The Spirit of Preaching
Musings on the Holy Spirit, Prayer & Preaching
Dr. Jim Shaddix
Food for Thought…
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Nothing concerning a preaching event is more disconcerting than the statement
“But the Spirit was not there.

The omnipresence of the Holy Spirit is not synonymous with the effects or
influences of the Spirit.
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In the Spirit-inspired word, there are specific responsibilities assigned to
preachers that—when carried out in faithfulness—God is most inclined to bless.
1. Pray for the ______________ of the Spirit.

There is a _______________________ between the Spirit and preaching.
(Jn. 15:26-27; Acts 1:8; 2:4,16-17; 4:7-8,29-31; 9:20)


There is a ______________ about the work of the Spirit in preaching.
o It is a work of God’s __________ that enables spiritual ___________ to
flow through a proclaimer of His Word
o It is a divine endowment—variously described as filling, anointing, unction
& favor—that does something other-worldly to both preacher and people
o It is a supernatural quality that __________________ preaching from all
other forms of public communication
o It is a spiritual advantage that places God into the sermon and on the
preacher

____________ is the trigger that engages the Spirit in preaching.
(Jn. 14:12-14; 15:7,16; 16:23-24)
“Preaching, in one sense, merely discharges the firearm that God has
loaded in the silent place.” – Calvin Miller
Updated: 2/27/13
“The preacher who has never learned in the school of Christ the high and
divine act of intercession for his people will never learn the art of
preaching, though homiletics be poured into him by the ton, and though he
be the most gifted genius in sermon-making and sermon delivery.”
“Prayer, much prayer, is the price of preaching unction. Prayer, much
prayer, is the sole condition of keeping this anointing. Without unceasing
prayer, the anointing never comes to the preacher.”
– E. M. Bounds

______________ the ministry of the Word with the ministry of prayer.
(Ex. 18:19-20; Acts 6:4)
“Prayer…is one half of a man’s ministry; and it gives to the other half all
its power and success….[and] that man ceases, if I may use the expression,
to be a public Minister from the time he ceases to pray.”
– Charles Bridges
2. Trust the Spirit to work through your ______________________.

God has always operated with a ‘______________ ______________’ for one
purpose: that He might receive glory for His gracious and mighty works!
(1 Sam. 16:7; Pr. 31:30; Zech. 4:6; 1 Cor. 1:26-29; 2:3-5; 2 Cor. 4:7; 12:7-10)

When you are at your weakest point and in your most difficult circumstances,
you may have your greatest opportunity to experience the power of God!
“It is highly unlikely that any man will ever know the Spirit’s power until he is
willing to confess before God, ‘If You must hurt me to make me a suitable channel
of Your power, then do so.’”
– Art Azurdia
3. Align ________________ with the Spirit’s Book.
(Eph. 6:17; 2 Tim. 3:14-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21)
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