INTRODUCTION

Pastor Joshua shared about the Holy Spirit in us. The Holy Spirit is our inheritance – not given to just anybody, only those who hope in Christ (Ephesians 1:11-14). We have the Holy Spirit in us, not for the sake of power. The Holy Spirit is in us to transform us more and more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). When that transformation happens, we can no longer remain the same. 

DISCUSSION

1. If you have received Christ as your Lord and Saviour and believe that he died on the cross for your sins, the Holy Spirit is already in you. 

a. Read John 14:16-18. If He is already in you, are you able to recognise the movement of the Holy Spirit?

b. Which of these aspects of the Holy Spirit have you experienced for yourself – Helper, Comforter, Teacher, Counsellor, Intercessor, Strengthener, Advocate?

c. God is already talking to you through the Holy Spirit. Even in the silence, that may be a message too. Read John 16:13-14.  How has God been speaking to you?

2. Read 2 Corinthians 3:17-18. If the Holy Spirit’s work is to prune and mould us so that we become more like God, how do you think we are doing in that journey today? In what areas of your life do you sense the Holy Spirit pruning or shaping you right now?

a. Read Galatians 5:16-26. List out every example that Paul gives that is not of the spirit. 

b. Read Galatians 5:16-26. List out the fruit of the Spirit – they are not individual qualities but inseparable parts of the whole character of God. 

c. In our own strength, we might be able to develop one or two qualities of the fruit of the Spirit. But it is only through the Holy Spirit that we can grow in all aspects of the fruit. Is there one particular aspect of the fruit of the Spirit that you would like to grow in? Why?

3. Read Ephesians 1:11-14. An inheritance is a gift that the heir does not earn. It is given freely, paid for by the one who leaves it behind. Similarly, the Holy Spirit is God’s gift to us, fully paid for by Christ’s sacrifice. Yet what we have now is not the full inheritance, it is the deposit, the guarantee of what is to come in eternity.

a. Read John 16:7, 1 John 4:4, and Acts 2:17-21. From these passages, what do you understand about God’s plan in giving us the Holy Spirit?

b. What have you personally done with your inheritance of the Holy Spirit?

i. Have you been leaning on His power in your daily life, or there are areas that you are still relying on your own strength, instead of the Spirit? 

ii. How is the Spirit shaping your choices, relationships, and service? 

WHAT WILL YOU DO

One of the beautiful roles of the Holy Spirit is that of a Teacher. Jesus promised this in John 14:26 (NIV), “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

This means that as we read Scripture or reflect on devotionals, we are not left to our own understanding. The Spirit opens our eyes, deepens our insight, and helps us connect God’s Word to our daily lives. Sometimes He brings clarity, sometimes He convicts us, and at other times He comforts us with truth we may have forgotten.

As you meditate on the daily devotionals, do not just read with your mind alone. Pause and ask the Holy Spirit:

“What are You teaching me about God’s heart here?”

“How does this truth apply to my life today?”

“Is there something You want me to remember or act upon?”

In doing so, you invite the Spirit to be your Teacher, guiding you into a deeper knowledge of God and a more intimate walk with Him.

MEMORY VERSE

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4 ESV)

AN E1R1 REFLECTION

(drawn from John 15:18-27)

Many of us, especially in Asian culture, often say we are too shy to approach strangers or share the gospel. We tell ourselves, “It’s just not in our nature.” This is even harder when we feel that the people we want to reach may not welcome us, or may even reject or dislike us.

But Jesus Himself warned His disciples in John 15:18–19: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” He knew that following Him would bring challenges, rejection, and even hostility. And yet, He did not leave His disciples to face this alone.

In verse 26, Jesus makes a powerful promise: “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, He will testify about me. And you also must testify.”

Give thanks, then, because God knew in advance how much we would struggle to witness on our own. That’s why He gave us the Holy Spirit; the Helper, the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth. The Spirit does not just encourage us from the sidelines; He empowers us, gives us courage, and enables our words and actions to bear witness to Christ.

So, when we feel too shy, too weak, or too afraid, we can lean not on our personality or our “nature,” but on the Spirit who lives in us. The Spirit helps us testify, not because we are strong, but because God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.