THE SPIRIT & THE WORD
A 25-DAY DEVOTIONAL EXPERIENCE
MICHIGAN STATE CRU | CHRISTMAS BREAK 2012
DECEMBER 13 – JANUARY 7
The Christian life is a journey leading into an ever-increasing experience of the life of Christ. On that journey
there are two powerful entities that work together to transform our lives—God’s Spirit and God’s Word. They
do not operate separately; rather they work in tandem. God’s Spirit uses God’s Word to speak to us—teaching
us and leading us to Jesus. That process renews our mind and transforms our life (both our attitudes and
actions) from the inside out.
You are about to embark on a short but remarkable journey—a 25-day adventure with God’s Spirit and God’s
Word. This may prove to be the turning point in your spiritual journey; or it may be foundational for you,
helping root and establish you in Christ (Colossians 2:6-7); or it may simply enrich your spiritual experience.
But whatever the effect, as you experience God’s Spirit speaking to you through his Word day by day, you will
be changed. Transformed is a word that the Bible uses.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may
discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 ESV)
This journey is designed to lead you into a deeper experience of God’s Spirit through daily times of prayer and
meditation on God’s word. Here is what you can expect on the road ahead:
1. A deepened understanding of God’s Spirit and his work.
The tapestry of the Bible is threaded with the presence and work of God’s Spirit. At times he is front and
center in the story; at other times he is out of sight, still present and working behind the scenes. But while
his importance to God’s work in our lives cannot be ignored, many believers today live in ignorance of the
Spirit and his work. Others have wrong or misguided understandings of the Spirit. Still others suffer from
spiritual amnesia, having learned once but now forgotten the riches God makes available to us by his
Spirit. Whatever the case, all of us can grow and mature as we deepen our understanding of the Holy
Spirit through the Word of God. The thirty-five passages of Scripture that provide the substance for this
study focus on the promise, person and work of the Spirit of God.
2. A consistent and balanced experience of God’s word and prayer.
A growing understanding of the Holy Spirit is foundational to the Christian life, but by itself it is not
enough. Our journey to spiritual maturity progresses as we have fresh and consistent experiences of
hearing God’s Spirit speak to us through his word. Daily times of prayer and meditation on God’s word set
the stage for these transforming experiences. This 35-day experience will guide you into a balanced and
consistent practice of prayer and meditation. You might think of these as daily appointments with the
Lord, listening to his voice through his word and sharing your heart in prayer. Through these times you
will discover that the Spirit-filled life is the Word-filled life (see Apendix E).
3. An enriched experience of Jesus Christ.
The Christian life is the life of Christ reproduced in the believer by the power of the Holy Spirit through
faith. The Spirit has one clear purpose—to glorify Christ (John 16:14). His multifaceted work in our lives
and the world today accomplishes that singular purpose. Therefore, a proper understanding and true
experience of the Spirit will always lead us to a fuller understanding and experience of Jesus Christ.
4. A transferable experience of God’s Spirit and Word.
The approach of this study has been carefully designed to be transferable. You can continue using the
templates for Time in the Word and Time in Prayer with other biblical passages and books once you
have completed this study, helping you develop a consistent practice of daily meeting with the Lord in the
years to come. This transferability also makes it easy to teach other believers how to do the same.
The outline of this study is built around the main themes and principles of the booklet entitled, Satisfied?.
This booklet has been a helpful introduction to the Spirit-filled life for tens of thousands of believers,
making it an ideal framework for this study as well. The themes, principles and key verses of Satisfied?
provide a biblical basis for understanding and applying the ministry of the Holy Spirit and can equip you
to share this life changing message with others.
The Spirit & The Word Plan
Getting Started
The best way to launch this study is to become familiar with Satisfied?. There are two options. If you are
not familiar with Satisfied?, begin by prayerfully reading it. The Satisfied? outline is found in Appendix A.
If you are familiar with Satisfied?, you may choose instead to work through The Satisfied Prayer
Experience, Appendix B. This may done on your own or with a small group.
Getting Ready
Recording your thoughts and prayers will significantly enrich your times with the Lord, creating a record
of what you learn from him. Decide how you want to record your insights and prayers through the next
five weeks. You may print copies of the Time in the Word and Prayer Templates, use a personal journal or
notebook, or reproduce the template as a document on your computer.
Spend Time Daily with the Lord
Preparation:
Begin your time with Lord, asking him to prepare your heart and to speak to you through his Word.
Time in the Word: Listening to His Voice
Prayerfully read the passage for the day. (See the Passage List below).
Teaching: What do I learn from this passage?
Begin seeking to understand what God is saying through today’s passage.
Start by observing the passage, paying close attention to each detail. What does it say?

Ask and answer the six questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

You may find it helpful to sketch or diagram the passage. Visual thinking is a powerful way to
observe more closely and uncover additional insights.
After observing what is said, begin to explore, “What does this mean? And why is it important?”

A helpful way to interpret the meaning is to define each key term in the passage. A dictionary can
be helpful in this.

Try paraphrasing the passage, putting the key ideas into your own words.
As the meaning of the passage becomes clear to you, summarize its main teaching in a statement or two.
After meditating on the teaching of the passage, use your insights to reflect upon your own life. What is
God saying to you through this passage?
Reproof: What sin, struggles or shortcomings does this reveal in my life?
Ask God to show you where you fall short in relation to the truth of this passage. It could be something
you are doing that you shouldn’t, or something you are not doing that you ought to be.

Is my thinking wrong ? Do I have a bad attitude?

Am I doing something wrong? Or am I failing to do something I ought to be, falling short of God’s
design in life?
Write down whatever God reveals to you.
Correction: How do I correct my wrong thinking, attitude or action?
Correction involves changing our thoughts, attitudes or actions from what is wrong to what is right. It
begins with confession, admitting that we are wrong or fall short. But it doesn’t stop there.

Ask God to give you the power of his Spirit to turn away from this sinful attitude or action and to
pursue his design for your life.
Identify and write down any steps you should take as a result of the truths from this passage.
Training in righteousness: How can I apply the truth of this passage to my life?
Training is building the on-going practice or lifestyle of living out God’s design for life. It involves making
a plan and putting the plan into action.
Write out the steps you will take to make the truths of this passage continuing part of your life.
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Is there a truth to believe?
A promise to claim?
An attitude to maintain?
A command to obey?
An example to follow?
A sin to avoid?
Time in Prayer: Talking with God
While there are many different types of prayer in Scripture, there are four primary forms that help
provide a balanced and healthy pattern for conversation with God. They are easy to remember using the
acrostic, A.C.T.S.
A – Adoration: Lord, I praise you for…
Reflect on the truths you learned from your Time in the Word. What praiseworthy truths about God did
you find? Did your time reveal any names, attributes or works for which you can praise him? In addition,
you may use a different name of the Holy Spirit as a basis of praise (See Appendix D).
C - Confession: Lord, please forgive me for…
Confession is simply agreeing with God that our sin is wrong and turning from it. It is being honest about
our struggles and our failures.
What sin, struggles or shortcomings did you identify in the Reproving section of your Time in the Word
today? Are there other sins God’s Spirit brings to mind?
Admit to God they were wrong; thank him that they are forgiven in Christ (1 John 1:9), and ask him to
give you the power and grace to correct them.
T – Thanksgiving: Lord, thank you for…
Thank God for the Holy Spirit and his work in your life. Thank him for his Word and what you have been
learning from it. Continue to thank him for other blessings and benefits you have experienced.
S – Supplication: Lord, would you please do this…
Take time to pray for yourself and for others. It is helpful to review your prayers from the previous days,
as well as to add any additional requests that are on your heart and mind today.
Memory Verses from Satisfied?
Memorizing God’s Word is a powerful means of “renewing the mind” (Romans 12:2) and a practical step
to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly ” (Colossians 3:16). Memorizing one key verse each week
makes it possible to reflect upon and share the truths of Satisfied? anytime and anywhere. Repeat and
review each verse multiple times each day. Writing out the verse will also help cement it in your memory
and make it possible to carry it around for review during the day.
Week 1 - The Promised Spirit: John 7:37-39
Week 2 - The Divine Gift: 1 Corinthians 2:12
Week 3 - The Present Danger: Galatians 3:2-3
Week 4 - The Intimate Journey: Galatians 5:16
Week 5 - The Empowering Presence: Ephesians 5:18
The Passages
Life in the Spirit
* is the key verse
The Promised Spirit
 Dec 13: John 7:37-39
The Divine Gift
 Dec 14: John 14:15-27, *16-17
 Dec 15: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, *12-16
The Present Danger
 Dec 16: 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4, *3:1-4
 Dec 17: Galatians 3:1-9, *1-5
The Intimate Journey
 Dec 18: Galatians 5:16-26, *16, 25
 Dec 19: Galatians 5:16-26, *22-23
The Empowering Presence
 Dec 20: Ephesians 3:14-21, *16-17
 Dec 21: Ephesians 5:3-21, *18
Going Deeper
The Promised Spirit
 Dec 22: Isaiah 11:1-5, *2-3
 Dec 23: Isaiah 61:1-3
The Divine Gift
 Dec 24: Ephesians 1:3-14, *13-14
 Dec 25: Titus 3:4-7
The Present Danger
 Dec 26: John 16:5-11, *7-10
 Dec 27: 1 Corinthians 6:1-20, *18-20
 Dec 28: Ephesians 4:25-32, *30
The Intimate Journey
 Dec 29: John 16:12-15
 Dec 30: Romans 8:1-8, *5-8
 Dec 31: Romans 8:9-17
The Empowering Presence
 Jan 1: Romans 8:18-27, *26-27
 Jan 2: 2 Corinthians 3:1-18, *16-18
 Jan 3: Ephesians 6:10-20, *17-20
Power to Tell
The Empowered Witness
 Jan 4: John 15:18-16:4, *15:26-27
 Jan 5: Luke 24:44-53, *46-49
 Jan 6: Acts 1:1-11, *4-8
 Jan 7: Acts 8:26-40, *29-35
TIME IN THE WORD OF GOD
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable
for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
PASSAGE:
(2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)
DATE:
TEACHING: What are the main truths that I learn from this passage?
[What does the passage say? What does it mean? Why is it important?]
REPROVING: What sin, struggles or shortcomings does this reveal in my life?
CORRECTING: What steps do I need to take or adjustments do I need to make to more fully experience these truths?
TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS: How will I apply these truths in the days ahead? What is my plan?
TIME IN PRAYER
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you,
ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
(John 15:7 ESV)
ADORATION: Lord, I praise you for…
CONFESSION: Lord, forgive me for…
THANKSGIVING: Lord, I thank you for…
SUPPLICATION: Lord, please do this…
Appendices
APPENDIX A
Satisfied? (include the copy from CruPress Green or Link)
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/resources/launchingministry/19.%20Satisfied.
pdf
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/discipleship/satisfied
APPENDIX B
Satisfied? Prayer Experience (include the copy from CruPress Green or Link)
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/resources/Satisfied_Prayer_Experience.pdf
APPENDIX C
Additional Resources regarding the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
Along with Satisfied? and Satisfied? Prayer Experience (Appendices A & B), there is a treasure chest of other
valuable resources for you to utilize. [Each needs a paragraph explanation]
For Personal Devotions or Study

Thirsty
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/discipleship/thirsty
For Reading

Transferable Concept #3: How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit
http://www.transferableconcepts.org/english/spirit/index.html

Transferable Concept #4: How to Walk in the Spirit
http://www.transferableconcepts.org/english/walk_spirit/index.html
For Follow-up or One-on-One Discipleship

Life Concept 3: Stepping from Being Unable to Empowered
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/compass/3empowered.pdf
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/compass/3empoweredlg.pdf

Life Concept 4: Stepping from Being Unprepared to Equipped
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/compass/4equipped.pdf
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/compass/4equippedlg.pdf

Compass: The Spirit-Filled Life
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/compass/thespiritfilledlife.pdf
For Small Group Discussions

Cru.Comm: Life Through The Spirit (Romans 8:1-16)
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/crucomm/holyspirit.pdf

Cru.Comm: The Power to Witness (Acts 1:1-8)
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/crucomm/theholyspirit.pdf

Cru.Comm: Imitating God, The Spirit-filled Life (Ephesians 5:15-21)
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/crucomm/thespiritfilledlife.pdf

Cru.Comm: Mission Impossible (Acts)
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/crucomm/theapostles.pdf
For Teaching & Training

Teaching Lesson: Walking in the Spirit
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/resources/Walking_in_Spirit.pdf

Sharing the Ministry of the Holy Spirit: How to Present the Satisfied? Booklet
http://crupress.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/green/_assets/compass/presentingsatisfied.pdf
APPENDIX D:
The Names of the Spirit.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
The Spirit (Matthew 4:1; John 3:6; 1 Timothy 4:1)
Holy Spirit (Psalms 51:11; Luke 11:13; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30)
Spirit of holiness (Romans 1:4)
God (Acts 5:3,4)
Spirit of God (Genesis 1:2; 1 Corinthians 2:11; Job 33:4)
Spirit of the Lord God (Isaiah 61:1)
The Lord (2 Corinthians 3:16-17)
Spirit of the Living God (2 Corinthians 3:3)
Spirit of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2; Acts 5:9)
Spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20)
Spirit of the Son (Galatians 4:6)
Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9; 1 Peter 1:11)
Eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14)
Good Spirit (Nehemiah 9:20; Psalms 143:10)
Spirit of life (Romans 8:2)
Spirit of glory (1 Peter 4:14)
Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15)
Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29)
Helper (John 14:16, 26; 15:26)
Spirit of truth (John 14:17; 15:26)
Spirit of revelation (Ephesians 1:17)
Spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10)
Spirit of wisdom (Isaiah 11:2; Ephesians 1:17)
Spirit of understanding (Isaiah 11:2)
Spirit of counsel (Isaiah 11:2)
Spirit of might (Isaiah 11:2)
Spirit of knowledge (Isaiah 11:2)
Spirit of the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2)
Power of the Most High (Luke 1:35)
Promised Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33; Ephesians 1:13)
Seven Spirits of God (Revelation 1:4)
Breath of the Almighty (Job 33:4, compare Ezekiel 37:5-6)
Living Water (John 7:37-39)
Dove (Mark 1:9-11)
Anointing (1 John 2:20, 27)
Appendix E
THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE IS THE WORD-FILLED LIFE
A comparison between the work of the Spirit in the life of the believer with the function of the Word reveals a
fascinating parallelism.
THE SPIRIT
THE WORD
THE FUNCTION IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER
John 3:5-7
1 Peter 1:22-25
Giving new birth
Titus 3:5-6
Ephesians 5:25-26
Washing
1 Corinthians 3:16
Colossians 3:16
Living within, indwelling
Ephesians 5:18
Colossians 1:9-12
Filling (with power, with knowledge)
1 Peter 1:2
John 17:17
Sanctifying
Romans 8:2
John 8:31
Setting free
2 Corinthians 3:5-6
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Making us competent, adequate
Philippians 2:12-13
1 Thessalonians 2:13
Working within
1 John 4:2-4
1 John 2:14
Giving victory over Satan
Romans 15:13
Romans 15:4
Providing hope and comfort
Galatians 5:16
2 Peter 1:4
Giving victory over the desires of the flesh
Romans 8:27
Hebrews 4:12
Searching the heart
Consider also:
Ephesians 6:17
The word of God is the sword of the Spirit
John 6:63
The Spirit gives life and so do Christ’s words
1 Thessalonians 1:5
Gospel comes in word and the power of the Spirit