Our week two guest blog post is from Amanda Taylor. Amanda lives in Richmond Virginia with her husband of six years and their cat Luci. She owns her own business Taylor Captioning Services doing closed captioning for religious broadcasts. Her passion is blogging about life, her faith, and everything in between. Recently diagnosed with a rare blood disease she took her blogging to a whole new level raising awareness about the disease and sharing her walk of faith as she fights back. She has a passion for Bible studies and hopes to do more with online Bible studies in the future. You can follow Amanda her journey on her blog at www.itsmrsthegreat.com
(Image: Unsplash)
In Week 2 of Living Beyond Yourself by Beth Moore, we learn to live by the Spirit we must first get to know the Spirit. The Holy Spirit had a hand in the Earth’s creation (Gen 1:1-2) and has been here with God since the beginning of time. We learn the Holy Spirit helped create us as individuals. (Luke 1:35) I find it amazing that the same Spirit that helped with creating the planet and us as individuals, is the Spirit Jesus sent to us to be our comforter and friend! This week we studied some of the spirit’s different attributes and how we as believers are to be truly and utterly dependent on the Spirit.
Scripture after scripture assures us that the Holy Spirit is very important in our walk with Christ. Not only does the scripture prove this but it also proves that the Holy Spirit is a key element of the trinity of the Father himself. (Matt 28:19) In other words, the Holy Spirit plays a key role in our relationship with God our heavenly father. The seal of the Holy Spirit makes us joint-heirs with Christ. We are bought with the blood of the lamb and sealed with it by the Holy Spirit!
This week we learned to live a life FULL of the fruit of the Spirit. As believers, we MUST make a daily choice to yield ourselves allowing Him to fill us. In the audio/video Beth talks about her morning ritual and I took this to heart. We must yield ourselves, in other words, pour ourselves out so that God can pour Himself into us. This in the end helps us to pour out His love and minister to others, living a Spirit-Filled life. Ever wondered sometimes why everything some days seems to go wrong. Work issues come up, coffee spilled on the rug, and you and your husband got into a bit of an argument. We’ve all had those days. These are signs that we’re not taking that special time even if it’s only 5 minutes in the morning for God to pour into us. Those moments are key in our spirit-filled life.
We learned we have the capability of hurting the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit has feelings. (1 Thess 5:19) (Eph 4:30) We can prevent the Holy Spirit from his fullness in our lives. We do this by resisting His authority. When God tells us to do something, do we do it? Do we say no? I had to ask myself this hard question. Have I done this? Am I doing it now? Now I don’t bring this up for anyone to condemn themselves or feel bad, because as we learned in our homework, God has a heart of forgiveness and cleanses us from these things. If you do feel that way though, take a moment to spend some time with God and talk to Him about this. I don’t know about you but I want to live a life ABLAZE with the Holy Spirit and in no way want to hinder Him in my life or my walk with Him.
No matter what we’re going through and no matter what life throws at us, if we live a life yielded to the Holy Spirit, He is right there to pick us up in weakness and enable us to do the impossible. I hope this has encouraged all of you as much as it has encouraged me!
From Christine Abraham: I love this last comment from Amanda, knowing that she sits patiently in a wheelchair, waiting for the Holy Spirit to lift her in weakness and bring healing to her body. You inspire me, Amanda, thank you for writing the post this week.
The Spirit intervenes in our weakness, but not in our avoidance. -Beth Moore
Assignment For Next Week
- Read Week Three in the workbook
- Listen to the Session Three Audio (optional)
- OR…Listen to the Session Three Video (optional)
Hello everyone,
My name is Cindy, and I’m just now joining the group. Yesterday, I was able to pick up a copy of the book, so I’m good to go. The Holy Spirit is one of my favorite people! How awesome is it that the very One who hovered over the face of the earth is within me. That is very encouraging as I go about my daily work as a middle school counselor. There are so many times that I do not even know what to say to a student, and He gives me the words.
Welcome Cindy! Glad you are here!! You are so right. He gives us the words, every time!! What an amazing way to live. I love it!!
Welcome Cindy. I’m so glad your joining in. This is such a great study and it will be so helpful for you in your line of work.
Hello Cindy,
I had forgotten that nugget from this week until you mentioned it. What a beautiful thought, that after the week that I have had, the Holy Spirit has been hovering over me the whole time. He has been brooding over me. Very much a comfort to have the continually reassurance of His presence and hovering over me as a parent. Thank you for sharing this 🙂
I needed the reminders from this week’s study about the Holy Spirit’s role in my life. I have been struggling for a couple of years with various issues and have found myself drifting away from the Lord. The still small voice of the Spirit became silent in my daily walk with Christ. He didn’t leave me but I was filling my life with other things and not able to hear Him. I found myself wallowing in my self-pity, anger, frustrations and worry instead of calling out to the Spirit to fill me with love, peace, patience, kindness etc. I am very grateful for this study and the fresh start the Lord is giving me. I have spent this week getting reacquainted with the Trinity – Father, Son and Spirit. It has been very refreshing!
Even though I have been saved for many years I’ve drifted away from God’s word.I was drowning in self pity,feeling of worthlessness!Instead of letting go and giving it to My Heavenly Father, I tried to handle everything myself,getting deeper and deeper into despair.This study of the Holy Spirit has been a eye opener, a heart filling experience.Praise God, His Word never changes!!God is always there for me !Galatians5:17″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 what you want”
I am a late comer. I’m just starting today, looking at where you’re at and hoping to start at the beginning this week and catch up by the next mtg. I went through this study a few years ago. It’s a powerful study. Today I read all that’s posted here and looked in my workbook that I used last time. The thing that is gripping me today, from my notes on the session 1 viewer guide page (probably a quote from Beth) is: “We crave filling. We need it. We are created with a desire to be full. It is not an evil desire. We can’t sit there empty.”
Welcome Suzanne. Powerful words… “We crave filling…We were created with a desire to be full”. So very true and only God can fill us in a way that keeps us completely satisfied. Thank you!!
I love to pray and speak with the Lord however: there have been instances, such as the loss of my mom, my daughter, and times of hurt and betrayal that I did not even know what to say or even where to begin. In those time of despair I have snuggled up to God and found peace. I know it is because the Comforter was there to comfort as well as pray on my behalf. It is sooo good to be able to just rest in His arms.
There has been different situations when I have felt beaten down with circumstances one after another and I have a sense of hopelessness/defeat so why bother with prayers but I always have a “pull” That pull is the spirit filling me with hope and prayers and keeps me going.
The holy spirit speaks to me in my heart and convicts me so strongly that it will bring me to tears. As I weep…The Holy spirit speaks loudly and I circum to it.
I am not sure about question #1 or #2. I will say I love everything I study all week and learn so much from it! I just don’t always fit into the categories of the questions.
#3 Well, he speaks to me alright and I am sorry to say there are times I am like a 2 year old. I can hear him say – don’t say that! It’s a voice I clearly hear inside my heart and then … I say what I am told not to say! Not every time, but often enough for me to notice it being disobedient. The flesh jumps right on in there. It might be telling about something that happened at work, or it might be one of those “comments” you make to your husband about his socks on the floor or some silly thing. It is not a good thing to do; ignore what your father tells you. I am working on it, I know it’s not good, and I like how the teaching tell us WHY it is not good for us.
#4 My garden tools are my index cards of scripture. I carry those around like a life preserver.
renee,
your comment reminds me of two nights ago when I was tucking my 9 yr old into bed after her father scolded her for not obeying him. She was crying. I prayed with her and thanked God for understanding. After the prayer she asked, through her tears, “how can He understand? He never disobeyed. He’s perfect.” I explained that Jesus didn’t want to do what His Daddy told Him to do. He said,”Daddy, please don’t make me do this.” But He knew what His Daddy wanted Him to do was the right thing. As HARD as it was He suffered like no one has or ever will in obedience to His Father. The Lord spoke to my heart. I will never have to suffer like our Savior suffered in obedience.
We’re all human and struggle with obedience. God bless you. He knows your heart.
Suzanne – love it!
1. A time when all three members of the trinity were working in my life was the story i shared last week. When my husband had lost his job and we were struggling with finance God the father made a promise that he would always take care of us, I went to the word (Jesus) to find reassurance of this and the spirit was giving me that little bit of extra faith that kept me from going out and getting a job when i wasn’t supposed to.
2. I can think of several times where the spirit had to pray for me because when i got down on my knees the only thing i could think to say was please God, so i know the spirit was groaning for me on those days.
3. The spirit usually talks to me as a little voice in my head like my sub conscious, also through conviction on my heart.
4. This week what really had an impact on me was realizing that the holy spirit Groans for us. i remember a song that i loved that said “holy spirit wont you say a prayer for me with your groanings” i never understood that till now and i was in awe that he does that for us with a wretched as we can be and how we quench him without even thinking twice about it. anyway that was what i thought was important to understand.
What an amazing example of the Holy Spirit as “the comforter”. I visited your blog earlier today. You have a great gift as a writer. I always enjoy your blog recaps.
My Garden Tools for Week Two
1. A craft room or pottery room to remind myself that God is always at work in me bringing about His purposes for His good pleasure.
2. A traffic light to remind me to let God change me at His will… into His image.
3. A watering can to remind me to never put out the Spirit’s fire in me.
4. A victory flag to remind myself that I can do all things through Christ.
5. A flowing stream to remind myself to let go of all of my own want-to’s and to let God have full control by His Holy Spirit
I really haven’t fully grasped the whole gardening tools thing … Until now!! Love it, and I must borrow for myself!
Yay! So glad it “clicked”. It took me a little while too. Have fun with it!! And have a great day!!!
I think the time I most clearly remember the Holy Spirit helping me to pray was during the aftermath of 9/11. I felt so much. The requests were too many to pray. All I could do was grieve and cry but I know that God heard everything I couldn’t verbalize.
Debbie… That was a very hard time. We definitely needed the help of the Holy Spirit then… and now. Thanks for sharing this.
Hi, everyone and blessing to all;
1. Can you remember a time in your life when all three members of the Trinity were at work? When my husband had to have emergency heart by-pass surgery and he ended up having five….this was in 2000. If God ( the Trinity) haven’t interceded he would not have mad it…..as it was those were a long six or eight hours wait. Prise God he made it and I thank God everyday that he is still here. My husbands heart is a kind loving heart, if only he has 20%-25% usage of it left.
2. Describe a time when you had to depend on the Spirit to help you pray? The last three days of my Dad’s life while he was alive and in the CCU in the hospital. It was a very bad time…..he was so miserable he could not hardly breath. I just could not get the words out of my mouth to pray. All I wanted to do was yell and scream at everyone…..do something please. Which I know better from nursing for over thirty years does not work…losing my cool. So the Holy Spirit had to intercede for my family and me. Without His help I do not think I could have made it. Now POP is home with the Lord and playing golf everyday.
3. How does the Holy Spirit “speak?” I am not really sure on this…..but by the words I feel in my heart when I cannot pray or have the words to say?
4. I just need to repent and give myself totally to God….I know I have been saying this but somethings are hard for me to do….I am after all a control freak!!!!!!! Water Can….I need the pouring in of the Holy Spirit, not my running out/away from Him like water that is wasted.
In response to “Describe a time when I had to depend on the Spirit to help me pray.”
Here recently. My “flesh” does not want to pray about a situation that occurred recently so I’ve had to allow the Spirit to help me pray and sometimes pray for me.
In response to the “important message” I learned this week:
(Day 4) My paraphrase of I John 4:4: I am a child of God – He who is in me is greater than he that is in the world.
Also, after listening to Session 2 (on CD), I can truly say that more often than I’d like to admit, I’ve probably “quenched and/or grieved” the Holy Spirit. The words the Holy Spirit spoke through Beth touched some deep areas of my heart. They made me realize that I’d missed some warning signs with some things in my life; made me appreciate the workings of the Holy Spirit; and gave me inspiration and instructions to look for when reading the Word and while trying to discern what His will is for my life.
After this week’s lesson my prayer is – “Since I live by the Spirit, may I keep in step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:25)
This week was such an important week for me with this study. I found myself struggling to answer many of the questions that were posed in each lesson. I had a major breakthough when Beth asked us to describe a time when all three members of the Trinity were at work in our lives, this is a summary of how I answered that question…
I can not think of a time that all three members of the trinity were at work in my life and that is because I was failing to realize that God was even there with me. I felt that I was facing difficult times in my life alone. I always beleived in God but I failed to turn to him when I needed him the most. What I realized is that he was always there, always present I just failed to notice him.
As I was writing these words I felt as if I had discovered something about myself that I hadnt realized before. And though it is tough to admit that I was in a sense ignoring God, it was important for me to realize that so that I dont make the same mistakes again.
I think that the holy spirit speaks to me all the time, it is the small voice inside my head that speaks to me sometimes when I am not even asking anything of him.
My garden tool for the week: God had forgiven me for my sins before I had even forgiven myself, he was just waiting for me to pray to him to ask for his forgiveness.
Stacy, I can so relate to your statement about struggling with the questions. I think it is because it makes me uncomfortable to have to admit how far I had strayed… because I always considered myself good… never really did anything “bad” but just like you said, I was in a sense ignoring God. Also loved your garden tool!
I have definitely felt the Holy Spirit’s comfort and love in my life especially during hard times like when my mother was very sick in the hospital. I have felt the Holy Spirit’s help in prayer when I have been curled up in a ball crying, unable to find the words to pray. I recently had let myself drift away from the love, comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and tried to control my life myself. During this time, I felt very alone and unhappy. As I have been going back to church, reading my Bible, and doing this Bible study, I feel the Holy Spirit working in me more and more each day.
And He is, Janet…working that is. (smile) He is Faithful… And He loves you… bunches! Welcome back.
What you said in the last statement is one of the things that hit me the most too. That the Holy Spirit is not an “it” but a “Him”. That was HUGE for me!
Hi everyone,
Discussions about the Holy Spirit is something very relevant in my life right now. In response to the question about how the Holy Spirit speaks… I feel him in the power that I feel during prayer. That words and thoughts can flow so easily through me when generally I feel shy and have difficulty expressing my words. Through prayer the comfort of Gods spirit comes onto me and trials can be faced with the mind of Christ.
My struggle comes with the idea of the holy spirit revealing Himself to us. I have a close friend that believes speaking in tongues is most important way of feeling the Spirit. I have never spoken in tongues and do not believe it necessary to have the Spirit. Does anyone experience speaking in tongues and how does it relate to the speaking of the Spirit?
I was raised in and still attend a Pentecostal church so I have seen individuals speak in tongues. In most cases, I did feel the Holy Spirit… almost like goosebumps on my skin! I have to confess that in light of that background, I thought there must be something wrong with those in my church (and me?) who didn’t. I think Beth addresses this on Day 3 of our study this week, where she is talking about the difference between fruit/gifts of the Spirit and the different gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:4 says, “There are different gifts, but the same Spirit.” The way I interpret that is like our jobs in church, or even our jobs in life. God has a purpose for us… and He knows that my strong suit is not patience, so He didn’t make me a kindergarten teacher. LIkewise, we are each blessed with a different Gift of the Spirit. All of them together work together to make up the church, and we all compliment each other in the Body of Christ. Each has a unique place… while at some time a word from the Spirit through tongues is what is needed, at other times a person may need someone who has the Word of Knowledge, to quote God’s scripture at a specfic time. Does that help? Or do you guys think I am off target?
You’re right on target, thank you for sharing and encouraging us with your words.
I got a message from Beth’s poem… I dont’ have to do everything… and I dont’ have to be perfect! THat is such a struggle for me, and I often end up not doing anything very good… being a mean and grouchy wife and Mommy! I have noticed that the past couple of weeks, when I’m trying to put a positive spin on things, I have caught myself saying, “Whoa… we’re not talking or thinking that way anymore.”
The HOly Spirit speaks in spiritual ways… that still small voice that tells you it will be ok, a hug or a smile from a friend when you don’t think you have one in the world, a song that comes on the radio or a message at church that tells you, “I know just where you are… and I know where you’re going. Just stop, and let me carry you.”
My garden tool would be- YOu gotta dig out the weeds of your life to let the fruit start coming up… and sometimes those weeds can actually have some half-way decent looking flowers on them, so you got to be careful what you leave in your garden!
Good job, Amanda, on this week’s comments. God bless each of you!
Thank You!! God really ministered to me as I was writing this study!
1. Can you remember a time in your life when all three members of the Trinity were are work? Describe that event. (page 35)
Daily.
2. Describe a time when you had to depend on the Spirit to help you pray. (page 40) When I am overcome with the helplessness that comes from watching someone you love throw their life away with one bad choice after another.
3. How does the Holy Spirit “speak?” (page 46) I know the book “the Shack” is controversial in some circles but as a work of fiction it spoke to me. I love imagining the HS as the one who tends the garden of my soul ( mind too)
He speaks in whispers to my soul thru song, the Word, a stirring in my heart and mind.
4. Share a garden tool or an important message you learned this week.
God showed me the importance of prayer and pausing to be thankful.”Gratitude glues us to God.silence allows annoyance to climb the steps.Keep the door shut with thanksgivng.”
I’m right there with you on number one-DAILY!
The Shack was an awesome book for me too. It was a great representation of the trinity like I had never imagined it before.
One of the questions mentions describing a time that I had to rely on the Holy Spirit to help me pray. We have a 22 year old daughter that has been through some terribly dark times these last 5 years. She has been engaged twice, been suicidal on and off, recently returned to school to complete her education, been steadily losing hours at work, sick on and off with no health insurance, struggles against an eating disorder, and recently was abandoned by her real father. When all of this began my husband prayed a simple prayer with me. He prayed, “Lord, just let Your kingdom come and Your will be done in her life.” I agreed with him in that prayer and have never felt the freedom to pray anything else. On and off through the years we have seen her do complete u-turns from the destructive choices she had been making. Recently things have gotten dark again and I have been challenged to pray, “Lord, WHATEVER IT TAKES, I want You to do WHATEVER IT TAKES just so I can rest in peace that she will be standing with me at the foot of the throne.” That prayer has become more difficult lately as I have watched her hurting and this past weekend I could only weep and pray in the Spirit. I can say the words “WHATEVER IT TAKES” but only the Spirit can pray it through me so my will actually becomes conformed to God’s will and stay still and let God work.
Answering Jen’s question about speaking in tongues:
I wouldn’t presume to tell you that speaking in tongues is the most important way of feeling the Spirit. I wouldn’t presume to tell you that it is necessary to have the Spirit, in this manner, but this past weekend it was only as I wept and allowed the Holy Spirit to pray through me that my tears dried up and I was able to sleep. Speaking in tongues is a private experience for the encouragement of the individual believer. There are cases where people speak in tongues in churches but it is followed by what is called an interpretation. This interpretation is in English so that it benefits all who hear it. If there is not translation then how can others be benefited, the only encouragement is for the internal peace of the one who spoke; in some cases, others are so uncomfortable they not only don’t benefit from it but it can also become a stumbling block. This is just one perspective about speaking in tongues, it is a Pentecostal perspective. Search the bible about tongues and ask the Lord to reveal His will to you for it. God is faithful to answer all of our questions and meet us right where we are.
Lisa DeCandia
At some time in church history, speaking in tongues became a religious definition rather than a biblical definition. Because many do not understand it, we allow our church leaders and doctrines to define it for us. Each of us have a different meaning for this and I hope we’ll each share.
Thanks for the perspective on speaking on tongues. I am searching for my own understanding on my feelings of it. Is there a belief in the pentecostal perspective, perhaps united pentecostal?, that speaking in tongues is an important element to salvation?
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Acts 2: 4-7 NIV
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:28 NIV
Your walk of faith with your daughter and your prayer with your husband brought me to tears. I just know that God will honor your prayers. Saying a prayer for your daughter today.
Great point that the Spirit is not just an “It!”
Hey, everyone! Glad to hear from everyone again this week.
1. Don’t really get this question… hard for me to tell.
2. Six years ago my marriage was a shambles and I didn’t know if I wanted it to ever be whole again, but my heart was broken beyond repair at the thought of losing my husband. I didn’t even know what to pray about. I wept loudly and cried and prayed and told God (and the Spirit) they would just have to work it out for me. By God’s grace, mercy, and healing, I have a restored marriage, made new in Christ.
4. Garden tool? Don’t know how to respond, but what I hear over and over is that I can’t do this on my own, but a daily surrendered life is bigger and better than a life that I control by my own will and flesh.
What an amazing testimony about your marriage restoration.
There was a time when my ex husband left me that I became very ill mentally and it took God, Christ and the Spirit to pull me through it. I had been deeply depressed and never in life realized just what that can lead to. It was a horrible time but I ended up here with my parents who I help out and am a member of a wonderful church. God wanted me here all along and the Spirit did indeed lead me here. I can vouch for that leading it was very real and the end result was a calm peaceful place to be and very much feel a needed woman who is worthy now.
3.How does the Holy Spirit “speak?” Through others many times. Those people we meet after we have just been praying for something and they have the answer! I see this more evident in any other way these days.
4.Share a garden tool or an important message you learned this week. To slow down and look for ways set before me to encourage another, see an answer to prayer, see where I am needed. At this time in life this is truly how the Spirit seems to be working in my life.
A few years ago when I came to the point of deciding to leave my husband because I thought I no longer loved him. How wrong and selfish I was. I had to truly take my situation to God and let him work through me and show me how wrong I was. I remember praying in agony and tears to let me see what I was doing to my marriage and family. I am glad that I did go through such anguish because that is when I felt God the most.
I’m going to forgo the questions this week because I feel compelled to share that, this week, the Lord has opened my eyes.
I’ve gone through the book “Lord, I Want To Know You.” So, discussing the word “Elohim” is very comforting to me. Like the feeling of a loving parent from whom you were created. I often pray to Elohim, the creator. (I understand it is plural but, The Father, The Holy Spirit and The Son are three in one, so, singular works for me.)
My faith has been strong for many years, but this week’s lesson has taught me that I am spiritual (not always) but I am spiritual when I am filled with the Holy Spirit. All of my prayers will now contain, “Father, please open my heart so that the Holy Spirit fills my whole being.”
I believe this study is truly of God. Praise Him for giving me eyes to see and ears to hear it’s message!
1.Can you remember a time in your life when all three members of the Trinity were are work? Describe that event. When I was seperated from my husband, The Father willed me to go to church which i have not been in a very very long time, The Son spoke to me though the service and I found a passage that just changed my whole way of looking at things. Pilippians 2: 3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. And then the Holy Spirit gave me the strength to bring my children home to thier daddy and to fix out marriage.
2.Describe a time when you had to depend on the Spirit to help you pray. i am depending on the Spirit now to strengthen my faith.
3.How does the Holy Spirit “speak?” i hear and feel the Spirit though my heart and my mind.
4.Share a garden tool or an important message you learned this week. A quiet place to hear and feel God and the Holy Spirt working though me. to make me the Spiritual Woman that God wants me to be.
Sorry this is so late..
#3 Its the same for me.
and don’t feel bad. I wrote this post and still haven’t posted the answer to my questions yet 🙁
I believe the Holy Spirit prays thru me daily when I don’t even know how/what to pray.
Here I am still trying to finish week 2. I started out right on target and now I am soooooo at war with my flesh. It is absolutely crazy.
Marriage conference this weekend at our church with the hubby. Looking to get reconnected and refueled. This has been a week full of tests. Why is it when you commit to cleaning up your spiritual house that problems arise from areas you never had problems before?
I know it is bit off topic but just where I am today.
At Wednesday night Bible study it was pointed out that the devil leaves us alone when we aren’t seeking God, because we aren’t threatening him. As soon as we step out, we become a target. Hang in there. We are more than conquerors.
You might want to meditate on this verse over the weekend, “Lord Carry me”
The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” Deut 1:30-31
Becky,
I feel the same way. It is so true that once we start that spiritual cleanse, we are tested even more. I am going through the same thing. We will catch up. Don’t quit. I keep telling myself that the devil is coming at me even harder lately because I am refusing to let him in! Praying for ya!
Becky,
I’ve noticed that whenever I commit to a bible study or God is doing something big in my life the enemy tries to attack. I wrote this post and the week after I posted this I was tested and dealt with health issues. It was a rough week. I know it’s hard but it always is proof to me that God has something big for me and it makes me more determined to get there. Whenever these attacks come thats when we need to dig in deeper. I often throw on worship music and blast it when I’m really dealing and just dont’ know what to do. This helps me get through most days. Keep digging into this study and going after it. I know God has good stuff in store for you!
Great post Amanda!
Describe a time when you had to depend on the Spirit to help you pray.
I remember having an argument with my husband that seemed to last an entire day… we were challenged to “let go and submit.” During that time I wanted to pray about the situation, and I remember asking God for help. At some point during the prayer I felt the strong urge to go in and tell my husband I loved him. At first I remember thinking, “But, but, but… ” and this message just played back, “Go in and tell him you love him.” Suddenly my heart softened, and I felt a tremendous amount of love for my husband and appreciated his sensitivity. It was like seeing things I didn’t or couldn’t see only minutes before.
Ever since that time I have depended on the Spirit for help with prayer in difficult moments. This weeks’ study has helped so much in understanding how the Spirit works in our lives!
Thanks so much!!!
I can totally relate to the situation with you and your husband. There have been so many times where I have felt God tell me to do something like that and it just doesn’t make sense or feel right to me but God always knows. Its the listening and obeying part that I have to get better at.
Bible Study Answers Week 2
1.A time in my life when all three members of the Trinity at work in my life:…That one is tough! I feel somehow the Holy Spirit has been guiding me most of my whole life! I think my relationship with the Spirit was established before a “relationship” with Jesus. And Jesus has shown me God and his love. It’s maybe weird, but I bonded to , trusted, knew the Holy Spirit, first.
2.A time when I had to depend on the Holy Spirit to pray for me: My first husband, abandon our family and marriage for drugs. After 13 mostly happy years, enduring ruff times and the best of times….the death of my marriage, and loss of a person that was my best friend and companion. I lay on the floor of the two bedroom 1960’s mobile home, kids 5 & 6, asleep in bed, and in the fetal position cried as I had never cried, beaten emotionally, didn’t feel my normal “strong-willed” self, felt more like a puppy stripped from its mother too early. I lost track of time
3. How does the Holy Spirit speak, super-naturally. That still quiet voice in our heads. The bible says “spirit words” 1Cor 2:13, maybe an analogy would be like this: remember the book-made into movie (the book was way better!) The Polar Express…. Remember not everyone could hear the bells that were on Santa’s reindeer? I see it kinda like that. People not of the spirit, don’t hear it and find us that do silly. They are of this world, we thank God are not, so we hear the spirit words, we hear God speak and it’s ring is more beautiful and rings more true than any bells off reindeer gear! And I tear up in the story for those that can no longer hear or never did, I cry more for those who cannot and refuse to hear God.
This week’s tool, again a tough one and I love working in the yard! I am not so sure the Holy Spirit is really a tool one could pick up, however it can equated with something in the garden. Life. That wondrous spark of life! It’s that moment just when the seed has been watered, just right, the sun is just the right warmth and at that magical instant, the plant begins to grow. Intuition. That nagging in the mind of someone with a “green thumb” that just knows something is wrong with a plant, and seeks an answer, or knows it’s not living fully and seeks to discover what it’s lacking. Love. Unconditional, love for those silly plants. We care for them, water, and knowing they make look ugly for a time… prune them, feed them and de-bug them! Funny as I write this I cannot help to see a parallel with my all time favorite verse: John 14:6 I am the way, the truth and the life no one can get to the father except through me. The Way,- intuition – Jesus guiding us and Truth – Love, as a our Father in heaven loves us, Life – Life though the Holy Spirit! All praises be to God, amen!
1- A time when all when I saw all three members of the Trinity working was when God was wooing me,it was His will for me to give my life to Christ. I went to a church service where the Word touched me I started to weep and to long to have what the word said. The Holy Spirit helped get me on my feet and make my way to the alter where I gave my life to Jesus.
2-When I was in a deep clinical depression It was hard for me to pray. When I cried I had peace after, now I know it was The Holy Spirit praying.
3- The Holy Spirit speaks truth to me that I can’t see. He speaks through others and in my dreams.
4- God wants me to be specific when I am confessing because I can’t turn away from something I will not face.
1. My marriage. It was God’s will to put me with this man and it was the power of the Holy Trinity that brought us together. I grew up in the Panhandle of TX and met my husband after I moved to AR with my mom in November of 2004…Only the Holy Trinity could have brought us together!
2. When I was interviewing for a different position within the company that I work for. I had to rely on the Holy Spirit to prepare me for the interview and to give me peace of mind if I didn’t get the job. I did not get the job but I felt the Holy Spirit during the interview telling me that it was not where I was supposed to be!
3. Spiritual truths in Spiritual words
4. Day 1) To see Him in everything! Look past what is going on and see Him and how He is working every detail out for His will.
Day 2) YIELD TO HIM!! Be willing to be filled with the Spirit! He has amazing plans for me once I do!
Day 3) Let go of sin; Ask God to help you let go quickly; always ask forgiveness specifically; not just a blanket prayer.
Day 4) The flesh is totally the opposite and against the Spirit; Fight off all fleshly desires and fully yield to the Spirit!
Day 5) The lost people in my life cannot be saved because of me; I am only the vessel in which they are receiving the fruit;I won’t give up God! Keep using me! I am willing to continue to be Your tool, no matter how impossible it may seem to my human mind!!!
1. Can you remember a time in your life when all three members of the Trinity were are work? Describe that event. (page 35)
I know that this happens often, but I can not think of a specific time or explain how it happens for me.
2. Describe a time when you had to depend on the Spirit to help you pray. (page 40)
When there are times that I am distraught or scared and I can not figure out what to pray for I begin praying in tongues. The Holy Spirit prays for me and knows what is best in that situation when I can not wrap my mind around it. A couple of specific times is when one of my children got hurt and my fleshly reaction was to freak out, but I knew I couldn’t. I had to physically work on keeping calm and pray in tongues and let the Holy Spirit do the praying for me. Another example is when there is severe weather. We live in Texas and tornadoes are common around here, but we do not have a basement to go to. When there is bad weather in the area we will walk around the house and begin to pray in tongues for protection over our family and home.
3. How does the Holy Spirit “speak?” (page 46)
The Holy Spirit speaks to me in a couple of different ways. Typically it is a small voice (my conscience) that guides me to do the right thing. I will often have great revelations about something and know that it was too good to come from me so it must have been the Holy Spirit. I also have very vivid dreams concerning spiritual matters. I have had dreams about spiritual discernment, spiritual warfare, and even seen Jesus in my dreams.
4. Share a garden tool or an important message you learned this week.
Many times I ask God for guidance on an issue and feel like I am not getting any answers. After reading Ephesians 4:31 I realized that I am often praying about a situation with a person and I am feeling bitterness or anger toward that person. These feelings are hindering God’s ability to speak to me about that particular situation.
This was a really hard week for me. I don’t think I have ever experienced all three members of the trinity that stands out.
My husband and I own a construction business and we are just not getting any work. I have been depending on the Spirit to help pray as sometimes I feel like I am like a broken record every morning praying the same prayer. Every day there is some bill that is due that is either for the business or for personal that I just go numb as it is another day of taking money that will eventually run out. My husband and I are reading this study together and we are reminded that this part of our lives is just an obstacle and that we should be filled with the fruits of the spirit…Love, joy etc…
I saw this the other day~
It’s not my job to figure out HOW God is going to do it. My job is to trust Him. God makes over 7,000 promises in his Word! I am living on that!!
Praying for doors of opportunity to open for your business.
3. How does the Holy Spirit “speak?” (page 46)
“He speaks as often as we are willing to listen.”
I hope many of you can relate to this. After spending many wasted minutes sometimes even hours looking for something, I finally realize the One who sees all and knows all can tell me exactly where it is. So, I pause and pray a quick prayer for Him to guide me to whatever it is that I might have misplaced at the time. Then almost seconds later, when it seems to miraculously appear, a smile swells inside as I thank the Holy Spirit for helping. I just love those precious moments when you can feel HIM right there beside you. Wow! 🙂 How wonderful it feels to be so gently reminded that we only have to ask!
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. – Matthew 7:7-8
4. Share a garden tool or an important message you learned this week.
Day 1 3 people who really cares about all of us
Day 2 Life gives you no guarantee but the are guarantee in him
Day 3 Led to him by the spirit
Day 4 We are of flesh so we need to dig sometimes to get to the spirit
Day 5 Listen and learn to hear him and start reading more about him
In addition I like that poem that was at the end of the chapter