Christian Foundations

We have been discussing the progression from the slave to the Sonship status. Remember we all begin as a slave, with slave thinking from the world around us.  One of the biggest issues for the journey to progress is an understanding of who the Holy Spirit is and what He is doing in our lives.  How can you catch the ‘Day of your Salvation’ as we discussed earlier without knowing the Power source behind your growth?  Let’s let me introduce you to the Holy Spirit!

When Jesus left to sit at the right hand of the Father, He sent the Holy Spirit to be our Comforter, teacher, counsellor.  For many beginning Christians, the whole idea of a Holy Spirit seems mysterious and strange.  Even for many people who have been Church goers, finding out where the Holy Spirit fits can be puzzling.

So it helps to stop and question what the Bible actually teaches about the Holy Spirit as a Foundation for our continued journey as Jesus Followers.  It is important to understand Who the Holy Spirit is and what He does for the world and for us, as Believers.  It is the Holy Spirit and your human spirit that are meant to rule and govern in the Boardroom of your life. 

As we begin ‘Pneumatology’ – the study of the Holy Spirit – remember that God so wanted relationship with us, that He was wrapped in flesh and lived among us.

Jesus promised His followers that He would send the Great Comforter and Teacher, John 16:7- 13.  Then the HS would be the same life-changing presence that Jesus was.  While Jesus was here on Earth, He could only be in one place at one time.  However, the Spirit could be with all people, at all places and at all times.  Knowing the Holy Spirit’s task will help us understand more about the ‘Greatest Story Ever Told’.

B.  So Who is the Holy Spirit?

We, and the whole Boardroom, need to have an accurate concept of the Holy Spirit in order to relate to Him well.  Refer to your verses (see page 6) on the Holy Spirit as we go along.

1.  He is the Third Person in the Trinity

A proper understanding of the Holy Spirit must begin with the acceptance of Him as part of the Triune Godhead, Matthew 28:19.  He is co-equal with the Father and Son, but has different functions and ‘personality’.   For example, just like ice, liquid & steam are different forms of the same substance water, so the members of the Trinity are different in ‘appearance’ and function.  However, when praying it is like all three have the same PO Box!

2. The Holy Spirit is a Person

Like the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is a full and distinct personality.  He is not an impersonal force, but a Being without a bodily form.  He has a mind, Acts 13:2, 1 Timothy 4:1.  He has a will, 1 Corinthians 12:11 and He has feelings.  He is referred to as ‘He’ in the scriptures.  Even Jesus used the male gender when referring to the Holy Spirit.  However, just like Jehovah God, the Holy Spirit is without a sexual capacity.  On many levels He is both male and female in actions and characteristics – nurturing, comforting and so on.

3. The Holy Spirit has all the Attributes of the Father and Jesus

He is also ‘omnipotent’, all-powerful, Luke 1:35, All-knowing, 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, Eternal, Hebrews 9:14.  He is present everywhere, Psalms 139:7-10.  He is called God, Acts 5:3-4, 1 Corinthians 3:16.  As we call the Father the ‘Creator’, the Son the ‘Redeemer’, so the Holy Spirit is the ‘Energiser’, the ‘Sanctifier’, the One who accomplishes the work given to the Body of Christ today.

4.  He is in Unity with the Father and Son: Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14.

5.  The Holy Spirit “brooded” over the primeval water, carrying out the spoken Word of the Creator, Genesis 1:2, 1:26.  He is the sustaining source of divine  energy and power as the ‘breath’, or wind of God that worked in creating the worlds and Adam and Eve, Genesis 2:7.  He sustains animal life, Psalms. 104:30, Job 26:7.  He renews the face of the Earth, Psalms 104:30.

5.  He inspired the Prophets to speak and write:

a. To foretell the coming of the Messiah:  The Holy Spirit inspired various writers to foretell and write down prophecies concerning the coming of Jesus, Isaiah 11:1-3.

b. He inspired the written documents that comprise the Old Testament.  The writers had little awareness of the Holy Spirit’s presence in the Old Testament, so most of their writings were either a longing for past glories in Jehovah’s presence or forward looking to better days ahead, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 3:16.

Just as the human body has various parts and functions, so too the Spirit has different names, yet He is One Spirit doing the work of One God.

C.  The Holy Spirit’s work in the Life of Jesus Christ

The Spirit was intimately involved with Jesus’ ministry, Luke 4:1, 4:11, 4:18, Acts 10:38.  The Spirit began His work with the conception and birth of Jesus, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:20. Luke 1:34-35.  Next the Spirit is revealed at Jesus’ baptism, Mt 3:16-17, Luke 3:21-22, John 1:33, 3:34, appearing as a Dove, to show God’s approval of Jesus.

Next, in Mark 1:12, Luke 4:1 Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit, to be tested.  Jesus returned with the Spirit’s power in Him to begin ministry.  The Spirit was also evident in Jesus’ preaching, and in Jesus’ dealing with the demonic realm, Matthew 12:28.

The Spirit was involved with the events of Jesus’ Crucifixion by helping Jesus to submit Himself and be obedient to the Death of the Cross, Hebrews 9:14, Philippians 2:8.

Jesus’ Resurrection was through the power of the Holy Spirit, Romans 1:4.

The Spirit was involved with Jesus’ Ascension, John 14:1-3, Acts 1:1, 1 Peter 3:18, Romans 1:4.  He brings a promise of being involved in the Believer’s resurrection as well, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Acts 1:11.

D.  The Holy Spirit in the New Testament Believer

In John 14:16, He is called ‘the Revealer of Truth’, “…… And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever – the Spirit of Truth.”

1. The Spirit convicts the World of wrong living, John 16:9, offering deliverance from God’s judgement and restoration of relationship with Him.  He is involved with our conviction of sin and our need for God, John 16:7-11, and helps us realise God’s love, Romans 5:5.

2. The Spirit is involved with our conversion.  Without His work we cannot know God or the new birth.  He gives us the “gift of repentance”, John 3:5-6, Acts 1:8, Titus 3:5.  He brings pardon, encouragement and comfort.  The Spirit confirms the believer’s relationship with the Father, Galatians 4:6, and glorifies the Son, John 16:14-15.

3. The Holy Spirit is involved in the overcoming walk of believers, Acts 1:8, Romans 8:13, Galatians 5:16.  It is the Life of the Holy Spirit in the believer that gives us power, 1 Corinthians 12:13-14.  He helps develop the fruits of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22, 1 Peter 1:2.  The Holy Spirit continues to perfect us and helps us with the sanctification process, 2 Timothy 2:13.

4. He is responsible for the equipping and empowering of the saints, Acts 1:8,  1 Corinthians 12:4-13,  Luke 24:49, Galatians 5:22-23.  He calls them into ministry, Acts 8:29, 10:19, 16:6-7, 13:2, 20:28.  The Holy Spirit imparts the spiritual gifts as needed, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11.

5.  The Holy Spirit also teaches, guides, comforts and reveals that which is given, John 15:26-27,16:13, Acts 20:28, 1 Corinthians 2:12.  He witnesses God’s will through peace, Matthew 11:28, John 14:27, Collisions 3:15, 1 Corinthians 7:15, Hebrews 7:2, Philippians 4:7, Psalms 119:165.

6.  The present day work of the Spirit includes all that He did in the Old Testament PLUS He is given as a “greater measure” for all believers in the New Testament.  He not only “…falls upon…” as in Acts 8:16, 10:44, but is “… poured out upon…” as in Acts 10:45.  There are three references to the “Holy” Spirit in the Old Testament, while the New Testament records His title some 86 times.

7.  He also ‘indwells’, remains and abides forever within the heart of all the redeemed – not just ‘special people’ as He did in the Old Testament.  Compare Genesis 41:38, Exodus 28:3, 31:1-6, Numbers 11:16-29, 27:18, Deut. 34:9 with John 3:5-6, 1 Corinthians 2:12.

8.  We are told to “… keep on, keeping on being filled …”.  This is to be an ever present, continual refilling rather than a once-off experience.  The Spirit prays for us, especially in times of crisis, Romans 8:26.  He will raise us from the dead, Romans 8:11. The Power Source to reach the lost by witnessing comes from the Spirit:  “… you will receive power…”, (Greek: dunamis), Acts 1:8.  Some people call this the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

9.  He gives us the power to serve and be witnesses, to speak in Jesus’ Name, **Acts 3:1-16, Luke 12:12, Acts 1:8, Romans 8:5-9, 28.  He helps us “bear fruit”, Galatians 5:16-25.  He gives us gifts, including joy and peace, Romans 14:17.  The Spirit teaches us about warfare and tactics of Satan, John 14:26, Eph. 6:17.  Paul pictures the walk of the believer with the Spirit as a ‘down payment’, the 10% of what is to come, Ephesians 1:13-14.

E.  Conclusion

The celebration called Pentecost began the early church.  Within fifty years, most of the known world had heard about Christ.  The early believers had no printing press, literature, church buildings or even the Bible to spread the gospel.  The “Holy Ghost Power” was the moving force Who gave them their direction and they turned their world upside down.

Susanne Fengler, Blog Author

www.christianfoundations.jesus-treeoflife.info

Tags: Who is the Holy Spirit
Filed under: From Slave to Sonship