CHAPTER 12

You Will Have Power

  1.   What comes to mind when you think about the Holy Spirit? What sorts of images or experiences does that stir up?

  2.   The first time we read about the Holy Spirit is in the creation story in Genesis 1:2: “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (NKJV). What does this early mention of the Holy Spirit in the Bible tell us about the importance of the Holy Spirit?

  3.   The Trinity is made up of three parts: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

       •   When you think about your faith, do you see the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit as playing the central role? Why is this?

       •   Which one of the Trinity do you most often pray to, and why?

       •   Do you see the Holy Spirit as an active part of your daily life? If so, how? If not, why not?

  4.   What four words does Max use to describe how the Holy Spirit interacts with us?

  5.   Read Ephesians 1:13–21.

       •   What does this passage say about the power of the Holy Spirit in us?

       •   Ephesians 1:19–20 says the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us. What do you think about that? Is that easy or difficult for you to believe, and why?

  6.   Galatians 5:22–23 lists the fruit of the Holy Spirit as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (NLT).

       •   How do we bear this type of fruit?

       •   What role does the Holy Spirit play in our bearing fruit?

  7.   Max says, “Saints are never told to create unity but rather to keep the unity the Spirit provides. Harmony is always an option, because the Spirit is always present.”

       •   What do you think about this statement?

       •   What has been your experience with unity among believers?

       •   How could the Holy Spirit bring unity to your community?

  8.   Read John 16:12–15.

       •   What does this passage say about the role of the Holy Spirit in discipleship?

       •   How does the Holy Spirit guide us in truth?

       •   When you look back over your Christian journey, how has the Holy Spirit revealed truth to you?

  9.   The Holy Spirit gives us power, he creates unity among the saints, he guides us in truth, and he also makes us holy. Another word for holy is sanctified. First Corinthians 6:11 says, “But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (NKJV).

       •   The Greek word for sanctified means “to separate from profane things and dedicate to God.”⁶ What area of your life has the Holy Spirit sanctified?

       •   Second Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (NKJV). Our salvation is a one-time event, but the process of sanctification, of becoming more holy, is an ongoing one. What area of your life has not been sanctified yet?

       •   Sometimes we try to take the work of sanctification upon ourselves. We do as Paul said, “After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” (Gal. 3:3 NLT). Are there any areas of your life in which you are trying to sanctify yourself? How could you allow the Holy Spirit back into that process?

10.   Are you producing the fruit of the Spirit? Are you loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled? Or are you lacking the fruit of the Spirit? Spend some time assessing this.

       •   Where are you allowing the Holy Spirit to work?

       •   Where are you not allowing him to work?