The Gift of God’s Power

Main Idea: The Holy Spirit fills our hearts with power so we can become the people God calls us to be and do the things God calls us to do.

The Role of the Spirit

• The Holy Spirit is directly involved in giving us the gift of God’s presence, guidance, and power.

The Holy Spirit’s Power in the Old Testament

• Physical Power: Samson (Judges 14:6)
• Power to be Transformed: King Saul (1 Samuel 10:6) and the people of Israel (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
• Power to Speak Boldly: Moses and the elders (Numbers 11:24-25), Prophets like Micah (Micah 3:8).

Today, God’s Spirit continues to… 

• Make us strong (Ephesians 3:16), 
• Transform our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:18), 
• Help us speak up about our faith (Mark 13:11; Acts 4:31). 

Jesus and the Gift of the Spirit

Jesus was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit in the Gospels (Acts 10:38; Luke 4:14).

• But he also promised we would receive power from the Spirit (Acts 1:8).

The Bible frequently reminds us to remember the power of the Spirit (2 Tim. 1:7; Rom. 15:13).

Why We Need the Reminder

Many Christians (in the Bible and now) might feel tired, weak, discouraged, and hopeless about following Jesus in a difficult environment.

• Some first-century Christians probably felt that it was too dangerous to speak up about Jesus, and it wouldn’t do any good anyway.

They Suffered from “Learned Helplessness.”

• The hopelessness people feel when they have been conditioned to believe nothing will ever work out well for them.
• They feel stuck, hopeless, and that there’s nothing they can do to change or fix the situation. “Why bother?”

Examples of Learned Helplessness:

• “That’s just the way I am. I’ll never be able to conquer this sin.”
• “I just know people will judge and reject me for talking about faith. I better stay quiet.”
• “They’ll never listen to me if I tell them how hurt I am. I’ll just avoid them and hope it blows over.”

The Scripture we need to take to heart is Ephesians 1:18-20. We have the incomparably great power of God at work in our lives. 

• This is God’s resurrection power, and we have more of it than we realize.

God’s Power in the Birth of Christ

1. God has the power to do the impossible in our lives. 

Scripture: Luke 1:34-37.

The Holy Spirit is the power that enabled Mary and Elizabeth to both experience an “impossible” miracle.

• Elizabeth — Very old, unable to conceive (Luke 1:13-17). 
• Mary — Very young, still a virgin.
• Neither woman should have been able to have a child, but God did the impossible through the Holy Spirit’s power (Luke 1:35).

God’s power enables us to serve him in mighty ways, even when our human circumstances seem like impossible obstacles.

2. God has the power to redeem our broken stories and draw us near to Christ. 

Scripture: Matthew 1:1-17.

The women mentioned in Jesus’s family history remind us of God’s love and compassion for people who tend to be excluded.

1. Tamar (Genesis 37)

2. Rahab (Judges 2)

3. Ruth (Ruth 1-4)

4. Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12)

5. Mary (Luke 1-2)

These women had painful, broken stories that God redeemed for good. Their stories were marked by loss, tragedy, grief, and scandal. Many were horribly mistreated by powerful men.

• Nevertheless, God showed up in the brokenness of their lives to redeem their stories, draw them near, and give them hope.

Conclusion

2 Peter 1:3-4 reminds us that God fills our hearts with the power of the Spirit so we can become the people God calls us to be and do the things God calls us to do.

Challenge: Use God’s Power to…. 

• Grow in your Walk (Knowledge, Character)
• Connect with Others (Fellowship, Prayer)
• Live like Jesus (Discipleship, Evangelism) 

Study and Reflection:

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” 

-Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

Read: Hebrews 11:24-40

This part of Hebrews is designed to encourage us to stay faithful to God and not give up.

1. Thinking about the life of Moses (v. 24-29), what are some of the miraculous ways he saw God’s power at work? Why did God choose to show his power like that?
2. How does the crossing of the Red Sea (v. 29) give us hope for the difficulties we face today?
3. Moses was willing to risk his life to follow God’s will. What are some of the ways you are called to sacrifice in your walk?
4. Bryan mentioned the Spirit’s power can give us strength, transform our hearts, and empower us to speak boldly. Are there any stories mentioned in this passage that connect with those themes?
5. Have you ever experienced learned helplessness? How were you able to break out of that mindset?
6. Why do you think someone like Rahab was mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy and in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11? How could her story challenge or inspire you?
7. What is one area of your walk with God where you know you are not living up to God’s standard? What are three ways you could address that? Which one will you commit to?

“Walking by Faith” Study 

Ladies Bible class recently finished a series called “Walking by Faith” on Hebrews 11. If you would like to download the digital copies of our class material, visit https://tinyurl.com/WalkingByFaithSW.