The Faith's Foundations - Part 6: The Holy Spirit

Introduction

Illustration Slide of Different views of the Holy Spirit: a force, a god of many gods, female part of God

Original Nicene Creed: “We believe in the Holy Spirit.”

Revised:

“And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets.”

Illustration Word of the Day: Pneumatomachians: “Spirit Haters”

The question for today: Who is the Holy Spirit?

Notice: WHO, not WHAT. HS is a personal, not an “it.”

1. The Holy Spirit is a Person

He Has Personal Characteristics

Volition/Will

Acts 13:2 “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 15:28 ““For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:”

Thoughts/Mind

1 Corinthians 2:10–11 “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.”

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.”

He Does What a Person Does

Speaks

John 16:13–14 ““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.”

Teaches

1 Corinthians 2:13 “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.”

Emotions

Ephesians 4:30 “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Can be Lied To

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?”

Some Try to Tempt Him

Acts 5:9 “Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.””

Insulted

Hebrews 10:29 “How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

Implications

We can interact relationally with Him

This is true because the Holy Spirit is a person and so are we.

We can be in step with the Spirit or out of step:

Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

We need to make sure not to grieve him. We need to allow him to work in our lives, to become more like Jesus, overcoming sin, use the gifts he has given us . . .

He is involved with our prayers

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.”

He can communicate and give direction to the Lord’s church

Acts 13:2 “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 15:28 ““For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:”

And the HS still still gives direction today.

There is some hesitancy to affirm this or believe this in some Christian circles. I think this comes from (1) the anti-supernaturalism of our culture, or (2) an overreaction to the abuse and false teaching of the HS.

2. The Holy Spirit is God

Illustration Quote: Basil of Caesarea (AD 329-379)

“If we ponder the meaning of His name . . . it is possible for us to understand at least partially the greatness of His nature and unapproachable power.”

(On the Holy Spirit, 76)

He is Spirit

John 4:24 ““God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.””

He is Holy

1 Peter 1:15–16 “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””

He is Eternal

Hebrews 9:14 “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

He is All-knowing (Omniscient)

1 Corinthians 2:10–11 “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.”

He is All-powerful (Omnipotent)

Psalm 104:30 “You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the ground.”

He is Present Everywhere (Omnipresent)

Psalm 139:7–10 “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.”

He Does What God Does

He Creates

Genesis 1:2 “The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.”

He RE-Creates

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.”

He Continuously Creates

2 Thessalonians 2:13 “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”

He is Called God

Acts 5:3–4 “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? “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.””

Implications

God is Trinity

Illustration of Trinity Triangle

Any teaching that denies that the Holy Spirit is a person and is God is false.

We Worship the Holy Spirit

Illustration: Thomas Ken’s “The Doxology”

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

The Holy Spirit Listens to Prayers and Intercedes on Our Behalf

As God, The HS listens to our prayers and conveys them to the Father.

The Holy Spirit Advocates for Us

John 14:16 ““I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;”

Helper = same word used in 1 Jn 2:1 to describe Jesus: 1 John 2:1 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

Romans 8:15–16 “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.”

Do you ever doubt or question your salvation? The HS is our assurance, another one who advocates, on our behalf.

2 Corinthians 1:21–22 “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”

Ephesians 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.”

The Holy Spirit Dwells Within Us

1 John 4:4 “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

1 Corinthians 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?”

God is always with us. He knows our pains, our struggles, and he communicates these directly to God the Father and the Son.

We have the Holy Spirit continually with us to help us overcome sin in our lives.

And we have HOPE!

Romans 8:11 “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.”