Rumours of God: The one thing that changes everything

Sun 2nd October

*Its not enough to just know about knowledge because it is a relationship with God
*He does not leave for us models for discipleship but a person which is the Holy Spirit

*Acts 1:4-9:
⁴ On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. ⁵ For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
 ⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
 ⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
  ⁹ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

*When the Holy Spirit lives in us, we are compelled to listen to what the Holy Spirit has to say

*Acts 7:54-59: When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
 ⁵⁷ At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, ⁵⁸ dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
 ⁵⁹ While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

*When Steven was being stoned, he still had the power to forgive others. This is one of the examples portraying the Holy Spirit
*We are journeying with the Holy Spirit in our lives just like our driving instructor
*John 14:15-17:

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

    ¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

*John 14:25-27: 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.

*The Holy Spirit is a person and a force
*Sometimes we do not talk and develop a relationship with the Holy Spirit is available
*It is not a bad thing that we understanding the Holy Spirit as a person or a force alone but it is important to acknowledge that he is a person, a force and is readily available for us

*John 14:16-18: And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

*John 14:26: 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.

*John 16:8,13: When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
 
*Focus on the aspect of counselor on the Holy Spirit
*Most of us do not need the Holy Spirit when we are happy
*We can talk to the Holy Spirit anytime and anywhere
*We have God to give advice on anything
*We normally pray to God then continue with our daily lives
*If we want to connect with the Holy Spirit, we need to talk to the Holy Spirit
*It is hard to give him space and silence but He desperately want to talk to you
*It might be a feeling, a word repeating, try it out unless you know it is something really stupid

Question: How do you know if it is the Holy Spirit?
*He is a person and you will know by circumstances, reading the word etc

How do you know if the Holy Spirit is working through you?

*He will work over and above what you do not expect by your gifts
*The Holy Spirit does things to bring life to people.
*If it is something awesome, it is from God.

How do you know which Spiritual gifts you have?

*It is debated but we should do everything and eventually certain gifts are more powerful and prominent

What about the gifts of tongues, why does it not happen in certain churches?

*Because each church have different goals such as to speak out to non-Christians, we know they cannot understand. However, we are encouraged to practice it if we have it.

Is it important to address the Father, Son and Holy Spirit at certain times?

*They are all 1 but it is important to differentiate the difference between the 3 and to acknowledge that their wills are not aligned (eg: when the Son was about to be sacrifice, He told the Father not to let this happen to him)
*We pray to God as our Father, through the son by the Holy Spirit
*All in all, it is just a protocol.


**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**