Love to tell the Story
Nothing's too hard for God Jeremiah 32:27
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B: "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).
C: Confess. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins, and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Who is the Holy Spirit?
First, the Holy Spirit is not an "it" but a Person–the third person of the Trinity. He is the spirit of God and He has a distinct ministry to God’s children. God’s spirit knows God’s thoughts; "For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God?" (1 Corinthians 2:11, NIV). Just as a child is aware of what he thinks, the Spirit knows God’s thoughts.
What does the Holy Spirit do for me?
The Holy Spirit’s ministry is varied and multi-dimensional.
The Holy Spirit convicts of sin. He is the one who made you feel you needed to be forgiven when you heard about Jesus (John 16:8).
The Holy Spirit will teach you. This does not mean that you do not need a pastor or a teacher. The Holy Spirit will make clear or real the things you have been taught (John 16:13).
The Holy Spirit will remind you of what you have learned. As you are witnessing or need a special truth for someone, the Holy Spirit will remind you of the Scriptures you have studied and what they mean. When you share that with the other person, it will be just the right thing to say (John 14:25).
The Holy Spirit will pray through you. Often, as you are praying, you do not know how to pray or what to pray for. At these times, the Holy Spirit who knows the deep thoughts of God begins to pray for us exactly the way God wants (Romans 8: 26.27).
The Holy Spirit will give you power to witness. The power the Holy Spirit gives creates a desire to share Jesus with family, friends, and neighbors (Acts 1:8).
How do I receive the Holy Spirit?
To receive the Holy Spirit, you must be a follower of Jesus. Think about friends you have known. Did some of them spend time with you or another friend just to get something for themselves? That is not a good friend. If the friendship is based on wanting to know the other person, to share each other’s company, and to give as well as receive, it is a solid friendship that will last. It is more important to care about the giver than about what he can give you. As you want to know more about God, He will come near to you and give you the good things you need, like the Holy Spirit (James 4:8; James 1:7).
How will I know the Holy Spirit has filled me?
People respond differently when they are in God’s presence. Some people pray loudly and others cry. Some sing. Speaking in tongues is the first outward sign that God’s Spirit has come to live in you (Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 18:6,7). You do not learn how to speak in tongues from another person. The Holy Spirit gives you words that help you speak to God in praise and worship.
What happens after I am filled with the Holy Spirit?
Speaking in tongues is just the beginning. When Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit, God gives them gifts to use in serving the church (1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Ephesians 4:11.12 and Romans 12:6-8). The Holy Spirit also helps us to become more like Jesus as we live and work among other people. This is known as growing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It is important to pray every day that God, through His Spirit, will lead you to become the Christian He wants you to be.
