Posted on Dec 20, 2016 in Devotional, The Holy Spirit | Tags: abilities, gifts, gifts of the Spirit, Holy Spirit, love, manifestation gifts, ministry gifts, motivational gifts, purpose, servant, service, talents, the Holy Spirit
Along with empowering us to accomplish God’s purpose for our lives, the Holy Spirit also equips us supernaturally. He expands the toolbox God gave us when we were born with gifts only He can operate in and He does so through us. But, before we dive into those gifts, we must first look at who God uses, why God chooses to work in this way, and our personal motivation to be used by Him.
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Posted on Dec 18, 2016 in Devotional, The Holy Spirit | Tags: abilities, baptism of the Holy Spirit, devotion, empowering of the Holy Spirit, gifts, Holy Spirit, purpose, talents
Ephesians 3:16– that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man
I am terrible when it comes to building things requiring tools to assemble. Throw in the curve ball of no instructions for a DIY project and I might as well quit before I get started. You could say I am hammer, screwdriver, saw, etc. challenged. But even in my pitiful state of tool ineptness, I recognize the benefits of a power tool over a standard hand tool. For example, on the rare occasion I am forced to use a screwdriver, I will always opt for the power of an electric drill. Why? Because I can complete the job far more quickly, efficiently, and impress my wife by using the power drill.
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Posted on Dec 17, 2016 in Devotional, The Holy Spirit | Tags: choices, decisions, devotion, direction, guidance, Holy Spirit, leading, purpose
Before the Holy Spirit came to indwell servants of Christ, a system of lots was used to determine God’s will in many situations. In fact, just before the day of Pentecost (
Acts 2:1-4), the disciples chose someone to replace Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Christ. They used the system of casting lots to make the choice (
Acts 1:23-26).
After the day of Pentecost, a distinct difference exists in the way followers of Christ operated to make choices. When a decision was made by some to send Paul and Barnabas out to declare the gospel, the Holy Spirit directed them specifically to do so; He spoke to them (
Acts 13:2). And when Paul and Barnabas, in turn, traveled to Cyprus they were “sent out by the Holy Spirit” (
Acts 13:4).
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Posted on Dec 16, 2016 in Devotional, The Holy Spirit | Tags: comfort, dealing with pain, dealing with tribulations, dealing with trouble, devotion, God's will, Holy Spirit, intercession, joy, peace
Are you currently experiencing a situation in life so painful and distracting, you simply do not know how to pray? Perhaps a severe health issue, a financial crisis, family problems, job uncertainty, or a combination of the above? The great and comforting truth of scripture is, when you and I do not know how to pray, the Holy Spirit does it for us. He intercedes on our behalf!
Romans 8:26, 27 – Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Read more…
Posted on Dec 14, 2016 in Devotional, The Holy Spirit | Tags: devotion, Holy Spirit, illumination, inspiration, Revelation
Imagine you are entering a dark room. You can see the vague outline of furniture; a table here and a lamp there. It could be the most beautiful room full of Victorian furniture, impeccably decorated walls, and priceless artwork, but without the lights on, you can only see odd shapes and outlines. You cannot truly enjoy or appreciate the beauty without light to illuminate it for you! God’s truth is like that room. Mankind knows it’s there, but understanding it and applying it requires the light to be turned on.
1 Corinthians 2:10-13 – But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. Read more…
