YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER’ – the Holy Spirit and God’s People

 

 

(1) NUMBERS 11.4-34: MOSES AND THE SPIRIT

 

Our focus this term is on the empowering of the Holy Spirit as we head towards Pentecost.  We all too often associate the Holy Spirit exclusively with people of New Testament times onwards.  But we are so wrong to do so. Many men and women of OT times did what they did for the Lord through the anointing power of the Holy Spirit.  Moses is a great example of this – and this significant incident in Numbers 11 gives us a clear insight into the way the Spirit’s anointing lay behind his effective life and leadership.

 

The Spirit, so important to him, is also essential for us today. We too need His anointing to be effective for the Lord.  Let’s ask ourselves how much we know of the Holy Spirit’s empowering.

 

 

I. MOSES AND THE SPIRIT;

a) THE ANOINTING MOSES ENJOYED: 11.17

- A SNAPSHOT REVELATION OF THE SECRET OF MOSES’ SERVICE

* First, share your thoughts about Moses.  What do you know about him?  Just how great was his contribution to the history of Israel?  Where would you place him in the scale of greatness amongst God’s OT servants?

* How does Numbers 13.17 (and 13.25) reveal the secret of Moses’ great effectiveness?  Does this surprise you?  If so, why?

* How does the whole context of Numbers 11 make it clear that God’s Spirit was the vital necessary requisite and resource for his servants to effectively serve him?

* What does the Lord Jesus have to say about the Holy Spirit and the power and effectiveness of his disciples (eg Luke 24. 48-49, Acts 1.5,8)

 

b) THE PRESSURES MOSES EXPERIENCED (11.1-20)

- A DETAILED REVELATION OF THE PRESSURES MOSES LIVED UNDER

 

TESTING TIMES:  11.1-9

* What do these verses reveal about the testing circumstances in which Moses lived?  To what were they due?

- what relationship do you find in these verses between ingratitude, grumbling and a rebellious spirit?

- How important for God’s people is ‘a grateful spirit’?

(see Ephesians 5.20 – and see how Paul links it with being filled with the Spirit!)

 

 

GOD’S SERVANT AT ‘CRACKING POINT’!  11.10-15

* Moses reaches breaking point!  How do you understand Moses’ extreme distress?  What was so stressful?

- What stresses do we experience in Christian life and service?  Is it a serious problem today?

- Are you surprised that a Spirit-endued man like Moses could reach breaking point?

Are the two things incompatible?

 

THE LORD’S REACTION:  11.10,16-20

* What was the Lord’s double reaction to the situation? (first one in 11.10; then another in 11.16-20)

- What do we learn about the Lord from this?

- Do you have a ‘balanced’ understanding of the Lord

II. THE ELDERS AND THE SPIRIT:  11.16-17, 24-30

- THE 70 ELDERS AND THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SPIRIT

 

* Talk about the experience of the 70 elders.

How is it described?

What do you make of it?

Does it fascinate you? Puzzle you?

Encourage you?

 

How does it link with the experience of the Holy Spirit seen in the New Testament?

How does it link with our own experience of the Spirit?

 

JOSHUA, MOSES AND THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SPIRIT  11.28-30

* How did Joshua react to the experience, and why?

* What was Moses’ reaction?

- do you share his heartfelt prayer?