The Holy Spirit has assumed the attributes of human personality, so we are able to relate to him personally!
Our Ladies were asked to read John chapters 14, 15 & 16 prior to attending this session.
What kinds of human traits has he assumed?
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He gives joy (Acts 8:8, Gal. 5:22)
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He gives love (Gal. 5:22)
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He experiences sorrow (Eph. 4:30)
These attributes are the basis for all fellowship and relationship we will have with Him.
What did you see when reading John 14-16 for your homework?
- What does Jesus say about him in John 14:26, and again in 16:7?
- He is our helper; he is called to help and assist us!
Since he has the attributes of personality, it is possible for us to talk to Him, spend time with Him, and share our deepest thoughts with Him. He in turn shares revelation from the Word of God with us.
We can know the Holy Spirit so well that even if we don't receive a specific word from Him, we can know what seems good to Him (Acts 15:28). When you share a relationship with someone, you don't always have to ask them what they think, you just know how they will feel in a given situation.
"We should make it high priority in our lives to know Him the way that Jesus knew Him."
When Jesus was on earth, He was completely dependant on the Holy Spirit. From His birth, nothing that happened to Him and nothing that he did was without the power of the Holy Spirit. The very first thing He did when He sat down at His Father's right hand was to send the believer's the gift of the Holy Spirit!
- Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matt 1:18, 20)
- His conception was confirmed by Elizabeth when she was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41-45)
- His dedication as a baby in the temple was accompanied by supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit (Luke 2:25-38)
- His arrival to Israel was announced by John the Baptist who declared Jesus was the one who would baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire. (Matt. 3:11, Luke 3:16)
- Jesus spoke of the baptism in the Holy Ghost, telling his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they had received Him. (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4-5)
- He was empowered by the Holy Spirit at the Jordan River when he was baptized by John. (Matt. 3:16, Mark 1:10)
- He was led by the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 4:1, Mark 1:12)
- He stated publicly that His ministry was a result of the power of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 4:18)
- He was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit! (Rom. 8:11)
When Jesus was on earth, he was always with the Holy Spirit. If Jesus needed this kind of ongoing partnership with the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish His divine role on earth, then we must have it too!
He was sent to us by Jesus, to give us everything we need to be successful, faith-filled, overcoming children of the Most High God! With Him we are equipped for every situation in life.
In John 14:16 Jesus said, "I will pray to the Father and He shall give you another comforter..."
Note in this verse Jesus used the word another. The greek word for another in this verse is "allos." It literally means "one of the very same kind, same character, nearly a duplicate."
This verse could be translated:
"I will pray to the Father, and He will send you someone who is just like me in every way, He will be identical to me in the way I speak, the way I think, the way I operate, the way I see and do things. He will be exactly like me in every way. If He is here it will be just as if I am here."
Our challenge for this week: Really learn to pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying to us! We will make it a habit to get quiet and listen for his prompting in every situation that we face.
