Tag: Holy Spirit

The Person and the Functions of the Holy Spirit

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The Holy Spirit is a Person. He is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit). Therefore, He is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son. After His resurrection and before His ascension to Heaven, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to His disciples: “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. (John 14:15-17)

What does the Holy Spirit do? The Holy Spirit:

  1. Searches all things (1 Corinthians 2:10-11)

The Holy Spirit is given to believers so that we may know God better. He reveals to us the heart of God. He opens our eyes to the salvation and inheritance we have in Jesus.

“..these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:10-11, NIV)

  1. Lives in the believers (1 Corinthians 3:16)

The Holy Spirit lives in believers. He leads us and guides us in our daily living.

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Cor. 3:16, NIV)

  1. Seals Us (Ephesians 1:13)

The Holy Spirit has sealed us as children of God. In the ancient world, a seal was a “legal signature” of ownership. The Holy Spirit has sealed believers so that that we are confident of our salvation and that we belong to God.

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13, NIV),

 

  1. Gives gifts to believers (1 Corinthians 12:11)

Every believer has at least one spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit. We are to use the gifts to bless others, build up the church and to glorify God.

“All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Cor. 12:11). More gifts are mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11.

  1. Intercedes for us (Romans 8:26)

There are times when we are feeling weak and helpless and we don’t know what to do. That is when the Holy Spirit will pray for us to God the Father. What comfort it is to know that someone is interceding for us so that we will continue to journey on in our Christian faith!

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (Romans 8:26)

  1. Teaches us all things which Jesus has taught us (John 14:26)

The Greek word “Parakletos” in this passage is translated as “Advocate” (in the New International Version). “Advocate” means “legal counsel.” The Holy Spirit gives believers wise counsel. He will remind us of the teachings of Jesus so that we can follow them.

“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” (John 14:26, NIV).

 

  1. Convicts us of sins (John 16:7-8)

Sin separates us from God. Sin will grieve the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit reveals to us of our sins so that we can confess them and ask for His help not to commit them again.

  1. Renews us and gives us eternal life (Romans 8:10-11)

The Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers to renew and sanctify us. He makes us holy. Just as the Holy Spirit raised Jesus Christ from the dead, the Holy Spirit gives eternal life to all who accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour.

  1. Enables the believers to bear fruits (Galatians 5:22-25)

The work of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life is an on-going process. Not only does He convicts us of sins (Galatians 5:16-21), He helps believers to bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25).

The passages above show that the Holy Spirit is active in teaching us to obey God. He reveals to us our sin, convicts us to confess them so that we can live a life that glorifies God. He is also praying for us as well as empowering us to do what God has entrusted to us. There are so many more passages about the Holy Spirit in the Bible. We shall look at them in future posts.

Day of Pentecost. Come, Holy Spirit

Today is the Day of Pentecost. We commemorate the Day of Pentecost on the 50th day after Easter (or the Seventh Sunday after Easter).

On the Day of Pentecost 2,000 years ago (and 10 days after the risen Jesus ascended to Heaven), the apostles and followers of Jesus were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Harvest. In the rush of wind and in tongues of flames, the Holy Spirit came and filled them, just as Jesus had said. It was the most wonderful and powerful gift from God. These apostles and followers of Jesus were afraid of what would happen to them after Jesus had gone to Heaven, but when the Holy Spirit came, He filled them with boldness, authority, power and language to proclaim the Good News. A crowd came to see what was going on, and each of them were amazed to hear the Good News in their own language.

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter (who only a few weeks ago had denied knowing Jesus three times out of cowardice) stood up with the other apostles and preached the Good News to the crowd so powerfully that 3,000 people became believers that day. The Book of Acts records many of the wonders and miracles the apostles did through the power of the Holy Spirit. With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, they “returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 24:52). They finally realized why Jesus had to leave them to return to Heaven—so that the Holy Spirit could come upon them.

Who will have the Holy Spirit? Anyone can receive the Holy Spirit. Today, the Holy Spirit lives in everyone who believes in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit who filled the apostles is with us today. It is the same Holy Spirit who was present when the foundations of the world were laid. It was the same Spirit by whom Jesus Christ was conceived. It was the same Spirit that was with Jesus as He walked on this earth, preaching about the kingdom of God, healing the sick and casting out demons. Jesus said to His disciples, “whoever believes in me will also do the works I have been doing” (John 14:12).

The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, gives us new life, indwells in us and seals us and baptizes us into the Body of Christ. He also gives us spiritual gifts to serve God and to bless others (1 Peter 4:10) and to build up the church (1 Cor. 14:12).The Holy Spirit teaches us to obey all that Jesus has taught us (Acts 5:32; Hebrew 10:20). But, if we intentionally disobey the promptings of the Holy Spirit and continue to sin, the Holy Spirit can be grieved and quenched (Romans 6:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:19). Therefore, we have to be very careful. We do not want to intentionally disobey God and subsequently quench the Holy Spirit.

On this Day of Pentecost, many of our countries are still in lock down due to the virus. We may be feeling fearful. We are uncertain about the future. So did the apostles 2,000 years ago. But then, God sent them the Holy Spirit and their lives were never the same again. The coward and fearful disciples became bold missionaries, bring the Good News to the world. They turned the world upside down for God.We are in a lock down, but we are still people of peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

May you and I be filled with the Holy Spirit continually so that we will live a victorious life over the bondage of sins.

“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hop by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13