Do Not Ignore The Holy Spirit
Don't Ignore The Holy Spirit
A message preached by Rev. Niyi Adams at
One God Ministries, Virginia on
Sunday March 17, 2024
Acts 16:6-10 (NLT) 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. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. 9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.
The Holy Spirit teaches us the difference between the good and the godly.
Paul was trying to preach, which is always a good thing. He was prevented, not by the devil, but rather by the Holy Spirit.
Paul was familiar with the Holy Spirit, so he knew to obey instead of resisting in stubborn prayer.
Not every good idea is a God-idea. Remember the forbidden fruit.
Genesis 3:6 (NLT) The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.
Proverbs 16:25 ESV
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
To walk by faith and not by sight is to be led by the Holy Spirit.
Luke 4:1-2 ESV
And Jesus, full fo the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,
2 for forty days being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, He was hungry.
It is difficult, even impossible to walk by faith without walking with the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:14 NLT
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
1. The Holy Spirit is not always loud or spectacular. He teaches and guides with gentle promptings which are easy to be taken for granted or IGNORED.
John 16:13 ESV When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears, He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.
14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
The Holy Spirit will do three things for the believer…
He will be our guide, (hodegeo)…. by leading us the way we should go, and giving us understanding.
The Holy Spirit gives understanding beyond study and experience, like Jesus at 12 had enough understanding to engage the teachers in the temple.
Luke 2:40-47 (ESV) 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor (charis, divine endowment, ) of God was upon him. 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
He will reveal things to us before they appear. (anangello)
He will glorify Jesus doxazo to glorify, to honor, to cause the worth and dignity of a person to become manifest and acknowledged.
Without the help of the Holy Spirit, we do not even know how to pray. How then can we know how to glorify Jesus? The Holy Spirit knows how to and will teach us if we let Him,
2. The Holy Spirit speaks in a still small voice, but we live in a loud and noisy world.
1 Kings 19:11-13 (ESV) 11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Many Christians ignore the Presence of the Holy Spirit because even though He is always by our side, parakletos, He is never pushy or brash.
3. To become familiar with the voice of the Holy Spirit, we must seek Him intentionally, privately and regularly.
Acts 8:31 ESV And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
PRAYER
Holy Spirit, help to know your voice, to trust your voice and to obey your voice. Isaiah 30:21 (ESV) And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
May I honor you above all human standards.
The Holy Spirit is above and ahead of scientific experiment or experience… by the time the evidentiary proof is revealed, it would often be too late.
Too often we wait for confirmation, proving that we are well schooled and trusting in the scientific method.
To walk with the Holy Spirit will require the destruction of all our idols.
Isaiah 30:21-22 (NLT) 21 Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. 22 Then you will destroy all your silver idols and your precious gold images. You will throw them out like filthy rags, saying to them, “Good riddance!”
