Week 11 - Day 4

Written By Karl House

THE STORY

You?

RECEIVE GOD'S SPIRIT

Acts 2:38 (NIV)

Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

When we make it personal through repentance and public through baptism not only do we receive God’s forgiveness of our sins, we receive God’s Spirit. God Himself actually comes to live in our hearts and to lead our lives through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Along with the gift of forgiveness through faith in Jesus, the Spirit is the greatest gift the Father has given us.

Read the following passages and answer this question: What does the Spirit do in my life?

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV)

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

  • What does the Spirit do in my life?

John 16:13 (NIV)

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

  • What does the Spirit do in my life?

Acts 1:8 (NIV)

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

  • What does the Spirit do in my life?

Romans 8:14-15 (NIV)

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

  • What does the Spirit do in my life?

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NLT)

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

  • What does the Spirit do in my life?

Galatians 5:22-25 (NIV)

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

  • What does the Spirit do in my life?

  • How do you see the Spirit working in your life?

  • How do you desire the Spirit to work more in your life?

Ask Him! And at your Huddle this week, ask your group to lay hands on you and to pray for this work of the Holy Spirit in your life. And be bold about it. Expect great things from God. Listen to this amazing promise.

Luke 11:11-13 (NLT)

You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.

  • In light of what you have discovered through the Bible readings and your personal reflections, how will you respond? Finish this sentence: I will …

Final Huddle Assignment

Way back on Week 1 - Day 3 called YOUR STORY (Spiritual Beliefs), you shared your responses to these big questions:

  • Where did we come from?

  • Where are we headed?

  • Who are we?

  • What’s wrong with the world and me?

  • Is there a solution?

  • What’s the meaning and purpose of life?

Now return to the record of your responses and answer them again.

  • Having worked through The Story of the Bible, how have your responses stayed the same?

  • How have they changed?

  • What questions do you still have?

  • How has The Story changed your life?

Be prepared to share your answers with your group at this week’s Huddle.

That’s The Story. Enjoy your Huddle this week. Plan on starting The Relationship. Together, let’s take our relationship with Jesus to a deeper level.

Karl House
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Week 11 - Day 3
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