"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." Psalm 51:10-12

“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:25-32

Helping broken people treasure Jesus.

Broken People Pray

1. Create in me a clean (_______) heart, oh God.

“Give what you command, and command what you will.” Augustine (d. 430)

What do you want the Lord to do in your life?

2. Renew/repair a right (unwavering, durable) spirit within me.

“Bring me back to the place of obedience that formerly marked my life.”

3. Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” John 7:38-39

The Holy Spirit

Old Testament                                                                                    New Testament

1. The Holy Spirit dwelled among                                                1. The Holy Spirit is irrevocably

His people, but not in all individual                                                 given to believers.

believers. Therefore, the tabernacle                                             (1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14)

and temple worship was central in                                                  

the OT because it was the dwelling

place of the living God.

(Psalms 84:1-4, 10 & 27:4)

2. The Holy Spirit was given to                                                  2. The Holy Spirit empowers

individuals in an extraordinary                                                     Christians with gifts for

anointing for specific works of                                                     kingdom service/advancement.

ministry and for a definitive time.

(Numbers 11:11-17, 25-26, 29)

3. There was an anticipation of a                                                3. The Holy Spirit was

future, Universal outpouring of the                                                poured out at Pentecost.

Holy Spirit.

Christ fulfilled all of the Old Testament promises. (John 4:21-23)

Because of the death of Jesus on the cross and the Holy Spirit poured out at Pentecost, believers cannot “lose” the Holy Spirit-but the Spirit can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30).

“As the Holy Spirit dwells in us, to him every part of our soul and of our body ought to be devoted. But if we give ourselves to that which is impure, we may be said to drive him away... Endeavour that the Holy Spirit may dwell cheerfully with you, as in a pleasant and joyful dwelling, and give him no occasion for grief... As God has sealed us by his Spirit, we grieve him when we do not follow his guidance, but pollute ourselves by wicked passions. No language can adequately express this solemn truth, that the Holy Spirit rejoices and is glad on our account, when we are obedient to him in all things...” John Calvin, Commentary on Ephesians 4:30

We can grieve the Spirit or limit his ability to empower us and bring joy when there is a gap between what we are called to do and what we do.

We call forth the power of the Holy Spirit when…(from Ephesians 4)

1. We speak the truth in love. (v.25)

2. We realize that we are members of one another and pursue vital relationships. (v.25)

3. Anger is confessed and forsaken. (v.26)

4. We no longer steal, but work in order to be generous with those in need. (v.28)

5. We labor to have helpful speech rather than harmful/corrupting speech. (v.29)

6. A bitter, resentful, harsh spirit is discarded.

7. Wrath or settled indignation does not mark our lives.

8. Anger/outbursts of rage are fled from.

9. Clamour/shouting or screaming is avoided.

10. We do not slander/disrespect, but give a good report regarding those around us.

11. Malice is avoided.

When we treasure Jesus enough to live in the above fashion, we are calling out, “Come, Holy Spirit!”

QUESTIONS:

1. How can we adapt Psalm 51:11 to our understanding of the power of the Spirit today?

2. Why do Christians struggle with anger, corrupt talk, slander?

3. How is the reality of Christ the fulfillment of the sacrificial system in temple worship? (John 4:21-23, I Peter 1:18-21, Hebrews 9:11-14)

4. How do we live in such a fashion that we call out, “Come, Holy Spirit!”?  

NEW CITY CATECHISM

Q 36: What do we believe about the Holy Spirit?

A: That he is God, coeternal with the Father and the Son, and that God grants him irrevocably to all who believe.

Q 37: How does the Holy Spirit help us?

A: The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, comforts us, guides us, gives us spiritual gifts and the desire to obey God; and he enables us to pray and to understand God’s Word.