Before Sunday Morning
Take 10-15 minutes this Sunday morning before church. Find a quiet spot. Grab a notebook or your phone.
For Sunday, May 17, 2026
Week 6 Recap
In this week's lesson, we explored who the Holy Spirit is — not an impersonal force, but the third person of the Trinity who lives inside every believer.
Key themes from Week 6:
- God didn't leave a manual and disappear — he left himself
- John 14: Jesus promised to send "another advocate" — the Greek word parakletos means "one called alongside"
- The Spirit is Jesus' presence continuing with us — not a substitute, but the same God in a different form
- Acts 2: Pentecost — wind, fire, languages. The Spirit showed up with power and 3,000 people believed in one day
- The Holy Spirit is a person, not a force. He grieves, convicts, comforts, teaches, and reminds
- The same power that started the church is available to you right now
Core Question for Reflection
You have access to the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead. What would change in your daily life if you actually believed that?
Questions to Help You Dig Deeper
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The Force vs. The Holy Spirit
The Force in Star Wars is impersonal — an energy field. It can't love you. It doesn't have a will. The Holy Spirit is a person — God himself, living inside you.
- Why does it matter that the Spirit is a person instead of a force?
- How does it change your prayer life if you're talking to someone who loves you instead of tapping into an energy?
- Have you ever treated the Holy Spirit more like the Force than a person? How?
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The GPS Recalculates
A GPS doesn't control where you drive — but when you take a wrong turn, it recalculates. The Holy Spirit works the same way.
- Think about this past week. Was there a moment when you felt a "recalculation" — a nudge to stop, say something, or not do something?
- Did you follow it or ignore it? What happened?
- What makes it hard to recognize the Spirit's voice vs. your own thoughts?
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Before and After
In Acts 2, the disciples were transformed. Same guys, same fears, different power. They went from hiding in a room to preaching in the streets.
- What area of your life do you want the Spirit to transform?
- Where are you starting from? Be honest.
- What would the "after" look like if the Spirit truly changed that area?
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The Hourly Challenge
The lesson included a bold challenge: set a phone alarm for every hour. When it goes off, pause for 60 seconds and think about one thing you know about God. Try it for a month.
- What's your honest reaction to this challenge? Excited? Skeptical? Overwhelmed?
- What's the biggest obstacle to actually doing it?
- What do you think would happen if you did?
Personal Application
This week, I will...
Choose ONE concrete action to take based on your reflections:
- Set a phone alarm for every hour and pause for 60 seconds to think about one thing I know about God
- Before making any decision this week, pause for 10 seconds and ask: "Spirit, what do you think?" — then write down what happened
- Fill out the "Before and After" exercise — name one area where I want the Spirit to transform me
- Write one specific situation for each day where I need the Spirit beside me (the parakletos challenge)
Write your action here:
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How I'm Growing
On a scale of 1–10, how aware are you of the Holy Spirit's presence in your daily life?
- 1 = I don't really think about the Holy Spirit at all
- 5 = I know he's there but I don't notice him much
- 10 = I regularly sense his guidance and experience his peace
Why did you choose that number?
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What's one specific thing you could do this week to move one number higher?
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The Creed: The Holy Spirit
"I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting."
— Apostles' Creed
The Holy Spirit isn't an "it" or a force — he's the third person of the Trinity. He teaches. He reminds. He convicts. He comforts. He gives you the same power that started the church on Pentecost.
Next Steps
If you want to experience more of the Holy Spirit's presence:
- Start with the hourly pause challenge — even one day makes a difference
- Before every decision, ask: "Spirit, what do you think?" and pay attention
- Read John 14-16 this week — it's Jesus' longest teaching about the Spirit
- Talk to a trusted adult or mentor about what you're experiencing
If you're not sure what you believe about the Holy Spirit yet, that's okay. Ask God to make himself real to you. He's not offended by honest questions.
Bonus: Journal Prompt
The disciples went from hiding in a locked room to preaching in the streets. What would your life look like if you were transformed like that? What would you do differently?
Write it here, and come back to it next week.
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