LEADER’S GUIDE

– The Power Up Series – 
HOLY SPIRIT  .  BREATHE  .  LOVE BY FAITH  .  TELLING OTHERS

Download Print Version
Student Notes

The BIG IDEA

The Holy Spirit is God and gives us power to live life to the fullest.

The PROBLEM
We don’t experience the power of the Holy Spirit because of lack of knowledge or sin in our lives.

Our RESPONSE
To understand who the Holy Spirit is and to ask him to give us power to live the Christian life.

Why THIS MATTERS
We often struggle in our relationship with God because we don’t understand who the Spirit is and what he wants to do in our lives.

I WANT MY STUDENTS TO:

• KNOW: Who the Holy Spirit is and what he has come to do.
• EXPERIENCE: The Holy Spirit as the power source of the Christian life.
• DO: Be filled with the Holy Spirit and experience his power.

The idea box is a place where you can find some creative ideas for leading this study. You might find videos, activities, or great illustrations that really bring the main point home. The ideas come from small group leaders like you, so if you have an idea that isn’t in there, click below to share it with the community!

GET AN IDEA  I  SHARE AN IDEA

*WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Omar recently became a follower of Christ, but lately he’s been having a hard time in his relationship with God. He feels grateful that God has forgiven his sins and wants to keep growing spiritually, but he feels like he’s hit a wall. Does he have what it takes to be the kind, loving, unselfish person he knows God wants him to be? He’s not so sure. In what ways can you relate to Omar’s experience?

*INTRO

Who is the Holy Spirit? Is he a who? Is he a what? Is he a ghost? When Jesus left the earth, he said that he had to leave so that the Holy Spirit could come. Why is this Holy Spirit so important? The Bible says the Holy Spirit is the power source to our spiritual life. It’s like the electricity to a light bulb. Without electricity, the light bulb is powerless and useless. In the same way, without the Holy Spirit guiding our lives, a Christian will have no power to live the kind of life God calls us to live. He will just feel defeated and always kinda stuck. Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit and why he is so important to our lives.

WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT THIS?

According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit is God who lives inside of every Christian and empowers us to live the Christian life.

Read 1 Corinthians 2:9–16.

*1. What does 1 Corinthians 2:9 say about God’s plans for those who love him?
No one can know the plans God has for us. 

*2. In verse 10, how does God’s Spirit help us experience God’s plans for us?
He searches the depths of God and shows us what God has in store for us.

*3. What do we learn about God’s Spirit in verses 11–13?
Verse 11 says the Spirit knows God’s thoughts. Verse 12 says the Spirit is from God and lets us know what God wants us to know. These verses emphasize that the Spirit actually is God.

THREE TYPES OF PEOPLE

The Bible talks about 3 types of people in the world.  We use these three circles to represent them.  The chair in the middle of the circle is the “throne” of your life.  Whoever sits on the throne makes the decision for your life.  The “s” represents self and the cross represents Jesus. 
As your group talks about each of these different people, draw that person in the throne circles along with their corresponding “cross” and “self.” If they are using the student notes, have them draw the crosses, “S’s” and arrows on their sheet.

*4. WITHOUT CHRIST (Not Spiritual) –  Read 1 Corinthians 2:14. How does this verse describe people who don’t have God’s Spirit?
They don’t accept the things of God and think they’re crazy. They can’t understand the things of God because only the Spirit of God living in a person who has trusted in Jesus gives that kind of insight.

*5. BELIEVER (Spiritual) – Read 1 Corinthians 2:15–16. How do these verses describe people who have God’s Spirit “on the throne” of their lives, filling, controlling, and empowering them?
Verse 15 says they can size up things from God’s perspective. But people who don’t know Jesus can’t figure them out. Verse 16 says they have a share in the mind of Christ that gives them power to see their lives from God’s point of view.

*6. WORLDLY CHRISTIAN (Infant in Christ) – Read 1 Corinthians 3:1–3. How do these verses describe worldly people who have God’s Spirit, but remain “on the throne” of their lives?
They’re not ready for Christian maturity because they’re full of jealousy and conflict in their relationships. In spite of having God’s Spirit, they don’t look much different than people without the Spirit because they’re not letting God’s Spirit control and empower them.

HOW DO WE APPLY THIS TO OUR LIVES?

*7. As you consider the three people described in 1 Corinthians 2:14–3:3, which one best describes you and why?
Allow the group to discuss.

*8. Which kind of person would you like to be and why?
Allow the group to discuss.

*9. So, how do you get from one to the other? Putting Christ back on the throne of your life is also called “being filled with the Spirit.” You are filled with the Spirit in the same way that you become a Christian in the first place—by faith.  If you would like Christ to again sit on the throne of your life, take a moment now to silently:

1) Confess your sins.

2) Invite Christ to sit on the throne of your life.

3) Trust by faith, that he is now on the throne of your life and will empower you to live the Christian Life.

10. How could God’s Spirit help you deal with a sin you keep struggling with? Pray as a group or in pairs for those situations.
Allow the group to discuss.

11. The picture at the top of the page is a light bulb that is turned on with a lot of light bulbs that are turned off. Why is this a good picture for this lesson?
The lit up light bulb is like someone who is filled with the Holy Spirit and has his power in his life. The other light bulbs do not have His power in their lives.

Our review cards are an excellent way to review your past lessons with your students before each study. Not every lesson has one yet but if we have them, you can find them on the PRINT page. Check them out and use them each week to help your students grab hold of the truths in these studies.

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.