Listen:  150.1

There is so much that can be said about the Holy Spirit.  We find His presence mentioned in the first chapter of the Bible.  Genesis 1:1-2says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”  We find His presence mentioned in the last chapter of the Bible.  Revelation 22:17says, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” 

Although the Spirit is called by several names, there is only one Spirit.  Ephesians 4:4tells us that, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.”  The Holy Spirit is not an influence or an outpouring of God’s power.  The Holy Spirit is a divine person equal to the Father and the Son.  Ephesians 4:30cautions us to, “…grieve not the holy Spirit of God…”  We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:19to, “Quench not the Spirit.”  This shows that the Holy Spirit is a person that can be grieved or quenched.

The promise of the Holy Spirit to come and indwell all believers on the Lord Jesus Christ was given by Christ himself when he said in John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”  Concerning the indwelling of the Spirit, we read in Romans 8:9that, “…if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”  Only believers are indwelt with the Spirit, and every believer is indwelt with the Spirit.

The work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus.  We read the words of the Lord Jesus in John 16:13-14, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”  It is the work of the Spirit to reveal to us precious truths from the Word of God.  He opens the Word to us and allows us to understand things that the unsaved person cannot understand.  1 Corinthians 2:10says, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”  1 Corinthians 2:14goes on to say, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 

The power to live lives that honor the Lord is from the Holy Spirit.  We read in Galatians 5:16, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”  When we follow the leading of the Spirit of God through the Word of God, we will manifest the attributes of God.  Galatians 5:22-23says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”  Ephesians 5:18-21tells us to, “…be filled with the Spirit.  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” We can only be filled with the Spirit when we are emptied of our own lusts and desires.

These are only a few precious truths concerning the Holy Spirit.  I trust this will increase your interest in learning more about this precious person of the Godhead.  As Romans 8:14teaches us, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”  (150.1)