Last night we had our second cell group on the Holy Spirit – ‘Meet the Holy Spirit’  was the title of the session.  This morning I’m trying to gather my thoughts about what we discussed…to say I feel challenged, stretched, out of my depth even, would all be fairly accurate.  This is challenging stuff. Something within me also feels that it’s hugely significant for us.  I love the group itself – all late teens/early twenties – those who I believe will be the ‘shapers’ of days to come.  A privilege to be amongst them…

Let me try to pull together and articulate some of the main points:

The Holy Spirit is divine. He is God.  This reality is contested and denied by many, but it has to be foundational to what we believe about the Holy Spirit. ‘…the Trinity….three distinct divine Personalities, each wholly God, yet one essence’. Some verses we looked at where Psalm 139:7-10, Luke 1:35, 1 Cor 2:10-11, Heb 9:14.

The Holy Spirit is personal.  Not a force.  Not far off.  Not just a symbol.  Personal.  Not an  ’it’ but ‘He’.  He is within us. He brings God close.  Often we don’t acknowledge this, perhaps we don’t think enough about the personal nature of the Spirit of God within us.  He can be lied to (Acts 5:3), grieved (Eph 4:30), quenched (1 Thess 5:19), resisted (Acts 7:51), blasphemed (Matt 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-29, Luke 12:10).  We should live in a way that acknowledges the personal nature of the Holy Spirit.

Divine and yet personal. How can that be? Part of that is the beautiful mystery that is God: Father, Son and Spirit. Almighty, eternal God…and yet desiring a close and personal relationship with his children.

One comment was made that perhaps it’s ‘comfortable’ to keep God at a distance.  And yes, it probably is. That would be ‘safe’.  But for God to be so personally interested and involved in our lives by his Spirit adds a whole new dimension to life.  When telling his disciples about the Holy Spirit who would come to be with them, Jesus says that the world will not accept or know Him.  But he says these four words to his followers: ‘but you know him’.

I believe the challenge for us is this:  do we know Him? Do we want to know him?  Do we want to know more of Him and His presence in our lives?

Next time: the Work of the Holy Spirit.  I’m already looking forward to it!

(Maybe you’ve read this and have all sorts of questions…I’ve definitely not got all the answers but I’d love to chat to you about it, so please get in touch)

Last night our cell group met for the first time this new term.  This group consists of 20+, 19-25 year olds…yeah, a bit big for a ‘small’ group but such a hugely significant group of people.

Last year we completed a 12-session (should have taken 12 evenings…took us 24!) study on Zechariah.  Yes, Zechariah!  Heavy going but really, really good stuff.

Last night we began a new series – the introduction to a 6-part study on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

Our opening conversation was incredibly stimulating.  We began by asking the question that Francis Chan asks – is the Holy Spirit the ‘Forgotten God’, the neglected member of the Trinity?  The conversation flowed from there….we looked at a few key Bible passages, some hugely challenging questions where asked, a sense of anticipation and expectation was present in the room.  When discussing our ‘expectations’ for what might lie ahead, one group member shared his desire to see ‘results’ from what we study, as in the visible outworkings of what we discover and learn from this study.  This desire was echoed by pretty much everyone else.  Exciting days ahead?  Hopefully.  I’m praying so.

I haven’t blogged in a while…I’m hoping to commit to blogging my thoughts after each of these evenings.  Of course, this will be without breaching any group confidentiality but will hopefully help me note down and share the ‘big’ thoughts God imprints upon my heart each time we meet.

Next time…_Holy Spirit // 2…