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Series: Holy Spirit
The Work of The Holy Spirit - Part 1
When we receive Jesus into our
lives, the Holy Spirit comes and resides in our hearts as a guest - a guest who
is with us forever (John 14:16-17), available to help us when we face
difficulties. He fulfils this ministry in a number of ways:
''Those who obey his
commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in
us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us'' 1 John 3:24 (see also 4:13;
Galatians 4:6).
When we were born into God's family as His sons, the Holy
Spirit came and fused with our spirit in an everlasting relationship. Now the
Holy Spirit ''testifies with our spirit" (Romans 8:16) concerning our new
relationship with God. Even when we go through difficult times, we still have
God's Spirit as a ''guarantee'' (Ephesians 1:14).
''This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and
how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us.
For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything" 1 John 3:19-20.
''But the Counsellor, the
Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things
and will remind you of everything I have said to you" John 14:26.
God has sent into our hearts His very own Spirit - the Spirit
who ''knows everything'' (1 John 3:20; Hebrews 4:13) and who "searches all
things, EVEN THE DEEP THINGS OF GOD'' (1 Corinthians 2:10). Thus the Holy
Spirit helps us by teaching us - and in times of spiritual attack, He helps us
recall parts of His own Word, making it alive to our hearts (see Luke 12:11-12;
Nehemiah 9:20).
''This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human
wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit... ' 1 Corinthians 2:13 (read also
verses 9-16; 1 John 2:27).
As an expression of the Father's loving heart, the Holy
Spirit is ever-present to help God's children follow the right path. The Book of
Acts gives many accounts of, the direct guidances of the Holy Spirit (see
10:19-20;13:2; 16:6). Whenever we are faced with a decision that we can't handle
by ourselves, we can ask for help from the Holy Spirit - for He is in us to
express the mind of Christ so that we can fulfil the will of God.
''O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no
more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he
will answer you . . . Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears
will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it' '' Isaiah
30: 19,21 (see also 42:16; 48:17).
''So l say, live by the
Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the
sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is
contrary to the sinful nature . . . Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep
in step with the Spirit'' Galatians 5:16-17,25.
The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to live a righteous
life. If we strive to do this in our own strength, we will fail - but with the
Spirit's help, backed by the full legal work of the Cross, we have a God-given
formula for success. This success is described as the ''fruit'' of the
Holy Spirit's own character, and that fruit can begin to grow in our lives only
when the Holy Spirit is allowed to express Himself.
''But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Against such things there is no law" Galatians 5:22-23.
''In the same way, the
Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. We do not know what we ought to pray, but
the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express"
Romans 8:26.
Because of our human limitations, we often don't know exactly
how to pray, but the Holy Spirit knows exactly what needs to be expressed. When
we lean on the Holy Spirit in prayer, we can have full confidence that our
prayer will be answered - because we are in teamwork with God Himself!
"And the Father who knows all hearts knows, of course, what
the Spirit is saying as he pleads for us in harmony with God's own will''
Romans 8:27 (TLB).
''But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses . . . to the
ends of the earth'' Acts 1:8.
The Holy Spirit is not only our power to live the Christian
life, but is the power to tell others about the Good News of what God has done
for us! God has given us a Commission (Matthew 28:18-19) that is far too big for
us to fulfil in our own strength, but when we allow the Holy Spirit to
demonstrate His power through us, we are enabled to fulfil the call.
'' . . . And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and
spoke the word of God boldly . . . With great power the apostles continued to
testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was with them
all'' Acts 4: 31,33 (see also 1 Thessalonians 1:5).
''And if the Spirit of him
who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the
dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives
in you'' Romans 8:11.
The Holy Spirit works on every level of our lives. He has
brought life to our:
And now the marvellous truth is that the Holy Spirit is also
the agent for bringing life and dynamic power into our physical bodies. We can
look to the Holy Spirit for physical strength when we have to face situations
that would normally wear us down (see Ephesians 3:16; John 6:63).
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we
ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be
glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations for ever
and ever! Amen'' Ephesians 3:20-21.
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