Apr 28 2008

Bible Study Week 9 - How Are People Led By The Holy Spirit?

Published by admin at 12:01 am under Weekly Reflections

Purpose of This Lesson

Today we will study how Christians can walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and what happens when they allow the to lead them. The says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Rom 8:14Rom 8:14
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.  

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). If we want to become true sons of God, we have to acknowledge our need to be led by the Spirit of God so that we can be in tune with what God wants to do in our lives.

Lesson Objective

This lesson will guide the participants to:

  1. Discover how they can be led by the day by day
  2. Discover how the power of God is manifested when He leads them
  3. Discover the secret of victorious living through fellowship with the Holy Spirit

Introduction

The of God has been leading people since the days of Moses in the great exodus from Egypt; and if we allow Him to lead us in this present life we will also accomplish great and mighty things just like Moses accomplished for the children of Israel. Moses understood the secret of being led by God when he told God: ” if thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is it not in that thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth” (Ex 33: 15-16Ex 33: 15-16
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not [with me], carry us not up hence. 16 For wherein now shall it be known that I have found favor in thy sight, I and thy people? is it not in that thou goest with us, so that we are separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth?  

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We read many instances in the Old Testament when the Kings of Israel would not go to battle until they had enquired from God through the Prophet, meaning that they depended on God for direction. David also asked God not to take away the Holy Spirit from him Ps 51:11Ps 51:11
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy Spirit from me.  

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. In the , Jesus promised believers the : “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7John 16:7
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you.  ). He said of the “he will guide us into all truth” John 16:13John 16:13
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, [these] shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come.  . Paul tells us that we are sealed with the seal of the when we accept as Lord and Savior (i.e. at the point of redemption); Ephesians 4:30Ephesians 4:30
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.  .

Today’s Lesson:

Begin today’s lesson by reading Exo 13: 21-22Exo 13: 21-22
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
21 And Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night: 22 the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people.  

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, Exo 33: 12-17Exo 33: 12-17
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
12 And Moses said unto Jehovah, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found favor in my sight. 13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thy sight, show me now thy ways, that I may know thee, to the end that I may find favor in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. 14 And he said, My presence shall go [with thee], and I will give thee rest. 15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not [with me], carry us not up hence. 16 For wherein now shall it be known that I have found favor in thy sight, I and thy people? is it not in that thou goest with us, so that we are separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth? 17 And Jehovah said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken; for thou hast found favor in my sight, and I know thee by name.  , Acts 1:1-8Acts 1:1-8
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
The Acts of the Apostles 1 1 The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, 2 until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom he also showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God: 4 and, being assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, [said he], ye heard from me: 5 For John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence. 6 They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority. 8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.   and Acts 2:1-24Acts 2:1-24
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
2 1 And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we, every man in our own language wherein we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, 10 in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this? 13 But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine. 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, [saying], Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words. 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is [but] the third hour of the day. 16 but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams: 18 Yea and on My servants and on My handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heaven above, And signs on the earth beneath; Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of the Lord come, That great and notable [day]. 21 And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; 23 him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay: 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.  

The Covenant of Fire

One of the symbols of God is fire, we see how He appeared to Moses as a burning bush in Exodus 3:2Exodus 3:2
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
2 And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.  

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He also came down as fire and consumed Elijah’s sacrifice in 1 Kings 18:381 Kings 18:38
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
38 Then the fire of Jehovah fell, and consumed the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  , Then in the , He came down as tongues of fire and settled upon those assembled together on the day of Pentecost as it is recorded thus: “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (Act 2:3Act 2:3
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
3 And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.   ).

Our God is a God who has been leading His people throughout the ages and we are not an exception. We now have a covenant of fire through the baptism of the Holy Spirit who will lead us and protect us even as He did to the . Many people do not see the need to be baptized with the after receiving salvation, yet we see how Paul when he met with the new disciples in Ephesus he asked them whether they had received the baptism of the Holy spirit and they said that they had never heard about the Holy Spirit leave alone receiving him! “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied” (Act 19:6Act 19:6
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.  

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). The covenant of blood assures us of our salvation, but the covenant of fire assures us of the power of the , and we therefore have to enter the covenant of fire through baptism of the in order to experience that power that Christ promised us in Act 1:8Act 1:8
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.   saying “But ye shall receive power, after that the is come upon you.”

A Christian without the Holy Spirit power is like a car with a flat battery, which is why Christ told his disciples to wait in the city until they had received this power before they could go anywhere else! (Luke 24:49Luke 24:49
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
49 And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high.  

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The helps us to pray God’s will at times with in other tongues that we do not understand ourselves; Acts 2:4Acts 2:4
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  

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, Rom 8:26Rom 8:26
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
26 And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for [us] with groanings which cannot be uttered;  . Finally, the conforms us into the likeness of our , who is the express image of God and the firstborn among many brethren; Heb 1:3Heb 1:3
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3 who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;  , Rom 8:29Rom 8:29
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
29 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren:  .

Week 9: Questions For Discussion

  1. Briefly explain why you think Moses wanted God to accompany them in their journey through the wilderness in Exodus 33: 15Exodus 33: 15
    English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
    15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not [with me], carry us not up hence.      ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
  2. Why do you think God led the children of Israel by a pillar of fire by night? Please explain using Exo 13:21Exo 13:21
    English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
    21 And Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night:      ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
  3. How can the same method be used today to lead others in a dark world today? Use Matthew 5:16Matthew 5:16
    English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
    16 Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.       to explain……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
  4. Would you say that God is still leading His people even today? If yes, please explain how?……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
  5. What do you understand by the term “baptism of the ” according to Acts 1:5Acts 1:5
    English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
    5 For John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence.      ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
  6. Would you say that what Paul did in Acts 19:6Acts 19:6
    English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
    6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.       is being practiced in your church today? If yes, would you say it is biblical? If no, what are the reasons for not practicing it?……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
  7. What is your understanding of the word “Power’ as used by Jesus in Acts 1:8Acts 1:8
    English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
    8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.      ? Please explain……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
  8. Why do you think a living in the 21st century needs to have the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Please use 1 Cor 12:27-281 Cor 12:27-28
    English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
    27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof. 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, [divers] kinds of tongues.       and Gal 3: 14Gal 3: 14
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    14 that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.       to explain……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

For Meditation: Matt 25: 3-4Matt 25: 3-4
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
3 For the foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them: 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  

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- Becoming Foolproof

” They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.”
In many commentaries, oil is a symbol of the third person of the Trinity; the ; can we light our lamps without oil? Yet many expect to become the light of the world without OIL in their lamps! Let us fill our lamps today with the oil of the Holy Spirit and light up our world as we wait for the Bridegroom, the !

Amen

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