LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT (PART-19)

HOLY SPIRIT (Part-19)

Gentle giants
– Gentleness:
  The Greek word is “praotes” which means:
  meekness; mildness; forebearance.
  Primarily it does not denote an outward expression of feeling,
  but an inward grace of the soul; calmness toward God in particular.
  It is the acceptance of God’s dealing with us and considering them
  as good in that they enhance the closeness of our relationship with Him.
  However, “praotes” encompasses expressing wrath
  toward the sin of man as demonstrated by the Lord Jesus.
  This meekness does not blame God
  for the persecutions and evil doings of man.
  It is not the result of weakness, but the activity of
  the blessedness that exists in one’s heart from being actively angry at evil.
  That virtue that stands between two extremes,
  one extreme is – uncontrollable and unjustified anger,
  and the other extreme is – not becoming angry at all,
  no matter what takes place around you.
      – The components of “praotes” are:
        submission, humility, being teachable, teaching ability.

  – Submission:
    Question:
    Do we ever fight with God and His will for our lives?

    Question:
    Do we include our own clauses in order to make His will more bearable?
    Example:
        “God I will do this, if you will do…”

  – Examples of lives submitted to the will of God
    (even when the prospect seemed dismal).
        – (John 21:15-19)
          Christ told Peter:
              – To feed His sheep.
              – That he would be led where he would not want to go.
              – That he would suffer a death that would glorify God.
              – To follow Him.
                Note:
                    (Acts 2:14-40)
                    Peter spoke with great compassion.
                    His submission to Christ gave him great courage to speak.
                    He became an effective preacher (feeding the sheep).

                   (Acts 10:17-23)
                   Peter was led by the Spirit (he was submissive).
                    Note:
                        Historians say that Peter
                        was crucified (upside down) as a Christian martyr.
                        Question:
                        How did that glorify God?

        – (Acts 9:1-16)
          Question:
          What do verse 1 and 4 imply?
              – When people persecute the Lord’s disciples,
                 they persecute the Lord.

        – (verses 15-16)
          Paul would submit to being God’s messenger to the Gentiles,
          but he would suffer as a result (not an appealing proposition).
          Note:
              (Acts 9:17)
              Ananias was submissive to the Lord’s commands.

        – (2 Corinthians 6:3-10)
           Look at Paul’s level of submission.

        – (2 Corinthians 11:23-28)
          Some of the ways Paul suffered for Christ’s sake.
          He continued to be submissive.

        – (Philippians 3:3-11)
          We see what Paul’s sufferings meant to him.

        – (John 16:33)
          Christ’s message to those who are submissive to Him.

  – Selfless humility
        – Results of humility.
              – (2 Chronicles 7:14)
                God hears our prayers, forgives our sin, and heals our land.

              – (2 Chronicles 34:27-28)
                He hears and protects us.

              – (Ezra 8:21)
                He safeguards us.

              – (James 4:10)
                He will lift us up.
                Question:
                What does that mean to you?
                    – Encouragement?

              – (1 Peter 5:6-7)
                  He will lift us up at the right time and help us with our anxieties.

        – (John 1:6-36)
          A man who understood spirit-filled humility
          and practiced it throughout his earthly life – John the Baptist.
              – (Matthew 11:11)
                Although he was humble, look at Christ’s opinion of him.

              – (Luke 1:5-17)
                Look at the angel’s prophecy about his future (verses 15-17).
                Note:
                    (verse 15)
                    John’s humility may have been a result
                    of being filled with the Spirit from birth.
                    Note:
                        If anyone had reason to be proud, it was John the Baptist.
                            – However, look at his attitude.
                              (John 3:26-30)

          – (Luke 1:26-45)
            John’s humility was probably influenced by his mother’s humility.
            Even though the Lord intervened in the pregnancies of both women,
            Elizabeth did not consider herself equal with Mary.
            Note:
                (verse 41)
                Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

          – Humility is a supernatural result of a right relationship with God.
              (Colossians 2:18, 23)
              False humility, on the other hand, is another form of pride,
              which misleads others and disqualifies them from genuine rewards

          – The Hebrew word for “humility”
             is “kana” which means, “to bend the knee”.
                – (Matthew 2:1-12)
                  The Magi showed humility when they saw the Christ child.
                      – (verse 12)
               Question:
               When do you think they had the dream,
               before or after seeing the Christ child?

          – (Philippians 2:3-4)
            The scriptures provide a key to developing an attitude of humility.