Date: 17-July-2023
Name: Simon
Topic: THE HOLY SPIRIT - OUR HELPER
Content:
ohn 16:7 AMP
But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you].
*How does the Holy Spirit help us?*
*1.The Holy Spirit helps us to pray and pray for us.*
As Christians, our most powerful resource is communion with God through prayer.
James 5:16 NKJV tells us that the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Effective, Fervent prayer comes as the Holy Spirit assists us in praying with groanings too deep for words.The Holy Spirit leads to pray for things that align with His will/ purposes.
Romans 8:26-27 NLT
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. [27] And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.
*2. The Holy Spirit teaches us the word.*
As we study the Gods word,we must depend on the Holy Spirit to plant truth in our minds, convince us of God’s will, and remind us when we stray from it.
John 14:26 NKJV
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
*3.The Holy Spirit will guides us into all truth and helps us, to discern right from wrong.*
John 16:13 NLT
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
Isaiah 30:21 NLT
Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, "This is the way you should go," whether to the right or to the left.
In Romans 8:5-6 Paul divides people into two categories: those who are dominated by their sinful nature and those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit. All of us would be in the first category if Jesus hadn’t offered us a way out.
Romans 8:5-6 NLT
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
After His baptism, Jesus filled with The Holy Spirit was led to the wilderness and was able to overcome the devil and his temptations.
Matthew 4:1 NLT
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.
A person has not shown true obedience if he or she has never had an opportunity to disobey. We, too, will be tested. Because we know that testing will come, we should be alert and ready for it. Remember, your convictions are only strong if they hold up under pressure!
Just as Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit, let us allow Him to led us into all truth and help us, to discern right from wrong. He teaches us how to live each day as we turn our backs on ungodliness.
Titus 2:12 TPT
This same grace teaches us how to live each day as we turn our backs on ungodliness and indulgent lifestyles, and it equips us to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in this present age.
Bro Ade shared a message yesterday morning on pursuing holiness.
Our partnership with the Holy Spirit will enable us to live a holy life.
*4. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and revelation and He renews our minds.*
a) Wisdom and revelation
Ephesians 1:17 NIV
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
James 1:5 NIV
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
b) Renewing of your mind
Romans 12:2 NKJV
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
As we yield to the Holy Spirit, He will bring transformation to our minds.Only when the Holy Spirit renews, reeducates, and redirects our minds are we truly transformed.
Romans 12:2 TPT
Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.
*5.The Holy Spirit convinces us of our sonship.*
Romans 8:15-16
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
*6.The Holy Spirit comforts us.*
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. [4] He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
Psalm 34:18 NLT
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
Psalms 46:1 NIV
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
It is the permanently indwelling Holy Spirit who has been sent by the Father to commune with us as our Comforter and Guide - our Shield and Defender.
He is always there for us, no matter what difficulties or dangers we may have to face.
Last week marked the 3rd anniversary since my dad went home to be with the Lord. As I cherished memories of my dad, I continue to experience supernatural peace and comfort that can only come from our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.
*7.The Holy Spirit gives us hope, joy, and peace.*
Romans 15:13 NLT
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
*8.The Holy Spirit gives us boldness.*
Acts 4:31 NLT
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.
When it comes to our position and our assignment on this earth from our Master Jesus, no one gives us the stirring and the boldness to step out and let our voice be heard for the salvation of mankind for such a time as this as the Holy Spirit in us does.
Esther 4:14 NKJV
For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Esther’s guardian Mordecai is a type and shadow of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our personal Guardian, Guide, Counselor, Strengthener, Advocate and so much more.
He is the one who gives us the boldness to even invite others to MAGH events like the upcoming HangOut.
*9. The Holy Spirit leads us and enables us to walk in obedience.*
Ezekiel 36:27 NIV
And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
*10.The Holy Spirit produces fruitfulness in your life. He develops Christ's character in you*
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
The influence of the Holy Spirit alters your character in a very remarkable way. The proof that you know the Holy Spirit is that you submit your will for His characteristic to begin to find expressions in and through you.
The moment you became a Christian, the Holy Spirit began a divine work
to produce Christ's character in you. The Spirit looks to Christ in order to find the blueprint for your character.
- The Spirit will immediately begin
helping you experience and practice the same *love* that Jesus had when He laid down His life for His friends.
- The same *joy* He experienced will now fill you.
- The identical *peace* that guarded the heart of Jesus, even as He was being beaten and mocked, will be the peace that the Spirit will give you in times of trials.
- The *patience* Jesus had for His most unteachable disciple will be the patience that the Spirit now develops in you.
- The *kindness* Jesus showed toward children and sinners will soften your heart toward others.
-There will be a *goodness* about you that is only explainable by the presence of the Spirit of God.
- The Spirit will build the same *faithfulness* into you that led Jesus to be entirely obedient to His Father.
- The Spirit will teach you *self-control* so that you will have strength to do what is right and to resist temptation.
All of this is as natural as the growth of fruit on a tree.You do not have to orchestrate it on your own. It
automatically begins the moment you become a believer. How quickly it happens depends upon how
completely you partner and yield yourself to the Holy Spirit.
Your partnership with the Holy Spirit is what will produce results for without Him, you can do nothing.
John 15:5 NKJV
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
Let us learn how to partner with the Holy Spirit by yielding and aligning ourselves through obedience.
*Prayer Points*
1 John 5:14 NIV
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
*1. Hunger and thirst*
Isaiah 44:3 ESV
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
This is a prophetic promise to you and I, that wherever there is hunger and thirst, wherever there are those that are desperate for the move of the Holy Spirit, God has promised to pour out His presence. I pray that we will have such an intense hunger and thirst for God's presence.
James 4:8
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
Psalm 145:18 NLT
The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.
Isaiah 55:6 NKJV
Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
Psalms 42:1 NIV
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
Prayer Points:
Prayer
_Heavenly Father, I am yearning for an encounter with you this morning. I want a closer and more intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit._
*2. Spirit of wisdom and revelation*
Ephesians 1:17 NIV
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
Prayer
_Father God grant me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that I may know you better. Grant us the revelation on how we as believers through fellowship and partnership with the Holy Spirit will know You better._
*3. Surrender and allow Holy Spirit to produce the character of Christ in me.*
The secret to walking in the spirit is surrender.
Romans 12:1 ESV
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Prayer
_Holy Spirit, I surrender my life to you, transform me and produce the character of Christ in me. Show me how to partner with You because without You I can do nothing._
*4. Salvations and boldness to witness to others*
Acts 1:8 NLT
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere-in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
John 6:44 NLT
For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.
Prayer
_Holy Spirit, would you touch my unsaved ( family members, workmates, friends etc). Give us the boldness to reach out to those you have placed around us. I pray that you will reveal yourself to them as we witness to them. I pray that they will experience a life changing encounter with You._
