Some keys for enjoying the gift of the Holy Spirit's presence in our daily life. Slides for a talk by Russ Fochler August 22, 2015 at Blazing Fire Church blazingfire.org. To listen to the podcast and see the slides together; go to http://blazingfire.podbean.com/e/life-in-the-spirit-russ-fochler/

1. Life in the Spirit
Russ Fochler
August 22, 2015

2. Life in the Spirit
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and
lean not on your own understanding. In
all your ways acknowledge Him. And He
will direct* your paths. Prov 3:5-6 NKJV
* ‫ׁר‬ַ‫ש‬ָ‫י‬ yâshar, yaw-shar'; a primitive root; to be
straight or even; figuratively, to be (or make)
right, pleasant, prosperous:—direct, fit, seem
good, to please, be right, make or take the way
straight, be upright(-ly)

3. Not Leaning on Our Own
Understanding?
Our understanding is often flawed and
incomplete.!
Relying on our “mental models” alone will
limit us from seeing, valuing, and
responding to what our Father is doing.!
Life flows when the Spirit of Life is our
companion and counselor.

4. Holy Spirit
“The Holy Spirit walks with us as we are, not as
we are supposed to be or as we pretend to be
on Sunday, but as we are in our strong-willed
blindness, independence, and judgment. And
“she” works in the invisible world of the heart in
order that we may encounter Jesus, and
experience — against our own prejudices — the
life he shares with us in his relationship with his
Father.”
The Shack Revisited by C. Baxter Kruger

5. Jesus and the Holy Spirit
“According to the Scriptures, Jesus
was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
baptized in the Spirit,
led and empowered by the Spirit,
given great joy by the Spirit,
cast out demons by the Spirit,
heard his Father in the Spirit,
and offered himself to his Father by the
power of the Spirit.”
The Shack Revisited by C. Baxter Kruger

6. Our Human Spirit
“The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature,
can’t receive the gifts of God’s Spirit.
There’s no capacity for them. They seem
like so much silliness. Spirit can be known
only by spirit—God’s Spirit and our spirits in
open communion. Spiritually alive, we have
access to everything God’s Spirit is doing,
and can’t be judged by unspiritual critics.”
1 Cor 2:14-15 The Message Bible

7. Life in the Spirit is:
Relational: our human spirit with God’s Spirit!
Rooted and Grounded: in God’s Love and Word !
Experiential: our senses, thoughts, imagination!
Experimental: like children, we try things out!!
Developing: we grow in trust and capacity as we
give room for the Holy Spirit and our spirit in our
daily life.

8. • Paying attention to what is happening spiritually!
• Noticing how Holy Spirit and your spirit interact with
the rest of you (through your senses, thoughts, and
imagination).!
• What do you look for — to affirm or confirm whether
the impressions you’re getting — are from Holy
Spirit?
Discernment
The ability to judge well

9. Because of Practice
But solid food is for the mature, who
because of practice have their senses
trained to discern good and evil.
Hebrews 5:14 NASB

10. Stories

11. Your Turn
• Pair-up (preferably someone you don’t know) !
• Share some of the ways you’ve noticed Holy
Spirit and your spirit interacting with the rest
of you (through your senses, thoughts, and
imagination). !
• Share a story of when you followed
impressions you thought were the Holy Spirit
- and it turned out well. Take turns

12. Follow-Through
Once we recognize the Holy Spirit is leading
us in some direction:!
Is our love and trust great enough for us to
follow-through in the face of inconvenience
and risk? !
The smaller, “private” experiences of
following the Holy Spirit’s leading — will
build relational trust and joy. And these also
prepare us for greater things….