I Am A Child Of God (40 Confessions)

                                 

1. A child of God (Romans 8:16)

2. Redeemed from the hand of the enemy (Psalms 107:2

3. Forgiven (Colossians 1:13-14)

4. Saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8)

5. Justified (Romans 5:1)

6. Santified (1 Corinthians 1:2)

7. A new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17)

8. Partaker of God's divine nature (2 Peter 1:4)

9. Redeemed from the curse ofthe law (Galatians 3:13)

10. Delivered from the powers of darkness (Colossians 1:13)

11. Led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14)

12. A son of God (Romans 8:14)

13. Kept in safety wherever I go (Psalms 91:11)

14. Getting all my neds met by Jesus (Philippians 4:19)

15. Casting all my cares on Jesus (1 Peter 5:7)

16. Strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Ephesians 6:10) 17. Doing all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13) 18. An heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus (Romans 8:17)

19. An heir to the blessing of Abraham (Galatians 3:13-14)

20. Observing and doing the Lord's commandments (Deuteronomy 28:12) 21. Blessed coming in and blessed going out (Deuteronomy 28:6)

22. An heir of eternal life (1 ohn 5:11-12)

23. Blessed with all spiritual blessings (Epheisans 1:3)

24. Healed by Jesus stripes (1 Peter 2:24)

25. Exercising my authority over the enemy (Luke 10:19)

26. Above only and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13)

27. More than a conqueror (Romans 8:37)

28. Establishing God's Word here on earth (Matthew 16:19)

29. An overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11) 30. Daily overcoming the devil (1 John4:4)

31. Not moved by what I see (2 Corithians 4:18)

32. Walking by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)

33. Casting down vain imaginations (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

34. Bringing every thought into captivity (2 Corinthians 10:5)

35. Being transformed by renewing my mind (Romans 12:1-2)

36. A laborer together with God (1 Corinthians 3:9)

37. The righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)

38. An imitator of Jesus (Ephesians 5:1)

39. The light of the world (Matthew 5:14)

40. Blessing the Lord at all times and continually praising Him with my mouth (Psalms 34:1).. Berlinda Boyd is typing ....

The Benefits of Hope

It Causes Us to Praise God                             Psalms 71:14
14  But I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more.

It Causes Us to Rejoice                                   Romans 5:2 and Romans 12:12
2   Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
Romans 12:12
12  Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

It Renews Our Strength                                    Isaiah 40:31
31  But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.

It Inspires Us to a Life of Purity                        I John 3:3
3   And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

It Inspires Us to Persevere                               I Thessalonians 1:3
3   As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It Cures the Downcast Soul                          Psalms 42:5,11 and Lamentations 3:20-21
Psalms 42:5,11
5   Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again—

my Savior and

11  Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again—

my Savior and my God!

Lamentations 3:20-21

20   I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.

21  Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:

It Will Never Disappoint Us                             Isaiah 49:23 and Romans 5:5
 Isaiah 49:23
23   Kings and queens will serve you and care for all your needs.  They will bow to the earth before you

and lick the dust from your feet.  Then you will know that I am the Lord.  Those who trust in me will never be put to shame.”

Romans 5:5

5   And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Our Hope is Like a Stabilizing Anchor              Hebrews 6:18-19
18  So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.
19  This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.

Therefore We Should Defend Our Hope           I Peter 3:15
15  Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

Hope in the Christian Life and the Choices We Face

Hope in Humans or in God    Psalms 33:16-19

16  The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.

17   Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—for all its strength, it cannot save you.

18   But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love.

19   He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.

Hope in the Riches or in God     I Timothy 6:17
17   Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.

Without God, There Is No Hope    Ephesians 2:12
12   In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.
I Thessalonians 4:13
13   And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.

Life By The Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26)NIV

16  So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
17  For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.  They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
18  But if you are led by the Spirit, you arfe not under the law.
19  The acts of the sinful nature are obvious; sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
21  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like, I warned you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23  gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.
24  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
25  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
26  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

A Tree and Its Fruit (Luke 6:43-45) NIV

43  "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
44  Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.  People do not pick figs from thronbushes, or grapes from briers.
45  The good man brings good things out of the good stored in his heart, the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

In Whom and What Do We Hope?

In God  (Psalms 42-5,11; Psalms 130:7 and I Timothy 6:17)
Psalms 42-5,11
5    Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again—
my Savior and
11  Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God! 
Psalms 130:7
7  O Israel, hope in the Lord;  for with the Lord there is unfailing love.  His redemption overflows.
I Timothy 6:17
Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.

In Jesus Christ  (Romans 15:12; I Corinthians 15:19; Ephesians 1:12 ;and Philippians 2:19)
Romans 15:12
12  And in another place Isaiah said, “The heir to David’s throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles.  They will place their hope on him.”
I Corinthians 15:19
19  And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.
Ephesians 1:12
12  God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God.
Philippians 2:19
19  If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along.

In the Name of God  (Psalms 52:9)
9    I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done.  I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people.

In the Word of God  (Psalms 119:74 and Psalms 130:5)
Psalms 119:74
74  May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word.
Psalms 130:5
5     I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him.  I have put my hope in his word.

In the Promises of God  (Acts 26:6)
6     Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors.

In The Resurrection of the Dead  (Acts 23:6)
6    Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!”

What Is Hope Linked Too?

It Is Linked With Faith  (I Corinthians 13:13 and Hebrews 11:1)
I Corinthians 13:13
13  Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
Hebrews 11:1
1    Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

It Is Linked With Trust  (Psalms 33:20-21 and Romans 15:13)
Psalms 33:20-21
20   We put our hope in the Lord.  He is our help and our shield.
21    In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
Romans 15:13
13   I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It Is Linked With Expectation  (Romans 4:18-19 and Titus 1:2)
Romans 4:18-19
18   Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”
19   And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
Titus 1:2
2    This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.

The Holy Spirit in the Life of an Individual (Continued)

He Enables Us to Find the Truth  (I John 4:1-6)
1    Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.
2    This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God.
3    But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.
4    But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
5    Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them.
6    But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

He Encourages Us  (Acts 9:31)

31  The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

He Controls Us  (Romans 8:9)

9    But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)

He Gives Us Joy and Peace  (Romans 14:17)
17  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.

He Draws Us Into Fellowship  (2 Corinthians 13:14 and Philippians 2:1)
2 Corinthians 13:14
14  May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Philippians 2:1
1    Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?

He Enables Us to Live the Christian Life  (Romans 8:5-9)
5    Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
6    So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
7    For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.
8    That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
9    But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)

He Works His Fruit in Us  (Galatians 5:16-25)
16  So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
17  The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
18  But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
19  When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
20  idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,
21  envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22  But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23  gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
25  Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
He Sanctifies Us  (Romans 15:16 and 2 Thessalonians 2:13)
Romans 15:16
16  I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit.
2 Thessalonians 2:13
13  As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.
He Gives Us Gifts  (I Corinthians 12:4-11)
4    There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.
5    There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.
6    God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
7    A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
8    To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.
9    The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.
10  He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.
11  It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

He Gives Us His Sword to Fight Satan  (Ephesians 6:17)
17  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

He Prays for Us in Times of Crisis  (Romans 8:26)
26  And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

He Will Raise Us From the Dead  (Romans 8:11)
11  The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

The Holy Spirit in the Life of an Individual

The Spirit Dwells in Us  (John 14:16-17: Romans 8:11 and I Corinthians 6:19)

John 14:16-17

16  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 

17  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

Romans 8:11

11  The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

I Corinthians 6:19

19  Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,

He Convicts Us of Sin  (John 16:7-11)

7    But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 

8    And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 

9    The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 

10   Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 

11   Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

He Gives Us New Life  (John 3:5-6 and Titus 3:5)

John 3:5-6

5    Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit 

6    Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.

Titus 3:5

5    he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

He Makes Realize God's Love  (Romans 5:5)

5    And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

He Gives Us Power to Witness  (Acts 1:8 and Acts 6:9-10)

Acts 1:8

8    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.”

Acts 6:9-10

9    But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 

10  None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.

He Teaches Us What to Say  (Luke 12:12)

12  for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”

He Reveals God's Secrets to Us  (I Corinthians 2:10-16)

10  But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 

11  No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 

12  And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

13  When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 

14  But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 

15  Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 

16  For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?  Who knows enough to teach him?”  But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

He Brings Christ's Presence to Us  (John 14:16-18)

16  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 

17  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

18  No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 

He Keeps Us in Touch With God  (Romans 8:26 and Jude 20)

Romans 8:26

26  And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

Jude 20

20  But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,

He Teaches Us About Christ  (John 14:26 and John 15:26)

John 14:26

26  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.

John 15:26

26  “But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.

The Holy Spirit In the Church

The Spirit Came at Pentecost  (Acts 2:1-4)
1    On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.
2    Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.
3    Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.
4    And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

He Dwells in the Church  (I Corinthians 3:16-17 and Ephesians 2:22)
I Corinthians 3:16-17
16  Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?
17  God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Ephesians 2:22
22  Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

He Appoints Officers for the Church  (Acts 20:28)
28  “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.

He Directs Decisions of the Church  (Acts 15:28)
28  “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements:

He Chooses Missionaries  (Acts 13:4)
4    So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for the island of Cyprus.

He Directs the Mission Enterprise  (Acts 8:29, 39 and Acts 16:6-7)
Acts 8:29, 39
29  The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”
39  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.
Acts 16:6-7
6    Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.
7    Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there.

The Holy Spirit's Work

Involved in Creation  (Genesis 1:2)
2    The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Gave Life to God's Creatures   (Psalms 104:30)
30  When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth.

Guided God's People   (Isaiah 63:11-13)
11  Then they remembered those days of old when Moses led his people out of Egypt.  They cried out, "Where is the one who brought Israel through the sea, with Moses as their shepherd?  Where is the one who sent his Holy Spirit to be among his people?
12  Where is the one whose power was displayed when Moses lifted up his hand—the one who divided the sea before them, making himself famous forever?
13  Where is the one who led them through the bottom of the sea?  They were like fine stallions racing through the desert, never stumbling.

Instructed God's People  (Nehemiah 9:20)
20  You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst.

Led God's People in the Right Way   (Psalms 143:10)
10  Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.  May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.

Inspired God's People to do Right   (Psalms 51:10-22)
10  Create in me a clean heart, O God.  Renew a loyal spirit within me.  

11  Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

12  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.
13  Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you.
14  Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
15  Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you.

16  You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.  You do not want a burnt offering.
17  The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.  You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
18  Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19  Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.  Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

Admonished God's People   (Nehemiah 9:30)
30  In your love, you were patient with them for many years. You sent your Spirit, who warned them through the prophets. But still they wouldn’t listen! So once again you allowed the peoples of the land to conquer them.

Reacted to Human Evil  (Genesis 6:3)
3    Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.”

Gave Artistic Ability to Individuals  (Exodus 31:2-3)
2    “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
3    I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts.

Gave His Power to Israel's Leaders    (Judges 6:34, I Samuel 16:13 and Zechariah 4:6)
Judges 6:34
34  Then the Spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon. He blew a ram’s horn as a call to arms, and the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him.
I Samuel 16:13
13  So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.
Zechariah 4:6
6    Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Lived Among God's People   (Haggai 2:5)
5    My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’

Inspired the Prophets    (Numbers 11:29, Micah 3:8, Zechariah 7:12 and 2 Peter 1:21)
Numbers 11:29
29  But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!”
Micah 3:8
8    But as for me, I am filled with power—with the Spirit of the Lord.  I am filled with justice and strength
to boldly declare Israel’s sin and rebellion.Zechariah 7:12
12  They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the instructions or the messages that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had sent them by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. That is why the Lord of Heaven’s Armies was so angry with them.
2 Peter 1:20-21
20  Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding,
21  or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

Spoke Through the Psalmists  (2 Samuel 23:2, Acts 1:16, 20 and Hebrews 3:7-11)
2 Samuel 23:2
2    The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me; his words are upon my tongue.
Acts 1:16, 20
16 “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David.
20   Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’
Hebrews 3:7-11
7    That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice,

8    don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness.
9    There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years.
10  So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from me.  They refuse to do what I tell them.’
11  So in my anger I took an oath:  ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”

The Holy Spirit As A Person

He Teaches  (John 14:26)
26  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.

He Hears and Speaks   (John 16:13)
13  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

He Testifies About Christ  (John 15:26)
26  “But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.

He Encourages  (Acts 9:31)
31  The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

He Counsels  (John 14:16)
16  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.

He Convicts People of Sin   (John 16:8)
8    And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

He Prays For Us  (Romans 8:27)
27  And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

He Sends People Out  (Acts 13:4)
4    So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for the island of Cyprus.

He Experiences Grief  (Ephesians 4:30)
30  And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

He Can Be Resisted   (Acts 7:51)
51  “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you!

He Can Be Tested  (Acts 5:9)
9    And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.”

What Does Spiritual Birth Result In

Salvation And New Life ......Titus 3:5
5    he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

Entrance Into God's Kingdom.....John 3:3
3   Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” 

Being A New Creation......2 Corinthians 5:7 and Ephesians 4:24
2 Corinthians 5:7
7    For we live by believing and not by seeing.
Ephesians 4:24
24      Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Victory Over a Sinful Life....Romans 6:4-7,  I John 3:9, I John 5:4, 18
Romans 6:4-7

4    For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

5    Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 

6    We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 

7    For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.

I John 3:9
9    Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.
I John 5:4, 18
4    For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.
18  We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.

Ability To Do What Is Right....I John 2:29
29  Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children.

Ability To Love One Another.... I John 4:7
7    Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.

Safety From The Evil One....I John 5:18
18  We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.

How Does Spiritual Birth Take Place?

By A Decision of God    (John 1:13)
13  They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

By A Decision of Jesus, The Son of God   (John 5:21)
21  For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants.

By An Act of God Through Christ   (Colossians 2:13)
13  You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.

By The Holy Spirit   (John 3:6 and Titus 3:5)
John 3:6
6    Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.
Titus 3:5
5    he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

Through The Word of God  (James 1:18 and I Peter 1:23)
James 1:18
18  He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
I Peter 1:23
23  He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
(I John 5:1)
1   He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.