Holy Spirit

Verse

After several days of visiting, a prophet from Judea by the name of Agabus came down to see us. He went right up to Paul, took Paul's belt, and, in a dramatic gesture, tied himself up, hands and feet. He said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: The Jews in Jerusalem are going to tie up the man who owns this belt just like this and hand him over to godless unbelievers."

— Acts 21:10-11 msg

Thought

Courage is knowing the danger, yet pressing on to do what we are convicted must...

 

Verse

We looked up the local disciples and stayed with them seven days. Their message to Paul, from insight given by the Spirit, was "Don't go to Jerusalem."

— Acts 21:4 msg

Thought

Okay, I admit this is confusing. Paul is convicted that he must go to Jerusalem. At the same time, he knows hardship awaits him. Now this warning and command: "Don't go to Jerusalem!" I don't know any way to understand this other than one of two ways. One, Paul is disobeying the Spirit when he goes to...

 

Verse

[Paul said,] "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood."

— Acts 20:28 tniv

Thought

Paul reminds the Ephesian elders of three heavenly truths about leaders. First, leaders are to watch, feed, protect and care for ("shepherd") the people of God. Second, the Holy Spirit was involved in putting them into their leadership role. Third, those who lead must...

 

Verse

"But there is another urgency before me now. I feel compelled to go to Jerusalem. I'm completely in the dark about what will happen when I get there. I do know that it won't be any picnic, for the Holy Spirit has let me know repeatedly and clearly that there are hard times and imprisonment ahead."

— Acts 20:22-23 msg

Thought

Paul faces an incredibly difficult dilemma: the Holy Spirit is drawing him to Jerusalem and yet warning him that hardship awaits him there. Too...

 

Verse

When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

— Acts 19:6 tniv

Thought

The Holy Spirit is a vital part of our conversion and a crucial part of our daily walk with God and transformation into the character and compassion of Christ. Paul's teaching and the work of the Holy Spirit make clear that God has now included this unique group of people into the followers of Jesus — followers of John the Baptizer who had known...

 

Verse

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

— Acts 19:1-2 tniv

Thought

The Holy Spirit is a crucial part of our conversion. Jesus pours the Spirit out upon us (Titus 3:5-6), we are forgiven (Acts 2:38), the Spirit cleanses us making us holy (1 Cor. 6:11)...

 

Verse

They went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn't let them go there either.

— Acts 16:6-7 msg

Thought

I am not sure how "the Holy Spirit blocked that route." I am not sure how "the Spirit of Jesus wouldn't let them go." I do know, however, that so many of our decisions, our ventures...

 

Verse

“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements ...”

— Acts 15:28 nlt

Thought

Acts 15 is a remarkable reminder of the power of the Holy Spirit to work within a group of people seeking to honor God. There were radically different opinions on what should be done. Some of those opinions were wrong. Others were right. But as God's leaders — in the presence of the other members of Jesus' church in Jerusalem — prayed and...

 

Verse

"God knows people's hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us."

— Acts 15:8 nlt

Thought

These words come from Peter's defense of taking the good news of Jesus to Gentiles — Cornelius and his household (Acts 10:1-48). From the moment that the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and the other believers in his household, Peter and his companions were convicted that God had shown he approved of their conversion (Acts...

 

Verse

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

— Acts 13:52 tniv

Thought

The Holy Spirit's presence in God's people is accompanied by joy! This was true of Jesus (Luke 10:21). This is also true of Jesus' disciples (Rom. 14:17; Rom. 15:13; Gal. 5:22). What I find interesting in this passage is that all the external reasons for the disciples of Jesus to rejoice are absent. Paul and Barnabas are persecuted and run out of the region. But, the good news of Jesus...