## 12 Bottles of Milk for New Believers

Written by: C.E. Tatham

#### Chapter 4- GOD'S POWER IN ME

We have already read three verses which show us how we can have victory over our old nature, the flesh. These verses were Philippians 3:3; Romans 13:14, and 8:13. Read them again and notice what two of them say about the Holy Spirit.

Only the Holy Spirit can give us the power to live as a Christian should. I will not be able to overcome temptation, nor win victory over sin, just because I know God has forgiven my sins. If I want to have the victory, I must get help from Christ who is now glorified in heaven. On the cross, the Saviour took the punishment for my sins. Now, He has risen from the dead, and as I fix my eyes on Him, the Holy Spirit sets me free from the power of sin. Christ did His work for me. Now the Spirit does His work in me. What does the Bible teach about God's Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is a Person. He lives in the believer, and His power can help the Christian live for God. Let us think a little more about these things:

#### The Holy Spirit is a Person

The Holy Spirit is God. He is a Person and we should never refer to Him as "it". He is eternal and equal with God the Father and God the Son, Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 9:14. He has all the attributes of God. What do the following verses teach us about the Holy Spirit?

- Matthew 12:28 _____________________________________
- 1 Corinthians 2:10 _____________________________________
- Psalm 139:7-10 _____________________________________
- Hebrews 10:29 _____________________________________

The Holy Spirit teaches, John 14:26; speaks, Galatians 4:6; leads, Galatians 5:18, Romans 8:14; pleads with God, Romans 8:26, and can become sad, Ephesians 4:30. These are some of the verses which prove that the Spirit of God is a divine Person.

#### The Holy Spirit lives in the believer

The Holy Spirit came in a special way on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2. Before Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came on [upon] certain people, but He did not live in them, John 7:39. Today, He lives in every true Christian, not because of anything the Christian has done for God, but because he has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. God sent the Spirit into our hearts to show that we are His sons, Galatians 4:6. Read also the following verses: 1 Corinthians 6:19; 12:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21,22. The New Testament teaches very plainly that the Holy Spirit lives in every true believer, Romans 8:9. God the Father gives Him to us to prove that we belong to Him, Ephesians 1:13; 1 John 2:18-20.

The Spirit lives in all true believers, but not all believers are filled with the Spirit. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:18. How can we obey this command?

To be filled with the Spirit, we must judge ourselves before God, we must yield our lives to God to do His will, and we must give the Lord Jesus Christ the most important place in our lives.

#### The power of the Holy Spirit

We need the power of the Holy Spirit in order to be set free from the law of sin and death, Romans 8:2, and to be able to witness for Christ. We can have this power if we feed our souls with the Word of God and pray as the Spirit leads, Jude 1:20; Ephesians 6:18.

Do you want the Holy Spirit to set you free from the law of sin (Romans 8:2)? Would you like the Spirit to help you witness about the Lord without fear (2 Timothy 1:7)? He will do so, if you offer yourself to God and do His will as He has revealed it in His Word.

#### The Holy Spirit will help us to glorify God

We should not do what our old nature wants us to do; we should allow the Spirit to direct and control our lives, Galatians 5:16,25. If we do this, we will know God better and better and will glorify Him every day. Others will be able to see the Lord Jesus Christ in us no matter where we are, in school, at work, or in the home.

#### The Holy Spirit will help us to witness for Christ

We need the power of the Holy Spirit so we can tell others about Christ. The Lord Jesus promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit would be given to them, and then they would be witnesses for Him in all the world, Acts 1:8.

In the following verses, can you identify these people who were filled with the Spirit?

- Luke 1:67 _____________________________________
- Acts 1:8 _____________________________________
- Acts 2:4 _____________________________________
- Acts 4:8 _____________________________________
- Acts 4:31 _____________________________________

Let us also be filled with the Spirit so that others will see Christ in us and give glory to God.

Continue on to Lesson 5 - BAPTISM and the LORD'S SUPPER
Return to the Table of Contents for "12 Bottles of Milk for New Believers."

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