The Work of the Holy Spirit
Last week, we talked about the importance of having the Holy Spirit in our lives and how vital it is for our spiritual growth that we nurture a relationship with Him. Today, I want to share with you the work of the Holy Spirit.
1. He anoints for service – Luke 4:18- The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and sight to the blind. To set the oppressed free.
2. Believers are born from Him – John 3:3-6-3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!" Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
3. He glorifies Christ – 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that He will receive what He will make known to you.
4. He guides us to the truth – John 16:13- But when the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His account, but He will speak everything that He hears, and He will make you know the things that will come.
5. He convinces us of sin – John 16: 8-9- And when he comes, He will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. 9 Of sin, because they do not believe in me.
6. He empowers believers - Luke 24:49- 49 I'm going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
7. He testifies of Jesus – John 15:26- But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
8. He teaches us – 26 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.
9. He is access to God- Ephesians 2:18-18 Because through Him we have access by the same Spirit to the Father.
10. He gives certainty that we are children – Romans. 8:15, 16; - 15 For you have not received the spirit of slavery to fear again, but you have received the spirit of adoption, by which we cry: Abba, Father!
Galatians. 4: 6- And because you are sons, God sent into your hearts the Spirit of his Son, who cries: Abba, Father!
11. He is the author of the Scripture – 2 Peter 1:20-21- Understanding first that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation, 21 because prophecy was never brought by human will, but holy men of God spoke being inspired by the Holy Spirit.
12. He baptizes us- John 1:32-34; John also testified, saying: I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained upon him. 33 And I did not know him; but the one who sent me to baptize with water, that one said to me: On whom you see the Spirit descending and who remains on him, that is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. 34 And I saw him and have testified that this is the Son of God.
1 Corinthians. 12:13-14- For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and we were all given to drink of the same Spirit. 4 Furthermore, the body is not one member but many.
13. He calls and commissions – Acts 13: 20:28- Afterwards, for about four hundred and fifty years, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 2 When he was removed, he raised David for their king, of whom he also testified, saying: I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do whatever I want. 23 Of the offspring of this, and according to the promise, God raised Jesus as Savior to Israel. 24 Before He came, John preached the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 more when Juan finished the race of him, he said: Who do you think that I am? I am not him but behold, one comes after me whose shoes I am not worthy to untie. 27 Because the inhabitants of Jerusalem and their rulers, not knowing Jesus, nor the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28 And without finding in him a cause worthy of death, they asked Pilate to kill him.
14. He cleans us – 1 Peter 1:2- chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father in sanctification of the Spirit, to obey and be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you.
15. He gives power – 1 Thessalonians 1:5- 5 For our gospel did not come to you in words only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and full assurance, as you well know who we were among you for your sakes.
16. He fills us - Acts 2:4; 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them to speak.
Acts 4:29-31; 29 And now, Lord, look at their threats and grant your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand for healing and signs and wonders to be done through the name of your holy Son Jesus. 31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled trembled, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.
17. He bestows us with gifts – 1 Corinthians. 12:8-11-8 For to him is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another, a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another, faith by the same Spirit; and to another, gifts of healing by the same Spirit. 10 To another, to perform miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, discernment of spirits; to another, diverse kinds of tongues; and to another, interpretation of tongues. 11 But all these things are done by the same Spirit, distributing to each one in particular as he wants.
18. He helps us in our weakness- Romans. 8:26-26 And likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; We do not know what we should ask for as it should be, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groans.
19. He dwells in us - Romans 8:9-14; 9 But you do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you, and if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, it is not His. 10 But if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit lives because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 12 Therefore, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, so that we might live according to the flesh; 13 because if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.
Galatians. 4: 6-6 And because you are sons, God sent into your hearts the Spirit of his Son, crying out: Abba, Father!
20. He inspires us in prayer - Eph. 6:18-18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching there unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
Jude 20: 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
21. He intercedes for us – Romans. 8:26-26 And likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; We do not know what we should ask for as it should be, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groans.
22. He helps us interpret the Scripture – 1 Corinthians. 2:1- So, brothers, when I came to you to announce the testimony of God, I did not come with excellence of words or wisdom.
Corinthians 2: 14-4 But the natural man does not perceive the things that are from the Spirit of God, because to him they are madness, and he cannot understand them, because they have to be discerned spiritually.
Ephesians 1:17 ...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,
23. He guides us – Romans. 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.
24. He liberates us – Romans. 8:2-2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed me from the law of sin and death.
25. He molds character and produces fruit – Galatians. 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentlenesses, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.
26. He gives us life – Romans. 8: 11-11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
27. He regenerates and renews us – Titus 3: 5-5 He saved us, not by works of justice that we had done, but by his mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit,
28. He seals us – Ephesians 1:13-13 In Him you also, having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in Him, were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
29. He strengthens us – Ephesians 3:16-16 that he may give you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man by his Spirit.
30. He reminds us to be thankful – 2 Corinthians 4:13-15-But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written: I believed; therefore, I spoke, we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14 knowing that the who raised the Lord Jesus, he will raise us also with Jesus, and present us together with you. 15 For all these things we suffer for love of you, so that grace may abound through many, thanksgiving may abound to the glory of God.
31. He gives us the victory over the flesh – Romans. 8:2-4; Because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed me from the law of sin and death. 3 For what was impossible for the law, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; 4 so that the justice of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
32. He facilitates worship – John 16:13-15-13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on his own, but whatever He hears, He will speak, and He will make you know the things to come. 14 He will glorify me because He will take what is mine and make it known to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; that's why I said He will take what is mine and make it known to you.
God has given us so many blessings, like salvation and Jesus. Another gift we should treasure is the Holy Spirit in our lives. As we already know, the moment we accept Christ into our hearts, the Holy Spirit makes a home in us and transforms us. As you learned above, the Holy Spirit has many functions and activities. He works in the hearts of all people. Jesus told His disciples that He would send the Spirit into the world to "convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment."
John 16:7-11-7 But I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away because if I do not, the Comforter will not come to you; instead, if I go, I will send it to you. 8 And, when he comes, he will convince the world of his error as to sin, righteousness, and judgment; 9 as to sin.
We have learned about the Holy Spirit in the past two weeks. Nonetheless, there is no better teacher than experience, which is why it is so vital that we take the time to get to know Him personally, to become intimate with Him, to give Him free rein in our lives, and to surrender to Him. You will never know the Holy Spirit well if you do not develop a communion with Him. Talk to Him, pray, and ask Him to guide and direct you. He invites us today to enter into an intimate relationship with Him because He wants to transform us and help us. Pray to ask for forgiveness, and then take a few minutes and ask him to fill you more every day and help you to continue hand in hand with Him.
