The Holy Spirit

(Acts 2:12-16) Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel."

Who is the Holy Spirit?

He is my inner voice.

(John 16:8) “When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.”

(1 Corinthians 12:3) No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit

He is my teacher.

(John 14:26) “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

(1 John 2:27 NLT) But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know...

He is my guide.

(John 16:13) “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

(Isaiah 30:21) Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

He is my friend.

(John 14:16) “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.”

(2 Corinthians 13:14 Message) “The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.”

The Holy Spirit in Me

(Ephesians 4:30 Message) Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.

1. “Holy Spirit show me what I can't see about myself.”  You can't change what you can't see. 

(Psalm 139:23-24) “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

(Ezekiel 36:26ESV)  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

2. “Holy Spirit change me to be more like Jesus.” 

(2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NLT) For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom... And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

3. "Holy Spirit fill me with yourself.”  Don't be full of yourself.

(Ephesians 5:18) “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

(Acts 13:52 NASB) And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit doesn’t make me better than you, it makes me better than me.

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/the-holy-spirit1

Discussion Guide

Big Idea

Pastor Chris begins the “This is That” series teaching us how we can grow deeper in our faith by opening our lives to the Holy Spirit. 

To do this, we may have to overcome misconceptions we’ve had about the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity. He is not weird and is not someone we should fear or avoid. 

Instead, the Holy Spirit is our inner voice, a holy conscience that keeps us from trouble and shows us a way out. 

He is our teacher who reveals to us the truth of Scripture, helping us understand the Bible. 

The Holy Spirit is our guide, pointing us in the right direction and leading our decisions. 

The Holy Spirit is also our friend. He comes alongside us to help us here on earth. 

To develop an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit, we need to ask Him first to show us what needs attention in our lives. 

Then, we ask Him to change us on the inside. Finally, we ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with all He has for us. 

When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, He works to make us better than we can ever be on our own.

Discussion Questions 

· Share with the group any misconceptions you’ve had about the Holy Spirit. How has your relationship and understanding of the Holy Spirit changed as your faith has matured? 

· When you think of the Holy Spirit, what words come to mind to describe Him? Describe how an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit impacts your daily life. 

· Think about the statement “I’m not where I want to be, but I am nowhere near where I used to be”. 

Is this true for you? 

Share how you have changed spiritually in the past year and what steps you could take to continue growing. How can calling on the Holy Spirit help you in this? 

Prayer Focus

This week, pray using Psalm 139:23-24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” 

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you need to make adjustments in your life and ask Him to change you on the inside. Then ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with every good thing He has for you.

Next Step 

Invite the Holy Spirit into your daily life and listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit as He teaches and guides you. Take a step forward in your faith walk based on His guidance. Spend time in God’s word and pray every day this week.

Leader Tip

Ask your members what their prayer needs are and pray for each of them daily. Encourage your group members to participate in daily prayer and to pray for each other. 

All scripture is from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.