Discover the Biblical Foundations of Life in the SpiritThe Life in the Spirit Study Bible will help guide you into a Christ-centered, righteous and Spirit-led lifestyle. Previously titled the Full Life Study Bible, this new edition includes updated and expanded notes, a new word study feature, and a new interior to meet the needs of Spirit-filled Christians today. In a culture that requires believers to depend strongly on God and his Word, this Bible will help you cultivate a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and the person of the Holy Spirit as the source of the Church's power.
Features Include:
Themefinders: 12 icons located by Scripture passages tell at a glance which theme a given passage addresses.
Themes include:
1. Baptized in/Filled with the Holy Spirit,
2. Gifts of the Holy Spirit,
3. Fruit of the Holy Spirit,
4. Healing,
5. Salvation,
6. Witnessing and more.
Study Notes: Updated and expanded, extensive notes offer insights that help you understand and apply the Scriptures.
Articles: 77 articles address a wide variety of topics surrounding life in the Spirit.
Word Studies: This brand-new feature sheds light on the meanings of key words in their original Greek and Hebrew contexts.
Charts: 5 custom-designed mega-charts visually portray:
1. "Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Christ,"
2. "The Kingdom of God Versus the Kingdom of Satan,"
3. "The Gifts of the Holy Spirit,"
4. "The Work of the Holy Spirit,"
5. "The Last Days of History."
Plus:
1. Book introductions
2. In-text maps and charts
3. Full-color map section
4. Concordance
5. Words of Christ in red
6. Subject and Themefinder indexes
7. Reading plan
8. Tables of content for articles, maps and charts
Wonderful as it is to be saved for all eternity, we also long to walk with the Lord today. We want to hear his voice, know his heart, receive his gifts, and participate in what he is doing. We desire what the early church had that Jesus promised would be ours as well: lives lived in the intimacy, vision and power of his Spirit.
Based on the common underpinnings of Pentecostal and charismatic traditions, the Life in the Spirit Study Bible is designed as an important Biblical resource for all Christians, regardless of church background, who long to deepen their connection with the Holy Spirit. If you are hungry for greater intimacy with Jesus . . . if what you’ve read in the Bible suggests amazing possibilities for your personal relationship with God . . . if you long to experience the message, faith, devotion and power described in the book of Acts . . . then this study Bible will help you build a bedrock of spiritual understanding and faith for living a down-to-earth life equipped with the presence of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Millions of Christians around the world continue to discover what it means to walk in the Holy Spirit’s power and presence. If that is your desire, the Life in the Spirit Study Bible will prove a valuable companion in your spiritual quest.
First published as the Full Life Study Bible, the Life in the Spirit Study Bible has enjoyed a stunning international appeal. Working together, Zondervan and Life Publishers continue to spread the message of this Bible worldwide. All author royalties go directly to missions for the purpose of translating it into other languages. At the time of this printing, well over one million copies have been printed in nine non-English languages, and the process of translation is underway for 24 other languages.
The New International Version (NIV) is today’s most read and most trusted English Bible translation. Since its release in 1973, the NIV has sold over 160 million copies. The goal of the NIV translation team was to produce a contemporary translation whose accuracy, clarity and literary quality would make it ideal for public and private reading, teaching, preaching, memorizing and liturgical use. Today the NIV is accepted by more denominations than any other translation and is supported by a library of reference resources unmatched by any other translation.
How to Use the NIV Life in the Spirit Study Bible
The Life in the Spirit Study Bible is designed to help you gain a more thorough understanding of thetruths of God’s Word, whereby you may grow in love, purity and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ (1Ti 1:5).
The special features and study helps of the Life in the Spirit Study Bible are the following:
Sectional headings
The entire Bible contains sectional headings within the Bible text in order to help you more easilyunderstand the subject and content of each section. NOTE: the standard New International Versionsectional headings have been altered for this particular edition of the NIV. When two or morepassages of Scripture are nearly identical or deal with the same event, this “parallel” is noted atthe sectional headings for those passages. Identical or nearly identical passages are noted with“pp.” Similar passages—those not dealing with the same event—are noted with “Ref.”
Cross-reference system
The center-column cross-reference system is designed to help you connect one text of the Biblewith others that have a similar theme. By using this system, difficult or obscure passages areclarified by Scripture itself. Cross-references are indicated by raised light italic letters. A corresponding letter in the center-column under the designated verse is followed by a list of appropriate Scripture verses.
When a single word is addressed by both text notes and cross-references, the bold NIV textnoteletter comes first. The cross-references normally appear in the center column and, when necessary, continue at the bottom of the right-hand column preceding the NIV text notes. The NIV cross-reference system resembles a series of interlocking chains with many links.The head, or organizing, link in each concept chain is indicated by the letter “S” (short for “see”).The appearance of a head link in a list of references usually signals another list of referencesthat will cover a slightly different aspect of the concept or word being studied.
The lists of references are in Biblical order with one exception: If reference is made to a verse within the same chapter, that verse (indicated by “ver”) is listed first. If an Old Testament verse is
quoted in the New Testament, the New Testament reference is marked with an asterisk (*).
Study Notes
The study notes at the bottom of nearly every page are written from a Pentecostal perspectiveand with the belief that the full message, standard and experience testified to by Christ and the apostles are forever valid and available for his people today.
The study notes fall into five classes:
(1) Expositional. The notes explain the meaning of words and phrases of many important
passages in the Word of God.
(2) Theological. The notes define and explain the great doctrines and truths of the Bible,
summarizing the Bible’s teachings about baptism, forgiveness, perseverance, repentance, salvation,
sanctification, etc.
(3) Devotional. The notes emphasize the importance of maintaining an intimate and devoted
relationship with God—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit—through faith, obedience,
prayer and the many means of grace.
(4) Ethical. The notes direct you to unreservedly commit yourself to God’s kingdom and his
righteousness. They emphasize the importance of Biblical principles of self-denial, godly conduct,
following Christ, separation from sin, discernment of good and evil, and obligation to God
and others.
(5) Practical. The notes present useful information on the believer’s daily walk. They contain
practical instruction about healing, the baptism in the Spirit, bringing up godly children, spiritual warfare, overcoming worry, resisting temptations, etc.xiv
The study notes provide extensive Scripture references (usually in parentheses) that confirm
comments made in the notes and help you in further in-depth Bible study. If the Scripture referencein parentheses is from the same chapter, it will normally appear first in the list, with thesymbol “v.” or “vv.” Next will come Scripture references from the same book, usually without mention of the book’s name. Last in the parentheses are passages from other Bible books, given in Bible book order. In many cases, other notes and articles are also cross-referenced.
Articles
The articles deal with important subjects more comprehensively than do the notes. They usuallyappear in close proximity to one of the major texts related to the subject of the article. For a complete list of the articles, see the Table of Contents for Articles on p. viii.
The articles, like the study notes, provide extensive Biblical references in parentheses. In the
articles, the name of each Bible book, in Bible book order, is usually given for each reference. If there is no book mentioned before a Scripture reference, it means that that reference is found in the same book as the previous reference.
Introductions
Each book of the Bible has an introduction, which includes
(1) an outline of the book;
(2) an explanation of the book’s background and historical setting, including information about the author, circumstances and date of writing;
(3) a statement about the original purpose of the book;
(4) a survey of its contents;
(5) a list of the book’s special features and emphases; and
(6) a suggested reading plan for covering the entire Bible in two years (one year for the OT and one yearfor the NT).
Careful reading of the introductions will help you understand each book and its applications
more fully. At the end of each introduction, space is provided for you to write personal
notes on that book.
Themefinders™
On many pages of this Bible you will see one of 12 symbols in the margin, next to a vertical line.Each of these symbols represents a specific theme of importance in the Pentecostal tradition.They are:
The symbol informs you which theme is contained in accompanying verses; at the bottom of
each vertical line is a Bible text, directing you to the next text on that particular theme.
Charts
The NIV Life in the Spirit Study Bible contains various charts that will help you at a glance to
learn more about the Bible and its teachings on such topics as the ministry of Jesus, the kingdomof God versus the kingdom of Satan, the last days of history, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc. See the Table of Contents for Maps and Charts on p. ix for a list of these charts.
1. Baptized in ⁄ Filled with the Holy Spirit
(Begin at Exodus 31:1–6)
2. Gifts of the Holy Spirit
(Begin at Exodus 35:30–35)
3. Fruit of the Holy Spirit
(Begin at Genesis 50:19–21)
4. Healing
(Begin at Genesis 20:17–18)
5. Faith that moves mountains
(Begin at Genesis 15:3–6)
6. Witnessing
(Begin at Exodus 10:1–2)
7. Salvation
(Begin at Genesis 12:1–3)
8. Second Coming
(Begin at Psalm 98:8–9)
9. Victory over Satan and demons
(Begin at Genesis 3:15)
10. Overcoming the world and worldliness
(Begin at Genesis 19:15–26)
11. Praise
(Begin at Exodus 15:1–21)
12. Walking in obedience and righteousness
(Begin at Genesis 5:22)
xv
Word Studies
Significant words have been highlighted in call-out boxes throughout the Scripture text. The
words are explained in light of their original Greek or Hebrew contexts.
Maps
A number of maps have been included within the Bible text to help you understand where the
events written about in the Bible occurred. See the Table of Contents for Maps and Charts on
p. ix for a list of these maps. At the back of this Bible are 16 full-color maps.
Subject Index
The subject index directs you to the most important notes and articles on the many topics and
great doctrines of Scripture. Under each entry in this index, you will find texts of the Bible that have notes on that particular subject. Articles and introductions are also included in this index.
Themefinder™ Index
The Themefinder Index at the back of this Bible lists the Scripture passages assigned to the 12
key themes described earlier in the Themefinder section. Under each pertinent Themefinder you will find the passages in the order in which they are linked.
Reading Plan
The Reading Plan outlined in the back gives you the flexibility of choosing a method of readingthrough the Bible either in one year or in two years. The reading plan found at the end of each book introduction follows the two-year design, listing Old Testament readings for one year and New Testament readings for the second year.
Concordance
A concordance, compiled and edited by John R. Kohlenberger III and Edward W. Goodrick, is included to help you find Bible verses quickly and easily. By looking up key words in a Bible verse,you can find a verse for which you remember a word or two but not its location. For example, if you wanted to find out where the Bible says that the Word of God is “sharper than any doubleedged sword,” you could look up either “sharper,” “double-edged” or “sword” in the concordance
and find that the verse is located at Heb 4:12.
We trust that you will receive a rich blessing from using the NIV Life in the Spirit Study Bible. It is our prayer that your knowledge of God’s Word, your experience of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, and your daily walk with Christ in truth and righteousness will increase through your use of this Bible.
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