Learning to Work With the Holy Spirit

It is amazing how God layers messages for us from one speaker to the next… We have been hearing a lot about the Holy Spirit lately, and this week God kept impressing to us the importance of the Holy Spirit through Herb Monroe.

Herb started out by identifying something that is troubling the world right now… the enemy is trying to steal our identity. He is using a spirit of heaviness to oppress many, and we need to be prepared to battle. Thankfully, Jesus gave us a battle buddy to combat the enemy and reclaim and protect our identities: The Holy Spirit.

We can learn about this power from John 14:1-20:

[1] “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. [2] There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? [3] When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. [4] And you know the way to where I am going.” [5] “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” [6] Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. [7] If you had [really] known Me, you would also have known My Father. From now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” [8] Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father and then we will be satisfied.” [9] Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ [10] Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. [12] Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. [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.[18] I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. [19] Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. [20] On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

God is not a God who sits and waits for you. He is rooting for you! He gave us the Holy Spirit to make us victors!

The devil hates everyone. He is out to destroy any and everyone. He is jealous because we were created in the image of God. 

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. ~ Psalm 139:16

There is a book in Heaven with our name and destiny. The devil tries to keep us from our destiny. 

Sometimes, the enemy tries to make us think we can do things to make us right with God. Its a lie. Only Jesus can. We can't do this with our own, human ability. 

Some people are so damaged, they don't want to hear what people have to say... they need God to speak to them. They need to experience God. We all need to experience God - experience the presence of God. We can have a heart of love and forgiveness. We need the Holy Spirit. 

In times that we've failed, God wants to bring us into a time of restoration - just as he did for Joseph. When he was a prisoner (and not for anything he did), God restored him to second in command of Egypt. God will take something that difficult (maybe even looks impossible) and turn it around. 

There is a spiritual war happening, and we all need to be ready.

Herb impressed that we need to take time to learn more about the gifts of the Spirit (found in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11). These gifts should be operating in every believer... not just the ones with "titles"…

We need to understand the gifts of the Spirit. We need to know about the gifts for the believer.

God will give you warnings and show you things. God will lead you by the Holy Spirit and give you knowledge on things you don't even think about.

The Holy Spirit lives in you.