The Counselor | Romans 5:5

What is the Work of the Holy Spirit?

A. W. Tozer once pondered how many Churches there were in America that were merely organizations where the pastor "turned the crank"of the organization and the church went simply because of it's functions. He lamented the vast number of Christian churches and individual Christians who did not realize that the Holy Spirit "has come as a Person and that he is willing - yes, waiting - to do for us all that Jesus would do if He were here (bodily) on earth!"

There is one often neglected truth in Paul's Gospel, that we as Christians can miss because we are so busy looking at other things, and it's this: The Holy Spirit is Essential.

Paul makes this clear by noting that our hope in God, the hope of the truth of the Gospel, 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."

The Holy Spirit is essential to the gospel, and it is essential to the church. Not only that, the Holy Spirit is GOD'S GIFT TO THE CHURCH

Luke 11:13

Before we get into how the Spirit is essential, let me first point out one truth that this passage and all of scripture points out to us: The Holy Spirit is a PERSON. The Spirit is not the force. It's not a permeating feeling. The Spirit thinks, He feels, He loves, He longs. The Holy Spirit is just as much a person as you are, but without a corporeal body.

Early in Church history, the church fought against a theological heresy called Arianism. Arius, for whom the heresy was named, denied the Trinity. In response, men like Athanasius, St. Nicolas, and others gathered at the Council of Nicea in 325 B.C. and condemned Arianism as a heresy. Years later, the findings of that council were put into a creed that bears the name of Athanasius, though probably not written by him. It says about the Godhead:

"We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated... The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity."

So what then is the work of the Holy Spirit in the church?

The Holy Spirit REVEALS GOD'S LOVE to the church (Joel 2:28-29)

God's Love is lavished upon us (Poured Out) - Like the oil and perfumed poured out on Jesus' head and feet relatively was an act of worshipful love by the woman, so God's Holy Spirit is the pouring out of God's lavish love for us.

Joel 2:28–29 ESV

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

The Holy Spirit fills us with a deep understanding of the Nature of God's love for us. This is demonstrated in v. 6-11.

The Spirit is not a Spirit of fear or bondage, but rather a spirit that leads us to cry out "abba Father) (Rom. 8:15-16). When we were saved, that initial, heart bursting, love for God was the movement of the Holy Spirit in us. The Holy Spirit's desire is for us to see God's love and to love God. More than that, it's to know Christ and His love for us and to love him faithfully.

Therefore a Spirit-filled church is a loving church. If we are filled with the Spirit of God, God's love will pour out of our hearts. This is why lovelessness is a sign of lostness.

This is why Paul pleaded with the church in Corinth to experience the LOVE of Christ because it was the greatest of the gifts of the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 13:1–4 ESV

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Church, let us beg of the Spirit to fill us with the love of God that comes through the Holy Spirit who HAS BEEN GIVEN US. If we want to experience God in 2022, It’s

The Holy Spirit DECLARES CHRIST'S GLORY in the church (John 16:14)

A second work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ.

John 16:14 ESV

He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

WHERE CHRIST IS GLORIFIED, THE SPIRIT IS PRESENT & WHERE THE SPIRIT IS PRESENT CHRIST WILL BE GLORIFIED.

So a church that is Spirit-filled will make much of Christ. Churches that make much of man are not Spirit-filled. Churches that are focused on what God can do for you are not Spirit-filled.

The Holy Spirit BUILDS THE BODY called the church. (Ephesians 4:8-12)

Ephesians 4:8–12 ESV

Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

The Holy Spirit EMBOLDENS THE MEMBERS of the church (Acts 4:31)

Acts 4:31 ESV

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

When the Holy Spirit moves in a church that church is emboldened to speak the good news boldly.

The Holy Spirit SAVES SINNERS through the Church (Titus 3:5-6)

Titus 3:5–6 ESV

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

The Holy Spirit INCREASES THE JOY of the Church (Acts 13:52)

Acts 13:52 ESV

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.