Cultivate
WEEK 1: THE HOLY SPIRIT
• Last week, we talked about the Gospel or Good news. We’re saved by grace through faith. Jesus came to redeem us, paying the penalty for our sin, setting us free to live for Him. We talked about being declared righteous on the merits of Jesus.
Acts 2:38
o The Gospel message is foundational to us receiving the Holy Spirit. Once we repent and receive Jesus into our hearts, we receive the Holy Spirit.
THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
WHO IS HE? He is the third person of the Trinity. He is not the Force in Star Wars.
- One God in three persons (See Genesis 1:26, which uses Elohim, both a singular and plural noun).
- He has feelings, a personality, and a purpose
WHAT IS HIS ROLE?
• In the Old Testament, God’s Spirit was present at creation. (Genesis 1:2)
o He was also working within God’s appointed leaders, like David. (Psalms 51:1)
- God’s Holy Spirit worked in the writing of Scriptures. (2 Peter 1:20–21)
- God promised His Spirit to us through the prophets.
He prophesied about a new heart that is undivided—a new spirit in us for the purpose of relationship. (Ezekiel 11:19-20)
He is a fulfillment of Old Testament Prophesy. (Ephesians 1:13)
o is also a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance—a seal of belonging, relationally.
Listen to what Jesus spoke to His disciples:
John 14:25–26 25All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
He is our advocate (parakletos ):
- One who walks beside—guiding us, teaching us, and encouraging us in all truth.
- He is a helper reminding us and testifying of all Jesus said. We live our lives by what Jesus said.
- He speaks in perfect conformity to the Word; there is no contradiction.
- He is the Spirit of truth to convict all of us of our sin.
The Holy Spirit intercedes with the Father on our behalf. (Romans 8:26-27)
o To intercede is to speak on behalf of another.
o He reveals God’s heart to us, and through Christ, He speaks to the Father for us.
He produces fruit in us as we abide in Him. (John 15:1-8)
o Abide means to stay or remain, dwell or even wait in the Lord.
o Abiding is essential and is the outcome of an obedient, faithful person.
He progressively transforms us to produce His fruit as we abide in Him. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
o Bearing fruit is a sign of you being sanctified.
- To “sanctify” something is to set it apart for special use; to “sanctify” a person is to make him holy.
- Justification is the outside work that Jesus did on the cross so we could be declared righteous.
- Sanctification is a continual process. It’s the inner work of the Holy Spirit making us more like Christ. Sanctification is the refiner’s fire by which we are made holy.
Colossians 1:22-23 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his
sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move
from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature
under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Why be sanctified?
Philippians 2:12-13 12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
WE HAVE A ROLE IN THIS PROCESS:
To abide, to trust, to pray, to live obedient to the Word
To see God for who He is: Lord and Savior
Abiding is the same thing as living by the Spirit—it’s a dynamic relationship with Him.
We’ve been given the Holy Spirit to cultivate fruitful, obedient Christian lives set apart for God to bring Him glory.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER AND DISCUSS:
What does living by the Spirit or abiding look like in your life?
Is your heart hardened to the things of God? Do you have the Holy Spirit living in you?
Do you need more time praying to clearly understand God’s will?
When you don’t know how to pray, do you ask the Holy Spirit to intercede?
Do you need to spend more time reading and studying God’s Word? It’s the key to knowing God.
Is there an area in your life that you need to surrender to the Lord that the Holy Spirit continues to convict you of?
Over the next 9 weeks, we will look at the Fruit of the Spirit closely, seeing the cultivating work of the Spirit in each of our lives.
- Resources: Consider going through Experiencing God this summer!
Passages to prepare for next week, Cultivate! Week 2: Love
This week, read Galatians 5:16-26; 1 Corinthians 13; Matthew 22:36-40; 1 John 2:3-11 As you read, ask yourself these questions:- What is the passage saying about God, mankind, and how the world works?
- What do I learn about myself from this passage?
- What response does this require of me in my thinking, believing, and doing?