Who is the Holy Spirit & What Can He Do for Me?
I. Who is He?
A. He is an expression of God as a separate spiritual person - part of The Trinity. - Matt 28:19 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit . . .
II. What Does He Do?
A. He is the attribute of God Who indwelt & spoke through God’s servants in the Old Testament.
1. Mk 12:36 - David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: ”‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’
2. I Pet 1:10-12 - Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.
3. II Pet 1:21 - For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
B. He conceived the Son (Lord Jesus) within the Virgin Mary. - Matt 1:20 - But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit
C. He was the voice of God at the Lord’s baptism. - Lk 3:22 - the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
D. He leads.
1. Lk 4:1 - Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert.
2. Act 16:9-10 - During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
3. Rom 8:14-15 - For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
E. He gives comfort. - Act 9:31 - Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
F. He gives joy, peace & hope. - Rom 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
G. He gives spiritual gifts. - Heb 2:4 - God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
III. The Holy Spirit has Affected People 3 Ways.
A. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit..
1. Matt 3:11 - “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
2. Act 1:5 & 8 - For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” . . . But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
3. Act 8:15 & 17 - When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit . . . Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
4. Act 10:44-47 - While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”
5. What did He do?
a. He was for the apostles & those whom they ordained.
b. They manifested supernatural signs & wonders.
c. Temporary: probably ceased when the last person who was directly ordained by an apostle died.
B. The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
1. Acts 2:38 & 5:32 - Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit . . . We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
2. I Cor 2:16 & 6:19 - Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? . . . Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
3. Rom 9:8 & 15:16 - You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ . . . to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
4. Eph 1:13 & 4:30 - And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. . . And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
5. What did He do?
a. He was for all believers.
b. To regain lost fellowship with God.
c. Permanent until the Lord comes again.
C. The Filling of the Holy Spirit.
1. Act 6:5 & 11:24 - They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit . . . He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
2. Eph 5:18 - Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
3. What did He do?
a. Not filling as putting water in a glass but filling as in control & influence.
b. Potentially for all believers to the degree of their commitment.
c. To empower each believer to live victoriously & bear spiritual fruit.
d. May often fluctuate depending on the believer’s commitment at any given time.
4. Examples. - I Cor 2:14 - 3:3 - The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ . . . Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly — mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?
a. The natural person: the non believer.
b. The spiritual person: the mature believer.
c. The “men of flesh”: babes in Christ.
IV. How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit on a Continuing Basis.
(Spiritual Breathing) - Bill Bright
A. Recognize unconfessed sin in your life. - Is 59:2 - But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
B. Confess it. - I Jn 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
C. Ask in faith for God to fill you with His Spirit. - Lk 11:13 - If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
Your will plus his power will give you victory in this part of your life!
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