The Holy Spirit: Power for Kingdom Living, Week 3
John M. Wallace, Jr., PhD
August 24, 2025
Sermon in a Sentence
The Holy Spirit’s presence gives us the extraordinary power we require to live the Kingdom life
Psalm 51:11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
John 14:15-17 15 “If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments. 16 And I
will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate,
Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of Truth,
whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know
Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in
you.
We’ve Got the Power: 6 Things that Happen When the Spirit Moves In
1. The Holy Spirit’s presence frees us from the power and penalty of sin
Romans 8:1-4 1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2
And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the
power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the
weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in
a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s
control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just
requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful
nature but instead follow the Spirit.
2. The Holy Spirit’s presence transforms our thinking from death to life and peace
Romans 8:5-8 5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but
those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So
letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control
your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never
did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of
their sinful nature can never please God.
3. The Holy Spirit’s presence proves we belong to Christ
Romans 8:9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit
if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the
Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)
4. The Holy Spirit’s presence gives us abundant life now, and eternal life later
Romans 8:10-11 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because
of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of
God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from
the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
5. The Holy Spirit's presence empowers us to be victors over, not victims under, sin
Romans 8:12-13 12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what
your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if
through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will
live.
6. The Holy Spirit’s presence confirms our adoption and inheritance as God’s children
Romans 8:14-18 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.15 So you
have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit
when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit
joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children,
we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to
share his glory, we must also share his suffering.18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing
compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
Application
1. Review this week’s notes
2. Join us for Wednesday night Bible study to study and pursue the power of the Holy Spirit
Can You Hear Me Now?
Holy Spirit is Speaking
Sunday, August 17, 2025
Minister Trashawnda Ward, M.Ed.
The Sermon in a Sentence: Clear hearing begins with the right connection.
Key Words:
1. Advocate—from the Latin word “advocare” which means to add a voice.
2. Teacher—instructor, one who imparts knowledge
5 Barriers to Clearly Hearing Holy Spirit’s Voice:
1. Being Controlled by Sin
Romans 8:7-9 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did
obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the
control of their sinful nature can never please God. 9 But you are not controlled
by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of
God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of
Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)
Ephesians 4:30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you
live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will
be saved on the day of redemption.
2. Stifling or Quenching (extinguishing) the Spirit
I Thessalonians 5:19, Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.
3. Feelings of Fear and Unworthiness—God won’t speak to me.
John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
4. Determining how YOU think God should speak.
Isaiah 55:8-9 My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
5. Too much noise!
II Timothy 4:3-4 3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to
sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will
look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to
hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
5 Ways to Repair Your Connection:
1. Accept that the Holy Spirit wants to be in relationship with you!
John 14:26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my
representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and
will remind you of everything I have told you.
2. Turn down the noise of the world, by renewing your mind in God’s word.
Romans 12:2 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God
transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will
learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
3, Put time on your calendar each day to spend time with God.
I Thessalonians 5:17 Never stop praying.
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my
path.
4. Ask!
Luke 11:13 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to
those who ask him.”
Matthew 7:7 7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.
Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be
opened to you.
5. Use the How to Hear from God tab at bcpgh.info, and do that exercise with the daily scripture readings.
The Holy Spirit: Power for Kingdom Living, Week 2
John M. Wallace, Jr., PhD
August 10, 2025
Sermon in a Sentence
God the Holy Spirit gives us the extraordinary power we require to live the Kingdom life
1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.
Luke 24:49 "And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven."
Acts 1:4-5, 8 NLT 4 In one of these meetings as he was eating a meal with them, he told them, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you about this before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere -- in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
7 Things the Holy Spirit Gives Us Power to Do
1. The Holy Spirit gives us power to do what Jesus did
Acts 10:37-39 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
Matthew 4:23-24 23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.
Luke 9:1-2 9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
John 14:12-17 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. 15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
2. The Holy Spirit gives us power to know what to say and when to say it
Luke 12:11-12 11 "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."
3. The Holy Spirit gives us power to understand and recall the Word
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
4. The Holy Spirit give us power to know what to do and when to do it
John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Acts 16:6-10 6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
5. The Holy Spirit gives us power to be victorious in spiritual warfare
Mark 16:17-18 17 And these signs will accompany those who do trust: in my name they will drive out demons, speak with new tongues, 18 not be injured if they handle snakes or drink poison, and heal the sick by laying hands on them."
Galatians 5:16-21, 24-25 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
6. The Holy Spirit gives us power to produce good produce
Galatians 5:22-23 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
7. The Holy Spirit gives us power to understand the things of God by giving us the mind of Christ
Deuteronomy 29:29 NLT “The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.
1 Corinthians 2:9-16 9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[c] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
The Holy Spirit: Power for Kingdom Living
Introduction
John M. Wallace, Jr., PhD
August 3, 2025
Sermon in a Sentence
God, the Holy Spirit, provides the power we require to live the Kingdom life
John 10:10 AMP The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].
Mark 1:9-13 9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
Acts 10:37-39 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
Ordinary people empowered by the Holy Spirit to do extraordinary things
Joseph
Genesis 41:38-40 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.”
Moses
Exodus 18:17-18 17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.
Numbers 11:16-18 16 The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.
Bezalel
Exodus 31:1-5 31 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.
Samson
Judges 14:6 The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done.
Saul
Samuel 10:6 The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.
Micah
Micah 3:8 But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.
Mary
Luke 1:35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
Jesus’ disciples
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Paul
1 Corinthians 2:4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but
with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power
Paul, Timothy, and all Christ Followers
2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Application
1. Spirit
Review the book of Acts, Romans and 1 and 2 Corinthians, looking for the role of the Holy
2. Join us for Wednesday night Bible study to study and pursue the power of the Holy Spirit
Disclaimer: Everyone is entitled to their opinion. We believe and teach that the Bible is God’s Word — His opinion — and provides His instruction for how to live life under His rule (i.e., the Kingdom of God).
