The Spirit...

Tonight we are going to talk about the Holy Spirit. We talk about the role of God the Father and God the Son often, but I feel like we seldom take time to really focus on God the Spirit. Tonight's time will be spent focusing on Him, remember the Holy Spirit is not an it, but a Him. God reveals himself as a he and we respect that. We are going to briefly hit four roles the Holy Spirit has.

Our Legal Counsel (V. 26-27, 8)

Why Am I saying He is our legal counsel? Verse 26 He is called our helper which comes from the Greek word parakletos, which means advocate, helper, and intercessor. Anywhere we see this word used in Greek it is usually used to refer to a legal assistant. Verse 26 also tells us the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and bears witness. 16:8 tells us he convicts (GK. elencho: brings to light; exposes).

Parakletos (Gk.)- the Helper (v. 15:26); means advocate, helper, intercessor; outside of the New Testament used to refer to legal assistant

How does this legal aspect of the Spirit apply to us?

Somebody related to the law profession is going to specialize in what? The law. Sections of the Bible, are a law book. So we realize the Spirit knows every detail of Scripture and knows every in and out of it. Knows the correct ways of applying the Word. The Spirit is an expert in the Bible. Is it wise to enter a court case as your own defense, no. Everyday we are in a sense in a divine courtroom where our faith is on trial. Will their be enough evidence to convict you of being a martyr (witness)? You want to know your greatest chance of wearing this conviction proudly? Listening to your legal counsel that will lead you in the Spirit of Truth (Bible).

You will bear witness. So if we follow the Spirit we will also bear witness to the truth. As I alluded to earlier the Greek word for witness is martyreo, the word we get martyr from. So it is someone who bears witness, even to the point of death. So a mark of following the Spirit is whom we bear witness to. So again would you be convicted of being a Christian if you stood in a court of law? If I pulled up you snapchat, pictures, Facebook, text messages, etc. What would it all bear witness to? If I took an adapter right now and put it on this screen what would we find, would you be ashamed?

Let’s build your case:

Let us examine your phone:

Picture App: How appropriate are the pictures?

Messaging Apps: Fowl language? Dirty Language? Gossip? Hate?

Social Media: You a media bully? What’s your tiktok history?

Screen time: Does it show much Bible time?

Safari: Whats in your web browser history? Are you gonna be wondering if your closed that incognito browser?

Let us call your friends to the witness stand:

What would you say is the most important thing to the defendant?

What was said in your last conversation with the defendant?

Do you ever here the defendant gossip or use explicit language?

How does the defendant treat people? Do they treat some people different? How?

Does the defendant talk religion?

The Spirit in verse 8 is also shown to be the one who delivers conviction. He convicts the world of sin. The Spirit reveals the evil in people’s hearts. Again the Greek teaches us a lot more right here. The Greek is elencho, which means bring to light or expose. It is the Spirit’s job to convict, not our opinions job. We are to point people to Christ by the Word. The Spirit will use the Word to work on people’s hearts and to change them. We mess up on this sometimes. We want to focus on the sin and beat people up on it, but what good does that do? Sometimes our opinions come up and we want to judge people by our opinions. Your opinion is not cared for in a court of law, the facts are. Let us share the word and let the spirit do the transforming and convicting.

Our Reminder (V. 4)

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 have said to you. - John 14:26

16:4 makes me think of 14:26. The Holy Spirit will remind us of all things at the time it is needed. Verse 4 though says Jesus has said things so we may be reminded of them. So the words given to us are of importance and every single one has meaning. Jesus did not give us words to just brush them to the side, but to study them and to use them. The Spirit guides us in our study and use of the words.

Our Advantage (V. 7)

Jesus tell us it is to our advantage that He goes away, with one of those reasons being the Holy Spirit would not come until He did. So the Spirit is to our advantage. Let us unpack this.

First of all the Holy Spirit is seen at work in the Old Testament but he did not permanently indwell people, but we are not in what we refer to as the Church Age. During this age the Spirit has began to permanently indwell in believers. We get t experience the power of God daily and regularly, not just temporary moments of worship and prophesy. Those spectacular moments that Moses had in Exodus are moments we can experience daily, but we often take it for-granted.

What has made tis age possible though? The crucifixion. If Jesus never went away the crucifixion would have never happened. If redemption never happened we would still be unfit to be the temple of God.

Redemption and always with us is to our advantage. Our lives benefit daily from the Spirits coming.

The Helper indwells us permanently.

Our Guide (V. 13)

The Spirit guides us in truth. The Spirit helps us live out the words of Proverbs 16:9 faithfully.

Proverbs 16:9 ESV

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

If we want our steps established in the Lord we need to walk in truth. Scripture makes it clear the righteous path is narrow.

The Spirit guides us to walk in the authority of God. That is key to living a spiritually victorious life. I want to look in Acts to bring this to a close

Acts 19:14–20 ESV

Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

14- If we are not being guided by the Spirit the demons have no reason to know our names. But if we are being guided by the Spirit they have a reason to know our name because we are stirring trouble up. We are causing them trouble. We are walking in authority because we are walking in the name of the one’s who does carry authority.

16-

Some of you are not walking in this authority and are being mastered by the evils of this world. You may think you are free, but you are a slave to something, you are a slave to some desire. Is Christ your master? Or is something of the world your master?

Naked- They left that house in shame. Sin brings shame. If you walk in a path of unrighteousness you go things in your closet that will embarrass you. Your life has things you are not proud of.

Wounded- Not only are you filled with shame, but also you are wounded. You walk painfully down the road you go. it is a road full of self inflicted pain.

19- What are you holding onto that is allowing you to be mastered? People in this town were practicing black magic, including believers. What sins are you holding onto?

20- As long as you keep holding onto these sins, you keep holding onto these skeletons your faith is not going to increase, you are not going to walk in a triumphal faith until you decide to cut the sin loose.

Surrender to Christ as Master or be mastered by sin.

Outroduction

This is all for God’s glory. A Spirit filled life is a God glorifying life.

1 Chronicles 16:29 ESV

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;