046 - The Holy Spirit - #Foolishnessofpreaching

The Holy Spirit

Good morning, brothers and sisters. Today, we are going to talk about the Holy Spirit. But first, let me share a funny story with you.

Once, a pastor asked his congregation, "How many of you have heard of the Holy Spirit?" Everyone raised their hand except for one elderly woman. The pastor asked her, "Sister, you haven't heard of the Holy Spirit?" She replied, "No, but I have heard of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Bible!"

While this story is funny, it also highlights a common misconception about the Holy Spirit. Many people may know about God the Father and Jesus Christ, but they may not be as familiar with the Holy Spirit. However, the Holy Spirit is an essential part of the Holy Trinity.

In John 14:16-17, Jesus said, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."

The Holy Spirit is not just a force or an idea; he is a person who is with us and in us. He is our advocate and helper, and he guides us into all truth. Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot truly understand the Bible or live a truly Christian life.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus also said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

The Holy Spirit empowers us to be witnesses of Jesus Christ to the world. He gives us the strength and courage to share our faith with others, even in difficult circumstances.

The Holy Spirit is also the one who produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These are not qualities that we can produce on our own; they are the result of the Holy Spirit working in us.

So, how do we receive the Holy Spirit? In Acts 2:38, Peter said, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

When we repent of our sins and put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are baptized in water and receive the Holy Spirit. We also receive the Holy Spirit when we pray and ask for him (Luke 11:13).

As we conclude this sermon, I want to encourage you to seek the Holy Spirit in your life. Ask him to fill you and empower you to live a truly Christian life. If you have not yet received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I invite you to come forward and make that decision today. Let us pray together.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for sending us the Holy Spirit. We ask that you fill us with your Spirit and empower us to be witnesses of Jesus Christ to the world. For those who have not yet received Jesus, we pray that they would come forward and make that decision today. In Jesus' name, amen.