THE SPIRIT IN ACTION
(By Dr. Mark Ottenweller, originally preached to the Nairobi campus ministry)

The Holy Spirit is in action. The Scriptures that talk of the Spirit talk of action and impact. There are also several things that we must not do. We must not:

• Lie to the Spirit, Acts 5:3
• Insult the Spirit, Hebrews 10:29
• Grieve the Spirit, Ephesians 4:30
• Put out the Spirit's fire, 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Isaiah 42:1-5
God wants to bring peace and love through the Spirit. The Spirit moves. On campus, in our neighbourhoods and at our places of work, we must be moved by the Spirit. We must let the Spirit move us and not try to do things on our own.

Isaiah 48:16-20
The peace like a river comes from the Holy Spirit. There will always be problems. In tough times pray, "God, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Fill me with the fruits of your Spirit." That is where we get the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Isaiah 59:21
God has a promise not only for you but also for your children and for their children too to give them the Holy Spirit. Don't get worried about whether or not you will get married. God has a plan for that and even for your eventual grandchildren.

Isaiah 61:1-3
Luke later reported Jesus' quoting of this passage. Sometimes we do not think about the poor. Or we get overwhelmed by the extent of the needs around us. With those living with HIV and with other diseases we must obey God's Spirit and reach out to the needy.

When prompted by the Spirit to share your faith, give to the poor, etc., follow that prompting. Don't be complicated, but instead let God work in your dating and in your one-another relationships.

John 16:5-11
Even when you choose not to be open, God's Spirit convicts you and you know that you need to get help, regardless of what formal structure is or is not in place within your ministry for instruction and confession of sin. Open up and get help.

Galatians 3:3
We began with the Spirit. Now we need to go back to the Spirit. We need to live today like we did the day we got baptized - wiser and more educated, but equally zealous, God-motivated and Spirit-led.

Among our biggest problems is that we start trying to attain spiritual goals through human effort.

All we are supposed to do is to reflect the Lord's glory. That's what the Spirit of God wants us to do - just as the moon reflects so wonderfully the light of the sun.

Acts 2:17
God's Spirit has been pored out on all - the righteous and the unrighteous - because God wants all people to be saved.

Pray, "God, fill me with your Holy Spirit." Be filled with God's Spirit and let God's Spirit compel you, move you and speak through you.