Holy Spirit

My dear friends, don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world. Here's how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ — the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh-and-blood person — comes from God and belongs to God. And everyone who refuses to confess faith in Jesus has nothing in common with God...

 

Then the angel carried me [John] away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.

—Revelation 17:3 NIV

Key Thought​

The Spirit carries John away in a vision to see the ghastly, awful truth about Satan's work to destroy the people of God. The vision exposes the great evil that Satan does and reveals his allies who do his evil work and follow his bidding. However...

 

As [Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch] rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look! There's some water! Why can't I be baptized?" He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.
Note: The NLT translation has verse 37 only in a footnote.


—Acts 8:36-39 NLT

Key Thought​

...

 

So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord.

—1 Thessalonians 1:6 NLT

Key Thought​

How can a convicting message, a message that calls us to turn our lives around (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10), bring joy in the middle of suffering?

1. That message is true.
2. That message points us to a better way, a way that leads to glory that is far greater than any suffering now could...

 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

—Galatians 5:22-23a NLT

Key Thought​

Even in life's darkest hours, the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, can bring the light of God's joy and peace to the darkest corners of disappointment. Because the Holy Spirit is alive within us, joy and peace will bubble to the surface regardless of our circumstances. The Spirit's very presence...

 

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

—Acts 13:52 NIV

Key Thought​

Soup and sandwich. Love and marriage. Horse and carriage. These things go together according to a couple of old songs. But there are two things that go together far better than any of these. No, I am not talking about ham and eggs — or even Dr. Seuss' famous book Green Eggs and Ham.© I am talking about the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit within us and the deep rivers of...

 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

—Romans 15:13 NIV

Key Thought​

Rather than having much commentary on this beautiful blessing, let's share the joy of this blessing and the confidence of our hope with those we love! May this blessing be for all of you. May hope be yours because of the precious gift of the Holy Spirit within you!

Today's Prayer​

O Father, I thank you...

 

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.

—Romans 14:17-18 NLT

Key Thought​

While we enjoy our blessings each day, let's all of us remember that life in God's Kingdom is not about what we eat or drink or what we have. Because of the Holy Spirit's presence and power within us, no matter...

 

[Jesus said,] "I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative — that is, the Holy Spirit — he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid."

—John 14:25-27 NLT

Key Thought​

In a world of chaos and uncertainties as well as trials...

 

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do."

—Luke 10:21 NIV

Key Thought​

Since the presence of the Holy Spirit led Jesus to be full of joy, then the Spirit can and will bring this blessing into our lives as well. Just like the joy of little children...