Do not grieve the Holy Spirit

15 August 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Song:

Holy Spirit, be our Comforter,

Holy Spirit, take control,

As we’re walking along the way, the road is so narrow,

Holy Spirit, lead us home (2X)

Theme: Be filled with the Holy Spirit

Topic: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit

Reading: Ephesians 4:25-32, 5:1-2

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another. ²⁶Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷and do not make room for the devil. ²⁸Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labour and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. ²⁹Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up,^* as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. ³¹Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, ³²and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.^* 5¹Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, ²and live in love, as Christ loved us^* and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Introduction

The Holy Spirit is the power behind Christian living. Without the Spirit of Christ dwelling within us, we cannot please God. When we are not filled with the Holy Spirit, we can hardly pray or know what to ask for when we pray. He is our Advocate, Counselor, Guide and Guard; He is gentle and quiet, gives us life, helps our weaknesses and is the Spirit of Truth, bringing the teachings of Christ to our remembrance. The Holy Spirit is the believer’s closest aid, friend and associate. Living without Him is like going on a very long voyage without compass, food, water, clothing and other items/material necessary for the trip. No wonder the Scripture warns us not to grieve the Holy Spirit. We are on the same team with Him and He alone knows the way. To grieve the Holy Spirit implies displeasing Him and by so doing, we risk losing His companionship and guidance. In this study, we will discuss how to avoid grieving the Spirit of God in our lives.

Questions/Discussion

1. What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit?

Matthew 12:22-32

Then they brought to him a demoniac who was blind and mute; and he cured him, so that the one who had been mute could speak and see. ²³All the crowds were amazed and said, ‘Can this be the Son of David?’ ²⁴But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, ‘It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that this fellow casts out the demons.’ ²⁵He knew what they were thinking and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. ²⁶If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own exorcists^* cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁸But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. ²⁹Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered. ³⁰Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. ³¹Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. ³²Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Acts 5:1-11

But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; ²with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³‘Ananias,’ Peter asked, ‘why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? ⁴While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us^* but to God!’ ⁵Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. ⁶The young men came and wrapped up his body,^* then carried him out and buried him. ⁷ After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸Peter said to her, ‘Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price.’ And she said, ‘Yes, that was the price.’ ⁹Then Peter said to her, ‘How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.’ ¹⁰Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.

Ephesians 4:30

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption.

1 Thessalonians 5:19

Do not quench the Spirit.

2. Is it possible for us to know when we grieve the Holy Spirit? How do we make amends?

1 Samuel 2:27-34

A man of God came to Eli and said to him, ‘Thus the Lord has said, “I revealed^* myself to the family of your ancestor in Egypt when they were slaves^* to the house of Pharaoh. ²⁸I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to offer incense, to wear an ephod before me; and I gave to the family of your ancestor all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. ²⁹Why then look with greedy eye^* at my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded, and honour your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?” ³⁰Therefore the Lord the God of Israel declares: “I promised that your family and the family of your ancestor should go in and out before me for ever”; but now the Lord declares: “Far be it from me; for those who honour me I will honour, and those who despise me shall be treated with contempt. ³¹See, a time is coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your ancestor’s family, so that no one in your family will live to old age. ³²Then in distress you will look with greedy eye^* on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed upon Israel; and no one in your family shall ever live to old age. ³³The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep out his^* eyes and grieve his^* heart; all the members of your household shall die by the sword.^{* 34}The fate of your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you—both of them shall die on the same day.

1 Samuel 4:12-21

A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with earth upon his head. ¹³When he arrived, Eli was sitting upon his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out. ¹⁴When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, ‘What is this uproar?’ Then the man came quickly and told Eli. ¹⁵Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set, so that he could not see. ¹⁶The man said to Eli, ‘I have just come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.’ He said, ‘How did it go, my son?’ ¹⁷The messenger replied, ‘Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great slaughter among the troops; your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.’ ¹⁸When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli^* fell over backwards from his seat by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years. ¹⁹ Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. When she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth; for her labour pains overwhelmed her. ²⁰As she was about to die, the women attending her said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.’ But she did not answer or give heed. ²¹She named the child Ichabod, meaning, ‘The glory has departed from Israel’, because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

John 14:15-30

‘If you love me, you will keep^* my commandments. ¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,^* to be with you for ever. ¹⁷This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in^* you. ¹⁸ ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. ¹⁹In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. ²⁰On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. ²¹They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’ ²²Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ ²³Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. ₂₅ ‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. ²⁶But the Advocate,^* the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. ²⁷Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. ²⁸You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I am coming to you.” If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. ²⁹And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. ³⁰I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me;

3. How do we avoid displeasing the Spirit of God in our lives?

Psalm 119:9-16

⁹     How can young people keep their way pure?
      By guarding it according to your word. ¹⁰    With my whole heart I seek you;
      do not let me stray from your commandments. ¹¹    I treasure your word in my heart,
      so that I may not sin against you. ¹²    Blessed are you, O Lord;
      teach me your statutes. ¹³    With my lips I declare
      all the ordinances of your mouth. ¹⁴    I delight in the way of your decrees
      as much as in all riches. ¹⁵    I will meditate on your precepts,
      and fix my eyes on your ways. ¹⁶    I will delight in your statutes;
      I will not forget your word.

Romans 8:1-17

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ²For the law of the Spirit^* of life in Christ Jesus has set you^* free from the law of sin and of death. ³For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin,^* he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.^{* 5}For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit^* set their minds on the things of the Spirit.^{* 6}To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit^* is life and peace. ⁷For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, ⁸and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit,^* since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. ¹⁰But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit^* is life because of righteousness. ¹¹If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ^* from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through^* his Spirit that dwells in you. ¹² So then, brothers and sisters,^* we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— ¹³for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. ¹⁵For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba!^* Father!’ ¹⁶it is that very Spirit bearing witness^* with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Galatians 5:16-26

Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. ¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, ²¹envy,^* drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. ²⁴And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Finally, brothers and sisters,^* we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. ²For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; ⁴that each one of you knows how to control your own body^* in holiness and honour, ⁵not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; ⁶that no one wrongs or exploits a brother or sister^* in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. ⁷For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. ⁸Therefore whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

The Lord is our present help in the time of trouble and His Spirit is always at work in us and for us. May we be willing to follow His counsel at all times, for He alone knows the way.

Closing Prayer

We are eternally grateful Lord for the gift of Your Holy Spirit who guides and comforts us. Grant us the desire to please You always by following His leading everyday of our lives. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

God will renew His Spirit within us

8 August 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Song:

Cast me not away from Your Presence O Lord

Take not Your Holy Spirit from me

Restore unto me, the joy of Your salvation

And renew a right spirit within me (2X)

Theme: Be filled with the Holy Spirit

Topic: God will renew His Spirit within us

Reading: Psalm 51:1-13

Introduction
God loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son as atonement for our sins. When we ask God to forgive us, we tap into what He has already completed, the work of salvation. He frees us from all guilt, bondage, sickness, fear of death, satanic influences, lures of the flesh and the world… and so on. He then fills us with His Holy Spirit, enabling us live in His righteousness and be found blameless in His sight. When we live in sin or guilt, it limits the flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives but when we confess our sins to God and repent of them, He always forgives us and renews His Spirit within us. Is guilt keeping you away from the full impact and presence of the Holy Spirit? If like David, we turn to God in genuine repentance, no matter how trivial or terrible our sins are, God has promised to forgive us, forget the sins and renew His Spirit within us… if only we will turn unto Him with a sincere and repentant heart.

Questions/Discussion

1. How do sin and guilt hinder us from being filled with the Holy Spirit? 2 Samuel 12:7-14; Psalm 5:4-6; Isaiah 59:1-21.

2. What do we do when we sin? 2 Chronicles 6:36-39; Psalm 51:1-9; 1 John 1:8-10.

3. How does God renew a right or steadfast and willing spirit within us? Psalm 51:10-12; Romans 12:1-3; Ephesians 4:21-24; Philippians 4:2-9; Colossians 3:8-10.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

No matter how light or heavy our sins may be, God will always forgive us and forget our wrongdoings if we confess them to Him. Let us always confess our sins to the Lord that He may cleanse us and fill us with His Holy Spirit always.

Closing Prayer

Lord thank You for always forgiving and cleansing us from all our faults and wrongdoings. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit we beseech thee, that we may be found blameless in Your sight now and always. We ask this in the precious name of Your Son, Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

The power at work within us

1 August 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Song:

Let the Spirit of the Lord come down, Amen.

Let the Spirit of the Lord come down, in Jesus name.

Let the Spirit of the Lord from Heaven come down.

Let the Spirit of the Lord come down.

Let the Power of the Lord come down, Amen.

Let the Power of the Lord come down, in Jesus name.

Let the Power of the Lord from Heaven come down.

Let the Power of the Lord come down.

Theme: Be filled with the Holy Spirit

Topic: The power at work within us

Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21

Introduction
When someone decides to follow Christ, one common and erroneous assumption is that he/she can make it through personal efforts and strength. Soon the believer realizes that to follow Christ requires the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit, daily. The need for the Holy Spirit in our lives is not an option but an absolute necessity without which our efforts to be like Christ become futile. The Holy Spirit is the power behind Christian living. Without Him, we can neither know the mind of the Lord nor truly live for God. Our human abilities lack the power to produce true faith in Christ. The passage for today’s study is reminding us that God can do much more than we can ask or imagine through His power at work in us. This implies that for God to work in us, we need to yield our lives to Him. When we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us, God begins to do extraordinary things in our lives, showering us with the love of Christ which is beyond human understanding.
Questions/Discussion

1. What is your understanding of the phrase: God will exceed our expectations through the power at work in us? Romans 16:25-27; Ephesians 1:15-23, 3:14-21; Colossians 1:3-14.

2. Are there requirements for being filled with the power of God? Luke 24:44-49; John 6:5-14; Acts 1:10-14, 2:1-4.

3. List some of the hindrances to the move of God in our lives. Proverbs 6:16-19; Mark 6:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

Without Christ we can do nothing, and without the Holy Spirit, we cannot live for Christ. Let us keep yielding our hearts to the Holy Spirit that He may fill us and empower us to live for Christ everyday of our lives.

Closing Prayer

Thank You Lord for the release of Your power to us. Grant us hearts that will yield to the move of Your Holy Spirit that You may accomplish Your purpose in our lives and in Your world through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

United in Christ by the Spirit

25 July 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Hymn:

Let there be love shared among us,
Let there be love in our eyes,
May now Your love sweep this nation,
Cause us O Lord to arise.
Give us a fresh understanding
Of brotherly love that is real,
Let there be love shared among us,
Let there be love. (2X)

Theme: Be filled with the Holy Spirit

Topic: United in Christ by the Spirit

Reading: Ephesians 2:11-22

Introduction
Our discussion today will be on the role of the Holy Spirit in uniting believers of Christ in love. I liken this role of the Holy Spirit in the Church to the bonds in an iron chain. The iron chain comprises of individual pieces linked to one another; without the links, all you have will be a bunch of individual rings of metal. This implies then that the true strength of the chain lies in the strength of the connection between any two adjacent rings within the chain; if broken, the chain loses its full potential and strength. Also, two adjacent rings in a chain are usually made of the same material and contribute equally to the overall strength of the entire chain. Similar principles apply to the unity that exists among Christians. It is the Holy Spirit dwelling in each of us that unites and builds us up as a temple for God- the body of Christ with Christ Himself as the Head and chief cornerstone. Denomination, nationality, talent, social status and so on can pose as a barrier to Christian unity. These should be yielded up to the Holy Spirit, for He is our true and only source of unity in Christ.

                                                                  

Questions/Discussion

1. What analogy can you use to explain the role of the Holy Spirit in Christian unity? Galatians 3:26-29, 4:1-7; Ephesians 1:3-10, 2:17-22.

2. Discuss some of the issues that negate Christian unity. 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, 3:1-23.

3. What are our responsibilities in achieving Christian unity? 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Ephesians 4:1-16, 5:1-21.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

God has called us to be one in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. May we yield our lives to Him that we may be continually united in love- the body of Christ.

Closing Prayer

Thank You Lord for uniting us in Your love in Christ through the Holy Spirit. We ask that You continue to keep us as one in Christ. Take away all that tend to divide us, that through us, Your love may reach all people. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit

18 July 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Hymn: Guide me, O thou great Jehovah

Theme: Be filled with the Holy Spirit

Topic: Marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit

Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,⁴just as he chose us in Christ^* before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.⁵He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,⁶to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight⁹he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ,¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.¹¹In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance,^* having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will,¹²so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.¹³In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit;¹⁴this^* is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

Introduction

At the beginning of our current theme, we discussed several works of the Holy Spirit. In today’s study our focus will be on the seal of the Holy Spirit on believers of Christ. In some parts of the world, to buy something, the buyer can make a deposit to the seller who then puts the item away, marking it as sold. The buyer takes full possession of the item as soon as complete payment is made. One way of talking about salvation is to say that the same goes for humanity. Through the fall of Adam and Eve, we all became estranged to God; enslaved to sin, and prone to fear of death and attacks of the enemy. But through the death and resurrection of Christ, the yoke of sin was broken, the debt we owed was paid and God marked all believers of Christ with the seal of the Holy Spirit. This has several implications and we will be discussing as many of them as we can. One of the important aspects of having the seal of the Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we are God’s own people – here and hereafter.

Questions/Discussion

1.   Why did God mark us with the seal of the Holy Spirit?

Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:17-32

In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴this^* is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory. ¹⁷ Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds.¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart.¹⁹They have lost all sensitivity and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practise every kind of impurity.²⁰That is not the way you learned Christ!²¹For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus.²²You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts,²³and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,²⁴and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. ²⁵ So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another.²⁶Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,²⁷and do not make room for the devil.²⁸Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labour and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy.²⁹Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up,^* as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption.³¹Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice,³²and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.^*

2.   How do we know we are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit?

Ephesians 1:17-23, 2:11-22

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him,¹⁸so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints,¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.²⁰God^* put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,²¹far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.²²And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church,²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

¹¹ So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth,^* called ‘the uncircumcision’ by those who are called ‘the circumcision’—a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands—¹²remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.¹⁴For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.¹⁵He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace,¹⁶and might reconcile both groups to God in one body^* through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.^*17So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near;¹⁸for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.¹⁹So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God,²⁰built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.^*21In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord;²²in whom you also are built together spiritually^* into a dwelling-place for God.

Colossians 1:9-14

For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s^* will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,¹⁰so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.¹¹May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully¹²giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled^* you^* to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.¹³He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,¹⁴in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.^*

3.   What are the implications of bearing the seal of the Holy Spirit?

Romans 8:9-11, 26-27

But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit,^* since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.¹⁰But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit^* is life because of righteousness.¹¹If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ^* from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through^* his Spirit that dwells in you.²⁶ Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes^* with sighs too deep for words.²⁷And God,^* who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit^* intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.^*

2 Corinthians 5:5-10

He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. ⁶ So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord—⁷for we walk by faith, not by sight.⁸Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.⁹So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.¹⁰For all of us must appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters^* beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits^* for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.¹⁴For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news,^* so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.¹⁵So then, brothers and sisters,^* stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter. ¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope,¹⁷comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

Jude 17-25

But you, beloved, must remember the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;¹⁸for they said to you, ‘In the last time there will be scoffers, indulging their own ungodly lusts.’¹⁹It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions.²⁰But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit;²¹keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to^* eternal life.²²And have mercy on some who are wavering;²³save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies. ^*24 Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing,²⁵to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

We believers of Christ bear the seal of the Holy Spirit. Let us live and love as He guides us knowing that He is true and will surely guide us to eternal life with the Lord.

Closing Prayer

Lord we thank You for marking us with the seal of the Holy Spirit. We ask You to keep leading us all the days of our lives for without You we are lost. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.