GPS ENG: THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH

The Holy Spirit is responsible for revealing things to us, guiding us, and leading us into all truth, both on a

personal and group level.

Revelation 2:7 says: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Let’s study together the message to Ephesus:

Revelation 2:1–7

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. ² I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. ³ You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

⁴ Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. ⁵ Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. ⁶ But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans,which I also hate.

⁷ Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

LET’S REFLECT:

What did the believers in Ephesus do well, and what message did they receive from the Spirit?

What did the believers in Ephesus do wrong, and what is the Spirit’s exhortation?

In what way did the believers agree with the Spirit?

What does “I will remove your lampstand from its place if you do not repent” mean?

How do you think God speaks to us today as a group—and not just as individuals?

CONCLUSION:

It is very easy to be deceived into thinking that we hear God’s voice individually, but God gives us a greater challenge: to hear His voice as a community. In short, to be united in the same Spirit.

It is not enough to hear God individually…

God calls us to discern His voice as the Eklesia (body).

Keys to Listening to the Spirit Together:

Communion with God

Christ as Head

Unity as a Church

Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit


“A living church is not one that merely does things for God, but one that listens to and responds to His

Spirit in unity.”

Note: The Nicolaitans were a group of Christians during Jesus’ time who taught that

anyone could follow Christ without changing their lifestyle (worldly ways) through practices outside of

God’s design—for example, selfishness, idolatry, sexual immorality, etc.