Focus 10 - The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is needed today more than ever. We must be led by the Holy Spirit, taught by the Holy Spirit, and continually focus on Him. Yes the Holy Spirit is a Person of the Trinity. Three persons in One, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. He’s not some spooky Casper the Ghost type. No! He is the One of the Godhead that is functioning right now. So let’s focus on the Holy Spirit ...

John 14:23–27 NIV

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

1. The Holy Spirit is our Teacher!

Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit is our Advocate. The word advocate means: one who pleads the cause of another. When the Holy Spirit was given to us, He pleads the cause of Jesus with us. What does that mean? He reenforces what Jesus did for us by going to the cross and purchasing our salvation with His blood. Not only that, the Holy Spirit teaches us all things.

How does He teach! Through the Word of God, through personal revelation if the Word, and through the men and women of God that He has raised up to be apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors, teachers.

Ephesians 4:11–13 NIV

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

So we see all of this that was initiated by God the Father back in Genesis and fulfilled by God the Son, Jesus, when He gave His life and carried out the Father’s purpose is being made solid in us by God the Holy Spirit!

Acts 1:1–8 The Message

1 Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. 3 After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. 4 As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but “must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. 5 John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon.” 6 When they were together for the last time they asked, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?” 7 He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. 8 What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”

2. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to witness!

If there’s one thing we need to do it is this, we must stop taking credit for what only the Holy Spirit can get credit for. In other words, the only reason we can be a witness of the things of God is because the Holy Spirit gives us the power to do so.

Not only that, but that is the main reason we get baptized in the Spirit. Not to speak in tongues or impress others with our abilities to “flow” in the gifts, no it’s to have the power to tell people about Jesus.

Sometimes I find myself saying things like, “He wasn’t doing good but I prayed and he was healed.” Sounds alright except there were a bunch of people praying in agreement and God did the healing. So my job is to witness on how good God is and how Jesus heals instead of “humbly” taking some sort of credit for just doing what Christians do, pray.

Romans 15:13–19 The Living Bible

13 So I pray for you Gentiles that God who gives you hope will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. I pray that God will help you overflow with hope in him through the Holy Spirit’s power within you. 14 I know that you are wise and good, my brothers, and that you know these things so well that you are able to teach others all about them. 15 But even so I have been bold enough to emphasize some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder from me; for I am, by God’s grace, a special messenger from Jesus Christ to you Gentiles, bringing you the Gospel and offering you up as a fragrant sacrifice to God; for you have been made pure and pleasing to him by the Holy Spirit. 17 So it is right for me to be a little proud of all Christ Jesus has done through me. 18 I dare not judge how effectively he has used others, but I know this: he has used me to win the Gentiles to God. 19 I have won them by my message and by the good way I have lived before them and by the miracles done through me as signs from God—all by the Holy Spirit’s power. In this way I have preached the full Gospel of Christ all the way from Jerusalem clear over into Illyricum.

3. We need to focus on the Holy Spirit’s power!

The Holy Spirit’s power gives us hope, miracles, and a good way to live a life for God. Don’t you think that is exactly what the world needs today? They need the family of God to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives so others will see Him in us.

Many people today are suffering from hopelessness and also anxiety. Both of these are not tangible on the outside because as humans, we get really good at putting a front up. How you doing? Good, good! I’m fine! But when they see the church trusting in the Holy Spirit and being able

Jude 20–23 The Message

20 But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! 22 Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. 23 Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.

4. The Holy Spirit builds us up!

When we need to be built up, or should I say when we need to get pumped because of the battles we face daily, we can pray in the Spirit and get what we need to fight the good fight!

The Holy Spirit is our teacher! He gives us the power to be witnesses for Jesus everywhere we go. He also gives us the power to have hope in tough times, God. And the Holy Spirit builds us up. Let’s focus on the Holy Spirit!