THE MOVING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Part 3

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself
without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"
(Hebrews 9:14).

The Holy Spirit is called the Eternal Spirit. He was involved with the Father and the Son from the eons of eternity in the plan of redemption. One commentator describes our eternal redemption coming "through His most burning love, flowing from His eternal Spirit." The Holy Spirit has been working since eternity and continues to work. Let's look at more ways He works in our hearts today. He is the...

12. Faith-Imparting Spirit

Acts 11:24 tells us about Barnabas who was "full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added to the Lord." How is faith released in our heart? By the operation of the Holy Spirit within us. The more we allow the Holy Spirit to move in our lives, the more faith He will generate in our hearts.

13. Fellowshipping Spirit

Paul prays for the Corinthian believers in 2 Corinthians 13:14, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen." The word communion is koinonia meaning fellowship. The Holy Spirit does not want to be ignored in our lives. He wants to communicate and fellowship with us. Aren't you so grateful for the moment by moment fellowship of the Holy Spirit in your life? We were born to have fellowship with the Holy Spirit and Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:9). Teach your children this wonderful truth, too. Read also Philippians 2:1.

14. Filling Spirit

The Holy Spirit not only wants to dwell in us, but FILL us. Ephesians 5:18 says, "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." When you are filled with the Holy Spirit you'll be thanking God at all times for all things. The Holy Spirit moves our hearts to praise Him, and therefore the more we are filled with the Spirit, the more we will want to praise God.

Here are some examples of people being filled with the Holy Spirit: Luke 1:15, 41, 67; 4:1; Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 6:35; 7:55; 9:17; 11:24; 13:9, 52.

15. Fruit-Bearing Spirit

The Holy Spirit wants to grow beautiful fruit in our lives. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." What evidence are we revealing of the Holy Spirit's working in our lives? Does our husband get to eat of this fruit? Do our children partake of this fruit?

16. Glorifying Jesus Spirit

One of the main tasks of the Holy Spirit is to give glory and honor to Jesus Christ. We know the Holy Spirit indwells us when we want to honor Jesus. "He shall glorify me," Jesus said in John 16:14.

17. Grace-Giving Spirit

The Holy Spirit is called "the Spirit of grace" in Hebrews 10:29. The word "grace" is the beautiful Greek word charis and reveals God's great love and salvation which is given freely without expectation of return. It reveals God's lovingkindness to us whether we deserve it or not. One way to remember the understanding of this word is: God's Riches At Christ's Expense.

God's grace loves the unlovely. God's grace never gives up, even when spurned and rejected. It is not a respecter of persons. I need God's grace to work in my life, don't you?

May we never disdain the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Hebrews 10:29 CEB says, "How much worse punishment do you think is deserved by the person who walks all over God's Son, who acts as if the blood of the covenant that made us holy is just ordinary blood, and who insults the Spirit of grace?"

18. Helping Spirit

Romans 8:26 tells us that when we are weighed down with a burden that The Holy Spirit comes to help us in our weakness.

19. Hope-Filling Spirit

Romans 15:13 says, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may ABOUND IN HOPE, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Hope believes that God is going to do good things, even when everything looks hopeless. But, we can't boost up hope in the flesh; it only comes by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Love from Nancy Campbell

PRAYER:

"Thank you, Father, that your Holy Spirit has been working for my blessing since the eons of eternity. Thank you that He is the Eternal Spirit who was involved in my redemption, and is now working, against all the power of the enemy, to reveal Christ to me and in me. Thank you for the working of the Holy Spirit in my life, for without Him I have no spiritual life. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

My only eternal accomplishments are the working of the Holy Spirit within me.

THE MOVING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Part 2

"Quench not the Spirit"
(1 Thessalonians 5:19).

Because the Holy Spirit's job is to actively work in our hearts, we dare not quench His working. How careful we have to be, especially when there are 48 different ways the Holy Spirit moves in our hearts. Yes, you've yet to discover 48 ways! Isn't that amazing?

Here are some other translations of this Scripture:
"Do not stifle the Holy Spirit" (NLT, HCSB).
"Do not extinguish the Spirit" (NET).
"Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the Holy Spirit" (AMP).
"Do not hold back the work of the Holy Spirit" (NCV).
"Never damp the fire of the Spirit" (JBP).

Let's continue to look at more. He is the...

7. Comforting Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, the One who comes on the behalf of Christ to help us, to speak cheerfully to us, and to encourage us. Jesus said in John 14:26, "I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever." No matter what you are going through, the Holy Spirit resides within you to comfort you. Oh what a treasure. Read also John 14:16; 15:26; 16:7 and Acts 9:31. And of course, He is not only in you to comfort you, but to comfort others through you.

8. Creating Spirit

Psalm 104:30 says, "Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth." The Holy Spirit was involved, along with the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, in the creation of the world. He is still involved in creation. He loves to create new life. He loves to create new babies, each one a new creation that has never been created before and will never be created again--a creation that will reveal the image of God Himself. Read also John 26:13.

9. Convicting Spirit

The Holy Spirit brings comfort and encouragement, but He also reproves us when we walk out of line. It's not always pleasant to receive reproof, but I am very glad of the convicting power of the Holy Spirit in my life. It is proof that He dwells in me and is working in me. If I never felt His convicting me of sin I would have to doubt that He dwells in me.

John 16:8-10 NLT says, "And when he (the Holy Spirit ) comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world's sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged."

We can trust the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to work in those we are praying for. You may be trying to change your husband, but it is only the Holy Spirit who can convict and convince him. You can't even change your children's hearts; it is only the power of the Holy Spirit. My trust is constantly in God's promise in Zechariah 4:6 which says, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts."

10. Emboldening Spirit

Don't you long for boldness to speak God's Word to people wherever you go? I'm not talking only at church, but when you are shopping, in the market place, or with family members who may not understand your walk with God. You can't do it in your own strength, but the Holy Spirit will give you boldness to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, to contend for the faith, and to speak God's truth in the face of deception, threatenings, and opposition.

Acts 4:29-31 tells us how the disciples cried out to God for boldness and God answered, "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with ALL BOLDNESS they may speak thy word... And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness."

11. Empowering Spirit

Christ's intention for us as believers is to witness for Him, but we can only do this effectively when the power of the Holy Spirit comes upon us. Jesus said in Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Our witness begins right where we live before we go out to other places. For us wives and mothers, it begins right in our home! In the daily challenges of training children. This is where we need the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives more than anywhere else. We can't manage in our own strength, but God has promised to give us the power of His Holy Spirit to enable us. The word Greek word "power" is dunamis meaning "miraculous, abundant, powerful." God does not want you to live an ordinary life in your home, but a supernatural life, a life where He lives through you and speaks through you.

Romans 15:19 tells us that Paul wrought "mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God."

Love from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

"Oh God, please help me to never quench the moving of your Holy Spirit in my life. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

I give free reign to the Holy Spirit to work in my life in whatever way He wills.

THE MOVING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Part 1

"Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily"
(Colossians 1:29).

As I studied recently, I was amazed to find how active the Holy Spirit wants to be in our hearts. The Holy Spirit does not dwell within us to be stagnant, but to continually move and work in our lives. He wants to work in us mightily. Let's discover what God's Word tells us about the way the Holy Spirit wants to work in us. It is amazing.

He is the...

1. Moving Spirit

The Word of God opens with the moving of the Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:2 says, "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." The word "moved" also means "to brood, flutter, shake." It is the picture of a mother hen brooding over her chicks. Matthew Henry states, "The Spirit of God was the first mover. The Spirit of God begins to work, and if He work, who or what shall hinder?"

I love that the Holy Spirit who dwells in me is a moving Holy Spirit. He moves my heart to repentance when I grieve Him. He moves my heart to love Jesus more. He moves my heart to seek after truth. He moves my heart to encourage, comfort, and bless my family and other people. He is the mover in my heart. But, He cannot move unless I allow Him to move. I love the words of the song, which is the cry of my heart.

Move, Holy Spirit, move in my life,
Move Holy Spirit and make me like Christ.
Move, move, move in my life,
Move, move, and make me like Christ.

Will you let Him move in your life, in whatever way He wants? Invite Him to come in and move in the lives of everyone in your family.

The above is the first Scripture about the Holy Spirit in God's Word and therefore I wanted to write about it first. However, to make it easier for you to refer to the following, I will put them in alphabetical order for you.

2. Adopting Spirit

Romans 8:15 says, "You have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." When we are born again by the Spirit of God, which is a miraculous happening, the Holy Spirit adopts us to be part of God's eternal family. How wonderful.

3. Baptizing Spirit

John the Baptist confessed in Matthew 3:11, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." The word "baptize" means "to immerse, submerge, wash." The Holy Spirit who lives within us does not want to crouch in the corner of our hearts, but to immerse us completely with His life, His power, and His fire.

Read also Mark 1:8; Luke 3:1;6; John 1:32-33; Acts 1:5, 8; 11: 15-16 and 1 Corinthians 12:13.

4. Building Spirit

God, through the power of the Holy Spirit is building an unseen holy temple, a dwelling place for God that consists of all believers. In God's family, we cannot be isolated to ourselves. How we live affects our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are part of one another. We belong to a body. We are part of a temple that is being fitted together, brick by brick and stone by stone, into a glorious habitation of God. Ephesians 2:22 says, "In whom ye also are builded together for as habitation of God through the Spirit." The NET translation says, "In him the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

The Holy Spirit is the builder, but we have to yield ourselves to His working so He can fit us into the building. We get plenty of practice at this as we build our family, and each day learn to fit in with one another. We strengthen the family when we learn to work together rather than being independent.

Another chorus we love to sing, and our grandchildren love it too, is:

There is a virgin church, untouched by man,

A holy habitation, built by God's own plan,

The blueprint is the Bible, the foundation is the Son,

And we are all as living stones, built in one by one.

5. Cleansing Spirit

1 Corinthians 6:11 tells us that we "are washed... by the Spirit of our God." The Holy Spirit washes and cleanses us.

6. Conceiving and Birthing Spirit

We are conceived and birthed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Read Matthew 1:18, 20 and John 3:3, 5, 8.

Love from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

"Oh Father, please move in my heart by the power of your Holy Spirit. Please come into my home and move in the hearts of each one in the family. We want you to be the Mover in our home. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

AFFIRMATION:

I am building and being built. I am building my family by the power of the Holy Spirit. And I am being built into God's eternal family by the power of the Holy Spirit.

LIVING IN THE SPIRIT
Part 2

"And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost"
(Acts 13:52).

We continue looking at how we should respond to the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Live in the Spirit

Galatians 5:25 reminds us to live in the Spirit. Romans 8:5 tells us that if we set our minds on the things of the flesh, we will live in the flesh, but if we set out minds on the things of the Spirit, we will live in the Spirit. Don't you want to LIVE in the Spirit? In whatever you are doing at any moment in your home? I certainly do. Let's continually set our minds on the Holy Spirit and allow Him to live His life in us. And what is the fruit? Romans 8:6 says, "To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."

Follow the Spirit

Romans 8:4 NLT reminds us to no longer follow our sinful nature but instead FOLLOW the Spirit. We need to be in a place of rest so we can hear that "still small voice" saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it" (Isaiah 30:21).

Led by the Spirit

Romans 8:14 says, "For as many as a led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Read also Galatians 5:18. We can so easily be led by society and the mindset of people around us. We can more easily be led by our own fleshly desires. But, now that we are born again by the Holy Spirit and He indwells us, He wants to lead us. Look to Him to lead you in every decision you make, big or little. Trust Him to lead you with wisdom as you teach and nurture your children. Feed on His Word which will lead you into all truth (John 14:17, 26 and 1 John 2:27).

The Holy Spirit doesn't always lead us into easy and happy-go-lucky situations. Sometimes He leads us into difficult situations, but He will be with us in them. Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, even though He was filled with the Holy Ghost! Luke 4:1 says, "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness."

Pray in the Spirit

One powerful way to keep filled with the Holy Ghost is to pray in the Spirit. Jude v. 20 says, "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost." This is how we build up in our faith. Many times we are so burdened about something that we don't have words to adequately pray. We can pray in the Spirit and with groanings that cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26).

1 Corinthians 14:14-15 says, "If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also."

Sow to the Spirit

Galatians 5:7-8 says, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

The more we give into our fleshly feelings and reactions, the more we sow to the flesh. The more we yield to the Holy Spirit who dwells within us and obey His promptings, the more we sow to the Spirit.

When things aren't going your way, it's easy to feel sorry for yourself and get into a state of self-pity. That's sowing to the flesh. Instead, against everything you feel, acknowledge that God is in control of your situation and confess the joy of the Lord that dwells in you. That's sowing to the Spirit.

When you feel irritated and lash out with angry words, that's sowing to the flesh. Instead, against all your feelings, acknowledge and confess the patience and longsuffering of Christ who dwells in you. That's sowing to the Spirit. When you give into selfishness, that's sowing to the flesh. When you yield to servanthood, which is the attitude of the Spirit of Christ, that's sowing to the Spirit (Philippians 2:5-8).

We must watch out that we are not deceived. This way of life is not to be scoffed at. The word, "God is not mocked" is mukterizo and means, "to turn up the nose, to ridicule, to ignore, to sneer." We cannot get away with giving into our own desires and selfishness. It always reaps devastation. I have watched the destruction of marriages where the wife is more interested in her own selfish ways than forgetting herself and sowing to the Spirit.

We must also watch out that we ...

Do Not Grieve the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 4:30 exhorts us, "And grieve not the holy "Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day or redemption." The word "grieve" means to cause sorrow and grief. When we ignore and refuse to yield to the Spirit, we grieve Him.

Do Not Quench the Holy Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:19 says, "Quench not the Spirit." Here are some other translations of this Scripture to give us further understanding on what it means to quench the Spirit in our lives.

"Do not stifle the Holy Spirit" (NLT, HCSB).
"Do not extinguish the Spirit" (NET).
"Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the holy Spirit" (AMP)
"Do not restrain the Holy Spirit" (GNB, GNT).
"Never damp the fire of the Spirit" (JBP, Moffat ).

Love from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:
"I want so much to follow after the Holy Spirit. I want to walk in the Spirit moment by moment. Please fill me, teach me, and lead me by your Spirit. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:
Instead of dampening the fire of the Spirit in my life, I will kindle the fire of the Spirit.

FURTHER SCRIPTURES ABOUT SOWING AND REAPING:
Job 4:8; Proverbs 11:18: 22:8-9; Hosea 8:7; 10:12-13; Romans 8:12-13 and James 3:18.