THE HOLY SPIRIT | Northstar Church

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.” – Acts 1:8-9.

Acts 1: 8-9 describes the momentous event when Jesus ascends to His Father. Jesus had prepared them that this day was coming. In fact, He said it was good. In John 16:7, back at the Last Supper, He said, “I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”

Imagine you are a disciple, and you are trying to wrap your head around the idea that it is good that Jesus goes away. I’m sure if we were in their shoes, we would struggle with any scenario of Jesus not being there. Who could blame us? Jesus is eternal, omnipresent, omnipotent, and unchangeable. He is equal with God the Father. He demonstrates compassion in every interaction, advocates for a world where love and forgiveness prevail, and exemplifies humility in every aspect of His life. Who wouldn’t want more time with Him?

Jesus told the disciples He would leave beforehand to prepare them emotionally and mentally. But Jesus also had a way to prepare them spiritually. He left friends, family members, and loved ones. But He didn’t leave them or us orphaned. He gave them and gave us the Holy Spirit.

We need the Holy Spirit to understand and live out God’s will. He guides us in our daily lives, reveals truths about God, convicts us of sin, empowers us to live righteously, and provides the strength to resist temptation. He essentially acts as a constant presence of God within us to live a life dedicated to Him; without the Holy Spirit, we wouldn’t have the ability to truly comprehend God’s plan or live a life aligned with His teachings.

The Holy Spirit teaches us and reminds us of everything Jesus said. As we read God’s Word, we can trust the Holy Spirit to help us understand what we read. We can also expect the Holy Spirit to bring to our remembrance the truth about who God is, who we are, what God promises, what God has done, and what God will do. The Holy Spirit renews us. This renewing work begins the moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, but it also continues each day as we respond to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.

God did not leave us alone to fend for ourselves. He provided an amazing Helper in the person of the Holy Spirit who will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves—if we let Him.

Discussion Questions:

Describe a time when you became aware of the Holy Spirit’s work in your life.