The Holy Spirit 1 Lesson 4
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The Holy Spirit Reveals
The Holy Spirit Reveals
He gave Revelation to Prophets and Apostles.
He Gives Evidence of God’s Presence.
He Guides and Directs God’s People.
He Provides a Godlike Atmosphere when He Manifests His Presence
He Gives us Assurance
He Teaches and Illumines
1. He Gave Revelation to Prophets and Apostles
1. He Gave Revelation to Prophets and Apostles
In our previous class on Bibliology (way back in September 2019) we discussed how the Holy Spirit revealed God’s words to the OT prophets and New Testament Apostles, so that the Words could be put into Scripture.
OT
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him,
5 And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and he said to me, “Say, Thus says the Lord: So you think, O house of Israel. For I know the things that come into your mind.
12 They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the Lord of hosts.
The Whole OT came about by the Revelation of the HS
21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Others who were filled with the HS also spoke or sang words that became part of Scripture
Elizabeth
41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
Zechariah
67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
Simon
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Special Revelation/Scripture is complete. There is no more need for Prophets and Apostles. (Very important) God is not giving new revelation since Jesus.
2. He Gives Evidence of God’s Presence
2. He Gives Evidence of God’s Presence
I was taught that the work of the HS is not to call attention to himself but rather to give glory to Jesus and God the father but this seems to be a false dichotomy, not supported by Scripture.
Obviously the HS glorifies Jesus
14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Bears witness
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
But the Bible has Hundreds of verses talking about the Work of the HS making his work known, the Bible itself is inspired by the HS.
The HS made himself known by phenomena that pointed to his activity in the OT and NT.
What would some of that activity be?
Prophesing/great works of Power/intellengence, special skills/came on Jesus as a dove, rushing wind, tounges, like a river of water flowing out of our beings, we know we are children of God, we cry Abba Father!/ Gaurantee of our salvation/ He gives gifts that manifest his presence.
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Bible Doctrine 2. He Gives Evidence of God’s Presence
It seems more accurate, therefore, to say that although the Holy Spirit does glorify Jesus, he also frequently calls attention to his work and gives recognizable evidences that make his presence known. Indeed, it seems that one of his primary purposes in the new covenant age is to manifest the presence of God to give indications that make the presence of God known. And when the Holy Spirit works in various ways that can be perceived by believers and unbelievers, this encourages people’s faith that God is near and that he is working to fulfill his purposes in the church and to bring blessing to his people.
3. He Guides and Directs God’s People
3. He Guides and Directs God’s People
Scripture is full of examples of this...
It was a sin to enter into agreements with others when those agreements were not God directed
1 “Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;
People often make decisions based on there own understanding or common sense instead of seeking the Guidance of God’s HS.
in the NT we see Jesus was led by the Spirit...
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
In the NT we see that...
The HS gave direct words of Guidance to people:
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”
19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.”
Or directing the church at Antioch:
2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
The HS actually transported people
39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
The same was true of the OT Elijah and Ezekiel. and NT - John in the Revelation
3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns.
But in the vast majority of cases the leading and guiding work of the HS is not so dramatic.
The Scriptures talk of the Day by day guidance of the HS
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
The contrast between “desires of the flesh” and “desires of the Spirit” implies that our lives should be responding moment by moment to the desires of the Holy Spirit, not to the desires of the flesh.
There are other examples of the HS guiding people directly
28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.
22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.
The HS gave guidance to establish people in various ministries or church offices:
2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Paul could say of the Ephesian elders:
28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
Also, we see in I Cor 14 that the HS provided guidance through the USE of the gifts.
4. He Provides a Godlike Atmosphere when He manifests His Presence
4. He Provides a Godlike Atmosphere when He manifests His Presence
Because the HS shares all the Attributes of God his influence will bring a Godlike Character or atmosphere to the situations in which he is active.
Conviction of Sin, Righteousness and judgement
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
God’s love
5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
God’s peace
The Joy of the Lord
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Other elements that the HS can impart are:
Truth
17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
Wisdom
2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
Comfort
31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
Freedom
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Righteousness
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Hope
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Awareness of Sonship
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Glory
8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?
Unity
3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Power
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
All of these elements show the Atmosphere that the HS brings to make his character and presence known.
5. He Gives Us Assurance
5. He Gives Us Assurance
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Gives evidence of the Work of God within us:
24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
6. He Teaches and Illumines
6. He Teaches and Illumines
Another aspect of the HS revealing work is teaching certain things to God’s people and illumining them so that they can understand things.
26 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.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius).
The illuminating work of the HS is seen in the facts that he enables us to understand:
12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
Therefore,
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
We should pray that the HS would give us his illumination and help us to rightly understand when we study the Scripture and when we ponder situations in our lives.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
Paul also prayed this for the christians:
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might
Holy Spirit, living breath of God
Holy Spirit, living breath of God,
Breathe new life into my willing soul.
Let the presence of the risen Lord,
Come renew my heart and make me whole.
Cause Your Word to come alive in me;
Give me faith for what I cannot see,
Give me passion for Your purity;
Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me.
Holy Spirit, come abide within,
May Your joy be seen in all I do.
Love enough to cover every sin,
In each thought and deed and attitude.
Kindness to the greatest and the least,
Gentleness that sows the path of peace.
Turn my strivings into works of grace;
Breath of God show Christ in all I do.
Holy Spirit, from creation’s birth,
Giving life to all that God has made,
Show Your power once again on earth,
Cause Your church to hunger for your ways.
Let the fragrance of our prayers arise;
Lead us on the road of sacrifice,
That in unity the face of Christ
May be clear for all the world to see.
Speak, O Lord
Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of your holy word.
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness,
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfil in us
All Your purposes, for Your glory.
Teach us Lord full obedience,
Holy reverence, true humility.
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise
Cause our eyes to see,
Your majestic love and authority.
Words of power that can never fail;
Let their truth prevail over unbelief.
Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us.
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time,
That will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we’ll stand on Your promises;
And by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, ’til your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory.