Bible Study Pictures

Am I allowing the Spirit to do His work in me?

The contrast between the woman who is saying "No!" to God and "Yes" to sin and the woman who is allowing the Spirit to work in her life is striking.    The Spirit is still in the life of the Christian who has allowed sin to get a foothold in her life, but it is grieved.  And because she is rejecting God's will, the Spirit is also being quenched.  She will not allow the Spirit to do it's work in her - to fill her up.  She probably is feeling empty, lonely, and sad but can't figure out why. 

In the life of the woman who is open and listening to God through the Spirit, the Spirit can work in her and fill her.  As He does, He assures her that she belongs to God - she can be secure in knowing she is truly saved.  The Spirit also reminds her of the words that Jesus spoke, helping her to understand how to apply those words in her life right now.  He also bestows gifts and abilities on her to enable her to serve others and build up the body of Christ.  The Spirit brings about fruit in her life - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  He leads her in the right direction.  And when she is weak or uncertain of what to do or how to pray, the Spirit prays for her. 

Lord, forgive me for saying "NO!" to you and letting sin reign in my life so that Your Holy Spirit has been grieved and quenched.  Cleanse me, purify me, and fill me with Your Spirit.  How I long to be filled with Your Spirit, to experience His leading, His fruit, His assurance, His gifts.  May the Spirit remind me of Your words, Lord, and empower me to say "Yes!"  to them.  Thank You for the peace of knowing that even when I am uncertain of how to pray or too weak physically, Your Spirit is there praying for me.  Amen.

How God works in me through His Spirit

I read just 4 little verses today using the tools for digging deeper in the Living Beyond Yourself online Bible Study.  I decided that the "dead works" mentioned in Hebrews 9:14 refer to things I do from a sinful heart without acknowledging God or seeking His will, and without allowing the Spirit to empower me and guide me to do what is right.  This verse reminds me that the Spirit kept Jesus faultless, pure, sinless, and unblameable...completely free of dead works!  The Holy Spirit can also eliminate dead works from my life.

In Philippians 2:13, I was reminded that God is working in my by the power of the Holy Spirit to demonstrate His power and love, and to fulfill His purpose in my life.

When I read John 3:7, I focused on what "born again" meant and decided it meant that I am made completely new and can begin again by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, looking at Ephesians 5:18, I recognized that the Spirit wants to fill me up, to enter every area of my life, to complete and perfect me.  He will only do that if I empty myself of sins by laying them before the Lord, and pour out my worries, concerns, selfishness to Him...if I am full of all of these things, how can the Spirit fill me?  My husband and I baked a cake and frosted it yesterday.  The cake itself was good, and the frosting made it even better.  Some cakes turn out too dry though, and they need frosting just to make them palatable.  Is my life dry?  Am I letting the Spirit be like the frosting on the cake...there to make me palatable?  Or am I allowing God to completely change the recipe and transform me from within, taking out the ingredients that would make me less than perfect, and filling me with His perfect (even secret!) Ingredient.  The Spirit wants to be more than just the icing on the cake in my life...He wants to transform the cake from within, making it the best cake in the world.