#GOFAMINTDailyDevotion Sun. 8/4/2018
LESSON 6 8/4/2018
EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 194, 195
Devotional Reading: Acts 1:4-8
Topic for Adults: Holy Spirit Imparts Power
Topic for the Youths: Receive The Enabling Power
Topic for the Intermediates: Your Senior Partner
Lesson Scripture: Acts 3:1-7; Acts 4: 8-11; 28:3-5
MEMORY VERSE: 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 (Acts 1:8) NKJV
DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING
Sun. 8/4/2018
The Holy Spirit Is Infallible
2 Pet. 1:19-21
Peter, through the Holy Spirit affirmed that all Scriptures came from the Holy Spirit. The glorious church must have a strong view of the Holy Spirit. The Metropolitan Tabernacle where Charles H. Spurgeon preached during the late 1800s had 15 steps leading up to the pulpit on each side in a great sweeping curve. It has been said that as Spurgeon slowly mounted those stairs before preaching, he muttered to himself on each one, “I believe in the Holy Ghost.” In the backdrop of seeking the Spirit all week long, and approaching the throne of God daily, individual believers should repeatedly offer to God this affirmation and prayer: “I believe in the Holy Spirit and claim His anointing” and thank God repeatedly for the gracious presence of His Spirit and leave the results in His capable hands. There is no sure foundation for any believer who does not have strong conviction and view of the Holy Spirit. There is no basis for such individual’s faith, salvation and no message to preach. The Holy Spirit is infallible, He is our bedrock of testimony and hope for the future.
Point of Emphasis: Holy Spirit is the full authority of Christian belief because He is infallible.
Prayer Point: Lord, help me to TRUST in the help of Holy Spirit on a daily basis.
BACKGROUND
Empowerment is the process of gaining freedom and power to do what you want or to control what happens around you. Another school of thought defines empowerment as a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives. It is a process that fosters power in people for use in their own lives, their communities and in their society, by acting on issues they define as important. This week’s lesson focuses on “Empowered by the Holy Spirit”.
NOTES ON THE TEXT
PART 1: WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT (JN. 14:26; ACTS 1:8)
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity through whom God acts, reveals His will, empowers individuals and discloses His personal presence in the Old and New Testaments. There are several references to the Spirit of God in the Old Testament but the term “Holy Spirit” This is found only in two places (Ps. 51:11 and Isa. 63:10-11). The Holy Spirit is also referred to as the mighty wind and Spirit of God.
The Spirit was used as an agent that dried up and parted the sea for the Israelites to pass safely while Pharaoh and his army perished. It was the Spirit that hovered over the water at creation. He is the origin of spiritual equipping and enabling power for special service for God. He gives both physical and spiritual skills to fulfil the will of God.
In the New Testament, it is the Holy Spirit that inspired prophetic voice after 400 years of silence. The Holy child born by Virgin Mary was through the power of the Holy Spirit. He accompanied Jesus in His earthly ministry to succeed. All the disciples and Apostolic writers enjoyed the working of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit has feelings. He hates sin and does not dwell where there is disunity. The Holy Spirit is the sustainer and controller of Christ’s glorious church.
PART 2: GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (1 COR. 12:7-11; ROM. 12:4-8)
Paul spoke of the manifestation of spiritual gifts that God gives to believers in Christ’s glorious church for the mutual good of all members. There were manifestations of these gifts in the early church. There is need for same to work in our present day church. The spiritual gifts are:
- Wisdom – wise utterance spoken through the operation of the Holy Spirit. It has to do with application of God’s wisdom through the Holy Spirit to a specific situation.
- Knowledge – Holy Spirit inspired utterance that reveals knowledge about people, situation or circumstances. It is often connected with prophecy.
- Faith: Special supernatural faith which makes Christian to believe God for extra-ordinary event or thing to happen.
- Healing – Given to the church to restore the sick by supernatural means.
- Miracle – It is used to alter normal course of nature.
- Prophecy – It is a special gift that brings a word directly from God under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
- Discernment of spirit – Ability to know whether an utterance is from God or the Devil.
- Speaking in Tongues – Ability to communicate in an unknown language under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
- Interpretation of tongues – Spirit – given ability to interprete the context and meaning of an utterance to the church members.
There are others given in the book of Romans 12:6-8
- Ministry – Enablement to give practical assistance to members and leaders of the church to help them fulfil their duties.
- Teaching – Ability to proclaim the word of truth in a way that makes others to grow in grace and godliness.
- Exhortation – Admonishing in a way that touches the heart, conscience and will of the hearers and this produces a deeper commitment to Christ and His church.
- Giving – Ability to give freely to God’s work.
- Administration: ability and power guiding people and various activities in the church for spiritual good of all.
No spiritual gifts should be placed over the other. Members of Christ’s glorious church should know that all the gifts are for the spiritual well-being and proper functioning of the church. Each person has at least one. You must, therefore, put your own to use.
PART 3: IMPORTANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (1 COR. 12:12-14)
The role of the Holy Spirit in Christ’s glorious church is very important. God intended to use the Holy Spirit to build and sanctify His church. In view of this, He distributed the Spiritual gifts as He wills for believers to be able to minister in acceptable way to God in the church.
The Spirit of God is given for the benefit of all – the exercise of Spiritual gift is not meant to be commercialised. It is to be used for the common good of everybody.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit enables believers to get to the point at which true worship takes place. It enables sincere member of Christ’s glorious church to come to God in humility and surrender wholeheartedly to Him. This makes such life to be imparted and directed by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit gives Christians the ability to make their practice of worship to align with the standard which God stipulated for the New Testament worshippers. Christians should know that true worship acceptable to God takes place in spirit and truth. It must be done in accordance with God’s revelation of Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ. In view of this, worship must involve not just the mind but also the manifestation of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 4:23-24) “God is a Spirit”. The importance of empowerment by the Holy Spirit is to allow true worship to take place in Christ’s glorious church.
In addition, Holy Spirit makes need to be met. Signs and wonders are wrought through the Holy Spirit. This proclaims the kingdom of God and allows open defeat of Satan. The importance of the Holy Spirit cannot be overestimated in the church. He gives the ultimate power to believers.
PART 4: FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (GAL. 5:22-26)
The fruits of the Spirit begin to manifest as believers allow the Holy Spirit to direct and influence their lives. It is an evidence of God working in a Christian life. If somebody receives Jesus Christ as his or her personal savior in truth, the Holy Spirit will continue to develop these godly qualities in him or her.
These qualities as listed in Galatians 5:22-23 are: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control.
CONCLUSION
The Holy Spirit is indispensable in the lives of members of Christ’s glorious church. Each person must be baptised with the power of the Holy Spirit. Equally, they should practise and live a life that produces these virtues in them.
No one can worship God rightly without the power of the Holy Spirit. Covet it and get it so that your worship will be according to God’s standard which has been revealed through the Lord Jesus Christ.
QUESTIONS
- Who is the Holy Spirit?
- Mention some things the Holy Spirit performed in the Old Testament.
- Mention some gifts of the Holy Spirit.
- What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
- Why do you need the Holy Spirit?
