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Sinning against the Holy Spirit is a serious issue and one that the Scriptures talk about.

The Holy Spirit is a Person. The Holy Spirit is God.

Therefore he can be Sinned against.

We can sin against the Holy Spirit by:

1. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

Scripture tells us there is no Greater sin than Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit because there is no Forgiveness for this sin.

a. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can only be committed by Unbelievers.

b. You and I Can’t Tell if someone else has committed it.

2. Grieving the Holy Spirit.

Grieving the Holy Spirit is something Believers can do.

a. The Holy Spirit gives a church fellowship - Unity.

b. The Holy Spirit gives a church Diversity.

c. The Holy Spirit gives a church fellowship – people with Transformed Lives.

3. Quenching the Holy Spirit.

a. To put out a fire you need to Remove the Fuel Supply.

b. To put out a fire you need to Smother It.

What is the role of the Holy Spirit in bringing people to faith in Jesus Christ

1. The Holy Spirit Convicts us of Sin.

Only the Holy Spirit can Open our Eyes to the Depth of our spiritual condition. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to Convict us and

to Convince us that the gospel is True.

Jesus goes on to tell us this convicting work is 3-Fold:

a. In regard to Sin.

Without the Convicting work of the Holy Spirit people cannot see themselves as Sinners.

b. In regard to Righteousness.

The Holy Spirit reveals to us that it is the Sacrificial death of Christ that makes us Righteous before a Holy God, Not our

accumulated good Deeds and Works.

c. In regard to Judgement.

The Holy Spirit Convinces us that there is such a thing as Judgement and that God has the Final Word.

2. The Holy Spirit Gives us a New Birth.

What does it mean to be spiritually reborn?

a. We are made Spiritually Alive.

b. We are made New Creations.

A one-time act of the Holy Spirit to make us new creations, but it has Continuing Effects for the rest of our lives.

c. We are given Assurance.

Benefits of bearing the cross:

1. You will Experience Victory.

God’s way to obtain victory is through self-sacrifice.

We are more than conquerors because we are subduing the flesh and we are walking in the Spirit.

2. You will find Great Joy.

When you learn to carry the cross, the flesh can’t rob you of your joy.

You are removing the barriers to a truly joyful life.

3. God will Exalt You.

4. Greater Effectiveness in Ministry.

Brokenness precedes fruitfulness.

Everybody wants to sign up for power. But you can’t have resurrection power until you sign up for your cross.

5. You will get to Know God Better.

Phil 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection

- The desire if the Spirit is that the intellect, the will, and the emotions, function dependent upon God.

- When the Holy Spirit shows us ourselves:

The flesh will always look to rationalise.

The flesh likes to live in denial.

The flesh will try to make a vice a virtue.

The flesh will try to spiritualise everything.

· When Jesus said to you take up your cross daily, He is calling you to an experience that will take time.

· It takes a lifetime to become a mature follower of Jesus.

· God loves us too much to leave us as we are.

The flesh is the intellect, will and the emotions of man, functioning independently of God.

The desire of the Spirit is that the intellect, the will, and the emotions, function dependent upon God.

The way we deal with that flesh, is by daily bearing our cross.

Paul: In my hardship I see myself dying to the flesh, so that more of Jesus can be revealed in me.

Paul: I have learned that safety and satisfaction, are not found in a place, they are only found in Jesus.

God never meant for you to find your happiness in circumstances.

The Spirit teaches us that sorrow is an opportunity for freedom.

The Holy Spirit will help you.

Your flesh cannot, and will not, deny or crucify itself.

It wants to have God’s salvation, but it wants to be in control.

If you are committed to dying to self and walking in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit will use people to accomplish that in your life.

God will use people to show you where you need to take up the cross.

One of the places where God exposes us to ornery people is in the church.

In Paul letters he shows us people in three categories:

He talks about the Natural man.

He talks about the Carnal man, or Fleshly man.

He talks about the Spirit-led man.

Often the most miserable people I come across, are fleshly/carnal believers.

If you are going to follow Christ go all the way.

There are 3 forces that constantly wage war against us.

John calls them: the World, the Flesh, and the Devil.

The most destructive is our own flesh.

What does the term “Flesh” mean?

“Flesh” is human intellect, human will, and human emotion, acting independently of God.

The Spirit gives life but the flesh counts for nothing.

True Christian worship is doing what God wants.

Christ broke the power of sin over you.

In Christ you’re not the same person you used to be.