Knowing Jesus Series

Beginning Your New Life Series

Follow-Up 3: Beginning Your New Life in the Holy Spirit


Look Back

How are you and your friends?

Let's read 1 John 1:9. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Who is God according to this verse?

Indeed, those who accepted Jesus in their lives as Lord and Savior were forgiven too. Who among your family/friends just accepted Jesus?

The heavens rejoice over one soul who accepted Jesus. God is pleased seeing people come to know Him and make Him known to others. Our lesson today is entitled Beginning Your New Life in the Holy Spirit. Let's discover how to become a fruitful witness for Jesus.


Look Up

Beginning Your New Life in the Holy Spirit

For three years the disciples had walked, worked and talked with Jesus. They knew Him, trusted Him and loved Him. On one particular night, however, Jesus told His disciples some very upsetting news: He would soon die.

Put yourself in the disciples place. How would you feel? Confused? Frightened? Helpless? They probably did, too.

But then imagine hearing Jesus telling you, as a result of His going to be with God the Father, another friend would come - one who would be with you; one who would be in you.

The friend who was to come is the Holy Spirit. An amazing thing that Jesus told His followers was that the Holy Spirit would reside in them. Even better, He would “be with them forever.” Imagine the encouragement this offered to these individuals. God would make His home within the lives of those people who would love and receive Him.

In this way, the disciples would not be left with the impossible tasks of trying to imitate the character of Christ and attempting to continue His mission. Instead, through the Holy Spirit, the very life of Christ with all His character, authority and strength could be lived through their individual lives and personalities.

Twenty centuries later, Christ’s promise still remains true. He offers hope to those who are trying to live as He lived. Anyone who has sincerely attempted to reach the goal knows that, worthy as it is, it is a hopeless ideal. Only Jesus Christ can act like Jesus Christ.

And that, of course, is the uniqueness of Christianity. Instead of frustrating us with the inevitable failure of attempting to live up to impossibly high ethical, moral and spiritual standards, the only Person who ever perfectly fulfilled all those standards offers to do it again - through each of us.

Once Jesus has entered into a life, that person has the potential to let Him live out His life in and through him. This is available to anyone!

It sounds good, doesn’t it? The obvious question is, how can I experience the resurrected Christ living His life through me? This follow-up will help to explain.

Read “Have You Made the Wonderful Discovery of the Spirit-filled Life?” before proceeding with the rest of this lesson.

After completing “Have You Made the Wonderful Discover of the Spirit-filled Life?” return to this follow-up material and answer the following.


Review Questions

As you answer the following questions refer to the material “Have You Made the Wonderful Discovery of the Spirit-filled Life?”

1. On whom is the carnal Christian relying?


2. On whom is the spiritual Christian relying?


A spiritual Christian becomes carnal when he refuses to confess sin in his life.


3. If a Christian refuses to confess his sin to God, what does this show about his heart toward God? (Psalm 51:16-17)

Psalm 51:16-17
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.

4. What are the two aspects of spiritual breathing?

5. What three things are involved in exhaling (confession of sin)?

6. What does inhaling mean?

7. We can know that we are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith based on His _______________________ and _______________________.

Continue to spend 15 minutes alone each day with the Lord in Bible-reading and prayer. Here are some suggestions:

1. Read Ephesians 5:18-21 and Colossians 3:12-17. Compare these two passages in what they say about the Spirit-filled life?

2. Read Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21. What is the “power” that Paul desires for his friend? Where does this power come from?

3. Read the story of the disciples in the storm when they doubted His care in Mark 4:35-41. Why were they afraid? What did they doubt about God?

Ephesians 5:18-21
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:12-17
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Ephesians 3:14-21
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Mark 4:35-41 Jesus Calms the Storm
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Summary

The Spirit filled life is a practical experience. As you trust in Him, God’s Spirit will produce the character of Christ within you and empower you to be His witness.

Suggested Reading

Answers

  1. Self

  2. God or Jesus Christ

  3. He is proud or unrepentant

  4. Inhale and exhale

  5. Agreeing, thanking and repenting

  6. Being filled with the Holy Spirit by faith

  7. Command and promise


Look Forward

Now, let's continue our practice on how you can effectively share the gospel to your friends using the 4SL. Let's focus on the yes and no responses in the Prayer section.

Would you be available tomorrow at 3pm-4pm? I will be sharing the gospel to the students. You can be my prayer partner. You pray while I share. Then you can also share while I pray. Wouldn't this be a great idea to witness for Jesus?