Holy Spirit
What separates a Believer from an unbeliever? There is only one Church, one body, one bride of Christ. EVERY Believer IS indwelled by the Holy Spirit. EVERY unbeliever is NOT indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8 makes it clear that we who have the Spirit of God have life, and we who don’t have the Spirit do not have life. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). "But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him” (Romans 8:9b). "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:11). What could be better than walking with Jesus the way his disciples walked with Him? According to Jesus in John 16, it is to their (and our) advantage if Jesus leaves, because He will then send the Helper, the Spirit of Truth, to indwell and lead every Believer.
Verses for study
Holy Spirit; Helper
John 14:16-17,26-27: I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.
Romans 8:1-17: He who has the Spirit has life; he who does not have the Spirit does not have life.
John 16:5-15: “it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you”
Galatians 5:16-25: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” Followed by the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.
Acts 4:27-31: And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
Romans 8:26-27: Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Romans 15:13-14: Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:30-33: Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me
1 Corinthians 2:12-16: Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18: Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
2 Timothy 1:7: For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
1 Corinthians 2:14: "But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised."
1 Corinthians 10:13: "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."
Romans 15:13: "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Isaiah 11:1-3: “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him (Jesus), The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And He will delight in the fear of the Lord.
Article: How the Holy Spirit Guides Christians Today by Bryan Carlson
The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in guiding Christians in daily decisions. The Holy Spirit is the helper and counselor of all Believers, and He leads us into all truth (John 16:13). This means that the Holy Spirit is our source of wisdom and guidance in every area of our lives, including the decisions we make.
According to Romans 8:14, as Believers, we are led by the Holy Spirit, who guides us in making decisions that align with God's will. Galatians 5:8 also emphasizes the importance of being attentive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, rather than following our own selfish desires. God guides us through His Word, as stated in Psalm 119:24 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17, providing us with a solid foundation of truth to make decisions. The Bible is the primary means by which the Holy Spirit speaks to us, and it is through reading and studying His Word that we can receive the guidance and direction we need to make wise decisions. The Holy Spirit illuminates the Word of God to us and helps us to understand its teachings and apply them to our lives. Psalm 119:105: "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13-14). We are told in Romans 12:2 to “be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” We know the will of God by renewing our minds through the Word of God.
Seeking wise counsel is also crucial in decision-making, as advised in Proverbs 11:14, “in an abundance of counselors there is victory” and in Proverbs 15:22 which says, “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.” Of course, it’s important that these counselors are seeking their counsel from the Word of God. Colossians 3:16 tells us, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
The Holy Spirit also guides Christians through prayer. When we pray, we open ourselves up to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and we are able to receive His direction and wisdom in our lives. “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). As we pray and seek God’s will, the Holy Spirit will guide us in the decisions we make and give us the strength to follow through with them. As I discussed in Theology Question #3, I hold an open but cautious position when it comes to the sign gifts, including prophesy and hearing the voice of the Lord. It can be very dangerous to have a theology of “thus sayeth the Lord” because nothing trumps Scripture. The Holy Spirit will never lead us in a way that contradicts Scripture. I believe that God Himself—the Holy Spirit—living in us, speaks to us. He speaks to us though the World primarily, but I believe He can and does speak directly. The reason I believe this is that I personally have experienced God guiding me through the voice of the Holy Spirit. There have several been several instances the Lord has directly spoken to guide my steps. I know that I must be extremely careful in saying the Lord told me to do something. I believe strongly that this cannot and will not contradict Scripture. I don’t believe this adds to Scripture in any way. I must never blame God if I follow a path and it doesn’t work out. But I do believe I must obey when I hear His voice in my life. In a counseling situation, however, I will not instruct others through prophetic guidance—that God told me to tell them something.
As Believers, we also have to be careful to not rely on methods of guidance mentioned in the Bible, such as laying out a "fleece," casting lots, seeing signs, having dreams and visions, and relying on feelings, to discern the will of God. Gideon’s use of laying out a "fleece" or putting out a test for God to show a sign was not presented as a model for seeking guidance from God. In fact, Gideon would have been better served to immediately obey the command of God in his life. Similarly, casting lots as a way of making decisions, or relying on dream, visions, or feeling from God is not a reliable method of seeking God's guidance today (Roy 39). Feelings can be influenced by many factors, including our own desires and biases, and are not a reliable indicator of God's leading. We have to be careful as Satan masquerades as an angel of light.
Don Roy, IBCD, ACBC Theology Exam Study Guide, 39.
Article: The Church by Bryan Carlson
“The Church is the community of all true Believers for all time” (Grudem 853). One of my favorite questions to ask people is: how many Churches are in our city…our state…our country? The answer is one! We have many gatherings but only one Church.
Romans 8 defines this one Church as all those who possess the Spirit of God. In Romans 8:9, the apostle Paul writes, "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him." Only those who have the Spirit of Christ belong to Him and are a part of his one Church. In verses 14-17, Paul continues, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God." These verses make it clear that possessing the Spirit of God is required for being a part of God's family and being adopted as His children. Romans 8:28-30 explain that the process of salvation is a work of God in the lives of those who possess the Spirit of God and that this work results in the glorification of those who are a part of his one Church.
Jesus Christ is the sole head of the Church. Colossians 1:18 tells us, “He is also the head of the body, the Church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place (preeminence) in everything.” He purchased the Church with His blood (Acts 20:28) and holds ultimate authority over it. In Ephesians 1:22-23, Paul writes that God "put all things under [Christ's] feet and gave Him as head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all." 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 says that just as a human body has many parts that function together under the direction of the head, so too does the Church function together under the direction of Christ. The various members of the Church are all important and necessary, but they must be united and coordinated under the headship of Christ. Finally, the Gospels themselves emphasize the fact that Jesus is the head of the Church. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus declares to Peter, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." His Church is founded on the rock of Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). As members of his body, we are called to function together in unity, with Christ as our head, to fulfill his purposes on earth.
Unity is dear to the heart of God but is one area we are the weakest in as a body of Believers. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a Church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it” (1 Corinthians 11:18). “I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:23).“That with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:6). “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians 4:3-6, 12). “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought” (1 Corinthians 1:10). “So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (Romans 12:5). “The body is a unit, and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, and we were all given the one Spirit to drink…so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other…Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. “1 Corinthians 12:4-28). “What was more natural for God’s family than for all those in geographic proximity (the city boundary being the most natural) to assemble themselves together in unity under one body of leaders?” (Strauch 72).
The Church is the collective expression of God's redemptive work in the world (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). Through the Church, God reveals his grace, power, and wisdom to the world, and calls people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. The Church is also seen as the place where God forms and transforms his people into the image of Christ, and where they grow in their knowledge and love of him. The Church holds the central role in God's redemptive plan with members being united in faith, love, and purpose, as they serve the Lord together.
The Church gathers in local fellowships lead by a team of elders (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:27-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). These gatherings are places of accountability and discipline, where Believers are challenged and encouraged to live holy and obedient lives, in keeping with their calling as followers of Jesus Christ (Matthew 18) and where Believers gather to offer praise and thanksgiving to God, and to celebrate his presence and blessings in their lives.
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 853.
Alexander Strauch, Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Leadership, 72.
Article: The Holy Spirit by Bryan Carlson
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). He is the person of the Godhead that indwells Believers.
The Holy Spirit is commonly referred to in Scripture as the Helper (John 14:16-26, 15:26; 16:7). He is given to man by the Father in Christ’s name (John 14:16,26, 15:26) and produces a transformed life in everyone that believes in the Son of God (John 6:63; 2 Cor. 3:6,18, 5:17; Tit. 3:5). Through adoption, He indwells the believer and seals the believer’s inheritance of faith in Christ until the day of redemption (Rom. 8:15; Eph. 1:13-14, 4:30). He guides the believer into all truth and teaches all things (John 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:10; 1 John 2:27). He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:11). He produces the fruit in the life of the believer of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23). The Holy Spirit fills us when we yield to Him, giving us power for life and ministry (Acts 24, 6:3; Eph. 5:18-21). He now “helps us in our weakness” by interceding for the saints to God according to the will of God (Rom. 8:26-27).
Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Helper.
(John 14:16-17, 25-26) “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 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 that I said to you.”
(John 15:26-27) “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”
(John 16:7-15) “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore, I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.”
Once we receive the Holy Spirit into our life, He will never depart from us. God would sometimes in the Old Testament give and take his Holy Spirit from a person. This is true in the case of Saul, the king of Israel before David. Saul did not obey God; thus, God removed the blessing of his Holy Spirit from him and he lost his kingship. The kingdom was instead given to David, “a man after God’s own heart.” David, when he spoke these words in Psalm 51:11, "Do not cast me away from Thy presence, and do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me,” had committed a terrible sin and was asking God for mercy and forgiveness and to not take His Spirit from him. God in his grace blessed David with His Holy Spirit for the rest of his life.
Today, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a different story. After the death of Jesus Christ, once we receive the Holy Spirit into our life, He will never, can never, depart from us. God promises us this.
(Eph 1:13) "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,"
(Eph 4:30) "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
(John 14:16) "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;"
However, we must first receive the Holy Spirit into our lives for Him to be there. This is called salvation: admitting the fact that God loves us and created us to have a personal relationship with Him. However, we have all chosen to sin against God and thus are all separated from God from the moment we’re born. Fortunately, God loved us enough to buy us back, even though we no longer deserve a relationship with Him because of our sin. God is holy—pure and perfect in every way. He cannot have a sinner in His presence. God solved this problem by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to this world to live a perfect life in our place and die for our sins. Now we must accept this sacrifice. When Jesus left this world, He told us He was sending a Helper—the Holy Spirit—who we must accept into our lives. (John 16:7) ""But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you."
How do we accept the Holy Spirit? Talk to God. Admit to Him that you have sinned and are in need of His forgiveness. Tell Him you understand that Jesus had to come to this earth and live a perfect life for you and die for your sins. Ask God to give the Holy Spirit to you to live in your life forever—and He will. This is the place to start—the life or death question. Is the Holy Spirit living in you? If so, you will spend eternity in Heaven with God; if not, you will spend eternity separated from God in Hell. If the Holy Spirit is in you, you will also have the power to live a dynamic Christian life here on this earth.
(Luke 11:13) ""If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?""
(Acts 10:44-45) "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also."
(Titus 3:5) "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,"
This is sometimes called being baptized with the Holy Spirit. Instead of being submersed under water, we are submersed with the Holy Spirit.
(Mat 3:11) "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
(Acts 2:38) "And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Anyone who is a true Christian has the Holy Spirit in his or her life.
(Luke 2:25-26) "And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ."
(Acts 6:5) "And the statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch."
See also Romans 8
To reject the Holy Spirit is to reject a personal relationship with God.
(Mark 3:29) "but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"
(1 Th 4:7-8) "For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you."
The Holy Spirit is the One who gives us the power to do anything at all spiritual. Without the Holy Spirit it is impossible to do anything truly spiritual before God in your life. ou might think it’s spiritual, but God doesn’t think of it that way.
(1 Cor 12:3) "Therefore I make known to you, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit."
We are to serve God through the Holy Spirit.
(1 Th 1:5-6) "for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,"
We cannot even speak of the things of God without the Holy Spirit.
(Mark 13:11) ""And when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit."
Jesus is also part of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit was with Jesus in his life. Jesus Christ Himself was indwelt by the Holy Spirit. It was through always responding perfectly to the Spirit’s leading that He was able to live a perfect life without sin. It was also through the Spirit that God communicated to Jesus where to go and what to do in His ministry. Jesus was God in the flesh, and he needed the Holy Spirit’s direction.
Mary was a virgin when the conceived Jesus, it was through the Holy Spirit she conceived.
(Mat 1:18) "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.”
(Luke 3:22) "and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, "Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased.""
(Luke 4:1) "And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit in the wilderness"
(Acts 1:2) "until the day when He was taken up, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen."
Once the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, He brings many benefits.
He teaches: so the Bible makes sense; what God’s will for our life is; what to say or how to respond in various circumstances.
(Luke 12:12) "for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.""
(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 that I said to you."
(John 16:13) "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come."
(1 Corinthians 2:10-14) "For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised."
(Romans 8:14) "For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."
(1 John 2:27) "As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him."
He brings us comfort and assurance.
(Acts 9:31) "So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and, going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase."
He speaks to us and gives us instruction…if we are listening!
(Acts 13:2) "And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.""
(Acts 13:4) "So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus."
(Acts 16:6) "And they passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;"
He brings us joy, hope, love, peace, fellowship…
(Acts 13:52) "And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit."
(Rom 14:17) "for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
(Rom 15:13) "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
(Rom 5:5) "and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
(2 Cor 13:14) "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all."
Through the Holy Spirit is the only way we can communicate with God.
(Romans 8:26-27) "In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."
(Ephesians 6:18) "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints."
(Galatians 4:6) "Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'"
(1 Corinthians 2:11-12) "For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God."
(Jude 1:20) "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit;"
We receive power when the Holy Spirit comes into our lives. We are expected to live our lives in such a way that uses this power. It’s kind of like saying you would rather push your car rather than use the engine. This doesn’t make much sense and it’s much harder.
For example, we are expected to tell others about our salvation and give them a chance to respond.
(Acts 1:8) "but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.""
(Acts 4:31) "And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the word of God with boldness."
Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit—we need to treat it with respect—that includes the kinds of things we put it in our bodies.
(1 Cor 6:19) "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?"
We are expected to use our spiritual gifts, the things God has given everyone indwelt by the Holy Spirit, to glorify God through the power and assistance of the Holy Spirit. There are many spiritual gifts. God has gifted every Believer with at least one. These gifts can range from teaching and evangelism to giving and serving. It is using what God has made us good at to glorify God in our lives.
see Rom 12, 1 Cor 12, Eph 4, and 1 Peter 4
Peter used his gift of teaching…
(Acts 4:8) "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people,"
Some, like Barnabus, have the gift of evangelism—sharing the Good News of Christ with others.
(Acts 11:24) "for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord."
We should be letting the Holy Spirit be choosing the leaders in our churches.
(Acts 20:28) "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."
Some in Bible times had the gift of prophecy—the ability to predict the future.
(Acts 1:16) "Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus."
(2 Pet 1:21) "for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."
Some spoke in tongues or had the gift of tongues—this was proclaiming in a different language the message of salvation or a message from God to prove to all that the Holy Spirit was for real.
(Acts 2:4) "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance."
It is possible for us to ignore the Holy Spirit and not live the way He is leading. This is called sin. Actually, every time we don’t respond perfectly to His leading it is called sin. Our disobedience and sin grieves the Holy Spirit.
(Eph 4:30) "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
(Acts 7:51) "You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did."
(Acts 5:3) "But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back some of the price of the land?" Ananias and his wife Saphira were killed by God for lying to the Holy Spirit.
He convicts us of sin
(John 16:8) “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”
We must be living our lives daily through the Holy Spirit to glorify God.
(2 Tim 1:14) "Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you."
Resources
“A Theology of Biblical Counseling, The Doctrinal Foundations of Counseling Ministry” by Heath Lambert
