The Holy Spirit...A Guide For Our Walk...

I once heard a speaker share a story about a bottle of river water he had collected on a trip through the U.S. In this bottle, he held actual water from this famous river. There was something interesting about how he explained it. Althought he didn't have all of the water from this river in his one little bottle, the water that he did have in this bottle was in fact from this all river water. He used this unusual analogy to help us understand the fact that Holy Spirit is much like this bottle. In John 16, when Jesus speaks about sending the Holy Spirit, He is in fact speaking about God in the Spirit. Although when we recieve the Spirit, we don't have all of who God is, in us. We do however know that the God that is indeed in us, is all God.

Just like the disciples did when Jesus first introduced the Holy Spirit and his work in our journey's of becoming more like Jesus, we often don't give the Holy Spirit much thought. We tend to get weirded out by the idea, confused with regards to his role in our lives, or simply wishing that we could have Jesus in the flesh instead of a Spirit. But we must remember that the Holy Spirit is all God, not just an after thought, or left over. Jesus even says in John 16:7 that it is "for our good" that He goes away so that the Spirit can come and take up residence in our lives. He is all God, and His role in our lives is crucial to us understanding how we make forward motion in our lives, so that our steps lead us to becoming more like Jesus.

Use these questions during this week, to help guide your quiet time with God. My prayer is that these questions and scripture truths will help guide you deeper into your understanding of the Holy Spirit and help you see the Spirit's role in guiding you in your steps...

1. Before Sunday night, if you heard the words "Holy Spirit," what would be your response?

2. Where do you believe that response came from?

3. Ephesians 1:13-14 says that the Spirit is our guarentee...our seal of a relationship with Jesus...how does this give you hope?

4. Read Romans 8:13-14 & Galatians 5:16-18...What do you think it means to walk in the flesh vs. walking in the Spirit?

5. John 16:13 says that the Spirit will lead us into all truth...what is truth?

5. Knowing this, how can you determine if you are walking in the Spirit?

6. We have focused on the personal side of the Spirit's role in our "walks"...how He guides us, transforms us, convicts us, etc...read Acts 1:8...what do you think it means to have "power?" Power to do what?

7. Read the story of Peter and John in Acts 4:1-22...read verse 8. Why was Peter able to be bold and stand up and share Jesus?

- How do the leaders respond in verse 13?

- How do the people respond in verse 21?

8. Not only is the Spirit about guiding us in our personal walks with Jesus, but He is also about giving us power and boldness to share our faith with others. If you struggle to share your faith why is that?

9. Pray that God would fill you with His Spirit and with boldness to continue to take the steps He would have you take in your walk with Him!