### Summary

Good morning, everyone. It's a joy to be here with you today, especially on this significant day, Pentecost Sunday, the day the church was born. We celebrate the birth of the first-century church, which serves as a model for us today. The church is meant to be a family, and like any family, it has its challenges. We don't always get along, but we are called to extend grace, love, and forgiveness to one another, just as Jesus does for us.

Today, I want to talk about a relationship that is crucial for every believer—the relationship with the Holy Spirit. Friendships are important, and we all have friends who multiply our joys and divide our griefs. But there's a friend who is closer than any other, and that is the Holy Spirit. Many people are comfortable talking about God the Father and Jesus the Son, but when it comes to the Holy Spirit, they get uncomfortable. This discomfort is a ploy of the enemy because our relationship with the Holy Spirit is our closest connection to God today.

Jesus emphasized the importance of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:7, He said it was to our advantage that He goes away so that the Holy Spirit could come. The Holy Spirit is our comforter, advocate, and guide. He is not weird; it's people who can be weird. The Holy Spirit is our constant companion, leading us into all truth and helping us grow in our relationship with God.

One of the most significant aspects of the Holy Spirit is that He ensures we are never alone. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be with us forever, fulfilling His promise that we would never be alone. The Holy Spirit's presence is with us 24/7, guiding us, comforting us, and teaching us. He makes the Word of God come alive, turning it from mere words on a page into a living, breathing message from God.

The Holy Spirit also reminds us that God is at work on our behalf. He convicts us of our sins, comforts us in our pain, and leads us in our daily lives. For example, when we lost our son, Brandon, the Holy Spirit provided a comfort that no human words could offer. He brings a peace that surpasses all understanding, guiding us through our darkest moments.

Moreover, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live bold and courageous lives. Fear is a significant issue for many people, but the Holy Spirit gives us the strength to overcome it. Fear drives negative emotions like jealousy, anxiety, and anger, but the Holy Spirit replaces fear with boldness and faith. We are called to live bold, strong, and courageous lives, not timid or fearful ones.

In the book of Acts, we see the boldness of Peter and John, who, despite being uneducated and illiterate, spoke with such authority that even the Sanhedrin marveled. This boldness came from their relationship with the Holy Spirit. They prayed for boldness, and the Holy Spirit filled them, enabling them to speak the Word of God with courage.

As we close, I want to remind you that the Holy Spirit is your best friend. He is with you always, guiding you, comforting you, and empowering you to live a life of boldness and faith. If you don't have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, I encourage you to seek Him. He will make the Word of God come alive in your heart and empower you to live a life that glorifies God.

### Key Takeaways

1. **The Holy Spirit is Our Constant Companion**: Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be with us forever, ensuring that we are never alone. This presence is not just a comforting thought but a reality that we can experience daily. The Holy Spirit guides us, teaches us, and makes the Word of God come alive in our hearts. If you feel alone or disconnected, remember that the Holy Spirit is always with you, ready to lead you into all truth. [55:33]

2. **The Holy Spirit Empowers Us to Overcome Fear**: Fear is a significant issue that drives many negative emotions like jealousy, anxiety, and anger. The Holy Spirit replaces fear with boldness and faith, enabling us to live courageous lives. We are called to be bold, strong, and courageous, not timid or fearful. The Holy Spirit gives us the strength to face our fears and live boldly for God. [01:06:18]

3. **The Holy Spirit Convicts and Comforts Us**: One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of our sins and comfort us in our pain. When we make mistakes or face difficult situations, the Holy Spirit is there to guide us back to the right path and provide comfort that surpasses all understanding. This conviction and comfort are essential for our spiritual growth and well-being. [01:01:15]

4. **The Holy Spirit Leads Us to Boldness in Our Faith**: The story of Peter and John in the book of Acts shows us the boldness that comes from a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Despite being uneducated and illiterate, they spoke with such authority that even the Sanhedrin marveled. This boldness is available to us today through the Holy Spirit, enabling us to speak and live out our faith with courage. [01:10:05]

5. **The Holy Spirit is Our Best Friend**: Building a relationship with the Holy Spirit is crucial for every believer. He is our comforter, advocate, and guide, helping us grow in our relationship with God. If you don't have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, seek Him. He will make the Word of God come alive in your heart and empower you to live a life that glorifies God. [47:25]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[38:23] - Introduction and Prayer
[39:29] - Importance of Pentecost Sunday
[40:48] - The Value of Friendships
[42:10] - True Definition of a Friend
[43:27] - The Concept of BFF
[44:39] - Jesus as Our Best Friend
[45:11] - Our Friend, the Holy Spirit
[46:49] - Misconceptions About the Holy Spirit
[47:25] - The Holy Spirit as Our Comforter
[49:32] - The Advantage of the Holy Spirit
[51:07] - Trusting the Holy Spirit
[53:17] - We Are Never Alone
[55:33] - The Holy Spirit's Constant Presence
[58:38] - God is at Work on Our Behalf
[01:01:15] - The Holy Spirit Convicts and Comforts
[01:06:18] - Overcoming Fear with the Holy Spirit
[01:10:05] - Boldness Through the Holy Spirit
[01:21:30] - Prayer and Invitation to Accept Christ

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. **John 16:7** - "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you."
2. **Acts 4:13-14** - "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition."
3. **Romans 8:26** - "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

#### Observation Questions
1. According to John 16:7, why did Jesus say it was to our advantage that He goes away? ([47:25])
2. In Acts 4:13-14, what was the reaction of the Sanhedrin to Peter and John's boldness, and why were they astonished? ([01:10:05])
3. How does Romans 8:26 describe the role of the Holy Spirit in our prayer life? ([01:02:25])
4. What are some of the roles of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the sermon? ([47:25])

#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus emphasized the importance of the Holy Spirit in John 16:7? How does this impact our daily lives? ([47:25])
2. How does the boldness of Peter and John in Acts 4:13-14 serve as an example for modern believers? What can we learn from their experience? ([01:10:05])
3. Romans 8:26 mentions that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. How does this intercession affect our relationship with God and our understanding of prayer? ([01:02:25])
4. The sermon mentioned that the Holy Spirit is our comforter and guide. How do these roles help us in times of personal crisis or decision-making? ([47:25])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt alone or disconnected. How can the knowledge that the Holy Spirit is always with you change your perspective in similar situations? ([55:33])
2. Fear can drive many negative emotions. Identify a specific fear in your life. How can you rely on the Holy Spirit to replace that fear with boldness and faith? ([01:06:18])
3. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins and comforts us in our pain. Can you think of a recent situation where you felt this conviction or comfort? How did it affect your actions or decisions? ([01:01:15])
4. Peter and John prayed for boldness and were filled with the Holy Spirit. What steps can you take to seek this same boldness in your faith journey? ([01:10:05])
5. The sermon emphasized the importance of building a relationship with the Holy Spirit. What practical steps can you take this week to deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit? ([47:25])
6. How can you apply the concept of the Holy Spirit being your best friend in your daily interactions and decisions? ([47:25])
7. Think of a challenging situation you are currently facing. How can you invite the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort you through this challenge? ([01:02:25])

Day 1: The Holy Spirit is Our Constant Companion
The Holy Spirit is not just a comforting thought but a reality that we can experience daily. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be with us forever, ensuring that we are never alone. This presence is a constant guide, teacher, and comforter, making the Word of God come alive in our hearts. When you feel alone or disconnected, remember that the Holy Spirit is always with you, ready to lead you into all truth. The Holy Spirit's presence is with us 24/7, guiding us, comforting us, and teaching us. He makes the Word of God come alive, turning it from mere words on a page into a living, breathing message from God. [55:33]

John 14:16-17 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: Think of a moment when you felt alone or disconnected. How can you invite the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort you in those moments today?


Day 2: The Holy Spirit Empowers Us to Overcome Fear
Fear is a significant issue that drives many negative emotions like jealousy, anxiety, and anger. The Holy Spirit replaces fear with boldness and faith, enabling us to live courageous lives. We are called to be bold, strong, and courageous, not timid or fearful. The Holy Spirit gives us the strength to face our fears and live boldly for God. This empowerment is crucial for overcoming the challenges and fears that we face in our daily lives. [01:06:18]

2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV): "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."

Reflection: Identify a specific fear that has been holding you back. How can you rely on the Holy Spirit to replace that fear with boldness and faith today?


Day 3: The Holy Spirit Convicts and Comforts Us
One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of our sins and comfort us in our pain. When we make mistakes or face difficult situations, the Holy Spirit is there to guide us back to the right path and provide comfort that surpasses all understanding. This conviction and comfort are essential for our spiritual growth and well-being. The Holy Spirit reminds us that God is at work on our behalf, convicting us of our sins, comforting us in our pain, and leading us in our daily lives. [01:01:15]

John 16:8 (ESV): "And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent mistake or painful experience. How can you allow the Holy Spirit to guide you back to the right path and provide comfort in this situation?


Day 4: The Holy Spirit Leads Us to Boldness in Our Faith
The story of Peter and John in the book of Acts shows us the boldness that comes from a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Despite being uneducated and illiterate, they spoke with such authority that even the Sanhedrin marveled. This boldness is available to us today through the Holy Spirit, enabling us to speak and live out our faith with courage. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live bold and courageous lives, replacing fear with boldness and faith. [01:10:05]

Acts 4:13 (ESV): "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus."

Reflection: Think of a situation where you need to speak or act boldly in your faith. How can you rely on the Holy Spirit to give you the courage to do so?


Day 5: The Holy Spirit is Our Best Friend
Building a relationship with the Holy Spirit is crucial for every believer. He is our comforter, advocate, and guide, helping us grow in our relationship with God. If you don't have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, seek Him. He will make the Word of God come alive in your heart and empower you to live a life that glorifies God. The Holy Spirit is our constant companion, leading us into all truth and helping us grow in our relationship with God. [47:25]

John 14:26 (ESV): "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."

Reflection: How can you deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit today? What steps can you take to seek His guidance and presence in your daily life?

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Living in fear. Afraid to live. Afraid to take risks. Faith is risky. When I was younger, you might not know this, because I seem confident, and I have a lot more confidence than I once had in my life. But when I was younger, I was steeped full of fear. I was afraid to fly. My hands would break out in sweat. I'd tell my wife, I think the plane's going to go down. There's times I almost said, let me off the plane. Anyone hear what I'm talking about? Some of you are like, I was afraid of my kids. They'll let them do stuff. I was afraid of this. Just fear, fear, fear, fear. Can I just say this to you? Every negative emotion you have, jealousy, anxiety, anger, doesn't matter. It's driven by fear. Fear is always the negative emotion that drives all negative emotions. Well, I just have an anger problem. No, you have a fear problem. Well, I just have a jealousy problem. No, you have a fear problem. It's all driven by fear." [01:06:18](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

2. "Forget everything and run or face everything, and rise. That's what I want to do. I want to believe that God has put me on this earth for a specific need that he had at this moment, that he caused me to be born for such a time as this. And whatever comes, I overcome because he's called me to it. He will bring me through it. I have this confidence that he who began a good work in me will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Can you say amen? Amen. Fear and faith cannot exist together. One will devalue. The other, you cannot have them both. In fact, you don't even need more faith. You just need less doubt. If you have faith as a grain, as a mustard seed and doubt not, you can say that mountain be removed. What's the mountain? The first mountain is your mountain of doubt. Get rid of it. Live bold, live strong, live big lives. Can you say amen?" [01:07:44](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

3. "Adults between the ages of 18 and 22 are the loneliest age group today. But people who live alone have increased by 30% in the past 25 to 30 years. Social isolation, that they discovered, is as harmful to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. We were not meant to be alone. We were not meant to be alone. No person is an island unto themselves. We were made for community. We were made to, but I just don't feel like it. Then you've got to start living by a faith. Allow the holy spirit to expand your heart. Allow the holy spirit spirit to expand your thoughts build some relationships not just with him but thank god through the holy spirit we are never alone come on y'all with me and you might know that you might not know this but that right there i've never been alone it was fulfilled that promise of jesus that promise by jesus was fulfilled when the holy spirit came that was the fulfillment of that promise to you and i that we were never alone jesus said you will not be alone he went back to heaven and he sent the third part of god when he said to shoot your advantage i go away because i will send the holy spirit that's the third part of god that's how we relate to god today" [54:29](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

4. "A friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out and that's really what true friendship was all about in fact that one there to me sounds very biblical it sounds a fact of the bible in proverbs chapter 17 verse 17 it says a friend loves at all times a brother is born for adversity a friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity now when we lean into one another in church we understand our friendships are great we have small groups we lean in together we support one another we have fun we laugh we tell jokes together we play cards and games i love playing games with pastor terry and anita we've played four games so far i've won three of them pastor anita don't like it that's okay um now i won two of them i think but pastor terry did win i think we've all won so far except for pastor anita but but anyway um we have fun like this is what friends are all about but it goes on to say and a brother is born for adversity meaning there's another level we get to that says yeah sure having fun laughing telling jokes that's all good but when you have difficulties when we have problems when we have grief when we have a tribulation that is when brotherhood or sisterhood is really born when we're there for one another we're supporting one another when the whole world walks out come on people of the church walk in amen" [42:10](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

5. "This is what God spoke to me. This is my knowledge of who God is. I found out a long time ago when you put God in a box, he will blow the box up every time. He will blow your mind because we should keep on learning. We should keep on growing. We should keep on digging. We should keep on reading. We should keep on knowing God in a real way through the Holy Spirit, amen? And I don't think it was meant to be weird. It's not the Holy Spirit that's weird. It's the Holy Spirit. It's the Christians who are weird. I've been around weird Christians, but I've never encountered a weird Holy Spirit. I've been in churches where they don't do things in decency and order, and it gets weird. And I've even had to correct things in my own church where people got weird, but the Holy Spirit's never weird. Come on, Holy Spirit is our comforter. Holy Spirit is our advocate. Holy Spirit is our counselor. Holy Spirit is our best friend. Come on, y'all with me?" [46:49](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "The Holy Spirit reminds me that that's wrong. That should not be in you. That should not be an attitude. That should not be your action. He convicts us of our sin. Are y'all with me? He comforts us. He takes the time to comfort us. He leads us and guides us. We know that. He gives us spiritual gifts. Yes, I believe the spiritual gifts are still available today. Don't get freaked out by that. Just get freaked out once again by weird people. It's not the gift. It's the gifted. We have to make sure we know that. He gives us the desire to obey God without the Holy Spirit. I don't even have the desire to obey God, but he gives me the desire to obey God. He enables us to pray and understand God's word. I never pray without the Bible being open. I never have the Bible open without praying because they support one another. Holy Spirit leads us by the word of God. Amen?" [01:01:15](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

2. "We lost our son. Let me give you a good example. We lost our son, Brandon, nine-year-old twin. Most of you know that. Some of you that don't know us, you didn't know that, but we lost a twin boy in an accident. For those of you that are here that lost children, you've lost children through a miscarriage or maybe an older child, it doesn't matter. Parents are supposed to go before the children. When it's reversed like that, there's a pain that's so deep, it's unbearable at times. It's a pain that's so deep that you cannot describe it. There's moments still. It'll be 27 years in July, but there's still moments where I feel like I'm frozen. The world is slipping away because of the pain that's deep in my heart. I've had people come to me and comfort me and be there for us, pray for us. I've had people who lost children who comfort us, and it did bring some comfort, but it's temporary. That's when the Holy Spirit shows up. When you can't do it for yourself and there's no words from anyone else that can comfort your heart, the Holy Spirit shows up. Holy Spirit comes with such comfort. There's a peace that passes understanding. We don't understand why I feel like I do, and I should feel so much worse, but it's the power of the Holy Spirit in leading and guiding us." [01:02:25](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

3. "The Holy Spirit reminds me all the time, God is working for me. It's a constant reminder that he's doing things behind the scenes that I know nothing about. He reveals himself in ways when I least expect it. And every time he does, I'm reminded that's the Holy Spirit working on my behalf. He's done it for me in so many ways and so many different varieties that I stop sometimes and go, oh wait, that was the Holy Spirit. That was God working out the details. That means I'm not only not alone, but Holy Spirit is working on my behalf. Come on, y'all. With me? Here's a short list. We could go to a long list, but here's a short list of some of the things of how the Holy Spirit works on our behalf. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin. We have a consciousness that's automatic within us, but when you're a Christian, you know the Holy Spirit speaks to you and convicts you of your sin." [58:38](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

4. "When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived they were illiterate and uneducated men, they marveled, and they recognized they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against it. In other words, they were trapped by their own words. They were trapped in their own world, and these uneducated, illiterate men stood there with all these great, brilliant men, and the men of brilliance was marveled because they could tell they'd been with Jesus. That sounds important, and it is. But remember, Jesus is no longer here. So our boldness, our brilliance comes through our relationship with Jesus, but our relationship with Jesus is through the Holy Spirit. Y'all with me?" [01:10:05](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

5. "Now the Lord look, now Lord look on their threats. Listen to the prayer. Now Lord look on the threats and grant that your servants may speak your word with great boldness by stretching out your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be formed in the name of the, your Holy son, Jesus. When they had prayed the place where they assembled, they were shaken and they were all filled with the Holy spirit and spoke the word with boldness. They prayed for boldness. The place was shaken. They got boldness. They were threatened and they didn't say, I'm going to call my attorney. I'm afraid of cancel culture. Why don't they try to cancel me? No, they said, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to pray for greater boldness. I'm going to pray for greater strength. I'm going to pray the Holy spirit come and bring more upon me. And they did. And he answered, come on y'all with me. Great boldness. It doesn't just happen. You have to be intentional. You have to be aware of your relationship with Holy spirit. You have to be aware. Of the boldness he will give you." [01:12:42](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

Him here at the Father's house, right? Let's give a warm welcome to Pastor Kevin Goff.

Hey, good morning! How y'all doing? So good to see you. I saw the hands go up with the people who've not heard me. I am so... you never know what I'm... I'm kind of like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get.

But it is great to be in the house. I know we've already said welcome to the online audience, but thank you so much for being with us, online family. We know that some cannot be here. Hopefully, you're not just at home drinking coffee in your PJs being lazy. If so, you need to be in the house because there's no place like being in the house, right?

And so we just welcome them, and it's great to be with your pastors. We've been friends for many, many, many years. Pastor Terry and I talk at least two or three times a week, and we've been friends for many, many, many years. Four days a week, sometimes up to four or five days a week. My wife said to me one time, "You're worse than a couple of old ladies." I said, "Are you an old lady?" And she said, "Oh, that's not funny." I said, "Then don't say that."

I'm probably in trouble for even saying that today, but that is my wife sitting by them. She is the love of my life. We've been married for 41 years. In June, it will be 41 years. Pastor Terry says she keeps me in line. That is her full-time job—kind of just keeping me in line.

But it is great to be with you all. This is like our home away from home. If we've not met you, come by and introduce yourself. We love just meeting new people all the time. You are friends we've not met yet, and I just love life, love doing life with your pastors and with the Father's House in Leesburg. Amen?

Let's pray. Father, we love you. We thank you for your word. We thank you that your word is anointed, but God, we pray today that you anoint each person that's here to hear the word you have for them, to stir their heart, to change their minds, to renew their minds in the image of Jesus Christ further and further. Father, we thank you. We give you the praise and the glory in Jesus' name. Come on, everyone say amen.

It's a very important Sunday in the life of the church because it's Pentecost Sunday. I'm sure some of you are aware of that. Pentecost Sunday is the day the church was born. It's the day that the first-century church we read about in the book of Acts was established. We can go back there and see all that God has done, and we can see from that point on what the church has become.

We can also let the first-century church be the gauge of who we should be. Sometimes many churches have gotten away from the model of the first-century church. I know Pastor Terry and I care very much about the church, and we want the church to be more what Jesus established in the first place, which is a family. Come on, y'all with me?

And let me just say this to you. We clap about that; we cheer about it, but family’s tough. Family’s difficult. Families don’t always get along. My wife and I don’t always get along. My children and I don’t always get along. Heck, sometimes I don’t even get along with myself. How many knows what I’m talking about?

Sometimes I get in the morning, I question who’s going to be with me, and I don’t know who’s going to be with me, and I don’t know who I am. And so we have to understand that family means we give grace. We love one another. We extend God’s grace, which is beyond our grace. We love like Jesus loves. We forgive like Jesus forgives. We become who Jesus is, and that is a tall order for people who are fallible.

And trust me when I say every one of us is fallible. Without Jesus, we’re all messed up. Without Jesus, we’re all jacked up. Amen? Come on, look at someone you’re sitting by and say, “You’re jacked up.”

So far, that’s the best response I’ve gotten yet. That’s the best response so far out of all of the day, as you look forward to telling someone they’re jacked up.

Alright, come on, here we go. So we’re going to talk about our relationship today with somebody who’s very special to us. It’s a relationship that I believe is the most crucial relationship in all of our lives.

Friendships are something else. How many has a great friend? Come on, you have a great friend in your life. There was a magazine that offered a prize for the best definition of what a friend truly is, and out of all the thousands of those answers, I pinned a few and brought them in.

Here’s one: “One who multiplies joys and divides griefs.” It’s one who multiplies joys and divides griefs, and it’s true. With your pastors and I, we went on a small trip together this week, and we laughed together. We multiplied joy. We talked about hardships in ministry; we divide grief. We carry one another’s burdens. The Bible talks about that, and that really is and should be what friendship is about.

Here’s another one: “One who understands our silence.” Do you have that friend? You can be with that no one has to say anything, but you understand what the silence is all about. It’s not time for words; we’re just kind of there together supporting one another.

One says, “A volume of sympathy abounds in cloth.” So there’s somebody there who’s always caring, understanding, sympathizing for us. One says, “A watch that beats true all the time and never runs the clock down.”

But the winning one was this, and I loved it. The definition said this: “A friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” And that’s really what true friendship is all about. In fact, that one there to me sounds very biblical. It sounds a fact of the Bible.

In Proverbs chapter 17, verse 17, it says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Now, when we lean into one another in church, we understand our friendships are great. We have small groups; we lean in together. We support one another. We have fun; we laugh; we tell jokes together. I love playing games with Pastor Terry and Anita. We’ve played four games so far. I’ve won three of them. Pastor Anita don’t like it; that’s okay.

Now, I won two of them, I think, but Pastor Terry did win. I think we’ve all won so far except for Pastor Anita. But anyway, we have fun. This is what friends are all about.

But it goes on to say, “And a brother is born for adversity,” meaning there’s another level we get to that says, “Yeah, sure, having fun, laughing, telling jokes, that’s all good.” But when you have difficulties, when we have problems, when we have grief, when we have a tribulation, that is when brotherhood or sisterhood is really born.

When we’re there for one another, we’re supporting one another when the whole world walks out. Come on, people of the church walk in. Amen? That’s why the church was born, that we can support one another, be there for one another.

Does anybody have a BFF? Y’all understand that term, BFF? Yeah, we have all had a BFF in our lifetime. You know, the best friend forever. Has anybody exchanged a BFF for a different BFF over the course of time? Has anyone ever went ahead and redefined or found a new definition of what BFF is really all about?

I don’t know about you, but for me, I, through the years, have been a BFF for a long time now. Being 61 years old, I know it’s hard to believe I’m that old, but at 61 years old, I have redefined what a friend is really all about. A BFF, a best friend forever. We say we have a BFF, somebody we chose, we enjoy, but the truth is I cannot choose who my best friend is.

I can choose who my closest friend is. I can share with you the intimate details of my life, my struggles, my joys, my victories, my triumphs, my defeats, and I can share that with you, and that will make you a close friend.

I can make you as close a friend as I want you to be, but what you do with the information I share with you makes you my best friend or not. So I can choose who my closest friend is, but I cannot choose who my best friend is. You must decide for yourself if you will be a best friend to someone else. Amen?

Well, I’m going to tell you that we many times call Jesus our best friend. Jesus is my best friend. How many has ever said that? Jesus is my best friend, and we’re comfortable with that. We believe that Jesus is our best friend.

I want to talk about that. I want to talk about the title today. The very title we have today is “Our Friend, the Holy Spirit.” Our Friend, the Holy Spirit. Everyone say, “The Holy Spirit.”

I believe it’s a plot and a ploy of the enemy to make us uncomfortable with the Holy Spirit. We can talk about God the Father. We say, “Abba Father,” like the Bible says. People say that means Daddy God. I’ve heard people pray, “Oh, Daddy God,” and we’re so comfortable with our Heavenly Father.

Once again, Jesus is our best friend. We’re comfortable with Jesus. But many times when we start talking about the Holy Spirit, people start to freak out. They start getting weirded out because there are so many beliefs about the Holy Spirit, so many controversies about the Holy Spirit.

And I believe that is the ploy of the enemy because our relationship with the Holy Spirit today is our closest relationship to God. It’s how we relate to God through the Holy Spirit. I want to say through the Holy Spirit.

It’s true. And I think there are several reasons we’re going to talk about why that is important. I think one of the reasons it’s important—we’re talking about in just a moment—Jesus said it was vitally important.

I think one of the saddest states of mind for any individual is a mind that is closed. A closed-minded person who will not grow, who will not learn, who will not choose to advance, who’s only comfortable with what they’re comfortable with. They prefer only what they prefer.

We put God in a box. This is what I do. This is what I believe God to be. This is how God moves in my life. This is what God spoke to me. This is my knowledge of who God is.

I found out a long time ago when you put God in a box, He will blow the box up every time. He will blow your mind because we should keep on learning. We should keep on growing. We should keep on digging. We should keep on reading. We should keep on knowing God in a real way through the Holy Spirit. Amen?

And I don’t think it was meant to be weird. It’s not the Holy Spirit that’s weird. It’s the Holy Spirit. It’s the Christians who are weird. I’ve been around weird Christians, but I’ve never encountered a weird Holy Spirit.

I’ve been in churches where they don’t do things in decency and order, and it gets weird. And I’ve even had to correct things in my own church where people got weird, but the Holy Spirit’s never weird.

Come on, the Holy Spirit is our comforter. The Holy Spirit is our advocate. The Holy Spirit is our counselor. The Holy Spirit is our best friend. Come on, y’all with me?

And so we have to take the weirdness out by taking people out of the equation and see the Holy Spirit for who He is. Here’s the first answer I talked about where Jesus said we need Him.

In John chapter 16, verse 7, He says, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the helper, the Holy Spirit, your advocate, will not come to you. But if I go away, I will send Him to you.”

Wow, why is that so important? Well, because we understand that in life we go through a lot of painful experiences. Some of those painful experiences can’t be helped, but most of our painful experiences, or many of them, we cause ourselves by bad choices, bad decisions, emotional choices that we shouldn’t make.

We create, many times, problems for ourselves. Then if we’re not careful, we don’t want to change, so we assign blame. We blame the ex-spouse, the second ex-spouse. Maybe you’re Henry VIII, the eighth ex-spouse. Doesn’t matter which number you’re on; you can correct it now because we can go forward knowing that if we assign blame, we lose the ability to change.

That I have to look at myself and allow myself to change, and the greatest change agent I have in my life is the help of the Holy Spirit, the hope of the Holy Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the only one that can produce lasting change in our lives.

So Jesus said, “It’s to your advantage.” Listen to those words: “It’s to your advantage that I go away.”

Now imagine being the disciples that you spent time with Jesus. You walked with Jesus. You talked to Jesus. You knew this day was coming; it’s prophesied He’d be crucified, but now it’s here, and He says, “It’s to your advantage that I…” How could it be my advantage? I’ve been with you every day. I’ve listened to your teachings. You’ve comforted me directly.

But He said, “Yet it’s to my advantage I go away.” Why? Because Jesus could only be at one place with one group of people at one time. But when He went away, He sent the Holy Spirit. He said, “He will be with you, but soon He will be…” Everyone say, “In me.” That’s scripture. That’s what the Bible says.

Look at this. In Proverbs chapter 3, verses 5 and 6, it says that “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.”

So the question is, do you think you direct your path better, or do you think the Holy Spirit can direct your path better?

This section thinks the Holy Spirit. They’re on fire. These are real Christians right here.

So you think you can direct your own path better? Oh, Holy Spirit. Well, He’s directing our paths if we allow Him to.

Psalm 16:11 says, “Now you’ve got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I’m on the right path.”

Everyone say, “Right path.”

Anyone ever been on the wrong path? My wife and I got on the wrong path one time. It was all her fault, but we got there. Separated, divorced for a year and a half. She begged me back. She couldn’t find anyone. I mean, look at me. Obviously, that’s a joke.

But the truth is, when we start joking, directing our own path, we start finding our own way. We start looking for our own preferences. We start living our own comforts. We do what’s best for me. It becomes a me life, a me church, a self-centered life. We’re down a path of trouble before we know it.

We have to trust God. And God’s essence of our Christianity in the world today is our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Amen?

God is our creator. He sent the Holy Spirit. He knows what path is best for us. I would say that our life many times, our Christian walk especially, is a lot like a computer.

I’m an old IT guy, technology guy. I’m my wife’s IT guy. Her office is just directly across from my office. It’s not unusual throughout the day—almost every day. “Okay, basically every day. Kevin, something’s wrong with my computer.”

I know, it’s the operator. My wife doesn’t know anything about computers. I’ll tell her, “Did you turn it off and restart it? You just reboot it. It’s a computer. Probably it will correct it. It’ll help itself.”

I’ll ask her, “Did you restart it?” “I tried that.” “Okay, it’s running slow. That’s the problem.” I’ll go in there, and she’ll have 13,000 emails she has not deleted.

Anyone here terrible about deleting stuff off your computer? And you wonder why it’s running slow? You wonder why you got relationship issues with your email? You’re wondering why it still feels like you’re back on dial-up internet? Why am I waiting in a day where everything’s so fast?

It’s not the computer; it’s the operator. If you would just take some time to delete some things, the computer would run better because you would have more memory space.

Come on, y’all with me? And it reminds me of our Christian life, that we go through life adding things, adding things. God never asks us to add. Adding things, adding things is not good for us.

Down a path that we shouldn’t be down, but yet we’re doing it anyway. And we’re discovering for ourselves what we want, what’s good for us. And the truth is we should be deleting things along the way.

And if we do that, our Christian life would be so much easier and so much better. Amen? Look at someone and say, “Delete something.”

So here are a few thoughts in our relationship with the Holy Spirit and why it’s important and what we learn by Him becoming our best friend.

Can we talk about that just for a little while? Here’s the first one I’m going to give you. Why it’s important to build a relationship with the Holy Spirit: to know we are never alone.

To know we are never alone. Everyone say, “You are not alone.” Come on, look at someone and say, “You are not alone.”

In the words of the great prophet Michael Jackson, “You are not alone.” Okay, so he’s not a prophet. Just side note, I’m just doing that so we can lighten it up for a moment.

But you’re not alone. Amen? We’re living in a society right now that people are feeling alone. I hate to use the word pandemic, but since the pandemic, loneliness and suicide have escalated.

A group of therapists from Discovery Therapy did a study, and this was the outcome: Over 60% of adults in the United States report feeling lonely. 60% of adults report feeling lonely. Adults between the ages of 18 and 22 are the loneliest age group today.

But people who live alone have increased by 30% in the past 25 to 30 years. Social isolation, that they discovered, is as harmful to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

We were not meant to be alone. We were not meant to be alone. No person is an island unto themselves. We were made for community.

We were made to... but I just don’t feel like it. Then you’ve got to start living by faith. Allow the Holy Spirit to expand your heart. Allow the Holy Spirit to expand your thoughts. Build some relationships, not just with Him, but thank God through the Holy Spirit we are never alone.

Come on, y’all with me? And you might know that; you might not know this, but that right there, I’ve never been alone. It was fulfilled. That promise of Jesus was fulfilled when the Holy Spirit came.

That was the fulfillment of that promise to you and I that we were never alone. Jesus said, “You will not be alone.” He went back to heaven, and He sent the third part of God when He said, “It’s to your advantage I go away because I will send the Holy Spirit.”

That’s the third part of God. That’s how we relate to God today. Look at John 14, verses 15 and 16. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments, and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another helper to be with you forever.”

Everyone say, “Forever.” Come on, everyone say, “Forever.” Forever ever? Yeah, forever ever.

Some of y’all get the reference. You know, you know. Bunch of sinners. This is the presence of God 24 hours, seven days a week.

No longer Jesus teaching a group, then going somewhere else, and now you’re alone teaching another group, and He’s up there. Now they’re alone. No, no. Holy Spirit, presence of God 24/7. This is His promise; we are not alone.

Verse 17 says this: “He is the Holy Spirit who leads you into all truth. The world cannot receive Him because it’s not looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him because He lives with you now and later will be in you.”

You are, I am, if we’re born again, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. He made His dwelling place within you and I.

Previously, God spoke through Jesus. Previously, God spoke through the apostles. Now He sent the Holy Spirit. He teaches us the words of Jesus. He teaches the word of the apostles. He gives us a word of life, living word, rhema word from God.

If the Bible is just like a bunch of words on a page that’s hard for you to read, then you need to fall in love with the Holy Spirit. He’ll help you fall in love with the Bible.

“Well, I read the Bible; it just helps me sleep at night because it’s so boring.” Well, the Bible is boring; it’s because you don’t have a proper relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Because I’ve been reading the Bible since I was a child. I’m 61 years old, and the Bible is more exciting than ever to this day. I pick it up, I read something I’ve read 50 times, and I’m like, “Oh my God!”

Times, and I see something brand new because the Holy Spirit brings it alive off the page. It’s a living word. If you don’t understand that, then I implore you this week, investigate your relationship with the Holy Spirit. He will make the Word of God alive. Amen?

He’ll open a whole host of heaven, a whole group of friends at the church. He’ll open you up in a way that you’ll be empowered to know you are never alone. He is with you. Amen?

He gave us the Bible so we can know God. The Holy Spirit inspired the Bible. He’ll inspire it in your heart. Let me say it like this: No Holy Spirit, no God. No Holy Spirit, no God.

Y’all remember that old statement, “No peace, no God”? I used it here. Y’all see the little twist I did? I’m creative. I’m a creator. Did you say brilliant? Brilliant.

No Holy Spirit, no God. No Holy Spirit, no God. Romans 8:9: “But you’re not like that. You’re controlled by your new nature if you have the Spirit of God living in you. And remember that if anyone doesn’t have the Holy Spirit or Holy Spirit of Christ living in him, he’s not a Christian at all.”

We’re born again through the Holy Spirit. We relate to God through the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit. He said it’s to our advantage. We know the Holy Spirit. We must increase our knowledge and our relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Here’s the stark truth: If we don’t understand the truth of the Holy Spirit, we do not understand God. Amen? Everyone say, “We’re never alone.”

Second thing, another reason that it’s good for us to build a relationship with the Holy Spirit is this: As a reminder, God is at work on our behalf. The Holy Spirit reminds me all the time, “God is working for me.”

It’s a constant reminder that He’s doing things behind the scenes that I know nothing about. He reveals Himself in ways when I least expect it. And every time He does, I’m reminded that’s the Holy Spirit working on my behalf.

He’s done it for me in so many ways and so many different varieties that I stop sometimes and go, “Oh wait, that was the Holy Spirit. That was God working out the details.”

That means I’m not only not alone, but the Holy Spirit is working on my behalf. Come on, y’all with me?

Here’s a short list. We could go to a long list, but here’s a short list of some of the things of how the Holy Spirit works on our behalf. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin. We have a consciousness that’s automatic within us, but when you’re a Christian, you know the Holy Spirit speaks to you and convicts you of your sin.

It’s frustrating to have a wife who speaks the truth because sometimes I don’t know if it’s the Holy Spirit or if it’s her. All I know is when I get crossed with my wife and I say something sharp to her, I walk away.

There’s this other voice saying, “Why are you treating my daughter that way?” That’s the voice of the Holy Spirit. I can’t get two steps. I’m going, “I’m sorry.” Not because I’m scared of the Holy Spirit; I’m scared of her. No, I’m just kidding.

The Holy Spirit reminds me that that’s wrong. That should not be in you. That should not be an attitude. That should not be your action. He convicts us of our sin. Are y’all with me?

He comforts us. He takes the time to comfort us. He leads us and guides us. We know that. He gives us spiritual gifts. Yes, I believe the spiritual gifts are still available today. Don’t get freaked out by that. Just get freaked out once again by weird people. It’s not the gift; it’s the gifted.

We have to make sure we know that. He gives us the desire to obey God. Without the Holy Spirit, I don’t even have the desire to obey God, but He gives me the desire to obey God.

He enables us to pray and understand God’s word. I never pray without the Bible being open. I never have the Bible open without praying because they support one another. The Holy Spirit leads us by the word of God. Amen?

We lost our son. Let me give you a good example. We lost our son, Brandon, a nine-year-old twin. Most of you know that. Some of you that are here that lost children, you’ve lost children through a miscarriage or maybe an older child; it doesn’t matter.

Parents are supposed to go before the children. When it’s reversed like that, there’s a pain that’s so deep, it’s unbearable at times. It’s a pain that’s so deep that you cannot describe it.

There are moments still. It’ll be 27 years in July, but there are still moments where I feel like I’m frozen. The world is slipping away because of the pain that’s deep in my heart.

I’ve had people come to me and comfort me and be there for us, pray for us. I’ve had people who lost children who comfort us, and it did bring some comfort, but it’s temporary. That’s when the Holy Spirit shows up.

When you can’t do it for yourself and there are no words from anyone else that can comfort your heart, the Holy Spirit shows up. The Holy Spirit comes with such comfort. There’s a peace that passes understanding.

We don’t understand why I feel like I do, and I should feel so much worse, but it’s the power of the Holy Spirit in leading and guiding us. I told our serve teams, the coaches of our serve teams, how God has led and guided us.

It’s been wonderful through the added locations we have. Both locations, God told me ahead of time it was coming. This is taking place. He set me up. He told me about it.

I didn’t have to wonder. I didn’t even have to worry. I just said, “Yep, God’s directing me. God’s leading me so we can walk in the door. We can build that campus. We can build that location.”

Why? Because He will lead. He will guide. He will teach. Come on, He’s with us. Amen?

Romans chapter 8, verse 26 says this: “Also, the Spirit helps us. We are very weak, but the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We don’t know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself speaks to God for us. He begs God for us, speaking to Him with feelings too deep for words.”

Amazing to know the Holy Spirit’s there for us. His gifts are remarkable. Can they be strange? Once again, like I said, these strange people.

I was praying for a group. I was a younger pastor at the time, and I’ve been using the gifts of prophecy, word of knowledge, word of wisdom at different times, and I was praying for a line of people.

As I was praying for this one lady, she was going to San Diego that next weekend to visit her sister, and the Lord spoke to my heart while I was praying for her.

“She’s not going to San Diego to visit her sister. She’s going to a hotel to meet this gentleman. She’s going to San Diego to meet this gentleman. She’s going to a hotel to meet this gentleman for the weekend,” and she was married, and the gentleman was married, and the gentleman was in our church.

As I’m praying, I’m freaking out, right? God’s giving me this information, so I give the microphone away. Obviously, I’m not going to say, “You’re going.” So I just said, “You know, in the Bible, there’s a story of a woman who was caught in adultery,” and the minute I said that, she fell to her knees and just started crying and shaking, and she repented.

But the man that she was going to meet, the Lord showed me, started walking out, and I chased him down. I said, “You’re not going deer hunting this next week up the mountains. You’re going to San Diego to meet her at this hotel, and this is what God showed.”

“Who’s been talking to you?” I said, “Nobody’s been talking to me. It’s just the Holy Spirit revealed to me.”

And I sat there praying for her, and you know what? She repented, and her life went on. He rebelled, and he almost lost his wife. He went to prison. He went through so much turmoil.

Why? Not because God punished him, but because he put himself out of relationship with the Holy Spirit. He is our comfort. He is our guide. He is our teacher. He is all things, all we need.

His gifts are remarkable. His comfort is remarkable. His guidance is remarkable. I don’t want to live a day without the Holy Spirit. I start my morning off the same way every day. It’s this way: “Holy Spirit, teach me today to think like you think, feel like you feel, and act like you act.”

I just want Him to be my friend. I want Him to be more than just something I think or something out there. He is God. He is my best. He is my best friend. Amen?

The Holy Spirit imparts life, gives hope, and teaches us all things. Come on.

And here’s the last reason I’ll give you because I have got nine minutes and 30 seconds, 29 seconds, 28 seconds.

Another reason it’s important to build a relationship with the Holy Spirit is to walk boldly in life and not in fear. To walk boldly in life and not in fear.

I think one of the saddest things I’ve ever encountered in my life is Christians who are living in fear. Afraid to live. Afraid to take risks. Faith is risky.

When I was younger, you might not know this because I seem confident, and I have a lot more confidence than I once had in my life. But when I was younger, I was steeped full of fear. I was afraid to fly. My hands would break out in sweat. I’d tell my wife, “I think the plane’s going to go down.”

There were times I almost said, “Let me off the plane.” Anyone hear what I’m talking about? Some of you are like, “I was afraid of my kids. They’ll let them do stuff.” I was afraid of this. Just fear, fear, fear, fear.

Can I just say this to you? Every negative emotion you have—jealousy, anxiety, anger—doesn’t matter. It’s driven by fear. Fear is always the negative emotion that drives all negative emotions.

“Well, I just have an anger problem.” No, you have a fear problem. “Well, I just have a jealousy problem.” No, you have a fear problem. It’s all driven by fear.

Everyone say, “Fear.” Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear.

We’re supposed to be bold, strong, and courageous. The Bible is filled with statements about being bold, being strong, being courageous. It doesn’t mean be silly. You go jump off a building and prove your faith; they’re going to die. That’s just silliness. That’s not faith; that’s presumptuousness. Can you say amen?

Let me give you a couple of acronyms for fear: Forget everything and run; face everything and rise. Right? Forget everything and run or face everything and rise. That’s what I want to do.

I want to believe that God has put me on this earth for a specific need that He had at this moment, that He caused me to be born for such a time as this. And whatever comes, I overcome because He’s called me to it. He will bring me through it.

I have this confidence that He who began a good work in me will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Can you say amen? Amen.

Fear and faith cannot exist together. One will devalue the other; you cannot have them both. In fact, you don’t even need more faith; you just need less doubt.

If you have faith as a grain, as a mustard seed, and doubt not, you can say that mountain be removed. What’s the mountain? The first mountain is your mountain of doubt. Get rid of it. Live bold, live strong, live big lives. Can you say amen?

When we choose faith, we will live bold lives. In fact, the trait of a believer should be boldness. That should be one of the traits of us as Christians—not timid, not intrepid.

I’m not timid. I’m not timid. I’m not arrogant. Another thing you might know that every time I walk on this stage, and I’m going to tell off on your pastors, every time they walk on this stage, there’s just a little bit of nervousness.

Is it true? If I have a preacher tell me, “I don’t get nervous at all,” he’ll never preach on my platform because I’m handling the word of life. There’s something about me that says I’m too small for this, and I’m reminded of the bigness of God, that I’m giving the word of life away, and I’ve got to handle it right.

And there’s just a little part of me. I’m not talking about not having some healthy part that says, “I am not enough. I need God.” I’m talking about living where you’re trapped in fear, trapped in your emotions, trapped in your mind. God does not want us there.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.” God has not given us the spirit of... This is an open book test that’s on the screen.

God has not given us... Not the spirit of... Fear. But of... And of... Love. And of...

Y’all believe that? Yes. That’s what it says.

Let’s read a story in the New Testament, the book of Acts, when the church was born, a story of boldness, a story, I think, that describes what it’s like to have the Holy Spirit leading the way.

It’s the story of Peter and John, how they’d been arrested because they’d healed a man, and they’d been preaching Jesus. How would you like to be arrested for doing good? How would you like to be tortured for doing good?

And when they approached the Sanhedrin, those religious leaders, there was arrest in them, accused in them. They gave a bold, bold answer, and here’s what their answer was. Check this out in Acts 4:13 and 14.

“When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived they were illiterate and uneducated men, they marveled, and they recognized they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against it.”

In other words, they were trapped by their own words. They were trapped in their own world, and these uneducated, illiterate men stood there with all these great, brilliant men, and the men of brilliance were marveled because they could tell they’d been with Jesus.

That sounds important, and it is. But remember, Jesus is no longer here. So our boldness, our brilliance comes through our relationship with Jesus, but our relationship with Jesus is through the Holy Spirit. Y’all with me?

Check this out. The Sanhedrin conferred together, talked it through, decided to threaten Peter and John more and charge them to never speak of Jesus again. Here was their answer to the threat in verse 19.

“But Peter and John answered them, ‘Whether it’s right in the sight of God to listen to you more than God, you judge.’” Pretty brilliant for illiterate men, wouldn’t you say? Pretty genius for men who are uneducated.

Well, then after threatening them further and letting them go, there’s another part of the story. I just wonder if this was you and I where we’d be.

Yeah. If it was the modern-day Christian, how would we respond? I think today maybe we would begin to talk about how the devil was after us and it wasn’t fair. My life was threatened. I just can’t keep going. We’ve got to do something to protect our family. They’re after us.

I mean, we would have all, “I’m going to get ahold of the lawyer. My religious rights have been abused.” Right?

But look how they responded. Check this out. 29 to 31. “Now, Lord, look on their threats. Listen to the prayer. Now, Lord, look on the threats and grant that your servants may speak your word with great boldness by stretching out your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be performed in the name of your Holy Son, Jesus.”

When they had prayed, the place where they assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word with boldness.

They prayed for boldness. The place was shaken. They got boldness. They were threatened, and they didn’t say, “I’m going to call my attorney. I’m afraid of cancel culture. Why don’t they try to cancel me?”

No, they said, “Here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to pray for greater boldness. I’m going to pray for greater strength. I’m going to pray the Holy Spirit come and bring more upon me.” And they did, and He answered. Come on, y’all with me?

Great boldness doesn’t just happen. You have to be intentional. You have to be aware of your relationship with the Holy Spirit. You have to be aware of the boldness He will give you.

Come on, y’all with me? I thought as I was preparing for this, I read a story of Dwight Moody, a great evangelist of years ago, the Moody Bible Institute. He’d begun doing crusades in England, had a great, great influence in England.

As he was set to come and do one of his crusades there, an older elderly pastor protested and said, “Why do we need this Mr. Moody? He’s uneducated and he’s inexperienced. He thinks he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit.”

A younger pastor stood up and said, “No, in great wisdom. He said, ‘No, no, he doesn’t. But I will say this: The Holy Spirit has a monopoly on him.’”

Does the Holy Spirit have a monopoly on your life? Are you led by the Holy Spirit? Are you led by your emotions? Is your relationship with God led by your emotions, led by your anger, led by your hurt, led by your unforgiveness, or is your relationship with God led by the Holy Spirit?

With great power, great boldness, great love, great forgiveness. Come on, great grace. Because I’m telling you right now, the difference is night and day compared to who you could be and who you choose to be.

When you choose the Holy Spirit, He will embolden you. He’ll cause you to live a steady life of faith, a steady life of love, a steady life of forgiveness. Knowing you’re never alone, knowing He’s working through you and on your behalf, come on, and giving you a boldness to be who you’re supposed to be.

Can I just pray for you for a moment? Father, I pray for every individual that’s here right now. God, I pray that they’d begin to understand how much you love them, that they are the apple of your eye. That there’s nothing you would not do for them, God, out of that great love.

God, I pray that you let them know that the Holy Spirit is their friend and constant companion. He is their connection to who you are. He is their friend and constant companion. He is their connection to who you are, is how they grow. He is how they learn. He is how they get close to who Jesus is and to the heart of you, oh God.

God, I pray that this week they’d begin to just study more of the Holy Spirit, investigate more of who He is in their life and how much they’ve been willing to let go and let Him lead them.

Now, our heads are bowed, eyes are closed. People of rain, just a couple of questions before we close. First one is this: If you’re here, you know Jesus, you know you’re going to be a part of this. You’re going to be a part of this. You’re going to be a part of this. You’re going to be...

Your salvation’s good, but while I was given this talk today, you felt God’s spirit deal with you about some changes you need to make, some alterations, some adjustments, maybe growing in your faith in some of the areas I talked about, maybe one, two, maybe many areas where the Holy Spirit’s dealt with you and said, “That’s you. You need to change that. That’s you. You need to grow there. That’s you. You need to investigate that area.”

I just want to pray for you that are here and those that are home. I’m going to include you in that prayer, but if that’s you, although you’re born again, you know you need to grow in some of the areas I spoke about today in a way of asking for prayer.

Will you just slip your hand up and right back down? Good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good. You can put it right back down. Thank you. Thank you. So many hands. So many hands. You can put them right back down. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. So many hands.

Father, I pray right now for every one of these believers who’ve admitted right now change that needs to take place, growth that they need to encounter, maturity that needs to come into their faith.

God, I pray that today you’d meet them at the point of their greatest need. God, I pray that today you’d let them know that they’ll never be the same if they depend on the Holy Spirit and they learn of Him, that they’ll be empowered with a boldness and a new strength in their faith they’ve never had before.

God, help them know the Holy Spirit in a real way. Help them as they study this week concerning the Holy Spirit, who He is, that they will encounter Him in a powerful, powerful way.

Holy Spirit, one of your ministries to us is to remind us of the teachings and the principles that Jesus gave us. So I pray you go with that.

Today, from this day forward, remind them of this day in the coming days, weeks, months, even years of when you spoke to their heart concerning this, that they’ll never be the same.

Now, one more question. It’s a question I never like to close the service without asking, but do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord? Not did you go to church as a child? Were you baptized as a baby? Are you a good person? Those things are fine, but that’s not salvation.

The Bible says, because we’ve all sinned, we’ve fallen short of the glory of God, that there is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood. In the Old Testament, they used to take an animal like a lamb and sacrifice that animal and take the blood from the animal sacrifice and offer it in a ceremonial fashion to cover the people’s sins for one year, and they’d have to do that every year.

But God didn’t desire sacrifice. So because a man sinned, ultimately a man would have to die. That’s why Jesus came to earth in the form of a man. He lived a sinless life, born of the Virgin Mary. That’s why He’s known as the spotless lamb of God.

At the end of His life, they crucified Him, spilling out His blood. His blood doesn’t cover sin for a year. His blood obliterates sin, past, present, and future. They buried Him, but three days later, He rose from the dead, conquering sin and death because He loved us that much.

Here’s the book of Romans, what it says. This is salvation, so listen carefully. If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and you believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

That is salvation. That’s your only way, confessing Jesus as your Lord, believing He’s the Son of God. What does it mean to be saved? Well, first of all, it means saved from the empty life in this earth, that void, that chasm, that emptiness you’ve had in your heart.

You’ve tried to fill it with drugs or alcohol, parties, relationships, business, money, career, hobbies, busyness, whatever it is; it still leaves you empty. That’s because Jesus is the only one that can fill that emptiness.

Secondly, it means saved into a place called heaven. When this life is over, eternity begins. It’s either heaven or hell. I’m not trying to scare you. I’m not even trying to tell you about hell. I’m trying to tell you about heaven, a place Jesus created for you.

It’s a perfect place. No more sickness, no more pain, no more disease. Love, joy, peace in the presence of Jesus with those that you love and those you have plans to go with you.

But Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father, which is in heaven, but by me.”

So heads are bowed, eyes are closed. If you’re here, you’re not sure if you met God today, where you’d spend your eternity, I now speak to you. I’m not going to put a spotlight on you. I’m not going to have you stand up. I’m not going to call you forward. I just want to pray for you right there where you’re at, like I prayed for the others.

But if that’s you, you know you need Jesus Christ. You know you need to make your life right with God. You want to know that heaven’s your future, as these others already have.

Come on, just slip your hand up, right back down, saying, “Pray for me, Pastor Kevin.” God bless you. There’s one. God bless you. There’s two. God bless you. There’s three. Come on, someone else. God bless you. Four, five. God bless you. There’s six. Somebody else. God bless you. There’s seven. Thank you so much.

Is there someone else? Just say, “Pastor, that’s me. Come on, that’s me. Include me in that prayer as well. Pastor, I want to know that my future is in the hands of God. My future’s in heaven.”

Are you here? Will you join these? Six or seven that said that right now. Thank you so much. There’s eight. Thank you so much.

Alright, I’m going to pray this prayer. I want you to repeat this prayer after me out loud, not by yourself, but everyone here that is born again. I’m going to ask you to say it with them, to support them.

Then after you’ve done this, there’s going to be a team member that will meet you, or please tell somebody of the team here, you’ve made that confession, so they can help you with your spiritual journey.

Come on, let’s all pray this together. Those of you at home, this is that prayer. You can pray right now together. Everyone out loud.

Father, come on, everyone together. Father, I believe in Jesus. I believe He’s your Son. I believe He died on the cross. He was buried and rose again.

Jesus, I confess you now as my Lord, my Savior. Forgive me for my sin. Make me new. From this day forward, I place my life completely in your hands, and I place myself in a local church to learn more of you, that through greater knowledge of who you are, I will grow in deeper love with you.

In Jesus’ name. Come on, welcome these, the family of God. Come on, welcome these people. Celebrate.

Hey, yeah. You know why we celebrate? Because when anyone receives Jesus as their Lord, their name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and the Bible says the angels of heaven rejoice.

So there’s a party in heaven in your name right now, and we’re just joining your party. We welcome you, the family of God. We love you, Pastor Tim.