Encounter Lesson 3

"The Person of the Holy Spirit and the Church" BACK HOME

Pre-Encounter Lesson #3

John 14:16-17 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a basic knowledge of the Holy Spirit and His function within the church.

First, we’ll discuss the Church:

WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

*Everyone who has been born again is a member of the church. That is, those who have left their old life and followed Christ. Acts 2:46-47

“Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Matthew 18:20 says “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

REASONS WHY WE MEET TOGETHER AS A CHURCH;

1. It is a commandment of God. Hebrews 10:24 & 25

2. It is a place of instruction Luke 2:46-49

3. Jesus was our example. Luke 4:15-16

4. The apostles followed this example Luke 24:53

Acts 2:42 “And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

*He is the third person of the Holy Trinity. He is God Himself and He merits the same reverence that we give God the Father and Jesus Christ.

*He is not a force or thought. He is God, and has a personality and hears, feels, understands, guides, helps, teaches.

*He lives inside of us from the very moment we accept Jesus.

Jesus, while encouraging his disciples about his leaving and preparing a place for them tells them, “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever, that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him, or know Him, but you will know Him because He abides with you and will be in you; I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:16-18)

Then later in vs. 25-26, “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

Paraclete – one called to aid or support; a consoler, a comforter or intercessor.

THE GENERAL WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:

1. He brings freedom. (Matthew 12:28)

“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

2. He reveals truth. (John 15:26) “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me.”

3. He convinces of sin. (John 16;7, 8) “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”

4. He gives life to what is spiritually dead. (Romans 8:11) But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

5. He gives power to do what we have been called to. (Acts 1:8) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

6. He guides us in prayer, and gives us strength to keep going. (Romans 8:26, 27) “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

If you have not experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, I have 2 resources you can read. There will be a time of prayer at the Encounter. Have an open mind and open heart and seek what God will do in you.

Assignment: Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself to them so that they will know Him more and be sensitive to Him as He lives in them.

Ephesians 5:18 “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.”

Homework

John 14:16-17

OBJECTIVE: To develop a basic knowledge of the Holy Spirit and His function within the Church.

WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

REASONS WHY WE MEET TOGETHER AS A CHURCH:

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Paraclete means:

THE GENERAL WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:

1. (Matthew 12:28)

2. (John 15:26)

3. (John 16:7,8)

4.(Romans 8:11)

5.(Acts 1:8)

6.(Romans 8:26, 27)

Assignment: Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself to you so that you will know Him more and be sensitive to Him as He lives in you.

Eph. 5:18