220717 the work of the Holy Spirit
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The Holy Spirit which is the third member of the God Head is a gift that is unique to the Church age. That is from the time of Pentecost until this day.
It was His coming that marked this new Age of the calling out the bride of Christ, the Royal Family of God.
It is He who empowers the Christian way of life. Without the Holy Spirit or when the power of the Holy Spirit is suppressed because of personal sin, the Christian’s life does not appear to be anything different than any non-Christian living in the world.
Where there is an ignorance of the Ministry of God the Holy Spirit The Christian is left impotent to live the most dynamic life in Christ.
Opening Hymn Revive us again
prayer
The Coming of the Holy Spirit must have and continues to be a very big deal. While the Israelites were promised a land of Milk and Honey, It is the Christian who was promised a unique relationship with God through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
How many would trade this relationship for all the power and influence and riches of the world?
Well, I don’t know?
You don’t know because you probably don’t know the very power that is bestowed upon even the least of all Christians. in ignorance you might know whether there is a spirit inside you or not, so you might as well go for the riches of the world.
Your like Jed Clampett back in the day. You are a poor mountain man barely able to keep his family fed, but you are sitting on a oil deposit. Your rich but don’t know it.
To be in Christ with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit provides for every believer regardless of station in life a rich dynamic life that takes us from the new birth to crossing the finish line as spiritual victors in Christ.
John 4:10 (NASB95) — 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
Jer 2:13; John 4:14; 7:37f; Rev 7:17; 21:6; 22:1, 17
To be living in this age as a member of the Royal family of God, we are promised so much greater than any believer living in any other age in the past or to come. If it were for nothing more the fact that we have the spirit of God indwelling in us, it would be the greatest treasure that all of us in this earthen vessel could have ever received.
It was the Spirit that came down and lit upon our Lord at His baptism. Gentle like a dove. A quiet dove that can easily shewed away and dismissed, but whose power it is to mold and transform the believer.
When we stand before the Lord at the Judgment seat of Christ being recompensed by the things we have done in the body, where we have received crowns and rulership functions with Him, and things that no eye has seen and no ear has heard for those who love the Lord’s appearing, it is the believer who had come to walk consistently in the Spirit.
The Losing believer, and yes there will be those who are minus the privileges extended to the mature believer, is the one who spent his life living according to the flesh. He had stored up nothing in his own heavenly bank account where it would have been safe but invested only in this life.
Let’s briefly look at the ministries of the Holy Spirit.
1. Common Grace
Extended to all men as God has revealed himself to man. Remember that apart from God revealing himself to man, the finite mind cannot under the things of God.
Note that just as the spirit was hovering over the earth in the beginning it was the holy spirit that was brooding over our hearts as unbelievers prior to Salvation.
We had no power a part from God to bring us out of our dark state of unbelief.
1 Corinthians 1:18 (NASB95) — 18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:14–16 (NASB95) — 14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Romans 1:20 (NASB95) — 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
That which God provided the fallen man is general revelation. and it is the Holy Spirit who is at work to bring to mind to the unsaved, the revelation of God and the conviction that one stands dead in one’s own sin and is in need of a savior.
John 16:8–14 (NASB95) — 8 “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. 12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
.It is the work of the Holy Spirit in the life that brings those without life to the place and time and illuminates the heart with the message.
Common Grace is the moving the unbeliever to the place of Salvation.
2. Efficacious Grace
Is a theological term having in view the work of the Holy Spirit in moving men to effective faith in Jesus Christ as savior. At Gospel hearing it is the Holy Spirit that makes the gospel understandable to the spiritually dead. Then it is the Spirit that takes the faith of the unbeliever and makes it effective for Salvation.
Romans 1:1, 6, 7; Romans 8:28, 30;
It is not the person delivering the message that get’s another saved. Billy Graham as an effective evangelist as he was, had no power to save a single human being from going to Hell.
The intellectual genius who if he could have it all worked out could not save himself from going to hell.
The truly repentant and moral person could not save himself from going to hell
It is only when through His power that the Holy Spirit, takes the response to the grace message which has been revealed by the spirit and makes it effective for salvation.
No one gets the credit but the Holy Spirit.
This should take a load off when we desire to evangelize but are afraid of getting it wrong and at the very least make you look stupid or at worst cost someone his own eternal life. Listen, I agree that we should be prepared to give an answer and be prepared to disciple one right into a relationship with the Lord, But it is the spirit that moves the heart not you having all the “T’s” crossed and all the “I’s” dotted that will convict the heart and bring one to salvation
3. Regeneration
It is the power of the Holy Sprit that brings about new life. life where once was dead in Christ with being one with a Body and Soul and a spiritually dead in its relationship with Christ brings to life that dead spirit where one is now born again or born from above.
Matthew 19:28 (NASB95) — 28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
John 3:5–8 (NASB95) — 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Titus 3:5–6 (NASB95) — 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
The Greek παλιγγενεσία (palingenesia),[1]
📷
refers to new birth or recreation which applies not only to one through faith being born again becoming a new creation, but also refers to the new heavens and new earth as a recreation.
4. Baptism of the Holy Spirit
is the work of the Holy Spirit which provides the distinguishing mark of one who becomes identified with Christ.
Matthew 3:11 (NASB95) — 11 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33
Acts 1:5 (NASB95) — 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Acts 11:16
Romans 6:1–4 (NASB95) — 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
1 Corinthians 12:13 (NASB95) — 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Galatians 3:27 (NASB95) — 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
This baptism by the Holy Spirit is a spiritual baptism not the ritual baptism by water. Baptism by water is the physical manifestation of a spiritual reality. It is the spiritual baptism that is the identifying mark.
5. Sealing
It is the Holy Spirit that guarantees our eternal salvation
Ephesians 1:13–14 (NASB95) — 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
This sealing is foreshadowed at least two places in the Old Testament.
The sealing of Noah’s ark
The sealing of the basket of Moses
I might also include the third.
When the Israelites crossed the waters, the Lord closed the waters back sealing the people from going back.
It means that it is impossible for one to lose one’s own salvation. there is the guarantee of eternal life.
Once a child of God there is a guarantee that one will remain a child of God.
6. Distribution of Spiritual gifts
Every believer has at least one spiritual gift which functions within the body of Christ. the local assembly is important as these varying gifts work together in the edification of one body.
1 Corinthians 12:8–12 (NASB95) — 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
Some of these gifts may overlap and the Christian may have more than one. And though one might not be gifted in one area, it does not rule them out to function in that office. We all have the responsibility to witness and evangelized but the one with the gift of evangelism has a special ability to reach the loss in ministry of teaching and persuasion.
a. Teaching men and woman
b. Ministry – Helps; deacons
c. Administration - office of deacons
d. Evangelism - over and above witnessing
e. Pastor - a gift that is extended to men only as a leader over a local flock.
f. Exhortation - (encouragement comfort admonishment ) this is another one those over lapping gifts that we all may have and at the same time the one who has the gift may have a certain ability that extends beyond with he empowerment of the spirit
g. Giving - over and above
h. Mercy - compassion God gives the ability to receive and feel the brokenness of others
i. Prayer - as one has the power to prayer deeply over long periods of time
Romans 8:26 (NASB95) — 26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
j. Faith
Interesting how these gifts are not tied to our determination which is attributed to the flesh, but to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
How many of us considered faith as a spiritual gift?
How many of you had ever said or heard another say of someone?
“I wish I had your faith!”
Good news. Faith is a gift distributed by the Holy spirit.
Who truly wishes that they had the faith to move a mountain?
Who wishes that they could walk through this world is the boldness and confidence to face every circumstance yielding the shield of faith?
How many wish that they could be truly confident in their prayer life?
well good news!
It’s a gift, not a talent. A gift can be given and received, and I ask that you seek not only for yourself, but for your pastor and for each other.
1 Corinthians 13:2 (NASB95) — 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
2 Corinthians 4:13 (NASB95) — 13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak,
7. Teaching ministry
Again, even as believers we cannot know the deep things of God apart from the ministry of God the Holy Spirit.
Under the ministry of teaching or illumination it is the Holy Spirit working in conjunction with the word of God who teaches the revived human spirit those deep things.
1 Corinthians 2:10–15 (NASB95) — 10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.
Ephesians 3:1–13 (NASB95) — 1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; 3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. 4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.
What a special privledge it is to know the things of the master to have special insights.
Those who are frustrated. Those who say, “I’ve tried reading the bible and just don’t understand it. those who have given up on seeking the knowledge of God and therefore remain ignorant of God’s word when you do sincerely want to know.
What is the problem?
Check your own connection with the spirit of God.
Important question here
Do you truly have eternal life? Are you saved?
On what basis are you saved, I might ask.
The second question; are actively engaged in your spiritual life. which is under the empowerment of the spirit that indwells you?
This is where we come to the point that though one might be saved and one might have the spirit of God being a child of God, one can actually suppress the ministry of God the Holy Spirit, leaving one powerless to live the Christian way of life even to take in and understand God’s word.
Closing Hymn How great thou Art
Closing prayer
[1](2011). In The Lexham Analytical Lexicon to the Greek New Testament. Logos Bible Software.