The Work of the Holy Spirit in the World & the Believer
William Randolph Hearst was one of the wealthiest men in the world. A passionate collector of fine art, one day he was pouring through a catalog of fine and rare paintings, and he came upon a piece he just had to have. So he instructed his purchasing agent to do whatever it took to find it. After a long and difficult search, the man found it�in Hearst's own collection! He already possessed the painting, but he had so much in his collection, he didn't even know it was there.
Spiritually speaking, many of us are like Mr. Hearst. We do not know all that the Holy Spirit has done for us now that we have committed our lives to Jesus Christ. As a result, we live as "spiritual paupers" in this life, never realizing how "rich" we are in Christ. It's much like living below the poverty level when you actually have $10 million in your checking account.
In this study, we will look at the work of the Holy Spirit in the world and in the life of the believer.
A. The Work of the Holy Spirit in the World
Read John 16:7-11;13-15.
1. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin (vv. 8-9).
The Holy Spirit convicts, or convinces, the world of sin by producing in people a sense of guilt and wrongdoing. He uses this conviction to cause nonbelievers to see their need for Jesus Christ. Some well-meaning but misguided believers turn to �pressure tactics� to lead someone to the Lord. Yet, we can actually hinder the process of conversion when we interfere with the Holy Spirit's work in this way. Only the Holy Spirit can prepare a person's heart for conversion.
What happens to those who resist the Holy Spirit's conviction?
We often hear that �good people� go to heaven while �bad people� go to hell. Yet, this passage dearly shows that "goodness" and "badness" is not the determining factor.
A person's eternal destiny is not so much a sin question as it is the Son question.
The worst possible sin is to ignore the Holy Spirit's conviction and to refuse to believe in Jesus (v. 9). Once we have heard the gospel, knowledge brings responsibility. Jesus said,
"If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin" (John l 5:22).
The Holy Spirit will convict a person only so long. When a person no longer feels any guilt or remorse for his or her sin, it is an indication that this person is no longer under the Spirit's conviction. By refusing to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, this individual is calling the Holy Spirit a liar, and he stands condemned (John 3:36; 1 John 5:l0).
2. The Holy Spirit convinces the world of righteousness (v. 10).
Before a person can totally appreciate the incredible love of God, he must first see his utter depravity and desperate need for a Savior. To the proud, self-confident person who thinks that he does not need Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes with His convicting, convincing power and sets him straight. Our own "righteousness" will never meet up to God's requirements (Matthew 5:20). Without Christ, the Holy Spirit shows us that we are "unrighteous," and therefore unable to "inherit the Kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9).
3. The Holy Spirit convinces the world of judgment (v. 11).
Jesus is not speaking of some future judgment, but of a judgment that has already taken place. The "Prince of this world" (Satan) was judged when Jesus went to the cross of Calvary and died in our place. Satan essentially lost the power he had over us to force us to do what was against God. The Holy Spirit wants us to be aware of this great truth.
4. The Holy Spirit stops the wholesale spread of evil (2 Thessalonians 2:7).
You might say that the Holy Spirit "keeps a lid on things." His work through the Church is a restraining force in the world today. While we see an escalation in wanton, senseless violence and an increasing disregard for human life, it is nothing compared to what the world will see in the last days when Jesus takes His Church out of this world.
"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).
Once the Holy Spirit's unique work through the Church ceases (He will still work but not quite in the way we see it now), and no longer restrains evil, the powers of darkness will take over.
How does the Holy Spirit use believers to restrain evil?
Believers act as "salt."
Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men" (Matthew 5:13).
Salt was a preservative in ancient times. To be "salt" means to stand up for what is right and true and to stop the rampant spread of evil in our culture.
Believers act as "light."
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
To be light means to be a witness to others through the good works that we do, to glorify God. It is also to let others know of our faith in Jesus Christ. The proclamation of the gospel is the most effective defensive and offensive weapon in our spiritual arsenal.
B. The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Believer
1. The Holy Spirit brings about the work of conversion (John 3:5; 6:63).
As part of the wonderful process of conversion, the Holy Spirit personally gives us the assurance that Jesus Christ has come into our lives (Romans 8:16), and He indwells us, taking up residence in our hearts (l Corinthians 3:16).
2. The Holy Spirit seals us (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Scripture tells us that once we believed in Christ, we "were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians l:l3). This description alludes to the royal seal of a king used in ancient times. Anything stamped with the king's seal signified a unique mark of ownership. In the same way, God has put His "royal seal" upon us: the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives.
When the devil comes to make havoc of our lives, he is stopped cold by that seal of ownership.
The Holy Spirit is also called the "deposit guaranteeing our inheritance" (Ephesians 1:l4). Much like putting money down to "hold" a piece of merchandise until you can make full payment, God gives us the deposit�or down payment �of the Holy Spirit to show that He means business! He guarantees our future inheritance: eternal life in heaven with Him.
3. The Holy Spirit teaches us (John 14:26).
As we read and study Scripture, the Holy Spirit can give us incredible insights into what God's Word says and means to us today. While some passages can be difficult to grasp, the same Holy Spirit who inspired the Scripture can illuminate its words for our benefit (l Corinthians 2:13). He may also bring verses to mind when you are ministering to a fellow believer, giving that person a greater understanding of the Bible.
4. The Holy Spirit helps us to pray (Romans 8:26-27).
Many times we are disappointed when God does not answer our prayers the way that we want. Some will even abandon their relationship with Him and give up altogether. Perhaps we do not understand the true objective of prayer:
Prayer is not a means by which you change the mind or will of God�it is a means by which God changes you!
True prayer moves in a cycle:
It begins in the heart of God, with His purposes and desires;
God then places those desires in your heart;
Then you express those desires back to God in prayer.
As God's Word says, "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). Your prayer life will become more in tune with God's will the more that you abide in Him and allow His Holy Spirit to be at home in your heart (John 1 5:7). And for those times when you don't know how to pray-when all you can do is utter a simple groan-the Holy Spirit will intercede on your behalf (Romans 8:26).
Just think, the Holy Spirit has converted, assured and sealed you, all the while continuing to teach you and help you in your prayers. So rejoice! Your "spiritual checking account" is more full than you may have thought.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew, a reporter discovered one house standing firm on its foundation amid the devastation and debris. Curious, the reporter approached the owner of the solitary structure as he was cleaning up his yard. "Sir," asked the reporter, "why is your house the only one still standing?"
"Well sir," the man replied, "I built this house by myself. I built it according to the Florida State building code. When the code called for: 2 x 6 trusses, I used 2 x 6 trusses. I was told that a house built according to code could withstand a hurricane, so I did, and it did! I suppose no one else around here followed the code."
The Importance of Following "God's Code"
Tragically, many people today are not "following the code" as laid out in God's Word, the Bible. Yes, we may be braced for the more obvious sins of life. Yet we may be completely oblivious to the more subtle sins of deception and false teaching that are so prevalent in the so-called "new spirituality" in America today�and even in many of our churches.
In The People's Religion: American Faith in the 90's, pollster George Gallup Jr. finds that most people who consider themselves religious "do not see truth as a high priority." He writes, "While religion is highly popular in America, it is to a large extent superficial. There is a knowledge gap between America's stated faith and the lack of the most basic knowledge about that faith."
This is why we are looking at the foundations of our Christian faith in this study. We are, for all practical purposes, studying theology! The Christian writer, C. S. Lewis, gave this warning years ago: "If you do not listen to theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God. It will mean that you have a lot of wrong ones."
If you have the wrong theology, you may be loving the wrong Jesus.
The Apostle Paul reminded young Timothy,
"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers" (1 Timothy 4:16).
When it comes to building a strong foundation in our spiritual lives, there is no better place to start than with God Himself. According to Scripture, there is a single God who manifests Himself in three distinct persons. We have already looked at the Father and the Son. Now we will look at the most mysterious and misunderstood person of the Holy Trinity: the Holy Spirit.
Read John 16:7-11
During the days that Jesus walked on the earth, His disciples could talk and listen to Him, gaze upon Him, and even reach out and touch Him. But on the day Jesus ascended into Heaven, He told His disciples that He would lead and guide them in an entirely new way�through the Holy Spirit.
The Person and Nature of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is called the Paraclete in the original Greek, which literally means, "one called alongside to help." He is here for you�and He wants to do a wonderful work in your life (see John l 4:l 6-l8). He wants to seal, guide, empower and fill you time and time again. Yet, there is a great deal of misunderstanding concerning His role and working in the lives of both believers and nonbelievers.
What Makes the Holy Spirit a Person?
Some have wrongly assumed that the Spirit is more of an "It" than a "Him." That is probably due in part to descriptions of Him in Scripture that refer to Him as being like the wind or a fire, or as coming on Jesus in the form of a dove. Yet, this must be balanced with the rest of Scripture.
In the New Testament, Jesus referred to Himself as "the Bread of Life" and "the Door." The Bible also refers to God as "a Refuge" and "a Consuming Fire," as well as One who will protect us "under His wings." Does that mean that Jesus is a loaf of bread or a door? Does that imply that God the Father is a pile of rocks or a blast furnace, as well as some sort of "giant bird" in heaven? Of course not! In the same way, those descriptions of the Holy Spirit do not mean that He is simply some sort of "force" or power." In order for a being to be considered a person, he or she must possess three characteristics: intelligence, will, and emotion. The Holy Spirit displays all three.
1. The Holy Spirit has intelligence.
"But God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God " (1 Corinthians 2:10-11).
Paul tells us that the Spirit "knows the thoughts of God." Only a person with intelligence can actually know things. A fire does not "know" things, nor does a plant or a tree. But the Holy Spirit does.
2. The Holy Spirit has a will.
"But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing [gifts] to each one . . . as He wills" (I Corinthians 12:11 ).
It is the Holy Spirit who decides what kind of spiritual gifts each believer should receive. Other evidences of the Holy Spirit's will include Acts 15:28, when the Apostles prefaced their judgment on a question of Church doctrine by saying, "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit. " In addition, the Holy Spirit has shown His will in setting apart people for the Lord's service (Acts l 3:2). Only persons with a will are able to communicate this way.
3. The Holy Spirit has emotion.
"Then Peter said, 'Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit... You have not lied to men, but to God'" (Acts 5:3a-4b).
Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit can be grieved, quenched, resisted, blasphemed, and�as this passage attests�even lied to. This passage, found in the account of Ananias and Saphira in Acts 5:1-11, also clearly states that the Holy Spirit is God.
How Can the Holy Spirit Be Sinned against?
The Bible warns of six sins one can commit against the Holy Spirit. Some of them can only be committed by nonbelievers, while others could be committed by believers.
1) Lying to the Spirit.
"These people draw near to me with their mouth...but their hearts are far from me" (Isaiah 29:13).
Lying to the Holy Spirit means to pretend to be something you are not�to go through the motions of the Christian life without really meaning it in your heart of hearts.
2) A believer can grieve the Holy Spirit.
"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice" (Ephesians 4:30,31).
Grieving the Holy Spirit means to make sad or sorrowful. When we allow bitterness to poison our lives or we slander others, we are grieving the Holy Spirit.
3) A believer can quench the Holy Spirit.
"Do not quench the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5: 19).
Quenching suggests extinguishing a fire. Unbelief can certainly hinder the working and moving of God's Holy Spirit (see Mark 6:4-5). This sin is also committed when the Holy Spirit leads you to do a certain thing (share your faith, pray more, take a step of faith) and you flatly refuse.
4) A nonbeliever can resist the Holy Spirit.
"You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!" (Acts 7:51 ).
These words were spoken by the early Christian martyr Stephen, as he spoke to the unbelieving Sanhedrin shortly before his death. The Holy Spirit seeks to speak to the heart of the unbeliever and lead him to God. This speaks of those who are convinced of the truth of the gospel, yet who refuse to yield their hearts to God.
5) A nonbeliever can insult the Holy Spirit.
"How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace" (Hebrews 10:29).
It is the office of the Holy Spirit to present the saving work of Jesus Christ to the unsaved. A person insults the love of God by saying that he does not really need God's gift of salvation, or by insisting that Christ's death on the cross was unnecessary or unable to save him. To resist the Spirit's appeal is to insult God and to cut off all hope of salvation.
6) A nonbeliever can blaspheme the Holy Spirit.
"And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come" (Matthew 12:31-32).
This is the most serious offense against the Holy Spirit, for there is no forgiveness for the person who commits it. The work of the Spirit is to convict us of sin and bring us to Jesus Christ. To blaspheme Him is similar to insulting, in that we resist His work altogether. This should not be the concern of any Christian, for this is not a sin he can or will commit.
The Holy Spirit's plan (purpose) for your life is to lead you in the will of God.
"Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace" (Romans 8:5-6).
Instead of lying to, grieving, quenching, or insulting and resisting the Holy Spirit, we should allow Him to freely work in our lives.
The Bible tells us to be �filled with the Spirit!� Have you ever wondered what that means? It may not be what you think.
We might surmise to be �filled with the Spirit� means that we will have an emotional experience. Now, it could mean that, but you can have this encounter with God and have no emotional experience to speak of.
I�m sure we would all love to have an emotional encounter with God every single day. It would be great to just get �zapped� every morning, wouldn�t it? But that is not necessarily going to happen.
As you know, we are now studying the book of Acts at Harvest on Sunday mornings. This Sunday, we are going to look at the day of Pentecost. The day of Pentecost was like the explosion that set the early Church into motion.
Like when you start driving a car, there is the �explosion� that starts the engine. But once the engine is started, you just drive the car. You don�t need the explosion over and over, just one to start the engine.
Thank God for those powerful, emotional, life-changing encounters we have with Him.
A number of people have written me and told me that happened last Sunday for them when we had a time of prayer after the message. That is wonderful, yet Scripture reminds us, �The just shall live by FAITH� (Romans 1:17 NKJV). So we don�t need �another� Pentecost any more than we need �another� Calvary.
We just need to appropriate and apply what God has made available for every believer� And that is the work and power of the Holy Spirit to help you be the person God has called you to be.
Paul tells us, �And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit� (Ephesians 5:18 NKJV). So we don�t need the �Spirits,� we need the Holy Spirit!
The word �filled� has many shades of meaning. One translation of the word filled describes the idea of the wind filling the sail of a ship as it carries it out to sea. So to be filled with the Spirit is to allow God to fill your sails and guide your course through life, making His commands not a drudgery, but a delight.
Also, this word �filled� speaks of something that should be ongoing and continuous. You could translate it �Be being filled with the Holy Spirit.� Just like you have to put gas in your car, and those gas prices are insane right now! You need the constant filling of the Holy Spirit. The good news is God will not charge you.
I will have a lot more to say about this Sunday morning at Harvest. You can come and join us in person, our service times are listed here. Or you can log on to our live webcast or watch the archive of it later.
The Bible tells us to be "filled with the Spirit!" Have you ever wondered what that means? It may not be what you think.
We might surmise to be "filled with the Spirit" means that we will have an emotional experience. Now, it could mean that, but you can have this encounter with God and have no emotional experience to speak of.
I'm sure we would all love to have an emotional encounter with God every single day. It would be great to just get "zapped" every morning, wouldn't it? But that is not necessarily going to happen.
In the Book of Acts, we read of the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the first Christians and filled them. The day of Pentecost was like an explosion that set the early Church into motion.
Like when you start driving a car, there is the "explosion" that starts the engine. But once the engine is started, you just drive the car. You don't need the explosion over and over, just one to start the engine.
Thank God for those powerful, emotional, life-changing encounters we have with Him. But Scripture reminds us, "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17). So we don't need "another" Pentecost any more than we need "another" Calvary.
We just need to appropriate and apply what God has made available for every believer. And that is the work and power of the Holy Spirit to help you be the person God has called you to be.
Paul tells us, "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). So we don't need "spirits," we need the Holy Spirit!
The word "filled" has many shades of meaning. One translation of the word "filled" describes the concept of the wind filling the sail of a ship as it carries it out to sea. By that definition, to be filled with the Spirit is to allow God to fill your sails and guide your course through life, making His commands a delight, not drudgery.
The word "filled" also speaks of something that should be ongoing and continuous. You could translate it "Be being filled with the Holy Spirit," just like you have to put gas in your car.
You need the constant filling of the Holy Spirit. And the good news is that God will not charge you!
"Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you."
� Ephesians 5:17-18
When we think of being filled with the Spirit, we often relate it to an emotional experience or a feeling of euphoria.
But in reality, the word, "filled," could be translated, "controlled by." It is a word that speaks of what happens when the wind fills the sails of a boat and guides it along. So God is saying that we are to let His Spirit fill us and control our lives.
Another interesting thing about this word is that in the original language, it is in a tense that speaks of something that should be done continually. So you could translate this sentence, "Be constantly filled with the Spirit." This is not a one-time event. Instead, it is something that takes place over and over again, just as we repeatedly fill the gas tanks in our cars to keep them running.
God wants to refill us with His Spirit. It is a great thing to say each day, "Lord, fill me with your Spirit. Lord, fill me once again." You may have emotional experiences. You may not have emotional experiences. But that has very little to do with the reality of being filled with and controlled by the Spirit.
One other thing about this phrase from Ephesians 5:18 is that it's a command, not a suggestion. The Scripture is not saying, "If it works with your schedule, if you don't mind, would you please consider maybe letting the Holy Spirit fill and control you?" Rather, God is saying that He commands us, He orders us, to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Greg says that God's power will help us to testify about Him to other people when we will receive the Holy Spirit.
We will not bark, but God's power will enable us to implement the will of God for our life.
Listen to two sermons explaining how we should accept the Spirit of God and not the spirit of satan which makes people to bark in our churches!!!
This is the Power of God which will help us to change the world.
We will not bark like false christians for the whole day, but we will testify to God about His Son and His salvation.
So, God commanded us to be filled with the Spirit of God, that's why you all should submit your hearts to the God Jesus and He will fill your hearts by His Spirit.
Listen today how to do it:
In Radio, www.harvest.org:
Power to Change the World � II Acts 1 | Thursday 11/3
Pastor Greg Laurie says God makes His power available to His children to do His work. Find out how we can rely on this supernatural power to help us step up and speak out.
The Church's 1st Prayer Meeting � I Acts 2 | Friday 11/4
When the early Church first gathered for prayer, there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit like no one had ever seen! Pastor Greg Laurie points out how the same Holy Spirit wants to empower the Church today.
I will list en to this but I can tell you it is not scriptural before i listen.
I do not believe Greg Laurie has the evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit.
I do not believe it is the Holy Spirit is behind exalting people for others to listen to, because if they are wrong then you are guilty of the same sin.
When the early Church first gathered for prayer, there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit like no one had ever seen! Pastor Greg Laurie points out how the same Holy Spirit wants to empower the Church today.
Some fake 'christians' say weird words and blame that to the Holy Spirit, it is lie. God does not bark.
This was the supernatural phenomena- flames, you do not see but see the effects of it. Can you see the effect of the holy Spirit?
Or effects of the wind?
My point is simple this- they were transformed to became powerful witnesses to Jesus.
If you claim that in your barking God speaks, then you should know:
If it is not in the Word, it is not from the God, if it is new, it is not true. We do not need new revelation from so-called prophets�.the prophet Joel said.
If you do not have spiritual bases for what you do, you should not do it. So, God forbids your barking, the first Christians/believers did not bark in the Bible.
God is going to judge your if your deceive other Christians making them to bark like you are barking day long.
PJ, it is clear to me that bahira is using this forum to slander people that are filled with the spirit and speak in tounges, I have explained to her over and over that just because some churches have been so sadly decieved and taken over by SATANIC COUNTERFIT doeasnt mean that they all bark and are demonic, once again if satan impersinates it then there must be an original, bahi, what you are doing is just mean and not edifying at all its just to prevoke strife and that is also satanic its as demonic as the barking in your 25 year old video, please ask God to search your heart and show you any wickedness, because you have already acused me of being demon possesed among other things and you keep on with this one video of barking which I have explained to you over and over is a satanic counterfit to the real thing so why are you stll on the barking unless its to just prevoke an argment, that is not the Christ that I know , if you are so worried about these people why dont you spend the time praying for them that you spend slandering them and trying to grop them in with true spirit filled believers, I think yo maybe have some deeper issues you need to ask the Lord to help you with
