“You will fill me with joy in your presence.” — Acts 2:28
How many things have been around us for a long time that we simply have not noticed?
Like the bagel lever on my toaster. I recently went online to find another toaster because the one I’ve had for about twenty years no longer toasted both sides of the bread. When reading the reviews of the brand I was interested in, I came across one purchaser who was pleased that the model she selected toasted one side of her bagel while leaving the other side warm and chewy. I jumped up to see whether that could be why my toaster was toasting only one side of my bread. Sure enough. My toaster had a bagel feature that was turned on. When I turned it off and put in a slice of bread, both sides toasted evenly. I had to laugh, even as I felt foolish for not having noticed the bagel feature that had been there as long as I had owned the toaster.
While toasters hold nowhere near the significance of the Holy Spirit, could it be that many of us have never really noticed Him either? Maybe we’ve never been taught to notice Him. Even though I was raised in a home where Jesus was beloved and obeyed, I don’t remember being taught about the Holy Spirit. Which has made me wonder whether you would say the same thing.
What have you learned or been taught about the Holy Spirit? The only recollection I have of any mention of the Holy Spirit is from church—and we went to church every Sunday. Except that He wasn’t called the Holy Spirit. He was called the Holy Ghost. At the end of the church service, the pastor would pronounce the benediction, indicating in my small child’s mind that now we could go home and have a delicious Sunday lunch. So I wasn’t very attentive or curious about the way he concluded with a benediction. I was vaguely aware that he always pronounced the final prayer in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, and in the name of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
It was not until years later when I was teaching a weekly Bible class that I learned the amazing truth of who the Holy Spirit is. I was twenty-nine years old, in my second year of Bible teaching, and doing my best to convey insights into the gospel of John for the five hundred women who sat before me each Wednesday. In hindsight, I was like the blind leading the blind. The only reason I knew more than they did was that I had studiously crammed during the week leading up to the lecture.
The week before February 22, 1978, I was cramming as usual in preparation to teach John 14 to my class. And there it was! Jesus told His disciples, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”1
Several thoughts came to me in quick succession…
…That the Spirit was another counselor.
…That the Spirit was a distinct person from
Jesus but just like Him.
…That the Spirit would come from the Father.
…That the Spirit was with the disciples at that
time but would be in them at a future time.
Like a time-delayed video of a flower bud opening into full bloom, the revelation seemed to unfold gradually. The Spirit would be another counselor. So who was the first counselor, who would make the Spirit another one? Jesus! The Spirit would be exactly like Jesus yet another distinct person. He would come down from God. Even as Jesus had come down from God in human form, the Spirit would come down from God in spirit form. Jesus clearly identified the Counselor as the Holy Spirit.2 The disciples already knew Him because Jesus was filled with the Spirit. They were with Jesus; therefore, they were already with the Spirit. But Jesus was announcing that a day would come when they would no longer be with the Spirit because the Spirit would be sent to actually indwell them.
What an amazing, wonderful discovery that still thrills me! It is more than worthwhile to give Him our attention so we can get to know Him, love Him, and enjoy the presence of the One who is Jesus in me—and in you.
For His Glory,
Message adapted from Anne’s new book, Jesus in Me. Released October 2019.
1 John 14:16-17
2 John 14:26
What a humbling honor to have Keith and Kristyn Getty—singers, songwriters, and worship leaders—fly from Nashville to video tape an interview for their Sing conference in August! They have been wonderful friends for years. Any conversation with them is a blessing to me. I pray that our interaction on camera was also a blessing to those who viewed it.
We are grateful and excited to welcome over 100,000 people who are friends on Instagram. We pray that the Lord will continue to encourage and bless those who follow our ministry.
After being side-lined for a year, it was a joy to be back teaching God’s Word. The added blessing was sharing ministry with my daughter, Rachel-Ruth, at our Cove Seminar. With all our hearts we desire to leave a lasting, godly legacy.
Our website experienced a refresh this summer! In August we switched over to a new and brighter home page design that we pray will help visitors more easily discover all the free resources we offer on the website. It is our joy to provide many messages, studies and opportunities to find Jesus on the pages of our website. Please share our website with your friends and family!
Visit us here: www.annegrahamlotz.org
Bible Study: The Fountainhead of All Blessing
During the last few months, God has showered me with blessing after blessing. This Thanksgiving I will be counting them one by one and overflowing with praise to the One who is the Fountainhead from whom all blessings flow.
I. THE BLESSING OF GOD THE FATHER
Read Numbers 6:24
*What two things are revealed about God the Father in this verse?
*How are these two characteristics reflected in God’s title given in Psalm 80:1 and described in more detail in Psalm 23?
*List the things the Shepherd does for His sheep in Psalm 23. Which is most meaningful to you?
*List as many blessings as you can from Ephesians 1:3-14 that come from God the Father.
*What five blessings from this list are most meaningful to you? Thank Him for them.
II. THE BLESSING OF GOD THE SON
Read Numbers 6:25
*What two characteristics of God the Son are revealed in this verse?
*What did Jesus Christ claim in John 14:9?
*Give phrases that use these characteristics to describe Jesus Christ as God the Son in John 1:18; Hebrews 1:3; 2 Corinthians 4:6; John 1:14-17.
*What is there about Jesus that makes you love God the Father more?
III. THE BLESSING OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
Read Numbers 6:26
*What two characteristics of God the Spirit are revealed in this verse?
*How does the Spirit turn God’s face towards us? John 14:15-17, 16:13-15; Romans 5:1-5; John 14:26
*Where does real peace come from and how do you experience it? Isaiah 48:17-18; John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7; Romans 8:6, 14:17; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:18
*In what area of your life do you lack peace? Would you ask God to reveal to you why? Then surrender everything to the control of God the Holy Spirit, opening your heart to His river of peace that passes all understanding.
Take a few moments now to offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God from whom all blessings flow.
Click here for the Bible Study especially developed for this newsletter.
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Watch Anne LIVE from The Cove
For her Seminar: JESUS IN ME
November 8-10, 2019
Register for the LIVESTREAM at
www.thecove.org/anne-graham-lotz-live-stream-november-8-10
NOW AVAILABLE!
Jesus in Me:
Experiencing the Holy Spirit as a Constant Companion
In Jesus in Me, Anne draws on her rich biblical knowledge as well as her personal story—including her recent cancer journey—to help us understand that the Holy Spirit is not a magic genie, a flame of fire, or a vague feeling. He is a Person who prays for us, guides us in our relationships and decisions, comforts us in pain, and stays by our side at all times. In this simple, yet profound teaching, she explores seven key aspects of the Holy Spirit that will revolutionize how you understand and relate to this vital third Person in the Trinity.
Discover how to better love and rely on the Person of the Holy Spirit–and embrace how much He loves you.
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