Who is the Holy Spirit
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Last week we kicked off our 4th quarter focus - and It is all about experiencing the presence and power of God. We set out on this journey at the beginning of this year - with one goal in mind and that to experience the manifestation of God’s presence in our lives
As I was working through all of this trying to prepare my message this week something hit me. Are you ready to hear it?
Here is the reality (pause) we will not fully experience the manifestation of the presence and power of God until we understand who the Holy Spirit is! I know we just went through a series on the Holy Spirt at that beginning of the year but I am not so sure that we fully grasped everything we need to know on the subject and so we are going to go back over it
I know when it comes to my walk I myself still do not fully grasp the reality of the Holy Spirit and I have a suspicion that many of you can relate to me
A big reason for this is that in most churches - at leases churches in America we tend to steer away form the subject - most pastors try to not preach on the subject - I know that up until recently I was one of them
And because we do not teach about the Holy Spirit and seek to understand who He is and What he does for us - their is a lack of power in the life of the church and in the life of believers
Jesus tells us that it is the Holy Spirit that not only empowers the church - He also empowers the life of all believers and so because we do not take the time to understand who Holy Spirit is their is a lack of power among believers and in our churches.
We are missing out on all that God has for us and my hope is that in through this series - we will be able to look back on what we learn and not just walk away with more head knowledge - my prayer is that we would walk away with a deeper more intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit
And so let’s stop now and pray just for that!
This morning we are going to look at the Holy Spirit form a mile high approach - so we will not focus on a specific set of scriptures rather we will jump around a little and gets a big picture view of who the Holy Spirit is
We are going to focus in on 2 things in particular
The Holy Spirit is a person
The Holy Spirit is a person
It is crucial that we understand this - in scripture the Holy Spirit is described to us as a person
Ands so let’s look at a few of them
He has an intellect
He has an intellect
Up first we are told that the Holy Spirit has an intellect - look at 1 Corinthians vs 10
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
Here is what Paul is showing us - he is telling us that they Holy SPirit thinks - that he searches - that he comprehends
In other word the Holy Spirit has a mind and he is able to think - he is able to reason and search - he has the ability to comprehend
The Holy Spirit is a person of intellect
He has emotions
He has emotions
Look at what Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Did you know that as a child of God whenever you seen you grieve the Holy Spirit
In other words he mourns - it saddens him - The Holy Spirit mourns
Think about it - when you see have you ever felt grief in your heart?
Have you ever felt that way? Well you are not the only one - the Holy Spirit grieves along side of you
And part of the reason you re feeling that way is because the Holy SPirit is telling you that you should be saddened by your behavior
And here is the thing church - do you know why the Holy Spirit grieves? Because He loves you - He has a plan for your life and so when you are drawn off track it grieves him
Think about this if we read about some one Turing to a life of drugs in the news we are saddened by the news but what about if we learn of some one in out church Turing to a life of drugs
That hits us different doesn’t it
Why? (Pause) because of the deep love we have for that person - the relationship we have with then
that is the way the Holy Spirit feels about us - when we stray it grieves him because of the fact that He loves us so much
The Holy Spirit grieves and has emotions because He is a person
He has a will
He has a will
The Holy Spirit has a will
All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
so whatever your spiritual gift is - you have it because the HOly spirit has discerned what is best - he has used his intellect to determine what is best for you and for the Kingdom of God and has gifted you with the gift or gifts that are best suited for you and your walk
Do you see it yet the Holy SPirit is a person and let me just give you a few more things - I am going to fly through these for the sake of time
So write them down and go back and study them
The Holy Spirit is referred to as He/Him and I
The Holy Spirit is referred to as He/Him and I
he is referred to with personal pronouns - the holy SPirit is not referred to an it or a thing in the Bible
He prays for us - Romans 8:26 - how many of you have been so heave hearted that you wanted to pray but did not have the words - scripture tells un sin that moment the Holy Spirit prays for us He speaks to us - he speaks to us through the Word of God - the word of God is inspired by the Spirit and so as we are reading the Spirit uses that to speak to us - Have you ever picked up the word - read it and thought man this is what I needed to hear - that is because the Holy Spirit is speaking to you through the inspired Word of God
The Holy Spirit is a person - we need to grasp this - I want you to understand this - because how many time do you hear some describe the Holy Spirit as an it - I fill it -
Life way did a study about the Holy spirit in 2022 and 59% of people polled described the Holy Spirit as a force rather than a person and another 15% said they had no clue - that means that 74% of Christians in America are confused about who the Holy Spirit is
And this matters - because if we treat the Holy Spirit is some kind of force we can tap into when we need Him then we miss their relationship that He wants to have with us
We have got to understand that the Holy Spirit is someone who we can enter into relationship with - that we can get to know - that we can walk with and commune with
If we see him as a force that we can use then we miss out on the power of the Holy Spirit - we miss the fact that He is a person who gets a hold of us so he can use us
And that my friends makes all the difference in the world
Scripture describes the Holy Spirit as out helper - our counselor - our friend- our comforter - our intercessor - our teacher - the one who convicts us
He is the very person of God who lives in us and thorough us - and empowers us - he makes all the difference in out life
The more we know him and walk with him as a person - the more we understand the purpose that God has for out life and for our church
This is crucial for us to understand
How many of you have every thought man what I would give to be one of the apostles to have actually have walked step in step with Jesus - man wouldn’t that be cool
Jesus would disagree with you
Look at John 16:7
Nevertheless, 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.
Jesus is saying it is better for us that he goes away - because when he does the Holy Spirit came to live on the inside of us
Jesus because he was a man could not be at all places at all time - he could not be present at all times
And so he could not always be walking with you at all times - some days he would be across town walking with the Methodist
But when he went away - what we god is all of Jesus all the time
Jesus was a close friend and companion to his disciple and he walked with them - communed with them - taught them - cried with them - laughed with him - but now he lives in each and everyone of us who are believers
The Holy Spirit is with us right now - when you leave here today he is with you
He is a person - a helper - and he comes into our life to provide for us the things we are lacking
Just like we read that God sent Adam a helper so that he could accomplish all that God had set out for him and so that he was not alone
God has sent the Holy SPirit to live in us and empower us to walk with Him and accomplish all that He has in store for us
They are things we are lacking and could not do on our own but the HOly Spirit is the helper that empowers us
He is a person
Here is the second truth I want us to explore
The Holy Spirit is God
The Holy Spirit is God
So not only is he a person but he is a deity - he is God
(Mind blown)
Let me just show my cards - let me be real with you - the concept of the Trinity blows my mind
The Bible tells us that we have one God but he reveals himself in three parts - the father - the son - and the Holy Spirit
They are three in one
And this is a complexity that we do not quite understand
But let me try to help you
EGG there is three parts here - it is whole - but if you loose any one part of this egg it is no longer whole
This is a flawed illustration but it at least helps
How does the trinity fully work - I don’t know - it is to complex for me - but that is a good thing because if we could understand and know all there is to know about God then HE would not be all that impressive would He
But because he is so complex - He has wisdom power and authority that surpasses us
It means that their is some one bigger than us - who we can trust
He has made him self known to us
He loves us
He wants us to experience the manifestation of HIs power and His presence
He is a god of grace and mercy
Think about this we have some of the brightest minds in the world - we have amazing technology and have accomplished so much
But we can not fully comprehend God because he is that big
But even though he is that big - He is so Good and he wants to share that goodness with is
And we know that the Holy SPirit is God - and God is Jesus
All three scripture tells us share the same attributes
The Holy Spirit is omniscient
The Holy Spirit is omniscient
which means all knowing
Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord,
or what man shows him his counsel?
Whom did he consult,
and who made him understand?
Who taught him the path of justice,
and taught him knowledge,
and showed him the way of understanding?
The spirit of the lord is all knowing
The Holy Spirit is omnipresent
Meaning he is all places at all times
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
Psalms 139:7-10 NIV
The psalmist of God acknowledges that we can not escape or out run the Spirit of God
He is everywhere
He is here in this room
He across town Jerusalem
He is present with the missionaries that we pray for all the time
He is here - we can not hide form him
You can hide from your spouse - you can hide form your pastor but you can not hide from the Holy SPirit
He is always with you - and what we really want is the manifestation of the presence of the Holy SPirit
Where he shows up in a spectacular way but make no mistake he is always with us
But we are seeking a manifestation of his presence - want him to show up in a might way - we want to fill an outpouring of the spirit
He is Omnipotent
He is Omnipotent
aam.ni.puh.tnt
The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
The spirit of God has made me - he has given me life - that is what Job is saying
The Holy Spirit is all powerful - he has all authority- he lacks nothing
And in acts Jesus tells us that when the Holy SPirit come on is this power that he possesses - he bring is to your life
The power of the in the CHristian life is the very presence of the power of the Holy Spirit in our life
I’ve don’t need the HOly Spirit to give us something
We just need him to live in us - because everything he has will be at work in our life
What must we do with all of this?
What must we do with all of this?
Conclusion
The Holy Spirit is co-eternal - co existing and co equal
Three in 1
What we must do is decide for ourselves
It is of the highest importance from the standpoint of worship that we decide whether the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, worthy to receive our adoration, our faith, our love, and our entire surrender to Himself, or whether it is simply an influence emanating from God or a power or an illumination that God imparts to us. If the Holy Spirit is a person, and a Divine Person, and we do not know Him as such, then we are robbing a Divine Being of the worship and the faith and the love and the surrender to Himself which are His due. *****RA Torrey
This is crucial for us
The Holy Spirit is a person
He is god
And he has been given to us
Because he is a person we are to have a relaxation ship with him
But because he is God we are to surrender to Him
And as we surrender to him - getting to know him
He will lead us and guide us
But so many of us treat him like a force and we do not get to know him - we do not combine with him - we do not surrender to him
Thing about your walk - how much attention to you give the Holy Spirit
How often do you talk to him
How often do you seek guidance form him
When you open God’s word do you ask him to speak to you
Do you ask him for help
For help to connect with God
Acknowledging who the Holy SPirit is - is one thing but communicating with him getting to know him is a whole new level
He want to know you - he want to be your best friend - he want to be your companion
He wants to empower you
And when you get to know the Holy Spirit you get to know God - you get Jesus
I can see that some of you want to get to know the Holy Spirit
Some of you want a deeper more intimate relationship whit him
So how do you do that
First of all you have to be saved - that is when you receive the Holy Spirit - the holy spiritual world in us to lead us to Jesus - he guides us to a relationship with Jesus
Maybe he is stirring on your heart - and you know you need forgiveness of your sins - you need relationship -you feel a need to accept Jesus - where is that coming from - it is not me - it is not you - it is the Holy Spirit saying come
We are going to pause for a second and if you are sensing that right now - surrender to his call - repeat this prayer after me
If you prayed that just now -I am going to ask you to be bold - I want you to stand and proclaim that you just received Christ
If you know Christ I want you to look at me - I want to talk to you now
If you want to experience more of the spirit here is what you have to do
Confess you sin Lay aside any questionable thing in you life - they may not be sinful but they distract you from a closer relationship - it could be a habit - it could be social media or a relationship - it could be something you are pursuing and is is distraction form having a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit Immediately obey the HOly Sprit - no matter what he is telling you to do today - do not Quincy is spirit - if I he says go make things right we this person - then go do it - is he telling you to get baptized or to step up and serve him somewhere - respond to him Testify about Jesus - the HS loves to proclaim the name of Jesus - seek lees of you and more of Jesus and the HS will get behind you - he will manifest his presence on us
So here is what we are going to do - don’t rush out of her - how many of you would say I want to experience a pouring out of HIs spirit right here and thighs now?
Then is is time to be obedient
It is time to listen to his call
What is he leading you to do - is he calling you to a time of confession - he is asking you to fully surrender to the call of the Lord - to lay aside this to that
It is time to listen