Be Filled with the Holy Spirit
- Eph 5.18 "...be filled with the Spirit"
- The Holy Spirit comes where there is faith and expectation
Bless Others
- Socially, Mary could only expect condemnation but received a blessing
“You are more sinful than you could dare imagine and you are more loved and accepted than you could ever dare to hope.” - Tim Keller
- Grace has swallowed up sin
- We have been blessed
- We can be a people who bless others
Be Humble
- Elizabeth could have felt entitled but was humble
- Humility feeds gratitude
- Christians know we deserve nothing but have received everything through grace
- This frees us to celebrate the success of others
Follow the Joy
- Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit and normal Christian life
- Depression is not a sin but God's desire is for our joy
- If we can't find joy it may be because we're not aligned with God's will
- Repent and believe!
- Identify the joy blockers and get rid of them
- We need the Holy Spirit and each other in the journey of joy
Encourage Faith
- If we don't point to God, people won't know to praise him
- Be ready to give an answer for the hope within
Discussion Questions
- Re-read the passage in a couple of different translations
- Is there anything you don’t understand?
- Which of the above points do you most resonate with?
- Which do you feel you need to work on the most?
- What is God saying to you?
- What are you going to do as a result?
