Understanding the Holy Spirit

Note that Holy Spirit is not a symbol of anything but a real person -- THE LORD GOD. The Holy Spirit is a full person of Trinity: God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God's Spirit who does have a personality, a mind, and a will. To understand the Holy Spirit, learn what the Spirit of God can do for you:


- Communicate

Acts 13:2
²As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them


- Intercede
(Speak in support of someone to prevent from being punished)

Romans 8:26
²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.


- Testify

John 15:26
²⁶But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me


- Guide

John 16:13
¹³Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.


- Command

Acts 16: 5-7
⁵And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

⁶Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

⁷After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.


- Appoint

Acts 20:28
²⁸Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.


- Lead

Romans 8:14
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.


- Reveal to someone how wrong, foolish, or sinful he/she was

John 16:8
⁸And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment


-Seal God's promise in believers' hearts

Ephesians 1:13-14
¹³In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.


- Shape the life of each person and community to Christ's

Romans 8:1-17
¹There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

²For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

³For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

⁴That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

⁵For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

⁶For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

⁷Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

⁸So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

¹⁰And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

¹¹But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

¹²Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

¹³For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

¹⁵For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

¹⁶The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

¹⁷And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

All these things the Holy Spirit can do for you if you are willing to follow the Lord, then you will be given things you seek in life by the Spirit of God!!

Matthew 6:33

³³But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Possible to go on days without sinning?

The question "Is it possible for people to go on hours, days, or months without sinning?" has hit my mind. I always thought it would be so awesome not to sin anymore but no matter how hard we try to be perfect, we will be always sinners and always have been.

Pslam 51:5
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Romans 5:12
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 3:23
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

These verses state that regardless of our human efforts, we will always fail to measure up to God's standard of perfection. The only person who is able to measure up to His standard is Jesus Christ!

However, thanks to Christ, he freed us from endless striving of measuring up to God's standards because all of our sins from the past, the present, and the future are already forgiven through the Christ when he died on the cross. How we are so glad for that!!

Romans 3:24
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

The apostle Paul even had frustrations with battling his own sins which led him to cry in desperation, yet he rejoiced in great joy to the Lord for freeing him from his struggle with sins.

Romans 7:24-25
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

We cannot use our freedom to satisfy our sinful nature / desires as we please. Our freedom is no excuse to live sinfully but peacefully. Instead, we use it to serve one another in love. We also got to stay free, not tied up to being slave to the law of sin again.

Galatians 5:1
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Again, we must continue striving to be perfect to maintain a peaceful, stable lifestyle and be able to walk with the Lord daily without suffering serious consequences for following our sinful desires and turning on the Lord.

1 Timothy 4:8
"For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."

Proverbs 11:4
"Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death."

Proverbs 10:2-3
2"Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death."
3The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

When we go to heaven with Christ, there will be no struggle of sinning in heaven!!!!! :-)

Conclusion:

- We cannot measure up to God's standard of perfection, regardless of our human efforts, we will always fail.

- Christ has freed us from the law of sin, that we can use our freedom to serve God and our brothers / sisters in Christ in love.

- We must continue to practice our godliness to maintain a peaceful, stable lifestyle and walk with God daily.

Important virtues to inherit in your character...

2 Peter 1:5-7,10

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Important terms:

• Faith
• Knowledge
• Temperance (Self-control)
• Patience
• Godliness
• Brotherly Kindness (Be kind and loving to everyone)
• Charity
  

Inherit these characteristics, you will not fall apart and sin.

If you are struggling with certain situations in your life...

Psalm 37:7

7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

1 Peter 3:14

14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye : and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

1 Peter 5:8

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

What to do to spend time with God

1) Make daily appointment with God.

2) Read and study Bible - Reading the Scriptures will allow one to understand what the Lord is truly like and absorb His wisdom although analyzing the Word deeply. Besides reading His Word seems like a way that He can talk to you, although He also can converse to you through Holy Spirit.

3) Memorize the VERSES - from Bible that applies to you and your life or the verses that mostly speak to your heart.

4) Pray - to pray is to ask Him for any thing you desire for, or just to make a conversation. Prayers are not just for yourself but also for the others, anyone else. Be sure to keep your prayer civilized.

Philippians 1:19

19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ

Philippians 4:19

19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus

5) Spend time praising Him - we can praise God in two ways: worshiping and thanksgiving. We worship Him through singing or mediating on His Words every day. We thank Him for everything we have.

2 Corinthians 9:15

15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Psalm 97:12

12 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice evermore.17 Pray without ceasing.18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Spend time with God by making appointment with Him, pray,

read and study His Word, and praise Him, always!

We are ambassadors for Christ

2 Corinthians 5:20

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

DEFINITION OF AMBASSADOR:

am‧bas‧sa‧dor [countable]

1PGO an important official who represents his or her government in a foreign country

As an ambassador, we must be always kind and loving to non-believers because we are representing our Lord. He is always loving to us which is why we must always show charity to non-believers who are strangers to Him.

Leviticus 19:33
33"And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him."

34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Exodus 22:21
" Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt."

Although the Earth is our adopted home, we must not be too attached to what is around us in the world. This earth is not our final, permanent home. Our lives here are temporary.

We are constantly entertained, amused, catered to, by things in the world which makes us easily forget that life is not always about the pursuit of happiness. We experience discontent and dissatisfaction here. That explains why the prayers seem unanswered, or that God's promises seem unfulfilled...

In an eternal life with the LORD, we will experience abundance of joy and happiness. No difficulty, no sorrow, or rejection!


In addition to life being temporary, we are aware that we will encounter difficulties in our journey with God here.

2 Timothy 3:12
¹²Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

While we walk with God, we must strive to be perfect with the LORD. He asks us to be perfect with Him.

Deuteronomy 18:13-14
13 Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.s14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

2 Samuel 22:33
33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.

The Meat and Bread of Life

John 6:27, 35, 48, and 51

²⁷Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

³⁵And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

⁴⁸I am that bread of life.

⁵¹I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

We are not to complain but be THANKFUL for our BLESSINGS/GIFTS

Numbers 11:1

¹And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

Complaining becomes the accusations against the Lord

Exodus 16:8

8 And Moses said, This shall be , when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.

CONSEQUENCE OF COMPLAINING / LUSTING FOR SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT PLEASE GOD:

Psalm 106:14-15

¹⁴But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.

¹⁵And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

Psalm 106:24-26

²⁴Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:

²⁵But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.

²⁶Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:

Hebrews 13:5

⁵Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Share the gospel

Mark 16:15

¹⁵And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Matthew 28:19-20

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Remember to be kind and bless the others

Luke 11:11

¹¹If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

¹²Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

¹³If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Loving the others, Training, and Faith

Hebrews 13:5-6,9,16

⁵Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee

⁶So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

⁹Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein

¹⁶But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.


Hebrews 12: 4-11

⁴Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

⁵And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

⁶For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

⁷If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

⁸But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

⁹Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

¹⁰For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

¹¹Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Hebrews 11:6

⁶But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Luke 17:6

And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

Godly Woman

Proverbs 31

¹The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

²What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?

³Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

⁴It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

⁵Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

⁶Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.

⁷Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

⁸Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

⁹Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

¹⁰Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

¹¹The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

¹²She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

¹³She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

¹⁴She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

¹⁵She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

¹⁶She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

¹⁷She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

¹⁸She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

¹⁹She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

²⁰She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

²²She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

²³Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

²⁴She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

²⁵Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

²⁶She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

²⁷She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

²⁹Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

³⁰Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Trust in the LORD..rely not on your own understanding!

Proverbs 3:5-8

5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

8It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

The LORD's Prayer

Matthew 6:9-13

9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11Give us this day our daily bread.

12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.


Try to memorize this prayer!! :-)