CornerstoneU: The Holy Spirit

Trusting God for an Experience of the Spirit

October 18, 2015

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TRUSTING GOD FOR AN EXPERIENCE OF THE SPIRIT

  1. The Spirit is a power whose operation in the heart of man cannot be concealed.
  • We should pursue experience
  1. Defining Experience Biblically
  • “The two words which Paul uses more than any other to describe the believer’s experience of God are ‘Spirit’ and ‘grace’…Spirit for Paul is essentially an experiential concept…The Spirit is a power whose operation in the heart of a man cannot be concealed…In the NT, the Spirit is understood as ‘something whose reception may be verified’…Grace…in the first place it is used of the historical event of Jesus Christ. But for Paul grace is not merely an act of God in the past; something merely believed in but something experienced…Paul’s most earnest and constant wish for his converts is that they may experience grace, may know ever afresh the gracious power of God existentially moving in and upon their lives…” James Dunn
  • Paul’s definition of power

Colossians 1:9-12 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Ephesians 3:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

  • Godly affections: Affections are evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit.
  • Avoid emotionalism
  • Avoid the fear of emotions
  • “The Holy Scriptures everywhere place religion very much in the affections; such as fear, hope, love, hatred, desire, joy, sorrow, gratitude, compassion, and zeal. True religion, in great part consists in holy affections.” Jonathan Edwards
  • “God insists that we be ‘fervent in spirit’ and actively engage our hearts in religion…The religious life contains things too great for us to be lukewarm. True religion is always a dynamic thing.” JonathanEdwards
  • Broadly define the work of the Spirit
  • ‘The only thing that happened to me is that I have this incredible inner sense of peace and joy.’
  • The work of the Spirit is broader than we sometimes think. It’s not just the miraculous; the extraordinary.
  • Our relationship with the Holy Spirit
  • Eph. 5:18 – ‘be filled with the Spirit’
  • 2 Cor. 13:14 – ‘the fellowship of the Spirit’
  • Galatians 5:25 – ‘We live by the Spirit’
  • Galatians 5:25 – ‘Keep in step with the Spirit’
  • Galatians 5:22-23 – ‘The fruit of the Spirit is…’
  • 1 Cor. 12:7 – ‘Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given…’
  • Ephesians 4:30 – ‘And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…’
  • 1 Thess. 5:19 – ‘Do not quench the Spirit…’
  1. Trusting God for Experiences of His Spirit
  • We can expect the Holy Spirit’s presence and blessing

John 7:37-39On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

  • We can trust God for an impact of His presence on our lives.
  • The Holy Spirit:
  • Empowers
  • Purifies
  • Reveals
  • Unifies

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