The Holy Spirit (Part 7)

Today, we will see the Holy Spirit's ministry among believers. Our spiritual walk and salvation is as important to Him as it is to our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit has a vested interest in us.

Regenerates - Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).  Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who went to see Him one night. Jesus is talking to Nicodemus about spiritual rebirth but Nicodemus misunderstood and wondered, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” So, Jesus had to explain to him what He meant.

Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (verse 5).  The water here is baptism, dying to sin.

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.  So is everyone who is born of the Spirit" (verse 8).

"...not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

Indwells - "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" Romans 8:11).

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Anoints - "But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things" (1 John 2:20).

"But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just it has taught you, you will abide in Him" (verse 27).

We read in Acts 10:38, that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit:  "...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."

Baptizes - Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

Guides - "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come" (John 16:13).

Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar (Acts 11:28).

And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.  When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles" (Acts 21:10, 11).

Empowers - "But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, and of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin" (Micah 3:8).

Sanctifies -"...that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:16).

"But we are bound (under obligation) to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the Truth" (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

"...elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:2).

Bears witness - "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16).

"And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us, for after He had said before, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD:  I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more" (Hebrews 10:15-17).

Helps - The Holy Spirit is our Helper. He abides with us, teaches us.  He helps us in our weaknesses (John 14:16-26; Romans 8:26).

Gives joy - "...for the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

Gives discernment - God reveals things to us through His Holy Spirit who compares spiritual thing with spiritual things (1 Corinthians 2:10-16; 1 John 4:1-6).

We are encouraged to test the spirits to see if they are of God or not.  With the help of the Holy Spirit we will be able to discern the spirit of the Antichrist and the spirit of error which are in the world and in those who are of the world.

Bears fruit - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22, 23).

Gives gifts - The one Spirit gives various gifts to the body of Christ.  Through Him is given to one, the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, to another faith, to another gifts of healing, the working of miracles to another, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues (1Corinthians 12:3-10).

"The one Spirit works all of these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills" (verse 11).  These gifts are to glorify God and edify the church (believers/the body of Christ).