Holy Spirit: July 28, 2011

JULY 28 2011 TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY JULY 28, 2011

HOLY SPIRIT

DEFINITION:

The third person of the trinity; also called the Holy Ghost.

SCRIPTURE:

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” I Corinthians 6:19.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Most people have a pretty good understanding of God, the Father, and God, the Son (Jesus Christ). But there are three persons in the God-head known as the Trinity. The third person is God the Spirit. Often people are a little fuzzy in their understanding of the Holy Spirit.

When we accept the Lord as our Savior, God sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. The Holy Spirit within the believer is what sets apart believers from the rest of the world. There are two groups of people in the world. There are those who are guided by their sinful nature. The other group consists of people who have chosen to die to their sinful nature and be guided by the Holy Spirit. When you accept Jesus as your Savior, your body becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit who we receive from God (I Corinthians 6:19 above).

Let us consider now the power of the Holy Spirit and how He works in our lives.

THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS: “When He comes He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment, according to John 16:8. It is the convicting power of the Holy Spirit that brings us to repent of our sins.

THE HOLY SPIRIT CONTROLS OUR MIND: “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires, but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” Romans 8:5. The mind controlled by the Spirit leads to life and peace. The Holy Spirit keeps our mind set on pleasing God and keeping His commandments rather than pleasing our sinful desires.

THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDES: “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13. Although Jesus spoke these words to His disciples we can be sure that the Holy Spirit is working in us to enable us to determine truth from false doctrine and that He guides us in an understanding of all truth.

THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US ASSURANCE: “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children then we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:16). The Holy Spirit gives us assurance that we have been redeemed and we have an inheritance of eternal life in heaven with our Lord and Savior.

THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS IN OUR WEAKNESS: “The Holy Spirit helps in our weakness.” Romans 8:26. God knows our weaknesses and that is why He sent the Holy Spirit so that we do not have to rely on our own strength.

THE HOLY SPIRIT PRAYS FOR US: “We do not know what we ought to pray for but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Romans 8:26b. The believer has the comfort of knowing that someone who is wiser than we are is interceding before God for us.

THE HOLY SPIRIT SANCTIFIES US: “God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” II Thessalonians 2:13. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us by working in us to make us desire to become more like Christ and to live pure and holy lives.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Mark 10:14-15.

“Let the little children come to Me and do not forbid them; for such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

PRAYER:

Thank You Lord that You have given us the Holy Spirit to live in us and to convict us of our sin, to guide us into truth and to keep our minds focused on pleasing the Lord. Thank You for the assurance of my salvation that I have through the Holy Spirit. I am so grateful for the intercession that I receive from the Holy Spirit to help me in my weaknesses.