Embrace The Holy Spirit
EMBRACE THE SPIRIT
“The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit”
Key Scriptures
John 14: 12, 15–27 John 16: 5–15 Acts 1: 4–8 1 Corinthians 2: 9–16
Introduction
The Holy Spirit is not a vague influence or mystic idea, He is a person. This means He can communicate and make Himself real to us. We cannot necessarily see Him, but He is real and can make a great impression on our lives through our inner being. He is the third person of the Godhead.
Like God the Father and God the Son, God the Holy Spirit is eternal (Hebrews 9: 14), omnipresent–present everywhere (Psalm 139: 7), omniscient–all knowing (1 Corinthians 2: 10), and omnipotent–all powerful (Luke 1: 35).
He shows personality attributes; intellect (Romans 8: 27), will (1 Corinthians 12: 11), and sensitivity (Ephesians 4: 30).
He is right inside our life situations, communicating with us, opening Himself up to us and looking for us to open ourselves to Him in response.
He is a person and He speaks to us personally. Every believer should know the reality and power of the Holy Spirit, bringing life right into the center of their being and strength into their lives (John 7: 38–39).
Without the Holy Spirit we could never live in the power of God, or know God’s strength in our daily lives. For full enjoyment and fulfillment in our human existence we need this great gift of the Holy Spirit from God our Father.
The Bible describes the Holy Spirit in different ways & Through different names; e.g.:
1. The Good Spirit (Nehemiah 9: 20).
2. The Spirit of God (Matthew 3: 16).
3. The Counselor (John 14: 16, 26).
4. The Spirit of Truth (John 16: 13).
5. The Spirit of Christ (Romans 8: 9).
6. The Spirit of adoption (Romans 8: 15).
7. The Spirit of Grace (Hebrews 10: 29).
Through symbols:
1. Dove (Matthew 3: 16).
2. Voice (1 Kings 19: 12). Seal (Ephesians 1: 13).
3. Water and living water (Isaiah 44: 3; John 7: 37–39).
4. Wind (Acts 2: 2). Oil (1 Samuel 16: 13). Fire (Acts 2: 3).
The work of the Holy Spirit in a follower of Jesus:
He enables us to drive out demons (Matthew (Matthew 12: 28).
He enables us to speak as God would have us speak (Mark 13: 11). He enables us to be born again (John 3: 5–8).
He will be our Counselor for ever (John 14: 16). He lives in us (John 14: 17).
He teaches us (John 14: 26; John 16: 13–14).
He convicts (John 16: 8–11). He gives us the power to be God’s witnesses (Acts 1: 8).
He enables God’s love to be poured into our hearts (Romans 5: 5).
He testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children (Romans 8: 16).
He helps us in our weakness (Romans 8: 26).
He enables righteousness and peace in us (Romans 14: 17).
He enables us to overflow with hope (Romans 15: 13).
He sanctifies us (Romans 15: 16).
He gives various gifts as He determines (1 Corinthians 12: 4–11).
He enables the fruit of the Spirit in us (Galatians (Galatians 5: 22–23).
He enables joy in us (1 Thessalonians 1: 6).
God's indwelling Spirit gives us:
1. Power to be:
We have power in us through the Holy Spirit for our daily living. God wants us to know His power so that we can live a life of faith continually, and become examples to others of what it means to live the new life in Jesus day by day. We know our flesh is weak, but we are not alone. God has opened to us the channel of divine power. God Himself dwells in our hearts (Ephesians 3: 16–17).
2. Power to overcome:
Every Christian believer lives in a war zone. Before we became Christians we were on Satan’s side, but when we chose to follow Jesus we were put on the winning side, God’s side (Ephesians 2: 1–5). The warfare we experience from Satan is far tougher after we believe, as he is attempting to stop us following Jesus. God makes His power available within us, so that we have the strength and the know-how to defeat the devil (1 John 4: 4).
3. Power to share:
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1: 8) The word for ‘power’ here is ‘dunamis’ which is the word from which we get our English word ‘dynamite’. God wants us to be filled with that same power so we can witness to the life of Jesus; not only to enable us to speak about Jesus, but that we also become like Jesus to other men and women; that is, when we speak, pray and touch men and women in the power of the Holy Spirit, it will be as if Jesus was with them (John 14: 12).
Gifts and fruit:
1. The gifts of the Spirit: (manifestations of the Holy Spirit)
These are supernatural endowments of God. Even natural talents need to be surrendered to God before He can use them fully to His glory. The Holy Spirit is the one who equips us in order to be able to do God’s will and to worship and to serve Him (1 Corinthians 12: 7). The lists of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12: 7–11 and Romans 12: 6–8 help us to understand the range of gifts available to us. The Father has ensured that His children will lack nothing they need to fulfill His will and purpose, and to be able to witness to the power of Jesus here on earth.
2. The fruit of the Spirit: (evidence of the Holy Spirit)
These are just as important as the gifts. The fruit of the Spirit is the evidence in our lives of the work of the Holy Spirit in changing us into the likeness and nature of Jesus. The testimony of our lives is very important. The list of the fruit of the Spirit is in Galatians 5: 22–23, and together these are the character of Jesus. The Holy Spirit plants the seeds of His fruit in our lives. It is up to us to respond to Him and open ourselves more and more to His holy influence, so that we become more and more like Jesus in our actions and attitudes.
As we surrender to God's Spirit we will experience changes:
1. Toward Jesus:
You will know as never before that Jesus is alive as Lord with power and authority today (Acts 2: 32–36).
2. Toward God:
You will experience the depth of God’s love for you (Romans 5: 5) and will come into a new assurance of His Fatherhood (Romans 8: 15; Galatians 4: 6); you will be set free to love Him and praise Him with joy and confidence (Ephesians 5: 18–20).
3. Toward God’s Word:
You will gain a new appetite for the Bible and a greater ability to use it and to hear God speak to you through it (John 16: 13–15; Ephesians 6: 17).
4. Toward the Spirit:
You will become very sensitive to His presence and guidance (Ephesians 4: 30; Romans 8: 14); you will become open to receiving the many and varied gifts of the Spirit.
5: Toward others:
You will become more open to other people, more loving towards them, and more eager to be an active part of the church which is Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12: 12–13).
6. Toward the world:
You will grow bolder in witnessing for Jesus (Acts 1: 8; Acts 4: 31).
7. Toward spiritual warfare:
You will become more aware of your authority in Christ Jesus over the enemy, so you can stand and see God’s Kingdom extended (Ephesians 6: 10–18; Ephesians 1: 17–23).
Summary and Application:
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the triune Godhead, who wants to be our Counselor and is the source of power available to a believer, to enable him to do God’s will and be what God wants him to be. Through the Holy Spirit we can have the power and character of Jesus.