THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE

SERMON: THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE Series: Growing in Faith (Ep. 11)

1. EMOTIONAL HOOK Have you ever felt like something’s missing?

You love Jesus. You believe the gospel. You go to church. You try to do the right things. But there’s this ache—this sense deep inside your soul—that there’s got to be more. More peace. More power. More connection. You read the stories in Scripture—healings, boldness, miracles—and you wonder: Why doesn’t my life feel like that?

You see people talk about intimacy with God, and it sounds amazing—but distant. You hear people say, “The Holy Spirit told me…” and you think, How? I never hear anything like that.

So you start to assume it’s for someone else. Someone holier. More spiritual. Less messed up.

But what if it’s not about being better—what if it’s about being filled?

What if you’ve been trying to run a marathon with no fuel? Trying to fight battles with no power? Trying to live the Christian life without the One Jesus said you’d need most?

Here’s the truth: Christianity was never meant to be lived in your own strength. You were made to live filled.

2. TRANSITION TO ME For most of my life, I believed in Jesus, but I didn’t understand the Holy Spirit. I treated Him like an optional add-on, not a vital necessity.

3. ME Before I got married, there were years where singleness felt like a wilderness all its own. I longed for connection, for companionship. I’d watch others step into relationships, and I’d wonder, When is it my turn? The ache of loneliness would creep in during quiet nights, and I wrestled with feeling left behind.

I prayed for God to bring someone. But what I didn’t realize at the time was that I was asking for a person to fill a space that only the Holy Spirit was meant to occupy. I didn’t need a spouse to be whole—I needed the Spirit of God to make me content. And when I finally surrendered that ache, not with resignation but with trust, something beautiful happened. The Holy Spirit didn’t just comfort me—He filled me. I stopped living from a place of lack and began living from fullness.

I’ve also been through some wilderness seasons—personally, spiritually, emotionally. Seasons where I was doing ministry, leading, showing up—but on the inside, I was tired. Numb. Dry.—personally, spiritually, emotionally. Seasons where I was doing ministry, leading, showing up—but on the inside, I was tired. Numb. Dry.

I believed in God. I taught the Bible. But I was living on empty.

And it wasn’t until I got real with God and asked for the Holy Spirit to not just be present in my life—but powerful—that everything began to shift.

I remember being alone in prayer, just saying, “God, I need You. I need Your Spirit. I can’t carry this by myself.”

And I didn’t hear thunder. I didn’t see fire. But I felt peace I hadn’t felt in years. I felt conviction and comfort, strength and softness. I felt seen.

And since then, I’ve learned to live with Him—not just for Him.

4. WE/SOCIETY/CULTURE We live in a world that glorifies self-reliance.

“You got this.”

“Be your own strength.”

“Don’t depend on anyone.”

Even in Christian circles, we often reduce faith to behavior modification and good vibes. We try to live holy with human power. We want God’s results without God’s presence.

But the Christian life is not just hard without the Holy Spirit—it’s impossible.

Without the Spirit, we burn out. Without the Spirit, we drift. Without the Spirit, we become religious but lifeless.

And the tragedy is this: many believers know Jesus as Savior, but live like orphans—disconnected from the Helper Jesus promised.

Francis Chan once said, “If I were Satan and my ultimate goal was to thwart God’s kingdom and purposes, one of my main strategies would be to get churchgoers to ignore the Holy Spirit.”

But what if we stopped ignoring Him? What if we leaned in?

5. GOD: BIBLE VERSES AND QUOTES Let’s look at what Scripture says about the Holy Spirit:

John 14:16–17 – “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever... you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” Jesus didn’t just promise us salvation—He promised us companionship. The Spirit is not a force; He’s a friend.

Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses...” The Holy Spirit gives us power to live and love boldly—not in fear, but in confidence.

Romans 8:26 – “The Spirit helps us in our weakness... the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” You are not alone in your struggle. The Spirit is not just with you—He prays through you.

Galatians 5:22–23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...” The Spirit changes us from the inside out. He doesn’t just convict—He cultivates.

2 Corinthians 3:17 – “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Not fear. Not bondage. Not shame. Freedom.

A.W. Tozer once said, “The Spirit-filled life is not a special, deluxe edition of Christianity. It is part and parcel of the total plan of God.”

6. YOU/PRACTICAL STEPS So how do we live filled with the Holy Spirit?

Ask.

Luke 11:13 says the Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Start with a simple prayer: “Holy Spirit, fill me. Lead me. Teach me.”

Yield.

The Spirit doesn’t push—He prompts. Be sensitive to His leading, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable.

Slow down and listen.

The Holy Spirit often speaks in whispers. Make space in your day to tune in.

Read the Word with Him.

Ask the Spirit to illuminate Scripture. He’s the one who breathes life into the text.

Obey quickly.

When the Spirit nudges you—respond. Obedience builds trust and sharpens your spiritual ears.

Analogy: Imagine living in a house with the power turned off. You might survive, but you’re not thriving. You were made to live with the lights on. That’s what life with the Spirit is like—power, warmth, and clarity.

7. CLOSING VISION, WE We are not meant to live this faith alone. We are not called to follow Jesus with gritted teeth and exhausted hearts. We are invited into a relationship with the living God—through His Spirit.

The same Spirit who hovered over the waters at creation now hovers over your chaos. The same Spirit who filled the prophets now dwells within you.The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is now your Helper, Comforter, Advocate, and Friend.

So what if we stopped running on empty and started living full? What if we stopped striving and started surrendering?

What if we actually believed the Holy Spirit was with us in the mundane? In the traffic. In the parenting. In the grief. In the laughter. In the quiet corners of ordinary days.

What would change if we treated the Holy Spirit less like a doctrine and more like a person?

Let’s be a people who walk in the Spirit. Who listen to His voice. Who yield to His nudges. Who overflow with His fruit.

Because a church full of Spirit-filled people doesn’t just attend services—it transforms cities.

The Spirit is not distant. He’s not vague. He’s not reserved for the spiritually elite.

He’s close. He’s personal. And He’s here.

So ask for Him. Welcome Him. Walk with Him.

Because the Spirit of God isn’t a side note. He’s the power source. And He lives in you.