THY GOOD SPIRIT- -NEHEMIAH 9:20

THY GOOD SPIRIT
PART 2
NEHEMIAH 9:20,

“Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.”

Introduction:

This is the second message of the series on “thy good Spirit.” The first message dealt with the Holy Spirits work in regard to His leadership, guidance in the life of the believer.

This message will deal with the more personal aspects of the Spirit in the life of the believer.

I. HE IS GOOD IN A BENEVOLENT WAY

Characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings:

A. The Spirit of God BEARS WITH THE STUBBORNESS of His people, Acts 7:51, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”

1. He is PATIENT, Exodus 34:6, “And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,”

2. He is TENDER in MERCY, Psalms 25:6, “Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.”

3. He is FORGIVING, Psalms 103:3, “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;”

B. The Spirit is KIND to God’s people, Isaiah 54:10, “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my KINDNESS SHALL NOT DEPART FROM THEE, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.”

1. The love of God for His people is an everlasting love, Jeremiah 31:3, “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

2. God has given His Word, Isaiah 51:6, “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.”

C. The Spirit’s striving with our rebellious wills, Matthew 9:13, “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

D. The Spirit trains us as a loving parent cares for his child, Psalms 142:4, “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. 5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.”

II. THE SPIRIT WORKS EFFECTIVELY

A. All his works are of the highest degree:

1. He suggests GOOD THOUGHTS, Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

2. He prompts GOOD ACTIONS, Galatians 6:10, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

a. The opportunity to redeem the time, Ephesians 5:16-17, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17- Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

b. We need wisdom in order to be able to do good in spite of Satan, Ephesians 6:13, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

III. THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS A GOOD INFLUENCE

A. They who obey Him DO GOOD.

1. Jesus, being our EXAMPLE, did the will of His Father, John 5:30, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”

2. Jesus DELIGHTED in doing the will of the Father, Psalms 40:7-8, “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8- I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”

3. He did NOT seek to PLEASE HIMSELF, Romans 15:3, “For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.”

B. They who live under his power RECEIVE GOOD, James 1:17, “Every GOOD GIFT and every PERFECT GIFT is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

1. The ACT of giving, Colossians 1:15, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:”

a. The Lord gave us a Savior, Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

b. The Lord gave us opportunity to trust Him, Ephesians 1:13, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”

2. The gift ITSELF, Romans 5:16, “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.”

a. The perfect gift of life by grace through faith in Christ, Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

b. The perfect gift of righteousness is by faith in Jesus Christ, Romans 5:17, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”

CONCLUSION

THE LEADERSHIP OF GOD'S SPIRIT- -NEHEMIAH 9:20

THE LEADERSHIP OF GOD'S SPIRIT

NEHEMIAH 9:20

“Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.”

Introduction:

Obedience is a mark of Sonship in the life of the Believer, Romans 8:14, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” That obedience is product of the leadership of the Spirit of God in the life of that individual.”

The Spirit of the Lord is responsible for our education in the Word of God and in leading the believer according to that Word. Consider the following thoughts:

I. THE SPIRIT OF GOD GUIDES US INTO ALL TRUTH

A. The Spirit of God DOES NOT SPEAK of Himself, John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

1. This the Spirit of Truth that the world does not know, John 14:17, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

2. This is Spirit that teaches us to recognize the spirit of error, 1 John 4:6, “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”

B. He reminds us of the FACTS of the life of Christ, John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

1. He leads the believer into the DEEP THINGS regarding our Savior, 1 Corinthians 2:10, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”

2. He leads us in UNDERSTANDING MAN,1 Corinthians 2:11, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”

a. The CONDITION of man’s heart, Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

b. The Lord knows that man WALKS AFTER the EVIL IMAGINATION of his heart, Jeremiah 16:12, “And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:”

II. THE SPIRIT CONTROLS THE MOVEMENTS OF BELIEVERS

A. He Directs in the SELECTION of Christian Leaders, Acts 13:2, “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”

B. He Chooses the FIELDS of Operation, Acts 16:6, “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,”

C. The Spirit directs His servants, Acts 8:39, “And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.”

1. The Spirit led in the activities of the Apostles according to His will, Acts 10:19-20, “While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20- Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

2. He leads today in our activities, Psalms 23:2-3, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3- He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

III. THE SPIRIT GIVES GUIDANCE IN THE PERSONAL LIFE OF THE BELIEVER

A. The Spirit leads into Pleasant Paths, Psalm 23:2, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”

1. In Making Decisions, Psalm 25:9, “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.”

2. He guides us with His EYE, Psalms 32:8, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

3. He guides us unto the End of Life, Psalm 48:14, “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.”

a. By Wise Counsel, Psalm 73:24, “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”

b. By His Still Small Voice, Isaiah 30:21, “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”

C. The Spirit guides us in the Midst of Uncertainties, Isaiah 42:16, “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”

1. In the way that is profitable for us, Isaiah 48:17, “Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.”

2. He goes before us, John 10:4, “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.”

3. He leads us into all Truth, John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

CONCLUSION

The Spirit of God has led the people of God in the way that they should go in every generation and has never led them astray, Psalms 85:13, “Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.”