When we accept the grace of Jesus and decide to follow him, God desires for us to turn from our own way of thinking and live Spirit-filled lives too. Yet many of us don’t. We meet Christians all the time whose lives could be summed up in two statements: One: “Nobody’s perfect. And two: “God understands.”

There’s almost a despair about those two statements. It seems that, for many, life is merely a long string of joy and sorrows, but with the hope of Heaven at the end.

Here’s the problem with that. If the Christian list is merely “doing our best,” then there’s no need for the Holy Spirit in the first place. So, all we have is OUR best, not GOD’S best for our lives. I don’t know about you, but my VERY, VERY best is still FAR from being like Jesus.

Join us this week as Scott and Gary Black begin a conversation about the power God provides IN us—the Holy Spirit.

DISCUSSION GUIDE

How would you rank the four fast food restaurants that Scott and Gary discussed at the beginning of the podcast: Chick fil a, Cane’s, Taco Bell, and McDonald’s?

Gary lists off a number of the names of the Holy Spirit found throughout Scripture: The Spirit of God, The Spirit of Christ, The Spirit of Truth, The Eternal Spirit, The Spirit of Glory, The Spirit of Life, The Spirit of Wisdom, The Spirit of Adoption, The Spirit of Promise, The Spirit of Holiness, The Spirit of Faith and our Comforter. Which of these names is the most intriguing to you and why?

When discussing who the Holy Spirit is, Gary points out the Holy Spirit is a person, not a “thing,” and that the Holy Spirit dwells in us and gives life to our bodies. How would your relationship with God change if you saw him as a real person?

Read John 16:7 & John 16:13. Jesus tells his disciples that it is better for him to leave than for him to stay with them. This is because when Jesus leaves, the Father will send the Holy Spirit to be their helper and their guide. When you think of the Holy Spirit being your “helper” or your “guide,” what comes to mind?

Read 1 Corinthians 6:19.  We are a permanent residence with God. Where we go, the Holy Spirit goes with us. What we experience, the Holy Spirit experiences. When we see sin, the Holy Spirit sees sin. How does this motivate you to live a life of purity?

Read Romans 8:1-2 and 2 Timothy 1:7. The Holy Spirit has set you free! He gives you the boldness and confidence you need to live and lead like Jesus. What areas of your life can you boldly lead, knowing that the Holy Spirit is guiding you?

Scott said, “Men who love God are led by God.” Allowing the Holy Spirit to lead is a necessary element of following Jesus. What are some habits that you can start this week to better LISTEN for the Holy Spirit and to follow where he is leading you?

When you look back on your life, are there any ways you can now see that it was the Holy Spirit who was working in your life even when you couldn’t see or understand it?

What else from the podcast spoke to you?

What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you?  What’s God asking you to do?  What does He want to give you?  What does He want you to lay down?

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

• Forgotten God, Francis Chan

• Spirit Rising, Jim Cymbala

• The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life, Charles Stanley

• Sensitivity to the Spirit, R.T. Kendall

• How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit, A.W. Tozer

 NEXT STEPS 

• Sign up for Men’s Retreat (October 18-20) at southland.church/men

• Join a Group at southland.church/groups

• For any other questions or comments email [email protected]