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Basic Discipleship
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

This material is copyrighted c2002 and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of the Berean Baptist Church.

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PHASE 2                           INITIAL GROWTH

 

SESSION 9

 

UNDERSTANDING THIS PERSON
WHO NOW LIVES IN YOU

 

                    Discipler, be aware that there is much, much confusion regarding the Holy Spirit, even among honorable and sincere Christians.  It is so important that you establish early a sound foundation in your disciple regarding this truth.

                This exercise is not an exhaustive study of the Holy Spirit.  It is designed to establish fundamentally-correct concepts in the disciple regarding the person and work of the Spirit.  Good rooting at this point can begin to prepare him to resist the many unfounded opinions, which he is certain to soon face, regarding the Holy Spirit.  Do not take this step in the discipleship process lightly. This is one of the leading issues where large numbers of believers fall into confusion or downright heresy.  It is the seedbed of the modern Charismatic movement with all of its fakery and emotion-based activities.

                The disciple is asked at several places in this exercise to put concepts and statements of scripture into his own words. Be sure to have him give you his answers. This will enable you to detect any confusion or misunderstanding he may have and give you an opportunity to correct it.

                Do your best to make sure that your disciple views the Holy Spirit as his true ally and resource.  Teach him to live in constant awareness of the Spirit’s presence in him and the Spirit’s eagerness to strengthen and sustain him.  Teach him to not quench the Spirit.  Help him to see that submission and yielding is the key to power through the Spirit.  Especially help him to see that the Spirit does not work in some mystical way, but that He works clearly through His word, divinely empowering the believer as he submits to it.  Help him to see that there is no limit to how the Spirit can work on his behalf, as he trusts Him.

                As always, before you terminate session nine, pray with your disciple and give him Form BD#1O.


          For your spiritual well-being, God has given you three great resources.  Each is designed to help and strengthen you and to protect you from spiritual dangers.  You already know that the first of those resources is the Bible.

          At the instant you were saved, the Holy Spirit of God came to live within you.  The Holy Spirit is one of the three primary ways in which our one God manifests Himself.  One role of God is Father, another is Son, and the third is Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit living in you is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)  As a believer in Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God literally lives in your spirit.  What a potent thought!  I John 4:4 is speaking of this fact when it says, “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

          This exercise is designed to help you better understand God as the Holy Spirit living in you and to enable you to take maximum advantage of Him as a great spiritual resource or source of divine help.  As long as Satan is around, you are going to need the help of God.

 

I.        THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVING IN YOU IS A PROVISION RESERVED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THOSE WHO ARE CHILDREN OF GOD.    

A.    Lost people cannot have God’s Spirit living in them.

        1.        Read John 14:17. “. . . the world cannot receive” the Spirit of  Truth.

        2.        Read Romans 8:9 and explain in your own words how it teaches that only saved people have the Holy Spirit in them _______________________________________________________________________________________

B.    Not before or after, but at the point of your faith in Christ as your personal Savior, the Holy Spirit became a permanent resident in you.

        1.     Fill in the blanks from I Corinthians 6:19. “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

        2.        Read John 14:17 and II Timothy 1:14.  What word describing the Holy Spirit is used in each verse?  dwelleth.

        3.        How do the pronouns referring to the Spirit in John 14:16-

                17, 26 and John 16:7-8,13-14 prove the Spirit to be a person; not an impersonal force?

                  _____________________________________________________________________.

 

II.              THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES WITHIN YOUR TO CONTROL AND TO DIRECT YOUR LIFE.

        A.    He is the divine author of the Bible.

                1.        II Peter 1:21.  Who moved the holy men of God to give us the Bible? The Holy Spirit.

                2.        Explain John 16:13-15 in your own words

                        ____________________________________________

                        ____________________________________________

        B.    All the Holy Spirit will have you know is in the Bible.

                1.        Read Revelation 22:18-19.  He will not add to nor subtract from that which He has revealed in the Bible.

                2.        You may read it for yourself or have it reach you by a preacher, mate or another and the Spirit’s message of truth may be a direct statement, a principle or an example; but the Holy Spirit’s guidance always comes from the Bible. The word of God is always the source of the will of God.He never directs contrary to it and he is always consistent with Himself.  He will convict you with it and remind you of it,  but He will not direct you in some  mystical way external to it.  Dreams, feelings, impulses,  inner voices and other such methods are not of the Holy Spirit and should not be blamed on Him.  Romans 8:16 says the Spirit leads God’s people.  He does that by the Bible, which He revealed.  Read Psalm 119:105, 130.

                3.        Ephesians 5:18 says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”  The Holy Spirit is   a person, not an impersonal force.  Being full of Him refers to His being in control to the fullest extent; not to occupancy capacity, as a liquid would fill a container.

                4.        Ephesians 4:30.  By ignoring or rebelling against His word, you will grieve the Holy Spirit.  Read I Thessalonians 5:19 and explain what it means to “quench” the Spirit.

        C.    To learn more about the operation of this person who came to live in you when you were saved, read the following verses and match them with the proper words.

 

                1.                Titus 3:5                                (7) Seals

                2.                Galatians 5:22-23                 (4) Reproves (convicts)

                3.                Romans 8:14                        (3) Leads    

                4.                John 16:8                              (2) Produces fruit    

                5.                I Corinthians 3:16                (1) Regenerates       

                6.                John 16:7                              (8) Intercedes           

                7.                Ephesians 1:13                     (5) Indwells

                               8.               Romans 8:26-27                    (6) Comforts

 

III.           AS YOU SUBMIT YOURSELF TO THE CONTROL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THROUGH HIS WORD, HE WILL DELIVER YOU FROM MANY DANGERS.

                               A.    He will deliver you from sin’s power over your life.

                                       1.  Read Psalm 19:7-11.  Much deliverance occurs as we heed the warnings and obey the instructions of His word.

                            2.  Read again I John 4:4.  Then read Job 1:10.  God is greater than Satan; thus much evil which Satan would bring upon you will be prevented as you yield to the Holy Spirit’s control of your life.

                                       3. Read Psalm 34:7, 17, 19. Who does the Spirit often use to deliver believers from hidden dangers?  Angels.

                            4. Read and explain I Corinthians 10:13 in light of the Holy Spirit’s residency in 


                            5. NOTE WELL that deliverance is, to a great degree, predicated on trusting God, which is yielding or submission to Him, which is obedience to His word. Read Psalm 37:3-5 and Proverbs 3:5-6.

                                       6. Scratch through the entry below which would not constitute deliverance from God through His Spirit.

                                             a.  Financial freedom by adherence to Biblical teachings about money.

                                             b.  Freedom from cancer in view of obedience to the Bible’s teachings about health care.

                                             c.  Preservation in a disaster or grave danger.

                                             d.  Victory over a strong temptation to do wrong.

                                             e.    X  Eradication of debt by winning the lottery.

                                             f.   Strength and peace of heart even under deep adversity or persecution.

                               B.  All providence is subject to the power of God through the Holy Spirit.

                           1. Read Romans 13:1 and Matthew 28:18.  Is there anything, even in nature or the course of providential events, which is beyond the Spirit’s control? No.  Meditate on storms and other natural disasters, things that appear to be coincidences, and things that appear to be beyond any control.

                            2. After reading Revelation 3:8 and Acts 16:9, name one door, which the Spirit cannot open, and one door, which He cannot close. None

                            3. Read carefully Romans 8:28.  What one word summarizes “all things?” Providence.  Who is able to control all things” and turn them to your favor?  The Holy Spirit who lives within you. 

                               The Holy Spirit is the person of God in you.  He is there to strengthen, sustain and help you.  Yield and submit to Him.  You cannot survive spiritually without Him.  Recognize Him as your ever-present companion and divine resource.  In His power, you’re invincible.

 

 

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"