Lesson Two: The Material to Use: The Spirit-filled Life

In lesson one it was made clear that laying the proper foundation is necessary for a successful building venture. The next important thing to consider is the kind of material to use. The choice of the building material depends upon the purpose the builder wants to serve. It also has a lot to do with the environment, whether it is hot, cold, or exposed to typhoons or earthquakes. After the massive destruction that the earthquake in Bohol brought to the island, people are now preferring to build with lighter materials than with concrete. But in Samar, after the super typhoon Yolanda, they prefer the heavy duty materials that can’t be easily blown away. 

Indeed, choosing the proper construction material is a crucial matter if you want your building to withstand pressure. In seeking to build a strong prayer life, there is only one kind of material that can survive the spiritual environment in which the believer exists. And this is the Spirit-filled life – a life that is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. No other kind of life can become strong and effective in prayer, because only when the Holy Spirit controls us can we overcome discouragement, complacency, and other spiritual problems that can easily kill our prayer life. 

What is the Spirit-filled life? First of all, it is dependent and devoted to Christ, rather than to self. Living in this rebellious, hostile world with a body of sinful flesh, and with a real enemy, the devil, the believer is bound to encounter a lot of tribulations. He will struggle through much temptation from inside and outside. The Spirit-filled life is not trouble-free, but in the midst of troubles, the Spirit-filled Christian experiences God’s life and power. This Lesson Two will hopefully help the disciple discover the Spirit-filled life. A major teaching resource that will be included in this lesson is the 'Spirit-filled life material '  produced by Campus Crusade for Christ. 

Statement of the Principle 2: The Holy Spirit is our God-given prayer teacher and partner. 

Memory Verse 2: Romans 8:26 

“And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”