The Work of the Holy Spirit
(Part 2)
The Work of the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit's work is not limited solely to the believer; He is also very much at work in the world, and His ministry is fulfilled in five ways:
"We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him'' Acts 5:32 (see also 1 John 5:6-12).It was through God's Spirit that Jesus was baptised with power to fulfil His ministry (Luke 3:21-22; 4:14,17-21), and it was through the Holy Spirit that Jesus was raised from the dead (Romans 1:4). From the beginning to the end, the Holy Spirit was involved in the work of Jesus, and He has now been given to the believer to bear witness to the fact that Jesus is indeed the Son of God and is alive today !
"When the Counsellor comes . . . he will testify about me, but you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning" John 15:26-27.
"When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to SIN and RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUDGMENT" John 16:8.Because the world has rejected God, the Holy Spirit's aim in people's lives is to bring conviction in three areas:
"... in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me . . . '' v.9.The world has rejected God and sinned against Him. People try to cover up their sin and justify themselves, but the Holy Spirit's work is to expose sin for what it is and show the need for God's help (see Acts 24:25).
'' ... in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer . . . " v.10.Jesus was the only true standard of the righteousness of God. Without Him, people would only have themselves to measure by (2 Corinthians 10:12; Romans 2:23). When Jesus returned to the Throne, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell the believer- and now the Holy Spirit reveals the standard of God's righteousness, desiring that that standard would be clearly demonstrated in the believer for all the world to see.
'' . . . and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned'' v.11.People's lives around us are bound by spiritual powers, but the Holy Spirit is present to reveal the marvellous truth of the Gospel - that they can be free because of the work of Jesus, for He judged our sin on the Cross and completely destroyed the legal right that the enemy has over people's lives (Colossians 2:13-15).
"For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way'' 2 Thessalonians 2:7.The Holy Spirit is the one force in the world today that is restraining the world from plunging headlong into the darkest expression of its sin and rebellion. But there will come a time in the future when the Holy Spirit will withdraw and believers will be snatched away (Luke 17:34-36; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) - and then the full expression of sin will be revealed in time for the outpouring of God's judgment. As vessels of the Holy Spirit, we too are encouraged to be instruments of His restraint (see Matthew 5:13; 1 Timothy 2:1-2).
"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power" 1 Corinthians 2:4 (see also 1 Thessalonians 1:5).The early Church was birthed in the power of the Holy Spirit, and it was that power that gave evidence of the reality of what they had experienced. One of the Holy Spirit's functions is to testify to the truth of the Gospel by performing miracles and wonders.
''Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it'' Mark 16:20 (see also Acts 2:43; 5:12,15-16; 6:8; 8:6-8,12-13;14:3).
''In the last days, God says, l will pour out my Spirit on all people . . . I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy . . . And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" Acts 2:17-18,21.It is God's greatest desire that His Spirit would fall on all mankind in great glory and in a revelation of the nature of God. The day is coming when this will finally happen, and through God's Spirit, the whole earth will be full of His glory.
''Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken" Isaiah 40:4-5.The Holy Spirit's desire in the world is to draw people to Himself. This work is one of the major parts the Holy Spirit plays in God's total scheme of salvation.
''This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" 1 Timothy 2:3-4.But when people continually reject the Holy Spirit's encouragement, He also has a ministry of judgment - though even this ministry is so that people might yet turn back to Him.
"Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them" Isaiah 63:10 (see also Hebrews 10:29).
''When the Counsellor 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... HE WILL BRING GLORY TO ME by taking from what is mine and making it known to you" John 15:26;16:14.The Holy Spirit's continual aim in everything He does is to bring glory to Jesus. His desire is that ''in everything (Jesus) might have the supremacy'' (Colossians 1:18), and that:
'' . . . at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord . . . '' Philippians 2:10-11.
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Unless otherwise stated, all scriptures quoted in these studies are from the New International Version of the Bible, & copy; New York International Bible Society, used by permission. Other versions referred to are: KJV (King James Version), NKJB (New King James Bible), TLB (The Living Bible), Amp (The Amplified Bible) and The Message. All versions used by permission.
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