The Holy Spirit

  1. The Holy Spirit has been with us from the beginning. He is the third person of the God head or the Blessed Trinity.

Starting at the book of Genesis 1:2 “The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.” In verse 26 He said “God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness,..”

The reason I believe we need to explain this is that many have for one reason or another thought the Holy Spirit did not show up or have a part in the plan of God until the day of Pentecost.

And yet, the Holy Spirit is at work from Genesis through the book of Revelations. We find the Holy Spirit leading Noah concerning the Ark he was to build. We find the Holy Spirit working with and guiding Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, Joseph, David, Samuel, Joshua, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and on and on and on, yes even Moses.

We find Jesus was led and guided by the same Holy Spirit out into the wilderness in Matthew 4:1 so the Holy Spirit is God even as the Son is God and the Father is God.

There are three separate persons or ministry but one God before us.

We accept that by faith, I know for sure it is not possible for me to explain it all to you. But, by studying the scripture it is easy to see how each – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – have different and somewhat separate ministry or work.

Having said all that I want to make three statements I would like for you to pay special attention to.

You may have or come to a conversion experience that is what Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3 “Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.”

If you read the scripture you’ll notice Nicodemus had a problem with that, the reason for that is he was thinking in the normal.

You can be filled with the Holy Spirit; you can know your Bible and attend church every Sunday. But, if you don’t know what a great treasure you are personally and that God so loved the one and only unique you! He sent His only Son to die just for you.

There is not another you in the entire universe, you are an original. God loves you with a perfect love because of who He is.

  1. No matter what you have done or has been done to you God sees you as perfect in His son Jesus. If you have acknowledged Him and asked Him to be your Lord and Savior. You are cleaned by the Blood of the Lamb.
  2. What lies behind you, and what lies before you are tiny matters compared to He who lives within you.
  3. “And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17. You will save yourself a great deal of misfortunes and misunderstandings if you’ll heed that wisdom from the scriptures.

 

#1 The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

Galatians 3:14 “To the end that through [their receiving] Christ Jesus, the blessing [promised] to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might [all] receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit.”

  1. Abides In the Saints Forever        – John 14:16
  2. Communicates Joy to the Saints   – Romans 14:17-18, Galatians 5:22-23
  3. Dwells With and In the Saints        – John 14:16-17
  4. Edifies Believers                               – Acts 9:31
  5. Imports Hope                                   – Romans 15:13
  6. Known By the Saints                       – John 14:17
  7. Proceeds From the Father             – John 15:26
  8. Teaches the Saints                           – John 14:26
  9. Testifies of Jesus and the Father   – John 15:26
  10. Is Our Recall Memory                     – John 14:26
  11. Guides and Directs Us                      – John 16:13
  12. Reveals the Future                           – Luke 2:26, Acts 21:11
  13. Reveals the Kingdom of Christ        – John 16:14
  14. Reveals the Things of God               – I Corinthians 2, 10:13
  15. Gives Answers When Needed         – Mark 13:11, Luke 12:12
  16. Comforts Us                                       – Acts 9:31
  17. The Counselor                                    – John 16:8-11
  18. Inspires Scripture                              – 2 Timothy 3:16
  19. The Sovereign Depositor of all Things – I Corinthians 12:6-11
  20. The Source of Power                          -Acts 1:1,
  21. Luke 11:20 Acts 19:11                        -Romans 15:15
  22. Clothed with Power                            – Luke 24:49
  23. Our Source of Wisdom                       – I Corinthians 12:8, John 16:13, John 14:26
  24. Our Witness                                         – Hebrews 10:15, I John 5:9
  25. Teacher                                                – Luke 12:12
  26. , etc., etc.

Well that’s a few that you will find and there are many, many more!