– The Power Up Series –
HOLY SPIRIT . BREATHE . LOVE BY FAITH . TELLING OTHERS
*WHAT DO YOU THINK?
- Our relationship with God is a lot like breathing.
- Take a deep breath.
- What is happening when you breathe in?
- What is happening when you breathe out?
Our relationship with God is a lot like breathing. There is good that you need to take into your life spiritually, and bad that you need to get out of your life spiritually. Today we’re going to talk about that – we call it SPIRITUAL BREATHING.
*WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT THIS?
1. Read Ephesians 5:18. What two things does the writer talk about in this verse?
2. How does being drunk affect a person’s thinking, speech and actions?
3. Just as we think, say and do things we normally wouldn’t when drunk, we think, say and do things we normally wouldn’t when we’re filled with the Spirit. Read Galatians 5:22–23 and Acts 1:8. What are some of the things we should expect to see in our lives when we’re filled with the Spirit?
*HOW DO WE APPLY THIS TO OUR LIVES?
We all get off track with God every day. Spiritual Breathing is a practice that can help us keep Jesus at the center of our lives. Here’s how it works…
EXHALE
When you recognize that you’ve sinned, immediately confess your sins to God. This is like breathing out the bad air that could poison you. You could pray something like this…
“God, I __(lied, stole, etc)__. That was sin. I’m sorry. Thank you for forgiving me.”
INHALE
Next, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and help you to live the way God wants you to live. You can’t live like that on your own, it’s just too hard. We all need the Holy Spirit’s power to do it. You could pray something like this…
“Please give me your power to not do it again. Fill me with your Spirit and help me know that I am forgiven.”
TRUST
Trust that God has forgiven your sins and is filling you with His Holy Spirit. Saying the words of a prayer isn’t the important part. Your faith that God has forgiven you and gives you His power is what really matters.
REPEAT
We sin multiple times a day. Practice Spiritual Breathing whenever you recognize that you’ve sinned.
4. So, how do you EXHALE?
5. How do you INHALE?
6. How often do you think you should Spiritually Breathe?
*The picture at the top of the page is a simple sign that points people in the right direction and keeps them on the right path.
*7. How do you think the simple act of “Spiritual Breathing” can help us stay on the right path with Jesus?
*8. Take a minute for silent prayer. If you’d like to have Jesus in control of your life, ask him to fill you with his Spirit right now.
One last thought about being filed with the Holy Spirit:
Sometimes you feel it, Sometimes you don’t.
If we are flying in a plane, we need to place our faith in the trustworthiness of the plane and pilot. Our feelings of confidence or fear don’t affect the ability of the plane to transport us, but they do affect how much we enjoy the flight. In the same way, we don’t depend on feelings or emotions to tell us if we’re filled with the Spirit; we place our faith or trust in the trustworthiness of God and the promises of His Word. Whether or not you feel anything, we can be confident that God has forgiven us and is filling us with His Spirit if we ask Him.
What ideas do you have that could improve this study? Are there creative things you do to bring this topic home to your students? Please share with the community clicking the FEEDBACK button or leaving a comment below.
