Living Water: Embracing the Holy Spirit's Power

Devotional

Day 1: The Holy Spirit's Sensitivity to Our Actions

The Holy Spirit, a divine person dwelling within believers, empowers us to live lives that are pleasing to God. However, He is sensitive and can be grieved by our actions and attitudes, particularly through corrupt communication and bitterness. Ephesians 4:22-32 calls us to put off the old self, characterized by these negative traits, and to put on the new self, created in righteousness and holiness. Our speech should edify and minister grace to others, reflecting our new identity in Christ. By doing so, we honor the Spirit's presence within us and allow Him to work freely in our lives. [05:35]

Ephesians 4:29-30 (ESV): "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

Reflection: Consider your recent conversations. How can you intentionally use your words to build up and encourage someone today?

Day 2: The Healing Power of Forgiveness

Bitterness and unforgiveness are toxic to our spiritual health and grieve the Holy Spirit. Forgiveness is essential, as it aligns us with the immense forgiveness we have received from God. By releasing those who have hurt us to God, we can experience healing and freedom from bitterness. This act of forgiveness not only liberates us but also allows the Holy Spirit to work more effectively in our lives, leading us toward spiritual growth and maturity. [11:14]

Colossians 3:12-13 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?

Day 3: Restoring Our Relationship with God

The Holy Spirit yearns for us to be in a deep, loving relationship with Jesus. When we harbor sin, the Spirit's energy is directed inwardly, convicting us to repent and restore our relationship with God. Confession and repentance allow the Spirit to flow outwardly again, enabling us to live an abundant life that refreshes others. This process of restoration is vital for maintaining a vibrant and fulfilling spiritual life. [20:47]

1 John 1:9 (ESV): "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

Day 4: Attentiveness to the Spirit's Leading

Quenching the Spirit occurs when we resist His promptings or fail to respond to His guidance. This can happen individually or corporately, as seen when assemblies shut down the Spirit's work prematurely. We must be attentive to the Spirit's leading, ensuring that we do not extinguish the sacred fire He seeks to ignite in our lives. By being open and responsive to His guidance, we allow the Spirit to work powerfully within us and through us. [32:46]

1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 (ESV): "Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent moment when you felt prompted by the Holy Spirit. How can you be more attentive and responsive to His guidance in the future?

Day 5: Cooperating with the Spirit's Work

The Spirit's work in our lives requires our cooperation. We must provide the fuel of God's Word and prayer, avoid quenching His promptings, and keep our hearts free from the dirt of sin. By doing so, we can experience the fullness of the Spirit's power and live lives that glorify God. This cooperation is essential for spiritual growth and for living a life that reflects the character and love of Christ to the world. [36:18]

Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV): "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

Reflection: What practical steps can you take today to ensure you are walking in step with the Spirit and not gratifying the desires of the flesh?

Sermon Summary

In John 7:37-39, Jesus invites those who thirst to come to Him and drink, promising that rivers of living water will flow from within them. This passage speaks of the Holy Spirit, a divine person who dwells within believers. The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in our salvation, security, and spiritual supply, empowering us to live lives pleasing to God. However, the Spirit is sensitive and can be grieved or quenched by our actions and attitudes.

Ephesians 4:22-32 provides insight into how we can grieve the Holy Spirit. It calls us to put off the old self, characterized by corrupt communication and bitterness, and to put on the new self, created in righteousness and holiness. Our speech should edify and minister grace to others, reflecting our new identity in Christ. Bitterness, wrath, and malice are attitudes of the heart that grieve the Spirit and hinder our spiritual growth. Forgiveness is key to overcoming these negative emotions, as it aligns us with the immense forgiveness we have received from God.

The Spirit also yearns for us to be in a deep, loving relationship with Jesus. When we harbor sin, the Spirit's energy is directed inwardly, convicting us to repent and restore our relationship with God. Confession and repentance allow the Spirit to flow outwardly again, enabling us to live an abundant life that refreshes others.

Quenching the Spirit occurs when we resist His promptings or fail to respond to His guidance. This can happen individually or corporately, as seen when assemblies shut down the Spirit's work prematurely. We must be attentive to the Spirit's leading, ensuring that we do not extinguish the sacred fire He seeks to ignite in our lives.

Key Takeaways

1. The Holy Spirit is a divine person who dwells within us, empowering us to live lives pleasing to God. However, He is sensitive and can be grieved by our actions and attitudes, particularly through corrupt communication and bitterness. We must strive to edify others with our speech and reflect our new identity in Christ. [05:35]
2. Bitterness and unforgiveness are toxic to our spiritual health and grieve the Holy Spirit. Forgiveness is essential, as it aligns us with the immense forgiveness we have received from God. By releasing those who have hurt us to God, we can experience healing and freedom from bitterness. [11:14]
3. The Holy Spirit yearns for us to be in a deep, loving relationship with Jesus. When we harbor sin, the Spirit's energy is directed inwardly, convicting us to repent and restore our relationship with God. Confession and repentance allow the Spirit to flow outwardly again, enabling us to live an abundant life. [20:47]
4. Quenching the Spirit occurs when we resist His promptings or fail to respond to His guidance. This can happen individually or corporately, as seen when assemblies shut down the Spirit's work prematurely. We must be attentive to the Spirit's leading, ensuring that we do not extinguish the sacred fire He seeks to ignite in our lives. [32:46]
5. The Spirit's work in our lives requires our cooperation. We must provide the fuel of God's Word and prayer, avoid quenching His promptings, and keep our hearts free from the dirt of sin. By doing so, we can experience the fullness of the Spirit's power and live lives that glorify God. [36:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:24] - Invitation to the Thirsty
[01:09] - The Sensitivity of the Holy Spirit
[02:07] - Grieving the Spirit
[03:02] - Putting Off the Old Self
[04:30] - The Power of Edifying Speech
[05:35] - The Impact of Bitterness
[08:44] - The Key to Overcoming Bitterness
[11:14] - The Spirit's Grief Over Unforgiveness
[12:45] - The Power of Prayer and Forgiveness
[15:42] - Forgiveness Without Reconciliation
[18:22] - Transformation Over Information
[19:18] - The Spirit's Yearning for Intimacy
[20:47] - The Overflowing Life
[25:27] - Quenching the Spirit
[30:56] - Responding to the Spirit's Leading
[36:18] - Fueling the Spirit's Work
[37:07] - Conclusion and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 7:37-39
- Ephesians 4:22-32

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Observation Questions:

In John 7:37-39, what does Jesus promise to those who come to Him and drink? How is this related to the Holy Spirit? [00:24]
According to Ephesians 4:22-32, what are believers instructed to put off and put on, and how does this relate to their new identity in Christ? [03:02]
What specific behaviors and attitudes are mentioned in Ephesians 4:29-32 that can grieve the Holy Spirit? [07:23]
How does the sermon describe the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit, and what are some ways He can be grieved or quenched? [01:50]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of "rivers of living water" in John 7:37-39 illustrate the work of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life? What does this metaphor suggest about the nature of the Spirit's work? [00:38]
In Ephesians 4:22-32, what does it mean to "put off the old self" and "put on the new self"? How does this transformation reflect our relationship with the Holy Spirit? [03:29]
The sermon mentions that bitterness and unforgiveness are toxic to our spiritual health. How does forgiveness align us with the forgiveness we have received from God? [11:14]
What does it mean to quench the Spirit, and how can this occur both individually and corporately within a church setting? [32:46]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your own life: Are there any areas where you might be grieving the Holy Spirit through your speech or attitudes? How can you begin to address these areas? [06:32]
The sermon emphasizes the importance of forgiveness. Is there someone you need to forgive to align yourself with the forgiveness you have received from God? What steps can you take to release bitterness? [11:14]
Consider your relationship with the Holy Spirit. Are there ways you might be quenching His work in your life? How can you become more attentive to His promptings? [32:46]
The sermon suggests that the Spirit yearns for us to be in a deep, loving relationship with Jesus. How can you cultivate this relationship in your daily life? [20:47]
How can you ensure that your speech is edifying and ministers grace to others, as instructed in Ephesians 4:29? What practical changes can you make in your communication? [06:19]
The sermon mentions the importance of confession and repentance. Is there a sin you need to confess to allow the Spirit to flow outwardly in your life again? [21:34]
How can you provide the "fuel" of God's Word and prayer to support the Spirit's work in your life? What specific practices can you implement to keep your heart free from the "dirt" of sin? [36:18]

Sermon Clips

The Holy Spirit is a real person, a Divine person that lives within us. We've talked about His work in salvation, His work in the believer's security, and His work in supplying the power needed to live a life that is pleasing to God. [00:00:56]

He can be grieved, He can be quenched, He often is ignored, He can be despised, and He can be resisted. And so we want to make sure that He is at home in us. [00:01:42]

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. So what he says, the old man, that's what we used to be like. [00:04:32]

Bitterness is when somebody's done something to me that hurt, and I can't get over it, can't let go of it. It eats away at me, and you see that so often in assembly life. [00:07:44]

The key to overcoming bitterness is forgiveness. So he says bitterness, and of course, it doesn't just stay that way. It obviously comes out, it shows itself in wrath and anger. [00:08:52]

Nobody knows more than the Holy Spirit how much God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. Could you begin to quantify how much in your personal life? How much is God, for Christ's sake, forgiven you in your life? [00:10:24]

The Spirit that dwells within us, this blessed person, the Holy Spirit, wants us to be madly in love with the Lord Jesus. That's what He wants for every believer. [00:19:56]

When we're harboring sin in our hearts, His activity is no longer working out through us. His activity is directed in us, in inner conviction to get us right. [00:20:44]

Quench not the Spirit. Pretty brief, pretty to the point. But again, contextually, despise not prophesyings, prove all things, hold fast that which is good, abstain from all appearance of evil. [00:25:30]

The Spirit of God is trying to light a fire for God in our lives, to move us for God and get us active and serving with passion and zeal. [00:26:15]

The Spirit's given to us to not only fill us but overflow an overflowing life that brings refreshment to a world. But when we're harboring sin in our hearts, His activity is no longer working out through us. [00:20:44]

The Spirit of God wants us to do something. He prompts us to activity, and we don't respond. Have you ever felt prompted to share the gospel with somebody by the Spirit of God and not done it? [00:33:01]

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Living Water: Embracing the Holy Spirit's Power

Devotional

Day 1: The Holy Spirit's Sensitivity to Our Actions

Day 2: The Healing Power of Forgiveness

Day 3: Restoring Our Relationship with God

Day 4: Attentiveness to the Spirit's Leading

Day 5: Cooperating with the Spirit's Work

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Living Water: Embracing the Holy Spirit's Power

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