July 22, 2018

Sunday School
The Holy Spirit - Part 1

• 1 Timothy 3:16 - Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
• 1 Corinthians 2:9-11 - However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" - the tings God has prepared for those who love Him - these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person's thought except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thought of God except the Spirit of God. ( This is the Holy Spirit having knowledge.)
• 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 - Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to a another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines. (This is the Holy Spirit distributing gifts as He wills.)
• Romans 8:27 - And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God. (This is the Holy Spirit who has a mind.)
• Romans 15:30 - I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. (This is the Holy Spirit who love us.)
• John 15:26 & 16:13 - "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father - the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father - He will testify about me.  But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. (This is the Holy Spirit testifying of Jesus and exalting God and Jesus over Himself.)
• Romans 8:26 - In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (This is the Holy Spirit interceding for us.)
• 1 John 2:20-27 - But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist - denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us - eternal life.  John 14:26 - But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 

Sermon
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 - For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Subject: The Christians Warfare

• John 8:32 - Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
• The nature of this warfare, this Christian warfare is something we need to recognize because it can come in many guises such as a person, a place or a thing. And as we know Satan mimics God by using a small, still voice, whispering in you inner ear that you really need this or that or you really need to give this person a piece of your mind, etc.
• Satan's warfare is corrupt and evil, spiritual wickedness; idols, dishonesty, deceit & hypocrisy.
• Satan's stronghold is well guarded. We don't want to allow Satan to get a foot-hold or he will turn it into a stronghold in your life.
• We, however, have the Whole Armor of God.
• Satan wants every much to destroy us but our armor protects us at all times if we but use it.

The Strongholds of Satan

1.  Ignorance to the things of God. Solution: We need to study to show thyself approved unto God. 2 Timothy 2:15
2. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before fall. Proverbs 16:18   Solution: Because of the grace that God gave me, I can say  to each of you: don' think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Instead, be reasonable since God has measured out a portion of faith to each one of us.  Romans 12:3
3. Prejudice - openly downing another.  Solution: We should weapons of God and not carnal weapons.
4. Unbelief in God.  Solution: The sum of Your Word is truth. And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting. Psalm 119:160   "If you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"  Mark 9:23-24

Finally, if you as a Christian were arrested today, would there be enough evidence to convict you?