The Work of the Holy Spirit
2Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
What is the work of the Holy Spirit?
The Old Testament makes repeated reference to the Holy Spirit but it is only in the New Testament that we see Him defined as a part of the Godhead.
Christ refers to Him as “the Comforter.”
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
The Holy Spirit was not created, but proceeds from the Father and the Son. He is God present with us today. He convicts of sin, effects the New Birth, gives guidance, comfort, and empowerment in life. He enables perseverance in Faith and Holiness, and gives gifts to men severally as He wills for the edifying of the body of Christ.
Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 ¶ For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him (Jesus Christ) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
John 16:7 ¶ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
1Corinthians 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
How important is the Spirit of God in the Life of a believer?
-except a man be born……….of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:1 ¶ There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is life giving.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
The same Spirit that moved upon the face of the waters in Genesis 1:1-3 is the Spirit of God that gives new life and is changing the vile sinner from a life of sin to a life in Christ Jesus created in righteousness and true holiness.
Ephesians 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
The Holy Spirit dwells in the believer.
1Corinthians 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s
If you are a child of God, your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.
If my body is a temple or dwelling place for the Spirit of God, how should that affect the way I use my body?
1Corinthians 3:16 ¶ Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
The Holy Spirit fills the believers heart with the love of God.
Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
The Holy Spirit testifies of the Son.
John 15:26 ¶ But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart of man, the Word of God becomes alive.
The Spirit of God will always harmonize with the Word of God.
In other words, the Spirit of God will never contradict the Word of God.
The Spirit of God confirms the children of God in their walk with God.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
1John 5:10 ¶ He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
The Holy Spirit empowers the believer for service.
Jesus instructed his disciples to tarry in Jerusalem till they would receive power from on high.
Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
On the day of Pentecost we find the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The power that comes from wealth, intellect, executive ability, personality, and so on does not come close to the Power of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer that is completely sold out for Jesus.
It absolutely takes the Power of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer to live a life of victory and to win souls to the Kingdom of God.
Someone has said that some Christians are like wheelbarrows. They are no good unless you push them. Other Christians are like kites. You have to keep pulling on the string or they will fly away. Others are like kittens. They are only content to serve when you pet them.
I believe that the true follower of Jesus Christ will live a life that is led by the Spirit of God.
The Holy Spirit is the Power through whom the Scriptures were given.
2Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
To whom is the Spirit of God given and how?
2. To them that obey him. Acts 5:32
3. In answer to prayer. Luke 11:13
4. Through the intercession of Christ. John 14:16
5. To penitent believers. Acts 2:38
6. To those who accept Christ. Galatians 3:5, 13, 14
If we have not been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, we cannot expect to live in the power of the Spirit.
What are the fruits or the evidences of a life that is filled with the Spirit of God?
The fruit of the Spirit is:
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Longsuffering
5. Gentleness
6. Goodness
7. Faith
8. Meekness
9. Temperance