Welcome, Holy Spirit, #3 | Jim Hammond
Recap
Pastor Jim gave his third installation of his series entitled, “Welcome, Holy Spirit.” He talked about how people say, “Jesus lives in your heart.” But actually, Jesus presently sits at the right hand of the Father. It is the Holy Spirit that lives and dwells inside us. Pastor Jim brought a greater awareness to the fact that it is the Holy Spirit that daily guides and directs us. The book of Acts describes the acts of the apostles as they went forth into the world preaching salvation through Jesus, His sacrifice and resurrection. But Pastor Jim illuminated how there was an overwhelming number of scriptures in Acts where the Holy Spirit is mentioned, where the Holy Spirit directed and guided the apostles in everything they did. And it is still the Holy Spirit directing and guiding the body of Christ today!
Dive Deeper
Resources:
1. John Bevere’s book that he wrote with his son, Addison, called “The Holy Spirit: An Introduction.”
2. Dr. Cheryl Salem’s book “The Holy Spirit”
There are many scriptures in Acts where the Holy Spirit is directing and guiding the New Testament believers.
In the book of Acts, you read how people testify about the Holy Spirit… lied to the Holy Spirit… the Holy Spirit being a witness to things… people resisting the Holy Spirit… the Holy Spirit showing them there was going to be a famine… the Holy Spirit telling them to go with certain people and don’t have any misgivings about it… asking the Holy Spirit and then them commenting, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit”… people were being sent out by the Holy Spirit… being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go to Asia… they tried to go to Bethia, but the Holy Spirit said, “No, you can’t go there”… Paul is compelled by the Holy Spirit… the Holy Spirit giving Paul resolve… asking people, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit?”… Paul being compelled by the Holy Spirit to go into Macedonia… the Holy Spirit making certain people overseers in Acts 20:28.
If you read the book of Acts and just focus on the verses that have anything to do with the Holy Spirit, it will open your eyes to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in a way you’ve never realized before.
James 4:5 is the main scripture for the series: “Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love?” (Amp.)
Do you suppose that the scripture is “speaking for nothing”? That’s what “for no purpose” means.
The Holy Spirit yearns for you… it’s a love so deep, that He is jealous for your love. If you need advice and you go to someone else before you consult Him, it makes Him jealous.
John Bevere says, “Ask the Holy Spirit directly to show you what you can do daily to more freely abandon yourself to His friendship.” You have to yield yourself to Him.
We are to ask the Holy Spirit directly for the Spirit of grace. That’s one of His names in the Bible.
Ask Him to shower you with His love of acceptance and peace.
Learn to “be still” before Him. For some, it’s hard to just be still. It’s something you have to practice. God knows you’re waiting on Him, eventually those thoughts clear and you start to hear Him better. And it gets to the point where you can be in a workout class with secular music blaring and you can hear Him clearly.
He’s yearning for you to welcome Him. Do you welcome Him?
First Corinthians 12:5–7, “There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”
There are differences of administrations. There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God.
The Father initiates the operations and administrations, the diversities of those operations. It’s very clear that the manifester of all this is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings it into play… into action.
If you’re going to build a house, you hire an architect, a general contractor, and then you have subcontractors that actually build it. You could say God the Father is the architect. Jesus is the general contractor. And the Holy Spirit is the subcontractor that does the actual building. He’s building your house!
Read About It
Acts 20:28, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”
James 4:5, “Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
First Corinthians 12:5–7, “There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”
Discussion Questions
The Holy Spirit yearns for you. Do you welcome Him into your life?
Do you “practice the presence of God” in your life?
Can you think of ways you might have caused the Holy Spirit to be jealous, ways in which you didn’t put Him first?