Holy Spirit Empowered
Holy Spirit, Pastor Ed

Holy Spirit Empowered

by webteam

 

 

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Week 1

HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERED

Week 1

Baptism of the Holy Spirit and what it can mean in your life.

  • Do you feel like you are living a victorious, overcoming life? Or do you feel like you are lacking power in your day to day walk as a christian?
          • If you feel like you are lacking the power to overcome, are you filled with the Holy Spirit? If your are filled, do you exercise speaking in tongues on a regular basis?
  • Does religion (Laws, rules and regulations) give you peace or joy, or the power to overcome? Explain.
        • No, because religion does not bring the power of God into your life. Relationship with God and the baptism of the Holy Spirit is what brings His power.
  • Has anyone in the group come from a denominational church before coming to Living Word?
        • Explain? Did you feel like there was power, joy or peace taught/displayed in those churches?
  • Why do you think we see the power, joy and peace of the Lord here at Living Word?
        • Because we believe and in the Power of the Holy Spirit and let Him have His way in our services.

     

  • In Mark 16: 15-16 What Does God say are the signs of them that believe and are baptized?
        • “they shall cast out devils and speak in new tongues”
  • According to 1st Corinthians 14:2, who are you speaking to when you speak in other tongues?
        • You are speaking mysteries unto God
  • What does the Bible say we should have as new testament believers in 1st peter 1:8?
        • Joy unspeakable and full of glory!
        • Do you feel as if you are experiencing this in your day to day life?
        • Do you believe that this is truly something that is attainable for every believer?
  • Does religion provide relationship?
        • Explain.
  • What is Religion?
        • Religion consists in the performance of the duties we owe to God.
  • What is Relationship
        • The coming together as one, not based on duties but rather based on desire.
  • Religion says to get to God you must perform, Where relationship says Come to God and as a result you will perform.
  • Ask If everyone is Baptized in the Holy Spirit in your group. If people are not, Ask them if they would like to be baptized and offer to pray for them to be filled.

 

Week 2

 

HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERED

Week 2

 

Who is the Holy Spirit?

– The third person of the trinity, “the Helper” (One called along side to help us.)

Read 2 Timothy 3:5..(They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!)

Does Religion bring the revival and the power of God to your life? Why not?
– No, Because Religion is not relationship with God, it is filled with dry bone and dead works. Where relationship with God brings life and the power of God.

Read Mark 16:16-18 what does it say are the signs that will follow those who believe.

– Cast out demons

– SPEAK WITH NEW TONGUES

– Take up serpents

– drink something deadly and not get hurt.
– Lay hands on the sick and recover.

What does Isaiah 28:10-12 say we can gain from praying in tongues.

– Bring spiritual rest, Spiritual refreshing (Strengthens and renews your spirit man)

Has anyone who is in the group experienced that rest or refreshing from the Holy Spirit, wether from directly speaking in tongues or prayer etc.

– Go around the group and share.

Ask if anyone in the group would like to be filled with the Holy Spirit and offer to pray for them to receive it if you feel comfortable.

Week 3

 

HOLY SPIRIT CONNECT GROUP WEEK 3 QUESTIONS

1. Anyone who believes in Jesus has the Holy Spirit living inside of them, but being baptized in the Holy Spirit is a separate experience from salvation. So what changes?

Answer: When you are born again the Holy Spirit is WITHIN you for life and character. But when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit comes upon you for power and service to flow OUT of you. This separate experience brings new dimensions of power, boldness and the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit. It is evident by speaking in tongues.

2. John 7: 38-39 states, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” Think about the analogy of a river flowing. What do you think Jesus meant by this?

Answer: A river is moving, alive and powerful. That means the Holy Ghost in you isn’t just for your own blessing-it’s meant to flow out and bring life to others! Some Christians are like a well of water, with just enough for themselves. But God wants you to have overflowing rivers of abundant life in the Spirit with power to do the work of God.

3. John 14:16-17 AMPC states, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever— The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you.” What name for the Holy Spirit stands out to you and why?

Answer: will vary.

4. Why didn’t Jesus just stay on Earth after being resurrected to help increase the church?

Answer: John 16:7 states that, “Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.” Jesus went to the Father because they had a better plan to send from heaven part of the Holy Trinity to live inside of us- the Holy Spirit! Now we can live and act like Jesus did and reach the world with Him.

5. Jesus speaking to his disciples said, “’There is so much more I would like to say to you, but it’s more than you can grasp at this moment. But when the truth-giving Spirit comes, he will unveil the reality of every truth within you. He won’t speak on his own, but only what he hears from the Father, and he will reveal prophetically to you what is to come. He will glorify me on the earth, for he will receive from me what is mine and reveal it to you.” -John 16:12-14

What are some other reasons why Jesus needs His believers filled with the Holy Spirit?

Answer: The Holy Spirit brings revelation of the Bible to us so we can understand the Word. With the Holy Spirit, we have the MIND of Christ. Before the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, we see them struggle to understand spiritual things. In addition, the Holy Spirit can show us what is coming in the future and also glorifies Jesus on Earth. Praise God we are never in the dark!

6. Has anyone ever had an experience like anything we just discussed after you were baptized in the Holy Spirit? It could be noticing a better understanding of the Word, a boldness to preach the Gospel, feeling “drunk” etc. Please share-your testimony is powerful!

Answer: will vary.

Week 4

 

HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERED CONNECT GROUP WEEK 4

  1. Acts 1:8 AMPC says “But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.” What does the baptism of the Holy Spirit enable us to do and how?

Answer: The baptism of the Holy Spirit enables us to be witnesses for Jesus to the whole world. And He does this by giving us the ability, the efficiency and the power to get it done. Not by our own strength. Example: People can get saved from simply passing out tracks, but how much more evident and persuasive would it be to the person you are sharing the gospel with if you had a Holy Spirit given word of knowledge for them or healed them of a lifelong ailment? 

  1. What does the story of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4 show us about the nature of the Holy Spirit? “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Answer: the Holy Spirit is not a lesser or weaker part of the Trinity. He is a mighty roaring wind. An engulfing fire. A powerful source to us straight from heaven that is to be revered. Lord let us be more hungry for a touch from Your precious Holy Spirit!

  1. How did the religious people react to the disciples after their Holy Spirit encounter?

Answer: they ridiculed them and assumed they were drunk. Religion needs to act dignified and in control. True followers of Jesus will not care what they look or sound like if it only means they get a touch of the Holy Spirit. It is only normal for people to fall face down, scream, act drunk when in the presence of the holy Trinity. 

  1. What can we learn from the story of Peter preaching the gospel to Cornelius and the Gentiles in Acts 10?

Answer: God does not show favoritism. Anyone who believes in the gospel of Jesus Christ can have the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It also shows that signs and wonders shall follow when the Word of God is preached. 

  1. Ephesians 5:18 AMPC says “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit.” What kind of life do you think that looks like?

Answer: In contrast to the numbing sensation of being drunk in the world with alcohol- being filled and drunk with the Holy Spirit is an exciting experience in which you feel excited and fully alive. We are to constantly plug into the power and exhilaration that the Holy Spirit gives us to stimulate us and lead us to walk as Jesus walked on earth. What a wonderful way to live- fully engaged for God.

Week 5

 

Holy Spirit Empowered

Week 5

1. In Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist says, “Those who repent I baptize with water, but there is coming a man after me who is more powerful than I. In fact, I’m not even worthy enough to pick up his sandals. He will submerge you into union with the Spirit of Holiness and with a raging fire!” Why do you think Jesus wanted to give us this second baptism in the Holy Ghost?

Answer: Jesus knew if His people were to truly follow in His footsteps, we would need the power and anointing of God. As Pastor Ed stated, it gets us into “next level Christianity.”

2. What does fire represent in this baptism?

Answer: Fire often represented God’s presence in the Old Testament (burning bush and pillar of fire in Exodus). Fire is also a refiner or purifier of our faith. The baptism of the Holy Spirit burns away fear, doubt and anything that is not of Him and sets us ablaze for Jesus!

3. “The Holy Spirit isn’t a ____________, it is a _____________.” -Pastor Ed

Answer: experience / person

4. What do you think Pastor Ed meant by this?

Answer: Although we all love and desire a feeling or touch from the Holy Spirit, we need to be attentive of the Holy Spirit and communing with Him in our every day lives as well. He doesn’t want to be pursued for just a feeling or spiritual “high”, He wants genuine loving fellowship.

5. John 16:13 AMPC states, “But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].” What stands out to you about this verse?

Answer: will vary.

6. I Corinthians 14:2 TPT states, “’When someone speaks in tongues, no one understands a word he says, because he’s not speaking to people, but to God—he is speaking intimate mysteries in the Spirit.” What does this verse explain to us about speaking in tongues?

Answer: As Pastor Ed states, this is our “hotline to heaven.” We are talking to God not others because people don’t have a clue what we are saying. We are speaking divine mysteries in the Spirit – possibly praying out your future, for the nations, for your children, etc.. Basically the Holy Spirit prays with/through you to God the perfect secret prayer! This should give us great peace.

7. How was the church of Corinth misusing the gift of tongues?

Answer: They were using the majority of the church service to speak in tongues and no one knew what was being said or what was going on. It was not edifying or good for the congregation since they were not learning anything. God is not a God of chaos but of order. Tongues is a mighty gift from God but needs to be used with wisdom in a correct manor. Unless the gift of interpretation is being used, speaking in tongues should not go on in excess during a church service.

8. Ask if anyone has had any experiences with tongues or the Holy Spirit they would like to share or if anyone would like to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and pray with them.

Week 6

HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERED

CONNECT GROUP

Week 6

If time allows please read 1 Corinthians chapter 14 as a group before doing questions. If not being read aloud now then encourage the group to read the chapter privately at a later time.

  1. In I Corinthians 14:15, Paul says, “What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.”

    – Has anyone ever gone back-and-forth between praying in tongues and praying with their understanding? What can that look like?

Answer: will vary. Sometimes when you are praying in tongues, and do not know what you are praying for the Holy Spirit will put something on your mind and you will start to think about that thing while your mouth is speaking unknown prayers. If you feel this is a prompting by the Holy Spirit then you can stop praying in tongues and pray for the topic in mind with your understanding. This is a great exercise to learn how to hear the Holy Spirit and follow Him in prayer.

2. Read Romans 8:26 TPT

“And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words.”

– What is the Holy Spirit’s role when we speak in tongues?

Answer: Our contaminated imperfect minds can sometimes get in the way by praying imperfect prayers ignorantly. Thank God for the Holy Spirit who super intercedes on our behalf and prays the perfect prayer when we pray in tongues!

  1. The next verse, 27, continues on to say, “God, the searcher of the heart, knows fully our longings, yet he also understands the desires of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for us, his holy ones, in perfect harmony with God’s plan and our destiny.”

    – Have you ever been in a hard situation where you have no idea what to do or what direction to take? What does this verse say about that?

Answer: This passage reassures us that God fully knows our hearts—our struggles, desires, and uncertainties. And more importantly, He also knows His divine plan for our lives. When we pray in tongues, the Spirit brings our needs into harmony with God’s plan. So don’t be shy with the Holy Spirit! Ask Him for help praying about a specific situation and speak in tongues in faith. He will guide your prayers, intercede with perfect wisdom, and lead you toward God’s best for your life. It’s foolproof ha ha hallelujah!

4. The next verse again, 28 states, “SO we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.”

– What is the context for this to happen? How can we really know everything is working out for our good?

Answer: When we pray in tongues! Because of the verse starting with the word “so” we can understand this is the final thought concluding verses 26-27. We can know everything is continually working together for our good when we join hands with the Holy Spirit and pray in tongues.

5. I Corinthians 14:4, says: “The one who speaks in tongues advances his own spiritual progress, while the one who prophesies builds up the church.”

Other translations state that when you speak in tongues you “edify” yourself, “build up”, “strengthen” or “improve” yourself.

– what happens to you when you pray in tongues?

Answer: You are growing spiritually when you pray in tongues! Let us daily do this so we are sharpened and attune to hear and obey the Holy Spirit in our lives.

7. Has anyone had any experiences with tongues or the Holy Spirit they would like to share? Would anyone like to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Is there anything holding you back from receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit? If you feel comfortable and want to ask questions- feel free. This is the last connect group and we want everyone to receive this special gift from heaven. Thank you all for attending and God bless!

(pray with those who would like to receive the baptism of Holy Spirit) If you don’t know the answer to a question that is fine! You can either get back to them later with the answer or refer them to a pastor.