Part 7 of 12 / The Holy Spirit - God Living Within You

Introduction

There is a moment within the Christian life where something within our spirit shifts from being external to being deeply internal. When you first become a new believer, you learn about God, then you read His Word, and you begin a daily Prayer life. However, over time you begin to realize something is changing; you begin to see that God is NOT just someone you are learning about, but God is someone who now LIVES WITHIN you!

I want you to understanding something as you are going through this realization or you are close to experiencing this soon: this is NOT symbolic or emotional; this is the REALITY of what/how SALVATION in Christ looks to the New Believer.

And yet, many believers go through their walk with God feeling ALONE, UNSURE, or DISCONNECTED. But why? It is because they have NOT yet learned to RECOGNIZE, UNDERSTAND, and WALK WITH the Holy Spirit. It is something that is heavily excluded from believers today as more of it being an emotional appeal to Heaven, when in fact, it is NOT.

This week, we are going to slow down and step into one of the most powerful truths of your new life. You ready? Here it is: you are NOT doing anything on your OWN anymore! Why? It is because God Himself is in you the MOMENT you ACCEPTED Christ into your heart!

Who Is The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is perceived as a force, a feeling, or an abstract presence. All of these are true, but it is MOST important to realize that the Holy Spirit, He is God! The Holy Spirit is three things:

1. He Is PERSONAL!

2. He Is PRESENT!

3. He Is ACTIVE!

• "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth . . ." - John 14:16-17

When Jesus spoke this to His Disciples, the Twelve, what was Jesus telling them in John 14?

Jesus was saying that the Holy Spirit will NOT be distant, NOT be passive, and NOT be temporary.

• ". . . your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you . . ." - 1 Corinthians 6:19

The same God you accepted, Jesus Christ, is the same one you pray too! And, He lives inside you!

The Holy Spirit Is Your Helper

The Christian life was never meant to be lived through pure willpower alone of self reliance. Trying harder, striving more, pushing yourself beyond your limits physically and spiritually, these things will always leave you exhausted if they are NOT ROOTED in DEPENDENCE of the Holy Spirit. Why? It is because TRANSFORMATION DOES NOT COME FROM EFFORT, it comes from His work WITHIN you.

• "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit . . . He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I (Jesus) said to you." - John 14:26

So as Jesus instructed us saying that the Holy Spirit is our Helper, how does the Holy Spirit help?

The Holy Spirit Helps You:

• UNDERSTAND Scripture

• GROW In Truth

• RECOGNIZE What Is Right

• TURN YOU AWAY From What Pulls You Away From God

The Holy Spirit does NOT just give you spiritual insight from the Father, He forms within you in your walk.

The Holy Spirit Leads You, He Does Not Force You

Many believe that the Holy Spirit speaks to them so that they can strive and achieve many glorious things. Some of this might be true, but as we saw earlier, whose strength is it actually in? The Holy Spirits guidance or your own strength? Remember, the Holy Spirit leads, but He does NOT force Himself.

• "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." - Romans 8:14

Notice: The Holy Spirits Leading Is Often Gentle - NOT Overwhelming

So how does the Holy Spirit come to us?

• He Comes To You In A Quiet Prompting

• He Comes To You In A Sense Of Conviction

• He Comes To You Nudging You Are Correct

• He Comes To Give You A Check Within Your Spirit That Something Is Off

As you learn to follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit requires you to be sensitive to Him. How?

• You Begin To Slow Down Internally

• You Begin To Pay More Attention To His Voice And Promptings

• You Begin To Respond To Him And Not Yourself

You'll notice as you grow, the Holy Spirit will give you clearer instructions for His leadings.

Learning To Hear His Voice

Many believers, even yourself ask, "How do I know if it's the Holy Spirit speaking?"

Some think it is an audible loud booming voice, but it usually is not that way, but as long as it is consistent with who God is, then you will be able to determine the difference.

The Holy Spirit Will:

• Does What I Hear Align With Scripture?

• Does What I Hear Align Toward & With Truth?

• Does What I Hear Draw Me Closer To God Or Away From Him?

• Does What I Hear Convict, But Not Condemn?

• Does What I Hear Contradict His Word?

• "However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will Guide you into ALL Truth."

  - John 16:13

Sometimes when you hear the Holy Spirit, it will sometimes come across like a thought, but the though will be one that brings clarity, peace, or conviction beyond your own reasonsings. But do not be discouraged, learning His voice takes time. But how can we grow to understand and hear His voice since it takes time?

• We Spend Time In His Word Which Is Truth

• We Can Remain Still In His Presence

• When We Respond, We Do It With His Prompting

As you grow I want you to remember one crucial thing, it is NOT about perfection. God desires it to be about a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Him.

Conviction VS Condemnation

We said earlier that conviction is one of the ways that the Holy Spirit works in our lives. But it is vital to fully understand what this actually means.

• Conviction

  • Shows You What Is Wrong

  • Draws You Back To God

  • Leads To Repentance And Restoration

• Condemnation

  • Makes You Feel Rejected

  • Pushes You Away From God

  • Leaves You Feeling Hopeless

• "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin . . ." - John 16:18

The Holy Spirit reveals sin, but always with the purpose of bringing you back into alignment, NOT pushing you away. When you feel drawn back to God, that is His work. When you feel like hiding from God, that is NOT His voice.

The Holy Spirit Produces Change In You

One of the clearest evidences of the Holy Spirit's work is NOT external performance, but INTERNAL transformation. Over time you'll begin to notice shifts within your heart.

• Your DESIRES Change

• Your RESPONSES Change

• Your PRIORITIES Begin To REALIGN

• "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control . . ." - Galatians 5:22-23

This fruit is NOT something you force. It grows naturally as you remain connected to God. Just like a tree does NOT strain to produce fruit, the life within it is what does the producing of it. The Holy Spirit is producing something within you as you read, even though you don't always see the results right away, they will come in time.

You Are Never Alone

There will be moments in our journey where it seems you feel alone from God. Almost distant at times to where you wonder where God even is. Your prayers might feel quiet, your direction unclear, or even your emotions do not match what you believe. But do your feelings define reality about your walk? No. In these times you might now feel Him, He is still working with you, within you, and is forever present. He does not come and go based on your current performance model. Why? It is because the Holy Spirit is not something that is temporary for the true believer of Christ.

• "I will never leave you nor forsake you." - Hebrews 13:5

Conclusion

The Christian life is NOT about you trying harder, striving for acceptance, or forcing fruit growth.

It is about learning to walk with the One who is already within you every single day.

The Holy Spirit:

• Guides You

• Strengthens You

• Convicts You

• Transforms You

Remember, you are NOT navigating life alone! God is not just ahead of you, He is within you! As you grow and being to learn in listening, trusting, and following Him, you will begin to experience a life that is NOT driven by effort, but led within and by His presence.

Application

This week, begin to grow in awareness of the Holy Spirit:

• Take Time Each Day To Sit Quietly And Acknowledge His Presence

• Ask Him For Guidance In Small & Daily Decisions

• Pay Attention To The Gentle Promptings & Respond To Them

Practice this prayer: "Holy Spirit, Help Me To Recognize Your Voice. Teach Me To Follow Your Leading And To Walk With You Daily"

Reflection Questions

1. Do I truly believe that God is living with me?

2. How sensitive am I to the Holy Spirit's leading in my daily life?

3. Have I been confusing conviction with condemnation?

4. What would change if I lived with a constant awareness of God's presence in me?

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You that You have not left me to walk this life alone. Holy Spirit, thank You for living within me. Help me to become more aware of Your presence. Teach me to listen, to follow, and to trust Your leading. Shape my heart. Change my desires. Produce Your fruit in my life. Let my walk with You become real, personal, and led by Your Spirit.

We ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen.

Week 8 Preview

"The Word Of God - Learning To Hear Through Scripture"

Next week, we will go into an understanding of how God speaks through His Holy Word, the Bible.

• How To Understand The Bible Personally

• How Scripture Transforms Your Thinking

• How To Build A Daily Rhythm In God's Word

Through this Week 8 study, you will begin to see that the Bible is not as a book to only read, but as a place to meet God in your walk daily.