The Works of The Holy Spirit

Introduction

If you were to ask most Christians about how the Holy Spirit operates, you would probably be met with a blank stare. Most would not even know what you were talking about. Many have resigned themselves to never knowing because such thoughts are “too lofty” for them and they wouldn’t understand anyway, so why bother?

Therefore, that means a vast majority of believers simply have no idea how the Holy Spirit does what He does, and why. Their experience with the Holy Spirit is happenstance at best, even in many “Pentecostal” denominations.

It is absolutely imperative that you and I have a working knowledge of the working of the Holy Spirit; what He does and how He does it.

Why you ask?

Because of the three members of the Triune Godhead, the Holy Spirit is the one with whom we have the most direct interaction.

He will most definitely work with us and for us to a much greater extent if we take the time to learn about Him and how He works in our hearts and lives.

Play video for “He Abides”

The Word of The Lord

Galatians 3:2–3 NKJV

This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

There are times when the believer can go into prayer before the Lord and have the powers of darkness set in upon them. Many of you know exactly what I am talking about.

You can feel like you have an overwhelming weight on you and that you’re surrounded by darkness on every side, leaving you feeling helpless.

Yet the Holy Spirit can break through even the most seemingly impenetrable darkness! He can change in a moment what we could never do in a lifetime of trying.

Most times, the Lord reveals deeper truths to us little by little so that He can grow us as He knows we are comprehending and applying the truths He is imparting.

This idea is conveyed to us through the prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah 28:10 NKJV

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”

This should help us with the burning question most of us have as to why our spiritual growth is taking so long.

Before God can give you ANY special revelation concerning the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, you MUST have solid footing established in the Word of God!

Precept Upon Precept

The apostle Paul understood this principle all too well, and undoubtedly so did many others that God has used throughout history.

There are a great number of Christians that love the Lord, but know something is missing in their walk with God.

In previous studies, we have discussed the sin nature, which I believe is an important first step to understanding the work of God in our lives in any measure.

We have also discussed that the only solution to the problem of our sin nature is the Cross of Christ. Many have tried to live out their Christianity as if their need for the Cross of Christ was a one and done transaction as many denominations believe and preach.

So much of the failure in the hearts and minds of believers can be directly attributable to a misunderstanding or flat lack of knowledge at all of the work of the Holy Spirit.

When a person has done everything they know to do not to fail and fails anyway-and they don’t know why they failed or how they failed-it can be a truly demoralizing experience for the believer.

It is the Cross of Christ that holds the key to everything for us in God’s economy.

The Holy Spirit works exclusively within the parameters of the finished work of Christ on the Cross, and He will not work outside those parameters.

This is where deliverance ministry ties in perfectly with this type of Bible Study, we will see why later...

I can already hear someone in their head saying i need Scripture for that

Romans 8:2 NKJV

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Paul is here telling of a law instituted by the Triune Godhead sometime in eternity past, prior to the arrival of man. What God has designed will work forever as it was prescribed to function, just like gravity.

The phrase, “of the Spirit of life,” is concerning the Holy Spirit of course. Sin brings the fruit of death; the Holy Spirit is the bringer of life. The movement of the Holy Spirit is the beginning therefore of life.

The next phrase “in Christ Jesus” refers to what Jesus did for us on the Cross. Paul used this phrase or a derivative, such as “in Him”, “in Christ”, etc. around 170 times within his 14 epistles or letters to the churches.

In every circumstance, there is the connotation of what Christ did by dying for our sins and setting us free if we place our hope and faith in that work.

Therefore, the Holy Spirit works through the Cross, by the Cross, and of the Cross. The Cross gave the Holy Spirit the legal means to do everything he does within the life of the believer. To be quite blunt, “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,” is the ONLY law in the universe stronger than “the law of sin and death”.

In summary thus far;

Jesus Christ is the source of all blessings that we receive from God. John 1:1-3

John 1:1–3 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

John 1:12 NKJV

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

John 1:14 NKJV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 14:6 NKJV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

The Cross of Christ is the only means by which God blesses us. 1 Corinthians 1:17-18

1 Corinthians 1:17–18 NKJV

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:23 NKJV

but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,

1 Corinthians 2:2 NKJV

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

With Jesus as the source, and the Cross as the means and object of our faith, the Holy Spirit will work mightily on our behalf. Col 2:10-15

Colossians 2:10–15 NKJV

and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Galatians 6:14 NKJV

But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Romans 8:1–11 NKJV

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Ephesians 2:13–18 NKJV

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.