How to Seek the Holy Spirit
A John Piper Sermon Summary
If you were facing suffering (like having terminal cancer) or being tortured for His name, would you still trust God, willing to be His martyr? Or would you be angry with Him?
When such challenges come, if you hold onto God, He will give you the strength to endure and the resolve to magnify His name. You will be blessed with the glorious Holy Spirit resting on you (1 Peter 4:12-14).
When the Holy Spirit comes, He will:
1. Bring truth to you (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13) to fight back the forces of darkness that try to confuse you.
2. Glorify Christ in you (John 16:14).
3. Sustain your love for Christ by reminding you of His preciousness and inspire you to worship Him (Philippians 3:3).
4. Help you see your lost not worth keeping because of gaining the infinitely-better and imperishable glory (1Peter 1:23); and help you see your momentary sufferings of no comparison to the eternal glory. The Holy Spirit seals the hope in you (1Peter 5:10).
5. Overcome your doubt and strengthen your faith.
6. Give you the words to witness for Him (Matthew 10:19-20, 13:11).
7. Bring you Himself, and with Him, the Trinity God—the Father’ care, the Son’s redeeming love covering your sins, and the Spirit’s upholding your faith (2Corinthians 13:14, 1 Peter 4:14).
The Holy Spirit gives you new birth (John 3:8), enables you to confess Christ as Lord (1Corinthians 12:3), puts to death your misdeeds (Romans 8:13), helps sanctify you (2Thessalonians 2:13), gives you wisdom (Ephesians 1:17), gives life to your mortal body (Romans 8:11), and forever helps you (1Corinthians 12:7, John 14:16).
So, though we have the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9), seek more experience of Him, like seeking more faith in God. Also, “Be filled with the Spirit” is a command (Ephesians 5:18).
How to be filled by the Holy Spirit:
1. Listen to and meditate on God’s words (John 6:63). Christ’s message dwelled in you (Colossians 3:16) and filled by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-19) go hand-in-hand.
2. Believe in His words (Galatians 3:5).
3. Obey Christ’s words. Then the Father will love you, and the Trinity will make their home with you. (John 14:22-23).
4. Thirst for the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-38, Psalm 42:1-2).
Ask the Father for the greatest gift, the Holy Spirit, and you will have Him (Luke 11:9-13).
Summary of a sermon by John Piper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqgeT26BAnE
When such challenges come, if you hold onto God, He will give you the strength to endure and the resolve to magnify His name. You will be blessed with the glorious Holy Spirit resting on you (1 Peter 4:12-14).
When the Holy Spirit comes, He will:
1. Bring truth to you (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13) to fight back the forces of darkness that try to confuse you.
2. Glorify Christ in you (John 16:14).
3. Sustain your love for Christ by reminding you of His preciousness and inspire you to worship Him (Philippians 3:3).
4. Help you see your lost not worth keeping because of gaining the infinitely-better and imperishable glory (1Peter 1:23); and help you see your momentary sufferings of no comparison to the eternal glory. The Holy Spirit seals the hope in you (1Peter 5:10).
5. Overcome your doubt and strengthen your faith.
6. Give you the words to witness for Him (Matthew 10:19-20, 13:11).
7. Bring you Himself, and with Him, the Trinity God—the Father’ care, the Son’s redeeming love covering your sins, and the Spirit’s upholding your faith (2Corinthians 13:14, 1 Peter 4:14).
The Holy Spirit gives you new birth (John 3:8), enables you to confess Christ as Lord (1Corinthians 12:3), puts to death your misdeeds (Romans 8:13), helps sanctify you (2Thessalonians 2:13), gives you wisdom (Ephesians 1:17), gives life to your mortal body (Romans 8:11), and forever helps you (1Corinthians 12:7, John 14:16).
So, though we have the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9), seek more experience of Him, like seeking more faith in God. Also, “Be filled with the Spirit” is a command (Ephesians 5:18).
How to be filled by the Holy Spirit:
1. Listen to and meditate on God’s words (John 6:63). Christ’s message dwelled in you (Colossians 3:16) and filled by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-19) go hand-in-hand.
2. Believe in His words (Galatians 3:5).
3. Obey Christ’s words. Then the Father will love you, and the Trinity will make their home with you. (John 14:22-23).
4. Thirst for the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-38, Psalm 42:1-2).
Ask the Father for the greatest gift, the Holy Spirit, and you will have Him (Luke 11:9-13).
Summary of a sermon by John Piper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqgeT26BAnE