Scripture: If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25).

Open with the song “Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here.” A video with the words can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zARVp3420I

Opening Prayer/ Worship Center

To illustrate the Holy Spirit, place on a table a lit oil lamp surrounded by white doves, symbols of flames of fire, water and wind.

Bible Search on The Holy Spirit

Make sure that everyone has a Bible. To begin, the participants raise the Bible in the air. Once that scripture verse is given, they look it up, raise their hand and then read the portion out loud. The first one to find the Scripture is awarded a piece of candy.

Bible Verses

• Luke 4:1 – Jesus led by the Holy Spirit
• Acts 1:8- Receive Power
• Romans 15:13- ope by the power of the Holy Spirit
• Luke 12:11,12- Holy Spirit will teach you
• John 14:26- Holy Spirit will teach you
• Acts 15:8,9- Holy Spirit for everyone
• I Thes 4:7,8- Called to live the Holy life
• Titus 3:4-6- Renewal by the Holy Spirit
• 1 Thes 1:6- Gives us joy
• II Cor 13:14- Fellowship of the Holy Spirit
• Acts 7:32- Given by God to those who obey Him
• Galatians 5:25- Live by the Spirit

Word Search

Create a word search puzzle using the words: Joy, God. Given, Fellowship, Teach, Filled, Fire, Dove. Set Apart, Gift, Holy Spirit, Receive, Speak, Baptize, Power, Wind

https://thewordsearch.com/maker/

Object Lessons

There are several object lessons on the Holy Spirit found on YouTube.

Live by the Spirit

Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

To understand this portion of Scripture, we need to read the whole letter from Paul to the people of Galatia. Paul started the church in Galatia on his first missionary journey. Upon completing this journey, he was informed that the people of Galatia had been influenced by other Jewish leaders who taught the Galatians that, being Gentiles, they must obey all the Jewish Laws. Laws that not even the Jews could follow completely. This confused the Galatians and led them away from believing God’s grace saved them. Paul reminds them, “Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (Gal. 5:1 NLT).

Paul was distraught that this had happened. He urged them to “let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves” (Gal. 5:16 NLT). He goes on to tell them the consequences of living in a sinful nature and the blessings of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Paul further explains: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there.  Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (Gal. 5:24, 25 NLT). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God that abides in us after we have repented of our sins and accepted Christ as our Savior. However, we do not receive the full power of the Holy Spirit until we choose to give ourselves wholly to God and follow His plan for our lives. When we do this, He guides us to keep Christ as the center of our lives.

In the Scripture portions we read earlier, we find some benefits of living in step with the Holy Spirit. God gives us the power to be His witnesses. He teaches us what to do and gives us joy and hope.  I pray that we will choose to follow Christ and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Benediction

1 Th. 5:23-24 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.”