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January 26/20
“God’s Spirit And Our Spirit”
Reading: Psalm 51

Psalm 51: a very well known song / Psalm

Focus: Verses 10-12: “The spirit and the Spirit”; “the human spirit and the divine Spirit”: “how does our Spirit work with the Spirit of God?”

The Holy Spirt: Who is the Holy Spirit?:
1. “God’s Empowering Presence”
2. A person
3. At work in the church and in the world (Giver of all blessings, gifts, talents, abilities)

The Human Spirit: What is the human spirit?
• Lots of definitions: 1. the vital principal by which the body is animated 2. the rational spirit— the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides 3. inner self-awareness 4. simply refers to the whole person 5. spirit = “soul” 5. life force 6. personal energy
• Both the Holy Spirit and the divine spirit are a “presence”

So, how do the human spirit and the Holy (divine) Spirit connect? Or how are they supposed to connect?

Image: Glove And Hand
• “Walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16)—2 people walking together

• 2 examples of that in the Bible:
Romans 8:16
• The Spirit and our spirit “witnessing together”

Acts 15:28
• “It seemed good to us and to the Holy Spirit” (A coming together to make this decision)

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10)
• “Create”: Explosive!
1. Genesis 1 language
2. Asking God to do something that only God can do [“Bara”]
3. Confession is good, but not enough—we need confession leading to a new life / heart

• And This is at the very heart of the Christian faith:
1. Christianity is not a “self help” perspective on life
2. Rather:
• I can’t save myself; I can’t fix myself; I can’t figure this out myself
• I need someone else; I need a lot of help

“Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11)
• Maybe David is thinking about 1st king of Israel, Saul— because of his behavior, God’s Spirit departed from him.
• “Don’t take”: Has the Spirit left?—That is the experience but really our behavior made the glove leave and it feels like the Spirit has left?

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:12)
• Restore and renew…
• “Grant me a willing spirit”: Willing to do what?—Willing to follow your Spirit

• If you are…stop it!

Stopping behavour is never enough
The courtroom cannot change the heart

Good news: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).
• The sign of the heart of stone: I don’t want to; I’m not open; resistant to the promptings and nudges
• Sign of a heart of flesh: create in a me a clean and new and renewed heart

Anyone need to pray this prayer?

Communion…