Holy Spirit Bible Study - Part 7
Weekly Bible Study 7: Supernatural Church
(This study was adapted from the book Remembering the Forgotten God)
Getting Started:
If you could create the perfect church, what would it look like? (How would it be run? How would people act, reach out, worship, pray, and so on?)
Now consider this question: Could that perfect church be accomplished through human talent and strength? Or would it require the power of the Holy Spirit? Why?
Consider your involvement with church life. In what ways do we tend to rely on natural talent as we strive to fulfill the church‟s mission?
What would it look like for ElmCreek to follow this verse and quote: How can you be a part of that?
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of host” (Zech. 4:6)
“I don‟t want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and
know that I couldn‟t be doing this by my own power. I want to live in such a way that I am desperate
for Him to come through”. -Francis Chan, Forgotten God, pg. 142.
Digging In:
Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:5
How does Paul describe human effort as compared to the Power of God?
According to this passage, why is it so important to rely on the Power of the Spirit? (see 2:5)
Can you say along with Paul, “My Speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstrations of the Spirit and of power,
that your faith might not rest in the
wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:4-5)? Why, or why not?
The Spirit wants to do more than just help us out a bit. He wants to transform us, patiently but steadily, into people who transform our corners of the world.
Think back to Galatians 5 and the fruits of the Spirit: Have you ever witnessed a person manifesting the fruit of the Spirit to a supernatural degree?
How did God show His power through that person?
Application:
We won‟t be transformed by
simply trying harder. “Grunting and saying through clenched teeth, I will be patient!” hasn‟t worked yet, and that isn‟t likely to change.
What would it look like for you to cultivate a relationship with the Spirit, allowing Him to
transform you, rather than simply trying harder on your own?
What practical steps can you take right now to pursue the Spirit and live in dependence on Him?
Do you believe that the Spirit would “come through” for you in situations where you are serving beyond your natural talents?
Allow yourself to dream for a minute. What would it look like if every Christian in your community fully submitted themselves to the Spirit‟s leading?
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