The Helper A Study of the Holy Spirit by Catherine Marshall Part 2.3 How do I receive the Helper? Deciding to obey the Good Shepherd Page 60

How do I receive the Helper? Deciding to obey the Good Shepherd “The Lord gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him” The Spirit has been given when you choose HIM. 15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15 When you pray according to God’s will – He will answer you! James 2:17-22 Faith and Works 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18 But someone [ may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that [ God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and [ as a result of the works, faith was perfected;

John 10:1-10 Parable of the Good Shepherd “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them. 7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Psalm 23 The L ORD, the Psalmist’s Shepherd. A Psalm of David. The L ORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. 6 ] Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the L ORD forever.

Listen to the “voice” of God” It Doesn’t make sense! Parable of the fallen Mountain Climber – Let go of the rope Parable of the House on fire – Jump to the arms of the father – He will catch you! CONSCIENCE – What “voice” do you hear inside of you Discern the “Will” (voice) of God – How does God talk to you? His forgiveness is without limits! 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, Ephesians 3:16-17 Page 62: When we fail to obey God only desires that we return to Him.

The Gift of the Helper is for the Obedient page I will ask the Father, and He will give you another ] Helper, that He may be with you forever; John 14:16 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” John 14:21 23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. John 14:23 32 And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” Acts 5:32

Paul’s struggle to obey Romans 7: For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

Give praise and thanks that the power to obey is not totally up to us! Philippians 2:13 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Once we have the Spirit (Helper) – He knows our shortcomings, our weaknesses, our mistrusts and doubts! Page 63: Do Not allow discouragement and self debt allow you to lose faith in the fact that the Helper is always there for you! Becoming a Christian doesn’t make you sinless. It just makes you aware so you will try to sin less.

Helpful Reading (page 64) Acts 9: Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened. Saul Begins to Preach Christ Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”