The Ghost of Christmas Future

Living in the presence and power of the Spirit

Series: Ghost Stories

Introduction:

"It's the most wonderful time of the year." In the play "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, Mr. Scrooge is visited by 3 ghosts. The ghost of Christmas past, present, and future. These ghosts were meant to reveal the important things in life and change his life, and so they did.

During this Christmas season, we have been looking at the Ghost stories surrounding the real Christmas story.

John was filled with the Holy Ghost from conception.

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied to Mary.

Simeon had the Holy Ghost "on him" as he held the baby Jesus in his arms.

And, of course, Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Ghost for the immaculate conception of Jesus.

Luke 1:30–35 ESV

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

Up to this point the Holy Ghost had filled people for a moment but the indwelling of the Spirit of God was a new thing. God had promised Israel a relationship with him on the inside that was everlasting but no one knew what that meant. But now through the Christmas story it’s starting to make since. God has the ability to be with us and in us, to never leave us or forsake us. Emmanuel will be with us on the inside.

Last week, Kim reminded us that the Holy Ghost rested and remained upon Jesus. This foreshadowed what would happen to the disciples as they would receive the Holy Ghost.

So what does our Ghost story look like today?

There's a lot of talk about the Holy Spirit, but I'm afraid the majority of believers do know what it means to live in this Holy Ghost story.

If we are going to experience the Holy Ghost in our Christmas story, we must understand His Person, His Power, and His Product.

This first point about the Holy Ghost is the most important for us to understand today.

Receive the Person of the Holy Ghost.

Here is the mind shift that will change your life this morning.

The Holy Ghost is not an experience or an emotion, but a person with whom to fellowship and walk together.

He can’t be conquered up like a Genie is a bottle. This is where people get off track as they feel they must do something to experience his presence and power.

It is the person of the Holy Ghost that comes to dwell with you and in you.

We receive the Spirit of the Son.

Galatians 4:4–6 ESV

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

The Holy Ghost indwells the believer.

John 14:15–17 ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

The Spirit adopts us into the family of God.

Romans 8:14–17 ESV

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Walk in the Power of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Spirit has come into the world to accomplish a mission. We are to join the Spirit of God on this mission by walking with Him as he empowers us.

As Jesus was getting ready to go to the cross, he comforted the disciples with the coming of the Holy Ghost.

The Spirit is your guide into truth and righteousness.

John 14:26 ESV

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 that I have said to you.

John 16:7–8 ESV

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

Walking with the Spirit begins by obeying the truth of God’s word.

Walking in the truth produces power and righteousness.

Walk in the Spirit to conquer the flesh.

Galatians 5:16 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

The Spirit doesn’t lead you into fleshly desires.

The Spirit leads you out of temptation not into temptation.

Galatians 5:17 ESV

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Walking in the Spirit is a daily struggle because of our sinful nature.

You can win but you must choose the Spirit over the flesh.

Yield the Product of the Holy Ghost.

The Fruit of the Spirit is Love

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

As we spend time with the Spirit, we begin to take on his characteristics. We are transformed into the image of the Son.

Through the Spirit we learn to love others well, to bring joy and peace into the world, to be kind and gentle when others are not, and to be faithful to God exercising self-control.

This kind of love has the power to change the course of life. This is what we call the power of the gospel.

When Jesus was in the Temple and asked to read a passage of Scripture he chose Isaiah 61.

Isaiah 61:1–3 ESV

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

The Fruit of the Spirit is a witness of Jesus

John 16:13 ESV

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Next Steps:

What will your ghost story be this Christmas. When Scrooge woke up from his nightmare he said. “I’m not the man I was, I’m not the man I was.” What was impressive was the real change in his actions as he began to love God, love himself, and love others.

Receive the Holy Spirit by surrendering your life to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Walk with the Holy Spirit by surrendering your will to the will of the Savior.

Witness through the Spirit by expressing the Savior’s love to others.