The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God, and is equal to the Father and the Son. Don’t ever speak of Him as “It” or refer to
Him as an influence. He is God the Holy
Spirit, and is set forth in the Bible as being distinct from the Father and the
Son. In the Genesis account of creation,
He is seen actively engaged in the work of creation, along with the Father and
the Son. In the Old Testament, He came
upon men to empower them for service; but when they were disobedient, He
departed from them.
When David sinned against the Lord, he prayed, “Take
not thy Holt Spirit from me.” (Psa.
51:11) In the N.T., after Pentecost, we
see the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer, never to leave him, filling and
empowering him for service. The study of
the Person and work of the Holy Spirit is of utmost importance. A Scriptural understanding of God the Holy
Spirit will make you a better Christian and servant of God.
I. The Deity of
the Holy Spirit
In dealing
with Ananias, Peter revealed the deity of the Holy when he said, “Ananias, why
hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…thou hast not lied unto
men, but unto God.” In this Scripture it
is very clear that the Holy Spirit is God, and that He is co-equal, co-eternal,
and co-existent with the Father and the Son.
His deity is also set forth in that He possesses divine attributes:
A. He is everywhere present in the
universe. (Psa. 139:7-10) Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your
presence? If I ascend up into heaven,
You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead), behold, You
are there. If I take the winds of the
morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea. Even there shall Your hand
hold me.
B. He has all power. (Luke 1:35) Then the angel said to her, The
Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow
you [like a shining cloud]; and so the holy (pure, sinless) Thing (Off spring)
which shall be born of you will be called the Son of God.
C. He has all
knowledge. (I Cor. 2:10-11) Yet to us God
has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit
searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the
profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden
and beyond man’s scrutiny]. For what
person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man’s thoughts
except the man’s own spirit within him?
Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of
God except the Spirit of God.
D. He is
eternal. (Hebrews 9:14) How much more surely shall the
blood of Christ, Who by virtue of (His) eternal Spirit [His own preexistent
divine personality] has offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice to God,
purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the
[ever][ living God?
His deity is revealed in that His name is coupled in
equality with the name of the Father and the Son.
1. In the baptism of the believer. (Matt.28:19) Go then and make disciples of
all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit.
2. In the apostolic benediction. (II
Cor. 13:14) The grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God and the presence and fellowship (the communion and sharing
together and participation) in the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen (so be it).
His deity is seen in relation to the life and ministry
of Jesus Christ.
1. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:35)
Then the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power
of the Most High will overshadow you [like a shining cloud]; and so the holy
(pure, sinless) Thing (Offspring) which shall be born of you will be called the
Son of God.
2.
He was anointed by the Holy Spirit for service. (Acts
10:38) How God anointed and consecrated
Jesus of Nazareth with the [Holy] Spirit and with strength and ability and
power; how He went about doing good and in particular, curing all who were harassed
and oppressed by [the power of] the devil, for God was with Him.
3. He was led by the Holy Spirit. (Matt.4:1
Then Jesus was led (guided) by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness (desert)
to be tempted (tested and tried) by the devil.
4. He was crucified in the power of the Holy
Spirit. (Heb. 9:14) How much more surely shall the
blood of Christ, Who by virtue of [His] eternal Spirit [His own preexistent
divine personality] has offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice to God,
purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the
[ever] living God?
5. He was
raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:11) And if the Spirit
of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you [then] He Who raised up
Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived,
perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you.
6. Jesus gave
commandments to the apostles and the church through the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:2) Until that day when He ascended after He
through the Holy Spirit had instructed and commanded the apostles (special
messengers) whom He had chosen.
If Jesus needed to depend solely upon the Holy Spirit
during His life and ministry here on the earth, can we afford to do less?
II. The Emblems of the Holy Spirit
It is often
difficult to impart truth by the use of words.
Frequently they reveal only a half-truth, leaving the other half
hidden. The writers of the Bible used
certain emblems when unfolding the mysteries of the Holy Spirit, because they
illustrate more about Him than volumes can contain. They are:
A. FIRE speaks of His consuming purifying power
in the life of the believer. (Luke 3:16) …He shall baptize you with the
Holy Ghost and with fire. (Acts 2:3) And
there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and
distributed and which settled on each on of them. [also Isa. 6:1-7]
B. WIND
speaks of His hidden depth in His mighty regenerating power. (John
3:8) The wind blows (breathes) where it wills; and thought you hear its sound,
yet you neither know where it comes from nor where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the
Spirit.
C. WATER speaks
of His power to fill the believer to overflowing with spiritual life. (John
7:37-39) Now on the final and most
important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any
man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink!
D. SEAL speaks of His ownership of the believer; if is
a finished, eternal transaction. (Ephesians 1:13) In Him you also who have
heard the Word of Truth, the glad tidings (Gospel) of your salvation, and have
believed in and adhered to and relied on Him, were stamped with the seal of the
long-promised Holy Spirit.
E. OIL speaks
of His power to anoint for service. Acts 10:38)
How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the [Holy]
Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good
and in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by [the power of]
the devil, for God was with Him.
F. DOVE speaks
of His gentle, tender, peaceful nature.
We may know “the peace of God which passeth all understanding” only when
fully surrendered to God. (Phil. 4:7) And God’s peace [shall be yours,
that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so
fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever
sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and
mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
E. EARNEST
speaks of the Holy Spirit as the yet unrevealed and unrealized hopes of the
glorious future. An earnest in ancient
legal customs was a handful of soil bestowed upon the purchaser of a piece of
real estate containing a portion of the very ground that he had bought as a
solemn pledge of the whole estate which was to be delivered in time. It was not a handful of soil from any estate,
but it was from the very ground that he had bought and it guaranteed the
identity, certainty, and completeness of the transfer in due time—our future
inheritance.
Secondly, He is the earnest, namely: in our mortal
bodies, into which He brings the physical life of Christ as an earnest and
foretaste of the physical resurrection.
Thus we have the first fruits of the Spirit as the pledge that we shall
yet have the full redemption of the body.
III. The Sins Against the Holy Spirit
This is a
solemn study, because the Holy Spirit is God and can be sinned against by both
the believer and the unbeliever.
Consider:
A. The sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit (Matt.12:31-32) Therefore I tell you, every
sin and blasphemy (every evil, abusive, injurious speaking, or indignity
against sacred things) can be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the [Holy]
Spirit shall not and cannot be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the
Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Spirit, the Holy
One, will not be forgiven, either in this world and age or in the world and age
to come.
This sin is committed by unbelievers. It is often called the “unpardonable
sin.” It has no forgiveness. It was committed by the enemies of Jesus when they accused Him of
casting out devils when they accused Him of casting out devils by the power of
Satan. (Matt.12:24) But the Pharisees, hearing it said, This Man drives out
demons only by and with the help of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Jesus’
response, (vs.28) But if it is by the
Spirit of God that I drive out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come
upon you [before you expected it].
B. The sin of
resisting the Holy Spirit. Acts 7:51)
You stubborn and stiff-necked people, still heathen and uncircumcised in
heart and ears, you are always actively resisting the Holy Spirit. As your forefathers[were] so you, [are and so
you do]! This sin is committed by the unbeliever when rejecting Jesus
Christ as Savior and Lord.
C. The sin of grieving the Holy Spirit. (Eph. 4:30-32) And do not grieve the Holy
Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed
(marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final
deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin). This sin is committed by believers. He is grieved by us unless He controls our
lives to the glory of Jesus Christ.
D. The sin of
quenching the Holy Spirit. (I Thess.5:19) Do not quench (suppress or
subdue) the [Holy] Spirit. This sin is committed by Christians when known
sin is allowed to go unconfessed. (I John 1:9) If we [freely] admit that we
have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own
nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness], and
[continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in
conformity to His will in purpose, thought and action!]
E. The sin of
lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11)
The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was deception, born in jealousy. They tried to mock God. (Galatians
6:7) Do not be deceived and deluded and
misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or
mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside)…
The Holy Spirit can be sinned against, because He is
God.
IV. The Work of
the Holy Spirit
In
instructing His disciples regarding the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus
said, (John 16:7 – 11) However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I
say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go
away. Because if I do not go away, the
Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby)
will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]: but if I go away, I will
send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. And when
He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it
about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with
God) and about judgment: About sin, because they do not believe in Me [trust
in, rely on, and adhere to Me]: About righteousness (uprightness of heart and
right standing with God), because I go to My Father, and you will see Me no
longer; About judgment, because the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world
[Satan] is judged and condemned and sentence already is passed upon him.
A. Convict men of the sin of unbelief
B. Convict men of the sin of unbelief.
C. Convict men that the power of Satan has been
broken.
D. Regenerate the believer. (John
3:5) Jesus answered, I assure you most solemnly I tell you, unless a man is
born of water and [even] the Spirit, he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God
E. Indwell the
believer. (I Cor. 6: 19-20) Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very
sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as
a Gift] from God? You are not your
own. You were bought with a price
[purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in
your body.
F. Seal the
believer. (Eph. 1:13-14)
G. Baptize
the believer (Acts 1:5, I Cor. 12:13)
H. Infill the
believer. (Eph. 5:18)
I. Empower the believer (Acts 1:8)
J. Lead the believer (Gal. 5:16-18)
K. Administer spiritual gifts to the
believer. (I. Cor. 12:1-11)
The Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, to
remain with the church until it is complete and presented to the Lord Jesus at
His coming. Just as Jesus Christ
finished the work He came to do in the flesh, so the Holy Spirit will finish
the work He came to do in the church.
V. The Fruit of
the Spirit
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance;
against such there is no law. Galatians
5:22-23
Only as we live in love can we fulfill the will of God
in our lives. That is a yieldedness and
teachableness of allowing Him to live His life out thru’ us! “God is love” and He is the only ONE who can
give love through us! The believer must
become love-inspired, love-mastered and love driven.
For the love of Christ controls and
urges and impels us,… (II Cor. 5:14)
Without the fruit of the Spirit (l0ve) we are just a
religious noise. If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] angels, but have not
love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by
God’s love for and in us) I am only a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. I Cor.
13:1
The fruit of the Spirit:
1. JOY
is love’s strength.
2. PEACE
is love’s security.
3. LONG-SUFFERING
is love’s patience.
4. GENTLENESS
is love’s conduct.
5. GOODNESS
is love’s character.
6. FAITH
is love’s confidence.
7. MEEKNESS
is love’s humility.
8. TEMPERANCE
is love’s victory.
…against such there is no law.
A Holy Spirit-controlled man needs no law to cause him
to live a righteous life. The secret of
a Spirit-controlled life is found. Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore,
brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a
decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties]
as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God
which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual
worship. Do not be conformed to this
world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial
customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by
its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves]
what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which
is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
Put your all on the altar, and the Holy Spirit will
fill your heart with the love of God. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or
shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy
Spirit Who has been given to us. Romans 5:5
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