This guide shows us how we partner with the Holy Spirit using John 14-16 as a basis. It seeks to answer how we respond and cultivate His work in our lives to grow, develop and experience His power & presence in our lives.
1. Recognize
How do you recognize God at work in your life?
It’s easy to miss out on what God is already doing in our day-to-day lives when we aren’t paying attention or only It’s easy to miss out on what God is already doing in our day-to-day lives when we aren’t paying attention or only looking for miraculous works. Below are five ways in which we experience the work of the Spirit in our daily lives. Keep in mind, however, that the work of the Holy Spirit is not limited to these categories.
Conviction: How is the Spirit showing that you’re living in opposition to His truth?
Effectiveness: How is the Spirit empowering you for Kingdom purposes?
Life: How is life different now that you are a Christian?
Leadership: How is the Spirit leading, guiding or helping you?
Relationship: How is the Spirit helping you to experience your relationship as a child of God?
2. Remember
What do you need to remember about what Jesus has done?
Jesus is the hero and centre of our story. Always.
Remembering the gospel can be difficult without having gospel themes to draw from. You don’t have to know and memorize every single gospel theme to partner with the Spirit, but it’s helpful to have a few favourites in order to give you a fuller picture of how Christ is our hero.
You can use inter-canonical themes and remember the gospel through story. https://bibleproject.com/explore/themes/
Or you can use themes derived from God’s character, and remember the gospel through concepts. https://bibleproject.com/learn/character-of-god-series/
Whatever model we choose must answer this question:
What has Christ done (in his life, death and/or resurrection) to be the hero of this story / circumstance/ experience?
3. Respond
What does it look like for you to respond to the Spirit’s leading?
Now that you have been reminded of the gospel and what Christ has already done, you can respond out of the overflow of his work. The Spirit is always pointing to Christ so that we obey God because we love him and not out of duty, obligation or fear. When we try to respond to the Spirit’s leading without first remembering the gospel, we end up relying on ourselves. Remembering the gospel helps us to continue walking in step with the Spirit.
What might God be asking you to do?
What kingdom activity might the Spirit be leading you to begin?
What activity might the Spirit be leading you to stop?
What does it look like to disobey or not follow the Spirit?