Sermon Tone Analysis

The Personality of the Holy Spirit

March 22, 1998

 

*Introduction:*

 

          Leonard Ravenhill, the revival minded preacher and author from Britain, told Jim Cymbala, pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, and the author of “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire,” that the church of today is expanding at a tremendous rate.

In fact, he said, that it’s ten miles wide now --- and about a quarter inch deep.

According to Cymbala, he was speaking about the woeful lack of Holy Spirit power.

To quote his book, he said, “Isn’t it remarkable that only two of the seven churches of Revelation (Pergamum and Thyatira) were scolded for false doctrine?

Far more common was a lack of spiritual vitality, of fervency, of closeness to the Lord.

These are what the glorified Christ wanted to talk about most.”

All we need do is look around us to see the truth of the matter in how many churches, in the inner city and in the country, have fallen victim to ‘lampstand removal’ for this lack of vitality, fervency, and closeness to the Lord.

According to reports, this is in epidemic proportions in Britain and the rest of Europe.

Here in this country it seems to be easier to plant new churches than it is to revitalize the old ones.

Except for hard hearted churches, does this make any sense, spiritually or economically?

Cymbala offers this advice for our shallow churches, “To go into the power of the gospel, or of prayer, or the Holy Spirit, or divine love is to plunge ever deeper and deeper into God’s well.

Every man or woman used by God has gone down into this vast reservoir.”

He goes on the say that, “The work of God can only be carried on by the power of God.

The church is a spiritual organism fighting spiritual battles.

Only spiritual power can make it function as God ordained.”

He also says we ere when we look at success in terms of the “ABC’S” or attendance, buildings and cash.

“The Bible does not say we should aim at numbers but rather urges us faithfully to proclaim God’s message in the boldness of the Holy Spirit.

This will build God’s church God’s way.

--- God nowhere asks anyone to have a large church.

He only calls us to do his work, proclaiming his Word to people he loves under the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit to produce results that only he can bring about.”

Cymbala urges us to leave room for the Holy Spirit.

He says, “These days we are so programmed that God couldn’t break in if he wanted to.

--- A basic sign of revival is that the wind is allowed to blow where it will.

--- All he wants are people simple enough to trust him.

According to 1 Co. 14, if meetings are governed by the Holy Spirit, the result for the visitor will be that ‘the secrets of his heart will be laid bare.

--- When a visitor comes in, there should be such a mixture of God’s truth and God’s presence that the person’s heart is x-rayed, the futility of his life is exposed, and he crumbles in repentance.

--- What we really lack is the passion to call upon the Lord until he opens the heavens and shows himself powerful.

--- The teaching of sound doctrine is a prelude, if you will, to the supernatural.

It is also a guide, a set of boundaries to keep emotion and exuberance within proper channels.

But as Paul said, ‘The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life’ (2 Co. 3:6).

If the Holy Spirit is not given an opening among us, if his work is not welcomed, if we are afraid of what he might do, we leave ourselves with nothing but death.

--- The old saying is true:  If you have only the Word, you dry up.

If you have only the Spirit, you blow up.

But if you have both, you grow up.”

The result of Cymbala’s message to the church is that, “God will manifest himself in direct proportion to our passion for him.

--- The Bible teaches that we are always either drawing nearer to God or falling away.

There is no holding pattern.

We must understand that God’s work in the world is usually a joint project; he works with us as we yield ourselves to work with him.”

With this challenge before us, today’s message is intended to lead us into a greater understanding, closeness, and yieldedness to the Holy Spirit.

What do we really understand about the Holy Spirit?

We hear alot about God the Father and Christ the Son.

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Triune Godhead (which no one can truly explain).

If God the Father is the power of love (2Co.

13:14), and God the Son is the power of grace, then God the Spirit is the power of presence.

The Three work together.

It is the presence that brings the love and grace close to us.

Let us understand more of the personality of the Holy Spirit that we might understand and experience more of the love and grace of God that he longs to bring close to us in the power of his presence.

* *

*A.

The Spirit has characteristics of personhood.*

1.

The Spirit has intelligence.

*Isa 11:2  The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD--*

*Joh 14:26  But the Counselor, 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.*

*Ro 8:27  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.*

*1Co 2:10  but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.*

*1Co 2:11  For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him?

In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.*

*1Co 2:12  We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.*

*1Co 2:13  This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.*

*1Co 12:8  To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,*

*Eph 1:17  I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.*

2.

The Spirit shows emotion.

*Isa 63:10  Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit.

So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.*

*Ro 15:30 ¶ I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.*

*Eph 4:30  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.*

3.

The Spirit has a will.

*1Co 12:11  All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.*

*B.

The Spirit is distinguished among the persons of the Godhead.*

1.

The Spirit is distinguished from Jesus.

*Joh 14:16  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--*

*Joh 14:26  But the Counselor, 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.*

*Joh 15:26 ¶ "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.*

*Joh 16:7 ¶ But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away.

Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.*

*Joh 16:14  He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.*

 

 

          2.

The Spirit is distinguished within the Trinity.

*Mt 3:16  As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.

At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.*

*Mt 3:17  And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."*

*Mt 28:19  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,*

*Ro 15:16  to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.*

*2Co 1:21  Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.

He anointed us,*

*2Co 1:22  set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.*

*2Co 13:14  May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.*

*Eph 3:14 ¶ For this reason I kneel before the Father,*

*Eph 3:15  from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.*

*Eph 3:16  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,*

*Eph 3:17  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,*

*2Th 2:13 ¶ But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.*

*2Th 2:14  He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.*

*1Pe 1:2  who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.*

*Jude 1:20  But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.*

*Jude 1:21  Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.*