Let us read from Genesis, Genesis chapter 24, Genesis 24, verse 1. It's the well-known history of Isaac and Rebekah. And Edezer is the man that was sent to collect the bride for Isaac. Genesis chapter 24 verse 1, Now Abram was old, well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed Abram in all things. And Abram said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, Put your hand under my thigh, that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heavens and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell, but will go to my country and to my kindred and take a wife for my son Isaac. Then to verse 10. Then a servant took ten of his master's camels and departed. taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. And then we know how he prayed and asked God to show him the right one for Isaac, the one that God chose. Verse 22, that's now after he said most that it must be a woman that gives him water and also would draw water for the camels. So he was looking for a diligent wife for Isaac, not a lazy one. So laziness is out. So, verse 22, after he now served those camels, Rebekah, verse 22 is saying, when the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring, weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for arms, weighing 10 gold shekels. And then verse 51. Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her. and go and let her be the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has spoken. When Abram's servant heard the words, he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord. And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold and garments and gave them to Rebekah. And he also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. Verse 58, And they called Rebekah and said to her, Will you go with this man? And she said, I will go. Verse 64, And Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel and said to the servant, Who is the man walking in the field to meet us? And the servant said, It's my master. And she took her veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things he had done. And then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah, his mother, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. And he loved her, and so Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. And then I just want also to read in Galatians, in Galatians chapter 5, verse 16. Galatians 5 verse 16, But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh. For these are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do. And then verse 25, If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. If we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Is this microphone right or is there something wrong? I want to speak on the theme, Ruled by the Spirit. If we read the account in the Acts, then we see that the whole church that started there after Christ, they were equipped through the Spirit. The Spirit equipped them and under the authority of the Holy Spirit. They did many signs and wonders and the greatest wonder of all, they spread the gospel and people turned to Christ. Many were added because of the work of the Spirit, the work of the Spirit through those disciples and apostles and other Christians. And now we may ask, is this truth of the Spirit working that there can be people that's turning to Christ, is it still valid for us today? And then, I know you all must say yes, but is it true in your life? Is it true in your life that the Spirit is working and that the Spirit is changing people's lives? Is it true, really, of the Church? That the Church is so empowered by the Spirit that people can turn to Christ, that the work of the devil may be broken. Perhaps just now, not finally, as we know finally the work will be broken when Christ is coming again. But in small steps there must be places where Christ is breaking through, through the power of His Spirit. Sometimes I think that the church and myself and others, we are like that dead bones of Ezekiel. And later we got some flesh on, you know. We don't look so bad anymore, but still dead. And then only when the spirit came, they stood up and there was an army. And therefore, that's why I just want to share something on this. Many times, we are satisfied to have a relationship with Jesus and the Father, but we don't take this relationship with the Spirit seriously. And therefore, our spiritual life suffers. The disciples, the apostles, they were commanded to stay in Jerusalem till they receive their special work of the Spirit. And only then they continue. They could have said, but we know Jesus. We've lived with him for three years. We know everything. But Jesus said, no, wait, wait for the one that I will send, the one that will work among you. Now, It's not about a set of rules that we must keep. It's about a relation. It's about a relationship. And just as we have a relationship with each other, we must have a relationship with the Spirit as well. And not a set of rules. But now, just to say, who is the Spirit? Because if we must have a relationship with someone, we must know who is that one. Therefore, that's the first thing. The Spirit is a person. And perhaps that's where we sometimes went wrong. We think that the Spirit is just a power, or He's just like the ancestral spirits, you know, just coming to bother us now and then at night with a dream. But that's not the Spirit. The Spirit is a person. If we read in Acts 13, verse 2, we see that the Spirit is saying, set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I called them." So it's not a power that is speaking, it's a person. Set aside for me. We read in 1 Corinthians 2 verse 11, For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of the person which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God, except the Spirit of God. So the Spirit of God knows. So He's a person. Verse 12 is saying, Now we have received not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand things freely given to us by God. So the Spirit is giving. It's a person. Verse 13 is saying, and we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom, but taught by the Spirit, interpreting the spiritual truths. So the Spirit is teaching. That's a person. So, it's the first thing we must remember, he's a person. But it's interesting, when we read the scriptures, we don't find that the scriptures are speaking about his anger. But it's speaking of his grief. So he's a humble person. He's a person that is grieved easily when we sin. He's a person that loves. Romans 15 is saying, I appeal to you brothers by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit. He makes us to love as well because he is saying in Romans and hope does not put us to shame because God love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. So the Holy Spirit wants on the basis of the sacrifice of Christ to work in us that we can love, that we can live as we must live. So the first thing is there is a person Do you know Him? Or is it just an abstract idea? Or is He a person that you know? But He is also God. We all know Acts 5 where Peter is saying, Ananias, why has Satan thought you are to lie to the Holy Spirit? And then he is saying in the next verse, he is saying, because you have not lied to man but to God. So the Spirit is God and we all know the arguments there that we can accept that He is God. So He is the Sovereign One and He is the One revealing to us God. He is the One revealing to us Christ. So we must have a relationship with a person. We must have a relationship with God. He is God. What is His task? What is the task of the Holy Spirit? Then we know that already in Genesis 1 verse 2, the Spirit was there. So He's there from all times. He's there from before time. He's there. Psalm 33 verse 6 is saying, by the word of the Lord, the heavens were made and by the breath of His mouth, all their hosts. So by the word God created, and by His breath, by the Spirit, He creates. But the Spirit is also not just creating, He's sustaining, He gives new life, and He gives skills. When we read in the Old Testament, those that built the tabernacle, it is saying He gave them skills, intelligence, knowledge. You know, sometimes we don't think that the Spirit He's involved in everyday life. He's just busy with the spiritual things then. But it's not true. He's giving us skills to live this life. Because to reach eternity we must live this life. Is that true? Yes. Thank you. I see some wants to snooze away. We must live this life. So he's giving us skills He's giving us knowledge to live this life, to do what we must do that we can be physically alive, that we can eat, and that we can sleep, and that we can do all those things. And the Spirit is the one giving to us that, so that we can reach eternal life as well. So, we must live, and He's giving us that what we need. But what I want to spend a little bit more time on is, his task is to prepare a bride for the Lord Jesus. To prepare a bride for the Lord Jesus. Now, that's why I've read that passage in Genesis, because in that passage, Abram sent his slave. He said, don't take one of these worldly girls here. Go back, get one that belong. to this family, get one day, and make sure you don't let them marry to this girls of this area, this worldly girls." And he sent them. And it is saying, he was the oldest of the slaves. So, think with me, he knew Isaac. Isaac grew up in front of him. He knows everything about Isaac. Whatever Isaac did, that man, he knew about it. All the naughty things, all the good things, he knew. Because he was the oldest of the servants in the house of Abram. And now, Abram set this great task on him. He said, you must go and you must collect a bride for me. So it serves as a picture, as a type of the task of the spirit. The Spirit that is coming to prepare a bride for the Lord Jesus. On the basis of what Christ already did, man. All this is built on what Christ did. Christ died, He paid, He made it possible. And it is the Spirit that is bringing those truths to us. To prepare our hearts, to prepare our lives that we can be taken the bride of Christ. The problem is because we are in sin, we're just like the girls there of that area, we need someone to change our lives. We need someone to come and change us, that we can become new. You know Ephesians 5 is saying, husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word." So that's what the Spirit is doing. He gave Himself up, He sent His Spirit, that His Spirit can wash us, His Spirit can get us ready to be the bride for our Lord Jesus. John 15 26 he's saying but when the helper comes whom I will send to you from the father the spirit of truth Who proceeds from the father? He will bear witness about me So if we are standing in a relation with the spirit It will not be something on its own Because the spirit will teach us about Christ and If the Spirit that you are in relation with is teaching you about other things, then you've got the wrong Spirit. The Holy Spirit will teach us about Christ. He will show us Christ because He testifies about the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit let the light fall on Christ, the crucified one. He testified that the Lord loved us. He testified to us that what Christ did for us. You know, it's like Eliezer when he was sitting there at the well. He is not the bridegroom. He's just the one sent to prepare a bride for Isaac. He was sitting there. And after he prayed, he was seeking God's advice. God, this is what I want to do. This will be the sign. And God brought the right one. And when she passed the test, he opened the gifts. And that's what the Spirit is doing. God is saying all those, Jesus is saying all those that the Father has given me, I will draw them to me. I'll draw them to me through the Spirit. So if someone is drawn by the Spirit, just like Eliezer, as soon as she passed the test, he opened the gifts. He put rings and ear things on and everything, very expensive. And so the Holy Spirit. If He is coming and showing us and opening to us the gifts of Jesus, the gift of forgiveness that we can have for our sins. Our sins can be forgiven because of what Christ did. The Holy Spirit is opening the gifts to us. He convinced us, He ensures us that we are children of God. He's working in us to show us that we are children of God. John 1 is saying, but to all who did receive Him, who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. And that is what the Spirit is doing. The Spirit is working, opening the gifts of Christ. But now, he convinced her, he worked in her, through the gifts, in Isa. And then she agrees, as we've read. But then he's not saying to her, all right, now you're on your way, you must now go to Isaac. He's somewhere there, just follow the way. No. He is accompanying her. That's the wonderful thing. If the Spirit has worked in us and the Spirit has worked conviction in us, we receive Christ. It's not that we are left on our own. It's not that we must now just on our own try to find the way. Eliezer is going after her. He is saying to the family, please release us that we can go. And he's in a hurry. Laban wants 10 days that she can know. And Eliezer is saying, no, no, no, no, don't keep me. And then they said, OK, call the girl. If she's willing, it's right. Because he's in a hurry. He wants to start to take this bride to the bridegroom. Now, think for yourself. On the way, Rebecca did not know Isaac. So they were on their way. Eliezer is caring for all her needs. He's the one making sure she's safe. He's the one making sure nothing is getting to her, no wild animal, nothing must get to her. He is protecting her. He is teaching her. And he, I'm sure, he answered her questions. What would you ask? Where's the young girls? If you're on your way to your bride. Nelly? What will you ask Eliza? Nelly? What will you ask? Nothing. No, I'm sure it's wrong. Betty, what will you ask? Who can say? Let us ask the older women, perhaps they will tell us. I will ask, is he good looking? You know, is he tall? Is he fat? Is he thin? How is he looking? Has he got black hair or red hair? Will you not ask those questions? That's what she's in a bride to be. She's on her way. Eliezer is guiding her on the way. And I'm sure she asked questions. She spoke to him. And as I've said, Eliezer knew Isaac very well. He could tell her everything about Isaac. Perhaps she was unsure because women also want security. Is he really rich? Does he really have money? Will he be able to care for me? Will He really take me? And you know, is that not what we are on our journey? If you say you are saved, you are saved through the work of the Spirit. If you have been born from above through the Spirit, then the Spirit was not just leaving you somewhere. He's saying in the text that we've read in Galatians, if we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. So we've been made alive by the Spirit. He saved us by working what Christ did for us in our lives. And now we are on our way to meet Christ in the fullness of heaven. Now that's what I mean by a relation. Do you have a relation with the Spirit? Why are you like Nelly, asking nothing? asking nothing about your bridegroom. Why are you asking? Teach me more about Jesus. Show me the way. How must I understand this word here that I just read in the Bible? How must I interpret it? Are you speaking to the Spirit, hearing His advice? Are you saying, show me again that gift of forgiveness? You know, I got this thing in me, you know, that's not leaving me. That sin that I've done there, it's not leaving, it's bothering me. Show me again the forgiveness. Are you speaking to the Spirit? That this Spirit, you're on your way. We're on our way to meet with Christ. Are you in that relation? Getting to know your bridegroom better. It is a leftist country to go and look for the bride. Now the Spirit is God, He's omnipresent, He's here and He's in heaven. I mean, Romans 8 is saying, you, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. If in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you, anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. The same Spirit that lives in the Father and the Son lives in us as well. 1 Corinthians 1.30, And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us the wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, redemption. Christ is everything for us. But sometimes we are so stupid, you know, we need someone to guide us in these truths and we have the Spirit. And now we must ask, we must receive from the Spirit. Can you see what a wonderful Redeemer we have? That's why Jesus is saying it's better for me to go, because then you can have the Spirit that can teach you and walk with you daily, teach you about me, because that's what Jesus is saying. He will teach you about me. You know, Christ is living in us. Galatians 2, I have been crucified with Christ is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. But 2 Corinthians 3.16 is saying, do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's spirit dwells in you? So Christ dwells in us through his spirit. He dwells in us. So when we are born again, the spirit, we receive the spirit and spirit is in us. He saved us, not through righteousness, but through the washing of the regeneration. The Spirit gives us that new identity in Christ, for we are led by the Spirit. We are sons of God, for we did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back in fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons. Therefore we cry, Abba, Father. Think of Rebecca again, perhaps on this way, you know, to meet a total stranger. Perhaps she was scared sometimes. And I think she just spoke to Eliezer, tell me again about Isaac. Tell me again about the bridegroom. When we are on our way to Christ, sometimes there are doubts. Sometimes there are difficulties. But we have the Spirit. We can ask, show me again. Give me again the assurance I need for this situation. And as we are walking, As we are being taught by the Spirit, we get to know our Lord Jesus better and better so that we can meet Him. And it's so, this passage, it reminded me of how it will be when we arrive there in heaven, when we die, or when Christ is coming again. There's where he's saying, where she's asking, who is that one? Is that the one that you taught me about?" And he said, yes. He said, that's my master. Is that not where we want to be and what we want to be prepared for? To meet with Christ. That Christ can say, well done, good and faithful servant. And how can we do done well if we are not guided by the Spirit? if the Spirit is not guiding us, if we are not in this relation with Him that He can teach us the way. That's why I encourage each one of us and challenge you to stand in this relation. The relation is of speaking, the relation is of knowing that we can know Christ as He has revealed Himself to us. Are you in a relation with the Holy Spirit or you just know about it? Let us pray. Lord, thank you for your word. Thank you that you've given us your spirit to be in us, to teach us about you. And Lord, teach us to walk with your spirit. We live by your spirit, Lord. You've worked new life in us. because of what you did on the cross, because the Spirit applied that to our lives. And I pray that we will walk and that we will keep in step with the Spirit. Be with us, Lord. We need you. In your name we ask it. Amen.