Bread of Life Voice

*(John 14:16-18)*

*INTRODUCTION:*
Points to take cognizance of before this message
• If you don’t have the Holy Spirit in you, there is a great tendency to deny Christ when persecution comes e.g. Peter
• Our prayers here are not enough to equip us with the full measure of the Holy Spirit, much personal efforts through devotions are needed
• The way umbilical cord holds or connects a baby and the mother is the same way the Holy Spirit connects us with the Father and the Son; connects divinity to humanity
• The difference between a believer and an unbeliever is the activeness and dominant state of the Holy Spirit in both respectively
• Suit does not contain anointing; neither does coat depict spirit filled man.

Most Christians don’t realize how involved the Holy Spirit is in everything that the Lord does. They do not ascribe nearly enough importance to the Holy Spirit and what He is doing in the earth today. In Genesis 1:1-2, the Bible says,
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
In the beginning, God created all the elements needed for His creation. Then, everything else was formed from what had already been created. All the essential ingredients were in place. But nothing happened without the Spirit of God.
Notice specifically that the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) moved upon the face of the waters. The English word moved was translated from the Hebrew word “rachaph.” It literally means “to brood.” This is describing the manner of a hen sitting on her eggs to hatch them.

The Holy Spirit was brooding over the creation of God just waiting to bring forth whatever God the Father said. When the Lord said “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3), then the power of the Holy Spirit brought that light into being. Likewise, with everything the Lord created and made, it was the power of the Holy Spirit that brought it all into existence.
God the Father conceived it. Jesus spoke it. And the Holy Spirit was the power that performed it. Everything God did in His creation was accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit. When God the Father was ready to bring Jesus into the earth, He took the spoken Word (Jesus), the Holy Spirit brooded over Mary (a virgin), and she conceived Jesus’ physical body.

*JESUS PREDICTED THE HARD TIME*
From the time the foundation of the church was laid, Christianity has been under serious and vigorous attack. From the days of John the Baptist, the kingdom of God suffers violence – *Matthew 11:12.*
There have been persecutions and turbulent times. Jesus knew that a time will come when the faith of many Christians will grow cold, hope lost, the zeal and desire to serve God will be no more, Christians killed and many other unusual events that will shake the foundation of this world. He knew there would be perilous times, he knew Christianity will be under consistent attack, Christians persecuted- He began to inform them on time:
* John 16: 1-4; “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you”.

*THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT*
Christ saw in them people who were down-casted, troubled, heartbroken, after series of hard words he spoke to them, he needed to comfort them and encourage them through the promise of the Holy Spirit: A helper, an advocate, a paraclete, a strengthener, comforter, the promise of the Father, someone who will be there till the end of time.
He started speaking of him (Holy Spirit) and giving numerous references about him… Be mindful of the word “HELPER”
* John 14: 16-18; “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
* Verse 26; But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

* John 16: 7-9; Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me.

*As a helper, the Holy Spirit does the following functions:*

1. The Holy Spirit is a helper who teaches and reminds (John 14:25-26, John 16:12-15)
2. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin (John 16:9)
3. The Holy Spirit is a source of revelation, wisdom and power (1 Corinthians 2:10-11, Luke 2: 25-26, John 1: 32-34, 1 Corinthians 2:10, Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17.)
4. The Holy Spirit guides to all truth, including knowledge of what is to come (John 16:13)
5. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers (1Cor. 12:7-13)
6. The Holy Spirit is a seal in the life of believers (Eph. 1:13)
7. The Holy Spirit helps in a Christian’s weakness and intercedes for them (Rom. 8:26-27)
8. The Holy Spirit makes believers new and gives them eternal life (Rom. 8:10-11)
9. The Holy Spirit sanctifies and enables believers to bear good fruits in their lives (Gal.5:22)
The Holy Spirit gives power (Acts 1:8)

One can limit the indwelling of the Spirit through ain against him. let’s discuss ways we can limit his presence in our lives.

*SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT*

1. Lying against the Spirit (Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5:1-11): Claiming what you are not.

2. Grieving the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30-31): Allowing bitterness and anger in your heart.

3. Quenching the Spirit (1Thess. 5:19): Quenching suggests extinguishing a fire. Unbelief can certainly hinder the working and moving of God’s Holy Spirit.

4. Resisting the Spirit (Acts 7:51): There are those who are convinced of the truth of the gospel, yet who refuse to yield their hearts to God.

5. Insulting the Spirit (Hebrews 10:29): It is the office of the Holy Spirit to present the saving work of Jesus Christ to the unsaved. A person insults the love of God by saying that he does not really need God’s gift of salvation.

6. Blaspheming the Spirit (Matt. 12:31-32): This is the most serious offense against the Holy Spirit, for there is no forgiveness for the person who commits it. The work of the Spirit is to convict us of sin and bring us to Jesus Christ.

*HOW TO KEEP HIM ACTIVE*

1. Rejection of sin and its pleasures
2. Abrupt termination of every satanic contract or evil engagement
3. Devotions to the Holy Spirit
4. Offer prayers to the Holy Spirit
5. Offer your daily activities to the Holy Spirit
6. Listen to him frequently
7. Study the word of God daily to know him more
8. Practice all virtues