Tag Archives: The Holy Spirit’s work

The Holy Spirit In the Believer

Posted on by under Salvation
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God’s gift to believers

Jesus spoke these words the night before his betrayal at the Last Supper. Jesus anticipated returning to His Father in Heaven, but He would not leave His followers helpless and alone. Like Jesus, the Holy Spirit would be with them—giving them comfort, guidance, and strength. But instead of being with them physically as Jesus was, the Holy Spirit would reside in them (See also 1 Corinthians 3:16). I think this is one of God’s greatest (and mysterious) miracles: giving us new life through the baptism of His Holy Spirit—spiritual birth (John 3:3-8).

When we understand that Christ died in our place for our sins, rose from the grave, and we place our complete trust in Him for salvation—the Holy Spirit comes and indwells the believer.

Security in Salvation

Believers can be secure in their salvation. We are sealed by Christ through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). Jesus, who is stronger than the grips of death, is our Sealer. His seal is the Holy Spirit, “given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

Believers are chosen [in Christ] before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-6). Why? Paul says: to create a family of people who are passionate for God’s honor and glory (Ephesians 1:10-12). This is made possible through the Holy Spirit.

God’s children now have direct access to Him because Jesus has made us acceptable in His sight (unlike the Old Testament era when people could only approach God through priests, operating under the old sacrificial system, Hebrews 10:19-23).

Benefits of the Believer’s Security in Christ (Romans 8)

The Holy Spirit plays an active role in the believer’s life by:

  • Removing chaos and confusion with life and peace
  • Protecting against Satan
  • Assuring no condemnation
  • Uniting us with Christ, (no separation from God)
  • Preserving and protecting what the Father brings into being

Have you been sealed with the Holy Spirit by placing your complete trust in Christ?

Is it possible to grieve the Holy Spirit? How?

How can believers cooperate with the Holy Spirit and glorify God?

 

The Holy Spirit–Third Person of the Trinity

Posted on by under God's Call

The truth of the Spirit transcends, but does not contradict reason. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one and only one God.”  – Herbert Lockyer

My finite mind certainly can’t grasp everything about the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—three distinct Persons, yet one in essence. But the following analogy helps me better understand the Godhead relationship.

WATER

Water (H2O) is a compound composed of three common states: solid, liquid, and gas. According to Wikipedia, water may take many different forms on Earth: water vapor and clouds in the sky, seawater in the oceans, icebergs in the polar oceans, glaciers and rivers in the mountains, and liquid in aquifers in the ground.

Each property of water plays a unique and vital role not only in our lives, but also in our ecosystem. Without water, life would cease to exist.

THE TRINITY

The Bible clearly states there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). The term Trinity signifies the “threefoldness” of the Godhead: Father, Son, and Spirit (Genesis 1:26; 11:7; Matthew 28:19). In reference to these three members, the Greek term homoousious means: “of the same essence or substance [God].” All three are coequal and coeternal.

Of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Lockyer writes, “Each has some characteristics which the other does not. Neither is God without the others, and each with the others is God . . . . The Father loves the Son—the Son honors the Father—the Spirit testifies of the Son.”

  • God the Father is the original Source of everything (Genesis 1:1).
  • God the Son follows in the order of revelation (John 5:24-27).
  • God the Spirit is the Channel through which the blessings of heaven reach us (Ephesians 2:18). (Source: All the Doctrines of the Bible)

How important is the Holy Spirit’s Work?

I like what Tony Evans says about the centrality of the Holy Spirit:

Without the Holy Spirit, humankind wouldn’t be here. There would be no creation or principle of life. There would be no Virgin birth, or victory over Satan in the wilderness (since the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted). There would be no Bible, no Christians, no one to restrain sin in our world, and no hope of Christ returning.”

Without the Holy Spirit, there would be nothing.

The following music video features the song “How Great Thou Art” sung by nine year-old Rhema Marvanne. Enjoy!

Coming next week: The Holy Spirit’s Uniqueness.