“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
John 14:25-26 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep,
and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Genesis 1:1-2 (NIV)
paraclete – Advocate
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to
the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
Acts 8:26-29 (NIV)
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again,
but went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 8:36-39 (NIV)
Nudges: Promptings or leadings:
- Simeon was “moved by the Spirit” to go into the temple where Joseph and Mary were dedicating Jesus to God.(Luke 2:27)
- Jesus was “led by the Spirit” into the desert to be tempted by the devil. (Luke 4:1)
- Paul was “compelled by the Spirit” to go to Jerusalem.
(Acts 20:22)
Different Examples of “Nudges” in the Bible
- Some were from the Spirit of God.
- Others came from ourselves
(our hearts, our sin, our troubled thoughts) - Some could even come from the devil himself.