Lesson 85 – When the Spirit Shows God’s Glory

Acts 7:54-55

"When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God."

    As Stephen was stoned, the Spirit gives him a vision of God's glory, accompanied by the sight of God and Jesus. Once again, the Bible reveals the Triune nature of God. The Spirit gives sight. The Father is on the throne. Jesus stands by to receive his own. How can these things be known? Surely only by faith!

    Luke records that Stephen is filled full by the Spirit. Even as Christ stands by in compassion during this persecution of an innocent man, the Spirit is there to comfort him. Even as Christ ushers him into eternity as a martyr for his faith, the Spirit goes with him. Even as Stephen is shown what no man can see and live, the glory of God, the Spirit cleanses him from all unrighteousness.

    Never discount the filling of the Spirit. For in his presence, all of our sins are destroyed by the blood of Christ. We receive an imputed righteousness from our Lord which makes possible an everlasting life with the Lord.

    While I hope we will never face the possibility of death for our faith, know that by the Spirit's filling we may turn from the horrible reality of those who oppose Christ to the welcome arms of our Lord who is standing for us!

LORD JESUS

Lord, I invite you to fill me full with your Spirit so that I may rightly see your glory and worship at your throne. Amen.

Lesson 84 – When the Spirit Is Resisted

Acts 7:51

"You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you."

    These proved to be fighting words. Soon thereafter, Stephen, one of the church's first deacons, was stoned to death, partially for inflaming the crowd through these very words.

    Assuming Stephen spoke through the Spirit's influence, we find in these words a stunning truth. Whenever we resist the Spirit's touch, God sees us as those outside of the family of God, "stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears".

    For unbelievers, the truth is clearest. When one refuses the Spirit's call, they remain in their sins. In as since, they still need to be cut away. Whereas Old Testament circumcision was a sign of God's covenant with Abraham to make him a great nation, the New Testament testifies that circumcision of the heart is what makes one a part of the family of God. Without this circumcision, one's heritage, even if of Israel, leaves the unbeliever an outsider to the family of God.

    As believers, we also find ourselves resisting the Spirit's leadership. While we welcomed God's salvation, when it comes to daily living, most of us struggle to let go and follow the Spirit. To us, the Lord says we are "stiff-necked". We're like a horse that refuses to turn as the reigns are pulled. We'd rather go our own way, usually down a path of sin.

    When this happens to us, it is as if we're not really a part of the family of God. We've left our first love, giving our hearts back to the world. We've simply quit listening to the Spirit, as if we have a covering over our ears. Quite frankly, we don't hear because we choose not to listen. In a sense, we need to be circumcised again by the presence of God.

    Of course, this doesn't mean a new salvation, for a circumcision is a one- time event. Still, we need to recommit to our covenant relationship with God, one in which we give our heart, mind, souls and strength fully to our Lord, allowing the Spirit to cut away all sin and disobedience.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the cutting presence of the Spirit in my life. May my heart and ears always be ready to respond to your will and call. Amen.

Lesson 83 – When the Spirit Speaks Peace

1 Chronicles 12:16-18

"Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold. And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, 'If you have come peaceably to me to help, my heart will be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment.' Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, and he said, 'We are yours, O David; We are on your side, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, And peace to your helpers! For your God helps you.' So David received them, and made them captains of the troop."

    David wanted to know, "Are you for me, or are you against me? Are you for peace, or are you for war? Will you join me, or stand against me?" A choice for peace comes after the Spirit falls upon the captain. Through the Spirit's touch, a choice was made for peace.

    I see a faith lesson in this account. While this scenario concerned physical conflict, it is this same touch of the Spirit brings a choice for peace in spiritual matters. While we were still enemies of God through sin, the Spirit touched our life and compelled us to a life of peace with God through Christ. The Spirit is God's instrument for bringing about peace into our lives.

    What about you? Are you at peace with God? Have you experienced the call of the Spirit upon your heart and humbly took a stance for peace with God? Can you declare as Amasai, "We are on your side."?

    Now is your opportunity with peace with God. Welcome the Holy Spirit and choose peace through Christ.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for your call of peace upon my life so that I'm no longer an enemy of Christ. Amen.

Lesson 82 – When the Spirit Can’t Be Resisted

Acts 6:8-10

"And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke."

    It's often said you can't argue anyone to Christ. Our attempts at logic, persuasion, and testimonies are met with reactions which range from ambivalence to open hostility. But while that may be true on my part, it doesn't hold true for the Spirit. When man applies his wisdom to the Spirit's touch, he cannot resist the truth of the Spirit's wisdom.

    With Stephen, those who opposed the gospel of Jesus Christ found they could refute neither Stephen's arguments for Christ, nor the testimony of the Spirit upon their souls. The word which they heard rang true in the hearts. But sadly, instead of coming to faith, they chose to kill the messenger, condemning Stephen to a horrible death by stoning.

    As believers, we often feel the sting of rejection from those find they cannot resist the testimony of the Spirit upon their hearts. This rejection of God's word is enacted upon us through unfounded anger, deceptions, gossip, hatred and arrogance.

    Even when we've not been the instrument through which God has been speaking, unbelievers unfairly lash out at believers, often times, not even knowing their own motivations. Quite frankly, I see this in the printed media as I read various news journals. Now days, it seems every journalist prides themselves in being accepting of every faith, but when it comes to Christianity, these same standards of decency no longer apply.

    Listen, I don't think the unbelieving world even realizes that they're being used of Satan, but it should come as no surprise to followers of Christ. When the world cannot resist the Spirit, they lash out against those of the Church of Jesus Christ.

    As believers, we need to learn to be proud to bear the scars of a life lived for Christ. Not that we seek persecution, but that in some of our trials, we may find that we've been a part of the Spirit's work in our communities.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the wisdom of the Spirit in this world, testifying of the truth of Jesus Christ. May my life be given over fully to you, even if this means unfair treatment because I bear the name of Christ. Amen.

Lesson 81 – When the Spirit Has a Reputation

Acts 6:3

"Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business."

    As the Scriptures record the church's formal appointment of seven men to the office of deacon, we're told they were to seek out those of a "good reputation." The church was to appoint men who two things filling their lives – the Holy Spirit and wisdom.

    Most of us wouldn't have linked the concept of a good reputation with the Spirit's touch. Instead, when we think of a good reputation, we consider what people have to say about us in general, or what others say about our technical or professional skills, talents, or intelligence. We directly link our reputations with the thoughts of others.

    As with many other things, our way of thinking doesn't exactly line up with God's ways. Our Lord links a good reputation not with what others think about us, but with being filled with the Holy Spirit. This makes sense when you consider that the Spirit is the seat of God's wisdom, so those who are filled with the Spirit are directly linked to our God's ways.

    Acts 6:5 tells us the early church obeyed, choosing men of the Holy Spirit and full of faith. No surprise there. When a believer lives according to faith, the Spirit is free to control all aspects of our lives, and God's reputation will come through. Others will see the Lord in those of faith, for the Spirit will come shining through.

    May our prayers be that the Lord would help us see a good reputation the way our God sees it, and may we seek the filling of the Spirit so that the church has a good reputation before the world.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the wisdom of the Spirit. In my life, may you fill me so that your reputation is known throughout my world. Amen.

 

 

Lesson 80 – When the Spirit Witnesses of Christ

Acts 5:29-32

"But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: 'We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and for forgiveness of sins. And we His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."

    Just as you and I are called to be witnesses of Jesus Christ, so is the Spirit of God by his very nature. So powerful is this witness of the Lord, that without his testimony in the world today, our feeble attempts to draw others to Jesus Christ would always be rejected. It is only in response to the witness of the Spirit that belief is made unto salvation. We are simply a tool used by the Spirit as he draws people to salvation.

    Peter's defense to the Pharisees as to boldly preaching Christ includes the same witness of Christ as is given to the world by the Spirit. First, Peter and the Spirit both claim that Jesus is with the Father and has been crowned both Prince and Savior. In essence, Jesus has become the heir of all that previously belonged to the Father. He is the crowned prince of life and those who obey him make up his kingdom.

    Peter also testifies along with the Spirit that Jesus is the one who offers a chance to repent. This is a turning around from going the wrong way and making a decision to come back to God. Like the religions leaders of Christ's day, many today still don't believe they have need of turning back to God. After all, they've declared that God is not real, and for them the only moral standard for life is what they wish to say is right or wrong, depending on how it benefits their adopted lifestyles.

    Finally, Peter is a witness with the Spirit that Christ grants forgiveness of sins. The only way to a right relationship with the Father is through a right relationship with Christ. There is no other way by which men may be saved. It is faith in Christ, and him alone! In that faith, Jesus grants forgiveness of sins and our relationship with God is made whole.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the Spirit's witness in the world today. May I join you in boldly proclaiming life in Christ. Amen.

Lesson 79 – When the Spirit Is Tested

Acts 5:9

"Then Peter said to her, 'How is that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."

    As I read of how Ananias and Sappihira attempted to steal God's glory by withholding money from a land sell promised to God, I'm not so much surprised by their actions but by the Lord's fatal response.

    Where is the God of second chances I read so much about in the New Testament and love to preach to our congregation? What does it mean for a believer to so egregiously "test the Lord"? Would the Lord also withdraw my life and witness because of one sinful action before the church?

    These are difficult questions that may beyond our full understanding, but what I can know for sure is I want my life to be lived in the fear and reverence of the Lord. This is the life that dares not steal God's glory, whether in financial affairs, the praise of man, or any other means. When we instead focus is on the recipient of our worship and not on the blessings of our relationship with God, we'll be protected from willingly testing the Spirit.

    The willingness of the heart seems to be the key. In the Old Testament, God outlines the requirements for sacrifices that foreshadow grace in Jesus Christ, but he directed no sacrifice to atone for those who willingly enter into sin. Instead, sacrifices were only for unintended sins. My take on this is that God specifically wanted his people to yearn for grace, realizing that a sacrifice for this type of sin still remained.

    You see, when we intentionally sin, it is only as God willingly chooses to forgive, even when he has no rationale for doing so, that God receives all the glory. Could it be that the testing of the Holy Spirit comes every time we willingly enter into sin? If so, we are just like this couple, deserving of God's judgment and death, without hope and unworthy of God's love in every way.

    But this is where unmerited favor, God's grace and mercy, comes upon us. And that my friend causes me to cling even more to my Savior.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your decision to bring your grace into my life. I confess I am unworthy of your love, having tested your Spirit over and over in my life. Once again, I come before your throne seeking forgiveness and restoration. Amen.

Lesson 78 – When the Spirit Receives a Lie

Acts 5:3-4

"But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.'"

    There's a lot going on in this text. In an effort to glorify themselves, Ananias and Sapphira are found making a public show of presenting an offering to the church at Jerusalem. They claimed they were giving all of the proceeds from a land sale to the Lord when in fact, they had secretly kept back some of the money for themselves.

    Yes, God owns it all, but he entrusts it to us to be used for the glory of the kingdom. Here is a family that cared for the glory of the kingdom, but they also wanted to have their own. While I don't think it is directed by the word to sell all we have to give to the church, it is clearly a sin to stand before a church and claim glory for yourself which you say you are giving to God.

    Notice Peter's response. He places the blame for this action directly upon Satan. Instead of being filled with the Spirit, Ananias and Sapphira had been filled by Satan to lie. Of course, that doesn't mean Ananias and Sapphira were blameless before God and the church, and Peter calls them to account for their actions.

    No one ever gets away with a "devil made me do it" excuse. While Satan is at the heart of all evil, it is in our own hearts that we invite sin in. As believers, we have a choice – be filled with the Spirit or be filled with sin. Unfortunately, we sometimes try to have it both ways, even when serving the Lord in the church.

    When we decide to serve sin, we're living in a lie against God. There is no such thing as a sin which doesn't affect our relationship with God. Every sin strains the fellowship which is ours with God, bought by Christ on the cross. Every act of disobedience grieves the heart of the Father and pushes away the abiding presence of the Spirit. Every sin figuratively crucifies again our Savior. Don't lie to yourself by claiming no one is hurt by your sins.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I ask you to search my heart and point out every lie I bring before the Spirit by claiming glory that is not mine to claim. May all I have rightfully belong to you. Amen.

Lesson 77 – When the Spirit Makes Bold

Acts 4:31

"And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness."

    I love this text. In response to a prayer for boldness to speak the word in the face of those directly opposing Christ, God answers in a miraculous way, granting the church boldness to preach the gospel through the filling of the Spirit.

    As a pastor, I long for this same boldness. Though I don't face the same direct confrontation as those of the early church, we are warned by the Scriptures that Satan stands against the church. A spiritual battle is raging, even when it hasn't spilled over into my life in a physical way. In that light, I need boldness to be faithful to the word, and only by a filling of the Holy Spirit can I stand faithful to the task at hand.

    I also long for the Church to be filled with this same boldness. While not every believer is called to preach, it is among the congregation of Christ that the greatest witness goes forth into our communities. Every believer is appointed as an ambassador for Christ. Every believer is to be a light in darkness. Every believer is to be the aroma of Christ. Every believer needs the boldness of the Spirit's touch to stand firm in the face of opposition.

    So where do we get this boldness? The easy answer is, "From the Spirit." And while that is so, it was through a specific prayer for boldness that the Lord chose to loose the Spirit upon the Church. What if the disciples had chosen to give up the battle without a prayer? Without this prayer, I have to wonder if the results would have been the same.

    We too need to make a prayer for boldness in the Church our continuous mantra. We need to come boldly before the Lord, crying out for our sermons, for our teachers, for our congregations. It is time to quit holding up the usual sort of prayers that are personally focused, but to lift up a cry for boldness that an army of bold believers will change our communities as the Spirit moves in power.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for answering the heart-felt prayer for boldness to preach your word. May I have boldness in my sermons, and may your Church know your boldness in bringing your witness. Amen.

Lesson 76 – When the Spirit Makes Whole

Acts 4:8-10

"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, 'Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.'"

    Peter and John were hauled before Jewish religious leaders for healing a crippled man in the name of Christ outside the doors of the temple. Led by the Spirit's touch, Peter claims no other defense for the power he had received to do this healing other than in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was by the name of Jesus that the crippled man was made whole.

    This the role of the Spirit, to bring those needing spiritual healing to the person of Jesus Christ. This is the role of the Spirit, to lead a man to testify of the Lord's compassions even in the face of fearful odds. This is the role of the Spirit, to confess the name of Jesus when faced with persecutions. This is the role of the Spirit, to make one whole through the Lord's mercies.

    Like this cripple man, when we come helpless before the God of the universe, the Spirit makes us whole. We receive a literal healing of our souls, not because of our great faith, or because of our own worthiness, but because of the Lord's grace to sinners. When we are at our weakest point, Jesus sends the Spirit upon us to bring new birth.

                                                LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for healing of your Spirit's touch, bringing wholeness to the life of sinners. In thankfulness to your mercies, I give my life fully to you. Amen.

Lesson 75 – When the Spirit Follows Repentance

Acts 2:38

"Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'"

    Notice the order and promise of events outlined by Peter. The order is obvious, with repentance coming first, followed by the remission of sin and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Repentance is the trigger point for salvation, resulting in the remission of sins through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

    Without repentance, there is no remission and no gifting of the Spirit. In fact, the Spirit is the proof of one's repentance.

    In terms of the promise, after repentance, remission and baptism of the Spirit surely follow. Some churches are wrongly teaching that the baptism of the Spirit comes from some separate act of piety. They admit to the act of salvation, but don't see the Spirit as coming in power until another standard of holiness is met. Not so, for remission and the Spirit follow at the heels of repentance. There is no time lag.

    In fact, without the Spirit's presence, there is no salvation. Without the Spirit, there is no marking of the person as a child of God. Simply put, there is no true believer without the gift of the Spirit upon them, for in the Spirit we are set aside once and for all as believers. That is the assurance of our salvation.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for surety of the Spirit's touch upon the life of every believer and for the assurance his presence offers in my life. Amen.

Lesson 74 – When the Spirit Exalts Christ

Acts 2:32-33

"This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear."

    As Peter continues his sermon to the crowd on the day of Pentecost, we learn of the exalted position of Jesus at the right hand of God. Peter explains that it was as a result of this exalted position that the Father gives Christ the Holy Spirit to pour out upon the Church.

    I'm sure you wrestle as much with the concept of the Trinity as any other – God revealed as Father, Son and Spirit - but all one God, one person - existing in three roles. We may never understand how one God can sit on the throne and be at the right hand and be poured out on us as the Spirit, but all be one God!

    But that's where we see Jesus. In the receiving of the Spirit, the Father exalts the position of Christ to the right hand of the Father. Now Christ pours out this Promise on the Church. And guess what? In giving us the Spirit, Jesus exalts our position as well.

    Sure, we're not exalted in exactly the same way as Christ, for we've not suffered for all of humanity on Calvary's cross, nor are we God in any sense of the meaning. But still, our exalted position is still very real. As the Church of Jesus Christ, we've been exalted into the very presence of God via the Holy Spirit.

    Now don't be getting a big head out of this exalted position. Just as Christ was obedient to the Father, even to death on the cross, so our exalted position calls us be obedient to Christ. We've been exalted by the Spirit to live as servants of our Lord.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the exalted position of your Church. May we never cease to forget the cost of this exaltation and never tire in living only for you. Amen.

Lesson 73 – When the Spirit Pours

Acts 2:17-18

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; You sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams, And on My menservants and My maidservants I will pour our My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy."

    In Peter's address to the crowd on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit came upon the Church in power, he looks back and proclaims that prophesy of Joel is now fulfilled. The Spirit has been poured out. Not just on the disciples, but on men and women of all ages – all flesh, sons and daughters, old men, those belonging to Christ as menservants and maidservants.

 

    With the coming of the Spirit, the Church becomes the one who prophesy of Jesus Christ as the Spirit gives utterance (see Lesson 72).

 

    We like to say in Texas, "When it rains, it pours." Simply put, even nature doesn't do things half-heartedly in the Great State. We won't even consider it a rain unless the sky turns black, lightning flashes, and the clouds let loose buckets of water upon the earth.

 

    Same with the coming of the Spirit on the Church. Pentecost wasn't just a sprinkling of the Spirit, like a few drops of water stirring up the dust. Just as Joel predicted, this day was a complete out-pouring of God. The coming of the Spirit was felt throughout the entire Church. When God touched the Church with the Spirit, everyone got soaked.

 

    It's the same with our salvation. When a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord fully immerses them in the Spirit. If we could see the Spirit, the new believer would be completely wet, with the Spirit poured out on the life of the new convert. It's little wonder the Bible calls this coming of the Spirit a baptism, since God's presence is poured out completely all over us, leaving no part of our lives untouched by the Spirit.

 

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the pouring out of your Spirit upon the Church. May I not be one who would take a towel to my life, denying your presence upon me. May all see that I'm immersed in you. Amen.

Lesson 72 – When the Spirit Gives Utterance

Acts 2:3-4

"Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

    I don't think there has ever been a miracle before or after like this one. When the Spirit came upon the disciples at Pentecost, they began to speak in other tongues so that others from around the world understood them in their own languages.

    We don't know if the disciples all spoke in one heavenly tongue, understood by others ready for salvation in a miracle of hearing (my view, since there were those in crowd who really never understood their words, believing the disciples were speaking unintelligently as drunkards), or if they were simply transformed by the Spirit so they could speak fluently in worldly languages in which they had no training. Regardless, a miracle occurred as the Spirit gave utterance.

    With this miracle, most would say the Church was born. The Spirit had come. God's promises were fulfilled. Christ had not left his church as orphans.

    The point is, the Spirit reached out and touched the disciples and gave them voice. With the Spirit's presence, the Church began to have utterance.

    It's been the same ever since, with the words we speak in testimony of Christ no longer our own. They belong to the Spirit. No true testimony of faith is of ourselves, but speaks of the Lord at work in us and in this world. This is the utterance of the Spirit, magnifying Christ and giving glory to the Father.

    Today, I'm afraid many of the Church are holding their hands over what should be a loud and clear utterance for Christ. We've grown ashamed of the Lord's possession of our souls and have thus tried to silence the Spirit. May that not be our legacy among those of the world.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the Spirit's utterance. My prayer is for a two-fold miracle – that of speaking through my voice and that of hearing in the hearts of those you are calling to faith. Amen.

Lesson 71 – When the Spirit Gives Power

Acts 1:8

"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."

    Along with the Great Commission, many words have been preached on this verse as it pertains to the Church as a witness of Jesus Christ. And rightly so, for the Great Commission directs our disciple making mission, and this verse gives us confidence that God has empowered our efforts.

    With the Spirit's touch upon the church, we are given power. I wish I could say we're given power over trouble, or power over every disease, or power over every one of life's little nuisances that build up to ruin our days, I can't. The power we're given in the Spirit is a special power, given for a special purpose. To be witnesses.

    Witnesses not just in our churches, or to our families, but the power to be witnesses wherever the Lord directs our paths. For some, that witness will be in a home town. For others, that witness will be across the state. Still others will find themselves somewhere in another part of the world. But regardless of where the Lord takes your witness, you're empowered. The Spirit's touch is upon you.

    Maybe you're already living in your "end of the earth". You're stuck in a town you don't want to live in, or facing an uphill climb in a dead end job, or it just seems that every dream has now faded away as the reality of life sets in. Don't give up and lose heart. Know for sure that Christ has you right where he wants you to be. You're the one with power to be the Lord's witness.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you empowering the Church to live in faith as a witness wherever you scatter us. My prayer is that we won't become so complacent in the luxuries of life that we refuse to go forth as your witnesses. Amen.

Lesson 70 – When the Spirit Fulfills a Promise

Acts 1:4-5

"And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, 'which,' He said, 'you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

    Jesus was very clear in his last words to his disciples. They were to wait for the Promise of the Father. Not a promise which would come as a surprise, but the same Promise taught to them by the words of Christ. The Spirit of God was coming, requested by the Son, sent by the Father, and coming over believers in a spiritual baptism.

    Mostly likely, everybody has either failed to keep a promise or felt the sting of a broken promise. I think there is something very personal about a promise. I see a promise as invoking character. When a promise is kept, the one receiving the promise feels honored that the other cared enough to keep the promise. Likewise, the one keeping the promise is glorified for keeping their word.

    The Spirit's touch upon the Church fulfilled the Father's promise to send Christ's presence so that believers would not be left alone. In this promise, both the Church and Christ are glorified.

    I've always found this truth to be comforting. Whenever my mind starts trying to convince me I've no real value in the vastness of the universe, or that God could never really care about the minute details of my life, I'm reminded I'm of so much value God made a promise to abide with me. The Promise of Father was intended not only for the disciples, but for every believer!

    While it's humbling to remember that the God of this universe cares so much that he arranged for Christ's presence in the Spirit to dwell with us continually, it is also equally comforting to know we'll never be alone, even when others forsake our friendship.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the Promise, for in your promise I know your eternal love. Amen.

Lesson 69 – When the Spirit Commands

Acts 1:1-3

"The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."

    In the middle of Luke's introductory paragraph in the historical account he gathered for Theophilus, we find this startling truth: The Spirit spoke through Christ when Jesus commanded the disciples to remain in Jerusalem until the coming of the Helper.

    In his humanity, even Jesus was touched by the Spirit, giving voice to the will of God as revealed through the Spirit. That pretty much settles it for me. If Jesus needed to be guided by the Spirit as he spoke, so do I. If Jesus needed the words of God as he gave leadership to the fledgling church, I am the same. If Jesus needed the voice of the Spirit to teach new believers, so must I.

    As a pastor, I long that every word I say in the name of Christ comes only by the Spirit's command, but sadly, I suspect this is not so. Too often, every believer speaks of his own will and not that of the Spirit. We've got our own ideas, plans, and interpretations and we want others to know.

    Think of how different our message might be if we guided, led and preached to the local church in which we a part only at the command of the Spirit. That is when we'd know power in our ministries. That is when God would receive all the glory as we magnify the name of Christ. That is when the church would come to be known as God's people.

    Could it be that we see so few fruits in our ministries and personal witness because we've moved ahead of the Spirit's command?

LORD JESUS

Lord, I ask you to give command within my life. Command my thoughts, command my words, command my ministry. Amen.

Lesson 68 – When the Spirit Is Received

John 20:21-22

"So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.' And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'"

    The receiving of the Spirit has come - The breath of Christ upon the Church - The breath of God upon believers - The breath of the Spirit upon believers in Christ. As Jesus prepared to leave his disciples, he promised the coming of the Helper, and in this text, the Spirit is received by the disciples.

    While the Spirit would later descend on the Church in power at the Day of Pentecost, in Christ's physical act of breathing on the disciples, the Spirit is given for the first time to the Church. With victory over the cross, with the resurrected Christ, with the ascension, Jesus prays and God sends the Spirit upon the Church. Since that time, the Spirit has come upon every believer at the moment of our faith.

    Notice that the giving of the Spirit here was preceded by words of peace, not only in life's circumstances, but with God. Peace came upon humanity with the giving and receiving of the Spirit.

    Also see that with the Spirit, the Church is sent on mission, to bring this message of peace throughout the world. The Spirit is the one who brings power to our message. While we are the ordinary ones used of God, when we go in the sending of the Spirit, God does marvelous works in his kingdom.

    While our hearts yet yearn for the presence of the bodily Christ, we rejoice in the Spirit's touch upon our lives.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the giving of the Spirit to your disciples and to your Church. May our hearts remember your presence each day as we faithfully bring your message of peace to a hurting world. Amen.

Lesson 67 – When the Spirit Speaks with Authority

John 16:13-14

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come, He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you."

    As Jesus continues with his discourse on the coming of the promised Helper, he declares the Spirit will glorify Christ as he speaks to us according to what he hears under the authority of God.

    Consider for a moment that Jesus says we need to be guided into truth. You see, it is not our nature to inwardly know truth without the Spirit's touch. We can't rely on our feelings, hunches, or intuition to know God's will. These things are only known under the guidance of the Spirit. Without the Spirit speaking truth into our lives, we could in no way glorify Christ through obedience.

    Often times, I hear people say "I think God would want me to…." The truth is, without the Spirit, we really can't know what God wants us to do or believe. This is the role of the Helper, the Spirit's touch upon us.

    Consider for a moment that Jesus says we need God's authority over our lives. As the Spirit speaks, he is the conduit of Christ's Lordship. Without this affirmation of God's leadership, our old natures take over the throne of our lives by default, leaving us in disobedience to our Christ.

    As believers, we often struggle to give up the place of honor that rightfully belongs to God's authority. In a sense, we are pushing the Spirit aside, living in idolatry, worshiping our own desires.

    Consider for a moment that Jesus says the Spirit glorifies Christ as he makes known the things of Christ to us. The Spirit's touch has always been about glorying Christ. He does not seek his own glorification, but to point the world and the Church to Jesus.

    As believers, we need not fear the Spirit's presence, because in his voice, we learn what it means to ascribe glory to our Lord.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the Spirit's voice. Now if only I could remember to have listening ears whenever you speak. Amen.

Lesson 66 – When the Spirit Convicts

John 16:8-11

"And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged."

    The "He" here is the Helped, the Spirit of the Living God, coming upon the lives of every true believer and into the world to draw people to Christ.

    Notice specifically, that the Spirit comes to convict, to bring our hearts to agreement with God concerning our lives. To convict means to be found guilt, and while we are guilty without the presence of the Spirit, it is the Spirit which warns us of our shortcomings.

    First, the Spirit convicts of our sins. Clearly, God cannot dwell in the presence of sin, and the Spirit tells our spirits that our lives are not ready for God's indwelling. Everybody falls short of God's glory and are by nature, sinners from birth. In Christ, the Lord takes care of our sins, bringing forgiveness through faith in Jesus' atoning work for us on the cross.

    Secondly, the Spirit convicts of righteousness. Surely this is two-fold, reminding us of the truth of God's holiness along with the unworthiness of our lives. While some of us may be pretty good people, we must all admit that under the brightness of God's holiness, we come up short.

    Thirdly, the Spirit convicts of judgment. This is the realization that God has not only the right to condemn me because of sin, his sense of justice requires him to hold me accountable. For some, this may not seem fair, since we're by nature sinners since the time of Adam. Fair or not in your eyes, the Spirit convicts us of God's pending judgment.

    There is good news for us in the Spirit's conviction. In the middle of this verse we find these words, "because they do not believe in me." God has provided a means to relieve us of our guilt, meeting the need judgment through Christ on the cross. Our only role is to believe in Christ.

    As believers, the Spirit still convicts, but not in judgment. For us, the Spirit gently reminds us of our shortcomings against God's moral law and will for our lives and invites us to restoration.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for not only the convicting presence of your Spirit in me, but for the reminder of the grace you've offered to me in your sacrifice on the cross. I invite your Spirit to convict me daily of my sin, that I might turn in faith from these actions to your forgiving arms. Amen.

Lesson 65 – When the Spirit Hides

2 Kings 2:16

"Then they said to him, 'Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, lest perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley'."

    Elijah had been taken up by God in a chariot of fire to be with the Lord, leaving the spiritual leadership of Israel in the care of God's appointed heir, Elisha. But soon, those who had followed as Elijah's disciples, pestered Elisha to send out a search party in case God had decided to throw him out of the chariot of fire and back to the earth!

    Of course, Elisha knew better, but soon relented and allowed the fifty to conduct a fruitless, three day search. Elijah was nowhere to be found, for the Spirit had taken him alive to be with the Lord, in a flying chariot no less!

    While there is humor in this account, with the fifty going in search of the one whom the Spirit had wisked away, I also see tragedy. These men just couldn't believe that God would act in a way they couldn't understand. After all, they were the scholars of their day, and had God confined to a doctrinal box that fit their minds.

    The tragedy is that man always has this tendency to try to limit God. Just because he's not done something before doesn't mean he will not move in a way which will surprise us in the future.

    Sometimes we act just as these fifty, even while believing the Spirit moves in ways we cannot understand, we refuse to believe until we go out looking for our own answers. Like the fifty, our search comes up fruitless, for when the Spirit reaches out and touches someone, we cannot explain the supernatural change that occurs.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the supernatural working of the Spirit in the world today. May my heart not be one that goes in search of an understandable solution when the truth of you in action is right before me. Amen.

Lesson 64 – When the Spirit Testifies

John 15:26

"But when the Helper comes, who I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me."

    "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God." That's the way a witness begins their testimony in a court of law. Truth is at stake and nothing but less than truthfulness is required.

    Jesus lets us know that in terms of spiritual matters, it is the Holy Spirit which represents truth in the lives of every believer today. The Spirit is God's message of truth concerning Jesus Christ. The Spirit is God's presence of truth abiding in us. The Spirit is God's assurance of truth in the face of every lie. The Spirit is truth and is given to us to keep us on the path of truth.

    To testify is to speak of what one has experienced first-hand. Any other witness is excluded as being unreliable. As a preacher, I proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ, but it is the Spirit who testifies of the truth in the hearts of listeners. People don't respond to my testimony of Christ, they respond to the Spirit.

    Still, Jesus goes on to say in the next verse that we will also be witnesses of Christ, "And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning." Since you and I were not with Christ as disciples, our testimony will be of the Spirit's work in our lives. That is what we've experienced first-hand, and that is where we have our most reliable witness. Anything else is hearsay and unreliable.

    It's a marvelous truth to know the Spirit of truth dwells within the heart of every believer, serving as a witness of God's love, mercy and compassion for those who cast their faith on Jesus Christ.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the Truth living within me. May my voice never override your testimony so that others may know Jesus through me and your witness. Amen.

Lesson 63 – When the Spirit Teaches and Remembers

John 14:26

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

    Most Christians are aware of the new covenant promised to God-fearers in Jeremiah 31:33. God promises he would "put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." This is a change from the covenant of physical blessing promised to Abraham and the nation. This is a spiritual covenant made to all peoples of faith.

Today's text fulfills this covenant. With the coming of the Spirit on the Church, God's law comes to live within us and written on our hearts and minds. The Spirit teaches the Church all things and reminds us constantly of Christ.

    With the Spirit, God's covenant is now both external – in the moral law outlined in the Old Testament, Christ's teachings, New Testament teachings – and internal – from the direct revelations to us from the Spirit. In a sense, every believer now has their own private tutor.

    Of course, some believers struggle to rightly hear from the Spirit. Instead, we wrongly listen to cultural teachings, confusing these ideas with the voice of the Spirit. Several times, I've heard believers claim the Spirit was leading them in a way that contradicted God's Word. While I may not have the spiritual gift of discernment, we can be sure the Spirit will not contradict God's already revealed revelations of himself, for his nature is not changing.

    We must be careful to discern when the Spirit is speaking or we'll find ourselves going astray. Be assured, the Spirit never speaks in opposition to God's Word.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for your internal voice living within me. May I have wisdom to discern your voice above all others and to be obedient to follow after you. Amen.

Lesson 62 – When the Spirit Abides as Helper

John 14:16-18

"And I (Jesus, added) will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that he may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."

    This is one of the Bible's most dramatic promises, spoken to the disciples directly by the mouth of Jesus Christ. In these words, Jesus promises every believer the Spirit's touch, the Spirit of truth, the Helper for our lives. His promises is that God the Father would send the Spirit to dwell not only with us, but in us.

    So whom is the one in which the Spirit dwells? Is it everyone who is sincere in seeking after an unknown god? Is it every person who has ever lived since all are loved of God. Jesus explains, the Spirit does not dwell with those belonging to the world, but to any who have turned from the world and turned to faith in Jesus Christ. This is the Church, the people of faith. With us, the Spirit dwells. In us, the Spirit makes his abiding home.

    While Jesus may have ascended to Heaven to prepare a place for us, we've not been left to live alone as orphans. Jesus may not be standing here with us, but in his place, the Spirit has come upon us, dwelling in and through us. In the Spirit we know the same God we worship each day and together on Sundays. It is the Spirit who is here always with us, and we rejoice in his presence.

    One of the main things I like about the Spirit is that He is a testifier of truth. When we search the Spirit living within us, we can rightly discern right from wrong in terms of God's will, we can rightly make moral decisions, and we can understanding the Lord's revelation to us in the Bible. The Spirit is truth, and this truth always testifies of Jesus Christ.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for your everlasting abiding presence as the Spirit in us. May I always seek to know you more by looking to your Spirit. Amen.

Lesson 61 – When the Spirit Is Wrongly Accused

1 Kings 18:12

"And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you to a place I do not know, so when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me."

    While King Ahab's second in command feared the one true God, having proving it by hiding 100 prophets from destruction by Queen Jezebel, Obadiah also proved to have a misfounded understanding in the way the Spirit accomplishes God's will.

    Let me explain. As one who served as the closest assistant of an evil, but cowardly king, Obadiah had grown used to the devious practices of men, that he wrongly believed the Spirit would assist Elijah in deceiving Ahab. In a sense, Obadiah accuses God of acting in the same ungodliness as people.

    But this was a misplaced fear. The Spirit's touch upon those of the world is never in a way in which the Spirit joins humanity in rebellious acts against the plans of God. In fact, the Spirit works in just the opposite way, for it is the Spirit who is at work in the world today accomplishing God's will through the Church of believers.

    Unfortunately, some believers still act as if the Spirit can't be trusted. Sometimes, we don't pray for God's will to be done, because we're afraid of what God might choose to try to do through us. We act as if the Spirit can't be trusted when we refuse to believe God's revealed word. Instead of interpreting it through the Spirit's touch, we read the Bible and base our understanding of it based on our own experiences and welfare. We also act as if the Spirit can't be trusted when we try to orchestrate events according to our own wishes, reading circumstances wrongly as a green light from God to go our own way.

    In all these ways, even believers get caught up in accusing the Spirit of being untrustworthy. That's just not the way it is. Whenever God acts as Spirit, he can be trusted, and our only rightful response is belief and obedience.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the trustworthiness of your Spirit upon your Church. May we listen to you, believe you, and obey you in every touch. Amen.