The following audio sermon and notes are tools for studying basics about the Holy Spirit with friends.

For a printable version of this study, click on The Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38-39

• Repent and be baptized to receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• The Holy Spirit is an amazing gift we receive from God at our conversion.
• What is the Holy Spirit?

John 4:24

• God is spirit.  He is not a physical being with physical limitations.

1 Corinthians 2:10-12

• Like the spirit of a man knows the man, the Spirit knows God because He is God’s Spirit.
• The Holy Spirit is the very Spirit of God.
• If God is spirit, and the Holy Spirit is God’s spirit, then the Holy Spirit is God.
• The gift of the Holy Spirit Peter spoke of is God coming to live with you.
• The Spirit is helping us understand the deep things of God.

Ephesians 1:13-14

• Those in Christ, are marked with the Holy Spirit, a deposit guaranteeing our salvation.
• God gives us His Spirit as a promise that He will never walk away from us.
• We can still walk away from God, but as far as God is concerned, God is locked in to us.

John 14:15-17

• Jesus promised to send the Spirit to live within those who obey.
• The Spirit is the Counselor, our guide and advocate.

John 14:23

• Jesus and the Father will come to make a home with those who obey.  
• Jesus speaks of the Spirit living within and speaks of the Father and Son living with us because the three are one God.

John 14:25-26

• Jesus instructs the Apostles that the Spirit will teach them and remind them of His teachings.
• The Spirit works in much the same way in our lives.  The Spirit teaches us and reminds us of God’s teachings.
• How does the Spirit teach us?
o Bible – The Bible is the most direct form of teaching from the Spirit.  All other methods must be weighed against the Scriptures.
o Other People – The Spirit speaks through others to teach us.
o Circumstances – The Spirit uses circumstances in our lives to teach and train us.
o Inclinations to do good – The Spirit prompts us to do good.
• Keep in mind though that all teaches of the Spirit should be weighed against the most clear and direct direction from the Spirit – the Bible.

John 15:5, 9-10

• Jesus calls them to remain in Him and they would bear much fruit.
• To remain in Jesus, we must obey.  If we obey, God will produce fruit in our lives.

Galatians 5:22-25

• The fruit of the Spirit are these incredible qualities.  If the Spirit is in our lives, we will bear these fruits more in more.  The Spirit transforms us to be more like Jesus.
• The Spirit will transform us and our job is to keep up, to keep in step with the Spirit.
• We need to listen to the Spirit calling us to do good and obey.
• Let’s look at an example of the Spirit at work.

Acts 8:26-40

• An angel sent Philip to the general area and the Spirit told Philip to go near the chariot.
• Because Philip obeyed the Spirit, Philip heard the Ethiopian reading the Bible, got the opportunity to teach the Ethiopian about Jesus, and the Ethiopian was baptized.
• The Spirit guided Philip to do good, but Philip still had to choose to obey.
• The Spirit works in much the same way in Christians today.  He guides Christians to obey God.  We must strive to listen and obey.

Conclusion

• The Holy Spirit is God.
• The Spirit comes to live in us when we repent and are baptized.
• The Spirit then guides, teaches, and transforms us to be more like Christ.
• Strive to listen to the Spirit.