Continuing our ten Holy Spirit concepts in ten days between the Ascension and Pentecost.

The Holy Spirit gives us the power to pray in the Spirit by helping us to pray according to the will of God. When we pray in the Spirit, we pray beyond our understanding. The Holy Spirit helps us pray for things we would not know to pray for on our own. He also allows us to pray with faith and confidence.

The Holy Spirit also gives us the power to pray in the Spirit by helping us persistently. When we pray in the Spirit, we are not easily discouraged. We continue to pray even when we do not see immediate results. We know that God is working in our lives, and we trust He will answer our prayers in His time.

Finally, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to pray in the Spirit by helping us to pray with love. When we pray in the Spirit, we pray for others with Christ’s love. We are praying for their needs, their salvation, and their well-being. We are praying for God’s will to be done in their lives.

Praying in the Spirit is a powerful way to communicate with God. It is a way to pray that is beyond our understanding and effective in bringing about God’s will in our lives.

Romans 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

As we examine the powers the Holy Spirit gives, we continue in our ten concepts in ten days from the Ascension to Pentecost.

The Holy Spirit gives us the power to discern truth by providing us with spiritual discernment, which is the ability to distinguish between what is true and what is false in spiritual matters. This is an essential gift because many false teachings and deceptive practices can mislead us and lead us away from God’s truth.

The Holy Spirit enables us to discern truth by illuminating the Word of God, which is the ultimate source of truth. When we read the Bible, the Holy Spirit helps us understand and apply its teachings. He also guides us into all truth, as Jesus promised in John 16:13: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.”

Furthermore, the Holy Spirit helps us to recognize false teachings and deceptive practices by giving us a sense of unease or discomfort when we encounter them. This is sometimes referred to as a “check in our spirit.” When we experience this, we must pay attention and seek God’s guidance in discerning the truth.

Ultimately, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to discern truth by helping us to align our hearts and minds with God’s truth. As we submit ourselves to His guidance and seek to live by His Word, we will become increasingly discerning and able to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

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.”

As we continue to count down to the Day of Ascension, here is another power that the Holy Spirit gives us.

The Holy Spirit gives us the power of wisdom by illuminating our minds and hearts with divine wisdom. This wisdom differs from human wisdom based on human reasoning and knowledge. Instead, divine wisdom is the ability to see things from God’s perspective and to make decisions that are by His will.

The Holy Spirit helps us to access divine wisdom in several ways:

Illuminating the Word of God: When we read the Bible, the Holy Spirit helps us understand and apply its teachings. This includes gaining wisdom and insight into the ways of God.

Guiding us into all truth: As Jesus promised in John 16:13, the Holy Spirit guides us. This includes helping us to understand God’s will and purposes for our lives.

Giving us a deeper understanding of God’s nature: The Holy Spirit helps us to see God’s character and attributes more clearly. This, in turn, gives us a better understanding of His ways and His will for our lives.

Enabling us to discern right from wrong: The Holy Spirit helps us make wise decisions by giving us discernment and insight into right and wrong.

Ultimately, the power of wisdom from the Holy Spirit is a gift we can receive through faith and prayer. As we seek to live according to God’s will and rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction, we will grow in wisdom and make wise decisions that honor God and bless others.

1 Cor 2:13 “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

The Holy Spirit gives us boldness. We often fear rejection or ridicule when we share the gospel. The Holy Spirit allows us to speak the truth, even when complex. He gives us words. We often don’t know what to say when we share the gospel effectively.

The Holy Spirit gives us the love needed to engage people in how they need to receive the word. When we share the gospel, we need to love the people we are sharing with. The Holy Spirit gives us love for others, motivating us to share the gospel with them.

The Holy Spirit gives us compassion. When we share the gospel, we need to be compassionate towards the people we are sharing with. He gives us compassion for others that will help us to understand their needs and to share the gospel with them in a way that is relevant to their lives.

The Holy Spirit gives us patience. When we share the gospel, we need to be patient. He gives us the patience to help us persevere in sharing the gospel, even when difficult. He gives us joy. When we share the gospel, we should be joyful. He gives us joy that will help us share the gospel with others positively and attractively.

The Holy Spirit is a powerful helper in our evangelism. He is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ, and He wants to empower us to share the gospel with others.

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

The Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome sin in several ways.

First, the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. When we sin, the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins and leads us to repentance.

Second, the Holy Spirit helps us to resist temptation. When tempted to sin, the Holy Spirit helps us resist temptation and make wise choices.

Third, the Holy Spirit helps us be embarrassed by the flesh’s deeds. Mortifying the deeds of the flesh means putting to death the sinful desires within us. The Holy Spirit helps us to do this by giving us the strength to say no to sin and to choose to do what is right.

Fourth, the Holy Spirit helps us to walk in the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit means living a life that the Holy Spirit leads by God’s will. The Holy Spirit helps us to do this by giving us the power to live a holy life.

Finally, the Holy Spirit helps us be transformed into Christ’s image. As we grow in our relationship with the Holy Spirit, He transforms us into the image of Christ. This means we become more like Christ in our thoughts, words, and actions.

The Holy Spirit is a powerful helper in our battle against sin. He is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ, and He wants to empower us to live a life that is pleasing to God.

1 Cor 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

Gal 5:16“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

Over the next ten days, we will be adding explanations about the ascension of Christ and the coming down of the Holy Spirit. Check back here every day for another truth of the Bible. May 18th, 2023, is the day we celebrate the ascension of Christ for this year (40 days after Easter)

The Ascension of Christ

Jesus promised His followers that they would soon receive the Holy Spirit and instructed them to remain in Jerusalem until the Spirit came. The Holy Spirit gives us many powers to become the Christians God intends us to be. The Spirit gives us unique powers to glorify Him and to fulfill the Great Commission. God would not give us such a command without giving us the powers required to fulfill this mission. 

Acts 1:9-11. The Bible account of the Ascension. This event is a literal account of the going up of Christ, witnessed by many and by angels. As the disciples searched the sky to find Jesus, a cloud hid Him from their view, and two angels appeared and promised Christ’s return “in just the same way that you have watched Him go” (Acts 1:11).

The Ascension of Jesus Christ was a sign of the end of His earthly ministry. God the Father had sent His Son into the world, and now the Son was returning to the Father. 

The Ascension was the last evidence of the success of Christ in His earthly works. Every prophecy was fulfilled, and the finished work of Christ in our redemption was accomplished. The blood atonement of Christ had been given. The victory over death was accomplished. The next phase of God’s eternal plan, the giving of the Holy Spirit, was promised and was to be sent in God’s perfect timing. 

At Jesus’ Ascension, He goes to prepare a place for us. John 14:3-10. In Jewish tradition, the groom briefly goes to the bride’s house. He then returns to his house to prepare a place for her and makes every arrangement required. The bride also prepares herself while the groom is gone. She concentrates on her future house, not her current house. She focuses on herself to make herself pleasing to her groom and no longer focuses on her current situation. She knows she was born into her first house, but this second house was prepared especially for her. This is the same for the church, we are the bride, and Christ is the bridegroom. When He ascends, He goes to prepare a place specifically for us. 

After the Ascension of Christ, God sends the Holy Spirit for us. The following days will be individual teachings that are just some of the ways the Holy Spirit gives us power.

This time of year is special for every Christian. A time for prayer, reflection, and celebration of the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection; as we go through the Easter weekend and learn about the different days; their meaning; and why we celebrate the Passion of Christ (Psalm Sunday to Easter). 

Christmas is an extraordinary time of year for every Christian, and we understand that Easter doesn’t come without Christmas. Still, our Salvation comes to us through the blood atonement of our crucified Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Maundy Thursday, or the “Great and Holy Thursday,” comes from a Latin word that means “a new ‘commandment’ I give to you” (John 13:34). It is the night of the Lord’s Supper, the last night the twelve spent together with their Rabbi. The night that Jesus lowered himself in ultimate service to the washing of the disciple’s feet. He even washed Judas’ feet on the night He was betrayed. The night that He gave each of us a new commandment. The commandment to love one another as He loved us. This commandment seems impossible because He loved us so much that He willingly surrendered and endured all sufferings to restore our relationship with God. A commandment that He would not have given us without giving us the power through the Holy Spirit to fulfill it. 

In Jewish traditions, festivals always begin at sunset. This timing follows the principles that God outlined in His Creation. Night comes before the day. Darkness gives way to light. The earth was void in darkness until God spoke light into existence. With that, we understand that the very first thing Jesus did on the day He was crucified was to share a meal that we know as the Last Supper. The Last Supper, His prayer time in the garden of Gethsemane, His capture, His trial, His suffering, His Crucifixion, His death, and His burial all happened on the same festival day.   

The Last Supper explains the soon-to-be complete sacrifice of our Lord. The bread represents His broken body, and the cup His shed blood. The blood atonement of Christ is how we stand righteous before God (Romans 5:9). When Judas was exposed; he left the table immediately. Jesus declared that “Now” the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. The time of the fullness of Christ was here. There was nothing that could turn back the hands of time. Nothing could alter the time of the crucifixion. The time of God was to be fulfilled just as promised. 

We celebrate Maundy Thursday in reverence to the Lord’s supper, the communion of God and man, through offering Jesus’ flesh and blood. We partake of the Eucharist (bread and cup) in remembrance of Christ’s giving of Himself on our behalf (1 Cor 11:23-26). 

Likewise, we celebrate “Good Friday” in reverence of Jesus’ final and complete sacrifice on the cross for our sins by His death. The day He suffered the cruelty of the scourge and the raising of the cross. On the day His death paid for all our sins on the cross. We cannot erase our guilt or overcome our sins through good deeds. The sacrifice of Christ allows us to be justified through faith in Him, His blood atonement, and the Grace freely given by Him. (Romans 3:21-26) Christ did what we could never do for ourselves by dying for us on that first Good Friday. 

We celebrate Easter Sunday in reverence of the open and empty tomb, a risen Savior that defeated death, fulfilling a God-promised covenant. Jesus had broken the bonds of death, and now He was alive! Suddenly, his followers realized that what initially seemed to be a defeat was a victory over Satan, sin, and death.

What a stark difference occurs in our lives when we are transformed by the understanding that we have a risen and ascended Savior. (Luke 24:51–53).

01/15/2023 – Pastor Dave’s Ordination

I am thankful to have witnessed the most powerful experience in the church. Please join us at Fairport to glimpse what God is doing in our lives and desperately wants to happen in your life.

Photo Gallery = Pastor Dave’s Ordination Photo Gallery

Opening Remarks – Pastor Steve Taylor (First File)

Riley Moore Pastor Search Committee (Second File)

Warren Keyser, Chairman of Deacon Fairport (Second File 4:50)

Ricky Fones, Chairman of Deacons Nomini (Second File 7:40)

Pastor Steve’s Charge of Ordination (Second File 11:20)

Special Music (Second File 15:55)

Pastor Steve’s Message 2 Tim 1:3-7 (Second File 19:44)

Laying on of hands

Presentation of David as Reverend David L Schneider (Third File)

Pastor Daves Message (Third File)