Devo for 02/23/2025 service- Message by Pastor Clint Sprague
What a great message this past weekend! Continuing the series “Fully Alive,” Pastor Clint brought us to the gift of receiving the Holy Spirit. And it truly is the best gift if we will accept it!
As Pastor Clint pointed out many verses showed how Jesus lived his life full of the Holy Spirit. In Luke 4:1-2 he highlighted three points:
Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit,
He was led by the Holy Spirit, and
He was empowered by the Holy Spirit.
In talking about the Holy Spirit I think many of us may get confused about being “indwelled” with the Holy Spirit and being “baptized” with the Holy Spirit. The best way I have seen it explained is by Jack Hayford in his book: Explaining Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
“The Holy Spirit is described as indwelling us like an inner fountain or well at which we drink to find the answer for our own personal needs.” (Received at Salvation)
“The Holy Spirit is [also] described as empowering the believer to reach out, to serve, to witness, to love, to give. This is the flowing out of God’s life into others.” (Baptized with the Holy Spirit)
This is important to understand if we are going to live a life filled, led and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It first starts with how we receive and rely on the Holy Spirit for our own personal needs. He is our friend, and is here for us:
But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. John 16:7 AMP
Now, I know you are probably saying, “Yes, we know all of that, Tim! But do our actions show that we rely on the Holy Spirit and allow Him to guide our lives? Do we readily turn to the Holy Spirit for comfort? Do we hold our tongue and seek His wise counsel? Do we let Him Help us? Do we get our strength from Him? Are we going to choose guidance from the Spirit or respond from our flesh?
The importance of us asking ourselves these questions is spelled out in Romans 8:5-6:
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Men, work on seeking the Holy Spirit constantly, and you will find that the blessings spelled out in Galatians 5:22-23 permeate your life!
Don’t forget to invite God into your day!
Topic for Study -
Deliverance
Psalm 34:4
James 4:7
Colossians 1:13
February Memory Verses:
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.