speaking in other tongues a. It benefits us in our prayer 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 (NKJV) 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. Paul said praying in tongues by-passes our natural understanding and prays in the spirit Romans 8:26 (ESV) Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Ephesians 6:18 (NKJV) praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-- b. Praying and praising in the Spirit builds our faith Jude 1:20 (NKJV) But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 14:4 (NKJV) He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself This word edifies means to build up The Holy Spirit has been given to us to bring a constant sense of security in an insecure world 7
John 14:16 (NKJV) And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever PRAYER AND CONFESSION: Thank You Jesus, for sending the Holy Spirit. He is always with me, to guide me, teach me, and empower me. I ask You to fill me to overflowing, in Jesus name, Amen. FILL IN THE BLANKS FROM LESSON #4 I. THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US (POWER) A. THE PROMISE OF MORE HAS BECOME KNOWN AS THE (BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT) II. THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US SUPERNATURAL (ABILITY) A. HE GIVES US THE ABILITY TO (BE A WITNESS) 1. After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit the disciples were empowered with (boldness) B. THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US ABILITY THROUGH (SIGNS AND WONDERS) 1. He gives us the power to (act) C. ONE OF THE PROMINENT GIFTS OR ABILITIES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS (SPEAKING IN OTHER TONGUES) 1. The experience of speaking in other tongues in the D. HOW DOES SPEAKING IN OTHER TONGUES (BENEFIT US?) 1. There is a benefit to the (church) 2. The (personal benefits) of speaking in other tongues 8