THE PERSON AND POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Sep 13, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Third Person Who Shares Your Life

The Holy Spirit is not a vague force but a divine person who desires intimate fellowship. He thinks, feels, speaks, and grieves like you do. As a member of the Trinity, he shares in your daily struggles, joys, and decisions. His presence isn’t limited to emotional church moments—he walks with you in traffic jams, grocery stores, and quiet nights. This relationship isn’t one-sided: he offers his wisdom while inviting you to lean into his strength. To know him is to discover a friend who never leaves. [07:22]

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
(2 Corinthians 13:14, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you overlooked the Holy Spirit’s personhood this week? How might acknowledging him as a “he” rather than an “it” change your conversations with him today?

Day 2: Wind You Can’t See But Can’t Ignore

Like wind bending trees, the Holy Spirit’s invisible presence reshapes lives. He convicts without condemning, whispers truth during Bible reading, and stirs courage when fear paralyzes. Just as wind carries seeds to fertile soil, he plants God’s promises deep within you. His movements might feel subtle—a nudge to apologize, a sudden peace in chaos—but they always align with Scripture. Watch for his fingerprints in ordinary moments. [19:52]

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
(John 4:24, ESV)

Reflection: When did you last sense the Spirit’s “wind” redirecting you? What practical step helps you stay attentive to his quiet movements today?

Day 3: A Tenant Renovating Your Soul

At salvation, the Holy Spirit didn’t just visit—he moved in. Your body became his temple, not because you’re perfect, but because he’s committed to remodeling. He rewires thought patterns, scrubs away old habits, and hangs new character traits like art on cracked walls. Resistance slows the renovation, but surrender lets him knock down walls of fear and install windows of grace. His presence turns fixer-uppers into masterpieces. [23:32]

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?”
(1 Corinthians 6:19, ESV)

Reflection: Which “room” in your life have you been keeping locked from the Spirit’s renovation? What makes you hesitant to hand him the keys?

Day 4: The Helper Who Red-Flags Bad Decisions

The Holy Spirit specializes in holy interruptions. He’ll flash mental warnings before toxic relationships, impulsive purchases, or angry words. Like a friend grabbing your arm before you step into traffic, his alerts aren’t about control but protection. He’s the reason you suddenly remember a forgotten promise or feel uneasy in a compromising situation. Trust his alerts more than your rationalizations. [42:13]

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.”
(John 16:13, ESV)

Reflection: When have you ignored the Spirit’s red flag and regretted it? What practical habit could help you pause and pray when he whispers “stop” today?

Day 5: Dynamite for Your Divine Assignment

The same power that resurrected Jesus lives in you—not for showy miracles but daily obedience. The Spirit’s dynamite blasts through apathy, explodes lies about your inadequacy, and clears debris from your God-given purpose. You’ll never face a task he can’t empower, whether preaching or parenting, working or weeping. His power flows when you admit weakness and declare, “I need you.” [50:44]

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.”
(Acts 1:8, ESV)

Reflection: What ordinary task feels overwhelming today? How might inviting the Spirit’s explosive power change your approach to it?

Sermon Summary

The Apostles’ Creed anchors believers in truths that do not move with the world’s opinions. God’s Word, rather than a culture that can call right wrong and wrong right, must shape how believers think, live, and make decisions. The Holy Spirit stands at the center of that steady life, not as some force or some “it,” but as the third Person of the Godhead.

The Holy Spirit is God in the now. Jesus was God with humanity in a physical body, but the Holy Spirit makes God present with every believer everywhere. Jesus called it better that He should go, because the Helper could come and abide forever. The Holy Spirit is not weird, even when people can respond in weird ways. People may carry learned behavior and emotional reactions, but the Holy Spirit remains holy, personal, and good.

The fellowship of the Holy Spirit means more than an occasional spiritual feeling. Koinonia pictures sharing in common, joint participation, and a deep shared life. The Holy Spirit wants involvement in every part of life, not merely in church services or difficult moments. His presence is invisible like the wind, yet His effects are plain to see: life, goodness, change, healing, freedom, and the miraculous.

The Spirit of truth dwells in believers because new birth makes them alive in Christ. The body becomes His temple, and every hard place becomes a place where God is still present. Feelings of fear, anger, or trouble do not cancel His nearness. The Holy Spirit remains with and in the believer, ready to bring peace, reveal what needs to change, and make God’s Word alive in the moment.

The Holy Spirit works within believers to cause them both to will and to do God’s good pleasure. Trials can expose places where trust, forgiveness, self-control, or obedience need work. The Spirit does not merely point out sin and leave people condemned; He creates the desire to change and supplies the power to break bad habits. Freedom often grows as believers consistently give Him place rather than trying to fix themselves by willpower.

The Helper also reveals truth, warns against bad decisions, comforts, guides, strengthens, teaches, and intercedes. The Holy Spirit empowers God’s people for their mission with dunamis power, not mere human ability. Jesus Himself began His miracle-working ministry anointed with the Holy Spirit and power. If Jesus depended on the Holy Spirit to fulfill His mission, believers surely need Him in every part of theirs.

Key Takeaways

1. The Holy Spirit is a Person The Holy Spirit thinks, speaks, reasons, feels, and can be grieved. He is not an impersonal force to use when life gets hard. Fellowship with Him begins when believers recognize that He is a real Person who desires a real relationship. [12:44]
2. God is present in the now The Holy Spirit means God is not far off, waiting to be found in a certain place. His presence remains with believers in fear, pain, decisions, and ordinary routines. Feelings may shift in difficult moments, but His promise to be with and in believers does not shift. [23:32]
3. Trials reveal needed areas of change The Holy Spirit can use fiery trials to expose fear, anger, unbelief, and self-reliance. A trial does not merely reveal what another person needs to fix; it often reveals what God wants to change within the believer. His power reaches deeper than behavior and forms new character over time. [34:38]
4. The Helper warns and guides daily The Holy Spirit often gives an inward witness before a bad decision becomes a painful consequence. His warnings may come through Scripture, wise counsel, or a clear check on the inside. Obedience requires paying attention when His voice has already made the direction clear. [41:40]
5. Mission requires power from heaven Human skill can accomplish tasks, but only the Holy Spirit’s anointing brings God-sized results. Jesus directed His disciples to wait for power before attempting kingdom work. The same Holy Spirit who empowered Jesus equips believers to serve beyond their own strength.

## [48:56]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[16:00] - Building Life on the Creed
[06:55] - The Person and Power of the Holy Spirit
[08:55] - Fellowship With the Holy Spirit
[12:00] - The Holy Spirit Is a Person
[16:59] - God in the Now
[19:16] - The Invisible Presence of God
[22:14] - The Holy Spirit Dwells Within Believers
[26:24] - Under the Holy Spirit’s Control
[29:03] - Conviction, New Birth, and Transformation
[38:08] - Truth, Help, and Guidance
[47:21] - Empowered for God’s Mission
[50:44] - Jesus Anointed With the Holy Spirit

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

2 Corinthians 13:14
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” [08:55]

John 14:16-17
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” [13:21] [22:32]

1 Corinthians 6:19
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,” [25:26]

Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [49:59]

Acts 10:38
“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” [52:12]

Observation questions

In John 14:16-17, what names and descriptions does Jesus give the Holy Spirit, and what do those words show about His relationship with believers? [13:21]
According to 2 Corinthians 13:14, what is connected with Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit in Paul’s blessing?
What does 1 Corinthians 6:19 call the believer’s body, and what does that reveal about where the Holy Spirit lives? [25:26]
In Acts 1:8 and Acts 10:38, what did the Holy Spirit’s power enable Jesus and His followers to do? [49:59]

Interpretation questions

Jesus calls the Holy Spirit “another Helper” who will remain forever. What does it mean for believers that the Helper comes alongside them rather than merely giving them occasional help from a distance? [40:14]
The Holy Spirit is described as a Person who thinks, speaks, feels, and can be grieved. How does seeing Him as a Person, rather than an impersonal force, change the way believers relate to Him? [12:44]
If the Holy Spirit dwells in believers even when they feel fearful, angry, or troubled, how should believers understand the difference between God’s presence and their changing feelings? [24:15]
Acts 1:8 connects the Spirit’s power with being witnesses. What is the difference between trying to serve God through natural ability alone and serving with dependence on the Holy Spirit? [48:00]

Application questions

Where are you most likely to treat the Holy Spirit as someone you only need during a crisis, rather than inviting Him into the ordinary parts of your day—your work, relationships, choices, and routines? [11:25]
Think about a current difficult situation. What is it bringing out in you—fear, anger, impatience, self-reliance, unforgiveness, or something else? What might the Holy Spirit be inviting you to address in your own heart? [34:38]
Is there a habit or pattern in your life that you have tried to overcome mainly through willpower? What would it look like to regularly look to the Holy Spirit for both the desire and the power to change? [32:36]
Can you recall a time when you sensed an inward check, a warning through Scripture, or wise counsel that helped you avoid a poor decision? How can you become more attentive and obedient when that warning comes? [41:43]
When fear or pressure rises, what simple truth could you remind yourself of from John 14:16-17—that the Holy Spirit is with you and in you? How might that change your response in the moment? [24:42]
In what area of serving others are you relying mostly on your own personality, experience, or skill? What could it look like to ask the Holy Spirit to use even that simple act for God’s purpose? [48:12]
Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power for His mission. What mission or responsibility has God placed in front of you right now that needs more than your own strength? [52:12]

Sermon Clips

48s

#WillAndPowerBySpirit

“And then he gets involved in every aspect of your life. Philippians two thirteen, he is all the while at work within you. Why is he working in me? To cause me to both will and do of God's, a good pleasure. So he has to create within me the will, the desire to please God, and he also has to create the will or the the the the ability, the power to carry out what God is telling me to do. Amen? The will to forgive and then the power to forgive because how many know those are two different things? Yeah. The will to live right and then the power to live right. The will to get set free from drugs and alcohol, the power to get set free from those things. Amen? So that's what he does.”

27s

#SpiritIsOurComfort

“And he it says that he's our comforter. He's our guide. He encourages us. He strengthens us. He teaches us. He intercedes for us. He warns us. Come on. Have you ever had have you ever been about ready to make a bad decision and you just had a, you know, a I used call it a red flag go up on the inside. Red flag. It's not a red flag, that's the Holy Spirit.”

28s

#SpiritBreaksHabits

“Can I tell you a temper? Most of the stuff we do is bad habit. Come on. And, you know, it takes a while to break a bad habit. And the holy spirit is there to help you break that bad habit. And as you consistently look to him, he'll help you overcome the thing that you're needing to overcome in your life. Amen? Is this okay? Yeah.”

35s

#LedByTheSpirit

“Everybody say under the control of. Yeah. Why should we come under the control of the Holy Spirit? Because how many know he knows how we need to think and how we need to live in order to live our best life. Amen? Amen. He knows what is the right decision to make at any given time in your life. Come on. And he alone has the power to give you victory over all of the things that you're struggling with in your life.”

31s

#HeDwellsInMe

“You know what? I'm glad I serve a god that's bigger than anything I can imagine. I'm glad I serve a god that I can't explain every aspect about him. Amen? I just can't explain everything about god because he's so big and he's so wonderful. How does he dwell in me? I don't know. The same way he's omnipresent. How does he do that? I don't know. He just is. Do you really believe he's in you, pastor? Oh, I know he's in me. Come on. I know he's in me. And you need to know he's in you too.”

31s

#JesusWithYouEverywhere

“And so he could only be in one place at one time. So if you wanted to go where the power of God was to get a need met or to get healed or to be encouraged or whatever, how many know you had to go find Jesus? You had to go be with Jesus. I mean, you that would be a real challenge for us in America right now if Jesus still lived in Jerusalem. That'd be a trip, right? But you know what? The good news is now, you no longer have to go to where he is because he is always present with you. Amen? Yeah.”

28s

#PeaceInTheStorm

“If if the trial comes and maybe you get worried and afraid, can I tell you that reveals to you that you don't trust God enough and that you need to believe that he's with you, that he's in control, he's gonna work everything out, and you need to be walking in the peace that surpasses all understanding while you're going through that difficulty, that difficult time in your life? Amen?”

23s

#ChooseGodsWay

“And as a believer, as someone who's following Christ as a child of God, how many know that should be your take on life also? I just believe that everything God says is right. And if what man says differ from what God says, I'm going God's way. Come on, I'm not going the world's way.”

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