Discuss: 1) What was your understanding of and relationship with the Holy Spirit up to this point? What is it now? 2) How can you keep in step with the Holy Spirit? 3) In light of today’s reading, where do you want to invite the Holy Spirit to be present in your life? Remember: you will need to spend 1 hour in the Prayer Experience on pages 63-64. It’s best if you can do it in person as a group (it’s up to the group to decide). Then share your experience by SMS text this weekend.
Introduction Peter leads a large group of disciples to an isolated (perhaps secretive) meeting where Jesus will once again give them their marching orders. Then they make their way back to Jerusalem to await the coming Holy Spirit as the movement switches into its...
Introduction After rising from the dead, Jesus appears to His disciples on several occasions. Paul lists the appearances in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. He appeared to many people individually — to His leaders on several occasions and even to a group of disciples numbering...
1) My understanding of the Holy Spirit up to this point has been just as described in our reading: that He dwells within us from the moment of our regeneration as One who brings us new life, guides us into all truth, empowers us to do God’s work, bears Christlike fruit in us, comforts, encourages, and convicts us, and essentially opens up our eyes and hearts to the spiritual realm. This is my understanding of Him😊
2) I would say that in order to keep in step with the Holy Spirit it is essential to pray, to walk in obedience to God’s word, and I would also say to remain open to His work in our lives. I think for me, the biggest hindrance of recognizing the Holy Spirit in my life has been close-mindedness and temporal thinking that wouldn’t see the reality of the spiritual realm.
3) I think that today, I want the Holy Spirit to be present in every area of my life, especially as I try to convey the gospel message to others. There are times when I am at a loss for what to say or do for particular people God has placed in my life, and I need the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit to know how to proceed in that endeavor. There are times I must admit that I have no idea what I’m doing🥱 but the Spirit of the Lord makes a way!
From Cyndi
My understanding of the Holy Spirit up to this point and now is God lives in me and gives me discernment to make the best/correct decisions. Holy Spirit gives me strength, convicts me of my sins, comforts me, guides me, and gives me wisdom to understand God’s Word.
Continue to have an open heart and let the Holy Spirit control my life. Spending quality time with God-reading his God’s word and praying.
I want to invite the Holy Spirit to be with me at my work. It has been very political and lots of drama and chaos with the ADMIN staff. I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide and help me to stay calm, to keep unity, to have patience, continue to provide the best therapy and care to the students, to control my speech and actions. Be a light at my work and not get so frustrated and angry where I start to gossip and join the madness and chaos.
My understanding of and relationship with the Holy Spirit is that when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, the spirit is put in me by God the father as a gift. So that I can have a new life in Him.
After reading the passage, I was reminded and humbled by the fact that all the good qualities I have and the good things I did came from the spirit, not me. It also makes me feel more brave knowing that the Spirit can help me to carry out God’s purpose.
To keep in step with the Spirit, I have to make my goal align with God’s purpose. The Spirit is not here to help me achieve my personal goals. Then I need to strengthen myself with God’s Words which is reading the Bible, attending church, attending Bible studies. Then use the wisdom and strength that the Spirit gives me to bear fruit.
I would invite the Holy Spirit to help me focus on serving God. I pray the Spirit will give the strength to serve my church in media team. Possibly even in VAY CORE.
1. Up to this point, I understand that the Holy Spirit helps us when we need it the most. It is the Holy Spirit who allows us to do the things we can’t do. When I confessed my sins and accepted Jesus into my life, I realized that it wasn’t my own power that allowed me to make the decision but it was the power of the Holy Spirit. Living for God is hard, but I came to realize that living for God is not what I can do with my own power but living for God is possible when I am trusting in the Holy Spirit’s power to help me live like Christ.
2. Now, it hasn’t really changed because I still believe in the Holy Spirit’s power to help me do things that I can’t do, but now I believe that the Holy Spirit could also help us mentally, emotionally, and physically instead of just being spiritual help. I remember I was running Fall Fest for Cru at FVHS, and I was gonna run out of energy to evangelize, but I relied on the Holy Spirit to give me strength to preach the Gospel, and it was successful. I just needed Holy Spirit juice and that was it.
3. I believe that we should keep in step with the Holy Spirit by continuing to meditate on God’s Word, and living for God, but then again, it’s mainly by our trust and faith in Jesus that allows us to walk by the Spirit and no longer gratify the desires of the flesh. I’d say just keep trusting and having faith in the Holy Spirit, and allow your trust and faith to produce works.
4. I really want to invite the Holy Spirit in my leadership for Cru at FVHS, so that I could remain confident in myself whenever I’m evangelizing and teaching the Word.
(Brandon)
I did not know much about the Holy Spirit before today’s reading. Now I know that the Holy Spirit is like an extension to God. He is all powerful, all seeing, everywhere and eternal. I also learned that the Holy Spirit is within us and once he enters he will never leave. I can keep in step with the Holy Spirit by accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I want to invite the Holy Spirit to be present when I feel lost in life and need guidance of where I need to be.
1) What was your understanding of and relationship with the Holy Spirit up to this point?
I know that the Holy Spirit lives within me. The spirit guides me and helps me to live out my faith. The Holy Spirit counsels, comforts, and gives me strength to overcome temptations and also helps us develop our characters and talents to be used for God’s work.
What is it now?
I like these three quotes:
“who was sent to help you do anything you couldn’t do on your own.” “The Holy Spirit gives you wisdom and helps you think as God thinks.
“The Holy Spirit gives you supernatural strength.”
I am reminded that the Holy Spirit is God living in me and I have God’s supernatural strength but not using it to potential. Or lack of trust in what I can do with God on my side.
2) How can you keep in step with the Holy Spirit?
Go beyond just reading God’s word, but meditate and apply God’s word. Take small steps of faith in my actions to allow for the Holy Spirit to build up godly characters.
3) In light of today’s reading, where do you want to invite the Holy Spirit to be present in your life?
I need the Holy Spirit to help build up these godly virtues…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And to give wisdom discernment in certain areas of my life and to help me believe, put my trust, see things as God sees. It would be amazing to experience supernatural strength of perseverance, love, and forgiveness in the midst of chaos.
(Niki)
My understanding of the Holy Spirit is similar to the general description they give in the book. However, reading over it again really reminds that in order to fight the good fight, I need to lean on the Holy Spirit that dwells within me. To overcome and escape from sin. For Him, to guide me to the truth and mold me. I can’t go down a path of darkness and need to open my heart to Him. He is waiting and I need His help. To keep in step is to dwell with Him through prayer and reading of scripture. In addition, to reflect upon what has been put on my heart. Thank you Lord for today’s reading and forgive of my sins.
Kathy Pham
1. My understanding and relationship with the Holy Spirit to this point was mostly correct. I understood that the Holy Spirit was part of the triune God. I understood that he is the helper sent after Jesus to those who follow Jesus as Lord and Savior. I understood that the Holy Spirit lives in me, because I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior. I seek help from the Holy Spirit to lead me and guide me to live a life that is aligned with God‘s will.
2. Now, after today’s reading, although the Holy Spirit isn’t much discussed or spoken about, I understand that he is truly our divine helper! There is so much he does to intercede on our behalf. It’s like having a superpower, but not really knowing and accessing it. Not for our selfish ambition, but to live out God‘s purpose, the Holy Spirit, who resides in us. Some of the characteristics that stood out through today’s reading are : 1) He is a person not an impersonal force. 2) God gives us new life through His Spirit. 3) He will never leave us. He is sealed into our soul. Wow, what great comfort to remember.
3. I can keep in step with the Holy Spirit through prayerful life surrendering my will, and keeping my eyes, heart and mind open, seeking the Holy Spirit leading through scripture and continuous conversation with the Holy Spirit who lives in me.
4. In light of today’s reading, I would like to invite the Holy Spirit to be present in all areas of my life. But specifically, in my thoughts, my responses to others to be Spirit-filled in worlds and actions, and to be discipline in my time and money management. Father God, I ask the above by your grace and mercy to guide me today through the help of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
1) When I repented of my sin and believed Jesus as my Savior and Lord, God sent His Holy Spirit to come and live within me. He is the third Person of the Trinity and my personal bodyguard, mentor, and friend. I used to ignore Him and grieved Him a lot of time due to my immaturity and sinful lifestyle. But now, I rely much more on Him, as a pastor and teacher of the Word, for wisdom, guidance, and leadership.
2) You keep in steps with the Holy Spirit by talking to Him, like a couple of friends walking together; you don’t rush ahead, or turn to the right or the left, or drag your feet, but you stay close to Him, by keeping pace with Him, listening to His voice, and looking to Him.
3) One of my goals for this new year is a healthier body. As we all know that our body is the temple of God, so I want to present my body to the Holy Spirit and dedicate my body as a living sacrifice for Him to use.
Mimi’s post
1) My understanding of the Holy Spirit is that He comes into my heart when I accept Jesus as my Savior and Lord, and He never leaves me. I also felt His presence when I went to Harvest last year. Although I couldn’t recognize that I felt something because of Him, during the Bible study, I shared this experience, and Kimberly told me that it was probably the Holy Spirit. My relationship with the Holy Spirit now is that He gives me the ability to have a connection with God.
2) To keep in step with the Holy Spirit, I should be humble, obey God, and let Him be in charge of my life. The Holy Spirit has given me many things so that I can think as God does and interact with Him.
3) I want to invite Him when I am on the campus because at school, there are many different people, none of whom has the same background. I am sometimes distracted by those people or by the constant busyness and noise. I hope He works on that, using His wisdom to help me.
My understanding of the Holy Spirit up until this point was similar to what was written, in that He dwells within us and guides us. The various ways that it presented the translation of the Greek word advocate built upon my knowledge of the Holy Spirit, as it builds my understanding of Him more than just as a guide/counselor. I can keep in step with the Holy Spirit by continually being in prayer, seeking to understand Him more, and asking for my heart to be opened to Him. I want to invite the Holy Spirit to be present in my relationships with my friends, especially my non Christian friends and ask Him to guide me to sharing my faith story