And I appreciate the music tonight. It wasn't a blessing. And those who sang and played, I appreciate that. 1 John chapter 4 and verse 4. Stand with me as you turn. We're going to read this verse. And tonight may feel more like a Sunday school lesson than a message, but I'll be honest, I think that's about what my voice has got, all right? But 1 John chapter 4, verse 1, and it says in 1 John chapter 4 and verse 1, Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they have God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know you the spirit of God, every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come. And even now already, is it is it in the world? Verse four year of God, little children, and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in Read that verse aloud with me, would you? Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Lord, we love you and we thank you for this passage of Scripture and what it tells us about you and about your Holy Spirit and His working in our life. And I pray that as we look more at Him and what He does in our life, I pray that you would feed us from your Word. I pray, Holy Spirit, that you'd speak to our heart. Lord, maybe we have grown far from you and maybe we quenched the Spirit or grieved Him. Lord, just not acknowledge him as working in our life. I pray that as you, as the word of God is delivered to us tonight, that our hearts and mind would be open to it, and that your Holy Spirit would stir in our midst. We love you, and we ask these things in Jesus' name, amen. You may be seated. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. We use that verse often, and it's such a needed verse. I think of the context it's in. Boy, there's an antichrist in the world. There's a spirit of the antichrist, and God cautions us that some, in the latter days, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits. Well the old devil's out there, he's got his minions, doctrines of devils, and boy he's a liar and trying to deceive and tempt folks and move them away from God. But God gives us this incredible promise, greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. And the one that moved in and took up residence in your heart and life is greater than any opposition you're going to face in life. John chapter 14, 16 through 17 says, And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him, but ye know Him. for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. And I'm thankful for that gift of the Holy Spirit. I want to look tonight at just his work, what he does in our life. And it's more of a, as I said, it may feel more like a Sunday school class and on purpose because you have to understand the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and what foundation you stand on if you're going to lean into his work. And it can't just be something that maybe isn't a feeling or emotion, though the Holy Spirit does, I think, love, joy, peace. Those things are, do have an emotional element to them, don't they? But it's not that alone. We have to stand upon the truths of Scripture. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. I want you to look at, first of all, His ministry and history. And you may have to write some of these down. I'll go quickly. But in Genesis chapter 1, we were there already this morning. It says, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the waters. And God said, Let there be light. And there was what? There was light. Psalms 104, verse 30, Thou sendest forth Thy Spirit. They are created, and Thou renewest the face of the earth. Boy, God used His Holy Spirit. His Holy Spirit worked in the course of creation. God spake, the Spirit moved, and this world came to be. And His work in creation, I think about His work in the inspiration of Scripture. 2 Peter 1, verses 19-21 says this, We have also a more sure word of prophecy. Aren't you thankful for that book that you have in your hand? Sixty-six books, divinely inspired by God, given by way of the inspiration of God. Holy men of God spake as the Holy Spirit moved them. He said, right, and they wrote. He gave them the word of God. I think of the scripture where it says, man doesn't live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God. Not one jot nor one tittle shall in any ways pass from the law till all be fulfilled. I'm thankful for an inspired, preserved word of God. The word inspiration doesn't mean like we might use it today, as if some athlete is inspired extra emotionally to play to a higher level, but it means to be God-breathed, to be God-breathed. When you form a word, you breathe through your mouth and you form those words through your lips and your tongues. And it means God breathed those words to those men and gave them the very words of God to write. The Lord himself will confirm this in Mark chapter 12, verses 35 through 37. It says, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said, By the Holy Ghost. The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore himself calleth him Lord, and winces he then his son, and the common people heard him gladly. In the middle of that teaching on one doctrine that the Lord would use, God would give us another truth when he said, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said, By the Holy Ghost. The Lord himself spoke of David, and he said, you know, when David was penned to write and when he wrote in those psalms, who was it who moved him? Well, the Holy Spirit of God moved him. As that psalmist began to sit down and write those words, they weren't the words of David. Rather, they were the words of God on high by way of his Holy Spirit. When you pick up this book in your hand, God used men as pens, but the Holy Spirit and God is the author. This book is unlike any other book. It's unlike any other book on the shelf because it's given to us by God. And he could have written many other things, the Bible tells us, but these are the ones that he knew we needed. Don't neglect that book. If you're looking for the work of the Holy Spirit, I'll tell you where to start. Start with his Word, right? You want to know what the Holy Spirit has to say? Go ahead and go to what he's already written down, friend, the Word. And we see that he's moved in history and creation and then scriptures and we see him work in the lives of people. I think of Basaliel in Exodus chapter 31 verses 2 through 3, that one that God would use to help build the tabernacle of the Old Testament. See I have called by name Basaliel, the son of Uriah, the son of Hur, the tribe of Judah. and hath filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, in all manner of workmanship. God needed a man to help build, and he gave the directions to Moses, but he needed a man to help to build those things around the tabernacle, the furniture, and this is the man. And how was it God used him? Well, God gave him a special wisdom by way of the Holy Spirit. I think of Gideon in Judges chapter 6 and verse 34. It says, But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and blew a trumpet, and Ebenezer was gathered after him. Why was it Gideon was so successful in battle? Was it his wisdom and his might? When God said, A mighty man of valor? No, friend, he might have faith in God, but it was the Spirit of God that worked. Samson in Judges chapter 14, 5 through 6 says, Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath. And behold, a young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid. And he had nothing in his hand, but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. Talk about a man who could walk in the flesh and walk in the spirit, depending on where he was at with God, right? But God worked, and He moved, and history passed. We see Him in creation. We see Him in the inspiration of God's Word. We see Him in the lives of people. We see Him in the early church. If you take your Bible here and go to the book of 1 Corinthians, and in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, there towards the end of the chapter, in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, in verse 8, this chapter that has much to say about charity or love and the way it is supposed to be. In verse 8, it says this of 1 Corinthians chapter 13, charity never faileth. But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail. Whether there be tongues, they shall seeth. Whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know even as also. I am known, and now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity. He begins to say charity never faileth. He said the greatest in the beginning of the chapter. He said though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity, I am become a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. It may sound nice, but there's nothing behind it. And what does he say will cease? Well, he says certain gifts will cease. He says there in that verse, he says, prophecies, they shall fail. Tongues, they shall cease. Whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. He's given a glimpse that those tongues and those sign gifts that God gave to the early church and I think of Peter and James would walk by, and Silver and Golan have I none, but such as I have, I give thee, rise up and walk in the name of Jesus. And the giving of Scripture, God gave those men unique. They're still giving the revelation of the Word of God and inspiring them to write the Word of God. But he says, when that which is perfect, he said, but when that which is perfect, he says in verse 9, for we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is part shall be done away. He said they only had a part. Well, what is the perfect thing that has come? Well, 1 Peter 1, 19-21 says, we have also a more sure word of prophecy, amen? Aren't you thankful for a more sure word, a perfect word of God? You and I have the complete canon of scripture. Friend, you don't need me to come up with some extra word of knowledge from God, because God has given you all that he's gonna say in his word. And his Holy Spirit leads through his word. But when that which is perfect That is the Word of God. He said this in verse 11, When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, and thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. Now, that's not a bad verse to apply to becoming a man, but that's not really the direct application. The direct application is, hey, when they didn't have the completed Word of God, it was like being a child. They didn't have it all. They saw through a glass darkly, but when that which is perfect has come. Mature. in their faith, God had given them the completed Word of God. I'll tell you something, the Holy Spirit of God moved there in that early church, those sign gifts, and did tremendous things, but I'll tell you something, he's not going to give you any extra words of knowledge. If you want God's Word, run to his Word. His Holy Spirit leads and directs and guides through the Word of God his work in times past. I think of this though, I think of his ministry in salvation. Go back to John if you would, John chapter 16 and look what he did for you when you came to know Christ. In John chapter 16 verse 7 he says of his work in the world, he said this, nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go. Turn two pages at once there, go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he has come, he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Boy, that Holy Spirit's working in this world and in your life before you came to know him. He reproves the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. I think of Hebrews 4.12, Do you remember when you got saved? That first thing, for all have what? Sinned and come short of the glory of God. Who was it who convicted you of the core of your being and said, you are a sinner, right? Who was it who may be brought to your attention even as the gospel was being given and as the sins of your life and brought your nature to you and reflected in you and you reflected in your heart? I am a sinner. The Holy Spirit of God. By way of the Word of God and what he does in our world. As he convicts. I think of this, I think of that conviction but he also glorifies the Son. Let's get down here in John chapter 16 to verse 13 and look at what it says here. How be it when he the spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth for he now shall not speak of himself for whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will show you things to come. He shall what glorify me for he shall receive of mine and show it unto you. He will. He shall glorify me. In John chapter 15, 26 through 27, he said, but when the comforters come, whom I will send to you by the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeded from the Father, he shall testify of me. Boy, I think of the working of the Holy Spirit, it is he that testifies of the Lord. I think when it comes to it, as someone shares the gospel of Jesus Christ, that Holy Spirit of God by way of the Word of God that convicts a man to his heart that he is a sinner, and who is it that convicts a man to his heart and speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ? What's the Holy Spirit of God? As the gospel is given, as the word, I believe this, friend, when you're sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, you're not working alone, right? We're not working alone. God convicts the man of sin. That's why, I'll tell you something, that's why when you talk to a lost world, you can talk about Santa who nobody believes in and nobody gets upset about, right? Well, you could talk to some people about Jesus and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some people won't get bothered, right? And why is it? Because someone poked them all the way to the core of who they were to their heart. Someone went all the way to the depths and said, you're a sinner and there is a savior and his name is Jesus. And some receive him with gladness and cry out with joy and receive him and others. He is a stumbling block, too, and they stumble over him and they reject him. Boy, when that Holy Spirit of God moves by way of the Word of God, you've got to do something. You either get further from God or closer to God, but something's going to happen. The Holy Spirit of God, when you came to know Christ, He convicts us of sin. He convicts us of righteousness of His Word. He quickens the believer that puts their trust in the Lord. I like what Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3 verses 3-8. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of a water, that's a fleshly birth, and of the Spirit, that's a new birth, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That's who you were before salvation. And that which is born of the spirit is spirit. That's what happened the moment of salvation. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth. So is everyone that is born of the spirit. I think of the verse where it says that you were dead in trespasses of sins, but you've been quickened in the moment of salvation as God, as the Holy Spirit of God moves in and convicts your heart of sin and moves in and convicts your heart of Jesus and by faith you put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Spirit of God by which we are quickened and made alive. Born again, I picture that in Genesis chapter two and in Genesis chapter two in verse seven when God formed man it says this, and Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul. And John, in Genesis chapter 126 he says, let us make man our image and in this verse he gives us a little further explanation of how it is. He made us of the dust of the ground. He formed us of the dust of the ground. And there you are, there Adam was, just a vessel and the Lord breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul. Think of that spiritually speaking before you knew Christ, dead in trespasses of sin, a child of wrath and disobedience destined for an eternity separated from God. A sinner is who you were, a sinner is what you did and hell is where you were headed. In a moment that Holy Spirit of God convicted your heart of sin. of righteousness and of the son of God. And you put your by way of faith, put your trust in God. The Holy Spirit of God moved in and quickened you. Born again to as many as received him, to them gave you the power to become the sons of God. The scripture reminds us that he seals us. I love that verse in John 14, 16 through 17. And I will pray the father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you. Guess for how long? Forever. That moment when you were quickened, when you were made alive, when that Holy Spirit of God moved in, for how long did He say He was going to be there for? Ever, right? Forever. He said, I'm going to move in and I'm going to take up residence and I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Ephesians 1 in verse 13 says this, In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. And the very next verse in that chapter refers to him as the earnest of our inheritance. If you've ever bought a house, you know what it is, you put in an offer and you put your earnest money down, right? Your earnest money down that you're buying that house. And here it is, you know what the earnest is on eternity? The Holy Spirit of God. And guess what he said? I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. He's never broken his contract. He is the earnest. The work of the Holy Spirit and salvation. Boy, you can see God's work through way of the Holy Spirit, through history, creation, the inspiration of the Word of God. Old Testament saints, that Holy Spirit of God came and went. The early church, as God established and gave those sign gifts to say, this is my church, as he made that transition from the temple and the tabernacle, the Old Testament, the Old Testament law to the church of today, as he gave us the inspiration of the word of God, and he gave those incredible sign gifts, but he says, that's gonna stop in one day, and that's when it's gonna stop, is when you and I have the completed word of God. And friend, tonight, you have the complete word of God. If you wanna know what God had to say on this life, you've got what he said in your hand right now. If in all not only that, but he said he said in that scripture that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished under what good works, all good works. That Bible speaks on all good works in all of life was given by way of the Holy Spirit of God. And he saved your soul. He convicts our hearts of sin, and by the way, if you're saved, you still feel is convicting on sin, don't you? Probably more so than before salvation, right? Before salvation, you can walk in and out of this life and do your things. And there was no Holy Spirit to bother you. Your flesh kind of felt at home. The moment you were saved, that Holy Spirit of God moved in and took up residence. And when you do wrong, it kind of bothers him. He'll make you miserable. Friend, if you don't get miserable in sin, then you may not be a Christian. If sin doesn't make you miserable, there might be a problem. But he convicts our heart. He does that saving work. And we see this, we see his ministry in the believer's life, what he does in our life today. Look at John chapter 14 and verse 26 and look what the Bible says he does for us. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you what? All things. and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you." There's one of the verses we get for the canon of Scripture and God was speaking to His disciples directly. He said, I'm going to remind you of some of these things. One of some of my favorite chapters in all the Bible are John chapter 14, 15, 16, and 17 and that last conversation of the Lord Jesus with His disciples. before he went down to the Garden of Gethsemane. And chapters 14 and 15 and 16 deal with that conversation. And chapter 17 deals with his prayer with them and his prayer for us, by the way, it says, and all those that would believe on him through him. So if you want to see how God prayed for you, read John chapter 17. And you'll see how Jesus prayed for you. But how did John, some 70 years after the event happened, How could John, some 70 years after this conversation, come back and write with such detail on what happened that night? Friend, if you asked me about a conversation I had last week, I could not give you the detail we find in this chapter. Where did that come from? Well, the Holy Spirit of God is where it came from. He brought it to the remembrance and said, John, write. John, if you will, a fisherman, a tradesman. When the men of the, when the Sanhedrin saw them, when the council saw them, they looked, they said they were immigrant and unlearned men. Didn't mean they were dumb men, they were just tradesmen. They weren't like Paul or Luke, the physician. They were tradesmen. But they could tell something about them is they had been with Jesus, right? And John would write some of the, one of the most wonderful books, this book, with a 600 word vocabulary, and give some of the most profound truths in all of scripture. Why? Because it wasn't John's words. And God brought it to his remembrance. And God, that same Holy Spirit that gave him the Word of God is the same Holy Spirit that teaches us. Friend, if you've been saved, you've got a divine teacher in your heart. I'm thankful for pastors and teachers and evangelists and all those things that come and expound and open the Word of God. This was supposed to happen in the church. But if you've just got someone passing on information, you're in trouble, you need the one that comes in between, and that's the Holy Spirit of God. He teaches. He teaches, he comforts. Acts chapter 9 and verse 31, let me give you this verse. It says, Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied. And in the comfort of the Holy Ghost. That was Acts chapter 9 and verse 31. So they walked in the comfort. Isn't that an amazing statement? This was a persecuted church. Matter of fact, if you read Acts chapter 8, The church was scattered. They were being scattered, and yet these folks knew some rest, probably some temporary rest from persecution, but more than anything, the comfort of the Holy Spirit of God. I love in John chapter 14, 15, and 16, when speaking of the Holy Spirit, he speaks of his comfort. Kind of reminds you of Galatians chapter 5, 22 through 23, doesn't it? But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Kind of sounds like comfort, doesn't it? Love, joy, peace, gentleness, meekness, temperance. Who is it that provides those things? It's not provided through circumstance. It's provided by way of His Holy Spirit. I'll just, in all honesty, friend, when we're lacking joy, When we're when we're lacking peace, you know who we need. It's the presence of somebody. It's the Holy Spirit of God filling and stirring. I can promise you something about life. There will be hard times, won't there? There will be struggles. There will be trials. There will be hardship, physical hardship. There will be spiritual hardship. There will be the trials of life inside of family and workplaces and health. And all of these things come. But there's one who will never leave thee nor forsake thee, and it's the Holy Spirit of God. He comforts. He comforts in our life. I like it in Romans 5 through 5, it says this. And not only so, but we glory in tribulation also. Boy, there's a statement, right? Knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. And hope maketh not a shame, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. He comforts. There's a comfort he provides. He intercedes for us. In Romans 8, verse 26, it says, Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. He's interceding for me. He's ever interceding. Aren't you thankful that you've got someone there in glory who's interceding on your behalf? You know, I know this about my prayer life. I don't always know what I need. I sometimes think I know exactly what I need, but you ever pray? You know, we pray sometimes for things that we met that may be next month or next year. And in reality, we may not see next month or next year. You know, oftentimes the things that we pray for and yet the very thing we need that day is really not even on our prayer list sometimes. I try to make a habit in my devotional time just to pause and say, Lord, is there something I need to pray for today? Is there something that you would have for me to lift up before you? And just give him that opportunity to speak to my heart. But you know he intercedes for us on our behalf. He intercedes for us. He calls the ministry. Acts chapter 13, one through three, it says this. Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers, there's Barnabas and Simeon, that is called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene and Manan. which had been brought up with Herod the tetraarch, and Saul, as they ministered to the Lord and fasted. The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away. It says, And the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. Boy, he calls the ministry. I remember the day for me. It was at Shawnee Baptist Church there in Louisville, Kentucky, and I remember that message, and I remember I had separate plans and different plans, and I remember that message, and I remember the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart. I didn't put you in this world to be a soldier. I didn't put you in this world to be a businessman. I put you here to be a preacher. The Holy Spirit of God. I'll tell you, friend, you better pay attention or you might miss what He has for you. If you don't pay attention to what He has for you, you might miss it. The Holy Spirit of God calls to ministry. In the book of Acts, we see this. He said, separate unto me. I believe this, whether ministry or life, God has something for you today or tomorrow. There's there's a call. God's got a direction for your life. He calls the ministry. He directs the believer in their life. In Acts 16, verses 6-7, it says, Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and through the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to go to preach the word in Asia, and they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go unto Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered them not. Acts 8, 29, Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot. In one verse, he says, don't go. In the other verse, he says, go. That's the Holy Spirit directing them in their life. The Holy Spirit directs us in your life. I can tell you this, friend. Tomorrow, as you go about your day, the Holy Spirit of God has something for you. You know, I don't believe that God wastes time, right? You know, of all the things that you get in life, you can make more money. You can gain more knowledge. But you never get time back. You never get it back. Once it's spent, it's spent. And I believe this, every moment that God gave me, he gave me on purpose. And he's given me somebody to direct me. It's the Holy Spirit of God in our life. To be sensitive to his leading, to seek his will. I know you have things that are laid out before you that are the routines of life according to the large direction the bigger picture of God's direct will, but don't miss what he has for you in the day. The person he has for you to share the gospel with, or there could be an encouragement to or to pray for. The leading of God. He equips, he empowers and equips the believers. You know the verse pretty well, Ephesians 5 verse 18. And be not drunk with wine where it's in excess, but be what? Filled with the Spirit. He's talking about everyday living, isn't he? Because you can know by the context. Because that's verse 18, and just a few verses down, you're gonna see him say about wives, submitting yourselves unto your husbands, even as unto the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for us. Children, be obedient unto your parents. Fathers, provoke not your children into wrath. Talks about a master and an employee's relationship, the relationship of an employee or a master over a servant, and a servant towards a master. And even in the case of a lost one. And in each occasion, you know what is needed? The Holy Spirit of God in your life. I will tell you this, for everyday Christian living, you need his working in your life. You need him. You need him for the comfort, you need him for the teaching in his word, and you're gonna need him in the workplace. What are you gonna do with that guy that you work with that really tries to test your temperance, right? Gentleness, long-suffering, patience. What about when you run out of your own joy? and you need His joy. What about that leading? I'm not talking always about, what about, sometimes there is a need to be firm in something. Well, what about being Holy Spirit-led firm, right? Hey, Dad, you know the Bible said not to provoke your children into wrath, but to bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord? You know there's a right way to correct and there's a wrong way to correct? Do you seek God's face on being a parent? I'm gonna tell you this, if you're gonna be a godly parent, the parent God wants you to be, you're gonna need Him to do so. You don't need him to do so. Friend, you and I can adjust behavior, but only God can touch the heart. Friend, you know, I am always thankful for the day when my children come to know Christ for two reasons. There's a sense of relief that their eternity is sure, right? But I also know that Holy Spirit of God moved inside and took up residence. And all of a sudden, it's not just me working from the outside, it's the Holy Spirit of God working from the inside. See, you can control an environment as a parent, but you cannot shape their heart. You can put the Word of God into their life. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. And you can ensure they have the Word of God in their life. And you can get them into places where it's being taught and where it's being preached. And you can ensure that at home you're leading towards the Word of God. And you can create an environment, if you will, to bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. And you can discipline according to the scripture, and not sparing the rod and disciplining in a direct way. But there's only one who can reach the heart. It's only one, and you will need Him. You will need Him. We're not careful. We try all of the exterior things. And friend, you can shape behavior, but well-behaved people go to hell. Well-behaved people go to hell. It's only the saved that see eternity. You must touch a person's heart, and only God can do that. We need the Holy Spirit of God moving in our homes and in our lives, and it's the, he's the one that works. We get to affect the outer, but only Christ, only the Holy Spirit reaches the heart. We need him in ministry. I like what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2, one through five. And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech and of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of men's wisdom, but in the demonstration of the spirit and of the power that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. This is Paul, friend. If there was anybody who could come in excellency of speech and wisdom, And there was anybody who was the educated one out of all of them, right? We see Luke, the physician, a doctor. We see Matthew, a tax collector. We see Peter, James, and John, and fishermen. And we see these everyday men serving God and the Holy Spirit of God upon them and God using them. And then along comes Paul, this man who was educated, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee of Pharisee, who knew the law better than them all. And if there was anybody who could wax eloquent, it was Paul. But guess what Paul said? No. He said, I didn't come with you, Excellency, to give speech and wisdom. I knew this, that can touch a man's head. But in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, because I don't want your faith standing in the wisdom of men. But in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ye must be born again. Holy Spirit of God, isn't it amazing that in our culture, and don't get me wrong, I believe in being well prepared and all those things. I spoke with someone recently, they asked me and it kind of reminded me, I talked with a guy, he's a pastor, he's only been a pastor two years, Josh Stewart. And I was on the phone with him and he asked me this question. He goes, now, you've been in the ministry a lot of years. And I was like, what? All right. You talk with my father. Right. OK. And then I thought, well, it's been 20. All right. So a little over 20. But then he said, what is something that you would say that I need? And I said, this verse. I said, I know a mistake that I see happening over and over in our time. Give me the best PowerPoint. The newest graphics. The modern tools. The best phrasing. We have conferences and all kinds of things. And if someone's not careful, I told him, if someone's not careful, you'll spend more time on those things and not get God. And your faith won't stand in a PowerPoint, in a graphic, in a program. It must be the Holy Spirit of God. It must be. You will find something on your knees that you will never find in your labor. And that is God. God. I tell you something, friend, he works. He's always has been and he always will be. He was there in creation because he was there before creation. This book that you hold in your hand, cherish it because it is the word of God. Not only is it the word of God, but it's the word of God that he knew you needed, because he could have written a whole lot more. He's worked. In lives of the Old Testament, he's worked in the early church. And friend, he hasn't stopped working. Friend, if you open up your Bible, he'll teach you from it. If you need comfort, he will give it. He intercedes for you before the throne of God on your behalf. He calls to ministry and directs in your life. Friend, he empowers and equips for everyday Christian living and for the ministry of the word. So what do we do? I think a few things. I'm just gonna be done here. Seek him. Ephesians 5.18 says, and be not drunk with wine where is excess, but be what? Filled. There needs to be a seeking to be filled, doesn't there? Dear Lord, here I am. Fill me. I'm yielded. Friend, he's there, if you know Christ as your savior. He moved in on the day of your salvation. You don't get any more of him than you've already got. But he can sure get more of you than he's got. And there is a seeking. There is an opening up of my life and is it living that lived according to his word and allowing him to transform me by his word? There's a listening ear. First Thessalonians five and verse 19 says this quench, not the spirit. You know how you quench him? You turn the volume down. You ever turn the volume down on the Holy Spirit's conviction in your heart? He says don't, and you go ahead and do it. He says do it, and you say no. I think more often than not, we quench Him much on what we should do rather than sometimes not, and it's not necessarily that we walk willfully into sin sometimes, but we walk willfully in disobedience, not doing what He's led us to do. To quench Him, to turn the volume down on Him. Not to run to His word through which He speaks. And he's said a lot right here. But do you pay attention? To quench him. Cleansing. Ephesians 4 in verse 30 says, And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Grieve not. How do you grieve him? Sin. In that passage, he specifically lists wrath and bitterness and anger and all those things. Sin. You grieve him by sin. I've been married now 16 years. Can I tell you what? I know how to make that lady mad, right? Sometimes I try to do it on purpose, right? Okay, no, I don't do that. And I don't do that. Oh, maybe, all right. And no, but I know what it takes. I know how to, if you will, grieve her, right? Friend, you can grieve him. Sin. We can grieve him, we can quench him, or we can do this. We can listen to him and allow him to cleanse us of the sins that we have quenched him through or grieved him through doing. We can seek Him. So I would ask you this week, will you seek Him? Will you listen to Him? Will you allow Him to cleanse you and shape your life? And if you do something and you yield to Him, you'll find something. You'll run to the Word and say, God, teach me today. Open up my eyes to the wonders of thy law. And you'll find someone teaching. You'll find someone interceding for you as you pray. And sometimes in those times of prayer, you'll know his presence. And it'll be like that sweet hour of prayer that we sing about, right? You'll know his presence. You'll know his comfort, the love, the joy, the peace, the gentleness, the long suffering. You'll know his comfort. And you will know his power. In our homes, in our everyday living, in our churches, you'll know his direction. I don't know about you, when I get to the end of this next week, I don't wanna look back and say I got everything done that I wanted to get done. I wanna know that I got everything done that he wanted me to get done. I wanna know that I did his will with my life. And that may mean sometimes I don't do my will, but I do his. To follow his leading, his guiding, and his direction in our life. There's one called the Comforter, the one who comes alongside, the Holy Spirit of God. And if you've known Christ as your Savior, he's there inside. The question is, are you listening? Are you seeking? Are you allowing him to cleanse? Are you allowing him to fill so that you might know he's working in your life? Let's pray together. Dear Lord, we love you and we thank you for the scripture. Lord, Holy Spirit, we thank you for giving us the word of God that we can be here tonight and open up this book and know that it was given to us by God by way of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that we can know the presence of God in our heart. And I pray that as you have spoken in our heart, Lord, we would respond, that we would not turn away from the message tonight or the scripture or the working of the Holy Spirit, but we would turn into, that we'd surrender to what you have for us, we'd pay attention. Maybe there's some sin you revealed in our heart tonight that we need to confess and forsake. Maybe we've neglected you. Maybe we haven't depended upon you. But as you have spoken to our heart, I pray this evening that we would respond. Heads bowed and eyes closed. How many of you could say, I know the Lord is my Savior. I've known that convicting of the Holy Spirit unto salvation. I've received the gospel of Jesus Christ. I've put my trust in the Lord, and if I died right now, I know that I'd be with Him, because I know I'm saved. If that's your testimony, would you raise your hand just as a testimony between you and I and the Lord? Thank you. You may put your hand down. Is there anybody that's here this evening, say, Preacher, I am unsure of my salvation. Tonight, I'd sure like to make sure of it. I want to know that I'm saved and know the Lord is my Savior. Anybody like that, you'd raise your hand. Say, Preacher, that's me. Let me ask you this, Christian, how many of you would say a preacher of the Lord has spoken in my heart? I'm sure tonight, not much new in terms of the Holy Spirit of God, but you'd say a preacher of the Lord has reminded me it's fresh in my heart, God has spoken in my heart. Would you raise your hands as a testimonian? Would you stand with me as that pianist begins to play, as God has spoken in your heart, do business with the Lord, and maybe ask him tonight, when's the last time you just said, Lord, is there some area in which I haven't yielded myself over to you? Some matter of my life that I haven't surrendered? I'm sure, friend, if you let Him speak, you will, but as God has spoken your heart, do business with the Lord tonight.