The Holy Spirit

Introduction

In our Basic Training series, we have yet to devote any time to a fairly major Person. In all fairness, this Person gets overlooked quite a bit in our circles. I’m talking about the Holy Spirit.

Do you remember the basic questions I told you are important to interpreting Scripture? The 5 Ws? Let’s apply those questions to the Holy Spirit.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

What is His nature? What is He like? What does He do? What is His relationship to God the Father and God the Son?

When did He begin?

Where is He now? Where do we see Him in Scripture?

Why is He important? Why do we need to learn about the Holy Spirit?

We can’t answer all of these questions today, but we can at least gain some introductory understanding. 

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity.

He shares the same essence as does God the Father and God the Son. He is equal to them in every way.

He is worthy of the same worship that the Father and Son

He isn’t the “third wheel” of the Trinity.

What the Holy Spirit does NOT do.

Speaking in gibberish.

Slaying

Laughing fits

He gives new life.

Scripture, John 6:63 “63 The Spirit is the one who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

When you believe the gospel, the Holy Spirit animates your dead spirit and makes you alive before God.

He comes from the Father and from the Son to live in the believer.

From the Father, John 14:16 “16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.”

From the Son, John 16:7 “7 Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.”

From the Father and the Son, John 15:26 “26 “When the Counselor comes, the one I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me.”

Predicted in the OT, Joel 2:28-29

Joel 2:28–29 CSB

28 After this I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions. 29 I will even pour out my Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days.

Fulfilled in the NT, Acts 2:1-4, 16-18 “16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 And it will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all people; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. 18 I will even pour out my Spirit on my servants in those days, both men and women and they will prophesy.”

Examples

John the Baptist (Luke 1:15)

Elizabeth (Luke 1:35)

Zechariah (Luke 1:67)

Simeon (Luke 2:25-27)

Jesus (Luke 4:1, 14, 18)

Peter (Acts 4:8)

Early church (Ac 4:31)

First Deacons (Acts 6:3)

Stephen (Acts 6:5; 7:55)

Saul/Paul (Acts 9:17) 

The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son to dwell with those the Father saved.

He bears witness about Jesus.

Scripture, John 15:26 “26 “When the Counselor comes, the one I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me.”

The Holy Spirit’s primary mission is to testify to the truth about Jesus, His Person and His Work.

Where do we learn about Jesus’ Person and Work? Scripture.

Ie, the Holy Spirit works through Scripture to bear witness that the Scripture speaks truly when it speaks of Jesus.

This would, of course, include the OT that foretells of Christ.

Examples

Acts 2. What are the apostles doing? Everyone gets hung up on the tongues part, but the Holy Spirit is there doing exactly what Jesus predicted He would be doing. The apostles were testifying to the truth about Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Peter, James, John, Paul, Stephen all experienced prison and eventual death because they would not stop preaching about Jesus. Why didn’t they recant? The power of the Holy Spirit.

Polycarp was born about 70 AD and died in 155 AD. Though he lived a long 85 years, his death was anything but natural. He died at the stake, the first recorded Christian martyr of the post-apostolic era. A direct student of the Apostle John, Polycarp learned the Romans were going to arrest him. While his friends pleaded with him to run, he calmly replied, “I must be burned alive.” An official named Quadratus interrogated Polycarp until he lost his temper threatening to burn Polycarp at the state. Polycarp retorted, “Your fires last but a little while, but the fires of judgment, reserved for the ungodly, cannot be quenched. But why do you delay, Come, do what you will.” He was given one last chance to recant and declare, “Caesar is Lord” while offering a small pinch of incense to Caesar’s statue. His reply resounds through the ages: “Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” And with that, He was burned alive. How was Polycarp able to bear witness about Jesus without saving himself? The power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit Convicts of Sin

Scripture, John 16:8 “8 When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment:”

Examples

David, Psalm 51

Peter, Matthew 26:74-75 “74 Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed, 75 and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.”

The Holy Spirit Illumines Your Mind to the Scriptures

Scripture, 1 Corinthians 2:10-12 “10 Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, since the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except his spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God.”

The Holy Spirit Empowers you to live a holy life.

Scriptures

Acts 1:8 “8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””

Romans 15:13 “13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Galatians 5:22-23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.”

The Holy Spirit will resurrect your dead body.

Scripture, Romans 8:11, 23 “23 Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.”

Conclusion / Application

Scripture teaches that if you are saved you possess the Holy Spirit. He dwells in your body, inside of you. What are you going to do with this awesome privilege? Let me give you some ways you can honor the Holy Spirit who lives inside you.

Praise and Exalt Him as God. We can’t allow the charismatics to have all the fun.

Listen to Him when He convicts you of sin.

We live in a society that has just about eradicated guilt and shame as helpful concepts. Now hear me well. Guilt can be misplaced, and shame can be falsely assigned.

But guilt also is real every time you sin. When we do wickedly, it’s not wrong to feel shame. That shame can do its good work of driving us to repentance, which is what the Holy Spirit wants.

Don’t make excuses for your sin, thereby canceling the work of the Holy Spirit within you.

Live in the power of the Spirit.

Put off the old self, and put on the new, Col 3:9-10 “9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.”

This is the hard part. Constant confession, repentance, and striving for holiness.

Join Him in His mission. Tell people about Jesus.

“You also will testify,” John 15:26-27 “26 “When the Counselor comes, the one I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 You also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.”

Opportunities

Door hanger canvassing Oct 23

Life crises

What does it look like? Every time can be different, but it might go something like this: “Your life is a real mess right now. My life used to be a mess. Let me tell you how Jesus saved me and set me on a solid foundation. He can do that for you, too.” And then you share the good news.