The Person & Work of the Holy Spirit

Part 1

Intro

√ Before we can correctly understand the work of the Holy Spirit, we must first of all know the Person of the Holy Spirit.

Much of the wrong thinking concerning the work of the Holy Spirit comes from a wrong understanding of Who He is!

It is very important that we understand what the Bible declares concerning the Holy Spirit, else we will not approach Him and His work in a way that pleases Him.

Ex. If we understand correctly that the Holy Spirit is a Person – an equal member of the Holy Trinity then we will give Him our…

Adoration

Faith

Love

Surrender our lives to Him

If on the other hand we misunderstand Who the Holy Spirit is, and perceive Him as an influence, or power source from the Father…

…then we will rob Him of the…

Adoration

Faith

Love

Surrender our lives to Him

…that He is due!

√ It is also of the highest important from a practical standpoint that we decide whether the Holy Spirit is merely some mysterious and wonderful power, which we in our weakness and ignorance are somehow to get hold of and use…

…or a real Person…

Infinitely holy

Infinitely wise

Infinitely mighty

…Who is to get hold of and use us!

The idea that the Holy Spirit is simply a force is completely heathen – not any different from the thinking of the witch doctor who uses fetishes for protection and curses.

The understanding that He is a Person is completely Biblical and Christian.

Ap. If we think of the Holy Spirit, as so many do, as merely a power or influence, our constant thought will be…

“How can I get more of the Holy Spirit?”

If we think of Him in the Biblical way as a divine Person our constant thought and prayer will be…

“How can the Holy Spirit have more of me?”

The distinction is radical!

The wrong conception of the Holy Spirit as a power that we need to somehow get hold of will lead to…

Self-exaltation

Self-sufficiency

…producing spiritual pride where a person begins to see themselves as superior to other Christians because they’ve got hold of the “power of God”.

But – if we grasp the Truth concerning the Holy Spirit – that He is a divine Person of infinite…

Majesty

Glory

Holiness

Power

…Who in marvelous condescension has come into our hearts to make His home there and take possession of our lives and make use of them…

…it will produce in us a Godly humility which is both pleasing and useful to God!

Ex. Can you think of anything more humbling or more overwhelming than the thought that a Person of divine majesty and glory dwells in my heart and is ready to use even me!?

Friends – I sincerely believe that part of the spiritual weakness that pervades the Church today is that we have moved from a Biblical understanding of Who the Holy Spirit is to a “made for TV” – concept.

Ex. Star Wars theology – Buddhist not Christian

If we desire to have an impact upon our families, community and nation then we need to have a right understanding of the Holy Spirit and make ourselves available to Him for His purposes.

For He is the Person of the Godhead at work in the World today!

The Holy Spirit - who is He?

√ Let's start by talking about who He is not!

He is not a…

Force

Power

Influence

He is God and has the characteristics of a PERSONAL being.

Again, this is what makes Christianity different from all other religions. It is a religion based upon relationship with a personal God, not an impersonal power or force that we learn to manipulate.

This is important because the "god" of the Antichrist, the "god" of the last days One World Religion, is a god of forces - see Daniel 11:38!

Dan. 11:38 "But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses (forces - KJV; SRN 4581); and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things."

√ The Holy Spirit is a Person (not a human) - that is He has all the characteristics and qualities, personality, of an individual versus a force.

Ex. Gravity is a force. Gravity does not have emotional feelings; you can't lie to gravity, you can't make gravity sad, gravity can't comfort you – can’t have a relationship with gravity.

The Holy Spirit on the other hand does exhibit all of those qualities and more.

His name in the original language is parakletos…

"one called alongside to help."

Think of Him as your personal guide through life. He doesn't just tell you how to live and what to do, He shows you, empowers you, and transforms you.

Ex. The mine fields at the Kuwait border - one right way through, all other ways led to death - the soldiers needed a guide.

People get all excited over guardian angles, like in the books by Frank Peretti, but their power is limited. The Holy Spirit on the other hand has unlimited power and He lives right inside of you!

1Jo. 4:4 "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

√ Biblical proof that the Holy Spirit is a Person. First of all He does things that only a person can do.

He TEACHES us - John 14:26

Joh. 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

Notice the personal pronoun that Jesus uses, "He", not it.

He CONVICTS us of sin

Joh. 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

Joh. 16:8 "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Notice again that Jesus emphatically identifies the Holy Spirit as a Person, not an it, with a specific duty – to convict the unrepentant sinner of sin!

Ex. Gravity – doesn’t convict a person of lying!

Side light; how could it possibly be to our advantage for Jesus to go away? STUDENTS RESPOND

Because He multiples Himself in each one of us who has the H.S. living inside of him/her. In His human body He voluntarily limited Himself to space and time, not so when He's living inside of each believer.

Which brings us to the next personal characteristic.

He CALLS people to service

Acts 13:2 "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

Ap. This is important for us to understand -the Holy Spirit has a specific plan for your life and mine!

We make decisions every day that we never even ask Him about. BE SURE and ask God – the Holy Spirit what He wants you to do! God the Holy Spirit will tell you.

But note, that to hear His call and to know His direction we must be listening!

"As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said,…”

These men has set themselves apart to the Lord – free of the distractions of life so that they could discern the voice of the Holy Spirit.

He LEADS us

Rom. 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."

Gal. 5:18 "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."

Luke 4:1 "Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,"

Ap. In our daily lives we are often faced with choices for which there is no specific Bible verse to direct our choice.

Ex. Acts 16 - Paul trying to go into Asia to preach the Gospel; the Spirit resisted him by closing the doors of opportunity and opening one by way of a vision.

Here again we’re reminded how important it is to have a correct understanding of Who the Holy Spirit is.

He is not a power that we get hold of and use according to our will, but a sovereign majesty, who leads us and uses us according to His will.

He SPEAKS to us

Acts 21:11 "When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' "

Ex. Now, when was the last time a photo electric energy taught you anything? Or, hydroelectric power helped you to remember what Jesus said? Do you see the foolishness of calling the Holy Spirit an it, a force!?

√ Also, the Holy Spirit, being a person, can have things done to Him.

We can LIE to Him

Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession.

Acts 5:2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Acts 5:3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?

We can GRIEVE Him

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

We can quench (or resist) Him

1Th. 5:19 "Do not quench the Spirit."

The Holy Spirit is a gentleman, He won't force you to do anything.

We can INSULT Him - Heb. 10:29

Heb. 10:29 "Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?"

That is, to disregard His work upon the cross as unimportant, unnecessary or unfinished.

√ So, we've proven that He is a PERSON, He is not a force, a power, or an influence. For all the distinctive characteristics of personality are ascribed to the Holy Spirit in the Bible.

Application

√ He is with you always to…

Comfort

Guide

Counsel

Protect

Empower

Transform you into the image of Jesus.

Ex. When I crashed my MG

√ Next week we will pick up part 2 of this study and show that the Holy Spirit is GOD!