Disciplined Spirituality

river3On March 7, 2015, Ray Hackney spoke on the Evidence of the Spirit in Our Lives during the Chapel Hill Bible Church prayer training. Below are some notes from his talk.

Evidence of the Spirit in our lives
Introduction:
Prophesy tells us that we would receive the Holy Spirit: Joe 2:28: "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions."

What are the evidences that this prophesy came true?

1. The Word of God tells us –
Romans 5:5 (NIV)
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
• "Whom He has given us" What a gift!
• "God has poured out his love into our hearts" What an act of love!
Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.
• The Holy Spirit is a seal, guaranteeing our inheritance and that we are God's possession.

2. Jesus tells us –
John 14:15-17 (NIV)
"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

Acts 1:8 (NIV)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

• Jesus is quoted as saying that we would receive the Holy Spirit by two different authors of the NT. Pre and post resurrection.

3. The Holy Spirit tells us:
Romans 8:15-16 (NIV)
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
• The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit.
• God tells us through prophesy, Jesus tells us with His own words, the Holy Spirit tells each of us

4. Historical Record of Pentecost
Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
• We have an event recorded in history.

5. Fruit of the Spirit –
Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.


6. Gifts of the Spirit –
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NIV)
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.


7. Wisdom from the Spirit
1 Corinthians 2:11-13 (NIV)
For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.


8. Help in prayer
Romans 8:26 (NIV)
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Story of my Grandmother's prayers for me.

Why are these evidences important?
Faith, confidence, love of God, worship of God, obedience to God

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