The Work of the Holy Spirit
Last time, we looked at who the Bible says the Holy Spirit is, and why He had come. In essence, He was sent because of a promise God had made hundreds of years before through the prophet Joel: "In those days, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh".
This time we will look at the work of the Holy Spirit.
Last time, we looked at who the Bible says the Holy Spirit is, and why He had come. In essence, He was sent because of a promise God had made hundreds of years before through the prophet Joel: "In those days, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh".
This time we will look at the work of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus' Example:
Jesus is God. We learn that from John chapter 1. But He still felt it vitally important to receive water baptism and to receive the Holy Spirit.
When He was baptised, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descended upon Him. After this incident, Jesus was 'lead by the Spirit' into the wilderness where he fasted 40 days and 40 nights, during which He was severely tempted - and overcame each one!
Jesus is God. We learn that from John chapter 1. But He still felt it vitally important to receive water baptism and to receive the Holy Spirit.
When He was baptised, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descended upon Him. After this incident, Jesus was 'lead by the Spirit' into the wilderness where he fasted 40 days and 40 nights, during which He was severely tempted - and overcame each one!
Luke 4 tells us that after those 40 days and 40 nights, He "returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region."
After being empowered by the Holy Spirit, His ministry began. And He was instantly famous: only the Holy Spirit brings the power to minister and transform lives.
After being empowered by the Holy Spirit, His ministry began. And He was instantly famous: only the Holy Spirit brings the power to minister and transform lives.
The Bible is full of the other things that the Holy Spirit does, but Jesus outlined some very important ones that we'll go through now:
A. The Holy Spirit is a Teacher
John 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.
Read the Bible but don't get it? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal it to you. He is also the one to bring you those flashes of memory of Scripture at crucial times in your life to comfort, bring direction and more. So read the Word, memorise the Word and apply the Word!
John 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.
Read the Bible but don't get it? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal it to you. He is also the one to bring you those flashes of memory of Scripture at crucial times in your life to comfort, bring direction and more. So read the Word, memorise the Word and apply the Word!
B. The Holy Spirit Testifies of Jesus
John 15:26-27But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. v27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.He is on a mission to tell the world who Jesus is, what He has done and what He can do. Notice that in verse 27 that when we have the Holy Spirit, we will bear testimony of Him too. To 'bear testimony' is like being a referee for Jesus' resume - we can recommend Jesus based on our knowledge of Him and our relationship with Him. We can testify that He is real, and that He is powerful etc etc.
The Holy Spirit ALWAYS talks about Jesus. If the Holy Spirit is in something, He will always point to Jesus. if you are at a conference or Christian program but the focus is on the speaker, on the fun, the program, the social things, OR something else and God gets a smaller focus, then something is amiss. If the Holy Spirit is at work, people will be learning about Jesus, they will be drawn to deeper intimacy with Him, they will realise that they need Him more. That is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Thought: If the Holy Spirit is on a mission to tell the world about Jesus, are you?
C. The Holy Spirit Convicts - It's not your job to convict people!
John 5:8 - And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment...
SIN - strips away deception to reveal sin for what it actually is
RIGHTEOUSNESS - points to what is true righteousness so that the sin that is revealed looks very hollow and even more evil
JUDGEMENT - warns of the judgement to come for all those who are bound to the power of sin
Conviction is different from condemnation. Condemnation is what Satan does. Conviction is what the Holy Spirit does. Satan's work, as always, is a twisted version of God's.
John 5:8 - And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment...
SIN - strips away deception to reveal sin for what it actually is
RIGHTEOUSNESS - points to what is true righteousness so that the sin that is revealed looks very hollow and even more evil
JUDGEMENT - warns of the judgement to come for all those who are bound to the power of sin
Conviction is different from condemnation. Condemnation is what Satan does. Conviction is what the Holy Spirit does. Satan's work, as always, is a twisted version of God's.
When the Holy Spirit CONVICTS, it will expose the lie, the darkness, the sin, the filth in you. But it will point to Jesus as the answer. You will feel the evil of the sins the Holy Spirit reveals so acutely, and are so filled with dread at what will happen if you stay that way that you will run to Him when you are convicted. You will throw yourself at His feet and cry out to God for help until you are cleansed.
Condemnation on the other hand tells you "you are worthless. no one wants you. God doesn't want you. Don't even try." Condemnation passes a sentence of judgement and makes you feel so utterly ashamed, guilty and unworthy that the LAST thing you want to do is look to God. This is the work of Satan.
When you have the Holy Spirit in you, you are able to partner with the Holy Spirit so that wherever you walk and just live normally, people will feel convicted and not know why. you can just share a simple story, but God can work conviction in their hearts so that they are drawn to Jesus Christ as the answer - that's the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. This is why we must always pray and depend on God when we step out to be His witnesses.
But also, our lives can "commend ourselves to people's conscience" ie when we walk in righteousness and in partnership with the Holy Spirit, our life story, the way we live and relate to other people will prick others' conscience - "I want to be like that. Why are they like that? How can they be so nice/generous/wise/peaceful/ joyful etc..."
But also, our lives can "commend ourselves to people's conscience" ie when we walk in righteousness and in partnership with the Holy Spirit, our life story, the way we live and relate to other people will prick others' conscience - "I want to be like that. Why are they like that? How can they be so nice/generous/wise/peaceful/ joyful etc..."
2 Cor 4:2 -But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
This is why our Church motto is 'live the truth, walk the talk". it is by living out the truth, that people can see it works, it is real, it is more powerful than what the world can offer.
D. The Holy Spirit is The Guide
John 16:13a - However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak...
John 16:13a - However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak...
E. The Holy Spirit Will Tell You Things to Come
John 16:13b - ... and He will tell you things to come.
John 16:13b - ... and He will tell you things to come.
Rev 19:10 - for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy
Remember - the Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus. Therefore, it is the Spirit of Prophecy.The Word of God is very good at backing itself up.
The Holy Spirit will reveal things about the future to us so that we can prepare for them. Don't look to the financial forecast, tarot cards or the star signs. All of them do not come from the Spirit of Truth. Only God can tell you what is to come. Look to Him.
The Spirit of God in You
Luke 10:1-17 tells us about the exploits of 70 of Jesus' disciples - they healed the sick, preached the gospel and cast out demons, all without the Holy Spirit coming upon them like it did on the Day of Pentecost.
It is possible, in Jesus' name to do powerful, great things for God and still not have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. But compare what the 70 disciples could do before Pentecost to what they did AFTER Pentecost. The complaint about the Early Church (post pentecost) was that it was turning the world upside-down (Acts 17:6)! The power to effect change and do miracles are light-years ahead compared to the power the disciples operated in PRE- Pentecost.
Read Acts and you'll see that it it is a picture of what YOU could do. Let's read Jesus' mission statement:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
- Luke 4:18-19
- Luke 4:18-19
Now that you are part of Jesus' family and Body, and have been given the SAME spirit He had, you too are anointed to do these things.
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