Why We Need The Holy Spirit

Why We Need the Holy Spirit
Glynnis Shryock
April 10, 2011
 
Romans 8:5-9
 
1.  We need the Holy Spirit to be saved.
 
How do we come to understand that we are sinners?  It is through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. 
 
John 16:8, John 3:5-6, I Corinthians 12:3, Ephesians 1: 13 -14
 
The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, leads us to salvation, and then comes to live in us when we accept Christ as Savior. 
 
II.  We need the Holy Spirit to Grow Spiritually
 
So how are we expected to grow into spiritually healthy followers of Christ? Through the help of the Holy Spirit!  Galatians 5:16 -18, Ephesians 4:22 – 24, Galatians 5:22 – 25
 
God wants to impart his divine nature into the core of our personalities – the Holy Spirit is doing a personality transfusion in the life of every willing believer.
 
Paul warns us against grieving the Holy Spirit:
Ephesians 4:30 – 32 We can make the Holy Spirit sad, mournful. 
I Thessalonians 5:19 warns us to be careful not to quench the Spirit. 
 
Some of us do not trust ourselves or the Holy Spirit to truly speak out such words of Truth and we remain silent. Our silence is a form of quenching the Spirit’s fire. 
 
When grieving and quenching the Holy Spirit are a dominant pattern in our spiritual life there is an inevitable outcome: a case of arrested spiritual development.
 
If we want to mature spiritually we must interact on a regular basis with the Holy Spirit:
  • seek a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit
  • seek God in prayer
  • not only read the Word of God, we must study the Word of God
  • daily ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit
  • be responsible for our own spiritual growth
  • be accountable to one another for our spiritual development
 
III.  We need the Holy Spirit because we are in a battle with a powerful enemy.
Ephesians 6: 10 – 12, John 10:10, James 4:7, 8
If we want to draw near to God, we must get our hearts and our heads in line with the Holy Spirit, otherwise we are trying to do spiritual battle in our own strength. 
 
Likewise to resist the devil, we must have the Holy Spirit.  To resist means to push back, to apply force against an enemy.
 
IV.  We need the Holy Spirit because we aren’t in Heaven yet!
 
We are all directionally challenged, spiritually speaking.  We need GPS – God’s Positioning System, which is the Holy Spirit. 
 
Jesus says the Holy Spirit is our Counselor and Teacher.  John 14: 15 – 17, John 14:25 – 26
 
Not only is the Holy Spirit our Counselor, he is our Intercessor.   Romans 8:26, 27
 
V.  We need the Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s will for our individual life and as a church.
 
The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers to be used for God’s glory on earth and for the building up of His Eternal Kingdom.

Romans 12:6-8

exhortation / giving
leadership / mercy
prophecy / service
teaching

I Corinthians 12:8-10,28

administration / apostle
discernment / faith
healing / helps
knowledge / miracles

prophecy / teaching

tongues / wisdom
tongues interpretation

Ephesians 4:11-16

apostle / evangelism
pastor / prophecy
teaching
Everyone has gifts; however, how they are used is up to us.  The gifts can:
1.  Lie dormant – they are never used (wasted)
2.  Be used in our own strength, our own talent, and for our own glory (limited)
3.  Anointed by the Holy Spirit – God’s will is accomplished in our individual life, the    
     Kingdom of God is built up, and spiritual darkness is pushed back (miraculous)
 
What do you need from the Holy Spirit today…conviction, comfort, counsel, or empowerment of spiritual gifts?  Pray that you might receive!
 
Further contemplation: 
  • The Baptism of the Holy Spirit - Read Acts Chapter 1 and 2.  Ask to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 
  • Life Through the Spirit: Read Romans Chapter 8 daily – seek greater dependence on the leading of the Holy Spirit.
 

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