Jesus does not ask us to follow Him alone. He gives us the Holy Spirit—our companion, teacher and guide—to remind us of His words, lead us toward holiness and empower us to share His love with the world.
Message Summary
This sermon, part of a series called “Discipleship Street,” focuses on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. Drawing from John 14 and 15, Pastor Ben teaches that Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit as an advocate, companion, and guide so that His followers would never be left alone. The Holy Spirit provides on-the-job training for holy living, reminding believers of Scripture, convicting them of sin, and empowering them to live differently.
The sermon also calls the church to actively spread holiness through both words and actions. Using Colossians 3 as a guide, the pastor challenges believers to put off sinful behaviors and put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. The practical response is twofold: pray and fast for more of the Holy Spirit, and repent by turning away from sins of both omission and commission. The overarching message is that holy living and the spread of the gospel are impossible without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, we come before you today as a group of people who need your Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus promised His disciples that they would not be left alone, we trust that promise for ourselves today. As we open your Word and discuss what it means to walk in step with your Spirit, we ask that you would soften our hearts and open our minds. Let this not simply be a conversation about you, but a moment where you speak directly to each of us. Have your way in this group, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Ice Breaker
What is one job, skill, or hobby where someone gave you helpful on-the-job training, and how did that guidance make a difference for you?
Key Scriptures
– John 14:15-17
– John 14:26
– John 15:26-27
– Colossians 3:5
– Colossians 3:12
Questions
– In John 14:15-17, Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as an advocate and constant companion. What does it mean to you personally that God did not leave us alone but sent His Spirit to be with us?
– The sermon described the Holy Spirit as providing ‘on-the-job training’ in real time rather than leaving us hanging or micromanaging us. How have you experienced the Holy Spirit guiding you in a specific moment or season of life?
– John 14:26 says the Holy Spirit will ‘teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you’ (ESV). Why is a regular practice of reading Scripture so important if the Spirit is the one who reminds us of it?
– The pastor said the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and empowers us toward right living. Is it easy or difficult for you to receive that conviction? What makes it feel like grace rather than condemnation?
– John 15:26-27 says the Spirit testifies about Jesus and that we also must testify. What does bearing witness look like in your everyday life, and what makes it feel challenging?
– Colossians 3:5 and 3:8 call believers to put to death and rid themselves of specific sins. The sermon distinguished between sins of omission (things we should do but don’t) and sins of commission (things we do that we shouldn’t). Which of these two categories do you find harder to address, and why?
– Colossians 3:12 calls us to ‘clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience’ (ESV). In what area of your life do you feel most challenged to put on these qualities right now?
– The sermon closed with a call to pray, fast, and repent as a community. What would it look like for this small group to pursue holiness together rather than just individually?
Life Application
This week, choose one specific sin of omission or commission that the Holy Spirit has been convicting you of. Write it down, confess it to God in prayer, and if you feel led, share it with a trusted friend or someone in this group who can pray with you. Additionally, consider setting aside one meal or one part of a day to fast and pray, asking the Holy Spirit for more of His presence and power in your life. Come back next week ready to share what you noticed.
Key Takeaways
– We cannot walk the Christian life without the Holy Spirit. He is the advocate and companion Jesus promised, and He is essential for holy living.
– The Holy Spirit provides real-time guidance by teaching us and reminding us of Scripture, which is why a daily practice of reading the Bible is so important.
– Believers are called to spread holiness through both their words (sharing the gospel and their personal testimony) and their actions (putting on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience as described in Colossians 3).
– Repentance involves addressing both sins of omission (good things we fail to do) and sins of commission (harmful things we continue to do), and the Holy Spirit empowers us to change in both areas.
– Praying and fasting together as a community is a practical and powerful way to seek more of the Holy Spirit and invite God to move in and through the church.
Ending Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for the promise you made to your disciples and to us: that you would not leave us as orphans but would send your Holy Spirit to be our advocate, teacher, and companion. As we leave this discussion, we ask that your Spirit would continue to work in each of us. Where there is sin, bring conviction and the courage to repent. Where there is a need to testify, give us boldness and the right words. Clothe us, Lord, with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience as we go back into our daily lives. May we never try to walk this road alone, but always in step with your Spirit. We ask for more of you, Holy Spirit. Come and have your way in us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
5-Day Devotional Guide
Day 1: You Are Not Alone
Devotional
There are moments in life when we feel completely on our own. A hard decision looms. A relationship strains. A season of uncertainty stretches longer than expected. In those moments, it is easy to wonder if God is truly near. But Jesus made a promise before He left His disciples, and it still stands today. He would not leave them as orphans. He would send the Holy Spirit, a companion who is always present, always ready, and always working on our behalf. This is not a distant, hands-off kind of presence. The Holy Spirit is described in Scripture as a helper, a comforter, someone who walks right alongside you. He is not watching from a distance with arms crossed. He is close, personal, and deeply invested in your life. For those of us in the Methodist tradition, we believe that God’s grace is active and pursuing. The Holy Spirit is the very expression of that grace at work in your daily life. He meets you in the ordinary moments, not just the mountaintop ones. You do not have to navigate this life alone. That is not just an encouraging thought. It is a promise from Jesus Himself. Lean into that truth today. Let it settle into the places where you have been carrying things on your own.
Bible Verse
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” – John 14:18 (English Standard Version (ESV))
Reflection Question
In what area of your life have you been trying to manage things on your own, and what might it look like to genuinely invite the Holy Spirit into that space?
Quote
“I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you.”
Prayer
Lord, thank You for the promise that I am never alone. Help me to truly believe that Your Holy Spirit is present with me today, especially in the places where I feel most uncertain. Amen.
Day 2: On-the-Job Training
Devotional
Most of us have experienced the gap between knowing something in theory and actually doing it in real life. You can read every book on parenting, leadership, or relationships, and still feel completely unprepared when the moment arrives. Following Jesus is no different. Discipleship is not a classroom exercise. It is lived out in real conversations, real conflicts, and real temptations. And the good news is that the Holy Spirit does not hand you a manual and walk away. He stays. He is present in the moment you need wisdom. He brings Scripture to mind when you are facing a decision. He gently convicts when you have drifted. He guides you step by step, not all at once. This is why spending time in God’s Word every day matters so much. The Holy Spirit works with what is already in you. When you have been filling your heart and mind with Scripture, He can bring it back to you at exactly the right moment. But that requires the daily habit of being in the Word. You are not expected to have it all figured out. You are expected to stay close to the One who does. Trust that the Holy Spirit is actively guiding you, even when the path feels unclear. He is not frustrated with your process. He is faithfully walking through it with you.
Bible Verse
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” – John 14:26 (English Standard Version (ESV))
Reflection Question
How consistent is your daily time in Scripture, and how might a stronger habit in God’s Word change the way the Holy Spirit is able to guide you in real-time moments?
Quote
“The Holy Spirit is providing on the job training for you in real time. He’s not someone who leaves you hanging.”
Prayer
Holy Spirit, teach me and remind me of Your truth in the moments I need it most. Give me the discipline to stay in Your Word so that I am ready when You call on it. Amen.
Day 3: Clothed in Something Better
Devotional
We all have habits, patterns, and tendencies that we are not proud of. Maybe it is a sharp tongue when you are stressed. Maybe it is a slow drift toward things you know are not good for you. Maybe it is simply the good you keep meaning to do but never quite get around to. Paul writes to the Colossians with a clear and practical challenge. Put off the old. Put on the new. It is an active, daily decision, not a one-time event. And it covers both directions of sin: the harmful things we are doing and the good things we are failing to do. This is where the Holy Spirit becomes essential. He does not just point out what needs to change. He empowers the change itself. He convicts us not to shame us, but to free us. And He calls us toward something far better than what we are leaving behind. Think of it like this. You would not keep wearing dirty clothes when clean ones are available. The Holy Spirit is constantly offering you something better to put on: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. These are not personality traits you manufacture on your own. They are the fruit of a life surrendered to Him. Today, ask the Holy Spirit to show you one thing to put off and one thing to put on. Start there. Growth is built one faithful step at a time.
Bible Verse
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” – Colossians 3:12 (English Standard Version (ESV))
Reflection Question
Is there a sin of omission (something good you are not doing) or a sin of commission (something harmful you are doing) that the Holy Spirit may be nudging you to address today?
Quote
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Prayer
Lord, reveal what needs to change in me, and give me the courage and strength through Your Spirit to make that change. Clothe me in Your character today. Amen.
Day 4: Radically Different
Devotional
It does not take long to notice that the values of our culture and the values of the Kingdom of God are often pulling in opposite directions. The world rewards self-promotion. Jesus calls us to humility. The world says protect yourself. Jesus calls us to forgive. The world says you have every right to your anger. Scripture calls us to put it away. Living as a follower of Jesus is not a slight adjustment to the way everyone else lives. It is a radical reorientation. And that kind of life does not happen by accident or by willpower alone. It requires the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in us. Paul’s words to the Colossians are direct. Anger, malice, slander, and impurity have no place in the life of someone who has been made new in Christ. These are not just bad habits to manage. They are things to actively put to death, because they are incompatible with who we are called to be. This is not about being perfect. It is about being intentional. It is about choosing, day after day, to live in a way that reflects the holiness of God rather than the patterns of the world around us. You are called to something different. Not because it is easy, but because it is true. And the Holy Spirit is with you every step of the way, making that different kind of life genuinely possible.
Bible Verse
“But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” – Colossians 3:8 (English Standard Version (ESV))
Reflection Question
Where do you notice the greatest tension between the values of the culture around you and the life you are called to live as a follower of Jesus?
Quote
“The world may say to do things a certain way. But as the Church of Jesus Christ, we are radically different in how we approach life and how we treat each other.”
Prayer
Holy Spirit, help me to live in a way that is noticeably different, not out of pride, but out of love for You and for others. Strengthen me to choose Your way when the world pulls in another direction. Amen.
Day 5: Seek More of Him
Devotional
There is a danger in treating faith like a destination you have already arrived at. When our relationship with God becomes routine or static, we stop growing. And a faith that stops growing is one that slowly loses its vitality. God’s desire for you is not a fixed point. It is a living, growing relationship. One that deepens through prayer, through Scripture, through honest confession, and through seeking more of His presence with genuine expectation. The promise in Scripture is clear. When God’s people humble themselves, turn from sin, and seek His face, He responds. He hears. He heals. This is not a formula. It is an invitation rooted in the character of a God who is always ready to meet us when we come to Him. Prayer and fasting are not outdated spiritual disciplines. They are powerful ways of saying to God, “I want more of You than I have right now.” They create space for the Holy Spirit to move in ways that our busy, distracted lives often crowd out. As you close out this five-day journey, consider what it would look like to pursue God with fresh hunger. Not out of obligation, but out of genuine desire. Your relationship with the Holy Spirit is meant to be dynamic and growing. He is present, eager, and ready. The question is simply whether you will seek Him with your whole heart.
Bible Verse
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 (English Standard Version (ESV))
Reflection Question
What would it look like for you to pursue a more dynamic, growing relationship with the Holy Spirit starting this week, and what is one concrete step you could take to seek more of His presence?
Quote
“Your relationship with God and with the Holy Spirit should be a dynamic one. One that is growing and growing and growing and not static.”
Prayer
Lord, I want more of You. Humble my heart, reveal what needs to change, and fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit. I seek Your face today with expectation. Amen.
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