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SMALL GROUP STUDY GUIDE
Message Series: The Power of the Holy Spirit
Message Title: Stronger
Speaker: Pastor Kevin Myers
Date: April 19, 2015
Icebreaker:
Share with the group a time when you tried to do something but you couldn’t pull it off.
Message Overview:
For a few minutes, PK talked to those who call 12Stone home about signing up for a Great & Awesome
Vision Conversation in order to understand the next season and all that we will do through the next
three years. Group members can visit 12Stone.com/GreatAndAwesome to sign up for a vision chat.
After a short video of stunts that turned into disasters, PK shared the story about when he was young
and lost control of his motorcycle and it climbed the stairs. He used this as an example of trying to do
something in our own strength. Most people fail to experience life to the full after becoming a
Christian because they try to live like Jesus by their own efforts without surrendering to and obeying
the Holy Spirit. Jesus said He would die, rise again, and go to Heaven but He would send the Holy
Spirit to live in each believer. When believers understand the power of the Holy Spirit, they can walk
with and live like Jesus as He lives through them. It does not work to try to change external behavior
from the outside. The Holy Spirit transforms us from the inside out, which transforms behavior.
The teaching notes are as follows: Intro: The Holy Spirit (in you) is the supernatural source of power
that makes you Stronger in your inner being. Ephesians 3:16
Three Examples of Stronger: Stronger Sight; Stronger Self; Stronger Significance.
We watched the final episode of Matt and Travis as they raced through the parking lot. Matt was on a
bicycle and Travis was on a motorcycle. Matt had pedal power and Travis had horse power—
analogies of the difference in depending on our own efforts versus depending on the Holy Spirit.
Jesus lived a holy life and performed miracles. The Bible teaches that He set aside His divinity and lived
from the power of the Holy Spirit within. Now we believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we
have access to the same power. The same Holy Spirit that indwelt Jesus – is the same who
indwells us. Pastors don’t have more of God than others; we all have the same Holy Spirit. If we are
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not experiencing that power, it is usually from a lack of surrender or lack of obedience. Whatever is
not surrendered in obedience to God clogs up the flow of the Holy Spirit into our lives.
SIGHT: In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower. He tells the people who do not
understand the story that they have eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear. PK said that he
prays for God to give him stronger sight that he might see clearly and see farther—spiritual glasses.
Spiritual glasses help us handle pressure and problems in life. Matthew 6:31 tells us not to worry. Holy
Spirit glasses help us manage pressure. They help us see people instead of things. (1 John 2) They
help us see truth in life. (Matthew 16: 23) Peter tried to correct Jesus. We often correct Jesus today by
deciding what is good and bad and what is sin or not sin. Spiritual Sight helps us see past the end of
our noses and avoid stupid behavior that can mess up our lives. Spiritual sight gives us an eternal
viewpoint that affects how we live morally, how we spend our money and time, etc.
SELF: Galatians 5:22-23 give us the fruit of the Spirit, one of which is self-control. In Acts 4 we see a
different Peter than the one who ran away and denied Jesus. He is full of courage because he is filled
with the Spirit. (Acts 4: 8) PK said that learning to be filled with the Holy Spirit saved his and Marcia’s
marriage as he surrendered to the Spirit learned self-control.
SIGNIFICANCE: Acts 8: 9-25 gives us the story of Simon, a very popular magician, who got saved and
then wanted to buy the power that he saw in Philip. He thought the Spirit existed to serve him—as we
often believe. We exist to serve the Spirit. Our significance comes from God, from how He sees us, and
because as believers we have the Holy Spirit living in us and through us. We are significant because we
are part of the Body of Christ and we are all of equal value. Our gifts from the Spirit are to serve Him
and others. But we can’t pull it off with pedal power—we need horse power.
Discussion:
(Leaders: The questions that follow are designed to stir reflection and discussion on this week’s
primary Message points. Please read through them prior to your meeting, so you can be prepared to
prayerfully pace your group well. And remember, as leader, your goal is to promote increased biblical
awareness, as well as individual self awareness – a combination that with the help of the Holy Spirit,
results in revelation and…transformation!)
•
Read aloud Ephesians 5: 16-23. What are some characteristics a person might show when filled
with the Spirit? What others can you add?
•
Share some areas of your life where you feel pressure. How do you handle the pressure? What
are some ways you can tap into the Holy Spirit’s power and see your pressures with Spirit
glasses? How will that change how you handle the pressures?
•
Read Galatians 5:22-23 aloud. First note that the word “fruit” is singular, not plural. Consider
that these characteristics are a Person, they are Jesus Himself. If we have Jesus, we have the
Spirit living in us and we “have” the fruit. Discuss how realizing this might change how the
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fruit can be experienced in your life? Where does faith come in? How could it change how
you pray?
•
Share an area of your life where you need the Spirit’s power for self-control. What steps do you
need to take to see changes from the inside out?
•
Read Colossians 3:12 and Ephesians 1:4 aloud. Discuss how our significance comes from being
chosen, from being holy and blameless before Him, and from being beloved. These are truths
about our inner being, not always true of our behavior. (There is a difference in who we are and
what we do.) How can realizing how loved and accepted we are by God change the way we
look at ourselves? How might that change our behavior?
Wrap-Up/Close:
Which of the four prayers suggested by PK do you need to pray?
1) To confess that I sometimes live as if God exists to serve me rather than existing to server
God. (Forgive me, change me)
2) Ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen my spiritual gifts so as to build up others.
3) Seek for the Holy Spirit to grant stronger self-control.
4) Seek the Holy Spirit for stronger sight.
Throughout the Week: (Optional)
Memorize I Corinthians 6: 19
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