The Holy Spirit (3)

We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

Article 6, EFCA Statement of Faith

Third Person of the Trinity

The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity.

Acts 5:3–4 NIV

Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

Matthew 28:19 (NIV84) — 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,

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV84) — May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

He has power, but is not just a force or influence.

Luke 4:14 (NIV84) — Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.

Acts 10:38 (NIV84) — how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

1 Corinthians 2:4 NIV

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,

He is a distinct person. The Scriptures give Him all the attributes of personhood.

● He is grieved when we sin

Ephesians 4:30 (NIV84) — And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Ephesians 4:30 NIV

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

● He has a mind and intelligence

Romans 8:27 (NIV84) — And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

1 Corinthians 2:10–11 (NIV84) — but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:10–11 NIV

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

● He can be lied to

Acts 5:3–4 NIV

Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

● He intercedes

Romans 8:26 (NIV84) — In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Romans 8:26 NIV

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

● He teaches and guides

John 14:26 (NIV84) — But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 14:26 NIV

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 16:13 (NIV84) — But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

John 16:13 NIV

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

● He has emotions, and can be grieved

Ephesians 4:30 (NIV84) — And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Ephesians 4:30 NIV

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

● He has a will and directs others

Acts 15:28 (NIV84) — It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:

Acts 15:28 NIV

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:

1 Corinthians 12:11 NIV

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Acts 16:6-11

● He is referred to as ‘He’, a person.

John 16:13–14 NIV

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.

The Holy Spirit’s Work in the Past

The Holy Spirit was at work in Creation.

Genesis 1:2 NIV

Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Genesis 1:26 (NIV84) — Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

Job 33:4 (NIV84) — The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Job 33:4 NIV

The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

He strove with men to follow the Lord.

Genesis 6:3 NIV

Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

He gave power and gifts to men for service to the Lord.

Genesis 41:38 (NIV84) — So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”

Exodus 31:3 NIV

and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—

Numbers 24:2 (NIV84) — When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him

Numbers 27:18 (NIV84) — So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him.

Numbers 27:18 NIV

So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him.

Judges 3:10 (NIV84) — The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him.

Judges 3:10 NIV

The Spirit of the Lord came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him.

Judges 6:34 (NIV84) — Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.

Judges 6:34 NIV

Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.

1 Samuel 16:13 (NIV84) — So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

1 Samuel 16:13 NIV

So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

Daniel 4:8 (NIV84) — Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)

Daniel 4:8 NIV

Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)

Micah 3:8 (NIV84) — But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.

Micah 3:8 NIV

But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.

He was the one inspiring the men who wrote the scriptures.

Matthew 22:43–44 (NIV84) — He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’

Acts 1:16–17 (NIV84) — and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus— he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”

2 Peter 1:21 NIV

For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

He was instrumental in Christ coming in the flesh.

Luke 1:35 NIV

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

He came upon Jesus to empower Him for service (related to Jesus’ ‘Kenosis’, Philippians 2:6-11)

Matthew 3:16–17 (NIV84) — As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Isaiah 61:1–2 (NIV84) — The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

Matthew 12:28 (NIV84) — But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Acts 10:38 NIV

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

He led Jesus while He ministered on Earth

Matthew 4:1 NIV

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

The Holy Spirit Glorifies Christ

When the Holy Spirit is working today, we can know it is truly the Spirit if Christ is being glorified.

John 16:14 NIV

He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.

1 John 4:2–3 (NIV84) — This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

The Holy Spirit’s Work Today

Jesus described the Holy Spirit’s work today in John 14-16.

● Convicts the world of its guilt

John 16:8 NIV

When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:

● Helping, Comforting and Dwelling in believers.

John 14:16–17 NIV

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

● Guides into truth, disclosing and reminding of the word, and testifying of Christ.

John 14:26 NIV

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 16:8 (NIV84) — When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:

John 15:26 NIV

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.

How does the Holy Spirit’s ministry of conviction occur in the lives of unbelievers?

We know from other scriptures that:

● He regenerates sinners

John 3:5–6 (NIV84) — Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

Titus 3:5 NIV

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

● He baptizes believers into union with Christ

Acts 1:5 (NIV84) — For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

1 Corinthians 12:13 NIV

For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Ephesians 4:5 (NIV84) — one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

● He indwells the Christian

John 7:37–39 (NIV84) — On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Romans 8:9–12 (NIV84) — 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. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.

1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

● In Him we are adopted as heirs in the family of God

Romans 8:15 NIV

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

● The Holy Spirit illuminates.

1 Corinthians 2:9–16 NIV

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

● Guides and directs believers

Romans 8:4 (NIV84) — in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:14 (NIV84) — because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Galatians 5:16–18 NIV

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

● Equips believers for service

Romans 12:4–8 (NIV84) — Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

1 Corinthians 12:4–10 NIV

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

● Empowers believers for Christ-like living and service

Acts 6:8 (NIV84) — Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.

Galatians 5:22–23 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Ephesians 4:3 (NIV84) — Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Philippians 2:1–2 (NIV84) — If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

The Holy Spirit is not passive, but active and involved (John 16:7-8, 13-14). He comforts us in our difficult times, uses afflictions to mature us, helps heal relationships, guides us in our pursuits, gives us perseverance, controls our circumstances, and transforms our lives. In all that He does, the Holy Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:14).

The Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures also “illuminates” them. What important truth does this state when considering reading, interpreting and understanding the Bible?

Why is it important to combine “Christ-like living and service”?

Memory Verses

Ezekiel 36:26-27; Titus 3:4-7